We have all heard about a number of rags to riches stories of cricketers. That a player went from not being able to afford the basic requirements of life to acquiring a huge amount of money by showcasing his talent on the field.
However, there are a few stories of international cricketers going from making a decent living to doing odd day jobs, in fields farther away from cricket, to make ends meet and making just about the minimum wages.
Here are five cricketers who turned from rich to poor:
Arshad Khan
Arshad Khan represented Pakistan from 1998 to 2006; in 9 Tests and 58 ODIs he snapped up 88 wickets, including that of Sachin Tendulkar. However, when out of the side, Arshad shot himself in the foot by signing a deal with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League in 2008, ending his international career with Pakistan.
Things went downhill for the former spinner. A few years ago, it was reported that Arshad had become a taxi driver in Sydney, when a fan noticed him when he booked his taxi and put it on social media. He was given a new lease of life in cricket when PCB appointed him the spin bowling coach of their women’s team in 2020.
Adam Hollioake
Adam Hollioake, the English all-rounder who played 4 Tests and 35 ODIs between 1996 and 1999, last played a high-level professional game in 2007 and went on to pursue his family business in Australia.
In the 2008 global recession, his company’s financial position weakened; his property company, the Hollioake Group, collapsed in 2010 and by 2011 he was declared bankrupt. The former cricketer then started his career as a mixed martial artist making his debut in 2012.
He returned to cricket in a coaching capacity, as Afghanistan’s coach in 2018 followed by a coaching role for England Lions.
Mathew Sinclair
Mathew Sinclair, the New Zealand batsman who scored two double centuries in his first 12 Tests, saw his career spiral down after that. He finished with an average of 32 in 33 Tests with just one more three-figure score after those two double tons.
After playing his last international in 2010, Sinclair retired from the game in 2013. After his retirement, he became jobless for some time and since he hadn’t completed his education before playing international cricket, it became difficult for him to find employment to manage his expenses. He now works as a real estate salesperson in Napier and struggles to make both ends meet.
Chris Cairns
Chris Cairns, who was recently diagnosed with bowel cancer, played 62 Tests and 215 ODIs between 1989 and 2006 and finished as one of the finest ever New Zealand all-rounders.
However, after retirement, Cairns face match-fixing allegations in 2013 but was later found non-guilty. However, the costs of legal proceedings ultimately took a heavy toll on his bank balance, leading him to bankruptcy which later forced him to do cleaning jobs in Auckland.
Janardan Navle
India’s first Test wicketkeeper, Janardan Navle, faced the historic first delivery of India’s first Test innings in 1932 against England; Navle only played one more Test.
However, as reported by crickettimes.com, Navle spent his last days as a beggar, and did other menial jobs such as a watchman in a sugar mill in Pune before passing away.
