All-rounder Laxmi Ratan Shukla announces retirement

New Delhi: The most-capped Bengal cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Wednesday.

The veteran all-rounder stated that he was not getting the right motivation to continue playing the game.

"For last one month, I was not getting the right motivation... Not feeling myself, the link was missing," Shukla said in a conference.

"Mentally, I was not ready to play again. I started having this feeling for about a month and was not able to sleep properly. Now I can sleep peacefully," the 34-year-old player added in his emotional speech with his son hugging him,” added Shukla, as per the report in PTI.

However, Shukla, also added that he is available for his club if Bagan feel his "service is needed".

The all-rounder played three ODIs for India, scoring 18 runs and scalped up a wicket.

In fact, Shukla was also picked in Bengal's 16-member squad on Sunday for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Shukla played 137 first-class matches, amassed 6217 runs at an average of 36.93, including nine tons and 37 fifties.

(With Agency inputs)