"Imagine if I want to play farewell Test but I do not deserve a place" - R Ashwin plays down decision to retire midway through BGT 2024-25
Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has played down all the clamor around him not getting a farewell game. Stating that it's not a big deal, the Tamil Nadu cricketer explained that he quit simply because he felt his time was up.
Ashwin stunned the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from international cricket after the third Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy at The Gabba in Brisbane ended in a draw. Following his mid-series retirement, rumors began to spread about all not being well in the Indian camp.
On his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat' on Tuesday, January 14, Ashwin dismissed all contentious claims around his exit and put down his decision to the simple fact that his creativity was over. He said (as quoted by Times Now):
"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," the seasoned off-spinner added.
Addressing the fact that he did not get a proper farewell, Ashwin stated that he didn't want to be in a place where was given a staged goodbye even though he did not deserve a place in the team. The veteran Indian spinner elaborated:
"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'," Ashwin concluded.
The off-spinner ended his career as India's second-highest wicket-taker in international cricket. He took 765 wickets for the nation across the three formats. Only Anil Kumble (953) is ahead of him on the famed list.
Ashwin is 8th on the list of leading Test wicket-takers
Ashwin is currently at the eighth position among bowlers who have taken the most wickets in Test cricket. He ended his stellar career with 106 Tests in which he claimed 537 wickets at an average of 24, with 37 five-fers and eight 10-wicket match hauls. He also scored six Test tons.
Muttiah Muralitharan (800) is the all-time leading Test wicket-taker. He is followed by Shane Warne (708), James Anderson (704), Kumble (619), Stuart Broad (604), Glenn McGrath (563) and Nathan Lyon (539).