5 Indian cricketers who may retire before the 2019 World Cup

The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup is only 11 months away. With each passing day, the excitement for the quadrennial mega event is only increasing. Two-time title winners India are currently the best ODI team in the world, but whether their players will be able to carry their form to the tournament remains a question mark.

The on-going India v England series will also be a great teaser to India’s performance on English pitches. Meanwhile, here we look at 5 star Indian cricketers, who may call it a day from international cricket before the World Cup.

Who knows, we might see them doing commentary in the tournament!

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#5 Amit Mishra

At 35, Amit Mishra has neither form nor age by his side

Amit Mishra, a star performer in the domestic circuit, has never been able to cement his place in the national side, more so due to the emergence of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. The 35-year-old leggie has played 36 ODI matches for India, in which he picked up 64 wickets with a miserly economy of 4.73.

With not many opportunities left for him, Mishra might want to put down the curtains on his international career. When he burst onto the scene in the early 2000s, his attacking legspin was quite impressive, but with Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh doing all the job for India, there wasn't a place available for him in the team.

#4 Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan's hattrick against Pakistan remains the best memory from his career

Once considered as Kapil Dev’s successor, bowling all-rounder Irfan Pathan’s career has been consistently marred with injuries, which caused his form to largely deteriorate. His Test wicket hat-trick against Pakistan in 2006, heroics against Australia in Perth 2008, or the man of the match performance in the final of the 2007 World T20 remain some of the best moments from his career.

His last ODI appearance for India came in 2012 and he hasn’t played international cricket since. This year, he went unsold in the IPL auctions as well, and was instead seen donning the hat of a commentator.

#3 Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir was the unsung hero of the 2011 World Cup final

Gautam Gambhir, often recalled as the unsung hero of the 2011 World Cup final, has not played for India since his last Test appearance in 2016, in which he couldn’t make the most of the recall given to him. His career remained restricted to Delhi domestic cricket and the IPL, in which he boasted of amazing records until this season when he decided to move from Kolkata Knight Riders to Delhi Daredevils, and his form dipped.

In the middle of the season, he gave up the captaincy too and young Shreyas Iyer was given the duty. Gambhir’s international recall, at the age of 36, is nearly impossible and this might just be the year he may bid farewell to international cricket.

#2 Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh might call it a day any time soon

One of the best off-spinners ever for several years, Harbhajan, along with Kumble, has helped India win several big series. He was also a key member of India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup win. But after 2011 World Cup, his form largely deteriorated and Ravichandran Ashwin replaced him in the national side.

He did not have an impressive season with the Chennai Super Kings either, and might consider this year as the right time to announce his international retirement. He played 103 Tests, 236 ODIs and 28 T20Is, from which he has 417, 269 and 25 wickets respectively.

#1 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh was the Man of the Tournament in the 2011 World Cup

Two feats that instantly come to the mind when one thinks of Yuvraj Singh are – the six sixes off Stuart Broad, and the man of the tournament in the 2011 World Cup, which India won after a long hiatus of 28 years. However, after being diagnosed with cancer and fighting it, Yuvraj could put up only occasional good performances at the international level.

Even for Punjab at the domestic level and even in the Indian Premier League, has lack of form and growing age has got the better of his talent. In IPL 2011, Yuvraj could score only 65 runs in eight games. Besides, he has failed to clear the yo-yo fitness test too, more than once. 2018 might well be the year when Yuvraj will hang up his boots.