December 21, 2024: In what has become one of the most poignant tributes to Ravichandran Ashwin following his retirement announcement, his wife, Prithi Ashwin, shared an incredibly heartfelt and emotional message that has resonated deeply with fans, players, and the cricketing world alike.
The cricketing community was left stunned on Wednesday morning when Ashwin, alongside captain Rohit Sharma, walked into the press conference after the Brisbane Test between India and Australia, revealing that it would be his last as an international cricketer. Ashwin’s announcement was simple but laden with emotion. “I don’t want to make it about myself. This is my last day as an international cricketer. I’ve had a lot of fun,” he stated, expressing his gratitude for the memories created with his teammates, including those who had retired in recent years.
As the news sunk in, Prithi took to Instagram to reflect on the memories of their life together and the incredible journey Ashwin had embarked upon. Her tribute to her husband was both personal and intimate, capturing the essence of a cricketer’s life beyond the headlines and statistics. “It has been a blurry two days for me. I have been thinking about what I can say… Do I put this down as a tribute to my all-time favourite cricketer? Maybe I’ll just take the partner angle? Or maybe a love letter from a fan girl? I guess this is a little bit of all of it,” she wrote, admitting the complexity of expressing the emotions she was feeling.
Prithi recalled the many memories they had shared over the 13-14 years of Ashwin’s illustrious career — from the big wins to the quiet moments at home after intense games. “The big wins, the MOS awards, the quiet silence in our room after an intense game, the sound of the shower running for much longer than usual on some evenings post-play… the times we weeped in joy — after the CT final, after the MCG win, after the Sydney draw, The Gabba win, after making a comeback in T20s… the times we sat in silence and the times when we had our hearts broken,” she wrote, poignantly capturing the blend of emotions that accompanies a cricketer’s career.
She spoke about the journey from not knowing how to pack a kit bag to following Ashwin around the world, rooting for him, and learning alongside him. “Dear Ashwin, from not knowing how to put a kit bag together to following you to stadiums all over the world, rooting for you, watching you, and learning from you, it has been an absolute pleasure,” Prithi expressed. She also reflected on the lessons she had learned by being by his side — about passion, hard work, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Despite the glittering career and the many accolades — including 11 Player of the Series awards in Tests, 765 wickets across formats, and his second-place finish behind Anil Kumble in Test wickets — Prithi highlighted that Ashwin’s journey was about far more than just the statistics. “How awards, the best of stats, the POMs, the accolades, the records didn’t matter if you didn’t sharpen your skill sets constantly and did not put in the work. Sometimes, nothing is enough,” she wrote, emphasizing the relentless effort Ashwin put into his craft and the personal sacrifices he made along the way.
Finally, Prithi offered Ashwin a heartfelt message as he entered a new phase of life: “As you end your wonderful international run, I only want to tell you that it’s all good. It is all going to be good. It is time to set the burden of being you down. Live life on your terms, make space for those extra calories, make time for your family, make time to do absolutely nothing, share memes all day, create a new bowling variation, bug our kids out of their minds. Just do it all,” she said, speaking to the freedom and joy that Ashwin could now embrace after his long, storied career.
Prithi’s tribute, full of love and admiration, has been widely praised for its authenticity and emotional depth. It stands as a fitting farewell to Ashwin’s remarkable international cricket career — one that has spanned over a decade and left an indelible mark on the sport. As Ashwin steps into retirement, Prithi’s words will undoubtedly be cherished as a beautiful and personal reflection on the journey they shared, both on and off the cricket field.
