Ravichandran Ashwin, fresh off receiving the Padma Shri, recently opened up about his retirement plans and the emotional journey behind them.

Speaking on CSK's podcast Mike Testing 123 with Mike Hussey, Ashwin revealed that he first considered retiring after his stunning performance in the Chennai Test against Bangladesh, where he scored a century and took six wickets.

He had hoped to bow out on a high after his 100th Test but decided to continue through the home season due to good form and momentum.

However, things began to shift during the Australia tour. Despite being in great shape, Ashwin was benched for the first Test in Perth, with Washington Sundar preferred over him.

That decision triggered deep emotional turmoil. He admitted the constant physical and mental grind, along with missing family time, pushed him to seriously consider retirement. "Your emotions are your own," he said, "and no one else really values what you're going through."