Former Indian cricket captain and coach Rahul Dravid has been revealed as the owner of the Dublin Guardians franchise in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The league finalized its six-team lineup during an event in Dublin, with Dravid’s ownership marking a significant moment ahead of the league’s scheduled launch in 2026.
The ETPL event in Dublin also saw the presence of other franchise owners, such as Vipul Aggarwal of the Glasgow Franchise, Jonty Rhodes, and Madhukar Shree of the Rotterdam Franchise, and ETPL co-founders Abhishek Bachchan, Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul, and Dhiraj Malhotra. Additionally, key figures from European cricket, including Brian MacNeice, Sarah Keane, Roland Lefebvre, and Trudy Lindblade, highlighted the strong support behind Europe’s inaugural ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 league.
ETPL, developed in collaboration with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, introduces a pioneering cross-border franchise model featuring teams from Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. The league is set to showcase international cricket stars like Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, and Glenn Maxwell, offering a platform for emerging players from Europe and Associate Nations to compete alongside renowned global talents.
Abhishek Bachchan, Co-Founder of ETPL, emphasized the significance of having cricket legends like Rahul Dravid onboard, stating that the league aims to inspire and support the emerging cricket talent in Ireland and Europe. Dravid expressed his attraction to ETPL’s broader vision, emphasizing the potential for cricket growth in Europe and the importance of nurturing young talent in the region through initiatives like ETPL.
The ownership structure of ETPL franchises includes notable names like Glenn Maxwell, Chris Gayle, Steve Waugh, and Jonty Rhodes, reflecting a blend of cricket icons, entrepreneurs, and international investors committed to the league’s success.
