Andrew Flintoff's comeback: his career – in pictures

Rises through Lancashire’ ranks – August 1995 Nicknamed ‘Freddie’ by Lancashire’s academy director John Stanworth, Flintoff rose from the county’s Under-11 squad to the first-team at the age of 17
Photograph: Peter Lomas/REX

With his 6ft 4in stature, ability to hit the ball hard and bowl at pace Flintoff was an obvious all-round star and in 1995 he made his first-class debut for Lancashire against Hampshire, and also played for the England Under-19 team Photograph: David Munden/Popperfoto/Getty Images

Makes England Test debut – July 1998 Having captained England’s U19 side, Flintoff made his full debut against South Africa at Trent Bridge. Freddie was quiet, but did take his first Test wicket, that of Jacques Kallis. England won the match by eight wickets Photograph: Rebecca Naden/PA Archive

Makes England ODI debut – April 1999 England lost to Pakistan by 90 runs but Flintoff shone, smashing his first half-century in a one-day international and claiming the wicket of captain Wasim Akram Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Scores 135 off 111 balls for Lancashire - August 2000 During a summer in which weight issues had become a major issue for Flintoff, he silenced his critics with the best innings of his Lancashire career. His hundred came in 88 balls as he ripped through Surrey’s attack and led Lancs to victory in their NatWest Trophy quarter-final Photograph: Graham Chadwick/Getty Images

Named man of the series after Ashes victory – September 2005 Flintoff went into the home Ashes series with question marks over his fitness, and ended it a star. He overhauled Ian Botham’s 1981 record of six sixes in an Ashes Test and generally terrorrised the Aussies with bat and ball, scoring 402 runs in total and taking 24 wickets. John Buchanan, the tourists’ coach, hailed him the ‘man of the series’ after England had secured the urn at The Oval Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Named BBC sports personality of the year – December 2005 On the back of his defining role in England’s success over Australia, Flintoff became the first cricketer in 24 years to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year – coming ahead of second-placed Ellen MacArthur and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in third – with the England team being named Team of the Year Photograph: Gareth Copley/PA Archive

Leads England to Ashes whitewash – January 2007 Having been given the chance to captain England in Michael Vaughan’s absence, Flintoff’s credentials as national team leader take a battering as his side’s defence of the Ashes crumbles on Australian soil. Starting with Steve Harmison’s infamous wide in the First Test in Brisbane, the tourists’ are way off the pace against a team clearly in the mood for revenge, with Flintoff unable at any stage to turn the tide Photograph: Gareth Copley/PA Archive

Falling off a pedalo – March 2007 After an eight-hour drinking spree Flintoff finds himself pedalling a boat into rough waters of the Caribbean sea at 4am during England’s World Cup campaign. He declares himself “extremely sorry” for letting down team-mates and supporters but is nevertheless stripped off the vice-captaincy by then head coach Duncan Fletcher Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

Became the highest-paid cricketer in the world – February 2009 By signing for IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings for $1.55m, the Englishman surpasses Mahendra Dhoni’s status as the sport’s best-remunerated star. Flintoff is hampered by a long-standing knee injury, however, and returns home early to have surgery Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images

Last Test Match for England – August 2009 Flintoff’s international career ends on a high as he helps England win back the Ashes on a gloriously warm Sunday afternoon at The Oval. Flintoff scored just 29 runs and took one wicket in the final Test of the 2-1 victory but his overall contribution to England’s triumph that summer is sizeable Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Retires from all forms of cricket – September 2010 “It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket,” says Flintoff in a statement to mark the end of an eventful and occasionally brilliant career. Ultimately it was 32-year-old’s much troubled knee which gave up and after 389 days of rehabilitation, he decided to call time. In total he scored 3,845 runs across 79 Tests and took 226 wickets at 32.7 Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Shortlived boxing career – November 2012 Unable to stay out of the limelight, Flintoff swaps his cricket whites for boxing trunks. His one-and-only four-round bout ends after just eight minutes as he recovers from a second-round knockdown in Manchester to beat the American Richard Dawson by a single point on the judges scorecards Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA Archive