Over the last few years, a number of high-profile cricketers have left fans stunned by retiring prematurely from international cricket. The likes of Glenn Maxwell (ODIs), Heinrich Klaasen (all formats), and Nicholas Pooran (international cricket at only 29) have retired much earlier than expected. Nicholas Pooran, another hard-hitting batter and former West Indies captain announced his retirement despite being in great form and having many years in his career left. His announcement sparked a huge debate: Are the IPL and other T20 leagues forcing their players to quit early from international cricket? Nicholas Pooran's Surprising Retirement The left-handed wicket-keeper batter of West Indies, Nicholas Pooran, 29, who featured in 61 ODIs and 106 T20Is for West Indies, scoring over 4,000 runs combined, has announced his international retirement on June 10, 2025. He was their leading T20I run scorer and even captained the side in 30 matches. However, after stepping down as skipper following the 2021 T20 World Cup, he was no longer a regular in the team. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicholas Pooran (@nicholaspooran) His emotional retirement post thanked fans, teammates, and family, but the timing was shocking. He’s young, in great form, and could have played for years. So why retire now? Is it because of the lucrative deals that players get from different T20 leagues, especially IPL? let's find out. Also Read | Best XI of Unused Players in IPL 2025 Is the IPL Influencing Early Retirements? Pooran isn’t the only one. Glenn Maxwell (Australia) retired form One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa) retired from all international cricket. Both are still active in T20 leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL), SA20, Big Bash League (BBL) and other franchise cricket across the world. The sudden retirements of top players hints at franchise cricket becoming more appealing than playing for the country. following are some of the reasons: Lucrative Deals in T20 Leagues Heinrich Klaasen retained by SRH for 23 CRORE 🤑Nicholas Pooran retained by LSG for 21 CRORE 🤑 pic.twitter.com/IUvUhtI0Rg — CricketGully (@thecricketgully) October 31, 2024 The lucrative deals in T20 leagues, particularly IPL, could be one of the reasons as even bench players earn crores per season. For many cricketers, especially from smaller cricket nations, one IPL contract can be worth more than years of international cricket earnings. Players such as Klaasen and Pooran were retained for INR 23 Cr and INR 21 Cr respectively ahead of IPL 2025. Hence, for them, making themselves available for the franchise cricket is now a priority, even above the international cricket. Less Travel & More Family Time International cricket involves long tours, hectic schedules, and continuous travel. Franchise leagues are comparatively shorter as it runs for two to three months at max, and this allows players to earn hefty while spending more time with their family. Mental Fatigue & Burnout "I felt like I was letting the team down a little bit with how the body was reacting to the conditions"Glenn Maxwell on his decision to retire from ODIs ▶️ https://t.co/cPM2aasNqk pic.twitter.com/4oIlVh3A9e — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 2, 2025 Players like Ben Stokes of England, Glenn Maxwell of Australia, and Quinton de Kock of South Africa have spoken about mental fatigue. The pressure of performing for the country, facing the media scrutiny, and non-stop cricket leads many to prioritize leagues where expectations are lower, resulting in a good mental health and less burnout. Also Read | MS Dhoni reaction after getting into ICC Hall of Fame Physical Strain of Adapting Multiple Formats Playing all three formats (Tests, ODIs, and T20Is) is not everyone's cup of tea. This requires a lot of hard work and mental strength. Many big names players like Glenn Maxwell and Trent Boult, now skip certain formats to extend their careers in T20 leagues. Conflicts with Cricket Boards Several West Indies players such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo have had issues with their cricket board over pay, contracts, and selection policies. Pooran himself requested not to be picked for ODIs vs England before retiring, hinting at disagreements. It's not only about the West Indies' Players This isn’t only about players representing West Indies. Players from Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand are also choosing leagues over international cricket. Below are some of the names who retired early from either one or all formats. Trent Boult (New Zealand) - Gave up central contract to play T20 leagues. Quinton de Kock (South Africa) - Retired from Tests (2021) & ODIs (2023). Marcus Stoinis (Australia) - Retired from ODIs to concentrate on T20 cricket. Glenn Maxwell (Australia) - Retired from ODIs to focus on the upcoming T20 World Cup. Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa) - Retired from international cricket citing family as the key reason behind his departure. Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) - Retired from Test cricket to allow young players to take up the responsibility. Each of these players is still active in leagues like IPL, BBL, SA20, and other T10 and T20 leagues. Also Read | CricketGully's Best XI of IPL 2025: Stars Who Ruled the Season What Does This Mean for International Cricket? The increasing number of retirements is an indication that franchise cricket is more appealing than international cricket to most players. With additional money, reduced pressure, and improved control of schedules, players are considering what is in their best future. However, this also poses a challenge. Will the top talent still remain in international games and tournaments when franchise cricket is opted for by more players? Conclusion Nicholas Pooran is just one example of the widespread issue. A lot of top cricketers now view leagues like the IPL as a better career path than giving their time in international cricket. The reasons are clear: more money, less stress, fewer injuries, and more time with family. As this trend of early retirement from international cricket continues, cricket boards of top cricketing nations will need to rethink how they manage player contracts, match schedules, and develop good support systems. If not, the national teams may struggle to keep their best players for long. So yes, Indian Premier League (IPL) and other T20 & T10 leagues are clearly one of the biggest reasons behind the recent wave of early retirements from international cricket.