Ashwin remains integral to Dindigul Dragons as TNPL Season 10 mentor

R. Ashwin, the former India off-spinner, is serving as a mentor for the Dindigul Dragons in Tamil Nadu Premier League Season 10, according to coverage published on August 04, 2026 from Dindigul. He retired from all forms of Indian cricket last year and will not be representing the Dragons as a player.

Although he may no longer be sporting the Dragons’ playing jersey, Ashwin continues to be described as a key component of the franchise’s set-up; a photograph captioned "Dindigul R. Ashwin during a nets session." is credited to G. KARTHIKEYAN. The Dragons’ coaching contingent also includes Guru Kedarnath, R. Srinivasan, and K. Vignesh alongside Ashwin’s mentoring role.

Dragons’ captain B. Indrajith said Ashwin was "actively involved" in the lead-up to the new campaign and detailed his engagement with the side. "At the time of the auction, he was in the USA. He connected with us at 2 a.m. and gave us his inputs. He was with us during our camp in Salem. He is here with us and mentoring the boys. Be it practice sessions, planning or squad discussions, he is there," Indrajith said.

Coach Guru Kedarnath said the players had benefited from Ashwin’s presence but acknowledged the challenge of replacing him in the XI. He outlined both the gain and the loss in simple terms: "Ashwin, the player, is irreplaceable. We will miss him on the field... a player of his calibre."

Ashwin addressed the transition to younger players in a video message, stressing the franchise’s pool of talent and potential future stars. "I have been at the centre, but DD, as a franchise, has delivered exciting games over the years. We have a lot of young talents. Who knows, one of them could become the next great player from Tamil Nadu," Ashwin said in a video.

Ashwin’s mentoring responsibilities — including input during the auction and participation in the Salem camp — will continue as the Dragons prepare for the new TNPL campaign published on August 04, 2026, with the franchise relying on his off-field role while its young players step into greater playing responsibilities.