Ravichandran Ashwin Cleared of Ball Tampering Allegations in TNCA League

Controversy Surrounds Former Indian Spinner

On Monday, former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin found himself at the center of controversy when allegations of ball tampering were leveled against him during a match in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) league. The accusations claimed that Ashwin and his team, the Dindigul Dragons, applied a chemical to the ball while drying it with a towel, allegedly to maintain its dryness. However, the opposing team failed to substantiate these claims, leading to Ashwin and his teammates being exonerated.

The Seicham Madurai Panthers stirred up a storm with their allegations, which were made following their match against the Dragons on June 14. They asserted that the towels used to dry the wet ball were treated with chemicals. Nevertheless, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association stated that no evidence was found to support these claims. The TNPL dismissed the allegations as baseless and fictitious.

In a statement, TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan clarified that the towels in question were provided by the TNCA and were equally accessible to both teams. The playing control team, which included umpires and match referees, monitored the ball throughout the match. No concerns were raised during the game, and no evidence was presented to validate the allegations, which appeared to be unfounded and made after the fact.