Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Ravichandran Ashwin’s sudden retirement is the beginning of a transitional phase in the national Test cricket team. Aakash Chopra said Ravichandran Ashwin might be disheartened when he was dropped after the pink ball Test in the BGT 2024-25.
Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket after the third Test between India and Australia in Brisbane ended in a draw. He was not part of the series opener in Perth, but played in Adelaide. He was dropped for the third Test at the Gabba and Ravindra Jadeja performed well with the bat.
Ravichandran Ashwin was unlikely to turn up in Melbourne – Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that Ravichandran Ashwin knew that he was not the first choice for overseas games. Chopra stated that Ashwin seemed to have accepted this, but his frustration grew when he was dropped after the Pink Ball Test.
“What exactly has happened? There is a time in everyone’s life when you think, do I want to continue doing this? Am I okay with it? Ashwin must have had this in his mind for a long time and he doesn’t play much.” Overseas, he is not the number one choice when it comes to overseas games. This was going on for quite some time. Jaddu was always ahead of him abroad,” Chopra said.
“So, he made peace with the fact that Jadeja was playing. But when Sundar played the Perth Test, he said, that’s it, I’m done. Ashwin played the pink-ball Test, but when he was taken out of the Gabba, he said : “You are not serious when you play with me in the XI. I didn’t do anything wrong in Pink-ball Test to be eliminated from the Gabba game. At the Gabba, Jaddu made runs so Ashwin was unlikely to feature in Melbourne,” he added.
No one had that conversation with Ashwin, that’s what I feel – Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra said that if anyone had advised him to stay for the England tour, Ravichandran Ashwin might have been willing to do so. Chopra stated that the lack of such a conversation left Ashwin to make his own decision.
“If someone had told Ashwin to wait as the team might need two spinners in England and then there is a home series. There is only one format so what I feel is that no one has had that conversation with Ashwin.”
“He left mid-series, so now there are questions about the team composition and balance. Retirement mid-series is generally not a good thing and that’s not when the series is still open,” Chopra said.
“The wheel has been set in motion. This is now the official start of the transition. One is gone. More may follow. The next three weeks are going to be very important. By January 15, the picture of how this Indian team will move on. Ashwin’s retirement has opened quite a few threads about this,” Chopra said.
Ravichandran Ashwin will continue playing in the IPL for CSK
Ravichandran Ashwin retired from international cricket with 765 wickets in all formats. He also made a notable impact with the bat in Test cricket, scoring six centuries and 14 half-centuries.
Ashwin debuted in 2010 and played 287 matches, including 106 Tests in which he claimed 537 wickets. The spinner also took 156 wickets in ODIs and 72 in T20Is. He will continue to play for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
Also read: ‘The end will come’: Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root’s retirements decided by Greg Chappell
