Ravichandran Ashwin has been appointed Captain and Mentor of Dublin Guardians, giving Rahul Dravid’s franchise one of world cricket’s most experienced leaders ahead of the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The appointment adds another high-profile name to Europe’s first ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 competition as preparations continue for its debut season.
Confirming the signing on its official Instagram account, Dublin Guardians wrote: “𝙰𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚝𝚎. 𝙰𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚛. 𝙰𝚜𝚑𝚠𝚒𝚗 💚 @rashwin99 joins the team as Captain & Mentor 🥳”
Ashwin takes on a leadership role
The appointment sees Ashwin take on both leadership and mentoring responsibilities for the Dublin-based franchise, which is owned by an Indian consortium led by former India Captain Rahul Dravid. The 39-year-old retired from the IPL following the 2025 season and is currently representing San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket, continuing the next phase of his franchise career.
ETPL also highlighted the significance of Ashwin’s arrival. “MASSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 A true tactical mastermind is entering the ETPL! One of the sharpest minds in world cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin, officially joins the Dublin Guardians as Captain & Mentor. A massive statement of intent ahead of the inaugural season!” the league said on its official Instagram account.
Dravid outlines Ashwin’s long-term value
Speaking in an interview with Dublin Guardians, Dravid said: “Oh, we have picked Ravi Ashwin. I think, that’s a great one. I think Ashwin’s, someone that, you know, I think he’s been a legend of the game. He’s an absolutely fantastic cricketer and a very good leader. Someone who’s deeply passionate about the game and the development of young talent, and of putting together successful teams. And I’m very excited that we’ve been able to get him on board with us, and looking forward to working with him over the next few years to create something special.”
Dravid also spoke about the appointment in an interview with ETPL. “Really happy and glad that we got Ashwin on board. I think he’s obviously a legend in the game and a world-class performer, but also a really good captain and a good leader, and also someone who has a really clear idea and a vision of how he wants to, in his this phase of the career, focused on developing and working with young talent.”
ETPL builds a global franchise competition
Ashwin joins a growing list of international stars confirmed for the inaugural ETPL as the league assembles its six franchises across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.
Amsterdam Flames will be captained by Mitchell Marsh and are backed by a consortium featuring Steve Waugh, Jamie Dwyer and Tim Thomas, with Steve Smith and Tim David among the franchise’s marquee players. Belfast is owned by the Floodlight Capital Consortium, with Glenn Maxwell serving as both co-Owner and Captain, while Edinburgh Castle Rockers are led by Mitchell Santner alongside Trent Boult under a New Zealand-led ownership group headed by Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum.
Rotterdam’s ownership group includes Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes, Heinrich Klaasen and John Abraham, with du Plessis also captaining the side. Glasgow Cosmics combine Matthew Hayden’s role as co-Owner and Head Coach with an international squad that includes Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Kamindu Mendis, Keshav Maharaj, Moises Henriques, Duan Jansen, Finn Allen, George Philip, Gerard Erasmus, Richie Berrington, George Munsey and Ali Khan, supported by Assistant Coach Matthew Mott, Bowling Coach Varun Aaron and Team Analyst Sandeep Raju.
Attention turns to the player draft
The ETPL will feature teams representing Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, with matches scheduled to be played across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands from 26 August to 20 September.
Attention will now shift to the ETPL Draft, which begins on Thursday, 2 July at 6 a.m. local time (1 a.m. Eastern Time), when all six franchises will complete their squads ahead of the competition’s inaugural season.
