Ravichandran Ashwin breaks silence on retirement and farewell Test absence
Xtra Time Web Desk: Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reaffirmed his opposition to farewell matches, stating he never intended to extend his career just for a ceremonial send-off. Reflecting on his journey, Ashwin admitted he felt capable of representing India longer but chose to retire midway through the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, catching fans and pundits by surprise.
Ashwin announced his retirement after the third Test in Brisbane and opted out of the remaining series. Cricketing greats, including Kapil Dev, suggested he deserved a farewell match, but Ashwin expressed no regrets about his decision, focusing instead on the fulfillment of his illustrious career.
"I want to play more cricket. Where is the place? Obviously not in the Indian dressing room, but somewhere else. I want to be honest with the game. Imagine if I wanted to play a farewell Test but didn’t deserve a place. Imagine I was only selected because it was my farewell Test. I don’t want that. I felt there was still strength in my cricket and that I could have played a bit more. But it’s always better to leave when people ask ‘why’ rather than ‘why not’," Ashwin shared on his YouTube show.
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Ashwin played 106 Tests for India, with his last appearance in the pink-ball match against Australia in Adelaide. He concluded his Test career as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format, with 537 scalps. Despite this, he was not selected for the series opener in Perth, with India opting for Washington Sundar. Ashwin played the second Test in Adelaide but was dropped for the third in Brisbane, where Ravindra Jadeja was chosen instead.
"I’ve played cricket for many years and learned one thing: not everything goes the way you want it to. We often think, ‘this could have been better’ or ‘that should have happened.’ But I have no regrets about my career. I’ve taken lessons from both my failures and successes. I’ve always played for the joy the game brings me, and I will continue to do so as long as that joy remains," Ashwin said.
“What difference does it make if I come out with the ball and people applaud? How long will that applause last? In the pre-social media era, people would talk about it and forget within a week. There’s no need for a farewell. The game has given us so much joy, and we have played with happiness," he added.
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Ashwin will continue competing in the Indian Premier League, having been bought by Chennai Super Kings for ₹9.75 crore. The Tamil Nadu off-spinner returns to CSK for the first time since 2015.
Speaking to the media after returning from Australia, Ashwin expressed his eagerness to continue playing for CSK as long as possible.
