Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has announced his retirement from international cricket following the conclusion of the Gabba Test on Day 5 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The unexpected decision marks the end of an era for one of India’s greatest cricketers. Ashwin, who was pivotal for India across formats, will now fly back home on 19th December and won’t stay with the team for the remainder of the series.
Team India captain Rohit Sharma, in a press conference, revealed that he first learned of Ashwin’s retirement plans after landing in Perth. Rohit explained how he convinced Ashwin to delay his decision until the Pink Ball Test, reflecting on Ashwin’s importance to the team.
“I heard about R Ashwin’s retirement when I came to Perth. He understands what the team is thinking and the combinations we need. I convinced him to stay for the Pink Ball Test,” Rohit Sharma shared.
Ashwin’s contributions to Indian cricket are monumental. He retires as:
- India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 537 wickets.
- A versatile all-rounder with 3503 runs in 106 Test matches, including six centuries.
While Ashwin’s sudden retirement has left the cricket fraternity in shock, his legacy as a match-winner, both with the ball and the bat, remains unparalleled.
Ashwin –
I think it would be unfortunate to have me around his side (on sitting with Rohit at the PC), since he has announced I’m not going to take too much of your time, this will be my last year as an Indian cricketer at the international level. There’s a bit left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to exploit it at the domestic and club-level cricket, but this would be the last day (at the international level). I have had a lot of fun, a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates. We’ve lost some of them over the last few years, we’ve been the last bunch of OGs I can say that are left out in the dressing room. I can mark this as my last day in the dressing room. I have several people to thank, but I would be failing in my duties if I didn’t thank the BCCI and my teammates. I want to name a few of them, all the coaches who’ve been part of the journey, most importantly Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya, Pujara, who have taken a number of catches around the bat and have given men a number of wickets that I’ve managed over a number of years. Also want to thank the Australian team who’ve been fierce competitors over a number of years, I’ve enjoyed my team playing against them. It’s already getting long, I wouldn’t be taking any questions, truly emotional moments and I’m not in a position to answer any questions in the right manner. Once again, thanks for being the journalists you’ve been, for writing good things, and some nasty things at times. It’s a relationship I think we’ll maintain forever and I hope you give the other cricketers the same amount of love that you showered upon me. I’ve stopped as a cricketer, but I’ll go on and be involved with the game, it’s a game which has given me a lot.