Cricket

Anil Kumble, the legendary leg-spinner, has always been known for his analytical approach to cricket. Even during his playing days, he pursued an engineering degree, demonstrating his keen interest in understanding the intricacies of the game.Post-retirement, Kumble has embraced technology to enhance his understanding of cricket. He co-founded Spektacom, a company that has developed an AI-based smart bat sticker. This device provides real-time insights into a player's shots, helping them identify areas for improvement.Kumble believes that AI has immense potential in cricket, a sport heavily reliant on statistics. He envisions AI being used in coaching, talent scouting, player selection, and even strategy formulation. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI can help teams identify key variables and make informed decisions.However, Kumble acknowledges that AI is still in its early stages in cricket. While it is currently being used primarily for analysis, its predictive and strategic capabilities are yet to be fully explored. He emphasizes the need for more extensive testing and implementation of AI in live game situations.Kumble also highlights the potential of AI to enhance fan experience. By providing insights into player performance and predicting outcomes, AI can make cricket more engaging and interactive for spectators.Despite the potential benefits of AI, Kumble cautions against its indiscriminate use. He stresses the importance of thorough testing and understanding the technology before implementing it in live games.

Harshit Rana, the 22-year-old fast bowler, has emerged as a standout performer in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Despite a controversial dismissal of Virat Kohli, Rana has maintained his composure and delivered impressive performances for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).Rana's journey to the IPL began as a nets bowler for the Gujarat Titans in 2022. His impressive performances caught the attention of KKR, who signed him as a replacement for the injured Rasikh Salam. Rana's debut was a memorable one, as he dismissed Mitchell Marsh with his second ball.Rana's ability to generate pace and adjust his length according to the pitch conditions has made him a valuable asset for KKR. He has consistently bowled at speeds of over 140 kph, while also demonstrating the skill to read the pitch and vary his deliveries.Rana credits the guidance of the KKR management, including Gautam Gambhir and Chandrakant Pandit, for his success. He believes that their faith in his abilities has given him the confidence to perform under pressure.Despite the challenges faced by bowlers in this IPL season, Rana has shown resilience and determination. In a recent match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, he bowled a crucial six-run over and took a wicket to make the equation more difficult for RCB.In another match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rana was tasked with bowling the last over with SRH needing 13 runs off six balls. Despite conceding a six off the first ball, Rana remained composed and took two wickets to secure a four-run victory for KKR.Rana's performances have not gone unnoticed, and he has expressed his desire to represent India in the future. However, he remains focused on the present and aims to continue delivering strong performances for KKR.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs race is heating up with only six league matches remaining. Rajasthan Royals have secured their spot in the top four, while five teams remain in contention for the two remaining playoff berths.Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have a 75% chance of finishing as sole toppers and a 25% chance of ending up in second place. A win in their last game will guarantee them the top spot.Rajasthan Royals (RR) can top the table if they win their remaining games. They have a 25% chance of being sole toppers and a 40% chance of finishing second.Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are assured of a top-four finish on points but are not guaranteed qualification. They could end up tied for third or fourth with multiple teams.Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are also sure to finish among the top four on points but face similar qualification uncertainties as CSK.Delhi Capitals (DC) have doubled their chances of finishing in the top four to 62.5% after their win over Lucknow Super Giants. However, they are not yet assured of qualification.Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have a 50% chance of making the top four. They must win their last game against CSK, but even that may not be enough.Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are not out of contention despite their recent loss. They have a 31% chance of finishing in the top four but face potential ties with multiple teams.Mumbai Indians (MI), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Gujarat Titans (GT) have already been eliminated from playoff contention.The remaining matches will determine the final playoff picture, with several teams facing must-win situations and potential tiebreakers.

The recent incident involving Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka and skipper KL Rahul has sparked widespread discussion. After LSG's 10-wicket loss to SunRisers Hyderabad, Goenka was seen having an animated conversation with Rahul and coach Justin Langer. The incident went viral on social media, with many criticizing Goenka's behavior.However, Langer has now shed light on the situation, revealing that the discussion was solely about the team's performance. "I was so surprised by the reaction," Langer said. "It was just about where our plan went wrong in the game, and it went wrong."Langer emphasized that both Goenka and Rahul are known for their calm demeanor, and the conversation was not as heated as it appeared. "When I saw there were some arms going about, I thought, 'Woah, I have never seen this before,'" Langer said. "But when I listened to the conversation, it was just about cricket talk."Despite the incident, Rahul remains the captain of LSG and led the team in their match against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday. Before the match, an image of Goenka hugging Rahul went viral, indicating that the situation has been resolved.The incident has raised questions about the role of owners in sports teams and the pressure they can put on players and coaches. However, Langer believes that the relationship between Goenka, Rahul, and himself is strong. "We are just laughing about it," Langer said. "It has been such an awesome relationship."

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has acknowledged his shortcomings as a captain, following criticism from Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir had defended Hardik Pandya's captaincy, stating that those criticizing him had "woeful captaincy records" themselves.Pietersen, known for his candor, admitted to his failures as a captain, saying, "He's not wrong. I was a terrible captain!!!" This admission aligns with Gambhir's assertion that Pietersen and AB de Villiers, who had also expressed concerns about Pandya's leadership, had poor captaincy records.Gambhir emphasized the importance of comparing similar achievements, highlighting Pandya's success as an IPL-winning captain. He pointed out that Pietersen's captaincy record in the IPL was limited, with only two wins out of six matches as RCB captain in 2009 and a disappointing bottom finish for Delhi in 2014 under his leadership.Pietersen's response echoed Gambhir's sentiment, highlighting a rare moment of self-reflection from the former England skipper. He acknowledged that his captaincy style may not have been effective, stating that he was "happy when he is not" and "smiling too much" during his stint as Mumbai Indians' captain in the 2024 Indian Premier League.Despite the criticism, Gambhir defended Pandya's leadership, comparing his record to that of Pietersen and de Villiers. He argued that Pandya's success as an IPL-winning captain should be taken into account when evaluating his leadership abilities.

Rishabh Pant's remarkable return to cricket after his life-threatening accident has been a testament to his resilience and determination. Having played for the first time since December 2022, Pant has eased into the rigors of top-flight cricket without major physical discomfort. He finished the league phase of IPL 2024 as Delhi Capitals' highest run-scorer with 446 runs in 13 games at a strike rate of 155.40. His performances have earned him a place in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.Pant expressed his gratitude for the support he received during his recovery and return to the field. "The kind of support I got from whole India I would say was heartening to see," he said. "Wherever I went to play, I got support from each and every person. That was really good to see."Despite the challenges faced by Delhi Capitals throughout the season, including injuries and suspensions, Pant remained positive. "We had a few injuries here and there, few ups and downs, illnesses, but as a franchise you can't complain all the time," he said. "You've got to make the best use of whatever you have in your hand."Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul lamented his team's poor start in their loss to Delhi Capitals. "This has been the problem for us through the season, that we keep losing a lot of wickets in the powerplay," Rahul said. "We've never been able to get off to a really solid start to bring in players like [Marcus] Stoinis and [Nicholas] Pooran into the game, and get them to walk in at the 7th or 8th over mark with a solid start."Despite their disappointing performance, Rahul remained optimistic about the future. "We did well in the back end, and 200 [208] was a par score. We should have chased it down," he said. "We'll take the positives from this game and try to finish the season on a high."

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs race is reaching its climax, with five teams vying for the remaining two spots. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals have already secured their berths, while Chennai Super Kings, SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants are locked in a fierce battle.Chennai Super Kings (14 points, NRR +0.528)CSK has a strong chance of qualifying with one match remaining against RCB. A victory would guarantee their place in the playoffs. Even a loss wouldn't eliminate them, provided RCB doesn't surpass their NRR. They would also benefit from SRH losing both their remaining matches.Sunrisers Hyderabad (14 points, NRR +0.406)SRH needs to win both their remaining matches to secure a playoff spot. A loss in one match could still see them through, but losing both would leave them dependent on NRR. If LSG and RCB win their last games, SRH would need a superior NRR to finish in the top four.Royal Challengers Bengaluru (12 points, NRR +0.387)RCB has revived their campaign with a five-match winning streak. To qualify, they must defeat CSK and hope their NRR remains higher than the other contenders. They would also prefer SRH to lose both their games or LSG to lose their last match by a significant margin.Delhi Capitals (14 points, NRR -0.377)DC's fate is out of their hands. They would need three of the four teams (SRH, CSK, RCB, LSG) to drop points in their last matches, and they would need to lose by large margins. In such a scenario, teams with 14 points would rely on NRR to advance.Lucknow Super Giants (12 points, NRR -0.787)LSG's poor run-rate (-0.787) makes their playoff chances slim. They would need to win their last match by a significant margin and hope that two of CSK, SRH, and RCB lose their games by even larger margins.

The Indian cricket team is set to bid farewell to its head coach, Rahul Dravid, after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in June. Dravid has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his decision to step down, citing personal reasons.Dravid's decision comes as a surprise, as he had previously agreed to an extension of his contract beyond the 2023 World Cup. However, sources close to the team reveal that Dravid had expressed his desire to spend more time with his family even before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in March.The BCCI has officially invited applications for the head coach position, with May 27 set as the deadline. Last week, BCCI secretary Jay Shah stated that Dravid "will have to re-apply" if he wants an extension. This announcement raised eyebrows, as it was widely expected that Dravid would continue in his role.The Hindu understands that Dravid had clarified his decision to step down well in advance due to personal reasons. Despite requests from senior players to reconsider, Dravid remained firm in his decision.Had Dravid agreed to an extension, the BCCI may have considered having separate coaches for limited-over and Test match formats. However, as per Shah's statement, there will only be one head coach across all formats, with the appointment lasting until the end of 2027.Contrary to speculation, V.V.S. Laxman, the head of the National Cricket Academy, is unlikely to enter the fray for the head coach position. This may force the BCCI to consider an overseas coach in consultation with senior players. Feelers have been sent to a couple of IPL franchise head coaches who have been part of the T20 league for a considerable time. However, none of them have expressed willingness to apply for the post so far.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul won the toss and elected to bowl first against Delhi Capitals (DC) in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) match in New Delhi on May 14. The match was a must-win for both teams, as they were fighting for a playoff spot.DC skipper Rishabh Pant returned to the side after serving a one-match suspension, while Gulbadin Naib also made a comeback. However, David Warner and Prithvi Shaw missed out due to injuries. LSG, on the other hand, brought in Arshad Khan and Yudhvir Singh Charak.LSG's decision to bowl first proved to be a good one, as they restricted DC to a modest total of 149/7 in their 20 overs. Avesh Khan was the pick of the bowlers for LSG, taking 3/30, while Mohsin Khan and Ravi Bishnoi chipped in with two wickets each.In reply, LSG got off to a solid start, with openers KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock putting on 50 runs for the first wicket. However, DC fought back with regular wickets, and LSG found themselves in trouble at 103/5 in the 15th over.Marcus Stoinis and Deepak Hooda then came to the rescue for LSG, stitching together a crucial 46-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Stoinis played a blistering knock of 38 off 25 balls, while Hooda contributed with a steady 24 off 29 balls.With 10 runs needed off the final over, LSG's hopes rested on Krunal Pandya. The all-rounder held his nerve and hit a six off the first ball to seal a thrilling victory for his team.The win was a huge boost for LSG's playoff hopes, as they moved up to fourth place in the standings. DC, on the other hand, suffered a setback in their quest for a top-four finish.