John Turner with England team [Source: AFP]In a shocking development, an England cricketer who featured in four international matches for the national team back in 2022 has announced a surprise retirement from professional cricket at the age of just 25. John Turner, a Hampshire fast bowler, was on an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) development contract until late last year and had built an impressive domestic cricket portfolio. However, Turner decided to quit the game due to a major injury setback that he believes he cannot recover from easily.Who is John Turner?Turner moved to England from South Africa after graduating from Milton College. Holding a British passport, he joined Hampshire in 2021 and earned a place in the national squad in 2023 after impressing in The Hundred. However, injuries got the better of him, as he struggled to feature regularly for Hampshire in the County Championship and played only seven first-class matches for the county. He also played three matches on loan for Lancashire in early 2025 before injuries struck again.As for his international career, John Turner played two ODIs for his country, taking two wickets, and one T20I, in which he claimed one wicket. His first-class record stands at 10 matches and 25 wickets at an average of 25.36 and an economy rate of 3.44. In List A cricket, he has taken 37 wickets at an average of 17.97. During The Hundred 2024, Turner picked up five wickets in 10 matches. Just as he was set to continue his progress under an ECB development contract, he was forced to hang up his boots because of persistent injury problems.Also Read- Why Captain Shubman Gill Can Be The Ace Up India's Sleeve On His Maiden Sri Lanka TourWhy Did John Turner Decide To Quit Cricket?John Turner has not played any cricket since last June due to a back stress fracture and said that his injury history ultimately led to the difficult decision to retire from professional cricket. "It was always my dream to play professional and international cricket, and doing so for Hampshire and England has been nothing short of living out those same childhood dreams," Turner said in a statement."I have, however, decided to retire from the game, and as you can imagine, this has been one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. The stress fracture, which has sidelined me for over a year, as well as my injury record, naturally made me think of my future both as a cricketer and away from the game, and subsequently, I decided now was the right time to pursue my next challenge,” Turner added.The economics and finance graduate believes this is the right time to pursue his next challenge in life, which is likely to be a career in finance.How Turner Impacted Hampshire in England’s County Cricket?Hampshire's director of cricket, Giles White, praised Turner's talent and said it was unfortunate to lose a player of his quality from Hampshire cricket. White added that Turner played a significant role during one of the club's most successful periods over the past five years, with Hampshire reaching four T20 Finals Days among other England clubs, challenging at the top of Division One in the County Championship, and reaching the One-Day Cup final twice. "John is an exceptionally talented player, and all of Hampshire Cricket is saddened that his journey in the professional game has come to an end,” White shared.Nevertheless, White wished Turner all the best for the next chapter of his life and added that the club's doors would always remain open should he ever decide to make a comeback or reverse his retirement decision.Also Read- Why Is KL Rahul Captaining India vs Sri Lanka? Is Shubman Gill Ruled Out?
