'Walking Out With You...': Ashwin's message to Kohli

I will be with you at MCG: Ashwin tells Kohli

"I will be walking out with you to bat at the MCG," R Ashwin told Virat Kohli in a short note on X Friday, a subtle and endearing demonstration of their closeness in the team.

Ashwin, who announced a surprise retirement from international cricket after the drawn third Test against Australia in Brisbane, was thanking his teammate of 14 years for his stirring tribute to the ace spinner a day earlier.

"I've played with you for 14 years and when you told me today you're retiring, it made me a bit emotional and the flashbacks of all those years playing together came to me. I've enjoyed every bit of the journey with you ash...," Kohli wrote hours after Ashwin announced his decision on Wednesday.

Responding to Kohli, Ashwin said, "Thanks buddy! Like I told you, I will be walking out with you to bat at the MCG."

India and Australia are due to go head to head in the third Test in Melbourne from December 26.

Though it was not clear what exactly Ashwin meant, netizens assumed that the great off-spinner was referring to their very brief but significant partnership in the famous win over Pakistan at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Ashwin joined Kohli at the crease during the final two balls of India's thrilling 160-run chase against their arch-rivals.

India were left with a daunting task of scoring 48 runs in the last three overs of the match with Kohli going strong. At the end of the game, they were both unbeaten in which Kohli struck a match-winning 82 and Ashwin remained not out on 1.

In Brisbane, Some time before he accompanied skipper Rohit Sharma to the post-match press conference to announce his retirement at the end of the third Test, Ashwin was seen engaged in an emotional conversation with Kohli during which the batting maestro expressed his surprise even as the ace spinner wiped his eyes.

At the end of the conversation, which took place inside the Indian dressing room, both were seen hugging each other.

It was this dressing room discussion that sparked speculations about a possible retirement announcement by the seasoned spinner.

Ashwin landed in Chennai on Thursday and received a warm welcome from his family and friends.

During a glorious career, Ashwin featured in 106 Tests, picked up a whopping 537 wickets, including 37 five-wicket hauls, and scored 3,503 runs.