NEW DELHI: Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that he has already registered for one of the overseas franchise leagues, days after calling time on his storied Indian Premier League (IPL) career.Ashwin, who announced his IPL retirement through social media earlier this week, ended with 187 wickets in 221 matches across 16 seasons, finishing as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament’s history. The veteran, who also won the IPL twice with Chennai Super Kings, said his next cricketing chapter will involve playing abroad.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Of course I won’t be playing anywhere and everywhere for 10 months,” Ashwin clarified on his YouTube channel. “Whatever each team’s requirements are and the ones I satisfy, I’ll play in those leagues. I’ve already registered for one of the leagues and so let us see how that pans out.”For the 38-year-old, the attraction lies in the freedom of playing without expectations. “Playing around the world outside India is fun as nobody knows who you are. You can enjoy it thoroughly. Bowling without any pressure will almost make the ball land perfectly on the spot and even if it doesn’t, it’s fine as I will finally enjoy playing with joy. I want to play on the global stage the way I played street cricket,” he said.Beyond cricket, Ashwin emphasised living life on his terms. “My thing is I want to live my life on my terms for my happiness. As long as I don’t hurt anyone and maybe help a few, it gives as much happiness as the achievements on the cricketing field,” he added. “Playing cricket and touching lives, while balancing the family’s needs, is the ultimate challenge at this stage.”
