Ravichandran Ashwin, at 38, surprised everyone by announcing his retirement right after the third Test between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. As India's second-highest wicket-taker in all formats, Ashwin made it clear that while he still feels he has some "punch" left in him, his days as an international cricketer are over. He wrapped up an impressive career with a total of 765 wickets, including 537 in Test matches.

From the get-go, Ashwin has been a dedicated learner of the game, always eager to improve and add new skills. WV Raman, who coached Tamil Nadu when Ashwin started his First-Class career, knows him well. In a chat with Hindustan Times, Raman shared insights on what made Ashwin stand out as a special talent right from the beginning.

It probably caught everyone off guard. Clearly, there were no hints dropped in the weeks leading up to it. But the reality is, no cricketer can really tell when they've had enough. It's a mystery to everyone. One day, you just wake up and think, 'I've had it.' You can't keep doing the same thing over and over again," Raman explained.

"If you lose your focus, that's pretty much it. And no one can really foresee when that moment will hit."

While many believe Ashwin made his mark thanks to his stint with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the truth is he had been grinding away for years before that, making his First-Class debut back in 2006 against Haryana at just 20 years old.

You can’t really predict what X will achieve or what numbers he’ll put up when he decides to step away. All you can say is that he’s got the talent, the right mindset, and everything seems to be falling into place, which makes you think he could have an amazing future ahead. That’s what hit me after watching him play for Tamil Nadu in those early seasons. And look at him now—he’s had an incredible career in cricket, as Raman mentioned.

Ashwin has taken over 380 wickets in India. Throughout the years, some critics have claimed that the off-spinner only racks up wickets because of the spin-friendly Indian pitches. But Raman makes a solid point that this argument doesn’t really hold water.

I don't think that's a fair statement. If we can celebrate batters scoring hundreds on good pitches, why not give some love to bowlers who take five wickets on turning tracks? Someone who’s retiring with over 700 wickets, being the second-highest wicket-taker for the country, and recognized as one of the all-time greats in cricket worldwide—what else do you want? In any career, there are always details you can nitpick, but honestly, what's the point of that now?

Ashwin was constantly eager to learn and grow.

If you've been keeping an eye on Ashwin's journey, you'd know that this off-spinner, with 765 international wickets to his name, is a sharp thinker always looking for solutions. He’s consistently added new skills to his game to stay ahead of the batters.

"He was the most naturally gifted and talented cricketer you'd ever see. But when it comes to reaching his full potential, he's really nailed it. He’s demonstrated how to do it and has exceeded expectations. He faced numerous challenges and has handled them exceptionally well," Raman shared.

Were there moments when Ashwin and WV Raman, while he was coaching Tamil Nadu, didn’t see eye to eye? “You always have questions. You want to understand things better, and that’s something coaches should appreciate. That’s how I approached it with him. As someone responsible for mentoring the next generation of cricketers, it’s crucial to provide the answers they’re looking for.”

Ashwin wrapped up his career as India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test matches, right behind Anil Kumble. After the news of his retirement came out, many speculated that the off-spinner might have stepped away too soon, considering he still had plenty to give to international cricket. Was there a chance he aimed to outdo Kumble's record? Raman believes it really depends on the individual; sometimes, reaching milestones isn't the priority.

"It's really up to the person and how they feel at that moment. Even if people think there's still a lot of cricket left in him, when a player decides they've had enough, that's usually it. If someone feels that what they’re doing isn’t enjoyable anymore—like if you woke up tomorrow and thought you were done with writing or interviewing, you’d probably just call it quits. It’s all about that personal feeling," Raman explained.

I'm really over this. It all boils down to how much drive someone has left to keep doing what they've been doing for years. Sure, it’s a tough call because his whole life has revolved around cricket until now. Letting go of something he excelled at for so long, along with everything that comes with it, isn’t easy. But like I said, when you feel like you've reached your limit, nothing else can push you forward.

Ashwin has repeatedly expressed his determination to snag that one title that’s still missing from his impressive list of achievements – the Ranji Trophy for Tamil Nadu. It looks like the off-spinner is ready to give it his all to make that dream a reality.

He's always had this dream of winning a title for Tamil Nadu. I mean, with his dedication to every team he plays for, I have no doubt he’ll give it his all for Tamil Nadu. If he manages to snag that title, it would really wrap up his career nicely, don’t you think?

His legacy is all about tackling challenges head-on, always learning, and keeping the game on his mind. Plus, he totally embodies that classic saying of eating, breathing, and sleeping cricket. That definitely describes Ashwin. The only other guy who really lived that way back in the day, and still does to some extent, is Sachin Tendulkar.

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