In heartbreaking news for the cricketing fraternity, 23-year-old Gloucestershire cricketer Ben Wells has retired from professional cricket after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition. During a regular heart screening in the pre-season, Wells was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), which prohibits him from vigorous exercise resulting in his cricket career ending prematurely.
The county Gloucestershire expressed its devastation saying that everyone at the club was feeling for the young wicketkeeper-batter while the 23-year-old himself was shattered saying that he will have a defibrillator implanted in his heart in the coming weeks and thanked the doctors for diagnosing the same at an early stage which means that it can be treated and he can live.
"Unfortunately, this means that I must regrettably retire from professional cricket with immediate effect and will need a defibrillator implanted in the coming weeks. As tough as it is, this diagnosis has likely saved my life, and in time I hope that I can see it in that light," Wells said via a Gloucestershire release.
"It's been a journey full of ups and downs, from not gaining a contract at 18, to being offered the chance with Gloucestershire at 21, dealing with a number of major injuries, and ending my career with my first and only professional hundred on a torn hamstring in what is now my final innings," Wells added.
Gloucestershire coach Mark Alleyne was heartbroken for Wells saying, "Ben being forced into retirement is the news every sportsperson dreads. He was in a great space with his cricket thanks to an insatiable practice ethic."
Wells played one first-class match, 15 List-A and nine T20 games in domestic cricket. Wells has a century to his name against Durham and it will end up being the last professional match he played.
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