Former Indian cricketer Hrishikesh Kanitkar, at 40, has finally called time on his career.
Kanitkar represented India in 2 Tests and 34 ODIs in his three-year-long international career. However, he’s most fondly remembered for his match-winning four off Saqlain Mushtaq in India’s memorable win over Pakistan in Dhaka in January 1998. (watch video)
Finishing his career with Rajasthan -- he last represented the state in December 2013 -- the Pune-born player said that the fielding drills were the prime reason for his decision to call it quits.
“The passion for batting was still there but the motivation to be on the ground fielding for long stretches of time, even in a match, didn’t really exist,” Kanitkar was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Despite losing his India berth in 2000, Kanitkar emerged as a doyen of domestic cricket. He ended his career as one of only three batsmen to have scored 8000-plus runs in the Ranji Trophy.
Kanitkar’s 28 Ranji centuries are also joint third-highest in the tournament’s history. He is also the only captain in the tournament’s history to lift the Elite and Plate league titles.
Kanitkar led Rajasthan, the third domestic side he played for after his home team Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, to successive Ranji titles in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
(With PTI inputs)
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