Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on December 18, 2024, during a press conference following the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 in Brisbane, which ended in a draw.
Ashwin featured in only one of the first three Tests of the series. Captain Rohit Sharma revealed that Ashwin had informed him of his decision after the Perth Test, where young Washington Sundar was preferred over the veteran off-spinner.
Ravi Ashwin: A Statistical Journey Through a Legendary Career
537 Wickets in 106 Tests
Ravi Ashwin retired as the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and the second-highest for India, behind only Anil Kumble’s 619. Making his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies in Delhi, Ashwin amassed 537 wickets at an impressive average of 24. He recorded 37 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-wicket match hauls.
Ashwin was the fastest Indian bowler to achieve several wicket milestones—50, 100, 150, 200, and beyond—setting a benchmark for consistency. His 37 five-wicket hauls are tied for the second-most in Test history, alongside Shane Warne, with Muttiah Muralitharan leading at 67.
Known for his mastery against left-handed batsmen, Ashwin dismissed 268 southpaws in Tests, a record. Among bowlers who have taken at least 50 wickets against left-handers, Ashwin’s average of 19.84 is the second-best.
In home conditions, Ashwin took 383 wickets, the fourth-highest tally by a bowler, following Muralitharan (493), James Anderson (438), and Stuart Broad (398). With the first new ball, Ashwin claimed 133 wickets, the most by any spinner in Test history, averaging 21.50 with a strike rate of 45.4.
Ashwin also shares the record for the most Player of the Series awards in Test cricket (11), tied with Muttiah Muralitharan. His stellar 2016 earned him the ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year awards for his 97 wickets and 659 runs in 31 matches.
156 Wickets in 116 ODIs
Ashwin made his ODI debut in 2010 against Sri Lanka in Harare and went on to claim 156 wickets at an average of 33.20, with best figures of 4/25. While he didn’t take a five-wicket haul in ODIs, Ashwin played pivotal roles in major tournaments.
He was part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning squad, taking four wickets in two matches. In the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, Ashwin delivered match-winning spells, including a clutch final over in the title clash, finishing the tournament with eight wickets at an economy of 4.41.
72 Wickets in 65 T20Is
Ashwin’s T20I career began in 2010 against Zimbabwe in Harare. He became the first Indian bowler to reach 50 T20I wickets, finishing with 72 wickets at an economy of 6.90. His best figures in the format were 4/8.
Ashwin was instrumental in India’s campaigns in the 2014 T20 World Cup (finalists) and the 2016 T20 World Cup (semi-finalists). His last T20I appearance came during the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Ravi Ashwin leaves behind a legacy as one of India’s finest bowlers, excelling across formats with remarkable consistency and adaptability. His achievements, both as a wicket-taker and a match-winner, will be remembered as a hallmark of Indian cricket.
| Format | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Best Bowling | 5-Wicket Hauls | 10-Wicket Hauls | Runs Scored | Centuries | Half-Centuries | Highest Score | Bowling Average | Batting Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 96 | 177 | 442 | 7/59 | 31 | 7 | 3129 | 5 | 13 | 124 | 24.13 | 27.41 |
| ODI | 115 | 113 | 155 | 4/25 | 0 | 0 | 707 | 0 | 1 | 65* | 33.52 | 16.37 |
| T20I | 72 | 72 | 72 | 4/8 | 0 | 0 | 184 | 0 | 0 | 31* | 23.12 | 30.66 |
| Overall | 283 | 362 | 669 | – | 31 | 7 | 4020 | 5 | 14 | – | – | – |
