Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin revealed on Wednesday that he is retiring from the Indian Premier League (IPL) in a post on his 'X' account. He also announced that he will pursue opportunities in international T20 leagues.
"Special day and thus a special start. They say there will be a new beginning for every end, my journey as an IPL cricketer ends today but my journey as a discoverer of the game across different leagues starts today," Ashwin posted on 'X'.
He also shared his appreciation, stating, "Would like to thank all the franchisees for all the great memories and friendships over the years and above all the @IPL and the @BCCI for what they have provided me until now. Look forward to enjoying and making the most of what lies ahead."
Ashwin finishes his IPL stint as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the history of the league, taking 187 scalps from 221 games at an economy of 7.2. His IPL career started and concluded at Chennai Super Kings (CSK), his home-town franchise.
In the IPL 2025, a year in which CSK was last among the teams, Ashwin played nine matches, taking a mere seven wickets at an expensive economy rate of 9.13. At one point, he was even left out of the playing eleven on account of his below-par performances.
Throughout his IPL career, Ashwin has also played for Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals, and led Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). As a batsman, he has scored 833 runs at a strike rate of 118, with one half-century.
The off-spinner played an instrumental role for CSK's IPL title wins in 2010 and 2011. Ashwin had already retired from international cricket following India's Brisbane Test against Australia in the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
As per IANS, Ashwin, who was initially set to feature in the IPL 2026 mini auction, has been in talks with different parties regarding playing for overseas T20 leagues. His retirement from the IPL now provides avenues to play in leagues like Australia's BBL, South Africa's SA20, and the UAE's ILT20.
He would also be able to take part in regular tournaments such as England's The Hundred and the CPL in the West Indies. That route was followed by his former India and Tamil Nadu colleague Dinesh Karthik, who quit the IPL in June 2024 and switched to Paarl Royals for the third season of the SA20.
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