Mumbai, December 19
India's spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin announced his decision to retire from International Cricket moments after the Brisbane Test ended in a draw. The cricket fraternity and legends, along with Bollywood celebs lauded Ashwin for his illustrious career with bat and bowl.
Bollywood actress and wife of cricketer Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma re-shared a heartwarming video of the cricketer and wrote "A Lasting Legacy."
In the video, the spin wizard of India is seen attending a press conference in which he announces his retirement and talks to his teammates.
Along with Ranveer Singh, other Bollywood celebs also praised R Ashwin for his illustrious cricket career.
Taking to Instagram Story, Ranveer wrote, "One of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you for the memories."
Actor Nakuul Mehta also gave a shoutout to Ashwin.
"End of The Carrom Ball Maestro Era. I have felt heavy all day. Some of the greatest moments of my life have been benchmarked by how we played at that time. Sachin's desert storm, Laxman and Dravid at Eden, Dhoni's six at Wankhede, Kohli chasing, Beating Aussies in their den and Ash wreaking havoc at Chepauk and saving us the blushes for the n'th time with the bat.
Nakuul added, "Ashwin's contribution to Indian cricket would truly be understood in the years to come. An absolute master and servant to the game. Thank you for making our lives so much richer with how you played and upheld the game. Can't wait to see you and DK analyse the game from the box."
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Arjun Kapoor also took to his Instagram handle to laud the successful cricket career of R Ashwin.
"To the man who gave us moments to celebrate, matches to remember, and pride that can't be measured. Thank you, Ashwin, for being a true game-changer. #ThankYouAshwin"
Ashwin made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies, marking the beginning of an illustrious career in red-ball cricket. He featured in 106 Tests, taking an astounding 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls, and scored 3,503 runs.
Ashwin played 23 Tests against Australia, claiming 115 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 2.71. The 38-year-old also holds the record for the most wickets taken in a single Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, with 29 scalps during the 2020-21 edition.
In the longest format of the game, Ashwin set numerous records that may prove difficult to surpass. He is the fastest Indian bowler to claim 350 Test wickets and ranks as India's second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 537 dismissals at an economy rate of 2.83.