India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin abruptly retired from international cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. After the draw in Gabba Test, Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket in the post-match press conference with Rohit Sharma. The Tamil Nadu spin-bowling all-rounder did not want a farewell game and explained that he left the international stage because his creativity was over.
"I think a lot. What to do in life. You all need to understand, that this happens instinctively. If someone gets to know, that their job is done, once that thinking comes, there is nothing to think. People said a lot of things. I don't think it is a big deal," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel on January 14.
"You think what happened. I did not play the first Test. I played the second did not play the third. It was possible I could play the next or not play the next. This is a side of my creativity and I was looking to explore it. At that time, I felt my creativity was over so it was over. It was simple," the 38-year-old added.
Why Ashwin did not want a farewell game?
Ashwin does not feel that a farewell game would have mattered as people have been asking on social media. Also, he wanted to hang his boots when people were asking why he was retiring instead of why not.
"What difference will this make if I came out with the ball and people are clapping? How long will people talk about it? When social media was not there, people talked about it and forgot after one week. There is no need for a farewell. The game has given us a lot and we have played with a lot of happiness," he expressed.
"I want to play more cricket. Where is the place? Obviously not in the Indian dressing room but from somewhere else. I want to be honest with the game. Imagine if I want to play farewell Test but I do not deserve a place. Imagine, I am only in the team because it is my farewell Test. I don't want that. I felt there was more strength in my cricket. I could have played more but it is always better to finish when people ask 'why' and not 'why not'."
ALSO READ: Big names that can play Ranji Trophy before Champions Trophy
Ashwin, the eighth-highest wicket-taker in Tests, will continue to play domestic cricket and franchise cricket. He will don the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jersey again in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.