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Nellai Royal Kings will look to bounce back from a disappointing defeat when they take on SKM Salem Spartans in Match 24 of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, August 20. The contest is an important one for both sides as the league stage moves towards its decisive phase.
Nellai started the tournament strongly and were among the early pace-setters, but their campaign has lost some momentum in recent games. They suffered a 45-run defeat against Trichy Grand Cholas in their previous outing, despite a fighting 63 from U Mukilesh. Trichy posted 182/8 before bowling Nellai out for 137.
The Royal Kings will consequently be keen to put that performance behind them. Their squad possesses a good combination of established domestic performers and exciting young talent, with captain Sonu Yadav expected to lead from the front.
Based on their squad, recent combination and performances, here is the predicted playing XI of Nellai Royal Kings for Match 24 against SKM Salem Spartans.
D Santhosh Kumar is likely to open the innings for Nellai Royal Kings. The wicketkeeper-batter provides an attacking option at the top and will be expected to take advantage of the powerplay.
He endured a difficult outing against Trichy, getting dismissed for a first-ball duck by Athisayaraj Davidson. However, one poor performance is unlikely to force him out of the XI, particularly with Nellai needing continuity at the top.
G Ajitesh should continue as Santhosh Kumar’s opening partner. The talented batter has the ability to play aggressive strokes and can put pressure on opposition bowlers during the fielding restrictions.
Ajitesh was also dismissed cheaply against Trichy, falling to Davidson for a first-ball duck. He will be eager to make amends against Salem and provide the Royal Kings with the fast start they need.
U Mukilesh is arguably the biggest batting threat in the Nellai line-up and should occupy the No. 3 position.
The right-hander produced an excellent 63 off 45 deliveries against Trichy, striking two fours and three sixes. Although his effort could not prevent Nellai from suffering defeat, Mukilesh once again demonstrated his ability to bat deep into an innings.
Earlier in the tournament, he was also Nellai’s leading run-scorer, having accumulated 108 runs after their first three matches.
Muhammed Adnan Khan is expected to retain his place in the middle order. The left-hander offers Nellai another attacking option and can be particularly effective against spin.
He was dismissed for just three against Trichy, with R Rajkumar getting the better of him. However, his ability to clear the boundary makes him an important part of the Royal Kings’ batting plans.
NS Harish should feature as a middle-order all-rounder. He gives captain Sonu Yadav another bowling option while also adding depth to the batting.
Harish had a disappointing outing against Trichy, scoring only three runs before being dismissed by Athisayaraj Davidson. Nevertheless, his all-round ability could be important against Salem, particularly if the pitch assists the slower bowlers.
Captain Sonu Yadav will be one of Nellai’s most important players in the contest.
The all-rounder has already demonstrated his ability to influence games with both bat and ball. He was among the team’s leading performers early in the campaign and had five wickets after Nellai’s first three matches.
However, Yadav was dismissed for 12 against Trichy after being bowled by Athisayaraj Davidson. He will be hoping for a much stronger performance in this crucial fixture.
M Bharath Kumar is likely to continue as a lower-order all-rounder. His ability to contribute with the bat and provide additional bowling depth gives Nellai flexibility.
With the Royal Kings potentially looking for more runs in the latter stages of their innings, Bharath Kumar could have an important role to play as a finisher.
Emmanuel Cherian should feature as one of Nellai’s specialist bowling options.
The seamer can provide an attacking option during the powerplay and will be expected to target Salem’s top order. With the Spartans possessing several aggressive batters, early wickets could be particularly valuable.
Sachin Rathi is likely to retain his place after producing an impressive performance earlier in the tournament.
The left-arm spinner claimed 3/17, including a double-wicket maiden, against Nellai’s opponents during the competition. His ability to pick up wickets while maintaining pressure makes him one of the Royal Kings’ key middle-over options.
Rathi could be particularly important at Chepauk, where spin is often a significant factor.
Rocky Bhasker could complete the pace-bowling group. He provides another wicket-taking option and gives Sonu Yadav the ability to rotate his seamers throughout the innings.
His main responsibility will be to keep Salem’s attacking batters under control, especially during the powerplay and death overs.
J Rohan is expected to round off the XI as another bowling option. His inclusion would give Nellai additional depth in the attack and allow Yadav to make tactical changes depending on the match situation.
D Santhosh Kumar (wk), G Ajitesh, U Mukilesh, Muhammed Adnan Khan, NS Harish, Sonu Yadav (c), M Bharath Kumar, Emmanuel Cherian, Sachin Rathi, Rocky Bhasker, J Rohan
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