Former Indian captain and the coach of India’s T20 World Cup-winning team, Rahul Dravid, has become the owner of the Dublin Guardians franchise in the upcoming European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which is scheduled to begin in August 2026. The six-team tournament has been launched through a partnership between the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Federation, and it will feature teams representing Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. The ETPL is also being recognized as Europe’s first ICC-approved multinational franchise T20 league. Speaking about his involvement, Dravid said the league’s larger vision of developing cricket across Europe impressed him the most, especially its focus on strengthening grassroots cricket and creating opportunities for young players from Ireland and other European countries. He added that Dublin already has a passionate cricket community and huge potential for growth, and he believes the league can play an important role in building the next generation of cricketers. Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan is also a co-owner of the Dublin Guardians team. Several current and former international cricketers have joined the league as franchise owners as well. Glenn Maxwell is a co-owner of the Irish Wolves team, while former Australian captain Steve Waugh is associated with the Amsterdam Flames franchise.
Former New Zealand cricketers Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills own the Edinburgh Castle Rockers team. Explosive West Indies batter Chris Gayle, who calls himself the “Universe Boss,” is a co-owner of the Glasgow Cosmic team, while Jonty Rhodes, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen are owners of the Rotterdam Dockers franchise. Along with being owners, Maxwell and du Plessis are also expected to play in the tournament. Star players such as Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, and Liam Livingstone are also set to participate in the league. Dravid said that having top international stars playing alongside local players from Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, and other European regions will create a great experience for fans and players alike. He also emphasized that growing cricket in Europe is not only about organizing high-quality matches but also about building a strong fan culture, improving the stadium experience, creating awareness at the grassroots level, and attracting more people to the game.
