Lyca Kovai Kings:
Head Coach: Gokula Krishnan DJ
Captain: Shahrukh Khan M
Tagline: #semmaweightu
2021 Squad: Shahrukh Khan, T Natarajan, Ajith Ram S, Shijith Chandran, Ashwin Venkataraman, Abhishek Tanwar, K Vignesh, Ganga Sridhar Raju, R Kavin, U Mukilesh, Suresh Kumar J, Manish GR, Selvakumaran N, Atheek Ur Rahman, Sai Sudarshan, Gowjith Subash, Aravindh G, Nishaanth Kumar Alwar, Srinivasan E, Kiran Kashyap K, Anandakumar S, Yudeeshwaran V
2022 Squad: Abhinav M, Abhishek Tanwar, Ajith Ram S, Aravindh G, Ashwin Venkataraman, Divakar R, Ganga Sridhar Raju, Ishwar Suresh, Manish GR, Mukilesh U, Natarajan T, Raja M, Ram Arvindh R, Sai Sudarshan B, Selva Kumaran N, Shahrukh Khan M, Shijit Chandran P, Shriram C, Suresh Kumar J, Surya B, Vignesh K, Yudeeshwaran V
A team which has been consistent for the first editions always faltered in the penultimate stage, yes Lyca Kovai Kings it is!! The 2019 edition saw them miss the playoffs berth for the first time albeit NRR coming into play. Ruby Trichy Warriors and Lyca Kovai Kings were tied at 8 points each, but the NRR took Ruby Trichy Warriors to playoffs for the first time in 4 editions. The 2021 edition saw them trash out Nellai Royal Kings in the ultimate match crushing the hopes of the new franchise to enter the playoffs. But as luck favours them of losing out in the playoffs, the Lyca Kovai Kings were successful in losing to Dindigul Dragons in the Eliminator and they would try to reverse that jinx of losing in playoffs and lift the title for the first time.
The team boasted of stars like Abhinav Mukund, Anthony Dhas, Malolan Rangarajan (current fielding coach of RCB), M Vijay, Pradosh Ranjan Paul. The team has retained it’s core and has had few changes to their setup this edition and would like to bounce back from last year’s heartbreak.
Lyca Kovai Kings
The batting department consists of the L-R duo of Ganga Sridhar Raju, who earlier played for the Chepauk Super Gillies and also for the state team along with the dynamic wicketkeeper Suresh Kumar. Sai Sudarshan, who impressed all with his stroke play and earned a ticket to the state team and IPL and ultimately played for Gujarat Titans, would like to continue his form and improve his game play and fix his loopholes. He amassed 358 runs at an impressive S/R of 143.78 in his first edition of TNPL and was the leading run scorer for the franchise last edition. Master striker and powerhouse of the team, captain Shahrukh Khan, after a disappointing season of IPL 2022, would like to rejuvenate his form and bring back the elegant old horse play for the franchise this season. Ashwin Venkatraman, U Mukilesh would fill the middle order with the top order batters.
Shahrukh Khan
Sai Sudarshan
Ganga Sridhar Raju
The all rounders and bowling pack is led by K Vignesh and Abhishek Tanwar, the leading wicket taker for Madurai Panthers in the 2018 edition and also one of the top three wicket takers for Madurai Panthers in the 2019 edition. K Vignesh is the leading wicket taker of the franchise with 38 wickets at an economy of 7.32 and averaging 22.82. Last edition, he couldn’t contribute much due to injury and Yudeeshwaran and Divakar got the opportunities to prove their worth for the franchise.
The bowling army of Lyca Kovai Kings - Yudeeshwaran, Divakar, K Vignesh, Abhishek Tanwar and Ajith Ram (in order from top left)
Ajith Ram would be the lead spinner with some assistance from M Abhinav who has been drafted from Dindigul Dragons. Doubts would be looming over the fitness and the availability of T Natarajan, who has been on and off the field after the IPL 2020 stint and one would be waiting to see if he would draft into the team and help the franchise win matches and ultimately give them the opportunity to lay hands on the trophy which has been looming for a long period of time. Divakar R and V Yudeeshwaran impressed one and all with the opportunities they got last edition and they would hoping to cling on to the opportunity tightly and prove their worth again.
Lyca Kovai Kings start the TNPL 2022 with their opening fixture against Dindigul Dragons on June 26 at Tirunelveli Indian Cement Company Grounds. Live streaming would start from 7:15 PM
Probable Playing XI: Ganga Sridhar Raju, Suresh Kumar J (WK), Sai Sudarshan, Ashwin Venkatraman, Shahrukh Khan (C), U Mukilesh / Shijit Chandran, K Vignesh, Abhishek Tanwar, Ajith Ram S, Divakar / Yudeeshwaran, M Abhinav / Natarajan T
Dindigul Dragons:
Head Coach: S Badrinath
Captain: Hari Nishaanth C
Tagline: #IdhuNeruppuDa
2021 Squad: K Vishal Vaidhya, S Arun, Advaith Sharma, R Suthesh, S Swaminathan, L Vignesh, R Srinivasan, RS Mokit Hariharan, S Lokeshwar, C Hari Nishaanth, C Ashwin, MS Sanjay, V Lakshman, K Mani Bharathy, AR Siva Murugan, Gurjapneet Singh, R Vimal Khumar, Kishan Kumar S, Vigneshwaran S, Ravichandran Ashwin, R Vivek and M Silambarasan.
2022 Squad: Vishal Vaidhya K, Hari Nishaanth C, Srinivasan R, Vimal Khumar R, Mani Bharathy K, Lokeshwar S, A Ganga Pradeep, K Mukunth, R Ashwin, Vivek R, Mokit Hariharan RS, Arun S, Swaminathan S, Kishan Kumar S, Monish Satish, Karthik Saran M, Gurjapneet Singh, Silambarasan M, Sutesh R, Vignesh L, Advaith Sharma, Manoj Kumar T.
When you look at the yellow jersey, only two things flash in your mind. The mighty Australian side of the 90’s and the mighty led- franchise of CSK. Then comes our Dindigul Dragons. The team which missed out the playoffs spot only in the 2017 edition has been such a consistent team that has talent and experience blended together. The team had players like M Ashwin, Yazh Arun Mozhi E, Ganga Sridhar Raju, T Natrajan, Trilok Nag in the past. The team found it difficult to cross the finish line despite topping the table in the league stage in the 2019 edition only to get foxed by CSG’s G Periyasamy yorkers and losing the chance of being the champions for the first time. The 2021 edition saw the team fight hard for the playoffs with every dragon rising up to the occasion and delivering the results needed for the franchise. Likewise the 2019 edition, the Dragons again faltered to the Chepauk Super Gillies in the Qualifier 2 and missed their 2nd opportunity to enter the finals and win the cup.
Dindigul Dragons
The experienced Badrinath, who is an ex-India player and ex-TN captain, who also led and coached IDream Karaikudi Kaalai in the past, dons the role of the Head Coach of the franchise this year also. The experience and knowledge he carries would be a big boost to the new players in the setup. The franchise has retained the services of the core team and has picked relatively new faces and they would be raring to get a chance to prove their worth. R Ashwin would be on national duty in the India - England series would be a major miss for the franchise in this edition too.
Hari Nishanth C
Mani Bharathy K
In the batting front, captain Hari Nishanth would be raring to go and continue his form from the last edition. He is among the top 10 runs scorers of TNPL with 1106 runs at a S/R of 128.9 and averaging 31.6. Partnering him at the top would be Suresh Lokeshwar or Vimal Khumar who were having musical chairs last edition with their performances, but one would like to keep their performance neat and intact and would like to contribute much this edition. Following the openers would be the experienced R Srinivasan who captained the franchise for a brief period last edition before handing over the captaincy reins to Hari Nishaanth. Mani Bharathy, the wicketkeeper batter would follow suit as his explosive shots down the order would provide the needed impetus for the franchise.
R Vivek
The all-rounder pack is led by L Vignesh who has some experience with the state team and also in the TNPL. He has amassed around 791 runs in TNPL with a S/R of 175.39 and would be a key batter in the middle and in the death overs for the franchise. He has 7 wickets to his name in the TNPL and would show his experience for the franchise. The franchise also consists of an interesting candidate in RS Mokit Hariharan who previously played for the VB Kanchi Veerans. The player is an ambidextrous spinner who can bamboozle the batter both ways. He bowls right arm off break and slow left arm orthodox. R Vivek, another important all rounder from the Dindigul Dragons and also a retained player, would add spice to the flavour for the franchise. He is famous for a screaming one handed juggler at deep mid wicket dismissing J Kousik of SMP off M Abhinav spin in the 2019 edition. He also is famous for tearing apart M Prasath of IDream Karaikudi Kaalai wherein he scored 32 runs of his over. He has scored 789 runs in TNPL with a staggering S/R of 174.9 and can contribute with the ball when needed.
M Silambarasan
Gurjapneet Singh
In the bowling department, we have the young and dynamic left arm orthodox M Silambarasan who has been retained by the franchise. He is the leading wicket taker for the franchise with 29 wickets with an economy of 6.74. R Sutesh, left arm medium pacer would don the hat of leading the pace attack and would have his experience counted with the franchise. He was part of the RCB squad in 2009 but did not get a chance to feature in a single match with the franchise. Gurjapneet Singh, who hails from Punjab and settled in TN a few years back, is a hot property among the domestic circuit and his slow cutters would deceive the batters specially during the death overs. He was a net bowler for the CSK before IPL 2020 and had impressed the likes of MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu.
Dindigul Dragons start the TNPL 2022 with their opening fixture against Ruby Trichy Warriors on June 24 at Tirunelveli Indian Cement Company Grounds. Live streaming would start from 7:15 PM
Probable Playing XI: Hari Nishanth C (C), Suresh Lokeshwar / R Vimal Khumar, R Srinivasan, Arun S / Vishal Vaidhya, S Mani Bharathy (WK), R Vivek, L Vignesh, RS Mokit Hariharan, M Silambarasan, R Sutesh, Gurjapneet Singh.
