After Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket after the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Gabba, the Indian cricketer took a total of 765 wickets including 517 Test wickets. Ashwin, who made his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011, took a total of 517 wickets in his Test career and Australian captain Pat Cummins praised the Indian all-rounder and one of the world’s leading spinners.
Cummins called Ashwin’s retirement midway through the series. “A bit of a surprise. He’s obviously a champion player for them, played a lot over the last 10-plus years. He’s had a great career,” Cummins told ABC Sport after the day’s match.
When Cummins expressed his views on Ashwin’s retirement, former Australian coach Darren Lehmann and former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath initially speculated that Ashwin would only announce his retirement at the end of the series. But both realized within minutes that retirement was imminent. Lehmann expected Ashwin to play until the Sydney Test. “Ravi Ashwin is probably going to announce his retirement… I didn’t expect him to be honest in Sydney. Maybe at the end of this series.. we have to work that out. It might be at the end of the series. But, he seems to have spoken almost to the media. He is effective in Sydney. Would have been. And maybe that’s the kind of love. He’s clapping and hugging and I’m sure it’s a conversation with us “There will be a lot of press later. He is a great bowler for India. If he has retired, that is,” Lehmann said while talking to ABC Sport.
McGrath also praised Ashwin and called Ashwin’s record incredible. “His stats are incredible. Taking 500-plus Test wickets and taking wickets at an average I don’t think any other spin bowler has achieved. His 537 Test wickets are the second for India after Anil Kumble’s 619,” McGrath told ABC Sport.
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