International career
Murugan Ashwin (born 8 September 1990) trained at a cricket academy. This academy belongs to former Tamil Nadu batsman CS Suresh Kumar. Ashwin played for the Tamil Nadu Under-23 team. After that, he joined the senior state team.
He has not played for the Indian national team.
Leagues Participation
Murugan Ashwin played in the Indian Premier League for different teams. He started with Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016. In 2018, he moved to Royal Challengers Bangalore. From 2019 to 2021, he played for Punjab Kings. In 2022, he was part of Mumbai Indians. In 2023, he joined Rajasthan Royals.
Indian Premier League
Murugan Ashwin’s journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) started after a strong performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2015-16. He took 10 wickets, which earned him a contract with Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), just a month after finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker for Tamil Nadu. His economy rate of 5.52 in T20s played a big part in his rise, even though he had only played three first-class matches. At the IPL 2016 auction, he went from a base price of Rs. 10 lakhs to a whopping Rs. 4.5 crores. This move was backed by former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming, who had worked with Ashwin as a net bowler during their time at CSK before the team’s suspension.
Ashwin impressed during his time with RPS, taking 10 wickets in the season. But after that, his path in the IPL was not smooth. He wasn’t a regular player in any team’s starting eleven. After leaving RPS, he joined Delhi Daredevils but didn’t get much playtime. In 2018, Royal Challengers Bangalore bought him for Rs. 2.2 crore, but he didn’t have much of an impact. In 2019, Kings XI Punjab signed him for his base price of Rs. 20 lakhs, and Ashwin managed to take 10 wickets in 9 matches in the next season, showing a good average and economy rate. His time with Punjab was also followed by his signing with Mumbai Indians in 2022 for Rs. 1.6 crores, where he played 8 matches and took 9 wickets.
Ashwin’s final IPL move came in 2023 when Rajasthan Royals picked him up for Rs. 20 lakhs, but he spent most of the season on the bench. He played only two matches and gave away 53 runs, ending with a high economy rate. As of 2025, he has played 44 matches in the IPL, taking 35 wickets, with an average of 33.20 and a best of 3/21. In the IPL 2024 auction, Ashwin was not picked by any team, and the same happened in 2025 when he went unsold at a base price of Rs. 30 lakhs.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2016
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Rising Pune Supergiant
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Signed for Rs. 4.5 crores. Took 10 wickets.
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2017
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Did not play
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Not picked by any team.
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2018
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Royal Challengers Bangalore
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Bought for Rs. 2.2 crores. Few matches.
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2019
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Punjab Kings
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Signed for Rs. 20 lakhs. Quiet season.
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2020
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Punjab Kings
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Took 10 wickets in 9 matches. Economy rate 7.46.
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2021
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Punjab Kings
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Last season with the team.
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2022
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Mumbai Indians
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Took 9 wickets in 8 matches. Economy rate 7.86.
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2023
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Rajasthan Royals
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Played 2 matches. Gave 53 runs. Economy rate 13.25.
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2024
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Did not play
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Went unsold at auction.
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2025
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Did not play
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Went unsold at auction (base price Rs. 30 lakhs).
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Domestic career
Murugan Ashwin began his domestic career with Tamil Nadu, making his debut in first-class cricket against Odisha in November 2012. He continued to play for Tamil Nadu until 2022, and in 2023, he moved to Chandigarh. His debut in List A cricket came in December 2015 against Mumbai, and he played his first T20 match in January 2016 against Haryana.
Ashwin gained attention during the 2015-16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking 10 wickets for Tamil Nadu. This performance helped him secure a spot with the Rising Pune Supergiants in the IPL. Over time, Ashwin continued to impress in domestic tournaments, including leading Tamil Nadu to victory in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In 2023, he made a notable catch in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) during a match against Dindigul Dragons.
In the 2023-24 season, Ashwin switched teams and joined Chandigarh, where he participated in the Ranji Trophy. His performances in various formats, including List A and T20, have been consistent, contributing to his ongoing success in domestic cricket.
Records and achievements
Murugan Ashwin has achieved significant milestones in his cricket career. Here are some of his key records and achievements:
- 2015-16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Second-highest wicket-taker for Tamil Nadu with 10 wickets.
- 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction: Purchased by Rising Pune Supergiants for Rs 4.5 crore, significantly higher than his base price.
- IPL Career (as of 2025): Played 44 matches, took 35 wickets with an average of 33.20, and his best performance was 3/21.
- T20 Matches: Played in 74 matches, took 75 wickets at an economy rate of 7.31, with a best performance of 3 wickets for 8 runs and scored 102 runs.
- List A Matches: Participated in 22 matches, took 20 wickets, with a best bowling figure of 3/18.
Personal life
Murugan Ashwin has had a successful cricket career and leads an interesting life outside the sport as well. Here’s a look at his personal life:
Family
Murugan Ashwin comes from a respected Tamil family. His father, Era Murukan Ramasamy, is a Tamil author and Vice President of HCL Technologies. Murugan is married to Aishwarya Subramaniam, and they have two daughters. They got engaged in 2014 and married soon after. Despite people often confusing him with R. Ashwin, the two are not brothers. However, they share similar backgrounds, including both graduating from Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering in Chennai.
Finance
As of 2024, Murugan Ashwin’s net worth is around ₹4 crore. His income mainly comes from playing in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League. He was picked up by Rising Pune Supergiants for ₹4.5 crore in 2016 and later played for Mumbai Indians (₹1.6 crore) and Rajasthan Royals (₹20 lakhs in 2023).
Scandals
There have been no major scandals in Murugan Ashwin’s career. He has often been associated with his namesake, R. Ashwin, who has helped mentor him. Murugan was part of the Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016, where R. Ashwin played a key role in his development. The two share a common background in Tamil cinema, which also links them.
Fans
Murugan Ashwin enjoys a solid fan base, especially in Tamil Nadu. In 2023, his incredible catch in the Tamil Nadu Premier League earned him much admiration. His fans also appreciate his athleticism, and he has gained over 96k followers on Instagram.
