Ravichandran Ashwin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin in 2015
Personal information
Born	(1986-09-17) 17 September 1986 (age 38) Madras (Now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India
Nickname	Ash Lege
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off-break
Role	Bowling All-rounder
International information
National side	India (2010–2024)
Test debut (cap 271)	6 November 2011 v West Indies
Last Test	6 December 2024 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 185)	5 June 2010 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI	8 October 2023 v Australia
ODI shirt no.	99
T20I debut (cap 30)	12 June 2010 v Zimbabwe
Last T20I	10 November 2022 v England
T20I shirt no.	99
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2006/07–present	Tamil Nadu
2008–2015	Chennai Super Kings
2016–2017	Rising Pune Supergiant
2016–present	Dindigul Dragons
2017	Worcestershire
2018–2019	Kings XI Punjab
2019	Nottinghamshire
2020–2021	Delhi Capitals
2021	Surrey
2022–2024	Rajasthan Royals
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 106 116 65 156 Runs scored 3,503 707 184 5,221 Batting average 25.92 16.44 26.28 28.06 100s/50s 6/14 0/1 0/0 7/25 Top score 124 65 31* 124 Balls bowled 27,138 6,141 1,452 40,702 Wickets 537 156 72 758 Bowling average 23.95 33.20 23.22 24.81 5 wickets in innings 37 0 0 55 10 wickets in match 8 0 0 12 Best bowling 7/59 4/25 4/8 7/59 Catches/stumpings 36/– 30/– 11/– 58/–
Medal record Men's cricket Representing  India Men's Cricket Representing  India ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 2011 India-Bangladesh-Sri Lanka 2023 India ICC Champions Trophy Winner 2013 England and Wales 2017 England and Wales ICC T20 World Cup 2014 Bangladesh ICC World Test Championship 2019-2021 2021-2023 ACC Asia Cup Winner 2010 Sri Lanka Winner 2016 Bangladesh
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 4 November 2024
YouTube information
Genre	Vlog Podcast
Subscribers	1.61 million
Total views	225.81 million
Subscriber and view counts updated as of 19 December 2024.

Ravichandran Ashwin (born 17 September 1986) is a famous Indian cricket player. He was known for his amazing off spin bowling. He was also a good batter, especially lower down the batting order. Many people think he is one of the best spin bowlers ever.

Ashwin played for the Indian cricket team. He was part of the team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. He also played for Tamil Nadu in local matches. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he played for teams like Chennai Super Kings.

He has taken over 500 wickets in Test matches. He was the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets. Ashwin has won the "Man of the Series" award in Tests eleven times. This is a record shared with another great bowler, Muttiah Muralitharan. He is also one of only three players to score 3000 runs and take 500 wickets in Test matches. This shows he is a great all-rounder.

Ashwin was often ranked as the top bowler in the world by the ICC men's player rankings. He won the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in 2016. In 2015, the Indian government gave him the Arjuna award. Ashwin retired from international cricket on 18 December 2024.

Ashwin's Early Life and Family

Ashwin was born on 17 September 1986 in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu. His parents are Ravichandran and Chitra. His father, Ravichandran, also played cricket at a local level.

Ashwin went to Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan for his early schooling. Later, he studied at St. Bede's School. He earned a degree in Information Technology from SSN College of Engineering.

He started playing cricket at age nine for YMCA. His first coach was Chandrasekar Rao. At first, he bowled medium pace. But his coach told him to try off spin bowling instead. This change helped him become a spin bowler. He was also coached by former spinner Sunil Subramaniam. Ashwin even played as an opening batter for the Indian under-17 team.

Ashwin lives in West Mambalam, Chennai. He married his childhood friend, Prithi Narayanan, on 13 November 2011. They have two daughters.

Ashwin's International Cricket Journey

Ashwin's great performance in the 2010 Indian Premier League helped him join the Indian team. He played his first One Day International (ODI) match in June 2010 against Sri Lanka. A week later, he made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut against Zimbabwe.

He was part of the Indian team that won the 2010 Asia Cup. He also helped India win a series against New Zealand in 2010. In this series, he took 11 wickets. The Indian captain, Gautam Gambhir, called him "the find" of the series.

Test Debut and Big Success

In November 2011, Ashwin played his first Test match against West Indies. He took 6 wickets for 47 runs in the second innings. This helped India win the match. He was named "Man of the Match" for his amazing debut. He was only the third Indian player to win this award on their Test debut.

In another Test against West Indies, he scored his first international century. He also took 5 wickets in the same match. This made him only the third Indian to achieve both a century and a five-wicket haul in one Test.

Ashwin continued to shine in Test matches, especially in India. In 2012, he took 12 wickets in a match against New Zealand. He was named "Man of the Series" for taking 18 wickets in that series.

Becoming a Top Performer

In 2013, Ashwin changed his bowling style slightly. This helped him greatly in a series against Australia. He took 29 wickets in that four-Test series. This was the most wickets ever taken by an Indian bowler in a four-match Test series. India won the series 4-0, and Ashwin was again "Man of the Series."

He was a key player when India won the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England. He took 8 wickets in the tournament. He was also named in the "Team of the Tournament."

Ashwin played a big role in India's journey to the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 final. He took 11 wickets in six matches. He was named in the "Team of the Tournament" for his excellent performance.

Consistent Success and Awards

In the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Ashwin took 13 wickets. India reached the semi-finals in that tournament. Later in 2015, he took 21 wickets in a series against Sri Lanka. He won the "Man of the Series" award. These efforts helped him become the top-ranked Test bowler in the world.

In November 2015, Ashwin helped India win a Test series against South Africa. He took 12 wickets in one match. He also became the fastest Indian to reach 150 Test wickets. He was named in the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year in 2015.

Ashwin bowling in a Test match in Trent Bridge in 2018

Ashwin had an amazing year in 2016. He scored 235 runs and took 17 wickets in a series in West Indies. In a series against New Zealand, he took 27 wickets. He also took 28 wickets and scored 306 runs in a series against England.

For his great performances in 2016, he won two big awards. The International Cricket Council named him the "ICC Cricketer of the Year." He was also named the "ICC Test Cricketer of the Year." He was only the third Indian to win the "ICC Cricketer of the Year" award.

Later Career and Retirement

Ashwin continued to perform well in Test matches. He took 21 wickets in a series against Australia in 2017. He was the leading wicket-taker in series against Sri Lanka in 2017. He was named in the ICC Test Team of the Year for the third year in a row in 2017.

In 2021, Ashwin had another great series against England. He took 32 wickets and scored 189 runs, including a century. During this series, he became the fastest Indian bowler to reach 400 Test wickets. He was the fourth Indian to achieve this milestone.

In September 2021, Ashwin was called back to play T20 international matches. He played in the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He also played in the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

On 16 February 2024, Ashwin took his 500th Test wicket. He became the second Indian and ninth overall bowler to reach this huge milestone. In his 100th Test match, he was the leading wicket-taker of the series.

In September 2024, Ashwin scored a century and took six wickets in a Test match against Bangladesh. This was the fourth time he achieved both a century and five wickets in a Test. He became the first cricketer to do this twice at the same location. He also took his 37th five-wicket haul, which is the second most in Test cricket history.

Ashwin played his last Test match in December 2024 during India's tour of Australia. He announced his retirement from international cricket on 18 December 2024.

Playing Cricket in India

Ashwin played for the Tamil Nadu in local Indian cricket. He made his first-class debut in 2006. He also played in List A and T20 matches for Tamil Nadu. He captained the Tamil Nadu team that won the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2008-09.

He also played for the South Zone team. Ashwin captained the India A side in the Deodhar Trophy in 2018.

Tamil Nadu Premier League

Ashwin was chosen to be the captain of the Dindigul Dragons team. This was for the first season of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) in 2016. He played for this team for eight seasons. He led them to win the TNPL title in 2024.

Playing Cricket in England

In August 2017, Ashwin played for an English county team called Worcestershire. He took three wickets in his first match. He also played for Worcestershire in 2018.

In 2019, Nottinghamshire signed Ashwin. He played five matches for them. He took 34 wickets and scored 339 runs.

IPL Career Highlights

Ashwin joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2008. He played for them for eight seasons until 2015. In 2010, he took 13 wickets. This helped Chennai win their first IPL title. Chennai also won the Champions League Twenty20 in 2010, and Ashwin was named player of the series.

He helped Chennai win a second IPL title in 2011. He was the fourth highest wicket-taker that season. Ashwin won his second Champions League Twenty20 title with CSK in 2014. He took 90 wickets in 97 matches for the Super Kings.

After CSK was suspended for two years, Ashwin played for Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016. He took ten wickets that season. In 2018, Punjab Kings bought Ashwin. He was made captain of Punjab for the 2018 season.

In 2020, Ashwin moved to Delhi Capitals. He took 13 wickets that season. In 2022, Rajasthan Royals bought Ashwin. He took 12 wickets and scored 191 runs. He helped Rajasthan reach the finals of the 2022 season. In April 2022, Ashwin became only the second off-spinner to take 150 wickets in the IPL. He is now one of the top wicket-takers in the league. In 2025, Ashwin was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings again.

Ashwin's Bowling Style

Ashwin is known as one of the best off spin bowlers ever. He can bowl many different types of balls. He often throws the ball high in the air. This makes it spin more and dip down, making it harder for the batter.

Besides his normal off-breaks, he bowls an arm ball. He also uses a special ball called the carrom ball. He uses the carrom ball a lot in shorter games. He even tried bowling leg-breaks and googly balls in IPL 2013.

His childhood coach, Sunil Subramaniam, said Ashwin was very smart. He understood how to use different angles and lengths when bowling. He also knew what batters might do. This helped him plan his bowling and field settings very well.

Records and Achievements

Ashwin holds many impressive records in cricket:

• Fastest to reach 250, 300, and 350 wickets in Test cricket (by number of matches).
• Fastest Indian to reach 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500 Test wickets.
• Only Indian cricketer to score a century and take five wickets in the same Test match four times.
• First Indian to take 50 T20I wickets.
• Most "Man of the Series" awards in Tests (11), tied with Muttiah Muralitharan.
• Second most five-wicket hauls in Tests (37).
• Second highest wicket-taker in Tests for India (537).
• Second Indian to score 500 runs and take 50 wickets in a calendar year (2016).
• Highest wicket-taker in a single domestic season (82).
• Most dismissals of left-handed batters in Tests.
• Second Indian bowler to take 300 Test wickets at home.
• Second Indian to take 750 international wickets.
• One of only three all-rounders to achieve 3000 runs and 500 wickets in Tests.
• Most wickets taken in India (383).
• Second highest rating points ever by an Indian bowler in Test rankings (904).

Honours and Awards

Ashwin receiving the CEAT award from VVS Laxman

With India

• Asia Cup: 2010, 2016
• Cricket World Cup: 2011
• ICC Champions Trophy: 2013

With Chennai Super Kings

• Indian Premier League: 2010, 2011
• Champions League: 2010, 2014

Individual Awards

• Polly Umrigar Award: 2012-13
• Arjuna award: 2015
• ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year: 2016
• ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year: 2016
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Year: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021
• CEAT International Cricketer of the Year: 2016–17
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Decade: 2011-20
• ICC Men's Player of the Month: February, 2021

Career Statistics

Ashwin has scored over 4000 runs in international cricket. He has made six centuries and 14 half-centuries in Test matches. He also has one half-century in One Day Internationals.

He has taken over 700 wickets in international cricket. More than 500 of these wickets are in Test matches. This places him among the top ten wicket-takers in Test history. Ashwin has been especially successful in India. He has taken over 350 wickets at home.

Ashwin has scored a century and taken five wickets in the same Test match three times. In 2016, he scored over 500 runs and took over 50 wickets. He was the second Indian after Kapil Dev to do this. Ashwin has won eleven "Man of the Series" awards in Tests. This is the most for any player, shared with Muttiah Muralitharan.

Centuries Scored by Ashwin

Here are the six centuries Ashwin scored in international cricket:

No.	Score	Against	Pos.	Inn.	Venue	H/A	Date	Result	Ref
1	103	West Indies	8	2	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai	Home	22 November 2011	Won
2	124	West Indies	8	2	Eden Gardens, Kolkata	Home	26 November 2013	Won
3	113	West Indies	6	1	Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound	Away	21 July 2016	Won
4	118	West Indies	6	1	Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet	Away	9 August 2016	Won
5	106	England	8	3	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai	Home	13 February 2021	Won
6	113	Bangladesh	8	1	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai	Home	19 September 2024	Won

Man of the Series Awards

Here are the "Man of the Series" awards Ashwin won in international cricket:

No.	Season	Against	H/A	Type	Matches	Runs	Wickets	Result
1	2011-12	West Indies	Home	Test	3	121	22	Won (2-0)
2	2012	New Zealand	Home	Test	2	69	18	Won (2-0)
3	2012-13	Australia	Home	Test	4	20	29	Won (4-0)
4	2015	Sri Lanka	Away	Test	3	94	21	Won (2-1)
5	2015-16	Sri Lanka	Home	T20I	3	31	9	Won (2-1)
6	2015-16	South Africa	Home	Test	4	101	31	Won (3-0)
7	2016	West Indies	Away	Test	4	235	17	Won (2-0)
8	2016-17	New Zealand	Home	Test	3	71	27	Won (3-0)
9	2020-21	England	Home	Test	4	189	32	Won (3-1)
10	2021-22	New Zealand	Home	Test	2	70	14	Won (1-0)
11	2022-23	Australia	Home	Test	4	86	25	Won (2-1)
12	2024-25	Bangladesh	Home	Test	2	114	11	Won (2-0)

See also

• List of India cricketers who have taken five-wicket hauls on Test debut
• List of bowlers who have taken 300 or more wickets in Test cricket