R Ashwin's Wife Prithi Narayanan's Intriguing "New Things" Post On CSK Star's IPL Retirement

In a surprising move on Wednesday, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ashwin thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL for all the "wonderful memories" and relationships built over the years. "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. Would like to thank all the franchisees for all the wonderful memories and relationships over the years, and most importantly, the @IPL and the @BCCI for what they have given me until now. Look forward to enjoying and making the most of what's ahead of me," Ashwin wrote on X.

Ashwin's wife, Prithi Narayanan, posted a heartfelt note on her Instagram story while commenting on Ashwin's latest move: "I love you! @rashwin99 Can't wait to see you do new things and scale new heights."

Ashwin ends his IPL career as the league's fifth-highest wicket-taker, with 187 scalps in 221 games at an economy rate of 7.2. He began and ended his IPL journey with Chennai Super Kings, based in his home city.

In IPL 2025, where CSK finished at the bottom of the table, Ashwin played nine games—picking up only seven wickets at a high economy rate of 9.13—and was even left out of the starting eleven at one point due to his underwhelming performance.

Ashwin also represented the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals, and he captained Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings) during his IPL career. He also amassed 833 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 118, including a fifty.

The off-spinner was an integral part of CSK's IPL title triumphs in 2010 and 2011. He had already retired from international cricket after the Brisbane Test against Australia in December 2024, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

IANS understands that Ashwin, who was initially slated to enter the IPL 2026 mini-auction, has been in discussions with various stakeholders about signing up to play in overseas T20 leagues. With Ashwin now retiring from the IPL, he has the option to feature in the BBL in Australia, the SA20 in South Africa, and the ILT20 in the UAE.

He can also take part in The Hundred in England and the CPL in the West Indies, both of which are currently underway. Notably, his former India and Tamil Nadu teammate Dinesh Karthik retired from the IPL in June 2024 and went on to play for the Paarl Royals in the third season of the SA20.

Topics mentioned in this article

Ravichandran Ashwin India Cricket Team Chennai Super Kings Cricket