Keeper-batter KS Bharat has announced his retirement from India cricketer. The 32-year-old made his international debut in 2023 against Australia in Nagpur. He was brought in a cover for Rishabh Pant, who was out of action following a car accident.
The Visakhapatnam-born featured in seven Test matches for India, contributing 221 runs during that period. However, once Pant returned to the setup and other wicketkeeping options such as Dhruv Jurel and N Jagadeesan came into consideration, his opportunities at the highest level diminished.
Later shifted his focus entirely to domestic cricket with Andhra. His red-ball record in domestic cricket stands out, with 113 First-Class appearances and 6,102 runs, including 11 centuries. Across limited-overs formats as well, he remained a consistent presence, playing 83 List A matches and 91 T20s over the course of his career.
Meanwhile, his biggest career moment arrived in the summer of 2023, when Bharat managed to find a spot in the Indian team during the World Test Championship final against Australia. However, he failed to deliver on the biggest stage, scoring 5 and 23 runs in each innings. India eventually went on to suffer a 209-run defeat at The Oval.ย
Whatโs next for KS Bharat?
Bharat has confirmed that he will keep playing cricket, but hasnโt shared enough details about his next assignment. Given the fact that the cricketer has thanked Andhra cricket in his retirement announcement, it is very likely that Bharat will now most likely play other franchise-based tournaments across the world.
โThank you, BCCCI 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, DDCA and all office bearers for your support and encouragement from my childhood,โ Bharatโs statement read.ย
Bharat thanks Kohli, Rohit, Dravid
Bharat has played 10 matches in the IPL across the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals during this time. In his letter, Bharat eventually thanked Virat Kohli for giving him a break in the cash-rich league and also Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid for trusting him in Test cricket.ย
โA 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 by Test debut, which is priceless and beyond words. To my Indian coach Rahul Dravid sir, his guidance from India A to Indian team is unforgettable. With your support I could become an Indian Test cricketer,โ Bharat wrote.ย
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