In a shocking revelation, R Ashwin’s father, Ravichandran, alleged the humiliation in the Indian dressing room may have contributed the 38-year-old calling time on his international career abruptly in the middle of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Ashwin took everyone by surprise when the ace-spinner announced his retirement on Wednesday, soon after India played a draw against Australia in the rain-hit third Test in Brisbane.
While the news shocked everyone, including former cricketers, Ravichandran too was taken by surprise. “I too came to know last minute, actually,” Ravichandran was quoted as saying to CNN News18.
“What was going on in his mind I don’t know. He just announced. I too accepted it with full pleasure. I did not have any feeling at all for that. But the way he gave his retirement, one part I was very happy, another part not happy because he should have continued,” he added.
Following the retirement announcement, Ashwin boarded the flight back home on Wednesday night and reached his residence on Thursday morning. Upon seeing his son, Ravichandran kissed his son on his forehead before other family members had their time with the India cricketer.
Asked what went through Ashwin’s mind before taking such a decision, Ravichandran hinted that not getting a regular place in the playing XI must have hit him like humiliation.
“(Retiring) is his (Ashwin’s) wish and desire, I cannot interfere in that, but the way in which he gave that, there could be many reasons. Only Ashwin knows, maybe humiliation,” he said.
Ravichandran also stated that the family knew Ashwin’s retirement was the on cards. “Definitely, no doubt about it (being emotional for the famiky), because he was on the field for 14-15 years. The sudden change – retirement – gave us really kind of a shock.
“At the same time, we were expecting it because humiliation was going on. How long he can tolerate all those things? Probably, he would have decided on his own,” Ravichandran concluded.
