Cricket

S Sreesanth, the former Indian pacer, has revisited the infamous "slapgate" incident that occurred during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. The incident, which involved Sreesanth and then-Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan Singh, has been a subject of much discussion over the years.Speaking on "The Ranveer Show," Sreesanth revealed that he did not cry due to physical pain but rather because of the emotional bond he shared with Harbhajan. He stated that Harbhajan had always been a source of support and guidance for him, and the incident came as a shock."I didn't cry because of pain but because of heart. I could not take the fact that he would do it," Sreesanth said. "I was not worried about who was watching. So maybe the kid in me as a younger brother, if an elder brother was shouting, and he had all the right because before the game he had actually told me that don't go overboard with your aggression against us."Sreesanth also made a significant revelation about his time with the Indian national team. He claimed that he had faced discrimination based on his regional background, with players from the southern part of India being referred to as "Madrasi.""All my life I have been.... I can say it. See anything below Bombay was more like Madrasi. I have been hearing it from the time I was playing Under-13 to Under-14 to Under-16 to Under-19," Sreesanth said. "Then we had the Kochi (Tuskers Kerala) team and it was like playing for the country again."Sreesanth's comments have sparked a debate about regionalism and discrimination in Indian cricket. He has called for greater inclusivity and respect for players from all backgrounds.

With the T20 World Cup 2024 fast approaching, the Indian cricket team is gearing up to select its 15-member squad. Experts have weighed in on the ideal lineup, with two players unanimously agreed upon for the playing XI: Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.Former spinner Harbhajan Singh suggests a flexible batting order, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma opening and Kohli batting at No. 3 or 4 depending on the situation. He emphasizes the importance of a left-right combination at the top and the need to adapt to different scenarios.Another former star, Navjot Singh Sidhu, advocates for a strong bowling attack with three spinners and three quality fast bowlers. He recommends Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja as the spinners, and Mayank Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, and Mohsin Khan as the pacers.Sidhu stresses the importance of prioritizing wicket-taking bowlers over all-rounders. He believes that a solid bowling unit is crucial for World Cup success, as evidenced by the strategies of past winning captains.The Indian team has a wealth of options, but Sidhu urges the selectors to avoid compromising on bowling quality. He argues that a strong bowling attack can compensate for any shortcomings in the batting lineup.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), once a formidable force in the Indian Premier League (IPL), have endured a dismal season, languishing at the bottom of the points table with just 4 points from 9 matches. Their hopes of reaching the playoffs are fading fast, prompting calls for a major overhaul within the franchise.The team's struggles have been attributed to a combination of factors, including an underperforming batting lineup and a weak bowling unit. Despite boasting star-studded batsmen like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Glenn Maxwell, RCB have failed to consistently post competitive totals. Their bowling attack, too, has been ineffective, conceding runs at an alarming rate.Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has been vocal in his criticism of RCB's management, emphasizing the need for a balanced team with a strong bowling unit. He believes that the franchise's focus on acquiring big-name batsmen has come at the expense of quality bowlers."Batting heavy side will not always win you matches. Till the time you do not pick good bowlers, you are not going to win titles," Harbhajan said.He also suggested that RCB should appoint an Indian in the management who understands the domestic cricket landscape and can identify talented young bowlers."From RCB management's perspective, they should have an Indian in the management, who understands Indian youngsters. He should go and see their performances (Indian talents) in domestic cricket and make sure they are picked," Harbhajan added.RCB's current predicament is a far cry from their previous seasons, where they were perennial contenders for the title. The franchise has won the IPL once, in 2016, but has failed to replicate that success since.With the playoffs race slipping away, RCB must now focus on rebuilding their team for the future. They will need to address their bowling deficiencies and find a way to get their star batsmen firing consistently. Only then can they hope to return to their former glory and challenge for the IPL trophy once again.

Dinesh Karthik's Missed Singles Cost RCB Dearly in Narrow IPL Defeat, Says Harbhajan SinghFormer India spinner Harbhajan Singh has criticized Dinesh Karthik's decision to decline singles in the final over of Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) narrow one-run defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).RCB appeared poised for victory after Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar forged a century partnership. However, Karthik's reluctance to take singles proved costly, as he ultimately fell to Andre Russell on the final ball of the over."I feel DK was a very important player in this match," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. "Karn (Sharma) came in and struck three sixes, while they were batting Karthik missed two to three singles and I feel that it proved costly for RCB."Harbhajan believes that Karthik's missed singles could have made a significant difference in the outcome of the match. "If he had taken those singles then maybe this situation wouldn't have unfolded," he said. "They only needed one run, small things matter."RCB skipper Faf du Plessis had won the toss and elected to field first. Phil Salt's explosive 48 in 14 balls gave KKR a strong start, but wickets fell regularly at the other end. Shreyas Iyer (50), Rinku Singh (24), Andre Russell (27*), and Ramandeep Singh (24*) contributed valuable runs to take KKR to 222/6.RCB lost Virat Kohli (18) and du Plessis (7) early, but Jacks (55) and Patidar (52) revived their hopes with a 102-run partnership. However, their efforts proved insufficient as Karthik's missed singles ultimately cost RCB the match.

The upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season serves as a crucial audition for players vying for a spot in their respective national teams for the T20 World Cup, scheduled to commence on June 2. Among the hotly contested positions is that of wicketkeeper-batsman for the Indian team. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has unequivocally endorsed Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson for this role.While Rishabh Pant's impressive return to form after his car accident, scoring two half-centuries and keeping wickets seamlessly, has strengthened his case, Harbhajan believes Samson's consistency and confidence make him a more suitable choice for the ICC event.Samson, currently ranked fourth among the top run-getters in IPL 2024 with 314 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 152.42, has consistently delivered, including a crucial 38 not out in Rajasthan Royals' nine-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians.Harbhajan, while acknowledging the brilliance of centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal, emphasized that Samson should not only be India's first-choice wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup but also be groomed as the next T20 captain.Under Samson's leadership, RR has emerged as a formidable force, winning seven of their eight matches and topping the table with 14 points. Samson's closest competitors for the wicketkeeper-batsman's spot in the T20 World Cup include Pant, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan. However, Samson's impressive performances and leadership qualities have set him apart.

DRS Accuracy Concerns Raised by Harbhajan SinghFormer Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed skepticism about the accuracy of the Decision Review System (DRS) in judging the bounce of the ball. Speaking on the 180 Not Out podcast, Harbhajan questioned the system's ability to determine the exact trajectory of the ball, particularly in relation to the wicket.Harbhajan's concerns stem from the fundamental principle of cricket, which dictates that any ball that hits the wicket results in a dismissal. However, he believes that DRS often fails to adhere to this rule, leading to inconsistent and sometimes questionable decisions."I'm not fully inclined to believe that it is entirely accurate because it cannot judge the bounce of the ball and how much it is bouncing," Harbhajan said. "Another thing that bothers me is that when we start playing cricket in the neighborhood, we are shown the wicket and told that if the ball hits the wicket, you're out."Harbhajan also criticized the inconsistency in applying DRS decisions by umpires. He cited instances where umpires have upheld not-out decisions despite clear evidence from the technology that the ball hit the stumps."If the umpire has given a not out, and DRS clearly shows the ball hitting the stumps, it should be given out," Harbhajan argued. "But we sometimes use the umpire's decision and retain the not out verdict. Aap technology ko la bhi rahe ho aur uski baat bhi nahi maan rahe (You are bringing in technology but not accepting its decision)."In contrast, former India pacer S Sreesanth expressed a more positive view towards technology in cricket, but with some reservations. He acknowledged the potential benefits of technology in improving decision-making, but cautioned against relying on it completely."Technology, if used wisely, is brilliant because you've got to accept the change, but don't depend on it completely," Sreesanth said.The debate over the accuracy and consistency of DRS continues to stir controversy in cricket. The recent incident involving Virat Kohli's dismissal in the 2024 Indian Premier League has reignited the discussion about the efficacy of technology in the sport.

Harbhajan Singh Raises Concerns over Mohammed Siraj's Performance, Calls for RestFormer Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed concerns regarding the performance of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's fast-bowler, Mohammed Siraj, in the ongoing IPL 2024. Harbhajan believes that Siraj may benefit from both mental and physical rest following a string of disappointing performances, particularly highlighted by a difficult outing against the Mumbai Indians.Siraj has managed to secure only four wickets in six matches this season, significantly below his previous standards. His average and economy rate have also suffered, standing at 57.25 and 10.40 respectively. This is a stark contrast to his impressive showing in the IPL 2023, where he secured 10 wickets with an economy rate of 5.9 in the Powerplay overs.Harbhajan believes that Siraj's recent struggles may be due to a combination of mental and physical fatigue. He has played a significant number of matches in recent months, including four Tests against England and various other series for Team India."He should be given rest for a couple of reasons," said Harbhajan. "He should think about what has been happening in the team. He is the same Siraj that we have seen taking wickets with the new ball whether it's in Test cricket, one-day cricket or even this format in T20.""He has been a champion bowler for Team India, and even for RCB, he has done well. But I feel he's not doing what he is required to do, he requires rest, not only mentally but physically as well because he has been playing a lot of cricket."Harbhajan's comments come after RCB's disappointing performance against the Mumbai Indians, where they conceded 72 runs without taking any wickets during the Power-play overs. All RCB bowlers struggled to contain the opposition, with each of them returning with an economy rate above 10.Former Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Brian Lara has also weighed in on RCB's performance, suggesting that their batters need to step up and make 20-30% more runs than usual."They've got to understand that with the bowling attack that they've got, they have to try and hit 20 or 30% more runs because it's just not enough," said Lara. "So they need to break their innings together and say we need to get so much in the Power-play, middle overs and the death, but nobody is getting into batting form, nobody is getting into bowling form as well, and it's a team that is just not in the top 6 or 7 in this tournament."RCB will need to address these concerns if they want to improve their performance in the remaining matches of the IPL 2024.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have endured a tumultuous IPL 2024 campaign, plagued by inconsistency and underwhelming performances. Despite boasting star batter Virat Kohli, the team has struggled to find its footing, languishing in the bottom half of the table.Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has voiced his concerns, calling for drastic measures to revive RCB's fortunes. He believes that appointing Kohli as captain would ignite a fighting spirit within the team. "Virat Kohli makes his players fight," Singh asserted. "Faf du Plessis has to play, but he's sitting out because of him. One player who makes hundreds in every league is sitting out. Make Virat Kohli captain. This team will fight and then win."RCB captain Faf du Plessis has acknowledged the team's struggles, admitting that they have failed to maintain consistency. "We've tried to change things, but we haven't done well," he said. "It's time to make changes. We know we can turn this around."RCB's lack of success in the IPL is a stark contrast to the dominance of teams like Rajasthan Royals and SunRisers Hyderabad. Along with Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, RCB has been a part of the IPL since its inception in 2008, but has yet to lift the trophy.The team's batting has been inconsistent, with only Kohli showing signs of consistency. The bowling has also been underwhelming, failing to provide the necessary support. As a result, RCB finds itself in a precarious position, facing an uphill battle to qualify for the playoffs.

Virat Kohli's Unquenchable Thirst for World Cup GloryFormer Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh believes that star batsman Virat Kohli remains driven by an unyielding desire to secure another World Cup triumph. Despite missing out on the prestigious title on three previous occasions, Kohli's hunger for victory remains undiminished.Kohli made his World Cup debut in 2011, where he played a pivotal role in India's historic victory, ending the country's 28-year wait for the coveted prize. Since then, he has participated in eight World Cups, shattering numerous records along the way. He surpassed batting legend Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most centuries in ODIs and secured the highest run tally in a single edition of a World Cup.However, despite these achievements, Kohli's desire for the elusive World Cup title remains unfulfilled. Harbhajan Singh believes that this burning desire will continue to fuel Kohli's performances until he finally gets his hands on the trophy."Virat Kohli didn't appear on the ground. He needed a well-deserving rest and he got it. In 2011 he won a World Cup, he got into the team and he won the World Cup for the first time, we had already played three or four World Cups and he won it for the first time. It was luck and after that, Virat turned into a big player he played in 2015, 2019, and 2023, and even after that he couldn't get his hands on the trophy," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel."So that feeling stays in the mind of the player. I think he won't be satisfied until he gets his hand on the trophy. He has broken a lot of records and scored a lot of runs. His hunger will be satisfied when he gets his hands on the World Cup trophy," he added.Kohli will return to the field in the IPL 2024, where he will lead Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their quest for their maiden IPL title. RCB will kick off their IPL 2024 campaign against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Bengaluru.