Former Gujarat and India A captain Priyank Panchal retires from all forms of cricket
Former Gujarat and India A captain Priyank Panchal announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Monday, the Gujarat Cricket
The 35-year-old spent over 17 years in the domestic circuit, scoring 8856 in First Class cricket, including 29 centuries and 34 fifties.
'I, Priyank Panchal, announce my retirement from first-class cricket with immediate effect. It's an emotional moment. It's an enriching moment, and it's a moment which fills me with a lot of gratitude.'
Panchal led Gujarat to its maiden Ranji Trophy title in 2016-17, also lifting the Vijay Hazare Trophy (2015-16) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (2012-13 & 2013-14).
His last match was the Ranji Trophy semifinal, where he scored 148 for Gujarat in a drawn game, one that saw opponent Kerala progress to the final.
'End of an Era! Gujarat Cricket Association congratulates Priyank Panchal on a stellar cricketing journey as he announces retirement from all formats on May 26, 2025,' the Gujarat Cricket Association wrote on X.
'He captained India A and Gujarat across all formats with grit and pride. We salute his dedication and legacy. Wishing him success ahead!'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Gautam Gambhir pushes for Australia tour-like prep, demands secretive intra-squad match before England Tests
India will play just one practice game before the start of the five-match contest against England, much like they had prepared for the tour of Australia. And head coach Gautam Gambhir has demanded secrecy, just like they had in Perth last November. However, unlike the previous overseas tour, it won't be a mere match simulation but a full-fledged four-day intra-squad warm-up game against India A, in Beckenham, Kent, starting Friday. India did schedule a similar before the tour of Australia, but the match was shelved at the last minute as the management opted for match simulation to gear up for the series. Moreover, the officials at the WACA, where the Indian team were stationed before the start of the series in Perth, were given strict instructions by the BCCI that the practice game would be played behind closed doors, implying fans would not be able to watch it. In fact, India's entire training at the old Perth venue was under wraps in a bid to not give away any secrets to the opposition. Gambhir has pushed for the same this time. In a report in the PTI, the former India batter has called for a "closed-door" intra-squad game, "to prevent the opposition from getting any ideas on the tactical front, emulating a long-established practice among European football clubs." The 360-overs of match practice will not only give the team management a chance to allow the bowling unit to get enough overs under their belt, it will also hint towards the possible batting line-up, around which there has been considerable debate following the Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Focus will also be on Jasprit Bumrah, who will play a red-ball game after six months. He will also get a chance to bowl multiple spells and test his fitness, having only played IPL since his comeback from a lower back stress injury.
India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
Karun Nair reflects on Team India recall, gets special message from KL Rahul
London [UK], June 12 (ANI): Indian batter Karun Nair, who is making his return to the national side after eight years, opened up on his recall to the Team India and also received a special message from his ex-Karnataka teammate and close friend, KL Rahul, who will also a part of the Indian squad for England series along with him. Nair could get his first Test appearance in eight years, as India aims for a smooth transition from seniors like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin during a five-match Test series against England away from home. Nair is the only second triple centurion in Indian cricket after legendary opener Virender Sehwag. Nair's inclusion comes at a transitional phase on the back of a dream domestic season last year. The dream season for Vidarbha star concluded with the 863-run season in Ranji Trophy 2024-25, with an average of 53.93, four centuries and two fifties in 16 innings across nine matches. His best score of 135 came in the final and his team emerged victorious. During the warm-up unofficial Tests for India A against England Lions, he scored 259 runs in three innings, including a double ton. A massive highlight of his season was the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament, where he top-scored with 779 runs in nine matches and eight innings at a stunning average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04, with five centuries and a fifty and best score of 163*.He played a massive role in his team's run to the finals, where they lost to his former team, Karnataka. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition, Nair made 255 runs in six innings, averaging 42.50 at a strike rate of 177.08, with three half-centuries and the best score of 77. His team was knocked out in the quarterfinals. Nair had last played a Test for India in March 2017 against Australia and did not get any chances as his form tapered off after a triple ton against England at Chennai in 2016. He has played six Tests overall, having made 374 runs in seven innings. Speaking about his return to the national set-up, Nair said in a video posted on Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) X handle, 'Feels very special, very grateful, very fortunate to be able to get this opportunity again. Really looking forward to grabbing this opportunity with both hands. I am sure there will be a lot of feelings, ones I cannot express right now. It will be a special feeling.' KL said that he has known Nair for a long time and is well aware of his time in UK, grinding it out in county cricket. 'The months he spent here in UK playing cricket and how hard, how lonely it was and for him be able to do all of that and come back into the team is special for him, his family and friends like us who have seen his journey. It is really inspiring. We hope his experience and learning from county cricket here will hold him in good stead and he plays Test matches,' he added. Nair represented Northamptonshire in County Championship in 2023 and 2024 seasons, scoring 736 runs in 10 matches and 14 innings at an average of 56.61, with two centuries and four fifties and best score of 202*. The series will be held from June to August 2025, with matches scheduled at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester. India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘I know how hard and lonely it was…': KL Rahul hails Karun Nair's comeback, ‘Special for friends like us…'
Karun Nair's comeback has been one of the standout stories in the leadup to India's upcoming five-Test series in England and KL Rahul, a longtime teammate of his in domestic cricket, has expressed his delight. Head coach Gautam Gambhir all but confirmed that Nair will be in the playing XI for the first Test and Rahul acknowledged the difficulties 33-year-old had to endure in the years that he was out of contention. 'I've known him for a very long time and the months that he spent here in the UK, playing cricket and how hard and lonely it was and for him to be able to do all of that and come back into the Indian team. I think it's special for him, for his family, and for friends like us who've seen his journey,' said Rahul in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on its X handle. The last of Nair's six Test appearances came in March 2017. It is during this run that he famously scored an unbeaten triple century against England in December 2016 in Chennai. However, he scored just 71 runs across his six other innings before and after that knock which led to him losing his spot in Indian team. His graph consistently went lower in subsequent years, even losing his spot with Karnataka in 2022 but Nair's stunning season for Vidarbha in 2023/24 suddenly thrust him back in the limelight. He scored a whopping 1553 runs in 33 innings, including his career-best Ranji Trophy season with 883 runs culminating in a title win for Vidarbha this season. 'So, like I said very inspiring as well and hopefully his experience and his learnings from playing county cricket here will hold him in good stead when he plays the Test matches here,' said Rahul. Gambhir stated that Nair's inclusion in the team for the England tour is a message to youngsters to keep striving in domestic cricket. 'All the youngsters will know its importance. If you keep doing well there, doors are never shut for you. It's always good to have the experience of Karun, he played County cricket there and he is in really good form. His experience will come in handy. More importantly, we won't judge someone by one or two Test matches. If someone has scored heaps of runs, he will be given a decent run,' he said.
