After a lacklustre IPL 2025, Ravichandran Ashwin opens up on uncertainty over his role at Chennai Super Kings amid rumours of a high-profile swap with the Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s stint with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2025 failed to live up to expectations. Bought for ₹9.75 crore ahead of the mega auction, the seasoned off-spinner managed just seven wickets in nine matches and contributed 32 runs with the bat. By his own standards, it was a subdued campaign, leading to murmurs that the Chennai-based side might release him before the IPL 2026 auction.
Speculation gained further traction last week when reports suggested that Ashwin had asked to be released from the squad. Rumours also linked him with a return to Rajasthan Royals, a team he represented from 2022 to 2024, in a possible trade involving RR’s captain Sanju Samson.
Addressing the uncertainty, Ashwin spoke about his future on his YouTube channel “Ash Ki Baat”. When journalist Vimal Kumar asked if he would be part of CSK next season, Ashwin admitted that the decision was out of his control. He revealed that he had already sought clarity from the franchise long before the season ended, questioning what his exact role was and how he could improve his performance.
Playing only nine matches in the IPL 2025 was a new and unusual experience for him, in all his years in the league, it was the first time he had featured in so few games. Until now, he had always been a consistent starter for every team he represented. Despite raising these points during the tournament itself, he said there had been no further communication from the team. Ashwin also made it clear that there was no confirmed information about a swap involving Sanju Samson, describing such reports as unverified.
Any move for Sanju Samson would require significant financial management from CSK. The Royals retained him for ₹18 crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction, which means Chennai would need to match that value to bring him on board. Trading Ashwin alone, valued at ₹9.75 crore, would not suffice, they would have to either add ₹8.25 crore in cash or include additional players worth the same amount to make the deal possible.
Let’s wait and watch.
