TNPL at 10: How the oldest State T20 league in India became a pathway to IPL, national team

From left, U. Bhagwandas Rao, TNCA secretary; T.J. Srinivasaraj, TNCA president; Shekhar Samiappan, head of media co-partnerships, YouTube India; and R. Rangarajan, TNCA treasurer, posing with the Tamil Nadu Premier League trophy. | Photo Credit: R. RAGU

In a world of countless franchise-based T20 leagues, the Tamil Nadu Premier League stands out for its longevity.

Now in its 10th edition, the TNPL began in 2016 with a simple goal – to identify talent in Tamil Nadu, give them an opportunity to perform, and facilitate a pathway to domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League.

And a decade on, the results are there for everyone to see.

In 2015, there were just five Tamil Nadu players in the IPL. In 2018, that number increased to eight, and by the 2022 season, it stood at 14. Fast-forward to today, and the landscape is more promising than ever.

Though new names have failed to emerge over the last few years, Sai Sudharsan, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Washington Sundar – the first batch of TNPL graduates – have become regulars in the Indian team across formats. 

Sudharsan is India’s first-choice number three in Tests, Washington is seen as a reliable all-format all-rounder, and Varun, until a few months ago, was the best T20 bowler in the world.

At IPL auctions too, TNPL players have attracted significant interest on several occasions. 

T. Natarajan, who played a part in the famous Border Gavaskar Trophy win in 2021, was purchased by Delhi Capitals for ₹10.75 crore in the 2025 mega-auction. 

M Shahrukh Khan, the hard-hitting finisher, was first bought by Punjab Kings for ₹9 crore in the 2022 auction before going to Gujarat Titans for ₹7.40 crore in 2024. Washington, too, went for big money after Sunrisers Hyderabad splurged ₹8.75 crore in 2022.

Impact on white-ball teams

Tamil Nadu has so far won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy thrice. Two of those titles have come post the advent of the TNPL – in 2020-21 and 2021-2022. 

Even in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, TN won the title in 2016-17 and finished runner-up in 2019-20 and 2021-22.  

Sai Kishore, undoubtedly one of the brightest spin bowling prospects in the country, believes the overlap is no coincidence.

“Tamil Nadu has always had a strong red-ball presence, even if recent results might not suggest so. But ever since the TNPL, a lot of white-ball cricketers have started coming through from the State. I’m myself a prime example of that; if not for the TNPL, I don’t think I would have made it to the Tamil Nadu team and the IPL,” Sai says in a conversation with Sportstar.

Sai Kishore, captain of IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans, seen during a TNPL 2025 match. | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M

Sai’s candid take is one that most players in the league would share. 

The TNPL, with its outreach to outlying districts and remote villages, has not only helped create a wider pool of talent but has also given fringe players the chance to get noticed.

“If you’re talented, the chances of you missing out have definitely reduced. For example, somebody who lives in a remote village, doesn’t have to worry anymore about how he can play for the State, because if that player has talent, he will get noticed by the scouts and play for a TNPL team,” Sai adds.

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“The league has helped in terms of mentality too. When I played in the IPL for the first time, I didn’t feel the nerves, because TNPL taught me how to control my emotions. I agree that fewer players have come through in the last few years, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the league’s fault.”

N. Venkataraman, secretary of the Dindigul Cricket Association (DCA), had an interesting anecdote to share while talking about the formative stages of the league.

“The NPR college ground here is one of the main reasons why the TNPL came into existence. When the then president of TNCA, N. Srinivasan, wanted to establish the league, I invited him to visit our ground. After finding out that we had such a beautiful ground in Tamil Nadu, he was convinced the league could be a success,” Venkataraman says proudly.

R. Ashwin presenting the Dindigul district's ‘Cricketer of the Year’ award to M. Mohammed. Also seen here is DCA secretary N. Venkataraman. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

In the first four seasons, the competition was held in three venues – Chennai, Dindigul, and Tirunelveli – before Coimbatore and Salem came on board in 2020. In the current edition, matches have taken place in Dindigul and Chennai.

“Before the TNPL, there were only 15 opportunities available in the Syed Mushtaq Ali. But now there’s space for 120 players (eight teams, 15 member squads) to make an impression. The SS Rajan Trophy, where 37 districts participate, also deserves credit for acting as a feeder system. Bhoopathy Vaishnavkumar, Karthik Charan, Essakimuthu, and I can point out more names than my fingers can count of players from villages who have gotten recognised thanks to the TNPL,” Venkataraman adds.

Viewership and revenue model

In terms of viewership numbers, the league has drawn over 20 million views every season, a marker of its enduring popularity. In 2021, broadcast viewership peaked at 46.9 million, while it gradually dropped to 31.24 million in 2023 and 25.38 in 2025. 

OTT viewership was 5.62 million in 2021 ( Hotstar), while it increased to 18.1 million in 2025 ( FanCode).

The 2026 season, however, has been different. The league does not have a paid streaming partner this season, and matches have been shown on YouTube for free.

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On top of that, TNCA has lost out on a chunk of sponsorship, owing to the Real Money Gaming (RMG) ban, even as Shriram Capital continues to be the title sponsor.  

But despite the shortcomings, U. Bhagwandas Rao, the secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, believes the TNCA has done a good job in handling the situation.

“The big difference this year has been the absence of Star Sports Network and the revenue we used to receive from them. Our contract with Star ended, but the new ownership was not interested in paying TNCA to broadcast the TNPL,” Bhagwan explains.

“But even with the challenges, we have ensured the quality of the product has not reduced. TNPL is still one of the best leagues in the country and continues to serve as a model for other State associations. With YouTube coming onboard, we have now been able to tap into the global audience as well,” Bhagwan adds.

When asked about areas for improvement, Bhagwan said TNCA wants to focus on improving its digital presence going forward. 

“In terms of social media engagement, we can definitely be doing better. If you have noticed, we have used a lot of graphic-related content this season to keep our viewers occupied, and we intend to build on this template,” Bhagwan says.   

So, with the final on the 28th, the latest edition of the country’s longest-running State T20 league will come to a close. Focus after that will naturally shift to Tamil Nadu’s upcoming domestic season, which will begin against Rajasthan on October 11 in the Ranji Trophy.

After the disappointment of last year when Tamil Nadu failed to go past the group stage in any of the three competitions, Sai is confident the team can bounce back.

“We need to show our worth. If we can find that team culture again, we will be unstoppable because we have always had the players. With the game heading towards a new gear in T20s, we should also make sure to adapt. Hopefully, we will have a successful run this season,” Sai concluded.