Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has taken a direct swipe at Chennai Super Kings following the conclusion of their IPL 2026 season, which ended with a heavy 89-run loss to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on May 21. CSK wrapped up the tournament with six victories, eight defeats and 12 points, a return that highlighted multiple issues across the squad.
Ashwin’s verdict on CSK’s IPL 2026
- CSK’s campaign ended on May 21 with an 89-run defeat to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
- Ashwin said the franchise can’t keep relying on the same playbook and team-building principles that powered long stretches of success during the MS Dhoni years.
- He argued Chennai must shift toward investing more aggressively in overall team quality, including the caliber of players they recruit.
- On his YouTube channel, Ashwin stressed that building a “quality” squad also means ensuring depth and variety—particularly in bowling, with different types of pace options and a range of spin.
- While acknowledging that younger players bring energy, he maintained that experience still has a major role in surviving the pressures and demands of an entire IPL season.
- Ashwin described the ideal mix as a combination of youthful exuberance and seasoned campaigners, calling it a “lethal” partnership.
- He added that this is no longer the same CSK setup that operated under Dhoni, and that any return to success may take time rather than arriving instantly.
Ashwin’s comments also touched on whether CSK’s squad selection matched the specific demands of Chepauk, a ground that has historically been viewed as one of Chennai’s strengths. He suggested that batting there calls for patience and adaptability instead of constant reliance on pure power-hitting.
“Honestly speaking, Shivam Dube’s batting was very positive for Chennai,” Ashwin said, before adding that his concern lies with how the team is assembled for home conditions. “But I have an observation. I think the squad that is picked to play in their home game, in Chepauk, I think it is not suiting them.”
Looking back at some of CSK’s most successful batters from earlier seasons, Ashwin explained why he believes an attritional style has often suited Chepauk better. He referenced Badrinath, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson and Michael Hussey, saying that to bat effectively in Chennai conditions, teams typically need to wear bowlers down rather than constantly trying to hit through the line.
“Whenever I think of Badrinath, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Michael Hussey — players like them — I feel that to bat in Chepauk’s conditions, you have to do a little attritional batting. You don’t have a wicket to hit through the line like this,” he added.
