File photo of Harbhajan Singh (left) and Ravichandran Ashwin.© AFP
India’s spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin called time on his international cricket career on Wednesday. It came as a shocking announcement from Ashwin, who too even felt that “there’s still a bit of cricket left” in him. After the player’s retirement, another great spinner from India, Harbhajan Singh heaped praises on the bowler. He also cleared air on the rumoured rift between him and Ashwin. Harbhajan stated there is nothing wrong between the two. He added that his statements on social media are twisted to make it look like that he has a problem with Ashwin.
“I read social media only as much as I need to. If there is a standoff between me and Ashwin or if there was ever any fight, quarrel or disagreement, I would be the first person to go up to him and ask what the issue is. But it was never like this and it will never be like this because whatever is in his destiny, he will get it and I got whatever was in my destiny. He has been a phenomenal bowler for India. I am very happy for his achievement,” said Harbhajan in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
“If people twist things on Twitter and make it seem as if I have a problem with Ashwin, then it’s their point of view. I am a little vocal about the fact that the pitches on which India play cricket are not good cricket, there is a lot of spin on these tracks and matches get over within two and a half days,” he added.
Ashwin made his Test debut in 2011 against West Indies following that red-ball cricket became his forte. Ashwin featured in 106 Tests, picked up a whopping 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls, and amassed 3,503 runs.
In Tests, Ashwin appeared in 23 matches against Australia and picked up 115 wickets at an economy rate of 2.71.
The 38-year-old also holds the record for most wickets taken in a single Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. He picked up 29 wickets in the 2020-21 edition of the prestigious series.
In the long format, Ashwin holds plenty of records which are hard to be broken. The spinner holds the landmark of fastest Indian to claim 350 Test wickets. He is also India’s second-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests, with 537 scalps at an economy rate of 2.83.
(With PTI Inputs)
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