How was Gautam Gambhir involved in R Ashwin’s sudden retirement? Here’s what you need to know

The Indian camp was totally contented with the players struggling to make a draw against Australia at the Brisbane Test. But then suddenly, Ravichandran Ashwin retired from the series in the middle of the tournament, shocking everyone. One of the modern greats of the game, Ashwin bowed out of international cricket when the match ended, leaving several questions unanswered. After the game, Ashwin did join India captain Rohit Sharma in the press conference and not take any questions, as he made his retirement decision public.

While it is indeed shocking for cricket fans around the world, those who have closely tracked Ashwin while cricketing knew that all was not hunky-dory. A PTI report had the backstory regarding why Ashwin decided to mount his boots midway through Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, the way head coach Gautam Gambhir also intervened.

• R. Ashwin was not really willing to fly to Australia if a spot in the playing XI was not assured. After India’s 3-match Test series against New Zealand ended, with Rohit Sharma’s men going down without a match to win-0 to 3-Ashwin started thinking about what is there in store for him. He even sought guarantees from selectors with regard to playing XI selection on the tour of Australia. Certain guarantees were apparently given to him even as India picked Washington Sundar as the third spinner for the tour along with Ravindra Jadeja.
• Ashwin’s first jolt came much earlier at the Perth Test. Washington Sundar had been preferred over Ashwin, and the credentials being similar and quite usually he has been consistent with his almost similar style, the veteran off-spinner did really seem to have taken some harm due to this turn of events. It led Ashwin to question whether he should stick out for the rest of the series.

Ashwin even spoke about the situation with skipper Rohit Sharma, who tried to convince him about hanging his boots because the team didn’t require his services. Rohit somehow managed to convince him to stay for the pink-ball Test, promising playing XI selection, which the India skipper fulfilled, too.

As the third Test emerged, Ravindra Jadeja had edged ahead of Ashwin for a spot in the playing XI, which in projection cleared what lies ahead for the Tamil Nadu-born spinner. Ashwin had already read the lines and with Jadeja’s selection, it was a no-brainer confirmation of what future holds for him.

However, a significant chance exists that India will go ahead with 2 spinners for the Sydney Test. But even Ashwin knew that he wouldn’t feature in the playing XI. At the moment, he is at number 3 in the order of selection, after Sundar and Jadeja as the preferred combination. That was a half and gone message as far as Ashwin’s future is concerned.

When Rohit couldn’t play the Perth Test, the head coach Gautam Gambhir was making this bold statement about India’s foremost choice spinner for the future. And then Ashwin came to realize that that was not him.

Being 38 years old and to his name now 537 Test wickets, Ashwin realized that he cannot be expected to last the long haul through the next World Test Championship cycle that ends in 2027. Even if India has to win all the matches to make it into the finals of the ongoing cycle, Ashwin knows how low he has fallen in the pecking order. Apart from all the changes, which Indian cricket is going through, one thing remains as it has always been over the years-the respect, recognition, and records that R Ashwin has earned.