Brisbane: The off-spinners’ club just lost its shining star as R Ashwin announced his retirement in Brisbane on Wednesday. He wasn’t selected for the Gabba Test, and maybe sitting on the sidelines helped him make this decision.

In a heartfelt announcement, Ashwin wrapped up a career that overcame many challenges. He ended with 537 wickets over 106 Tests, helping India reach incredible heights in cricket.

Before Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh was India’s top off-spinner, and he was at the Gabba as a commentator to witness Ashwin’s retirement from international cricket.

The 44-year-old had a brief chat with an online media, sharing his thoughts on what made Ashwin stand out.

Snippets

What’s your take on Ashwin’s career?

He’s a smart cricketer who’s really grown over the years. If you look at his journey from the beginning to now, he’s hit so many milestones and helped India win matches all around the globe. It just shows he’s got the talent and has always been mentally prepared for whatever comes his way. He kept adding new skills to his game, and the Ashwin we see today is almost a completely different bowler from when he first started. Whether it’s the carrom ball, side spin, or making the ball turn less, he can do it all. He’s never been someone you can easily predict. He’s always made the necessary changes to stay relevant and effective. Trying out new things isn’t always easy, but he’s always been up for the challenge.

He even gave leg spin a shot…

Haha, totally! He switched back to off-spin, which was awesome. But you know, he was always full of surprises. The batters had no clue what he’d throw at them next. Sometimes he’d mix up his delivery, other times he’d change his run-up. With Ashwin, it was always a mystery!

One criticism was that he benefited from easy wickets in India.

Sure, the wickets were good for bowling, but you still had to hit your spots. That doesn’t take away from what he accomplished. Plus, it’s important to remember that other bowlers were using the same conditions, yet how many of them have over 500 wickets? If others have around 300 and he’s at 500, it shows he was definitely doing something right. So, let’s give him the credit he deserves, no matter the pitch conditions.

What will the Indian team miss the most about him?

This guy is a solid all-rounder lower in the order. His bowling skills alone would make him hard to replace, but he can also hold his own with the bat. What really sets him apart is his cricketing smarts; he knows how to outsmart the batters. That’s a priceless talent.

How do you rank him among India's top off-spinners?

It's really not fair to compare players from different eras. Each one was amazing in their own time and brought something unique to the game. If you just focus on wickets, Ashwin would definitely be at the top. But from Prasanna to me, we've all done our part to push Indian cricket forward in our own ways, and I have to say, Ashwin has really taken that tradition to the next level.

Every top bowler has that special something that sets them apart. What was Ashwin's unique trait?

The carrom ball is something else. When the doosra first appeared, it was a fresh addition to the game. But then came the carrom ball, and it was like nothing anyone had ever seen before. Bowling it is no easy feat. It’s one thing to pull it off with a tennis ball, but doing it with a leather ball is a whole different challenge. It requires a lot of finger strength. I practiced a ton, but it took me a while to really grasp how to bowl it properly. So, it wasn’t just about coming up with new ideas that set him apart; he also mastered them.

In the 2019 IPL, Ashwin caught Jos Buttler off guard by running him out at the non-striker’s end because he was straying too far out of his crease. It's a move that bowlers everywhere often attempt.

He always believed that the crease was shared by both the batter and the bowler. That meant whatever rights the batters had, the bowlers had them too, and the same rules applied to everyone. So, if you think you can win that debate with him, good luck! No cricketer reaches greatness without strong beliefs, and Ashwin really showed us who he is. He’s a guy who isn’t afraid to speak his mind.

Read Also: Ashwin bids farewell on his final day as an Indian cricketer.

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