Ashwin breaks new ground as first Indian player to join Big Bash League

Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has shattered a long-standing barrier by signing with Sydney Thunder, becoming the first male Indian player to join Australia's Big Bash League (BBL) on Thursday. His deal comes after he retired from international cricket in December and ended his Indian Premier League career last month, freeing him from the Indian board's restrictions that bar male players from participating in global franchise leagues. While Indian women have participated in the women's edition of the BBL, the BCCI has never allowed its male counterparts to join overseas T20 competitions, making 39-year-old Ashwin's Thunder signing a historic moment. "The Thunder Nation will welcome the biggest overseas signing since the League's inception, with Ashwin set to become the first...