Ravichandran Ashwin to miss entire BBL season due to knee injury

India’s seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been ruled out of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025–26 season with Sydney Thunder after undergoing knee surgery, delaying what would have been his maiden appearance in Australia’s top T20 league.

Ashwin, who retired from the Indian Premier League earlier this year, was set to become the first Indian cricketer to play in the BBL. He had committed to representing Sydney Thunder for the entire season after going unsold in the ILT20 auction. However, his plans have been derailed by the injury.

Expressing disappointment, Ashwin said he was “gutted” to miss out on the opportunity but emphasised that his priority now is recovery and a strong return to the game.

“I’m gutted to miss BBL|15. My focus now is recovery and coming back stronger. I’m grateful to the Thunder family and the fans for the warmth they’ve already shown me. If rehab and travel plans line up and only if doctors are happy I’d love to be around the group later in the season,” Ashwin said in a statement released by Sydney Thunder.

Sydney Thunder General Manager Trent Copeland expressed disappointment over Ashwin’s absence but said the franchise remains hopeful of having him visit the squad later in the tournament.

“Everyone at Sydney Thunder was devastated to learn of Ash’s knee injury that has ruled him out of BBL|15. From the moment we first spoke with Ash, his commitment to Thunder was clear. We hope to welcome him into our dugout later this season and build a long-term relationship,” Copeland said.

Despite the setback, Copeland noted that the Thunder’s men’s and women’s teams have been built as championship-contending squads and are expected to continue their progress from previous seasons.

With this latest development, Ashwin will also miss the upcoming Hong Kong Super Sixes, scheduled to begin on November 7. Sydney Thunder are now likely to consider an injury replacement, though their spin attack remains strong with Chris Green, Tanveer Sangha, Pakistan’s Shadab Khan, and Tom Andrews already in the line-up.