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Ashwin Registers For His First Overseas League After IPL Retirement
Follow UsThe former CSK spinner said he will focus on joining teams that genuinely require his skill set
Former India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin has clarified that while he is open to playing in overseas T20 leagues, he won’t be featuring in every single league happening around the world. Instead, the veteran said he will focus on joining teams that genuinely require his skill set.
Ashwin, who announced his retirement from the IPL on August 27, revealed that he has already signed up for one league.
“Of course I won’t be playing anywhere and everywhere for 10 months. Whatever each team’s requirements are and the ones I satisfy, I’ll play in those leagues. I’ve already registered for one of the leagues and so let us see how that pans out,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, as reported by TOI.
The 38-year-old admitted that the grind of completing an entire IPL season had become too demanding, which ultimately pushed him to walk away from the league. However, Ashwin reiterated that he isn’t retiring from cricket altogether.
Over a remarkable 16-year IPL career, Ashwin turned out for five franchises - Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Rising Pune Super Giants, and Rajasthan Royals. In 2025, he made a homecoming to CSK, the team where his IPL journey began.
But his final season proved underwhelming as he struggled for form and was even benched for a few matches. Despite that, Ashwin’s overall IPL numbers remain impressive - 187 wickets in 217 innings at an average of 30.2 and an economy rate of 7.2.
Looking ahead, Ashwin said he wants to enjoy the freedom of playing cricket without expectations. “Playing around the world outside India is fun as nobody knows who you are. You can enjoy it thoroughly. Bowling without any pressure will almost make the ball land perfectly on the spot and even if it doesn’t, it’s fine as I will finally enjoy playing with joy. I want to play on the global stage the way I played street cricket.
“My thing is I want to live my life on my terms for my happiness. As long as I don’t hurt anyone and maybe help a few, it gives as much happiness as the achievements on the cricketing field. Playing cricket and touching lives, while balancing the family’s needs, is the ultimate challenge at this stage.”