Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on his shock retirement
Photo : AP
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on his shock retirement
- Ashwin did not get to play a farewell Test
- Ashwin took 537 wickets in Test cricket for India
India's 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) has forced Indian cricket and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to conduct a deep introspection on the team's performance with several on- and off-field issues surrounding the tour, with Ravichandran Ashwin's mid-series retirement among the biggest shocks.
Ashwin, one of India's greatest-ever cricketers, bid adieu to international cricket after the third Test and decided to return home. The 38-year-old's decision left the Indian cricket fraternity stunned and was seen as a sign of tensions in the dressing room and a rift with the team management.
Ashwin opened up on the decision and stated that it was an instinctive call and he lost the creative side him. The legendary Indian spinner claimed he was surprised by the comments and it was nothing something that needed to be a made a big deal of him.
"I think a lot. What to do in life. You all need to understand, that this happens instinctively. If someone gets to know, that their job is done, once that thinking comes, there is nothing to think. People said a lot of things. I don't think it is a big deal. You think what happened? I did not play the first Test. I played the second did not play the third. It was possible I could play the next or not play the next. This is a side of my creativity and I was looking to explore it. At that time, I felt my creativity was over so it was over. It was simple," said Ashwin on his Hindi Youtube Channel 'Ash ki Baat'
Ashwin also addressed the clamour around him not playing a farewell Test after his abrupt retirement and claimed it is not something that he wanted. The veteran off-spinner claimed he had more cricket left in him but he is happy to leave when people are questioning the decision instead of asking him to call it quits.
"What difference will this make if I came out with the ball and people are clapping? How long will people talk about it? When social media was not there, people talked about it and forgot after one week. There is no need for a farewell. The game has given us a lot and we have played with a lot of happiness.
"I want to play more cricket. Where is the place? Obviously not in the Indian dressing room but from somewhere else. I want to be honest with the game. Imagine if I want to play farewell test but I do not deserve a place. Imagine, I am only in the team because it is my farewell Test. I don't want that. I felt there was more strength in my cricket. I could have played more but it is always better to finish when people ask 'why' and not 'why not.' One thing I would say that in our cricket career, it can happen that what we wanted does not happen. But when I retired, there was nothing like that. This is all learning. We play the game for the happiness it gives us," Ashwin added.
Ashwin is India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 537 wickets in 106 matches. He took 765 wickets across formats for the country. Only Kumble (953) has taken more wickets for the national team.
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