Ashwin goes unsold at ILT20 auction: Details here
What's the story
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has gone unsold in the 2026 International League T20 (ILT20) auction. The 39-year-old Chennai-born player had set a base price of $120,000 (approximately ₹1.06 crore) but failed to attract any bids in the first round. Ashwin, who earlier retired from international and Indian cricket, is set to feature for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Career highlights
His stellar T20 career
Ashwin shocked the cricket world by announcing his IPL retirement a few months back. In a stellar career, Ashwin took 187 wickets from 221 matches at 30.22 (BBM: 4/34). He has the fifth-most wickets in IPL history, behind Yuzvendra Chahal (221), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (198), Sunil Narine (192), and Piyush Chawla (192). Ashwin, who shot to fame at Chennai Super Kings (CSK), boasts 317 T20 wickets at 26.94.
International stats
His international career and experience
Ashwin has also represented India in 65 T20Is, taking 72 wickets at 23.22. He was a part of India's 2011 ODI World Cup-winning team and the 2013 Champions Trophy-winning squad. Earlier this year, he retired as India's most successful off-spinner in Test cricket. He finished with 537 wickets from 106 Tests at an average of 24.00. Ashwin, who shattered several records, recorded 37 fifers and 8 hauls of 10 wickets.
Plans
Ashwin to play for Sydney Thunder in BBL
Despite the ILT20 auction setback, Ashwin will play for Sydney Thunder in the 2025/26 Big Bash League season. His signing was confirmed last month, and he is among the first high-profile Indian male cricketers to play in this league. "Thunder were crystal clear about how they'd use me and brave enough to back it," Ashwin had said after his signing.