Former Team India captain Ajinkya Rahane is set to play in the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). According to RevSportz Global, Rahane will feature in the newly launched competition after retiring from international and domestic cricket in Indian cricket.
Ajinkya Rahane announced his retirement from all international and domestic cricket on July 30, making him eligible to play in overseas franchise leagues. Retired Indian cricketers are allowed to participate as active players in the ICC-sanctioned European T20 Premier League.
Ajinkya Rahane Set to Play in Inaugural ETPL Season
According to RevSportz Global, Ajinkya Rahane will play in the inaugural edition of the European T20 Premier League. The former India captain is expected to represent one of the league's six franchises after retiring from international and domestic cricket.
The ETPL is a new ICC-sanctioned T20 league launched through a partnership between the cricket boards of Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan is among the co-founders, while private Indian investors have also backed the tournament.
The six franchises were reportedly sold for around $15 million over a 10-year period. Notably, the tournament will take place between August 26 and September 20. Matches will be played at the Voorburg Cricket Club in The Hague, along with international-standard venues in Dublin, Ireland.
Big Cricket Names Back ETPL Franchises
Several former international stars are involved as franchise owners and team leaders, giving the new league strong global appeal. Former India head coach Rahul Dravid is a co-owner of the Dublin Guardians, who will be captained by Ravichandran Ashwin.
The ETPL will begin on August 26, with the Rotterdam Dockers facing the Amsterdam Flames in the opening match. On the second day of the tournament, the Guardians will take on Glenn Maxwell-led Belfast Wolves in one of the marquee fixtures.
The Rotterdam Dockers have an ownership group that includes John Abraham, Jonty Rhodes, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen. Steve Waugh co-owns the Amsterdam Flames, led by Mitchell Marsh.
Chris Gayle and Matthew Hayden are co-owners of Glasgow Cosmic, while Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills own the Edinburgh Castle Rockers, who will be captained by Mitchell Santner.
Ajinkya Rahane's Career Numbers Before ETPL Stint
Ajinkya Rahane brings plenty of experience to the ETPL after an outstanding international career. He played 85 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 20 T20Is for India between 2011 and 2023. Across all three formats, Rahane scored 8,414 runs in 195 international matches, with 15 centuries and 51 fifties.
The right-handed batter scored 5,077 Test runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries. He also amassed 2,962 runs in ODIs and 375 runs in T20Is.
One of the biggest moments of his career came during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, when he led an injury-hit Indian side to a memorable 2-1 Test series win in Australia after Virat Kohli returned home following the opening Test.
Rahane also enjoyed a successful IPL career. He scored 5,367 runs in 212 matches, including two centuries and 35 fifties. In IPL 2026, he captained Kolkata Knight Riders and finished as the team's third-highest run-scorer with 335 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 135.08.
