Ravichandran Ashwin only player in UAE's ILT20 with six-figure base price

Dubai: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set to hog the limelight at the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20) auction on October 1.

The 37-year-old has registered for the ILT20 auction, organised by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in the UAE. Ashwin is the only player in the longlist with a six-figure base price. He has entered the auction with a starting price of $120,000 — the highest in the tournament.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Ashwin is one of 24 Indian icons in contention, with the longlist featuring nearly 800 players. The final pool will be confirmed this week once franchises submit their wishlists.

Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in December 2024 and stepped away from the Indian Premier League (IPL) in August 2025, is preparing for his first overseas T20 league stint. Under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rules, active Indian players cannot feature in foreign leagues in order to safeguard the IPL’s exclusivity. However, retired players like Ashwin are free to participate once they have cut all professional ties with Indian cricket.

England’s legendary pacer James Anderson has also put his name forward after missing out on contracts in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) and South Africa’s SA20.

Ashwin, meanwhile, has confirmed full availability for the ILT20 and could make his overseas T20 debut in the UAE before moving on to the BBL, where at least four franchises are reportedly interested in signing him for the second half of the season.

The ILT20’s fourth edition will run from December 2 to January 4, featuring six franchises. Teams finalised their retentions and direct signings in July, with each allowed to spend up to $1.2 million. The remaining $800,000 per franchise will be allocated through the auction. Overall, teams can spend up to $2 million (minimum $1.5 million), with an additional $250,000 available to sign two wild card players outside the auction.

Each squad must include 19—21 players, featuring at least 11 from Full Member nations, four from the UAE, one each from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and two from other Associate nations. Franchises will also hold a right-to-match (RTM) card to buy back a UAE player from their 2025 squad or development pool.

ILT20 CEO David White has confirmed that the league is open to Ashwin contributing both as a player and a coach, further underlining his stature ahead of the auction.