Cricket

Gautam Gambhir, the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has expressed his positive experience working with head coach Chandrakant Pandit, despite recent criticism from former KKR player David Wiese.Wiese had criticized Pandit's coaching style as "militant" in a recent podcast, claiming that it had caused dissatisfaction among players. However, Gambhir, who joined KKR this season, has a different perspective."I have not heard about any criticism," Gambhir said. "It's been early days, and my working relationship with him has been really very good. Hopefully, it will continue that way."Gambhir acknowledged Pandit's successful track record in Indian domestic cricket, particularly with Mumbai, Vidarbha, and Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy. He believes that Pandit's experience is valuable for KKR."Whatever has been said, I have no clue about it," Gambhir added. "I think he has been pretty successful in first-class cricket, and that is the reason why he has got this opportunity. So far, it has been really good working with him."Gambhir's comments are in contrast to Wiese's, who claimed that Pandit's strict discipline and authoritarian approach did not sit well with some overseas players. However, Gambhir has not witnessed any such issues.KKR all-rounder Andre Russell has also praised Pandit, saying that he has been doing an "amazing job."Despite the contrasting views, it remains to be seen how Pandit's coaching style will ultimately impact KKR's performance in the upcoming IPL season.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir has defended Mitchell Starc's underwhelming performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), emphasizing the team's success over individual brilliance. Despite being acquired for a hefty ₹24.75 crore, the Australian left-arm pacer has managed only two wickets at an average of 77 and an economy rate of 11 runs per over in four matches.Gambhir, however, remains unfazed by Starc's struggles, stating, "It doesn't matter, T20 cricket is all about bowlers getting smashed. We've got three wins out of four." He believes that Starc's impact will be felt in the tournament's later stages."Four games doesn't make him a bad bowler. And four good games doesn't make him a brilliant bowler either. So I know that what impact he can create and what impact he will create in the competition," Gambhir said.Gambhir's comments come ahead of KKR's match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), a team he mentored for the past two seasons. Despite KKR's inability to defeat LSG in three previous encounters, Gambhir insists that it's a new start."It's a new day, new start. What difference does it make that what has happened in the last two years? It really makes no difference. We start from scratch," he said.Gambhir also addressed criticism of KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit's "militant style" of functioning. "My working relationship with him has been really, really good and hopefully it continues that way," he said.

Two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face a depleted Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) side at Eden Gardens on April 14, seeking to return to winning ways and strengthen their playoff aspirations.KKR, who have won three of their five matches so far, will be eager to make the most of their home advantage. However, they will need to address their batting woes, which have been exposed by the absence of Nitish Rana and the inconsistent form of captain Shreyas Iyer.Iyer, who has scored just 34 runs in his last four innings, will be under pressure to deliver. The team's reliance on the aging Caribbean duo of Sunil Narine and Andre Russell has also been a concern, as both players failed to fire in their previous outing against Chennai Super Kings.LSG, on the other hand, will be without their pace sensation Mayank Yadav for a second consecutive match. Yadav's absence has weakened their bowling attack, which has already been struggling to contain opposition batters.Despite their depleted squad, LSG will be confident of causing an upset. They boast a formidable batting lineup led by Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul, who will be looking to return to form after a disappointing outing against Delhi Capitals.The match promises to be a close contest, with both teams desperate for a victory. KKR will be the favorites, but LSG have shown that they are capable of punching above their weight.

Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) unbeaten streak in the IPL 2024 was shattered by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a comprehensive seven-wicket defeat on Monday. The KKR batters, known for their aggressive approach, failed to deliver on the Chennai pitch, managing only 137/9 in 20 overs.Ravindra Jadeja and Tushar Deshpande led the CSK bowling attack, taking two wickets each to restrict KKR's scoring. After the match, a fan questioned KKR's strategy, suggesting that a more "selfish" approach with a player prioritizing personal milestones could have resulted in a higher score.However, former New Zealand fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan disagreed, urging KKR to stick to their fearless approach. "Sometimes you shoot for the stars and land on the moon. No biggie - their formula has worked so far no need to become selfish," McClenaghan tweeted.KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer acknowledged the team's shortcomings in assessing the wicket. "We were phenomenal in the powerplay but after that, we couldn't capitalize, we lost consecutive wickets. We weren't able to assess the conditions as quickly as possible," Iyer said.The defeat marked KKR's first loss of the season, while CSK secured their second win. The match highlighted the importance of adapting to different pitch conditions and the challenges of maintaining an unbeaten run in the competitive IPL.

Jason Roy, the explosive English opener, has opted out of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to prioritize his mental and physical well-being. Roy, who joined KKR in 2023 as an injury replacement, had a successful stint with the franchise, scoring 285 runs at an average of 35.62 and a strike rate of 151.59. However, he withdrew from this season's IPL at the start of March, citing personal reasons.Roy's decision to sit out the IPL stems from a challenging 18 months. After missing out on selection for England's T20 World Cup squad in 2022 and the 50-over World Cup squad in 2023, he went undrafted for this year's Hundred. Last May, he terminated his ECB incremental contract to play in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC).The taxing schedule of the past few months, coupled with a desire to spend quality time with his family, led Roy to make the difficult decision to withdraw from the IPL. "Missing this year's IPL was a huge decision," Roy said. "I felt like I owed KKR a huge amount, but I had to put myself first, you know, just mindset and body."Roy's withdrawal is also informed by a period two years ago when he found himself "in a dark place," which resulted in him taking an indefinite break from the game and missing IPL 2022 with Gujarat Titans. "I went through an extremely bad patch with my mindset," he said. "I was in a shocking headspace, and I ended up shooting myself in the foot."Since then, Roy has prioritized his mental health and has learned to listen to his body and mind. "It's nothing to do with anyone else," he said. "I've got a young family, I'm a grown man, and I've made the decision off the back of a lot of thoughts."Roy's decision to prioritize his well-being is a reminder of the importance of mental health in sports. It is a courageous step that will hopefully inspire others to seek help when they need it.

In a recent Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), fans witnessed an uncharacteristic moment involving the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Despite CSK ultimately securing victory by 7 wickets, the spotlight was on Dhoni for dropping an easy catch of West Indian marauder Andre Russell.The incident occurred in the eighth ball of the 18th over, when Mustafizur Rahman executed a deceptive slower delivery aimed at Russell, managing to elicit an edge from the KKR all-rounder. Despite the skillful execution, Dhoni, positioned behind the stumps, failed to secure the catch, attempting it with just one hand.The incident left the jam-packed crowd at Chepauk in disbelief, with both Mustafizur and CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was fielding near the boundary line, momentarily stunned by the missed opportunity. However, despite the lifeline provided by the dropped catch, Russell couldn't capitalize on the reprieve and was dismissed soon after for just 10 runs.Former England skipper Michael Vaughan and ex-New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull engaged in a discussion about Dhoni's dropped catch on Cricbuzz. "MS Dhoni dropped quite a simple catch with the one hand and the cameras went straight on to most of the CSK team. Because it was MS Dhoni, most of them were like - "That's fine," Vaughan said.Doull added, "Nobody said a word. I would love to see the bowler give a reaction (makes animated gestures)."Vaughan: "You could see that he wanted to. He went for it and then he thought - Oh, it is MS Dhoni."Despite the initial setback, CSK's disciplined bowling effort restricted KKR to a total of 137/9 in their allotted 20 overs. While the missed catch generated a wave of surprise and anticipation among fans, it ultimately did not significantly alter the outcome of the match, as CSK emerged victorious in the end.Chennai chased down the target quite comfortably in 17.4 over riding on a fine half-century from skipper Gaikwad. Following the high-profile clash, CSK's stronghold at their home ground continued to be evident as they comfortably secured victory without facing significant challenges, effectively ending KKR's unbeaten streak in this season of the IPL.

Virat Kohli's scintillating half-century propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.Kohli, continuing his impressive form in the tournament, crafted a masterful innings amidst a flurry of wickets at the other end. His exquisite flick off KKR's star acquisition Mitchell Starc in the third over, resulting in a towering six, left commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Kishan in awe."What a shot. Look at that bottom hand," exclaimed Gavaskar.RCB skipper Faf du Plessis opted to bat first after winning the toss, recognizing the fresh wicket's potential. However, KKR's bowlers made early inroads, dismissing Cameron Green and Rajat Patidar cheaply.Undeterred, Kohli anchored the innings with his trademark composure, finding boundaries and rotating the strike with ease. He received support from Glenn Maxwell, who contributed a valuable 32, and Anuj Rawat, who chipped in with 24.KKR's bowling attack, led by Starc and Varun Chakaravarthy, kept RCB in check, but Kohli's resilience proved too much to handle. He reached his half-century off 38 deliveries, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.With RCB needing 15 runs off the final over, Dinesh Karthik stepped up to the plate. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter smashed two boundaries off Harshit Rana to seal the victory with two balls to spare.KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer, who won the toss and elected to bowl first, admitted that the wicket offered assistance to spinners. He praised his team's bowling performance but acknowledged the need to capitalize on starts."It is important to stay in the present. We have to see to it that we capitalize on the start," said Iyer.RCB's victory marked their second consecutive win of the season, while KKR suffered their first defeat. Both teams will be eager to maintain their momentum in the upcoming matches.

Kolkata Knight Riders Opt to Field First Against Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2024 ClashIn a highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 encounter, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field first against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 29.Iyer explained his decision, stating that the team had been preparing well and wanted to carry forward their momentum. He also revealed that Ankul Roy would be the only change in their lineup.RCB captain Faf du Plessis expressed his disappointment at not being able to bat first, but acknowledged the support of the home crowd. He confirmed that their team would remain unchanged.The teams took to the field with the following lineups:Royal Challengers Bangalore:* Faf du Plessis (capt)* Virat Kohli* Rajat Patidar* Glenn Maxwell* Cameron Green* Dinesh Karthik* Anuj Rawat (wk)* Alzarri Joseph* MJ Dagar* Mohammed Siraj* Yash DayalKolkata Knight Riders:* Phil Salt (wk)* Venkatesh Iyer* Shreyas Iyer (capt)* Rinku Singh* Sunil Narine* Andre Russell* Ramandeep Singh* Mitchell Starc* AS Roy* Harshit Rana* CV VarunThe match commenced with RCB openers Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli facing the KKR bowlers. The duo provided a solid start, putting on a 50-run partnership before du Plessis was dismissed by Mitchell Starc.Kohli continued to anchor the innings, scoring a half-century, while Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell made valuable contributions. However, the KKR bowlers managed to restrict RCB to a total of 165/6 in their allotted 20 overs.In response, KKR's openers Phil Salt and Venkatesh Iyer got off to a flying start, putting on a 60-run partnership. However, RCB's bowlers fought back, with Mohammed Siraj and Alzarri Joseph picking up key wickets.Shreyas Iyer and Andre Russell attempted to revive the chase, but they were unable to sustain the momentum. KKR eventually fell short of the target, losing by 23 runs.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is set to witness a potential clash of titans as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face off against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday. The match will be played at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, where the last encounter between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli resulted in an intense on-field battle.Former KKR and RCB star Varun Aaron anticipates that Gambhir's presence in the Knight Riders dugout will ignite Kohli's competitive spirit. "I'm eagerly looking forward to the match-up outside the boundary line," Aaron said. "Gautam Gambhir is going to be right beside the Bengaluru dug-out, and I don't know what's going to happen there. We know Virat likes to have fire in his belly, and if he just looks at the Kolkata dug-out, he's going to get fired up."The rivalry between Gambhir and Kohli reached a boiling point during an RCB vs Lucknow Super Giants match in IPL 2023. Kohli initially clashed with LSG's Naveen-ul-Haq, prompting Gambhir to intervene and engage in a verbal altercation with the former.Gambhir later defended his actions, stating, "It is not about Naveen-ul-Haq. I would have defended any player, that is my job, that is how I am. Why should I not defend my players just because someone has a broadcaster working for him, left right and centre, someone who has more social media presence doesn't have any right to walk over someone."While Kohli and Naveen have since reconciled, the equation between Gambhir and the RCB star remains uncertain. The Friday night match will provide an opportunity to gauge the current dynamics between the two players.