Sunil Gavaskar unhappy with Ashwin's retirement timing: 'It leaves you one player short'

Sunil Gavaskar is not amused by Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision to retire in the middle of the India-Australia Test series which still has two matches to go. The Test series is currently tied 1-1 after the Brisbane Test ended in a draw, following which Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket . Ashwin not being a part of the Indian cricket team’s playing XI in Perth and Brisbane Tests must have played a big role in his decision.

The 38-year-old Ashwin was included in the second Test in Adelaide but the veteran off-spinner picked just one wicket in the pink-ball Test.

Gavaskar slams Ashwin’s retirement timing

Gavaskar though feels that Ashwin should have retired at the end of the series as his absence has left the team one player short.

“He could have said, ‘Listen, after the end of the series, I won’t be available for selection for India’. What it does is that, similarly when MS Dhoni retired at the end of the third Test in the 2014-15 series, it leaves you one (player) short,” Gavaskar told the broadcaster. “Normally, you tend to look at the end of the series (to retire). That’s it. In the middle, it is not usual.”

“The selection committee has picked so many players for a tour with a purpose. If there are any injuries, they can select from the reserve players to have in the team. So Sydney (venue for the fifth Test) is somewhere where there is a lot of support on offer for spinners. So India could have played with two spinners. You never know, he (Ashwin) could have been there for sure. I don’t know how the pitch in Melbourne (venue of fourth Test) will be like.”

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Gavaskar, however, acknowledged that Washington Sundar is now ahead of Ashwin in the pecking order before labelling the former spinner as “one heck of a cricketer.”

“Maybe Washington Sundar is ahead of him (as preferred off-spinner),” Gavaskar said. “Rohit mentioned that he (Ashwin) is flying out tomorrow. So this marks the end of Ashwin as an international cricketer. He has been one heck of a cricketer.”

Also Read | R Ashwin’s biggest records in Test cricket

Ashwin confirmed in his dressing room speech that he would be flying back to India immediately and would not stay for the last two Tests.

He took 765 wickets in 287 international matches, including 537 in 106 Tests. Ashwin also scored six hundreds in Test cricket.

The third India-Australia Test will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 26 December.