Parvez Rasool (Photo by TOI) MUMBAI: Parvez Rasool, the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to represent India in international cricket and also the first from the region to feature in the IPL, retired from all formats of the game on Saturday.In an impressive 17-year career that saw him play 15 seasons of first-class cricket (the last two seasons he was out of the J&K team), Rasool, an all-rounder, took 352 wickets at 27.21 in 95 matches and amassed 5,648 runs at 21.695 with 21.695. The 36-year-old, who hails from Bijbehara in Kashmir, has been one of the most consistent players at domestic level, although his international career has lasted no more than two matches for India – a solitary T20I (vs England in Kanpur in January 2017) and one ODI (vs Bangladesh in June 2014).
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara to leave… who else?
“Yes, I am done with cricket. Obviously, playing for India was the proudest moment of my life. Coming from J&K, which was not much known for cricket, I won the Lala Amarnath Trophy for the best all-rounder in the Ranji Trophy twice (in 2013-14 and 2013-14), my first region since the IPL. I feel happy to have contributed to game,” Rasool told TOI.Now he is serious about his career as a cricket coach. “Moving forward, I have cleared my level II (coaching certificate from BCCI Center of Excellence). I want to take up coaching full-time, contribute to Indian cricket and pass on what I have learned from my experience to young cricketers. I want youngsters to get a chance. You have to retire at some point,” he said.Talking about how he has transformed J&K’s inspirational cricketers – their team beat Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy last season and recently lost to the domestic giants by just 35 runs – Rasool said: “When I started playing cricket, nobody knew about J&K cricket. Thanks to the Almighty, we qualified for the quarter-finals twice under my captaincy of J&K in the Rancyed Trophy.” six consecutive years. I am so happy that today our boys want to compete in domestic cricket whereas earlier they just came to participate,” Rasool said.He does not regret not being able to play for J&K in the last two seasons. “All these things are happening. I want to contribute in the future by coaching and playing some cricket (in overseas T20 leagues).”During his T20I debut, Rasool was at the center of a controversy when video footage showed him chewing gum while the national anthem played before the match. Rasool clarified the incident: “Before that, I was part of the Indian squad for eight matches — five matches in Zimbabwe and three against Bangladesh. I didn’t do it on purpose. Someone who comes from a relatively minor cricketing area knows how much hard work it will take to play for India one day. Why would someone do something like that deliberately to ruin their career.” Would that be madness?In 2012–13, Rasool was J&K’s standout player, finishing the season with 594 runs and 33 wickets, which earned him a place in the Indian team and a contract with the now-defunct IPL franchise Pune Warriors, led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly.Rasool regrets not being able to play more for India. “Definitely, the regret is there. I played two white-ball matches for India, but I wanted to play Test cricket, especially after I got seven for 45 in the President’s XI against Australia (in Chennai, February 2013). But that’s fate. You try to do well. Thanks to the Almighty, I have a tremendous record of batve47 and have bowled more 0.00 balls. than 623 wickets across all formats in my career. As I said, I am now looking forward to my new role in coaching,” concluded Rasool.Will he want to coach J&K? “If I get the chance, sure,” he said.
