Murali Vijay, the former Indian opener, has announced his retirement from international cricket after a successful career spanning over 16 years. He played his last Test match for India in the 2018 Perth Test and his last first-class match for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy in December 2019.
Vijay expressed his gratitude for the opportunities he received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), the Chennai Super Kings, and Chemplast Sanmar. He also thanked his teammates, coaches, mentors, and support staff for their support and guidance throughout his career, calling it an "absolute privilege" to have played with them.
In his international cricket career, Vijay played 61 Tests for India, scoring a total of 3982 runs with an average of 38.29. He scored 12 centuries and 15 fifties and was India's leading run-scorer in the 2014 England tour. He also played 17 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 9 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for India, however, his performance in these formats was limited.
In his first-class career, Vijay played 135 matches, scoring 9205 runs with 25 hundreds and 38 half-centuries. He was an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), helping the team win the trophy in 2010, 2011, and 2018.
Vijay thanked the fans for their support and expressed that he will cherish the memories he shared with them. He also acknowledged the unconditional love and support of his family and friends, who he referred to as his backbone throughout his career.
In conclusion, Vijay announced that he will be exploring new opportunities in the world of cricket and the business side of it. He expressed his excitement for this new chapter in his life and wished all his former teammates and the Indian cricket team the best for their future endeavors.