Ravichandran Ashwin opens up about international retirement

The top-ranked Test bowler, Ravichandran Ashwin, said he hasn't thought about retirement at all, but the 37-year-old will leave international cricket the day he feels that he doesn't want to improve.

The ace offspinner has 516 wickets in 100 Tests at an average of 23.75. He is currently India’s second-highest wicket-taker in red-ball cricket, only behind Anil Kumble’s tally of 619 wickets. Ashwin said Kumble wants him to break his record, but he is “not keeping any targets”.

When asked if he wants to continue playing till 40, Ashwin said, “There is nothing like that in my mind. I am only thinking about one day at a time because when you get older, you have to put in extra effort every single day. It’s not the same,” Ashwin said during a conversation with Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel.

“I have put in a lot of effort in the last 3-4 years. I haven’t decided [retirement], but the day I feel that today I don’t want to improve, I will leave. That’s all.

“Kuch target nahi hai [I have not set any target for myself]. Anil [Kumble] Bhai wants me to break his record (of 619 wickets). He is a good human; I have worked with him, but I am not keeping any targets. I have been very happy living by the day, and I have totally enjoyed my cricket. 

“I am saying this because it’s a new lease of life. I know what I went through from 2018 to 2020. So, I know how my life changed after that and how I am playing cricket. I just want to hold on to this; I don’t want to lose my love for the game for anything. That could be a target or anything. 

“The moment I feel I am losing the joy of my life by having to do more and I am not ready for it, I will leave. We all play, and we all have to leave. Somebody else will come and do well. It’s Indian cricket."

Ashwin, who hasn’t played white-ball cricket for India for almost a year, is set to feature in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai, starting on September 19.

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