India’s celebrated off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, one of the finest bowlers of the modern era, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 38. Ashwin, the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test history, made his announcement following the drawn third Test against Australia in Brisbane, where he did not feature in the playing XI.
Ashwin’s career, spanning 14 years, has seen him take 537 wickets in 106 Test matches, with an impressive average of 24. He is second only to Anil Kumble in India’s list of all-time leading wicket-takers, with Kumble holding 619 wickets. Ashwin also had a commendable batting record, with six centuries and an average of 25.75.
At a press conference in Brisbane, Ashwin stated, “This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level. I do feel there’s a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to showcase that in club-level cricket.”
In addition to his Test career, Ashwin claimed 156 wickets in 116 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 72 wickets in 65 T20s. He was a part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning squad, although he played only two matches. Ashwin’s 37 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket is second only to Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan, cementing his place as one of the game’s greats.
India’s captain Rohit Sharma revealed that Ashwin had considered retirement before the Australia tour but was persuaded to continue. He acknowledged Ashwin’s enormous contributions to Indian cricket, saying, “He’s had so many big moments with the Indian team, and he’s been a big match-winner for us.”
Australia’s captain Pat Cummins also praised Ashwin, calling him “one of the all-time greats” with immense respect from the Australian dressing room. India’s coach Gautam Gambhir, who played alongside Ashwin, expressed his admiration, stating, “Generations of bowlers to come will say that I became a bowler because of Ashwin.”
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