Wouldn't have let him go like that: Kapil Dev expresses surprise at Ashwin's retirement

Former India captain Kapil Dev expressed that he would not have wanted the ace Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin to retire from the game in such a manner.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Instead, he would have preferred to bid him farewell with great respect and joy.

Ashwin surprised the cricketing world when he made the announcement of retiring from international cricket with immediate effect after India's third Test against Australia, a game he was not selected for, ended in a draw at the Gabba, Brisbane on Wednesday. His last international game was the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide, where he took 1-53 in his 18 overs and made 29 runs with the bat, as India lost by ten wickets.

"I feel the next generation has to be better than us. If not, the world is not going ahead. We never imagined somebody could come close to Sachin Tendulkar or Sunil Gavaskar. So you get the next generation come out, their strike rate, their way of playing is so unique. So you appreciate the next generation," Kapil Dev said at an event in Ahmedabad.

"Like Ashwin, you said he is gone. I wish if I were there, I wouldn't have let him go like that. I would have sent him with a lot of respect and happiness. Because when you leave something, when you love something, it's very tough. And we have to respect those people," the 1983 World Cup-winning captain added.