Former Indian pacer VRV Singh retires

VRV Singh, the Indian pacer who just played five Test matches in 2006-07, has announced his retirement after a career constantly hampered by injury.

The 34-year-old also played two ODI matches for India along with five Tests as part of a new-look Indian pace attack. The bowler was just able to take eight wickets in five Tests and he did not take any wicket in the ODI format.

"I kept trying to make a comeback, but if it was not my ankle, it was my back. You cannot fool around with your body. I had surgeries, rehab … After 2014, I did not play at all for a few years, but I trained and tried to play in 2018. But I could not make it, so I started thinking about the future," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Singh as saying.

"It is not an overnight decision, but once I could not get fit for the 2018-19 season, I thought it made sense to leave. Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) encouraged me a lot, the PCA (Punjab Cricket Association) also backed me, and I gave it my best. But, unfortunately, it didn't happen. So I thought it best to retire and think about what to do next," he added.

The pacer played his last representative game in 2014 for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy in which he was able to take two wickets in the first innings and five wickets in the second innings against Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh made his debut for Punjab in 2005 when he just 21-years old.