Ashwin To Become First Indian To Play In MLC After Signing With San Francisco Unicorns

Veteran India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will make history as the first Indian-capped cricketer to appear in Major League Cricket after inking a deal with the San Francisco Unicorns, the franchise confirmed ahead of the league’s third season.

Ashwin, 37, arrives in the United States with a résumé few can match: a member of India’s 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy triumphs, 765 international wickets from 287 matches across formats, and the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history. He is also among the top five wicket-takers in IPL history, having represented Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals.

“The MLC has proven over recent seasons that it can put on a show, bringing in world-class players and offering significant exposure to US domestic cricket talent, and the opportunity to be a part of it with the San Francisco Unicorns was an opportunity I couldn't pass up,” Ashwin said in a statement released by the club. “Taking on the mantle as the first Indian-capped player to compete in Major League Cricket is a major responsibility that I fully embrace. My absolute focus is to help this franchise win games and push for its first Championship, while also putting on a spectacular brand of cricket for the Bay Area fans.”

Unicorns head coach Cameron White hailed the acquisition as a watershed moment for both the franchise and the league. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome a player of Ashwin's stature to the Unicorns. When you talk about match-winners and cricketing intelligence, his name is at the top of the list around the world. Bringing in the first Indian-capped player is a massive moment for our franchise and MLC as a whole, but first and foremost, he's joining to help us win games. His experience in high-pressure situations and his skill variations will be invaluable on the pitch and in the nets, and I can't wait to get into camp and start working with him.”

Ashwin had been slated to play for Sydney Thunder in this winter’s Big Bash League before a knee injury scuttled those plans, freeing him to commit fully to the MLC campaign.

San Francisco will open its season on June 19 against the LA Knight Riders at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium near Dallas, Texas. The tournament finale will be held at the franchise’s home venue, the Oakland Coliseum, on July 18. The Unicorns have retained captain Matt Short, Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Finn Allen and Haris Rauf as overseas players, while domestic rights were held on Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hassan Khan, Brody Couch, Juanoy Drysdale and Hammad Azam.

Ashwin’s signing adds star power to a squad that fell short of the inaugural title match last year and is determined to deliver the Bay Area its first MLC crown.