"To watching you play for the OG CSK...": Skipper Gaikwad's tribute to Ashwin on IPL retirement

Tamil Nadu (Chennai) [India], August 28 (ANI): Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad paid a tribute to legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin after he called time on his illustrated Indian Premier League (IPL) career, reminiscing his own journey of watching Ashwin play for the Men in Yellow growing up to sharing the dressing room with him.
Ashwin announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ashwin thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and IPL for all the "wonderful memories" and relationships built over the years.
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 spent his early years in the IPL from 2008 to 2015 for 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.
Taking to his Instagram Story, skipper Gaikwad said, "To watching you play for the OG CSK and getting to play alongside in yellow, privileged to share the dressing room with you Ash na."

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.
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)