Ravichandran Ashwin, the 39-year-old off-spin veteran, has opened up about his early journey with Chennai Super Kings, revealing how he nearly missed out on joining the franchise after the yellow army picked Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan in the 2009 auction. Speaking on JioStar, Ashwin recalled the pivotal moment that changed his career trajectory and how a chance performance and mentor's backing secured his spot at CSK.

The Muralitharan shock and a turning point

Ashwin was playing for Chemplast against MRF in Chennai league cricket when T20 was still finding its feet and finger spinners were considered redundant in the format. During the 2009 auction, CSK had already secured Muralitharan's services, and Ashwin thought his opportunity had slipped away. "When they picked Muralitharan, I thought my chances were gone," he said.

However, fate intervened in the final of that same tournament at Chepauk, where Chemplast faced India Cements — CSK's parent company. Ashwin took six wickets in that match and earned the Player of the Match award. The performance caught the eye of Kris Srikkanth and Kasi Viswanathan, who were present at the ground.

VB Chandrasekhar's role in his selection

Srikkanth reportedly turned to Viswanathan and said, "What, CSK didn't pick you? Hey Kasi, take him, you should pick good players." The next day, VB Chandrasekhar — Ashwin's late mentor — called him with a contract offer. "He told me, 'I've been watching you for five years. In T20, I'm not sure about a finger spinner's role, but you'll learn a lot. Learn as much as you can — you can go far, your attitude is good,'" Ashwin recalled with gratitude.

Ashwin credited Chandrasekhar for laying the stepping stone for his CSK journey. "People come into your life, lay a stepping stone for you, and then move on. For me, that person was VB Chandrasekhar. He's no longer with us, a life gone too soon," he said.

Finishing where it started

In the 2025 IPL auction, Ashwin was picked by CSK for ₹9.75 crore, marking a homecoming after years with other franchises including Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and Punjab Kings (which he captained). Ashwin announced his retirement ahead of the 2026 season, effectively closing his IPL chapter.

On completing his IPL career with CSK, Ashwin said, "When I got the chance to play for CSK again, the first thought was that I could finish where I started. My intention was to play for 2-3 years. It didn't happen, that's a different story." He expressed a minor regret that his last IPL game was in Delhi rather than at Chepauk, where his last ODI was also played.

A legacy of 187 IPL wickets

Ashwin bowed out as the IPL's fifth-highest wicket-taker with 187 scalps across 221 games at an economy rate of 7.2. Beyond bowling, he accumulated 833 runs with a strike rate of 118, including one fifty. His CSK tenure yielded two titles, cementing his status as one of the franchise's most valuable players. The journey from near-rejection to homecoming underscores both the uncertainty of early cricket careers and the impact of mentorship and performance in shaping destinies.