“I’ve Only Asked For…”: R Ashwin Breaks Silence On CSK Departure Talks

Chennai Super Kings star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson are at the centre of the Indian Premier League (IPL) trade window chatter

Chennai Super Kings star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson are at the centre of the Indian Premier League (IPL) trade window chatter. Samson had a stop-start IPL 2025 season, riddled with injury, as RR went from finishing third in 2024 to a ninth-place finish in 2025. Now, Ashwin has opened up on the rumours. He said that for the first time in IPL he played only nine out 14 leagues matches for CSK, which was a new experience from him as he played in all the matches for the respective franchises in the earlier years.

Ashwin went on to say that he had asked CSK for clarity over his role. “When I played for RR, after completing 1-year, the RR CEO mailed about a performance review… We are so and so, we are expecting this, and we are renewing your contract next year. Like this, every year, it’s a 1+1+1 contract,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“So, every year when the contract finishes, it’s the responsibility of the franchise to communicate to the players whether they are retaining or releasing. In this situation, where there is a cover on me, Sanju. Obviously, there should be a review of interest or non-interest. Every player wants clarity. In this case, nothing is in my hands; I’ve only asked for clarity. In my situation, I became a CSK player, and maximum cover is not coming from the player.”

He went on to talk about the intricacies of IPL player trading.

“I became a CSK player at Rs 9.75 crore last year, and Sanju Samson’s price is Rs 18 crore at RR. Correct? Now, if CSK wants a player worth Rs 18 crore, they need to have that amount. Okay, so CSK has to release players worth Rs 18 crore, or they have to trade off players worthy of Rs 18 crore. You can trade to RR or somewhere else.,” he said.

“Now, I am not saying this is happening because I’ve zero knowledge, because it’s conflicted. I have been working a little in the CSK academy, so I don’t know the inside news. A lot of meetings have been going on to decide what will happen.”

Finally, when his co-host asked the viewers to comment on the video about whether they want to see Ashwin in a new team or in CSK, the star spinner replied: “Arey, mujhe chor do yaar (Please leave me alone with folded hands gesture). Mujhe khusi se rehne do yaar (Guys, let me live happily).”

Ashwin is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL with 201 scalps in 239 matches at an average of 30.94. Before rejoining CSK in 2025, he played for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mujhe-chor-do-r-ashwin-breaks-silence-on-leaving-csk-after-ipl-2025-9065200