Former India captain and World Cup-winning coach Rahul Dravid is set to begin a new journey off the field after being unveiled as the owner of Dublin Guardians in the upcoming European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The announcement was made in Dublin on Monday in the presence of Dravid and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, who is one of the promoters of the league.
The ETPL, scheduled to launch in August 2026, is being introduced as Europe’s first ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 league. The tournament has been launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, and will feature teams based in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Rahul Dravid reveals reason behind joining Dublin Guardians
Dravid revealed that the vision of developing cricket across Europe played a major role in his decision to associate with the Dublin franchise. The former India head coach also highlighted the cricket culture already present in Dublin and expressed confidence about the league’s future impact.
“What attracted me to ETPL was the larger vision behind it, the opportunity to help grow cricket in Europe by strengthening grassroots development and creating pathways for emerging talent across Ireland and Europe. Dublin already has a passionate cricketing community and enormous potential for growth. Nurturing the next generation has always been important to me, and I believe ETPL can play a meaningful role in that journey,” Dravid said in a statement.
ETPL attracts several global cricket stars and big-name owners
The ETPL has already attracted several major cricket personalities as franchise owners. Glenn Maxwell and Rohan Lund will own the Belfast franchise, while Chris Gayle is part of the Glasgow ownership group. Former Australia captain Steve Waugh is also associated with the Amsterdam franchise, while Rotterdam includes names like Faf du Plessis and Jonty Rhodes.
Several international stars are expected to feature in the competition as players as well. The league is likely to include names such as Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, Liam Livingstone, and many more.
With Rahul Dravid now attached to Dublin Guardians, the ETPL has added one of cricket’s most respected figures to a project aiming to expand the game’s footprint across Europe.
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