"It's Not Going To Happen": Heartbroken Domestic Stalwart Retires Over Unfulfilled Team India Dream
The competition in the Indian cricketing spectrum unarguably remains the toughest of all. While new heroes are unearthed every single year, very few manage to hold on to the upper echelon of Indian cricket. One such story is Priyank Panchal 's, a veteran of 127 FC matches, 97 List-A games, and 59 T20s. Despite being one of the most consistent batters in the domestic spectrum, Priyank couldn't succeed in making his debut for the Indian team across any of the three formats. On Monday, he decided to hang up his boots from First Class Cricket.
Priyank came close to making his debut for India on the South Africa tour in 2021-22 but couldn't get the baggy blue cap. Admitting that 'it isn't going to happen anymore', the batter settled with whatever his cricketing fate had to offer so far.
In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Priyank admitted that the topic of retirement was on his mind for a while.
"For a long time, it was in my mind that I should retire. Because, when I started playing cricket, there was a driving force that I wanted to play for India. Along with the driving force, there was discipline and dedication. But after a point, I got practical, I didn't think that it was possible. I tried my best. I mean, I played for India A, and I played in the Ranji Trophy. But I realised it's time now. It's not going to happen anymore," he said.
Over and out. Onto greener pastures now. pic.twitter.com/5uMiZVprql
— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) May 26, 2025
When asked if the failure to make India debut remains in his heart as a regret, Priyank didn't hesitate in admitting that it was the case.
"Not being able to play is definitely a regret. But at the same time, it is also an achievement. If the cricketing level is from 1-10, I was there till 9. I couldn't play. Obviously, it is a regret. But sharing the dressing room with Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin was a big deal. It was a very professional environment. At the same time, it was very welcoming. It was very competitive. I learned a lot from that environment," the Gujarat batter said.
Priyank also explained how even scoring hundreds after hundreds might not be enough for a player to secure an international spot.
"Obviously, consistency is important. It is important to perform as a player. But it is also important to perform at the right time. In international cricket, timing is very important. If you are consistently scoring 100 after 100, but your team is not winning, that is not the right time. But even if you are scoring 30 runs but your team is winning, your contribution holds great value. That is the requirement for international cricket. I learned a lot from that," he asserted.
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