Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. In a career spanning 18 years, the former member of the Indian national team has achieved many feats. Bringing the curtain down on an illustrious career with many national and domestic achievements, the former cricketer said that he took the decision on his own terms and in his own time as he knew that the time to retire was approaching.
The southpaw from Gujarat made his international debut in the year 2002 when he was a teenager aged only 17. In an official announcement published on Twitter and Instagram on December 9, the former attacking batsman expressed his gratitude to his supporters. Throughout his long cricketing career, Patel remained a dependable batsman for the side he played for, whether it was for the national cricket team or his domestic side of Gujarat.
Patel played a total of 25 tests, 38 ODIs, and two T20 Internationals for the Indian cricket team during his career. The batsman was, however, more successful in the domestic circuit where he played 194 first-class matches for his home side. He made his test debut under the erstwhile captain Sourav Ganguly and went on to amass 1,700 international runs during his stint in the national cricket team. The baby-faced batsman was chosen from a very early age after he played for India A. While retiring from cricket, he thanked the BCCI for believing in him and giving him a chance that thousands of teenagers in the country vied for. Incidentally, Ganguly is the present BCCI president whom Patel fondly refers to as Dada.
While Patel was dropped from the national side in 2004 after failing to make a mark through his glovework, he remained the second keeper for the team, as a substitute for Mahendra Singh Dhoni. While Patel failed to make a permanent spot for himself in the Indian cricket team, he dominated the fields of first-class cricket, reaching his peak during the 2016-2017 season when he led Gujarat to a victory in the Ranji Trophy.
The batsman may have lost his national spot to fierce competition but he shone in first-class cricket, amassing 11,240 runs, including 27 centuries. Parthiv led the Gujarat Ranji team for years, transforming his team from an inconsistent performer to one of the best Ranji teams ever.
Patel said he was walking away from professional cricket with peace and pride after having played the game with great goodwill and team spirit.
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