Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran Indian all-rounder, and Rajasthan Royals cricketer, has recently shared some intriguing thoughts regarding the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Ravichandran Ashwin highlighted the substantial growth and notable commercial impact of the T20 tournament. He made these remarks while reflecting on the impressive transformation of the IPL since its inception in 2008. Ashwin, who made his IPL debut in 2009 and currently plays for the Rajasthan Royals, has secured the IPL title twice during his career.
During a conversation on the Club Prairie Fire podcast alongside Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan, Ashwin pondered whether the IPL’s expansive scale has overshadowed its sporting essence. He expressed admiration for how significantly the league has evolved over the years.
“As a youngster coming into the IPL, I was only looking to learn from the big stars, I did not think about how the IPL would look 10 years down the line. I can say that having been in the IPL for so many seasons, the IPL is huge. Sometimes I wonder if IPL is even cricket because the sport takes a backstage (during IPL). It’s so huge. We do end up practicing in advertisement shoots and sets! That’s where the IPL has gotten to,” said Ashwin.
“No one envisaged the kind of growth that the IPL has had. I still remember a conversation I had with Scott Styris when we were both at CSK. He told me that when he was playing for the Deccan Chargers in the initial seasons of IPL, he did not think the IPL would last for more than two to three years. Initially, there was a big influx of money,” Ashwin further said.
Ashwin kickstarted his IPL journey alongside the Chennai Super Kings, a platform that paved the way for his national representation in various cricket formats. Throughout 199 matches, he’s showcased his bowling prowess by clinching 172 wickets, maintaining an average of 28.77 and an economy rate of 7.04. Not just limited to his bowling skills, Ashwin has also made his presence felt with the bat, amassing a commendable total of 743 runs.
