R Ashwin, the former Indian off-spinner, has found himself at the center of a social media storm following the IPL 2026 auction, with some users accusing him of leaking Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) auction strategies. The accusations arose after Ashwin seemingly predicted some of CSK's picks just moments before the franchise secured those players at the auction on Tuesday, December 16.

Specifically, a social media user pointed out that Ashwin had tweeted about CSK's potential interest in uncapped Indian players Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma shortly before CSK acquired both for a record INR 14.2 crore each. This led to speculation that Ashwin's posts might have inadvertently given other franchises a heads-up, potentially inflating the players' prices.

Ashwin, known for his witty responses, addressed the allegations with a touch of sarcasm. Responding to the accusations, he quipped, "The Orange Army had Muralitharan, Vettori, analysts and scouts sitting at the table and yet showed faith in my tweets". He further questioned how he could possibly be leaking information, stating, "How are you guys able to believe these lies?". He also added, "You guys think I am leaking everything. How am I supposed to get CSK's information? I don't know anyone from there. I was their player once, and now I am out".

Ashwin's involvement with CSK has been a talking point since his return to the franchise for INR 9.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega-auction. Although he only played nine matches and took seven wickets in what was a disastrous season for the team, finishing at the bottom of the table, he announced his retirement from the IPL in August 2025.

Beyond the "leaking" accusations, Ashwin has also been actively analyzing CSK's post-auction strategy. He recently questioned how CSK would fit Sarfaraz Khan into their playing XI, considering their already established top order. "If CSK plans to open with Ayush Mhatre and Sanju Samson, and then Ruturaj Gaikwad at No.3, then where do you fit Sarfaraz?" Ashwin asked on his YouTube channel. He also noted the presence of multiple wicket-keeping options in the squad and speculated that MS Dhoni might take a backseat in the upcoming season, playing only when required. "I think this time, Dhoni will take a backseat. I feel like he won't play all the games," Ashwin stated.

Prior to the auction, Ashwin had also shared his insights into CSK's potential targets, suggesting that they would prioritize an Indian all-rounder like Venkatesh Iyer, followed by an overseas all-rounder such as Liam Livingstone. He explained CSK's decision to release Matheesha Pathirana as a strategic move to free up funds for pursuing marquee all-rounders.

While Ashwin's predictions and analysis have drawn scrutiny, he maintains that his social media activity does not influence franchise decisions, emphasizing that teams rely on their own scouting and analysis. "I admit that I enjoy the banter on social media, but please understand that all of the other teams watch cricket, and they know about all the players," he clarified.