Former Indian cricketers Rahul Dravid and Ravichandran Ashwin are part of an Indian consortium acquiring the Glasgow-based franchise in the upcoming European T20 Premier League. The deal highlights growing interest in the six-team tournament set for this summer. A second franchise in Rotterdam is also nearing sale to South African investors.
The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) continues to attract high-profile investors as preparations advance for its inaugural season. BBC Sport reports that Rahul Dravid and Ravichandran Ashwin have agreed to purchase the Glasgow franchise through an Indian consortium. This six-team competition, running from 26 August to 20 September, involves collaborations with the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands.
The Glasgow acquisition taps into Dravid's past ties with Scottish cricket. In 2003, the 53-year-old played as an overseas professional for Scotland in the National Cricket League, scoring 600 runs across 11 matches, including three centuries. Dravid, who coached India's men's team from November 2021 to June 2024, amassed nearly 25,000 runs in 164 Tests and 344 one-day internationals.
Ashwin's role adds intrigue, with speculation about his potential participation. The 39-year-old retired from international cricket in December 2024 and from the Indian Premier League the previous year. He had planned to join Australia's Big Bash League with Sydney Thunder but underwent knee surgery after an injury in Chennai last December. Ashwin's international record includes 106 Tests, 116 ODIs, and 65 T20s, where he claimed 765 wickets.
Separately, the Rotterdam franchise is set to be sold to South African investors led by former Proteas players Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen, and Jonty Rhodes. Earlier sales in January covered franchises in Amsterdam, Belfast, and Edinburgh to Australian and New Zealand groups. The Dublin franchise remains unsold, though interest persists from various parties, including owners of teams in England's The Hundred.
Franchises were sold for a total of £11.1m ($15m) over 10 years, with each team allocated a £1.1m ($1.5m) salary budget per season. The tournament schedule overlaps with England's Test series against Pakistan, limiting multi-format players, but white-ball specialists could participate with no-objection certificates from the England and Wales Cricket Board. Official announcements for the Glasgow and Rotterdam deals are expected later this month.
Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan co-owns the league alongside Rules Sport Tech, an Indian company.
