R Ashwin to represent David Warner-led Sydney Thunder in BBL 15
Off-spinner played 221 matches in IPL, claiming 187 wickets
Ashwin's move has been made possible by his retirement from international cricket as well as Indian Premier League
It's official. Ravichandran Ashwin will play in the Big Bash League. The legendary Indian spinner, as reported earlier, has signed with Sydney Thunder ahead of the BBL 2025-26 (BBL 15), which runs from December 14 to January 25.
Ashwin, 39, joining the Thunder for BBL15 is groundbreaking. For the first time, a capped Indian male cricketer will feature in Australia's premier franchise-based T20 cricket league, a move made possible by his retirement from both international cricket and the Indian Premier League earlier this year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has a long-standing policy that bars active players from playing in overseas leagues.
Ravichandran Ashwin's India And IPL Stats
Across 287 international matches, Ashwin claimed 765 wickets, including 537 in Tests, which is second only to Anil Kumble among Indian bowlers.
The offspinner was part of India's World Cup 2011, Champions Trophy 2013, and Asia Cup 2026 winning teams, and was named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in 2016.
In the IPL, he represented five teams and played 221 matches, claiming 187 wickets at an average of 30.22, with best figures of 4/34. He also scored 833 runs, including a fifty.
Sydney Thunder Squad For BBL 2025-26
David Warner (c), Sam Billings (ENG), Lockie Ferguson (NZ), Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Cameron Bancroft, Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Shadab Khan (PAK), Matthew Gilkes, Tanveer Sangha, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Tom Andrews, Ravichandran Ashwin (IND), and Blake Nikitaras.
The Sydney Thunder will open their campaign with a clash against the Hobart Hurricanes on December 16. But Ashwin is expected to join the 2015-16 champions in early January after completing his stint in the UAE's ILT20.
