Cricket

Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) management has expressed unwavering support for their star acquisition, Mitchell Starc, despite his underwhelming performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. KKR's managing director and CEO, Venky Mysore, emphasized that the team does not view Starc as an "investment" but rather as a valuable asset.Starc, who was purchased for a record-breaking Rs 24.75 crore, has struggled to make an impact in the shortest format. However, Mysore believes that Starc's presence alone adds a different dynamic to the team. He highlighted the specific skills that the support staff sought in Starc, which they believe he possesses.Despite conceding 100 runs without taking a wicket in his first two matches, Starc managed to salvage some pride by taking a crucial catch to seal a dramatic one-run victory for KKR. Mysore acknowledged that every player experiences ups and downs, and he remains confident in Starc's abilities.KKR's resurgence this season has been attributed to the return of former captain Gautam Gambhir as a mentor. Mysore praised Gambhir's intensity and experience, which have added significant weight to the team. He also commended the winning attitude of Gambhir and head coach Chandrakant Pandit, along with the support staff's contributions.With five wins from seven matches, KKR is currently placed second in the IPL standings. Mysore expressed satisfaction with the team's consistency and balance, while acknowledging that several factors have contributed to their success.

Phil Salt, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) wicketkeeper-batter, believes that Virat Kohli's dismissal off a high full toss was a fortunate call for his team, contributing to their narrow one-run victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a high-scoring Indian Premier League (IPL) match.The use of the new Hawk-Eye technology to determine the height of the delivery played a crucial role, with TV umpire Michael Gough ruling that Harshit Rana's waist-high ball was fair. Kohli, who was batting aggressively, managed to score 18 runs off just seven balls before being dismissed by Rana, who took a return catch. This dismissal proved to be a turning point in RCB's chase of a challenging target of 223 runs at Eden Gardens, ultimately leading to their narrow defeat."It's a split opinion, we know that. From our point of view, we feel like we may have got away with one there. It's the rub of the greens, one of those calls," said Salt, who is ranked No. 2 in the ICC T20I batting rankings, at the Knight Golf event in Kolkata.The Englishman also suggested that utilizing technology in this way is ultimately advantageous for the game, hinting at the potential for a future review to evaluate the effectiveness of such technological advancements."They brought that data in, the no-ball data, for exactly that purpose. I feel like in 12 months' time maybe there'll be some sort of review. Is it working? Is it not working? Is it a new thing to the game?""But personally, from a player's point of view, any time you're using data and technology to be more precise and get the right decisions, that's a good thing for the game," Salt added.Salt and Sunil Narine, the opening pair for KKR, have been instrumental in scoring the majority of runs for the team, accumulating a total of 535 runs from seven innings. Their strong performances have contributed significantly to KKR's success, as the team has won five out of their seven matches, placing them at the forefront of contention for a playoff spot."It's great batting with Sunil, he is a very, very low-key chill guy. He's got a very different sort of skill set when he's opening the batting, as opposed to, up and down the order," Salt said."I suppose one of the good things for me is he takes the pressure off, and I don't have to strike at a rate of 200 in my first 10 balls. Some games I might, but I don't have to.""Normally, one of us gets going, and the other one feeds the strike. So, if we get a good start, we get a couple of boundaries away. You know, we can produce really big power plays, which is something that we've done."They have gone about their ways with a meticulous approach, picking the right bowler to attack and relied on match-ups, Salt said."Our conversations are mainly, who's going to take what ball, you know, who likes to match up, left arm spin, right arm pace, all that sort of thing.""Normally one of us wants to put their hand up and take that arm. We keep it very, very simple."Narine has been a revelation with the bat at the top of the order as the KKR spinner who was known as a pinch-hitter, has batted this time with poise and patience. Narine struck his maiden T20 century, scoring 109 against Rajasthan Royals the other day.

IPL 2024: Heated Confrontation Between Gautam Gambhir and Umpires Overshadows Thrilling RCB-KKR MatchDuring the high-stakes IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, a heated confrontation between former India batsman and KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir and the umpires marred an otherwise thrilling encounter.The incident occurred as RCB approached KKR's challenging total of 222 runs. With just 31 runs needed from 12 balls, the tension was palpable. A visibly upset KKR captain Shreyas Iyer signaled towards the dugout, prompting Gambhir to approach the fourth umpire.Gambhir engaged in a fervent debate, making gestures towards his legs. According to reports, he protested the substitution of Sunil Narine with Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Despite his objections, the umpire upheld the ruling, forcing Narine to resume play for the final two overs.This incident followed another controversial moment involving RCB's Virat Kohli, who contested an umpire's decision after being declared out on a full toss. Kohli, adamant that it was a no-ball, sought a review. However, replays confirmed that he was well out of his crease at the time of the delivery.Despite rapid half-centuries from Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar, RCB fell agonizingly short by just one run. Jacks scored a brisk 55 off 32 balls, while Patidar contributed a quick 52 from 23 deliveries. Their efforts, however, were not enough to overcome the target set by KKR.In the end, RCB were all out for 221, even after a last-ditch effort by Karn Sharma, who smashed 20 runs off just 7 balls. KKR's bowling attack was led by Andre Russell, who took three wickets for 25 runs. Sunil Narine and Harshit Rana also played crucial roles, each taking two wickets, contributing to KKR's nail-biting victory over RCB.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered a heartbreaking one-run defeat to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Sunday, but the match was marred by two controversial umpiring decisions that have sparked outrage among fans and experts alike.The first incident occurred in the 13th over when Virat Kohli was given out caught behind off the bowling of Umesh Yadav. Replays showed that the ball appeared to be above waist height, but the on-field umpires upheld the decision. The broadcaster's Hawk-Eye technology also confirmed that the ball was indeed above waist height, but the third umpire was not consulted.The second controversy arose in the 17th over when Suyash Prabhudesai smashed a shot towards the fine-leg boundary. The umpires initially signaled four runs, but fans and commentators alike felt that the ball had crossed the boundary rope. A zoomed-in video of the incident later emerged, seemingly confirming that the ball had indeed gone for a six.However, the on-field umpires did not consult the third umpire and the decision stood as a four. This decision proved costly for RCB, as they eventually lost the match by a narrow margin of one run.Fans and experts have taken to social media to express their outrage over the umpiring decisions. Many have questioned why the third umpire was not consulted in both instances, especially given the close nature of the calls.The match officials and the IPL management have yet to comment on the matter, but the controversy is likely to continue for some time. The incidents have raised questions about the accuracy and consistency of umpiring in the IPL, and have highlighted the need for a more robust review system.

Virat Kohli's Post-Match Discussion with Umpire Draws Attention, Rinku Singh's Presence Raises EyebrowsFollowing Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Virat Kohli engaged in a heated post-match discussion with the umpire. The incident stemmed from a controversial dismissal earlier in the game, leaving Kohli visibly aggrieved.As Kohli passionately gestured and debated with the umpire, Rinku Singh, a player for KKR, stood nearby. Singh's presence during the animated discussion raised eyebrows, especially in light of recent events surrounding a bat controversy between the two players.Earlier, KKR had posted a video on social media where Rinku informed Kohli that the bat he had gifted him during a previous match had broken while batting against a spinner. Kohli's sarcastic response to Rinku's request for another bat hinted at some tension between the two players.In the video, Kohli sarcastically thanked Rinku for informing him about the broken bat and dismissed the idea of giving away a second bat. "You took a bat one match back, now you want me to give you two bats in two matches? I have to face the consequences at the end," Kohli told Rinku, seemingly frustrated.Rinku, however, persisted, expressing his regret and pleading with Kohli to lend him another bat, swearing that he would take better care of it. "I swear on you I won't break your bat ever again. I've kept the broken one, I can show it to you," Rinku said towards the end of the video.The interaction between Kohli and Rinku, both during the match and in the aftermath, has sparked speculation on social media. Some users have suggested that Rinku's presence during Kohli's discussion with the umpire was an attempt to further his request for another bat. While the true nature of their exchange remains uncertain, the incident has added an intriguing subplot to the ongoing IPL season.

KKR Mentor Gambhir Lauds RCB's Character in Thrilling IPL EncounterKolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir has praised Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for their resilience and character in their narrow one-run defeat to KKR at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.In a match that ebbed and flowed, RCB displayed a fighting spirit despite losing early wickets. Phil Salt's blistering 48 off 14 balls gave them a solid start, while skipper Shreyas Iyer (50), Rinku Singh (24), Andre Russell (27*), and Ramandeep Singh (24*) contributed valuable runs.However, KKR's bowlers, led by Cameron Green (2/35), kept the pressure on, restricting RCB to 222/6.In the chase, RCB lost Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis cheaply. But a century partnership between Will Jacks (55) and Rajat Patidar (52) put them back in contention.Russell and Sunil Narine then turned the tide with their economical spells, taking three and two wickets, respectively. Karn Sharma's late heroics with three sixes in the final over proved futile as RCB fell short by a single run.Gambhir took to social media to commend RCB's performance. "Phenomenal display of character by RCB today," he wrote on his official X account.Russell was named Player of the Match for his all-round contribution. With this victory, KKR moved up to second place in the standings, while RCB remained at the bottom.

Shah Rukh Khan's Unwavering Support Propelled Gautam Gambhir to IPL GloryKolkata Knight Riders' mentor Gautam Gambhir has revealed the profound impact that team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan had on his career during a challenging period in 2014. As captain of the team, Gambhir endured a lean patch at the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, contemplating dropping himself from the lineup.However, Khan's unwavering belief in Gambhir's abilities proved pivotal. In a conversation captured on the KKR Knights Dugout Podcast, Gambhir recalled Khan's words: "Till you're here, you are not going to drop yourself."Inspired by Khan's trust, Gambhir persevered and led KKR to their second IPL title that season. The Bollywood superstar's support extended beyond the field, as Gambhir noted that Khan rarely interfered with his decision-making as captain."He trusted my decision-making," Gambhir said. "I'm not saying I took all the right decisions, but he never questioned them."Gambhir's admiration for Khan stems from the actor's exceptional leadership qualities. "He is the best owner I've worked with," Gambhir declared. "He's not just a big achiever in his own field, but he also trusts his team and empowers them to make decisions."Under Gambhir's captaincy, KKR won two IPL titles, in 2012 and 2014. He returned to the franchise in 2024 as a mentor, bringing his wealth of experience and leadership skills to guide the team to future success.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis expressed his admiration for his team's fighting spirit but acknowledged the need for clarity and confidence in crucial moments, which he believes RCB lacked in their narrow one-run defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).Chasing a challenging 223, RCB appeared well-positioned at 137 for 2 after 11 overs, thanks to a 102-run partnership between Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Andre Russell dismissed both set batters in the same over. Cameron Green and Mahipal Lomror followed suit in the next over, falling prey to Sunil Narine's spin.Du Plessis attributed the loss to a lack of clarity in decision-making, particularly in the batters' tendency to go for big shots early on. "When you haven't won games in a while, there's a bit of a lack of clarity," he said. "We got close, but the over from Narine was the turning point."The RCB captain also highlighted the changing nature of the game, where batters feel pressured to score boundaries from the outset. "The game doesn't allow you to get yourself in anymore," he said. "You have the extra batter with the Impact Player rule, but the guys who come in want to take six or seven balls to get themselves in and get six of six. When you're chasing 230, 240, 250, it just feels like the game doesn't allow you to do that anymore."Despite the defeat, du Plessis praised his team's effort in the field, despite conceding 222. "I'm really proud of the boys, the way that we fought in the field," he said. "We kept them to a total that we felt was defendable."

Virat Kohli's Controversial Dismissal: A Deeper Dive into the RulesKolkata Knight Riders' thrilling one-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru was marred by a controversial dismissal of Virat Kohli, sparking a debate about the interpretation of the no-ball rule.Chasing 223, Kohli was caught off the first ball of the third over by Harshit Rana. The ball, a full toss, was initially deemed a no-ball by Kohli, who believed it was above waist height. However, replays showed that the ball dipped as it reached Kohli, who was standing outside the crease.According to Law 41.7.1 of the MCC, a delivery is considered a no-ball if it passes or would have passed above the waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease. In this case, the third umpire determined that the ball would have been below the waist had Kohli been in his normal batting stance inside the crease.Kohli's dismissal sparked outrage among fans and experts, who argued that the ball was clearly above waist height. However, the umpires' decision was based on the fact that Kohli was standing outside the crease, which altered the trajectory of the ball.RCB captain Faf du Plessis expressed his frustration after the match, stating that the team believed the ball was high. However, he acknowledged that the rules are clear and that the decision was made based on the technicalities of the law.The incident highlights the importance of understanding the nuances of the no-ball rule, particularly in situations where the batsman is standing outside the crease. It also raises questions about the potential for umpires to interpret the rule differently, leading to inconsistent decisions.