England fast bowler John Turner has announced his shock retirement from professional cricket at the age of 25, bringing the curtain down on a promising five-year career.
Turner, who represented England in two ODIs and two T20Is in 2024, made the difficult decision after a prolonged battle with injuries kept him away from professional cricket since June last year.
The Hampshire fast bowler suffered a stress fracture in his back, an injury that forced him to spend more than a year on the sidelines. Despite having two years remaining on his Hampshire contract and holding an England and Wales Cricket Board development contract until the end of last year, Turner decided that it was time to move on.
Explaining his decision, Turner said the repeated injuries had made him think seriously about his future both as a cricketer and beyond the sport.
“Playing professional and international cricket was always my dream,” Turner said, describing representing Hampshire and England as the fulfilment of childhood ambitions.
He admitted that retirement was one of the toughest decisions of his life but said he believed it was the right moment to take on a new challenge.
Turner made his first-class debut for Hampshire in 2021 and described his five years with the club as the best period of his life. He also thanked Hampshire’s management, coaches, teammates and supporters for their unwavering backing.
His retirement brings a surprisingly early end to the career of a bowler who had once earned an international opportunity at just 23.
