Manoj Tiwary Announces Retirement From All Forms Of Cricket

Former India batsman Manoj Tiwary on Thursday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, drawing curtains to a very unique career. Tiwary, who played 12 ODIs and three T20Is between 2008 and 2015, ventured into politics even while he remained an active cricketer, and became a minister of state for sports and youth affairs in West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's state cabinet. But during the 2022-23 domestic season, the 37-year-old returned to play for Bengal and guided the team to the final where they went down to Saurashtra at the Eden Gardens. It was also Tiwary's last First-Class game.

"Goodbye to the game of cricket," Tiwary wrote in an Instagram post while announcing his retirement.

"This game has given me everything, I mean every single thing which I had never dreamt of, starting from the times when my life was challenged by different forms of difficulties.

A post shared by MANOJ TIWARY (@mannirocks14)

"I will always be grateful to this game and to the GOD, who has always been by my side throughout," said Tiwary.

The right-handed batsman made 287 runs from 12 one-dayers that includes a hundred against West Indies at Chennai in December 2011.

Tiwary finished his First-Class career just 92 runs shy of the 10,000-landmark (9908 runs) and averaged 48.56 with 29 centuries in a glittering 19-year career. He made his debut under Deep Dasgupta in 2004 against Delhi at the Eden Gardens.

He scored 5581 runs from 169 List A games at an average of 42.28.

An aggressive middle-order batter, Tiwary faced selection blues with the India think tank under MS Dhoni preferring a left-hander in Suresh Raina, who was also his protege in Chennai Super Kings. As fate had it in store for him, Tiwary was dropped for 12 ODIs after