After a series of underwhelming performances in IPL 2026, ex-CSK player Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t hold back in airing his grievances on the franchise’s recent tactical decisions. On his YouTube channel, the experienced off spinner, on Saturday, conveyed his heartfelt worry about the management’s approach towards both homegrown and foreign players. Having undergone a string of defeats, the quintuple champions have been criticized for their bizarre team choices, such as the selection of just two foreign players in their last match.
For Ashwin, the present turmoil and absence of a definite strategy are, to a large extent, a breakaway from the composed and well-planned atmosphere that has been synonymous with the CSK brand for almost two decades.
Ashwin Questions Handling Of Youngster Prashant Veer
One of the big issues for Ashwin is the use of young Indian players in the squad. He even highlighted Prashant Veer, who was picked for the playing XI but surprisingly was not given a chance to bowl even a single over. Although Ashwin acknowledged that the franchise deserves to be applauded for entrusting young players rather than going after big names like David Miller, Cooper Connolly or Jason Holder during the auction however such faith must lead to on-field opportunities. He also narrated that this method is quite shocking and making the Chennai fans worried.
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CSK played Prashant Veer, and did not give him even one over. Remember, during the mini-auction, when there were options like David Miler, Jason Holder, Lungi Ngidi, Cooper Connolly. There were so many such options that you needed, even then you got two young players. I give a thumbs up for that, but they should be given a chance, right?”
Why Were Only Two Foreign Players Used?
The most baffling aspect of the recent CSK losses has been the decision to leave two overseas slots empty in the starting lineup. Ravichandran Ashwin highlighted that Jamie Overton, who had shown promising form in the prior match, was inexplicably benched alongside Matt Short. This tactical shift left the team heavily reliant on domestic resources during high pressure moments.
“How will we know their talent without seeing them? It is surprising, and a little bit of a concern. Jamie Overton who played well in the last match was benched, then Matt Short was also dropped, there were only two overseas players. All of this does not happen in the CSK that I know,”
According to Ashwin, this “under utilization” of the international quota is entirely out of character for the Chennai Super Kings management, which historically prides itself on maximizing every resource available to the captain.