3 teams who should target R Ashwin if he quits CSK ahead of IPL 2026 ft. Sunrisers Hyderabad

As reports of Ravichandran Ashwin asking Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to release him ahead of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) emerge, some other franchises must be looking at it with special interest.

Ashwin is among the greatest spinners India has produced, and even at 38 years of age, he can be useful to some IPL franchises. Although his performance in the 2025 edition did not make headlines, he is still a champion bowler, having retired with 537 Test wickets.

Ashwin played just nine matches in IPL 2025 and picked up seven wickets, far from ideal returns for the legendary bowler, whose homecoming to CSK for INR 9.75 crore drew mixed reactions from fans and pundits. Perhaps the 38-year-old felt the need for a fresh start with another franchise.

The lack of game time may have been an issue as well, as the off-spinner has shown that he can still deliver the goods with his recent performances in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Turning up for Dindigul, Ashwin's heroics include 3-22 against Salem and 3-28 against Trichy, among others, in the TNPL this season.

In this listicle, we take a look at three teams that can target Ashwin if he quits CSK:

#3 Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad can target Ashwin if he leaves CSK because the franchise are in desperate need of an experienced spinner. In IPL 2025, they had just Zeeshan Ansari and Rahul Chahar in the spin department, and things got worse when Adam Zampa left midway through the tournament due to a shoulder injury.

If Ashwin comes into their fold, it is bound to add depth to SRH's bowling resources. The franchise ended the previous season of the IPL in the sixth spot of the table, and will be keen on improving their performance in 2026.

#2 Rajasthan Royals

R Ashwin arrived to CSK from RR in IPL 2025.

A move back to his former franchise, the Rajasthan Royals (RR), will suit Ashwin well, especially if he is made the leader of their bowling attack. In IPL 2025, RR did not have an experienced Indian spinner, with Sri Lankan duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana their main tweakers.

With Ashwin, RR can save a spot for an overseas player and choose to play an all-rounder instead. The presence of a senior Indian spinner in their playing XI will add more balance to the squad of the winners of the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008.

RR's bowling attack is predominantly seam-dominated, with the likes of Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande and Nandre Burger, among others, making themselves seen. Given that their home ground in Jaipur is known to assist spin more than seam historically, adding an experienced, Indian spinner makes sense.

#1 Lucknow Super Giants

If there is one side hell-bent on changing their fortunes around in IPL 2026, it is the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The Sanjeev Goenka-owned side have failed to make a mark in the IPL since joining the T20 league in 2022. Although they made it to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, they ended in the seventh spot of the table in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the tournament.

One of the reasons why LSG have struggled to come to terms with the IPL's challenges is because they do not have a senior specialist off-spinner in their ranks. Digvesh Rathi and Rahul Bishnoi are leg-spinners, while Shahbaz Ahmed is a left-arm orthodox spinner who gets the ball to turn away from right-handers.

Ashwin's presence in their squad is bound to give LSG an advantage over their opponents, especially when it comes to bowling to left-handers. Moreover, it is well known that Ashwin is a tactical genius who can also serve well on the leadership group, assisting captain Rishabh Pant. LSG must go all-in for Ashwin if the latter does leave CSK.