Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has officially announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL), marking the end of a remarkable 14-year association with the tournament. Ashwin announced a heartfelt post on the social media platform X.
“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 tweeted. He extended his gratitude to all the franchises he represented throughout the years.
He expressed thanks to the IPL and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their unwavering support. “Look forward to enjoying and making the most of what’s ahead of me,” he added. Ashwin last featured for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2025 IPL season. He had previously announced his retirement from international cricket in December 2024 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.
His retirement opens the door for him to explore opportunities in various T20 leagues around the world, in line with BCCI regulations that require Indian players to retire from international and IPL cricket before playing abroad.
The Chennai-based former India star took to social media to make the announcement, putting an end to an illustrious career in IPL, picking 187 wickets from 221 matches for five different franchises – Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals.
In 116 ODIs, Ashwin took 156 wickets at an average of 33.20, with best figures of 4/25. He also scored 707 runs at an average of 16.44, including one fifty, a knock of 65 in 63 innings. He is the 13th-highest wicket-taker for India in the format. Across all formats, Ashwin took 765 wickets in 287 matches, making him India’s second-highest wicket-taker after Anil Kumble (953 wickets). Ashwin was also a key member of the Indian team that won the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
