KOCHI: On a hot, sultry afternoon in Visakhapatnam in 2005, a young ball boy stood beyond the boundary ropes, watching MS Dhoni dismantle Pakistan with a breathtaking 148. The ball boy — Kona Srikar Bharat — left the ground that day carrying an indelible impression of Dhoni, who would shape his cricketing aspirations.

More than two decades later, after featuring sporadically for India in seven Tests as a wicketkeeper-batter, KS Bharat announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday at the age of 32. “With a proud heart and a sense of gratitude, I announce my retirement from international cricket,” Bharat posted on social media. “To play for my country has been the greatest honour of my life.”

Bharat’s maiden appearance for India came through a strange quirk in fate in Nov 2021. During the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, he was thrust into action as a substitute after incumbent keeper Wriddhiman Saha was sidelined with a stiff neck. He made his debut in the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur.

He would play the remaining six Tests over the next 12 months, a period when the mercurial Rishabh Pant was out of international cricket after suffering a freakish car accident.

It summed up Bharat’s start-stop international career. It was not that he lacked the gumption to survive the rigours of international cricket. Bharat could not erase the perennial fringe wicketkeeper tag because he was behind Saha and Pant in the pecking order.

As a keeper, he had more verve than Pant. But Pant was way more explosive and creative with the bat. Bharat was a far better batter than Saha, but not a better keeper than him. This was Bharat’s paradox.

Former chief selector MSK Prasad, who has been closely associated with Bharat since he was a teenager, calls him the best cricketer to emerge from Andhra.

“I tried my best to convince him not to retire. He’s only 32 and still can make a comeback,” Prasad tells TOI. “After Saha, he is India’s most skilled wicketkeeper.”

Bharat showcased his nous behind the stumps in the Kanpur Test against the Kiwis with a lightning-quick stumping of Tom Latham. His balance, poise and reflexes reminiscent of his childhood hero Dhoni were evident throughout that game, especially with a smart, low catch to dismiss Will Young.

“He had soft hands, with a stable base. Very proficient against spinners. I picked him and Shreyas Iyer for several India A tours when I was the selector,” Prasad explained.

Often overshadowed by his keeping, Bharat’s batting remains largely underrated. While he may lack Pant’s belligerence with the bat, Bharat was reliable down the order. When the situation demanded, he could also use the long handle to good effect. Like his last-ball six that powered RCB to a famous win against Delhi Capitals in the 2021 IPL. Bharat was also the first wicketkeeper in Ranji Trophy to score a triple century.

From ball boy to India keeper, Bharat’s international sojourn may not have been long, but it showcased his talent, professionalism and quiet perseverance.