Ravichandran Ashwin: India's Spin King who always stood out from the rest

Ashwin’s was not a story of rags to riches, nor had he fought family for playing cricket. So, when he debuted for India back in 2010, there was not much uproar. He had done well in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and earned himself a reputation as a spinner with a lot of variations. But no one really thought of him as much of a Test cricketer.

India bowler Ravi Ashwin celebrates after taking the wicket of England batsman Ben Duckett during day three of the 2nd Test Match between India and England at ACA-VDCA Stadium on February 04, 2024 in Visakhapatnam, India. Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images

He made his debut in the longest format in November 2011 and that is when the world started noticing the man has it all. He took nine wickets in his first Test against West Indies, winning the Player of the Match award. He never really looked back ever since.

With his excellence in Test cricket, however, people thought he was meant for red-ball cricket alone. He was even sidelined from limited-overs cricket for quite some time. But Ashwin was an innovator. He wouldn’t just give up on things. He came up with a pool of variations, which suited modern-day cricket and worked on them for months before unleashing them on the ground. He evolved his game and ended up playing 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is apart from 106 Tests.

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In his 14-year-long international cricket, Ashwin achieved quite a few records. He ended up as the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests; he won the most number of Player of the Match awards (11) in the format; and was the fastest to reach 350 Test wickets in just 66 matches. He held the record for second most five-wicket-hauls (37) in Tests as well. 

The stats and records are more but Ashwin was way more than numbers. His understanding of the game and in-depth knowledge made him stand out from the rest. He was often part of the leadership group, providing vital tips and perspectives.

However, Ashwin did not always receive the appreciation he deserved. He remained an unsung hero for most of his career. Doing things silently, both in and out of the field. "He's been a stalwart, but not always getting enough credit for what he is and the role he plays in the Indian team. What a legend!" said former South African batter AB de Villiers earlier this year when Ashwin crossed the 500-wicket mark in Tests. 

Ashwin never shied away from doing something out of the box and speaking his heart out. He was one of the earliest cricketers from the current crop to practice Mankad (a dismissal where you run out non-strikers for leaving their crease early), which invited a lot of criticism.  

He was also probably the only active international cricketer who made regular content, involving back stories, analyses and much more, on social media. His outspoken nature often made things tough for him. He lost his place in the team a few times and was mostly made to sit on the bench during overseas tours.

India bowler Ravi Ashwin is congratulated by team mates after taking the wicket of Zak Crawley to reach his 500th Test Wicket during day two of the 3rd Test Match between India and England at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on February 16, 2024 in Rajkot, India. Image: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

“For far too long Ashwin has suffered not for his bowling ability of which only the churlish will have doubts, but for his forthrightness and speaking his mind at meetings where most others just nod even if they don't agree,” Gavaskar wrote in a column for Sportstar in 2020. “Any other country would welcome a bowler who has more than 350 Test wickets and not to forget four Test match centuries, too. However, if Ashwin doesn't take heaps of wickets in one game, he is invariably sidelined for the next one,”

However, Ashwin always found a way to make a comeback. He enchased almost every opportunity, ending up with a glorious cricketer. His retirement on Wednesday left a lot of fans as well as cricketers emotional.

“I’ve played with you for 14 years and when you told me today you’re retiring, it made me a bit emotional and the flashbacks of all those years playing together came to me. I’ve enjoyed every bit of the journey with you ash, your skill and match winning contributions to Indian cricket are second to none and you will always and always be remembered as a legend of Indian cricket,” former Indian captain Virat Kohli said.

Dinesh Karthik, former Indian wicket-keeper batter, termed Ashwin the greatest cricketer from Tamil Nadu.

“a GOAT retires. Well done on what's been an outstanding career. Proud to have played with you and definitely the greatest ever to have played from TAMILNADU,” Karthik tweeted.

Endless other congratulatory messages are being shared on Ashwin’s retirement but this won’t be the end of him. Ashwin will continue to play in the IPL and other domestic tournaments. The time is not far when we will see him in a different role as well. 

"I do feel there is bit of punch left in me as a cricketer but I would like to showcase that in club level cricket. I have had a lot of fun. I must say I have created a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates," he said in his retirement speech.