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Ravichandran Ashwin recently announced his retirement from international cricket and thus brought an end to a legendary career in which he picked 765 wickets across formats.
R Ashwin (left) received calls from Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev after announcing India retirement. (PTI/Ashwin)
Ravichandran Ashwin’s India retirement triggered a wave of reactions with some of the biggest names from the world of cricket paying tributes. Ashwin, one of India’s finest cricketers, announced the end of his international career midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
The social media was flooded with messages congratulating the 38-year-old on a stellar career. The offspinner, who is back in Chennai, has revealed he received calls from two of India’s greatest cricketers – Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev – on the day of his retirement.
Sharing a screenshot of his call log on X, Ashwin wrote, “If someone told me 25 years ago that I would have a smart phone with me and the call log on the last day of my career as an Indian cricketer would look like this, I would have had a heart attack then only. Thanks @sachin_rt and @therealkapildev paaji.”
Tendulkar had also shared a message on social media, calling Ashwin one of “India’s finest match-winners” and added how the cricketer’s legacy will serve as an inspiration to everyone.
“Ashwin, I’ve always admired how you approached the game with your mind and heart in perfect sync,” Tendulkar wrote. “From perfecting the carrom ball to contributing crucial runs, you always found a way to win. Watching you grow from a promising talent to one of India’s finest match-winners has been wonderful. Your journey shows that true greatness lies in never being afraid to experiment and evolve.”
On the other hand, Kapil was disappointed at the manner in which Ashwin left the international stage.
“I was shocked by how one of India’s greatest cricketers chose to leave the game. The disappointment among the fans was widespread, but I also saw a tinge of hurt on his face. He looked unhappy, and that was sad. He deserved much better, a fitting farewell,” Kapil said in a statement to PTI.
Your legacy will inspire one and all. Wishing you all the very best for your 2nd innings.
