Ravichandran Ashwin has led from the front for the Dindigul Dragons in the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2024 with all-round performances that has steered his team to the final.

Captain of the side in the TNPL, Ravichandran Ashwin – who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League – has also contributed with both the bat and the ball in the ongoing campaign.

In the nine matches in the TNPL 2024, Ravichandran Ashwin has scored 200 runs at a healthy average of 33.33 and an effective strike rate of 166.66, scoring 10 runs an over. His run includes three fifties, including successive ones in key matches – the Eliminator and Qualifier 2.

In Qualifier 2 against Idream Tiruppur Tamizhans in Chennai, R Ashwin scored 69 not out in just 30 balls – with 11 fours and three sixes – to take his team over the line within 11 overs. Earlier, P Vignesh did the damage with the ball by picking up 3/8 in four overs to restrict the Tamizhans to a lowly 108.

Dindigul Dragons chased the target with nine wickets and 55 balls to spare.

In the Eliminator against the Chepauk Super Gillies at Dindigul, Ashwin forged a 114-run partnership in 72 balls with Shivam Singh to lay the foundation for the last-over victory. His 57 runs came in 35 balls, and included four fours and sixes. Ashwin was named Player of the Match.

Ashwin has also picked up nine wickets in TNPL 2024 at 26.11 apiece at a strike rate of 21.22 and an economy rate of 7.38. He is the team’s second-highest wicket-taker of the campaign so far, trailing Sandeep Warrier and Varun Chakravarthy, who have 10 wickets each.

His best bowling figures in the ongoing TNPL season came in the opening match against the Trichy Grand Cholas in Salem, where he picked up 3/18.

Dindigul Dragons started the season on the backfoot, losing two of their first three matches. However, they won three of the next four to finish fourth in the TNPL 20204 points table and qualified for the playoffs.

Dindigul Dragons wil face Lyca Kovai Kings in the TNPL 2024 final on Sunday.