R. Ashwin Retirement: After the third Test match between India and Australia, star spinner R. Ashwin surprised everyone by announcing his retirement. He will return to India on December 19. Ashwin was not part of the team for this Test match, which means the Adelaide Test, played from December 6, was his last. After the match ended in a draw, Ashwin appeared quite emotional in the pavilion with Virat, who was seen hugging him. In the post-match press conference, Ashwin expressed his gratitude to the BCCI and his teammates. He mentioned that he still has a lot of cricket left in him, but it might be played at the club level. Reflecting on his years in the game, he shared that he had a lot of fun and created many memories with his fellow players. He noted that many seniors have retired in recent years, and they are among the last of the original greats in the league.
Ashwin also thanked the BCCI, his teammates, and coaches, as well as Australian cricket and its competitive spirit. He specifically acknowledged Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya Rahane, and Pujara, saying that their catches helped increase his wicket tally. Over his impressive career, Ashwin played 267 matches for India across all formats, taking a total of 765 wickets. His best performance was taking 7 wickets for 59 runs. He ranks as the second-highest wicket-taker in Test matches and holds the record for the most five-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler, achieving this feat 37 times As a specialist in the carrom ball, Ashwin mentioned in his press conference that the conversation had gone on long enough. He found the moment quite emotional and apologized for not being able to answer any questions. He also thanked all the journalists present. However, he will still be part of the Chennai Super Kings team for 2025 and is expected to showcase his skills alongside MS Dhoni in the upcoming cricket season starting on March 14
