Why did R Ashwin retire suddenly? Senior India off-spinner R Ashwin dropped the bombshell of news on Thursday to announce his retirement suddenly without any prior public hints.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, revealed that he had learned of Ashwin’s retirement thoughts in Perth, where India played Washington Sundar over the senior off-spinner. Rohit convinced Ashwin to play in Adelaide before benching him for Ravindra Jadeja in Brisbane, where the left-hander struck a fifty and has all but sealed his place for the MCG Test.
The rumors of R Ashwin’s retirement took a surge as the Gabba Test was close to being called off due to persistent rain. It took more fire when Virat Kohli and Ashwin were seen in an emotional moment on the dressing room balcony.
Ashwin then joined Rohit in the press conference and confirmed his retirement from international cricket effective immediately. The Indian skipper revealed that the 38-year-old would fly back to India a day later.
Ashwin bows out as arguably India’s greatest match-winner in Test cricket. He picked up 537 Test wickets, the second-most for India, and 37 five-wicket hauls, the joint second-most in the world.
What remains a somber fact for the fans and also perhaps for the cricketer himself is that Ashwin didn’t get a farewell Test match.
Why did R Ashwin retire suddenly in the middle of a series?
India’s next Test series is in England in June-August next year, where Ashwin doesn’t have a guaranteed place in the XI. And India’s next home series is in October. So instead of dragging his career until next year, which could’ve included being on the bench in England, Ashwin decided to call it quits right now.
Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad expressed his opinion that Ashwin should have gotten a farewell Test match in India where the fans would have gotten the opportunity to bid him goodbye.
“While retirement decisions are personal, a legendary farewell would certainly have been a fitting tribute to his illustrious career. It would not only celebrate his achievements but also allow fans, teammates, and the cricketing fraternity to express their gratitude for his immense contribution. His legacy as one of India’s greatest cricketers is forever etched in history,” Prasad was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
R Ashwin will play for CSK in IPL 2025.
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