Kona Srikar Bharat retires from international cricket

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Kona Srikar Bharat announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday, ending a career that included seven Test matches for the national team. The 32-year-old from Andhra Pradesh shared the news in an emotional social media post, describing the opportunity to represent his country as the greatest honour of his life.

Bharat made his Test debut against Australia in Nagpur in February 2023 and played his final international match against England in Visakhapatnam in February 2024. Over his seven Tests, he scored 221 runs at an average of 20.09, with a highest score of 44. Behind the stumps, he took between 18 and 21 catches and completed one stumping, according to various reports. He was also part of India's squad for the 2023 World Test Championship final.

In his retirement statement, Bharat expressed profound gratitude to his family for their support over two decades. He also thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Andhra Cricket Association, the Visakhapatnam District Cricket Association, coaches, managers, teammates, and groundsmen for their roles in his career.

Bharat reserved special appreciation for several key...