Player withdrawals, unless due to injury, midway between tours have always created a lot of media uproar and criticism. There are many such instances in cricket where players, including captains, have decided to go back home in the midst of a tour due to very many reasons.
The ICC has not usually intervened too much even when a group of more than one or two players withdraw from tours for reasons other than injury or security concerns.
But it has stated that players leaving tours can create "irrevocable damage" and that it could "adversely affect the financial viability of the sport itself".
Although cricket has seen players withdraw before the start of a tour for many reasons, it is not very often that players withdraw in the middle of an important away tour.
Let us take a look at some of these controversial withdrawals from players.
#1 MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni created a huge wave by retiring midway through India's all important tour Down Under. Dhoni called it a day in Tests after the drawn third Test in MCG, a series which India had already lost.
Citing "the strain of playing all formats" as the reason, one of India's greatest captains decided to concentrate in limited overs cricket.
That the decision came in between the series created much havoc. Dhoni was India's most successful captain with 27 wins in 60 Tests at the helm.
The Board, at the time stated, "One of India's greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the test rankings, MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket.”
“BCCI, while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India. Virat Kohli will be the captain of the Indian team for the fourth and final Test against Australia to be played in Sydney."
Dhoni's decision was respected by the BCCI and the players, but fans back home failed to come to terms with the sudden retirement.
Dhoni's place in the Test eleven was never in doubt, given his record but India, but a rough patch in Tests away from home seemed to have eventually got to the wicketkeeper-batsman.
#2 Daryll Cullinan
Daryll Cullinan's decision to withdraw himself from the second Test against Australia at home in 2002 attracted lot of attention.
South African cricketing body, United Cricket Board (UCB), was left fuming after Cullinan decided not to play when officials denied his request to be placed on contract until the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. Cullinan, at the time, was a possible candidate to captain the country after Pollock had withdrawn due to injury.
That Cullinan's stand came just a day after his recall for a 71st Test further complicated matters. Gerald Majola, UCB's Chief at the time, said that Cullinan was aware that he could be given a contract only by playing two Tests and six One Day matches as per UCB's policy.
"It's very disappointing," Majola said. "We spoke only last week about national pride and these are some of the things which are showing that some of our senior players have lost their national pride. This alone shows there is no national pride in Daryll Cullinan."
"If he wanted a contract, he could have played the Test then negotiated. You can't put a gun to someone's head and demand this and that or else you won't play for your country. It's very immature. You'd expect a 19-year-old to behave like this, not a 35-year-old.", Majola said.
Cullinan wanted an A category UCB contract until 2003 if he was to play in the Test match. He said he wished to be treated like a senior player. Cullinan had toured the West Indies along with the Test team the previous year but withdrew from the side ahead of the one-day series. He then flew to England to take up a contract with Kent which would make him unavailable for the Tests against Zimbabwe.
His contract also expired during this time. He had, at the time, said that he would be available to play for South Africa on a match-to-match basis. A knee injury however ended his Kent honeymoon and he was not fit to play against India. He was not selected for the Australian tour either but an 86 for the A team against Australia won him a place for the Tests.
#3 Graeme Swann
England off-spinner, Graeme Swann, decided to quit from Tests and First-Class cricket with immediate effect after the third Test of the Ashes series in 2013. With two Tests remaining, and England shamed by the Aussies, it was shocking to see a senior player retire and withdraw in the midst of a chaotic tour.
"When I came out on this trip I half expected it to be my last tour for England," Swann said in Melbourne. "I was desperately hoping to win the Ashes out here again, like we did in 2010-11, but with the Ashes gone now in those three Test matches, personally I think to stay on and selfishly play just to experience another Boxing Day Test match and another Sydney Test match would be wrong.
"It would be wrong for the team, wrong for me as well. It's time for someone else to strap themselves in and enjoy the ride like I have done. It's time for England to rebuild and refocus on winning back these big series. Me hanging around with the decision already made in my head wouldn't be right.
His retirement did not stand in good stead with fans back in England. Some former English captains like Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff also criticised some comments made by Swann after retiring.
Swann's retirement left a hole in England's core group which had already been affected by Trott's withdrawal due to mental illness. Cook clearly stated later that England would miss the services of the off-spinner and that he had a great skill to balance a four-day attack.
Swann also commented that he should not have gone on the Ashes tour itself but he felt at the time that he could hold up.
#4 The Whole West Indies Team
Yes, that's right. The whole West Indies team withdrew from the tour of India in 2014 following a dispute with their board.
The West Indies players, led by their then ODI captain, Dwyane Bravo, had threatened to not play before the 1st ODI of the series in Kochi if the payment issues were not resolved.
But after much convincing, the match and series went ahead.
Eventually after the fourth ODI, WICB was forced to called off the tour as their players left them with no other options. The developments happened after a pay structure dispute between the players, WICB and West Indies' Players Association (WIPA)
The West Indies Team Manager, Richie Richardson's mail to BCCI read, "Despite agreeing to play the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, regrettably, the current West Indies players have decided that they will not participate any further in this tour and wish to return home after this match. In light of this, I suggest that the entire squad travel to Delhi tomorrow and be booked into a hotel there, until international return flights have been booked. On behalf of the entire squad and WICB, I apologise for the inconvenience caused."
Bravo, on behalf of his players accused Wavell Hinds, WIPA President and Chief Executive, of hoodwinking them by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which amounted to accepting a massive pay cut.
While Hinds said that this was done with the knowledge of Bravo, but the West Indian captain was taken aback by this comment. He retorted by mentioning that, while he supported the proposal, he had clearly stated conditions that there should be no pay cut for senior team and other salary be raised to compensate for sponsorship fee.
#5 Steven Smith
Steven Smith's withdrawal midway through Australia's disastrous tour of Sri Lanka possibly tops this list. With the ODI series tied at 1-1, Australia's captain was withdrawn from the squad in order to rest for the upcoming series against South Africa. David Warner replaced Smith as captain for the remaining ODIs and T20s.
Cricket Australia's National Selector Rod Marsh said in a statement: "Steve has a large amount of cricket coming up in the next 12 months and we wanted to find a time for him to freshen up and these last five matches provide a good opportunity to do so.
"Regardless of the results of the first two matches our plan was always for Steve to take a break and refresh ahead of the ODI Series against South Africa next month."
But former Australian Test players and captains heavily criticised the decision. Michael Slater said via Twitter, “I don’t understand Steve Smith returning early from (the) ODI series. The captain should be there to the end!”
Clarke responded to Slater’s tweet by stating that he should have waited until the series was decided before withdrawing.
“I would’ve liked to have seen the captain play until the series was won and then have a rest,” Clarke said on Twitter. “In the same breath, if Smithy needed a break then he should have flown home after the Test matches not 2x ODIs in.”
While the point is still being discussed widely, it does seem unbecoming of a captain to desert his troops in the middle of a battle to prepare for another battle. It barely makes sense and Australian captains are known to fight any adversity by leading from the front.
Australia coach, Darren Lehmann stated that, while it took some time to convince Steven Smith to sit out the remainder of the series, it was in the best interest of the team. Despite leaving the team midway, Smith has expressed that he wishes to lead Australia in all three formats and Lehmann supported the same.
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