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R Ashwin delivered a match-winning performance in the final, leading his team, the Dindigul Dragons, to victory and securing the TNPL 2024 title.
Veteran India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin discussed expanding his batting skills following his recent performances in the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2024. While Ashwin has long been recognized as an all-rounder in Test cricket, he had limited chances to showcase his batting in white-ball cricket internationally. Nevertheless, he demonstrated his batting capabilities on several occasions during the IPL.
Following IPL 2024, Ashwin dedicated significant effort to enhancing his batting, incorporating new shots and focusing on targeting the areas square of the wicket. His hard work paid off in the TNPL 2024 final, where he played a crucial innings to secure the title for his team, the Dindigul Dragons. Ashwin scored 52 runs from 46 balls, including one four and three sixes.
Ashwin amassed 252 runs in 10 TNPL matches this season, boasting an impressive strike rate of 151.80. He notched three half-centuries, with back-to-back fifties in crucial games—the Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the final.
“Obviously, in the last IPL, I felt like I needed to widen my game and widen my horizons square of the wicket because I know I can hit the ball down the ground, and I can use my feet. Do I want to explore other options is something I had to ask myself. So if I can ask that question and if I can find an answer, it gives me a new avenue to explore and keep myself interested in the game,” Ashwin mentioned during a media briefing before the TNPL 2024 final.
In the final, the Dindigul Dragons faced the defending champions, Lyca Kovai Kings, and outplayed them to secure their first title. Dindigul chased down a target of 130, with Ashwin contributing a crucial half-century. He scored 52 runs, including a four and three sixes, and formed a 65-run partnership for the third wicket with Baba Indrajith, who made 32 off 35 balls.
After scoring 46 runs for the loss of two wickets in the powerplay, the Dindigul middle-order relied on Ashwin’s steady performance to finish the chase with 10 balls to spare. Earlier in the match, Ashwin also delivered a tight bowling spell, finishing with 0/13, while Vignesh (2/15) and Chakravarthy (2/26) were standout bowlers for the team.
