'Sometimes I wonder whether IPL is really cricket', Ravichandran Ashwin created a stir with his statement

India's experienced off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has created a stir by making a big statement about the Indian Premier League. Ashwin said that sometimes he feels that IPL is also cricket. Ashwin made this statement while talking about the excellent progress he has made since the start of the tournament.

Ravichandran Ashwin is representing Rajasthan Royals in the 17th season of IPL. He has won the IPL title twice with Chennai Super Kings (2010 and 2011). While talking to Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist in the Club Prairie Podcast, Ashwin said that sometimes it feels like IPL is also cricket.

He also said that he practices while shooting advertisements. Ravichandran Ashwin has played 199 matches in the IPL so far, taking 172 wickets and scoring 743 runs. His bowling average was 28.77 while the economy was 7.02.

What Ravichandran Ashwin said - "When I came into the IPL, being young, my focus was only to learn from the big stars. I never thought what the condition of the IPL would be like after 10 years. After being a part of the IPL for so many seasons, I I can say that IPL is grand. Sometimes I think IPL is also cricket because during IPL the game takes a back seat. It is so big that we finish our work by shooting advertisements and practicing on the sets. IPL is here Is."

Conversation between Ashwin and Styris

Ravichandran Ashwin also said that no one had thought that IPL would become so big. He said that former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris had told him that the IPL would not last more than two or three years.

"No one thought the IPL would progress like it has. I still remember a conversation with Scott Styris when we were both playing for CSK. He told me that when he was playing for Deccan Chargers in the beginning, he felt no I thought it would last for more than two-three years. There was a lot of money in IPL in the beginning."