Ravichandran Ashwin will become the first capped Indian player in MLC.
Ravichandran Ashwin will play for San Francisco Unicorns in the upcoming edition of Major Super League (MLC). He will become the first capped Indian player to play in the competition.
Class, control, and spin.
— San Francisco Unicorns (@SFOUnicorns) March 28, 2026
Ravichandran Ashwin is a Unicorn 🦄✨ Who guessed it?
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/UrEThI0HR7#SFUnicorns #GoCorns @ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/06WUpzvdwy
Ashwin retired from international cricket in December 2024 and also bid adieu to IPL after the 2025 season. Since then, he has explored opportunities across overseas leagues: putting his name at the ILT20 2026 auction before eventually signing to play for Sydney Thunder in BBL 2025/26.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it to the competition due to a knee injury he sustained in Chennai while practising and had to undergo a medical procedure to get it right. Ravichandran Ashwin recently played in an exhibition in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where the support from the American crowd showed him potential for cricket development.
“Just looking at the reception that the Asian diaspora was able to bring for that game just showed me what the potential of American cricket could very well be. It’s very exciting,” Ashwin told ESPN.
Ashwin has been among the best spinners in cricketing history with a proven record across formats and in the IPL. Overall, Ashwin has 317 wickets at an average of 26.94 in 329 T20 innings, including four four-wicket hauls.
ALSO READ:
So far, he has represented seven T20 franchises across IPL, India, and Tamil Nadu teams, but is allowed to play a foreign league since he has retired from Indian cricket altogether. He will enjoy playing in American conditions, where the pitches might suit his craft and help him remain effective against most overseas and local US players.
At a time when cricket is eyeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where cricket will make a comeback after 128 years, Ashwin’s acquisition in the country’s premium T20 league will help the sport get more recognition among locals. This will be Ashwin’s maiden stint in any league outside India.
While MLC has several quality domestic and foreign spinners, few bring the expertise and skills like Ashwin, who last played competitive cricket in July last year, when he represented Dindigul Dragons in TNPL 2025. Since then, the spinner has focused on cricket analysis, mainly via his YouTube account.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
