‘Ravichandran Ashwin should have waited…’ – WC-winning captain angry at spinner’s retirement
Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed the reason behind his decision to retire midway through the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series. in Australia. However, former India captain Kapil Dev expressed his disappointment over Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision, adding that he should have waited.
India tested three spinners during the first three Tests of the BGT. Washington Sundar played the first match and was replaced by Ravichandran Ashwin in the second. Ravindra Jadeja took Ashwin’s place for the third Test. Ashwin surprised everyone with his retirement announcement after the third Test in Brisbane.
Ravichandran Ashwin is a very tough guy – Kapil Dev
Speaking to Gulf News, Kapil Dev spoke about Ashwin’s decision to retire in the middle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Dev stated that Ashwin could have waited until the end of the Sydney Test to announce, adding that his timing could have been better.
“Ashwin is a very tough guy. It is nice to see such characters in cricketers. I felt a little sad when he left in the middle of the tour. He was a great cricketer that India produced and served so well but he should have waited and done it differently. Still, what he has done for the country is incredible,” said Kapil.
The 38-year-old spinner’s performance was below his usual standards in the home series against New Zealand, taking nine wickets at an average of 41.22. Ashwin retired with 537 wickets in 106 Tests, including 37 five-wicket hauls. He was only behind Anil Kumble (619) among all-time Indian wicket takers.
Maybe he was hurt by being pushed behind Sundar – Bharat Arun
Bharat Arun, the former bowling coach, said Ashwin might have been “injured” after being replaced by Washington Sundar in the first Test. Arun added that although Ashwin had previously been replaced by Ravindra Jadeja on overseas tours, this situation seems to have affected him more.
“In the first Test of the tour, a big star like Ravichandran Ashwin was snubbed by a youngster like Washington Sundar. That would have definitely hurt him. In the past, Ravindra Jadeja played ahead of Ashwin a lot on overseas tours, but I don’t think it affected Ashwin , but I feel he may have been hurt this time by being pushed behind Sundar,” Bharat. Arun said.
Ravichandran Ashwin is 8th in the list of leading wicket takers
Ravichandran Ashwin retired as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in international cricket, with 765 wickets in all formats, trailing only Anil Kumble (953). Ashwin is eighth among the leading wicket-takers in Test cricket. He also scored 3,503 runs at an average of 25.76, including six centuries in Tests.
The all-time leading Test wicket-taker is Muttiah Muralitharan (800), followed by Shane Warne (708) and James Anderson (704). Ashwin is expected to go on to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025, after being bought for a whopping Rs 9.75 crore in the mega auction.
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