Former India National Cricket Team off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has addressed the growing speculation linking him with coaching roles involving the England Test team and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Speaking on his official YouTube show ‘Ash Ki Baat’ alongside journalist Vimal Kumar, Ashwin briefly reacted to the reports before sharing his thoughts on England’s future following Brendon McCullum’s departure as Test coach.
Ravichandran Ashwin has recently been linked with England’s vacant Test coaching position, while several fans have also tipped him for a possible return to CSK in a coaching role after reports suggested Stephen Fleming’s long association with the franchise had come to an end.
Report and rumours link Ravichandran Ashwin to England, CSK coaching roles
The post stated that Ravichandran Ashwin was among the names being considered and that meetings had reportedly taken place in the United States.
At the same time, Ashwin’s name also started doing the rounds among CSK supporters. With Stephen Fleming’s exit, there have been reports that the members of his coaching staff could leave the franchise. Many fans began predicting that the veteran off-spinner could return to Chennai in a coaching capacity after his playing career.
Ravichandran Ashwin addresses coaching speculation involving England
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin did not confirm or deny the England reports. Instead, he offered a brief response that left the door open without revealing any details.
“Give it a little time. I’ll tell you. Just give it some time,” Ashwin replied when asked by Vimal Kumar about becoming England Test coach.
That was the only direct comment the legendary spinner made regarding the England speculation before the discussion shifted to England’s Test team and its future.
Although he stayed away from discussing his own future, Ravichandran Ashwin spoke at length about the challenges awaiting England’s next Test coach.
He said England’s aggressive approach under Brendon McCullum had produced exciting cricket but also divided opinion because of the team’s refusal to adapt to different match situations.
“There were so many occasions when England had the game completely under control, but they ended up losing simply because they ignored common sense. You just can’t afford to play Test cricket like that.”
Ashwin added that the McCullum-Ben Stokes model had reached a stage where it would be difficult to sustain and believed England were entering a challenging transition period. The former India spinner also highlighted Joe Root’s importance in England’s rebuilding phase.
“It was becoming very difficult. It just wasn’t sustainable anymore. The model that McCullum and Stokes followed in Test cricket had reached a point where it became very hard to continue. Joe Root is a 24-carat gold Test batter, and his contribution will be incredibly important.”
Ashwin concluded by saying he hoped England could recover strongly because a competitive England side was good for the future of Test cricket.
Ravichandran Ashwin avoids answering CSK coaching question
Towards the end of the conversation, Ashwin was also asked about the possibility of joining CSK’s coaching setup following Stephen Fleming’s exit.
Instead of giving a direct answer, the veteran off-spinner smiled, paused for a few moments and wrapped up the episode without addressing the speculation.
“I’d just like to thank everyone for joining us. Thank you so much for joining us on this episode,” he said.
Ashwin then announced that his channel would dedicate a separate episode to Stephen Fleming’s contribution to CSK before signing off. His response neither confirmed nor dismissed the rumours, leaving both the England and CSK coaching speculation unresolved for now.
