Retirement shock as Ashwin calls time on international career
Ravichandran Ashwin retires from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect.
India have announced that veteran spinner Ravinchandran Ashwin will retire from international cricket with immediate effect.
The news was announced just moments after the completion of the drawn third Test between Australia and India in Brisbane, with Ashwin joining skipper Rohit Sharma at the post-match press conference to reveal the shock announcement.
Ashwin most recently featured during the second Test against Australia in Adelaide and finishes his career with a total of 765 international wickets from 287 matches.
Only fellow spinner Anil Kumble has more Test wickets for India than Ashwin's haul of 537, while the 38-year-old also has the honour of having hit the winning runs in the epic run chase against Pakistan at the MCG in the 2022 edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
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ASHWIN'S FULL STATEMENT
"Hello everyone," Ashwin said.
"I really didn't want to make this about myself, honestly, I think it would have been better if (Jasprit) Bumrah was here or Akash (Deep) was here, but Rohit is unfortunate to have me along his side.
"I don't want to take too much of your time, but this will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats as in the at the international level. I do feel there's a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to expose and probably showcase that in club level cricket, but this will be the last day and I've had a lot of fun.
"I must say I've created a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates, even though I've lost some of them over the last few years.
Ashwin who scalped 537 wickets for India in 106 Tests, also boasts 156 ODI wickets 72 in the T20Is.
"We are the last bunch of the OGs (old generation) if you can say that, left out in the dressing room and I will be marking this as my date having played at this level.
"There are a lot of people to thank, but I would be failing in my duties if I didn't thank the BCCI and the fellow teammates and I want to name a few of them.
"All the coaches who've been in part of the journey, most importantly Rohit, Virat (Kohli), Ajinkya (Rahane), (Cheteshwar) Pujara, who've taken those splendid catches around the bat to give me the number of wickets I've managed to get over the years.
"Also a big thank you to the Australian cricket team who've been very fierce competitors. I have enjoyed my time playing against them.
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"And I think it's already getting long. I won't be taking any questions, but it's truly a very emotional moment.
"I don't think I'm in in a position where I would be answering the questions in the right way, so please pardon me for that.
"And once again, yeah, that's my time.
"Thanks for being the journalists that you've been writing good things and of course writing nasty things on occasions.
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"That's a relationship I think we would maintain, forever and I hope the cricketers to come in the future will also get the same amount of love that you've given them.
"Once again, thank you all and yeah, see you all soon.
"As a cricketer, I just stopped it and I might go on to be involved with the game because this is a game that's given me everything, right?
"Thank you."