No farewell! Cheteshwar Pujara retires, joins list of Indian legends without a goodbye game | Cricket News

Every sport loves its grand farewells — packed stadiums, tearful speeches, and the final walk to the middle. Sachin Tendulkar’s goodbye at Wankhede in 2013 remains etched in memory as the perfect send-off. But for every Tendulkar, there are legends who quietly disappear from the scene without a chance to say goodbye. Cheteshwar Pujara, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Sunday, joins that unfortunate list.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Pujara, the rock of India’s Test batting for over a decade, last played for the country in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia. His retirement came via social media, not the middle of a cricket ground. With 103 Tests, 7,195 runs and a reputation for resilience unmatched in modern cricket, Pujara deserved a bigger stage for his farewell. Instead, like many before him, he slipped away without a parting game.

The list of such players is long and decorated. MS Dhoni, India’s World Cup-winning captain, stunned fans in August 2020 with an Instagram post announcing his retirement. His last international was the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand — no farewell, no final ovation for one of India’s greatest leaders.Virender Sehwag, one of the most destructive openers of all time, played his last international in 2013 but waited two more years before formally retiring in 2015, by which time a farewell was no longer possible. Yuvraj Singh, the hero of India’s 2011 World Cup win, turned down a farewell match offered by the BCCI in 2019, choosing to retire on his own terms after being phased out of the team.Others, like Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, and Gautam Gambhir, all mainstays of India’s golden generation, also left quietly after losing their places in the side. Even VVS Laxman, known for his artistry with the bat, shocked everyone in 2012 when he retired days before a home series. Anil Kumble, India’s legendary spinner, too bowed out mid-series in 2008 against Australia in Delhi, announcing his retirement after battling injuries.The most recent example before Pujara was Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, who retired midway through the 2024 Australia series in Brisbane — a sudden decision that left fans stunned.Even today, the future holds questions. Two of the biggest names in Indian cricket, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, have already retired from two formats, leaving fans to wonder whether they too will eventually walk away from the game without a final farewell.These stories show a sobering truth: not every great gets a grand exit. Injuries, form, or team decisions often deny players the farewell they deserve.