Murali Vijay announces retirement from all forms of cricket

India opener Murali Vijay on Monday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing the curtains down on a senior career spanning more than 16 years.

Vijay, who accumulated nearly 4,000 runs in 61 Test appearances, announced his decision on Twitter.

“Today, with immense gratitude & humility, I announce my retirement from all forms of international cricket.

“My journey from 2002-2018 has been the most wonderful years of my life for it was an honour representing India at the highest level of sport,” Vijay wrote in a post on the microblogging platform.

Vijay featured in the first two Tests in the 2018-19 tour of Australia, the second Test at Perth marking his final appearance for the Indian team. It was Australia against whom the Tamil Nadu opener made his Test debut as well, during the 2008 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home.

Vijay, who had formed successful opening partnerships with the likes of Virender Sehwag and Shikhar Dhawan, would then go on to accumulate 3,982 runs at an average of 38.28 with 12 centuries and 15 half-centuries to his credit.

Besides international cricket, Vijay also made more than a hundred appearances in the Indian Premier League, representing sides such as Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings.

He had represented MS Dhoni’s CSK in two different stints (2009-2013 and 2018-2020); in the 2010 season, Vijay scored 458 runs for the Super Kings with a century and two fifties, including a blistering 127 against Rajasthan Royals in Chennai, which brought him into the national reckoning.

Vijay thanked the ‘Yellow Army’ in his farewell tweet along with BCCI and TNCA, his home association.

“I am grateful for the opportunities given to me by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), Chennai Super Kings, and Chemplast Sanmar.

“To all my team-mates, coaches, mentors, and support staff: It has been an absolute privilege to have played with you all, and, I thank you all for helping turn my dream into reality,” Vijay added.

Thanking fans for their support through his ups and downs, he said, “I will forever cherish the moments I spent with you all and your support has always been a source of motivation for me.

“Lastly, I would like to thank my family & friends for their unconditional love and support throughout my career. They have been my backbone and without them, I would not have been able to achieve what I have today,” he said.

With inputs from PTI

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