Ashwin joins Dhoni and Kumble, triggering a feeling of deja vu

Brisbane, A strong sense of déjà vu accompanied R. Ashwin’s retirement from international cricket as it reminded the cricketing fraternity of the days when MS Dhoni and Anil Kumble, just like the wily off-spinner, were in the middle of a series against the game abruptly left the stage in Australia.

Dhoni retired from red-ball cricket in 2014 while Kumble retired from the game in 2008.

While Ashwin and Dhoni played their last Test Down Under and abandoned it on their own terms, Kumble, whose retirement was triggered by a finger injury, played his last game in New Delhi.

Dhoni announced his sudden retirement from Test cricket in December 2014, in the middle of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, when India trailed 0-2 in the four-match series.

His announcement came completely out of the blue as he had given no indication of retiring from Test cricket.

Ashwin’s decision also came as a bit of a surprise, especially given the team’s dependence on him.

India and Australia are currently tied 1-1 in the five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Both Dhoni and Ashwin made the bold decision to retire in Australia, a country where Indian cricket often faces its toughest challenges. They left the Indian team short of players and the series remained in balance, which didn’t please the legendary Sunil Gavaskar.

“He could have said: Listen after the series ends, I will no longer be available for selection for India. What it does is that it is similar to when MS Dhoni retired at the end of the third Test in the 2014-15 series “Let’s get one more thing short,” Gavaskar told broadcasters after Ashwin’s announcement.

However, when Kumble retired after the third Test in Delhi, India led the four-match series 1-0 and eventually won the series 2-0 at home.

While Kumble and Dhoni are former India captains, Ashwin never led the national team but his retirement leaves a huge void in the spin bowling department. The responsibility of leading the team now lies with Ravindra Jadeja, who is already 36 years old, and the other younger spinners.

Kumble and Ashwin are India’s two best wicket-takers and, like Dhoni, who led the country to two World Cup victories, a Champions Trophy title and its first rise to the top of the Test rankings, have left an indelible legacy.

Ashwin, 38, announced his decision during the press conference at the Gabba, which took place after the third Test between India and Australia ended in a draw.

Ashwin has averaged 24 wickets in 106 Test matches. He is also ranked seventh in the overall wicket-takers list.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.