Ravichandran Ashwin’s long-awaited return to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been confirmed with the veteran spinner being acquired by the franchise for Rs 9.75 Crore at the IPL 2025 auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This marks a significant homecoming for the 38-year-old, who first made his IPL debut with CSK in 2008.
For Ashwin, this is a chance to reunite with the team that kickstarted his IPL career and help propel them to greater heights. The off-spinner’s move to CSK has been the subject of much speculation, especially after Rajasthan Royals (RR) chose to invest in younger talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel, leaving Ashwin and other senior players like Yuzvendra Chahal out of the fold.
The buzz around Ashwin’s potential return to CSK gained momentum when the spinner, also a YouTuber, jokingly hosted a mock auction on his channel, humorously ‘selling’ himself to CSK. This sparked rumors, and his eventual acquisition was seen as the perfect fit for CSK, bringing together Dhoni, Jadeja, and Ashwin once again after their last partnership in 2015.
With his wealth of experience, Ashwin is expected to be a key asset to CSK’s spin attack. Over his illustrious IPL career, Ashwin has played 211 matches, claiming 180 wickets and contributing 800 runs with the bat. His consistency and leadership skills, particularly in the spin department, have earned him a reputation as one of the most reliable bowlers in the tournament.
Ashwin’s most prominent years came with CSK, where his performances helped the team lift the IPL trophy in 2010 and 2011. His ability to control the middle overs and take key wickets has been crucial to CSK’s success, and now, with the veteran returning to his roots, the franchise will be looking forward to his contributions once more.
CSK’s acquisition of Ashwin is expected to bolster their spin department and offer them additional versatility, as head coach Stephen Fleming highlighted that Ashwin’s all-round skill set woul