Dindigul Dragons vs Lyca Kovai Kings: TNPL 2025 Opening Match Preview
Match Overview
The Tamil Nadu Premier League 2025 will commence with an exciting clash between Dindigul Dragons and Lyca Kovai Kings. This inaugural match is set to take place at the Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science Ground in Coimbatore on June 5, starting at 07:15 PM IST.
Dindigul Dragons
As the defending champions, Dindigul Dragons are ready to kick off their title defense against last season's runners-up, Lyca Kovai Kings. Under the captaincy of Ravichandran Ashwin, the team features a robust lineup of skilled batters and all-rounders. Key players include Ashwin, Maan Bafna, Baba Indrajith, and Atul Maruti Vitkar, showcasing their batting prowess. The bowling attack will be spearheaded by mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, alongside Ashwin.
Lyca Kovai Kings
Lyca Kovai Kings are determined to start the season strong after narrowly missing out on the championship last year. With a lineup that includes Sachin Baby, Shahrukh Khan, S Sujay, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, and M Mohammed, they are poised for a competitive performance. However, they will be without Sai Sudharsan, the IPL 2025 top scorer, who is unavailable due to national commitments.
Pitch Analysis
The pitch at this venue typically provides a balanced contest for both batters and bowlers. Batters can expect good bounce and pace, allowing them to settle in comfortably. Fast bowlers may benefit from early swing, while spinners are likely to play a significant role as the game progresses.
Head-to-Head Record
DD vs LKK Head-to-Head
| DD vs LKK Head-to-Head | |
| Matches Played | 10 |
| Won by Dindigul Dragons | 6 |
| Won by Lyca Kovai Kings | 4 |
| No Result | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
Probable Lineups
Probable XI
Dindigul Dragons: Vimal Khumar R, Shivam Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin (c), Maan Bafna, Baba Indrajith (wk), Atul Maruti Vitkar, Jayant R K, G Periyasamy, Sandeep Warrier, DT Chandrasekar, Varun Chakravarthy.
(Impact Subs: Hunny Saini, Aakash Sharma, M Viju Arul)
Lyca Kovai Kings: Andre Siddharth, Sachin Baby, Lokeshwar S, Vidyuth P, Shahrukh Khan (c), Bhuvaneswaran P, Madhava Prasad (wk), Vishal Vaidhya, Maniraman Siddharth, Aaditya B, Govinth G.
(Impact Subs: J Subrmanyan, Ramesh Divakar, Vidyuth P)
Key Players to Watch
Must-Pick Players for DD vs LKK
Top Wicketkeeper
- Baba Indrajith | DD: A consistent performer, Indrajith scored 286 runs in 10 innings last season, totaling 1199 runs in 56 matches.
Top Batters
- Shivam Singh | DD: Known for his explosive batting, Singh scored 364 runs in 9 matches last season, including three half-centuries and one century.
- Vishal Vaidhya | LKK: A key player for the Kings, Vaidhya has amassed 873 runs in 40 matches, including four half-centuries.
Top All-Rounders
- Ravichandran Ashwin | DD: An essential all-rounder, Ashwin has scored 525 runs and taken 30 wickets in his TNPL career.
- Shahrukh Khan | LKK: A match-winner, Khan has scored 1406 runs and taken 42 wickets in 65 TNPL matches.
Top Bowlers
- Varun Chakravarthy | DD: A mystery spinner, Chakravarthy has taken 42 wickets in 37 TNPL matches, with best figures of 3-21.
- M Siddharth | LKK: After a challenging last season, Siddharth aims to bounce back, having taken 48 wickets in 49 matches.