IPL buzz: R Ashwin in talks with CSK about future amid speculation of possible move
Chennai, Aug 8 (PTI): Senior Indian off-spinner R Ashwin is in discussions with the Chennai Super Kings about his future in the IPL franchise amid speculation that he might seek his release from the team.
With over two months still left before the deadline for retentions, Ashwin, it is reliably learnt, has had conversations with the CSK brass about his role going forward.
"It is early stages to decide on any player's future. The cut off date for retention is yet to be announced. So we have time," an IPL source told PTI.
"It's a pre-auction plan to hold discussions with players and Ashwin, being a senior, is part of it. It is a mutual discussion to understand his role in the team ahead of next IPL season," he added.
The 38-year-old Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last year, was bought for Rs 9.75 crore in the mega auction before the 2025 season.
It was a homecoming of sorts for the Chennai-based player, who earlier turned up for CSK from 2009 to 2015.
He later went on to play for the now-defunct Rising Pune Super Giant and the then Kings XI Punjab (currently Punjab Kings) in 2018.
He played nine games in the season gone by, picking up just seven wickets in a largely disappointing season for the team as it finished bottom of the heap with four wins and 10 losses.
There are speculations that CSK might rope in wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who wants to leave his current team -- Rajasthan Royals.
"We have certain players in our mind to add to our line up next season. But so far, we have not had discussions with anyone, as I said there is a lot of time for player retention etc," the source said.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
