Why did Ravichandran Ashwin retire suddenly during BGT? Spinner was ‘A bit frustrated with…’

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin made shocking remarks on Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement after the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test. Brad Haddin stated that Ravichandran Ashwin might have been frustrated after being dropped for the third Test in Brisbane.

Ashwin made a surprising decision to retire from international cricket midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. His retirement came after an emotional moment with teammates in the dressing room. He officially announced his decision during the post-match press conference at the Gabba.

Ravichandran Ashwin Has His Opportunity to Speak - Brad Haddin

India's selection of spinners during the Border-Gavaskar series has been inconsistent. Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja played as the primary spinners in different Tests. Brad Haddin said that Ashwin might have been frustrated by the frequent changes in the spin department.

“More will come out when Ashwin has his opportunity to speak; just reading between the lines, it looked like he may have been a bit frustrated with the spinning options that they’ve changed in the first three Test matches. To me, he was a student of the game (and) always looking at ways to get better … he’s earned the right,” Haddin told Fox Cricket after the end of the Test match.

Last Time a Spinner Retired Mid-Series in Australia Was Graeme Swann - Brett Lee

With two Test matches remaining in the series, former Australian pacer Brett Lee compared Ravichandran Ashwin's mid-series retirement to that of England's Graeme Swann during the 2013 Ashes series. Lee said that Ashwin might have been told that he’s not going to play any further part in this series.

“I think the last time a spinner retired through a series (in Australia) was Graeme Swann. He may have been told that he’s not going to play any further part in this series, and rightly so, (he) just decided to go out on his own terms,” said Lee on Fox Cricket.

I’m Going to Miss His Bowling – Michael Vaughan

Former England cricketer Michael Vaughan expressed that he would miss Ashwin's bowling, particularly his variations like carom balls. Vaughan said that Ashwin has the ability to bowl effectively in all conditions, adding that batsmen struggle to face his quality, especially in India.

“I’m going to miss his bowling, that flight, carom balls, his abilities to bowl in all conditions … (in India) a batter has got no chance when you’re facing that quality,” Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

Rohit Sharma revealed in a post-match press conference that Ashwin had shared his retirement decision with him in Perth. However, Rohit convinced Ashwin to play in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. He scored 22 runs in the first innings and took one wicket. Ashwin scored seven runs in the second innings.

Ashwin finished as India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, with 537 wickets at an average of 24.00 and an economy rate of 2.83. Overall, Ashwin took 765 wickets in international cricket. In ODIs, he took 156 wickets at an average of 33.20, and he bagged 72 T20I wickets at an economy rate of 6.90.

Also read: After Ravichandran Ashwin, more retirements on the way? Rohit Sharma makes huge revelation