Ravichandran became the first Indian to join US Major League Cricket

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set to become the first Indian international player to play in the USA-based US Major League Cricket (MLC).

Ravichandran Ashwin has signed with the San Francisco Unicorns for the Major League Cricket season 2026. Ashwin has taken a total of 765 international wickets in 287 matches across all three formats of cricket.

He is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket and is among the top five in IPL history.

Ashwin was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Ashwin retired from international cricket in 2024 and also ended his Indian Premier League (IPL) career last year.

Ashwin’s achievements

39-year-old Ashwin, who is India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket after Anil Kumble, was set to play for Sydney Thunder in Australia’s Big Bash League but could not participate due to a knee injury.

Ashwin is among the top five highest wicket-takers in IPL history. He has played for his home franchise Chennai Super Kings as well as Rising Pune Supergiants, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and Delhi Capitals.

US Major League Cricket, 2026

The San Francisco Unicorns will begin their season on June 19, 2026, against LA Knight Riders at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium near Dallas, Texas. The tournament will conclude on July 18, 2026, at the franchise’s home ground, Oakland Coliseum.

The franchise had earlier retained overseas players including captain Matt Short, Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Finn Allen, and Haris Rauf. Domestic players retained include Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hassan Khan, Brody Couch, Juanoy Drysdale, and Hammad Azam.

Major teams of US Major League Cricket

The league consists of six teams – Unicorns, Los Angeles Knight Riders, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, MI New York, and Washington Freedom. However, matches are played only at three venues: Grand Prairie Stadium near Dallas; Oakland Coliseum; and Knight Riders Cricket Field in Pomona, California.

History of US Major League Cricxket

Launched in July 2023, Major League Cricket (MLC) is the first major professional Twenty20 league in the United States, designed to establish the sport in the mainstream American sports market.

Developed by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE)—a venture co-founded by Willow TV and The Times of India Group—the league aims to build a sustainable cricket ecosystem in the USA.

In 2023, MI New York won the first championship by defeating Seattle Orcas in the final played at Grand Prairie Stadium.