CHENNAI: With the tenth edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League set to begin in Dindigul with defending champs iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans taking on Dindigul Dragons on Tuesday, all eyes will be on the state top and up and coming cricketers over the next few weeks. The longest running state T20 league will see the first 20 matches played in Dindigul before the tourney moves to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai later this month.
One of the key aspects to look forward to in this edition is the change in pace of play. In recent years, TNPL has not seen too many big totals like the Indian Premier League or other state leagues. Last year, there were only four 200-plus totals. This season, however, it is expected to change. "We are looking at playing conditions where batters could hit more runs. We have seen in other leagues where 200-250 totals are normal. With T20 becoming more and more a batter's game, we are expecting pitches where runs are on offer and batters can score hundreds. That will also bring attraction of fans and the IPL scouts," Tamil Nadu Cricket Association president TJ Srinivasaraj told this daily.
Off the field, the TNCA is looking to take a more digital approach with the league to be streamed on YouTube. "It is a start. We will have streaming in Hindi, English and Tamil which will give a global reach on YouTube. I think there are at least 200 million active users at any point of time. That's a huge number, so they're also setting targets. Having said that, it is new for them also. It's a learning for both sides, but I think it should evolve and graduate into something really big," TNCA secretary U Bhagwandas Rao told this daily.
Meanwhile, the players will be keen to make the most of the opportunity and express themselves on the field. Tiruppur skipper R Sai Kishore and Dindigul captain B Indrajith spoke on similar lines ahead of the opener. "It's very hard to predict and say how this season is going to go. But one thing I'm very sure of is, I think we're going to see a lot of positive brand of cricket. That is the way things are going. People are going very hard from ball one. That is something which I'm expecting," Indrajith said. "Even last year nobody gave us a chance and we did the same. This time also we will always try to go out and play a fearless brand of cricket," Sai Kishore said.
Tiruppur vs Dindigul, Natham
Live on Sony Sports Network and YouTube, 7.30PM
