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Farewell match serve as a way for cricketers to day goodbye to their fans and enjoy one last dance in front of the spectators. It gives them an opportunity to exit the arena on a high note.
In a cricket-crazy nation like India, a farewell match is an occasion to cherish for both the cricketer and fans. It becomes an emotional moment for the viewers who have watched them in action over the years.
Here are four Indian cricketers who could not truly deserved a farewell match:
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Shikhar Dhawan
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket on August 24, 2024. Dhawan burst onto the cricket scene in 2013 with a brilliant century on his Test debut, scoring 187 runs. Dhawan appeared in 269 matches for India across all formats, smashing 24 centuries. In ODIs, he appeared in 167 matches, amassing 6,793 runs at a remarkable average of 44.11. Dhawan played his last international match in December 2022 against Bangladesh. Shikhar Dhawan surely deserved a farewell match for his contributions to Indian cricket.
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni, regarded as one of the greatest captains in cricket history, led India to numerous victories, including three ICC trophies. Dhoni’s journey to greatness began with a historic triumph in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. He led team India to victory in the 2011 World Cup and guided his team to success in the Champions Trophy in 2013. His announcement of retirement on August 15, 2020, through social media leaving fans and cricketing community in shock.
Dhoni played 90 Test matches for India accumulating 4876 runs at an average of 38.09 and made a highest individual score of 224. The wicket-keeper batsman shone in the limited-over format amassing 10,773 runs in 350 ODI matches averaging incredibly at 50.57. Dhoni played his last international match on July 9, 2019 against New Zealand which was a 50-over format match. Given his illustrious contributions to Indian cricket, he deserved a befitting farewell match.
Yuvraj Singh
In a cricketing career spanning nearly two decades, Yuvraj Singh gave some iconic moments in the Indian cricket history. He was the Man of the Tournament award during the ICC World Cup in 201. The all-rounder played 304 ODIs and scored 8,701 runs in his international career. He also took 111 wickets for team India. In T20 Internationals, he featured in 58 games and scored 1,177 runs, while also taking 28 wickets.
Singh won the World Cup while battling cancer, a testimony to his dedication and determination for the game. Unfortunately, fans never got to see Yuvraj play one last game. He played his last international match in June 2017, an ODI against West Indies. He announced his retirement from international cricket in 2019. He retired without having played a farewell match.
Also Read: List Of The Most Unluckiest Cricketers In The Australian Cricket Team
Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble’s retirement came abruptly as he got injured while playing the third Test against Australia in 2008. He knew he would have to be missing from action for another six months and at the age of 38, the chances of making a comeback were slight. Therefore, the spin-wizard decided to call time while the game was going on. He never played for India again. Kumble took 619 Test wickets in 132 matches. In ODIs, he took 337 scalps in 271 matches.
