Srinagar, Dec 18 (KNS): Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India's best-ever bowlers, has announced his retirement from international cricket. He leaves with an impressive total of 537 wickets in Tests, the second-highest for India, after Anil Kumble's 619 wickets. Ashwin, 38, shared the news after India’s third Test match against Australia in Brisbane, which ended in a draw. He has had a stellar 13-year career and now plans to play club-level cricket in the future.
Ashwin expressed his emotions during a press conference, saying, "This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats. I feel like there’s still some cricket left in me, but I want to try it at the club level now." He mentioned how special the journey has been, creating many memories with teammates like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Cheteshwar Pujara. He also thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the coaches who helped shape his career.
Speculation about Ashwin’s retirement began when Virat Kohli was seen hugging an emotional Ashwin during the rain break on the fifth day of the match. Ashwin had played just one Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with his only match in the series being a loss to Australia in Adelaide, where he took one wicket and scored 22 and 7 runs.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel38;margin-top:0.0pt;margin-bottom:0.0pt;">Throughout his career, Ashwin played 106 Tests, 116 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 65 T20Is for India, taking a total of 765 wickets across all formats. In Test cricket, he averaged 24 runs per wicket and had 37 five-wicket hauls. Ashwin’s skill against left-handed batters was exceptional, and he was especially successful in India, where he took 383 wickets at an average of 21.57.
Ashwin made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies and became a key player for India. He was also part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning team and the 2013 Champions Trophy-winning side. He was known for his excellent performance with the ball in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings, where he worked with MS Dhoni.
While Ashwin was sometimes left out of the team when playing overseas, he proved his worth with the bat too, scoring six centuries and ten half-centuries in Tests. He leaves behind a legacy as one of the modern greats of the game. After retirement, Ashwin will return to play in the IPL 2025 for Chennai Super Kings, where he was bought during the recent mega-auction.(KNS)