"Journey of gratitude" - Ravichandran Ashwin reacts after being honored with Padma Shri on eve of Republic Day

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin reacted after being honored with Padma Shri award on the eve of Republic Day. The 38-year-old took to his official Instagram handle and posted a couple of pictures with a caption 'Journey of Gratitude'.

Ashwin has been one of the biggest match-winners for India in the last decade, especially in home Test matches. As far as India goes, the veteran cricketer finished as the second-highest wicket-taker for them in the longest format with 537 scalps in 106 Tests.

He also picked up 228 scalps in limited-overs cricket and was part of India's squad that won the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. Additionally, the Tamil Nadu-born cricketer also made it to the squad that finished as runners-up in the 2014 T20 World Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy.

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Ravichandran Ashwin announced his shock retirement midway through Australia tour

Ravichandran Ashwin. (Image Credits: Getty)

The 38-year-old retired from international cricket midway through the five-Test tour of Australia. With the off-spinner not playing the opening Test in Perth, he replaced Washington Sundar in the line-up for the pink-ball fixture at the Adelaide Oval.

Having taken only one wicket in that game, the management dropped him for the following game in Brisbane. Ashwin retired after the Brisbane Test and said, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:

"This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level. I do feel there's a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to express that and probably showcase that in club-level cricket, but this will be the last day [for India]."

"I've had a lot of fun. I must say I have created a lot of memories alongside Rohit [Sharma] and several of my other team-mates, even though I have lost some of them [from the India team] over the last few years. We're the last bunch of OGs, if we can say that, left out in the dressing room, and I will be marking this as my date of having played at this level," he added.

India eventually lost the series 3-1 in Australia.