Retirement and timing — always not the best of friends

• The decision to retire from competitive sport is a personal one, with no right to demand it.

• The question of when to retire is often a topic of debate among sportspeople.

• Sachin Tendulkar, the greatest Indian batter of all time, retired in November 2013 after 24 years of unwavering commitment and passion.

• Sunil Gavaskar, synonymous with Indian batting, also retired in relative anonymity.

• Gavaskar’s last Test appearance was at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in March 1987.

• He had planned to retire from Test cricket at the end of the series against Pakistan but refrained from announcing it publicly.

• Gavaskar’s final game for India was at the Wankhede, where he was bowled by Phil DeFreitas for four.

• Gavaskar’s decision to retire was due to his desire for a final tilt at Lord’s, which was in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Marylebone Cricket Club.

• Steve Waugh and Sourav Ganguly announced their retirements from international cricket in 2003-04, with Ganguly retiring in 2008.

• Anil Kumble, who was appointed Test captain in 2007, quit Test cricket abruptly in December 2014, despite a challenging tour of Australia.

• Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman, who had parallel careers, retired after their final Tests in Adelaide in 2012.

• Dimuth Karunaratne, a key player in Sri Lankan cricket, retired after his 100th Test, a significant achievement for a player who primarily played one format internationally.

• Despite his retirement, Karunaratne’s final Test was marked by a guard of honour and a congratulatory pat on the back from Australian fans.

• Jacques Kallis, the greatest all-rounder of the modern game, retired from international cricket in July 2014, with a corresponding ODI number of 11,579 runs, 273 wickets, and 131 catches from 328 matches.

• Despite his achievements, Kallis did not excite the fans as much as he did his teammates.