Praveen Kumar bids goodbye to his 'first love', announces retirement from cricket

Former India fast-bowler Praveen Kumar announced his retirement from cricket on Saturday. He declared the news via a post on his official Twitter account.

"Its been a great jounery. Its been a great life. With a heavy heart I want to say gud bye to my 1st love #CricketMeriJaan But the test cap no 268 nd ODI 170 will be mine till indian cricket era will continue... Thankyou @BCCI nd @UPCACricket for helping me to live up my dream," Kumar tweeted.

Here's his tweet

its been a great jounery.
Its been a great life.
With a heavy heart I want to say gud bye to my 1st love #CricketMeriJaan
But the test cap no 268 nd ODI 170 will be mine till indian cricket era will continue... Thankyou @BCCI nd @UPCACricket for helping me to live up my dream.

— praveen kumar (@praveenkumar) October 20, 2018

Kumar, who made his international debut against Pakistan in 2007, played 68 ODIs for India and took 77 wickets in them. The 32-year-old also bagged 27 scalps in the six Tests he featured in, all of which were played overseas.

"I have no regrets. Dil sey khela, dil sey bowling daala (I played and bowled with my heart). There are good bowlers waiting in the wings back in UP and I don't want their careers to be affected. Mein kheloonga toh ek ka jagah jayega, (If I play, one spot would go); it's important to think of other players' future as well. My time is over and I have accepted it. I'm happy and thankful to god for giving me this chance," Kumar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

"I want to become a bowling coach. People know that I have this knowledge. I think it's an area which I can work dil se, I can pass on this experience to the young ones. I have decided to retire from cricket. The decision is not taken in haste, I gave a thought over it and I felt it was a right time to say goodbye to the sport which gave me so much. I want to thank my family, BCCI, UPCA, Rajeev (Shukla) sir for giving me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams," he added.