Jacob Martin retires from all forms of cricket

Jacob Martin, the Baroda batsman who also played 10 ODIs for India, has informed his association that he is ending his 16-year first-class career.

"Martin was selected to go with the Baroda team, which left here [Baroda] today for Hyderabad, for the Ranji Trophy Super League division tie from November 23-26, but withdrew from the trip last night saying he is retiring from cricket," a spokesperson from the Baroda Cricket Association told PTI on Tuesday.

Martin, 35, was a prolific batsman in the domestic circuit, scoring 8563 runs at 48.10 from 127 matches, with 23 centuries and 44 half-centuries. In the 1998-99 domestic season, Martin made over 1000 runs, a feat accomplished by only five players before him, and a couple after.

The national selectors took note of his performances and drafted Martin into the national one-day squad for the three-match against West Indies in Canada. But Martin could not mirror his domestic success in ODIs. He scored 158 runs at an average of 22.57 from 10 games with a highest score of 39 against Pakistan in the Carlton and United tri-series in Australia. Martin scored 36 in his last ODI, but could not prevent India's 70-run loss to Kenya in Port Elizabeth on October 17, 2001.

Martin shifted allegiance to Railways in the 2002-03 domestic season before returning to represent Baroda for four more seasons.