Under the captaincy of veteran all-rounder of the Indian team, Ravichandran Ashwin, in the recent season of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2024, the Dindigul Dragons (DD) won their maiden title in the history of the league. They found themselves in a difficult situation towards the middle of the season but held themselves quite well.
The Ravichandran Ashwin-led side didn’t start well, with two defeats in the first three games of the season, both of which came by huge margins of seven wickets and nine wickets. But they made a great comeback in the middle of the event with three successive victories. Despite their defeat in the last group game, they somehow managed to stay in the fourth position of the table.
They kept on going with the same momentum, as they earned victories in the Eliminator and the second qualifier. An excellent display of both batting and bowling found them registering a six-wicket victory in the final of the tournament.
“Ravichandran Ashwin has the dream of winning an IPL trophy”- Baba Indrajith
The Tamil Nadu batter Baba Indrajith has lauded Ravichandran Ashwin for his incredible captaincy in the TNPL season, as both of them made a huge contribution to the success of the team in their maiden title win.
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The top-order batter finished as the third highest run-getter of the competition, with 286 runs in ten innings at an average of 40.85 and a strike rate of 133.02, celebrating a couple of half-centuries, with a best score of unbeaten 96 runs.
The captain was the fifth leading run-scorer of the season, with 252 runs in nine innings at an average of 36 and a strike rate of over 150, recording three half-centuries with a best score of unbeaten 69 runs. The off-spinner also picked up nine wickets at an economy rate of under seven to show his bowling skills in the event.
In an interview with Cricket.com, Indrajith lauded Ravichandran Ashwin for his leadership skills and revealed his dream as the captain of a side in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“Of course, everyone will see him as a captain, He has a very good cricketing brain. He is 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.” The 30-year-old expressed in a current interaction.
When the team needed to win three consecutive games in the playoffs to win the title, Ravichandran Ashwin promoted him in the batting order and cracked three back-to-back half-centuries.
Indrajith further touched on his involvement as the player with every single member of the DD squad during the TNPL 2024 season.
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“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.” Baba Indrajith remarked in the conversation. “Right from the first person to the 20th person, he was involved with all, constantly pushing them to increase their fitness and strength. I don’t think even a head coach would have done as much as him.”
Ravichandran Ashwin will be back for the national team again when he takes on Bangladesh in the upcoming two-match Test series in September. Later, he will also feature in the three-Tests against New Zealand at home.
