Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Tuesday announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League, bringing down the curtains on a celebrated career in the tournament.
Ashwin, who turned out for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025 after being bought for ₹9.75 crore, played nine matches this season, picking up seven wickets. His decision to step away does not come as a surprise, as he had earlier sought clarity over his role in the team.
The off-spinner ends his IPL journey as one of the tournament’s greats, with 187 wickets — the fifth-highest tally in IPL history. Ashwin had already retired from international cricket earlier this year during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
“Every ending has a new start. My time as an IPL cricketer comes to a close today, but my journey as an explorer of the game across various leagues begins,” Ashwin wrote on X.Looking ahead, the 37-year-old confirmed he would explore opportunities in overseas T20 leagues and hinted at a possible coaching stint in the IPL.
“Would like to thank all franchises, the IPL and BCCI for the wonderful memories. I look forward to enjoying what lies ahead,” he added.
Ashwin’s most successful IPL years came with CSK between 2009 and 2015, where he bagged 127 wickets and played a crucial role in the franchise’s back-to-back title wins in 2010 and 2011. His return to the side in 2025 marked the final chapter of a storied IPL career.