[Watch] Ravichandran Ashwin scores a quickfire 45 off 20 balls in TNPL
Indian spin master Ravichandran Ashwin demonstrated his batting prowess in a recent Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) game. On Sunday, July 14, the Dindigul Dragons and Chepauk Super Gillies squared off in the 13th match of the TNPL 2024 at SNR College Cricket Ground in Coimbatore.
Cheapauk Super Gillies captain Baba Aparajith won the toss and chose to bowl first after it was reduced to seven overs due to rain. The Dindigul Dragons had a disastrous start, as they lost two wickets in the opening over. Both Shivam Singh and Boopathi Kumar went to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.
Dindigul’s captain, Ashwin, who came to open the innings, however, was brilliant. The right-handed batter remained unbeaten on 45 of 20 balls, including three boundaries and four sixes. However, no batter supported him from the other end, as the Dindigul Dragons finished 64/6 in their seven overs. Abhishek Tanwar and Ganeshan Periswamy bagged two wickets for Chepauk.
Here’s the video of the fiery innings from Ashwin:
In response, Chepauk lost opener D Santosh Kumar on the first ball. However, it was a cakewalk after that, as N Jagadessan (32* off 14 balls) and Baba Aparajith (31* off 14 balls) played brilliant innings to guide the Chepauk Super Gillies to a nine-wicket win with 13 balls remaining.
Ravichandran Ashwin shared how MS Dhoni gave him the same advice for 15 years
Ravichandran Ashwin, who began his career under MS Dhoni, said the latter knows how to bring out the best in his players. While speaking with Revsportz, the premier off-spinner recalled how Dhoni always gave him one piece of advice whenever he approached for feedback.
Ashwin said:
"I met him in Dubai after a game between Delhi against CSK and I asked him, 'how you find it'. I have developed that back spin. He said, 'you are always like that. It has been your strength. Remember, you continue to be funky. Remember, you continue to work on your variations'. I was like, this was what he told me 15 years ago."
"The man continued to see the same thing. And then like after a brief pause, he told me again, 'you know what, I know what you are thinking but that is your strength. So, keep being funky, keep expressing yourself,'" Ashwin continued.
Ashwin will next be seen in action on July 17 in the 16th match of the TNPL between the IDream Trippur Tamizhans and the Dindigul Dragons.