Siddarth Kaul, a 34-year-old fast bowler, announced his retirement from Indian cricket, marking the end of a 17-year-long career that began with a first-class debut in Mohali. Kaul, who represented India in six international matches (three ODIs and three T20Is), shared the news on Instagram, reflecting on fulfilling his childhood dream of representing India and expressing his intent to explore opportunities overseas. He was instrumental in domestic circuits and achieved notable success in both white-ball and red-ball cricket.
Key Achievements and Highlights
Under-19 World Cup Glory (2008): Played a pivotal role in India’s victorious campaign under Virat Kohli’s captaincy.
IPL Success (2017-2018): Represented franchises like Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he was the joint-highest wicket-taker in 2018 (21 wickets), leading to his India call-up during the UK tour.
Domestic Dominance
- Played 88 first-class games, claiming 297 wickets at an average of 26.77.
- Excelled in List A (199 wickets at 24.30) and T20s (182 wickets at 22.04, economy rate 7.67).
- Became the all-time highest wicket-taker in both Vijay Hazare Trophy (155 wickets) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (120 wickets).
Recent Performances: Helped Punjab secure their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2023-24, finishing as the highest wicket-taker (16 wickets in 10 games).
Career Challenges and Comebacks
Kaul endured multiple back injuries between 2007 and 2012, playing only six domestic matches in that period. Despite these setbacks, he emerged as a consistent performer, especially excelling in death-bowling and wicket-taking roles for Punjab.
Future Prospects
Kaul is open to playing overseas, exploring opportunities in county cricket, T20 leagues like the MLC, and other tournaments. He emphasized retiring on a high note, citing peak fitness and strong performances as reasons for his decision. Earlier this year, he played three County Championship games for Northamptonshire, taking 13 wickets at 29.84.
Summery of the news
| Why in News | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Siddarth Kaul Announces Retirement from Indian Cricket | – Retired after 17 years in cricket. – Represented India in 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is. – Key player in Punjab’s 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win. – Took 297 wickets in 88 first-class matches. – Retired on a high note, open to overseas cricket opportunities. |
| Domestic and IPL Career | – Played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL. – Took 37 wickets in 2017-18 IPL seasons with SRH. |
| Under-19 World Cup 2008 | – Part of the India team that won the U-19 World Cup under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. |
| Domestic Achievements | – Top wicket-taker in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy for Punjab. – 155 wickets in Vijay Hazare Trophy, 120 wickets in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. |
| International Career | – Last appearance for India in 2019. – Played in the 2018 Asia Cup and on India’s tour of UK. |
| Current Opportunities | – Open to playing in overseas leagues like County Cricket, Legends League, MLC, etc. |
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