Our Bureau
Chennai
Ravichandran Ashwin, one of the greatest players to ever play for India, last year announced his retirement from international cricket but continued to be part of the Indian Premier League this year. However, this Wednesday morning, on August 27th Ashwin shockingly announced his retirement from the IPL.
R Ashwin took to his official X account and stated that he is calling the curtains on his stellar IPL career today but that doesn’t mean that his time as a cricketer will end. The legendary off-spinner stated that he will now explore different leagues where he can contribute with his talents. He thanked all the franchises in the league as well as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for what they did for him and said he will be looking forward to his new journey.
“Special day and hence a special beginning. They say every ending will have a new start, my time as an IPL cricketer comes to a close today, but my time as an explorer of the game around various leagues begins today,” he said.
“Would like to thank all the franchisees for all the wonderful memories and relationships over the years and most importantly the @IPL and the @BCCI for what they have given me until now. Look forward to enjoying and making the most of what’s ahead of me,” Ashwin added.
Ashwin’s decision to retire from the IPL came as a shock to all his fans as the rumour mill surrounding his name was running wild. There were rumors that hinted that the off-spinner might be returning to the Rajasthan Royals as part of a trade ahead of the 2026 IPL auction.
Ashwin had a legendary career in the league and any cricketer would dream of the numbers that the off-spinner got in the IPL. Ashwin appeared in 221 IPL matches, making his debut in the second edition of the league in 2009. In his career he took 187 wickets at an average of 30.22, an economy rate of 7.20, and a strike rate of 25.2.
