'Love letter from a fan girl': Ashwin's wife pens heartfelt tribute after his sudden retirement; read post

India's star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's wife, Prithi Narayanan, shared a heartfelt tribute following his surprise retirement announcement, stating, "it is time to set the burden of being you down" and embrace life beyond cricket.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Dec 21, 2024, 12:02 PM IST | Last Updated Dec 21, 2024, 12:02 PM IST

Ashwin revealed his retirement after the drawn third Test in Brisbane, having taken just one wicket during the series, including a 10-wicket loss in Adelaide. The 38-year-old ends his career with an impressive 537 Test wickets at an average of 24, alongside 3,503 runs, including six centuries. He also claimed 156 wickets in ODIs and 72 in T20Is.

Also read: Ashwin's retirement: Sudden or planned? Friend reveals months of contemplation behind decision; read post

Describing her tribute as a "Love letter from a fan girl", Prithi wrote on Instagram: "Dear Ashwin, from not knowing how to put a kit bag together to following you to stadiums all over the world, rooting for you, watching you and learning from you, it has been an absolute pleasure. The world you introduced me to gave me the privilege to watch and enjoy a sport that I love from close quarters."

"It also showed me how much passion, hardwork and discipline is needed to keep your head above water. And sometimes even that is not enough. I remember us talking about why you, R Ashwin, had to do all of this and a lot more to even stay relevant in the scheme of things," she added.

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Ashwin, who made his debut in 2011 against the West Indies, built a reputation for his relentless pursuit of excellence. His near-equal tally of 269 wickets against right-handed batsmen and 268 against left-handers showcases his remarkable versatility.

"How awards, the best of stats, the POMs, the accolades, the records didn't matter if you didn't sharpen your skill sets constantly and did not put in the work. Sometimes, nothing is enough," Prithi continued.

"As you end your wonderful international run, I only want to tell you that it's all good. It is all going to be good. It is time to set the burden of being you down. Live life on your terms, make space for those extra calories, make time for your family, make time to do absolutely nothing, share memes all day, create a new bowling variation, bug our kids out of their minds. Just do it all," she said.

Also read: Ashwin retires: Virat Kohli pays emotional tribute to 'legend of Indian cricket', reflects on 14-year journey

Prithi, a constant support throughout Ashwin's cricketing journey, reflected on his meticulous approach to the game.

"When I saw Ashwins PC, I thought of small and big moments. Many many memories over the last 13-14 years. The big wins , the MOS awards, the quiet silence in our room after an intense game, the sound of the shower running for much longer than usual on some evenings post play, the scratch of pencil over paper as he scribbled thoughts down, the constant streaming of footage videos when he is making a game plan, the calm of meditative breathing before leaving for each game, certain songs playing on repeat while he unwinds. The times we weeped in joy - after the CT final, after the MCG win, after the Sydney draw, The Gabba win, after making a comeback in T20s…the times we sat in silence and the times when we had our hearts broken," she wrote.

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