R Ashwin Showed The Way To Indian Players Who Want To Play Abroad? Ex-India Opener's Deep Analysis

Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India's greatest ever spinners, retired from the Indian Premier League on August 27. "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," he wrote on X. The Telegraph Sport reported that Ashwin is keen to play in The Hundred. Now, former India opener Aakash Chopra has said that this move by Ashwin will show the way to other Indian cricketers who want to play in overseas leagues.

Currently, active Indian cricketers can't play in overseas leagues. They need to retire from Indian cricket before getting an NOC to play in overseas leagues.

"Ravichandran Ashwin has said goodbye to the IPL as well, and he is now saying that he will go play in different leagues across the globe. It can be BCCI, CPL, The Hundred or even SA20. He is charting a new course. His IPL career has been terrific, but all good stories come to an end, and his story ends here. Does it mean other Indian players can also go to play in other leagues?" Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

"Wherever he puts his name, he is going to get picked, and he will do very well. Indian players aren't allowed to play in other leagues to save the novelty of the IPL. If you have to go and play elsewhere, you have to retire not just from international cricket, but also from the IPL, and that's a slightly big caveat. You can go and play somewhere else only if you say tata bye-bye to IPL money.

"There are very few players like that. Ravichandran Ashwin is doing something incredibly different. He is writing a different story as he is leaving despite having a Rs 9.75 crore contract. Everyone cannot do that. If someone is bought for less money, no one buys him outside either. If someone is getting good money here, why would he leave? Ashwin is charting a new course, and too many Indian players will not be a part of this course with him."

Chopra also congratulated Ashwin on ending his IPL career with Chennai Super Kings, with whom he started his IPL career.

"Wishing Ravichandran Ashwin all the very best for his second innings because the story has now formally ended from a player's perspective in Indian cricket. He was bought for Rs 9.75 crore by CSK. It was a wonderful thing that the IPL story started from here and it probably could have ended here only. It was probable because it was being said that he might leave or get traded or released, but he said he will end in yellow only," he said.

"Let's celebrate Ravichandran Ashwin. Leaving aside the stats, he has done some incredible things. Absolutely clean action, there is no doosra, but he stayed consistently relevant as a bowler. This format is extremely difficult for a finger spinner. He has been outstanding, constantly outthinking the batter. It seems like he hasn't bowled two similar balls."

Topics mentioned in this article

Ravichandran Ashwin India Cricket Team Chennai Super Kings Cricket