"Can play two or three leagues...": Ashwin spills the beans on future after IPL retirement

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 29 (ANI): Following his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Indian spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin spilled the beans on his plans, saying that he could play two to three leagues in a year and is available to take up a coaching role for a franchise as well.
Ashwin was speaking on his YouTube channel, Ash ki Baat. Just a couple of days back, Ashwin brought down the curtains on a legendary IPL career spanning 17 years, which ended where it started, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their iconic yellow colours. As of now, Ashwin is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL with 201 scalps in 239 matches at an average of 30.94.
Before rejoining CSK in 2025, he played for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals. Ashwin's initial IPL years from 2008 to 2015 were spent with the Men in Yellow, capturing the title twice in 2010 and 2011, with 33 wickets across these seasons, including 20 in 2011. Ashwin played a key role in CSK's success. It was his equation with skipper MS Dhoni which paved the way for his Indian debut in 2010 and his rise as one of the greatest spinners international and franchise cricket had ever seen. Despite being away from CSK for several years, it would not be too much to say that Ashwin is a 'Made in CSK' star.
Speaking on the channel, Ashwin said, "I feel I can play two or three leagues consecutively in a year. If franchises are open to offering me a coaching role, I am available to take up those roles as well. Like I told you, I am looking for work with work experience. You have to earn your stripes."
He also spoke about how he tried to pitch a player-plus-coach role for himself in the IPL, but it did not work.
"It is very tough to get a mindset like that in India. When I was playing for the Rajasthan Royals, this topic was broached. We discussed whether I could become a coach and continue being a player for the franchise. But the idea did not go anywhere. In India, exploring that option in the IPL is very difficult," he said.
"But maybe in some other league, there might be coaches that I can learn from. I can contribute. I want to contribute. I have played the role of captain-cum-coach in the TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League for Dindigul Dragons) in the last two years. We did not have a coach, and I learned a lot from that stint. The players are not at the IPL level, so you get the chance to do more work," he added.
Ashwin said that in order to acquire something, one needs to work in a "structured manner".
"Coaching is not like working on one aspect and you succeeding. You have to try, you have to fail, but most importantly, you cannot have likes and dislikes in coaching. Tomorrow, let's say I coach in the Italy Premier League, I will enjoy coaching there because I will still be working in cricket. There might be differences in opinion among various stakeholders, but my role as a coach is to treat all players equally. Treat them like my kids. I have a lot of belief in that," Ashwin added.
Speaking on his favourite IPL memory, Ashwin said that his favourite memory was seeing the auction and witnessing himself get picked up for CSK.
"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. 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 said.
Ashwin also said that he informed his parents about the IPL retirement after putting out the tweet announcing his intentions to hang up his boots.
"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," Ashwin said.
Ashwin was picked by CSK at the mega auction 2025 for Rs 9.75 crore. He played nine fixtures for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025, taking seven wickets and conceding runs at an economy rate of 9.13. This IPL was also his costliest year, as he went for 9.12 runs an over, the first time his economy had exceeded 8.49.
Last year, Ashwin announced his retirement from Test cricket in the middle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The veteran all-rounder sent shockwaves through the cricketing fraternity by announcing his retirement from international cricket following the draw in the third Test at Brisbane.I
In 106 Tests for India, the legendary all-rounder took 537 wickets at an average of 24.00, with best figures of 7/59. He claimed 37 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-wicket match hauls in his Test career. He is the eighth-highest wicket-taker in Tests overall and the second-highest for India, behind Anil Kumble (619 wickets). Ashwin also holds the record for the second-most five-wicket hauls in Tests, trailing only Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (67).
With the bat, Ashwin scored 3,503 runs at an average of 25.75, including six centuries and 14 fifties in 151 innings, with a highest score of 124.
In 116 ODIs, Ashwin took 156 wickets at an average of 33.20, with best figures of 4/25. He also scored 707 runs at an average of 16.44, including one fifty, a knock of 65 in 63 innings. He is the 13th-highest wicket-taker for India in the format. He also picked 72 wickets in 65 T20Is for India.
Across all formats, Ashwin took 765 wickets in 287 matches, making him India's second-highest wicket-taker after Anil Kumble (953 wickets).
Ashwin was also a key member of the Indian team that won the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. (ANI)