Rahul Dravid Named Owner of Dublin Guardians in Abhishek Bachchan Backed European T20 Premier League
Former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid has been officially unveiled as the owner of the Dublin Guardians. The announcement completes the six-team line-up for the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL), scheduled to begin in August 2026. Dravid joins a high-profile list of international stars investing in the new continental tournament.
The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) has confirmed former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid as the owner of its Dublin-based franchise, the Dublin Guardians. The announcement, made on Monday, 11 May 2026, marks a significant milestone for the tournament as it completes its six-team franchise structure ahead of its debut season later this year.ย European T20 Premier League: Format, Teams, Owners and All You Need To Know About ETPL Co-Owned by Abhishek Bachchan.
Dravid, 53, is part of an Indian consortium that successfully acquired the Dublin team. The legendary batsman, known for his long-standing commitment to grassroots development, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, citing the potential for cricket to expand across the European continent.
The ETPL is Europeโs first ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 competition. It is launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB). The league aims to provide a professional platform for emerging European talent while featuring established international stars.
Speaking at the launch event in Dublin, Dravid highlighted the growth potential of the sport in the region. He noted that Dublin already possesses a passionate cricketing community and that the league could play a meaningful role in nurturing the next generation of players across Ireland and the wider continent.
Dravid joins an illustrious group of former and current international cricketers who have taken ownership stakes in the league's franchises. The tournamentโs six-team line-up includes:
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Dublin Guardians: Owned by Rahul Dravid and an Indian consortium.
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Belfast: Co-owned by Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Rohan Lund.
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Glasgow: Co-owned by West Indies legend Chris Gayle and Vipul Aggarwal.
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Edinburgh: Acquired by former New Zealand internationals Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum.
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Amsterdam: Owned by a group including former Australian captain Steve Waugh.
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Rotterdam: Owned by a consortium featuring Jonty Rhodes, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen.
The league is also backed by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, who is one of the ETPL's co-founders alongside Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul, and Dhiraj Malhotra.
Rahul Dravid Named Owner of Dublin Guardians
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐!
One of cricket's greatest ever has a new title:
๐ข Owner, Dublin Guardians ๐ข pic.twitter.com/Unq2kytw6b
โ European T20 Premier League (ETPL) (@etplofficial) May 11, 2026
ETPL 2026 Schedule
The inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League is scheduled to run from 26 August to 20 September 2026. Matches will be hosted across the three participating nations, with venues in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam.
Organisers have already indicated that several high-profile international players have signed on for the first season. The list includes the likes of Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, Liam Livingstone, and Glenn Maxwell. By combining global star power with local European talent, the ETPL intends to establish itself as a mainstay on the global T20 circuit.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 12, 2026 11:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
