Shane Dowrich announces retirement from international cricket

Shane Dowrich. (Photo Source: Twitter)

In a recent development, the 32-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from the West Indies, Shane Dowrich, has decided to stop playing international cricket right away. He was initially selected for the upcoming home ODIs against England but has withdrawn from the team. The CWI selection panel has decided not to pick a replacement for him in the three-match series starting on Sunday in Antigua, December 3.

Dowrich, a stylish player with the bat and a very safe hand behind the wicket, earned a recall to the ODI squad based on his excellent performance in the Super50 Cup, where he scored 234 runs in five innings at an average of 78 and a strike rate of 91.76. Shai Hope will now have to handle both captaincy and wicketkeeping duties as Nicholas Pooran is currently not available for ODIs.

In Test cricket, Dowrich played 35 matches from June 2015 to December 2020, scoring 1570 runs with three centuries and having 90 dismissals behind the wickets. His best performance was an unbeaten 125, leading West Indies to a 226-run victory against Sri Lanka in June 2018. He also played a crucial role in the 2019 series against England, scoring an unbeaten 116 in a significant partnership with Jason Holder.

Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket, expressed gratitude to Dowrich for his contributions, highlighting his discipline and hard work. Bascombe acknowledged Dowrich’s memorable moments, including the outstanding Test century in Barbados in 2019. He wished Dowrich the best in his retirement from the international stage, recognizing that it’s a tough decision to make.

“We want to thank Shane for contribution when he played for West Indies. He is a disciplined, hard-working cricketer who always gave his utmost in front and behind the stumps. He had a memorable series in 2019 when he made an outstanding Test century on home soil in Barbados to help us beat England and win the Wisden Trophy. We respect his decision to retire and appreciate it is not an easy one to make. We wish him all the best as he steps away from the international stage,” CWI’s Director of Cricket said as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.

In his initial days, Dowrich replaced the great Shivnarine Chanderpaul:

Dowrich was born in Barbados and gained recognition for his talent early on. Making his Test debut against Australia in June 2015, Dowrich’s selection was based on an impressive first-class season, scoring 615 runs at an average of 51.25. His consistent performances led to him replacing Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the national team.

Dowrich showcased his skills in the U19 World Cup in 2010, being the second-highest run-scorer for Windies. Making his first-class debut at 18, he earned the Lord Gavron Award for promising young cricketers in Barbados.