3 Best H2H Battles of Ravichandran Ashwin's IPL career

Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from IPL on August 27 (Wednesday). The two time IPL champion ended his IPL career holding the record of bowling the most overs in IPL. With so many seasons played and overs bowled, Ashwin had some excellent battles, which produced some of the best head-to-head clashes in the competition's history.

Here are three best H2H battles Ashwin enjoyed in his 16-year IPL career. 

Chris Gayle vs Ravichandran Ashwin

10 inns, 53 runs, 65 balls, 5 dismissals, 10.6 average, 82 SR, 3 fours, 3 sixes

Ashwin had crazy success against Chris Gayle in the IPL as no one troubled the big Jamaican like he did in the world's biggest T20 competition. 

He dismissed 'The Universe Boss' five times in 10 IPL innings in which they faced off, while allowing the left-hander to score at a snail’s pace of 82 SR. The most notable battle between them was the IPL 2011 Final where Ashwin dismissed Gayle for a duck in the first over, thereby ending RCB’s chance of winning the trophy.

Glenn Maxwell vs Ravichandran Ashwin

12 inns, 141 runs, 72 balls, 4 dismissals, 35.3 average, 196 SR, 9 fours, 11 sixes

Ashwin had most fun bowling against Glenn Maxwell as ‘The Big Show’ was the first batter to take him head-on in the IPL.  Maxwell smashed Ashwin for 71 runs of 27 balls in the three encounters between CSK and PBKS in IPL 2014. 

Post this initial onslaught, Ashwin took the challenge and tried his best get the better of Maxwell. Overall, the TN man was able to dismiss him four times, including in the Eliminator of IPL 2024, where the Australian departed for a duck. This helped RR restrict RCB to a below-par total which they chased easily. 

Rohit Sharma vs Ravichandran Ashwin

21 inns, 119 runs, 128 balls, 3 dismissals, 39.7 average, 93 SR, 4 fours, 5 sixes

Rohit Sharma always had trouble scoring against Ashwin as he struggled to connect his shots, resulting in him having a SR of just 93 after facing 128 balls against the off-spinner. 

Among 22 bowlers against whom Rohit Sharma has played 50+ balls, his SR of 93 against Ashwin is his second-lowest after Axar Patel. That he was able to keep a destructive batter like Rohit completely quiet is a testament to Ashwin's greatness in the shortest format.