'I wonder if IPL is even cricket': Ashwin makes a big statement

Mar 29, 2024 8:30 AM, 4 news, 2 views

Premier India spinner R Ashwin reckons the IPL has grown so "huge" that at times cricket itself takes a backseat with players finding it hard to juggle between training and advertisement shoots. Ashwin spoke about the meteoric rise of the IPL since its inception in 2008 and how tough life on the road for a player can be over the course of the two-month long competition.

"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," he said on Club Prairie Fire podcast. "Sometimes I wonder if IPL is even cricket, because sport takes a backstage (during IPL). It's so huge.

We do end up practising in advertisement shoots and sets! That's where the IPL has gotten to," said Ashwin, who is an important member of the Rajasthan Royals squad.

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“ Sometimes I wonder if IPL is even cricket, because sport takes a backstage (during IPL). It's so huge. We do end up practising in advertisement shoots and sets! That's where the IPL has gotten to,

Ravichandran Ashwin, a month

"Sometimes I Wonder If IPL Is Even Cricket": R Ashwin's Massive Remark

“ There's no one way to skin a cat. No one player is bigger than the team. No one slot is bigger than others. The teams invest wisely,

Ravichandran Ashwin, a month

"Sometimes I Wonder If IPL Is Even Cricket": R Ashwin's Massive Remark

“ Initially, there was a big influx of money,

Ravichandran Ashwin, a month

"Sometimes I Wonder If IPL Is Even Cricket": R Ashwin's Massive Remark

“ 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…

Ravichandran Ashwin, a month