Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has clarified that his decision to retire from the game was a personal call and “no one forced” him to call it quits midway into the Test tour of Australia tour last year.
Ashwin, 39, stunned the cricket fraternity by announcing his retirement after the third Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane last year.
Subsequently, he also announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) in August this year.
“No one told me that you should go, no one told me that there is no place for you in the team. Actually before I took the decision 2-3 people told me not to take it but I took my decision. In fact, they wanted me to play more,” Ashwin said on his youtube channel.
“Rohit Sharma (the then captain) also told me to think about it, Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) also told me to think again. But I didn’t talk much about it (retirement) with Ajit Agarkar (chairman of selectors).
“The decision is very personal when it comes to retirement. These are all very individual decisions,” he added.
His assertion puts an end to speculation that he was forced to take the decision by the team management.
Ashwin has, however, stated earlier that he didn’t want to be a traveller with the team if he wasn’t going to be picked in the playing XI.
Talking about the senior duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Ashwin felt the team management and the selectors should have clear communication with them.
Both Rohit and Kohli, who have retired from Test and T20 cricket, have been included for the upcoming three ODIs against Australia.
But Rohit, who was the ODI skipper, has been replaced by Shubman Gill in the leadership role.
“Virat Kohli is a bonafide ODI legend. The way he and Rohit batted in 2023 World Cup, they have nothing to prove. I really hope that the conversation happened. Whatever needs to be discussed with Virat and Rohit Sharma must have happened. There should clear communication with them,” Ashwin said.
Ashwin said both Rohit and Kohli have a lot of cricket left in them.
“I don’t think any selector or coach will have it in them to say that Virat and Rohit’s services are no longer needed. That experience you cannot buy in a store,” he said.
“If there is any doubt as to whether they will be able to make it until the 2027 World Cup, then I think the direction they have taken seems to be fair. You cannot go leading up to the World Cup with so many question marks.
“There is no doubt that both Rohit and Virat want to be there (in the 2027 WC). The preparation that we are seeing from them, it is an investment they are putting into their bodies to be ready for the World Cup,” Ashwin added.
