For the past week, there has been swirling speculation regarding Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin's future with the franchise ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) season. Putting an end to all speculations, the former Indian off-spinner has demanded clarity from the franchise, which made him the star.
According to the ESPNCricinfo report, Ashwin does not mind parting ways with CSK if he does not align with the team's plan in the future. The off-spinner was bought for INR 9.75 Crore by CSK in the IPL 2025 mega auction, but failed to make an impact for them this season. He played nine of the 14 league games, conceding 9.12 runs per over, the first time ever that his economy rate went past 8 in IPL history.
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Notably, the deadline to release players usually depends on when the auction takes place, which is not yet zeroed in on by IPL authorities. This year, a mini auction will take place, which will likely happen in December. The mega auction takes place every three years, but the mini auction happens every year. Ashwin also went on to humorously state that if there is to be a player trade - as the off-spinner said in his interview with Royals skipper Sanju Samson - it might happen one week before the mini auction.
Ravi Ashwin over the years in IPL
Ashwin began his CSK career in 2011. In his debut season itself, the off-spinner played a starring role in the IPL 2011 final against RCB, as he dismissed the dangerous Chris Gayle inside the power play. Until 2015, he played for CSK under MS Dhoni's captaincy. However, after that, the all-rounder went to feature for Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Rising Pune SuperGiant (RPSG), & Rajasthan Royals (RR), before he came back to CSK in 2025.
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It was while playing for CSK that Ashwin went on to make debuts in the formats for India. However, with a dismal performance upon his homecoming for the franchise in IPL 2025 season, Ashwin might not continue playing for them. Apart from the veteran's headache, CSK has a few tough calls to make, including captaincy, which Dhoni took mid-season after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was out due to injury. While Gaikwad most likely continues with a leadership role in IPL 2026 as well, the franchise always seeks clarity from Dhoni before making a decision.
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