Veteran batter Robin Uthappa, who was part of the national cricket team and has also represented multiple franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), on September 14 announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket.
In a note shared on social media, Uthappa said it has been his "greatest honour" to represent the Indian team, and the past 20 years of his career as a cricketer were the "best years" of his life.
But "all good things must come to an end", the 36-year-old added, as he made public his decision to retire from "all forms of Indian cricket". This means that he would not be seen in the subsequent editions of the IPL as well.
“It’s been 20 years since I started playing professional cricket, and it has been the greatest honour to represent my country and state, Karnataka - a wonderful journey of ups and downs; one that has been fulfilling, rewarding, enjoyable and has allowed me to grow as a human being. However, all good things must come to an end and with a grateful heart, I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket. While I will spend a significant time with my young family, I look forward to charting a new phase in life," he said.
Uthappa's last appearance in international cricket was in 2015 when he was included in the squad for India's bilateral series against Zimbabwe.
He played a total of 46 one-day international games and scored 934 runs at an average of 25.9. In the Twenty20s, he scored 249 runs in 13 international games, at an average of 24.9.
In the IPL, he has represented six franchises - Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings - since the tournament's start in 2008. His last stint was with the Chennai team, for which he played in the last two editions. Uthappa cumulatively played 205 IPL matches and scored 4,952 runs at an average of 27.5.