Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL), bringing down the curtain on a celebrated journey across multiple franchises.
Expressing gratitude to the BCCI and IPL, Ashwin said the league had given him “wonderful memories and relationships” over the years.
“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,” Ashwin wrote on X.
Bought by Chennai Super Kings at the 2025 mega auction for ₹9.75 crore, Ashwin played nine games this season, taking seven wickets at an economy of 9.13—his most expensive year in the league.
Across his IPL career, Ashwin featured in 239 matches, claiming 201 wickets at an average of 30.94. He represented Rising Pune Supergiant, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and CSK, with whom he began and ended his IPL career.
The 38-year-old had earlier retired from Test cricket in 2024, finishing as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format with 537 scalps in 106 matches—only behind Anil Kumble. He also contributed with the bat, scoring six Test centuries.
In ODIs, Ashwin picked 156 wickets in 116 matches, while his overall international tally across formats stood at 765 wickets—second only to Kumble’s 953 for India.
Ashwin was a part of India’s World Cup-winning squad in 2011 and the Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, cementing his place as one of the most successful all-rounders in Indian cricket history.
