Venugopal Rao retires from all forms of cricket

[BeerBob123]

The 37-year-old played the last of his 16 One-Day Internationals in May 2006 © Getty

Former India and Andhra batsman Venugopal Rao has announced his decision to retire from all forms of the game. The 37-year-old played the last of his 16 One-Day Internationals in May 2006, finishing with a solitary half-century - a combative 61 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

It was in the first class circuit that Venugopal made early waves, smashing a career-best 228 not-out against England A thereby helping South Zone overhaul a fourth-innings target of 501 - the fifth highest successful chase in a first class game. That innings at Gurgaon in 2004 against an attack featuring Simon Jones, Sajid Mahmood and James Tredwell put him on the national radar and earned him an ODI debut against Sri Lanka in July 2005.

A technically sound batsman, Venugopal made his first class debut for Andhra aged 16 during the 1998-99 season, a year before he went on to lift the Under-19 World Cup alongside future India cricketers Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh. Venugopal went on to skipper Andhra before shifting bases to Gujarat in 2012. He returned to Andhra to end his career with his home team, making the last of his 121 first class appearances in a Ranji Trophy clash against Tamil Nadu in October 2017. He finishes with 7081 first class runs at an average of 40.93 including 17 hundreds.

Venugopal also played 65 IPL games for Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad between 2008 and 2014 and was part of the title-winning Chargers team in 2009.

[ARYA]

jsp lo active role posistada inka

[BeerBob123]

1 minute ago, ARYA said:

jsp lo active role posistada inka

founder e chesta ledhu inka veedem chestadu

[Piscop]

[Kool_SRG]

[r2d2]

another case of a potential that didn't blossom to its fullest...would have been a good middle order batsman.. 

[Puding]

3 minutes ago, r2d2 said:

another case of a potential that didn't blossom to its fullest...would have been a good middle order batsman.. 

evadi bloom ki aade badhyudu

[alpachinao]

4 hours ago, Kool_SRG said:

Venugopal evado kanukovadam oka puzzle e photo lo

[Kool_SRG]

2 minutes ago, alpachinao said:

Venugopal evado kanukovadam oka puzzle e photo lo

Second from right of left on your screen with blue tracks & cap reverse lo pettukunnadu ga...

[tennisluvr]

Veedu inka unnada cricket lo, eppudu poyadanukunna

[alpachinao]

38 minutes ago, Kool_SRG said:

Second from right of left on your screen with blue tracks & cap reverse lo pettukunnadu ga...

Confirm? Lock cheyamantava?

[Kool_SRG]

4 minutes ago, alpachinao said:

Confirm? Lock cheyamantava?

100% confirmed lock karo ding taka ji...

[LazyRohit]

Intaku munde ayyademo anukunna veedu inni days asalu emanna adada? crazy

[tennisluvr]

Earning Greg Chappell's praise and being in the same dressing room as his batting idol Sachin Tendulkar are two of Venugopal Rao's fondest memories as an India cricketer. On Tuesday, the 37-year old middle-order batsman called time on a two-decade long career, which effectively ended in 2017.

Over the last two years, while he has continued playing corporate cricket for MRF, retirement has been a constant thought. He took a final call during his World Cup assignment as a commentator for a regional sports channel. A formal announcement came through the Andhra Cricket Association, the team he represented for a majority of 121 first-class matches that brought 7081 runs at an average of 40.93, with 17 centuries and 30 half-centuries.

For now, he has no T20 offers in the pipeline. He is looking forward to his future in Telugu commentary and perhaps some coaching too "if something comes up".

 

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"In the early 1990s, they used to laugh whenever someone from Andhra desired to play for India. To be one of only two cricketers from the region (MSK Prasadbeing the other) to play for the country proved that you can achieve your goal," Venugopal told ESPNcricinfo. "To come from a fishing village near Visakhapatnam, where my father worked for a modest salary of INR 7000 to support five children, and play was a big thing. All credit to my parents."

It is nearly fourteen years to the day when Venugopal made his India debut. Tendulkar was still recovering from a tennis elbow, Sourav Ganguly had been suspended for an over-rate offence, VVS Laxman was not an automatic pick and MS Dhoni was asked to open the batting. India needed a middle-order batsman and Venugopal was one of two debutants alongside Suresh Raina.

"Playing Muttiah Muralitharan on debut was an unforgettable experience," he said. "As batsmen, we grew up playing spin, but I felt nothing quite prepared you to face him. He was an exceptional bowler. I have fond memories of that game [even though India lost]."

"To come from a fishing village near Visakhapatnam, where my father worked for a modest salary of INR 7000 to support five children, and play was a big thing"

In the season that preceded his debut, Venugopal announced himself by smashing a career-best 228 not out in a chase of 501 for South Zone against England Lions in the Duleep Trophy. It was the fifth-highest chase in first-class history at the time, against a competent attack featuring Simon Jones, Sajid Mahmood and James Tredwell, all of whom went on to play for England. Yet, Venugopal believes it was a practice match that turned out to be the difference between an India cap and being on the fringes.

 

"Before the Sri Lanka tour, we had a conditioning camp followed by a match between the 30 probables. The seniors played against the second XI. I made a 90 against the seniors, whose bowling included Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan. That knock convinced [then India coach] Greg Chappell. After the game, he had a long chat with me and the next day, I was informed of my India selection for the Sri Lanka tour.

"I was very jittery, I always felt as a cricketer growing up, if someone from Tamil Nadu or Mumbai made 120 runs, I had to make 200 to be noticed," Venugopal said. "Ahead of my India debut, I was a little nervous. Many thoughts ran through my mind. Greg had just taken up as coach, and he told me 'Look, for me, where you come from doesn't matter. I know you are good enough to be here, and that is why you are here.' Those words gave me a lot of belief."

Venugopal was used as a floater between 2005 and 2006, but his career could not quite take off. He played the last of his 16 ODIs in the West Indies in 2006, with his highest of 61 not out coming against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. He was also India's first ever super sub. Post his short India career, Venugopal battled injuries and inconsistency to play for Andhra and Gujarat in domestic cricket. He was also part of the IPL title-winning Deccan Chargers in 2009. His last IPL appearance was with Delhi Daredevils in 2014.

[tennisluvr]

Just now, tennisluvr said:

Earning Greg Chappell's praise and being in the same dressing room as his batting idol Sachin Tendulkar are two of Venugopal Rao's fondest memories as an India cricketer. On Tuesday, the 37-year old middle-order batsman called time on a two-decade long career, which effectively ended in 2017.

Over the last two years, while he has continued playing corporate cricket for MRF, retirement has been a constant thought. He took a final call during his World Cup assignment as a commentator for a regional sports channel. A formal announcement came through the Andhra Cricket Association, the team he represented for a majority of 121 first-class matches that brought 7081 runs at an average of 40.93, with 17 centuries and 30 half-centuries.

For now, he has no T20 offers in the pipeline. He is looking forward to his future in Telugu commentary and perhaps some coaching too "if something comes up".

 

ADVERTISEMENT

"In the early 1990s, they used to laugh whenever someone from Andhra desired to play for India. To be one of only two cricketers from the region (MSK Prasadbeing the other) to play for the country proved that you can achieve your goal," Venugopal told ESPNcricinfo. "To come from a fishing village near Visakhapatnam, where my father worked for a modest salary of INR 7000 to support five children, and play was a big thing. All credit to my parents."

It is nearly fourteen years to the day when Venugopal made his India debut. Tendulkar was still recovering from a tennis elbow, Sourav Ganguly had been suspended for an over-rate offence, VVS Laxman was not an automatic pick and MS Dhoni was asked to open the batting. India needed a middle-order batsman and Venugopal was one of two debutants alongside Suresh Raina.

"Playing Muttiah Muralitharan on debut was an unforgettable experience," he said. "As batsmen, we grew up playing spin, but I felt nothing quite prepared you to face him. He was an exceptional bowler. I have fond memories of that game [even though India lost]."

"To come from a fishing village near Visakhapatnam, where my father worked for a modest salary of INR 7000 to support five children, and play was a big thing"

In the season that preceded his debut, Venugopal announced himself by smashing a career-best 228 not out in a chase of 501 for South Zone against England Lions in the Duleep Trophy. It was the fifth-highest chase in first-class history at the time, against a competent attack featuring Simon Jones, Sajid Mahmood and James Tredwell, all of whom went on to play for England. Yet, Venugopal believes it was a practice match that turned out to be the difference between an India cap and being on the fringes.

 

"Before the Sri Lanka tour, we had a conditioning camp followed by a match between the 30 probables. The seniors played against the second XI. I made a 90 against the seniors, whose bowling included Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan. That knock convinced [then India coach] Greg Chappell. After the game, he had a long chat with me and the next day, I was informed of my India selection for the Sri Lanka tour.

"I was very jittery, I always felt as a cricketer growing up, if someone from Tamil Nadu or Mumbai made 120 runs, I had to make 200 to be noticed," Venugopal said. "Ahead of my India debut, I was a little nervous. Many thoughts ran through my mind. Greg had just taken up as coach, and he told me 'Look, for me, where you come from doesn't matter. I know you are good enough to be here, and that is why you are here.' Those words gave me a lot of belief."

Venugopal was used as a floater between 2005 and 2006, but his career could not quite take off. He played the last of his 16 ODIs in the West Indies in 2006, with his highest of 61 not out coming against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. He was also India's first ever super sub. Post his short India career, Venugopal battled injuries and inconsistency to play for Andhra and Gujarat in domestic cricket. He was also part of the IPL title-winning Deccan Chargers in 2009. His last IPL appearance was with Delhi Daredevils in 2014.

Papam baaga kashtapadi paikochadu, appreciate him.