In recent years, several former Indian cricketers have made their mark in overseas T20 leagues after stepping away from international and IPL commitments. Indian players are now exploring new opportunities to continue their careers abroad.
From Ravichandran Ashwin’s historic debut in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) to Shikhar Dhawan’s in Nepal’s Premier League and Unmukt Chand’s performances in the USA’s MLC, Indian cricketers are proving their skills worldwide. Veterans like Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, and Yusuf Pathan have also showcased their experience in leagues across Canada and the UAE. Here is the list of top players who have played in international leagues.
Indian Players Who Played BBL and Other Global Leagues
These Indian cricketers continued their journey after IPL and international cricket by playing in leagues like BBL, SA20, CPL, ILT20, and more.
Here’s a quick table of the players, the teams they represented, and their key highlights before we go into full details.
| Player | Overseas League | Season | Team/Franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravichandran Ashwin | BBL | 2025-26 | Sydney Thunder |
| Shikhar Dhawan | NPL | 2024 | Karnali Yaks |
| Unmukt Chand | BBL | 2021-22 | Melbourne Renegades |
| Unmukt Chand | MLC | 2024 | Los Angeles Knight Riders |
| Dinesh Karthik | SA20 | 2025 | Paarl Royals |
| Yuvraj Singh | GT20 Canada | 2019 | Toronto Nationals |
| Ambati Rayudu | CPL | 2023 | St Kitts & Nevis Patriots |
| Pravin Tambe | CPL | 2020 | Trinbago Knight Riders |
| Robin Uthappa | ILT20 | 2022 | Dubai Capitals |
Let’s take a detailed look at all Indian players who have played in the BBL and other global T20 leagues after making their mark in Indian cricket.
Ravichandran Ashwin In BBL 2025
Ravichandran Ashwin created history by being the first capped Indian male cricketer to play in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL). For the 2025-26 BBL season, he signed with Sydney Thunder to play the entire tournament, having initially planned for a shorter participation.
After retiring from international cricket and the IPL in August, Ashwin went to overseas T20 leagues. He entered the ILT20 auction with the highest base price but remained unsold. His presence in Sydney Thunder is expected to strengthen the team’s spin bowling department and mentor younger players.
Shikhar Dhawan In Nepal Premier League 2024
India’s star opener Shikhar Dhawan also joins this list as he played in the Nepal Premier League 2024. His participation occurred after he retired from all forms of cricket, providing him with the opportunity to play competitively and contribute to the development of local cricket.
Shikhar Dhawan played four matches for Karnali Yaks. In his four innings, he scored 136 runs with an average of 45.33, and his strike rate was 122.52. His best score was 72* off 51 balls.
Unmukt Chand In BBL and MLC
Unmukt Chand, a retired Indian domestic cricketer, has played in the BBL and MLC. Unmukt Chand impressed everyone with his batting in MLC. He represents the Los Angeles Knight Riders, where he scored 460 runs in 15 matches at an average of 32.85.
Unmukt Chand made his debut in the Big Bash League playing for the Melbourne Renegades on January 18, 2022. By doing so, he became the first Indian-born male cricketer to participate in the Big Bash League. Although officially representing the United States internationally. However, he played only two games in this tournament and scored 35 runs.
Dinesh Kartik In SA20 2025
After playing 60 T20Is and 257 IPL games, Dinesh Kartik went to play for SA20 in its 2025 edition after being selected as RCB’s mentor. India’s veteran wicketkeeper shocked everyone by joining SA20 after announcing his retirement from IPL.
He joined the Paarl Royals ahead of SA20 2025 and played 11 games. In his outing, he managed to score only 130 runs at an average of 21.67, and his highest score was 53.
Yuvraj Singh In Global T20 Canada 2019
Yuvraj Singh, one of India’s iconic all-rounders, has played in various overseas leagues post his international retirement in 2019. He played his last IPL match in 2019 for MI. Later, he joined the Global T20 league in the same year.
He featured in the Global T20 Canada for the Toronto Nationals and participated in the T10 leagues held in the USA and UAE. In Global T20 Canada, he played six matches and scored 153 runs with an average of 25.50 for Toronto Nationals.
Ambati Rayudu In CPL 2023
Ambati Rayudu continued his cricket career after retiring from the IPL by joining the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), where he represented the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in 2023.
He played only three games, during which he managed to score 47 runs with an average of 15.66. He was the second Indian player to play in the CPL, after Pravin Tambe.
Pravin Tambe In CPL 2020
Pravin Tambe, the second-oldest Indian to feature in the IPL at age 44, made a remarkable impact in the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He played three matches for the Trinbago Knight Riders at the age of 48. Tambe’s performance was exceptional as he took three wickets with an outstanding economy of 4.
One of his standout performances came against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, where he bowled four overs and conceded only nine runs, taking one wicket. This achievement highlighted his enduring skill and effectiveness as a leg-spinner, even at an advanced age, and contributed significantly to his team’s dominant campaign.
Robin Uthappa In ILT20 2022
Robin Uthappa joined the Dubai Capitals franchise to play in the International League T20 (ILT20) in the UAE. Robin Uthappa, who retired from international and Indian cricket in September 2022, was one of the first Indian players to be signed for ILT20.
He also became the 1st Indian batter to win the green belt in ILT20, scoring 79 off 46 balls against the Gulf Giants
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Conclusion: Will BCCI Allow Indian Players To Play Overseas Leagues
In recent years, several Indian cricketers have stepped beyond the IPL to explore global T20 leagues. From Ravichandran Aswin’s historic BBL contract with Sydney Thunder to Yuvraj Singh in Global T20 Canada, each player signed on the worldwide stage.
If the BCCI gradually opens up opportunities, we may soon see more active Indian cricketers participating in leagues like the BBL, CPL, and ILT20, to increase the influence of the Indian presence on the world’s cricketing stage.
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