The Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) underwhelming performance in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season has sparked considerable debate, with former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expressing strong opinions regarding the team's management of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. CSK, a five-time champion, faced an early exit from the tournament, leading to scrutiny of their strategies and player selections.

Harbhajan Singh has been particularly critical of CSK's decision to bench Ashwin, who was acquired for a hefty sum of INR 9.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Ashwin's performance in the initial matches was lackluster, with only five wickets in seven games at an expensive economy rate of 9.29, which led to his exclusion from the playing XI.

However, Harbhajan believes that Ashwin's experience and skill were underutilized, especially considering the spinning conditions in some matches. He argued that CSK could have won their match against Punjab Kings if they had fielded Ashwin alongside Noor Ahmad and Ravindra Jadeja. "Chennai did not select the team based on conditions," Harbhajan stated, emphasizing the potential of a spin-heavy attack.

Adding fuel to the fire, Harbhajan speculated about a possible conflict within the CSK dressing room as a reason for Ashwin's exclusion. "I do not know why he is not playing, but it seems he might have fought with someone," Harbhajan remarked, while also pointing out that other underperforming players were retained in the team. "He is not the only one who has not performed. Others are still playing despite their ordinary performances, but Ashwin is out of the team," he added.

Furthermore, Harbhajan has criticized Ashwin's approach to his bowling, suggesting that he is not focusing on spinning the ball enough. "Ashwin hasn't looked to spin the ball," Harbhajan noted, implying that Ashwin is relying too heavily on variations like the carrom ball instead of his traditional off-spin. "You have to bowl full and give flight to take wickets. He is only relying on carrom ball and is not looking to spin the ball," he said.

Despite the criticism, Ashwin has not publicly responded to Harbhajan's comments directly. However, the situation has undoubtedly added to the pressure on both the player and the CSK management. It remains to be seen whether Ashwin will be given another opportunity to prove his worth in the remaining matches of the IPL 2025, or if CSK will decide to release him before the next auction.