Shreevats Goswami announces retirement from first-class cricket, shares emotional post

Kolkata-born cricketer Shreevats Goswami announced his retirement from first-class cricket on Thursday, October 19. The 34-year-old, who made his debut for Bengal in 2008, brought down the curtain to his career after 15 years.

The wicketkeeper-batter shared an emotional post while expressing gratitude to the BCCI, CAB, his teammates, coaches, and family for their unwavering support throughout his career.

Goswami further hinted that he might take a support staff job in his life's second innings to give back to the game. He wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter):

“Announcing my retirement from first-class cricket. It has been an incredible journey on the cricket field, and it feels like the right time to call it off. It has been an honor and privilege to play this beautiful game for as long as I did as well as represent various teams and IPL franchises.”

He continued:

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my teammates, coaches, CAB and the BCCI, and everyone who supported me throughout my career. I am grateful to my family, who have been a pillar of strength for me throughout my cricketing journey. Cricket has given me countless memories and lifelong friendships to cherish."

In response, former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen wrote:

“Buddy? Stand tall and be proud!” with a heart emoji.

Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh replied:

“Good luck for your future endeavors!”

How did Shreevats Goswami fare in his domestic career?

Goswami scored 3019 runs in 61 FC matches at an average of 32.46, including four tons and 17 half-centuries.

In the Indian Premier League, Goswami played for four different franchises from 2008 to 2021. He played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Rajasthan Royals and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He was named Emerging Player of the Tournament in the inaugural edition of the tournament but only managed to score 293 runs in 31 outings throughout his IPL career.

For the uninitiated, the left-handed batter was also part of India’s U19 World Cup when they won the trophy under Virat Kohli in 2008.

However, Goswami didn’t mention whether he will play the List-A and T20 games. He has played 97 List A matches, scoring 3371 runs at an average of 37.45, including six tons and 18 half-centuries. He is not part of the Bengal squad for the ongoing 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The 2023 Vijay Hazare Trophy will follow the T20 tournament.