Ravichandran Ashwin has lifted the lid on an early-career moment that still makes him smile — a time when he managed to get MS Dhoni irritated while trying to force his way into Chennai Super Kings’ setup. The former India spinner shared the story during an episode of The Ravichandran Ashwin Experience on JioHotstar, describing how, even after being picked up by CSK ahead of the first-ever IPL in 2008, he initially struggled to find regular match opportunities. Ashwin’s wait stretched into the next season as well, with him featuring in only two games in 2009. It was not until 2010, when CSK went on to lift the title, that he began receiving more chances to play under Dhoni’s captaincy.
As his IPL pathway slowly opened, Ashwin recalled the grind that came with climbing the franchise circuit. He spoke about sitting on the sidelines as Sri Lanka’s spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan completed his full four-over quota, watching from the edge while hoping his turn would arrive. That patience paid off eventually when Ashwin made his IPL debut during the 2009 season in South Africa, taking the field against the Mumbai Indians. He framed this period as a continuation of limited opportunities, before a crucial moment in the Challenger Trophy brought him face-to-face with Dhoni in a match situation where he could finally deliver.
Ashwin said that in the 2009 Challenger Trophy final — featuring India Blue, led by Dhoni, against India Red, captained by Subramaniam Badrinath — he got Dhoni’s wicket. He produced a sharp spell, finishing with figures of 1/11 in seven overs, including two maiden overs, as his side restricted the star-studded India Blue batting unit to just 84 runs. Ashwin’s wicket-taking contribution, he explained, carried emotional weight because it felt like the kind of breakthrough he had been aiming for.
What made it memorable, though, was Dhoni’s reaction. Ashwin revealed that he celebrated the wicket a bit too enthusiastically and that Dhoni noticed. In his retelling, Ashwin said he had told Dhoni that dismissing him was his dream, and that he hoped it would create an opening for him within CSK. He also described how long the wait had been — taking him several years to fully grasp how difficult it was to break into a team when a legend like Muralitharan was present and playing his full spell. Ashwin added that Dhoni had questioned the over-the-top celebration, asking why Ashwin was making such a big deal of it, before Ashwin explained his motivation and hinted at what the wicket might mean for his future.
From there, Ashwin’s trajectory in the league accelerated. He began his IPL journey with CSK in 2008 and soon became woven into the franchise’s success story. His impact grew as CSK won the IPL titles in 2010 and 2011, while also clinching Champions League T20 crowns in 2010 and 2014. Over time, Ashwin’s career moved beyond Chennai, but his association with CSK remained a defining thread.
In 2025, Ashwin returned to CSK for the season on a reported fee of Rs 9.75 crore, effectively marking a homecoming to the side where he had first built his reputation. Between his spells at Chennai, he represented Rising Pune Supergiant, Punjab Kings (previously Kings XI Punjab), Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals, collecting experience across different IPL environments before ultimately coming back to the CSK dressing room.
When Ashwin’s IPL career concluded, he had amassed 187 wickets in 221 matches at an average of 30.22, with his best bowling figures reading 4/34. Statistically, he finished as the tournament’s all-time fifth-highest wicket-taker. With the bat, he added 833 runs across 98 innings at an average of 13.01, including a fifty, rounding out a career that combined control with occasional contributions down the order.
