R Ashwin eyes history as David Warner and Ricky Ponting chase his BBL signature - Report

R Ashwin likely to play in ILT20 and BBL. (AP Photo)

According to ESPNcricinfo report, retired Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will play in the Big Bash League (BBL), Australia's long-running competition, and the International League T20 (ILT20), the UAE's main T20 league, within a few days of one another.

This year's ILT20 will take place from December 2 to January 4, 2026. The BBL is scheduled to start on December 14 and end on January 25.

Ashwin has already signed up for the October 1 ILT20 auction and is almost guaranteed to be selected. The Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers, and Adelaide Strikers are the four BBL teams with whom he is currently negotiating a deal.

ESPNcricinfo reports that David Warner's Hurricanes and Ricky Ponting's Thunder are the top contenders for the India great, and a deal is probably going to be finalized this week. Ashwin would be available for the final, if his team advances that far in the BBL, as well as the final three or four games, according to the report. The agreement will contain a 2026–2027 season clause, the report added.

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This implies that Ashwin will probably play for the team that wins him at auction in the ILT20 to start his overseas tour before heading to Australia. The BBL and ILT20 frequently conflict, and many players switch between the two competitions with very precarious contract situations, so he won't be the first to do that, but he would be the first Indian player of his caliber to participate in both.

International players are limited to three spots in the starting XIs of the BBL. Ashwin may be expected to step in as a substitute when a BBL star departs for another league. All eight teams have already signed three foreign players via the pre-season drafts and selects, but they are permitted to sign four more.

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If a deal goes through, Ashwin would become the first capped male Indian cricketer to play in the BBL, with Unmukt Chand being the only other Indian to have previously featured in the Australian league.

Ashwin is now eligible to play in international competitions after he announced his retirement from all Indian cricket earlier this year. Despite his age of 39, this appears to be the beginning of a long journey.