The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Sharath announces retirement

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Sunday, May 06, 2007
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Sharath announces retirement

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Ranji player S. Sharath, who for more than a decade was the State's batting bulwark, formally announced his retirement from first-class cricket at a press conference on Friday.

Sharath's career spanned 15 years and he was the first Tamil Nadu player — and so far the only one — to have played 100 Ranji matches.

His Ranji record is outstanding for its consistency: 6617 runs from 103 matches including 23 centuries at an average just under 53. He scored a century in his final match against Saurashtra. His average of 51.96 from 23 Duleep Trophy matches is equally impressive, and Sharath should consider himself desperately unlucky not to have played for India.

Certainly, he should have received more chances than the lone Board President's XI outing against Sri Lanka, and the single opportunity to play for India A. An unfortunate scooter accident in 1993 put him out of action in 1993, a time when he was just finding his bearings in State cricket.

"My not playing for India, and the fact that Tamil Nadu did not win a Ranji Trophy title in my time, remain my biggest disappointments," Sharath said at the press conference.

When asked what contributed to Tamil Nadu's lack of success at the domestic level, Sharath said poor work ethic was an important factor. "The hard work factor was missing during the time I played. Teams like Bombay are not complacent whereas Tamil Nadu had that laidback culture. But it is changing."

Tamil Nadu coach W.V. Raman compared Sharath to Ajay Sharma. "They were both consistent and had a huge appetite for runs. The one thing about Sharath was that he underestimated his own self, and maybe kept it too simple. He was a day-in day-out cricketer and his slot can't be filled overnight."

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