Ashwin might have made difference at SCG: Gavaskar slams mid-series retirement

Ravichandran Ashwin's shocking retirement call in the middle of the five-Test Border-Gavaskar series has drawn sharp criticism from batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar, who felt that the decision not only left India short of a player but also potentially robbed India's chances of featuring two experienced spinners in the final Test in Sydney, where conditions are expected to favour spinners.

There was a sense of deja vu with the way Ashwin called time on his international career, as it brought back memories of MS Dhoni and Anil Kumble, abruptly ending their red-ball careers in 2014 and 2008, respectively. While Ashwin and Dhoni played their final Test Down Under, and retired on their own terms, Kumble's retirement was prompted by a finger injury, after playing his last match in New Delhi.

Gavaskar also compared Ashwin's abrupt decision to Dhoni's mid-series retirement in 2014-15, saying, "He could have said, listen after the end of the series, I won't be available for selection. What it does is it leaves you one short, just like when Dhoni retired after the third Test in 2014-15."

The little master also spoke of Ashwin's potential influence in the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the conditions traditionally have assisted the spinners.

"Sydney offers a lot of support for spinners. India could have played with two spinners there, and Ashwin might have made a difference," Gavaskar said broadcasters Star Sports, while picking Ashwin's successor.