Varun Aaron to retire from red-ball cricket after Ranji trophy fixture against Rajasthan

Jamshedpur, Feb 16 (IANS) Former India pace bowler Varun Aaron will bid farewell to red-ball cricket in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match between Jharkhand and Rajasthan but will continue to play white-ball cricket for the time being.

Aaron's journey in red-ball cricket began in 2008 when he made his first-class debut for Jharkhand in a Ranji Trophy league match against Jammu and Kashmir. His raw pace and talent quickly propelled him onto the international stage, making his debut for India in an ODI against England at the Wankhede Stadium in 2011. A month later, he made his Test debut too, against West Indies at the same venue.

"I have been playing red-ball cricket since 2008. Since I bowled fast, I picked up several injuries. I understand now that my body won't allow me to continue bowling fast in red-ball cricket, so I have decided to quit,” Aaron said to ESPNcricinfo.

"This might be my last game in front of my family and the people of Jamshedpur, because we don't often play white-ball games here (Keenan Stadium). I started my career here, so this is quite emotional for me,” he added.

Despite enduring a series of setbacks due to injuries, including stress fractures in his back and legs, Aaron's passion for bowling fast remained unwavering. His aggressive style of bowling left a lasting impression on the cricketing world, with memorable moments such as the infamous bouncer to England's Stuart Broad, which fractured Broad's nose during a Test match at Old Trafford in 2014.

His career with India ended in 2015, however, throughout that time he played nine Tests (18 wickets at 52.61) and nine ODIs (11 wickets at 38.09). Throughout his 65 first-class matches, he claimed 168 wickets at an average of 33.74.

Aaron also got a chance to play for Durham in the English county circuit.

For Jharkhand, who are out of the running for a spot in the quarterfinals, this will be the last game of the Ranji season.