Ravichandran Ashwin Cleared of Ball-Tampering Allegations In TNPL

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Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and his Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) team, Dindigul Dragons, have been absolved of ball-tampering accusations made by Seicham Madurai Panthers.

The Panthers had alleged that the Dragons used towels "treated with chemicals" to manipulate the ball during their June 14 match at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground.

Following these claims, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) launched an internal investigation. The association ultimately found no merit to the allegations. TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan confirmed in a statement as reported by PTI, "The towels in question were TNCA-issued and equally available to both teams."

Kannan further elaborated that "The Playing Control Team-including 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." He clarified that the towels were provided by the TNCA to both sides for drying purposes in case the ball became wet, and their use was monitored by the on-field umpires at all times.

In an earlier communication, Kannan had written to the Panthers stating, "The allegation appears to be post-facto, speculative in nature and based solely on internal team communications without supporting evidence."

The controversy erupted after Panthers CEO Mahesh S sent an email to TNPL officials accusing the Dragons of "blatant" ball-tampering. He also requested an investigation into the origin of the towels used during the game. However, the TNCA stated that neither the umpires nor the match referee reported any irregularities during or after the match.

Despite the strong allegations, the TNCA found no grounds for disciplinary action, and the issue now appears to be settled in favour of Ashwin's side.

The match in question saw the Panthers post a total of 150/8 in their 20 overs. Ashwin, though wicketless, was economical with figures of 0 for 27 from his four overs. He also contributed significantly with the bat, scoring a quick 49 off 29 balls as the Dragons comfortably chased down the target in just 12.3 overs, winning by nine wickets.