The homecoming was meant to be a fairytale. Ravichandran Ashwin, the prodigal son returning to his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after a hefty ₹9.75 crore price tag in the IPL 2025 auction, was expected to inject his experience and guile into the yellow army's bowling attack. However, as the season unfolded, Ashwin's impact has been anything but magical, leaving fans and experts alike scratching their heads and raising serious questions about his future with the franchise.
The numbers paint a stark picture. In the seven matches he featured in, Ashwin managed to scalp a mere 5 wickets. While wickets aren't the sole metric for judging a bowler's effectiveness in T20s, his economy rate of 9.29 runs per over tells a tale of being expensive and not exerting the desired control. A bowling strike rate of 28.80 and an average of 44.60 further underscore his struggles in providing crucial breakthroughs for CSK. Opportunities with the bat were scarce, yielding only 12 runs in two innings, offering little contribution outside his primary role.
The consequences of this underwhelming performance were evident in CSK's team selections. Ashwin found himself on the bench in crucial encounters, including the clash against Lucknow Super Giants. This sparked criticism from former cricketers like Harbhajan Singh, who questioned the logic of sidelining a player bought for such a significant sum, especially when conditions seemed conducive to spin bowling. The team management's attempts to utilize him as an "impact player" also appeared inconsistent and failed to yield the desired results.
The voices of former stalwarts have been particularly critical. Kris Srikkanth didn't mince his words, labeling Ashwin's bowling as "horrible" and suggesting that his exclusion from the playing XI should have come sooner. Adding to the scrutiny, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has even predicted that CSK might consider releasing Ashwin before the IPL 2026 mini-auction to free up valuable space in their purse, a testament to the perceived lack of return on their investment.
Amidst the disappointment, Ashwin did achieve a personal milestone, surpassing Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history, with 185 scalps. This individual achievement, however, feels like a solitary bright spot in an otherwise gloomy campaign for both the player and the franchise.
Ultimately, Ravichandran Ashwin's return to Chennai in IPL 2025 has been a damp squib. The expectations were high, fueled by his homecoming and the substantial investment made by CSK. However, his on-field performance failed to live up to the hype, impacting the team's balance and contributing to their struggles. As CSK became the first team to be officially knocked out of the IPL 2025 season, the question marks surrounding Ashwin's role and future with the franchise will undoubtedly linger, prompting serious introspection within the CSK think tank. This homecoming, envisioned as a triumphant chapter, has unfortunately turned into a tale of unfulfilled potential, leaving the passionate CSK fanbase yearning for a different outcome.
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