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The eighth edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is slated to kick off on July 5 with the curtain raiser between defending champions Lyca Kovai Kings and the Chepauk Super Gillies. Over the last seven seasons, we have witnessed some exceptional talents rise through the ranks and going on to establish themselves at the highest level.
The TNPL has been a breeding ground for local talents in Tamil Nadu while some of the top players have also plied their trade in the competition. Players like Ravichandran Ashwin have been a part of the tournament, which provides an opportunity to local players to rub shoulders with some of the best.
The previous edition of the Indian Premier League produced scores in excess of 200 on a regular basis, which has put bowlers under a =heap of pressure. The pitches on offer have been belters, and barring some of the top quality bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah or Rashid Khan, others have been taken to the cleaners.
It will be interesting to see how bowlers fare in the upcoming edition of the TNPL. On that note, let us have a look at five top bowlers to watch out for in the 2024 edition:
Five bowlers to watch out for in TNPL 2024
#5 Manimaran Siddharth
One of the bowlers to watch out for in the eighth season of TNPL will be M Siddharth, who has made a big name for himself by picking up Virat Kohli as his first IPL wicket. Unlike a traditional left-arm orthodox spinner, he relies more on arm balls and spins the ball back into the right-hander.
Siddharth was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Delhi Capitals in 2020 and 2021 respectively, but an injury jolted his IPL career. He moved back to domestic cricket and TNPL, where consistent performances have helped him get back into the scheme of things.
Warrier was snapped up by Lucknow Supergiants for a whopping sum of Rs 2.4 crores ahead of the previous edition of IPL. He bowled well in the limited opportunities.
Siddharth will be eager to continue his dominance in the upcoming edition of TNPL. He bagged 11 wickets in nine games for the Lyca Kovai Kings in 2023. His economy rate of 5.61 was the best for any bowler in the tournament having bowled 20 overs or more.
#4 Sandeep Warrier
One of the most experienced bowlers in the competition, Sandeep Warrier will look to make an impact in the upcoming edition of the TNPL. A skiddy customer who can crank up some serious pace, the 33-year-old fast bowler made his international debut (only T20I) against Sri Lanka in 2021.
Warrier will ply his trade for the Dindigul Dragons in the 2024 edition of the TNPL. He has been a regular feature in the competition, and his experience of running shoulders with some of the best in the world will keep him and his side in good space going into the tournament.
Warrier has played 10 matches in the IPL, with five coming in the 2024 edition for the Gujarat Titans. He had a great time with the ball, bagging six wickets in five matches at an impressive average of 19.83.
#3 Murugan Ashwin
The right-arm leg-spinning mystery spinner has been a regular feature of the TNPL and has taken a truckload of wickets in the domestic circuit. Ashwin will play for the Siechem Madurai Panthers and will be one of their go-to bowlers if the franchise harbour hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.
Ashwin was a regular net bowler for the Chennai Super Kings before being snapped up by the Rising Pune Supergiants in IPL 2016. He has played for various IPL teams and =bagged 35 wickets in 44 games.
He has quite a few variations up his sleeve, and given his experience and exposure of rubbing shoulders with some of the best, his team will be relying on his exploits to get them out of trouble.
#2 T Natarajan
Natarajan’s rags-to-riches story is bound to inspire plenty of budding cricketers but what he will be looking for is a splendid TNPL season to help him return to the national scheme of things. With the next edition of the IPL still a fair way away, this is the tournament Natarajan will target to get back into national reckoning.
IPL scouts and local pundits touted Natarajan as the Indian Mustafizur Rahman, with a wide range of cutters up his sleeve besides the ability to consistently nail his yorkers. He was bought by Punjab Kings in IPL 2017 before the left-arm seamer moved to the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Consistent showing in both IPL and various domestic events earned him a spot in the national team. He went on to make his debut for India in all three formats and became a regular feature, especially in the shorter formats of the game.
However, a string of injuries forced him out of reckoning, but consistent showings can help him regain his place back.
#1 Varun Chakravarthy
Chakravarthy might not be in the reckoning for a national comeback but is arguably the bowlers expected to feature in the eighth edition of the TNPL.
A mystery spinner who has bamboozled several top-class players in the IPL, Chakravarthy will hope to spin a web in the TNPL. The Dindigul Dragons will be heavily relying on his services to have a productive campaign.
Chakravarthy has been a consistent performance with the ball for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and played a pivotal role in their championship win in 2024.
His consistent showings had earned him a spot in the national team for the 2021 T20 World Cup. However it was the last time Chakravarthy was part of the Indian squad.
Having the ability to turn the ball both ways from a similar action makes him a tough nut to crack, especially for players who haven't faced him in the past. Can he work his way back into national reckoning with an impressive TNPL campaign?
