"Told my wife Australia series could be last": Ravi Ashwin makes shocking revelation

Ravi Ashwin was adjudged player of the series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year.

Ravi Ashwin has made a shocking revelation about his retirement plans from his favourite format of the game. Ashwin has revealed that he was planning to announce his retirement from test cricket after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia earlier this year. Everyone was surprised to see Ashwin being snubbed for the big World Test Championship Final against Australia.

Ravi Ashwin has been India’s most successful spinner in Test cricket with 474 wickets in Test cricket and also with 61 wickets in the recently concluded World Test Championship cycle in 2021-23. He revealed in an interview that he told his wife that the Australia series could be his last. 

Ashwin revisited his retirement plan

In an interaction with The Indian Express, Ravi Ashwin revealed, “When I came back from Bangladesh, I told my wife that the Australia series could become my last series. I used to have some knee issues. I told her I am going to change my action because it really got momentum and with that when I was landing, my knee was buckling a little bit… I was not happy with the way the ball was coming, it was just scrambling a little bit”. 

He revealed that his knee problem started during India’s tour of Bangladesh and said that it started to pain and his knee was swelling up. Deciding on the next course, Ashwin revealed, “To change my action, it’s got to be the most stupid and ridiculous thing to do. So I came back and said, listen, there’s a lot of load on the knee, it’s time to change and I’m going to go back to my action that used to bowl in 2013-14”. 

Ashwin visited Bangalore to begin their preparation for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia and also for the treatment. He also revealed that he changed his action during the series and practiced a lot before entering the game. He said, “I went to Bangalore, took injections, and changed my action… I started bowling and the knee pain went away. I practiced for a few days in Nagpur and then I went into the match without having played any game with that. I didn’t even feel like a bowler for the first 3-4 overs but was able to get on with it because of the awareness I got”. 

Ravi Ashwin picked up 25 wickets in the series and was awarded Player of the Series along with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin was extremely proud of himself to overcome another challenge in his career. He said, “I am proud of the Player of the Series award. I think that is probably one of the best series I have had and the best bowling performance for me in a series in the last 4-5 years… I feel so good having done this at 36, If I can manage my action and put my career at stake, I don’t think there can be a greater challenge in life”. Ravi Ashwin along with Ravindra Jadeja have proved a crucial match-winning partnership for team India with the red-ball.