Rahul Dravid Takes New Step in Cricket, Becomes Owner of ETPL Franchise
Former India head coach joins European T20 Premier League as owner of Dublin Guardians, while Ravichandran Ashwin named team captain
Former Indian cricket legend and World Cup-winning head coach Rahul Dravid has taken a new step in his cricketing journey by becoming the owner of the Dublin Guardians franchise in the upcoming European T20 Premier League (ETPL).
The announcement was made ahead of the league’s launch in 2026. The ETPL, backed by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan along with Cricket Ireland, has finalized its six franchise teams featuring several global cricket stars. Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been appointed captain of Dravid’s Dublin-based side.
The European T20 Premier League is being launched in collaboration with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association. The six participating teams represent Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam.
The tournament is scheduled to begin in August and continue through September. Several international stars are expected to feature in the league, including Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, Liam Livingstone, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen.
Speaking during the launch event, Rahul Dravid said the biggest attraction of ETPL is its broader vision to develop cricket across Europe and create opportunities for emerging talent.
He stated that Dublin already has a strong passion for cricket and tremendous growth potential. Dravid added that nurturing young talent has always been important to him and expressed confidence that the ETPL could play a major role in the development of the sport in Europe.
ETPL co-founder Abhishek Bachchan also praised Dravid’s involvement in the league. He said having a cricket icon like Rahul Dravid associated with the project is special and reflects growing confidence in the league’s vision.
Bachchan added that the aim of ETPL is not just to create another cricket league, but to build a platform that inspires and develops new talent emerging from Ireland and the wider European cricket ecosystem.
Several cricket legends including Steve Waugh, Jonty Rhodes, and Chris Gayle have also shown support for the ambitious new league.
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