R Ashwin will captain the Dublin Guardians franchise in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The second-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket said that with cricket set to return to the Olympics in 2028, EPTL will play a big role in making the sport global.

“The Olympics will take place in a couple of years, and if cricket wants to become a global affair, the teams in this league will play a big role in achieving that,” R Ashwin told PTI.

Ashwin thinks that only the T20 format can globalise the game. “We will focus on T20 cricket and how it can get better. Cricket has to become global, and it has to become an Olympic sport; the shorter format is the way forward.

“This is how cricket is going to become bigger. The sample size of players will be better, which is critical for other leagues that run through the year. T20 will stay, but I am not sure about the ODI format,” he explained.

Ashwin is also excited about the growth of cricket in Ireland.

“This is an exciting prospect, and we can make it a good place for the players, who can get better and leave a lasting impact in the field. It is a tournament where we can pick a team and do well. We owe it to the Dublin team and also to cricket in Ireland. It is our duty to give them proper exposure and opportunities.”

For Ashwin, the new league is about the Irish, Scottish and Dutch players getting to show their talent. “We had this thing in mind from the first day. Rahul Dravid (team owner) and I spoke about it. We will stick to what we discussed.

We will develop a culture where cricket helps in growing at least one person.

Ashwin highlighted the importance of adapting to different situations and conditions. “You should adapt to conditions as soon as possible. We all saw what happened in the IND vs IRE series. It is a perfect example of how conditions can impact the aspects of the game that are the root cause of T20 as a sport.”

Amsterdam Flames co-owner Steve Waugh wants to see top England players in the league. “It would be nice if we had top English players in the future. It is important to develop players in Europe.

They haven’t been able to showcase their talent in the past. Once the league is established, we can have English players. It is going to be a great tournament with quality players,” Steve Waugh said.