"When Washington Sundar played in the Perth match, he said that's it" - Aakash Chopra on Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement during BGT 2024-25

Aakash Chopra has reckoned Ravichandran Ashwin might have decided to retire from international cricket when Washington Sundar was picked ahead of him in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 first Test. He added that the veteran spinner might have been convinced to take the call once Ravindra Jadeja replaced him in the XI for the third Test and played a crucial knock.

Ashwin announced his retirement in the post-match press conference of the third Test between India and Australia in Brisbane. Although the series is tied at 1-1, with two games left, the ace off-spinner returned home, leaving only two spinners in India's squad.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener opined that Ravichandran Ashwin might have made up his mind to retire once Washington Sundar was picked ahead of him in Perth.

"A time comes in everyone's life when you feel whether you want to bear this anymore. He would have had the regret for a long time that he doesn't play in overseas games. He is not the No. 1 spin option when it comes to the overseas games," he said (2:00).

"That was going on for a long time but he made peace with it as Jaddu is a generational talent and bats better than him, and only one spinner could play. Jaddu used to be ahead of him whenever overseas matches used to come. However, when Washington Sundar played in the Perth match, he said that's it," Chopra added.

Chopra reckons Jadeja's selection and his performance with the bat in Brisbane might have further convinced the 38-year-old to call it a day.

"You played him the pink-ball match and then as soon as you dropped him in Gabba, he said - 'It's done, you people aren't serious about playing me as I haven't done anything wrong.' Jaddu also scored runs there, so it's unlikely you will play him in Melbourne, and will also play Washington Sundar ahead of him anytime," he observed.

Aakash Chopra added that the team management should have told Ravichandran Ashwin that they might need him in the remaining two Tests, the following series in England, and the subsequent home season. However, he opined that such a conversation might not have happened and Ashwin would have retired as he wasn't assured a place in the XI.

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"What about the team's composition and balance now?" - Aakash Chopra on Ravichandran Ashwin leaving in the middle of BGT 2024-25

Ravichandran Ashwin is India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Ravichandran Ashwin's return in the middle of the series has left India a spinner short, with the likes of Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav not yet named as his replacements.

"He has left in the middle of the series, so another question arises - what about the team's composition and balance now? It's the right question because you needed three spinners in the series squad. So you should call a replacement for him, either Axar or Kuldeep if he is available, but nothing of that sort has happened," he said (4:05).

Chopra opined that Ashwin's retirement could trigger more such decisions. He added that the picture would become clearer by the end of the series.