Ravichandran Ashwin’s dad has claimed that “humiliation” may have played a role in his sudden retirement from the Indian cricket team.
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Ashwin, 38, quit international cricket after a glittering career in the wake of the Brisbane Test, for which he was not selected. He gave a press conference statement of less than two minutes and did not take questions.
He also told no one bar captain Rohit Sharma of his decision beforehand.
It was reported on Thursday that Ashwin had told Indian team management he would only tour Australia if assured of being in the playing XI, only for coach Gautam Gambhir to prefer Washington Sundar for the first Test.
“I too came to know last minute, actually. What was going on in his mind, I don’t know,” Ravichandran Ashwin Senior told CNN News18.
“He just announced. I too, accepted it with full pleasure. I did not have any feelings at all about that. But the way he gave his retirement, one part I was very happy, another part not happy because he should have continued.
“(Retiring) is his wish and desire, I cannot interfere in that, but the way in which he gave that, there could be many reasons. Only Ashwin knows, maybe humiliation.”
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Ashwin responded on his Twitter account.
“My dad isn’t media trained, dey father enna da ithelaam. I never thought you would follow this rich tradition of “dad statements”. Request you all to forgive him and leave him alone,” he wrote.
Ashwin’s departure has been followed by speculation. A Press Trust of India report said that Gambhir was not on his side in the three-way selection battle between he, Sundar and Ravi Jadeja, yet Rohit had insisted Ashwin be picked for the second Test in Adelaide; only to have to talk the veteran off-spinner into playing.
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Ashwin’s sudden exit was criticised by Indian cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar, who said that he had left the team short and may well have been selected for the final Test in Sydney, which one way or another will decide the fate of the series.
Ashwin took 537 Test wickets from 106 matches at 24.00. He trailed only leg-spinner Anil Kumble (619) for Test scalps from an Indian bowler.
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