“Cricket has made me the individual that I am”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Veteran India pace bowler Zaheer Khan has announced his retirement from international cricket effective immediately.

Khan also revealed that he will retire from all forms of first-class cricket following the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Khan represented India in 92 Tests and took 311 wickets at an average of 32.94. He also played 200 ODIs and 17 Twenty20 Internationals, claiming 282 and 17 wickets at an average of 29.43 and 26.35 respectively.

All in all, Khan is India’s fourth-highest wicket-taker across all formats and the country’s second-highest in terms of Test cricket, in which he only trails behind the legendary Kapil Dev, who snapped up 434 wickets during his illustrious career.

The 37-year-old opted to call it a day as he has been struggling to recover from an injury he sustained to his bowling arm in May 2014.

“Cricket has been my only life over the past two decades and is in fact the only thing I know well,” Khan said in a statement. “Cricket has made me the individual that I am, giving me everything in life and much more. I walk away with fantastic memories, life-defining experiences and great friendships.

“My mother summarised it well in reaction to my decision: “Theek hain, bahut acchha safar tha hamara” (fair enough, I had a wonderful journey).”

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar paid tribute to Khan and thanked him for everything he has done for Indian cricket.

“He served Indian cricket with remarkable passion and commitment,” Manohar said via a press release. “Being a fast bowler in the Indian sub continent is challenging but he led the bowling attack with distinction and contributed significantly to the success of Indian cricket .I wish him all the best for the future.”