Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returned to India from Australia on Thursday, December 19. He was welcomed at Chennai Airport by his wife, Prithi Narayanan, and their daughters, Akhira and Aadhya.
Ashwin’s return follows his announcement of retirement from international cricket after the third Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which ended in a draw. He officially confirmed his decision during the post-match press conference alongside captain Rohit Sharma.
Now back in his home state of Tamil Nadu, Ashwin received a warm reception from his family. You can watch the video here:
https://x.com/ians_india/status/1869597710992728299?s=46
During the series, Ashwin missed the first and third matches but played in the second, where he took one wicket and scored 29 runs over two innings, as the visitors endured a crushing 10-wicket loss.
“Your skills and match-winning contributions to Indian cricket are unparalleled”- Virat Kohli on R Ashwin’s retirement
On December 18, during a rain break on Day 5 of the third Test in Brisbane, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin were seen having an emotional conversation, with Kohli hugging a teary Ashwin, leading to speculation about the spinner’s potential retirement.
Shortly afterward, Ashwin made his retirement official during the post-match press conference. To honor his teammate, Kohli posted an emotional tribute on X, writing:
https://x.com/imvkohli/status/1869269640154923429?s=46
“I’ve played with you for 14 years and when you told me today you’re retiring, it made me a bit emotional and the flashbacks of all those years playing together came to me. I’ve enjoyed every bit of the journey with you ash, your skill and match-winning contributions to Indian cricket as second to none and you will always and always be remembered as a legend of Indian cricket.”
“Wish you nothing but the best in your life with your family and everything else that it unfolds for you. With massive respect and lots of love to you and your close ones. Thanks for everything buddy,” Kohli added.
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