Cricket

Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has heaped praise on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer, comparing him to the legendary Shahid Afridi with the added advantage of brains. Sidhu believes Iyer has the potential to excel in the upcoming IPL 2024, especially after being overlooked for the BCCI central contracts.Sidhu lauded Iyer's ability to adapt to different situations while batting, saying, "He reminds me of a better Shahid Afridi. An Afridi with better brains. He adapts to the situation." Sidhu also praised Iyer's tenacity and determination, particularly after recovering from a serious injury.Meanwhile, KKR's former captain Gautam Gambhir has returned as a mentor for the team. Gambhir, who led KKR to two IPL titles and five playoffs during his tenure, has been tasked with guiding the team to success once again.KKR has made a significant signing in Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who will be expected to play a crucial role in the power-play and death overs. The team also boasts a strong batting lineup, including Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Phil Salt, Venkatesh Iyer, and Shreyas Iyer.However, KKR's success will depend on the performance of their spinners, such as Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Suyash Sharma. The team will need to utilize the home conditions to provide assistance to their spin bowlers.

Sunil Gavaskar, the legendary Indian cricketer, has heaped praise on Chennai Super Kings' new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad for his impressive leadership debut in the IPL opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Gaikwad, who took over the captaincy just before the start of the IPL, has big shoes to fill, but he made a promising start under the guidance of talisman MS Dhoni. CSK emerged victorious in the match, defeating RCB by six wickets.Gavaskar was particularly impressed with Gaikwad's bowling changes. "His bowling changes were absolutely terrific," said Gavaskar. "He kept swapping Deepak Chahar, keeping faith in Tushar Deshpande for that final over."Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman played a crucial role in CSK's victory, returning with his best IPL figures of 4/29 to rattle RCB's top-order. Gavaskar believes that Dhoni's presence on the team has made a significant difference."We see over here, he has, of course, MS Dhoni around him, to guide him, tell him and give him the encouragement," said Gavaskar. "Sometimes, that little nod from somebody as experienced and as accomplished as MSD, makes a big difference."Gavaskar also criticized RCB's bowling strategy, which he felt was too one-dimensional. "Yes, try the short ball by all means, but when it wasn't working ... it looked like that's all they were looking to do," said Gavaskar. "You had somebody like a Dagar, who had bowled 2 overs for 6 six runs. I know the way the left-hand spinner can be picked for 6, but you got to take a chance."Overall, Gavaskar was impressed with Gaikwad's captaincy and believes that he has the potential to lead CSK to success in the IPL.

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has expressed his satisfaction with his performance in the IPL opener despite limited game and preparation time due to his commentary commitments. Since the last IPL, the only competitive cricket Karthik played was in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He was on air during the recently concluded India-England Test series and admitted that finding training time in between his commentary duties was challenging.Karthik, who is playing his last IPL, made an unbeaten 38 off 26 balls to help RCB recover to 173 for six against CSK on Friday night. By his own admission, he was rusty in the middle. "It's been extremely challenging, doing a bit of commentary and to keep practicing cricket between Test matches and in between the time that I get, it's been a lot of hard work," Karthik told reporters after the game. "So, I am happy that Game 1 has gone positively for me, and it feels good to score some runs."The 38-year-old is hoping that play-offs happen at his home ground here and he can return to Chepauk to play his last IPL game. "Time will tell, I guess. I genuinely wish it's not because the last couple of (playoff) games will be here, so I could be back for that, which could then be my last (here)," he said when asked if it could be last game in Chennai.Defending champions CSK was able to chase down 174 comfortably on a good batting track. CSK pacer Mustafizur Rahman produced his best IPL figures of 4-29 to make the difference. Karthik was all praise for the left-arm pacer from Bangladesh. "He bowled brilliantly. He showed his skills in all the three spells," he reckoned. "He is bowling a lot quicker than he normally does and hits the right lengths. The slower balls came out well. It was a very good pitch. Not the usual slow Chepauk turner that we are visualising in our mind. The ball skid on a lot more, and it was good for batting, and he (Rahman) bowled well. What makes it tough is that he can bowl at 138/139 (kmph), and then he has a slower one, which is very deceptive. And he bowls it at 121/125 (km/h), which makes it hard to line him up.For RCB, Anuj Rawat was the top scorer with 48 and his 95-run stand with Karthik allowed the team to post a fighting total. "I couldn't be happier for him. He has been a part of this team for two years, and people can see how much talent he has. The ball flies off his bat. He has got great bat speed and is a strong boy. He works hard at the nets," said Karthik. "The last two years haven't exactly panned out. Last year, he showed towards the end how good he is, but today (Friday), he showed what skills he has got. I just wish he keeps continuing this form because he is a key player for us. A left-arm hander through the middle and hits the long ball with a lot of power. So, it's great to see him do so well," he added.

KKR's Gurbaz Wins Hearts with Gloves Gift to FanAhead of the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) season opener in the Indian Premier League (IPL), wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz made a heartwarming gesture by gifting his batting gloves to a young fan.During an interaction with fans at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Gurbaz posed for pictures and surprised a young boy by handing him his gloves. The moment was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media.Gurbaz, who was retained by KKR ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, is expected to play a crucial role at the top of the order. Last season, he scored 227 runs in 11 games, including two half-centuries.Meanwhile, KKR finished seventh last season under the leadership of Nitish Rana, who replaced the injured Shreyas Iyer. Iyer is set to resume captaincy duties this season, but rumors suggest he may miss the first few games due to a back issue.During the auction, KKR made headlines by acquiring Australian pacer Mitchell Starc for a record-breaking Rs 24.75 crore. Despite spending a significant portion of their purse on Starc, KKR managed to secure nine additional players.KKR will kick off their IPL 2024 campaign against SunRisers Hyderabad on Saturday, March 23, at the Eden Gardens.

Ahead of the highly anticipated clash between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), MI's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has showcased his exceptional skills in the nets.Bumrah, who missed last year's tournament due to injury, is eager to make a strong comeback this season. In a video shared by MI on social media, Bumrah can be seen delivering a barrage of fiery yorkers and bouncers, leaving MI batters struggling to respond.The upcoming fixture has garnered significant attention due to the high-profile transfer of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya to his former franchise, MI. Pandya's return to MI has raised expectations among fans, who are eager to see him perform against his former team.Adding to the intrigue, Shubman Gill's appointment as the captain of GT has further intensified the excitement surrounding the match. Gill, known for his batting prowess and leadership abilities, will be under the spotlight as he leads his team into this crucial encounter.For MI, the return of Bumrah adds another layer of excitement to the fixture. With 148 wickets in 123 matches, Bumrah is on the verge of reaching a significant milestone of 150 IPL wickets, a feat he will be aiming to accomplish in this season.The clash between GT and MI promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with fans eagerly awaiting the battle between these two powerhouse teams. The match will take place at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, and anticipation is running high as both teams prepare to face off in what is expected to be a memorable encounter.

In a thrilling encounter during the IPL 2024 match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), young fast bowler Harshit Rana emerged as the hero, defending 13 runs in the final over to secure a nail-biting victory for KKR.Rana's composure under pressure was remarkable. Despite Heinrich Klaasen's blistering six off the first ball of the final over, Rana remained unfazed. He conceded a single before dismissing Shahbaz Ahmed, who attempted a match-winning six but was caught by Shreyas Iyer at long-on.Marco Jansen's single brought Klaasen back on strike, but Rana's clever off-cutter deceived the batsman, who miscued his shot. Suyash Sharma's brilliant effort at short third, diving full stretch to complete the catch, proved crucial.With 5 runs needed off the final ball, SRH skipper Pat Cummins faced Rana. The pacer's slower delivery outside the off stump proved too challenging for Cummins, who failed to make contact, sealing KKR's victory.Earlier, Andre Russell's all-round brilliance had propelled KKR to a competitive 208 for seven. Russell's unbeaten 64 off 25 balls, including seven sixes, and Phil Salt's 54 off 40 balls set the platform for KKR's total.SRH's chase was spearheaded by Klaasen's 63 off 29 balls, but Rana's heroics in the final over ultimately denied them victory.

The Indian women's cricket team celebrated a historic triumph at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2024 awards ceremony, receiving the prestigious "Sports Performance of the Year" award. The team's remarkable achievements have propelled women's cricket in India to new heights.Shreyanka Patil, Shafali Verma, Sneh Rana, and Radha Yadav represented the team at the ceremony, where they were honored by tennis legend Sania Mirza. Shreyanka expressed her gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the transformative journey of women's cricket in India."Women's cricket has undergone a profound change in recent years," Shreyanka said. "We are now receiving financial support and opportunities that were once unimaginable. The BCCI deserves immense credit for their unwavering commitment to our growth."Shreyanka's words resonated with the team's recent success in the Women's Premier League (WPL). As a member of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) side, she played a pivotal role in their historic title victory."Winning the WPL title was a dream come true," Shreyanka said. "It was the first time an RCB team had won a championship, and we are incredibly proud of our accomplishment."Shreyanka also extended her support to the RCB men's team, who are currently competing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. "We have been eagerly waiting for the men's team to lift the IPL trophy," she said. "We know they are working hard and determined to bring it home. We wish them all the best."The Indian women's cricket team's success is a testament to their talent, dedication, and the growing support for women's sports in India. Their achievements have inspired a new generation of young girls to pursue their dreams on the cricket field.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has predicted that Virat Kohli will emerge as the leading run-scorer in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which commences on March 22. Vaughan's prediction stems from Kohli's exceptional track record in the tournament, where he holds the distinction of being the all-time leading run-getter.Kohli's return to the cricket field after a brief hiatus has generated immense excitement among fans. The star batter opted to skip the England Test series to be with his wife, Anushka Sharma, during the birth of their second child.Vaughan believes that Kohli's absence from competitive cricket will not hinder his performance in the IPL. "Virat Kohli will be the leading run-scorer," Vaughan asserted on the Club Prairie Fire podcast. "Rohit Sharma will have the best strike rate in IPL 2024, but Virat Kohli will be the leading run-scorer."However, former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist expressed a different opinion, backing Rajasthan Royals' Yashasvi Jaiswal to claim the top honors among batters.Kohli's last competitive outing was in January during the two T20I matches of the three-match series against Afghanistan. Since then, he has been eagerly awaiting his return to the field, where he will don the red and gold colors of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).Kohli's IPL statistics are nothing short of remarkable. In 237 matches and 229 innings, he has amassed 7,263 runs at an average of 37.24 and a strike rate of 130.02. His highest score is 113, and he has scored seven centuries and 50 fifties in his IPL career.Last season, Kohli was the fourth-highest run-getter, piling up 639 runs at an average of 53.25 and a strike rate of 139.82. His best score was 101*. The 35-year-old scored two centuries and six fifties but could not guide his side to the playoffs.RCB will kick off their IPL campaign on Friday against the Chennai Super Kings in an away match. Kohli's presence in the lineup is expected to boost RCB's chances of success in the tournament.

Rajasthan Royals' star batter Jos Buttler paid homage to the legendary MS Dhoni by attempting his iconic helicopter shot during a pre-match net session in Jaipur. The playful gesture not only showcased Buttler's versatility but also highlighted the enduring legacy of Dhoni's signature stroke.Buttler's attempt at the helicopter shot added an element of excitement and nostalgia for fans and teammates alike. The England cricketer, known for his aggressive batting style, demonstrated his ability to adapt and emulate different techniques.The gesture also served as a reminder of Dhoni's immense impact on the cricketing world. The former India captain popularized the helicopter shot, a powerful and unorthodox stroke that became synonymous with his explosive batting.Buttler's consistent performances in the IPL have earned him a reputation as one of the most dangerous batsmen in the tournament. In IPL 2023, he scored 392 runs in 14 matches, despite facing five ducks. His ability to anchor innings and score quick runs makes him a valuable asset to any team.In IPL 2022, Buttler's exceptional form saw him clinch the prestigious Orange Cap with a staggering 863 runs, including four centuries. His performances propelled Rajasthan Royals to the final, showcasing his ability to lead from the front.Throughout his IPL career, Buttler has accumulated 3223 runs at an impressive average of 37.92 and a blistering strike rate of 148.32. His innings have been characterized by a blend of aggression and finesse, resulting in five centuries and 19 half-centuries.In the IPL 2024 auction, Rajasthan bolstered their squad with strategic acquisitions, bringing in talents such as Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, and Nandre Burger. These additions aim to further strengthen the team's composition and increase their chances of success in the upcoming season.