Ashwin’s arrival excites Tanveer Sangha ahead of BBL 15: ‘It doesn’t get better than that’
Tanveer Sangha can barely contain his excitement at the prospect of sharing the dressing room with Ravichandran Ashwin, a bowler he grew up watching on TV.
The Sydney Thunder leg-spinner was just eight when Ashwin made his international debut. Fifteen years later, the two are set to play together in BBL 15, after the Thunder confirmed the Indian veteran’s full availability for the upcoming season.
“I’m super excited, I think he’s one of the smartest spinners going around and will be for a long time,” Sangha told cricket.com.au. “I think it’s not just about what he does on the field, but it’s about how he thinks about the game.”
Sangha, who claimed his 50th Big Bash wicket last season and recently earned a recall to Australia’s T20I squad for the India series, sees the 39-year-old as a mentor figure. “He actually manufactures wickets and figures batters out, so I think that’s where I’m really looking forward to picking his brain and having him on my team,” he said.
Ashwin brings immense experience, 765 international wickets and 333 T20 appearances, including 187 IPL scalps across five franchises. For Sangha, few opportunities compare. “If you get access to someone like an Ashwin, who’s been around spin for the last 20 years, in the country with the best players of spin, I think it doesn’t really get better than that,” he said.
Ashwin joins a spin-heavy Thunder lineup featuring Sangha, Chris Green, Tom Andrews, and Shadab Khan for BBL 15.
Published on Oct 29, 2025
