San Francisco (California), March 28 Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set to make his Major League Cricket debut in June after signing with the San Francisco Unicorns.
"The San Francisco Unicorns have secured a landmark signing for the 2026 Cognizant Major League Cricket (MLC) season, adding Indian cricket legend Ravichandran Ashwin to its roster," the franchise announced on its official website on Saturday.
Ashwin will thus become the first-ever India-capped player to compete in this league, and one of the most prominent Indian players to take part in an international T20 tournament outside the Indian Premier League.
Ashwin was supposed to play in the last edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) for Sydney Thunders but had to withdraw due to an injury.
"Ashwin joins the Unicorns with a unique cricketing resume, having won the 2011 Cricket World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, and has earned over 100 caps in both Test and ODI cricket, with 65 appearances in T20 internationals," the franchise further stated.
He remains one of the top five wicket-takers in IPL history, having represented his home franchise, the Chennai Super Kings. He also had stints with Rising Pune Supergiants, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and the Delhi Capitals.
"Signed for his world-class spin bowling and strong tactical acumen, Ashwin brings the Unicorns a significant leadership asset on and off the pitch, as well as being a household name set to thrill Major League Cricket and resonate strongly with the Bay Area’s large South Asian community, further strengthening the franchise’s connection to one of cricket’s most passionate fan bases," the franchise stated.
"The MLC has proven over recent seasons that it can put on a show, bringing in world-class players and offering significant exposure to US domestic cricket talent, and the opportunity to be a part of it with the San Francisco Unicorns was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up," Ashwin was quoted as saying.
"Taking on the mantle as the first Indian-capped player to compete in Major League Cricket is a major responsibility that I fully embrace. My absolute focus is to help this franchise win games and push for its first Championship, while also putting on a spectacular brand of cricket for the Bay Area fans," Ashwin added.
Cameron White, Head Coach of San Francisco Unicorns, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome a player of Ashwin’s stature to the Unicorns. When you talk about match-winners and cricketing intelligence, his name is at the top of the list around the world.
"Bringing in the first Indian-capped player is a massive moment for our franchise and MLC as a whole, but first and foremost, he’s joining to help us win games. His experience in high-pressure situations and his skill variations will be invaluable on the pitch and in the nets, and I can’t wait to get into camp and start working with him.”