Cricket

Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid is poised to make a sensational return to the Rajasthan Royals as their head coach, according to reliable sources. Negotiations between the franchise and Dravid are reportedly in advanced stages, with an official announcement expected soon.Dravid, 51, has a long-standing association with the Royals, having captained them to the Champions League T20 final and IPL playoffs in 2013. He subsequently served as their mentor in 2014 and 2015, guiding them to a third-place finish in the IPL.After his stint with the Royals, Dravid joined the BCCI in various capacities, including head coach of the India U-19 and India 'A' teams, chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), and finally head coach of the senior team from October 2021.It remains unclear whether the Royals will retain Kumar Sangakkara, who has been their director of cricket since 2021, or release him once Dravid takes over.Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is seeking the assistance of an Indian expert to prepare for their upcoming white-ball series against India. Zubin Bharucha, the high-performance director of the Royals, is currently conducting a week-long "batting master class" for Sri Lankan players in Colombo. Bharucha is renowned for his rigorous training methods, which have played a crucial role in the development of young batsmen like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel."I'm assisting Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) coaches in how they are setting up practice -from the academy to the international players," Bharucha said. According to sources, it was Sangakkara who recommended Bharucha for this special training session.

Riyan Parag, the outspoken young cricketer, has sparked controversy with his bold response to a question about the top four teams in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Known for his candor, Parag declared that he has no interest in watching the tournament and will only pay attention to the winner."It will be a biased answer (prediction on top four teams), but to be very honest, I don't even want to watch the World Cup," Parag said in a chat with The Bharat Army. "I'll just see who is winning it at the end and I'll be happy. When I will play the World Cup, I will think about top four and all of that."Parag's comments have drawn mixed reactions. Some have praised his honesty and refusal to conform to expectations, while others have criticized him for being arrogant and disrespectful. However, Parag has remained unapologetic, reiterating his belief that he will eventually play for India and make his own mark on the world stage."At some point, you'll have to take me, right? So that is my belief, I'm going to play for India. I don't really care when," Parag told PTI in an interview.Parag's confidence stems from his impressive performance in this year's IPL season. Batting at No.4 for the Rajasthan Royals, he scored 573 runs at a strike rate close to 150. This breakout season has put him in contention for a spot on the Indian team for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.If selected, Parag will join Abhishek Sharma and Harshit Rana as potential future stars of Indian cricket. All three players have shown great promise in recent months and could play a significant role in the team's success in the years to come.

Riyan Parag, the 22-year-old rising star of Indian cricket, has expressed unwavering confidence in his ability to represent the national team in the future. Coming off a stellar season with Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024, where he amassed 573 runs at an impressive average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.21, Parag believes his time to don the Indian jersey is approaching."At some point, you'll have to take me, right? So that is my belief, I'm going to play for India," Parag asserted. "I don't really care when. [Even] when I was not scoring runs - I said this in an [earlier] interview as well that I am going to play for India."Parag's unwavering belief in his abilities stems from his childhood aspirations and the unwavering support of his father, Parag Das, a former Railways and Assam player. "That is me believing in myself. That is not me being arrogant. That is what my plan was with my dad, when I started playing cricket when I was like 10-years old. We were going to play for India regardless of anything."With India set to tour Zimbabwe for five T20Is after their T20 World Cup campaign, Parag could be among the players to earn a call-up. However, his focus remains on performing consistently and earning his place on merit. "Whether it's the next tour, whether it's a tour in six months, whether it's a tour in one year... I don't really put my thought behind when I should play," Parag said. "That is the selector's job, that is other people's job."Parag's breakthrough season in the IPL came after a string of disappointing campaigns. However, a promotion to the No.4 batting position, where he excels for his state team Assam, provided the familiarity and confidence he needed to flourish. "What you saw this year in the IPL is how I play domestic cricket," Parag explained. "I take the onus up to myself, I take the expectations, I take the burden upon myself to deliver and that is why I play the best."Despite Rajasthan Royals' disappointing finish in the IPL, Parag remains optimistic about the future. "I'm still dealing with it. I got back home and I was super sad," he admitted. "But then the day after the match and before the final, it was tough. It's tough, but then that's how cricket goes. There are world-class sides that are playing the tournament, world-class players that are playing the tournament [and you can't always win]."

Rajasthan Royals' Photoshopped Group Photo Sparks Fan OutrageNew Delhi: The Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise faced a barrage of criticism on Sunday after sharing an allegedly photoshopped group photo on social media. The image, taken after the team's 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign ended with a defeat in Qualifier 2 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, drew attention for its apparent alterations.Fans quickly noticed that veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was originally absent from the photo, had been added to the left corner. However, his appearance raised eyebrows as his biceps appeared to be significantly larger than in previous images. Additionally, his face seemed to be cropped over the body of teammate Sandeep Sharma.The unusual photo quickly went viral on social media, with users mocking the Royals' apparent Photoshop fail. Many pointed out the obvious differences in Ashwin's physique and questioned why the team would resort to such a clumsy attempt at editing.The incident highlighted the growing trend of teams using social media to engage with fans. However, it also raised concerns about the authenticity and credibility of such content. Fans expressed disappointment that the Royals would share an altered image, especially after a disappointing end to their season.Earlier, Royals' Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara admitted that fatigue played a significant role in the team's poor run at the back end of the IPL. RR, who won eight of their opening nine matches, were firmly in contention to finish in the top two. However, the Sanju Samson-led side endured a four-match losing streak and a washout tie, forcing them to settle for a third-place finish.Although they bounced back with a win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator, the Sunrisers Hyderabad proved too strong in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Friday.

Rajasthan Royals' hopes of capturing their second Indian Premier League (IPL) title were dashed after a heartbreaking 36-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Qualifier 2 match on Friday.Batting first, SRH posted a competitive total of 175/9, with Heinrich Klaasen leading the charge with a half-century. The Royals' chase was derailed by the spin duo of Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma, who combined for five wickets to restrict RR to 139/7.RR's elimination marked a disappointing end to a season that began with high expectations. The team had dominated the first half of the tournament, winning nine of their first ten matches. However, a string of four consecutive defeats in the second half of the season proved costly.Despite the setback, RR skipper Sanju Samson praised his team's performance and highlighted the emergence of young talent such as Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel."We have found some really great talent for the country," Samson said. "We have had some great seasons from the last three years."SRH's victory propelled them into the final, where they will face Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday in Chennai.

Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson's impressive performance in IPL 2024 has been overshadowed by his disappointing dismissal in Qualifier 2. Despite leading his team to the penultimate stage of the tournament, Samson's failure to deliver in the crucial match has raised questions about his shot selection and consistency.As a batter, Samson had a stellar season, amassing 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.47. However, his inability to perform under pressure has become a recurring theme in his career. In the Qualifier 2 match against SunRisers Hyderabad, Samson fell for a mere 10 runs off 11 balls, leaving his team in a precarious position.Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has been vocal in his criticism of Samson's shot selection. Speaking on Star Sports, Gavaskar questioned the player's decision-making, stating, "What's the use of scoring 500 runs if you can't win your team the match or title? Everyone got out while playing glamorous shots."Gavaskar believes that Samson's poor shot selection has hindered his progress in the Indian team. "If his shot selection had been good, his India career too would have been long," he said. "I hope that the opportunity he has got in the T20 World Cup, he grabs it with both hands and cements his place."Samson has been included in the 15-member India squad for the T20 World Cup 2024. However, with Rishabh Pant likely to be India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batter, Samson's chances of playing in the tournament are limited.Samson's dismissal in Qualifier 2 has served as a reminder of the importance of consistency and composure in high-pressure situations. While he has shown glimpses of brilliance, his inability to deliver in crucial matches has raised concerns about his suitability for the Indian team.

Former Australia batter Tom Moody has criticized Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson for his tactical decision-making in the IPL 2024 Qualifier 2 match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). RR's 36-run defeat ended their hopes of reaching the final, which will now be contested between SRH and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).Chasing 176, RR struggled to keep up with the required run rate, eventually finishing on 139/7. Moody believes that Samson's decision to send Dhruv Jurel ahead of Shimron Hetmyer was a "tactical blunder.""Hetmyer had to go in ahead of Dhruv Jurel, regardless of whether he played very nicely," Moody said on ESPNcricinfo. "They needed to negate the two left-arm spinners, right at the outset. That was the hole, Sunrisers had in their attack and they needed to negate that."Moody argued that Hetmyer's ability to play spin would have been crucial in countering SRH's left-arm spinners, Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma, who shared five wickets between them."They should have sent Hetmyer in and said just play your game. Take it down in your zone, let's get ahead in this game, do not allow these left-arm spinners to take control of the game," Moody added.Former India batter Virender Sehwag echoed Moody's sentiments, stating that Hetmyer's inclusion earlier in the innings would have been beneficial."I was surprised by their decision to bring in Hetmyer so late. They should have bought him earlier, because there were two left-arm spinners. The quicker a left-arm batters comes, it would have been better," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.RR's defeat highlights the importance of tactical decision-making in high-pressure matches. Samson's decision to hold back Hetmyer proved costly, as SRH's left-arm spinners exploited the weakness in RR's batting lineup.

Rajasthan Royals' season ended in disappointment as they fell short of reaching the IPL final, losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2. Despite the setback, team director Kumar Sangakkara hailed the campaign as a "great season."Rajasthan's early dominance in the tournament, winning eight of their first nine matches, was a testament to their strong performance. However, a late-season slump, including four losses in their last five games, ultimately cost them a place in the final.Sangakkara attributed the Qualifier 2 loss to a "little bit of panic" during the chase, which saw Rajasthan collapse from a promising start. Trent Boult's early breakthroughs had given them a strong foundation, but they failed to build partnerships and lost wickets in clusters.The absence of star opener Jos Buttler, who returned home for England's T20 World Cup preparations, was a significant blow. Buttler's two centuries and key role in chases had been crucial to Rajasthan's success.Despite the setback, Sangakkara remained positive about the team's overall performance. "All the guys, throughout the season played really phenomenal cricket," he said. "We always say that the best ability is availability and unfortunately we lost Jos. He is a big loss without a doubt."Sangakkara emphasized that reaching the play-offs and being in contention for the finals was a significant achievement. "All we can do is put ourselves in positions of play-offs and vying for finals, which we did," he said.Rajasthan's campaign may have ended in disappointment, but they can take pride in a strong season that showcased their potential. With a talented squad and a positive mindset, they will aim to build on this experience and challenge for the title in the future.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his disappointment over Rajasthan Royals (RR) youngster Riyan Parag's reckless dismissal in the crucial IPL 2024 Qualifier 2 match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). Parag's dismissal proved to be a turning point in the match, as SRH went on to win by 36 runs and advance to the final.Chasing 176, RR struggled to score boundaries, and Parag's dismissal in the 13th over was a major setback. Parag scored just six runs off 10 balls before being dismissed by SRH's impact substitute Shahbaz Ahmed.Gavaskar, who was on commentary duties, was critical of Parag's approach, saying, "Seriously, seriously? What's the use of all the talent if you are not going to think? What kind of shot is that, seriously? So much talent. If you don't have the temperament, it won't work. So what if you had a few dot balls? You can still make up for it."Parag's dismissal sparked an RR collapse, as SRH took three wickets in the space of 15 balls. RR could not recover from the setbacks and eventually lost by a significant margin.Shahbaz was the star of the show for SRH, scoring 18 runs and taking 3-23. He was named player of the match, and SRH skipper Pat Cummins credited coach Daniel Vettori for the decision to bring Ahmed in as an impact substitute.Earlier, Sunrisers, who had racked up record IPL totals of 277 and 287 this season, lacked firepower in their batting until Heinrich Klaasen boosted the score with his fourth fifty of the season.Rajasthan's Trent Boult made early inroads, but Avesh Khan's two wickets in two balls put Hyderabad in a difficult position. However, Klaasen's 50 off 34 balls helped SRH reach a respectable total of 175/6.