The former World Cup-winning captain for India, Kapil Dev, has displayed his shock at the sudden retirement of the veteran spin all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin during the third of the five-match Test series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Ravichandran Ashwin decided to make his international retirement as he returned home before the fourth Test of the series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He finishes as the second leading wicket-taker in Tests for India with 537 scalps in 104 games at an average of 24 with the help of 37 five-wicket hauls at the best figure of 7/59 in an innings.
The Tamil Nadu spinner was also the second-highest wicket-taker for India in international cricket, just after Anil Kumble, with 765 scalps in 379 innings at an average of 25.80 and a strike rate of 45.7, thanks to 37 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-wicket hauls.
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The two worst series for Ravichandran Ashwin at home was the one against England in 2012-13 and the last one against New Zealand in 2024. Without a doubt, he decided to hang up his shoes beside the domination with the red ball in between these to write the golden period of the Blue Brigade in the longest format.
“I wouldn’t have let Ravichandran Ashwin go like that”- Kapil Dev
The former World Cup-winning captain of the national side, Kapil Dev, has reckoned that it would be really hard to find the next Kapil Dev in the future. He also reckoned that if the side fails to get improved players in the next generation, then the world won’t be moving.
“If there is no other Kapil Dev, it will be difficult, as I feel, because there will be other names but not Kapil Dev. That’s fine, but what I feel is that The next generation has to be better than us. If not, the world is not going ahead. We never imagined that somebody would come close to Sachin Tendulkar or Sunil Gavaskar.” The pace bowling all-rounder expressed during an interaction with ANI.
He shed light on how, from the past glory of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, the Indian side was blessed with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, or Rohit Sharma, all of whom, at their prime time, have carried the responsibility of the side on their shoulders.
“We had Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Rohit. So, you come out with the next generation, and their strike rate, style, or way of playing is so unique. So, you appreciate the next generation.” Dev addressed.
The Haryana-born reckoned that he was stunned by the retirement decision of Ravichandran Ashwin. He also highlighted that he would have tried his best to keep him on the side for the future and send him with a lot more respect and happiness.
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“Like Ravichandran Ashwin has gone. I wish I had been there; I wouldn’t have let him go like that. I would have sent him with a lot of respect and happiness because you leave something that you love, it’s very tough, and we have to respect that people.” Kapil Dev concluded.
The Chennai-spinner, during the press conference at the end of the third Test, informed that he would keep on exposing in the domestic red-ball event for Tamil Nadu and also in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Ravichandran Ashwin will not feature for India in a Test series after more than a decade at home when the Indian side faces West Indies in October 2025.