Jharkhand stalwart Saurabh Tiwary calls it quits

Set to play his last match for state at Keenan from Friday
KOLKATA: At 34 years of age, veteran Jharkhand batter Saurabh Tiwary has decided to retire from all forms of cricket. The last round of Ranji Trophy group league match at his home ground Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur, starting Friday, will be his last game as a professional player and in the Jharkhand shirt.

Playing in his 18th season as a professional cricketer for his state team, the left-handed top-order batter announced his decision of walking away from the game at a press conference in Jamshedpur on Monday. Speaking to TOI from the Steel City later in the day, Tiwary said, "It's always tough to bid farewell to the journey that I had started before joining school. But I am also sure that this is the right time for this."

Asked what made him take this decision as a 34-year-old, when a lot of domestic stars continue to play till their late 30s, Tiwary said, "I feel that if you're not in the national team or playing in the IPL, it's better to leave and vacate a spot for a youngster in your state team. Youngsters are getting a lot of chances in our Test team these days, so I made this decision in the best interest of everybody."

This season hasn't been good for him as well as his team but Tiwary says that has got nothing to do with his decision. "I started thinking of this before the start of the season and had told the team before this match (loss against Haryana at Keenan) that I will retire after the Ranji Trophy. It's not like I've decided this only on the basis of my performances. You can see my record in Ranji and in the last domestic season."

Making his Jharkhand debut as a 17-year-old boy in 2006, Tiwary has gone on to play 115 first class, 116 List A and 181 T20 games in his illustrious career for the state. Tiwary has 8030 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 47.51 runs with 22 centuries and 34 fifties and 238 being his highest score. In List A games, he has got 4050 runs with six tons at an average of little less than 47.

Asked what will be his next stop, Tiwary said with a laugh, "It's always asked what I'm going to do next. But I have just left the game, so it's too early for me to decide what I will do next. I haven't got time for that. For now, I only know that cricket is the only thing I know so I'm going to be connected to the game.

He also acknowledged getting an offer in politics, at the press conference, but added, "I haven't thought about that."

On the back of his flamboyance and exploits in the domestic circuit, the former Mumbai Indians player also got his chance to don the Indian jersey in 2010, playing in three ODIs. Tiwary made his India debut against Australia in Visakhapatnam on Oct 20, 2010, and played two games against New Zealand in Bengaluru and Chennai in December that year.


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