East Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spinner Ravichandran Ashwin A great prophecy has been made ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, tipping a Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) The star who will become the powerhouse of the future and next generations andre russell,
Ravichandran Ashwin’s IPL 2026 Predictions
Indian Premier League: Andre Russell of the next generation
Speaking with Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel, Aish Ki Baat, Ashwin gave a detailed analysis of the RCB team’s strengths, focusing heavily on their power-hitting resources that were instrumental in their last title-winning season. He pointed to the double threat posed by his overseas finishers, saying: “RCB have caught Tim David at his peak, and Romario Shepherd is getting there too.”
Shepherd, who was retained for Rs 1.50 crore, had earlier showcased his destructive ability, notably scoring 53 off just 14 balls against the Super Kings. Ashwin also noted the West Indies all-rounder’s steady improvement and said: “Shepherd was in his form recently against New Zealand, his bowling is also getting better now.” This combination of improving bowling and devastating batting power led Ashwin to make his boldest claim yet.
Ashwin claimed: “You’re probably talking about the Andre Russell of the next generation,” Shepherd is being compared directly to one of the most successful T20 players globally. Ashwin explained the tactical advantage of having such deep power-hitting resources, which fundamentally changes the role of his top-order batsmen. He concludes that being the Shepherd and David means: “RCB has taken both of them, and in the end it has the power.” This power provides an important support to their superstar batsmen, as Ashwin explained: “So, Virat Kohli can take all the time he needs. Even if he scores 80 off 50, RCB is still in a good position.”
IPL franchises most settled in South India before mini-auction
RCB will enter the upcoming auction as defending champions, having won their first title this year punjab kings Under the leadership of Rajat PatidarThe franchise will rely heavily on its retained core to perform in the next tournament, Despite the team’s strong foundation, Ashwin suggested one specific area of ​​weakness that the defending champions should address in Abu Dhabi,
The retired spinner advised that: “RCB might probably look for some fast bowling backup,” This was a necessity as they released Lungi Ngidi and those suffering from his injuries Josh HazlewoodHowever, Ashwin quickly balanced this advice by praising the overall stability of the team, especially among the franchises based in the southern region of India, He clearly declared that RCB is: “But they’re the most sorted team in the South.”
Elaborating further on the core strengths, he confirmed: “Their batting order is set,” A sign of confidence in the top and middle order. Ashwin also commented on potential form and motivation Virat Kohli When will he return to IPL. He believes that: “Virat Kohli will obviously come with a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm.” Given his current motivation and form. The reason for this expected higher energy is obvious: “Because he’s getting a lot of breaks these days,” Managing your international workload effectively. Lastly, the spinner predicted that the former RCB captain: “So he will come back as a defending champion,” Ready to lead the way again in the season ending auction on December 16.
Also read: Will Steve Smith participate in the IPL 2026 auction? Australian legend finally broke his silence
