Former Indian captain and World Cup winning coach Rahul Dravid is set to embark on a new journey off the field after being announced as the owner Dublin Guards when it comes European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The announcement was made in Dublin on Monday in the presence of Dravid and the Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchanone of the promoters of the league.
Scheduled to launch in August 2026, the ETPL is billed as Europe’s first ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 league. The tournament was launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association and will feature teams based in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Rahul Dravid reveals why he joined Dublin Guardians
Dravid revealed that his vision of developing cricket in Europe played a big role in his decision to join hands with the Dublin franchise. The former India coach also highlighted the culture of cricket that already exists in Dublin and expressed confidence in the future impact of the league.
“What attracted me to the ETPL was the wider vision behind it, the opportunity to help cricket grow in Europe by strengthening grassroots development and creating pathways for emerging talent in Ireland and Europe. Dublin already has a passionate cricket community and huge potential for growth. Nurturing the next generation has always been important to me and I believe the ETPL can play a meaningful role in this.” Dravid said in a statement.
ETPL attracts several global cricket stars and big names
ETPL has already attracted several major cricket personalities as franchise owners. Glenn Maxwell and Rohan Lund and Belfast will be the franchise owner Chris Gayle It is part of the Glasgow ownership group. Former Australian captain Steve Waugh also associated with the Amsterdam franchise, while Rotterdam includes names such as Faf du Plessis and Jonty Rhodes.
Several international stars are expected to appear as players in the competition. names like are likely to enter the league Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, Liam Livingstoneand more.
With Rahul Dravid now joining the Dublin Guardians, the ETPL has added one of cricket’s most respected figures to a project that aims to expand the game’s footprint in Europe.
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