Bengal’s Laxmi Ratan Shukla announces retirement: Former Bengal skipper, Laxmi Ratan Shukla announced retirement from all forms of the game today (December 30, 2015). Two days after he was named in the Bengal squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament, the veteran all-rounder Laxmi Ratan Shukla felt it is time to hang up boots.
“For last one month, I was not getting the right motivation… Not feeling myself, the link was missing,” the most capped Bengal cricketer said in a news conference with his six-year-old son Agastya at his club Mohun Bagan tent.
The right-handed all-rounder carried the state, Bengal on his shoulders for one and a half decade. Very few know that he also played One-Day Internationals for India in the year 1999, a year after his debut for Bengal.
The 34-year-old was a fine middle-order hard-hitting batsman with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL for the first five seasons. Shukla also has decent record as a bowler. He also represented Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Shukla brought an end to a successful domestic career with 6217 runs under his belt and picked 172 wickets in 137 matches. He became the first Bengal player to play 100 Ranji Trophy matches. In List A cricket, he has 2997 runs to his name and scalped 143 wickets from 141 games. He also got the opportunity to put on national colours, playing three ODIs for India in 1999 against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the West Indies.
Laxmi Shukla said he came up to this decision after consultating with former India captain Sourav Ganguly. He also said he would be available for his club if Bagan feel his “service is needed”.
Laxmi Ratan Shukla stated: “Mentally, I was not ready to play again. I started having this feeling for about a month and was not able to sleep properly. Now I can sleep peacefully,” “I”m committed to my state Bengal from where I got everything. State is a big pride for all of us. To play for Bengal is the biggest moment of my career. It”s obviously painful but I think it”s the right time for me to go.”
