Is This Why Ashwin Retired?

'I do not think we have heard the last of that yet.'

Former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin suggested that legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement in the middle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy stemmed from frustration over not being selected in the playing eleven.

Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket following the draw in the third Test against Australia at Brisbane. Notably, Ashwin had not played in that match. He featured in the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval, scoring 29 runs across both innings and taking one wicket.

Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, Haddin said, 'The first three Test matches, they played three different spinners, so they arrived here not knowing what their game style is going to be around here. It should not be a shock when you get here, they have played here enough, they have success here.

'So Ashwin retiring mid-series was a funny one. I do not think we have heard the last of that yet. I think he was just jack of not getting picked.'

'I think he sees himself as the number one spinner. His record is elite, and he just went, 'You know what I am not sitting on the bench. If you cannot decide that I am your best spinner, I am done. I have played enough. I do not need this.' I do not think we have heard the end of that,' Haddin added.

In 106 Tests, Ashwin picked 537 wickets at an average of 24, with best figures of 7/59. He claimed 37 five wicket hauls and eight ten wicket match hauls in his Test career.

He is the eighth highest wicket-taker in Tests overall and the second highest for India, behind Anil Kumble (619 wickets). Ashwin also holds the record for the second most five wicket hauls in Tests, trailing only Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (67).

Across all formats, Ashwin took 765 wickets in 287 matches, making him India's second-highest wicket-taker after Anil Kumble (953 wickets).