Inspired by Ricky Ponting, MSD-like farewell: India's 'almost there' player Priyank Panchal

New Delhi: Gujarat batter Priyank Panchal's decision to retire at 35 caught the cricket fraternity by surprise, including the state team's captain Chintan Gaja and other teammates. "I got to know about Panchal's retirement after he revealed it on Instagram," said Gaja. Gujarat opener Aarya Desai similarly learnt about the decision on Instagram, admitting that the call left him surprised."Nobody knew. We had no indication before he sent an email to the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) on the previous day in the evening. There was a sense of expectation that Panchal would play his 100th Ranji Trophy match in the upcoming season," said Gujarat Selection Committee chairman Kirat Damani during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com. Panchal took a leaf out of MS Dhoni's playbook, keeping his decision under wraps till the end with a quiet and unexpected announcement.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The Gujarat batter bows out of the game with an impressive tally of 6,992 runs in 99 Ranji Trophy matches. Panchal finishes as the state's second-highest run-getter, scoring just 19 runs less than Parthiv Patel's tally of 7,011 runs. The 35-year-old accumulated 8,856 runs in 127 first-class matches, slamming 29 hundreds and 34 fifties, with an unbeaten 314 marking his highest score. However, even this mammoth tally of runs failed to earn Panchal a Team India debut, with the cricketer ending his career as an 'almost there' player.The batter smashed 1,310 runs during the 2016/17 Ranji Trophy season, helping Gujarat win the tournament. Panchal's performances resulted in his selection for India-A squads on multiple occasions, emerging as an impressive captain. The 35-year-old first got an opportunity with the Indian team after being picked for an away Test series against South Africa in 2021-22. Panchal was also selected for a Test series against Sri Lanka in February 2022. However, the batter didn't get a chance to feature in the lineup. It was in such tough situations that Panchal, who idolises Rahul Dravid and draws inspiration from Ricky Ponting, showcased his character."An anecdote I recall showcasing his mentality was when Panchal missed out on a chance to replace Cheteshwar Pujara in an away series against England, due to an injury. I thought he'd be extremely gutted. Panchal said, ''I've worked very hard. If I was destined to get that chance, I would've got it'. His maturity and grit astonished me," said Damani."The one thing that stood out very early was his ability to learn from seniors and eagerness to improve. Panchal would show up season after season with thorough professionalism without letting the disappointment of non-selection for the Indian team affect his mentality," added Damani.Panchal faced questions regarding his capabilities during the 2024/25 edition of the Ranji Trophy, which marked his last tournament. The cricketer was under pressure before the team's semi-final against Kerala, considering his lack of big runs. "He was unable to convert starts. However, we were confident of his capabilities," said Gaja.Kerala scored 457 in their first innings, tiring out the Gujarat fielders by making them field for over two and a half days. Gujarat needed to cross Kerala's run tally in a game set to be decided based on the first-innings lead. Desai and Panchal stitched a 131-run partnership, putting the opposition under pressure. "We were very tired after fielding for two and a half days. Priyank told me to keep attacking. He even cautioned me when he felt I was being too casual, urging me to not lose focus," said Desai.Panchal maintained the intensity following his fellow opener's dismissal, scoring with intent. The batter let out a roar after scoring a century, leaving teammates and friends stunned, considering his quiet nature. The Gujarat cricketer continued to fight despite an injury on his left index finger. "The top hand plays a dominant role. Fingers on the left-hand are always vital for a right-handed batter," said Panchal.Ex-Gujarat cricketer Dhruv Raval said he's never seen his former teammate celebrate in such an aggressive manner. "It was very unexpected. It is extremely unfortunate that one of India's best domestic players failed to represent the nation," he added. "Priyank was very determined to help Gujarat reach the final. His celebration showed that there was a lot going on inside," stated Gaja.Panchal was eventually dismissed for 148, bowing out of the game on an astounding note. While the cricketer emerged as a solid run-scorer, he was also the ultimate teamman. "Panchal guided me a lot with technical issues, motivating me during my initial matches. His discipline is top-notch. I will certainly remember him for that," said Gujarat all-rounder Jaymeet Patel.