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Amidst all the tributes pouring in for Ravichandran Ashwin following his retirement from international cricket, he wished fellow off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar in a way which seemed like a passing of the baton moment in Indian cricket. On Wednesday, shortly after Ashwin announced his retirement post the third Test at the Gabba ending in a draw, Sundar penned a heartfelt tribute on his social media accounts. “More than just a team mate, you have been an inspiration, Ash anna. It's been an honour to share the field and dressing room with you.”
“Coming from the same state of Tamil Nadu, I have grown up watching you from the close corners of Chepauk to playing against and alongside you. Every moment has been a privilege. The learnings, both on and off the field, are something I will carry forever. Wishing you success and happiness in whatever comes next.”
In reply, Ashwin wrote from his X account on Friday, ‘Thuppakiya pudinga Washi!' "The 2 minutes you spoke that night in the get-together was the best."
Thupakkiya pudinga washiii! The 2 minutes you spoke that night in the get together was the best
— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) December 20, 2024
The first line which Ashwin said to Sundar is a famous dialogue from Tamil superstar Vijay's recent film, Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.), which was used in a scene of him with actor Sivakarthikeyan. The term "Thupakkiya pudinga" means "hold this gun".
Among all the options to handle spin-bowling duties for India in the post-Ashwin era, his fellow Chennai resident Sundar appears to be the like-for-like replacement. It's no secret that Sundar is the preferred spin-bowling choice for the current Indian coaching setup.
An example of this is Sundar being chosen ahead of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth, and picked two wickets in the second innings, while making four and 29 with the bat, as India won by 295 runs.
So far, Sundar has taken 24 wickets and scored 387 runs in his seven Tests so far. But with Ashwin's retirement, the Indian team will be counting on him and Jadeja to thrive in the remaining two Tests of the series in Melbourne and Sydney, especially with the five-game series locked at 1-1.