Ravichandran Ashwin’s explorer’s journey around the different franchise leagues could well start with the Big Bash League, according to multiple reports.
Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Todd Greenberg is supposedly in discussions with Ashwin about the possibility of him playing in the BBL, as per Cricbuzz. According to their report, the “discussions that were kicked off after Greenberg reached out to the star Indian spinner as soon as he’d announced his IPL retirement last week.”
Greenberg confirmed having made the call to Ashwin and revealed that a potential deal was in the works while expressing his excitement if it were to materialise. He is quietly confident that it will too. “To get someone with Ashwin’s credentials to come over here for the BBL will be great at so many levels. He’s a champion cricketer who will bring a lot to the Big Bash and to our cricket summer,” Greenberg told Cricbuzz.
Ashwin will be the first Indian cricketer to play in BBL. Ashwin has taken a whopping 765 international wickets in 287 matches in a 14-year career between 2010 and 2024. He has also scored 4394 runs at an average of 23.62 with six centuries.
Earlier, Ashwin had said that his journey as an “explorer of the game around various leagues begins” the day he announced his retirement from IPL. After reported interest from The Hundred, Ashwin had also said that he intends to register himself for the International League T20 (ILT20) auction. The next season of the UAE league is set to run from December 2 to January 4 next year.
“Yes, I am in talks with the organisers. Hopefully, I will have a buyer if I register for the auction,” Ashwin told Cricbuzz. September 10 is the last date for enrolment to the auction.
IPL giant
Ashwin began and ended his IPL career with his home franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK), playing a key role in successive titles in 2010 and 2011. He also has two Champions League T20 crowns (2010 and 2014). He also turned out for Rising Pune Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. In 221 games since making his IPL debut in 2009, he managed 187 scalps, making him the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the league’s history, conceding only 7.20 runs an over in the batsman-friendly format.
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In the 2025 season, the 38-year-old played nine games, getting seven wickets at an average of 40.43 and an economy of 9.13. Not playing regularly had prompted Ashwin to seek clarity on his role with the franchise.
