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Former India cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla retires from cricket
Kolkata: Former India cricketer and ex-Bengal captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla who represented India in just three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) announced his retirement today from all forms of the game. He also played 137 first class matches for Bengal and proved his worth by playing good allround cricket.
Shukla donned the Indian colours in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in which he scored 18 runs and picked up a wicket. The 34-year-old has had a wonderful domestic career for Bengal which lasted for around 18 years since his first class debut against Guwahati in 1997.
“It’s been 21 years that I have been playing. I have had a wonderful career for Bengal. I don’t believe that to leave something, there is got to be a strong reason. I always believe whatever we want to do only we can decide, nobody else. And I have decided not to play cricket anymore,” Shukla told reporters here.
The veteran all-rounder played in 137 first class matches for Bengal amassing 6,217 runs at an average of 35.93. With the ball he picked up 172 wickets. In List A cricket he scored 2997 runs and bagged 143 wickets from 141 games.
His domestic Twenty 20 record includes 994 runs and 47 wickets from 81 encounters.
He also played for Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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Sunil Gavaskar gives his opinion of GT allrounder Rahul Tewatia
The left-handed batsman from Haryana is garnering praise from all quarters for the way he’s finishing games regularly in the most exciting IPL season.
Gavaskar reckons Tewatia’s whirlwind knock in Sharjah (in IPL 2020) where he smashed West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over, gave him the confidence that he belongs to the big stage.
Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, “That assault on Sheldon Cottrell in Sharjah gave him the belief to do the impossible and the confidence that he belongs here. We saw the impossible (he did with the bat) the other day as well. There’s no twitching or touching the pads (which shows a batter’s nervousness) when he bats in the death overs. He just waits for the ball to be delivered and plays his shots. He’s got all the shots in the book, but most importantly his temperament to stay cool in a crisis is brilliant.”
Gavaskar has also nicknamed the 28-year-old cricketer the ‘ice-man’ and lauded Tewatia’s ability to remain unruffled during the tense moments.