Former India off-spinner R Ashwin has said that watching the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) auction live on television was his favourite memory from the tournament. He also said that he was fascinated by watching players get sold in the 2008 auction as well. However, he made his IPL debut for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2009 and announced his retirement from IPL career on Wednesday, August 27, after taking 187 wickets in 221 matches as well.

He said on “Ash ki Baat”: “My favourite memory is when I saw the first IPL auction. When players were being sold. When I saw players being sold on TV, it opened up my eyes. It was fascinating for me. That will be my everlasting memory. The IPL auction has to be the single most exciting thing I have seen in the game.”

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“Whoever did that, massive, massive respect for both the BCCI and IPL for what they have rolled out. It has to be one of the most incredible products of the game available in the market. Through an auction, it attracted the entire world,” he further added.

However, R Ashwin also said that he had shared his retirement thoughts with his parents, 25-30 days before making it official as well.

“The tweet that I put out, my parents have travelled a lot with me in my journey. I only called them to inform them about my IPL retirement after putting out the tweet. In fact, they called and asked me, ‘Have you retired from the IPL?’. I had informed them 25-30 days back that I had such thoughts in my mind. Then my father said, ‘Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it’. My mother asked me, ‘Why? Someone else can take you in the auction’. I said, ‘No, I strongly feel about the decision (retirement).’ That was it,” R Ashwin concluded.