R Ashwin Picks Top 4 Teams For IPL 2026. CSK, Former Champions Snubbed

Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has picked his top four teams for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, while snubbing his former team, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). This comes days after the IPL mini-auction took place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Ashwin picked five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) as his first choice. The Hardik Pandya-led side retained its core after last month's retention window and traded for Sherfane Rutherford (from GT), Mayank Markande (from KKR), and Shardul Thakur (from LSG).

During the auction on Tuesday, MI signed the likes of Quinton de Kock (Rs 1 crore), Danish Malewar (Rs 30 lakh), Mohammed Izhar (Rs 30 lakh), Atharva Ankolekar (Rs 30 lakh), and Mayank Rawat (Rs 30 lakh).

As his second pick, Ashwin went for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who also retained their core group of players ahead of the auction.

RCB, who lifted their first IPL title earlier this year, signed eight players during the auction, including Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 4 crore) and Jacob Duffy (Rs 2 crore).

The 39-year-old picked his former sides Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) as the other contenders for the remaining playoff spots.

Barring RR, the other three teams mentioned by Ashwin reached the playoffs last year. He made the picks during an interaction on MI's Instagram handle.

Ashwin lauded Mumbai Indians' signing of De Kock, saying the franchise capitalised while other teams hesitated. He felt MI are looking to recreate their IPL 2020 title-winning combination, despite the absence of Ishan Kishan. He added that even with a modest purse of Rs 2.75 crore, MI strengthened an already winning squad and emerged from the auction even more formidable.

"I think the Quinton de Kock buy was a good move. I think the other franchises were sleeping on their haunches, and MI snooped it up. I think MI are not sure about the Rickelton opening combination. I think MI are trying to replicate their IPL 2020 championship squad, only Ishan Kishan is not there," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

"MI had 2.75 crore, but it was as if they had 27 crore, because they bought so many players. MI already had a winning squad before they went into the IPL auction, and now, after the auction, they look even stronger," Ashwin concluded.

(With ANI Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Mumbai Indians Royal Challengers Bengaluru Punjab Kings Rajasthan Royals Chennai Super Kings Ravichandran Ashwin IPL 2026 Cricket