England's young wicketkeeper-batter Ben Wells who plays for Gloucestershire has been forced to retire from cricket at the age of 23 after being diagnosed with a rare heart condition -- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy. Wells revealed in an open letter posted on Gloucestershire website that it is tough to say goodbye to the game but the diagnosis has likely saved his life. Notably, it is the same heart condition former England wicketkeeper-batter James Taylor was diagnosed with.
"This is something that I never thought I would have to write," Wells stated in his open letter. "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. I'm very thankful to the doctors who have picked this up as soon as they could have.
"I'm very thankful for everything that cricket has given me throughout my life, from the friends I've made, the places I've been able to visit, and the many memories that I've made along the way. Cricket has been a massive part of my life for as long as I can remember, it's been all I've ever wanted to do.
"From playing in the garden as a child with my brother, every break time at school, going to Bath Cricket Club summer camps, playing throughout age group sides, Exeter University, and throughout my time at Gloucestershire, playing cricket has always been my dream and driven everything I've done.
"I could never have imagined that this is the path that cricket would have taken me down. I've loved every moment and am very grateful to have had the chance to live out a part of this dream, even if it was only for a few years. I will always be incredibly proud to be able to say I was a professional cricketer."
Wells’ career in numbers
The Somerset-born cricketer made his List A debut in 2021. A few months later, he played his only First-Class game. In his last List A appearance, he scored an unbeaten 108 against Durham on August 22, 2023. He has scored 339 runs from 13 innings at an average of 28.25. He scored 40 runs in his only First-Class appearance whereas in T20 format, he has 135 runs from nine innings.
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