Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opened up about the deeply personal promise that ultimately shaped the end of his international career. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin revealed that India’s 2012 home series defeat to England left such a lasting impact on him that he vowed to retire the next time India lost a Test series at home.
That moment, he said, arrived with the shocking whitewash against New Zealand in 2024 — a loss that broke him and pushed him to walk away midway through the Test tour of Australia last year.
“I made myself a promise after the 2012 loss to England that if we ever lose another home series, I’ll retire,” Ravichandran Ashwin said. “The New Zealand series loss is the reason I’m sitting at home today. It broke me. And I hope this defeat sparks similar introspection among the players now.”
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Ashwin’s sudden retirement during the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane stunned the cricket world, especially as he was still an active part of the squad. Clarifying long-standing speculation, Ashwin reiterated that the decision was entirely his own and not influenced by selectors, teammates, or the team management.
“No one told me to leave. In fact, 2–3 people asked me not to take the decision,” he explained. “Rohit Sharma told me to think about it. Gauti bhai also advised me to reconsider. But retirement is personal. These decisions come from within.”
Ravichandran Ashwin also dismissed rumours that he was sidelined or pushed out of the side. He noted that he simply did not want to continue as a non-playing squad member if he was no longer part of the team’s preferred XI.
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With this latest revelation, Ravichandran Ashwin offers a rare, candid look into the emotional weight behind his retirement — one driven not by external pressure, but by a commitment he made to himself over a decade ago.
