Sheldon Jackson, the prolific Saurashtra batter, announced his retirement from professional cricket on Tuesday, bringing an end to a remarkable career spanning 15 years. Jackson’s final appearance in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal saw his team, Saurashtra, suffer a defeat to Gujarat, marking the conclusion of his playing days.
At 38 years old, Jackson retires with an impressive record of over 7200 runs from 105 first-class matches, boasting a highest score of 186, 21 centuries, and 39 half-centuries. His career average of over 45 highlights his exceptional consistency in the longest format of the game.
Known for his all-around skills, Jackson was not only a reliable batsman but also an excellent fielder, with a stint as a wicketkeeper in limited-overs competitions for Saurashtra. However, in the longer format, he primarily focused on his batting, with Sagar Jogiyani handling the wicketkeeping duties for his state team.
In his final two matches, Jackson scored 14 and 27 runs as Gujarat emerged victorious by an innings and 98 runs. He made his debut for Saurashtra in December 2011, after a few years on the fringes of selection. His breakthrough came in the 2012-13 Ranji season, where he scored four fifties and three centuries, including back-to-back tons in the quarterfinal and semifinal against Karnataka and Punjab, respectively, helping Saurashtra qualify for the Ranji final for the first time.
His stellar performances that season earned him a place in the India A team for the series against West Indies A at home. Jackson was also a key figure in Saurashtra’s successful 2015-16 Ranji Trophy campaign, where they clinched the title.
Last month, Jackson also retired from limited-overs cricket, finishing with 2792 runs in 84 innings, including an unbeaten 133 in the 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy. In total, he scored nine centuries and 14 half-centuries in the limited-overs format.
Sheldon Jackson’s retirement marks the end of an era for Saurashtra cricket, and his contributions to the game will be remembered for years to come.