Former India batter Punam Raut has brought an end to her international career. The 37-year-old was part of the team that reached the final of the 2017 Women’s World Cup. However, she has not played at the highest level since 2021. Thursday’s announcement formally drew the curtains on an international career that began in 2009.
“After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from international cricket in all formats of the game,” Raut wrote on Instagram. She said that representing the country at the highest level was the greatest honour of her life. Raut also credited the sport with shaping her character and instilling resilience.
“Every time I wore the India jersey, I did so with immense pride and gratitude,” she wrote. Raut thanked the BCCI, Mumbai Cricket Association and Indian Railways for their support. She reserved special gratitude for former India captain Mithali Raj, under whom she played for the national team and Railways.
A key figure in India’s 2017 World Cup campaign
Raut played a pivotal role in India’s run to the 2017 World Cup final. She amassed 381 runs in nine innings and was the second-highest run-scorer for India after Mithali Raj. Raut made significant contributions against Australia in the group stage and England in the final. While she scored a century against Australia, she produced a resolute 86 from 115 balls in the summit clash.
Raut held the innings together in India’s chase of 229 after an initial setback. Her 95-run partnership with Harmanpreet Kaur brought India back into the game. India were stationed at 191/3 and appeared to have the chase under control when Anya Shrubsole accounted for Raut. Her dismissal triggered a collapse that resulted in India being bowled out for 219, losing the match by nine runs.
“The 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup will always remain one of the defining moments of my career,” Raut wrote. She added that the tournament inspired a generation of young girls to take up the game and transformed the perception of women’s cricket in India.
Earlier that year, Raut shared a landmark opening partnership with Deepti Sharma. They put together a formidable 320-run stand against Ireland in a quadrangular series in South Africa. While Deepti went on to score 188 runs, Raut retired hurt after scoring 109 off 116 deliveries.
Raut played 112 matches for India across formats, scoring 3,282 runs. In 73 ODIs, she amassed 2,299 runs, with three hundreds and 15 half-centuries. In 35 T20Is, Raut scored 719 runs, while her four Test appearances yielded 264 runs, including a career-best 130 against South Africa at Mysore in 2014.
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Raut was primarily known for her grit and tenacity rather than rapid scoring. She had the temperament to play long knocks for the team and accumulate substantial runs. Her last appearance for India came in the pink-ball Test at Carrara in 2021, where she walked after edging a delivery from Sophie Molineux despite the umpire giving her not out. Her decision earned her widespread commendation from the cricketing fraternity for the sporting integrity she displayed.
Raut mentioned in her statement that she hopes to remain associated with the game even after retirement. Her remarks suggested that she was keen to contribute to the future development of cricket, possibly in a coaching capacity.
