05 aug 2011
Dravid, who made a surprise comeback into India's limited-overs squad for the five-match ODI series after being out of the side for two years, said in a statement that he was surprised to be chosen for the England series as he has not selected for two years.
"I am honoured and privileged to be selected in the Indian one-day team. Since I had not been picked for one-day cricket for the last two years, I was obviously a little surprised, to be honest, because I had not been picked," he said in a statement after India's warm-up match against Northamptonshire in which he did not play.
He said he now wants to concentrate on Tests in the future though he had not informed about it to the BCCI before his selection today.
"At the end of this one-day series, I would like to announce my retirement from one-day and Twenty20 cricket and concentrate only on Test cricket. I had not informed the selectors or the Board of my desire to solely focus on Test cricket," he said.
"I am committed, as always to give my best to India in this one-day series and obviously the Test series that follows.
"In the short term I am committed because now I have been picked for the series, but in the long term I think it is best for me and Indian cricket that I focus on Test cricket."
As the two-day game between India vs Northamptonshire came to an end, nobody was prepared for this bombshell from Dravid.
The 38-year-old Dravid, who read out a statement and fielded limited questions, made it clear that he would honour the commitment to play in the one-off T20 International on August 31 and five-match ODI series starting September 3 but thereafter his career in Twenty20 and one-day internationals should be deemed as over.
Before closing his statement, Dravid emphasised that at this stage "purely and solely Test cricket is the right way to go" for him.
Dravid snubs BCCI; announces retirement from ODIs
Northampton: In an apparent snub to the BCCI, veteran Indian batsman Rahul Dravid on Saturday announced retirement from one-day and Twenty20 cricket after the England tour in dramatic circumstances hours after he was named in the squad for the ODI series and one-off T20 international.
"I am honoured and privileged to be selected in the Indian one-day team. Since I had not been picked for one-day cricket for the last two years, I was obviously a little surprised, to be honest, because I had not been picked," he said in a statement after India's warm-up match against Northamptonshire in which he did not play.
He said he now wants to concentrate on Tests in the future though he had not informed about it to the BCCI before his selection today.
"At the end of this one-day series, I would like to announce my retirement from one-day and Twenty20 cricket and concentrate only on Test cricket. I had not informed the selectors or the Board of my desire to solely focus on Test cricket," he said.
"I am committed, as always to give my best to India in this one-day series and obviously the Test series that follows.
"In the short term I am committed because now I have been picked for the series, but in the long term I think it is best for me and Indian cricket that I focus on Test cricket."
As the two-day game between India vs Northamptonshire came to an end, nobody was prepared for this bombshell from Dravid.
The 38-year-old Dravid, who read out a statement and fielded limited questions, made it clear that he would honour the commitment to play in the one-off T20 International on August 31 and five-match ODI series starting September 3 but thereafter his career in Twenty20 and one-day internationals should be deemed as over.
Before closing his statement, Dravid emphasised that at this stage "purely and solely Test cricket is the right way to go" for him.
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