Ravichandran Ashwin

International career

Ravichandran Ashwin's cricket career has been full of significant milestones, cementing his place as one of the greatest off-spin bowlers in history. Here is a simple overview of his journey through the years:

2010–11: Debut and Early Years

• 5 June 2010: Ashwin debuted in ODIs against Sri Lanka, scoring 38 runs from 32 balls and taking 2/50.
• 12 June 2010: He made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe, taking 1/22 in four overs.
• 2010: Played in the Asia Cup and was part of India's squad for the New Zealand tri-series, but he didn’t play all matches.
• 2011 Cricket World Cup: Ashwin appeared in two matches, contributing to India's win. His role was limited in this tournament.
• July 2011: In the West Indies series, he took only one wicket in two matches.
• August 2011: Ashwin stood out in the series against England, taking 6 wickets at 25.16, making him India's top bowler.

2011–12: Test Debut and Early Success

• November 2011: Ashwin made his Test debut against West Indies. He impressed with 3/81 and 6/47 in his first match, earning the Man of the Match award.
• December 2011: In a Test against West Indies in Mumbai, Ashwin scored a century and took 5 wickets in the same match. He became the third Indian cricketer to do so.
• 2011–12: Ashwin toured Australia, taking 9 wickets in 3 Tests. However, his performance didn’t meet expectations, with an average over 62.
• 2012: Ashwin performed well in the 2012 Asia Cup, taking five wickets in three matches, but his ODI form against Sri Lanka and New Zealand remained inconsistent.

2012–15: Establishing Himself

• 2012: Ashwin became a regular player for India, with outstanding performances, including a 12-wicket haul against New Zealand. He was named Man of the Series with an average of 13.11.
• 2012 ICC World Twenty20: Ashwin took five wickets at an average of 19, contributing to India's strong showing in the tournament.
• 2013: Ashwin had a successful tour of Australia, claiming 29 wickets in 4 Tests and winning the Man of the Series award, as India completed a 4-0 whitewash.
• 2013 ICC Champions Trophy: Ashwin played an important role in the tournament, taking 8 wickets and helping India win the title. He was named in the "Team of the Tournament."

2015–19: Rise to Stardom

• 2015: Ashwin reached the top of the ICC Test bowler rankings, after taking 13 wickets in 8 World Cup matches and 21 wickets in a series against Sri Lanka, setting new records.
• 2015-16: In the home series against South Africa, Ashwin dominated with 31 wickets in 3 Tests at an average of 15.09.
• 2016–17: During India’s home series against New Zealand and England, Ashwin reached 200 wickets in just 37 Tests, setting a new record as the fastest to do so.

2019–2024: Final Years

2019–2020

• South Africa and Bangladesh Series: India won both series at home, with Ashwin taking 20 wickets across 5 matches.
• New Zealand Tour: Ashwin played only one match in India's loss to New Zealand.
• Australia Tour: India won 2–1, with Ashwin taking 12 wickets in 3 matches.

2021

• England Tour of India: India won 3–1, with Ashwin taking 32 wickets and scoring 189 runs, including a century. He became the fastest Indian bowler to reach 400 Test wickets.
• ICC World Test Championship Final: India lost to New Zealand, but Ashwin was India’s top wicket-taker with four wickets.
• T20 World Cup Call-Up: After more than four years, Ashwin made a return to the T20 squad. He played in India's third match against Afghanistan and took 2 wickets for 14 runs in 4 overs.

2022

• T20 World Cup: Ashwin played in all six matches, helping India reach the semi-finals. He took six wickets during the tournament.
• Home Series Against New Zealand and Sri Lanka: Ashwin was India’s leading wicket-taker in both series.
• South Africa Tour: India lost 1–2, and Ashwin managed only three wickets in three matches.
• West Indies Tour: India won 1–0, with Ashwin taking 15 wickets to finish as the series’ top wicket-taker.

2023

• Australia Tour of India: India won 2–1, and Ashwin played a key role with 25 wickets in four matches.
• World Test Championship Final: India qualified for the second consecutive final of the World Test Championship.
• West Indies Tour: Ashwin continued his great form with 15 wickets, helping India win 1–0.

2024

• 500 Test Wickets: On 16 February 2024, Ashwin became the second Indian and the ninth player in the world to reach 500 Test wickets.
• India vs England Series: Ashwin played his 100th Test match in the final match of the series and finished as the leading wicket-taker with 26 wickets.
• 2023–24 Indian Home Season: Ashwin achieved a century and took six wickets in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. He became the first player to score a century and take five wickets twice at the same venue.
• Retirement: Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on 18 December 2024, after the series against Australia.

Leagues Participation

Ashwin has been an important player in some of the most popular franchise-based T20 leagues, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being the main highlight of his career.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Ashwin began his IPL career with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2009. He quickly became a key part of their bowling attack, helping the team win multiple titles. Over the years, Ashwin has played for several teams, each time proving himself as a dependable bowler.

Year	Team	Price (INR)	Notable Performances
2009	Chennai Super Kings (CSK)	N/A	Debut season, played a key role in CSK’s first title
2011	Chennai Super Kings (CSK)	N/A	4th highest wicket-taker, 2nd IPL title
2014	Chennai Super Kings (CSK)	N/A	Won second Champions League title
2016	Rising Pune Supergiants	₹75 million	Played as one of the core players after CSK’s suspension
2018	Punjab Kings	₹75 million	Appointed captain, led the team
2020	Delhi Capitals	N/A	Consistent performance, ranked 4th in team wickets
2022	Rajasthan Royals	₹50 million	First to retire out in IPL, took team to finals
2025	Chennai Super Kings (CSK)	₹97.5 million	Bought back by CSK for IPL 2025

Domestic career

Ashwin has played for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket for many years. He started his first-class career in 2006 with the Ranji Trophy match against Haryana, taking six wickets. His List A debut came in 2007 when he played against Andhra and took two wickets. In 2008, he debuted in T20 cricket in a win against Andhra.

He has represented Tamil Nadu in multiple Ranji Trophy seasons and captained the team to a win in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2008-09. The team reached the semi-finals in 2015 and made it to the final in 2019. He also led the India A team in the 2018 Deodhar Trophy.

In club cricket, Ashwin played for Chemplast in the TNCA First Division League until 2018, when he moved to Mylapore RC. He joined India Cements in 2020.

Ashwin also played for English counties. He made his debut for Worcestershire in 2017 and returned for the 2018 season. In 2019, Nottinghamshire signed him for the second half of the County Championship season. He took 34 wickets and scored 339 runs in five matches.

Other Leagues

Ashwin played a key role in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) as the captain of the Dindigul Dragons. He led the team in the inaugural season and continued his leadership throughout eight seasons. Under his captaincy, the team won the TNPL title in 2024 and reached the finals in 2018 and 2019.

Records and achievements

Ashwin has set several cricket records and earned numerous awards throughout his career. Below are his key records and achievements:

Records:

• Fastest to reach 250, 300, and 350 wickets in Test cricket.
• Fastest Indian to reach 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500 Test wickets (in terms of matches).
• Only Indian cricketer to score a century and take five wickets in the same Test match on four separate occasions.
• First Indian to take 50 T20I wickets.
• Most Man of the Series awards in Tests (11).
• Second most five-wicket hauls in Tests (37) and fastest to 25 five-wicket hauls.
• Second highest wicket-taker in Tests for India (537).
• Second Indian to score 500 runs and take 50 wickets in a calendar year (2016).
• Highest wicket-taker in a single season (82).
• Most dismissals of left-handers in Tests.
• Second Indian bowler to take 300 Test wickets at home.
• Second Indian to take 750 international wickets and third Indian to take 700 international wickets.
• One of the three all-rounders to score 3000 runs and take 500 wickets in Tests.
• Most wickets in India (383).
• Second highest rating points ever achieved by an Indian bowler in Tests (904).

India:

• Asia Cup: 2010, 2016.
• Cricket World Cup: 2011.
• ICC Champions Trophy: 2013.

Chennai Super Kings:

• Indian Premier League: 2010, 2011.
• Champions League: 2010, 2014.

Individual:

• Polly Umrigar Award: 2012-13.
• Arjuna Award: 2015.
• ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year: 2016.
• ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year: 2016.
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Year: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021.
• CEAT International Cricketer of the Year: 2016-17.
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Decade: 2011-20.
• Nominee, ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade: 2011-20.
• ICC Men's Player of the Month: February 2021.
• Padma Shri: 2025.

Personal life

Ravichandran Ashwin was born on 17 September 1986 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His parents are Ravichandran and Chitra. He married Prithi Narayanan, a childhood friend, on 13 November 2011. They have two daughters: Akhira, born in 2015, and Aadhya, born in 2016. Ashwin comes from a family passionate about sports. His father, Ravichandran Sr., played cricket at the club level. His mother, Chitra, has been supportive throughout his career. Ashwin also has a younger brother, Arun Ashwin, who works as a software engineer and stays out of the public eye.

Ashwin runs a YouTube channel where he talks about cricket matches, interviews, and movie reviews. He also runs a cricket academy, "Gen-Next Cricket Institute", in Chennai. In 2016, he appeared in videos for the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission to encourage voters to check their names on the electoral roll.

Finances

As of 2024, Ashwin's net worth is about INR 132 crore (USD 16 million). His earnings mainly come from his cricket career, including his IPL contract and brand deals. His reputation in cricket helps him secure these opportunities, contributing to his wealth.

Cars and Home

Ashwin owns a Rolls-Royce worth around INR 6 crore and an Audi Q7 worth INR 88.66 lakh. He lives in a luxury house in Chennai, which costs about INR 9 crore.

Scandals

Ashwin has not been directly involved in major scandals, but he has shown support for others in controversial situations:

• Ball Tampering Scandal (2018): Ashwin supported Australian players Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft after they were involved in a ball-tampering incident during a match between Australia and South Africa.
• Sexual Harassment Case (2020): Ashwin expressed disappointment after several students at PSBB school in Chennai accused a teacher of sexual harassment. As a father of two daughters, Ashwin condemned the actions and called for justice.

Fans

Ashwin has a large fan following. In December 2024, when talks about his possible retirement began, fans used the hashtags #ThankYouAshwin and #AshwinLegend on social media to show their appreciation. In March 2023, during a Rajasthan Royals training session, Ashwin interacted with fans at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. He has 5 million followers on Instagram as of 2024.