Former India off-spinner R. Ashwin thought about retiring after his 100th Test but finally took the call midway through the tour of Australia to ensure the “whole circle” related to his spot in the playing eleven doesn’t repeat itself.
Speaking on a newly launched podcast by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Ashwin told CSK batting coach Mike Hussey that he made up his mind on retirement after not starting the Australia series in Perth, where Washington Sundar played ahead of the veteran off-spinner.
Ashwin did play the second Test in Adelaide before being left out of the eleven for the third Test at the Gabba, where he eventually brought the curtains down on a glorious career.
“To be very honest, I wanted to do it after my 100th Test (in Dharamsala, March 2024). And then I thought, Ok, let me give it a go in the home season. Because, I mean, you’re playing well, and you’re getting wickets, you’re making runs,” Ashwin said.
“I thought I’d probably close off with the Chennai Test here (against Bangladesh). I ended up getting a six-wicket haul and a hundred. So it’s very tough to quit when you’re doing very well.
“So, I went on with the series, and we lost against New Zealand. So, one after the other, it was just building up. And then I thought, okay, let me go to Australia. Let me see how this goes. Because the last time I was in Australia, I had a great, great tour,” said India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 537 scalps to his name.
Having said that, time away from home was beginning to affect him.
“I thought it does make sense to play a bit. I was having a lot of fun, but the whole hard yards that I had to put through to put myself in the park again, physically and mentally, one of the most important things that was pulling me down was the family time,” he said.
The 38-year-old eventually made the announcement at the Gabba.
“And when I didn’t start in Perth, it was like, okay, this whole circle keeps going again. People add very little value to what you’re going through emotionally,” he said.
“They don’t really consider that because your emotions are yours, and it doesn’t matter to anybody else. So I had been contemplating that, and then I thought, okay, maybe it is time,” added Ashwin.
