News Analysis India

Tag: IPL

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway set up Chennai Super Kings’ 13-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad

    By PTI

    PUNE: Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway’s effortless six-hitting exhibition was well complemented by a four-wicket haul from Mukesh Choudhary as Chennai Super Kings notched up a 13-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL match here on Sunday.

    Gaikwad (99 off 57 balls) and Conway (85 not out off 55) put SRH’s attack to the sword, notching up a scintillating 182-run partnership, the highest opening stand of the season, as CSK posted an imposing 202 for two after being invited to bat.

    In reply, SRH fell short, reaching 189 for 6 in 20 overs despite late heroics from Nicholas Pooran (64 not out) and a 47-run innings by skipper Kane Williamson at the top.

    Choudhary emerged with the best figures for CSK, scalping four for 46, while Mitchell Santner (1/36) and Dwaine Pretorius (1/40) took one wicket each.

    The win, which coincided with MS Dhoni’s return to captaincy, kept CSK afloat for an improbable play-off berth as they now have six points with five matches remaining, while SRH remained in the fourth position with 10 points in the overall standing.

    Abhishek Sharma (39) and Williamson gave SRH a flying start to their chase but Choudhary struck twice in two balls to reduce the Hyderabad outfit to 58 for 2 in six overs.

    While Sharma was caught by Dwaine Pretorius at long-on, Rahul Tripathi was out for a duck after giving catching practice at short third man.

    Aiden Markram hit two sixes before falling prey to Mitchell Santner.

    Pooran hit Ravindra Jadeja for a six before unleashing a monstrous reverse sweep for another maximum, while Williamson too notched up a one-handed six to keep the scoreboard ticking.

    The SRH skipper, however, was trapped in front by Pretorius as it became 126 for 4 in 15th over.

    Pooran then kept fighting in vain while scoreboard pressure took a toll on the other batters.

    Earlier, Gaikwad, who has been blowing hot and cold this season, was at his destructive best as he smashed six sixes and as many fours before tragically falling short of a ton by just one run.

    The 25-year-old was in his zone as he stood on his backfoot, and played some exceptional shots to dominate the formidable SRH bowling unit.

    Anything short was pulled with immaculate ease, while pitched up deliveries were treated with equal disdain as Gaikwad didn’t miss a trick to send SRH on a leather hunt during his classy innings.

    Conway too showed great temperament as he was the perfect foil for Gaikwad.

    He bide his time initially before going for the big shots in the slog overs.

    Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/22) was the best bowler on display for SRH, while pace sensation Umran Malik had a really bad day in office, having conceded 48 in his four overs.

    T Natarajan (2/42) picked up two wickets but also went for runs.

    With Washington Sundar suffering an injury while fielding, SRH was forced to use Markram and Shashank Singh as the fifth bowler, who conceded 46 from their combined four overs.

    After a watchful start, Gaikwad broke free as he pulled Marco Jansen for two maximums, while Natarajan was sent across the mid-wicket boundary as CSK reached 40 for 0 after the powerplay.

    Gaikwad was particular harsh on Malik, smashing him over cover first before lifting him over long-on for another maximum in his first over.

    Malik cranked up the pace, bowling the fastest delivery of the tournament, clocking 154kmph in the 10th over, but ended up conceding two more boundaries off Gaikwad’s blade as the opener completed his half-century off 33 balls.

    Markram too faced the fury of the duo with Conway sending him across the fine leg before going down the wicket for a flat six.

    Gaikwad too clobbered him for successive sixes as the 100 was up in the 11th over.

    Malik was again in the line of fire as Gaikwad slogged him over long-on for a boundary before lifting him over long-off for another maximum.

    A top-edge six off Marco Jansen, meanwhile, helped Conway bring up his fifty in 39 balls and he ended the 15th over with another four and a six.

    Natarajan was brought back but he too conceded 13 runs with Gaikwad producing another pull.

    Conway too sent one over the bowler’s head in the 18th over.

    Gaikwad, however, missed out of a deserving hundred when he gave an easy catch at point.

    Back at the helm of affairs, M S Dhoni promoted himself but couldn’t make an impact as he was holed out by Malik off Natarajan.

  • LSG take a step towards play-offs as Mohsin Khan, KL Rahul star in six-run win over Delhi Capitals

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: Ever since he missed the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a shoulder injury, KL Rahul has set the stage on fire on his return. On Sunday, with his 51-ball 77, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper not only helped his side post a daunting total of 195/3 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai but also crossed the 400-run mark for the fifth consecutive season. 

    In the end, the target proved more than enough for the Rishabh Pant-led side as they responded with 189/7, losing the match by six runs. The win also helped Lucknow leapfrog Rajasthan Royals to be placed second on the table with 14 points from 10 matches.

    Opting to bat first, Rahul, along with his opening partner Quinton de Kock, gave the team a flying start scoring 42 from 4.2 overs before the latter departed after a quick-fire 23 off just 13 balls. The Karnataka batter then joined forces with Deepak Hooda (52 off 34 balls), adding 95 runs for the second wicket and more importantly, nullifying the spin threat posed by the DC troika of Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel, who went wicketless. The trio conceded 70 runs from a combined eight overs they bowled during the innings.

    Given his form with the willow over the past five seasons since 2018 (2999 runs from 65 matches so far), Rahul can aptly be termed as Mr Consistent of the cash-rich league. He had finished in the top-3 of leading run-getters from 2018 to 2021 winning the Orange Cap in the 2020 edition. In the ongoing edition, he is placed second behind Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler (566, 9 matches) with 451 runs from 10 matches including two centuries and as many half-centuries.

    If Rahul and Hooda starred with the bat for the Lucknow franchise against Delhi, it was Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm medium-pacer Mohsin Khan, who impressed with the ball. Opening the bowling for his side, the 23-year-old Mohsin claimed 4/16 from his four overs including the important wickets of David Warner (3), Pant (44) and Rovman Powell (35). He was later adjudged player of the match for his brilliant spell.At one stage, Pant and Powell were threatening to run away with the game as the latter hit Krishnappa Gowtham for two consecutive sixes and a four, plundering 18 runs from the 12th over of the innings. 

    Mohsin then castled the Delhi skipper in the next over with a fuller delivery. Pant’s departure, however, didn’t slow down the Jamaican, who continued scoring at a brisk pace. 

    With 50 needed off the last four overs, Mohsin once again did the trick as he bowled a short cutter angling across to finish just outside off. The West Indian tried to clear the longer leg-side boundary only to find Krunal Pandya at the deep midwicket. He then accounted for Shardul Thakur in the same over, almost sealing the deal for his side.

    Axar (42 not out) and Kuldeep (16 not out) though used the long handle to good effect towards the end but their efforts could not bring the desired result for the team. Needing 21 from the last over, Kuldeep hit Marcus Stoinis’ first delivery for a six, raising some hopes in the process. However, the Aussie and Lucknow held nerves to come out triumphant.

    Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 195/3 in 20 overs (Rahul 77, Hooda 52; Thakur 3/40) bt Delhi Capitals 189/7 in overs (Pant 44, Axar 42 n.o, Powell 35; Mohsin 4/16)

    CHENNAI: Ever since he missed the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a shoulder injury, KL Rahul has set the stage on fire on his return. On Sunday, with his 51-ball 77, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper not only helped his side post a daunting total of 195/3 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai but also crossed the 400-run mark for the fifth consecutive season. 

    In the end, the target proved more than enough for the Rishabh Pant-led side as they responded with 189/7, losing the match by six runs. The win also helped Lucknow leapfrog Rajasthan Royals to be placed second on the table with 14 points from 10 matches.

    Opting to bat first, Rahul, along with his opening partner Quinton de Kock, gave the team a flying start scoring 42 from 4.2 overs before the latter departed after a quick-fire 23 off just 13 balls. The Karnataka batter then joined forces with Deepak Hooda (52 off 34 balls), adding 95 runs for the second wicket and more importantly, nullifying the spin threat posed by the DC troika of Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel, who went wicketless. The trio conceded 70 runs from a combined eight overs they bowled during the innings.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Given his form with the willow over the past five seasons since 2018 (2999 runs from 65 matches so far), Rahul can aptly be termed as Mr Consistent of the cash-rich league. He had finished in the top-3 of leading run-getters from 2018 to 2021 winning the Orange Cap in the 2020 edition. In the ongoing edition, he is placed second behind Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler (566, 9 matches) with 451 runs from 10 matches including two centuries and as many half-centuries.

    If Rahul and Hooda starred with the bat for the Lucknow franchise against Delhi, it was Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm medium-pacer Mohsin Khan, who impressed with the ball. Opening the bowling for his side, the 23-year-old Mohsin claimed 4/16 from his four overs including the important wickets of David Warner (3), Pant (44) and Rovman Powell (35). He was later adjudged player of the match for his brilliant spell.
    At one stage, Pant and Powell were threatening to run away with the game as the latter hit Krishnappa Gowtham for two consecutive sixes and a four, plundering 18 runs from the 12th over of the innings. 

    Mohsin then castled the Delhi skipper in the next over with a fuller delivery. Pant’s departure, however, didn’t slow down the Jamaican, who continued scoring at a brisk pace. 

    With 50 needed off the last four overs, Mohsin once again did the trick as he bowled a short cutter angling across to finish just outside off. The West Indian tried to clear the longer leg-side boundary only to find Krunal Pandya at the deep midwicket. He then accounted for Shardul Thakur in the same over, almost sealing the deal for his side.

    Axar (42 not out) and Kuldeep (16 not out) though used the long handle to good effect towards the end but their efforts could not bring the desired result for the team. Needing 21 from the last over, Kuldeep hit Marcus Stoinis’ first delivery for a six, raising some hopes in the process. However, the Aussie and Lucknow held nerves to come out triumphant.

    Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 195/3 in 20 overs (Rahul 77, Hooda 52; Thakur 3/40) bt Delhi Capitals 189/7 in overs (Pant 44, Axar 42 n.o, Powell 35; Mohsin 4/16)

  • LSG take a step towards play-offs as Mohsin Khan, KL Rahul star in six-run win over Delhi Capitals

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: Ever since he missed the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a shoulder injury, KL Rahul has set the stage on fire on his return. On Sunday, with his 51-ball 77, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper not only helped his side post a daunting total of 195/3 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai but also crossed the 400-run mark for the fifth consecutive season. 

    In the end, the target proved more than enough for the Rishabh Pant-led side as they responded with 189/7, losing the match by six runs. The win also helped Lucknow leapfrog Rajasthan Royals to be placed second on the table with 14 points from 10 matches.

    Opting to bat first, Rahul, along with his opening partner Quinton de Kock, gave the team a flying start scoring 42 from 4.2 overs before the latter departed after a quick-fire 23 off just 13 balls. The Karnataka batter then joined forces with Deepak Hooda (52 off 34 balls), adding 95 runs for the second wicket and more importantly, nullifying the spin threat posed by the DC troika of Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel, who went wicketless. The trio conceded 70 runs from a combined eight overs they bowled during the innings.

    Given his form with the willow over the past five seasons since 2018 (2999 runs from 65 matches so far), Rahul can aptly be termed as Mr Consistent of the cash-rich league. He had finished in the top-3 of leading run-getters from 2018 to 2021 winning the Orange Cap in the 2020 edition. In the ongoing edition, he is placed second behind Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler (566, 9 matches) with 451 runs from 10 matches including two centuries and as many half-centuries.

    If Rahul and Hooda starred with the bat for the Lucknow franchise against Delhi, it was Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm medium-pacer Mohsin Khan, who impressed with the ball. Opening the bowling for his side, the 23-year-old Mohsin claimed 4/16 from his four overs including the important wickets of David Warner (3), Pant (44) and Rovman Powell (35). He was later adjudged player of the match for his brilliant spell.At one stage, Pant and Powell were threatening to run away with the game as the latter hit Krishnappa Gowtham for two consecutive sixes and a four, plundering 18 runs from the 12th over of the innings. 

    Mohsin then castled the Delhi skipper in the next over with a fuller delivery. Pant’s departure, however, didn’t slow down the Jamaican, who continued scoring at a brisk pace. 

    With 50 needed off the last four overs, Mohsin once again did the trick as he bowled a short cutter angling across to finish just outside off. The West Indian tried to clear the longer leg-side boundary only to find Krunal Pandya at the deep midwicket. He then accounted for Shardul Thakur in the same over, almost sealing the deal for his side.

    Axar (42 not out) and Kuldeep (16 not out) though used the long handle to good effect towards the end but their efforts could not bring the desired result for the team. Needing 21 from the last over, Kuldeep hit Marcus Stoinis’ first delivery for a six, raising some hopes in the process. However, the Aussie and Lucknow held nerves to come out triumphant.

    Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 195/3 in 20 overs (Rahul 77, Hooda 52; Thakur 3/40) bt Delhi Capitals 189/7 in overs (Pant 44, Axar 42 n.o, Powell 35; Mohsin 4/16)

  • How Shikhar Dhawan changed the batting strategy after debacle against Delhi Capitals

    By IANS

    MUMBAI: Punjab Kings seem to have learnt a lesson from their defeat in the previous game against Delhi Capitals on April 20, where their ultra-aggressive approach let them down big time.

    On Monday, Shikhar Dhawan — who made just nine in the nine-wicket thrashing by DC — took his time to establish himself at the crease before unleashing a flurry of strokes as he ended up making a 59-ball 88, which proved decisive in the end and helped PBKS return with a vengeance to beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs.

    The ultra-attacking approach in the previous game had been massively criticised as PBKS had folded up for 115, but on Monday, the put on an imposing 187 at the Wankhede.

    Dhawan said he focused on the process after the debacle against DC, adding that staying calm early on proved decisive.

    “The process, I always talk about it, I focus on it. About my fitness, my approach — I keep working on those skills. Results will take care of itself. The wicket was stopping a bit (like the previous game against DC), I tried to go for the big shots, but I couldn’t connect. But I kept my calm. Once I get set, I can get those boundaries; that’s what I bank on. While batting first, it’s about putting pressure on the bowlers and getting boundaries. We don’t have to lose too many wickets, that was our conscious effort,” said Dhawan.

    He added about his interaction with the PBKS camp following the loss to DC. “I have become a senior in the team (laughs), I give a lot of input to the players and my captain, on the field. The youngsters think a lot, sometimes they overthink, so I try to communicate with them. I talk about the law of attraction and how to achieve big in life,” he said.

    It was a big win for the Punjab Kings in terms of how important these two points were at this crucial stage in the tournament. The team will take on Lucknow Super Giants next on April 29.

    Rabada opened up about the way PBKS began the game and later, the nerves in the bowling department. “In the powerplay, we were a bit behind the rate, but I must commend Shikhar and Mayank (Agarwal) the way they held their nerve, and then the way Shikhar and Bhanu (Bhanuka Rajapaksa) played was just unbelievable,” the South African pacer said.

    He added, “They set the platform for our batters to come in and play freely and then Liam Livingstone came in and hit a few gentle strokes out of the park and that set us up nicely. We got ourselves a winning total and I thought each and every individual in our bowling attack put their hand up.”

    MUMBAI: Punjab Kings seem to have learnt a lesson from their defeat in the previous game against Delhi Capitals on April 20, where their ultra-aggressive approach let them down big time.

    On Monday, Shikhar Dhawan — who made just nine in the nine-wicket thrashing by DC — took his time to establish himself at the crease before unleashing a flurry of strokes as he ended up making a 59-ball 88, which proved decisive in the end and helped PBKS return with a vengeance to beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs.

    The ultra-attacking approach in the previous game had been massively criticised as PBKS had folded up for 115, but on Monday, the put on an imposing 187 at the Wankhede.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Dhawan said he focused on the process after the debacle against DC, adding that staying calm early on proved decisive.

    “The process, I always talk about it, I focus on it. About my fitness, my approach — I keep working on those skills. Results will take care of itself. The wicket was stopping a bit (like the previous game against DC), I tried to go for the big shots, but I couldn’t connect. But I kept my calm. Once I get set, I can get those boundaries; that’s what I bank on. While batting first, it’s about putting pressure on the bowlers and getting boundaries. We don’t have to lose too many wickets, that was our conscious effort,” said Dhawan.

    He added about his interaction with the PBKS camp following the loss to DC. “I have become a senior in the team (laughs), I give a lot of input to the players and my captain, on the field. The youngsters think a lot, sometimes they overthink, so I try to communicate with them. I talk about the law of attraction and how to achieve big in life,” he said.

    It was a big win for the Punjab Kings in terms of how important these two points were at this crucial stage in the tournament. The team will take on Lucknow Super Giants next on April 29.

    Rabada opened up about the way PBKS began the game and later, the nerves in the bowling department. “In the powerplay, we were a bit behind the rate, but I must commend Shikhar and Mayank (Agarwal) the way they held their nerve, and then the way Shikhar and Bhanu (Bhanuka Rajapaksa) played was just unbelievable,” the South African pacer said.

    He added, “They set the platform for our batters to come in and play freely and then Liam Livingstone came in and hit a few gentle strokes out of the park and that set us up nicely. We got ourselves a winning total and I thought each and every individual in our bowling attack put their hand up.”

  • How Shikhar Dhawan changed the batting strategy after debacle against Delhi Capitals

    By IANS

    MUMBAI: Punjab Kings seem to have learnt a lesson from their defeat in the previous game against Delhi Capitals on April 20, where their ultra-aggressive approach let them down big time.

    On Monday, Shikhar Dhawan — who made just nine in the nine-wicket thrashing by DC — took his time to establish himself at the crease before unleashing a flurry of strokes as he ended up making a 59-ball 88, which proved decisive in the end and helped PBKS return with a vengeance to beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs.

    The ultra-attacking approach in the previous game had been massively criticised as PBKS had folded up for 115, but on Monday, the put on an imposing 187 at the Wankhede.

    Dhawan said he focused on the process after the debacle against DC, adding that staying calm early on proved decisive.

    “The process, I always talk about it, I focus on it. About my fitness, my approach — I keep working on those skills. Results will take care of itself. The wicket was stopping a bit (like the previous game against DC), I tried to go for the big shots, but I couldn’t connect. But I kept my calm. Once I get set, I can get those boundaries; that’s what I bank on. While batting first, it’s about putting pressure on the bowlers and getting boundaries. We don’t have to lose too many wickets, that was our conscious effort,” said Dhawan.

    He added about his interaction with the PBKS camp following the loss to DC. “I have become a senior in the team (laughs), I give a lot of input to the players and my captain, on the field. The youngsters think a lot, sometimes they overthink, so I try to communicate with them. I talk about the law of attraction and how to achieve big in life,” he said.

    It was a big win for the Punjab Kings in terms of how important these two points were at this crucial stage in the tournament. The team will take on Lucknow Super Giants next on April 29.

    Rabada opened up about the way PBKS began the game and later, the nerves in the bowling department. “In the powerplay, we were a bit behind the rate, but I must commend Shikhar and Mayank (Agarwal) the way they held their nerve, and then the way Shikhar and Bhanu (Bhanuka Rajapaksa) played was just unbelievable,” the South African pacer said.

    He added, “They set the platform for our batters to come in and play freely and then Liam Livingstone came in and hit a few gentle strokes out of the park and that set us up nicely. We got ourselves a winning total and I thought each and every individual in our bowling attack put their hand up.”

  • CSK coach Stephen Fleming feels MS Dhoni’s best time to come out for batting is from 15 overs onwards

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming on Monday said the best time for MS Dhoni to come out to bat is from 15 overs onwards.

    Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 88 helped Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs at the Wankhede Stadium here. Ambati Rayudu’s 39-ball 78-run knock went in vain as CSK lost their sixth match of the season.

    “We lost a wicket in the 13th over, pretty close to when we have seen MS Dhoni come in the last 13 years. We had this discussion a lot, MS’ best time is from about 15 overs onwards and Jadeja has played some good innings for us from the stage, and we don’t throw that out based on 1-2 games,” said Fleming during a post-match press conference.

    About the match, Fleming said that when a match is as high scoring as one played on Monday, there are always a couple of twists and turns where the team could have performed better.

    “For the majority of the innings, we were in control. But they (PBKS) finished really well,” added the CSK head coach.

    About Rayadu’s hand injury, Fleming said that the first check was done around the break and the player’s hand was bruising.

    “It was just a case of icing that and getting that down and I think a little padding around the glove. It was the same hand that was broken sometime back, so it is still pretty tender and a knock like that can obviously cause some damage. But fortunately for us, it settled down he batted well,” he added.

    Fleming said that all-rounder Moeen Ali, who injured his ankle, is in his recovery period.

    “X-Rays revealed there was no fracture, which is good. We are hopeful that the recovery will be quick, given that there is no fracture,” added the coach.

    Coming to the match, Punjab Kings lost captain Mayank Agarwal early during the powerplay. But a 110-run stand between Shikhar Dhawan (88*) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (42) and some hard-hitting strokes of Liam Livingstone (19), PBKS reached 187/4 at the end of their 20 overs.

    Chasing 188, CSK kept losing wickets at regular intervals, though Ruturaj Gaikwad (30) and Ambati Rayadu ensured that the team crossed the 50-run mark in 7.5 overs. Later, Rayadu (78) continued his assault on the Punjab bowling line-up, putting a 64-run stand with captain Ravindra Jadeja (21). The equation came down to 27 in the last over, MS Dhoni attempted to take his team over the line, but was caught by Jonny Bairstow while attempting to hit it over the ropes.

    Punjab Kings won the match by 11 runs and Shikhar Dhawan was given the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his 88* off 59 which included nine fours and two sixes.

    With this win, Punjab Kings are at the sixth spot in the points table with eight points while Super Kings lay at the ninth spot with just four points. PBKS will take on Lucknow Super Giants on April 29 while CSK will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 1.

    MUMBAI: Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming on Monday said the best time for MS Dhoni to come out to bat is from 15 overs onwards.

    Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 88 helped Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs at the Wankhede Stadium here. Ambati Rayudu’s 39-ball 78-run knock went in vain as CSK lost their sixth match of the season.

    “We lost a wicket in the 13th over, pretty close to when we have seen MS Dhoni come in the last 13 years. We had this discussion a lot, MS’ best time is from about 15 overs onwards and Jadeja has played some good innings for us from the stage, and we don’t throw that out based on 1-2 games,” said Fleming during a post-match press conference.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    About the match, Fleming said that when a match is as high scoring as one played on Monday, there are always a couple of twists and turns where the team could have performed better.

    “For the majority of the innings, we were in control. But they (PBKS) finished really well,” added the CSK head coach.

    About Rayadu’s hand injury, Fleming said that the first check was done around the break and the player’s hand was bruising.

    “It was just a case of icing that and getting that down and I think a little padding around the glove. It was the same hand that was broken sometime back, so it is still pretty tender and a knock like that can obviously cause some damage. But fortunately for us, it settled down he batted well,” he added.

    Fleming said that all-rounder Moeen Ali, who injured his ankle, is in his recovery period.

    “X-Rays revealed there was no fracture, which is good. We are hopeful that the recovery will be quick, given that there is no fracture,” added the coach.

    Coming to the match, Punjab Kings lost captain Mayank Agarwal early during the powerplay. But a 110-run stand between Shikhar Dhawan (88*) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (42) and some hard-hitting strokes of Liam Livingstone (19), PBKS reached 187/4 at the end of their 20 overs.

    Chasing 188, CSK kept losing wickets at regular intervals, though Ruturaj Gaikwad (30) and Ambati Rayadu ensured that the team crossed the 50-run mark in 7.5 overs. Later, Rayadu (78) continued his assault on the Punjab bowling line-up, putting a 64-run stand with captain Ravindra Jadeja (21). The equation came down to 27 in the last over, MS Dhoni attempted to take his team over the line, but was caught by Jonny Bairstow while attempting to hit it over the ropes.

    Punjab Kings won the match by 11 runs and Shikhar Dhawan was given the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his 88* off 59 which included nine fours and two sixes.

    With this win, Punjab Kings are at the sixth spot in the points table with eight points while Super Kings lay at the ninth spot with just four points. PBKS will take on Lucknow Super Giants on April 29 while CSK will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 1.

  • CSK coach Stephen Fleming feels MS Dhoni’s best time to come out for batting is from 15 overs onwards

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming on Monday said the best time for MS Dhoni to come out to bat is from 15 overs onwards.

    Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 88 helped Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs at the Wankhede Stadium here. Ambati Rayudu’s 39-ball 78-run knock went in vain as CSK lost their sixth match of the season.

    “We lost a wicket in the 13th over, pretty close to when we have seen MS Dhoni come in the last 13 years. We had this discussion a lot, MS’ best time is from about 15 overs onwards and Jadeja has played some good innings for us from the stage, and we don’t throw that out based on 1-2 games,” said Fleming during a post-match press conference.

    About the match, Fleming said that when a match is as high scoring as one played on Monday, there are always a couple of twists and turns where the team could have performed better.

    “For the majority of the innings, we were in control. But they (PBKS) finished really well,” added the CSK head coach.

    About Rayadu’s hand injury, Fleming said that the first check was done around the break and the player’s hand was bruising.

    “It was just a case of icing that and getting that down and I think a little padding around the glove. It was the same hand that was broken sometime back, so it is still pretty tender and a knock like that can obviously cause some damage. But fortunately for us, it settled down he batted well,” he added.

    Fleming said that all-rounder Moeen Ali, who injured his ankle, is in his recovery period.

    “X-Rays revealed there was no fracture, which is good. We are hopeful that the recovery will be quick, given that there is no fracture,” added the coach.

    Coming to the match, Punjab Kings lost captain Mayank Agarwal early during the powerplay. But a 110-run stand between Shikhar Dhawan (88*) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (42) and some hard-hitting strokes of Liam Livingstone (19), PBKS reached 187/4 at the end of their 20 overs.

    Chasing 188, CSK kept losing wickets at regular intervals, though Ruturaj Gaikwad (30) and Ambati Rayadu ensured that the team crossed the 50-run mark in 7.5 overs. Later, Rayadu (78) continued his assault on the Punjab bowling line-up, putting a 64-run stand with captain Ravindra Jadeja (21). The equation came down to 27 in the last over, MS Dhoni attempted to take his team over the line, but was caught by Jonny Bairstow while attempting to hit it over the ropes.

    Punjab Kings won the match by 11 runs and Shikhar Dhawan was given the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his 88* off 59 which included nine fours and two sixes.

    With this win, Punjab Kings are at the sixth spot in the points table with eight points while Super Kings lay at the ninth spot with just four points. PBKS will take on Lucknow Super Giants on April 29 while CSK will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 1.

  • I always believed that Mukesh Choudhary is destined for bigger things: Coach Surendra Bhave

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: When a gangly teenager named Mukesh Choudhary, all of 16 back in the day, bowled for the first time at the 22-yards academy, there was some spark which convinced former national selector Surendra Bhave to believe that his newest ward will make it big.

    Eight years hence, 25-year-old Choudhary has grabbed opportunities provided by Chennai Super Kings with seven wickets from seven games, including a man-of-the-match winning 3/19 against Mumbai Indians.

    “When I saw him at our academy in the first week, I immediately told our coach Rajesh Mahurkar that I could 100 percent visualise a first-class player in him. They (academy coaches) still can’t believe that what I predicted came true,” Bhave, a former first-class heavyweight and current Punjab Ranji team coach told PTI.

    Bhave recollected the time when young Choudhary came to him after not being satisfied with a couple of academies.

    “Mukesh came to my academy after after having visited a couple of academies earlier. I believe somebody suggested that he visit our academy if he wants systematic coaching,” Bhave, who has scored nearly 8000 first-class runs for Maharashtra and West Zone, said.

    But since his academy did not play invitational tournaments which is a norm if one wants to make a case for Ranji Trophy selection.

    What worked for Choudhary was his good physique, coupled with a very smooth action.

    It wasn’t long before Bhave laid the first platform for the Rajasthan boy which enabled him to showcase his talent in-front of Maharashtra selectors.

    “He had a naturally beautiful action, which was refined, and had a good physique. Then he trained with us on a regular basis.

    “When I felt that he was doing well and he needed a platform, that is when I was spoke to officials of the Deccan Gymkhana club and told them that I had a rookie left-arm pacer and it was necessary for him to get a platform and that is when Deccan Gymkhana took him up,” Bhave recalled.

    Deccan Gymkhana, one of the oldest clubs in Pune, had produced many state players and when they took Choudhary into their folds, as they say the rest is history.

    “It is Maharashtra Cricket Association’s selection criteria that squads are chosen on basis of performances in the invitational leagues.”

    Bhave is happy that despite having a couple poor games, CSK persisted with him and that yielded results when he removed Rohit Sharma and ishan Kishan first up in their match against Mumbai Indians.

    “He (Mukesh) got a good platform in terms of CSK. He didn’t have two great games (but still CSK backed him). He is in right hands and a guy like MS (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) to guide him from behind the stumps, it is like a stuff of dreams (for Mukesh),” Bhave, one of the finest domestic coaches, said.

    Nikhil Dixit, his coach at Deccan Gymkhana, insisted that the rookie pacer was taking wickets at ease in the invitational tournaments and that paved the way for him.

    “Mukesh was taking wickets at ease during the invitational matches. His consistent performances helped him to break into the U-23 side and then into the Maharashtra Ranji team. He was also net bowler for the CSK, which also helped him make the cut,” said Dixit.

  • I always believed that Mukesh Choudhary is destined for bigger things: Coach Surendra Bhave

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: When a gangly teenager named Mukesh Choudhary, all of 16 back in the day, bowled for the first time at the 22-yards academy, there was some spark which convinced former national selector Surendra Bhave to believe that his newest ward will make it big.

    Eight years hence, 25-year-old Choudhary has grabbed opportunities provided by Chennai Super Kings with seven wickets from seven games, including a man-of-the-match winning 3/19 against Mumbai Indians.

    “When I saw him at our academy in the first week, I immediately told our coach Rajesh Mahurkar that I could 100 percent visualise a first-class player in him. They (academy coaches) still can’t believe that what I predicted came true,” Bhave, a former first-class heavyweight and current Punjab Ranji team coach told PTI.

    Bhave recollected the time when young Choudhary came to him after not being satisfied with a couple of academies.

    “Mukesh came to my academy after after having visited a couple of academies earlier. I believe somebody suggested that he visit our academy if he wants systematic coaching,” Bhave, who has scored nearly 8000 first-class runs for Maharashtra and West Zone, said.

    But since his academy did not play invitational tournaments which is a norm if one wants to make a case for Ranji Trophy selection.

    What worked for Choudhary was his good physique, coupled with a very smooth action.

    It wasn’t long before Bhave laid the first platform for the Rajasthan boy which enabled him to showcase his talent in-front of Maharashtra selectors.

    “He had a naturally beautiful action, which was refined, and had a good physique. Then he trained with us on a regular basis.

    “When I felt that he was doing well and he needed a platform, that is when I was spoke to officials of the Deccan Gymkhana club and told them that I had a rookie left-arm pacer and it was necessary for him to get a platform and that is when Deccan Gymkhana took him up,” Bhave recalled.

    Deccan Gymkhana, one of the oldest clubs in Pune, had produced many state players and when they took Choudhary into their folds, as they say the rest is history.

    “It is Maharashtra Cricket Association’s selection criteria that squads are chosen on basis of performances in the invitational leagues.”

    Bhave is happy that despite having a couple poor games, CSK persisted with him and that yielded results when he removed Rohit Sharma and ishan Kishan first up in their match against Mumbai Indians.

    “He (Mukesh) got a good platform in terms of CSK. He didn’t have two great games (but still CSK backed him). He is in right hands and a guy like MS (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) to guide him from behind the stumps, it is like a stuff of dreams (for Mukesh),” Bhave, one of the finest domestic coaches, said.

    Nikhil Dixit, his coach at Deccan Gymkhana, insisted that the rookie pacer was taking wickets at ease in the invitational tournaments and that paved the way for him.

    “Mukesh was taking wickets at ease during the invitational matches. His consistent performances helped him to break into the U-23 side and then into the Maharashtra Ranji team. He was also net bowler for the CSK, which also helped him make the cut,” said Dixit.

    MUMBAI: When a gangly teenager named Mukesh Choudhary, all of 16 back in the day, bowled for the first time at the 22-yards academy, there was some spark which convinced former national selector Surendra Bhave to believe that his newest ward will make it big.

    Eight years hence, 25-year-old Choudhary has grabbed opportunities provided by Chennai Super Kings with seven wickets from seven games, including a man-of-the-match winning 3/19 against Mumbai Indians.

    “When I saw him at our academy in the first week, I immediately told our coach Rajesh Mahurkar that I could 100 percent visualise a first-class player in him. They (academy coaches) still can’t believe that what I predicted came true,” Bhave, a former first-class heavyweight and current Punjab Ranji team coach told PTI.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Bhave recollected the time when young Choudhary came to him after not being satisfied with a couple of academies.

    “Mukesh came to my academy after after having visited a couple of academies earlier. I believe somebody suggested that he visit our academy if he wants systematic coaching,” Bhave, who has scored nearly 8000 first-class runs for Maharashtra and West Zone, said.

    But since his academy did not play invitational tournaments which is a norm if one wants to make a case for Ranji Trophy selection.

    What worked for Choudhary was his good physique, coupled with a very smooth action.

    It wasn’t long before Bhave laid the first platform for the Rajasthan boy which enabled him to showcase his talent in-front of Maharashtra selectors.

    “He had a naturally beautiful action, which was refined, and had a good physique. Then he trained with us on a regular basis.

    “When I felt that he was doing well and he needed a platform, that is when I was spoke to officials of the Deccan Gymkhana club and told them that I had a rookie left-arm pacer and it was necessary for him to get a platform and that is when Deccan Gymkhana took him up,” Bhave recalled.

    Deccan Gymkhana, one of the oldest clubs in Pune, had produced many state players and when they took Choudhary into their folds, as they say the rest is history.

    “It is Maharashtra Cricket Association’s selection criteria that squads are chosen on basis of performances in the invitational leagues.”

    Bhave is happy that despite having a couple poor games, CSK persisted with him and that yielded results when he removed Rohit Sharma and ishan Kishan first up in their match against Mumbai Indians.

    “He (Mukesh) got a good platform in terms of CSK. He didn’t have two great games (but still CSK backed him). He is in right hands and a guy like MS (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) to guide him from behind the stumps, it is like a stuff of dreams (for Mukesh),” Bhave, one of the finest domestic coaches, said.

    Nikhil Dixit, his coach at Deccan Gymkhana, insisted that the rookie pacer was taking wickets at ease in the invitational tournaments and that paved the way for him.

    “Mukesh was taking wickets at ease during the invitational matches. His consistent performances helped him to break into the U-23 side and then into the Maharashtra Ranji team. He was also net bowler for the CSK, which also helped him make the cut,” said Dixit.

  • Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen backs Jos Buttler to continue sensational run in IPL

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Some of the shots he played you can’t buy them”, raved Kevin Pietersen, who backed Jos Buttler to continue his stellar show in the IPL as he is in “sublime” form.

    Buttler has been in sensational form for Rajasthan Royals, scoring centuries against Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals.

    “We are running out of adjectives and superlatives. The IPL is made incredible by the innings like these,” Pietersen said on ‘Star Sports’.

    “The spectators love this, we love this, everybody in the studio loved this. I mean some of the shots he played you can’t buy them. You can’t practice that (because) no one sells it.

    “You either have it or you don’t. He’s such a fine talent and in such a sublime form. When he starts to strike like that sometimes you’ve just got to say you know what, this guy is so good. He took his time and capitalised.

    Against the Capitals, Buttler hit nine sixes and as many fours in his sparkling 116 from 65 balls to take Rajasthan to 222-2.

    “Jos did an unbelievable job against Delhi Capitals (in the previous game). I am sure he’ll continue to do so because when you’re in this kind of form in the tournament, you’ll just bat and bat and bat, especially when the wickets are this good.

    “So, I don’t expect him to change the way he plays,” he said.