Ashwin to play crucial batting role for Chennai Super Kings

R. Ashwin recently excelled in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, leading the Dindigul Dragons to their first title with a crucial half-century. This was his third consecutive fifty in the tournament, where he scored 252 runs with a strike rate of 151.80. With the Indian Premier League starting on March 22, there is much anticipation about Ashwin’s role with the Chennai Super Kings. L. Balaji, a cricket expert, believes Ashwin has been underutilized as a batter in past seasons. Balaji emphasized that Ashwin is a strong player who has shown his skills repeatedly. He compared Ashwin's potential role to that of former CSK player S. Badrinath, suggesting he could anchor the innings, especially if early wickets fall. If the middle order struggles, Ashwin may need to step up and take on more responsibility.