Ashwin won't be available for the full season.
After ample speculations and reports, Ravichandran Ashwin has finally signed a Big Bash League (BBL) deal ahead of the upcoming season. He will play for Sydney Thunder, the runners-up of the previous edition.
Reports yesterday linked him with as many as four different franchises – Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Strikers, and Sydney Thunder. Ashwin was already in touch with Ricky Ponting and David Warner, who is also the captain of the Thunder, to fast-track his deal, and it is now done.
However, he won’t be available for the full season after committing to the International League T20 (ILT20) 2025/26, which runs from December 2 to January 4. He has put his base price at a whopping USD 120,000, the highest ever for a player in the league, for the upcoming auction.
Ashwin is certain to be in high demand and fetch a big sum since almost all franchises will go after him in the auction, given the value he brings as an all-rounder. Hence, he will only play 3-4 games and the knockout stage for the Sydney Thunder if they qualify in BBL 2025/26, spanning from December 14 to January 25.
Sydney Thunder have several spin options in their squad for the upcoming BBL season, including Shadab Khan, Tanveer Sangha, and Chris Green. That suggests the team wants to strengthen their spin department, mostly for home games at Sydney Showground Stadium, where spinners get more assistance than in most other Australian venues.
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Among all venues with at least five games in the latest two BBL editions, Sydney Showground has the lowest average (20) and economy rate (6.28) for spinners. Sydney Thunder have consistently played two spinners on this ground and won three out of four matches last season.
Additionally, Shadab and Sangha can be vulnerable at times, especially Shadab, whose recent form has been inconsistent and is no longer in Pakistan’s plans. Once Ashwin joins, Shadab will likely sit out, with Sangha acting as lead wrist spinner.
The Thunder already have Green, who is among the finest finger spinners in the T20 format and has performed well across venues in the competition. Ashwin’s inclusion will not only bolster bowling stocks but also give more firepower in the lower order, given he is a more than handy batter.
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