Ravichandran Ashwin and his Dindigul Dragons team have been cleared of ball-tampering allegations in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) after an investigation was conducted. The Siechem Madurai Panthers had accused the Dindigul Dragons of using chemically treated towels to alter the condition of the ball during their match on June 14 at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground. The allegation was that the altered ball made it difficult for the Madurai Panthers' batsmen to score runs.
The Madurai Panthers formally complained to the TNPL, with CEO D Pooja writing a letter stating that the Dindigul Dragons had used 'chemically treated towels' to tamper with the ball and favor their bowling unit. Madurai Panthers' coach Shijit Chandran stated, "The ball's condition deteriorated rapidly during our innings, affecting our batsmen's performance," and that the sound of the ball hitting the bat sounded like hitting a hard stone instead of a cricket ball after the powerplay. They requested the league to test the towels for any applied substances and take action against the involved players.
However, TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan dismissed these allegations, stating that there was no verifiable evidence to support the claims. He clarified that the towels in question were issued by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and were available to both teams equally. Kannan also noted that the umpires and match referee had maintained full oversight of the ball throughout the match, and no concerns were raised during play. In a statement, Kannan said that the claims appeared "speculative and post-facto in nature."
The TNPL further addressed the procedural issues with the complaint, as it was filed more than 24 hours after the match and not directly with the TNCA honorary secretary, rendering it technically "inadmissible." Despite this, the TNPL reviewed the matter to ensure transparency and fairness, forwarding it to the honorary secretary and Dindigul franchise.
The TNCA formed an internal committee to investigate the allegations. The committee concluded that there was no evidence of ball-tampering. The TNPL also cautioned that any baseless or defamatory allegations could lead to disciplinary action under the TNCA Code of Conduct and Operational Rules.
The Madurai Panthers were given until 3 PM on June 17 to submit credible evidence to support their claims and request an independent inquiry. However, as of the latest update, no such request has been made.
In the match where the allegations arose, Dindigul Dragons defeated the Madurai Panthers by nine wickets. The Panthers scored 150/8 in 20 overs, and the Dragons chased down the target in just 12.3 overs. Ravichandran Ashwin, the captain of the Dindigul Dragons, bowled four overs for 27 runs without taking a wicket and also contributed with the bat scoring 49 runs off 29 balls.
