A day after declaring his retirement from international cricket, veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin quietly returned to Chennai early Thursday morning. When the 37-year-old off-spinner arrived at his hometown, he was greeted by friends, family, and a few supporters. However, he stayed silent and refrained from speaking to the eager media.
Many were taken aback by Ashwin’s abrupt decision to retire in the middle of the series during India’s tour to Australia, but he is already preparing for his future in cricket, concentrating on club cricket. Additionally, he appears to be concentrating on T20 cricket, which involves rejoining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL.
Notably, Ashwin formally declared his retirement from international cricket following the rain-plagued third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25) in Brisbane. Consequently, this signalled the end of a period and a remarkable 14-year career for the Indian cricketing mainstay. Since making his Indian debut in 2010, Ashwin’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Check out the viral moment of Ashwin’s arrival in Chennai here:
RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN HAS REACHED CHENNAI AFTER RETIRING FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET….!!!! [IANS]
– A new Chapter begins for Ashwin today. 🌟🤞 pic.twitter.com/1XbEjHO0FJ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 19, 2024
I feel like I still have some cricketing left in me: Ravichandran Ashwin
He has developed into a vital member of India’s bowling attack over time, especially in Test cricket. With 537 wickets from 106 matches, he finished his career as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, trailing only the great Anil Kumble, who had 619.
In Test cricket, he amassed six hundreds while playing as a reliable all-rounder and making big hits with the bat. He also gave outstanding efforts in limited-overs formats. He participated in 65 T20Is, with 72 wickets, and 116 ODIs, taking 156 wickets. Additionally, Ashwin had a significant role in India’s triumphs in the 2013 Champions Trophy and the 2011 World Cup.
Following the drawn third Test, Ashwin gave a touching speech to his teammates in which he thanked them for their support over the course of his career. Although he acknowledged that he felt he still had some cricketing left in him, he decided to concentrate on club cricket going forward.
“I shall no longer be playing cricket for India in any format, including at the international level, after today. During the press conference on Wednesday, Ashwin stated, “I do think I have some punch left in me as a cricket player, but I would like to expose and probably showcase that in club-level cricket. This will be the last day and I’ve had a lot of fun.”
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