'No one to blame, I am not angry...': R Ashwin rejects Kapil Dev's demand for super celebrity culture gesture

Ravichandran Ashwin has recently addressed the speculation surrounding his sudden retirement from international cricket following the conclusion of the third Test against Australia at the Gabba. The 38-year-old made the decision to retire with two Test matches still remaining in the series, leaving many to wonder about the reasons behind his unexpected departure.

As India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, Ashwin had only played one match in the series before deciding to retire. He was notably left out of the first Test at Perth, with Washington Sundar being chosen as the lone spinner instead. Ashwin did make an appearance in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide but was subsequently dropped in Brisbane in favor of Ravindra Jadeja.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma revealed that Ashwin had been contemplating retirement since joining the team in Perth, and it took some convincing for him to play in the second match.

Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev expressed his disappointment at the departure of Ashwin and argued that the star spinner deserved a more fitting farewell. Dev, who led India to victory in the 1983 World Cup, made these comments in response to numerous cricket fans advocating for Ashwin to have a farewell match. Despite calls for a special sendoff, the seasoned cricketer, who has played in 106 Test matches, rejected the idea, stating that he did not believe in such practices and criticized it as a manifestation of excessive celebrity culture.

"As far as I am concerned, grand farewells are wrong. I don't think you should give grand farewell ceremonies to anyone. Especially, I firmly believe that you shouldn't give me a grand farewell. I don't want anyone shedding a drop of tear for me. I think grand send-offs are part of a super celebrity culture.

"Why should we run behind someone? I understand we run behind someone for the love we have for them. But I feel that people should get inspired by one's achievements, the legacy that one leaves behind, the way one left the game, and the way one has spoken about the game. But farewells are wrong, I think. If there is a match that has been organised just to celebrate me, I think it’s a disservice to the game," Ashwin was quoted saying by India Today in an interaction on Gobinath's YouTube channel.

Ashwin confidently asserted that he harbored no regrets and adamantly refused to assign blame to anyone for his decision. The 2011 World Cup champion disclosed that he did not shed a tear after making the difficult decision to retire from playing for Team India.

"I don't have any regrets about it. Zero regrets. If I am not happy with 537 wickets, then for what will I be happy? Why should I be sad about something that's not there? There is great joy in acceptance. You chase something that you don't have. But don't regret something that you don't have. Don't crib about it."

"I quit this part of my life. It was a full stop to that part of my life. I can talk cricket, I do YouTube, I love coaching. I can keep myself happy around cricket. I will stay connected with cricket. I don’t have any regrets; I am not angry at anyone. I didn’t cry even one bit. No one else is responsible for my retirement. If there’s someone, I am not aware of it," said Ashwin.

Ashwin is poised for a remarkable return to the Chennai Super Kings in the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League, where he will showcase his cricketing prowess at the highest level.

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