Indian middle-order batsman and Bengal cricket stalwart, Manoj Tiwary, officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 3. The 37-year-old cricketer, who last played for India in 2015, continued his journey in domestic cricket until February 2023. Tiwary’s remarkable career was highlighted by leading Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, guiding the team to the final.
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Over his international career, Tiwary represented India in 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 3 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) between 2008 and 2015. Notably, he notched up a century in the 50-over format at the highest level.
In an emotional Instagram post, Tiwary bid farewell to the game that had given him everything he could have never imagined, especially during challenging times. He expressed deep gratitude towards cricket and the almighty for being constant support throughout his journey.
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Manoj Tiwary contributions to domestic cricket were truly illustrious, as he proudly represented Bengal and various teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), including Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab, and Rising Pune Supergiants. Despite his outstanding performances in domestic cricket, his international career was marred by sporadic appearances and periods of being overlooked by selectors.
His international debut came during the 2007-08 Commonwealth Bank Series against Australia. He later earned a spot in the Indian squad for the West Indies tour in 2011, replacing Yuvraj Singh. During the tour, he scored his maiden ODI century in the 5th ODI against West Indies. Unfortunately, after this achievement, he faced a series of 14 matches on the sidelines. Similarly, his T20I career witnessed inconsistency, with selections often not translating into actual game time.
Tiwary took the opportunity to express his heartfelt appreciation to his wife and former teammates for their unwavering support throughout his career. Additionally, he paid a special tribute to his coach, Manabendra Ghosh, whom he regarded as a father figure in his cricketing journey.
Apart from his cricketing endeavours, Tiwary explored politics and joined the All India Trinamool Congress political party in 2021. The same year, he was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and currently serves as the Sports Minister of Bengal.
Amidst the setbacks in his international career, Tiwary’s domestic cricket journey demonstrated remarkable longevity and consistent performances. He emerged as a top run-scorer for Bengal in the prestigious Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic first-class cricket championship. Noteworthy achievements include scoring 366 runs in nine matches during the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy and registering his fifth double-century in first-class cricket in November 2018, followed by his maiden triple-century in January 2020.
