Ravichandran Ashwin‘s daughter had a sweet message for her father, who returned from Australia on Thursday after announcing a sudden retirement from international cricket at the conclusion of the third Test in Brisbane, which ended in a draw.
“Thank you, AshNa. You have the streets!” read the placard that the spin legend’s daughter held, and her dad decided to post a picture of it on social media.
Ashwin was given a hero’s welcome upon reaching home in Chennai, where his family was eagerly waiting for him, along with his close friends and neighbours.
Retiring from the sport as India’s second highest wicket-taker in Tests with 537 scalps, after fellow spin legend Anil Kumble’s 619 wickets, Ashwin announced his decision in the post-match press conference in Brisbane, where he accompanied India captain, Rohit Sharma. He left for India within hours after that.
Ashwin featured in only one of the three Tests in Australia. The pink-ball match in Adelaide marked his last appearance for India.
“I am going to play for CSK (Chennai Super Kings) and don’t be surprised if I try and aspire to play for as long as I can. I don’t think Ashwin the cricketer is done, I think Ashwin the Indian cricketer has probably called it time. That’s it,” Ashwin told reporters after arriving on Thursday.
On his retirement call, Ashwin said the decision was “instinctive”.
“It’s emotional for a lot of people. It will be emotional, maybe it will sink in. But for me, it’s a great sense of relief and satisfaction…It had been running in my head for a while but it was very instinctive. I felt it on day 4 and called it on day 5,” he added.