Rahul Dravid joins European T20 Premier League as Dublin Guardians owner | Business

In a major step ahead of its official launch later this year, the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) has announced former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid as the owner of its sixth franchise, Dublin Guardians.

The announcement was made during a special event in Dublin on Monday, where the league also confirmed the ownership structure of all six franchises.

With support from Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, the ETPL aims to become Europe’s first major multi-nation franchise T20 competition.

ETPL completes six-team franchise structure

The ETPL finalised its franchise lineup during the Dublin event attended by franchise owners, league officials and administrators from European cricket boards.

Alongside Rahul Dravid, representatives from other franchises, including Glasgow franchise owner Vipul Agarwal and Rotterdam franchise stakeholders Jonty Rhodes and Madhukar Sri, were present.

ETPL co-founders Abhishek Bachchan, Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul and Dhiraj Malhotra also attended the launch event.

League aims to grow cricket across Europe

The ETPL will feature franchises from Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam under a cross-border league model.

Organisers believe the competition can help strengthen cricket’s presence across Europe, where participation and interest in the sport have continued to grow in recent years.

The league is also expected to feature several international stars, including Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, Liam Livingstone, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis and Heinrich Klaasen.

League officials said the tournament is expected to create a platform for young cricketers from Europe and other Associate nations to compete alongside internationally established players.

Abhishek Bachchan on ETPL’s vision

Speaking during the launch event, ETPL co-founder Abhishek Bachchan said Rahul Dravid’s association with the league was an important moment for the ETPL project. He stated that the league’s vision extended beyond creating a cricket tournament and focused on building a system that could inspire and develop emerging talent in Ireland and across Europe.

Bachchan also said the response from the global cricket community had been encouraging, adding that the involvement of figures such as Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell, Jonty Rhodes, Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen and Rahul Dravid reflected confidence in the league’s long-term plans.

Rahul Dravid backs grassroots development

Rahul Dravid said the larger vision behind the ETPL attracted him to the project. He explained that the league’s focus on strengthening cricket in Europe, improving grassroots structures and creating opportunities for emerging players made it an exciting initiative.

Dravid added that Dublin already had a strong interest in cricket and significant potential for future growth. He further stated that supporting young talent had always been important to him and expressed confidence that the ETPL could contribute positively to the development of the sport in Europe.

European cricket officials welcome initiative

Cricket Ireland chairman Brian MacNeice described the launch as a significant moment for Irish and European cricket. He said the ETPL had the potential to increase the game’s popularity, expand participation and create stronger pathways for players in the region.