Local boy R Ashwin has returned to his home side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the 2025 edition of the IPL. Ashwin was picked by CSK for Rs 9.75 crore and the senior off-spinner will be seen in the yellow after a long gap of 10 years. Ashwin in the last few seasons played for the Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and the then Kings XI Punjab and came close to winning the IPL twice in 2020 for Delhi and in 2022 for the Men in Pink and will hope to get his hands trophy yet again in yellow.
Ashwin, who retired from international cricket midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, mentioned that he'd want to play for CSK as long as he can and during the 'Leo' book launch in Chennai, reckoned that Dhoni getting him back to the franchise was a gift from the former captain to him while making a revelation.
“I called MS Dhoni for my 100th Test in Dharamshala to hand over the memento. I wanted to make that my last Test. But he couldn’t make it. However, I didn’t think he would give me the gift of getting me back to CSK. It’s a much better one. So, thank you, MS, for doing it. I’m glad to be here,” said Ashwin during the event on Sunday.
"Most importantly, I have come back to CSK not as someone who has achieved so much but as someone who has gone through the full circle and wants to come back here and enjoy just like before. It is a wonderful place to be," he added.
Ashwin will form a powerful spin trio for CSK with Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad, for whom the franchise went all out and splurged almost double the bid when Gujarat Titans were to use an RTM for him.
Ashwin underwent a home season where he played against Bangladesh and New Zealand before calling it a day in Australia and would hope that he can enjoy the last few years of cricket in him for CSK.