Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, bowing out with 537 wickets, the second highest for India in Tests. Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s premier off-spinner, has announced his retirement from international cricket, bowing out of the game as the country’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests. Ashwin, 38, informed about his decision shortly after India drew the 3rd Gabba Test against Australia in Brisbane, bringing down curtains on a legendary 13-year-long career for India. With 537 wickets, Ravichandran Ashwin is next only to the legendary Anil Kumble’s tally of 619. He will be heading back home to India tomorrow.
This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level. I do feel that there’s a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to explore it and showcase that at club-level cricket. But this will be my last day. It’s been a lot of fun. I must say I’ve created a lot of memories with Rohit and several of my other teammates. Even though I have lost some of them over the last few years, we are the last bunch of OGs, if you can say that. Left out in the dressing room, and I will be marking this as my date of having played at this level,” Ashwin said during India’s post-match press conference.
“Obviously, there are a lot of people to thank. But I will be failing in my duties if I didn’t thank the BCCI and my fellow teammates. I want to name a few of them. All the coaches who have been part of my journey, and Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya [Rahane], [Cheteshwar] Pujara, who have taken those catches around the bat and given my number of wickets I’ve managed to get over the years.”
Speculations about R Ashwin’s future gained steam when, during the rain interval on Day 5, the cameras captured Virat Kohli hugging an emotional Ashwin. Something was definitely brewing – Ashwin was also spotted spending time with his Australian counterpart Nathan Lyon. On a live broadcast, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar pretty much confirmed Ashwin’s retirement, which turned true a couple of hours later.
