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Ravichandran Ashwin retires from IPL after 221 matches and 187 wickets, citing the demanding schedule. He hints at new adventures and confirms registering for another league.
Ashwin retired from IPL. (Picture credit: PTI)
Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday drew curtains on his IPL career, announcing his retirement through an emotional note on social media. Earlier this year, he returned to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after 8 seasons but couldn’t meet the expectations. He featured in 9 matches, picking up 7 wickets at an average of 40.42. And just when the rumours of his separation from the franchise started making rounds, he dropped the bombshell.
Ashwin revealed on his YouTube channel what made him take this step. He explained that he no longer had the energy to commit to the demanding three-month IPL schedule. He admitted that the travel, matches and recovery were getting tough to manage with age.
“I was thinking if I can play IPL next year. Three months of IPL is a little too much for me. It’s draining. This is one of the reasons why I’m awe-struck by seeing someone like MS Dhoni. As you grow older, the bandwidth to play IPL becomes less,” Ashwin said.
In his retirement post, the veteran added an intriguing line — “My journey as an explorer of the game begins today.” Several media reports have claimed his participation in The Hundred and SA20. However, Ashwin confirmed registering for another league but did not disclose details.
Ashwin made his debut in the IPL during the second season (in 2009) and since then has played a total of 221 matches for five teams – Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Super Giants, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals.
In 221 IPL matches, Ashwin picked up 187 wickets and scored 833 runs with an average of 13.01. He is the seventh most capped player in the IPL, and in the world’s richest franchise cricket league, he also captained Punjab Kings in 28 matches from 2018 to 2019 but was only able to win 12 fixtures.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
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The post‘Awestruck By Seeing Dhoni…’: Ashwin Reveals Actual Reason Behind His IPL Retirement | Cricket News appeared first on News18