Harbhajan Singh congratulates R Ashwin as he bids farewell to international cricket

Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement from international cricket prompted congratulatory messages from former cricketer Harbhajan Singh. Singh commended Ashwin for inspiring the next generation of cricketers.
Ashwin's retirement announcement, made alongside India's captain Rohit Sharma, surprised many. However, observant fans noticed a poignant moment between Ashwin and Virat Kohli on the final day of the Test match, hinting at the impending announcement.
The shared embrace between Ashwin and Kohli, with Ashwin visibly emotional, suggested a significant announcement was forthcoming after the match.
Since the news of Ashwin's retirement broke, tributes and well-wishes have poured in, acknowledging his distinguished career.
Harbhajan Singh, in an interview with Star Sports, praised Ashwin's remarkable career, describing it as 'brilliant and outstanding.' He credited Ashwin with elevating spin bowling to new heights.
"Congratulations, Ashwin, for a brilliant career--an outstanding career, I'd rather say. You've taken the tradition of spin bowling to the next level. You've inspired the next generation. Thank you very much for all the efforts, all the wickets, and everything you have done on the field. Well done to you. Good luck going forward, and I hope we meet often now," Harbhajan was quoted in a release from Star Sports as saying.
Ashwin began his Test career in 2011 against the West Indies, marking the start of his dominance in red-ball cricket.
Across 106 Test matches, Ashwin accumulated an impressive 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls. He also contributed significantly with the bat, amassing 3,503 runs.
Ashwin's Test record against Australia stands at 115 wickets from 23 matches, with an economy rate of 2.71.
He holds the record for the most wickets taken in a single Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, claiming 29 wickets in the 2020-21 edition.
Ashwin's Test career is marked by several noteworthy achievements, including being the fastest Indian bowler to reach 350 Test wickets.
He is also the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Test matches, boasting 537 wickets at an economy rate of 2.83.