Indian cricketing legend Rahul Dravid has been announced as the co-owner of the Dublin Franchise in the upcoming European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The team has been named Dublin Guardians and it will also feature former Indian spinner and cricket commentator Ravichandran Ashwin as captain. The new T20 league is being organised with the support of the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands and aims to expand the popularity of cricket across Europe.
Rahul Dravid is part of an Indian consortium that bought the Dublin-based franchise. The former India coach said he was excited to be associated with the tournament and believes Europe has strong cricketing passion and talent.
Speaking about the league, Dravid said that he has always enjoyed watching cricket grow in European countries. He added that recent ICC tournament have shown that players from these regions have the ability to perform on the world stage.
The ETPL will feature six teams based in Dublin, Belfast, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Matches during the first season will be played in Dublin and The Hague from August 26 to September 20.
Ashwin will lead Dublin Guardians in the tournament after taking retirement from Test cricket in December 2024 and later stepping away from the Indian Premier League (IPL). His availability has allowed him to participate in cricket leagues outside India.
Cricket Ireland chair Brian MacNeice described the launch of the league as a major moment for European cricket. He said the involvement of international cricket personalities would help increase the visibility of the game and support its development across the region.
The league has also attracted several well-known names from the sports and entertainment industry. Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan is among the stakeholders connected with the tournament along with sports technology company Rules Sport Tech.
