NEW DELHI: Ravichandran Ashwin returned to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 9.75 crore after a fierce bidding battle with Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
The experienced off-spinner, who has been a key figure in CSK’s past successes, will once again don the yellow jersey, much to the delight of CSK fans.
Ashwin was released by Rajasthan Royals ahead of this year’s IPL auction, following his stint with the franchise during the 2024 season.With 212 IPL appearances, Ashwin boasts the most experience among the players listed in the mega auction.
This marks a homecoming for the veteran off-spinner, who first gained prominence with CSK in 2009. He played for the franchise until 2015, before moving to the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant and later to Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) in 2018.
Ashwin entered the IPL auction with a base price of Rs 2 crore, and CSK wasted no time making the first move for their original “Super King.”
Lucknow Super Giants joined the bidding war against CSK but eventually bowed out, only for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to step in and compete fiercely.
The battle between RCB and CSK intensified until RCB decided to drop out, paving the way for Rajasthan Royals (RR) to join the fray.
With the bid climbing to Rs 6 crore, CSK re-entered, pushing it to Rs 6.25 crore and then escalating further to Rs 7.25 crore. RR responded strongly, taking it to Rs 7.50 crore and then Rs 8 crore, as both teams recognized the value of having a seasoned spinner like Ashwin, especially with limited experienced options in the market.
The Royals and Super Kings went head-to-head in an intense bidding slugfest. The price eventually soared to Rs 9.75 crore, with CSK securing the bid as RR decided to tap out.
