Following Sarfaraz Khan's explosive 157 off 75 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, R Ashwin advocated for the batter to be a regular in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) playing XI for IPL 2026. Khan's performance, which included 14 sixes, led Mumbai to an 87-run victory. Ashwin highlighted Khan's consistent form, including a high strike rate in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, suggesting he is ready for a more prominent role with CSK.