Batters around the world heaved a sigh of relief on Wednesday as Ravichandran Ashwin brought down the curtain on an international career that saw the India spinner take more than 500 test wickets with an arsenal that included the dreaded ‘carrom ball’.
The 38-year-old was not selected for the opening Test against Australia in Perth but returned to the side for the day-night second match in Adelaide, where he took one wicket.
That would prove to be his final Test after Ashwin was again left out in Brisbane where India snatched a draw in a rain-blighted contest.
Ashwin’s 537 wickets from 106 Tests is the second-highest by an Indian bowler behind Anil Kumble’s 619. He also played 116 one-dayers and 65 Twenty20 Internationals, finishing with 765 wickets across formats.
“This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level,” a composed Ashwin told reporters with captain Rohit Sharma by his side.
“I do feel there’s a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to express that and probably showcase that in club-level cricket.”
Since making his India debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2010, Ashwin went on to fill the void created by Kumble’s retirement.
A cerebral spinner with a fast bowler’s aggression, Ashwin grew to become a match-winner on India’s turning tracks, where his impeccable control and ability to bowl long spells made him a huge asset.
Obsessed with the small details of his craft, the off-spinner constantly tinkered with his technique in his relentless quest for perfection.
Ashwin bowled leg spin in domestic cricket to expand his repertoire and mastered the ‘carrom ball’, in which he flicked the ball with the knuckle.
He is also an unabashed advocate of ‘Mankading’, famously running out Jos Buttler after the English player had strayed out of the crease at the non-striker’s end during an Indian Premier League match.
The Indian was a big influence on his peers, with Australian spinner Nathan Lyon calling him one of his “biggest coaches’ in the run-up to the ongoing series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Ashwin, who will return home on Thursday, also evolved into a decent Test all-rounder, hitting six hundreds in the format.
India captain Rohit said he convinced Ashwin to stay on for the pink ball Test in Adelaide after learning of the spinner’s retirement plans.
While Ashwin’s retirement was kept tightly under wraps, the emotional-looking spinner was pictured hugging teammate Virat Kohli in the team changing room during the match on Wednesday.
“I have created a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates, even though I have lost some of them [from the India side] over the last few years,” Ashwin said of his contemporaries.
“We’re the last bunch of OGs, if we can say that, left out in the dressing room, and I will be marking this as my date of having played at this level.”
