Ravichandran Ashwin Retirement: Before his international retirement, Ravichandran Ashwin told Indian captain Rohit Sharma that if I am not needed in the series at this time, then it would be better for me to say goodbye to the game. He also took the decision of retirement at his own time after playing international cricket for 14 years.
It is believed that the thought of retirement was in his mind since the home series against New Zealand. India had to face defeat 0-3 in this series. He had made it clear to the team management that if he does not get a place in the playing eleven during the Australia series, he will not go to Australia.
India preferred Washington Sundar over Ashwin in Perth, after which the experienced off-spinner returned to the playing eleven for the pink ball Test on Rohit’s request. Ravindra Jadeja played in the Brisbane Test and as Rohit said after the drawn third Test at Gabba, no one knows how the team will be for the remaining two matches in Melbourne and Sydney.
A senior source in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told PTI on condition of anonymity, “There was no indication from the selection committee. Ashwin is a legend in Indian cricket and he has the right to take his own decision. “
The next Test series is in England (June to August) where India may not take more than two specialist spinners who are also batsmen. India’s next home Test series is in October-November. Ten months is a long time and once this World Test Championship cycle is over the eyes will be on 2027. Ashwin would have turned 40 by then and it is expected that the phase of change in Indian cricket would have been completed.
Ashwin’s decision not to wait until the end of the series against Australia also indicated that the opening match in Perth played a significant role in his decision to prefer Sundar over him. Able to read the game on and off the field, Ashwin might have guessed what was going to happen next and perhaps this made it easier for him to take decisions.
Ashwin wore the Indian team jersey with great pride. He took 537 Test wickets and at the age of 38, Ashwin does not want to just sit in the dressing room like a reserve player. This was clearly indicated in the New Zealand series when he took nine wickets in three matches, two of which were played on spin-friendly pitches in Pune and Mumbai. In comparison, Sundar took 12 wickets in Pune while Ashwin got five wickets.
Rohit was not present when the playing XI was finalized in Perth and it can be concluded that it was coach Gautam Gambhir who decided who would be India’s number one off-spinner going forward and it was not Ashwin. . After joining the team, Rohit had to convince Ashwin to play in Adelaide.
The Indian captain revealed, “When I reached Perth we talked about it and I somehow convinced him to stay for the pink-ball Test match and after that, it just happened…he felt that if Right now I am not needed in the series, so it would be better for me to say goodbye to the game.”
Rohit said, “It is important that when a player like him, who has seen so many moments with the Indian team and has been a big match-winner for us, is allowed to take these decisions on his own and if it As it is now, so be it.”
Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh feels that the Chennai player should have postponed this announcement till after the series. He told PTI, “The statistics don’t lie and his record is very good. I would have liked him to stay for the last two Tests because he could have played a role in Sydney. But it is an individual decision.” Harbhajan said, “When a name is as big as Ashwin, the decision lies with the player.”
There is also a theory that if conditions had permitted and India had fielded two spinners in Sydney, Jadeja would have got a chance with Washington as both of them are considered more capable batsmen in the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries.
