'Farewell, GOAT': Fans emotional as R Ashwin announces retirement from Test cricket

R Ashwin announces retirement from Test cricket after 3rd Test against Australia. (Photo: PTI)

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin retired from international cricket after the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Brisbane. Ashwin finished his career with 537 wickets in Test cricket, second-highest for India only behind Anil Kumble, who finished with 619 wickets from 132 Test matches. He only played one game of the three Tests in the ongoing series in Australia in which he finished with 1 for 53 in the day-night Pink-ball Test in Adelaide.

In the recent series against New Zealand at home, Ashwin picked up nine wickets with an average of 41.22 at home. Fans were emotional after the veteran spinner announced his retirement, take a look at the reactions...

Not just a player, but an era. Ashwins retirement leaves a void no one can fill. Farewell, GOAT. https://t.co/1wbv4MbVV7
Diptiii (@DiptiKhandelw11) December 18, 2024

Ravi Ashwin retires: Proof that you can be a scientist, an artist, and a magician all in one. Cricket wont be the same without your spin lab experiments! pic.twitter.com/jDfxxMeFas Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 18, 2024

- 537 Test wickets.- 37 Five wicket hauls.- 3,503 runs.- 6 Test centuries.- Joint most POTS awards in Tests.CRICKET AND FANS WILL MISS YOU, RAVI ASHWIN. pic.twitter.com/lPY6bajiLf
Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 18, 2024

Will miss you Ashwin. You deserved one WTC Title and one Captaincy stint atleast. pic.twitter.com/ZdERgQ2OBc Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 18, 2024

Ashwin hugging Rohit after announcing the retirement pic.twitter.com/KPj5nMepUd
Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 18, 2024

So it's Ravichandran Ashwin who is retiring. Thank you Ash anna for wonderful career. pic.twitter.com/tuRJZE0osw Aryan (@264Mbps) December 18, 2024

Ravichandran Ashwin, who hasn't been a regular in India's overseas Test XI, will turn 39 by the time India's next home season begins, following their upcoming away series in England.

With the bat, Ashwin scored 3503 runs in Test cricket for India with 6 hundreds and 14 fifties. He won the Player-of-the-Series award for 11 times playing for India.

"I won't take too much of your time. Today will be the last day for me as an India cricketer," said Ashwin at the conclusion of the drawn third Test during a joint press conference with captain Rohit Sharma. He declined to take any questions and left immediately after delivering his statement.