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Rahul Dravid is about to start another chapter in cricket, after becoming part-owner of a team in the new European T20 Premier League. The ex-India captain, who had been coaching in the IPL recently, will now move into franchise ownership.

He has joined an Indian group that purchased the Dublin-based team for the first season of the competition. The tournament is likely to kick off in 2026, after being pushed back from the earlier 2025 window.

The ETPL will be a six-team event, and will include sides from Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands and Northern Ireland. The aim is to help the game spread more in Europe and give chances to players from associate nations.

Dravid said he is happy to be part of the project, he believes Europe has real cricket passion and some good talent.

Dravid said: 

“It's absolutely brilliant to be involved. When I first heard about this it was really exciting. I've always loved the passion and energy of cricket in Europe. The passion with which the players play the game.”

I've seen the passion of grassroots, and the T20 World Cup has also shown the talent, too. That's something we can grow and build. It would be a dream to see the talent on the world stage.”

 

The former India batsman has a reputation for helping young players develop, and his link with the ETPL should help draw more attention to the league.

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Dravid already has memories of cricket in Europe. In 2003 he turned out for Scotland as an overseas professional. While there, he made 120 against Somerset, and an unbeaten 129 versus Nottinghamshire, performances that were widely praised at the time. Now, many years later, he returns to European cricket but in a different capacity, this time on the management and ownership side, helping to shape the Dublin franchise.

A number of well known figures from world cricket have taken stakes in ETPL teams. Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, West Indies great Chris Gayle, and players like Glenn Maxwell and Faf du Plessis are involved. Maxwell and du Plessis are tipped to lead their own sides in the competition. Reports say each franchise changed hands for about £11.1 million for a 10-year term, which points to the long term thinking behind the league.

The league is expected to become a valuable platform for associate players who rarely get many opportunities in the major T20 events around the world.