• Source:JND
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In an interesting turn of events, India's legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin went unsold in the 2026 International League T20 (ILT20) auction after being the headline name in the first-ever auction in the league's history.

Ashwin, who has retired from all forms of cricket, including the IPL, was the only player registered at a base price of $120,000 (Rs. 1.06 crore), but did not find any bidder.

Reacting to the whole episode, Ashwin confirmed that he withdrew his name from the auction after being unsold in the first round and was not available to be picked later in the day. The two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winner, who played for CSK last season, stated that he was not ready to lower his base price, as that was the bare minimum value he wanted.

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The ILT20's fourth season, to be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, begins on December 2 this year, and will run until January 4, 2026, featuring six teams across 34 matches

Ashwin claims that after being picked in the Big Bash League (BBL) by Sydney Thunder, he was set to withdraw his name from the auction, but kept his word.

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"That's the price I wanted as a bare minimum, and I'm happy not to play at this stage of my career if my value isn't met. I was about to pull out a few days before the auction because of the Thunder deal, but since I had already committed to the ILT20 that I would enter the auction, I honoured my word. However, I did not agree to lowering my base price," said Ashwin to Cricbuzz.

Ashwin has come up with a major development, confirming that he is now available for the full Big Bash League season.

"I have signed up with Sydney Thunder for the entire season," said Ashwin.

The 2025-26 BBL will be played from 14 December to 25 January, while the ILT20 is scheduled from 10 January to 11th February.

A stalwart of Indian cricket, Ashwin has taken 72 wickets in 65 T20Is at 23.22. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he claimed 187 wickets across 221 matches while representing Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab, Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals.