The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Over and out Ansari as spinner heads to court
Cricket: Cambridge graduate decides on surprise career move
England allrounder Zafar Ansari has called time as a cricketer for a new career at the bar.
Ansari won one-day international honours for England in 2015 and made his Test debut against Bangladesh last October.
But the 25-year-old Cambridge graduate has decided to retire to pursue new challenges, possibly in the legal world.
“After seven years as a professional cricketer and almost two decades in total playing the game, I have decided to bring my cricket career to an end,” Ansari said.
Ansari – who joined county club Surrey at the age of eight – said his decision had not been taken lightly.
“Surrey have always completely supported me and I am extremely grateful to the club for their backing over the years. It is, therefore, with great sadness that I say goodbye,” Ansari said.
“I have always been clear that when the time was right for me to move on I would, and that time has now come.
“Been clear that when the time was right for me to move on I would”
“While the timing may come as a surprise, I have always maintained cricket was just one part of my life and that I have other ambitions that I want to fulfil.
“With that in mind, I am now exploring another career, potentially in law, and to achieve this I have to begin the process now.
“I will look back extremely fondly on playing with some wonderful teams. To have played three Test matches for England was a huge honour and it is something I will undoubtedly savour for the rest of my life.”
Berkshire-born Ansari played in every age group at Surrey and successfully combined his cricket career with academic studies at Cambridge.
In 2011, he was part of the Surrey squad that won the Clydesdale Bank 40 at Lord’s and he was capped by the county three years later. Ansari won his only England one-day cap against Ireland in May 2015 and was named in the Test squad to play Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates that winter but was ruled out by a serious hand injury sustained while fielding at Old Trafford against Lancashire just hours after the squad had been named. Ansari played in three Test matches last autumn, twice in Bangladesh and once against India.
Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart said: “Zafar’s exceptionally tough but considered decision is one we should all respect and understand.
“To retire at such a young age proves he has given great thought in deciding to walk away.”