IND vs AUS: Ravi Shastri Reflects on Ravichandran Ashwin’s Retirement Highlighting His Versatile Spin and Relentless Self-Improvement
Former India coach Ravi Shastri says Ravichandran Ashwin's commitment to self-improvement and constant drive to evolve in his craft, without being concerned about his opposition, sets him apart. Ashwin's focus on his own game is what makes him such a standout performer.
At the age of 38, Ravichandran Ashwin surprised the cricketing world by announcing his retirement in the middle of the Test series against Australia, after the third Test in Brisbane on Wednesday. Known for his relentless pursuit of self-improvement, Ashwin continuously developed new deliveries and refined his actions throughout his career.
Ravi Shastri reflects on Ashwin’s retirement, saying it marks the end of an era for Indian cricket. He said:
What stands out for me was his wanting to evolve all the time. He wasn’t the kind of guy satisfied as to where he started. For me it was his guile, wanting to excel in his craft and (especially) in the last two-three years the way he got the ball to the way, gave it a rip and got it to dip on the batsman with drift made him stand out. He wanted new tricks to be learned. He pursued it, practiced hard at it and continued to look for new things as his career progressed, to keep up with the times. His legacy will be of being a terrific match-winner, a fabulous record, 537 sticks. I mean, anyone over 500 (in Test cricket) is special.
Shastri noted that Ashwin’s nearly identical record, 269 wickets against right-handers and 268 against left-handers, showed how versatile and effective he was, regardless of the opponent’s playing style.
Ashwin, who made his debut in 2011 against the West Indies, quickly became a key player in India’s Test team. He retired as India’s second-highest wicket-taker with 765 wickets, including 537 in Tests, leaving a significant legacy.
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