FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC Men's T20 World Cup - Super 12 - Group 1 - Australia v West Indies - Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - November 6, 2021 West Indies' Dwayne Bravo in action REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
(Reuters) - Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has retired from professional cricket after 21 years and joined Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor.
The 40-year-old suffered a groin injury earlier this week that prematurely ended his participation in the Caribbean Premier League.
Kolkata announced his appointment as a team mentor in a social media post on Friday.
"My mind wants to keep going, but my body can no longer endure the pain, the breakdowns, and the strain," Bravo wrote on Instagram on Thursday.
"I can't put myself in a position where I might let down my teammates, my fans, or the teams I represent.
"So, with a heavy heart, I officially announce my retirement from the sport."
Bravo, the most successful bowler in professional Twenty20 cricket, has 631 wickets in the format including T20 Internationals (T20Is) and franchise tournaments.
He played 40 tests, 164 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 91 T20 for West Indies and was part of their T20 World Cup-winning side in 2016.
After retiring from international cricket in 2021 Bravo began his foray into coaching last year, serving as the bowling coach of the IPL's Chennai Super Kings and the Afghanistan national team.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
