Ashwin retired from international cricket after the Brisbane Test in 2024-25.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shared details of an emotional balcony conversation with Virat Kohli at the Gabba during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, recounting the exact moment he told his longtime teammate he was retiring from international cricket.
Speaking on Aakash Chopra's podcast Baith & Bol, Ashwin explained how a rain delay in Brisbane turned a casual chat about the team's future into a heartfelt farewell.
Ashwin noted that Kohli was speaking like a true leader, discussing the future of the Indian Test team and the challenges of its upcoming transition phase.
Out of nowhere, Ashwin told Kohli about his retirement decision. The veteran batter was caught completely off guard and asked the legendary off-spinner how he arrived at the decision and whether it was instinctive.
Ashwin replied that the decision simply happened naturally and that he felt he had given everything he had to Indian cricket. Before bringing up his plans, Ashwin reassured Kohli—who was navigating a lean run of form—that he was still fit, sharp, and had plenty of cricket left to make a strong comeback.
“In that game, I didn’t go there to tell Virat—it was raining; I sat with him only because he was sitting alone," Ashwin recalled.
“I said ‘You can definitely do it, you’re fit. Maybe it’s a question of discipline, tactics, but you can.’ I told him that my opinion doesn’t matter, because I’m leaving. He said, ‘What are you saying?’ I said I’m retiring today. He actually got emotional. He asked how I decided and if it was instinctive; I said it just happened. I told him I enjoyed playing alongside him."
Despite a history of healthy internal competition over who contributed more to team wins, Ashwin expressed deep gratitude to Kohli. He told Kohli that while he had not said it often enough, he deeply valued his contributions as both a captain and a fielder, calling him "one of the greats" before the two shared an emotional hug.
“I told him that, ‘I haven’t told you this much, but I valued your contribution as captain and as a fielder. I’m extremely blessed to have shared the dressing room with you people. You are one of the greats.’ Then we hugged," he stated.
During the podcast, Ashwin also mentioned that his relationship with Kohli had matured significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic, moving beyond past professional differences into a space of mutual respect and open communication.
“My relationship with Virat improved after the COVID break. I realized that if there were any disappointments in my mind, it wasn’t his fault. I tried to speak to him about that; I was forthcoming. I had nothing selfish to to say. But he started speaking his mind: what he was thinking about his batting, how he looked at the Indian Test team, what it needed in a transition. He was talking like a leader, how there were these basic problems in the team and so on. I listened," he remarked.
Ashwin officially announced his retirement from all international formats shortly after the Brisbane Test ended in a draw, bringing an end to a career that featured 537 Test wickets. Kohli followed with his own Test retirement several months later in May 2025.