Sachin Tendulkar pays tribute to retiring R Ashwin: 'From mastering the carrom ball to...'

On a somber Wednesday in Brisbane, cricket fans bid farewell to a legendary player as R Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket. The renowned spinner shared the news after the conclusion of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match, where India managed to draw against Australia due to inclement weather. Sitting alongside captain Rohit Sharma during the press conference, Ashwin made his announcement before quietly exiting the stage, leaving behind a legacy that will be cherished for years to come.

After making his announcement, Ashwin sent social media into a state of frenzy, as teammates, ex-players and fans paid their tributes. India legend Sachin Tendulkar also joined the bandwagon and hailed Ashwin for his impact on cricket.

Taking to X, Sachin wrote, “Ashwin, I’ve always admired how you approached the game with your mind and heart in perfect sync. From perfecting the carrom ball to contributing crucial runs, you always found a way to win.”

“Watching you grow from a promising talent to one of India’s finest match-winners has been wonderful. Your journey shows that true greatness lies in never being afraid to experiment and evolve.

“Your legacy will inspire one and all. Wishing you all the very best for your 2nd innings”, he added.

Ashwin was benched for the Brisbane Test, and was also not included in the playing XI for the opener. He made it to the playing XI for the second Test match. Already 38-years-old, Ashwin’s career saw him bag 537 Test wickets, which makes him the seventh-highest wicket-taker in the format. He is the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests for India, after Kapil Dev, who took 619 scalps.

A huge presence in the Indian dressing room during his career, Ashwin also took 37 five-wicket hauls in 106 Tests, which is the joint-second highest with Shane Warne in the format. Muttiah Muralitharan tops the list with 67 five-wicket hauls. During the latter part of his career, Ashwin also became important with the bat in the middle order, contributing with crucial knocks.

His career also saw him end up with 11 Test Player-of-the-Series awards, the joint-highest in world cricket, and 10 match awards, which is the joint-highest for an Indian, and joint-highest for an Indian bowler.