"His story of being a PT teacher to where he has come is unbelievable" - Ravichandran Ashwin on C Sarath Kumar's TNPL 2024 final heroics
Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin captained Dindigul Dragons to title victory in the recently concluded 2024 edition of Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Ashwin was the Player of the Match in the team's summit clash against Lyca Kovai Kings, scoring 52 runs and registering bowling figures of 4-0-13-0.
Apart from Ashwin's half-century, C Sarath Kumar's explosive cameo helped Dindigul chase down the 130-run target in 18.2 overs to clinch a six-wicket win. The batter remained unbeaten on 27 off just 15 deliveries.
Opening up on the TNPL 2024 final, Ashwin recently disclosed that Kumar played the match despite not being able to throw because of a shoulder injury. He also mentioned how he was unhappy with the 33-year-old's form in the season.
Ashwin stated that Kumar asked for one last chance, and delivered when it mattered the most in the final. Speaking in his latest YouTube video, he said:
"His story of being a PT teacher to where he has come is unbelievable. This year, I told Sarath, you played well last year. This year, you are playing worse than last year. You have to improve, Sarath. Just one thing I told him. He asked me to give him one chance in the final. Because Shivam Singh got injured. I told Sarath, but Sarath had a shoulder problem last year. He can’t throw. I asked him about where to place him or should we play someone else?"
"But I had faith in Sarath that he would hit a 9-ball-20. But, when I asked him how he was going to hit a throw, he said, give it to me, ill give it my all. He got a catch at a different level. We kept dropping catches in the tournament. But he got an amazing catch," Ashwin added.
C Sarath Kumar featured in eight matches for Dindigul in TNPL 2024 and finished with 92 runs at a strike rate of 127.77. He was picked by Dindigul for ₹50,000 at the auction last year.
"Sarath Kumar's story is close to my heart" - Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin also spoke about how C Sarath Kumar was picked by Dindigul at the auctions. The seasoned campaigner stated that he had even asked the team owners to release him ahead of the auction to increase the team's purse, but the team management didn't agree.
"Sarath Kumar's story is close to my heart. I told my owner, I am a 10 lakhs player. I don't play TNPL every year. Please let go of me. Retain someone else. In the end, I am having to go back home. Then someone else will have to captain the team. He said, you are the one. I want to see you carry the cup," he said in the same video.
Ashwin added that Sarath was scouted from SS Rajan Trophy, a district-level tournament. Opening up on how Sarath was signed by the franchise, Ashwin said:
"70 lakhs is the budget. I knew the owner didn’t agree and it will become a problem in the auction. So, I had a selection trial in Sri Ramachandra Medical College. There will be an SS Rajan Trophy. It is a district tournament. I sent 5 scouts to the tournament. I sent the first-division players, gave them an excel sheet and asked them to note unique players. Sarath was one of the names."
"What I liked about Sarath was, in the selection trials, he was using his feet, hitting back and also played reverse sweep. It was very different. I told him to take his leg back and hit in the square instead of the mid-wicket. He was able to do it," he added.
Ravichandran Ashwin looked in impressive form in TNPL 2024. He scored 252 runs across nine innings, including three half-centuries. With the ball, he bagged nine wickets in 10 innings at an economy rate of 6.92.