Veteran comes and veteran strikes! R Ashwin made a strong return to Chennai Super Kings, striking in his very first over to dismiss MI’s lethal batter Will Jacks during the team’s IPL 2025 opener against Mumbai Indians on Sunday. He dismissed Will Jacks with a well-executed carrom ball, pitching it full and angling towards middle and leg. Jacks, looking to loft it over the in-field, found himself cramped for room and struggled to maintain balance. As a result, he mistimed his shot, chipping it straight to mid-off, where Shivam Dube completed a easy catch.
CSK secured Ashwin’s services for INR 9.75 crore in the IPL auction, marking his comeback to the Yellow Brigade after a decade. He had previously played for them from 2009 to 2015, and in his homecoming—playing at his home ground, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai—he made an instant impact.
Over the past 10 years, Ashwin showcased his skills with Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, continuously pushing the boundaries of T20 cricket with his sharp tactical approach.
Welcome back, Ash Anna!
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 23, 2025#RaviAshwin strikes in his first over!
Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/uN7zJIUsn1 #IPLonJioStar#CSKvMI, LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, 2 & 3 & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/d3lNtAxsmc
Unexpected retirement from international cricket!
The cricketing world was left stunned when Ashwin announced his retirement in the middle of India’s disastrous Test tour of Australia—a move reminiscent of MS Dhoni, who had similarly stepped away from Tests mid-series during a Border-Gavaskar Trophy, passing the captaincy to Virat Kohli.
With his latest scalp, Ashwin now has 181 IPL wickets and is well-positioned to challenge the second and third spots on the tournament’s all-time wicket-takers list.
Ahead of IPL 2025, Ashwin revealed that he had invited MS Dhoni to present him with his cap for his 100th Test. Though Dhoni couldn’t attend, Ashwin expressed gratitude to his former India captain for the gift of playing for CSK once again.
R Ashwin Bowling Statistics in IPL
| IPL Season | Mat | Ov | Runs | Wkts | Avg | Eco | Bst | 4w |
| 2024 | 15 | 55 | 467 | 9 | 51.89 | 8.49 | 3/24 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13 | 49 | 368 | 14 | 26.29 | 7.51 | 2/23 | 0 |
| 2022 | 17 | 67 | 503 | 12 | 41.92 | 7.51 | 3/17 | 0 |
| 2021 | 13 | 44.4 | 331 | 7 | 47.28 | 7.41 | 2/27 | 0 |
| 2020 | 15 | 51 | 391 | 13 | 30.07 | 7.66 | 3/29 | 0 |
| 2019 | 14 | 55 | 400 | 15 | 26.66 | 7.27 | 3/23 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 50.4 | 410 | 10 | 41 | 8.09 | 2/18 | 0 |
| 2016 | 14 | 44 | 319 | 10 | 31.9 | 7.25 | 4/34 | 1 |
| 2015 | 14 | 39 | 228 | 10 | 22.8 | 5.84 | 2/5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 16 | 59.5 | 437 | 16 | 27.31 | 7.3 | 3/30 | 0 |
| 2013 | 18 | 58 | 390 | 15 | 26 | 6.72 | 2/18 | 0 |
| 2012 | 19 | 65.5 | 432 | 14 | 30.85 | 6.56 | 3/24 | 0 |
| 2011 | 16 | 63 | 388 | 20 | 19.4 | 6.15 | 3/16 | 0 |
| 2010 | 12 | 48 | 293 | 13 | 22.53 | 6.1 | 3/16 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 6.5 | 3.25 | 2/13 | 0 |
| All IPL | 212 | 754 | 5370 | 180 | 29.83 | 7.12 | 4/34 | 1 |
