Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on his retirement decision and said that he had considered hanging up his boots in the past, adding that he finally made that decision when he felt his creative side no longer had a future or direction.
“I’ve never been a person who holds onto things, I’ve never felt insecure in life,” he added. “I don’t believe what is mine today is going to be mine tomorrow. That has probably been one of my elevating factors all these years,” Ashwin said in an interaction with Sky Sports.
“I always wanted to leave things behind as nonchalantly as I can because I do not believe in people celebrating me, I don’t believe in the attention we get sometimes in India. It is the game that always stood ahead of me, all the time. I did contemplate (retirement) a few times. For me, the day I woke up and felt the creative side of me didn’t have a future or direction, that would be the day I would give it up. I suddenly felt that creative side didn’t have a lot of upsides to explore,” he added.
“It is the game that has always stood ahead of me” 🏏
An incredibly humble reflection of his retirement from Ravi Ashwin 💗 pic.twitter.com/Xj5Od0kw8n
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) December 23, 2024
Ashwin announced his retirement on December 18, shortly after the third India vs Australia Test match ended in a draw. He retired as the seventh highest wicket-taker in Tests, having taken 765 scalps in all formats in a 14-year career.
“I’ve got no regrets because I’ve had to do it the hard way, but it has left me with the idea that the game has been my calling. People find their calling at different stages of their life but I’m so glad this game found me and it has given me meaning to life,” he said in the interview.
“I’ve played Test cricket for so long it’s even taught me how to construct and live my life. It’s the most beautiful thing that has happened for me,” he added.
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