Ravi Ashwin: The Kutty Story ends on a high

Kolkata: Just when one thought that the final day of the drawn third Test at the Gabba had rains as a dampener, there was enough surprise value left in the post-match press conference of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. He had Ravi Ashwin accompanying him – announcing that Wednesday was his last day in international cricket across all formats.

A decision nothing short of sensational, given the fact it came in the middle of a major Test series and the draw in Brisbane meant India were still in with a chance to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final next year. At 38 years, the second highest wicket taker for India in Tests after Anil Kumble was very much within his rights to sign off, but the timing and the manner has left more questions than answers in the minds of legion of his fans.

The only precedent that comes anywhere close to mind was the 2014-15 tour of Australia, where Mahendra Singh Dhoni quit the Test captaincy as well as the longer format of the game. The context is not quite the same though as MSD had then complained about the stress of playing in all formats, while one cannot help but feel there is a sense of hurt in the Chennaite who barely two months back, emerged as a Man of the Series in the two-Test affair at home against Bangladesh. Did Ashwin have a feeling that he had outlived his utility in the Test squad after being repeatedly kept out of the playing XI on tours abroad for the last few years? ‘’I feel there is still some punch left in me as a cricketer, but I will now showcase it in league cricket,’’ said Ashwin, referring to his homecoming of sorts with the Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2025 or his favourite Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).

The Indian team management, going by skipper Rohit Sharma’s explanation in Brisbane, had been aware of Ashwin’s plans. “Heard about R. Ashwin’s retirement when I came to Perth. He understands what the team is thinking and what combinations the team is thinking of. I convinced him to stay for the pink ball Test,” he said – perhaps unwitting in a giveaway about Ashwin’s plans.

The initial buzz about Ashwin’s possible retirement was created early in the day when the TV cameras caught him and Virat Kohli in an animated conversation and then the former skipper giving him a bearhug. In an emotional note on his X post later, the master batter wrote: ‘’I have played with you for 14 years and when you told me today you’re retiring, it made me a bit emotional and the flashbacks of all those years playing together came to me. I’ve enjoyed every bit of the journey with you Ash, your skill and match-winning contributions to Indian cricket are second to none and you will always and always be remembered as a legend of Indian cricket.’’ “Wish you nothing but the best in your life with your family and everything else that it unfolds for you. With massive respect and lots of love to you and your close ones. Thanks for everything buddy,’’ Kohli added. Known to be someone who speaks his mind, Ashwin had stirred up a hornet’s nest though when in an interview only last year, he said his present teammates were more of ‘colleagues’ rather than ‘friends’ like the past.

A comment - that may be difficult to digest for many of his peers. Ever since the last few years, the articulate and thinking cricketer had dabbled in a number of projects like developing his own hugely popular Tamil YouTube channel, co-owning a franchise in the Global Chess League as well as doing his first book: I have the Streets: A Kutty Story.