Ravichandran Ashwin’s departure from professional cricket and the IPL has been both celebrated and scrutinised. The legend’s retirement— announced through a social media post— echoed across the circuit, but the years he spent in the Indian Premier League is forever coloured by a handful of sharp‑edge incidents that have made him a polarising figure.
The first flashpoint dates back to 2019, when Ashwin was fielding for Rajasthan Royals against Kings XI Punjab. During the chase, Jos Buttler found himself in a precarious position at the non‑striker’s end. Ashwin leveraged a drop in the crease that allowed him to claim a run‑out, which was subsequently confirmed by the third umpire. The net result was a tremendous backlash from fans, while the technicalities were debated among cricket purists.
By 2021, Ashwin’s path crossed with KKR’s captain O’Ryan Morgan and fast bowler Tim Saufi in a dramatic encounter while playing for Delhi Capitals. He was dismissed for a mere nine runs during the 16th over, only to become embroiled in a heated ruckus over an overthrow incident that required an extra run to be taken by KKR’s Rishabh Pant. The friction escalated when Ashwin demanded a ball to be taken for the run, prompting Morgan to personally intervene, confirming his reputation for daring antics.
The final most notorious episode came in 2022, where Ashwin made an unprecedented retire‑out in the match against Lucknow Super Giants. As the Royals were chasing, Ashwin withdrew from the plate on the second ball of the 19th over to preserve himself and protect the run‑out margin. The ability to retire in midfield changed the match’s narrative, enabling the Royals to claim a closed‑margin victory of three runs.
Each of these chapters together paints a portrait of a player who loves the game as much as he loves making headlines, a player who can turn an ordinary chase into a school of controversy.