Niranjana Nagarajan announces retirement

Niranjana Nagarajan, the seasoned Indian cricketer, has announced her retirement from all forms of competitive cricket. She made this announcement via a heartfelt post on social media on June 15, 2024, reflecting on her 24-year-long career in professional cricket.

Niranjana, known for her right-arm medium-fast bowling,  represented India in two Test matches, 22 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 14 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) between 2008 and 2016. In her international career, she took four  wickets in Tests, 24 in ODIs, and nine in T20Is, with best figures of 4/19 in Tests​.

Domestically, Niranjana was a strong player representing Tamil Nadu and also played for Indian Railways and South Zone teams, making significant contributions across the Indian women's domestic circuit. She is particularly remembered for her performance in the 2014 Test against England, where she played a crucial role in India's victory by taking four wickets for 19 runs​​.

In her farewell letter, she expressed deep gratitude to everyone who supported her throughout her journey. Niranjana recalls her beginnings, influenced by her late grandmother, and extends deep thanks to her parents, husband, coaches, and the cricket associations that supported her, particularly the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). She mentions key figures who guided her, including Vilasini, Shantha Rangaswamy, and Mithali Raj, under whose leadership she had the honor of playing.

Her farewell letter reflects a deep love for cricket and a commitment to giving back to the sport that has given her so much. Niranjana signs off with gratitude and a promise to remain connected to the game she loves.

Niranjana’s Heartfelt Letter

‘To my Cricket family and beyond.

Of all the gifts cricket has given me over the years, the best without a doubt has been the people I met along the way. My friends, my competitors and my well wishers. Today I want to share some news with all of you.

Playing cricket at a professional level has been the best thing that could have happened to me for everything in life commenced with it.

Playing this game gave me a vision, ambition and reason to look forward to in life. I am grateful, blessed and thankful to have played this sport for 24 years at a professional level and when I look back at it, the journey has been nothing less than beautiful and i will be carrying the the lovely warm memories it gave me along the way through out my life.

Cricket has treated me more generously than I have ever dreamt of and I must recognise it when it is time to end my competitive career. This is a bittersweet decision and I had to muster a lot of courage to say this and I must admit that this was something that I never wanted to say at any given point in life.

But at the outset there is so much to be happy about and I consider myself so fortunate and blessed to have played cricket across all 3 formats for my country, the highest honour I could ever ask for.

I would like to thank my late grandmother for she was the reason for me to start playing cricket. I thank my parents who have guided and protected me up to this point in life, without my parents I would not have been able to realize my dreams of playin for india. lam Grateful to my husband Mr.Srinath who has been a pillar of support to me.

My gratitude and heartfelt thanks to Vilasini BCCI level 2 coach,a very dear friend who has given me so much of valuable guidance on my game and I must admit that she has been the primary reason for my last few years of performances at the domestic circuit.

I would like to thank the Board of control for cricket in India (BCCI) for their constant support on and off the field and taking care of us during International tours.

My heart felt Gratitude to the TAMIL NADU CRICKET ASSOCIATION-my home association for their generous support I received as a player to pursue my dreams and I must mention that my first appearance for the country back in 2008 was when I represented TAMILNADU. It has been a pleasure to wear the Tamil Nadu jersey for over a period of 20 years.

I extend my gratitude to MR. RI Palani Honourary seretary Tamil Nadu cricket association and Mr.Kasi Vishwanathan - CEO Chennai Kuper Kings for their valuable support and understanding i received as a player.

I would like to thank the Railway Sports promotion Board (RSPB) for the faith shown over me as a player and I enjoyed and relished every minute of representing Indian Railways on the field.

I would like to thank MR.SATISH SADAGOPPAN, my coach and mentor from my early days and my constant well wisher.I am thankful to former International and Veteran Cricketer Shantha Rangaswamy for the support and guidance during my International tenture.l extend my thanks to former Indian Cricketer Sudha Shah.

I convey my gratitude to MR.PETER FERNANDEZ who has guided me through my skill sets and MR.CS.SURESH who I worked with in the final leg of my career. Also thankfed to MR.JOHNSON

SELVAKUMAR(trainer) who believed in me and trained me in the final leg of my career.

I must mention that i had the prevelge to play for the country under the astute leadership of Mithali Raj. I extend my gratitude for guidance i reveived from her during my international tenure.

I am proud of the efforts that I had put in to compete at the highest level. There has been some amazing victories and some tough losses on the way. Though i hate losing, cricket taught me to balance the victories and defeats on an equal scale. The lessons that I learnt on a cricket field have taught me more than my education ever did.

I have always played this game with utmost passion and have given 120 percent on the field. I am falling short of words to tell you all how much I will miss playing this game. God has been kind to me for he made me play this beautiful game of cricket and the last 24 years feels like a full life time in itself.

To all the younger ones taking up a sport, dare to dream and with belief and commitment you will realize your dreams, for the dreams chose you as much as you chose the dream.

Cricket has given me everything and now it's time to give back my maximum for the sport I love the most.Oh Cricket I Love You. I'll see you all on the other side of life.

Love and Gratitude Every single day.

Ninja:) as you all know me.’