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'Don't Want To...'- R Ashwin's Teary Goodbye To Test Cricket Recalling Last Bunch Of OG's

Muskaan Bhatt

R Ashwin retires [Source: @Ayyappan_1504/X.Com]R Ashwin retires [Source: @Ayyappan_1504/X.Com]

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India's premier off-spinner R Ashwin on Wednesday surprised the cricketing world by announcing his retirement with immediate effect in the middle of the Test series against Australia.

Ashwin retires from the game as the second highest wicket-taker for India in Tests with 537 scalps in 106 games, leaving him only behind Anil Kumble (619 wickets). He will continue to play club cricket.

In his final press-conference, alongside an emotional India captain Rohit Sharma, Ashwin broke his retirement news and said:

"I don't want to make it about myself. This is my last day as international cricketer. I have created a lot of memories. We are the last bunch of OGs in the dressing room. Lot of people to thank, BCCI, my fellow teammates, all the coaches."


Rohit Sharma on Ashwin's Retirement

While speaking about Ashwin's decision to retire from international cricket, Rohit revealed that he had been contemplating his retirement for some time, even before the ongoing Test series against Australia. 

"Speaking about Ash, he was very very sure about this decision I heard this when I came to Perth. Obviously, I was not there for the first three or four days of the Test match, but this was in his mind since then. There are obviously a lot of things that went behind it; I'm pretty sure, you know, Ash, when he went in position, will be able to answer that," Rohit told reporters at the post-match press conference.

He also shared that R Ashwin was very sure about his decision when he arrived in Perth. The team had been uncertain about which spinner to play, assessing the conditions as they prepared for the series. However, Rohit mentioned that he convinced Ashwin to stay for the pink-ball Test.

"He understands, you know, what the team is thinking. He understands what kind of combinations we are thinking of. You know, when we came here as well, we were not sure about, you know, which spinner is gonna play. We just wanted to assess and see what kind of conditions we get in front of us, but yeah, when I arrived in Perth, this was a chat we had, and I somehow convinced him to stay for that pink ball Test," he added.

The 38-year-old played the day-night Test in Adelaide and picked up one wicket.