Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 4 (ANI): Wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat on Thursday announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to his India career.

KS Bharat announced his retirement through an Instagram post, expressing pride and gratitude for representing the country. He described playing for India as the greatest honour of his life and reflected on the challenges and resilience that shaped his journey. He also thanked his family for their constant support, crediting them for their role in his development through love, discipline, and hard work.

'With a proud heart and sense of gratitude, I announce my retirement from international Cricket. To play for my country has been the greatest honour of my life. This journey of mine has demanded great resilience and strength, but the Honour to represent India in Tests is worth every moment. In a family of four, we all lived the same dream over two decades, a big heart to my sister, mom and dad for creating an environment and support system they have been. I am a product of their love, discipline and hardwork,' he wrote.

The Andhra cricketer concludes his international journey with seven Test appearances to his name, in which he scored 221 runs at an average of 20.09, with the highest of 44. In those seven Tests, Bharat took 21 catches and did one stumping as a wicketkeeper.

Bharat also expressed gratitude to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), coaches, managers and cricket administrators for their support throughout his career. He thanked the Andhra Cricket Association and Visakhapatnam District Cricket Association (VDCA) for their encouragement since childhood and acknowledged the contribution of ground staff and teammates in his journey.

'Thank you, Bcci and all the coaches and managers who I came across in my career and who supported me unconditionally by creating a great environment to play an excel at the highest level. Thank you Andhra Cricket Association, VDCA and all office bearers for your support and encouragement from my childhood. I owe massive gratitude and respect to all the grounds men who have worked very, very hard to ensure the best pitches and ground conditions were given to me at all times. To all my teammates, I extend a big thank you for all the moments and achievements together, which helped me in my career and without you all it was not quite possible for me to achieve my dream and play the sport all these years,' the wicketkeeper-batter said further in the post.

KS Bharat also thanked former Indian Captain Virat Kohli, under whom he made his IPL (Indian Premier League) debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2021, saying the opportunity helped him gain recognition. Bharat expressed gratitude to Rohit Sharma for leading him in his Test debut and to Rahul Dravid for his guidance from India A to the senior team.

In IPL 2021, Bharat featured in eight matches and scored 191 runs at an average of 38.20 and with a strike rate of 122.43. The 2022 IPL season only saw KS Bharat playing two matches for the Delhi Capitals, in which he scored just eight runs.

'A big thank you to my IPL Debut captain Virat Kohli for giving me an opportunity to show my skill and come into recognition. A big thank you to my Indian Captain Rohit Sharma, under whom I made my Test debut, which is priceless and beyond words. To my Indian coach, Rahul Dravid sir, his guidance from India A to the Indian team is unforgettable. With your support, I could become an Indian Test cricket player,' he said.

Bharat also credited his childhood coach J Krishna Rao for shaping his career and thanked fans for their support. Reflecting on his journey, he said playing for India and hearing the national anthem were unforgettable moments.

'To my coach, J Krishna Rao, thank you for shaping me into an international cricketer at a young age. To the fans and cricket lovers across the world, thank you for your endless support and encouragement whenever I represented our country. Hearing our national anthem and sharing the field with great ambassadors of the game are memories I will cherish forever. I'm deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of my journey. Cricket had given me everything in many ways, and I owe it to my life,' he said.

He encouraged young cricketers to dream big and remain disciplined, adding that although his international journey with the BCCI and Test cricket has ended, he will continue to contribute to the game through mentoring and coaching.

'My advice to young players is to dream big and work hard to achieve it. Dreams do come true with grit, discipline, hard work, and determination. If I could achieve my dream, so can you. My journey with BCCI and Test cricket may have come to an end, but my journey in the game continues. I will keep playing, contributing, and giving back to cricket by guiding, mentoring, and coaching the next generation who dream of making it big. I love India and I love cricket. Thank you for everything,' he concluded in the Instagram post. (ANI)