Shocked by Ashwin's choice? Brace yourself for these 5 cricketers whose retirements blindsided everyone

The cricketing world was left in disbelief following the unexpected retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin, shortly after India's drawn third Test against Australia at the Gabba. The announcement came as a total surprise, with rumors circulating just minutes before the official confirmation. Ashwin's retirement adds his name to the prestigious list of cricketing legends who have bid farewell to the game, leaving fans in shock and admiration for his incredible career.

When MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020, it was met with a wave of nostalgia and tribute, but not surprise. That wasn't the case when he retired from Test cricket though, just after India's third match against Australia on December 30, 2014 in Melbourne with one more game to go on the tour. Dhoni had received some criticism as captain for the team's horrendous run of form away from home and their series defeat to England at home. But quitting Test cricket altogether made a bit of a vaccum for India to fill in the wicketkeeper-batter role, for which Dhoni was very much the best candidate by far in all formats at the time. Dhoni was batting on 24 when what turned out to be his final Test was called off early at the MCG - four overs were left and India had four wickets in hand - and he made no mention of his retirement during the customary captain's press conference at the end of the match. The announcement was made via a BCCI press release. Ravi Shastri, the team's director at the time, said that none of the players or coaching staff had any idea about it when Dhoni announced it to them in a five-minute speech.

The last part of AB de Villiers' international career was up and down. While his performances never really dipped, there were questions on his commitment to playing for South Africa, particularly in Test cricket. That wasn't the case just before he announced his retirement from international cricket on May 23, 2018 in a long video that he posted on his social media channels. "After 114 Test matches, 228 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals, it is time for others to take over. I have had my turn, and to be honest, I am tired," he said in the video. De Villiers had playd just four Tests in the two prior years but in 2018, he had very much made a comeback to the longest format, scoring 638 runs at an average of 53.16 with one century and six half-centuries in 14 innings. Unforunately for fans of Mr.360, that was the last they saw of him in whites and in South African colours.

The southpaw announced joined his longtime friend and captain MS Dhoni in international retirement in a decision that no one really saw coming. Raina made the initial announcement on Instagram in a statement that initially read as a tribute for Dhoni after he made the same announcement just a few minutes earlier. "It was nothing but lovely playing with you, @mahi7781 . With my heart full of pride, I choose to join you in this journey." He made a proper announcement the next day, stating that he was making his retirement public "with a lot of mixed feelings". "All I strived for was to value those blessings & give my everything in return to my game, to my country & everyone who has been a part of this journey. I had multiple surgeries, set backs & moments when I felt that this is it but I didn't stop or settle for anything which was not justified. It's been an incredible ride and it would not have been possible without everyone who supported me during my ups and downs," he said. Raina's last international had come in an ODI against England at Headingley in July 2018.

After his fallout with Greg Chappell at the turn of the year in 2005/06, Sourav Ganguly's international career never really went back to the way it was before the Australian had become head coach of the Indian team. He was recalled to the team November 2008 for their three-Test series against South Africa and was then surprisingly dropped from the team for the tri-nation CB Series in Australia despite being in good nick. This led to questions over whether the BCCI selectors are forcing the senior players in the squad to retire early, something Test captain Anil Kumble, himself one of those seniors, rubbished. Finally, Ganguly said almost as an afterthought in a press conference two days before India's first Test against Australia that he is retiring after this series. "Just one last thing lads, before I leave, I just want to say that this is going to be my last series," Ganguly said after taking the last question of his press conference. "I've decided to quit. I told my team-mates before coming here. These four Test matches are going to be my last and hopefully we'll go on a winning note." Two days later, he admitted that the decision was made because he was "tired of being humiliated again and again." "If there is a gun to your head all the time, how long can you bear this? After all, I have played 400 matches for India. I have played badly in only one series. Yet every Tom, Dick and Harry is playing in the team," he said.

Laxman admitted that he himself didn't know that he would retire just a few weeks before he made the announcement on August 18, 2012. Unlike Ganguly or Rahul Dravid, Laxman hadn't endured being dropped from the side in different formats frequently before finally hanging up his boots. However, he was subject to criticism due to his poor form in India's disastrous tours of England and Australia in 2011. Laxman made the announcement in an emotional press conference, in which he made it clear that the criticism didn't play a role in his call.