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Ravichandran Ashwin shared a story about how his celebration after dismissing MS Dhoni annoyed the former captain. Ashwin reflected on his early struggles to secure a spot in the Chennai Super Kings team due to competition from legends like Muttiah Muralitharan.
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Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed a fascinating story from the early days of his career, recalling how his over-the-top celebration after dismissing MS Dhoni in the Challenger Trophy once left the former India captain visibly annoyed.
Speaking on JioStarās The Ravichandran Ashwin Experience, the recently retired off-spinner reflected on his struggle for opportunities during his initial years with Chennai Super Kings and explained how taking Dhoniās wicket felt like a breakthrough moment.
Ashwin admitted that during the early IPL years, breaking into the CSK playing XI was extremely difficult because of the presence of legendary bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan.
āMuralitharan was in the team, a legend, bowling his full quota, so I wasnāt getting chances. I didnāt play in 2008, but in 2009, I got my first game in Cape Town against Mumbai Indians and Sachin Tendulkar. Even between 2009 and 2010, I still didnāt get many opportunities,ā Ashwin said.
The turning point, according to Ashwin, came during the Challenger Trophy when he managed to dismiss Dhoni twice. One dismissal in particular remains unforgettable for him and apparently for Dhoni too.
āDhoni got out twice against our team. Once, he hit a shot towards deep cover and I took a diving catch. I celebrated it so much that he actually got annoyed,ā Ashwin recalled with a smile.
The former India spinner then shared the amusing exchange that followed.
āHe was like, āWhatās there to celebrate so much?ā I told him, āGetting your wicket was my dream. Maybe this will open a door for me in CSK.ā The next year, I got my chance.ā
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Ashwin eventually went on to become one of CSKās most important bowlers and played a key role in the franchiseās golden era under Dhoniās captaincy. Reflecting on the secret behind CSKās dominance between 2010 and 2015, Ashwin credited the franchiseās balanced squad and the contribution of underrated domestic players.
āChennai was one of those early teams with not just good batsmen, but many quality bowlers too. Along with that, a few domestic players came through, like me, Murali Vijay, Badrinath and Shadab Jakati, who many may not know but played a heroic role for CSK,ā he said.
Ashwin retired from international cricket in December 2024 after one of the most decorated careers for an Indian spinner.
Ashwin discussed the challenges he faced in securing a place in the Chennai Super Kings due to the presence of established bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan.
Ashwin recalled that his over-the-top celebration after dismissing Dhoni during the Challenger Trophy visibly annoyed the former India captain.
Ashwin made his debut for Chennai Super Kings in 2009 during a match against the Mumbai Indians in Cape Town.

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