Renowned cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin surprised the cricketing community by announcing his retirement from international cricket during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia on December 18. As one of the premier Test cricketers of his era, Ashwin has participated in 106 Test matches, taking 537 wickets and scoring 3503 runs, which includes six centuries and fourteen fifties. This sudden announcement on Wednesday morning took many fans and analysts by surprise.
Speculation arose when Ashwin was seen embracing Virat Kohli in the dressing room on Day 5 of the Gabba Test. He later joined Rohit Sharma at the post-match press conference, where he revealed his retirement decision. Although many found this news shocking, it appears Ashwin had contemplated his choice beforehand, and he is set to return home on Thursday.
Why Ashwin retired?
The primary reason behind Ashwin’s retirement may be linked to Ravindra Jadeja essentially solidifying his place in the Indian team for the remainder of the series. Despite some inefficiencies with the ball, Jadeja’s impressive batting performance, scoring 77 vital runs, enabled India to avert the follow-on and ultimately draw the Test. With upcoming matches in Melbourne and Sydney, it seems that Jadeja will be prioritized for selection, even if spin-friendly conditions arise.
India favour Sundar over Ashwin
In discussions regarding Ashwin’s retirement, Sunil Gavaskar suggested that Washington Sundar may have been favored in the selection process compared to the seasoned spinner. The Tamil Nadu all-rounder, brought in midway through the New Zealand series, exhibited an exceptional performance with both bat and ball, indicating a preference from the newly appointed management under coach Gautam Gambhir. India opted to play the 25-year-old Sundar in Perth, even with Ashwin, Sundar, and Jadeja available, suggesting Sundar may emerge as a more suitable option moving forward. India has been in search of a batsman capable of contributing useful overs with pace, particularly in SENA conditions, especially as Hardik Pandya has been maintaining distance from red-ball cricket. They appear to have identified this potential in Nitish Reddy.
No home Test series until August 2025
Ashwin has been exceptional in home conditions. With 383 of his 537 wickets taken at an impressive average of 21.44 at home, he would typically be an automatic selection. However, Ashwin may feel that his opportunities are diminishing, as India will not host another Test series following England’s visit in 2025. Given Jadeja’s prominence in overseas settings and Sundar’s emergence, Ashwin likely concluded that this was an appropriate moment to retire.