Ravindra Jadeja expressed his surprise and shock upon learning about Ravichandran Ashwin’s international retirement just five minutes before the press conference, where Ashwin officially announced the end of his illustrious career in international cricket.
The two had spent the day together during the third Test match between India and Australia at the Gabba, but Jadeja revealed that Ashwin did not hint at his decision to retire, leaving him completely taken aback. Jadeja shared his feelings during a media interaction at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), stating, “We spent the whole day together, and he didn’t even give me a hint. I got to know at the last minute. We all know how Ashwin’s mind works.”
Ashwin and Jadeja, who formed one of India’s most successful bowling partnerships in Tests, shared a deep on-field bond. Together, they played 58 Tests and took 587 wickets, surpassing the legendary duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in the process. Jadeja referred to Ashwin as his “on-field mentor,” and emphasized the valuable contributions Ashwin made to India’s success with both the ball and the bat.
“I will miss all this. We just hope that we get a better all-rounder and bowler than Ashwin,” Jadeja remarked, acknowledging that while Ashwin’s retirement marks the end of an era, it also opens doors for new talent to step up.
Reflecting on his own performance, Jadeja spoke about his confidence boost from his 77-run knock in the third Test against Australia. “Scoring outside when the team is in a tough position, it gives you confidence,” he said, adding that his mindset would remain focused on contributing as per the team’s needs.
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy currently tied, the two teams will face off in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, starting December 26, 2024.
