Follow UsIn what’s set to be one of the most groundbreaking transfers in franchise cricket history, Ravichandran Ashwin is all set to play in the 2025/26 Big Bash League (BBL). And the veteran off-spinner is believed to have finalised a team as well, with both Sydney Morning Herald and Code Sports Australia reporting that the 39-year-old has struck a deal with the Sydney Thunder for the forthcoming edition.
“Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of discussions say a deal is close to being finalised with Ashwin for the upcoming season,” read the Sydney Morning Herald report.
Ashwin retired from international cricket in December last year, and he went one step further by retiring from all Indian cricket in August in order to explore playing T20 leagues across the world. He’s already signed up for the ILT20 2025/26 auction and is now all but certain to play in the BBL as well. The 39-year-old will thus become the first capped Indian player to feature in Australia’s premier T20 competition, making history.
Should Ashwin complete his move to the Thunder, he will be playing alongside David Warner, Sam Konstas, Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson and Shadab Khan amongst others. Thunder finished runners-up in the last BBL edition, losing to Hobart Hurricanes in the final.