NEW DELHI: Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin went unsold at the ILT20 2025 auction in Dubai, despite entering the bidding with a base price of USD 120,000. The 38-year-old veteran’s snub took many by surprise, given his stellar career as one of India’s most successful match-winners.Ashwin had registered for the UAE-based league following his recent retirement from international cricket and the Indian Premier League, making his availability a notable talking point ahead of the auction. Ashwin enjoyed a stellar IPL career, retiring as a legend after 221 matches across five franchises, making him the seventh most-capped player in the league’s history. A two-time IPL champion with Chennai Super Kings in 2010 and 2011, Ashwin claimed 187 IPL wickets (fifth all-time) and has taken 317 wickets in 333 T20 matches overall. His last IPL auction saw him sold to CSK for a massive INR 9.75 crore, underscoring his value in the shortest format.While the ILT20 auction left him unsold, Ashwin has already signed for Big Bash League (BBL) Season 15, where he will represent the Sydney Thunder. This move makes him the first male cricketer who has played for the Indian national team to join a BBL club.“Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin has created history, joining Sydney Thunder for BBL|15. The Thunder Nation will welcome the biggest overseas signing since the League’s inception, with Ashwin set to become the first male player to have represented India to join a BBL club,” the Sydney Thunder said in an official release.
