India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s shock retirement baffled former Australian cricketers Brad Haddin and Brett Lee. Ashwin, who announced his decision after the conclusion of the Gabba Test match on Wednesday, 18 December, said that he would reveal more details about his retirement call later.
Haddin and Brett Lee, speaking during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy’s 3rd Test match, speculated if everything was right in that Indian dressing room. Haddin, while speaking to Fox Cricket said that Ashwin might have been frustrated given India used three spinners in the first three Test matches of the series, out of which he only played one in Adelaide.
“More will come out when Ashwin has his opportunity to speak; just reading between the lines, it looked like he may have been a bit frustrated with the spinning options that they’ve changed in the first three Test matches,” Brad Haddin told Fox Cricket after his press conference.
“To me, he was a student of the game (and) always looking at ways to get better … he’s earned the right.”
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Former Australia cricketer compared Ashwin’s retirement to that of Graeme Swann who called it quits during the infamous 2013-14 Ashes, where England were rolled over by Australia Down Under.
“I think the last time a spinner retired through a series (in Australia) was Graeme Swann,” said Lee.
“He may have been told that he’s not going to play any further part in this series, and rightly so, (he) just decided to go out on his own terms.”
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Legendary former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was critical of Ashwin’s decision and said that Ashwin’s choice to leave mid-series leaves India short of one key cricketer.
“He could have said, listen after the end of the series, I won’t be available for selection for India. What it does is that, similarly when MS Dhoni retired at the end of the third Test in 2014-15 series, it leaves you one short. The selection committee has picked so many players for a tour with a purpose. If there are any injuries, they can select from the reserve players to have in the team.” Gavaskar told broadcasters.
“So, Sydney is somewhere where there is a lot of support on offer for spinners. So India could have played with two spinners. You never know. He could have been there for sure. I don’t know how the pitch in Melbourne will be like. Normally, you tend to look at the end of the series. That’s it. In the middle, it is not usual. Normally, you tend to look at the end of the series,” he added.
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