Experienced Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League, bringing an end to his 16-year-long association with the tournament, just a few months after stepping away from international cricket.
Ashwin bid farewell to his IPL career through a post on X, also hinting at playing franchise cricket across the globe. Within hours of his announcement, several English media reports suggested that he could become the first Indian cricketer to feature in The Hundred from the next season.
According to The Telegraph Sport, Ashwin might join The Hundred in England and could be part of the 2026 season if a franchise shows interest. Now, the veteran spinner has multiple options — including Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), South Africa’s SA20, England’s The Hundred, and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
The Daily Telegraph further reported that Ashwin is keen to play in The Hundred next season. The report stated, “Ashwin is planning to participate in several leagues around the world in the coming years, and he sees The Hundred as one of the competitions he is eager to be part of.”
The BCCI does not allow current Indian international or domestic players to take part in overseas T20 leagues. However, now that Ashwin has retired, he is free to join any league worldwide. Much like his Tamil Nadu teammate Dinesh Karthik, who featured in SA20 last season after retiring from the IPL, Ashwin too can explore opportunities globally. Karthik now takes up coaching assignments but continues to play in overseas leagues whenever possible.