R Ashwin, the veteran off-spinner, has reportedly asked the management of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for clarity on his role leading into the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). According to sources in the know that spoke to ESPNcricinfo, Ashwin stated that he would be willing to leave the franchise if he isn’t going to be a part of their plans moving forward.
Ashwin was picked up at the IPL 2025 mega auction by CSK for INR 9.75 crore, which was another emotional return to his home franchise after playing the previous eight seasons with other franchises. However, his return year did not go according to plan. He only played in nine of CSK’s 14 matches, which is the least it has ever played in a season since his debut in 2009, and had the worst economy rate of his IPL career, which was 9.12.
On his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “I think every player seeks clarity. I have just asked for communication from the franchise. If I am part of their future plans, great. If not, I am happy to leave. But I think it is the franchise’s responsibility to be transparent.”
Ashwin mentioned that he had experienced a similar professionalism during his time with Rajasthan Royals (RR). “After my first year at RR, I received an email from the CEO about my performance, the team’s expectations and whether they were renewing my contract. That’s the kind of thing players plan better with.”
The timing comes amidst uncertainty at some IPL franchises and reports of other senior players like Sanju Samson also requesting releases. Additionally, Ashwin said that in terms of changes in the IPL, most of the noise they are hearing is not coming from players, but rather from within the franchises.
Meanwhile, CSK has quite a few big decisions to make. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was named captain at the start of IPL 2025, missed a part of the season due to injury, and necessitated to be replaced in the middle of the season by MS Dhoni. With uncertainty around Dhoni’s future, CSK will likely wait for his intentions before figuring out their squad strategy.
The timelines for player retention and trades will rely on the auction date, which has not been announced yet. If CSK decides not to retain Ashwin, a trade can happen before the mini auction for IPL 2026.
Until then, Ashwin waits for a decision but has made a clear statement: clarity above all else.
