The family of the star all-rounder of the Indian side, Ravichandran Ashwin, was shell-shocked by the international retirement of the veteran in the middle of the five-match Test series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. His father had reportedly booked flight tickets for the Boxing Day and New Year’s Test.
But he had to cancel those tickets after a late-night call from Ravichandran Ashwin stunned him to destroy the hope of the veteran getting back into the playing eleven for the last two red-ball fixtures. The Indian Express reported that the Tamil Nadu spinner was expected to give another final push to the red-ball assignment this year with the next Test series scheduled in June in England.
The off-spinner finished his Test career as the second leading wicket-taker in the longest format with 537 scalps in 104 games at an average of 24 and a strike rate of 40 with the help of 37 five-wicket hauls, after Anil Kumble. He is also the third-highest wicket-taker for the Blue Brigade in international cricket with 765 wickets.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s father was shocked by the sudden international retirement of his son
The recent reports have highlighted that the knee issue was one of the main reasons behind the early and sudden retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin, who was sure to decide once he boarded the flight for the opening Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
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“With his knee giving him trouble, he had given retirement a thought. Those in his close circle say even before he left for Australia, he was in two minds but wanted to give one final push as there isn’t any immediate Test series lined up post the tour Down Under.” The reports are addressed in the statement.
“So once he boarded the flight to Perth, his family and friends expected him to finish the series, with father Ravichandran even booking flight tickets to watch the Boxing Day and New Year Tests. On Tuesday night, he phoned to inform them that December 18 would be his last day as an international cricketer.” It has been addressed.
Ravichandran Ashwin flew back to Chennai on the same evening of announced his retirement and was welcomed warmly by his family on the morning of Thursday (December 20).
The experienced sinner described the decision as instinctive, where he noted that it was one of those calls, which have been in his mind for a very long time. Even though his father raised eyebrows by hinting at other factors, especially humiliation.
“I too came to know at the last minute. How he gave that (retirement), there could be many reasons. Only Ashwin knows, maybe humiliation.” His father told to News18.
However, the spinner later tried to dry out the fire, explaining that his father hadn’t been trained by the media yet and not to take his comments seriously.
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“My father isn’t media trained, dey father inneda ithelaam (what’s all this, father). I never thought you will follow this rich tradition of ‘dad statements. Request you all to forgive him and leave him alone.” Ravichandran Ashwin penned down on X (formerly known as Twitter).
He earlier said that the reason behind the early retirement of the spinner was due to the humiliation that was going on for a long time.
“The sudden change – retirement – gave us a shock. We were expecting it because humiliation was going on. How long he can tolerate all those things? Probably, he would have decided on his own.” The father of Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.
