Huge Relief For Ravichandran Ashwin In Ball-Tampering Allegations

The ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) took a dramatic turn as the Madurai Panthers team accused former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin and his team, Dindigul Dragons, of ball-tampering. It was a shocking letter that they sent to the TNPL management on June 14, 2025, regarding the ball tampering accusation.

It was the first time that Ashwin had been accused of ball-tampering in his long, successful career. Hence, it came as a shock not only for him but also for the fans. However, the former India offspinner was later cleared of all the allegations, thus bringing an end to this story.

Ravichandran Ashwin Ball Tampering Matter Explained

In response to the complaint filed by Madurai Panthers, the Dindigul management requested the Panthers to provide some evidence for the same. In the official complaint, the Panthers mentioned that the Dragons used a towel with chemicals infused in it, which made the ball heavier and produced some kind of metallic sound during the match. TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan acknowledged the complaint and requested the team to provide evidence that can be helpful for them during the investigation.

“They have filed a complaint, which we have acknowledged. Though they have to lodge any complaints within 24 hours of the game, we have still accepted it and have asked them to furnish proof of their allegations. We will be forming an independent committee if we find there is any truth to their allegations. Without sufficient evidence, it is wrong to put forth such allegations against a player and another franchise. If they don’t provide any evidence, then Madurai will face due sanctions,” said Prasanna as quoted by the Indian Express.

This came after the Madurai franchise COO, S Mahesh, wrote a letter to TNPL management. “A serious case of ball tampering occurred during our recent match against Dindigul Dragons. Despite repeated warnings, the Dindigul team blatantly tampered with the ball, using towels that appeared to have been treated with chemicals,” wrote COO S Mahesh.

Kannan also mentioned that the management has provided strict instructions on the usage of towels during the game. Since the monsoon season has started, the usage of towels has become mandatory. However, all the towels are provided by the TNPL. “They have to dry the ball only using the towels provided by TNPL. And every time the ball is hit for a six or immediately after a dismissal and over-break, umpires regularly check the ball, and they didn’t find any issue with the ball during the said match,” Kannan said.

Did Ravichandran Ashwin Do Ball-Tampering?

After a thorough investigation, TNPL CEO revealed that there was no proof of Ravichandran Ashwin Ball tampering TNPL 2025. He concluded that there was no verifiable evidence that could prove that the Dindigul Dragons have done ball-tampering. It releases them of all the allegations ahead of the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, Siechim Madurai Panthers can also face some serious sanctions if they fail to provide any proof for their allegations. The sanctions can be put under the TNCA Code of Conduct. Kannan even claimed that Madurai had breached the procedure by lodging their complaint after more than 24 hours of the DD vs SMP TNPL 2026 match at Salem.

Ball-Tampering Consequences

In general, ball tampering is a Level 2 or Level 3 offense under the ICC's code of conduct. Typically, this is followed in most of the tournaments, be it international, national, or domestic. Considering the code of conduct on ball tampering, if Ravichandran Ashwin had been found guilty of the offense, he would have been banned from one or two matches, depending on the severity of the offense.

This might have directly impacted his inclusion in the IPL as well. Apart from that, some amount of fines and penalties might be imposed on the player and the team as well. Since the entire team is also accused of ball tampering, there might be serious consequences against them if they are found guilty.