Brad Haddin speculates on Ashwin's abrupt retirement from international cricket
What's the story
Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's shock retirement from international cricket amid India's tour of Australia has led to a lot of speculation.
Former Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin has weighed in on the shocking development.
According to him, Ashwin's frustration of being constantly benched could have been a major reason behind his decision to retire.
Here's more on what he said.
Strategy scrutiny
Haddin questions India's strategy in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Haddin also questioned India's strategy during the series, noting their frequent change of spinners.
He implied that this inconsistency showed that the Indian side didn't have a clear game plan.
"The first three Test matches, they played three different spinners. So they arrived not knowing what their game style is going to be around here," Haddin said on the 'Willow Talk' podcast.
Spinner's stance
Ashwin's self-perception as top spinner: Haddin
Further, Haddin speculated on Ashwin's mindset before his retirement.
He said Ashwin, who considers himself the number one spinner, must have gotten tired of not being picked.
"His record is elite, and he just went, 'You know what, I'm not sitting on the bench. If you can't decide that I'm your best spinner, I'm done. I've played enough. I don't need this,'" Haddin added.
Career highlights
Impressive career stats and contributions
In a career spanning over a decade, Ashwin became India's mainstay spinner across formats, especially in Test cricket, taking over from Harbhajan Singh.
Overall, Ashwin played 106 Tests, 116 ODIs, and 65 T20Is, having accounted for 756 wickets, the second-most for India in international cricket.
He finished as India's most successful off-spinner in Test cricket, finishing with with 537 wickets. He also scored over 3,500 Test runs with the bat, including six tons.