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Cricket has long grappled with the question of discipline; whether over match-fixing, corruption, on-field conduct, or breaches of team rules.
For players caught up in these controversies, a ban often marks the lowest point of their careers.
Yet some cricketers have used those setbacks as springboards, returning with renewed determination and, in some cases, playing the best cricket of their lives.
Here are eight notable examples of players who found redemption after a ban.
1. Steve Smith (Australia): From disgrace to Ashes hero
When Steve Smith was banned for a year in 2018 following the infamous ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town, many wondered whether he could ever regain his place at the pinnacle of world cricket.
The Australia captaincy was stripped from him, his reputation shredded. Yet when he returned, Smith reminded the cricketing world of his supreme batting ability.
In the 2019 Ashes in England, he produced one of the greatest modern series, scoring 774 runs at an average of 110.57 despite missing a Test with concussion.
His comeback not only re-established him as one of the finest Test batsmen of his era but also reframed his legacy as a player capable of responding to adversity with brilliance.
2. David Warner (Australia): Fighter’s response
Alongside Smith, David Warner also received a 12-month ban for his role in ‘Sandpaper Gate.’ Known as a combative opener, Warner’s career was at risk of collapsing under the weight of scrutiny and criticism.
But his return was equally emphatic: he won the Player of the Tournament award at the 2021 T20 World Cup, helping Australia claim their first men’s world title in the format.
Later that summer, he scored twin centuries in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, reinforcing his reputation as one of Australia’s most destructive opening batsmen. The ban seemed to harden Warner’s resolve, pushing him to prove doubters wrong.
3. Graham Gooch (England): From rebel tourist to England great
In the early 1980s, Graham Gooch was one of several England cricketers who accepted money to tour apartheid-era South Africa, an action that earned him a three-year international ban.
At the time, it looked like his England career might never recover. Yet Gooch used the hiatus to become fitter and more disciplined. When he returned to Test cricket in 1985, he evolved into one of England’s most dependable batsmen.
His crowning moment came in 1990, when he struck 333 and 123 in the same match against India at Lord’s – one of the greatest all-round batting performances in Test history.
By the end of his career, Gooch had amassed 8,900 Test runs and cemented himself as one of England’s finest.
Also read – Ranked: The top 12 wicket-takers for India in Tests
4. Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa): Second chance at redemption
Herschelle Gibbs’ career was marked by exhilarating stroke play but also marred by controversy. After admitting involvement in a match-fixing scandal in 2000, he was banned for six months.
Many thought that was the end for him at international level. Instead, Gibbs returned with renewed focus and delivered some of South Africa’s most unforgettable batting performances.
His 175 off 111 balls in the record-breaking 438 chase against Australia in 2006 remains one of the greatest ODI innings of all time.
The ban could have destroyed him, but Gibbs channelled his talent into producing moments of genius that still define South African cricket folklore.
He was banned a second time later in his career, although it was a much shorter-term ban as he missed just three games. His second ban came after it was ruled that he had made racist comments.
5. Marlon Samuels (West Indies): Unpredictable but unforgettable
West Indian middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels was banned for two years in 2008 after being found guilty of passing on team information to a bookmaker.
Known for his languid style and mercurial temperament, Samuels’ career looked set for an abrupt end. Yet his return was remarkable.
He became the hero of two World T20 finals – scoring 78 in 2012 against Sri Lanka and an unbeaten 85 in 2016 against England – both match-winning knocks.
Few players have enjoyed such a dramatic redemption arc, with Samuels proving that his talent could shine on the grandest stage.
6. Mark Vermeulen (Zimbabwe): Troubled but talented
The story of Zimbabwe batsman Mark Vermeulen’s career is so crazy it’s almost unbelievable.
Troubled from an early age, Vermeulen was banned when he was still at school after he walked off the field with the stumps and locked himself into the changeroom after he disagreed, somewhat vehemently, with an LBW decision.
He moved past the ban and went on to represent his country, but that journey was not without its troubles – his penchant for over-the-top reactions climaxed when he set fire to the offices of the Harare Sports Club and the National Academy.
He didn’t receive a ban for this behaviour after a court found that he was psychiatrically compromised following a blow to the head from an Irfan Pathan bouncer some two and half years earlier.
In all he played nine Tests and 43 ODIs although his relationship with team management was never very good.
7. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa): Firebrand who won’t stay down
Not all bans are lengthy or career-threatening. For Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s fiery fast bowler, multiple suspensions for on-field disciplinary breaches have punctuated his career.
His passion sometimes tips over into aggression, earning him short bans for excessive send-offs or overzealous celebrations.
It looked like things were taking a serious turn for the worst at the start of 2025 when he was found to have taken a banned substance during the SA20.
His ban saw him miss the bulk of the IPL season that followed, but he was back in time to open the bowling in the final of the World Test Championship against Australia at Lords.
He delivered a stellar performance that saw the Proteas crowned as the best red ball team in the world.
8. Shane Warne (Australia): Small blip on incredible journey
In February 2003, Shane Warne was dramatically withdrawn from Australia’s World Cup squad after testing positive for a banned diuretic, earning a 12-month suspension.
Many feared the ban would tarnish his legacy and perhaps end his career, but Warne returned stronger than ever. In his comeback Ashes series in 2005, he claimed a remarkable 40 wickets, single-handedly keeping Australia in contention during England’s famous triumph.
He went on to finish his career as Test cricket’s second-highest wicket-taker with 708 scalps, his artistry and resilience ensuring that the ban became a footnote in a career defined by brilliance.
Read next: Revealed – 6 of the biggest exclusions from England’s Ashes squad
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