‘Will miss you, Ash Anna’: Fans share heartbreaking reactions to Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement
Fans expressed their sorrow on social media, sharing tributes and demanding a farewell match for R Ashwin.
Ravichandran Ashwin's sudden retirement from international cricket broke hearts on social media as fans remembered the legacy of one of India’s greatest off-spinners. Praising his impeccable 14-year-career, fans flooded social media with videos, photos and heartfelt tributes to the cricketer.
A video of the team's last send off to Ashwin went viral. The cricketer walked by as his teammates applauded him and stopped briefly to hug captain Rohit Sharma.
R Ashwin tops Google Search
After the announcement of his retirement from international cricket, the legendary spinner became a top trend on Google, as fans and cricket enthusiasts flooded the search engine to learn more about his decision. The news sparked a surge in online conversations, with people reflecting on his illustrious career. There were over two lakh searches on Google on Wednesday afternoon.
(Also read: 'If I'm not needed, I'm better off saying goodbye': Rohit Sharma reveals Ashwin's words before confirming retirement)
Fans also demanded a farewell Test match for the cricketer, insisting he deserved a grand send-off much like Sachin Tendulkar. "Ash Anna deserves farewell like Sachin Tendulkar at Chepauk stadium," said one of them, while another wrote: "Ashwin definitely deserves a "FAREWELL" match before his retirement. Ashwin deserved a proper farewell. This is most significant retirement of player after Sachin."
Some fans also shared light-hearted memes while reacting to the news. Here are some of them:
“This will be my last year as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level. I feel there’s a little bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I’d like to express that, showcase that in club-level cricket,” he said in a post-match press conference after India’s fourth Test match against Australia.
Hug with Virat Kohli
Speculation about Ashwin's retirement began before his announcement as cameras captured him having an intense conversation with Virat Kohli while the cricketers waited during a rain delay. The two were seen hugging later and Kohli put his arm around Ashwin as they sat.
Rising to prominence in 2011, Ashwin was key to India’s World Cup-winning campaign. Over the his career, he has claimed 775 wickets across formats. With 537 Test wickets, he is second only to Anil Kumble’s record of 619 for India. The spinner will play in IPL 2025 for the Chennai Super Kings.
