Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has added that Ravichandran Ashwin is charting a new course by retiring from the IPL and expressing a wish to play in overseas leagues as well. He also wondered whether the move shows that other players might follow the same. Ashwin, who had already retired from international cricket, announced her retirement from the IPL on Wednesday, August 27 as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “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?”

“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 shared.

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“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 further added.

However, Aakash Chopra also stated that Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement has ensured that he started and ended his IPL career with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as well.

“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.

“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,” Aakash Chopra concluded.