Rangana Herath announces retirement from international cricket

The spin legend retires at the age of forty 

Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath has declared his retirement from international cricket. The news of the 40-year-old left-arm spinner’s retirement was announced by the Sri Lanka cricket board through a text message.

Herath’s glorious cricket career

The left-arm spinner was overshadowed by the legendary spinner  Muttiah Muralitharan in his initial career, but after Murali’s retirement, Herath emerged as Sri Lanka’s spearhead in spin department.

After taking more than 500 international wickets, playing almost 200 games, and having made his debut all the way back in the 90s, Sri Lankan legend Rangana Herath has confirmed his career will end after the first Test against England.

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— ICC (@ICC) October 22, 2018

Herath has bagged 430 wickets in 92 Tests at an average of 27.95 and has claimed five wickets in an innings 34 times in his career. He also played 71 ODIs and picked 74 wickets but he wasn’t that effective in the shorter format of the game.  He also represented Sri Lanka in 17 T20Is and picked 18 wickets.

Like so many other Sri Lankan cricketers, Rangana Herath has been an unassuming champion. He filled the large gap that Murali left behind and, as with all top players, raises worries about a successor as he departs. He can be proud of the wonderful career he has had.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 22, 2018

Since 2012, Herath has picked 50 Test wickets in a calendar year four times and was hailed as one of the best left-arm spinners of this era across the world.

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Currently he is the most successful left-arm spinner in Test cricket as no other left-arm spinner has managed to pick as many wickets as Herath in Tests.

The Sri Lankan spinner to retire after first Test against England

Sri Lanka will lock horns against England in a Test series and the Sri Lanka cricket board has confirmed that the 40-year-old will retire from Test cricket after the first Test which will be played at Galle.

Galle is the same venue where the spin bowler started his Test career 19 years ago and he will end it at the same venue.

The spin bowler is suffering from knee injuries from the past few months and it seems that he is no longer able to sustain his body. So, he will be retiring from Test cricket. He has already retired from ODI cricket in 2016.