Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised defending IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru for signing New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy at his base price during the IPL mini auction. Ashwin called the move a smart and valuable buy considering Duffy’s recent performances.

The 31-year-old right-arm pacer has been in excellent form and is currently ranked number two among bowlers in T20 internationals. His strong performances across all major formats have established him as one of the top bowling performers this year.

Duffy recently impressed in the third and final Test against the West Indies, where he took nine wickets. His effort helped New Zealand register a big 323-run victory in the match.

Ashwin Calls 2025 Jacob Duffy’s “Coming of Age” Year

With his nine-wicket haul, Duffy also broke a long-standing New Zealand record. He went past the 40-year-old record of Richard Hadlee by becoming the Kiwi bowler with the most wickets in a single calendar year. Duffy has taken 81 wickets in 2025, beating Hadlee’s 79 wickets from 1985.  In the three-match Test series against the West Indies, Duffy picked up a five-wicket haul in each game and finished with 23 wickets. Ashwin took note of these performances and said that 2025 has been Duffy’s “coming of age” year as a cricketer.

What a cricketer Jacob Duffy is turning out to be. 2025 has been his coming of age year.

23 wickets at 15.43, 40.3 Strike rate and MOS in the tests against Windies.

He’s also the current #2 ranked T20I bowler, with a sensational 2025 in T20s with 57 wickets at 18.9, 7.89… pic.twitter.com/Oda9LxdqxX

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 22, 2025

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Ashwin wrote on X that Duffy is operating at peak efficiency, highlighting his strong Test numbers and impressive T20 record. He also said that RCB picking him up at a base price of INR 2 crore was an “absolute steal” and a sensational move.

RCB signed Duffy for INR 2 crore at the mini auction in Abu Dhabi. This will be his first season in the Indian Premier League, where he could act as a like-for-like replacement for Josh Hazlewood if needed.

Unlike many pundits of the game who have expressed their shocking reaction to the omission of Shubman Gill from the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, the former Indian off-spin all-rounder, Ravichandran Ashwin, felt it was only a formality when the opener got injured and was out of the fifth T20I against South Africa.

Gill picked up the injury during a net practice for the Lucknow T20I, which ruled him out of the fifth clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The selectors, 12 hours later, announced Ishan Kishan’s arrival in the ICC event as Gill missed out on a home World Cup.

See Also: “Go home and ask to…”- Sunil Gavaskar reveals his advice to Shubman Gill before T20 World Cup 2026 selection

“Obviously, Shubman Gill had been given a lot of backing. The selectors showed a lot of faith because he was directly appointed vice-captain. Right now, it has become very clear what looks like a perfect combination. I believe the feedback should also have come from the Indian team management.” Ashwin expressed on his YouTube channel.

Ravichandran Ashwin not surprised at Shubman Gill’s omission

It hasn’t been a supreme year with the bat in the shortest format for Gill, who has an average of around 20 in T20Is this year without a single fifty to his name. He continued the same struggle even in the Protea series.

“We have to remember that India changed their style of play inside the powerplay. Rohit (Sharma) had shown it in the last World Cup. And that’s the style they wanted to continue. And Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma personify that particular passage and pattern of play.” Ashwin shed light during the interaction.

“Actually, this is irrelevant. I have said before that the combination and formula will change. I am not surprised. Because I think the way it was going, and we also talked about that you should give the next two T20s if he is available. Unfortunately, Shubman got injured, and the way he got injured and Sanju came into the side, it was only a formality that this was going to happen.” The Chennai-born concluded.

The X, formerly known as Twitter, has found another hilarious interaction of Rohit Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha, whom the former has called the best wicket-keeper in India, due to his exceptional keeping against two of India’s premier spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who tend to bring variation to his bowling every now and then.

In one of those videos that has gone viral around social media, Ravichandran Ashwin has commented on Rohit’s funny side and how he makes the mood light in any conversation. Besides that, he has also admitted that Saha had been the best keeper of the country in Test matches. 

See Also: Aakash Chopra picks India’s 15-member squad for T20 World Cup 2026

“Rohit being Rohit! Aaj tak mujhe bhee nahin pata ki maine kausee gendh phenke (Till today, I don’t even know what kind of deliveries I bowled at the batters). Jokes apart! What a keeper Wriddhiman Saha was.” Ashwin quoted on a video of Rohit Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha.

Ravichandran Ashwin echoes on Rohit Sharma’s statement about Wriddhiman Saha’s keeping

Saha has overall smashed 1353 runs in 56 innings of the red-ball encounters at an average of around 30 with the help of three centuries and six half-centuries at the best score of 117. Even in first-class cricket, the Bengal and Tripura player has smacked 7169 runs in 210 innings with the help of 14 centuries and 44 fifties.

Watch the video here: 

🤣🤣 Rohit being Rohit!

Aaj tak mujhe bhee nahin pata ki maine kausee gendh phenkee.

Jokes apart ! What a keeper Saha was 🔥🔥 https://t.co/mnn5l5pSbF

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 19, 2025

“You guys all know how many Tests we both played together, whether it was in India or outside of it. We stood together at the slip (him being the wicket-keeper). I have grabbed 2-3 catches before Saha, who has also picked up 2-3 catches before me. But we haven’t seen such a keeper in India. He is India’s best wicket-keeper. There is no doubt in it.” Rohit expressed in the video.

“It doesn’t matter what I said. You have seen the Tests whenever we played. In India, the ball tends to get slow and low on the surfaces. So, to keep focus and keep against Jadeja, who bowls fast, or to Ashwin, who varies a lot of deliveries in his over, is exceptional, and Saha has picked all the balls. Isn’t it?” The Nagpur-born addressed.

India’s T20I vice-captain, Shubman Gill, has found himself under tremendous pressure heading into the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka and could get two more realistic chances to leave a mark among the spectators when they pick the 15-member squad for the ICC event.

The former Indian spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, expressed his concern given the responsibility Gill carries in the team and reckoned that dropping the batter would be a tough decision by the management. He feel that Sanju Samson may come after Gill gets full five games to regain his form.

See Also: England make massive change for 3rd Ashes 2025/26 Test in Adelaide

“I am a little concerned. Shubman is not only the opener but also the vice-captain. How will you remove the vice-captain? It is going to be an incredibly tough decision. If you have to take that decision, inside this series you can’t bring Samson because it does not look nice to drop the vice-captain. You can ask whether vice-captains have been dropped in the past or not.” Ashwin expressed in his YouTube channel.

Ravichandran Ashwin reacts to Shubman Gill’s continuous T20I struggle

Ashwin was impressed with India’s bowling performance in the third game against South Africa in Dharamshala where he reckoned that the bowlers’ fabulous line and length helped the hosts to restrict the opponents to a low score that they were able to chase quiet comfortably.

But he has been taken and should be given a fair run. If he does not perform in the five games, then a decision will have to be made. You should know your best XI and best squad (for T20 WC) by now. I don’t think there are any doubts in the bowling. That department is sealed. Another good message is that Harshit Rana is showing what he is capable of.” Ashwin shed light. 

“He is executing what he is good at. The only question is, if Shubman doesn’t make the runs, should he be there or should Samson be playing. The only unfortunate thing from here on I do not want to see is Gill making runs at a lesser strike rate. That should not happen.” The Chennai-born concluded. 

"Looks like someone is playing with his account..." netizens are wondering why Ravichandran Ashwin shared a photo of Sunny Leone in one of his social media posts. The photo of Sunny Leone is with a photo of a Tamil Nadu street. Why did Ahswin share the photo? What is the hidden meaning behind it?

It is worth mentioning that Ravichandran Ashwin, a former Indian cricketer, consciously shared the photo with an emoji as the caption. Actually, a young Tamil Nadu all-rounder, Sunny Sindhu, just played an explosive knock in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT 2025). During the Tamil Nadu vs Saurashtra SMAT 2025 match, the 22-year-old played a 30-run innings against only 9 deliveries. That explosive innings was laced with three boundaries and a couple of over-boundaries, which took his strike rate to 333.33 – some unbelievable numbers to show individual batting brilliance.

It was only the second SMAT 2025 match. In the previous game of the tournament, the lower-middle-order batter scored only 11 runs, and in the next match, a flurry of fours and sixes.

Read More: England face huge blow as star player ruled out of Ashes 2025/26

Why did Ravichandran Ashwin share Sunny Leone's photo? 

👀 👀 pic.twitter.com/BgevYfPyPJ

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 9, 2025

Sunny came under the spotlight for his promising performance in the 2025 edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) for Salem Spartans. More than the bowling skills, it was his batting talent which caught cricket fans' attentions. During the Salem vs Trichy match, Sindhu played 45 runs, playing 27 deliveries powered by one boundary and 4 over-boundaries. He claimed a couple of wickets as well in the match. Another two notable knocks from the emerging cricketer were against Chepauk and Dindigul when he smashed 30 and 25 runs, respectively.

Now, let's decode the photo Ravichandran Ashwin shared on 'X'. It is believed that Sunny Leone's photo was paired with a Tamil Nadu street labelled "Sandhu Veedu" (Sandhu's house/alley). It likely hints at Sunny Sandhu, a 22-year-old Tamil Nadu cricketer (right-arm pacer/all-rounder) who's impressed in TNPL and U23 games. Ashwin's "👀" emoji in the caption suggests "watch this talent".

Post Australia’s opening day at the second day-night Ashes 2025/26 Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, their premier spinner, Nathan Lyon, dropped a statement of how he was not happy to get dropped, with the management bringing Michael Neser into the playing eleven. Many praised the spinner for his blunt statement.

The former Indian spin all-rounder, Ravichandran Ashwin, also lauded Lyon for expressing his emotions but explained why he can’t do something like that. He pointed out how the Indian cricketers, even after having freedom to express their opinion, could face collateral damage in the long run.

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“Nathan Lyon is lucky. If anyone is dropped from the team, the emotions would be similar to what Lyon expressed in front of the world. He got the media to express his views, and he did just that. The Australian team wouldn't feel bad, and he would play the Adelaide Test. I am just happy for Nathan Lyon.” Ashwin expressed in his YouTube video.

Ravichandran Ashwin drops surprising statement on Nathan Lyon’s comments from Ashes 2025/26

Ashwin also compared how the entire generation has accepted Chris Gayle for addressing himself as the Universe Boss. But he highlighted how they can’t note the same for the left-handed opening batter of the Blue Brigade, Abhishek Sharma. He hopes that there will be a cultural shift and that players are not judged for their opinions.

“People have emotions, and they will do just that. However, I cannot express my emotions, because if I do, I will lose out, and only harm will be caused. So why will I do that? However, I really respect Nathan Lyon; he let his emotions out. Good on him.” Ashwin noted in the video.

“We, as Indian cricketers, are allowed to express our opinion. No one is stopping us. But what is collateral damage? Your expression and emotion are not given as much respect because you will be stamped as a person of a certain character for doing that. I hope this will change with the passage of time, and it should.” The 37-year-old included.

The former spin all-rounder of the Indian cricket team, Ravichandran Ashwin, has delivered a pointed message to the Indian cricket fans, which has echoed the Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir’s recent appeal for conversations on social media. He reckoned that personal attacks were never meant to be made in sports, especially the criticism Gambhir received after the Test series defeat against South Africa.

In a chat with Revsportz during an event, Ashwin was asked about the impatience people were showing in online discussions when a coach or player gets written off after a poor performance in their role. Gautam Gambhir experienced the same fate after their 0-2 red-ball series defeat at home.  

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“It's okay to criticize anybody, okay? The attempt from my side, and that of others, should always be to reason out the criticism. For example, there was a debate on whether Riyan Parag should be included in the ODI setup. It should never be about whether Riyan Parag is good or bad. It should be about what merits his selection and what doesn't work in his favour.” Ashwin expressed to Revsportz.

Ravichandran Ashwin blasts Gautam Gambhir’s toxic fan base after India’s 2-1 ODI series win

Ashwin reckoned that while questioning performances is normal, the discussion must be about logic regarding the selection or the field position. He stressed the cricket debates of players’ strengths rather than labeling someone good or bad.

“But we often get into this pelting of stones at characters, and what I'm really concerned about is character assassination. Sport should never get down to that. And I repeat: a fan of an individual doesn't have to be a hater of another. Ultimately, let's recognize that a fan of a particular player is a responsible cricket viewer.” Ashwin shed light.

“At some stage, if we make a fan view the game like a movie where you have to hate the other person, then we are not doing something right. How does it make sense for you to be a fan of a certain player and then hate Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana for criticism?” The former Indian spin all-rounder concluded.

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin explained Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) plan for the IPL 2026 mini-auction. He said the team wants to rebuild after a tough last season. With a purse of INR 43.40 crore, CSK is ready to pick players they really need, especially after overseas stars like Glenn Maxwell pulled out.

Ashwin said CSK’s first target will be an Indian all-rounder, most likely Venkatesh Iyer. After that, they will look for an overseas all-rounder, with Liam Livingstone being one of their main choices.

CSK to Target Venkatesh Iyer and Key All-Rounders in IPL 2026 mini Auction

Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “CSK’s first choice will be Venkatesh Iyer. They may have planned for Maxwell for the other spot, but since he is not available, they will now look at Livingstone.”

Venkatesh Iyer had a poor IPL 2025 season for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), even though the team bought him for a huge amount of INR 23.75 crore in the last mega-auction. For the upcoming auction, he has entered with the highest base price of INR 2 crore. Liam Livingstone, who was released by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), has found his form again in the International League T20 2025, which makes him a popular overseas pick.

The former spin all-rounder of the Indian cricket team, Ravichandran Ashwin, has decoded the fierce celebration of Virat Kohli after the latter’s twin centuries in the first couple of games of the three-match series between India and South Africa in Ranchi and Raipur. Kohli faced a little criticism before the series.

Virat Kohli got two ducks in the first couple of games in Adelaide and Perth during their previous three-match series against Australia down under. In Sydney for the third clash, he smashed an unbeaten half-century while he celebrated two successive centuries in the home Protea series.

See Also: Watch: Mitchell Starc dismisses Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope in back-to-back overs in 2nd D/N Ashes 2025/26 Test

“Why is Virat celebrating like that? What is he thinking? What has he gone through? He loved Test cricket and wanted to play always, but he left. It was not only about his requirements. To leave the sport is a big decision. Now he has agreed to play Vijay Hazare, so communication is happening. In many ways, he must have thought- Are you doubting me?” Ravichandran Ashwin expressed in a video on his YouTube channel.

Ravichandran Ashwin reveals reason behind Virat Kohli’s fierce century celebration in IND vs SA ODI series

Kohli leaped in the air with both hands lifting after he smashed the fine century. He kissed his wedding ring and took a look at the sky. Ashwin also confirmed the story that Kohli would be back for the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025/26 by the end of the year for Delhi.

“He is a very competitive person. He must have taken it to heart. Maybe he is telling you now: ‘You doubted me? Now I've shown what I can do.’ He looks in good shape. The centre of gravity is crucial in timing the ball and picking the length right.” Ashwin shed light in the same interaction.

Kohli smashed two successive centuries in the first couple of games. His second landmark unfortunately ended in a defeat in Raipur, while he hopes to continue the same success for the third game of the series on December 06 at the ACA-VDCA cricket stadium in Vizag.

Ravichandran Ashwin's prediction was on point. During the 25th over of India vs South Africa 2nd ODI (IND vs SA 2nd ODI), the former India international predicted Virat Kohli's second consecutive century early. After the century of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kohli got his century as well—the 53rd ODI century for Virat Kohli. 

Virat walked into the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Raipur after the dismissal of Rohit Sharma. Kohli came to bat at his usual number three position and started things off in style with a boundary. The bowling attack of South Africa was not at its best today, as their pacers—Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger—leaked too many extra runs during the initial stage of the match. 

Kohli was in form. He faced the first ball of his knock with a straight back, guiding the ball on the off side down the ground. He did not take too long to settle down on the track. The partnership of Ruturaj Gaikwad was looking unstoppable during a point of a match as both batters scored hundreds and formed a 150-plus-run partnership together. 

Read More: IND vs SA 2nd ODI: India vs South Africa toss update and playing XIs

R Ashwin predicted Virat Kohli's 53rd ODI century early

Back to back tons loading!🔥 #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/1MRf7ki8ui

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 3, 2025

When the first innings of the match reached its halfway mark, Ashwin made an 'X' post with a photo of Virat Kohli. In the caption of the post, Ashwin wrote, "Back-to-back tons loading! #INDvsSA." And this was exactly what happened in New Raipur: back-to-back hundreds for Virat—first in Ranchi and now in Chhattisgarh. 

The batting maestro completed his hundred in 90 balls, KL Rahul was on the other side of the pitch. After reaching the 90-run mark, Kohli drove his innings slowly for another remarkable innings. With a single, he completed his hundred. The full house at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium gave Virat a standing ovation, which he deserved. The magnificent innings came to an end on an over of Lungi Ngidi. He went back to the pavilion after scoring 102 off 93 balls with seven boundaries and a couple over-boundaries.