The ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin put an end to his international cricket career after having played 288 matches and taken more than 750 wickets. He bows out with a staggering 537 wickets from 106 Tests-the second-highest for India in the format-after legendary Anil Kumble’s 619. Ashwin’s retirement news came with a shock for many, including star batter Virat Kohli, and even though Rohit Sharma, India’s captain, was informed of the announcement before the ongoing series Down Under.
However, it could just be the first of many such sudden and abrupt retirements in the near future.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Indian team is going through a transition phase, which is likely to happen after the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June next year at Lord’s, but only if they reach there.
“How much of this decision was actually planned, voluntary, or subtly influenced is hard to tell, but the Indian team clearly seems set for a transformation soon-possibly by the time of their next Test series in England in the summer of 2025. As has happened in the past, the credit or discredit for the announcement will most likely be related to a Test series against Australia. Australian tours have developed a cruel reputation over the years for putting a tragic end to careers,” states the report.
In relation to this, the report also stated that 2025 could well be the year of retirements in Indian cricket, just as 2008 was when Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble called time at the end of the same series.
It is not something anyone would particularly want to put up there in terms of open admission. The idea here is that this announcement is seen as part of a long row of announcements which would be coming thereafter – as in 2008, when so many seniors retired one after the other. The signs, whether sent directly or indirectly, have been sent out for transition,” it added.
However, it is ambiguous whether such impending announcements would come in time after the present series with Australia if India does not reach the WTC final.
The remaining old-timers-Rohit, Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja-have hung their boots to T20s after winning the shortest format World Cup.
Unlike Ashwin, Rohit and Kohli are struggling in general. One of the biggest highlights of 2024 for Rohit was his magnificent run with the bat in the T20 world cup.
In contrast, he shone in the finale of that tournament against South Africa, only to redeem himself with an easy 100 against Australia in the Perth Test last month.