Published on: Jun 4, 2025 11:15 pm IST|Updated on: Jun 5, 2025 4:57 pm IST
The ninth season of Sriram Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is all set to lock and load from June 5. The premier domestic T20 tournament in Tamil Nadu is back with its latest edition, and we are up for the re-run of last season’s final in the curtain raiser. The opening game of TNPL 2025 is all set to be played between Lyca Kovai Kings and defending champions Dindigul Dragons at the SNR College Cricket Ground in Coimbatore.
Dindigul and Kovai had a collision in last season’s finals. Ravichandran Ashwin-led Dindigul Dragons defeated Shahrukh Khan-led Lyca Kovai Kings by 6 wickets to lift their maiden TNPL title. After a spirited performance in the last season, the team would be hoping to kick off their title defense on a winning note.
On the other hand, the Lyca Kovai Kings would be reminiscing about their wounds from the finals of the last season. After a disappointing final last time around, they would be eager to prove a point in the very first game against the team that gave them the pain of life. They will look to start strong and go deep into the tournament.
Let’s delve deeper into this post for the DD vs LKK Dream11 prediction.
Date: 5th June 2025 Time: 7:30 PM IST Venue: SNR College Cricket Ground, Coimbatore
Matches Played: 10 DD won: 6 LKK won: 4 No Result: 0 Tied: 0
Over the course of nine seasons, these two teams have faced off 10 times, with the Dindigul Dragons holding the upper hand with six victories. Their most recent encounter was in the TNPL 2024 final, where the Dragons secured their maiden title by defeating the Lyca Kovai Kings by six wickets.
The SNR Cricket Ground in Coimbatore is set to host the TNPL 2025 opening match between Dindigul Dragons (DD) and Lyca Kovai Kings (LKK). The pitch at this venue generally offers a balanced contest, allowing both batters and bowlers to make an impact. Batters will find the bounce reliable, enabling them to play their strokes with confidence, while the fast bowlers could get some early swing and movement due to the conditions. As the match progresses, spinners are likely to come into play, exploiting the dry surface and possible wear. A competitive first-innings score is expected to be around 160-180 runs, making it crucial for teams to assess the pitch early and plan accordingly. With Coimbatore’s weather usually on the drier side, dew might not play a significant role, but teams batting second should still be prepared for any changes in surface behavior.
Here are some key TNPL stats for the SNR Cricket Ground in Coimbatore:
DD Expected Playing XI: Vimal Khumar R, Shivam Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin (C), Maan Bafna, Baba Indrajith (WK), Atul Maruti Vitkar, Jayant R K, G Periyasamy, Sandeep Warrier, DT Chandrasekar, Varun Chakravarthy IMPACT PLAYERS: Karthik Saran M
LKK Expected Playing XI: Andre Siddharth, Sachin Baby, Lokeshwar S, Vidyuth P, Shahrukh Khan (C), Bhuvaneswaran P, Madhava Prasad (WK), Vishal Vaidhya, Maniraman Siddharth, Aaditya B, Govinth G. IMPACT PLAYERS: J Subrmanyan
As per the betting odds provided by most of the bettors, the last season’s runners-up, Lyca Kovai Kings, are tipped as the favorites to win this match.
The all-important clash between the Dindigul Dragons and Lyca Kovai Kings will take place on Thursday, June 5, at 07:15 PM (IST). Online live streaming will take place on the Fancode app. The TV streaming will take place on Star Sports 2 Channel.
Wicket-keepers: Baba Indrajith Batters: Andre Siddharth, Shivam Singh, B Sachin, V Khumar, Mann Bafna All-Rounders: Ravichandran Ashwin, Shahrukh Khan Bowlers: Varun Chakravarthy, Maniraman Siddharth, Sandeep Warrier
C/VC Options- Ravichandran Ashwin, Shahrukh Khan, Babar Aindrajith, Varun Chakrvarthy