April 9, 2025: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin achieved a major milestone in the Indian Premier League (IPL) during their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday night. Ashwin surpassed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) right-arm swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history.
In the IPL 2025 clash, Ashwin bowled four overs and took two crucial wickets for 48 runs, maintaining an economy of 12. His performance propelled him past Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had 184 wickets to his name. Ashwin now holds 185 wickets in 217 matches at an impressive average of 29.92, with an economy rate of 7.18. His best bowling figures in the IPL are 4/34.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with 184 wickets in 179 IPL matches, had an average of 27.28 and an economy of 7.57. His best figures were 5/19, but Ashwin’s latest milestone places him just behind two IPL legends—Punjab Kings’ Yuzvendra Chahal and former CSK spinner Piyush Chawla.
Yuzvendra Chahal tops the list with 206 wickets in 164 matches at an average of 22.83, while Piyush Chawla, second on the list, has taken 192 wickets in as many matches at an average of 26.60.
In the game itself, PBKS posted a challenging total of 219, with the highlight being Priyansh Arya’s maiden IPL century. Arya’s blistering knock helped PBKS to a victory by 18 runs, and he was named the ‘Player of the Match’ for his match-winning performance.
CSK, despite a solid start with the bat, fell short of the target, and the loss left them languishing at the ninth spot in the standings with one win and four losses. Meanwhile, PBKS moved to the fourth spot with three wins from four matches.
While Ashwin’s achievement was a personal triumph, the loss for CSK added to their ongoing struggles in the tournament. With the veteran spinner now solidly placed in the IPL’s elite list of wicket-takers, Ashwin continues to add to his legacy in the league, even as CSK battles to find their winning rhythm this season.