CHENNAI: A major controversy erupted in the ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2025, with the CEO of Madurai Panthers accusing Dindigul Dragons captain Ravichandran Ashwin of ball tampering during their match on June 14.
The Madurai franchise has alleged that the defending champions tampered with the ball using towels treated with chemicals during the first innings, making it difficult for their batters to score runs.
“A serious case of ball tampering occurred during our recent match against Dindigul Dragons. Despite repeated warnings, the Dindigul team blatantly tampered with the ball, using towels that appeared to have been treated with chemicals,” alleged D Pooja, the CEO of the Madurai franchise.
She said the ball's behaviour changed significantly after the powerplay, becoming heavier and reportedly producing a metallic sound when struck by batters.
Madurai has urged the league to test the towels used to determine whether any substances were applied and, if so, to take strict action against Ashwin and any other players involved.
“Our technical team is also investigating other possible methods used by the bowlers and fielders to tamper with the ball. We will submit a detailed report of our findings,” she added.
The letter also stated that the match referee's and umpires' failure to detect the issue and take action, despite repeated warnings from LYCA and SMP, was concerning.