Debutant Nirankar shines as Dindigul cover for Ashwin and Varun in TNPL opener

Dindigul Dragons debutant leg-spinner Nirankar Sharma took 3 for 21 and played a decisive role in the Tamil Nadu Premier League season-opener here on Tuesday, stepping into the side’s spin department while R. Ashwin and Varun Chakaravarthy were absent. Ashwin remained in the dugout as a mentor and Varun was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The 2024 title-winning Dindigul side faced questions about how it would fare without two of its primary spin options, with observers uncertain about the team’s balance before the match. R. Ashwin was present off the field in a mentoring capacity rather than as a playing member, and Varun Chakaravarthy had not recovered from a hamstring issue. To fill that gap, Nirankar — who relocated from Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu to pursue his cricketing ambitions — debuted for the Dragons.

Nirankar operated as the lone Dindigul spinner on Tuesday and produced a tight middle-overs spell that applied pressure on iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans, finishing with figures of 3 for 21. His economy and control in that phase helped restrict the visitors at a crucial stage of the innings. The leg-spinner’s performance was recognized with the Player-of-the-Match award.

“I was just so excited. It was an emotional moment for me because I had waited for it (making his maiden appearance at such a level) for years. I could not have asked for a better debut. The Dragons management, Ashwin bhaiya and Inder (B. Indrajith) anna have been supporting me a lot,” said Nirankar.

The 26-year-old said he is relishing the professional breakthrough and learning from Ashwin’s presence within the setup. “I had dreamt of working with him. He has been superb with his mentorship. He is expecting a lot from me. Hopefully, I fulfil his expectations. I cannot ask for anything better with what is going on in my life,” he added.

After making a strong first impression in the opening fixture, Nirankar should strive for consistency.