India off-spinner R. Ashwin said his decision to announce his retirement on day five of the Brisbane Test against Australia was ‘instinctive’ despite the thought running in his head for a while.
“It’s emotional for a lot of people, and maybe it will sink in but for me, it is a great sense of relief and satisfaction. It was very instinctive and it has been running in my head for a while. I just felt (it) on Day 4 and I just called it a day,” the 38-year-old told media persons outside his house.
“It is not a big decision as far as I am concerned because I am going to embrace a new path,” he added.
When asked about missing out on India captaincy during his career, the Tamil Nadu cricketer said, “I can’t do it now. I have no such regrets. In fact, I have zero regrets. I have seen from a distance those people with regrets but I don’t have any such regrets.”
Ashwin finished with 537 Test wickets, second only to Anil Kumble in the list of highest Test wicket-takers for India.
“To be honest, we all go through a lot in our career, not only for cricketers but in general. Generally, when I go to sleep I remember a lot of things like taking wickets, making runs, but those memories are not there in the last two years.
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“So, that was a clear indication that we need to take a different route now,” Ashwin said.
The off-spinner, who was recently bought at the IPL auction by his former franchise Chennai Super Kings, said that he intends to carry on playing club cricket despite the international retirement.
“I think that part for me is still burning bright. I am going to play for CSK and don’t be surprised if I aspire to play for as long as I can. I don’t think Ashwin the cricketer is done, I think only Ashwin the Indian cricketer [has] called time. That’s it,” he said.
– With inputs from PTI