Could R Ashwin start a trend of Indians skipping IPL for overseas T20s leagues? Former India opener reflects

Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket during the 2024-2025 Border-Gavaskar series. However, he played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the subsequent Indian Premier League (IPL) season after being roped in by the five-time champions for INR 9.75 crore.

On Wednesday, August 27, he announced his retirement from the IPL on 'X' (formerly Twitter). He mentioned that he wants to play in overseas leagues. For the unversed, the BCCI does not allow its players to compete in overseas leagues unless they retire from Indian cricket. After retiring from Indian cricket earlier this week, Ashwin is free to play in whichever league he chooses around the globe.

According to former India opener Aakash Chopra, Ashwin is travelling on a new path, ditching a lucrative INR 9.75 crore IPL contract.

“Ravichandran Ashwin has said goodbye to the IPL as well, and he is now saying that he will go play the different leagues across the globe. 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 questioned on his YouTube channel.

While Chopra believes that Ashwin will get opportunities in any league he wants to play in, he mentioned that other players might struggle to do the same with the BCCI's aforementioned strict rule in place.

“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 the 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,” he added.

Ravichandran Ashwin is doing something incredibly different: Chopra

The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) cricketer Chopra reckoned that only a few Indian cricketers would be able to take a brave call of retiring from the IPL despite having an enviable contract.

“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?” reasoned the former India opener.

Chopra also congratulated Ashwin on his stellar career. The cricket-turned-commentator hailed him for thriving in international cricket, despite of not having a doosra delivery in his repertoire.

“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,” he commented.