India’s domestic cricket has taken a hit. Five great servants of Indian cricket have decided to leave the game they love. Some, like Major Tiwary, have already played their last match, while others, like Dhawal Kulkarni, have been requested by his board (MCA) to wait until the end of the Ranji Trophy 2024 season to call it quits.
These stars, who were once reckoned to be the next big thing in Indian cricket, have retired with some dreams fulfilled and regrets about what could have been. These five stalwarts are from four different states and have even represented India at the highest level.
Ignored domestic greats who’ll call it a day after Ranji Trophy 2024
PlayerStateRecord for IndiaManoj TiwaryBengal12 ODIs and 3 T20IsSaurabh TiwaryJharkhand 3 ODIs and 49 runsVarun AaronJharkhand 9 ODIs and 9 T20IsDhawal KulkarniMumbai12 ODIs and 2 T20IsFaiz FazalVidarbha1 ODI and 55 runs
Former U19 star Saurabh Tiwary, who also made a name for himself in the IPL, has decided to leave the sport after 17 years of service for Jharkhand. The southpaw played for India in U19 and the senior side but failed to have the same success as others his age, like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Bengal skipper Manoj Tiwary could be the most unlucky one. Having scored a century against the West Indies in 2010, he was dropped and played just 6 matches after that. Another batter who failed to find success was Faiz Fazal from Vidharba. The southpaw scored a fifty on his debut for India in 2016 and never played again.
Two bowlers, with different attributes, found varied success. One was believed to be India’s fastest-ever bowler (Varun Aaron), while the other was one of the most consistent domestic performers (Dhawal Kulkarni). Aaron broke onto the scene as India’s ‘wild thing’ but failed to deliver due to recurring injuries. The pacer will always be remembered for ‘that ball’ to Stuart Broad.
Kulkarni, too, played for India, but with bowlers like Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ishant Sharma, he failed to break through.
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