R Ashwin announces retirement from IPL ahead of 2026 edition

Former India off-spinner R Ashwin has hung his boots from Indian cricket once and for all, having announced his retirement from IPL on Wednesday, August 27. Ashwin, one of the greats of the premier T20 competition in the world, took 187 wickets in the tournament's history, ending his career as the fifth-highest wicket-taker while making the seventh-highest appearances in the competition (221), across 16 seasons for five different teams.

Starting in 2009 as a rookie for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Ashwin went on to become a tournament great, recording the third-highest wickets for the five-time champions (97) across eight seasons. Ashwin was a key member of CSK's early success from 2010 to 2015 when the Men in Yellow won the title twice, were the losing finalists in three of those seasons and made the playoffs in the remaining one season in 2014, when Kolkata Knight Riders defeated the then Kings XI Punjab in 2014, while also winning a couple of seasons in the now-defunct Champions League T20 in 2010 and 2014.

"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," Ashwin wrote on X (previously Twitter) as he hinted that he might be



open to playing in the franchise tournaments around the world. There are impending player auctions for SA20 and ILT20 next month and the 38-year-old will be looking to explore those options.

"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," he added.

Ashwin who also led the then Kings XI Punjab in a couple of seasons in the IPL in 2018-19, helped the side win 12 out of 28 matches. In the latter half of his career, Ashwin formed an outstanding spin duo with Axar Patel in a couple of seasons for the Delhi Capitals, while reaching the final of IPL 2020 and Yuzvendra Chahal for the Rajasthan Royals from 2022-2024 in a tremendous three-year period for the inaugural champions.

Ashwin retired from international cricket last year, following the Gabba Test against Australia, but played in the IPL and Tamil Nadu Premier League in 2025. Ashwin didn't have the greatest of seasons on return to CSK, having been picked for Rs 9.75 crore during the IPL auction. Ashwin played nine games in the 2025 edition, where CSK finished at the bottom, and took just nine wickets at an economy of 9.13.