Veteran Indian spinner Ashwin enters ILT20 auction with highest base price

Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran Indian off-spinner who recently retired from international cricket and the IPL, has entered the auction for the 2025-26 International League T20 (ILT20) season with the highest base price of $120,000. The ILT20 auction, scheduled for October 1 in Dubai, will determine squads for the tournament running from December 2 to January 4, with franchises required to meet spending and squad composition rules including international and associate players. Ashwin's participation in ILT20 marks his first overseas T20 league involvement, and following the tournament, he is expected to join the Big Bash League (BBL), where multiple teams have expressed interest. This move comes after an underwhelming 2025 IPL season with Chennai Super Kings and subsequent retirement, with Ashwin now becoming a high-profile Indian player on the T20 franchise circuit abroad. The ILT20 has introduced new auction mechanisms like Right-to-Match cards and tiered base prices to build competitive squads, while Ashwin's availability aligns well with the scheduling of both leagues. Cricket Australia has actively pursued Ashwin for the BBL, potentially making him the first prominent male Indian cricketer to play in the Australian T20 competition.