'Ashwin has done what Dhoni did' - Gavaskar disagrees with timing of retirement

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Dec 18, 2024, 15:30 IST

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Sunil Gavaskar questioned Ravichandran Ashwin's mid-series retirement announcement, stating it leaves India short-handed in the middle of an important series. Gavaskar compared it to Dhoni's 2014 retirement, emphasizing the disruption it causes. He pointed out the role Ashwin could have played in the remaining Tests, especially in Sydney, which offers spin-friendly conditions.

'Ashwin has done what Dhoni did' - Gavaskar disagrees with timing of retirement

Ravichandran Ashwin (Photo Source: X)

Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has disagreed with the timing of Ravichandran Ashwin's announcement about his retirement, saying that "it leaves you one (player) short" in the middle of an important series.
Ashwin has decided to quit international cricket with immediate effect, while he will remain available to play club-level cricket and is scheduled to feature in the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League.
Ashwin, who ended his career with 537 Test wickets, played the pink-ball Test in Adelaide but was dropped from the eleven for the third Test in Brisbane, which ended in a draw on Friday, leaving the five-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy still level at 1-1.

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"He could have said, 'Listen, after the end of the series, I won't be available for selection for India'. What it does is that, similarly when MS Dhoni retired at the end of the third Test in the 2014-15 series, it leaves you one (player) short," Gavaskar said while talking on live broadcast.
"Normally, you tend to look at the end of the series (to retire). That's it. In the middle, it is not usual," he added.
"The selection committee has picked so many players for a tour with a purpose. If there are any injuries, they can select from the reserve players to have in the team. So Sydney (venue for the fifth Test) is somewhere where there is a lot of support on offer for spinners. So India could have played with two spinners. You never know, he (Ashwin) could have been there for sure. I don't know how the pitch in Melbourne (venue of fourth Test) will be like."

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The other off-spinner in India's squad is Washington Sundar, who played the first Test in Perth and, like Ashwin, is a handy batter lower down the order.
"Maybe Washington Sundar is ahead of him (as preferred off-spinner)," said Gavaskar. "Rohit mentioned that he (Ashwin) is flying out tomorrow. So this marks the end of Ashwin as an international cricketer. He has been one heck of a cricketer."

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