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India's spin-bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin on December 18 announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket effective immediately. Ashwin in the post-match press conference, Ashwin said that he will continue to play domestic and club-level cricket after bidding boodbye to the international arena.
"I think it would be unfortunate to have me around his side (on sitting with Rohit at the PC), since he has announced I'm not going to take too much of your time, this will be my last year as an Indian cricketer at the international level. There's a bit left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to exploit it at the domestic and club-level cricket, but this would be the last day (at the international level)," Ashwin told the reporters with captain Rohit Sharma by his side.
Ashwin thanked his teammates Rohit, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and cherished the memories he made in the dressing room.
"I have had a lot of fun, a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates. We've lost some of them over the last few years, we've been the last bunch of OGs I can say that are left out in the dressing room. I can mark this as my last day in the dressing room. I have several people to thank, but I would be failing in my duties if I didn't thank the BCCI and my teammates. I want to name a few of them, all the coaches who've been part of the journey, most importantly Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya, Pujara, who have taken a number of catches around the bat and have given men a number of wickets that I've managed over a number of years," the 38-year-old said.
Ashwin lauded the Australian team for putting up a stellar show against them over the years. He got a little emotional and refused to take any questions from the journalists present in the press conference.
"Also want to thank the Australian team who've been fierce competitors over a number of years, I've enjoyed my team playing against them.
"It's already getting long, I wouldn't be taking any questions, truly emotional moments and I'm not in a position to answer any questions in the right manner. Once again, thanks for being the journalists you've been, for writing good things, and some nasty things at times. It's a relationship I think we'll maintain forever and I hope you give the other cricketers the same amount of love that you showered upon me. I've stopped as a cricketer, but I'll go on and be involved with the game, it's a game which has given me a lot," concluded the all-rounder with 537 wickets and 3,503 runs including six centuries in Test cricket.
Ashwin will not travel with the Indian squad for the remainder of the Test series, confirmed skipper Rohit in the press conference.
