Kapil Dev on Ravichandran Ashwin Retirement: Indian cricket team’s star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surprised everyone and announced his retirement after the third match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series held at Gabba, Brisbane. Not only his teammates in the Indian team but also the legends were surprised by Ashwin saying goodbye to cricket in this way. Ashwin, who is second in the list of bowlers taking the most wickets in Tests for India, could have played his farewell Test on his home ground. But nothing like this happened and Ashwin, who was not included in the playing eleven for the Gabba Test, said goodbye to international cricket without playing the farewell test. Former Indian team captain Kapil Dev looked disappointed that the team management allowed Ashwin to retire in this manner.
Speaking at an Adani Group event, Kapil Dev said on Ashwin’s sudden retirement from the team, “I wish I was there, I would not have let him go like this. I would have sent him off with great respect and happiness, because when someone Giving up something when you love something is quite difficult and we should respect such people.”
According to media reports, Ashwin was thinking about retirement since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series held in India last year. But there were many Test series scheduled during that time, so Ashwin decided to shelve this idea. After the Test series against New Zealand in October-November this year, Ashwin had again decided to retire and informed his family about it. But his family asked the spinner to reconsider his decision.
The first match of the five-match series was played between India and Australia in Perth, which India won by 295 runs and Ashwin was not included in the playing eleven for this match. In his place, Washington Sundar was included in the team as an off-spinner.
After the team management gave preference to Washington Sundar over Ashwin, it became easier for Ashwin to take his decision. After this series, India does not have to play any series for some time and its next tour is to be in England. Sundar will get a chance in place of Ashwin for the England tour, this was clearly visible after the Perth Test. In such a situation, it became easy for Ashwin to take the decision.
Ashwin’s Test career started in 2011 and ended in 2024. This was the time when India became the most dominant domestic team in the world. During this period, India had made many records in its name. 537 wickets in 106 Tests, 37 five-wicket hauls, 8 times 10 wickets in a Test, economy of 2.83, these figures show why Ashwin deserved the farewell test.
Ashwin was effective not only in the red ball game but also in the white ball game. He took 156 wickets in 116 ODIs played for India, while he took 72 wickets in 65 T20 Internationals. Ashwin has led Team India to victory not only with the ball but also with the bat on many occasions.
Ashwin has scored 3503 runs in tests. During this period, he has scored 6 centuries and 14 half-centuries with his bat. Whereas in ODI he has scored 707 runs. Ashwin is the player who has won the Man-of-the-Match Series award on the most number of occasions in Tests. And is at seventh place in the list of bowlers taking most wickets in Test career.
