Ravichandran Ashwin Reflects on His CSK Journey, IPL Memories, & Final Wicket In An Emotional Career Retrospective

Ravichandran Ashwin has looked back on his TATA IPL journey with Chennai Super Kings on JioStar's 'The Ravichandran Ashwin Experience'. The off-spinner spoke about his CSK selection, early years under Muttiah Muralitharan and MS Dhoni, the franchise culture, and his final IPL wicket, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

A multiple-time TATA IPL winner, Ashwin began and ended his IPL career with his home franchise, Chennai Super Kings. He recalled key moments from 2008 to 2015, his return to CSK, his last match in Delhi, and his wish to finish at Chepauk, a venue close to him.

Ashwin credited the late VB Chandrasekhar for his first CSK deal. He said in the JioStar show, "I've always wanted to stay grateful. People come into your life, lay a stepping stone for you, and then move on and for me, that person was VB Chandrasekhar. He's no longer with us, a life gone too soon."

He detailed how a standout spell in the Chennai league cricket changed his T20 future. Playing for Chemplast against India Cements at Chepauk, he took six wickets in the final with CSK officials Kasi Viswanathan and Kris Srikkanth watching, before VB Chandrasekhar called the next day with a contract.

Ashwin remembered the time he upset MS Dhoni during the Challenger Trophy. Dhoni was dismissed twice against his team. After taking a diving catch at deep cover, he celebrated with great joy, which annoyed Dhoni, leading Ashwin to explain that dismissing him was a dream and a possible CSK chance.

He spoke about waiting behind Muttiah Muralitharan, not playing in 2008, and debuting in 2009 in Cape Town against the Mumbai Indians and Sachin Tendulkar. Between 2009 and 2010, he still had few chances, but the Challenger Trophy spell to Dhoni helped open a door at CSK.

Ashwin praised CSK's balance of strong batting and bowling between 2010 and 2015. He highlighted domestic players like Murali Vijay, Badrinath, Shadab Jakati, and Wriddhiman Saha. He called Jakati a heroic player and noted Saha's useful middle-order role in building a solid team environment.

He underlined CSK's off-field support. Family logistics, tickets, rooms and travel were fully managed by the franchise. Ashwin said these details removed pressure and let players focus only on cricket, adding that such goodwill cannot be bought and must instead be built over time.

On his second spell at CSK, Ashwin said his first thought was to finish where he started. He hoped to play for two or three years. That did not happen, but he was content that his IPL journey both began and ended with the Chennai Super Kings.

Ashwin wanted his last IPL match at Chepauk, but his final game came in Delhi. He noted his last ODI was at Chepauk and called the ground very close to his heart, with many memories from league cricket and international cricket across his long career.

Discussing his final TATA IPL wicket, Ashwin broke down his plan for Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He described how modern Gen Z batters attack spinners and how he used fuller lengths with drift and pad-targeted lines, a method that earlier helped him dismiss Sanju Samson.

Ashwin called Suryavanshi "an exceptional talent" and praised his six-hitting, reverse sweep, and calm reading of the game at 14. He said the youngster combines skill, power, tactical awareness, and clarity under pressure, and advised that people avoid putting excess pressure on him and let him try red-ball cricket too.