The Umran Malik, before Umran Malik, Varun Aaron officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday, January 10. Sharing the news through a touching post on Instagram, the pacer expressed gratitude for his cricketing journey. Earlier, in 2024, he had already announced his retirement from first-class cricket. Aaron grabbed attention during the 2010-11 Vijay Hazare Trophy final when he clocked 153 kph against Gujarat, displaying his raw speed. However, injuries often disrupted his career, limiting him to just 18 international matches where he claimed 29 wickets. Despite this, he consistently continued to play domestic cricket for Jharkhand.
Injuries force Aaron to step away
The injury setbacks had already pushed Aaron to retire from red-ball cricket in February last year. On January 10, he played his final game for Jharkhand against Goa in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, officially bringing his cricketing journey to an end.
Aaron reflects on his career
In his retirement post, Aaron wrote, “For the past 20 years, I have lived, breathed, and thrived on the rush of bowling fast. Today, with immense gratitude, I officially announce my retirement from representative cricket.” The pacer leaves behind a legacy of speed and determination, inspiring many young bowlers despite his injury-marred career.
Varun Aaron in IPL
Aaron played for five teams in the IPL over the years. In the 55 matches he has played, he has grabbed 44 wickets. He made his IPL debut in 2011. He played his last match in 2022.
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | 50 | 994 | 1481 | 44 | 3/16 | 3/16 | 33.65 | 8.93 |
Aaron’s International career
Varun Aaron made his debut for India in 2011 against England. He played the ODI match in Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. He made his Test debut at the same venue against the West Indies in the same year. He played 9 Tests and 9 ODIs grabbing 18 & 11 wickets respectively.
Varun Aaron’s International stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 9 | 14 | 1189 | 947 | 18 | 3/97 | 3/97 | 52.61 | 4.77 | 66.0 |
| ODIs | 9 | 9 | 380 | 419 | 11 | 3/24 | 3/24 | 38.09 | 6.61 | 34.5 |
