Harbhajan Singh expresses shock over R Ashwin's sudden retirement
The cricket fraternity was shocked when legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, after the India vs Australia 3rd Test in Brisbane. One of the shocked ones was Harbhajan Singh, another iconic name in Indian cricket. In an exclusive interview with Sports Now, Singh said he was shocked by Ashwin's sudden decision in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Harbhajan Singh had high hopes for Ashwin's performance
Singh had expected Ashwin to be key in the 4th and 5th Test matches in Melbourne and Sydney, as spinners usually do well on these tracks. Although he was surprised, Singh respected Ashwin's decision and praised his thoughtfulness as a cricketer. He said, "I was very surprised. I was a little shocked that such a big decision came in the middle of a series."
Singh speculates on Washington Sundar's role in Ashwin's retirement
Singh hinted Washington Sundar could be preferred over Ashwin for India's next Test Series in England in 2025. He observed Ashwin hasn't been a regular on foreign tours lately, which may have prompted him to retire. "When you are not played continuously (outside India). You play only one or two matches. So, sometimes the player thinks, 'What else do I have to prove so that I am played outside continuously?'" Singh said.
A look at his international career
Ashwin made his T20I debut in June 2010 in a T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare. In the coming years, he 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 for Team India. He also scored over 3,500 runs with the bat, including six tons.
