Legendary cricketers confess: 'Ravichandran Ashwin's performances nearly gave us heart attacks'

New Delhi: The announcement of Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement from international cricket has sparked a flurry of reactions, with cricketing luminaries expressing their admiration for the legendary player. Known as one of India’s finest cricketers, Ashwin confirmed his retirement during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

The broader community reacted enthusiastically on social media to the notable career of the 38-year-old cricket player, showering him with heartfelt congratulations. Now returned to the comfort of Chennai, he was thrilled to share that on the day he declared his retirement, he had received personal phone calls from none other than cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev.

If some one told me 25 years ago that I would have a smart phone with me and the call log on the last day of my career as an Indian cricketer would look like this☺️☺️, I would have had a heart attack then only. Thanks @sachin_rt and @therealkapildev paaji #blessed pic.twitter.com/RkgMUWzhtt

— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) December 20, 2024

Ashwin shared a screenshot of his call log on X and wrote, “If someone told me 25 years ago that I would have a smart phone with me and the call log on the last day of my career as an Indian cricketer would look like this, I would have had a heart attack then only. Thanks @sachin_rt and @therealkapildev paaji.”

Sachin Tendulkar also shared a wonderful message on social media and labelled him as one of “India’s finest match winners” and highlighted how the cricketer’s legacy will be an inspiration for the upcoming generation.

“Ashwin, I’ve always admired how you approached the game with your mind and heart in perfect sync,” Tendulkar wrote. “From perfecting the carrom ball to contributing crucial runs, you always found a way to win. Watching you grow from a promising talent to one of India’s finest match-winners has been wonderful. Your journey shows that true greatness lies in never being afraid to experiment and evolve.”

Kapil has voiced his discontent about the manner in which Ashwin’s international cricket career came to an abrupt end.