Ajith Ram: Born in Triplicane, raised at Chepauk

CHENNAI: Ajith Ram's journey to Chepauk was never a long one on the map. But returning to his home ground in Tamil Nadu's white jersey after 20 months on the sidelines was a journey marked by injury, uncertainty, and self-doubt.

Twenty months, ten days after his last first-class appearance in Nagpur, the 28-year-old marked his return in the state's white jersey against Uttarakhand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign.

“I did have a few initial nerves when starting because it all felt quite fresh to me,” Ajith told reporters ahead of the clash against Railways. “Coming back after such a long layoff, everything felt a bit new. But as the game progressed, I started to regain that feel. Bowling alongside Sai [Kishore], and with many others performing well too, getting back to this level and being back feels great.”

Right when Ajith was at the peak of his powers, with 34 wickets in the 2025 Ranji Trophy season, his career was abruptly halted. The left-arm spinner broke down with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his knee during the Tamil Nadu Premier League, which ruled him out for the next 20 months. The first three months were extremely tough, during which he could barely sleep.

“Once I accepted that this was the reality and began coping with it, my entire focus shifted to how I was going to make a comeback. Right now, my mindset is simply to go out, play, and enjoy the game. Whatever happened has happened, and nobody knows what lies ahead. Those 19 [sic] months really helped me focus strictly on my controllables.”

The 28-year-old then sought medical advice from renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala at Kokilaben Hospital and worked his way back slowly on the cricket field with support of his family. Alongside that, the left-arm spinner also completed his rehabilitation with physiotherapist Nandakumar and strength trainer Arun Kumar, who worked closely with the Ranji Trophy team. 

Tamil Nadu also rediscovered a successful spin partnership, with Uttarakhand experiencing its effectiveness first-hand as Sai Kishore combined with Ajith Ram to pick up all ten wickets in the second innings. The pair have been crucial to Tamil Nadu’s red-ball success, and in Sai’s own admission, “Absence truly teaches you the value of teammates”.

“Without us even consciously realising it, it turned into a solid partnership. Once I start keeping things tight and doing well from one end, he gets the freedom to attack and pick up wickets. Through that process, I end up chipping in with wickets too,” he opens up about the partnership. 

“That’s how it went, and as we started winning more matches, we realised this is what we need to execute at this level to win games for Tamil Nadu. That rhythm really came together starting from around the 2023–24 season.”

Ajith isn’t new to Chepauk; ironically, it was his home right from the start. “I was born in Triplicane, right near the Parthasarathy Temple, so this place is home to me. From a young age, I used to come with my parents to watch Ranji Trophy matches here. That was when I began dreaming about when I would get the chance to play at Chepauk. That’s where it all started.”

“It was the late VB Chandrasekhar sir who converted me into a spinner when I was very young. I began my cricket under him. I was too young back then to fully grasp it, but as I grew older, I idolised Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Their partnership for the Indian team was incredible—wherever they travelled in the subcontinent, they constantly picked up wickets. I always harboured a dream of picking wickets in tandem like them someday.”

Now back on the field after 20 months of uncertainty, Ajith has little time for personal milestones. The left-arm spinner has his sights set on something bigger: helping Tamil Nadu end its long wait for a red-ball title.

“It definitely feels like a significant milestone, but 100 is ultimately just a number. My goal is always to contribute meaningfully for Tamil Nadu whenever I play.”