News Analysis India

Tag: IPL

  • Devdutt Padikkal likely to play against SunRisers Hyderabad: Mike Hesson

    By ANI
    CHENNAI: Mike Hesson, Director of Cricket, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has said that opening batsman Devdutt Padikkal is likely to play against the SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    Ahead of IPL 2021, Padikkal had tested positive for Covid-19 and he was undergoing home quarantine. After returning three negative Covid-19 tests, he joined RCB’s team bubble in Chennai.

    “Devdutt Padikkal has come back nicely, he would be fully fit so he will be considered for the game against SunRisers, and most likely, he would play. Finn Allen has come out of quarantine and looks in great touch, we would have Zampa and Richardson back heading into the next game as well, they will get out the day of the game,” Hesson said in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of RCB.

    Padikkal played his first season for RCB last year and he managed to leave a good impression after scoring 473 runs from 15 matches at an average of 31.53 with his best score being 74.

    Harshal had delivered a stunning bowling performance before AB de Villiers’ masterclass took RCB home against defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening game of IPL. Harshal had picked five wickets (three in the final over) to restrict Rohit Sharma’s side to 159.

    “Look, we are very happy with the start we had, I think we deserved to win the game against Mumbai Indians. We did a lot of hard work, I guess the only thing is we would have wanted to finish the game off against Mumbai two or three wickets down, it was a great partnership between Virat and Maxwell. When we look back at the game, we have got few little areas to improve upon and that is great. We did a lot of things really well, obviously with the ball and with a partnership in the middle,” said head coach Simon Katich.

    “It was an interesting wicket, the first one. It certainly wasn’t that easy to bat on. The quality of the bowling was really good, it will all depend on the pace of the wicket. It certainly was on the slower side and difficult to score,” he added.

    RCB will take on SunRisers Hyderabad here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium later today in the IPL 2021.

  • We are going to learn from it: KKR all-rounder Andre Russell after defeat against Mumbai Indians

    By ANI
    CHENNAI: After a disappointing 10-run defeat against Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday, Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell said that the side will learn from their mistakes and will do better in the coming games.

    Mumbai Indians defeated KKR by 10 runs thanks to an all-rounder bowling performance from the Rohit Sharma-led side. Russell’s five-wicket haul had bundled Mumbai Indians out for 152 after batsman Suryakumar Yadav’s (56) quickfire knock. In response, KKR were restricted to 142/7.

    KKR were right on the track for an easy win but Rahul Chahar spun a web and removed the top four batsmen before Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult’s fiery spell handed Mumbai Indians the match.

    “Yeah, I support that (Shah Rukh Khan) tweet but at the end of the day the game of cricket… you are not sure until it’s over. I think we are still confident, we still played some good cricket and I am proud of the boys. You know, we are definitely disappointed but it’s not the end of the road, it’s only the second game and we are going to learn from it,” Russell said in the virtual post-match press conference.

    “I just think it’s a game of cricket. I have played hundreds of T20 games and I have seen games where teams cruise in on the driver’s seat and then suddenly lose a few wickets, new batters come in and struggle to get away and that’s what happened tonight,” he said.

    “So, we definitely have to learn from this as I have said before. We will look to make sure that who’s in, stays in and once we learn from all these mistakes that happened tonight we will definitely do better because we have a good team. I have trust and confidence in the boys,” the all-rounder added.

    Rusell further said the wicket was not the easiest to bat on and for him also it was challenging.

    “You have to try and stay as still as possible, be open-minded. It is a difficult wicket to bat on and it is not easy for a new batsman to come in and start the hitting from ball one. It is very challenging, even for me the ball was a bit up and down. It is not the easiest wicket to bat on, no matter how good you are you still need a couple of balls to actually get your eye in,” he said.

    KKR will next play against Royal Challengers Bangalore here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 18.

  • SRH doesn’t have as much depth as compared to other teams: RCB wicketkeeper-batsman AB de Villiers

    By ANI
    CHENNAI: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman AB de Villiers has said that SunRisers Hyderabad does not have as much depth as compared to the other teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

    AB de Villiers’s remarks come as RCB gets ready to lock horns against David Warner-led SunRisers Hyderabad here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium later today.

    “It is a nice attack to face, it is a great challenge. I always enjoy playing against SunRisers Hyderabad. They can challenge you with their skill and they are always smart. It is a matter of us making sure that we get some partnerships and once we get on top of them, they are a kind of a team we can really dominate,” said de Villiers in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of RCB.

    “They do not have as much depth as some of the other teams in the IPL. If get hold of them, we have to make sure that we do not allow them to make a comeback because that’s where they are really dangerous,” he added.

    Harshal Patel had delivered a stunning bowling performance before AB de Villiers’ masterclass took RCB home against defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening game of IPL. Harshal had picked five wickets (three in the final over) to restrict Rohit Sharma’s side to 159.

    “In the last game, my bowling gave me a lot of confidence and I will take it into the next game,” said pacer Mohammed Siraj while talking about his performance in the game.

  • Delhi Capitals pacer Anrich Nortje tests positive for COVID-19

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: In what comes as a huge blow for Delhi Capitals, pacer Anrich Nortje has tested positive for COVID-19.

    Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments said that the pacer tested positive while undergoing quarantine. “He came in with a negative report, but has unfortunately tested positive now while undergoing quarantine,” the source said.

    The BCCI SOP says a player/support staff, who tests positive for COVID-19, must isolate in the designated area outside the bio-secure environment for a minimum of 10 days from the first day of symptoms or the date of collection of the sample which resulted in a positive RT-PCR report, whichever is earlier.

    Nortje was last seen in the ODI series against Pakistan. The pacer played the first two ODIs against the Babar Azam-led side and then he made his way to India to take part in the IPL.

    After landing in Mumbai, Nortje was undergoing seven days of mandatory quarantine. Before the start of the IPL 2021, Delhi Capitals received a big blow as spinner Axar Patel tested positive for Covid-19.

    Also, regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out with a shoulder injury and Rishabh Pant was given the charge of Delhi Capitals.

    In his first match as in-charge of Delhi Capitals, Pant saw a winning performance as his side defeated MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets here at the Wankhede Stadium.

    Delhi Capitals chased down a target of 188 as Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan set the stage on fire with their stunning opening partnership against CSK.

    Delhi Capitals will next take on Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

  • Mumbai Indians batsman Suryakumar Yadav feels playing rubber-ball cricket helped him develop trademark flick

    By ANI
    CHENNAI: Mumbai Indians’ in-form batsman Suryakumar Yadav has revealed the story behind his trademark flick shot that he plays so effortlessly against the best bowlers of the world.

    Suryakumar, who played the knock of 56 off 36 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders, smashed pacer Pat Cummins to almost out of the park as he struck a 99-metre six playing his trademark flick shot at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

    The right-handed batsman shuffled to the off-side and sent the ball flying on the leg side.

    When pacer Trent Boult asked how he started playing that shot, Suryakumar said in a video posted by the IPL’s official website, “During my younger days, I used to play a lot of rubber-ball cricket on cemented track and on one side boundary used to be about 90-95 metres so think that shot has come from there. I’m really enjoying the way how I’m going right now and hopefully, continue the same for the team.

    “I try to keep things really simple. I don’t complicate things. I know what I have been doing in that position in the last two-three years. I just go out there and express myself,” he added.

    Mumbai Indians defeated KKR by 10 runs thanks to an all-rounder bowling performance from the Rohit Sharma-led side. Andre Russell’s five-wicket haul saw Mumbai Indians get bundled out for 152 after batsman Suryakumar’s (56) quickfire knock. In response, KKR was restricted to 142/7.

    KKR was right on the track for an easy win but Rahul Chahar spun a web and removed the top four batsmen before Jasprit Bumrah and Boult’s fiery spell handed Mumbai Indians the match.

    “Just trying to be clear with the plans we talked about in the meetings. It is probably a little bit intimidating coming up against Karthik and Russell, these players can clear the rope pretty easily. It was nice to cross the line,” Boult said on defending 15 runs in the last over.

    Mumbai Indians will next take on SunRisers Hyderabad here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

  • Confidence will go high after great team effort against KKR: Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: After a win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma said that the team’s confidence will go high from here and termed the victory as a “great team effort”.

    Mumbai Indians defeated KKR by 10 runs thanks to an all-round bowling performance from the Rohit Sharma-led side. Andre Russell’s five-wicket haul saw Mumbai Indians get bundled out for 152 after batsman Suryakumar Yadav’s (56) quickfire knock. In response, KKR was restricted to 142/7.

    KKR was right on track for an easy win but Rahul Chahar spun a web and removed the top four batsmen before Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult’s fiery spell handed Mumbai Indians the match.

    “It was a great team effort. Everyone chipped in with the performances which are always nice when you have team performances like that. The confidence can only go high from here. I’m very proud of the boys,” Rohit said in a video posted by MI’s official Twitter handle.

    “When you win a game like, it is always nice and shows that the team has a lot of fight in it. A lot of credit has to go to our bowling coach,” he added.

    Rohit also bowled one over in the match, however, he twisted his ankle on the way to delivering his first ball but it wasn’t that serious and he continued the over. He gave 14 runs off that over.

    “I enjoyed my one over. It was after a long time but I thought I could just get in and bowl that over with two left-handers and the pitch not seeming easy for the batters. I thought it will a great idea and a lot of guys from the team backed me to bowl that over,” he said.

    MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene lauded the bowling unit for their fightback in the game and added that they are adapting to the conditions.

    “Credit to Rohit and the team, the way they handled the situation there in the middle. Definitely in the second half, we had to dig deep. The bowling unit kept us in the game and created few opportunities. At the end, we managed to cross over the line. We needed that win, just to get on the board. It is not the easiest conditions, so we need to be better adapting to these conditions. I think the bowling unit was fantastic,” he said.

    “Even in the first game, they kept us in the game. Today was a great effort, especially Rahul to come back strongly picking up those wickets in the middle. Gave us that crucial breakthrough as well and then Bumrah, Krunal bowling at the back end and Boult coming in at the end just to finish things off,” Jayawardene added.

    Mumbai Indians will next take on SunRisers Hyderabad here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

  • Not many sides can defend 31 from 30 balls: Virender Sehwag hails Mumbai Indians’ effort against KKR

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: As Mumbai Indians achieved an improbable win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday, former India batsman Virender Sehwag lauded the effort of Rohit Sharma’s boys.

    Mumbai Indians defeated KKR by 10 runs thanks to a spirited bowling performance from the Rohit Sharma-led side. Russell’s five-wicket haul saw Mumbai Indians bundled out for 152 after batsman Suryakumar Yadav’s (56) quickfire knock. In response, KKR was restricted to 142/7.

    “MI to KKR- Dekha aapne laparwahi ka.natija. To defend 31 from 30 balls with 7 wickets of the opposition in hand is something which not many sides can defend. Brilliant bowling display from @mipaltan,” tweeted Sehwag.

    KKR was right on the track for an easy win but Rahul Chahar spun a web and removed the top four batsmen before Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult’s fiery spell handed Mumbai Indians the match by 10 runs.

    Krunal Pandya bowled economically and just gave 13 runs in his four overs and picked the wicket of Shakib Al Hasan. Rahul Chahar returned with the figures of 4-27 in his four overs and he was named the Player of the Match.

    “We both bowled well. Krunal did not give many runs in his spell. In the last match it was not like this but this time there was help from the wicket for spinners. We will play the main role if we get these kinds of wickets,” said Chahar during the post-match press conference on Tuesday.

    Mumbai Indians will next take on SunRisers Hyderabad here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

  • Rishabh Pant is like Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson, brilliant bloke to have in your team: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting

    Rishabh Pant was given the charge of Delhi Capitals as regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of IPL 2021 due to a shoulder injury.

  • Fear of failure pushes me to focus more on the ball: RCB wicketkeeper-batsman AB de Villiers

    By ANI
    CHENNAI: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper-batsman AB de Villiers has said that the fear of failure always pushes him to focus more on the ball and not think too much about anything else.

    AB de Villiers’s remarks come as RCB get ready to lock horns against David Warner-led SunRisers Hyderabad here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium later on Wednesday.

    “I try to play the situations that I am confronted with in the best possible way. That sounds very simple, but the fact of the matter is when you bat in the middle-order, the situation changes everytime. So it’s a matter of adapting and trying to get in and feel comfortable at the wicket. Once you get going, there is always a little bit of momentum shift and once that happens, it is upto me to make the most of it. The fear of failure always pushes me to focus more on the ball, I feel if I can get a start then my chances are much better and to cross the line for the guys,” said de Villiers in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of RCB.

    Harshal Patel had delivered a stunning bowling performance before AB de Villiers’ masterclass took RCB home against defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening game of IPL. Harshal had picked five wickets (three in the final over) to restrict Rohit Sharma’s side to 159.

    “All the experts need to know I am ready. I haven’t played any games but I have worked really really hard. It is all about as a professional sportsperson to come into the tournament when you feel comfortable and knowing where is your game at. I reached the stage few weeks back where I knew I am ready to play tomorrow, which is a good space to be in. Two weeks ago, I knew I was ready for the IPL but that does not guarantee success but I try and do the hard yards and hopefully it shows in the middle,” said de Villiers.

    “The last game I played was in the last IPL but that does not mean I did not put any hard yards, I started my preparation two months ago, but staying fit and then I started hitting cricket balls two months ago,” he added.

    De Villiers had played a knock of 48 to help RCB win the match against Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2021 opener last Friday.

  • Quality of Indian players has increased with IPL: Ajit Agarkar

    By ANI
    MUMBAI: Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar reckons that the cricketing standard has increased in the country with the onset of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    The bench strength of the Indian side was there for everyone to see during India’s tour of Australia as an injury-ravaged side defeated Australia 2-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

    “Oh, incredible! I don’t think there’s anything that’s made the difference; we don’t want to compare things but since the IPL has come in, I’ve been a part of the IPL — people you’ve played against, you share the dressing room with them, you can see the new guys that come in the team almost look ready. Everyone that comes in and the quality has increased, playing day-in-day-out with world-class players, sharing the dressing room with them. It has been massive! You could see the results, a couple of series wins in Australia in this time — half the team wasn’t there in the previous series; six or seven players missing due to injury,” said Agarkar on Star Sports’ show ‘Select Dugout’.

    Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Suresh Raina also made a stunning comeback as he scored a fifty in the side’s first game against Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2021.

    Talking about Raina, Agarkar said: “We saw their struggle when he wasn’t there last season; he has been prolific for the 13 seasons of IPL. The one thing he brings in is a lot of experience. It’s such a high-pressure tournament and you need the experience as you go deeper in the tournament plus his runs. They (CSK) will be hoping that he still has the form that was there before.”

    CSK suffered a defeat in its first game against Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2021. MS Dhoni’s side will next take on Punjab Kings on Friday at the Wankhede Stadium.