Cricket

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will kick off the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season on March 23 in Kolkata. The match will feature the return of Shreyas Iyer, who missed the entire 2022 season due to a back injury. Iyer will lead KKR, who have made some tactical additions while keeping the nucleus of the side intact.KKR's most successful captain, Gautam Gambhir, is back as a mentor. His partnership with head coach Chandrakant Pandit, a shrewd tactician in the domestic circuit, will be key to their revival. The team's biggest signing is Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, who will be under huge pressure to perform. His spell in power-play and the death overs will be crucial.SRH, under the leadership of Australian captain Pat Cummins, will also be looking to make a strong start. Cummins is the second-most expensive buy in this IPL and all eyes will be on him to revive the fortunes of the side that has had two wooden-spoon finishes in the last three seasons.On paper, KKR with a star-studded batting and spin-heavy attack to complement Starc's pace, will be overwhelming favorites. But SRH, under the shrewd captaincy of Cummins, will definitely fancy their chances. Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen's batting firepower in the power-play and death overs will be vital. Their bowling also looks balanced with the experienced Cummins and India's veteran death-overs specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the lineup, while the likes of Washington Sundar and Wanindu Hasaranga will be crucial in the spin department.

Former South African pace legend Dale Steyn will not be part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) coaching staff for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Steyn has requested a break from his coaching responsibilities, prompting the franchise to search for a replacement bowling coach.Steyn's departure comes after a successful stint with SRH, where he played a pivotal role in the development of young speedster Umran Malik. Malik has since earned an India cap in T20Is and ODIs, and recently received a fast-bowling contract from the BCCI.Despite his absence, Steyn is expected to return to the franchise next season if all necessary arrangements are met. SRH has already appointed former New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori as their new head coach.The franchise is also considering appointing Pat Cummins as their captain for the upcoming season. Cummins, who was acquired for a whopping INR 20.5 crore in the auction last year, has led Australia to victory in the 2023 World Test Championship and Men's ODI World Cup.SRH, who finished at the bottom of the points table last year, will be hoping for a turnaround under Vettori and Cummins' leadership. They will open their 2024 campaign on March 23 against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, followed by their first home match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on March 27 against Mumbai Indians.