Former India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane revealed that talks about joining the inaugural European T20 Premier League began on the same day he announced his international retirement. Rahane will represent Amsterdam Flames in the franchise league, which will be held in Ireland and the Netherlands from Aug 26 to Sep 20.&nbsp;Speaking to PTI in an interview arranged by the ETPL, Rahane said the opportunity came soon after his retirement and made him think about the next phase of his career.&nbsp;“When I announced my retirement, I think the same day this opportunity came up. I took a day to probably think through it. Steve (Waugh), personally, called me and asked me if I’m interested to play for his team,” Rahane said.&nbsp;The 38-year-old said a call from former Australia captain Steve Waugh had a major influence on his decision to join the Amsterdam-based team.&nbsp;“I’ve got a lot of experience after playing cricket for so many years with a certain attitude and mindset. I thought it’s a great opportunity for me to go out there, probably create an impact globally and share my experience with other players. So I’m really looking forward to this stint with the ETPL,” he added.&nbsp;Rahane also feels that the ETPL could help cricket grow further in Europe, especially in Ireland and the Netherlands. Both countries have made steady progress in international cricket.&nbsp;“Ireland recently won the series against India. Netherlands, again, on and off, they’ve been doing really well. I’ve played many matches against them, especially in World Cups. The passion they have for cricket and their hunger to learn and improve is amazing,” he said.&nbsp;According to Rahane, the biggest advantage of the league will be the exposure it gives to local players, as international stars such as Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh are expected to feature in the tournament.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/korea-masters-2026-ashmita-chaliha-rakshitha-sree-advance-to-semifinals-1786100807211">Korea Masters 2026: Ashmita Chaliha, Rakshitha Sree advance to semifinals</a>&nbsp;Coaching greats Rahul Dravid, Steve Waugh and Matthew Hayden are also linked with the competition. Rahane believes this will give young European cricketers a valuable chance to learn and improve.&nbsp;“This gives them exposure to play with international players. When you play with international players, individually you learn a lot. That’s why I said this is a great platform for them,” Rahane said.&nbsp;“You never know which door will open for the players. It is a great start.”&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-can-india-reach-wtc-final-with-a-series-win-in-sri-lanka-1786096551558">Explained | Can India reach WTC final with a series win in Sri Lanka?</a><h3>Waugh's endorsement</h3>Steve Waugh, the co-founder and Chief Cricket Officer of Amsterdam Flames, is also pleased with Rahane’s arrival. He believes the former India captain has the qualities the franchise wants to promote.&nbsp;“Rahane represents everything you want in a professional cricketer - skill, resilience, humility and leadership,” Waugh said.&nbsp;“I’ve seen first-hand the composure and leadership he brings under pressure, and those qualities help shape winning cultures. His experience, leadership and character will be invaluable as we build Amsterdam Flames into one of Europe’s premier cricket clubs.”&nbsp;Amsterdam Flames CEO Tim Thomas also welcomed the signing and called it an important moment for the franchise.&nbsp;“This is about much more than adding an outstanding cricketer. It is about establishing the standards, culture and ambition that will define our club for years to come,” Thomas said.

Ajinkya Rahane said he received the offer to join the first-ever European T20 Premier League on the same day he announced his international retirement and a personal call from Steve Waugh convinced him to join Amsterdam Flames.

Former India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane revealed that talks about joining the inaugural European T20 Premier League began on the same day he announced his international retirement. Rahane will represent Amsterdam Flames in the franchise league, which will be held in Ireland and the Netherlands from Aug 26 to Sep 20. Speaking to PTI in an interview arranged by the ETPL, Rahane said the opportunity came soon after his retirement and made him think about the next phase of his career. “When I announced my retirement, I think the same day this opportunity came up. I took a day to probably think through it. Steve (Waugh), personally, called me and asked me if I’m interested to play for his team,” Rahane said. The 38-year-old said a call from former Australia captain Steve Waugh had a major influence on his decision to join the Amsterdam-based team. “I’ve got a lot of experience after playing cricket for so many years with a certain attitude and mindset. I thought it’s a great opportunity for me to go out there, probably create an impact globally and share my experience with other players. So I’m really looking forward to this stint with the ETPL,” he added. Rahane also feels that the ETPL could help cricket grow further in Europe, especially in Ireland and the Netherlands. Both countries have made steady progress in international cricket. “Ireland recently won the series against India. Netherlands, again, on and off, they’ve been doing really well. I’ve played many matches against them, especially in World Cups. The passion they have for cricket and their hunger to learn and improve is amazing,” he said. According to Rahane, the biggest advantage of the league will be the exposure it gives to local players, as international stars such as Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh are expected to feature in the tournament. Also Read - Korea Masters 2026: Ashmita Chaliha, Rakshitha Sree advance to semifinals Coaching greats Rahul Dravid, Steve Waugh and Matthew Hayden are also linked with the competition. Rahane believes this will give young European cricketers a valuable chance to learn and improve. “This gives them exposure to play with international players. When you play with international players, individually you learn a lot. That’s why I said this is a great platform for them,” Rahane said. “You never know which door will open for the players. It is a great start.” Also Read - Explained | Can India reach WTC final with a series win in Sri Lanka? Waugh's endorsement Steve Waugh, the co-founder and Chief Cricket Officer of Amsterdam Flames, is also pleased with Rahane’s arrival. He believes the former India captain has the qualities the franchise wants to promote. “Rahane represents everything you want in a professional cricketer - skill, resilience, humility and leadership,” Waugh said. “I’ve seen first-hand the composure and leadership he brings under pressure, and those qualities help shape winning cultures. His experience, leadership and character will be invaluable as we build Amsterdam Flames into one of Europe’s premier cricket clubs.” Amsterdam Flames CEO Tim Thomas also welcomed the signing and called it an important moment for the franchise. “This is about much more than adding an outstanding cricketer. It is about establishing the standards, culture and ambition that will define our club for years to come,” Thomas said.

Ajinkya Rahane said he received the offer to join the first-ever European T20 Premier League on the same day he announced his international retirement and a personal call from Steve Waugh convinced him to join Amsterdam Flames.

Ajinkya Rahane opens up on joining ETPL after India retirement

South African legend Jonty Rhodes believes that exceptional fielding remains one of the biggest match-winning factors in T20 cricket, and that philosophy played a decisive role in the Rotterdam Dockers' strategy during the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) draft. Replying to a question on whether athleticism influenced the franchise's player selections, Rhodes said the Dockers deliberately focused on recruiting players capable of making a difference in the field. He revealed that the franchise also added several players with South African connections while selecting four of its six Dutch players during the draft.&nbsp;According to Rhodes, building a balanced squad meant considering both emerging talent and experienced campaigners. That balance made athletic fielders even more important, as younger players would be expected to cover significant ground and shoulder much of the workload in the outfield. "Fielding, we understand, is a part of T20," Rhodes said, explaining that in several close draft decisions, the franchise ultimately chose the superior fielder over other available options.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-england-fans-can-stay-in-pubs-until-5am-for-the-mexico-fifa-world-cup-clash-1783018817458">Here's why England fans can stay in pubs until 5am for the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Mexico</a>&nbsp;The former South African great emphasised that modern T20 cricket is frequently decided by the finest margins rather than massive score differences. "T20 cricket is often won and lost by one or two runs," Rhodes said. “It's never big scores that make the difference.” That belief, he added, reinforced the importance of selecting cricketers who can contribute beyond batting and bowling by saving crucial runs, taking catches, and creating game-changing moments in the field. For the Rotterdam Dockers, the ETPL draft was therefore about much more than assembling a talented batting line-up. It was about creating an athletic, well-balanced squad capable of winning the small moments that often determine the outcome of T20 matches.<h2>Squads of all the franchises</h2>Rotterdam Dockers: Jai Moondra, Michael Levitt, Ryan Klein, Jasper Davidson, Vikramjit Singh and Saqib ZulfiqarAmsterdam Flames: Curtis Campher, Kyle Klein, Tim Pringle, Aryan Dutt, Jordan Neill and Max O'DowdIrish Wolves: Matthew Humphreys, Fred Klaassen, Tim Tector, Paul Stirling, Zainullah Ihsan and Alexander RoyDublin Guardians: Benjamin Calitz, George Dockrell, Matthew Hollard, Craig Young, Noah Croes and Chris GreavesEdinburgh Castle Rockers: Gareth Delany, Ross Adair, Jack Jarvis, Charlie Tear, Safyaan Sharif and Finlay McCreathGlasgow Cosmic: Brad Currie, Matthew Cross, Paul van Meekeren, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson and Chris McBride

Squads of all the franchises

Jonty Rhodes explains how fielding and athleticism shaped Rotterdam Dockers' ETPL draft, saying T20 matches are often decided by one or two runs

South African legend Jonty Rhodes believes that exceptional fielding remains one of the biggest match-winning factors in T20 cricket, and that philosophy played a decisive role in the Rotterdam Dockers' strategy during the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) draft. Replying to a question on whether athleticism influenced the franchise's player selections, Rhodes said the Dockers deliberately focused on recruiting players capable of making a difference in the field. He revealed that the franchise also added several players with South African connections while selecting four of its six Dutch players during the draft. According to Rhodes, building a balanced squad meant considering both emerging talent and experienced campaigners. That balance made athletic fielders even more important, as younger players would be expected to cover significant ground and shoulder much of the workload in the outfield. "Fielding, we understand, is a part of T20," Rhodes said, explaining that in several close draft decisions, the franchise ultimately chose the superior fielder over other available options. Also Read: Here's why England fans can stay in pubs until 5am for the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Mexico The former South African great emphasised that modern T20 cricket is frequently decided by the finest margins rather than massive score differences. "T20 cricket is often won and lost by one or two runs," Rhodes said. “It's never big scores that make the difference.” That belief, he added, reinforced the importance of selecting cricketers who can contribute beyond batting and bowling by saving crucial runs, taking catches, and creating game-changing moments in the field. For the Rotterdam Dockers, the ETPL draft was therefore about much more than assembling a talented batting line-up. It was about creating an athletic, well-balanced squad capable of winning the small moments that often determine the outcome of T20 matches. Squads of all the franchises Rotterdam Dockers: Jai Moondra, Michael Levitt, Ryan Klein, Jasper Davidson, Vikramjit Singh and Saqib Zulfiqar Amsterdam Flames: Curtis Campher, Kyle Klein, Tim Pringle, Aryan Dutt, Jordan Neill and Max O'Dowd Irish Wolves: Matthew Humphreys, Fred Klaassen, Tim Tector, Paul Stirling, Zainullah Ihsan and Alexander Roy Dublin Guardians: Benjamin Calitz, George Dockrell, Matthew Hollard, Craig Young, Noah Croes and Chris Greaves Edinburgh Castle Rockers: Gareth Delany, Ross Adair, Jack Jarvis, Charlie Tear, Safyaan Sharif and Finlay McCreath Glasgow Cosmic: Brad Currie, Matthew Cross, Paul van Meekeren, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson and Chris McBride

South Africa legend Jonty Rhodes says fielding and athleticism were central to Rotterdam Dockers' ETPL draft strategy, stressing that T20 games are often won or lost by one or two runs

'T20 cricket is often won and lost by one or two runs', says South African legend Jonty Rhodes

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Ajinkya Rahane opens up on joining ETPL after India retirement

'T20 cricket is often won and lost by one or two runs': SA legend Jonty Rhodes