Hyderabad: Senior India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday after the conclusion of the third Test between India and Australia at The Gabba.
Ashwin bowed out as the second-highest wicket-taker for the Indian team in Test cricket. The 38-year-old made an official announcement of his retirement in the post-match press conference. Ashwin picked 537 Test wickets in a career that spanned for 13 years and is next to former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble who has 619 wickets to his name in the Test career.
"I won't take too much of your time. Today will be the last day for me as an India cricketer in all formats," Ashwin said during India's post-match press conference.
The discussion around Ashwin’s retirement came to the fore when a video of Virat Kohli hugging the Indian off-spinner went viral. The duo had an intimate conversation and then shared a heartwarming gesture between them. Ashwin was also seen spending some time with his Australian counterpart Nathan Lyon.
"I do feel there is bit of punch left in me as a cricketer but I would like to showcase that in club level cricket. I have had a lot of fun. I must I have created a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates," he said.
"I have lost some of them over the last few years (in the team). We are the last bunch of OG's left in the dressing room. I would be marking this as my date of having played at this level," he said, referring to the likes of the currently out of favour Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara."
The BCCI in a post on X lauded Ashwin for his match-winning performances over what has been a decorated career of spin mastery.
"Thank You Ashwin. A name synonymous with mastery, wizardry, brilliance, and innovation. The ace spinner and #TeamIndia's invaluable all-rounder announces his retirement from international cricket. Congratulations on a legendary career, @ashwinravi99," read the BCCI post.
The Indian off-spinner featured only in the second Test of the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide where India lost by 10 wickets. He picked only one wicket in the match and recorded scores of 22 and 7. Ashwin has been serving Indian cricket since 2010 and played 106 Tests, 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is taking 775 wickets across all formats. The office played a key role in most of India's Test wins at home and formed a lethal spin duo with Ravindra Jadeja to help them dominate red-ball cricket.
In Test cricket, Ashwin has 37 five-wicket hauls. The Indian spinner retires from the format as the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Tests and has a long list of accomplishments in his career. Also, Ashwin has the most Player of the Series awards (11) and is the fastest to 350 Test wickets across the globe achieving the feat in 66 fixtures.
