Ashwin Details Emotional IPL Retirement After CSK Season

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin revealed on his YouTube channel that his final season with the Chennai Super Kings in the 2025 Indian Premier League was emotionally draining, prompting his retirement from the tournament despite believing he could have continued playing.

Ashwin, who began his IPL career with CSK in 2008 and won two titles with the franchise before moving to other teams, returned to his hometown side ahead of the 2025 season for Rs 9.75 crore. The reunion with veterans MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja generated high expectations, but Ashwin appeared in only nine of CSK's 14 matches, claiming seven wickets at an average of 40.42. The team finished last in the points table, securing just four victories. "I recently spent a disappointing season with CSK, it was a disappointing season for me personally," Ashwin said. "Honestly, in my mind, I could have played more in the IPL, but I quit because emotionally, I just did not have the bandwidth to play while managing everyone else. It was mentally disturbing, quite painful."

His decision to retire in August 2025, following his international exit after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, also eased CSK's planning for...