Sachin says Ashwin 'always found a way to win'; tributes pour in for retired spinner

Teammates and coaches have showered praises on Ravichandran Ashwin, who announced his retirement from international cricket.

According to former international Mohammed Kaif, Ashwin is the 'greatest Indian off-spinner'. That means Kaif values Ashwin more than his former teammate, Harbhajan Singh. “Sharpest cricketing brain and very skilled bowler. For me, R Ashwin is the greatest Indian off-spinner, true Test all-rounder and a modern day great. Somehow I feel he deserved a much better farewell,” Kaif remarked.

Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar said Ashwin's legacy will inspire one and all. "From perfecting the carrom ball to contributing crucial runs, you always found a way to win," noted Sachin.

Dinesh Karthik has called Ashwin "the greatest ever to have played from Tamil Nadu", while veteran spinner Anil Kumble remarked that the off-spinner was "one of the finest to have graced the field".

"You were an invaluable asset during my tenure as coach and enriched the game immensely with your skill and craft," noted former India coach Ravi Shastri. The incumbent, Gautam Gambhir, also hailed Ashwin. "The privilege of seeing you grow from a young bowler to a legend of modern cricket is something that I wouldn’t trade for the world! I know that generations of bowlers to come will say that I became a bowler because of Ashwin," Gambhir posted.

When he claimed his 500th Test wicket against England earlier this year, Sachin Tendulkar called Ashwin "a one-in-a-million bowler".