• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Relief For R Ashwin Tnca Acquits Dindigul Dragons Of Ball Tampering In Tnpl

Relief For R Ashwin; TNCA Acquits Dindigul Dragons Of Ball Tampering In TNPL

Debashis Sarangi

Ravichandran Ashwin leads Dindigul in TNPL [Source: @sportstarweb/X]Ravichandran Ashwin leads Dindigul in TNPL [Source: @sportstarweb/X]

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association has given a clean chit to Dindigul Dragons after thoroughly investigating the ball-tampering accusations on the TNPL franchise. This comes as a massive relief for Ravichandran Ashwin and his side following their stunning win over Siechem Madurai Panthers in the tournament. 

R Ashwin's Team Cleared Of Ball Tampering Charges In TNPL 2025

Led by legendary Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, Dindigul Dragons found themselves in troubled waters, as Siechem Madurai Panthers accused them of tampering with the ball to get an undue advantage during a high-voltage contest between the two teams on 14th June. 

In fact, the Panthers' COO, S. Mahesh, claimed that the Dragons used suspicious towels to dry the ball and tampered with it while doing so. 

However, upon investigating the matter, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association didn't find any evidence against the Dragons, eventually acquitting the team of the serious allegations. 

In an official statement, TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan revealed that Madurai's claim lacked proof, as the towels in question were issued by the TNCA itself and were used by players from both teams. 

"The towels in question were TNCA-issued and equally available to both teams. The Playing Control Team - including on-field umpires and the match referee - maintained full oversight of the ball throughout the match. No concerns were raised during play, and no verifiable evidence has been provided. The claims appear speculative and post-facto in nature." TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan was quoted as saying by The Hindustan Times. 

Now, as the Dragons have been declared not guilty, it remains to be seen if the league will take any formal action against Madurai Panthers for their baseless claims. 

Following their nine-wicket victory over the Panthers, Dindigul Dragons incurred a narrow eight-run defeat against Chepauk Super Gillies. Currently, they are placed fifth in the eight-team standings and will face Salem Spartans in their fifth group-stage affair.