Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been ruled out of the rest of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 because of an injury. It is a big setback for the San Francisco Unicorns, who signed him before the tournament. Ashwin was able to play in MLC after retiring from international cricket in 2024 and from the IPL and domestic cricket in 2025, allowing him to take part in T20 leagues around the world.
Ravichandran Ashwin ruled out of MLC 2026 with knee injury
The San Francisco Unicorns confirmed that Ashwin will miss the rest of MLC 2026 after suffering a right knee injury. Despite all the hype surrounding the veteran all-rounder joining SFU in the tournament in the USA, he featured in just one game this season, where he went wicketless and conceded 24 runs in the 2 overs that he bowled. Perhaps, the surfaces in the USA favouring pacers over spinners was the main reason why Ash was kept out of the playing XI.
“I’m disappointed to end the season early, but unfortunately this injury means that’s the right decision. I’ve truly loved my time with the San Francisco Unicorns and will be cheering the boys on for the rest of the tournament. Thank you to my teammates, the coaching staff, everyone across the San Francisco Unicorns organization, and all the Unicorns fans for your incredible support,” Ashwin said after being ruled out.
Australia fast bowler Peter Siddle has been named as Ashwin’s replacement for the rest of MLC 2026 by the San Francisco Unicorns. Siddle has already made a strong impact in the tournament while filling in for injured players Xavier Bartlett and Aaron Hardie. Meanwhile, Ashwin will be racing against time to recover and be fit for the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) which is scheduled to begin in late August. Ashwin is both the captain and mentor of the Dublin Guardians franchise – a team thatis owned by former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid. Ashwin was also supposed to feature in the Big Bash League (BBL) in the previous season after being signed by Sydney Thunder. However, he couldn’t do so as he had to undergo surgery.