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R Ashwin Opens Up on Sudden Retirement: β€œSitting Out Got to Me”

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Ashwin Retirement: R Ashwin Explains Sudden Decision

Ravichandran Ashwin left fans stunned during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy when he announced his retirement from international cricket right after the third Test. The legendary off-spinner played only the second Test of the five-match series before being excluded from the third clash at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Over a career spanning 14 years, Ashwin represented India in 287 matches across all formats, claiming an impressive 765 wickets. His tally of 537 wickets in Test cricket makes him India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format, only behind Anil Kumble.

Ashwin Explains the Real Reason Behind Retirement

In a conversation with former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid on his YouTube show Kutti Stories, Ashwin admitted that the decision was not sudden but something he had thought about for a while. The turning point came when constant bench time during overseas tours began to frustrate him.

β€œπ‘©π’–π’• π’ˆπ’π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’šπ’π’– π’Œπ’π’π’˜, π’‰π’‚π’—π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒐 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 π’”π’Šπ’• 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 π’Žπ’π’“π’†, π’†π’—π’†π’π’•π’–π’‚π’π’π’š π’ˆπ’π’• 𝒕𝒐 π’Žπ’†,” π‘¨π’”π’‰π’˜π’Šπ’ 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅. β€œπ‘΅π’π’• π’Šπ’ π’•π’†π’“π’Žπ’” 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’˜π’‚π’π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒐 π’„π’π’π’•π’“π’Šπ’ƒπ’–π’•π’†, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 π’Œπ’†π’‘π’• π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’Šπ’‡ 𝑰 π’˜π’π’–π’π’… 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒕 π’‰π’π’Žπ’†, π’”π’‘π’†π’π’…π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’•π’Šπ’Žπ’† π’˜π’Šπ’•π’‰ π’Žπ’š π’Œπ’Šπ’…π’”. π‘»π’‰π’†π’š 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’ˆπ’“π’π’˜π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒖𝒑, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’˜π’‰π’‚π’• π’‚π’Ž 𝑰 π’“π’†π’‚π’π’π’š π’…π’π’Šπ’π’ˆ?”

Ashwin called it a moment of clarity where family time took precedence over professional commitments.

Planned Retirement Age vs Reality

Interestingly, Ashwin revealed that he had always wanted to retire by the age of 34-35 but ended up extending his career until 38.

β€œπ‘°π’ π’Žπ’š 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝑰 π’‚π’π’˜π’‚π’šπ’” π’…π’†π’„π’Šπ’…π’†π’… 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 π’˜π’π’–π’π’… π’“π’†π’•π’Šπ’“π’† 𝒂𝒕 34-35,” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π‘ͺπ’‰π’†π’π’π’‚π’Š 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓 π‘²π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’” (π‘ͺ𝑺𝑲) π’”π’‘π’Šπ’π’π’†π’“ π’‚π’…π’Žπ’Šπ’•π’•π’†π’… π’˜π’Šπ’•π’‰ 𝒂 π’”π’Žπ’Šπ’π’†.

Although retired from international cricket, Ashwin continues to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In IPL 2025, he played nine matches for CSK, taking seven wickets at an average of 40.43 and an economy of 9.13.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma Partnership Fondly Remembered by Former Indian Coach

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