3 cricketers who had their debut and retirement at same venue

Everyone who holds a cricket bat or a ball always dreams of playing for their team at the national level one day. Making an international debut is a milestone every cricketer remembers. But for a select few, the story has come full circle, with their final international appearance also taking place at the same venue where their journey began. Here are three notable cricketers whose careers started and ended at the same iconic ground:

1. Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell was one of Australia’s most celebrated cricketers and the eldest of the famous Chappell brothers. He began his international career at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), making his Test debut against Pakistan in 1964.

More than 15 years later, Chappell returned to the same venue for his final Test appearance. His last match came against England in 1980, and both the first and final chapters of his Test career were written at the MCG.

2. Usman Khawaja

Usman Khawaja’s international career also began and ended on home soil. The opener made his Test debut against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in 2011.

Over the years, Khawaja became one of Australia’s most dependable top-order batters, scoring 6229 Test runs and 1554 ODI runs. His international career eventually came full circle when he played his final Test against England at the SCG in 2026.

3. James Anderson

Legendary England bowler James Anderson is touted as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of the game. He had one of the longest and most remarkable careers in international cricket as a bowler. Anderson made his Test debut at Lord’s against Zimbabwe in 2003 and went on to become the leading wicket-taker as a fast bowler in Tests with 704 scalps.

Anderson’s final international appearance came at the same historic ground more than two decades later. He played his last Test against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2024.