Ravichandran Ashwin named captain and mentor of Dublin Guardians: Details
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has been named the captain and mentor of the Dublin Guardians for the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The ICC-approved tournament will see Ashwin play a dual role, guiding his team's on-field strategies while also developing players. He will lead a franchise owned by former Indian cricket team captain Rahul Dravid.
Career shift
Ashwin's journey into overseas leagues
After retiring from international cricket and his last Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2025, Ashwin had expressed a desire to explore new avenues. He became the first Indian player to be signed by a Big Bash League side in 2025 when he joined Sydney Thunder but couldn't play due to injury. In early 2026, he made history as the first capped Indian international to sign with Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US for San Francisco Unicorns.
League details
Other notable details about ETPL
The ETPL will have franchises in Amsterdam, Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Rotterdam. Apart from Ashwin, other high-profile signings include Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell from New Zealand's Mitchell Santner and South Africa's Faf du Plessis and Heinrich Klaasen. The league is co-owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, with Matthew Hayden as the head coach of Glasgow and James Foster as the head coach of Edinburgh.
Player profile
Ashwin's impressive international record
Ashwin boasts one of the most illustrious resumes in modern cricket. He retired from international cricket in December 2024 as India's second-highest Test wicket-taker with 537 dismissals from 106 matches at 24, just behind Anil Kumble (619). He is India's most successful off-spinner in Tests He also has a record 37 five-wicket hauls in Tests and scored 3,503 runs with six centuries. He also has over 100 white-ball wickets.