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Ravichandran Ashwin’s Major League Cricket journey finally started on June 20, but his much-awaited debut came with a big selection twist. San Francisco Unicorns handed the experienced Indian off-spinner his first MLC appearance against Texas Super Kings, while Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf was left out of the playing eleven.
Ravichandran Ashwin missed the Unicorns’ opening match of the tournament against Los Angeles Knight Riders as part of the franchise’s workload management plan. However, with the team returning for their second game in Dallas, the former Indian star was included straight into the XI as San Francisco made two changes.
Ravichandran Ashwin made his MLC debut
The biggest talking point before the match was undoubtedly the inclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin. San Francisco Unicorns captain Matthew Short confirmed during the toss that the experienced spinner will make his debut for the franchise.
“We’re bowling. Obviously it’s a fresh wicket for the tournament. It’s looking a bit tricky underfoot as well, so hopefully making the most of those conditions here and hopefully it dries out a bit later on,” Short said.
When asked about Ashwin’s availability, the captain said: “He is yes. He is making his debut for us today, which is really exciting. We all know who he is and what he has done for Indian cricket. It is amazing to see him playing for the Unicorns here in the States.”
Ashwin replaced one of the overseas options in the lineup, while Connor Esterhuizen also came into the squad for Ollie Peake. More importantly, Haris Rauf was not named in the final eleven, indicating that the franchise preferred an additional spin-bowling option over a surface that provided grip and support.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s performance was poor in MLC debut
Unfortunately for Ravichandran Ashwin, his first innings in the MLC did not go as planned. The off-spinner was brought in in the fourth over and was immediately targeted by Texas Super Kings batsmen Milind Kumar and Riley Rossouw. Milind welcomed him by hitting a six over fine leg and then hit another six in the same over.
Ravichandran Ashwin conceded 15 runs in his opening over and failed to regain control later in the innings. Rossouw also hit a four against him during his second spell.
The veteran finished with figures of 0/24 at an economy rate of 12.00 from two overs, failing to take a wicket on debut. It was far from an ideal start for one of India’s greatest spinners.
Haris Rauf had a very poor performance in San Francisco Unicorns’ MLC 2026 opener
Ravichandran Ashwin was included just one game after Haris Rauf’s poor performance against the Los Angeles Knight Riders.
Pakistani fast bowlers were struggling badly in both line and length. He bowled several wide balls at the start of his spell and was later dismissed by Colin Munro and Jason Holder during the chase.
Rauf’s most expensive over scored 23 runs, in which Holder hit two sixes and a four. He ultimately finished with figures of 0/38 in 2.4 overs as LAKR chased down the target with ease in a rain-shortened encounter.
Given those costly returns, San Francisco Unicorns have opted for a different combination against Texas Super Kings, with Ashwin coming into the team and Rauf missing. Although Ashwin’s debut also did not bring immediate success, the franchise will hope that the experienced Indian will soon find his place as the tournament progresses. Also, San Francisco Unicorns won over TSK by 7 wickets.
