• Source:JND
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BBL 2025: Former India spinner R Ashwin will be playing for Sydney Thunder during BBL 2025 and has become the first star Indian cricketer to have participated in this tournament. The veteran, who announced his retirement from international cricket recently and from IPL, "is understood to have committed to the Thunder," as per Fox Sports. The franchise will be making an official announcement soon.

Ashwin had also registered his name for the ILT20 auction and will be playing for Thunder in the second half of the BBL 2025.

Todd Greenberg, who is the CEO of Cricket Australia, had contacted Ashwin personally to see if he was interested in playing the BBL.

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This development came after Ashwin retired from the IPL earlier this year and thus made himself available to play in different franchise leagues all over the world.

The BCCI doesn't allow active Indian players to participate in foreign leagues, especially if they are still playing for India or the IPL.

Since Ashwin wasn't part of the BBL 2025 overseas draft, Cricket Australia will be giving him an exception, just like they allowed Martin Guptill to play for the Melbourne Renegades way back in 2022.

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Ashwin retired from international cricket in December last year.

He had become India's second-highest wicket-getter as he had taken 537 wickets in the longest format and was just behind Anil Kumble's record of taking 619 wickets.

As far as his performance in IPL is concerned, after playing in 221 matches, he has taken 187 wickets and registered the best figures of 4/34. He had scored 833 runs, and his highest score was 50 runs.

Sydney Thunder Squad: Wes Agar, Tom Andrews, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings, Ollie Davies, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, Pat Cummins, Shadab Khan, and David Warner (Captain).