More senior players to call it quits, R Ashwin's retirement just the beginning: Report

More senior players to retire after R Ashwin. (Photo: PTI)

The Indian cricket team is under transition already and it is set to undergo major changes in the coming days as well. The senior players are likely to make way for the next generation as per a report from Cricbuzz, before the England in June-July next year. R Ashwin described himself, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma the last of India's "OG generation" during his retirement at the Gabba in Brisbane and it likely it could be their last Test assignment.

Ashwin along with Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja replaced the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman when they walked into the Indian dressing room as the team went under similar transition during 2012 and 2013. Ashwin's decision to retire however has come as a surprise to everyone around the globe.

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What does the report say?

Ashwin was given an indirect message as the report read, "How much of this decision (retirement) is planned, voluntary, or subtly influenced is difficult to determine, but the Indian team is expected to undergo a transformation soon - possibly by the start of their next Test series in England in the coming summer of 2025… It is unlikely that anyone would openly admit it was a nudge, but there is a perception that this announcement is just the first in a series expected to follow - much like in 2008, when several senior players retired in quick succession. The signals, whether conveyed directly or indirectly, seem to have been sent, setting the stage for a transition."

Ashwin's average performance in the home series against New Zealand could have raised some concerns in the dressing room and soon when he was not picked for the Perth Test ahead of Washington Sundar, that would have been a tough pill to swallow for a bowler who's the second highest wicket-taker for the country with 675 scalps. Ashwin has often been benched in favor of Ravindra Jadeja, a common practice in overseas Tests over the past five or six years. However, he has never found himself regarded as the "second choice" to another off-spinner.

Following the drawn game in Brisbane, India's chances of reaching the WTC final have diminished further. As the next cycle begins with a five-match Test series in England, it wouldn't be surprising if leadership transitions to a new captain.