‘Sorry! We Are the Last Link of That Group,’ Emotional Ashwin Bids Farewell

India’s experienced off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surprised the cricket world by announcing his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect in the middle of the Test series against Australia on Wednesday. However, he also said that he still has the game left in him.

38-year-old Ashwin has taken the highest number of 537 Test wickets in 106 matches for India after Anil Kumble (619 wickets). Ashwin, who will return to the IPL next year for Chennai Super Kings, will continue to play club cricket. In the limited overs format, he was part of the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning team.

Ashwin was surprised by retiring.

Ashwin said in a joint press conference with captain Rohit Sharma after the third Test was drawn in Brisbane, “I will not take much of your time. This is my last day as a cricketer on the Indian team.” After this, he refused to take any questions and left after making the announcement. Melbourne and Sydney Tests are still left in the series. The five-match series is currently tied at 1. India is tied at 1-1.

Ashwin will return to India on Thursday. Before announcing his retirement, he was seen getting emotional with Virat Kohli in the dressing room. Kohli had put his hand on his shoulder and Ashwin was seen wiping his eyes.

Ashwin played the pink ball test in Adelaide and took one wicket. Ashwin probably took this decision after not seeing a confirmed place in the playing eleven in the last three tests. He said, “I feel that I still have a punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to show it at the club level. I enjoyed my career to the fullest. I have many memories with Rohit and the rest of the players.”

Pointing towards Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, he said, “Some of them have gone in the last few years. We are the last link of that group in the Indian dressing room in Australia.” Ashwin played 116 ODIs for India and took 156 wickets, while he took 72 wickets in 65 T20s. He made his ODI debut in 2010 and Test debut in 2011.

He said, “I have to thank many people but first of all I would like to thank BCCI and my teammates. Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya, and Pujara got me wickets by taking catches around the wicket. Thanks also to the Australian cricket team against whom it was fun to play.”

He thanked the media and said, “This is an emotional moment. I am sorry that I will not be able to take questions. Thanks for writing good and sometimes bad things about me.”

His retirement brought back memories of the 2014 series when then-captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from Test cricket after Australia took a winning lead. Ashwin’s decision may have been shocking but Rohit said that it was discussed during the Perth Test.

He said, “It was on his mind and there are many reasons behind this decision. Only he can answer this but he understands what the team is thinking.”

He said, ”When I reached Perth, we talked about it and I convinced him to play the pink ball test. After that, he felt that if he is not needed in the series right now, then he can say goodbye to the game.” India fielded Washington Sundar in Perth while Ashwin played the Adelaide Test and Ravindra Jadeja got a place in the team in Brisbane.

Rohit said, ”A player like him, who has been a match-winner for us, should be allowed to take these decisions himself. If he feels that this is the right time, then it is fine.” Congratulating Ashwin on his brilliant career on X, BCCI wrote, ”Ashwin has been synonymous with expertise, skill, talent and innovation.”