India player Murali Vijay calls time on international career
Chennai (PTI): Out-of-favour India player Murali Vijay on Monday announced he was retiring from international cricket.
The right-handed batter who featured in 61 Tests, 17 ODIs and nine T20 Internationals last played for the country in the Perth Test against Australia in December 2018.
His Test debut was against Australia in the 2008-09 season at Nagpur as a replacement for Gautam Gambhir.
He featured in first-class and List A cricket for Tamil Nadu late in 2019. As far as professional cricket is concerned, he last turned out for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League in 2020.
"Today, with immense gratitude and humility, I announce my retirement from all forms of international cricket," Vijay said in a statement on Twitter.
"I am excited to announce that I will be exploring new opportunities in the world of cricket and the business side of it, where I will also continue to participate in the sport that I love and challenge myself in new and different environments," the 38-year-old Vijay added.
"I believe this is the next step in my journey as a cricketer and I look forward to the new chapter in my life."
He thanked the BCCI, TNCA, CSK and Chemplast Sanmar and said, "I am grateful for the opportunities given to me by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, Chennai Super Kings and Chemplast Sanmar."
"To all my team-mates, coaches, mentors and support staff: It has been an absolute privilege to have played with you all, and, I thank you for helping me turn my dream into reality," he further said.
Thanking fans for their support through his ups and downs, he said, "I will forever cherish the moments I spent with you all and your support has always been a source of motivation for me.
"Lastly, I would like to thank my family & friends for their unconditional love and support throughout my career. They have been my backbone and without them, I would not have been able to achieve what I have today," he said.
In 61 Tests, Vijay scored 3982 runs at an average of 38.28 with a highest score of 167. He hit 12 hundreds and 15 half-centuries.
In 17 ODIs, he made 339 runs and in seven T20Is, he got 169 runs.
In the IPL, he shone for CSK and the runs he scored turned the attention on him. In the 2010 season, Vijay scored 458 runs for the Super Kings with a century and two fifties, including a blistering 127 against Rajasthan Royals in Chennai, which brought him into the national reckoning.
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Riyan Parag likely to be fined 25 percent of match fees for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
