Dravid and Ashwin set for new role in T20 cricket as franchise owners in Europe
India Today
Rahul Dravid and Ravichandran Ashwin are reportedly set to become franchise owners in the European T20 Premier League, with an Indian-based consortium agreed to acquire a Glasgow-based franchise.
Former India cricketers Rahul Dravid and Ravichandran Ashwin are reportedly set to become franchise owners in the European T20 Premier League, with an Indian-based consortium agreed to acquire a Glasgow-based franchise for the tournament, which is set to begin in August.
According to a BBC report, the same consortium is also set to take ownership of a Dutch-based franchise, while a separate group with South African-based investors, including Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen and Jonty Rhodes, will also acquire a franchise in the competition. New franchise announcements are expected later this month.
Dravid's involvement with a Scottish franchise is not without precedent. The former India coach played for Scotland in the English one-day tournament in 2003, turning out in 11 one-day games across three months in the second division of the National Cricket League.
He was in fine form throughout, amassing 600 runs at an average of 66.66, including three centuries and two fifties, at a strike rate of 92.73. One of his standout knocks was a fluent 114 against Northampton.
Interestingly, former Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer, then just 19, was Dravid's teammate during that stint. Scotland managed just one win that season, but Dravid's contribution with the bat was outstanding.
Ashwin's involvement raises an equally intriguing question. The 39-year-old retired from international cricket in December 2024 and from the Indian Premier League last year, having expressed a desire to play in global franchise leagues. His involvement as a franchise owner opens the door to the possibility of him also featuring as a player, which would be a significant boost for the tournament.
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On this day on March 14, 2001, India overcame a massive first-innings deficit to script a remarkable 171-run victory against Australia in the 2001 Kolkata Test, powered by the record-breaking partnership of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and a dominant display by Harbhajan Singh on the final day.