Former IPL winner Rajat Bhatia announces retirement from all forms of the game

Indian domestic cricket stalwart Rajat Bhatia has announced his retirement from all forms of the game. The medium-pace bowler, who played for four IPL franchises in his career and lifted the title with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, had earned much appreciation for his bowling performances.

As reported by Hindustan Times, Rajat Bhatia has decided to call it a day on his professional playing career after playing 112 first-class games, 119 List-A matches, and 146 T20s. The all-rounder scored over 6,000 runs in first-class cricket, but in the IPL, he was majorly known for his slow pace.

Rajat Bhatia's journey in the IPL

Rajat Bhatia began his IPL career with his home franchise Delhi Daredevils in 2008. He became a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders after the mega auction in 2011, and the following year, his 13 wickets in 17 matches played a crucial role in his team's triumph.

In 2014, Rajasthan Royals spent a whopping 1.7 crores to sign Rajat Bhatia, and the all-rounder delivered the goods for them by picking up 12 wickets in 12 games at an economy rate of 7.44. The veteran all-rounder played his last IPL season for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017, where he could scalp two wickets in three matches.

The USP of Rajat Bhatia was his slow pace. The spin-friendly pitch at the Eden Gardens was tailormade for his bowling style. Many big-hitting batsmen often found it extremely difficult to play a big shot off Rajat Bhatia's bowling in the IPL.

In the domestic circuit, Rajat Bhatia had won the Ranji Trophy as a part of the Delhi team in 2008. He joined Uttarakhand in 2018 and played his last first-class match against Mizoram last year. It will be intriguing to see what's next for the former IPL winner.