Indian spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin has officially been ruled out of the upcoming Big Bash League 2025, after undergoing a knee surgery during his recent training session. The setback comes as a blow for fans, especially since he had agreed to feature for Sydney Thunder — marking what would have been his debut in the franchise T20 league.
According to confirmations from both Ashwin and the team management, the spinner injured his knee while training in Chennai. The medical assessment confirmed that he won’t be fit in time to participate in this season of BBL, forcing the franchise to make contingency plans.
Sydney Thunder issued a statement saying they’ll continue to monitor his rehabilitation progress and have left the door open should he regain match fitness before season end. But as of now, he won’t take the field in Australia this summer.
For Ashwin, this pause comes after his international retirement and heightened interest in participating in high-profile T20 leagues around the world. Missing the BBL stint means delaying one of his hopes to continue playing competitive cricket on foreign soil.
Fans across social media have expressed disappointment at seeing one of India’s premier spinners suffer a setback. The news has sparked conversations about workload management and the risks associated with athletes pushing their bodies beyond certain limits.