Ravi Ashwin set to join Sydney Thunder for BBL15

Ravi Ashwin’s BBL deal could become one of the most important in Australian cricket history. Ben Horne unpacks what it means for the Big Bash League — and more significantly the sport’s future.

History may remember Ravichandran Ashwin as the most significant signing in the Big Bash’s history.

The fact Indian players are banned by the BCCI from playing in overseas T20 leagues makes the Sydney Thunder’s signing of Ashwin at the very least a momentous coup — if not a watershed moment for the BBL’s hopes of reclaiming its standing as second banana to the IPL.

There is the magnitude of the hundreds of millions of overseas eyeballs Ashwin will bring with him to the Australian competition given his superstar following in India.

But beyond that, Cricket Australia might be even more excited about the seismic impact Ashwin can have on the home front — specifically, in uniting western Sydney behind the Thunder.

The Thunder has long been the sleeping giant of the BBL, but for all its efforts, the franchise hasn’t been able to fully unlock the cricket-mad sub-continental communities that live in the west.

When India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka tour Australia, matches at the SCG are routinely sold out thanks to the feverish passion these migrant communities have for their teams.

The question for the Big Bash has long been, how does it harness that same obsession for its Big Bash team?

When Fox Cricket hosted a launch in the Parramatta town square two summers ago, Indian great Ravi Shastri was mobbed by thousands of supporters.

This is nothing compared to the ‘Ravi’ fever that could be about to hit western Sydney with Ashwin still at the peak of his powers and one of the greatest spin bowlers of all time.

Ravi Ashwin appeals for a wicket against the Aussies.

He is one player, but the hope is Indian Australians in western Sydney rally behind the chance to watch Ashwin play several matches in their own backyard and adopt the Thunder as their own.

Although this isn’t just about putting bums on seats and packing out ENGIE Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.

It’s about the potential for Ashwin to help supercharge the untapped playing resources of cricketers from sub-continental backgrounds playing in western Sydney.

Despite the success stories of Usman Khawaja and Tanveer Sangha and others, the percentage of players with sub-continental backgrounds progressing through the ranks to play professional cricket in Australia isn’t as high as it ought to be.

Studies have been conducted into why this is the case, but Ashwin’s presence in the west gives youngsters of sub-continental backgrounds another hero they can get behind.

It’s hard to imagine a bigger Big Bash star than Kevin Pietersen and what he brought to the Melbourne Stars.

But Ashwin and his army of tens of millions of social media followers certainly makes him as big as Pietersen and Chris Gayle in the early years — with the potential to become so much bigger.

The Thunder made massive inroads last season under the leadership of Test great David Warner, and with Ashwin on board they should appeal to an audience they’ve been able to reach but until now haven’t quite been able to grasp.

Suddenly the long-criticised low, spinning deck at Sydney Olympic Park becomes a huge home ground advantage for the Thunder with Ashwin’s potential to destroy batsmen with his unrivalled kit bag of tricks.

For most of their existence, the Thunder have struggled to get out of the Sydney Sixers’ shadow and have suffered from a perception at least that they’re the second priority in town to the perennial winners in magenta.

Ashwin takes the wicket of Cam Green in 2023.

Travelling to play two home games in Canberra every season also hasn’t helped them convince the immense expanse from Liverpool to Campbelltown and from Penrith to Parramatta that they are the team of the west.

Homebush hasn’t been an easy sell over the years, but now there is a once-in-a-generation drawcard to bring the cricket obsessed people of the west to Sydney Olympic Park.

Test star Josh Hazlewood is stunned Ashwin isn’t still in the IPL – such is his skill – but Ashwin wanted to expand his wings beyond India and wants to come to Australia.

It’s a funny one – on one level signing Ashwin is a great advertisement for Cricket Australia’s desire to privatise the Big Bash, because imagine what can happen if the big dollars entice Indian stars to flock to the BBL.

But the other side of the coin is CA and the Thunder have actually managed to sign Ashwin with the tried and true existing model and haven’t needed the private cash.

Regardless, this is a huge opportunity for the BBL and a chance to turn western Sydney lime green.

REVEALED: ASHWIN TO JOIN THUNDER IN BBL COUP

— Ben Horne and Daniel Cherny

Sydney Thunder is set to land Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin in a landmark acquisition for the Big Bash League.

It’s understood Ashwin, 39, has committed to the Thunder for a stint at the back end of the BBL season, where he will team up with David Warner.

Ashwin paved the way for the move in recent weeks when he announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League, freeing him up to play in other franchise leagues.

The off-spinning great is likely to join the Thunder after playing in the UAE’s ILT20 competition, which wraps up in early January.

Ashwin has committed to taking part in that league’s auction.

Ashwin (right) will play for Sydney Thunder in BBL15.

He will become by far the highest-profile Indian player to play in the BBL, given that Indian players are banned from playing other franchise leagues while still active with the national team and in the IPL.

Several other clubs had expressed interest in signing Ashwin after he made contact with Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg to discuss joining the league this season.

Ordinarily Ashwin would have been ineligible to play this season given he did not register for the overseas player draft however an exemption is likely to be granted given his circumstances have changed.

Ashwin has opted out of his IPL deal to join the franchise circuit.

The Thunder - runners-up last season - will still need to fit him into their salary cap albeit it is likely he will also receive a marketing bonus from Cricket Australia.

Clubs can sign more than three overseas players for a season but only three can play in an XI in any given game.

The spinner is well-suited to Thunder’s venue Engie Stadium, known for its low, slow tracks.

The move comes at a fascinating juncture for the BBL given CA is exploring selling minority stakes in its eight BBL clubs to private investors.

In other BBL player movement news, Brisbane Heat is interested in young left-armer Oli Patterson.

Originally published as Ravi Ashwin set to join Sydney Thunder for BBL15