Is age a cruel and silent opponent that hits sports persons?

By K.R. Nayar

Is age too cruel on sports personalities?  We recently witnessed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retire from Test cricket. Many fans were shocked by their sudden decision, believing both had plenty of Test cricket still left in them. The primary reason behind their retirement appears to be the age factor. Perhaps they sensed that age would no longer support their desire to keep playing.  A look at the career span of most cricketers reveals that except for a few, it normally tends to be short.

 

Virat Kohli...his fans believe he has a lot of cricket still left in him 

Everyone plays sports, but the decision to retire professionally and emotionally affects star athletes to a very great extent. Once a player approaches mid- thirties, and should there be a dip in his performance, the inevitable question arises: is it time to leave the stage? It is indeed a hard truth that with age, a sportsman’s skill will not be as sharp as it was when he or she was in the twenties.

 

When legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev saw a decline in form, it was difficult to accept that age was the underlying cause, and that it couldn't be resisted. When Virender Sehwag, once capable of dispatching any ball over the boundary with ease, could no longer do so, it felt as though age had turned cruel on him. Human biology ensures that as the years pass, decline is inevitable, and that must be accepted.

 

Sports personalities differ from professionals like journalists or film stars, who often mature with age. Sports demands peak physical performance, and the human body is built with a natural expiration date for such activities. Some athletes struggle to accept that this expiration date is real. The love and adoration of fans often blinds them to this truth. It’s not easy to walk away from the spotlight when thousands cheer your name and celebrate your talent. Nor is it easy to accept that all those lucrative endorsements and match fees will suddenly stop. Watching younger, rising stars take their place only sharpens that reality.

 

While players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Tendulkar are still popular faces in advertising campaigns, their current demand cannot be compared to what it was during their playing days. When the brightness of a bulb starts to fade, it’s natural for it to be replaced. When injuries hit an athlete, retirement becomes easier to accept. But when the issue is not injury but a subtle drop in flexibility, speed, or timing, the decision becomes much harder.

 

Some athletes remain effective leaders even if their individual performance declines with age. It’s a difficult phase then; being a respected captain but unable to deliver personally. Sourav Ganguly is a notable example. He was a successful leader, but a dip in form led to tension with selectors. 

 

Several health specialists have commented on why this decline happens, despite the immense talent these players possess. According to them, reaction time decreases with age, and the cardiovascular capacity, the engine behind athletic endurance, also diminishes gradually.

 

Even legends need to eventually accept that the new generation is faster, stronger, and more agile. Perhaps the toughest blow is psychological when applause fades and questions replace cheers. That is mentally exhausting. From once being feared to suddenly not be considered a threat can deeply affect an athlete’s motivation.

 

Very few, like Sunil Gavaskar or Kumar Sangakkara, retire at their peak. Roger Federer, Zinedine Zidane, and Usain Bolt, also managed to walk away at the right time. As basketball icon Michael Jordan so perfectly put it: “The body says stop, but the heart says never.”

 

No one can stop the clock from ticking. What remains is the memory of a wonderful journey. The legendary Pelé once said: “It’s not about how long you played, it’s about what you leave behind.”