5 potential moves for Indian Premier League retiree Ravichandran Ashwin

Jonhenry Wilson 01 Sep 2025

Ravichandran Ashwin in the Indian Premier League

Ravichandran Ashwin's connection to the Rajasthan Royals franchise could continue with the Paarl Royals.

Ravichandran Ashwin announced his IPL retirement on Wednesday. It may have come as a surprise given that he is still playing well, and that at 38 he probably has a couple of good seasons left in him.

Interestingly though, in announcing his retirement, the veteran off-spinner said he was calling time on his IPL career and that he was hoping to explore opportunities in franchise cricket beyond the borders of India.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but where are we likely to see the Chennai-born star playing next. Here’s where we think he could turn up.

1. Paarl Royals, SA20

There are two reasons why this looks like a good fit. Having spent three of his last four seasons in the IPL with Rajasthan Royals, he has a current relationship with the Royals management.

Not only that, but the Paarl wicket is also a spinner’s dream with spinners used liberally at the Boland Park venue last season.

For the most-part Indian stars have not graced the SA20 with their presence – but Ashwin’s former Indian teammate Dishesh Karthik was at Paarl last season, and he may well have had good things to say about life alongside David Miller and Joe Root.

2. Melbourne Stars, Big Bash

The Stars are a very good team in the BBL, and they boast the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Scott Boland and Tom Curran, but they lack a genuinely world-class spinner.

They have leg-spinner Hamish McKenzie on the books, and while he is undoubtedly a good cricketer, he has no international experience. A player of Ashwin’s calibre would undoubtedly add plenty to the mix.

3. Caribbean Premier League, St Lucia Kings

The CPL is on the go at the moment so it’s unlikely Ashwin will turn up in the West Indies before the tournament ends. But for players in the twilight of their careers there are few better places to go than the West Indies.

It’s a high-quality league where there will be plenty of faces familiar to Ashwin from their time in the IPL. It’s a little way off, but it isn’t hard to imagine Ashwin turning up in St Lucia in August next year.

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4. Texas Super Kings, Major League Cricket

Ashwin’s final season of IPL was with Chennai Super Kings. His early forays in the league were also with CSK with whom he twice won the title and where he played for a total of eight incredible seasons.

The Super Kings management are also behind the Texas Super Kings, and they have invested heavily in big name players – many of whom fit the Ashwin bill – IE: slightly older and retired from the international game.

Last time out they had the likes of Faf du Plessis and Marcus Stoinis and they have also previously featured Dwayne Bravo. Ashwin would fit right in.

5. The Hundred, Manchester Originals

India’s cricket influence on The Hundred continues to grow.

The RPSG Group, who own Lucknow Super Giants and Durban’s Super Giants have purchased 70% of Manchester Originals while Northern Superchargers are owned by the Sun Group, the owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Eastern Cape.

As the Indian influence grows on the unique English format of the Hundred, the arrival of one of India’s greatest players of the last decade would not go amiss.

Not only would Ashwin’s presence do wonders for the profile of The Hundred in India, but it would also do good things for Ashwin’s bank balance given that Pounds go a long way when converted into Rupees.