As the wickets fell during Australia’s second innings at the Gabba on Wednesday, a different kind of excitement sparked in the media box. There were strong whispers about one of the current team's legends possibly retiring, and those whispers gained traction when viewers saw Virat Kohli embracing a visibly emotional R Ashwin on their screens.

About an hour later, the talented off-spinner joined his captain for a press conference. With Rohit Sharma sitting beside him, Ashwin officially announced his retirement from international cricket, while confirming he would still participate in club (franchise) cricket. It wasn’t the most shocking news, but it definitely caught everyone off guard. Ashwin has been such a fixture in the game for so long that it’s easy to take him for granted, which is a backhanded compliment that also highlights his incredible longevity, his skill, and his relentless drive to improve.

How will the cricket community remember Ashwin? First and foremost, as a fierce competitor. No challenge intimidated him, and he never thought anything was out of reach. Sure, that sometimes worked against him. For example, when he was supposed to play a more conservative role, he often sought wickets instead, which is just his instinct. This mindset didn’t always match the team’s needs, leading to some differences in opinion with his captains. However, those leaders recognized that Ashwin’s intentions were good and occasionally supported his approach when they saw the value in it.

His journey from being a top-order batsman in his youth—playing in the Under-17 Asia Cup with Rohit in Bengaluru over twenty years ago—to becoming India’s second-highest wicket-taker is nothing short of inspiring. It’s been a path filled with hard work, dedication, and relentless passion. He’s always pushed himself to improve, viewing himself as his toughest rival while also learning from those he admires. He treated the training ground like a lab, constantly striving to elevate his game.

Even though he wasn’t the most naturally athletic player, his 14 and a half years representing the country, with 537 Test wickets and 765 total international wickets, shows how well he maintained his fitness. He managed to stay on the field with minimal injuries, which is a significant achievement. He had great hands and was a reliable catcher, plus he was a decent fielder in his early days, though age did slow him down a bit in his final years.

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His achievements in Test cricket will definitely be celebrated, and for good reason—he was a major match-winner for both Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli, taking an impressive 283 wickets in 55 Tests. But he was also a vital part of the limited-overs teams. He was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad, where he played a supporting role to Harbhajan Singh. Last year, he made a return to the World Cup as an injury replacement for Axar Patel, although he only got to play one match against Australia in Chennai. He was great at bowling during the Powerplay, and Dhoni had a lot of faith in him during the final overs, especially in the 2013 Champions Trophy final. In that game, which was cut down to 20 overs per side, Dhoni trusted him to defend 15 runs in the last over. Ashwin came through, giving away just nine runs and leading India to a thrilling five-run victory over England in Birmingham. That win marked India’s last ICC trophy until they clinched the T20 World Cup in Bridgetown this June.

Ashwin was a pro at the carrom ball, which he delivered with a flick of his right middle finger, making it spin from leg to off for right-handed batters. One of his standout moments came when he bowled Hashim Amla with a carrom ball in the T20 World Cup semifinal in Mirpur in 2014. Many compared it to Shane Warne’s famous ball of the century to Mike Gatting back in June 1993, which was Warne’s first delivery in a Test in England. Ashwin’s delivery might have been even more thrilling because it was a stunning piece of finger-spin against a batter known for his skill against spin. While that ball didn’t completely define Ashwin, it certainly captured his essence.

A fantastic timer of the cricket ball, Ashwin was as smooth as VVS Laxman in his heyday. He racked up six Test centuries, including a stylish 113 against Bangladesh in Chennai just a few months ago. Wrapping up his career with over 3,500 runs at an average of 25.75 is quite an achievement for a bowler with more than 530 Test wickets, though Ashwin might feel he could have pushed for more. In the realm of modern cricket, there hasn’t been a better spinning all-rounder, with Ravindra Jadeja coming in a close second, even if he often plays in the shadow of the Chennai maestro.

Now at 38, Ashwin isn’t going anywhere from cricket anytime soon. He’s too passionate about the game to just walk away, even after he hangs up his boots. Rohit playfully suggested that Ashwin might join the media in the future. Already a social media sensation with a thriving YouTube channel, his next chapter will be just as vibrant and successful as the first. Ashwin is determined to make that happen because he’s not one to settle for anything less than the best.

Read Also: Tribute to a Legend: Gambhir on Ashwin's Retirement and His Lasting Influence on Bowlers

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