New Delhi: Tributes poured in from all corners for R Ashwin as the veteran Indian spinner announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, December 18. Ashwin joined Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in the post-match presser after a draw between India and Australia in the 3rd Test at the Gabba to confirm he is quitting all three formats of the game.
Ashwin’s decision to retire left many shellshocked as the willy off-spinner, despite being 38, had at least a couple of years left in him at the highest level. Ashwin was also in fine form with the ball in India’s recently concluded home season and also smashed a century against Bangladesh in Chennai and followed it up with a 6-wicket haul.
Considered one of India’s best spinners of all time, Ashwin retires as the second-highest wicket-taker for the country in Tests with 537 wickets from 106 matches behind only the legendary Anil Kumble. Ashwin was the fastest to 300 wickets in Tests and the second-fastest to 400 behind only the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan. He also picked up 37 fifers in Tests, second to only Muralitharan’s 67.
The likes of India head coach Gautam Gambhir, star batter Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and others took to social media to pay tribute to the 38-year-old spinner on his retirement. Kohli revealed he got emotional after being informed by Ashwin about the spinner’s retirement and said the 38-year-old will always be remembered as a legend of Indian cricket.
Kohli, Gambhir, Rahane and others pay tribute to R Ashwin on retirement:
I’ve played with you for 14 years and when you told me today you’re retiring, it made me a bit emotional and the flashbacks of all those years playing together came to me. I’ve enjoyed every bit of the journey with you ash, your skill and match winning contributions to Indian… pic.twitter.com/QGQ2Z7pAgc
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) December 18, 2024
The privilege of seeing you grow from a young bowler to a legend of modern cricket is something that I wouldn’t trade for the world! I know that generations of bowlers to come will say that I became a bowler coz of Ashwin! U will be missed brother! ❤️ @ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/fuATAjE8aw
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 18, 2024
Congratulations on an incredible journey, @ashwinravi99! Standing at slip was never a dull moment with you bowling, every ball felt like a chance waiting to happen. All the best for your next chapter! pic.twitter.com/HhBUHVPu3v
— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) December 18, 2024
Congratulations @ashwinravi99 on a phenomenal cricket career. Your ambition as a test cricketer was admirable. Well done for being the flag bearer of Indian spin for more than a decade. Be very proud of your achievements and hopefully see you more often now.
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 18, 2024
Well played Ash and congratulations on a legendary journey! From spinning webs around the best in the world to standing tall in tough situations, you’ve been a real asset to the team. Welcome to the other side! 🙌🏻 @ashwinravi99
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) December 18, 2024
An absolute match-winner, @ashwinravi99! Retiring as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket is nothing short of monumental. Combine that with his invaluable batting contributions, and you get one of the game’s solid all-rounders. Well done, Ash! pic.twitter.com/9UAxCNouSf
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) December 18, 2024
a GOAT retires
Well done on what’s been an outstanding career . Proud to have played with you and definitely the greatest ever to have played from TAMILNADU. @ashwinravi99
Much love and enjoy some leisurely time with family and friends ❤️#INDvAUS #ashwin#legend
— DK (@DineshKarthik) December 18, 2024
Ashwin, who made his debut for India in June 2010, drew curtains on an illustrious career after playing 106 Tests, 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is for the country. He scalped 537, 156 and 72 wickets in the three formats, respectively while also amassing 4394 runs in the three formats combined. Ashwin was part of the Indian team that won the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
While he found great success in white-ball cricket for the first few years of his international career, Tests were Ashwin’s true calling and he produced some of his best performances for India in the whites. The veteran spinner was one of the key reasons behind India’s home domination in Tests and produced numerous match-winning displays across venues.
“This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats,” Ashwin told the reporters in the post-match presser after the Gabba Test as he confirmed his retirement from international cricket.
“I do feel there’s a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to expose and probably showcase that in club level cricket, but this will be the last day,” he added.
Ashwin will travel back home on Thursday while the rest of the Indian team will leave for Melbourne for the 4th Test of the series which gets underway on December 24. Ashwin will continue to take part in domestic tournaments and might turn up for Tamil Nadu in the remainder of the Ranji Trophy. He will also don the yellow for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2025 next year.
Team India star Virat Kohli, head coach Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane and others paid tribute to R Ashwin after the veteran Indian spinner announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
