Ravichandran Ashwin [Source: AFP]The European T20 Premier League have gained much traction in the growing fanbase it's gathering. The ETPL 2026 season, the inaugural edition of the one-of-a-kind tournament arranged by Rules Global and Cricket Ireland, will also see India veteran Ravichandran Ashwin in the ICC-backed league. The ‘mastermind’ and spin wizard of India has been confirmed to play and participate in the Abhishek Bachchan-co-founded tournament, which is set to start from August 26, 2026. Ravichandran Ashwin will be featuring for the franchise Dublin Guardians while also holding a special role in the team. Ashwin Signed As The Captain Of The ETPL Team Ravichandran Ashwin now joins the team of India legend Rahul Dravid, who was announced as the franchise owner of the Dublin Guardians recently. Ashwin has been appointed as the captain of the team, where his stint will be vital to guide local and foreign talents in the ETPL. Ashwin will be competing against teams from Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam in the six-team tournament. Ashwin’s Captaincy Stints Although Ashwin never captained the national side during his career, he has led multiple T20 franchises and led his state, Tamil Nadu, in six matches. In the IPL, Ashwin led Kings XI Punjab for 28 games. Ashwin has found success in 12 of them while losing 16. As a skipper in the IPL, he wasn't something to boast about. However, he has been a dominant captain in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he led the Dindigul Dragons to their maiden title in 2024. Hence, Ravichandran Ashwin, with his capability to quickly analyse games on the field, will be a solid leader of Dublin, backed by Rahul Dravid, also an ex-coach of the Rajasthan Royals IPL team. Also Read- Ravichandran Ashwin Exposes MS Dhoni's Brutal Angry SideAshwin To Feature In ETPL After BBL WithdrawalAfter retiring from international cricket, the ETPL will also be Ashwin's first overseas tournament that he will participate in. Earlier, he was signed by the Big Bash League for Sydney Thunder. However, he was ruled out of the 2025-26 edition of the BBL due to a knee injury he sustained while training. Ashwin's only T20 stints backed by the ICC remain the Indian Premier League and the Champions League T20, where he represented Chennai Super Kings for the majority of his career. A mainstay for CSK since 2009, Ashwin parted ways after 2015. He played for Punjab Kings for two seasons and later for Delhi and Rajasthan, only to play his last IPL season in 2025 with Chennai Super Kings again. Format And Structure of The ETPLThe ETPL 2026 stint for Ravichandran Ashwin will be an exciting one since it will be a tournament that follows the core of mega franchise leagues like the IPL or the PSL. The tournament will feature a 33-game single round-robin format-styled competition. The top four teams will advance to a page-system playoff where Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the final will be played. Although the full official schedule of the ETPL hasn't been released, the matches will be hosted in the Netherlands and Ireland, with the final set to be played on September 20, 2026. Also Read- Revealed- How Much Was Axar Patel Fined After PBKS vs DC Match?
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