Indian legend spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was unsold at the ILT20 2026 auction even though he was among the big-name players in the auction pool. Bidding began with the highest base price of USD 120,000, and the 39-year-old remained unsold. Although Ashwin was unsold at the auction, he has already bagged a record contract with Sydney Thunder for the Big Bash League (BBL), which makes him the first Indian cricketer to play the competition. The all-rounder, who went out of international cricket in December 2024 and the IPL in August 2025, had walked into the ILT20 auction as a marquee player. Having played 333 T20 games and taken 317 wickets, he was likely to be one of the most sought-after players. Yet, the steep base price meant Ashwin had no one to buy him in the first round. But the Chennai-born could be selected in the fast-tracked round that is to be held later. Also Read | Asia Cup 2025 Trophy Row: India vs Mohsin Naqvi Drama Significantly, he was not the first high-profile player to be rejected at the auction. England's experienced fast bowler James Anderson, with a starting price tag of USD 40,000, and Pakistan's Mohammad Amir, who had a price tag of USD 80,000, too were left unsold in an auction, where more than 300 players were put up for sale. Meanwhile, for the IPL alone, he played for five teams in 221 games, taking 187 wickets. His last IPL outing for the Chennai Super Kings was in May 2025. For India, he has been a match-winner for top events such as the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. Before the ILT20 auction, Sydney Thunder had already confirmed his signing for the 2025-26 Big Bash League season, marking a historic moment for the franchise as well as for Indian cricket. Ashwin thus became the first capped Indian male cricketer to play in the BBL. Ashwin himself revealed his enthusiasm to join the team.