New Delhi: Veteran Karnataka medium pacer R Vinay Kumar, who also represented India and led his state team to successive Ranji Trophy titles, on Friday announced his retirement from international and first-class cricket.

In a statement, the 37-year-old seasoned campaigner said he has been lucky to play alongside the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli in his career.

"Today 'Davangere Express' after running for 25 years and passing so many stations of cricketing life, has finally arrived at a station called 'Retirement'. With a lot of mixed emotions, I, Vinay Kumar R, hereby announce my retirement from international and first class cricket," he said in the statement.

"It is not an easy decision to make, however, there comes a time in every sportsperson's life where one has to call it a day," he added in the statement posted on Twitter.

Kumar played one Test, 31 ODIs and 9 T 20 Internationals for India. 

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New Delhi: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has sharply criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, questioning his government’s handling of the infiltration issue despite the BJP's nearly decade-long rule in the state.

Gogoi raised concerns over the state's border security under the current regime, asking, “If infiltrators are still entering Assam after 10 years of BJP rule, who is responsible?”

He pointed out the BJP-led government’s failure to effectively curb illegal immigration. “It is the duty of both the Assam government and the central government to prevent illegal migration. Instead of taking concrete action, the government is busy playing politics,” news agency ANI quoted Gogoi as saying.

He emphasised that the Congress party's position is clear: no illegal Bangladeshi nationals should be allowed to stay in Assam.

Gogoi predicted that Sarma’s politics of polarisation, which had failed in Jharkhand, would not yield success in Assam either.