By Zainab Shafiq 
Ravichandran Ashwin has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to an extraordinary career that spans 14 years. He made the announcement after India’s draw against Australia in Brisbane on December 18. The 38-year-old is known for his versatility and leaves as the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests, with 537 scalps, behind only Anil Kumble. He was also ranked fifth in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers and third for all-rounders at the time of retirement.
Ashwin’s place in history is carved there. Ashwin becomes the fastest bowler to record 250, 300, and 350 Test wickets. The record gives him the seventh spot in that all-time list. Ashwin retires from the international arena with 37 five-wicket hauls. Only Muttiah Muralitharan would surpass this record by the end of his career, alongside Shane Warne.
Ashwin announces retirement from international with a stellar career
He got dismissed more left-handed batsmen than anyone in Test cricket history- 268 of them. He also achieved the distinction of scoring a hundred and claiming a five-wicket haul in the same match on four occasions besides scoring 3503 Test runs with six centuries.
Speaking at a press conference alongside captain Rohit Sharma, Ashwin expressed gratitude to his teammates and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). “This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats. I’ve had an amazing journey,” Ashwin said. “I owe much to my teammates—Rohit, Virat, Ajinkya, Pujara, and all those who stood behind me to take the catches that made these wickets possible.”
He played an important role in India’s 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy triumphs and was also successful in the shorter format of the game, with 156 ODI and 72 T20I wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin leaves international cricket with a plethora of laurels, including the ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2016 and a place in the ICC Test Team of the Decade (2011-20).
Despite not playing internationally, Ashwin will remain with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and club cricket in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. Ravichandran Ashwin takes his leave from international cricket with an unerasable impact on the game.
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