"Does it mean other Indian players can also go to play in other leagues?" - Aakash Chopra on Ravichandran Ashwin retiring from the IPL

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Ravichandran Ashwin is charting a new course by retiring from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and expressing a wish to play in overseas leagues. He wondered whether the move implies that other players might follow suit.

Ashwin, who had already retired from international cricket, called it quits from the IPL on Wednesday, August 27. The off-spinner picked up 187 wickets at an economy rate of 7.20 in 221 IPL games.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator questioned whether other players would follow Ashwin by opting to play in overseas leagues.

"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?" he said (0:01).

While opining that Ashwin would find takers everywhere, Chopra added that players will lose the money they could earn through the IPL if they take that route.

"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 observed.

The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player reckoned very few Indian cricketers are likely to follow Ashwin's example.

"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 ₹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? Ashwin is charting a new course, and too many Indian players will not be a part of this course with him," Chopra reasoned.

Aakash Chopra opined that among Indian players who have registered for the SA20 auction, Piyush Chawla might be the only one acquired. He named Ishant Sharma and Jaydev Unadkat as potentially the only active Indian IPL players who could consider taking the Ravichandran Ashwin route.

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"He said he will end in yellow only" - Aakash Chopra on Ravichandran Ashwin starting and ending his IPL career with CSK

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up seven wickets at an economy rate of 9.13 in nine games in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement has ensured that he started and ended his IPL career with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

"Wishing Ravichandran Ashwin all the very best for his second innings because the story has now formally ended from a player perspective in Indian cricket. He was bought for ₹9.75 crore by CSK. It was a wonderful thing that the IPL story started from here and it probably could have ended here only. It was probable because it was being said that he might leave or get traded or released, but he said he will end in yellow only," he said.

The former India opener praised the wily off-spinner for being successful without resorting to the doosra.

"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," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that Ravichandran Ashwin contributed with the bat too, highlighting that he was even sent up the order at times. The analyst added that Ashwin is also the brand ambassador of the run-out at the non-striker's end, pointing out that the then Punjab Kings (PBKS) player was well within the laws of the game while running out Jos Buttler.