ISPL is the biggest we have in tennis ball cricket, says Deepak Dogra
Jammu boy to play 2nd season of ISPL as Chennai Singams’ Icon Player
The second season of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) is all set to begin on January 26, 2025. Semi-finalists from the previous season, Chennai Singams, boasting two players from Jammu & Kashmir, including icon player Deepak Dogra, will kick off their campaign against the Falcon Risers Hyderabad on January 27.
“The ISPL is the biggest in tennis ball cricket,” said Deepak Dogra, the Icon player of Chennai Singams, who will draw from his rich experience as the Lions bid for glory in season 2 starting on January 26.
A left-handed all-rounder, Dogra represented his home state of Jammu & Kashmir in various domestic limited over cricket tournaments and runs a successful coaching academy in Jammu since the past 14 years.
“Tennis ball is how most cricketers around the world start out as kids, and personally even when I was representing J&K in age-group and first-class cricket, I continued playing in tennis ball tournaments across Jammu,” the 33-year-old top-order batter and left-arm spinner opined.
“But I never imagined tennis ball cricket would get a massive platform like the ISPL. A professional league is a dream come true for tennis ball cricket players and gully cricketers,” added Dogra, who is one of five siblings.
Like most, Dogra took to gully cricket as a child, and noticing his flair, his father, who worked in the forest department, enrolled the boy in a formal coaching academy where Dogra’s talent blossomed as did his dream of representing India.
“I am 33 now, but as they say, age is just a number, and I have not given up hope of playing in leather ball tournaments and even representing India. Who knows, ISPL could well be the stepping stone, be that platform for me,” Dogra stated.
“It is a proud moment to be turning out for Chennai Singams. The franchise’s management is very knowledgeable and passionate about the game,” he concluded.
Dogra was bought by the Yellows at his base price of Rs 6 lakh which he “will use to promote under-privileged cricketers at his academy.”
Chennai Singams Squad
Icon Player: Deepak Dogra | All-Rounder | North Zone
Zone Wise Break–Up
· South Zone: R. Thavith Kumar (All-Rounder), Siyyadri (Batter), V. Vignesh (All-Rounder)
· West Zone: Shubam Sangale (Bowler), Vedant Mayekar (All-Rounder), Ketan Mhatre - RTM (Batter), Sumeet Dhekale - RTM (Batter), Rahul Sawant (All-Rounder), Jignesh Patel (All-Rounder)
· East Zone: Jagat Sarkar (Batter), David Gogoi (Bowler)
· North Zone: Anurag Sharshar (Bowler), Farhat Ahmed (Bowler)
· Central Zone: Prashant Gharat (Batter), Mohammed Zeeshan (Bowler)
About Chennai Singams:
Chennai Singams, the Chennai-based Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) franchise, is co-owned by Rajdip Gupta, Sandip Gupta, and actor Suriya Sivakumar. The team has a roaring lion as their logo, which represents Chennai's strength and valor, while the vibrant yellow color enhances the city's radiance. The owners are committed to sports promotion and talent development, as evidenced by their ownership of multiple clubs and support for women's cricket. As the ISPL prepares for its thrilling T10 tennis ball cricket tournament from January 26 to February 15, 2025, Chennai Singams promises to captivate audiences with their spirited performances on Mumbai's streets-turned-stadiums.
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