Moments after the rain-marred Brisbane Test ended in a draw, India’s star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday shocked the cricketing world by announcing his immediate retirement from international cricket, midway through the Border-Gavaskar series.
The 38-year-old fronted the post-match press conference at the Gabba with captain Rohit Sharma where he revealed it would be his “last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level”.
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“I do feel there’s a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to express that and probably showcase that in club-level cricket.”
“I’ve had a lot of fun; I’ve created a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates, even though I have lost some of them [from the India team] over the last few years. We’re the last bunch of OGs, if we can say that, left out in the dressing room, and I will be marking this as my date of having played at this level.
“Obviously there are a lot of people to thank, but I would be failing in my duties if I didn’t thank the BCCI and the fellow team-mates. Several of them. I want to name a few of them. All the coaches who have been part of the journey. Most importantly, Rohit, Virat [Kohli], Ajinkya [Rahane], [Cheteshwar] Pujara, who have taken those splendid catches around the bat to give me the number of wickets I’ve managed to get over the years,” he continued.
“Also a big thank you to the Australian cricket team, who have been very fierce competitors. I have enjoyed my time playing against them.”
“It’s truly a very emotional moment … it’s a game that’s given me everything,” he added.
The Tamil Nadu tweaker took 1-53 in India’s defeat in the second Test in Adelaide after being left out of the series opener in Perth, and then was again overlooked for Ravindra Jadeja in Brisbane.
Having made his Test debut against the West Indies in Delhi in 2011, Ashwin finishes his career as the seventh most successful bowler with 537 wickets in the format, besides scoring 3503 runs with six centuries and 14 fifties, making him one of 11 allrounders with more than 3000 runs and 300 wickets.
Rohit, who was sitting alongside Ashwin, when he made the announcement, said the champion off-spinner had been weighing up retirement since the Perth Test and he “was very sure” about the decision.
“When we came here, we were not sure about which spinner was going to play. We just wanted to assess and see what kind of conditions we get,” Rohit said.
“When I arrived in Perth, this was a chat we had, and I somehow convinced him to stay for that pink-ball Test match. After (that match), it just happened that he felt if I’m not needed right now in the series, I’m better off saying goodbye to the game.
“He was very sure about what he wanted to do, and the team has complete backing of his thought process. Giving Ash that respect … and stand by what he is thinking, that is what I’m thinking right now – that’s the kind of chat we’ve had and (with) Gautam Gambhir as well.”
“It’s important when a player like him, who’s had so many moments with the Indian team and has truly been a big match winner for us, is allowed to make those decisions on his own, and if it was now, so be it,” the captain said.
Ashwin also featured in 116 ODIs and 65 T20 internationals, collecting 228 white-ball wickets to finish with 765 international scalps. He was a part of the 2011 World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy winning teams. His last white-ball appearance for India came in 2023 when he turned up against Australia in the ODI World Cup game in Chennai.
Ashwin will continue to feature in the Indian Premier League after being bought by CSK, his first IPL team, for Rs 9.75 crore at the mega auction last month.
