The fifth-most successful bowler in IPL history has made a shocking announcement — “Ravichandran Ashwin has retired from Indian cricket” and now plans to play in various leagues around the world.
Much like his sudden retirement from international cricket, this declaration also came out of nowhere. Ashwin confirmed that he will no longer feature in the IPL or Indian cricket. By stepping away from domestic cricket, the legendary off-spinner has opened the door to explore opportunities in different global leagues.
Under BCCI rules, Indian cricketers who are active in international or domestic cricket are not allowed to participate in overseas T20 leagues.
Back in December, during India’s tour of Australia, Ashwin surprised everyone by announcing his retirement from Test cricket, effectively ending his international career. At that time, he had expressed his desire to continue playing domestic cricket. In the last IPL season, Chennai Super Kings secured him for a hefty ₹9.75 crore.
However, it was a disappointing season for both Chennai and Ashwin. In 9 matches, he picked up only 7 wickets at an economy rate of 9.12 — the most expensive season of his IPL career. Despite the dip in form, his vast experience and utility still kept him in demand among franchises.
A few weeks ago, Ashwin had reportedly asked the Chennai Super Kings management for clarity about his role in the upcoming season. Soon after, came this retirement announcement.
With 187 wickets, Ashwin stands as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in IPL history, and he has also scored 833 runs, including a half-century. He has won two IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings.
Over his IPL journey, Ashwin played eight seasons with Chennai, one season for Rising Pune Supergiant, two seasons each with Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, and three seasons with Rajasthan Royals.
On Wednesday, he officially announced his decision on social media, drawing the curtain on a glorious IPL career. Nearing 39, Ashwin doesn’t see this as a farewell, but rather a fresh beginning.
“It’s a special day, and that’s why it’s the start of something special. They say every ending is the beginning of something new. As an IPL cricketer, my journey ends today, but as an adventurer of this game and various leagues, my time begins now.”
“A big thank you to all the franchises for the incredible memories and relationships over the years. Most importantly, I’m grateful to the IPL and BCCI for everything they’ve given me so far. I’m excited to embrace whatever lies ahead and make the most of it.”
Most recently, Ashwin was seen playing in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (June-July), where he picked up 13 wickets and finished as the tournament’s third-highest wicket-taker.
Now, after bidding farewell to Indian cricket, Ashwin is free to participate in overseas tournaments. He could even join the ongoing Caribbean Premier League and later explore leagues like the Big Bash League (BBL), SA20, ILT20, Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and Major League Cricket (MLC).
Last year, Dinesh Karthik followed a similar path — retiring from Indian cricket before going on to play in the SA20.
