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Legendary athletes like Sunil Gavaskar, Ian Chappell, Ravi Shastri, and Wasim Akram transitioned from playing to commentating after ending their international careers. These celebrities delivered outstanding performances in their new roles after excelling as players. After the 2019 World Cup, various cricket players who had previously retired began their second careers as commentators, following in the footsteps of these giants.
These athletes gained a lot of fans who wanted to see them continue playing the sport after they retired for the teams they supported on the field. So far, it has been entertaining to see these athletes in the commentary booth as they have worked hard to increase the excitement of the game.
Here are the six cricketers who transitioned to commentary after the 2019 World Cup, to continue our discussion.
1. Carlos Brathwaite
After hitting four maximums against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup, Carlos Brathwaite gained notoriety and helped his team win the prestigious championship. In addition, Brathwaite was an essential player for the West Indies squad for the 2019 World Cup. In his eight games in the competition, he amassed 154 runs and nine wickets for his team.
He scored a ton in the interesting game against New Zealand, helping his team move very near to the 292-point goal. Brathwaite played in a series of T20 internationals (T20I) and ODIs against India following the World Cup in England, however he was ineffective and was benched.
The gifted all-rounder joined the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 commentary team. He attracted a lot of attention during the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers when Brathwaite’s surprised expression in the commentary box during the West Indies’ defeat by the Netherlands went viral on social media.
2. Dinesh Karthik
Against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup semifinal, Dinesh Karthik played his final ODI game. He was the game’s fifth batter and managed just six runs. He did not participate in any ODIs for India after that. The wicketkeeper batsman made his commentary debut while England was touring India in 2021.
Karthik used the commentary microphone for the first time during the first Twenty20 International between India and England at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Later, he also provided commentary for both teams’ three-match ODI series. He was the sole Indian, along with Sunil Gavaskar, to join the on-site commentary team for the World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand in June 2021.
Karthik shared the commentary booth with renowned cricketers Nasser Hussain, Kumar Sangakkara, Ricky Ponting, and Mark Taylor during the Ashes 2023. A crucial member of the commentary team for The Hundred League is the India wicketkeeper.
3. Jean-Paul Duminy
From 2004 to 2019, Jean-Paul Duminy worked for South Africa. He ended his ODI career after the 2019 World Cup but continued to be available for T20Is. He decided to retire from all forms of cricket in January 2020 after Cricket South Africa (CSA) expressed no interest in hiring him for the shortest format.
In order to commentate on the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL), Duminy joined the Star Sports broadcast crew in September of that year. In the inaugural season of the Mzansi Super League, which Cricket South Africa (CSA) ran in 2018, Duminy made his commentary debut.
The former Protea batter joined the Star Sports broadcast crew for the IPL’s 2021 season after the 2020 season concluded. In that league edition, Duminy was a prominent co-commentator and former cricket player alongside Ian Bishop, Sunil Gavaskar, Danny Morrison, and Mpumelelo Mbangwa.
4. Aaron Finch
In 2022, Aaron Finch retired from international competition after leading Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup. Over the course of his 11-year international career, the tenacious opener played 254 international games. He captained Australia’s white-ball cricket squad from 2018 till the conclusion of his career.
The former Australian mainstay adopted the position as a commentator after his retirement in 2022. He and his fellow countryman David Hussey registered their participation as commentators for the Indian Premier League in 2023. The seasoned broadcaster is also affiliated with Fox Cricket as a part-time pundit.
Finch signed a contract with Nine’s Wide World of Sports in May 2023 to work as their Ashes 2023 commentator. The Australian’s extensive knowledge of the game may lead to him taking on more significant responsibilities as a pundit in the years to come.
5. Eoin Morgan
With his outstanding captaincy abilities, Eoin Morgan drastically altered the England white-ball team’s playing approach. In 2019, England won the ODI World Cup at home for the first time under his direction. Morgan represented England in limited-over formats up until 2022 after the stunning title win.
He announced his retirement from international cricket in June 2022, and the former captain of England is now a commentator. Morgan joined the Sky Sports commentary team for England’s 2022 home season just a few minutes after announcing his retirement. He joined the prestigious commentary team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, which included veterans like Sunil Gavaskar, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Watson, Dale Steyn, and many other well-known figures.
In February 2023, the cricketer with Irish ancestry announced his retirement from all competitive sports. Morgan participated in the JioCinema broadcast crew as a commentator for the IPL 2023. The former England captain was seen commentating for Sky Sports during the Ashes 2023 later in the year.
6. Chris Gayle
Since November 2021, Chris Gayle, the former captain of the West Indies, has been absent from international cricket. He hasn’t publicly announced his retirement, but the southpaw could do so at any time. The Caribbean cricketer missed the IPL season of 2022 for the first time since making his league debut in 2009.
During the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Unbox Event in 2023, Gayle took part. The former RCB player also received a JioCinema deal and participated in the IPL 2023 commentary panel. Legends like Graeme Swann, Brett Lee, Scott Styris, and Eoin Morgan were with him.
Gayle made his commentary debut during the IPL 2023 opener between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans (GT), however fanatical fans criticized him harshly for his subpar skills. Many league viewers used social media to mock the West Indies great for his awful performance in the commentary box.
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