Speaking on a newly-launched podcast by Chennai Super Kings, Ashwin told fellow CSK member Mike Hussey that he made up his mind on retirement after not starting the Australia series in Perth where Washington Sundar played ahead of the veteran off-spinner.
“To be very honest, I wanted to do it after my 100th Test (in Dharamsala, March 2024). And then I thought, Ok, let me give it a go in the home season. Because, I mean, you’re playing well, and you’re getting wickets, you’re making runs,” Ashwin said.
“I thought I’d probably close off with the Chennai Test here (against Bangladesh). I ended up getting a six-wicket haul and a hundred. So it’s very tough to quit when you’re doing very well.
“So, I went on with the series, and we lost against New Zealand. So, one after the other, it was just building up. And then I thought, okay, let me go to Australia. Let me see how this goes. Because the last time I was in Australia, I had a great, great tour,” said India’s second highest wicket-taker in Tests with 537 scalps to his name.
Having said that, time away from home was beginning to affect him.
“I thought it does make sense to play a bit. I was having a lot of fun, but the whole hard yards that I had to put through to put myself in the park again, physically and mentally, one of the most important things that was pulling me down was the family time,” he said.
The 38-year-old, who is back at CSK this season, eventually made the announcement at the Gabba.
“They don’t really consider that because your emotions are yours, and it doesn’t matter to anybody else. So I had been contemplating that, and then I thought, okay, maybe it is time,” added Ashwin.
