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ROAR 2026 reunites CSK legends at Chepauk as fans question missing Ravichandran Ashwin, while MS Dhoni leads a tough 2026 IPL start against Rajasthan Royals.
Was Ashwin not invited to CSK’s event Roar 2026?
The OGs of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) assembled at Chepauk on Sunday as the 5-time champions had a pre-season blast in front of a packed stadium. The event, called ROAR 2026, was braced by the presence of former stars who had been part of the franchise’s incredible journey. The guest list included Suresh Raina, Matthew Hayden, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shadab Jakati, Joginder Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, L Balaji, Murli Vijay, S Badrinath, Parthiv Patel, Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo.
The fans kept on tracking CSK’s every single post on social media, only to be left surprised by the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin. The off-spinner’s last IP gig was for CSK before he hung up his boots. Ashwin played 8 seasons for CSK, picking up 97 wickets in 106 matches.
Here’s how the fans reacted on social media:
Why is Ashwin not playing as OG for CSK ?— Yoda (@iamVariable) March 22, 2026
Why no Ashwin in this CSK reunion squad? Theres one decent home talent and should have been included— babu bisleri (@baabuOP) March 22, 2026
Chennai Super Kings will launch their 2026 IPL campaign with a high-profile opener against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30, setting the tone for a demanding start to their season as five-time champions.
Following the clash with Rajasthan, CSK are scheduled to meet Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 3, before taking on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 5. Their early run of fixtures then continues with a contest against Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 11, completing a challenging opening stretch.
Notably, CSK’s talisman MS Dhoni is set to represent Chennai Super Kings once again in the IPL, with many speculating that this could be the veteran wicketkeeper-batter’s final season in the tournament.
The 44-year-old Dhoni remains one of just four active cricketers to have appeared in every single IPL edition, alongside Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Manish Pandey. Across his illustrious IPL journey, Dhoni has accumulated 5,439 runs in 278 matches, maintaining an average of 38 with a strike rate of 137, a record that currently places him sixth on the all-time list of highest run-scorers in the league’s history.
March 22, 2026, 21:07 IST
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