Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision could encourage more Indian stars to do the same in the future.
Ravichandran Ashwin has retired from the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the 2026 auction. He had already retired from international cricket during the Border Gavaskar Trophy last year but continued playing in the league. His IPL journey has now ended with Chennai Super Kings, the same team where his career began back in 2009. In the 2025 season CSK bought him for 9.75 crore but he did not have a good season. Across his career he played for five teams in 221 matches and picked up 187 wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin also won two IPL titles with CSK in 2010 and 2011.
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The news has come as a surprise to many fans but the decision looks like a practical one. Most IPL teams now prefer younger players and Ravichandran Ashwin did not have much impact with the bat either. On the other hand, overseas leagues are happy to welcome experienced Indian players because they add both quality and viewership. Players like Unmukt Chand have already gone down this path. Ashwin’s decision could encourage more Indian stars to do the same in the future. Here are four veteran Indian cricketers who can follow suit.
Ajinkya Rahane, the current captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, could be one of the players to follow Ashwin’s path by retiring from the IPL and moving to overseas leagues in the future. He had a good IPL 2025 season, scoring 390 runs in 12 innings, and there is still a chance that KKR might retain him for the next edition. However, Rahane has already stepped down from the domestic captaincy of Mumbai.
Rahane, now 37, will play the upcoming domestic season for Mumbai, but a return to international cricket looks unlikely as India has shifted focus to younger players. With Cheteshwar Pujara recently retiring from all formats, Rahane could be the next senior to step away. The timing is uncertain, but it may come soon, especially if he decides to explore opportunities outside India.
Karun Nair performed well for Vidarbha in domestic cricket last season, scoring heavily in the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His form earned him an IPL 2025 contract with Delhi Capitals and a return to international cricket after eight years.
However, his return to international cricket did not go as expected, as he managed only 205 runs in eight innings with just one half century. For now, he is still part of India’s Test plans, but if his form continues to dip, he could be dropped. His future in the IPL is also uncertain as it is not guaranteed that Delhi Capitals will retain him, and if released, it may be tough to get another chance in the mini auction. If things don’t get better, Nair might also look for chances outside India in the future, like R Ashwin.
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Umesh Yadav played for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024 but was released and went unsold in the 2025 auction. Umesh is 37 years old now and not the same player as before. In T20s, he has played 194 matches and taken 202 wickets.
He still plays domestic cricket for Vidarbha, but an international return looks unlikely as he last played in the BGT series in 2022-23. With age and fitness as a fast bowler, he may focus more on shorter formats, and if he does not get a bid in IPL 2026 auction, he might think about his future.
Nitish Rana could also be one of the players who might move out of India in the future, like Unmukt Chand and others who did not get many chances in international cricket. Rana, 31, continues to play domestic cricket and the IPL every year.
But in his career so far, he has played just three international matches back in 2021, one ODI and two T20Is. For a comeback, he will need to do something special. His last two IPL seasons have not been great either, with only two matches in 2024 and 217 runs in 11 matches in 2025. He still has a good few years of cricket left, but if he feels there are better chances outside India, he might explore other leagues.
