Ravichandran Ashwin has narrated a fascinating story from the early days of his career, recalling his over-the-top celebrations after dismissing MS Dhoni in the Challenger Trophy, much to the visibly annoyance of the former India captain.In JioStar’s Ravichandran Ashwin Experience, the recently retired off-spinner recalls his struggle for opportunities in the initial years of his career. chennai super kings and explained how taking Dhoni’s wicket felt like a breakthrough moment.Ashwin admitted that in the early days of the IPL, it was extremely difficult to get into CSK’s playing squad due to the presence of legendary bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan.“Muralitaran was a legend in the team and bowled full, so I didn’t get a chance. I didn’t play in 2008, but in 2009, I played my first match against Mumbai Indians and Sachin Tendulkar in Cape Town. Even between 2009 and 2010, I still didn’t get many chances,” Ashwin said.
According to Ashwin, the turning point came during the Challenger Trophy when he managed to dismiss Dhoni twice. One of those dismissals was particularly memorable for him and apparently for Dhoni as well.“Dhoni was out twice against our team. Once, he shot towards deep cover and I took a diving catch. I celebrated so much that he actually got angry,” Ashwin recalled with a laugh.The former India spinner then shared the interesting exchange that followed.“He said, ‘What’s there to celebrate?’ I told him, ‘It’s my dream to take your wicket. Maybe it will open a door for me at CSK. The next year, I got my chance.”Ashwin eventually became one of CSK’s most important bowlers and played a key role in the franchise’s golden era under Dhoni. Looking back at the secrets behind CSK’s dominance between 2010 and 2015, Ashwin praised the team’s balanced lineup and the contribution of underrated domestic players.“Chennai was one of the early teams that not only had good batsmen but also had many good bowlers. Apart from this, there were some domestic players who stood out like me, Murali Vijay, Badrinath and Shadab Jakati, who many may not know about but played heroic roles in CSK,” he said.Ashwin retires from international cricket in December 2024 after one of the most decorated careers of any Indian spinner.
