"People say I've retired, but that's not true" - Robin Uthappa 

Former Team India batter Robin Uthappa has clarified that he has not retired from all forms of cricket. He said that he only resigned from Indian cricket to be able to partake in overseas leagues.

Uthapa announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket in September 2022. He recently disclosed that he took the call because Indian players aren't allowed to participate in other franchise-based T20 leagues apart from the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 39-year-old made these comments on Wednesday, November 27, during an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit. After being asked if he thought that the Indian players should be allowed to play in other leagues, Uthappa responded:

"Absolutely. Why do you think I resigned from Indian cricket? People say I've retired, but that's not true. I've only resigned from Indian cricket so I can play cricket around the world."

Robin Uthappa featured in 46 ODIs and 13 T20Is for Team India and was also part of their 2007 T20 World Cup-winning squad. The dynamic batter finished his international career with 1,183 runs across the two formats.

While he didn't have a long international career, he enjoyed a wonderful run with IPL. He was one of the key architects in Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) title win in 2014, amassing 660 runs from 16 matches and taking home the Orange Cap.

Following his resignation from Indian cricket, Uthappa has featured in tournaments like UAE's International League T20, Legends League Cricket, Hong Kong Sixes, and the USA's National Cricket League.

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Robin Uthappa captained India in 2024 Hong Kong Sixes

After retiring from Indian cricket, Robin Uthappa has plied his trade for several teams in global T20 competition. He was seen in action during the 2024 Hong Kong Sixes earlier this year, where he captained the Indian team.

He hammered 31 runs off just eight balls in the team's opening fixture against Pakistan. However, India ultimately suffered a six-wicket defeat in the six-over-per-side contest.

Uthappa was India's second-highest run-getter in the edition, chalking up 145 runs from five outings at a strike rate of 371.79. Sri Lanka won the tournament by beating Pakistan by three wickets in the final.