Could we say that this retirement was expected, or is it a surprise? I’d use one word for this, Nabila: it’s a shocker. It comes as a bolt from the blue. This is not something that those of us who follow cricket daily expected, primarily because this is not a decision made by the selectors regarding R. Ashwin. This retirement, as Rohit Sharma said and as Ravichandran Ashwin himself mentioned, was a personal decision. So, it’s clearly a call that has come directly from Ashwin.
When does a player decide that they’ve had enough? It’s either when they feel surplus to requirements, believe they’re no longer good enough to contribute, or sense that their powers are waning. But truth be told, at this moment, in a country of 1.4 billion people, Ashwin remains the best red-ball spinner without a doubt—head and shoulders above everyone else. And I’m strictly alluding to his current form, not citing his legacy to justify a long rope. The ground reality is that, even if he were a youngster competing against the rest of the spinners in this country—some of whom are also part of the current squad—he would still be the best red-ball spinner India has.
So, when someone at the peak of their powers decides to retire, it leaves you stunned.
When Roger Federer retired, or when Rafael Nadal announced his plans to step away, it was because they’d reached the end of their respective cycles. They were grappling with physical injuries and knew they couldn’t compete at the highest level anymore. But that’s not the case with Ashwin right now. Just look at the last Test match he played for India, a week ago in Adelaide. He may not have ended up with many wickets, but we must consider that it was a pink-ball Test, with conditions heavily favoring fast bowlers. Despite that, Ashwin impressed as a spinner.
Under these circumstances, if he still decides to retire, there’s no word other than “shock” to describe it.
Now, let’s examine another aspect of this decision that doesn’t quite add up. Ashwin is second on the list of most Test wickets for India, trailing only the great Anil Kumble. How often have we heard of players chasing records? We’ve discussed Virat Kohli’s aspirations to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries. Wasn’t Ashwin similarly chasing the record of being India’s highest Test wicket-taker? After all, Anil Kumble is just 82 wickets ahead of him. With the kind of bowling Ashwin has displayed recently, one could easily imagine him playing another World Test Championship cycle. A couple more years of Test cricket, and it wouldn’t have been far-fetched to see him surpass “Jumbo.”
So, what led to this abrupt retirement? In the absence of an official word from Ashwin himself, we can only speculate. However, the circumstances surrounding his non-selection cannot be ignored. Ashwin has faced significant disappointment in recent years, consistently being left out of the playing XI despite his form. It’s hard to believe this didn’t weigh on his mind when making this decision. What must have hurt the most is the consistency with which various coaches and captains chose to keep him on the bench, particularly in overseas Tests. Perhaps the events in Australia proved to be the proverbial last straw.
Ashwin debuted in 2011, but one can’t help but wonder: had he made his debut a decade earlier—when traditional Test cricket placed greater emphasis on primary skills rather than multi-skilled players—he might have played far more Test matches than he ultimately did. In earlier times, the approach was straightforward: white-ball cricket demanded multi-dimensional players, but Test cricket prioritized primary skills. Outstanding batters or bowlers were always picked. Unfortunately, this thinking seems to have shifted within the Indian setup.
Take Australia as an example, particularly Nathan Lyon. Both Lyon and Ashwin are off-spinners of similar stature, yet Lyon remains a consistent feature of Australia’s XI regardless of recent results or conditions. The same courtesy has not been extended to Ashwin in India. Over the past decade, India hasn’t always played its best spinner, often opting instead for one who could contribute with the bat.
Small factors in recent series, like Jadeja’s runs in Brisbane and Sundar getting picked in Perth ahead of Ashwin, may have further nudged him towards making this final decision.
In the end, the best red-ball spinner in the country has called time on his career—not because his powers were waning, but while he was still at the top of his game. This loss is one for Indian cricket to bear.
