Melbourne: India's top all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja admitted he will "miss" the time that he spent with Ravichandran Ashwin on the field while revealing that he came to know about his compatriot's international retirement just five minutes before the announcement.
Jadeja and Ashwin have bowled in tandem to lead India to victories for as long as one can remember. The duo were a force to be reckoned with in Test format, especially on home turf.
But as all things come to an end, the match-winning partnership concluded under the gloomy skies of Brisbane after the third Test against Australia.
Ashwin walked out with skipper Rohit Sharma to announce his retirement from international cricket in the post-match press conference.
Jadeja, who has shared the field with Ashwin not only just with the Indian team but also in the IPL, wasn't aware of the decision of his "on-field mentor."
"I got to know about it at the last moment, almost five minutes before the press conference. Someone told me it was about to happen. We spent the whole day together, and he didn't even give me a hint. I got to know at the last minute. We all know how Ashwin's mind works," Jadeja chuckled as he told reporters in Melbourne.
"He played like my on-field mentor. We have been playing together for so many years as bowling partners. We kept passing messages to each other on the field regarding the match situation. I will miss all these things," he added.
With Ashwin's retirement, India have a major role to fill especially in red-ball cricket. Washington Sundar's recent surge could likely indicate that he might be in talks of being Ashwin's replacement in the long run.
While emphasing the need to move on, Jadeja remains hopeful that the Indian team will find an improved version of Ashwin.
"Hopefully, the Indian team gets a better all-rounder and bowler. It's not like nobody can replace a player. Everyone goes, but you get the replacement. We have to move on. We will have to move on. It is a good opportunity for youngsters to grab the opportunity," he noted.
In his illustrious career, Ashwin featured in 106 Tests, picked up a whopping 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls, and amassed 3,503 runs. One can even argue that his contributions to Indian cricket are far greater than just what those staggering numbers indicate. (ANI)