"Wasn't A Hasty Decision": Ravichandran Ashwin's Long Time Teammate Reveals New Details On Sudden Retirement

Former India batter Abhinav Mukund paid a rich tribute to the recently-retired Ravichandran Ashwin, saying the off-spinner was always a thinking cricketer who brain was on an overdrive and that he could never be kept quiet. Ashwin quit international cricket with immediate effect after the end of India's third Test against Australia at the Gabba, which ended in a draw. In a 14-year international career, Ashwin picked 537 wickets at average of 24 in 106 Tests and ended up as India's second leading wicket-taker after legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble.

He also picked an incredible 37 five-wicket hauls in Tests, the second-most in the history of the game, along with eight ten-wicket hauls. Ashwin also scored six Test centuries and 14 fifties with the bat in the longer format.

His last international game was the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide, where he took 1-53 in his 18 overs and made 29 runs with the bat, as India lost by ten wickets. “His brain was in overdrive throughout. You could never keep him quiet.”

“During long bus rides when travelling for the Ranji Trophy, he was always a back bencher. He would put together a bunch of guys and play a ridiculous game called Mafia - a simple game of deduction, where he would be the moderator and watch the action unfold.”

“I also remember during our early years in club cricket, sitting in the dressing room with him and he would bring a pen and a paper and we would do these mock auction picks and drafts for every IPL team, and plot how the sides would balance out. That restless intelligence means he never fails to surprise you every time you speak to him,” wrote Mukund in a column for ESPNCricinfo on Friday.

Ashwin also played 116 ODIs for India, taking 156 wickets, and