Ashwin breaks silence on sudden IPL retirement

Former India cricketer and spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday, August 27 announced shocking retirement from the prestigious cash-rich league - Indian Premier League (IPL). However, the decision

from the 38-year-old left everyone in utter shock while the veteran off-spinner was being linked in the trade window amid uncertainty over his future with the five-time champions - Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

However, it’s been days since he put down curtains on his 17-year-long IPL career, he recently broke silence on his decision while mentioning the desire to play in foreign leagues rather than taking up coaching at the moment. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the versatile former India all-rounder broke silence on his decision while revealing his future plans.

Three months of IPL felt a bit too much: R Ashwin on IPL retirement

The 38-year-old confirmed that his decision wasn’t “well-planned” while agreeing at with age on his side, playing three months in the IPL felt a little too much. “I wouldn’t deny that I didn’t have in mind the thought of playing overseas. It was there. In my mind, I want to really enjoy cricket in the final stages of my cricket career. I don’t want any regrets in life. I will definitely keep playing cricket. For me, cricket is a source of great joy,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“I contemplated whether I should play IPL next season. Three months of IPL felt a bit too much. I have gone to a stage of life where I want to play three months of IPL, but it’s very draining. But, with age, the bandwidth to play those three months keeps decreasing. Three months of travel, playing matches and recovery after matches are not easy. As you age, the ability to recover will go down. After recovering, you have to play again. I thought about all these a lot. There’s this health factor,” he added in his 14-minute long interaction, while hailing MS Dhoni’s efforts to still play at the age of 43.

The former India all-rounder added that coaching has been in his mind, but wants to still play cricket. "I was wondering if I can head to coaching immediately. But, then I thought this candle can still burn. So I want to play. Say if you go overseas and play, you can enjoy the experience. Not many people will recognise you on the streets, you can have fun. It’s not like I will travel across the world and compete in each and every league. No, I can’t play 10 months in a year. I will wait for opportunities and see how I fit into different teams’ plans. I have already registered for one such league. Let's see how it goes," Ashwin continued.

It is to be noted that during his 17-year-long stint in the IPL, Ashwin has featured in five teams - namely, Rising Pune Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings) and the Chennai Super Kings. He has played 221 matches in the league, where he has picked up 187 wickets and sits as the fifth highest wicket-taker, only behind Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla.