India’s premier off-spinner, R Ashwin, shared a selfie on his Instagram account on Monday. The photo, taken on the team bus, featured the Indian national flag in the background.
Ashwin unexpectedly announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, mid-series against Australia.
The image shows a smiling Ashwin, accompanied by the caption: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
Despite retiring, Ashwin stated that he still had some cricket left in him. He departs as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.
His 537 wickets in 106 matches place him second only to Anil Kumble, who holds the Indian record with 619 wickets. Ashwin was seen sharing an emotional moment with Virat Kohli before his retirement announcement, which fuelled speculation on social media.
He played in the Adelaide day-night Test, where he took one wicket.
This decision marks the conclusion of a remarkable career. Ashwin is widely respected for his skill and intellect, and he is regarded as one of the sharpest minds in the game.
The Chennai-born cricketer, who holds an engineering degree, also enjoyed an illustrious limited-overs career. He played 116 ODIs, taking 156 wickets, and 65 T20Is, claiming 72 wickets.
Ashwin’s international journey began with his ODI debut in 2010, followed by his Test debut the following year. He expressed his gratitude to the BCCI and his senior teammates for their unwavering support throughout his career.
