All is not well within the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) camp as the five-time champions had a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season. Fresh from the blow, news reports have emerged stating legendary spin bowler Ravichandran Ashwin could be on his way out of the franchise. The news comes just a day after Sanju Samson had also asked for a release from Rajasthan Royals, therefore dropping a bombshell in Indian cricket. However, Ashwin’s exit could be a blessing in disguise for CSK as they get ready for a new adventure and build for IPL 2026.

Why Ashwin’s exit is a blessing in disguise?

As things stand, Ashwin occupies a significant portion of the salary and price; he was bought for INR 9.75 crore in the mega auctions held in November 2024. His return was a welcome boost for the franchise, but did no favours to an already ageing squad. The veteran spinner is already 38, and by the time the next auctions arrive, he will turn 40. On the other hand, CSK already have players like MS Dhoni (44) and Ravindra Jadeja (36) who have passed their peak and contribute to the already ageing squad.

Compared this with other squads, an ageing team is unlikely to produce the magic that a young, energetic team can provide, while injuries also remain a key factor in selection.

On the performance side, Ashwin has been a great servant to all the franchises he has played in the past. However, with nine matches played and seven wickets taken in IPL 2025, he is clearly not someone the franchise can trust for a long time. He announced retirement from international cricket in December 2024, marking the end of an era in Indian cricket, which means he will have less competitive cricket to play in the build-up to IPL 2026.

Whom to trust?

While nothing is confirmed on MS Dhoni’s retirement plans, there will come a day when the franchise will have to make the hard decision. In case Dhoni departs at some stage from his playing role, Sanju Samson could be a good option to have. Samson has good captaincy experience and led Rajasthan Royals to the IPL 2022 final. As a wicketkeeper-batter, he will also be a like-for-like replacement for MS Dhoni.

Thus, offloading Ashwin and reinvesting the same money in Samson could be a master plan that could serve CSK for a better part of the next 5-6 years.

Related Stories