India spin great Ashwin joins Australia’s BBL in first

AFP | Sydney

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Veteran spin great Ravichandran Ashwin yesterday joined Sydney Thunder as the first Indian men’s international to feature in Australia’s Big Bash League.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not allow any current player in Indian international or domestic cricket to feature in overseas leagues. But Ashwin retired in December during India’s Test tour of Australia and quit the Indian Premier League in August, freeing him up to be “an explorer of the game around various leagues”.

“Thunder were crystal clear about how they’d use me and brave enough to back it,” said the 39-yearold in a statement.

“My conversations with the leadership were excellent and we’re fully aligned on my role.”