• Source:JND
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Ravichandran Ashwin has opened up on his Test retirement, which he announced out of nowhere to surprise many during the five-match Test series against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Ashwin went on to mention his feelings, having to sit out Test matches on away tours on several occasions. The veteran spinner ended his career as India's second leading wicket-taker in Tests with 537 wickets.

"I was pretty old, I must admit. But going on tours, and having to just sit out (a) lot more, eventually got to me," Ashwin told former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid in a chat on his YouTube channel.

"I mean, not in terms of not wanting to contribute to the team, but you're thinking if I would rather be at home, spending time with children. They are also growing up, and what am I actually doing? So I just felt like okay... In my head, I always decided that I would retire at 34-35. But just the fact that I could not play a lot in between..." he added.

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Notably, Ashwin is only the second Indian bowler in history to have taken more than 500 Test wickets, after Anil Kumble. He made his Test debut in November 2011, took 383 wickets in India in 65 Tests and in 40 away matches, he grabbed another 150 wickets. He took four wickets in the only neutral Test — the 2019-21 World Test Championship final against New Zealand in the UK.

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In Overseas Test matches, Ashwin was not preferred as the first-choice spinner in the playing XI, due to which he missed some of the crucial matches. A couple of days back, Ashwin reacted to India's Asia Cup 2025 squad announcement and expressed his disappointment over Shreyas Iyer's exclusion.

"Selection is a thankless job. You have to let someone out. When you talk to them, you have to go through that sadness and disappointment in their faces. I hope someone has talked to Shreyas and Jaiswal," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat.

"When you have Jaiswal as your third opener, you have brought Shubman Gill into the team by removing a person from the World Cup-winning squad. I mean, I am happy for Shubman, but I am very, very sad for both Shreyas and Jaiswal. It's just not fair on both," Ashwin said.

Highlighting Iyer's track record, Ashwin said, "Look at the credentials of Shreyas Iyer. He went out of the team. But came in the Champions Trophy and did amazing batting. He won and gave it to you.

"If the answer is that Shubman Gill is in blasting form, Shreyas Iyer is also in high-quality form. Jaiswal's innings on a tricky pitch in the last game at the Oval... he is also in cracking form. So, how can you give an answer to this? "What Shreyas has done wrong... he did brilliantly well for KKR, made them win. He was sent into the auction. He then took Punjab to the finals for the first time since 2014. He overcame the short ball problem. He was hitting the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Jasprit Bumrah with ease in the IPL. I am just extremely sad for him and Yashasvi Jaiswal; it is extremely unfair." Iyer, who has played 51 T20Is for India, has scored 1104 runs at an average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12. His last appearance in the format came against Australia in December 2023.