The Chennai Super Kings camp has found itself in the middle of an unexpected storm after comments made by senior spinner R Ashwin on teammate Dewald Brevis' IPL contract.
While the franchise quickly issued a clarification to calm speculation, the matter has not died down - with former CSK batter Anirudh Srikanth strongly criticising Ashwin for bringing a fellow player's deal into public discussion.
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Anirudh Srikanth calls R Ashwin's remarks avoidable
Speaking on the Cheeky Cheeka YouTube channel, Anirudh expressed disappointment at Ashwin's comments. He pointed out that such discussions should not come from an active player.
"This has come right after Ashwin, on his YouTube channel, spoke about his contract. Which I feel is, first of all, very, very wrong. Being a current player, being in the same team, talking about another player's contract - even though it might have been in a different context - this is the problem it can lead to," Anirudh said.
He went on to stress the unwritten rule in cricket dressing rooms: "You never talk about another person's contract, first of all. And because of that, CSK have strongly put out a statement. All the fans have been given that ease, stating: don't worry at all, for the next two years this player is only for us."
R Ashwin clarifies stance on Dewald Brevis comments
The controversy began after Ashwin suggested on his YouTube channel that CSK were ready to pay "extra" for Brevis at the IPL 2025 auction - which triggered speculation about whether such a move complied with league rules.
Responding to the backlash, Ashwin clarified that his words were misunderstood.
"My intent in the old video was to talk about Brevis' batting, not about his IPL signing amount," he said, stressing that every deal goes through the franchise and governing body.
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He further added, "In today's time, there is a need to clarify the right things as well. No mistake has been made by the franchise, the player or the governing body."
With CSK already issuing a clarification, the franchise will be keen to move on from this episode and refocus on the upcoming IPL season.