Salem Spartans: Know All About Players, Owners, Captains, Coaches, Records, and More

The Salem Spartans are a franchise in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), one of India’s prominent state-level T20 cricket tournaments. Since their rebranding from Tuti Patriots to Salem Spartans in 2021, the team has aimed to build a strong identity rooted in regional representation and emerging talent. Salem Spartans is the costliest team in TNPL, with ₹5.21 crore of brand value.

This is the most valuable franchise in TNPL. With a strong emphasis on grassroots development, the franchise has been a platform to nurture future cricketers and showcase their abilities on big stages, thus helping them attract the attention of state and national selectors. The team is owned by Vivo Chennai south distributor Selvakumar M.

Team Information

Salem Spartans is a professional T20 cricket franchise representing the city of Salem in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). The team is owned by M. Selvakumar, the head of Vivo of Chennai, and acquired the rights of the franchise from Thoothukudi Sports and Entertainment LTD. In the 2021 edition of the league, they ended their journey in seventh position. In 2022, they played under the captaincy of Murugan Ashwin and finished at the bottom of the table.

Salem Spartans Jersey & Logo

The Salem Spartans' jersey and logo provide a deep in the identity of Tamil Nadu and the city of Salem, as its jersey has a combination of deep red, black, and gold. The upper part of the jersey, including the sleeves and shoulders, is a bold red that signifies strength, intensity, and passion. This red is seamlessly complemented by black on the lower half, representing focus, determination, and grit.

Sponsor logos like “FREYER” and “TAJ777 News” are featured in bold and big. The Salem Spartans' logo is a representation of strength, warrior spirit, and regional pride. It features a stylized Spartan warrior helmet, complete with a bold plume. The color scheme of the logo includes blue, gold, and red, mixing well with the jersey and reinforcing the brand identity.

Salem Spartans Captain, Vice-Captain, Details

In the 2024 season, the Salem Spartans captain was Shijit Chandran, the experienced all-rounder known for his consistent performances in domestic cricket. He was released ahead of the auction for the 2025 and they have yet to name their captain for the forthcoming season. Regarding the vice-captaincy, there is no publicly available information confirming the appointment of a vice-captain for the Salem Spartans in the 2024 TNPL season.

Salem Spartans History

The franchise was originally launched in 2016 as the Tuti Patriots, one of the founding teams of the TNPL. Based in Thoothukudi, the Patriots were among the most successful sides early on, famously winning the inaugural TNPL title in 2016. The Tuti Patriots continued to perform competitively for the next few seasons, reaching the playoffs twice.

In 2021, the franchise was bought by a new owner, who transformed and renamed it as the Salem Spartans. M. Selvakumar he is the Chennai Head of Vivo, bought the team and moved it to Salem. This change signified a new phase for the franchise that wants now hopes to serve from the western part of Tamil Nadu and cultivate cricket in Salem and the neighboring districts. The team plays its home games at the Salem Cricket Foundation Stadium. Although the team has yet to win a TNPL title under this name, the groundwork being laid in Salem appears promising for the long term.

Salem Spartans Owner

M. Selvakumar owns the Salem Spartans franchise in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. He's also a Vivo Chennai South distributor. Salem Spartans had the greatest brand value in the TNPL at ₹5.21 crore (US0,000). M Selvakumar filed a FIR at the CCB - 1 police station in Chennai last year, claiming he was scammed out of Rs 6.10 crore while buying shares in a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) team. In the FIR, Selvakumar mentioned four suspects/accused, including domestic cricketers Robin Bist and Akash Sumra.

Salem Spartans Administration and Support Staff

Behind every great professional cricket team are the people behind the scenes. A squad of specialists running things behind the scenes, ensuring that everything operates smoothly, that the players develop to their potential, and gameplans are executed. And the Salem Spartans are no different they have a committed and well-organized set of support staff which is a huge factor behind their success and development in the Tamil Nadu Premier League.

Team Owner

M. Selvakumar, the head of Vivo Chennai, serves as the proud owner of the Salem Spartans. Under his leadership, the franchise transitioned from the Tuti Patriots to the Salem Spartans in 2021. Though the franchise is yet to qualify for the playoffs after the rebranding but he has been exceptional as a leader off the field.

Team & Cricket Operations Manager

R Krishna plays a critical role as the Team & Cricket Operations Manager for the Salem Spartans. He is responsible for overseeing all logistical, operational, and administrative aspects of the team’s functioning.

Head Coach

Ram Prakash is the Head Coach for the Salem Spartans, and he brings thorough insight into domestic cricket in Tamil Nadu. He has been working on tactical planning, match readiness, and nurturing young players into future stars.

Mentor

Salem Spartans have not appointed a Mentor as part of their official support staff this season. However, that might be revealed as the games are played.

Batting Coach

The team does not currently have a designated Batting Coach on its coaching staff.

Bowling Coach

There is no officially listed Bowling Coach for the Salem Spartans at this time. It will be revealed in the upcoming days as the team starts playing in TNPL 2025.

Fielding Coach

Shyam Sundar and Porselvan are in charge of best of the best fielding performance of the Salem Spartans. They also help to enhance the reflexes, coordination, catching & direct-hit skills of the entire team.

Bowling Analyst

A key member of the coaching staff is KC Ramasubramaniyam, the Video Analyst. He is not a particular bowling analyst, his breakdown of footage assists bowlers with trend spotting, opposition batters' weaknesses, and an analysis of his own game.

Strength & Conditioning Coach

The physical fitness and strength conditioning is headed by RD Ashwin Kumar and Vimal Chandrasekaran. They make the fitness plans for each player, specializing in endurance, strength, agility, and injury prevention.

Physiotherapist

Perooru Rupesh and Vairav Sudharshan are responsible for all the physiotherapy of the Salem Spartans. There is an emphasis on injury care, treatment, and rehabilitation, and, all in all, the aim is to get players ready to play.

Salem Spartans Team Sponsorships

The Salem Spartans' current sponsorships include Dafa News India, which has partnered with the team as the Title Sponsor. Dafa News, one of India's most recognisable sports news and engagement sites, adds significant value to the Spartans' brand. CricAdda News has joined as an Associate Sponsor, adding to the sponsorship portfolio's strength.

CricAdda is fast expanding in the cricket infotainment arena, and they have picked the Spartans as their promotional partner to increase fan interaction during the TNPL season. The team's shirt also has extra sponsors, such as Freyer International. They also have TAJ 777 News as their sponsor for the side.

Salem Spartans Social Media

Salem Spartans has a professional presence on social media platforms, especially Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). They provide glimpses of TNPL, team achievements, behind-the-scenes training videos, matchday posts, and player interactions. The franchise uses its platforms to connect with cricket fans in Tamil Nadu and India.

Salem Spartans Instagram

The official Instagram handle for Salem Spartans is @salemspartanst20. The account features engaging content such as auction videos, player announcements, match highlights, and team activities. It has more than 18.5K followers, which showcases the team's identity and fan following across Tamil Nadu.

Salem Spartans Twitter

The official X (Twitter) handle for this team is @SpartansSalem. Here, they post about Salem Spartans match updates, live commentary threads, key player stats, lineup announcements, and community engagements.

Salem Spartans Stats

The franchise, previously known as the Tuti Patriots, was rebranded in 2021. The Salem Spartans have experienced both successful and rebuilding phases. In the most recent seasons, the team has played 42 games and has a decent record. Though they had a poor last season but they will look to change their fortunes in the forthcoming season.

Salem Spartans Batting Stats

Kaushik Gandhi has emerged as the most consistent and impactful batter for the Salem Spartans. He is the leading run scorer for the franchise with a total of 366 runs in 9 matches. He topped the team's run charts and played a vital role in anchoring the batting unit.

Salem Spartans Bowling Stats

Ganesh Moorthi emerged as the most successful bowler for Salem Spartans in the TNPL, finishing as the team’s highest wicket-taker. In 27 matches, Ganesh has 17 wickets, consistently providing breakthroughs and maintaining control over the opposition’s scoring rate.

Salem Spartans Performance Over the Years

The franchise formerly known as TUTI Patriots, now operating as the Salem Spartans, in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) from 2016 to 2024. The team had a strong start to its journey in the TNPL, finishing 3rd in 2016 and going on to become champions, followed by a dominant unbeaten run in 2017, topping the table with 7 wins in as many matches. In 2018, they maintained competitive form, finishing 5th with 4 wins.

However, starting from 2019, the franchise's performance declined sharply. In 2019, they managed only 2 wins, finishing 6th. The rebranded Salem Spartans era from 2021 onwards has been particularly underwhelming, marked by frequent bottom-table finishes. From 2021 to 2024, they secured only one or two wins per season, with negative Net Run Rates each year and two last-place finishes in 2022 and 2024.

Salem Spartans 2025 Squad: Players to Watch Out For

• Hari Nishaanth: Hari Nishaanth is a talented left-handed opening batter known for his elegance at the crease and ability to anchor an innings while maintaining a brisk scoring rate. A product of Tamil Nadu’s domestic circuit, Nishaanth has been a consistent performer in the TNPL. Nishaanth has also represented Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, featuring in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy campaigns.
• Poiyamozhi M: Poiyamozhi M is a seasoned right-arm medium pacer who has carved a name for himself in Tamil Nadu’s domestic scene and particularly in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). He is one of the leading wicket-takers in the competition.
• Mohammed M: Mohammed M is an emerging all-rounder who brings versatility and balance to the squad. He has a hat-trick in the match against Madhya Pradesh in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy. The all-rounder can anchor an innings or accelerate when required. He is one of the Salem Spartans players who can make the difference.

Salem Spartans Full Squad

Abishek S, Vivek R, Sunny Sandhu, Poiyamozhi M, Harish Kumar, Mohammed M, Hari Nishaanth, Karthick Manikandan, Ajith Ram, Nidhish S Rajagopal, Rahil Sanjay Shah, Boopathi Vaishna Kumar, Sudhan S Kandepan, Himalaya, Gowri Sankar, Eshwar M, Kavin R, Pavithran, Rahul D, Yazh Arun Mozhi.