I day I feel I don’t want to improve, I’ll leave – Ravichandran Ashwin on his future

India’s veteran Ravichandran Ashwin said he will hang his boots when he doesn’t feel like improving anymore. Ashwin is known to experiment a lot with his action and he is never shy to try different strategies in his bowling.

The off-spinner has been brave with all the variations and he has got the best out of himself by improving with every series. Ashwin is regarded as one of the best spinners of the current era and has delivered consistently in the red-ball format.

The 37-year-old has scalped 516 wickets in 100 Test matches at an impressive average of 23.75 and his Test record, especially while playing at home, speaks for itself.

“There is nothing like that in my mind. I am only thinking about one day at a time because when you get older, you have to put in extra effort every single day. It’s not the same. I have put in a lot of effort in the last 3-4 years. I haven’t decided (retirement), but the day I feel that today I don’t want to improve, I will leave. That’s all,” Ashwin said during a conversation with Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel when asked if one can expect him to play till 40.

Ashwin revealed former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble wants the off-spinner to surpass his record of 619 wickets, which is the most for any bowler in the Test format.

“Kuch target nahi hai (I have not set any target for myself). Anil (Kumble) Bhai wants me to break his record (of 619 wickets). He is a good human; I have worked with him, but I am not keeping any targets. I have been very happy living by the day, and I have totally enjoyed my cricket. I am saying this because it’s a new lease of life. I know what I went through from 2018 to 2020. So, I know how my life changed after that and how I am playing cricket. I just want to hold on to this; I don’t want to lose my love for the game for anything. That could be a target or anything. The moment I feel I am losing the joy of my life by having to do more and I am not ready for it, I will leave.”

“We all play, and we all have to leave. Somebody else will come and do well. It’s Indian cricket,” he added.

Ashwin will be in action in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh.