'One of the true matchwinners for India': Rohit on Ashwin

Rohit Sharma with the Ashwin family at the recent Chennai Test against Bangladesh. © BCCI
India's captain Rohit Sharma paid a rich tribute to star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of the Brisbane Test. Ashwin played the last of his 106 Tests in Adelaide a week before, and Rohit revealed that he had to coax Ashwin to play in that game.

"I heard this when I came to Perth," revealed Rohit about Ashwin's retirement thought. "Obviously, I was not there for the first three or four days of the Test match. But this was in his mind since then.

"There are obviously a lot of things that went behind it. I am pretty sure Ash, when in position, will be able to answer that. He understands what the team is thinking. He understands what kind of combinations we are thinking.

"When we came here as well, we were not sure about which spinner is going to play. We just wanted to assess and see what kind of conditions we get in front of us. When I arrived in Perth, this was a chat we had. I somehow convinced him to stay for that pink-ball test match," said Rohit in a press conference after Ashwin had made his announcement.

"It just happened so that he felt that 'if I am not needed right now in the series, I am better off saying goodbye to the game'. Obviously, we have not been to Melbourne yet. We don't know what sort of conditions we expect there and what sort of combination. But just keeping Ash particularly in mind, giving him that respect, that if this is what he thinks, we should allow him to think that way. We should all stand by what he is thinking at this point in time," said Rohit, who reiterated the point about respecting Ashwin's decision.

When asked why the decision came midway through the series, Rohit said, "Some decisions are very personal and I don't think too many questions should be asked or raised. If a player has a choice, he has to be given that choice. Somebody like Ashwin, who has been there for us for so many years, is allowed to make those kinds of decisions on his own. We as teammates have to respect it.

"He was very sure about what he wanted to do. The team has complete backing of his thought process. Obviously, there is a bit of gap now. For us as a team to regroup and collect our thoughts on this is very crucial right now. We have got some time in between so we can think about how we need to proceed further. Speaking about Ash, he was very sure about this decision."

"That is the kind of chat we have had as well, me and Gautam Gambhir as well. It is important when a player like him, who has had so many moments with the Indian team, and he has been a truly big match winner for us, he is allowed to make those decisions on his own. If it was now, so be it," he further added.

Reflecting on Ashwin's persona and what he brought to the dressing room, Rohit reminisced about the long journey the paid had shared while paying tribute to India's second-highest wicket-taker in Tests.

"He is a very funny guy, there is no doubt about it," chuckled Rohit. "I have played cricket with Ash since U-17. He was an opener then. And then a few years later, we all disappeared. And then suddenly I am hearing news about Tamil Nadu... R Ashwin taking five wickets, seven wickets. And I was wondering who this guy is. Because I played him as a batsman, and then suddenly he has turned out to be a bowler who is taking fifers.

"And then, obviously, at international cricket we met again, and then we had a long, long journey together since 2010. So it has been a long time playing together. We all know what he has done for this team, so I don't need to repeat it again and again, but [he is] one of the true match winners that India has ever seen.

"Whenever there was crisis, we had to look upon Ash, and then he was there to deliver for us. So, yeah, his record speaks for itself as well. He has been such a servant of Indian cricket, where he has probably not left any stone unturned."