Rahul Dravid has taken on a completely different chapter in his cricket journey, moving beyond playing, coaching, and mentoring into ownership. The former India great has been announced as the co-owner of the Dublin Guardians ahead of the launch of the European T20 Premier League, marking his first major role in franchise ownership. His last stint in the IPL saw him represent and lead the Rajasthan Royals as their coach.
The ETPL finalized its six-team structure at a launch event attended by franchise owners from across the competition, with teams set to represent Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam alongside Dublin. The inaugural edition is scheduled to run from 26 August to 20 September, with matches set to be played across The Hague and Dublin, as the league begins its first season across multiple European hubs.
Here is everything that you need to know:
ETPL Franchise And Owners
| Franchise | Ownership |
|---|---|
| Dublin Guardians | Rahul Dravid |
| Belfast franchise | Glenn Maxwell, Rohan Lund |
| Edinburgh franchise | Kyle Mills, Nathan McCullum, Rachel Wiseman |
| Glasgow franchise | Vipul Aggarwal, Chris Gayle |
| Amsterdam franchise | Steve Waugh, Jamie Dwyer, Tim Thomas |
| Rotterdam franchise | Jonty Rhodes, Faf du Plessis, Glashin, Samir Shah (also includes Heinrich Klaasen in some listings) |
Rahul Dravid’s New Role Explained: Why ETPL Marks a Big Shift in His Cricket Journey
The European T20 Premier League has been launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, bringing together three national boards in a shared push to grow the game in Europe. Bollywood actor and producer Abhishek Bachchan is also a part-owner of the league, working alongside Rules Sport Tech, a private Indian company involved in the project’s structure and backing.
As previously reported, the six franchises were collectively sold for around £11.1m (about $15m) on a 10-year deal, underlining the long-term plan behind the competition rather than a short-term tournament model.
Rahul Dravid, who is part of the Dublin Guardians’ ownership group, highlighted that the success of the league will not depend only on the cricket on display but also on how the sport connects with new audiences in the region. On the sporting side, the Dublin Guardians will be led by Ravichandran Ashwin, with the experienced India all-rounder appointed as captain as the side prepares to compete against emerging franchise teams from across Europe in the tournament’s first season.
