R. Ashwin did not bowl his teammate Steve Smith at the Delhi Capitals nets! The reason was that the T-20 World Cup was scheduled after the IPL, and Steve Smith was wearing a helmet with a camera fitted on its top! 

Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif was also with the Delhi Capitals, and he has revealed the unheard story. Praising Ashwin's cricketing wisdom while revealing the incident, Kaif said, “Steve Smith was in our team, and one day when he came to the nets to bat, I asked Ashwin to bowl to him, but the off-spinner denied. Rather, he replied, 'I won't bowl to Smith because he has got a camera on his helmet. He will record us and analyze it for the World Cup.' 

Kaif added, in a video posted on X handle, "I couldn't notice the camera on Smith's helmet, but Ashwin did. He was ready to help Smith as a teammate but not for the World Cup.” 

Kaif also commented, “He is a cricketer who just stays on task, always working out a cunning plan. He has got great belief in his own ability. He's quite polarizing in many ways when it comes to the cricketing public and even to his own team - he's a very strong-minded person. But I personally want to wish Ashwin a wonderful retirement," he added.

Ashwin will continue to play in the Indian Premier League, having been signed by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 9.75 crore at the mega auction last month.