Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision to retire from all forms of international cricket may come as a surprise to many, but for his old friend Abhinav Mukund This is not the case.
Abhinav, who has seen Ashwin up close since the age-group cricket match in Chennai and is a former India batsman himself, has a feeling that the spinner has been taken by him ‘Ashe’, as he is affectionately called by his teammates, is considering moving on and the two had a lengthy chat in Chennai a few months ago during India’s first Test against Bangladesh.
“I almost felt that way before he toured Australia. When I last met him at Chepauk during the first Test between India and Bangladesh, we were actually talking about how our journey was And, I can see him becoming more of a family man now,” Abhinav told sports star On Wednesday, shortly after his friend announced his decision in Brisbane.
“His daughters were growing up, and it was really hard to be really away from family on such a long trip. Especially with the kids growing up and having a full calendar. I was almost like, ‘Oh, I’m just Can’t believe it, but Ashwin is actually enjoying his family time more than his time on the field now’…” Abhinav added with a smile.
Having said that, he doesn’t expect Ashwin to accept the tough decision so soon. “I really hope and hope that he can take the big route of these 10 Tests (three against New Zealand, five against Australia, and the WTC final if India advance) and then, maybe go home and call it a day. …”
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Growing up in Chennai around the same time, Abhinav and Ashwin were rising through the ranks – from the school cricket team to the national team, then breaking into the Indian team – and Abhinav had a crush on him Knowing enough, he was sure it wasn’t a hasty decision. Spin Ace.
“Sometimes these things are not done in a rush. These things are sometimes done because, ‘Oh, you’re done.’ And, when you’re done, you’re done. I think that’s what it feels like in his head,” Abina Said Dave, who played seven Tests for India and also played 145 first-class matches for Tamil Nadu, adding: “I’m pretty sure he’s been thinking about it for a while.” For many people, this may be unexpected. But I think he thought about it for a while and finally called…”
However, Ashwin will play local domestic cricket and will appear in the Indian Premier League next season in the jersey of the Chennai Super Kings.
But Abhinav has no doubt that retiring from international cricket will enable his close friend to focus on many other things. “I think Ashwin will be everywhere. He will be a Dasa Avatar Just like he is now,” Abhinav said with a smile. “This is what he will be. He’s going to be a commentator, he’s going to be a coach, he’s going to be on YouTube. If I knew him really well, I think he would also have a role in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. He would do anything under the sun. You can’t keep him away from the sport. He is a complete cricket fan. As you know, he will be involved in areas such as analytics and technology,” he added.
Around the same time, Abhinav and Ashwin grew up in Chennai and made their way from the school cricket team to the national team and then broke into the Indian team. |Photo credit: Ravichandran Ashwin/Instagram
Around the same time, Abhinav and Ashwin grew up in Chennai and made their way from the school cricket team to the national team and then broke into the Indian team. |Photo credit: Ravichandran Ashwin/Instagram
Abhinav remembered that the last time he met Ashwin, he asked Ashwin how he managed to do so many things and Ashwin just smiled.
“I told him, ‘For all of us, we only have 24 hours. You really have a lot more than that, man. How do you manage time for all these things? ‘ I’m sure that’s his priority and focus right now It’s going to be about family for a while but it’s going to be very short-lived and you’re going to see him everywhere…”
In fact, as Abhinav points out, he wouldn’t be surprised if Ashwin features in a nearby local underarm team soon after returning from Australia. After all, this is his passion for the game.
Taking a walk down memory lane, Abhinav recalled the time when both played for the Tamil Nadu U-22 team and it was then that he got to know how tough leader Ashwin was.
“That was before we started playing in the Ranji Trophy. He made his debut a little before me. It was an under-22 game and he was captain and was about to make his debut for the Tamil Nadu senior team.
Against Hyderabad, the game was beyond our control. Ashwin bats it with the tail.
“We almost gave up hope that morning and we accepted that we were going to lose the game. The fact that he got us into a really good position at the start and then he won it too. There was so much belief. , one person can make us believe that this is possible…” he added.
Ashwin did this time and time again throughout his long and illustrious career. “It’s a very strange thing, right? Some cricketers are destined to be heroes. And, Ashwin is not your typical hero. The way he looks when he bats is probably really good. He is not Your athlete, he will be the first to admit it, but Ashwin’s mental toughness to never give up and his inner tenacity is something I have always admired,” Abhinav said.
“We were roommates for the first three to four years of my Ranji Trophy career and at that time, I realized this guy was something else. I really believe he doesn’t get enough celebrations. I hope he does now Celebrate as much as possible…”
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The respect for Ashwin has grown over the years and now Abhinav is not just a friend but a fan of Ashwin. But later, did he get what he deserved?
“Well, this is a country that idolizes its personalities. Just like we have idolized batsmen since childhood. Before our generation, there were people who used to idolize Kapil Dev but for generations, people have always focused on the batsmen. Ballers – be it GRV (Gundapa Viswanath), Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar or Mohammad Azharuddin.
“Not many people are particularly fond of bowlers. I think bowlers carry a little bit of that tag, but Ashwin, for me, definitely deserves all the praise that anyone can get. I think he will be great for what he has achieved in his career. Very satisfied with the achievement. He punches well above his weight,” Abhinav added.
While Abhinav hopes that Ashwin can calm down and spend quality time with his family, Abhinav is sure that he will soon meet his old friend at a cricket ground – perhaps as a commentator, as Coach, or just be a student of the game!
