Zimbabwe’s Kyle Jarvis retires from all forms of cricket

06/17/2021

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Zimbabwe pacer Kyle Jarvis, who over the past year has been struggling with injuries and illness, has announced his retirement and has confirmed that he is stepping away from the sport altogether. Jarvis made his international debut in 2009 and represented Zimbabwe in 84 matches across formats.

Kyle Jarvis, who once drew comparisons with the great Glenn McGrath, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Jarvis, 32, was once considered the best fast-bowling talent in Zimbabwe after Heath Streak and made an impressive start to his international career in 2009, breaking into the scene as a 20-year-old following impressive performances in the 2008 U19 World Cup.

After representing Zimbabwe for 4 years, the pacer took a Kolpak deal and moved to England - where he represented Lancashire, rather successfully - before returning back to his country of birth in 2017. Jarvis enjoyed a successful return back to international cricket, but the speedster was soon marred by injuries. In 2020 Jarvis sustained a severe back injury, post which he has also struggled with illness, including battling with Covid-19, malaria and tick fever for an entire year.

Jarvis has recovered completely from all injuries and illnesses now, but in a press conference today, the 32-year-old confirmed that he is now ready to start the next chapter of his life, stepping away from cricket.

"I made a full recovery from both. I train every day - in the gym, playing football or running. I can't try and guess if I could play at the same level again. I think if put my mind to it, I could but I have made peace with my decision," Jarvis said in a media interaction today, reported ESPN Cricinfo.

"I've got a vehicle import-export business and a used car dealership here in Zimbabwe and I am starting a restaurant. It's a bit crazy to be doing a restaurant in these Covid times but hopefully we can get it together."

Jarvis’ last international appearance came in a Test against Sri Lanka in Harare last year, and it was, incidentally, the game in which the pacer suffered a serious back injury. Following the injury, Jarvis battled with illnesses, and the pacer admitted that the combination of the three made him realize that it was time for him to start thinking beyond cricket.

"I hurt my back against Sri Lanka in a Test match beginning of 2020. I managed to come back and become fit again and just as I was starting to come back into it I got that illness which set me back further. After the uncertainty of that, I needed to realise I had to start looking for something for life after cricket. It wasn't that I didn't think I could come back again, but I had my mind set to start something on the side."

Following his return to international cricket in 2017, post the conclusion of his Lancashire deal, Jarvis represented Zimbabwe in 43 international matches, in which he managed to claim 65 wickets. Famously, Jarvis finished with match figures of 7/98 in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2018, and the tremendous showing proved to be the best showing of the 32-year-old’s career. Jarvis expressed pride over what he managed to achieve for Zimbabwe and insisted that he felt that the last three years were the best of his career.

“I felt my last three years of international cricket were my best. I am very proud of what I managed to do at the end there,” Jarvis said.