Varun Chakaravarthy for KKR [Source: BCCI]The ninth edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League gets underway on August 4, with eight teams battling across 32 matches before the final takes place at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on August 28.While the tournament has traditionally served as a launchpad for young domestic cricketers, TNPL 2026 carries even greater significance for several established IPL stars this time around. With IPL franchises already beginning to evaluate their squads for the 2027 season, a strong TNPL campaign could completely alter the fortunes of players whose stocks dipped during IPL 2026.1) T Natarajan- IDream Tiruppur TamizhansT Natarajan will represent IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans in TNPL 2026. The tournament could not have arrived at a better time for the Tamil Nadu speedster, whose IPL future suddenly appears uncertain after an underwhelming campaign with Delhi Capitals.Natarajan entered IPL 2026 with plenty of expectations after Delhi Capitals backed his experience in death overs. However, things never quite fell into place.The left-arm pacer managed only five wickets in ten innings, while leaking runs at an expensive economy of 11.18. His strike rate of 38 balls per wicket also reflected how difficult the season turned out to be.His only noteworthy performance came early in the tournament against Lucknow Super Giants, where he returned figures of 3/29. Beyond that, wickets completely dried up.In fact, several matches exposed his struggles at the death. Against Chennai Super Kings, Natarajan finished wicketless while conceding 54 runs. Rajasthan Royals took him apart for 1/54, while Sunrisers Hyderabad hammered him for 40 runs without losing a wicket to him. Now, if T Natarajan can once again showcase the pinpoint yorkers and clever variations that made him one of India's premier white-ball bowlers, he could significantly improve his chances of being retained or picked during the IPL 2027 auction.Also Read- CREX Inks Groundbreaking Deal To Promote TNPL's Historic YouTube-First Season2) Varun Chakaravarthy- Dindigul DragonsUnlike Natarajan, Varun Chakaravarthy's place at Kolkata Knight Riders is not under immediate threat. However, TNPL 2026 still represents a crucial tournament for the mystery spinner.Varun will turn out for Dindigul Dragons, hoping to put behind an injury-ridden few months that prevented him from performing at his usual standards.The mystery spinner endured a difficult IPL 2026 campaign despite finishing with 11 wickets in 11 innings. His economy rate of 8.78 remained acceptable, with Varun enjoying an excellent middle phase of the tournament.He dismantled Rajasthan Royals with figures of 3/14, followed it up with 2/34 against Gujarat Titans, 2/33 versus Lucknow Super Giants, and another 3/36 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.Those performances briefly suggested that the KKR spearhead had rediscovered his best rhythm. However, the season soon took another turn.Varun sustained a finger injury midway through IPL 2026, forcing him to battle fitness concerns for the remainder of the season. Although he returned to action, he never gained back his mojo.The form also carried into the international season. During India's T20I series against England, Varun picked up only one wicket in two matches while conceding runs at an expensive economy rate of 10.29. He leaked 37 runs in the second T20I before going wicketless for 35 runs in the third game, performances that were well below the lofty standards he had set over the previous two years.The mystery spinner has already established himself as one of the finest T20 bowlers in the country. Across 95 IPL matches, he has picked up 111 wickets. His TNPL numbers are equally impressive. Varun has claimed 53 wickets in 47 TNPL matches, striking every 16.25 deliveries while averaging just 21.36. That is precisely why TNPL 2026 becomes more about regaining confidence than proving his ability. Unlike some of the other players on this list, Varun's IPL future does not appear particularly bleak. Kolkata Knight Riders are still expected to continue backing one of their most trusted match-winners. However, another dip in form could certainly complicate matters.3) Shahrukh Khan - Lyca Kovai KingsShahrukh Khan will lead Lyca Kovai Kings in TNPL 2026, with the experienced middle-order batter carrying the added responsibility of captaincy. The tournament could be a massive opportunity for Shahrukh to rebuild his reputation after a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign with Gujarat Titans.Having established himself as one of Tamil Nadu's most destructive finishers over the years, Shahrukh was expected to provide Gujarat Titans with much-needed firepower in the lower middle order. Instead, he struggled for rhythm throughout the season.The right-hander managed only 43 runs in five innings at an average of 10.75, while striking at 130.30, well below the standards expected from a designated finisher.His scores of 4 against Punjab Kings, 11 off just four deliveries versus Rajasthan Royals, 3 against Kolkata Knight Riders, 17 against Mumbai Indians, and 8 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru reflected a campaign where he repeatedly got starts but failed to convert them into impactful innings.Now, playing on familiar conditions and leading Lyca Kovai Kings, Shahrukh has the perfect platform to remind IPL franchises why he has remained a valuable domestic T20 cricketer for several years.While Gujarat Titans may still value his experience, his retention or even long-term future with the franchise certainly does not look guaranteed unless he rediscovers his finishing touch in TNPL.4) Gurjapneet Singh- Siechem Madurai PanthersAmong all the players on this list, Gurjapneet Singh arguably enters TNPL 2026 under the maximum pressure. The left-arm fast bowler will represent Siechem Madurai Panthers, hoping to revive his IPL career after enduring a difficult campaign with Chennai Super Kings.Across eight matches, Gurjapneet managed only four wickets, while conceding runs at an economy rate of 9.26. His bowling strike rate of 37.75 further highlighted his inability to produce regular breakthroughs.He leaked 39 runs against Delhi Capitals, 34 versus Sunrisers Hyderabad, 36 against Gujarat Titans, 34 against Lucknow Super Giants, before once again finishing wicketless for 31 runs against Gujarat in the closing stages of the tournament. However, Gurjapneet's struggles in IPL should not overshadow what he has already achieved in TNPL.The left-arm seamer has picked up 34 wickets from 31 TNPL matches, averaging 23.15 with an excellent economy of 7.08. His strike rate of 19.62 underlines his ability to take wickets regularly in Tamil Nadu conditions. He has also registered three three-wicket hauls, and that domestic record explains why Chennai Super Kings invested in him despite his limited IPL experience.The concern, however, is that franchises are becoming increasingly impatient with uncapped Indian pacers. Every season throws up several fresh fast-bowling talents, making competition for squad places even tougher.If Gurjapneet fails to dominate TNPL once again, CSK could very well decide to move in a different direction ahead of IPL 2027.Also Read- Rohit Sharma’s Social Media Post Catches Attention After India’s T Dilip Sacking
