- Indian cricket crazy fans, connoisseurs, experts, ex-players, and even people closely associated with the sport in more than one form will be feeling a bit flummoxed with the sudden retirement announcement of ace off-spinning allrounder Ravichandran Ashwin. People closely following the fortunes of the Indian cricket team over the decades will vouch in unison that the legacy of classic spinners originating from here is not only truly international but also profound performers having left behind an indelible footprint through remarkable achievements. Indian cricket is always known to produce some of the finest exponents of the spin artistry quite regularly whose contribution to the game is laudatory.
PC: India Today
- As you are aware, Team India has been largely unbeatable in the familiar home conditions owing to quality spinners making hay while the sun shines with spin-friendly wickets aiding the bowlers. The home advantage is a known phenomenon in cricket and Team India is not averse to embracing the same to bamboozle the visitors quite convincingly over the decades. Not many visiting teams have succeeded in subduing the home team. This is where some of the big names to have played the game deserve a special mention. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin perfectly fits the bill and will go as one of the modern-day greats of the cricketing world not merely from the Indian stables alone. Such has been Ashwin’s significance over the last fourteen years or so.
PC: India Today
- The statistic of Ashwin stands as testimony of how the champion cricketer has contributed to further the cause of Team India by shouldering the enormous responsibility with great elan. He is the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests after the legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble. Apart from his tremendous skills with the cricket ball, Ashwin has been a significant contributor with the bat scoring six centuries in the classic format. He has been a real servant for the team for such a long period that it must have come as a bolt from the blue when the announcement of retirement was made in the middle of the ongoing five-match Test series down under. The moot point to ponder over here is why he traveled with the team if he had made up his mind to retire.
PC: NDTV Sports
- As the legendary Sunil Gavaskar rightly pointed out, Ashwin could have waited till the series was concluded or made his intentions clear before the team selection was undertaken. Retiring bang in the middle of an important and challenging series appears a bit out of character coming from a champion cricketer. A spur-of-the-moment decision anybody? Unlikely. Of course, Aswhin is getting no younger at 38 years. The demands of modern-day cricket are excruciating, compelling the cricketers to perform optimally around the year. However, the ace spinner has made clear his intentions to pursue franchise-based cricket. Accepted, it’s the prerogative of a cricketer to call it a day. Ravi Ashwin deserves a standing ovation for serving Indian cricket with distinction.
