Sourav Ghosal Retires From Professional Squash, But Will Continue Playing For India

India's finest men's squash player Saurav Ghosal, on Monday, announced his retirement from professional circuit after completing a glittering 22-year journey although he would continue representing India at multi-discipline events for some more time. (More Sports News)

Besides winning two gold medals in team events of Incheon and Hangzhou Asian Games, Ghosal has three Commonwealth Games medals and also bagged the yellow metal in the 2022 World Doubles Championships in mixed doubles in Glasgow.

Besides winning two gold medals in team events of Incheon and Hangzhou Asian Games, Ghosal has three Commonwealth Games medals and also bagged the yellow metal in the 2022 World Doubles Championships in mixed doubles in Glasgow.

"I started my journey on @psaworldtour 22 years ago. At the time, I never thought in my wildest dreams, I would play professional squash for so long. As I travelled across the world, playing on some of the biggest stages our wonderful sport offered, I thought it would never come to an end," 37-year-old Ghosal wrote in a post on his official Instagram handle.

"But, there's always an end point. I am overwhelmed with emotions as I write this message. This sport has been my passion, my livelihood, and my identity for so many years. So, with a heart filled with pride and a tinge of sadness, I announce my retirement from the PSA," he added.

Kolkata-born Ghosal also remains the only Indian man to reach the world's top 10, achieving that career-high ranking in April 2019 and spending six months there.

Since making his PSA debut in 2003, Ghosal has lifted 10 PSA titles, reaching 18 finals, while he won 281 of his 511 matches on the PSA Tour.

Ghosal also holds a record of 13 Indian Nationals titles wins, with the last of those coming in 2020.

Ghosal, however, isn't completely done with the sport and hopes to represent the flag for some more years.

"Finally, I hope this is not me saying goodbye altogether from competitive squash. I would like to play for India a little while longer. Hopefully, there's some fight left in me, and I can achieve a bit more for my country. Till then, THANK YOU!"

Ghosal, still available for national duty, does raise hopes of him fulfilling his long-cherished dream of playing in the Olympics with squash making its debut in the 2028 Los Angeles edition. Ghosal will be 41 by then but if he chooses to play doubles and can produce results at the Asian and Commonwealth Games in 2026, he might as well take part in the biggest sporting spectacle.

Ghosal said the game has not only given him an identity but also shaped him as a human being.

"These past 2 decades have shaped me as a person and I am eternally grateful for the opportunities I have had. I hope I have conducted myself with dignity and played the sport 'the right way'. I wouldn't have made it this far without my grandparents, my Dad, my wife and the rest of my loving family. Thank you for making me the person I am.

"To all my fans, you have kept me going through the good and bad times. I can't thank you enough for the love you've shown me along the way. A big thank you to all the players I have had the privilege of sharing the court with. I will always cherish the respect I received from each and every one of you. You have been my family for so long, and I will miss you all!," he wrote.