Uncovering the Reasons Behind R Ashwin's Exclusion from SA20's Player Auction List for 2026

In a surprising move, former Indian cricket team spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opted to participate in the ILT20 auction pool, forgoing the SA20 and Major League Cricket (MLC). The decision comes after Ashwin's retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) last week.

Ashwin, who represented five franchises in the IPL - Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Rising Pune Supergiant, and Rajasthan Royals - finished his IPL career with 187 wickets in 221 matches. In the 2025 IPL season, he played for CSK and picked up seven wickets in nine games at an economy rate of 9.12.

The ILT20 tournament, set to start on January 11, 2026, offers Ashwin a new chapter and an opportunity to explore playing in different franchise leagues worldwide. This decision was made soon after ending his IPL career, with the aim of being part of the UAE-based ILT20 where an auction system was introduced for the upcoming season.

The decision to join the ILT20 was influenced by the overlap with the SA20 league, which is scheduled to begin on December 26, 2025, and run for a month. Ambati Rayudu also pulled out of the MLC due to the BCCI's "cooling-off" requirement, a policy that has been a subject of debate among players.

It is unclear if the "cooling-off" requirement is still in place, as the BCCI withdrew it due to player dissatisfaction. If selected, Ashwin would become the fourth Indian to feature in the ILT20, following in the footsteps of Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, and Ambati Rayudu.

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Uncovering the Reasons Behind R Ashwin's Exclusion from SA20's Player Auction List for 2026