VR Vanitha has called time upon her playing career, announcing her retirement from all forms of cricket. VR Vanitha represented India in 6 ODIs and 16 T20Is, with her last international game coming back in November 2016.
VR Vanitha, who represented the country in 6 Women’s ODIs and 16 Women’s T20Is from 2014 to 2016, on Monday announced retirement from all forms of the game at the age of 31.
VR Vanitha Announced Her Retirement From All Forms Of Cricket At 31
She made her announcement via Twitter and India team-mates Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj were among those thanked by the cricketer who made her debut for the national team in an ODI against Sri Lanka in January 2014.
“19 years ago, when I started playing cricket, I was just a little girl who loved sport. Even to this day, my love for cricket remains the same. What’s changing is direction. My heart says continue playing, my body says stop and I’ve decided to listen to the latter. Time is ripe to hang my boots. I hereby announce my retirement from all forms of cricket,” she wrote in her retirement statement on social media.
VR Vanitha represented both Karnataka and Bengal in the domestic circuit, and thanked both associations along with her family and friends, Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj for all the support and encouragement.
VR Vanitha Would Like To Dedicate To Grooming Young Talents In the Next Life Chapter
She’s now venturing into “grooming young talents”, she said in her post.
“It’s been a journey of struggles, joy, heartbreak, learning and personal milestones. While there are a few regrets, I’m grateful for the opportunities I got, especially to represent India. Along the way, there have been many people I want to thank, each and everyone who has supported me through these years.. Cricket has given me everything, friendships, joys, identity and memories that will cherish forever. The next chapter of my life I would like to dedicate to grooming young talents in Cricket. This is not the end but a beginning of a new challenge.”
In the limited number of ODIs and T20Is she played, VR Vanitha scored 85 and 216 runs respectively, averaging 17 and 14.40 respectively, and was a part of India’s squad during the 2016 Women’s World T20 at home.
During the 2021-22 domestic season, VR Vanitha guided Bengal to the semi-finals of the Women’s Senior One-Day Trophy, scoring 225 runs with knocks of 61 against Andhra and a 71-ball 107 against Hyderabad. She enjoyed a strike rate of over 100 in the tournament and averaged 37.5.
After serving Karnataka for 17 years, VR Vanitha had decided to make a move to Bengal for the 2021-22 domestic season. She joined the team that has continuously finished among the top four teams in the Women’s Senior One Day Trophy for many years and won the championship in 2019.