Sydney Thunder Officially Confirms Ravichandran Ashwin Will Play Full BBL 15 Season
Ravichandran Ashwin will play the full Big Bash League season with Sydney Thunder after not being picked in the ILT20 player auction. The 39-year-old spinner had first joined the Thunder only for the January part of the tournament. Now, he will play the entire season, including the finals, with at least three home games in Western Sydney and both games in Canberra.
Ashwin had planned to join the ILT20 auction but decided to pull out when no team bought him at his base price of USD 120,000. He said he wanted to leave the auction, but because he had already made a promise, he went ahead. He didn’t want to lower his price, and this led him to fully commit to playing the upcoming Big Bash League season with Sydney Thunder.
Ashw(in)
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) October 10, 2025
Ash is locked in for the entire BBL|15 season, confirming full availability from start to finish! pic.twitter.com/QIGI0Iq7Ze
“I was about to pull out a few days before the auction because of the Thunder deal, but since I had already committed to the ILT20 that I would enter the auction, I honoured my word. However, I did not agree to lowering my base price,” said Ashwin, as reported by Cricbuzz.
Ashwin will be the first Indian men’s player with international experience to play in the Big Bash after retiring from international cricket last December and the IPL in August. Since the BCCI doesn’t allow contracted Indian players in overseas T20 leagues, only retired players can join. He will make his Big Bash debut on 16 December against the Hurricanes in Hobart, with his first home game at Engie Stadium during the Sydney Smash on 20 December.
“Ashwin’s decision to play the full BBL15 season with Sydney Thunder is another exciting moment for our club, members and fans leading into a huge summer of Big Bash. From the outset, we put an offer to Ashwin to bring him to Western Sydney for the entire BBL|15 season. Following the initial announcement of his signing, conversations progressed quickly and it was a no brainer from Thunder’s perspective to bring him in for the whole tournament." Trent Copeland, Sydney Thunder General Manager, said.
“This decision demonstrates Ashwin’s commitment to our club and what we’re trying to build. We’re delighted to be bringing in an icon of the game – a leader and world class player on-field, and someone who will inspire a new wave of members and fans to join the Thunder Nation. We can’t wait to welcome him to Western Sydney in December.” he added.
Sydney Thunder schedule for the 2025-26 BBL 15 season
Date | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|
Dec 17, 2025 | Adelaide Strikers | Manuka Oval Stadium |
Dec 21, 2025 | Sydney Sixers | ENGIE Stadium |
Dec 28, 2025 | Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval Stadium |
Dec 30, 2025 | Melbourne Renegades | ENGIE Stadium |
Jan 03, 2026 | Perth Scorchers | Optus Stadium |
Jan 06, 2026 | Brisbane Heat | The Gabba Stadium |
Jan 08, 2026 | Hobart Hurricanes | ENGIE Stadium |
Jan 10, 2026 | Hobart Hurricanes | Blundstone Arena |
Jan 13, 2026 | Perth Scorchers | ENGIE Stadium |
Jan 17, 2026 | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Cricket Ground |
Sydney Thunder Squad
David Warner (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Sam Billings, Lockie Ferguson, Shadab Khan, Cameron Bancroft, Tom Andrews, Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Blake Nikitaras, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha.
