Ashwin's full text on retirement: 'Bit of punch left in me'
Ashwin, who finished his India career with 537 Test, 156 ODI, and 72 T20I wickets along with six Test hundreds, said December 18 would be his "last day" as an India cricketer
India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday (December 18) and said it is a very emotional moment for him to bid adieu to all forms of the game at the top level. However, he will continue to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he will feature for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025.
After the drawn third Test between India and Australia in Brisbane, Ashwin addressed the media sitting next to captain Rohit Sharma. Ashwin, who finished his India career with 537 Test, 156 ODI, and 72 T20I wickets along with six Test hundreds, said December 18 would be his "last day" as an India cricketer. Ashwin is the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests for India, after Anil Kumble (619).
Also read: Rohit justifies Ashwin, Jadeja exclusion
The 38-year-old Ashwin featured in 106 Tests, 116 ODIs, and 65 T20Is. His last international game, a Test, for India was in Adelaide, on December 8. He was not picked for the Brisbane Test, and was replaced by Ravindra Jadeja. He has not played ODIs and T20Is since 2023 and 2022 respectively.
Also read: Who said what on Ashwin's retirement
Ashwin, who is an ODI World Cup winner (2011), said there is still "a bit of punch left in him", and thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and his teammates.
Here is the full text of what Ashwin said about his retirement.
"This will be my last day as an Indian cricket in all forms at the international level. I do feel there is a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer but I would like to showcase them at club level cricket."
"I have had a lot of fun. I have created a lot of memories alongside Rohit (Sharma) and several of my other teammates, even though I have lost some of them over the last few years. We are the last bunch of OGs, if you can say that left out of the dressing room. I will be marking this date (as last) as playing at this level (international)."
"Obviously there are a lot of people to thank. But I will be failing in my duties if I didn't thank the BCCI and fellow teammates, several of them, and I want to name of few of them, importantly, Rohit, Virat (Kohli), Ajinkya (Rahane), (Cheteshwar) Pujara, who has taken those splendid catches around the bat to give the number of wickets I have managed to get over the years, all the coaches who have been a part of this journey. Also, a big thank you to the Australian cricket team, who have been fierce competitors. I have enjoyed playing against them."
"Truly a very emotional moment."
"As a cricketer, I have just stopped it. I might go on to be involved with the game because this is the game which has given me so much."
