"He owns almost half of Kent" - Ravichandran Ashwin's stunning revelation on former CSK star

Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin shared details of former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings' life in England. He cheekily remarked that the 34-year-old is so wealthy that he owns half of Kent.

Ashwin stated that Billings has several helpers at his residence, something only seen in the rich families of England. However, he suggested that the stumper is very grounded, despite such a strong financial background.

Ashwin said (at 7:34) in the latest video of his Hindi YouTube channel, 'Ash ki Baat':

"Sam Billings is not a normal guy. He owns almost half of Kent. We keep cooks and maids in our houses, but in those countries, to have a chef is a huge deal. His house has separate people for housekeeping, laundry, etc. He comes from that background, but a really, really simple guy."

Ashwin noted that Billings has done well in multiple T20 leagues. However, he highlighted that the Indian Premier League (IPL) cannot be compared to those tournaments.

He emphasized that the overseas cricketers are under tremendous pressure in the IPL because only four foreign players are allowed in the playing XI. He remarked (at 6:36):

"There is a lot of pressure on these foreign players. Because if four foreign players are allowed in a team, you will have to perform. The amount of professionalism puts a lot of pressure. If you don't perform in two to three games, you will be out of the team.

"A player like Sam Billings is a hit in other formats; he has even performed very well in the ILT20. I remember he performed well for CSK for a few games, but couldn't sustain that performance. So, he was out of the team," Ashwin added.

Billings was part of the CSK squad in 2018 and 2019. He scored 56 runs from 23 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in his first match of IPL 2018.

However, the right-handed batter failed to perform consistently and ultimately finished with 108 runs from 10 matches, averaging 13.50. He played only one match in IPL 2019 and was dismissed for a four-ball duck against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Billings captained the Oval Invincibles in the recently concluded 2025 edition of The Hundred. He secured the title for the third successive time as a skipper. The side beat Trent Rockets by 26 runs in the final on August 31.

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"Mumbai Indians could also end up picking him" - Ravichandran Ashwin's prediction for Oval Invincibles wicketkeeper

Ravichandran Ashwin praised Oval Invincibles' wicketkeeper Jordan Cox. He opined that the player could be in demand at the IPL 2026 auction, with the Mumbai Indians possibly going for him.

Cox was the highest run-scorer of The Hundred 2025. He amassed 367 runs across nine innings at a strike rate of 173.93. Speaking about the keeper's performances, Ashwin said in the same video (at 11:00):

"Jordan Cox batted very well for Oval Invincibles and gave match-winning performances. He is a 24-year-old and has a long way ahead. He strikes a big ball, and it is possible that he comes into someone's radar. Maybe Mumbai Indians could also end up picking him"

Ashwin reckoned that all-rounder Rehan Ahmed could be another exciting prospect for a few IPL teams. He added (at 11:15):

"I just want to bring one more player from The Hundred who can get a chance in the IPL. It is Rehan Ahmed. Not for his bowling, but for his batting. He has batted at No. 3, No. 4, and has performed well, and he can also give you good leg spin. I think some attention might go there, but I think No. 1 is going to be Jordan Cox

Ahmed was the second-highest wicket-taker of the season, with 12 scalps in 10 matches at an economy rate of 7.64. He scored 189 runs across nine innings at a strike rate of 126.84.