Cricketers these days find themselves in a more advantageous position than their predecessors were once they decide to call it quits or are at the end of their playing career.  Cricketers of the earlier generation had plenty of reasons to worry about when they were nearing the end of their playing career.  However famous a cricketer was during his playing days, once he retired he was consigned to history books or was read in a column whenever past memories were recalled in a magazine though he was a household name in his playing career.   The cricketer loses the fame and adulation which was once his and probably his source of income.

These days however cricketers earn plenty very early in their career.  The most important aspect is that these cricketers need not worry about retirement.  The players have plenty of post retirement options, the prominent among them are:-

Taking up the job of a Commentator:- All of us were accustomed to hearing commentary from a regular commentator like Narottam Puri  just like how we hear news from a newsreader. Those days cricket though popular was not marketed as well.  Geoff Boycott was the world record holder for the highest number of runs in Test Matches and yet not many knew about him other than reading about him occasionally in a magazine when some record associated with him was broken.  Today thanks to players looking to be associated with the game even after retirement they have managed to retain their popularity or get back the popularity which was once theirs in their playing days as is the case of Geoff Boycott.

Match Referees:- While many prefer to be commentators, for they can keep in touch with their fans on a more regular basis, some prefer to be the Match Referee.  Clive Lloyd attained was very popular in his playing days for his brilliant captaincy and destructive batting.  In the role of match referee Lloyd had the satisfaction of performing a contrasting role and also in keeping in touch with the game he once loved.  Javagal Srinath is another player who is enjoying the role of match referee.  Javagal Srinath too would be relishing the match referee which is in stark contrast to his role as a pacer in his playing days.

Umpires:- Players have another option and i.e. to take up umpiring.  However umpiring has few takers and that may be probably due to the fact that umpiring means lot of hard work standing for full five days especially if it is a Test Match.  The players will have to spend far more energy in their older days as a umpire than the energy they have spent in their younger days as players.  However some players take up umpiring and that is more for passion or to fulfill their desire than with the intent of making money.

Writing for Magazines or Newspapers:- Some players after retirement are contracted to write for Magazines or Newspapers.  It is a well known fact that many like to write.  Getting an opportunity to write with the benefits of being in the public limelight and getting remunerated is too good a offer to resist for anybody.

In earlier days a cricketers career used to end approximately at the age of 40  years which means a cricketer retires atleast  20 years before a employee retires from any organization. Today a cricketer though retires at age of 40, he is guaranteed of fame, adulation and income as long as he desires to.

• Written by N R SATISH.
• In category Cricket.
• 14 years ago.

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