Former England spinner Monty Panesar paid tribute to Ravichandran Ashwin, who announced his international retirement after the third Test against Australia in Brisbane. Panesar lauded Ashwin, calling him the 'engineer of spin bowling' and one who has done PhD on the same.
The 38-year-old played his last Test in Adelaide as India swapped him for Washington Sundar but dropped him for the third match in Brisbane, drafting in Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin's last white-ball appearance came in October 2023 against Australia and has 765 international scalps, 537 of which have come in Tests.
Ravichandran Ashwin announces his retirement from all forms of international cricket.
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 18, 2024
Congratulations on a brilliant career pic.twitter.com/UHWAFmMwC0
Speaking exclusively to The Free Press Journal, here's what the retired England cricketer said on the Indian legend's retirement:
"Well, Ashwin is probably one of the greatest spinners produced by India, one of the greatest off spinners ever to play the game, and he was always known as the engineer of spin bowling. So probably, the guy who probably did the PhD on spin bowling, the scientist behind spin bowling, he was verymuch about that, and he's been an absolutely brilliant asset for India."
"I think he'll be remembered as the innovator of spin bowling" - Monty Panesar on Ravichandran Ashwin
Panesar also lauded Ashwin for keeping the flag of off-spin flying when it seemed to be on the wane and leg-spin was rising fast. The 42-year-old added that India are quite fortunate to find a player of Ashwin's calibre from Tamil Nadu.
"He took India to become one of the greatest test teams ever, and during his time, I think he'll be remembered as the innovator of spin bowling, where all the spinners around the world would watch him, how he operates the angles, the subtle changes in variation, but more about it was the mathematics of spin bowling that Ashwin will be remembered as the guy who innovated finger spin when it was just dying out because leg-spin was taking over."
"So, I would say that Ashwin will be one of the greatest off-spinners ever to play the game and India are very lucky to have one of the greatest cricketers to come out of Tamil Nadu."
The veteran also retires as the most prolific off-spinner from India.