Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will miss the remainder of the 2026 Major League Cricket (MLC) season after sustaining an injury to his right knee. The San Francisco Unicorns have recruited Australian paceman Peter Siddle as his replacement; Siddle had already made an impact as a temporary cover for Xavier Bartlett and Aaron Hardie.
“I’m disappointed to end the season early, but unfortunately, this injury means that’s the right decision,” Ashwin said in a statement from the franchise. “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 team-mates, the coaching staff, everyone across the San Francisco Unicorns organisation, and all the Unicorns fans for your incredible support.”
The 39-year-old featured in only one match for the Unicorns this campaign, on June 20, conceding 24 runs from two wicket-less overs against the Texas Super Kings in Dallas.
With Ashwin unavailable, skipper Matt Short—currently the team’s leading wicket-taker—has shouldered the spin responsibilities alongside debutant wrist-spinner Anirudh Immanuel and left-arm finger-spinning all-rounder Hassan Khan.
Ashwin’s next likely engagement is the maiden edition of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), where he is scheduled to lead and mentor the Dublin Guardians, one of six franchises. The competition is set to take place from August 26 to September 20 across Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands.
Ashwin stepped away from international cricket in December 2024 and subsequently retired from the Indian Premier League following the 2025 season.
Despite the setback, the Unicorns sit atop the MLC standings with five victories from eight matches played.
