Ashwin Withdraws After Going Unsold at ILT20 Auction

The ILT20 held its 2025 player auction in Dubai and confirmed the tournament will run from Dec. 2 to Jan. 4. Ravichandran Ashwin, who entered at a USD 120,000 base price, went unsold and withdrew after the first round; he has signed to play the full Big Bash League season with Sydney Thunder and said he would not lower his minimum. Commentators including Simon Doull criticized Ashwin’s decision, and observers said the ILT20/BBL scheduling overlap and franchises’ preference for current form contributed to his snub. The auction saw heavy investment in in‑form overseas and UAE domestic players, with headline buys including Scott Currie and Andre Fletcher, while veterans such as James Anderson also went unsold. Organizers introduced new squad rules and wildcard signing options intended to boost regional representation, and several players had been retained or pre-signed ahead of the sale.