Ravichandran Ashwin surprised fans with his sudden retirement from the IPL. Starting his career with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he returned to the franchise in 2025, concluding a long and lucrative journey across multiple teams.

Ashwin played for five IPL franchises: CSK (2008–2015, 2025), Rising Pune Supergiant (2016–2017), Punjab Kings (2018–2019), Delhi Capitals (2020–2021), and Rajasthan Royals (2022–2024).

Over 18 seasons, his earnings grew alongside his stature in cricket. Beginning with a modest ₹12 lakh in 2008, his salary peaked at ₹9.75 crore in 2025 with CSK. In total, Ashwin earned approximately ₹97.24 crore from IPL salaries alone.

His career highlights not only his consistency on the field but also his remarkable growth in value in the IPL market.

Indian cricket stalwart Ravichandran Ashwin has officially retired from the Indian Premier League (IPL), bringing an end to a remarkable chapter in his T20 career.

Ashwin, who last represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2025 season, had already retired from international cricket in December 2024, just before the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

The announcement surprised many fans, especially amid speculation linking him with a potential return to Rajasthan Royals for the 2026 IPL auction. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ashwin described his retirement as both an ending and a fresh beginning, highlighting plans to explore cricket leagues worldwide.

"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 said.

"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 added.