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Published 14:34 IST, November 30th 2023

'They were ready to pay as much as possible': R Ashwin reveals unsuccessful IPL deal

Team India cricketer R Ashwin has revealed an interesting episode from IPL 2018 which was related to David Miller.

Reported by: Ashish Kapoor
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R Ashwin
R Ashwin | Image: BCCI

Star spinner Ravichandran of the Indian cricket team made an intriguing observation about the players' release policies of the two most successful teams in IPL history, the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. The only story that grabbed attention following Sunday's announcement of the IPL 2023 retention list was Hardik Pandya's return to the Mumbai Indians from the Gujarat Titans. The Gujarat Titans had Hardik Pandya on their IPL 2024 retention list, but a few hours after the deadline passed.

3 Things you need to know

  • R Ashwin led Punjab Kings during the IPL 2019
  • R Ashwin presently plays for Rajasthan Royals in IPL
  • Ashwin was part of Team India's squad in the recently concluded World Cup

READ: Ashish Nehra claims this Indian batsman is a perfect fit for all three formats

Were Mumbai Indians interested in David Miller?

Star spinner Ravichandran of the Indian cricket team made an intriguing observation about the release policies of the two most successful teams in IPL history, the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. "So many players being traded or released in a single IPL season is not a well-known practice at this time. There has been a pattern if you look at these IPL teams and speak with them, particularly the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. They have only ever taken players; they have never given any. Each of them has five titles. On that appropriate platform, they have established their franchise, according to Ravichandran Ashwin's YouTube channel. When Ashwin captained the Punjab Kings in 2018 and 2019, the Mumbai Indians made an offer to trade him for another IPL team.

"The Mumbai Indians expressed a strong interest in trading David Miller when I was captain of Punjab. They were ready to contribute as much money as they could, but I asked for a player trade-off because that's what the team would require, and they never once came close to granting it," Ashwin continued in Tamil.

The Rajasthan Royals player and teammate of India cricketer Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, provided an interesting description of the move.

"They have struck gold after Hardik. They have an Indian T20 Team captain, who has finished second in the last two years while absent and has won an IPL. Telling your son, "Hey son, here's some money go live the world, man," is akin to phoning him. "Show off your MBA," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“So he basically went to GT, became a leader, got an MBA degree  and came back home. It's crazy man. He has won a title and become a runner-up, and he became a title by the margin of one ball, here and there.”

Updated 20:37 IST, December 5th 2023