From tennis-ball cricket to TNPL, Viju Arul is making his mark

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is all about stories, and 32-year-old Viju Arul is weaving a unique one for himself. After spending years toiling under the sun, dominating tennis-ball cricket, Viju has now transformed himself into a key weapon for Dindigul Dragons in 2026.

Until a few years ago, Viju was still playing tennis ball cricket, with 131 appearances, picking up 125 wickets, averaging 15.26. But crucially, it was the toil with the tennis ball that gave Viju his unique action and his ability to bowl at crucial junctures in a T20 innings, with a list of variations, including the slower bouncer and a mean yorker. 

The 32-year-old’s transition to leather ball was smooth too, with 174 wickets across 131 innings at an impressive economy rate of 6.94. So, when the Dindigul Dragons picked him up at Rs 30 lakh, they knew what they were getting: a bowler who can do it all. 

A run-up like Brett Lee, and a bowling action that kind of mimics Shaun Tait, with a slingy release that makes it tough for the best of batters to line up against. So, what’s the secret behind his bowling action? Tennis ball magic. 

“I haven’t changed my action at all; it is the same bowling action that I had during my tennis ball days. It has worked really well for me,” Viju said after the Dragons' clash against Trichy Grand Cholas. 

Three games into TNPL 2026, the whole of Tamil Nadu now knows what they are getting. 

In his first TNPL game this year, the 32-year-old halted Madurai Panthers’ momentum twice, first removing Siddharth Mahadevan for 22 before removing NS Chaturved for 42. 

However, in the franchise’s next clash, Viju really unleashed it all, picking up 3/29 and capsizing Salem Spartans’ chances of chasing down 240, keeping the Dragons’ hopes of playoff still alive. Viju reveals that 2026 TNPL has been a special journey for him, with clear plans and strong backing from the management, including mentor Ravichandran Ashwin.

 “I have been playing TNPL since 2023, but this year is so special for me; I have been very confident. My plans have been quite clear; Ash [Ashwin] anna, the coaches have been helping me very well,” he adds. 

The 32-year-old continued that same momentum against Trichy Grand Cholas, accounting for both K Rajkumar and R Rajkumar, in the span of four deliveries. During the last few weeks with the team, Viju also found an able friend in Varun Chakaravarthy, who knows a thing or two about smooth transitioning into leather ball cricket. 

“Even Varun [Chakaravarthy] anna have been helping me a lot, spending time with me. It doesn’t matter where I’m; he sends me a message to check up on me. It is all very positive for me. I have been working the whole year, not just a few months for TNPL alone, so it is an amazing experience for me.”

Little did a young Viju imagine himself playing at Chepauk when he picked up a tennis ball for the first time in his life. Several years into his choice of becoming a cricketer, the fruitful days are arriving, with seven wickets in three games – a result of all his hard work. While the Dragons are all but out of the TNPL 2026 playoffs, Viju has certainly left a mark on the competition.