End of an Era: Ravichandran Ashwin Retires, Saying, “I Had a Lot of Fun”

When Ravichandran Ashwin stepped onto the field with the ball in hand, he would momentarily spin it over his head, making it seem like he was performing some kind of magic. As the ball touched the hard pitch, it was nothing short of mesmerizing—pure magic! Indeed, Ashwin is a true ‘wizard.’ Unfortunately, the magic show of this legendary spinner has come to an end with his announcement of retirement.

Unexpected Announcement of Retirement

Ashwin announced his decision in a hurry. He was last seen wearing the Indian jersey in the dressing room of the Brisbane Test. The man who has created magic throughout his career was expected to retire from the field. The question is: is this decision coming from frustration?

Frustration Doesn’t Fit Ashwin’s Personality

But frustration doesn’t fit Ashwin’s personality. There is certainly no childishness in his cricketing philosophy. He has created countless emotional moments on the field, but he has never given in to cheap emotions. He has avoided many incidents that could tarnish his dignity.

BCCI congratulates Ravichandran Ashwin on a phenomenal career 👏👏

Read 👇 #TeamIndia | @ashwinravi99 https://t.co/Ke8LreMYFt

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 18, 2024

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A Decade of Dominance: The Leading Wicket-Taker

Ravichandran Ashwin – The leading wicket-taker of the last decade across all formats. Arguably one of India’s greatest match-winners in Test cricket and one of the best spinners in the world. But has he ever received the respect he deserves? There was once a lot of criticism about the Mankad, but that is no longer something outside of cricket. He has no qualms about winning matches within the rules of the game. He has been the master behind many of India’s victories with his magical bowling spells and has been showered with praise countless times for it.

Pat Cummins & Australian team gifted a signed Australian Jersey for Ravichandran Ashwin 👌 pic.twitter.com/LRBQJ5e6VF

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 18, 2024

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Overcoming Criticism

Whenever Ashwin’s name is mentioned, it is often said that he has only achieved success in the subcontinent, i.e., at home. Of course, his success in the subcontinent or India has been extraordinary. However, he has not achieved much success in Australia, South Africa, or England. Sometimes he has tried many things, succeeding, sometimes not. When India preferred leg spinners over finger spinners, Kuldeep and Chahal were chosen over Ashwin and Jadeja. To adapt his bowling to these formats, he even started playing in regional T20 tournaments. However, when it comes to winning Tests, besides Virat, Pujara, Rahane, Bumrah, and Shami, we also trust Ashwin, as he can win a match at any moment.

Ashwin’s Batting Magic

Not only with the ball, but Ashwin also created magic with the bat. In Tests, he has played 106 matches, scoring 3,503 runs with a high score of 124, averaging 25.75, and a strike rate of 54.53. He has scored 6 centuries and 14 fifties.

Historic Stand Against Australia in 2021

Aside from this, Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari displayed remarkable resilience to forge a defiant stand and help India secure a historic draw against the formidable Australian side at the SCG during the 2021 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Together, they faced 259 deliveries, adding an unbeaten 62 runs over more than 42 overs after joining forces in the 89th over of India’s second innings. Vihari’s 23 not out off 161 balls and Ashwin’s 39 not out off 128 balls were not just numbers on the scoreboard; they were a testament to their indomitable spirit. This was truly remarkable.

 Gratitude Towards His Teammates

Ashwin expressed his satisfaction with his international career, saying, “I had a lot of fun. I made many memories with Rohit and other teammates. There are many people to thank. But if I don’t thank the BCCI, my colleagues, and teammates, it would be a failure in my duty.” Rohit, Kohli, Pujara, and Rahane helped him take the most wickets with their catches. Ashwin also thanked them specifically, saying, “I can’t remember everyone’s name right now, but of course, all the coaches have been part of my journey. Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya, and Pujara played the most important roles. They fielded close to the batsmen with my balls. It’s because of them that I’ve taken so many wickets.”

🗣️ “I’ve had a lot of fun and created a lot of memories.”

All-rounder R Ashwin reflects after bringing the curtain down on a glorious career 👌👌#TeamIndia | #ThankYouAshwin | @ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/dguzbaousg

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 18, 2024

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A Glimpse at His Achievements

• Total Wickets: Ashwin has taken 765 wickets in 287 matches across all formats for India.
• Second-Highest Wicket-Taker in India: He is the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of Indian cricket.
• Batting Contributions: Ashwin has scored 4,394 runs, including 6 centuries in Tests.
• ICC Test Rankings: He is currently ranked as the third-highest all-rounder in the world in the ICC Test rankings.
• Highest Wicket-Taker Among Current Players: At the time of his retirement, Ashwin was the highest wicket-taker among current players in Tests, with 537 wickets.
• ICC World Test Championship Milestone: He is the first bowler to reach 100 wickets in the ICC World Test Championship and ended his career as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 195 wickets.
• International Debut: Ashwin made his international debut in 2010 during a tri-nation ODI series against Sri Lanka in Harare.
• Major Wins with India: Ashwin was part of the Indian teams that won the 2011 ODI World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy, and the 2016 Asia Cup.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s international career

The Final Saga

The world of cricket will probably remember him forever. The revival of legal off-spin is his contribution. After Pakistan’s Mushtaq Ahmed and Sri Lanka’s Muralitharan, off-spin entered a dark period. Almost every off-spinner had to prove the legality of their actions. People assumed that off-spin was on its way to becoming a thing of the past. No questions were raised against him because he never strayed outside the rules. With a red ball in his hand, he sent the batters to the dressing room 537 times. The tired Mastreo will now take some rest. It’s been a long time since he broke through the thick clouds of international cricket. Now, sitting on the couch, he will probably reflect on cricket philosophy.