Tanmay Srivastava, the former Uttar Pradesh batsman, announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 30, on Saturday (October 24). The left-handed batsman was a part of India's Under-19 World Cup campaign in 2008, where he finished as the highest run-getter with 262 runs. Srivastava played 90 first-class games, scoring 4918 runs. In the 2008-09 season, Srivastava finished as the highest run-getter for Uttar Pradesh, who finished as the runner-up in Ranji Trophy. He also played 44 List A matches and 34 T20s. In the IPL, he represented Kings XI Punjab and Deccan Chargers and played seven games in the first two editions of the tournament. Last season, he shifted base to Uttarakhand as a professional and led the side. Srivastava's career started with much promise. As a 16-year old, he captained an India Under-19 team that had in their ranks the likes of Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey and Ravindra Jadeja. At 18, he lost the captaincy to Kohli but was India's highest run-getter in their victorious Under-19 World Cup campaign in Malaysia in 2008.
While announcing his retirement, in a detailed statement, he wrote: "I have decided to hang my boots and call it a day as I announce my retirement from all formats of domestic cricket. From now on, I will only play for my company ONGC. Cricket has given me all that I am today. It has given me life's greatest lessons and some amazing mentors, coaches, teammates and friends. "I have had some very good memories on and off the field. As a child, when my father took me to the stadium, many a times I was injured and couldn't play. He always told me that there will be many moments like these in life when you will face a fall. They must not make you weak but motivate you to come back stronger."I was an 11-year-old when I joined the Green Park cricket hostel to focus on cricket, which was my only passion. At 13, I represented India under-15 and it was a dream come true when I wore the India jersey. Year 2008 was all about winning the U19 World Cup, and memories about holding the national flag proudly still makes me go weak in my knees. I consider myself lucky to have played alongside and shared the dressing room with the greats of Indian and international cricket and I'm humbled at how, even today most of them are just a call away, sharing their experiences to help me learn.
"UPCA has been my second home and I am very thankful to them for all the support they have given me over the last 18 years and are still continuing to do so. Sh Rajiv Shukla ji has been a constant source of blessings and support for all these years. I also want to extend my thanks to the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) for giving me the opportunity to represent the state in the last season. "I would like to thank all the selectors, coaches, physios, trainers, management and support staff that have been a part of my cricket journey. A heartfelt gratitude to all my friends for believing in me when I was at my lowest. A special thanks to Paras Anand (of SG) for believing in me and truly standing by its motto of 'believe, become' and for supporting me with the best equipment throughout my career, irrespective of my ups and downs. "Throughout my career, my mom and dad have been my pillars of support and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. A special thanks to my family, extended family and friends who are family, for always being there for me. Last, but not the least, a warm thank you to my wife Reetika, who has not only supported me through thick and thin, but also given me the most blunt but right comments and advice that no one else could have."
