Vinay Kumar announces retirement

The former Karnataka captain scalped 504 wickets in 139 First Class matches

February 26, 2021 04:43 pm | Updated 10:47 pm IST - Bengaluru

Karnataka fast bowler Vinay Kumar. File

Karnataka fast bowler Vinay Kumar. File

Former India cricketer and Karnataka captain R. Vinay Kumar announced his retirement from international and First Class cricket on Friday.

An intelligent pacer and capable batsman, Vinay played one Test (against Australia at Perth in 2012), 31 ODIs and nine T20Is. The 37-year-old last featured for India in the limited-overs home series against Australia in 2013.

Vinay was an outstanding performer in his 17-year domestic career. He scalped 504 wickets in 139 First Class matches, and is the highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers in Ranji Trophy history. He also has 225 and 194 wickets in List-A and T20 matches respectively. With the bat, he scored two centuries and 17 fifties in First Class matches.

Successful tenure

His most significant achievement came during his successful tenure as Karnataka captain, when he led the side to back-to-back treble winning seasons in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Vinay time and again lifted the spirits of the Karnataka team with his never-say-die, workhorse attitude. He also possessed a sharp mind, spotting and exploiting weaknesses in opposition batsmen on the fly.

In 2019, after an immensely fruitful and long association with Karnataka, Vinay joined the Puducherry team.

Vinay also represented Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in 11 IPL seasons.

 

Humble background

Vinay came from a humble background, as a promising junior cricketer in his hometown Davanagere.

While playing for Tumkur Zone, he was spotted by Y.B. Patel and B. Siddaramu, who offered him a spot in Neptune CC in the KSCA fifth division league in Bengaluru. The next season, Vinay represented powerhouse first division team Swastic Union CC (1).

He soon made his Karnataka debut, in a Ranji Trophy match against Bengal in 2004. The Bengal duo of Rohan Gavaskar and Sourav Ganguly count as Vinay’s first wickets in domestic cricket — an auspicious start indeed.

In 2010, Vinay made his India debut, taking the wickets of Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara in a T20I against Sri Lanka at Gros Islet (St. Lucia).

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