It’s an unfair world, poor bowlers are dropped but not poor batters: R Ashwin

In December 2024, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, R Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in all formats for India, after the great Anil Kumble. The Chennai Super Kings will be represented by the star spinner in the 2025 Indian Premier League.

In the meantime, he is spotted going to events and get-togethers and giving fans a better look at the game. The right-arm spinner bemoaned the treatment of bowlers in Indian cricket during one of these occasions, emphasizing that they lack support. Citing Australian cricket as an example, he expressed his hope that India might one day begin to celebrate its bowlers.

“This world is unfair. Bowlers are not cocooned, but batters are. Akash Deep won’t be participating in any more Test matches because he didn’t take enough wickets in Australia. However, you will never come across another batsman who hasn’t scored enough runs to play for India again. “That’s precisely why Australia dominates the world of cricket and Indians don’t,”

Ashwin stated at the AWS AI Conclave 2025 in Bengaluru.

“Even if we have everything, I still believe that Australia is a powerful team because they are aware of their heritage and realize that their bowlers are their key players who will win Tournaments and Test matches. He continued, “Bowlers will start consuming data way better than they do the day we get there.”

Having said that, Ashwin played 106 Test matches, 116 One-Day Internationals, and 65 Twenty20 Internationals for India before his remarkable career came to an end. In longer format cricket, he took 537 wickets, whilst in white-ball cricket, he took 156 and 72 wickets. After being signed by CSK ahead of the 2025 IPL, he will return to his 2008 starting position and play for his hometown side for the first time since 2015.