Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has joined the European T20 Premier League as the owner of Dublin Guardians ahead of the tournament’s inaugural season.
Rahul Dravid has officially been unveiled as the owner of Dublin Guardians before the first-ever edition of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL).
The announcement was made during the league’s grand launch event on Monday, where all six franchises participating in the competition were introduced.
The Dublin-based franchise will be led by former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and is set to compete against teams from Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam.
Rahul Dravid Explains Vision Behind ETPL
AssociationSpeaking after the announcement, Dravid revealed that the league’s broader objective of expanding cricket across Europe played a major role in his decision to join the tournament.
“What attracted me to ETPL was the larger vision behind it, the opportunity to help grow cricket in Europe by strengthening grassroots development and creating pathways for emerging talent across Ireland and Europe,” Dravid said in a release.
“Dublin already has a passionate cricketing community and enormous potential for growth. Nurturing the next generation has always been important to me, and I believe ETPL can play a meaningful role in that journey,” he added.
The former India captain also stressed the importance of building long-term opportunities for young cricketers in European nations where the sport continues to expand steadily.
ETPL Launch Attended By Major Cricketing Figures
The launch ceremony witnessed the presence of several notable names connected with the new league. Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes attended the event alongside ETPL co-founders Abhishek Bachchan, Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul, and Dhiraj Malhotra.
Officials from Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association were also present during the launch, including Brian MacNeice, Sarah Keane, Roland Lefebvre, and Trudy Lindblade.
The ETPL has been organised in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association as part of efforts to expand the game across Europe.
International Stars Set To Feature In Inaugural ETPL Season
Several prominent international cricketers are expected to participate in the opening edition of the tournament. The list includes Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, Liam Livingstone, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen.
The inaugural European T20 Premier League season is scheduled to take place from August 26 to September 20.
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