After Chennai Super Kings got off to a poor start in IPL 2026 with a humiliating defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore, former star Ravichandran Ashwin did not flinch when he looked back at the team’s struggles and his own difficult final season.
CSK suffered its third consecutive defeat after being beaten at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB posted a mammoth 250/3 on the back of the explosive batting of Tim David (70 off 25 balls), Rajat Patidar (48 off 19 balls) and Devdutt Padikkal (50 off 29 balls). In reply, CSK never fully recovered from the early blow and were eventually bowled out for 207 despite resistance from Sarfaraz Khan and Prashant Veer.
With the defeat exposing deeper issues within the team, Ashwin reflected on his decision to quit the IPL, admitting he could have continued but was mentally exhausted after a disappointing season.
“Any suggestions for a sad song? I’m watching this match from a neutral perspective but keep in mind that I recently had a disappointing season with CSK and it was a disappointing season for me personally. Honestly, in my opinion, I could have played more games because emotionally I just didn’t have the bandwidth to play,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
When asked to revisit that phase, Ashwin made it clear that it remains a sensitive subject for him.
“I didn’t want to go there, it was mentally disturbing. It was very painful for me. I didn’t want to go there. I discussed it and then I said, I start in Chennai and finish in my hometown, it doesn’t matter. I have decided to retire as it will not give them (the management) a headache of whether to retain me or release me. If I go, they will also save Rs 10 crore. I am still disappointed. I had expectations, I had hope,” he added.
Despite predicting a win for RCB, Ashwin admitted that he expected a stronger performance from CSK, especially after there were signs of improvement in their previous performances.
“I have expectations from today. I know, I picked RCB to win because of their quality. However, I am banking on the improvement that CSK showed in the last game. I have a little faith in the fact that RCB are coming into this game after the break. The way RCB is playing, they have warned everyone,” he said.
CSK’s current approach has also come under scrutiny, especially their shift towards a youthful squad. Ashwin questioned how well these players were developed in a high-pressure environment.
“These young boys, you have to give them good practice, you have to give them intensity, you have to give them atmosphere from now on. How are they going to do that?” he said.
The veteran spinner was also critical of certain tactical calls, especially the way the bowlers were used. He noted that some players are being asked to perform skills that may not suit their strengths.
“You can watch SA20 to make plans. Jamie Overton is not good at bowling yorkers. You make him do that. You have to bowl to the bowler’s strengths. You make him bowl to wide yorkers from around the stumps. Tim David smashed them hard,” he said.
With results not going in their favor and questions of strategy and execution mounting, CSK now face the early-season challenge of regrouping and finding direction before the season slips further.
