"We should not be thinking about this as a cricketing community" - R Ashwin on 2025 Champions Trophy being a retirement platform for senior playersÂ
Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has opened up about the 2025 Champions Trophy being a potential ODI swansong for senior members of the team. With the next ICC ODI event being scheduled for late 2027 and the fact that several squad members are in the twilight of their careers, the prospect of a Last Dance has been contemplated by fans and pundits alike.
As such, the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami are in the firing line when it comes to long-term planning and impending transition. Even if performance might not be a factor, given that they are still chipping in considerably, fitness may prove to be an issue for some while balancing Test cricket responsibilities.
Ashwin opined that such talks of potential retirement must be sidelined ahead of a crucial final. He added that if a player does decide to step away from the game, his decision should be respected and his career should be celebrated.
"It could be. But, we should not be thinking about this as a cricketing community. But, if such a decision is taken, we will celebrate that career. If a player decides something like this before a big game like this, it liberates him. But, if it happens, we will respect the decision. We must remember that this generation, that made three finals in a row, is putting a great pathway for future generations," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat.'
R Ashwin recently retired from international cricket midway through the Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. The spinner is still an active cricketer though, set to play in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
"They can't spin choke in the middle when Kohli and Iyer are batting" - R Ashwin on India's middle-order dominance in Champions Trophy 2025
A huge reason behind India's stellar 2025 Champions Trophy campaign is the middle-order pairing of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. The pair are among the two leading run-scorers in the competition and have amassed a combined 412 runs.
Iyer's confident game against spinners complements Virat Kohli's ability to rotate strike and hold one end. Teams have found it hard to apply pressure when the pair are at the crease.
Ashwin feels Kohli and Iyer are responsible for each other's success in recent times, primarily because of how their batting styles allow the other one to thrive.
"Shreyas Iyer has looked cracker jack in this tournament so far. He has worked on the short ball too. Sure, he got out against it in the last game, but it should not matter. I find this Iyer's biggest strength, he wants to get better at what he is not good at," Ashwin explained in the same video.
"Kohli is able to play the way that he is playing because Iyer is playing in this way against spin. Captains are in Catch-22 now, because they can't spin choke in the middle when Kohli and Iyer are batting. Iyer absorbs all the pressure, and frees up Kohli," Ashwin added.
India will take on New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy final on Sunday, March 9, at the Dubai International Stadium.