India’s revered spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, with immediate effect. The 38-year-old made the surprise decision amid the ongoing Test series against Australia in Brisbane.
"I won't take too much of your time. Today will be the last day for me as an India cricketer," Ashwin said at the end of the drawn third Test here in a joint press conference with captain Rohit Sharma during which he declined to take any questions and left after making the announcement.
Ashwin was not just the master of his craft, he was also considered one of the brightest minds in world cricket.
"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.
He expressed his gratitude towards the BCCI and other senior teammates for his career which began in 2010 in the one-day format before he made his Test debut a year later.
"A lot of people to thank but I would be failing in my duties if I did not thank BCCI and fellow teammates. I want to name a few of them. Most importantly Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya, Pujara who have taken those hundred catches around the bat to give me those wickets I managed to get over the years... As a cricketer, I've just stopped it and I might go on to be involved with the game because this is a game that's given me everything. Thank you," he added.
The Chennai-based player, who holds an engineering degree, usually does well to hide his emotions but sitting alongside longtime teammate Rohit, Ashwin left the stage for the fear of getting overawed by the occasion.
'Better off saying goodbye'
On Day 5 of the third Test between India and Australia, as players waited for the wet weather to clear after the tea break, television cameras captured Ravichandran Ashwin and Virat Kohli sitting together, deep in conversation.
During the broadcast, Sunil Gavaskar, who was providing commentary for the official broadcasters, subtly suggested that Ashwin might be contemplating retirement from his illustrious Test career.
Ashwin's decision may seem like a bolt from the blue but Rohit revealed that he had a chat with the champion spinner on the sidelines of the Perth Test. "He was very, very sure of his decision. We should stand by what he wants," said Rohit after Ashwin left the stage.
"I heard this when I came to Perth. Obviously, I was not there for the first three or four days of the Test match, but this was on his mind since then. There are obviously a lot of things that went behind it; I'm pretty sure, Ash, when he went in position, will be able to answer that," Rohit added.
Rohit further explained that when they came to Brisbane, they did not know about which spinner is going to play. They wanted to assess the conditions that were ahead of them.
"It just happened so that if you know where he felt that, 'if I'm not needed right now in the series, I'm better off saying goodbye to the game, but obviously, we've not been to Melbourne yet, so we don't know what sort of conditions we expect there and what sort of combination," Rohit emphasised.
'Made me a bit emotional'
Wishes poured in for the 38-year-old after he announced his decision to retire following the conclusion of the third Test between India and Australia in Brisbane.
The BCCI was also quick to congratulate Ashwin on a special career.
"A name synonymous with mastery, wizardry, brilliance, and innovation," said the BCCI in its tribute post on X.
Kohli took to X to say he became emotional after Ashwin informed him of his retirement, adding that the off-spinner will always be remembered as a legend of Indian cricket.
"One of the greatest to have played our game. I have enjoyed our interactions and I can only wish you the very best in life. What you leave behind puts you among the best and there is a page in the Hall of Fame for you," veteran commentator Harsha bhogle wrote on X.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir wrote about Ashwin's journey as a star player. "The privilege of seeing you grow from a young bowler to a legend of modern cricket is something that I wouldn’t trade for the world! I know that generations of bowlers to come will say that I became a bowler coz of Ashwin! U will be missed brother!"
Former Test skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who has taken his fair share of catches off Ashwin's deliveries in the slips, also took to X to congratulate his teammate.
Ashwin's Tamil Nadu and team India mate Dinesh Karthik took to X to pay tribute to the off-spinner. "A GOAT retires! Well done on what's been an outstanding career. Proud to have played with you and definitely the greatest ever to have played from TAMILNADU," Karthik said.
One of Ashwin's contemporaries Harbajan Singh also took to X to wish him on his career. "Congratulations @ashwinravi99 on a phenomenal cricket career. Your ambition as a test cricketer was admirable. Well done for being the flag bearer of Indian spin for more than a decade. Be very proud of your achievements and hopefully see you more often now," he wrote.
Fellow all-rounder Yuvraj Singh welcomed his 2011 World Cup teammate to the 'other side'.
"Well played Ash and congratulations on a legendary journey! From spinning webs around the best in the world to standing tall in tough situations, you’ve been a real asset to the team. Welcome to the other side!," Yuvraj wrote.
IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, with whom Ashwin will reunite for the 2025 season, along with his last IPL team, Rajasthan Royals, also paid tribute to the spinner.
Since making his Test debut for India against the West Indies in Delhi on November 6, 2011, Ashwin has featured in 106 matches, claiming 537 wickets. He is second only to Anil Kumble, who took 619 wickets, as India's most successful bowler in the five-day format.
Across formats, Ashwin stands as India’s second-highest wicket-taker with 765 scalps, behind Anil Kumble’s 956, placing him 11th on the all-time list.
Ashwin's consistency shines through his 44 Test series, where he won the Player of the Series award 11 times, a record he shares with the best in the game. Beyond bowling, Ashwin contributed with the bat, scoring 3503 runs in 151 innings. His tally includes six centuries and 14 fifties, often playing pivotal roles in India’s Test victories.
(With additional inputs from PTI)