Ravichandran Ashwin retires from international cricket

BRISBANE: At the end of the third test between Australia and India, Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from International cricket effective immediately.

While Ashwin announced that he was done playing international cricket, he stated that he would like to preserve the “punch” left in him for club-level cricket.

“This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level.”

– Ravichandran Ashwin

A LOOK BACK

Ashwin is one of cricket’s most accomplished bowlers. He has taken a total of 765 wickets across all formats during his career, which places him at 11th for most wickets taken among all players.

The Indian spinner became the latest to retire from the sport in a year filled with heartfelt farewells. Just a day prior, New Zealand’s Tim Southee, who is one place above Ashwin on the list of highest wicket takers, retired from test cricket. Earlier this year, James Anderson played his final match at Lord’s against the West Indies.

Alongside Anderson, Ashwin is within the top ten all time wicket takers in tests, with an astonishing 537, which places him at seventh.

The Indian legends best performance in tests came in October of 2016, when India hosted New Zealand. Ashwin would take a six-wicket haul in the first innings (running out two others), before taking seven more in New Zealand’s second. His best performance in ODIs came a year prior against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ashwin would have an incredible spell, beginning with a wicket on the second ball he bowled, before taking three more in the next few overs.

He would have two other four wicket games with the white-ball, both coming in T20I games. The first came in 2014 against Australia, when Ashwin took three wickets before the end of the 10th over, and the final wicket of the game. The second came in 2016 against Sri Lanka. Ashwin would tear through the top of Sri Lanka’s order, dismissing both openers in the first over. He would then dismiss Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal and Asele Gunaratne in the third and fifth over respectively.

THANKING HIS TEAMMATES

In Ashwin’s final moments representing India in cricket, he made sure to thank the teammates he’s had over the years.

“Obviously there are a lot of people to thank, but I would be failing in my duties if I didn’t thank the BCCI and the fellow team-mates. Several of them. I want to name a few of them. All the coaches who have been part of the journey. Most importantly, Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya, Pujara, who have taken those splendid catches around the bat to give me the number of wickets I’ve managed to get over the years.”

– Ravichandran Ashwin

After thanking all the people who have helped him, Ashwin thanked the journalists too, but said he was too emotional to answer any questions in the right way.