‘Relaxed But Also Felt Very Bad’: R Ashwin’s Father On His International Retirement

Spin legend R Ashwin called time on his international cricket career on Wednesday. The off-spin all-rounder was part of India’s squad for the ongoing five-match Test series against Australia, but he decided to put curtains on his career at the highest level at the conclusion of the third Test in Brisbane. Ashwin’s retirement came as a shock to the cricket world as such a decision was not expected from the player. While talking about the decision, the player’s father Ravichandran said that he was relaxed, but was also feeling bad.

“I will be always emotional when he is batting, when he is bowling. Now, also I am very emotional,” Ashwin’s Ravichandran father told NDTV in an exclusive interview.

“I just simply went and dropped him,” he said while talking about the formative years of the player.

“Whatever the best I could do I did it. He did rest of the things. I didn’t do anything. He improved on his own. He developed on his own. He is basically a very intelligent player, no doubt about it. His brilliance has helped him, his patience has helped him a lot. His patience has improved him a lot. That is very-very important in cricket.”

While talking about the announcement of R Ashwin’s retirement, the proud father futher said, “One part I was really very relaxed and really happy, but in other way when you ask, I felt very bad.”

Ashwin’s has got his name registered in the record books for the achievements that will be hard to surpass. He is the fastest Indian to reach 350 Test wickets and ranks as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 537 wickets at an economy rate of 2.83.