India’s recent 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) has triggered intense introspection within Indian cricket, both on and off the field. Among the many events unfolding on that tour, Ravichandran Ashwin’s abrupt mid-series retirement emerged as the most shocking news, leaving fans and experts grappling with its implications.
The legendary off-spinner, considered one of India’s greatest cricketers, bid adieu to international cricket after the third Test. Ashwin’s decision, at 38, stunned the cricketing fraternity and fueled speculation about tensions in the dressing room and potential discord with the team management.
However, Ashwin’s own words revealed a deeply personal reason behind his choice.
“I think a lot. What to do in life. You all need to understand, that this happens instinctively. If someone gets to know, that their job is done, once that thinking comes, there is nothing to think. People said a lot of things. I don’t think it is a big deal,” Ashwin shared on his Hindi YouTube channel, Ash ki Baat.
“You think what happened? I did not play the first Test. I played the second, did not play the third. It was possible I could play the next or not play the next. This is a side of my creativity and I was looking to explore it. At that time, I felt my creativity was over, so it was over. It was simple.”
