“If R Ashwin Knew That India…”: Ex-Coach’s Firm Statement On Spin Legend’s Retirement Call

Just days after Ravichandran Ashwin’s abrupt retirement from Test cricket, Team India have entered the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Melbourne with two spinners in the playing XI. Both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar featured in India’s lineup, with the latter coming in place of Shubman Gill. The change has prompted former India coach Ravi Shastri to comment that had Ashwin known about India’s strategy to play two spinners, he may not have announced his retirement after the third Test.

“If Ashwin knew that India would play two spinners, he might not have retired,” said Shastri in commentary of the fourth Test.

Ashwin had called time on his international career midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, after 537 Test wickets in 106 Test matches. Captain Rohit Sharma had indicated that Ashwin’s retirement was also a call he had made after considering the direction in which Team India are heading in terms of the spin-bowling department.

Ashwin had played only one of the three Tests in the series, but Shastri opined that he may’ve stuck around had he known that two spots were up for grabs in the XI.

Shastri also stated that he wouldn’t have dropped Shubman Gill from the lineup, but instead made a choice between Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar.

“It’s a brave decision. I would have Gill. It would have been a tough choice between Reddy and Washington, but they have kept faith in them,” Shastri said on the matter.

Gill has endured a rough patch of form, which has seen the batter not register a score of 40 or more away from home since he hit 91 at The Gabba during India’s 2020/21 tour of Australia.

On the other hand, Nitish Reddy’s consistent knocks and ability as a fourth seamer may have tilted the scales in his favour.