There is never a dull moment when legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is on or off the cricket field. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) surprised fans around India by announcing his retirement from the IPL on Wednesday, August 27.The news came after reports suggested that Ashwin's time at CSK might have come to an end ahead of the 2026 auction. The 38-year-old retires as the league's fifth-highest wicket-taker with 187 scalps in 221 games at an excellent economy of 7.20.The champion spinner helped CSK win their first two titles in 2010 and 2011 and also played a crucial role in the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) finishing runners-up in 2020 and 2022, respectively.However, Ashwin endured a poor 2025 IPL season with the ball, and the Men in Yellow's bottom-placed finish on the points table only worsened things. The veteran picked up only seven wickets in nine outings and was even dropped for CSK's final few matches.Yet, the sudden retirement from the league could be a decision the Tamil Nadu stalwart regrets in the future for several reasons.On that note, here are three reasons why Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement from the IPL is the wrong move.#1 Ravichandran Ashwin falls under the classic 'One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure'Ravichandran Ashwin's homecoming with CSK in IPL 2025 was anything but a fairytale for the veteran off-spinner. With much expected out of the hometown hero, the 38-year-old flattered to deceive all too often, even in favorable Chepauk conditions.Yet, not everything was Ashwin's own doing, and his role and fit played a major role in his struggles. With Ravindra Jadeja a sure starter and Noor Ahmad clicking on all cylinders from the opening game, Ashwin's presence as the third spinner led to an imbalance in the playing XI.It led to CSK using the off-spinner across different phases, without any pre-defined plan. However, contrary to CSK's overload of spinners, several franchises are desperate for a spinner half as effective as Ashwin.The presence of an Indian spinner with vast experience and a successful track record enables franchises to utilize their overseas resources for pacers, batters, and all-rounders. Should CSK have released him before the 2026 auction, Ashwin would have almost certainly found several buyers even at his advanced age.#2 Ashwin's current form isn't as bad as IPL 2025 made it lookMuch has been made of Ravichandran Ashwin's IPL 2025 campaign by fans and former players. Yet, a finer breakdown could help understand how his usage played a massive role in his poor overall IPL 2025 bowling numbers.Given the three-pronged spin attack utilized by CSK, Ashwin often had to bowl in the challenging powerplay overs. In the powerplay, the off-spinner travelled around the park, averaging a dismal 112 at an economy of 12.44.However, when he bowled outside the first six overs, when spinners usually operate, the numbers read an impressive six wickets at an average of 22 and an economy of 7.77 in 22 overs.Furthermore, Ashwin thrived in the recent Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) with bat and ball. The 38-year-old finished with 13 wickets at an average of 21.53 and an economy of 7.36 in 10 games.He also added 297 runs at an average of almost 30 and a strike rate of 153.88, including two half-centuries. The numbers clearly suggest Ashwin's form, minus his bowling in the powerplay in IPL 2025, isn't as bad as it is made out to be.#3 Players of Ashwin's mold are few and far between in the IPLBowling all-rounders have always been among the most valuable commodities in the T20 format. The rarity of such players makes them invaluable to any side for the sake of team balance.Ravichandran Ashwin remains a cricketer with a unique skill-set of bowling spin and batting at various places in the order. Teams have used the right-hander from No. 3 to 8, based on the match situation.In addition, boasting an Indian spinner further enhances the options for a team to play their most optimized 11, depending on the conditions. Washington Sundar aside, Ashwin remains the best off-spinning Test-match calibre all-rounder in the country, and most IPL franchises would have willingly gone all out to acquire the veteran cricketer.