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Ravichandran Ashwin, the 38-year-old off-spinner who holds the seventh-highest wicket-take in Test history, has bid farewell to international cricket. On 18 December 2024, at 06:26 GMT, after the drawn third Test against Australia in Brisbane, he made this significant announcement. Ashwin's 14-year India career saw him widely recognized as one of the modern game's greats. He took an astonishing 537 wickets in 106 Tests at an average of 24, second only to Anil Kumble's 619 among India bowlers. Additionally, he scored six centuries. At a news conference at the Gabba, Ashwin said, "This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level. I do feel there's a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to showcase that in club level cricket."

His ODI and T20I Contributions

In 116 one-day internationals for India, Ashwin took 156 wickets at an average of 33.20 each. In 65 T20s, he amassed 72 wickets with an average of 23.22. He was part of the squad that won the 2011 World Cup in India, although he played only two games. His Test exploits will be remembered largely; his 37 five-wicket hauls are second only to Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan. He was the leading wicket-taker in India's past three series against England, including 24 in the 4-1 home triumph this year.

Captain Rohit Sharma's Perspective

Captain Rohit Sharma revealed that Ashwin considered retiring before the Australia tour but was convinced to continue. Ashwin was left out of the team for the first Test and took one wicket in the second. Rohit said, "He was very sure about what he wanted to do and the team has complete backing of his thought process. He's had so many big moments with the Indian team and he's been a big match-winner for us. He's allowed to make these decisions, and if it is now, so be it."

Australia Captain Pat Cummins' Tribute

Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed that Ashwin will "go down as one of the all-time greats". He said, "He's obviously been a fantastic player all around the world. There aren't that many finger spinners that have that kind of longevity. There's a massive respect from our changing room for the career that he's had."

India Coach Gautam Gambhir's Remarks

India coach Gautam Gambhir, who played alongside Ashwin, wrote on X, "The privilege of seeing you grow from a young bowler to a legend of modern cricket is something that I wouldn't trade for the world. I know that generations of bowlers to come will say that I became a bowler because of Ashwin."