'Threw me the new ball against Sachin Tendulkar...': R Ashwin recalls MS Dhoni's mastermind tactic in IPL 2010

Ravichandran Ashwin made quite the splash when he burst onto the scene during IPL 2009, impressing everyone with his clever carrom ball, distinctive bowling style, and knack for varying his pace. While he only got to play two matches for the Chennai Super Kings in his first season in South Africa, it was when the tournament moved back to India the next year that his true talent really began to shine. At the launch of the book "Leo -- The Untold Story of Chennai Super Kings," written by senior advocate and former Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) vice-president PS Raman, Ashwin fondly recalled how MS Dhoni, the then-captain of CSK, not only spotted his potential but also gave him the chance to take on tough challenges on the field.

Looking back at the end of the second IPL season, Ashwin shared that Dhoni had reached out to him on Facebook, promising that he would be given a significant role in the upcoming season. This show of confidence from such a legendary captain only fueled Ashwin's drive to succeed in his cricketing journey.

"Those were the days of Facebook chat, and I remember we spoke there. MS said, 'I wanna use you well next year.'

The experienced all-rounder, returning to CSK after ten years, reminisced about a memorable moment when Dhoni handed him the new ball right in front of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar during his first IPL match back in 2010.

"I went in and it was quite bizarre, Dhoni got injured (in a match against KKR) and I lost my form for 2-3 games too. When we both made our comebacks, I got my first initiation of bowling with the new ball against Mumbai Indians (MI) in front of Sachin Tendulkar. It was a huge game," Ashwin said.

Ashwin, a veteran cricketer with an impressive tally of 106 Tests, 116 ODIs, and 65 T20Is for India, has taken a remarkable total of 765 wickets across all formats. He shared a memorable moment when Dhoni handed him the new ball. There wasn’t much said between them—just a casual shrug from Dhoni. Things got even more intriguing when former Australia batter Mike Hussey came up to Ashwin and asked if he thought he could get Kieron Pollard out.

"Dhoni gave me the new ball, shrugged his shoulders and left. He does not give you many words, but Huss (Mike Hussey), I remember, asked me, 'Can you get Pollard out?' (while defending 166 for CSK). I was a bit jittery. I just bowled the ball outside off stump and ss luck would have it, Pollard skied one in the air. Thilan Thushara, standing long off, came running all the way, and Murali Vijay crossed him from behind. It was one of the most bizarre catches ever. It hit Thusara's hands, Vijay's eyes were closed and the ball fell into his hands," Ashwin added.

Ashwin had a fantastic run with CSK for eight years before he switched to Rising Pune Super Giant in 2016. After that, he played for Delhi Capitals and eventually landed at Rajasthan Royals. But he made his way back to where it all started for him in 2009—CSK. Today, Ashwin proudly stands as the franchise's third-highest wicket-taker, with an impressive tally of 120 wickets in 121 matches.

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