New Delhi, Jul 2: The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) is a necessary addition to the existing assortment of franchise-based tourneys, as the format is here to stay unlike ODIs, said Indian spin bowling legend Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday.
Ashwin will captain the Dublin Guardians franchise in the ETPL.
India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket said that with cricket returning to the Olympics in 2028, ETPL will act as a catalyst in making the sport global.
“Look, I think there’s an Olympics that’s going to happen in a couple of years. And if cricket as a game is pretty serious about making it a global affair, the teams in this league will play a very crucial part in enabling that,” said Ashwin in his response to a PTI query.
Ashwin feels the only way to globalise the game is via the T20 format.
“Our job will be purely on T20 cricket and how it can get better. And if the game has to become global and it has to become an Olympic sport, the shorter the game, the more viable it is.
“And that’s how it’s going to become much bigger. And you will see a better sample size of players, which is also very critical for several of these leagues which run through the year. T20 as a sport is here to stay. I’m not too sure about ODI cricket,” said Ashwin.
Ashwin is also excited about the prospect of his franchise and the league contributing to the growth of cricket in Ireland.
“So, as far as I’m concerned, this is a really, really exciting prospect where we not only believe that we can pick a team and do well in this tournament and also make it a really good place for these players to come in and get better and also have a lasting impact on the tournament,” Ashwin said.
“We owe it to the Dublin franchise and also Irish cricket in many ways, try and enable them, try and probably provide them with the right amount of exposure and opportunities,” said the legendary off-spinner.
