Former India pacer VRV Singh announces retirement from all cricket 

Former India fast bowler VRV Singh has announced his retirement from all formats of cricket. The 34-year-old's last competitive match had come in the quarterfinals of the 2013/14 Ranji Trophy season.

"I kept trying to make a comeback, but if it wasn't my ankle, it was my back. You cannot fool around with your body. I had surgeries, rehab. After 2014, I didn't play at all for a few years. But I trained and tried to play in 2018. But I couldn't make it, so I started thinking about the future," VRV told ESPNCricinfo.

He added, "It's not an overnight decision, but once I couldn't get fit for the 2018-19 season, I thought it made sense to leave. Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) encouraged me a lot, the PCA also backed me, and I gave it my best. But, unfortunately, it didn't happen. So I thought it best to retire and think about what to do next."

Born in Chandigarh, Vikram Raj Vir Singh made his first-class debut for Punjab during the 2004/05 Ranji Trophy season. He was part of the Indian team which ended up as semifinalists in the 2004 U-19 World Cup held in Bangladesh.

At a time when India were looking at young pacers to bolster their attack, VRV stormed into the limelight due to his bustling pace and Caribbean-style open-chested bowling action. He received his maiden call-up to the nation team for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. However, the then young pacer failed to clear a fitness test and was subsequently dropped from the squad.

VRV Singh made his ODI debut during India's home series against England in 2006. After his maiden match at Jamshedpur, he also played in the game at Indore. In all, he finished his ODI career wicketless from two matches.

The Punjab pacer was involved in quite a few memorable moments in his brief Test career. He played five Tests, the first of which came against West Indies at Antigua in 2006.

VRV was part of the Indian team which won their maiden Test match on South African soil. In Johannesburg, he scored a 19-ball 29 to swell India's total in the first-innings. He also picked the wicket of Andre Nel. In Durban, the right-arm pacer scalped the wickets of Shaun Pollock and AB de Villiers.

The Punjab seamer's last Test match was against Bangladesh in Chittagong in 2007. He continued to play first-class cricket till 2014.

When asked if he would get into coaching after announcing his retirement, VRV affirmed, "Maybe, but I don't know. I will speak to PCA and see. I have just announced my retirement, I haven't had time to think about the future yet."