Ravichandran Ashwin returns to IPL after last year's retirement; CSK's two-time former champion bowler dons new hat
Having made his IPL debut in 2009, Ravichandran Ashwin played 221 matches for five different teams in his career, and finished as the fifth-highest wicket-taker with 187 scalps. He has also won two IPL titles with CSK in 2010 and 2011.
Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has made a return to the Indian Premier League (IPL), which starts on Saturday, but in a brand new role, in the form of a commentator. Ashwin, who has played his first seven seasons with CSK, went to Punjab Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals, before returning to CSK in 2025.
The veteran spinner announced his retirement from IPL in August last year. In the list of commentators announced by the host broadcasters, Ashwin has been named under the Hindi category, along the likes of Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Sunil Gavaskar among others.
Among the retired Indian cricketers, Ashwin has a strong social media presence, including 1.83 million subscribers on YouTube itself, providing expert opinions on the game. Not just expert opinions, Ashwin goes deep while analysing a team of an individual player. Overall, the IPL 2026 will be broadcast and live streamed in 12 languages.
How has Ravichandran Ashwin performed in IPL?
Ashwin made his IPL debut in 2009 and went on to play 221 games for five different teams, taking 187 wickets. The right-arm off-spinner was a part of CSK's IPL-winning teams in 2010 and 2011, and played a crucial part with 13 and 20 wickets respectively.
The highlight of Ashwin's IPL career was in the 2011 edition where he finished among the top five bowlers. In the final that year, Ashwin took three wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs to guide CSK to a 58-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chidambaram Stadium.
Besides the 2011 edition, Ashwin excelled with 15 wickets in 2013 (for CSK) and 2019 (Punjab Kings). In the 2023 edition, Ashwin scalped 14 wickets for Rajasthan Royals. With the bat, Ashwin scored 833 runs in IPL.
He called it quits on August 27, 2025, after finishing his career as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in IPL. “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 social media.
When will IPL 2026 start?
The 19th edition of the IPL starts on Saturday with defending champions RCB taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament opener at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. CSK will start their campaign against Rajasthan Royals on March 30.
About the Author
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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