Cricket

Hardik Pandya's struggles as Mumbai Indians skipper have raised questions about his place in India's T20 World Cup squad. The all-rounder has endured a disappointing IPL season, with poor bowling figures, limited runs with the bat, and subpar leadership. Mumbai Indians' dismal performance, winning only three of their nine matches, has further fueled criticism.However, former pacer Varun Aaron believes that Pandya remains a key contender for India's T20 World Cup squad, ahead of Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube. Aaron attributes Pandya's struggles to his return to Mumbai Indians, which has placed immense pressure on him."Hardik is a proven match winner," Aaron said. "He's not at his best right now, but he's taking on a lot of pressure. He must be thinking, 'Why did I come here?'"Aaron believes that Pandya's move to Mumbai Indians was a mistake that has affected his performance. "He had a really good run at the Gujarat Titans," Aaron added. "Once you remove him from that pressure, he will shine."In nine matches for Mumbai Indians, Pandya has scored 197 runs at an average of 24.62 and a strike rate of 151.53. On the bowling front, he has taken only four wickets and leaked runs at an economy of close to 12 RPO.Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians skipper ahead of the 2024 season. Sharma, a five-time title winner, has been a highly successful captain for the franchise.Despite Pandya's struggles, Aaron believes that he should be included in India's T20 World Cup squad. "He's a proven match winner," Aaron said. "He's got the experience and the skill. He's a big-match player."

Mayank Yadav, the young pace sensation from India, has emerged as a standout performer for the Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. His raw pace and precision have impressed fans and experts alike, but his promising start was abruptly halted by an injury during the third game for the franchise.Former India pacer Varun Aaron has weighed in on the matter, suggesting that a minor flaw in Yadav's bowling action could be contributing to his injury risks. Aaron, known for his own pace and action, commended Yadav's technique but highlighted that his left arm gets stuck into his hip when it comes down."His action is really, really good, and I really love his action. The only place where I feel he could look is where his left arm is. When it comes down, it gets stuck into his hip," Aaron shared on Star Sports.Aaron suggested that allowing the left arm to flow through instead of getting stuck could alleviate some of the strain on Yadav's body, potentially reducing the risk of injury."So when you talk about generating force and then releasing that force. If you are generating so much force, force is not getting released in the same intensity. You're gonna have a blockage, there's gonna be injuries. So if he can get his left arm go through instead of getting stuck. That will definitely put a little less load on the body," Aaron elaborated.Despite the setback, there's hope on the horizon for the 21-year-old speedster. After a near three-week layoff due to a lower abdominal injury, Yadav has resumed bowling in the nets, indicating progress toward a return to action. Lucknow Super Giants' assistant coach Sridharan Sriram expressed optimism about Yadav's recovery, hinting that he is nearing a comeback.Yadav's electrifying performances in his maiden IPL stint, where he consistently breached the 150 km/h mark and impressed with his wicket-taking ability, have undoubtedly left a lasting impression. His return to action will be eagerly anticipated by fans and experts alike, who are keen to see him continue his promising journey in the world of cricket.

Former Indian cricketers Irfan Pathan and Varun Aaron have sparked speculation about the potential inclusion of legendary wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni in India's T20 World Cup squad. Despite Dhoni's international retirement nearly five years ago, his impressive form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) has reignited the debate.Aaron, speaking to Star Sports, suggested that Dhoni could be a "wildcard entry" in the squad, labeling it as "the wildest card." Pathan echoed the sentiment, stating that if Dhoni expressed a desire to play in the T20 World Cup, "no one will deny him that chance."Former India opener Virender Sehwag has also highlighted Dhoni's exceptional form in the IPL. "MS Dhoni has a strike-rate of over 250 and doesn't have an average because he hasn't been dismissed yet," Sehwag remarked on Cricbuzz.However, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has acknowledged the challenges of persuading Dhoni to return to competitive cricket. "It will be hard to convince MS, although he is coming to the US, to do something else. He is into golf now," Sharma said.In IPL 2024, Dhoni has scored 91 runs off just 35 balls in six unbeaten innings, scoring at a strike rate of 260. His impressive performances have raised questions about whether he could still contribute to the Indian team at the highest level.While Dhoni's inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad remains a hypothetical possibility, his form and the support of former players have fueled speculation. The final decision will ultimately rest with the selectors and the team management.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been heavily reliant on Virat Kohli's batting prowess this IPL season, but former India pacer Varun Aaron believes it's time for the team's domestic players to step up and lessen the burden on their star batsman.Kohli has been in scintillating form, leading the batting charts with 361 runs in 7 innings and donning the Orange Cap. However, Aaron feels that RCB's domestic players need to contribute more to the team's success."It's just that RCB are not finding the rhythm, the domestic players are just not stepping up," Aaron said on Star Sports. "If you have to be anywhere at the top of the table or the middle of the table at this point, you have to have domestic players who are firing and you cannot always rely on Virat Kohli."Aaron, who played for RCB in the past, emphasized the importance of having domestic players perform well to balance the team's performance. "The other guys have to step up and also all their money is sitting in the dug-out. You can't spend that much cash on players and not have them play," he said.Former Australia captain Aaron Finch echoed Aaron's sentiments, suggesting that RCB needs a dynamic middle-order batsman to support Kohli effectively. "He's (Kohli) scored a lot of runs everywhere. He's a modern-day great. And I think the fact that he's getting runs and RCB are still not making it is a positive sign in one degree," Finch said. "It's that when Virat is playing well, that genuinely carries the rest of the players with him."Finch believes that RCB needs to find a consistent partnership with Kohli and an explosive middle-order player who can provide support. "They just need to find a partnership with him, they need to find an explosive middle-order player who is in form," he said.RCB will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, and Finch believes that the match has the potential to be an epic encounter. "It (KKR vs RCB) has got all the makings of an epic game," he said.