India’s veteran spin-bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has announced his retirement from International cricket. The veteran spinner was seen having an emotional conversation with Virat Kohli on Day 5 of the Gabba Test. Widely regarded as one of the most prolific off spinners of all time, he represented the Indian cricket team and was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. He plays for Tamil Nadu and South Zone in domestic cricket and for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Ashwin has taken more than 500 wickets in Tests and was the fastest bowler to reach 300 test wickets in terms of number of innings. He has won eleven Man of the Series awards in Tests, which is the most for any cricketer, along with Muttiah Muralitharan. As an all-rounder in Test cricket, he bats down the order, has scored six Test centuries and is one of the only three players to have scored 3000 runs and taken 500 wickets in Tests.  The second highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket, Ashwin has called time on a 13-year career during which he played 106 Test, the last of which was at Adelaide earlier in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His tally of 537 scalps puts him seventh on the all-time list.

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During the tea break, Ashwin and Kohli engaged in a lengthy discussion in the dressing room, with Ashwin appearing emotional. At one point, Kohli hugged his teammate to comfort him. Ashwin was left out of the third Test as skipper Rohit Sharma opted for Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner. The 38-year-old played only one Test on the tour, featuring in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval, where he scored 22 and 7 runs. With the ball, he managed one wicket for 53 runs. During a rain break, Ashwin was also seen conversing with head coach Gautam Gambhir, with Kohli present as well. Regarded as India’s greatest off-spinner, Ashwin has claimed over 530 Test wickets since his debut in 2011. His absence would be a significant loss for Indian cricket, given his immense experience and long-standing contributions to the team.