By Karan Agrawal 
Former Australian wicket keeper batter Brad Haddin has called Ashwin’s mid-series retirement from international cricket a funny one. According to Haddin, the Indian team management looked short of plans when they arrived in Australia which was evident by the fact that they played three different spinners in the first three Test matches.
Expert’s Corner
In Haddin’s words, “The first three Test matches, they played three different spinners, so they arrived here not knowing what their game style will be around here. It shouldn’t be a shock when you get here, they have played here enough, they have success here so the Ashwin retiring mid-series was a funny one. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of that yet. I think he was just jack of not getting picked,” Haddin said on the Willow Talk podcast.
The Reason
Haddin believed that Ashwin expected himself to play the majority of the matches as he was the most experienced spinner in the squad but that didn’t happen as he was left out of the playing XI in two of the first three matches which might have triggered him in taking mid-series retirement. “I think he sees himself as the number one spinner. His record is elite, and he just went, ‘You know what I’m not sitting on the bench. If you can’t decide that I’m your best spinner, I’m done. I’ve played enough. I don’t need this.’ I don’t think we have heard the end of that,” Haddin said.
The G.O.A.T
Ashwin ended his Test career with 537 wickets in 106 matches making him India’s second most successful bowler in the longest format of the game only behind former Indian captain Anil Kumble with a telly of 619 wickets.
The Performance
A member of the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning team Ashwin also played a good amount of ODI matches with his last appearance in coloured clothing for India coming in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The off-spinner ended his white-ball career with 156 wickets in 116 ODI matches and 72 wickets in 65 T20I matches.