'Can't wait to see you …': Wife Prithi pens heartfelt note as R Ashwin bids farewell to IPL

NEW DELHI: Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL), ending a celebrated 16-season journey in the world’s most popular T20 league. The 38-year-old, however, confirmed he will remain available to play in overseas leagues.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The Chennai-born cricketer, who turned out for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2025 season after being bought back for Rs 9.75 crore in the Jeddah mega auction, shared his decision through an emotional post.“They say every ending will have a new start. My time as an IPL cricketer comes to a close today, but my time as an explorer of the game around various leagues begins today. Would like to thank all the franchisees, the IPL and the BCCI for all the wonderful memories,” Ashwin wrote on X.As tributes poured in, it was Ashwin’s wife, Prithi Narayanan, who captured the moment with a heartfelt message. Taking to Instagram, she posted: “I love you! Ashwin. Can’t wait to see you do new things and scale new heights.” The post quickly resonated with fans, highlighting the personal strength behind Ashwin’s professional journey.Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last year, first broke into the IPL with CSK in 2009 and was pivotal in their back-to-back title triumphs in 2010 and 2011. Over the years, he represented five franchises — CSK, Rising Pune Supergiants, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals — before returning to CSK in 2025.Across 221 matches, the crafty off-spinner picked up 187 wickets at an economy of 7.20, while also chipping in with 833 runs. He retires as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in IPL history.Though his final season yielded only seven wickets in nine games as CSK finished bottom of the table, Ashwin’s tactical intelligence and adaptability ensured his reputation as one of IPL’s sharpest minds endured.