Ajit Agarkar has announced his retirement from all forms of the game yesterday in Mumbai. The 35-year-old who is thinly built was known for bowling brisk inswinging yorkers at will. Agarkar had captured 288 ODI wickets in 191 matches and was rather unlucky to be omitted from the Indian team six years ago.
Ajit Agarkar
When he made his international debut in 1998 against Australia at the age of 21, Agarkar was the find for India in the fast bowling department. He was easily the fastest bowler in the country during that time, clocking speeds of 140-145 kmph. Agarkar at that time was hardly 49 kgs in weight and isn’t a tall man either. The slingy fast bowler at that time became the fastest to capture 50 ODI wickets. However, his career took a beating when he collected seven consecutive Test ducks against Australia. Agarkar was more than a capable lower order batsman blessed with sweet timing. But his batting failures against Australia made him completely infamous amongst the Indian fans.
Agarkar though proved that he was not a Donald Duck as he went onto score a Test century at Lord’s in 2002! Against a competitive Zimbabwean team in 2000, he won the match for India with a half century in just 21 balls at Rajkot. With the ball, Ajit Agarkar bowled India to a rare Test victory in Australia in 2003/04 at Adelaide.
Ajit Agarkar finishes off with 58 Test wickets (26 Tests), 288 ODI wickets (191 ODIs). He has also played 4 T20Is and was part of the T20 World Cup winning squad in 2007. Interestingly, Agarkar hangs his boots despite being stuck on 299 first-class wickets. This useful fast bowling all-rounder struggled to get games for the Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Agarkar has also the distinction of leading Mumbai to its 40th Ranji Trophy Title last season.
Agarkar, a Marathi Brahmin is married to Fatima Ghadially, a Muslim girl. The couple have a son named Raj.