Ravichandran Ashwin delivered a shocker on Tuesday as he announced his retirement from international cricket moments after the drawn Test match in Brisbane against Australia. Few experts and veteran cricketers were left surprised, while few others questioned the logic behind Ashwin taking the big call midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. But a fresh report revealed that although the announcement may have come as a surprise, both to his teammates and the cricket fraternity, he had already made up his mind.
According to The Indian Express, Ashwin did not take the call before boarding the flight to Perth for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener but did tell his family that he was contemplating announcing his retirement owing to his prolonged struggle with a knee injury. His family, too, urged him to consider the decision, although he informed them that he would only make it officially following his tour of Australia. The report further revealed that Ashwin, who was dropped from the Brisbane Test match after appearing in the Adelaide pink ball Test, told his family that he would announce his retirement on December 18.
“When I arrived in Perth, this was a chat we had and I somehow convinced him to stay for that pink ball Test match and then after that, it just happened…He felt that if I am not needed right now in the series, I am better off saying goodbye to the game,” the India captain revealed.
Another report by the news agency PTI revealed that retirement was on his mind after the home series against New Zealand. He had made it clear to the team management that if he was not guaranteed a place in the playing eleven during the Australia series, he would not even travel Down Under.
“There was no nudge from the selection committee. Ashwin is a legend in Indian cricket and he has the right to take his own call,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Entire Indian dressing room was shocked…
The Indian Express report added that Ashwin had a lengthy conversation with captain Rohit Sharma after landing in Perth, before the latter, as revealed by the 37-year-old in the press conference, convinced him to play in the second Test match. Ashwin remained in contention for the Gabba Test, but was eventually pipped by Ravindra Jadeja, who proved his worth with a valiant fifty that helped India avoid a follow-on in the match. Ashwin then informed each of his teammates individually in Brisbane about his decision to retire, shocking everyone.
Another factor that led to Ashwin’s decision was considering the future of the Indian team, with the selectors having found an able replacement in Washington Sundar, who appeared in the series opener in Perth.
