Ashwin’s hundred headlines India’s fightback on Day 1. (PC: X.com) With the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) maiden edition beginning soon, the inaugural player draft was finalised on Thursday. Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be leading the Dublin Guardians as the captain and mentor while embracing what he described as the next phase of his cricketing journey.

The Dublin-based franchise has assembled a balanced squad featuring George Dockrell, Chris Greaves, Benjamin Calitz, Noah Croes, alongside Ashwin. “While majority of our picks were Irish, I think nationality comes second. It’s about the quality of the player and how they will fit into our mix,” Ashwin told reporters during a virtual media interaction.

“I do believe that going into an auction or a draft, every single player that you must pick must be a playable resource. Of course, there must be an exciting amount of skill that they put on display, but they must be very playable. If a player is unavailable, someone should be able to seamlessly come in and fill up that role.” Additionally, when he was asked about his dual role as a captain and a mentor, he mentioned, “I think I am at a stage of my career where I’d like to contribute more than just being a player.

I’ve been a coach-cum-captain for the last couple of years. It’s just a crossover into what I’d like to do next.” With the inaugural player draft now complete, the ETPL will bring together leading international talents alongside the emerging stars from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. The post appeared first on .