Cheteshwar Pujara retires from all forms of cricket

Cheteshwar Pujara, a mainstay of India's batting till the recent past, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Sunday. Pujara has found himself overlooked after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors chose younger players.

These repeated snubs might have prompted him to end his career. He had also debuted his media stint by calling the game in India's recent tour of England.

The team's two other stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, had said goodbye to Test cricket ahead of the England tour earlier this year.

With 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, Pujara stands in eighth place in the all-time leading run getters from India. The 206 not out against England in Ahmedabad in 2012 was his highest score in Test cricket. He has scored 19 centuries and 35 fifties in Tests. He also amassed 21,301 runs in first-class cricket, with 66 hundreds and 81 half-centuries.

In the statement posted on social media, Pujara thanked his teammates and fans across the world for supporting him. "As a little boy from the small town of Rajkot, along with my parents, I set out to aim for the stars; and dreamt to be a part of the Indian cricket team. Little did I know then that this game would give me so much - invaluable opportunities, experiences, purpose, love, and above all a chance to represent my state and this great nation.

"Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field - it's impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude, I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket.

"I would like to thank the BCCI and the Saurashtra Cricket Association for the opportunity and support through my cricket career. I am equally grateful to all the teams, franchises and counties I have been able to represent over the years.

"I wouldn't have made it this far without the invaluable guidance of my mentors, coaches and spiritual guru to whom I shall always remain indebted.

"A big thank you to all my teammates, support staff, net bowlers, analysts, logistics team, umpires, ground staff, scorers, media personnel and all those who tirelessly work behind the scenes to enable us to compete and play this game we love.

"To my sponsors, partners and management team, I truly appreciate your loyalty and belief in me over the years. and for looking after my off-field activities.

"The game has taken me to places across the globe - and the passionate support and energy of the fans has always been a constant. I have been humbled by the wishes and motivation wherever I have played and will always remain grateful.

"And of course none of all this would have been possible or meaningful without the innumerable sacrifices and steadfast support of my family, my parents, my wife Puja, my daughter Aditi, my in-laws and the rest of my extended family who have made this journey truly worth it. I look forward to the next phase of my life, spending more time with and prioritising them. Thank you for all the love and support!" he wrote.