In a landmark move for European cricket, Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid has been unveiled as the co-owner of the Dublin franchise in the upcoming European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The team, named the Dublin Guardians, will be captained by former Indian spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin.
Dravid, 53, is part of an Indian consortium that has acquired the final franchise in the six-team league. The cricketing icon, who amassed 164 Test caps and 344 ODI appearances for India before serving as the national team's head coach from 2021 to 2024, described his involvement as "absolutely brilliant."
"When I first heard about this it was really exciting," Dravid said. "I've always loved the passion and energy of cricket in Europe. The passion with which the players play the game—I've seen it at grassroots level, and the T20 World Cup has shown the talent, too. That's something we can grow and build. It would be a dream to see that talent on the world stage."
The Dublin Guardians will be led by Ashwin, who retired from Test cricket in December 2024 and stepped away from the Indian Premier League last summer, making him available for leagues worldwide. The ETPL is being organized in collaboration with the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, with teams based in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
Adding to the star power, Bollywood actor and film producer Abhishek Bachchan is a part-owner of the league through Rules Sport Tech, a private Indian company. Franchises have been sold for £11.1 million ($15 million) over a 10-year period, according to earlier reports.
The inaugural tournament is scheduled from August 26 to September 20, with matches initially staged in Rotterdam and Dublin. Cricket Ireland chair Brian MacNeice called it a "landmark day for European cricket," adding that bringing in "the best from world cricket" through franchise backers will "make a huge impact across Europe."
For fans of the game, this development signals an exciting new chapter—one that blends international cricketing pedigree with the growing enthusiasm for T20 cricket across Europe.