Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, co-founder of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), on 12 May hailed cricket's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as a transformative moment that will deepen engagement between South Asia and the global sporting calendar. Cricket returns to the Olympic fold at LA28, marking only its second-ever Olympic appearance — 128 years after its sole prior outing in Paris 1900, when Great Britain defeated France in a one-off gold-medal match.

Speaking in Dublin, Bachchan underscored cricket's unifying power across the subcontinent and its potential to draw billions of viewers to Olympic coverage. "That's wonderful for the sport, because the population of the Indian subcontinent can tune in towards the Olympics. Cricket is a huge unifier and to have cricket in the Olympics, it's a great thing for the Olympics," he said.

ETPL's sixth franchise unveiled

The ETPL, an ICC-sanctioned franchise tournament developed with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB), has announced its sixth and final city-based team: the Dublin Gladiators, owned by former India captain and current national coach Rahul Dravid. The league now spans six franchises across Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam.

Dravid's appointment signals focus on cricket quality

Bachchan emphasised that Dravid's involvement reflects the league's commitment to on-field excellence over financial manoeuvring. "It was not tough at all. The day we spoke to Rahul, he was very, very positive," Bachchan noted, highlighting Dravid's insistence on prioritising player calibre and technical rigour. "His concentration was on the quality of cricket and the quality of players. That's why I was so happy that we went to Rahul to buy the team."

Indian player participation limited by BCCI rules

When asked whether active Indian national team members would feature in the ETPL, Bachchan clarified that BCCI contractual restrictions prevent domestic stars from competing in leagues outside the Indian Premier League (IPL). "The players who have BCCI contracts cannot play outside the IPL. We are going to miss our Indian players a lot in the ETPL," he acknowledged. However, he noted that a robust pipeline of international talent has already committed to the tournament, ensuring competitive depth across all six franchises.

Global cricket talent pool secured

Despite the absence of India's marquee names, Bachchan expressed confidence in the league's ability to attract world-class cricketers. "Apart from them, there are many other quality international players who have already committed for the ETPL. So we will be having some of the best cricket talent playing in the ETPL," he concluded, signalling that the tournament's inaugural season will draw from a deep roster of established and emerging global players.