The IPL off-season continues to throw up drama on a daily basis. On Thursday (August 7), it was reported that Sanju Samson's long-time association with Rajasthan Royals is about to come to an end after the wicket-keeper batter sent a request to the franchise to release him.
A day later, it is learnt that one of Chennai Super Kings's key members, Ravichandran Ashwin, is set to leave the five-time champions from his position as Director of Operations at the Chennai Super Kings Youth Academy. While the exact reason or timeline of his exit isn't confirmed yet, Ashwin is said to have informed the CSK franchise about his decision.
In a report submitted by Cricbuzz, Ashwin still eyes a future in the Indian Premier League as a player, which means that there is scope for him to represent another team in the coming season or anytime after that. If that were to happen, it could pose a potential conflict of interest for the veteran off-spinner, as he would be having holding such a prestigious administration post with the Super Kings. Ashwin is eager to avoid such a dilemma and hence, has made this decision. This decision from the senior man could be a win-win for both parties in the long term.
Currently, Ashwin is a ₹9.75 crore signing in the CSK setup and by all parameters, that price is more than what an ambitious T20 team would shell out for him, considering his age and the value he offers at this stage of his career. If Ashwin continues at the Youth Academy, it would make things difficult for the franchise to release him even if they wanted to. Former captain MS Dhoni was in Chennai this week for a product launch and also met with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad apart form key stakeholders of the franchise. Perhaps, releasing Ashwin ahead of the 2026 mini-auctions could also be in the offing. Therefore, quitting his CSK academy post would help the process to be simpler for both Ashwin and the Super Kings.
