Indian cricket fans bid farewell to veteran all-rounder Niranjana Nagarajan, also known as Ninja T, as she announced her retirement from international cricket today. She shared a heartfelt farewell message on Instagram, expressing her gratitude.
Nagarajan’s career spans over eight years, beginning with her WODI debut against England in 2008. A right-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler, she brought valuable all-round abilities to the Indian team. Her bowling achievements include a stellar performance in the 2014 Test against England, where she took an impressive 4-wicket haul for 19 runs, playing a crucial role in dismissing England for only 92 runs.
Throughout her career, Nagarajan represented India in 2 Test matches, 22 ODIs, and 14 WT20Is, claiming a total of 37 international wickets. She last played for Tamil Nadu in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy 2021-22, where she scored 197 runs, including a high score of 80, and took 8 wickets in 5 matches, with best figures of 6 for 37 against Uttarakhand Women in her final match.
Reflecting on her career, Niranjana expressed profound gratitude for the people she has met and the experiences she has had. She acknowledged the game as the foundation of her journey, filled with beautiful memories that will continue to enrich her life. She emphasized that cricket has not only given her vision and ambition but has also shaped her life in deeply meaningful ways. While stepping away from the game, she does so with immense pride in having played at the highest level for her country across all three formats of the game.
Niranjana expressed her gratitude by saying, “I would like to thank my late grandmother, for she was the reason I started playing cricket. I thank my parents who have guided and protected me up to this point in life. Without my parents, I would not have been able to realize my dreams of playing for India. I am grateful to my husband, Mr. Srinath, who has been a pillar of support to me.”
Niranjana also expressed heartfelt gratitude to key figures and organizations who supported her cricket career. She acknowledged Vilasini, a BCCI Level 2 coach and dear friend, for invaluable guidance that boosted her performance in recent domestic seasons. She extended thanks to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for unwavering support during international tours. Niranjana cherished her 20-year tenure wearing the Tamil Nadu jersey and appreciated the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) for their trust in her, relishing every moment representing Indian Railways on the field.
She mentioned, “I extend my gratitude to Mr. RI Palani, Honorary Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, and Mr. Kasi Vishwanathan, CEO of Chennai Super Kings, for the valuable support and understanding I received as a player.”
Niranjana further acknowledged key figures who supported her during her international career. She thanked former Indian captain Shantha Rangaswamy and former cricketer Sudha Shah for their support and guidance. She acknowledged Mr. Peter Fernandez for mentoring her in her skills, Mr. CS Suresh for their work together in her final career phase, and Mr. Johnson Selvakumar (Trainer) for believing in her and providing training. Niranjana also appreciated the astute leadership of Vithall Raj, under whom she had the privilege to play for the country, extending her thanks for the guidance received during her international tenure.
She concluded by saying, “I would like to thank Mr. Satish Sadagoppan, my coach and mentor from my early days and my constant well-wisher. I am thankful to former international and veteran cricketer Shantha Rangaswamy,”