How Ashwin masterminded Dingidul Dragons to their maiden TNPL title

2018: Runners-up

2019: Runners-up

2024: 🏆Champions

Lyca Kovai Kings and Chepauk Super Gillies, in between them, have won five out of the possible seven Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) titles. They are the behemoths of this tournament. 

Imagine if they are two out of the three opponents in front of you in a quest to lift that trophy. Anyone would tremble in fear, but not Dindigul Dragons, who transformed themselves into an outworldly avatar to not just defeat CSG and LKK in the playoffs but also to break the jinx and lift that title. 

“I'm very happy; it [the TNPL win] really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Baba Indrajith told Cricket.com in a telephone conversation after the win. 

“This is our [Dindigul Dragons] and my first title. We badly wanted to win this, and with Ashwin Anna leading the team and a lot of senior players in it, it feels great to be part of this team,” he added. 

For the Dragons, however, the journey was far from straightforward. On July 8 (Monday), they lost a crucial clash against the eventual wooden spoon-holders Salem Spartans. One loss turned into two quickly with them slumping to defeat against one of the pre-tournament favourites, CSG, and that their qualification probability at grave risk.

For a side that was trumped twice in the final, even reaching a final seemed quite far-fetched at one point. But that’s when their captain, leader, and ‘virtually a head coach’ Ravichandran Ashwin pulled the team together with one simple piece of advice: the tournament is all about getting two wins on the bounce. 

“It took a lot for us [Dragons] to get into that mindset. If you have a trophy or two behind you, it is a completely different thing, but when you have not won a trophy, it is not easy to have a positive mindset. Ashwin Anna kept saying that this tournament is about getting two wins on the bounce, and we will look like a different team, that’s exactly what happened,” Indrajith elaborated. 

That’s when the team required all the might and experience of Indrajith, who raised his hand for the team’s cause in a staggering run chase against LKK. Till then, Indrajith was going through his gears in the tournament but never had the opportunity to flex his muscles.

The Dragons were chasing 173, a score that isn't daunting by modern standards, but they were up against the runaway leaders in the ongoing edition who had one of the best bowling units. Before the clash, the Kings were unbeaten across their last ten fixtures as well.

And, even in the run chase, at 99/3 in 13 overs with a relatively weaker lower order, it was going to require a superhero effort from someone for DD to triumph. On the night, that superhero effort came from Indrajith, whose dazzling 49-ball 96, laced with 11 fours and five sixes, took the Dragons home nervelessly. 

“Before that game, we were aware that Lyca [Kovai Kings] were unbeaten in 10 games, and they were on a roll. Someone had to break their streak, and Ashwin Anna kept saying that we would break it. I also completely believed that we were going to beat that team,” Indrajith reflected on the meeting prior to the game against LKK. 

“That innings [96 off 49] wasn’t planned as such, those things happen naturally, when I went in to bat early, I was just thinking of getting the game to a good start. I never knew my score until I got to 92 or 93. That was the zone I was in, and we always had that belief,” he added. 

By now, you would have already seen mention of ‘virtually a head coach’ and ‘Anna’ a few times in this piece, and that only emphasises Ashwin's importance to the Dindigul Dragons’ setup. After all, he is one player who has seen all the ups and downs of the side. He was even at the auction table in between a ten-day break between two Tests, in both 2023 [Australia] and 2024 [England].

“He [Ashwin] wasn’t a designated head coach, but he was virtually a head coach; he was doing everything. From the outside, you see, it wasn’t necessary for him to involve himself so much in the league after playing so much for India and getting 500 Test wickets,” Indrajith praised Ashwin. 

Also Read: Evolution never stops for Ravichandran Ashwin, the batter

“His involvement was not just in his skills but other players' skills as well, not just on-field but off-field as well. In the last 30-35 days, including the camp [10 days], he was involved throughout. Right from the first person to the 20th person, he was involved with all, constantly pushing them to increase their fitness and strenght. I don’t think even a head coach would have done as much as him,” he further added. 

It wasn’t just Ashwin's presence outside the pitch that propelled the Dragons to greater heights in the season; he also demonstrated polished skills out in the middle with the bat. Generally known as a classical batter, Ashwin whipped out the reverse sweep and switch hits to great efficiency in the tournament, scoring 8% of his runs via that medium.  

“To be very honest, the first ten days of the camp in Chennai, he [Ashwin] was only practising the reverse sweep. He was practising that a lot, after our match simulation and the drills, he was practising reverse sweeps a lot,” Indrajith recollected.

“As you know, in the first couple of games when he opened, he didn’t have an impact, but he wasn’t able to get the shot out. Once he came into form, he started executing the reverse sweeps better. I remembered the practise days only, all that practise came fruitful.”

With the mega auction around the corner and as many as three franchises actively looking for a captain who can guide them to success, can Ashwin be a prime option? 

“Of course, everyone will see him as a captain, he has a very good cricketing brain. He’s always thinking of getting one up over the batter or the bowler. He has all the leadership qualities, I think he has the dream to win an IPL trophy as a captain, so why not,” Indrajith added. 

****

Uttar Pradesh → Delhi → Tamil Nadu

That’s a very weird journey, right? But for 27-year-old Shivam Singh, it was a route that took him from just being a domestic cricketer to playing for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League. 

What’s that Tamil Nadu doing there? 

Over the last two seasons, Shivam has been one of the most consistent performers in the tournament, having scored 720 runs at an average 45 and strike rate of 136.6, with a 360-degree game at his disposal. The same even earned him the moniker ‘Shivscoop’. 

Like Ashwin and Indrajith, Shivam too had an equal contribution to the Dragons’ success story, with 364 runs in the season, earning himself the much-deserved Orange cap. 

“Very good find, he’s [Shivam Singh] a very nice boy. He listens to everyone and wants to learn. He’s never shown that I have played the IPL, and this [TNPL] is one level down for me,” Indrajith applauded Shivam. 

“He's a very talented boy. I wasn’t aware of him when they picked him up at the auction last year. Ashwin Anna told me that they were going to go hard for Shivam, and when I watched the videos, I realized his talent. He can play shots 360 degrees. I’m glad he got the orange cap this year,” he added. 

A team’s championship run is only as good as its bowling unit, and for the Dragons, their bowling unit was their biggest strength, thanks to the spin twins Ashwin and Varun Chakaravarthy. While Ashwin is more of a traditional spinner, Varun’s ability to puzzle the batters with his mystery hasn’t changed one bit, with him taking 12 wickets in the season at an economy of 6.6. 

“Obviously, the mystery, even after so many years, people have not been able to read him [Varun Chakaravarthy]. He’s not very content with what he has; he always wants to improve. His constant desire to improve and his control over his length and pace make him a good character to have on the team. When you have characters like him, Ashwin, Shivam, and Sandeep Warrier on the team, you need a team to win the trophy. They bring positivity and presence,” he added. 

Sandwiched in a bowling unit with some of the biggest names in Tamil Nadu cricket was P Vignesh, a 19-year-old left-arm spinner who was playing his first TNPL season. Earlier this year, the left-arm spinner was within touching distance of making it to India’s U-19 setup for the World Cup in South Africa. 

However, the left-arm spinner wasn’t picked in the final squad, and he took the TNPL as the perfect platform to remind everyone of his talent. The 19-year-old finished the season with ten wickets, averaging just 16.1, bowling just three extras in the entire season, marrying consistency with discipline. But with the state already having an overwhelming amount of spin options, where does it put Vignesh? 

“It is a very good thing that we have a pool of good left-arm spinners at our disposal. It is going to be tough for everyone. You can’t play more than two left-arm spinners in a game. As you know, TNPL has been a left-arm spin tournament,” Indrajith talked about the left-arm spin conundrum. 

“The interesting thing is that this guy [Vignesh] is a youngster, and it is not easy to bowl when you have Varun and Ashwin in your team because the batters will play them safely and target Vignesh. With the way he started and ended, he’s shown a lot of improvement. He’s done very well at the junior cricket level as well, even with the red ball. Good head on his shoulder,” he added. 

While the league has seen several talents make the cut and showcase their worth, a few names caught Indrajith's attention. 

“There are many players but I think Jhathavedh [Subramanyan], he was at the IPL last year. Gurjapneet Singh is a really good prospect as well, Madurai didn’t have a good season. But I have faith in him, and hopefully, he will be part of the Tamil Nadu setup because he has good talent. Periyasamy has come good after two low seasons,” he said about the talents in the league. 

Over the last eight years, the tournament has grown from a filler for the absence of high-profile clashes in Chennai to a tournament played across five venues, with an eye on expanding to more states. Not just that, even on the field, the success of the tournament has been well on display with the quality of cricket, and TNPL 2024 served as proof for the same. 

“The competition has become very good. Even Ashwin Anna said this year that only one or two teams had a chance, but this year, everyone performed well. Every team competed well,” he concluded.

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