Former West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin announces international retirement

The 37-year-old, who hasn't represented West Indies since December 2019, appeared in 74 Tests, 139 ODIs and 71 T20Is across his international career

Former West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin announces international retirement

The all-format wicketkeeper-batter has played close to 300 matches for West Indies, featuring in 74 Tests, 139 ODIs and 71 T20Is.

In recent times, Ramdin has largely fallen off the radar for international selection, having made his last Test and ODI appearances in 2016.  His final appearance for West Indies came in a T20I in December 2019.

"It is with great pleasure that I announce my retirement from international cricket," Ramdin posted on Instagram. "The past 14 years have been a dream come true. I fulfilled my childhood dreams by playing cricket for Trinidad & Tobago, and the West Indies.

"My career afforded me the opportunity to see the world, make friends from different cultures and still be able to appreciate where I came from."

^{Ramdin was a member of two T20 World Cup-winning squads [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

The West Indian hopes to continue playing franchise cricket, having featured in the Caribbean Premier League and the Pakistan Super League in his career. Despite applying his trade for St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinbago franchises across the last eight years of the CPL, Ramdin has failed to earn a contract for the upcoming season.

Ramdin made his international debut against Sri Lanka in July 2005, before then featuring in ODI cricket against India during the same tri-series tour.

His greatest triumphs, however, came as part of West Indies' T20 World Cup winning campaigns in 2012 and 2016. While his batting was non-effective, Ramdin scored just 44 runs across both tournaments, he completed nine dismissals behind the stumps.

When playing, Ramdin was often in the headlines. After completing one of his hundreds - against England at Edgbaston in 2012 -  he pulled out a note stating "Yeah Viv talk nah" from his pocket, hitting back at Viv Richards' criticism of his performances. In the 2013 Champions Trophy against Pakistan, he fumbled a catch when Misbah-ul-Haq edged the ball behind, but still went up in celebration despite the ball being grounded, resulting in him being suspended for two ODIs and docked his match fee.

Despite his controversial episodes, Ramdin took over the Test captaincy from Daren Sammy in 2014 and went on to lead his country in 13 Tests, three T20Is and an ODI.

He won six of these 17 matches, including four Tests, one ODI and one T20I before being replaced by Jason Holder in September 2015.