The Way TNPL Has Grown Over The Years Is Immense: Shahrukh Khan (ld)

By Pramit Meher

**TNPL's Rise Has Been Immense – Shahrukh Khan Reflects on League, Leadership & His Comeback** Shahrukh Khan, the hard-hitting Bat who's spent nearly two decades in the Tamil Nadu cricket system, is now one of the state's most prominent whiteball players and a seasoned IPL cricketer. And as it stands, he's just as proud of what the TNPL has become as he is of his own haul of trophies. The 2026 season was a special one. Shahrukh guided **Kovai Kings** to their **third championship**, beating Madurai Panthers by 84 runs in the final at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Aug 28. Andre Siddarth's quick 82 off 47 balls set up a solid total, and Kovai's Bwls then shut down Madurai for just 98. A dominant display all round. But for Shahrukh, the TNPL's value runs deeper than personal success. "TNPL has been a platform for a lot of players from Tamil Nadu, including me, Natarajan, Varun Chakravarthy, a lot of players," he told IANS. The league, which kicked off in 2016, has grown massively, and its impact is now visible in the number of TN players cracking the IPL. "And the way the tournament has grown over the years is just immense... very fortunate to be a part of this tournament." **On Leadership: Dhoni's Influence, Local Roots** After ~20 years in the TN circuit, Shahrukh has seen every captaincy style – from league to age-group to IPL. But he says his foundation comes from home. He specifically credits **Ashwin Venkatraman**, a TN league stalwart and ex-Kovai Kings figure, for teaching him how to read a Bat's mind and get inside the game. Out on the IPL stage, though, his idol is clear: **MS Dhoni**. "The pattern in which I go about is whatever I have got from him." **Form, Flaws & The Road Ahead** His IPL 2026 with Gujarat Titans was a tough one – he got dropped from the playing XI after months of battling a technical flaw in his Batting. But the comeback trail led straight back to the TNPL, where he hit a blistering **17-ball fifty against Dindigul Dragons**, one of the quickest of the tournament. As the next IPL season approaches, the TN Bat is banking on this revival to fire in India's premier T20 event. And he's hoping IPL scouts do the same for the next wave of TN talent. "I hope even this year, the IPL scouts see a few talents and picks so that the tournament grows even bigger next year." *Source: IANS* Source: Cricketnmore