Kapil Dev says R Ashwin deserved a better farewell: 'I would have sent him with a lot of respect'

Kapil Dev feels that Ravichandran Ashwin deserved a better farewell as the veteran off-spinner took a sudden retirement from international cricket and left the Indian cricket team without a farewell Test. Ashwin, who retired from international cricket on Wednesday, was not a part of the Brisbane Test against Australia which ended in a draw.

Ashwin was also not a part of India’s playing XI in two out of the last three Tests in Australia and his continued absence from the team in overseas matches must have prompted him to retire from international cricket.

‘Ashwin deserved lot of respect’

India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev on Thursday said that he wanted Ashwin to depart with a “lot of respect” rather than a subdued end to a great career that the 38-year-old experienced.

“The next generation has to be better than us. If not, the world is not going ahead. We never imagined that somebody would come close to Sachin Tendulkar or Sunil Gavaskar…Ashwin has gone. I wish I had been there, I wouldn’t have let him go like that. I would have sent him with a lot of respect and happiness,” Kapil Dev said as quoted by ANI.

Ashwin played 106 Tests, taking a staggering 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls, and scored 3,503 runs. His contributions to Indian cricket extend far beyond these impressive statistics.

Ashwin departs after a glittering career with India

He is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history and the second-highest for India, behind Anil Kumble (619). He also has the second-most five-wicket hauls in Tests, after Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan (67).

Ashwin was instrumental in India’s dominance in Test cricket, especially during their rise to the top between 2014 and 2019.

In limited-overs cricket, Ashwin played 181 matches, taking 228 wickets. He featured in 116 ODIs, claiming 156 wickets with best figures of 4/25 and scoring 707 runs. In 65 T20Is, he took 72 wickets, with best figures of 4/8, and scored 184 runs.

With 765 international wickets across formats, Ashwin is India’s second-highest wicket-taker, behind Kumble (953). He was also part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning squad and the 2013 Champions Trophy team.

Ashwin’s retirement marks the end of a remarkable era, leaving behind a legacy that will inspire future generations.

With agency inputs