Pat Cummins ‘Surprised’ By Ashwin’s Decision To Retire From International Cricket

Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, expressed surprise at Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision to retire from international cricket after the conclusion of the Brisbane Test on Wednesday. Ashwin’s retirement announcement came immediately after the match, which ended in a draw.

Cummins acknowledged Ashwin’s exceptional career and the timing of the announcement, stating, “The timing was a bit of a surprise. He’s been a fantastic player all around the world. There aren’t too many finger spinners that have that kind of longevity. He’ll go down as one of the all-time greats.”

Cummins further praised Ashwin’s competitiveness and his impact in both Australia and India, saying, “He was always a fantastic competitor, we had a lot of battles against him over the years here in Australia as well over in India. Just a massive respect from our change room to the career that he’s had.”

Earlier in the day, Ashwin, accompanied by India’s captain Rohit Sharma, made the emotional announcement at the post-match press conference. His decision to retire was met with a display of emotion from his teammates, especially from Virat Kohli, who embraced him, hinting at the deep bond within the Indian cricket team.

Ashwin’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary. Over 106 Test matches, he took 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls, and scored 3,503 runs. His record makes him the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history and the second-highest for India, after Anil Kumble, who took 619 wickets. Ashwin’s 37 five-wicket hauls are second only to Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (67), underscoring his dominance as a match-winner.

Ashwin’s contributions were pivotal during India’s golden period in Test cricket, particularly between 2014 and 2019, when India rose to the top of the rankings. His presence and expertise played a key role in India’s success at home and abroad. In limited-overs cricket, Ashwin appeared in 181 matches, taking 228 wickets. In 116 ODIs, he claimed 156 wickets and contributed with the bat, scoring 707 runs. In T20Is, he took 72 wickets from 65 matches, with his best figures being 4/8.

With a staggering total of 765 international wickets across all formats, Ashwin is India’s second-highest wicket-taker, behind Anil Kumble (953). He was also a key member of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning squad and the 2013 Champions Trophy team, further cementing his legacy as one of India’s most successful cricketers.

Ashwin’s retirement marks the end of a remarkable era in Indian cricket, and his legacy as a spin legend will continue to inspire generations of cricketers to come.