Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of the Gabba Test.
Ashwin confirmed his retirement decision during a press conference at the Gabba on Wednesday (December 18) after the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test ended in a draw.
The legendary off-spinner was overlooked for the series opener in Perth while he got an opportunity in the second Test at the Adelaide Oval, where he picked up one wicket and scored 29 runs across the two innings.
Ashwin was not selected in India’s playing XI for the Gabba Test as well. The Indian team management replaced him with Ravindra Jadeja, who failed to claim a wicket in the rain-hit match but produced a fine knock of 77.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said after Jadeja's impressive display in Brisbane, Ashwin must have felt he has got no chance of playing in Melbourne and with Washington Sundar around there was no guarantee of him featuring him in the XI, so he hung up his boots.
"What exactly has happened? There is a moment in everyone's life, where you think, do I want to do this anymore? Am I OK with it? Ashwin must have had this in his mind for a long time that he does not play much overseas. He is not the no.1 spin option when it comes to overseas games. This was going on for quite some time. He made peace with it. Jaddu was always ahead of him overseas. So, he made peace with it that Jadeja is playing. But when Sundar played the Perth Test, then he said, that's it, I am done. Ashwin played the Pink-ball Test but when he was dropped from Gabba, he said, he was done. You are not serious in playing me in the XI. I did nothing wrong in Pink-ball Test to be dropped from the Gabba game. In Gabba, Jaddu made runs so Ashwin was unlikely to feature in Melbourne.
"If someone would have said to Ashwin to wait as team might need two spinners in England and then there is a home series. There is only one format, so be around but nobody had that conversation with Ashwin is what I feel. He went in the middle of the series, so there is a question about team's composition, balance as well now. Retirement in the middle of the series is generally not a nice thing and that too when series is still open," Chopra stated.
According to Aakash Chopra, Ashwin’s retirement marked the start of India's transition period and the next three weeks will give a clear picture of how Team India will go forward.
"The wheel is set in motion. This is now the official start of the transition. One is gone. More can follow. Next three months are going to be very important. By 15th January, the picture will get clear, how this Indian team will go forward. Ashwin's retirement has opened quite a few threads. There is no doubt in this," he remarked.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy currently stands level at 1-1. The fourth and penultimate Test of the series is scheduled to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26.