Photo Credit: Zimbabwe Cricket
Zimbabwe fast bowler Kyle Jarvis has decided to call time on his cricket career at the age of 32 after struggling with injury and illness over the past year and a half.
He has not played again since he sustained a lower back injury during Zimbabwe’s first Test match against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club in January 2020.
As he started training again after making a full recovery, he suffered another major setback in January this year when he came down with illness that ruled him out of action for another six months.
Not only was he diagnosed with COVID-19, he was also infected with malaria and tick bite fever at the same time.
While he was on the mend, Jarvis says he started contemplating his future after it dawned on him that he might not be able to bowl at his best again.
“It was a very difficult decision having to retire and it’s something that took me a long time to come to grips with. Nobody wants to stop doing the thing they love,” he said.
“After my back injury last year, there was a lot of uncertainty whether I would be able to bowl again.
“After six to eight months out, I was lucky enough to make a full recovery but I knew I had to start planning for the future.”
Such was his talent that, after impressing at the 2008 edition of the ICC Under-19 Men’s World Cup, Jarvis was fast-tracked into international cricket before he had even played first-class cricket as he made his one-day international (ODI) debut for Zimbabwe against Kenya on 12 October 2009.
He went on to make his Test bow against Bangladesh on 4 August 2011, before he played his first ever Twenty20 international (T20I) match against Pakistan on 16 September in the same year.
In August 2013, Jarvis quit international cricket to pursue a county contract with Lancashire in England.
After a successful stint in the county game, in September 2017 he returned to Zimbabwe to play international cricket again.
Jarvis retires having taken 132 wickets in the 84 international matches that he featured in during his career.
That haul includes 46 wickets in his 13 Tests, 58 wickets in 49 ODIs and 28 wickets in 22 T20Is.
He also played 84 first-class matches, taking a total of 320 wickets.
“Every day wearing the Zimbabwe badge is a highlight and I was very fortunate to be able to represent my country over a 10-year career,” Jarvis said.
“I will miss walking out onto the field in an international with a close group of friends.
“A special thank you to my friends, family, Zimbabwe Cricket and Lancashire County Cricket Club for all the support over the years.”
The son of former Zimbabwe international Malcolm Jarvis, the seamer is looking to get involved in the game in another capacity in the near future, but for now he wants to focus on a personal business venture.
“I have a business which is fairly new which needs my full attention for now, but I look forward to working with Zimbabwe Cricket in some capacity going forward,” Jarvis said.
“I certainly want to give back to the game which gave me so much.”
