Did R Ashwin quit due to unfair treatment? Former Australian star sheds light on possible reasons for departure

The announcement of Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement in the middle of the series was a pivotal occasion during India's tour of Australia. He did not play in the Perth and Brisbane matches, despite being picked for the Adelaide Test. He announced his retirement from international cricket after the drew Test in Brisbane and went home. Ashwin thus made his farewell appearance on the international scene in the Adelaide match, which India lost in three days. After 14 years of commitment to Indian cricket, the 38-year-old called it quits on his career.

But there were questions about when he decided to retire. Many thought it was because they felt the management had "badly treated" them. His father even told media that the people in charge had treated his son badly. Some speculated that he was under pressure to retire, while others said it was because he was unhappy about being left out of the matches.

Brad Haddin, a former Australian captain, offered his opinions on the matter. He called it "funny" that he decided to retire during the series. Ashwin may have been annoyed by India's lack of a clear strategy, as Haddin noted. The veteran's decision to withdraw may perhaps have been influenced by the fact that he missed two of the first three Test matches.

"The first three Test matches, they played three different spinners, so they arrived here not knowing what their game style is going to be around here. It shouldn't be a shock when you get here, they have played here enough, they have success here so the Ashwin retiring mid-series was a funny one. I don't think we've heard the last of that yet. I think he was just jack of not getting picked," Haddin said on the Willow Talk podcast.

Ashwin finished his career with 537 wickets in 106 Tests, becoming India's second-highest wicket-taker in the format's history. He has the best strike rate among bowlers with over 500 Test wickets. He also has the joint-second most five-wicket hauls in Tests and shares the record for the most Player of the Series honors in Test cricket. Before retiring, he was the leading wicket-taker among active cricketers. He currently ranks eighth on the all-time list.

Replacing him will present a big task. Washington Sundar is a viable prospect, and at only 25 years old, he still has time to flourish. Only time will tell how well he can close the gap left by Ashwin.

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