Craig Miles, the Gloucestershire and former Warwickshire seamer, announced his retirement from professional cricket on October 2, 2026, at the age of 32, citing mental health as the central reason for his decision.
Miles made his debut for Gloucestershire as a 16-year-old in May 2011, becoming the fourth-youngest player in the club’s history. Over a 16-season career, he claimed 512 wickets across formats, including 368 at 28.58 in first-class cricket.
“It’s with sadness, but also with huge pride, that I can announce my retirement from professional cricket. Although this has by no means been an easy decision … making the decision now allows me to look back on my career with fondness and gratitude towards a game that has given me so much. The longevity and achievements are far beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of, and the friends, experiences and memories I’ve made will last a lifetime,” said Miles as quoted by Cricinfo.
What did Miles achieve across his county career?
Miles played in four Championship matches at the start of the 2026 season before taking a leave of absence from Gloucestershire since the opening rounds of the T20 Blast in June. That period away from the game shaped his decision to retire rather than return. He explained that the mental health challenges he faced in 2026 were not entirely new.
“My recent time away from the game has given me the opportunity to reflect and understand myself better, as well as my relationship with cricket. The challenges I’ve faced recently are ones I’ve experienced at other points in my career, although never with the same intensity as this time. When you add in the volatility and uncertainty that cricket naturally brings, it becomes an unforgiving and ultimately unsustainable way to approach the game,” said Miles.
“The naivety of youth, ambition and the continual desire to be the best player I could be helped me through previous challenges. I saw them as bumps in the road, part of the process, or simply a period of form, and those were the justifications that allowed me to persist, bounce back and come through the other side. Unfortunately, I now feel I no longer have the capacity to continue in a way that allows me to train, play and perform to a standard I can accept from myself,” he added.
Miles thanked the Professional Cricketers’ Association and mental health charity Sporting Chance for their support during this period, alongside his family and colleagues at Gloucestershire. Miles was a consistent performer across two counties over 16 seasons. In 2015, he was named Gloucestershire’s Young Player of the Year after contributing 12 wickets, including figures of 4 for 29 against Yorkshire, as the club reached the Royal London One-Day Cup final.
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He joined Warwickshire and was part of their 2021 County Championship-winning campaign, taking 37 wickets at 21.81 that season. He also took 5 for 28 in the first innings of the 2021 Bob Willis Trophy Final at Lord’s as Warwickshire beat Lancashire by an innings and 199 runs. Miles returned to Gloucestershire for the 2025 season. Jon Lewis, Gloucestershire’s director of cricket, paid tribute to Miles and his decision.
“Craig has come to a decision which, in my view, is incredibly brave. The vulnerability he has shown in talking about what he’s been going through is a real strength of his. It shows the true character of the man that he’s willing to step away from something he loves, and he does so with the full backing of everyone at the club. Craig is a Gloucestershire boy. I was lucky enough to present him with his first cap back in 2011, and he’s been incredibly proud to represent this wonderful club. We’ll be working hard to support Craig as he transitions out of the game,” said Lewis.
