Praveen Kumar retires from all cricket

Praveen Kumar last played for India in March 2012, in a T20I against South Africa.

Praveen Kumar is aged only 32 at the time of announcing his retirement from international cricket.

Praveen Kumar, aged 32, announced retirement from all cricket via Twitter earlier today, thanking the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association for helping him live his dream.

its been a great jounery.
Its been a great life.
With a heavy heart I want to say gud bye to my 1st love #CricketMeriJaan
But the test cap no 268 nd ODI 170 will be mine till indian cricket era will continue... Thankyou @BCCI nd @UPCACricket for helping me to live up my dream.

— praveen kumar (@praveenkumar) October 20, 2018

 

A veteran of 84 international matches — six Tests, 68 ODIs and 10 Twenty20 Internationals — Praveen picked up 112 international wickets. He also had an ODI half-century to his name, an unbeaten 54 against Australia.

A swing bowler who was also a handy lower-order batsman, Praveen's standout bowling performances for India came on its overseas tours of Australia and England, in 2008 and 2011 respectively. Praveen played a starring role in India winning the Commonwealth Bank series in 2008 in Australia, where he finished the tournament with 10 wickets from only four matches. His 4/46 in the second of a three-final series at the Gabba, Brisbane, won him the man of the match and helped India lift the trophy.

Then, after three years, he was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise forgettable tour of England for India. In conditions conducive for swing and seam bowling, Praveen picked up 15 wickets in three Tests, finishing the four-Test series as India's highest wicket-taker.

Speaking to Indian Express, Praveen regarded the Commonwealth Bank series as the "highest point in his career". "I can't forget the CB series which we won in Australia, probably it was the highest point in my career," Praveen said.

Praveen, who Bhuvneshwar Kumar has claimed to be his idol, has played for four IPL franchises too, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and the now-defunct Gujarat Lions.

He is one of 17 bowlers who have taken hat-tricks in IPL, his hat-trick coming against Rajasthan Royals in 2010.

Praveen has indicated his desire to take up coaching after calling time on his international career, saying that he wants to become a bowling coach. "I want to become a bowling coach. People know that I have this knowledge. I think it's an area which I can work  dil se  [dedicatedly], I can pass on this experience to the young ones."