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It is a widely known fact that life of a cricketer is quite short-lived in the present era. With the game demanding so much from a player - both physically and mentally, the cricketers are often forced to retire from the game in their late 30s. While their cricket-playing days are the golden years of their lives, their toughest phase of life begin post retirement. While some cricketers are lucky to be associated with the game after their playing days as they turn into coaches, umpires or commentators. However, with so many cricketers in the world, not everyone is as lucky. Some cricketers have to go out of their way to meet their needs and the story of former Aussie cricketer Xavier Doherty is no different.
Xavier Doherty was a member of Australia's 2015 WC winning squad
Xavier Doherty was one of the finest left-arm spinners that Australia has ever produced. He picked 55 wickets in 60 ODIs in addition to his 7 wickets in 4 Test matches for the national side. The 38-year-old was notably also part of Michael Clarke's team which went on to clinch the World Cup title in 2015. Overall, he played 71 first-class, 176 List A and 74 T20 matches, picking up a total of 415 wickets. Following the conclusion of 2016-17 Sheffield Shield season, the spinner announced retirement from cricket in March 2017.
What happened to Doherty after retirement?
The cricketer had to face the harsh reality of the world post his playing days as he had no idea what life had ahead of him. To make ends meet, Doherty tried his hand in various fields like landscaping, office work, cricket work for the first 12 months and finally found himself working as a carpenter. In a recent video released by Australian Cricketers' Association, the 38-year-old sheds light on his new profession.
“Right now, I am three-quarters of the way through a carpentry apprenticeship. This is my day on building sites and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Just being outdoors working with my hands, learning new things. Something completely different to cricket,” Doherty was quoted as saying in the video.
While the cricketer thanked ACA for their support when he was struggling to find a job, the fans were quite sad to see Doherty in this state. While some hailed the 38-year-old for his dedication as no work is small, others wanted the board to take better care of their players post retirement.
Check out how fans reacted to this:
While Doherty has turned into a carpenter, it is not the first time that a cricketer has switched profession post his playing days. Former Indian cricket Joginder Sharma joined Haryana Police post his retirement while former Pakistan cricketer Arshad Khan became a cab driver in Australia. The fans often see the glamorous life of cricketers but the struggles before and after their playing days are often left unseen and unheard.