Ashok Dinda hangs up with his boots from all forms of cricket
After a 16-year long domestic career, Ashok Dinda, the former India pacer, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, effective immediately.
One of the finest and most successful pacers on the domestic circuit, Ashok Dinda played his cricket with a lot of heart. After earning his maiden first-class cap against Maharashtra in November 2005, Dinda had a gigantic presence in the Bengal dressing room.
In 14 years of first-class cricket, he played 116 first-class matches and ended up with 420 wickets at an average of just over 28 with 339 coming when he was playing for Bengal.
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Dinda found himself in a controversy when he got himself into an argument with his long-standing bowling partner and then bowling coach Ranadeb Bose and decided not to apologize.
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) took disciplinary action against him and kept him out of the squad for that year.
Subsequently, Dinda obtained a NOC from CAB and was roped in by Goa Cricket Association (GCA) as a professional but after playing three Syed Mushtaq Ali games, he was dropped from the squad. After the announcement that Ranji Trophy wouldn’t be played this year, he decided to hang up his boots.
Dinda thanks Ganguly for his support
The former Bengal spearhead credited Sourav Ganguly for his backing during his playing career – first as a senior player and then as an administrator – while adding that he sent his retirement notice to the BCCI and GCA.
“Today I am retiring from all formats of cricket. There have been several people, including my parents, who have helped me throughout my career and I would like to thank them. A thank you to my on-field guardian, Sourav Ganguly. He has a lot of contributions in my career,” Dinda said in a press conference in Kolkata.
“I am today retiring from all formats of cricket. I have sent the mails to BCCI and GCA to this effect. There have been several people who have helped me throughout my career whom I would like to thank beginning with my parents.
“Then it’s Dada (Sourav Ganguly). It is because of him that I got to play for Bengal and when as skipper he stood at mid-off he would always guide and encourage me.”