D Gukesh vs R Ashwin chess showdown steals the spotlight as CSK gear up for IPL 2025 with reigning World Champion

Reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh hogged the spotlight at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai ahead of IPL 2025. He was there for a CSK promotional event, where he met their IPL squad.

The 18-year-old also had a special moment with retired India spinner R Ashwin, who is set to return to CSK after nearly a decade. The pair shared a warm conversation, and then faced each other in a friendly game of chess. It was a fun and interesting encounter for the viewers, considering Ashwin is considered to be the king of strategy when it comes to bowling.

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Here is the video of Gukesh and Ashwin playing a game of chess:

Gukesh recently became India No. 1 in January in Wijk aan Zee, where he also came second at the Tata Masters. But then he endured a winless run at the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, and will return to action at the upcoming Paris event.

Gukesh’s coach Grzegorz Gajewski recently weighed in on Gukesh’s plans for 2025, and pointed out the ambition to dominate in tournaments like he did in Wijk aan Zee.

“So I think for this year it's similar. For me, the most important role is for him to learn and to improve. And obviously we will be trying to add some new elements to his game. And for him it's also important, but for him it's also important to win the events and ideally to dominate, if it's possible to dominate definitely we'll give it a try but at the very least to win a couple of close tournaments,” he said.

Gukesh will also be facing Carlsen in Norway Chess this year, which is scheduled to begin in May. Sending a message to Gukesh’s opponents, Gajewski said, “Sure we're not coming there to learn. I mean we're learning all the time but we're coming there to win.”