Anil Kumble expresses disappointment over Ashwin’s unceremonious exit

Kumble is furious at Team India’s management for not giving Ravichandran Ashwin his deserved ceremonious exit.

Recently, Anil Kumble expressed his disappointment at the way Team India’s management handled Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement. Ashwin suddenly announced his retirement from international cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The off-spinner played in the second Test of the series but chose to retire from immediate effect, flying back to India the following day.

Anil Kumble expresses disappointment over Ashwin’s unceremonious exit.

Ashwin’s sudden retirement announcement raised questions over the team’s management handling. Anil Kumble, too, expressed his disappointment on the same. In his column for Sportstar, Kumble stated that Ashwin deserved a “grand farewell” and that there should have been a plan in place for his retirement. He wrote, “Players who have contributed for such a long period deserve a grand farewell. They need to be sat down and offered an appropriate plan on how you want them to leave the game. I was very disappointed with the way Ashwin left. Many cricketers in the past missed out on a farewell, too. The kind of benchmarks he has set won’t be easy for anyone to live up to. He served Indian cricket with distinction.”

Kumble asked Ashwin to set his sights on the 600-wicket mark and then 619.

Anil Kumble revealed that he had told Ashwin to set his sights on the 600-wicket mark and then 619. He said, “I remember telling Ashwin he should get to 600 when he crossed the 500 mark — and then 619. The way he was going, he had a very good chance. He didn’t have a great series against New Zealand, but that was one in 14 years.”