Rashid Latif on Ravichandran Ashwin: Ravichandran Ashwin, one of cricket’s most famous spinners, surprised fans and experts by retiring from international cricket, while former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif praised the Indian star for his tactical acumen and sharp cricketing mind and said that 38 The one-year-old Ashwin has the potential to “take over BCCI and ICC in the future”.
Ashwin bid farewell to his illustrious career at the end of the Gabba Test which ended in a draw on Wednesday, leaving behind a rich legacy as one of India’s finest match-winners. His last international match was the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide, where he took 1-53 from his 18 overs and scored 29 runs with the bat despite the loss.
Rashid told IANS, “Ashwin, as a cricketer, maybe he doesn’t get the respect he deserves in the dressing room; I don’t know about that. He is wondering whether he will be in the playing eleven or not. He is the third-ranked bowler in the world and taking 537 wickets is a big achievement for India.”
Rashid further said, “Maybe he feels that his career is about to end, especially when players like Washington Sundar are getting preference, so he will be deciding whether he will play in Sydney Test or not, whether he will play in Melbourne or No, at some point a person reaches the boiling point. I myself have gone through that situation many times.
Ashwin ended his 14-year international career with 537 wickets in 106 Tests at an average of 24 and was India’s second-highest wicket-taker after veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble (619). He also scored six Test centuries and 14 half-centuries. He also played 116 ODI matches for India, taking 156 wickets, and 65 T20 matches, taking 72 wickets. He was a member of the teams that won the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy.
Rashid, 56, said, “But as a cricketer, as a talented player of the game, there are many cricketers in India, but Ashwin is at a different level. His abilities are at a different level. I believe That in future, he can handle BCCI or ICC because he is so capable.”
Rashid further said, “He is very humble, and you will not even realize that he is such a big cricketer. From my side, from Pakistan, I wish him all the best.” He said, “His career has been brilliant. Look at him; as a batsman, Ashwin has six centuries to his name, which perhaps even Dhoni does not have.”
Ashwin played a key role in India’s 12-year domestic dominance and the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy win in Australia. He is one of 11 all-rounders to score 3000 Test runs and take 300 wickets and shares the record of 11 player-of-the-series awards with Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan.
