R Ashwin sees himself playing cricket more, at least for the foreseeable future, now that he is free of the unmatched pressure of being an Indian cricket player.
The 38-year-old shocked the cricket community by declaring his retirement after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy’s third Test. The people in his hometown of Chennai welcomed him with open arms when he returned home via plane the next day.
During an interview with former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports, Ashwin disclosed that he retired in the middle of the series because he did not find his game to be as fulfilling.”I always say this when someone asks me, ‘What’s next?'” I have stated that I would likely give up my creative side the moment I wake up and find it without a purpose or future.
“That creative side, in my opinion, did not have much potential for exploration. In the modern world of cricket, laboratories are available. Therefore, I reasoned, “If this isn’t the lab, I can find another one,” said India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.Is Ashwin content with his ranking as the seventh most wicket taker of all time?
“I will not be seventh on the list for a long time. Nathan Lyon is breathing down my neck. I’m happy to be number 8, and I’m looking forward to whatever number I end up being.”One stigma that has always followed me is that people have tended to claim that I am a numbers man, that I know my numbers, giving the idea that I went for numbers, which was never the case.”It was all about becoming thrilled to be someone else the next day when I played the game.I gained so much from the game that I was able to be creative and discover my own potential. I’m really appreciative to the game for providing me with all those options. “I still have the cricketer in me. The stigma of being an Indian cricket player can be intimidating, but I do see myself doing a lot more in the upcoming years. That’s off my back now, and as long as my body permits me, I do have a path to pursue further,” he remarked.
Some people make the decision to retire immediately, while others do so after giving it careful consideration. Ashwin brackets himself where? “You constantly have that question in your heart. You keep wondering yourself, “Am I really making the right decision?” It was a little different in my situation. I’m not sure how to put this. But I’ve never been the type to cling to possessions or anything. I’ve never in my life felt insecure.”I doubt that what I have today will be mine tomorrow. Probably, that was one of my motivators. I’ve always tried to leave things behind as casually as possible because I don’t believe in people celebrating me, and I don’t believe in the attention we sometimes receive in India. The game has always been ahead of me,” Ashwin added.
The amount of affection Ashwin received after retiring overwhelmed him. The cricketers he grew up idolizing, Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev, were among those who called to congratulate him on his remarkable career.”I went to bed one night, wondering what the heck I’d done. Sachin and Kapil Dev are good examples. Sachin meant everything to me growing up. I didn’t want him to go out. To obtain a call from him, he spoke with me in detail about how he felt when he hung up his boots. “Then Kapil Dev contacting me and spoke about what he felt and thought of me was (overwhelming). “I am extremely grateful (for the love that I have received),” he continued.
