A Oneindia Venture Indian wicketkeeper-batter Kona Srikar Bharat has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a short but memorable Test career.
The 32-year-old made the emotional announcement on social media, calling the opportunity to represent India “the greatest honour” of his life.
KS Bharat made his Test debut against Australia in Nagpur in February 2023 as a replacement for the injured Rishabh Pant. He featured in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final at The Oval and played his last Test against England in Visakhapatnam in February 2024.
In 7 Test matches (12 innings), he scored 221 runs at an average of 20.09, with a highest score of 44. Behind the stumps, he effected 18 catches and 1 stumping.
In his retirement note, Bharat expressed heartfelt gratitude to his family, the BCCI, Andhra Cricket Association, coaches, and teammates. He specially thanked Virat Kohli for giving him his IPL debut, Rohit Sharma for leading him on Test debut, and Rahul Dravid for his support from India A to the senior team.
“This journey demanded great resilience… but the honour to represent India in Tests was worth every moment,” he wrote.
A domestic stalwart, Bharat has scored over 6,100 First-Class runs for Andhra, including 11 centuries and a highest score of 308. Though his international career was limited by stiff competition, his red-ball performances at the domestic level have been consistently impressive.
Bharat confirmed that his passion for the game remains strong. He plans to continue playing, mentor young cricketers, and contribute to the sport in various roles. Fans and former teammates have extended warm wishes as he begins the next chapter of his life.
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