After exiting Indian cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin plans franchise career with possible stints in BBL and ILT20 leagues.
India’s former spin all-rounder, Ravichandran Ashwin, retired from the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the last week of August. He left a hint of exploring world cricket. His social media comments of being ‘an explorer of the game around various leagues’ were proof of that. Now, a month later, Ashwin has begun to receive new opportunities in various franchise leagues.
The Tamil Nadu all-rounder’s career is about experimentation. Even towards the fag end of his 13-year-old international career, Ashwin was committed to bringing new action and variations in his bowling. However, his IPL record over the last couple of seasons is not inspiring. Since 2024, he featured in 23 IPL innings to pick 16 wickets at an average of over 45 and an economy rate of around eight.
Read More: Ravichandran Ashwin bids adieu to IPL: Highlights of his IPL career
Ravichandran Ashwin in talks with four BBL franchises ahead of 2025/26 season
As per ESPNcricinfo’s report, Ashwin will become the first capped male India player to feature in the Big Bash League (BBL). Four teams have kept an eye on his services to play in the latter stages of the upcoming competition. Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers, and Adelaide Strikers are the four teams eager to get the spinner’s signature. However, Thunder is nearly confirmed to get the signing done.
No India player was part of the BBL previously, but Ashwin’s IPL retirement has opened the door. In the past, Dinesh Karthik played for Paarl Royals in SA20. Two years ago, Ambati Rayudu featured for St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the CPL and then MI Emirates in January 2024. Apart from that, Suresh Raina was part of the Deccan Gladiators in Abu Dhabi T10.
The Chennai-born has already committed to be in the first-ever ILT20 auction in the UAE. If he gets picked, then he will be part of the tournament for the upcoming season, which will run from December 2 to January 4. In that case, the veteran can only feature in the BBL for the last week. That franchise tournament will begin on December 14, with the group-stage ending on January 18.
It means Ashwin will be part of the event for three to four games at the end of the season. Most of the franchises have completed their pre-signing in June’s overseas draft. They can sign an additional four overseas replacement players, but only three can play at any one time.
In 11 T20Is down under, the right-arm spinner has picked up 11 wickets at an average of 27.55. His economy of 7.77 is decent in this modern era. The BBL teams will have to fit Ashwin’s salary inside their overall purse, much of which has been used for most of the squad. However, the teams can go over the cap by 5% in a year with approval from the league’s technical committee, if it’s offs over three years.
There is an interesting part. If he gets picked for the Sixers, Ashwin will share the dressing room with former Pakistan captain Babar Azam. In case of Thunder, it will be Shadab Khan. Haris Rauf’s Melbourne Stars haven’t shown any interest in Ashwin, while the Strikers have Hasan Ali in the squad.
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Ravichandran Ashwin scripts history with highest base price to enter ILT20 auction
Ravichandran Ashwin has also made another record by getting listed for a base price of USD 120000. It was the highest for any player in the ILT20 auction, which will take place in Dubai next Tuesday. He is also the only player in the auction with a base price in six figures.
The 39-year-old is among 24 India players on the auction longlist, which has a total of 800 players altogether. In July, the franchises carried out their retentions and direct signings. Each side can spend up to USD 1.2 million on these, with a balance amount to be added to the auction purse of USD 800000.
A franchise can exhaust its entire USD 2 million purse, while it will have to spend a minimum of USD 1.5 million. The rules also permit spending an extra USD 250000 to buy two wildcard players outside the auction.
Ashwin has played the T20I games five times in the UAE. He collected eight wickets at an average of 15.25 and a strike rate of 15 with an economy rate of just over six. His experience will be really beneficial for the local players, who have started to do well in T20I cricket.
Apart from these two leagues, the former CSK spinner can also look to get in touch with other leagues. The SA20 has already grabbed the eyeballs in India alongside the Major League Cricket (MLC).
But as he moves forward, he will keep experimenting in his career. In the future, he could also get the role of an IPL team’s coach, who knows? But as of now, his eyes will be in Australia and UAE.
Read More: Adieu Ravichandran Ashwin: One of the most cerebral cricketers ever
