Ashwin and Dindigul Dragons cleared of ball-tampering charges in TNPL

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and his Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) franchise, Dindigul Dragons, have been cleared of ball-tampering allegations made by the Siechem Madurai Panthers. A probe by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) found no evidence of wrongdoing.

The controversy began after the June 14 match at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground, where the Panthers accused the Dragons of using chemically treated towels to tamper with the ball. Despite Dindigul securing a dominant nine-wicket win, Panthers CEO Mahesh S alleged “blatant ball tampering” and called for a formal investigation.

However, TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan confirmed that the towels in question were issued by the TNCA and were equally accessible to both teams. He added that match officials, including umpires and the referee, maintained continuous oversight of the ball and did not report any irregularities during the game.

The TNCA also noted that the towels were used to manage dew on the ball under on-field supervision. Panthers were asked to submit credible proof by 3 PM on June 17 but have not done so.

In the match, Ashwin went wicketless with figures of 0/27 in 4 overs, but delivered with the bat, scoring a quickfire 49 to help the Dragons chase down 151 in just 12.3 overs. The defending champions now have two wins from three matches this season.

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