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Ravichandran Ashwin called time on a sensational international career on Tuesday, and has been showered with tribute across social media since. Retiring with 765 international wickets and 537 Test scalps - India's second-highest in both lists - Ashwin's legacy in Indian cricket has long-been cemented. Now, in a heartwarming revelation, Ashwin has revealed what is arguably the greatest hallmark of the respect he has earned. The 38-year-old took to X on Friday morning to reveal that he had received messages from Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev following his retirement.
Tendulkar is one of cricket's finest-ever batters, while Kapil Dev was India's first World Cup-winning captain. Ashwin expressed how valuable the messages from the two cricket icons were to him.
"If someone told me 25 years ago that I would have a smartphone with me and the call log on the last day of my career as an Indian cricketer would look like this, I would have had a heart attack then only. Thanks Sachin and Kapil paaji," Ashwin tweeted.
If some one told me 25 years ago that I would have a smart phone with me and the call log on the last day of my career as an Indian cricketer would look like this, I would have had a heart attack then only. Thanks @sachin_rt and @therealkapildev paaji#blessed pic.twitter.com/RkgMUWzhtt
— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) December 20, 2024
Tendulkar had also earlier put out a social media post congratulating Ashwin.
"Ashwin, I've always admired how you approached the game with your mind and heart in perfect sync. From perfecting the carrom ball to contributing crucial runs, you always found a way to win.
Watching you grow from a promising talent to one of India's finest match-winners has been wonderful. Your journey shows that true greatness lies in never being afraid to experiment and evolve.
Your legacy will inspire one and all. Wishing you all the very best for your 2nd innings," Tendulkar had tweeted.
Ashwin has garnered praise from all corners of the cricket world after announcing his retirement. Be it from his peers Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, or from his current coach Gautam Gambhir, or from his former coach Ravi Shastri, or from icons like Tendulkar, Ashwin has earned well-deserved tribute.
The all-rounder quits as one of the game's finest-ever spinners, and arguably India's greatest ever. Ashwin boasts a glittering trophy cabinet to boot, headlined by the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year award in 2016.