FORMER CRICKETERS Rahul Dravid and Ravichandran Ashwin are part of an Indian consortium set to acquire a franchise in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The group has reportedly agreed a deal to purchase the Glasgow-based franchise in the six-team tournament scheduled to take place this summer, according to a report by BBC Sport.
The ETPL is also close to finalising the sale of a second Dutch franchise, based in Rotterdam, to a group of South African investors led by former Proteas players Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen and Jonty Rhodes. Both franchises are expected to be officially announced at an event later this month.
Earlier in January, ETPL confirmed that franchises in Amsterdam, Belfast and Edinburgh had been sold to investors from Australia and New Zealand.
The only franchise yet to be sold is the one based in Dublin. According to the BBC Sport report, several parties have expressed interest, including owners of at least two teams in The Hundred.
It remains unclear whether Ashwin will feature in the ETPL as a player. The 39-year-old retired from international cricket in December 2024 and stepped away from the Indian Premier League last year, though he had previously indicated his interest in exploring opportunities across global franchise leagues.
Ashwin had been set to play in the latest season of the Big Bash League after signing with Sydney Thunder. However, the spin-bowling all-rounder suffered a knee injury while training in Chennai last December and has since been undergoing rehabilitation following surgery. His potential participation in the ETPL could provide a significant boost to the league’s visibility.
