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Ravichandran Ashwin Opens RCB Doors

Aakash Saini

Ravichandran Ashwin speaks about RCB [Source: AFP]Ravichandran Ashwin speaks about RCB [Source: AFP]

Ravichandran Ashwin concluded his IPL career in mid-2025 as one of the league’s most successful bowlers. A two-time IPL winner and a two-time CLT20 winner for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise, the legendary Indian all-rounder also led Punjab Kings briefly and represented Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals sides during the fag end of his playing career.

Despite holding a distinguished IPL profile, Ashwin recently expressed his desire to have represented the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during his playing days. The 39-year-old indirectly admitted that playing for the franchise remains an unfulfilled aspiration from his IPL journey.

Ravichandran Ashwin says he wanted to play for RCB

While speaking with Vimal Kumar on Ash Ki Baat YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin was asked if there was a franchise he wanted to play for during his IPL playing days. While the cricketer responded that he has happy memories from playing for the CSK, he wanted to play for the Rajasthan Royals and the RCB franchises.

Ashwin did end up playing three seasons for the Rajasthan Royals, but playing for RCB remained his unfulfilled desire. The legendary all-rounder stated that he has good memories of playing at RCB’s home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where he received much encouragement from the crowd even in Test matches for Team India.

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The champion Indian cricketer said “I played for CSK and I was happy. But if there was some other franchise I would have loved to play for, they were Rajasthan Royals and RCB. I have good memories of playing at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium even in Test matches, the crowd there has supported me. And its also near my home town.”

Ravichandran Ashwin praises RCB for IPL 2026 success

Back in 2025 last year, RCB won its first-ever IPL title by defeating Punjab Kings in the final. Under the leadership of Rajat Patidar, the franchise has now reached yet another final this time around in IPL 2026, after having topped the league stage points table no less.

Looking firm favorites to defend their title, Ravichandran Ashwin praised the RCB franchise for turning its fortunes around in a matter of couple of seasons.

The former cricketer claimed that he is happy for the franchise, saying “I am very happy for RCB. They deserve it. Luck is just not luck, luck is earned.”

RCB bulldoze Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1

Compatible to Ravichandran Ashwin’s claims, the RCB franchise is riding on a remarkable resurgence in recent seasons. Having transformed from perennial underachievers into one of the most consistent and formidable outfits in the tournament, the franchise looks well settled to make it two-in-two as they just reached their second successive IPL final.

In the first qualifier match of the IPL 2026 season earlier this week, RCB thrashed Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Dharamsala. Captain Rajat Patidar led his side from the front by smearing 93* runs from just 33 balls with five boundaries and nine huge sixes.

Jacob Duffy and Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up five wickets between them later in the game to bundle out the Titans for just 162 in their chase of 255.

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