Ravichandran Ashwin Bids Farewell to International Cricket

Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s legendary off-spinner has retired from international cricket at the age of 38. The seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test history, Ashwin made the announcement after the third Test against Australia in Brisbane a match he didn’t play in. Throughout his 14-year career, Ashwin became one of the modern game’s greats taking 537 wickets at an average of 24 in 106 Tests. His tally of 37 five-wicket hauls is second only to Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan.

Ashwin also contributed with the bat, scoring six centuries and averaging 25.75 in Tests. In limited-overs cricket, Ashwin took 156 wickets in 116 one-day internationals at an average of 33.20 and 72 wickets in 65 T20s at 23.22. He was part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning squad though he played only two games. Despite his success, Ashwin felt it was time to step away from international cricket although he expressed a desire to continue playing at the club level.

Ashwin’s retirement has been met with tributes from all corners of the cricket world. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma praised Ashwin’s contributions while former teammate and current captain Virat Kohli called him a “legend of Indian cricket.” Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins also hailed Ashwin as one of the “all-time greats.” Ashwin’s former teammate, Gautam Gambhir reflected on the privilege of watching him grow from a young bowler to a cricketing legend.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s impact on Indian cricket is undeniable and his retirement marks the end of an era for one of the game’s most skilled and consistent performers.