Ravichandran Ashwin gave an emotional farewell speech in the Indian dressing room after he announced his retirement from international cricket during a press conference following the Brisbane Test. Rohit Sharma was there with him as he shared the news, but Ashwin chose not to take any questions from the media since it was such a heartfelt moment for him.

The BCCI shared a video of Ashwin walking back to the dressing room after his announcement. On his way, he ran into Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who took a moment to chat with him and presented him with a signed Australian Test jersey as a gesture of respect. He also had a chance to catch up with Matthew Hayden and some other former cricketers who are commentating on the series.

The Indian players greeted him in the dressing room with a warm round of applause. He went around hugging nearly everyone before sharing his farewell speech.

Ashwin kicked off his speech by saying, "I might not show it, but this is a really emotional moment for me."

He also took a moment to thank head coach Gautam Gambhir and veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

"Thanks, Rohit, thanks, Virat, and thanks, Gauti bhai. I’m really happy today," he said.

Ashwin, who has taken 115 wickets against Australia in 23 Tests, reminisced about his first trip to Australia when he was just starting to make a name for himself. At that time, Team India was going through a transition, with legends like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar nearing the end of their careers.

"It feels like it was just yesterday that I was on my first tour to Australia. I watched everyone move on. Rahul paaji left, Sachin paaji left," Ashwin shared.

The experienced spinner highlighted the strong bonds he formed with some of his teammates over the past four years, which he holds in high regard.

You know what, everyone has their moment, and I think mine has finally arrived. I've had an amazing journey and made some fantastic connections, especially in the past four to five years. It's tough to say goodbye to my teammates who I've grown so close to.

Looking back at the last four years, I've come to appreciate how much these relationships mean to me and how much I respect them as players. It's been a blast, for sure.

Ashwin said, "I'm only a phone call away."

Ashwin, who’s flying back to India on Thursday, mentioned that he’ll be closely watching everyone’s performances in the last two matches and is just a call away if any player needs help.

“I’m heading home, but I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on how you all do in Melbourne. I’m excited to see each of your performances. While my international cricket days might be over, my passion for the game will always be there. Best of luck to all of you! If you need anything, just give me a call,” he said.

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