Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin has opened up about his sudden international retirement, revealing that the frustration of being a frequent spectator on away tours "eventually got to me." The off-spinner, who is only the second Indian to take over 500 Test wickets, surprised the cricketing world by announcing his retirement after the third Test of the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane. Speaking to former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid on his YouTube channel, Ashwin shared the emotional toll of sitting out crucial matches.
The conversation between the two cricket legends also revisited a controversial moment from the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Following Australia's defeat in the second Test, Ashwin had uploaded a video on his YouTube channel in Tamil explaining how to play spin in India. The video drew widespread backlash from fans, who accused him of "coaching" the opposition, especially after India went on to lose the third Test in Indore. The controversy forced Ashwin's channel to change the video's thumbnail to calm the criticism.
Dravid, with his characteristic wit, light-heartedly brought up the episode. "You even coached the Australian team. I got sent a clip. Unfortunately, it was in Tamil," he joked. He then added that he too had faced criticism at the time. "The flak I got was 'Ashwin is coaching better than you are — what are you doing?'" he said with a laugh. Ashwin defended himself, saying, "If I knew how to do that, I would have told our boys how to play spin. I mean, why would I go and tell the Aussies?" He also clarified that the video had subtitles, making it accessible to a wider audience.
The amusing banter continued as Ashwin recalled a specific moment with Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc during the Indore Test. Ashwin recounted, "An interesting thing was that (Mitchell) Starc came and told me. I mean, he bowled a bumper, and I just left it in the Indore Test match. I think we were 80 for 7 or something. We went for lunch, and he was walking with me. He was like, 'Can I tell you how to play the bouncer like your YouTube video?'"
The conversation provided a candid look into Ashwin's mindset and the behind-the-scenes dynamics of international cricket. The spinner's retirement was a shock to many, but his conversation with Dravid sheds light on the personal and professional struggles that led to his decision, while also humorously touching upon a past controversy.