- Ashwin participated in only one of the first three Test matches in the ongoing series in Australia. He bowled in the day-night match at Adelaide, taking 1 wicket for 53 runs.
- Ashwin has declared his sudden departure from international cricket.
. He made this announcement at the end of the third Test 
of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Brisbane. He will return to India on Thursday.
In a press conference following the Brisbane Test, Ashwin said,
“Today marks my last day as an Indian cricketer at the international level. I feel there’s still some energy left in me as a player, but I would like to channel it into club-level cricket. This is the last day of my international career.”
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my journey. I must say I’ve created many memorable moments with Rohit (Sharma) and my other teammates, even though I’ve lost a few of them (from the Indian team) over the years. We can call ourselves the last of the ‘Original Gangsters’ (OG) in the dressing room. This is the day I mark as the end of my time playing at this level.”
“There are countless people to thank, but I’d fail in my duty if I didn’t express my gratitude to the BCCI and my teammates. Many of them have shared this journey with me. I’d like to name a few of them, including all the coaches who were part of this adventure. Most importantly, Rohit, Virat [Kohli], Ajinkya [Rahane], and [Cheteshwar] Pujara, who took brilliant catches in the slips and close-in positions, helping me get wickets over the years.”
“A heartfelt thanks to the Australian cricket team for their unwavering spirit and fierce competitiveness.. Playing against them has always been a joy.”
Declining to take questions from the media and emphasizing that he was only there to share this news, Ashwin added,
“This is an incredibly emotional moment. I don’t think I’m in a state to answer questions properly. Please forgive me for that. Thank you to all the journalists who wrote both kind and critical words about me. I believe this relationship will always remain, and I hope future cricketers receive the same love.”
Lastly, he confirmed that he would remain connected to cricket, though possibly not as a player in IPL (he currently represents Chennai Super Kings) or TNPL (Dindigul Dragons).
“You’ll see me again soon. As a player, I’ve stopped playing, but I may stay involved with the game in other ways because this sport has given me everything.”
Ashwin was recently purchased by his first IPL team, Chennai Super Kings, for ₹9.75 crore in the mega auction and is set to play for them in IPL 2025.
During the press conference, Rohit Sharma, who was seated alongside Ashwin, remarked,
“Certain choices are deeply personal, and I believe they shouldn’t be overly scrutinized.
If a player has chosen a particular path, they should be allowed to take it. Someone like Ashwin, who has played for us for so many years, has the right to make his own decisions, and as teammates, we must respect that. He was very certain about his decision, and the team fully supports his thought process.”
“Obviously, there’s now some time between [the Test matches], so for us as a team, it’s crucial to regroup and align our thoughts. We have time to think about our way forward. But as far as Ashwin is concerned, he was very, very sure of his decision.”
“I first heard about [his retirement plans] in Perth. I wasn’t there for the first three or four days of the first Test, but it was on his mind since then, and there were undoubtedly several factors behind it. Ashwin would be better positioned to explain, but he understands what the team is thinking and the kind of combinations we are considering. When we got here, even we weren’t certain which spinner would play. We just wanted to assess the conditions first.”
“When I got to Perth, we had this conversation, and I managed to persuade him to stick around until the pink-ball Test match. After that, it was clear that if he felt he wasn’t needed, he was ready to bid farewell to the game.”
“We haven’t reached Melbourne yet, so we don’t know what the conditions will be like or what combinations will work there. But specifically regarding Ashwin, if he feels this way, we should give him the respect to make that choice, and we all must stand by his decision.”
“This is what I’m thinking right now, and this is also the conversation I had with Gautam Gambhir. It’s important that a player who has shared so many memorable moments with the Indian team and has been a massive match-winner for us gets the freedom to make his decisions. “If this is the moment, then let it unfold as it will.”
Ashwin ends his Test career as India’s second-highest wicket-taker, with 537 wickets in 106 Tests at an average of 24, trailing only Anil Kumble (619 wickets in 132 Tests).
In the ongoing series in Australia, he played only one of the first three Tests, delivering figures of 1/53 in the day-night Test in Adelaide. In the previous series, a 0-3 home defeat to New Zealand, he took just nine wickets at an average of 41.22.
Ashwin’s appearances in overseas Tests had become less frequent, and India’s next Test series is a tour of England. By the time India’s next home Test season begins, Ashwin will be 39 years old.
In addition to his bowling, Ashwin scored 3,503 Test runs, including six centuries and 14 fifties, becoming one of only 11 all-rounders with over 3,000 runs and 300 wickets. He also won the Player of the Series award a record 11 times, tied with Muttiah Muralitharan.
Since beginning his international career in 2010, which included being part of India’s victorious 2011 ODI World Cup squad, Ashwin has played 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is, taking 156 wickets at an average of 33.20 and 72 wickets at an economy rate of 6.90, respectively. However, he hasn’t played white-ball cricket for India since October 2023, when he took part in a World Cup game against Australia in Chennai..
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