Ravichandran Ashwin believes India players will not compete in The Hundred or other international franchise leagues anytime soon.
What happened?
Ashwin, 39, retired from international cricket in 2024 and the Indian Premier League (IPL) a year later, and has been playing franchise cricket globally since.
BCCI rules prevent its men's players from playing in other T20 franchise leagues. Ashwin was picked up by Sydney Thunder in Australia's Big Bash League in September 2025 but had to withdraw with a knee injury.
Why it matters for Ravichandran Ashwin
He is currently playing for the San Francisco Unicorns in the United States' Major League Cricket. Ashwin told the BBC's Stumped podcast that the economic model means a lot to the game, and the IPL is standing at the cusp of probably having a valuation that's more than some of the other leagues.
The IPL is able to retain the quality of players, local players especially, and Indian players are heavily marketable in the country. Enabling them to move on to another league, especially when they're contracted to play for their country, Ashwin thinks it's not going to happen.
What comes next?
Ashwin praises Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old India cricketer who set a record last week by smashing a 11-ball half-century, the fastest in List A 50-over cricket. Sooryavanshi is in line to make his international debut this summer as he has been named in India's squads for T20 series against Ireland and England, starting in Belfast on Friday.
Ashwin says Sooryavanshi must still focus on the enjoyment of the game, and have fun playing, just like you would in the gullies from his hometown. Ashwin thinks Sooryavanshi is special and has been able to make subtle adjustments with respect to some senior bowlers coming after him.
On 18 Jun, Sooryavanshi finished as the leading run-scorer in the IPL. Ashwin believes Sooryavanshi will not have a lot of long road ahead of him where he's going to play without pressure, and it will eventually catch up, because it will turn into being work.
But as of now, Ashwin would love for Sooryavanshi to have fun and entertain all of us. Ashwin's comments come as India prepares for its T20 series against Ireland and England, with Sooryavanshi set to make his international debut.
The series starts in Belfast on Friday, and Ashwin will be watching from afar, having retired from international cricket in 2024. Ashwin's predictions about India players in The Hundred have sparked debate, with some arguing that the economic model is not the only factor at play.
However, Ashwin's comments carry weight, given his experience playing franchise cricket globally. As the cricket world waits to see how Sooryavanshi performs on the international stage, Ashwin's words serve as a reminder of the challenges facing India players in international franchise leagues.