Sydney, Oct 10 (IANS) Sydney Thunder boss Trent Copeland said he couldn’t wait to welcome Ravichandran Ashwin to Western Sydney, calling the Indian great’s decision to play the entire BBL 15 season “another exciting moment” for the club.

“Ashwin’s decision to play the full BBL 15 season with Sydney Thunder is another exciting moment for our club,” Copeland said in a statement on Friday.

“From the outset, we put an offer to Ashwin to bring him to Western Sydney for the entire BBL|15 season. Following the initial announcement of his signing, conversations progressed quickly, and it was a no-brainer from Thunder’s perspective to bring him in for the whole tournament.”

Ashwin’s full-season commitment comes after he went unsold at the UAE ILT20 player auction, where none of the six franchises bid for him at the highest base price of USD 1,20,000. Following that, the 39-year-old moved swiftly to extend his Big Bash availability, committing to the Thunder for the entire season, including finals.

“This decision demonstrates Ashwin’s commitment to our club and what we’re trying to build,” Copeland added. “We’re delighted to be bringing in an icon of the game – a leader and world-class player on-field – and someone who will inspire a new wave of members and fans to join the Thunder Nation.”

Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last December and from the IPL in August, will become the first nationally capped Indian men’s player to feature in the Big Bash. His first appearance for the Thunder will be in their season-opener against Hobart Hurricanes on December 16, followed by a home debut in the Sydney Smash at Engie Stadium on December 20.

Copeland said the club hopes to extend their relationship with India’s second-highest Test wicket-taker beyond this season. If Ashwin enters the BBL 16 overseas player draft, Thunder will retain priority rights.

BBL general manager Alistair Dobson also hailed the signing, calling it a landmark moment for the league. “I think it’s a great sign that players around the world think the BBL is something that they want to come and play in, whether they’ve been here before or not,” Dobson said. “Talking to Ashwin and his agent over a period of time around the things that are important to him was a really interesting process … and I know the Thunder have done a great job getting him to sign with them with all the things that he can bring to them and they can offer him as well. It’s going to be a big part of our season, for sure.”

–IANS

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