‘I tried to push myself for one-two seasons but it didn’t happen’

Agarkar can be said to have gone out on a high having clinched for Mumbai its 40th Ranji title as captain last year. The seamer,who will turn 36 in a couple of months,said it would have been unfair on youngsters had he stretched his career for a few more years. The western powerhouse’s arsenal still boasts of Zaheer Khan,Dhawal Kulkarni and Abhishek Nayar,but Agarkar remained the finest of his era with his 110 first-class games yielding 299 wickets at an average of 30.69. One of his fiercest spells was in Mysore in 2009,when his aggressive fast bowling denied Karnataka the Ranji Trophy in 2009. He took five wickets in the second innings as Karnataka nearly chased the target of 331.

Agarkar was part of eight Ranji Trophy winning sides in his 16-year career,and when he wrapped up last year’s title,he would’ve fancied playing another few seasons. “Last year,we won the Ranji title for the 40th time and I thought I will carry on. It’s not a case of me not enjoying my game anymore. It’s more to do with how hard it is to follow the intense training session these days. The older you get,the more intense it gets.”

For his wiry frame,he’d managed to stay away from major injuries. “I was lucky not to deal with many injuries in my career. There would have been a few niggles but not a major fracture,” he said.

Though he’d served Mumbai cricket with distinction,bringing the India-level work ethic into the Ranji dressing room,there was that one jarring episode three years ago,when he left the Mumbai team in Cuttack after he was not being picked in the XI for a match against Orissa. He later withdrew from the squad for the entire 2011-12 Ranji season,before reconciling with the MCA and taking charge for the Vijay Hazare Trophy,in February 2012. He was named first-class captain of 2012-13 season.

The staggering change in personnel since his heyday hasn’t stopped Mumbai from staking claim to championship glory,and Agarkar believes,the trend will continue,this season. “With Sachin (Tendulkar) set to play a few games this year and with Wasim Jaffer still around,Mumbai will once again be favourites,” he says.

As his India hopes slowly evaporated,it had gotten tougher to keep his chin up. “Some day everyone’s got to call it a day. I will cherish every moment spent with the Mumbai team. I informed the MCA today. Like I said,there was no motivation left for me. I know playing for the country again was impossible and at the same time,the training was getting harder. I tried to push myself for one-two seasons more but it didn’t happen. I thought it was time to say goodbye to the game that’s given me so much.”

devendra.pandey@expressindia.com