Kedar Jadhav announces retirement

Pune: India and Maharashtra batter Kedar Jadhav on Monday announced his retirement from international cricket, four years since his last appearance for the national team.

The 39-year-old, who made his international debut for India in November, 2014, during a One-Day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka at Ranchi, went on to play 73 one-dayers as well as nine Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Jadhav was part of the Indian team team which reached the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup.

Perceived close to former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Jadhav borrowed from the iconic wicketkeeper-batter's style to announce his retirement with a similar play of words.

"Thank you all For your love and support throughout my Career from 1500 hrs. Consider me as retired from all forms of cricket," (sic) wrote Jadhav on X.

Interestingly, Jadhav is currently captaining Kolhapur Tuskers in the Maharashtra Premier League which got underway in Pune on Sunday.

Jadhav scored 1,389 runs at an average of 42.09 with two centuries and six fifties for India in 73 ODIs. He also made 122 runs in the six innings of the nine T20Is that he played.

Arguably, Jadhav's biggest moment under the sun came during the Pune ODI against England in January, 2017, when he got his second ODI ton. He smacked a brutal 76-ball 120 with 12 fours and four sixes to fire India to a three-wicket win in a high-scoring contest.

Jadhav teamed up with Virat Kohli (122) to put on 200 from a mere 147 balls for the fifth wicket after India were reduced to 63/4 at one stage, chasing 351.

Having developed his off-spin skills, Jadhav also emerged as a potent option with the ball with his slingy action that fetched him 27 ODI wickets.

In the Indian Premier League, the right-handed batter played for Chennai Super Kings, (formerly) Delhi Daredevils, now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala, (formerly) Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad.