Ashwin named captain and mentor of Dublin Guardians

Veteran Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has signed with the Dublin Guardians as captain and mentor for the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL), marking a significant step in his post-international career and a major coup for the new competition. The 39-year-old offspinner will lead the franchise owned by former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid, with the six-team tournament scheduled to run from August 26 to September 20 across cities including Dublin, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam.

Ashwin described the dual leadership role as a natural progression, citing his experience as a player-coach in domestic Indian cricket, including guiding the Dindigul Dragons to a Tamil Nadu Premier League title. He stated that Dravid’s firsthand knowledge of his capabilities made the partnership a straightforward decision. Ashwin emphasized that Dravid, as owner, has granted him full autonomy over cricketing decisions and team construction.

The league’s inaugural player draft, held recently, finalized squads by selecting 36 players from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. Ashwin highlighted the ETPL’s potential to elevate cricket in these European associate nations, especially with...