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After announcing his retirement, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his thoughts on the decision and said that it is "a great sense of relief and satisfaction" for him after taking a call to say goodbye to international cricket.
India's celebrated off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin revealed his decision to retire from international cricket moments after the Brisbane Test ended in a draw on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Chennai-born player received a warm welcome after he arrived at his residence in Chennai, a day after announcing his retirement from International Cricket. "It's emotional for a lot of people. It will be emotional, maybe it will sink in. But for me, it's a great sense of relief and satisfaction. It had been running in my head for a while but it was very instinctive. I felt it on day 4 and called it on day 5," Ashwin said while speaking to ANI. Further, the 38-year-old cricketer spoke about rejoining the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings franchise for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. "I am going to play for CSK and don't be surprised if I try and aspire to play for as long as I can. I don't think Ashwin the cricketer is done, I think Ashwin the Indian cricketer has probably called it time. That's it," Ashwin added. Earlier on Wednesday, Ashwin appeared alongside India's captain Rohit Sharma at the post-match press conference to announce his decision. Speculation about his retirement began to build when he became emotional and was hugged by Virat Kohli. Ashwin played 106 Tests, taking a staggering 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls, and scored 3,503 runs. His contributions to Indian cricket extend far beyond these impressive statistics. He is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history and the second-highest for India, behind Anil Kumble (619). He also has the second-most five-wicket hauls in Tests, after Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan (67). Ashwin was instrumental in India's dominance in Test cricket, especially during their rise to the top between 2014 and 2019. In limited-overs cricket, Ashwin played 181 matches, taking 228 wickets. He featured in 116 ODIs, claiming 156 wickets with best figures of 4/25 and scoring 707 runs. In 65 T20Is, he took 72 wickets, with best figures of 4/8, and scored 184 runs. With 765 international wickets across formats, Ashwin is India's second-highest wicket-taker, behind Kumble (953). He was also part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning squad and the 2013 Champions Trophy team. Ashwin's retirement marks the end of a remarkable era, leaving behind a legacy that will inspire future generations. (ANI)
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