Former India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath has said that Ravichandran Ashwin was seemingly not treated fairly within the Indian dressing room and he wanted to leave when Washington Sundar was played ahead of him in the Perth Test. While rain remained the headline on the final day of the Brisbane Test, the spotlight was soon on Ashwin, who announced his retirement from international cricket.

The news of Ashwin's retirement was a shock to everyone, considering that India are touring Australia and he had been a part of the squad and had played the Adelaide Test.

But Ashwin was benched for the Brisbane Test and after Ravindra Jadeja scored a crucial half-century, it was decided that the latter would feature in the Indian playing XI in the Melbourne Test, with Ashwin again warming the benches.

"I am shocked. I think, to be honest, he wasn't treated fairly. Rohit Sharma said he wanted to leave after the Perth Test. He wanted to leave when Washington Sundar was played ahead of him. That tells you he was not happy," Badrinath said while speaking on Star Sports Tamil.

“Honestly, I am saying something-it's a big thing for a cricketer from Tamil Nadu. There are many reasons for that. Players from a few other states get better chances. Despite all these odds, Ashwin went on to take more than 500 wickets and became a legend," Badrinath said.

“Imagine what he must have gone through. I know he has faced quite a few things. On many occasions, efforts were made to sideline him. But every time, he has bounced back like a phoenix bird," Badrinath added.

Ashwin's father Ravichandran kicked up a controversy on Thursday by claiming that humiliation could have been a reason for the decision to call it quits but Ashwin made light of the dad's comment, blaming it on lack of media training.

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