As Ravichandran Ashwin landed in Chennai on Thursday morning, even before news of his shock retirement from international cricket had sunk in, one message was clear. Having decided to hang up his boots, the champion off-spinner seemed eager to get away as soon as possible from the team of which he had been an integral part for so long. Indeed, it must have taken a feat of scheduling to fly from Brisbane to Chennai in the time he did, considering there are no direct flights between the two cities.

But uncomfortable questions, based on indubitable presumptions, must be asked and will at some stage have to be answered. Why would Ashwin, lauded for his team spirit, choose to bid adieu to the game midway through a crucially important Test series unless he was told in clear terms that the team management saw no further role for him in Australia, reasoning that would likely carry over to India’s Test engagements in England next summer? There was no problem with his form or fitness. This winter itself, he has bagged important wickets, been the Man of the Series, scored invaluable runs and even held a blinder of a catch.

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India has played different spinners in each of the three Tests in Australia, and of them Ashwin seemed the most in control of his craft. Of course, he had a difficult time against New Zealand at home, but so did every other player. Thus, if the selectors believed he was good enough to travel to Australia, why were the coach and captain convinced that he was not good enough to play Tests? After all, you do not take a bowler with 500 plus wickets to the other end of the world to carry drinks or to bowl in the nets. The disconnect between the national and tour selectors must be explained at some point of time. The second aspect of Ashwin’s career and abrupt retirement that must be considered is whether the presumption of his being a home-conditions bowler is valid, and whether on that basis it was fair to bench him as often as he was picked overseas.

It is universally acknowledged that Ashwin is a thinking bowler, one who has always strived to find solutions to problems that batsmen pose. As the finest spin bowler India has produced in the past decade and more, and one whose form and fitness have remained consistent, he ought to have been assured of a place in every playing XI regardless of the conditions. Yet, in the 140-odd Tests India has played since Ashwin made his debut, he was dropped on more than 30 occasions, a shocking statistic when one considers the fact that he has scored more Test hundreds than any other Indian spin bowler. For a man of exceptional skills, it must have been galling to see his place being taken by mediocre medium-pacers who were presumed to bat a little better than him, but seldom did. While we celebrate Ashwin’s stellar achievements, his departure leaves a sour taste in the mouth.