Last Updated:
Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on his decision and explained why he made such a choice.
R Ashwin ended his international career after the third Test against Australia at the Gabba. (Image: AFP)
Ravichandran Ashwin has spoken at length about his decision, which came as a shock to fans and experts worldwide. The off-spinner announced his retirement after the India vs Australia 3rd Test at the Gabba ended in a draw. He walked into the press conference with captain Rohit Sharma, stating that it was his last day as an international cricketer. Ashwin retired from the game as a legend. He remains the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket after Anil Kumble and has 765 scalps across formats.
In a recent conversation with Sky Sports, Ashwin opened up on his decision and explained why he made such a choice.
“I’ve never been one of those kinds to hold on to things, never felt insecure in life because I don’t believe what I have today is probably going to be mine tomorrow. So, that’s probably been one of my elevating factors all these years. And I did want to just leave things behind as nonchalantly as I could because I do not believe in people celebrating me. I do not believe in the kind of attention we get sometimes in India,” Ashwin said.
“It is the game that’s always stood ahead of me all the time. Because if you watch me, talk about the game, or dissect it. It’s all about how much I love the game. It’s not so much what comes with it. I’m sure I’m not judging people who enjoy what comes with it, but this is my journey and I did contemplate it quite a few times.
“But one line that I’ve always said, the day I wake up and, and feel that creative sight doesn’t have a future or a direction is when I’d probably give it up. I certainly think that creative side didn’t have a lot of upside to explore. And I think that was probably muddling me a little bit,” he added.
“Today I do something creatively, I’m starting to think where do I actually open the laboratory and experiment for this? OK, maybe that window is not there. So, it’s totally a battle inside me to think about how I’m going to experience or explore these options. And I do think there are laboratories available in world cricket today. So, I thought, OK, maybe this is not the lab. I can find another one,” he concluded.
Ashwin made his international debut in June 2010 with an ODI against Sri Lanka in Harare. In the same month, he played his first T20I, against Zimbabwe in Harare.
He played his first Test against West Indies in November 2011 and went on to become one of the all-time greats. He finishes his Test career with 537 wickets from 106 Tests at an average of 24. He took 37 five-wicket hauls and eight times finished with 10 wickets in a Test.
