Left-armer Zaheer Khan has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 37.
With 311 wickets in 92 Tests, Khan is India's fourth-highest Test wicket-taker behind Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev and Harbhajan Singh.
He has not played for India since February 2014, though, and has now decided that a nagging shoulder problem means that he cannot feature at international level anymore.
"The toughest call in a cricketing career is when one has to walk away from the game itself," Khan posted on Twitter. "You almost 'will' yourself and want to push that few, extra miles but then the body, after nearly two decades, decides not to respond.
"As I was training for the upcoming season, it dawned on me that my shoulder may not last the rigours of bowling nearly 18 overs a day, and that's when I knew it was time.
"With immediate effect, I bid adieu to my career in international cricket. I look forward to signing off my last season in domestic cricket at the conclusion of Indian Premier League season nine."
Khan, who made his India debut in 2000, took 610 scalps across all three international formats and was the joint-leading wicket-taker for India when they won the 2011 World Cup.
Pascal Lemesre
