Ashwin retired as he could not tolerate humiliation, alleges father

It had been 24 hours since Ravichandran Ashwin announced his international retirement. While the world was still coming to terms with this sudden decision, Ashwin's father, Ravichandran, hinted that constant humiliation in the Indian dressing room could have forced his son to make the decision in a hurry.

Ashwin returned home to Chennai after the third Test in Brisbane against Australia, deciding not to stay back for the final two Tests. "I too came to know [about his retirement] in the last minute, actually," Ravichandran told News18.

"Retiring is his wish and desire, I cannot interfere in that, but the way in which he gave that, there could be many reasons. Only Ashwin knows, maybe humiliation."

He also admitted that it was an emotional moment for him and his family when Ashwin made his decision public. "No doubt about it [emotional moment for the family] because he was on the field for 14-15 years. The sudden change, retirement, gave us really kind of a shock.

"At the same time, we were expecting that also because humiliation was going on. How long he can just tolerate all those things? Probably, he would have decided on his own."

He also hoped that his son would have continued playing for some more time.  "What was going on in his mind, I don’t know. He just announced. I, too, accepted it with full pleasure. I did not have any feeling at all for that. But the way he gave his retirement, one part I was very happy, another part not happy because he should have continued," he said.

Ashwin was overlooked for the first Test against Australia in Perth, with Washington Sundar occupying the spinners' role. However, the man with more than 500 Test scalps did play the second Test, a day-night affair in Adelaide. But India roped in Ravindra Jadeja for the third Test in Brisbane.

Jadeja had been India's first-choice spinner outside the subcontinent for some time, further killing Ashwin's game time.