Heartfelt thank you

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: All‑rounder Vijay Shankar on Friday announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket, bringing the curtains down on a career that saw him represent India in both white‑ball formats and feature in the 2019 Men’s ODI World Cup.

Shankar, a mainstay for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, played 12 ODIs and nine T20Is for India, amassing 324 runs in all and picking nine scalps. He was surprisingly preferred ahead of Ambati Rayudu in the main squad and played three matches before a toe injury ended his tournament early, with Mayank Agarwal replacing him.

In his retirement note, Shankar said he now aims to ‘pursue new opportunities and play more cricket.’ “A HEARTFELT THANK YOU. Cricket is my life. I started playing when I was 10, and 25 years later, I am grateful and blessed to have played at every level and to the highest level. Representing our country will always be one of my proudest and happiest moments.