Tag: Sanju Samson

  • Yashasvi Jaiswal or Virat Kohli who will open for India in T20 World Cup 2024? Sunil Gavaskar Picks This Opener | Cricket News

    India’s superstar batsman, Virat Kohli, has been in the form of his life during the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, scoring over 700 runs. Despite facing consistent criticism from former India opener Sunil Gavaskar regarding his strike rate, Kohli’s stellar performance has earned him praise and a potential new role in the Indian lineup. Gavaskar, previously skeptical of Kohli’s strike rate, has now endorsed him to open alongside Rohit Sharma for India, citing his recent IPL form. Notably, Gavaskar expressed doubts about left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal’s form, suggesting he may not be the ideal candidate to partner Sharma at the top of the order for the Men in Blue.

    India’s WC T20 2024 Warm-Up Match: Different Opening Combination

    India’s warm-up game against Bangladesh hinted at a different opening combination, with Sanju Samson partnering Sharma due to Kohli’s late arrival from the United States. While Rohit Sharma clarified that the team composition is not finalized, the absence of Jaiswal from the opening slot indicates he might not be the preferred choice for the T20 World Cup 2024. Gavaskar emphasized Kohli’s exceptional form and suggested that his place as an opener alongside Sharma is justified, considering his recent performances. Regarding Jaiswal, Gavaskar noted a decline in his form compared to previous outings.

    “The kind of form Virat Kohli has been in, especially in the second half of the season, he should open with Rohit Sharma. Good players are good players, the kind of form Kohli has shown in the IPL, he has to open the batting . It’s good to talk about the left-hand, right-hand combination on television, but good players are good players no matter where they bat,” Gavaskar said in an interview after the T20 World Cup opener between USA and Canada. “Yashasvi Jaiswal hasn’t been in the sort of form we saw him in during the Test series,” the India legend said of the left-hander who will compete with Virat for the second opener’s spot.

    Despite Kohli’s absence from the warm-up game, he remains hopeful of featuring in India’s playing XI as they kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5. However, Jaiswal might have to wait for his opportunity, given the indispensability of Kohli and Sharma to the team’s top order.

    India’s World Cup campaign to begin soon

    India’s T20 World Cup journey includes matches against Ireland, Pakistan, USA, and Canada, with expectations high for Kohli’s potential role at the top alongside Sharma.

  • Will Rishabh Pant bat at number 3 for India in T20 World Cup 2024? Here’s what Rohit Sharma says | Cricket News

    During the build-up to India’s T20 World Cup squad announcement in late April, there was much debate over the best top-order combination, particularly whether Virat Kohli should open alongside captain Rohit Sharma. However, Rishabh Pant’s promotion to No. 3 has surprised many. After India’s 60-run win against Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup warm-up match in New York on Saturday, discussions emerged about Pant’s potential role in the top order following his explosive fifty.

    On June 1, India tried a new opening combination against Bangladesh, with Sanju Samson and captain Rohit Sharma opening the batting. Unfortunately, Samson struggled and was out for 1 of 6 balls. Pant then came in at No. 3 and shone with a powerful performance, hitting four sixes and four boundaries in just 32 balls. He scored an impressive 53 runs before retiring hurt, helping India reach a total of 182 for five. This performance sparked conversations about his possible role in the World Cup.

    After the match, Rohit Sharma addressed the speculation about India’s batting line-up for the World Cup. He explained that Pant was sent to bat at No. 3 to give him a chance, and the team has not yet finalized their batting order. Rohit said, “We wanted to give him an opportunity. “We haven’t nailed the batting line-up yet; we wanted most guys to get a hit in the middle,” he added.

    T20 World Cup 2024: India’s all-round performance in warm-up match

    India’s Performance in the Warm-Up Game India showcased an impressive performance in their only warm-up game before starting their T20 World Cup campaign, defeating Bangladesh by 60 runs at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya led with aggressive batting, helping India post a total of 182 for five. The bowlers then delivered a clinical performance, restricting Bangladesh to just 122 for nine in 20 overs.

  • After Getting Controversially Out, Now RR captain Sanju Samson Fined 30 Percent Match Fees For Breaching IPL Code Of Conduct

    This is a second big fine on Samson. The RR skipper was fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over rate during their match against Gujarat Titans in Jaipur on April 10.

  • India’s T20 World Cup 2024 Squad: Sanju Samson First-Choice Keeper; Hardik Pandya’s Place Still Not CONFIRMED And More | cricket news

    In about two days, the BCCI selectors led by Ajit Agarkar are going to end the ever-growing anticipation about India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad. But here’s a reality check for the IPL-watching India fans: the T20 league performance are going to have zero effect on the selection for the World Cup. The selectors are not keen on trying players who do not have any prior international experience. The squad is pretty much ready and after meeting between the selectors and the Indian management, it will be out soon.

    Also Read | T20 World Cup 2024: New Zealand Name 15-Man Squad, Reveal New Jersey For Tournament As Devon Conway Returns

    As per ESPNcricinfo, the only IPL performance that brought the attention of selectors was that of Lucknow Super Giants’ Mayank Yadav. He has extreme pace and accuracy but because he cannot keep his body fully fit after a couple of games, selectors did not feel it would be a right call to take him in the squad.

    Unlike what the social media believes, neither KL Rahul nor Risahbh Pant are the first-choice keepers. Selectors are likely to go with Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson as the first-choice wicketkeeper/batter for he has the ability to hit the spin as India’s top 3 struggle against spin.

    KL Rahul is in form but he is batting in the top order which is already secured. Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav are almost finalized in the top 4.

    Rahul or Pant could be the backup keeping options but for that to happen, India will have to leave out one of Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh or a backup pacer. The selectors will have to make a call on this, whether they want powerhitting backup, keeping backup or pace-bowling backup.

    As far as Hardik Pandya is concerned, he comes with a rare skill which is bowling medium pace and batting in middle order as power-hitter. He is out of form but that is not a huge concern for selectors as much as his bowling fitness is. Pandya is yet to bowl a full quota of overs this IPL and his pace is also down. That is why saying Pandya is already confirmed for World Cup is still far-fetched.

  • Why Rajasthan Royals Wearing ‘Pink Jersey’ Against RCB In IPL 2024? , cricket news

    In the pulsating arena of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, amidst the soaring highs and nail-biting matches, Rajasthan Royals have brought forth a unique hue of cricketing spirit. Ahead of their clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Royals have not only pledged their prowess but also their hearts, donning a special all-pink matchday kit as part of their resounding ‘Pink Promise’.

    A Symbol of Empowerment

    As the cricketing titans step onto the field, it’s not merely about chasing victory but also about championing a cause. The Pink Promise resonates beyond the boundaries of the stadium, echoing the unwavering support to the empowered women from rural Rajasthan. It’s a tribute, a salute to those driving significant societal transformation, imbued with the spirit of solidarity and empowerment.

    Inspirational Narratives

    The Royals, led by the dynamic Sanju Samson, have embarked on a journey that transcends mere cricketing excellence. Their commitment to donate a portion of ticket sales and jersey proceeds to the Royal Rajasthan Foundation stands as a testament to their vision of ‘Aurat Hai Toh Bharat Hai’ (If a woman thrives, so does the nation). Every boundary scored during the RR vs. RCB clash promises to illuminate six homes in the Sambhar region with solar power, a beacon of hope and progress.

    A Victorious Streak

    But beyond the philanthropic endeavors lies the sheer brilliance on the cricketing field. Rajasthan Royals have emerged as an unstoppable force in IPL 2024, maintaining an unblemished record so far. Their triumphs over Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, and Mumbai Indians stand as a testament to their mettle, with players like Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, and Kumar Sangakkara leading the charge with exemplary performances.

    A Clash of Titans

    As the Sawai Mansingh Stadium braces for the clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the anticipation is palpable. While Rajasthan Royals bask in the glory of their victories, RCB, led by the seasoned Faf du Plessis, stand as formidable adversaries, seeking redemption after a rollercoaster ride in IPL 2024. The stage is set for a showdown of epic proportions, where every stroke of the bat and every delivery will script a tale of triumph and tenacity.

  • ‘Sanju Samson Lets His Bat Talk,’ Fans React As Batter Smashes Ton Against South Africa | cricket news

    India batsman Sanju Samson ran havoc on the South African bowling attack on Thursday (December 21) as he smashed a hundred in ODI cricket in balls. Coming in the middle after Sai Sudarshan’s wicket, Samson kept his cool until he built a partnership with Tilak Varma. KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan and debutant Rajat Patidar departed cheaply.

    Fans could not keep calm after Samson played a statement-making knock against the Proteas. Checkout the reactions here:

    Sanju Samson at the batting number that is his. Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 21, 2023

    Come on ra #SanjuSamson #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/PLXaAQaROO Harry Billa (@Billa2Harry) December 21, 2023

    Fifty for Sanju Samson….

    In the series decider, Sanju standing tall for India, team under pressure and he scored his 4th fifty from just 14 innings in ODIs. pic.twitter.com/YeiOPS85UeJohns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 21, 2023

    Sanju Samson today #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/WdZQkdMSPa

    Mr Om (@MrOm14852020) December 21, 2023

    Timely knock for him & team.

    Carry on @IamSanjuSamson#CricketTwitter #SanjuSamsonpic.twitter.com/1JwmsqQ1xM — alekhaNikun (@nikun28) December 21, 2023

    Coming to the match, South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl first against India in the third and final ODI of the three-match series at Boland Park on Thursday.

    Rajat Patidar handed his ODI cap. After India’s commanding victory in the series-opener, Proteas turned the tables around and registered an 8-wicket win in the second ODI at Gqeberha.

    “Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn’t fully recovered from the blow he sustained to his ring finger while fielding in the second ODI. He remains under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team,” BCCI announced on social media

    Speaking at the time of the toss, Markram said, “We’ll bowl first. Looks like a good wicket, won’t change too much. We want to keep challenging ourselves, hopefully, we can take wickets regularly and restrict them to a low total. One last push for most of the guys before a nice break, we’ll try our best. Expect more of the same as we did in the second ODI. The dimensions here are certainly different, so running hard between wickets will be key. No changes.”

    India skipper KL Rahul said, “Not really. The wicket will be even for both innings and the lights come on pretty late here. We got ourselves to a good position but ended up losing 5 wickets for 40-odd runs. Once we get a good start, we have to make it count. Today is another opportunity for the boys to prove themselves.”

  • Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson says one step closer to do something special for Shane Warne

    By ANI

    AHMEDABAD: After registering a thumping win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2022, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson said that he wants his team to win this IPL 2022 for legendary Shane Warne.

    Buttler’s unbeaten 106, his fourth ton of the season, powered RR to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over RCB in the Qualifier-2 here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.

    “I think the tournament right from the start has been for him and I think we need to take one more step for him it’s really special and I don’t want to talk much about it,” Samson told Royals’ star batter Jos Buttler in a video posted on official site of IPL.

    Further, Samson asked Buttler how he felt when he played in the atmosphere of Ahemdabad’s stadium.

    “I was actually very excited to play in this stadium with a hundred thousand people watching you, the atmosphere was amazing. It’s been two years playing in empty stadiums and IPL is all about that so I was really excited today,” replied Buttler.

    Talking about captaincy, the wicket-keeper batter said it is easy to manage a team full of ‘quality cricketers’.

    “It was really good, to be honest, I think it becomes really easy when you have some really quality cricketers around you, you don’t have to talk much to them it is really easy as they know what they are doing. In the first season, I wanted to interact a lot more to understand a lot of different characters, so it’s really fun enjoying the funny characters we have in our team,” he added.

    Coming to the match, great knocks by Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal, followed by a cameo of Sanju Samson helped RR chase down the target of 158 runs in just 18.1 overs. Earlier, Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy scalped three wickets each to restrict RCB at 157/8.

    Rajasthan Royals will lock horns against debutants Gujarat Titans in the final on Sunday.

  • Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson says one step closer to do something special for Shane Warne

    By ANI

    AHMEDABAD: After registering a thumping win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2022, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson said that he wants his team to win this IPL 2022 for legendary Shane Warne.

    Buttler’s unbeaten 106, his fourth ton of the season, powered RR to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over RCB in the Qualifier-2 here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.

    “I think the tournament right from the start has been for him and I think we need to take one more step for him it’s really special and I don’t want to talk much about it,” Samson told Royals’ star batter Jos Buttler in a video posted on official site of IPL.

    Further, Samson asked Buttler how he felt when he played in the atmosphere of Ahemdabad’s stadium.

    “I was actually very excited to play in this stadium with a hundred thousand people watching you, the atmosphere was amazing. It’s been two years playing in empty stadiums and IPL is all about that so I was really excited today,” replied Buttler.

    Talking about captaincy, the wicket-keeper batter said it is easy to manage a team full of ‘quality cricketers’.

    “It was really good, to be honest, I think it becomes really easy when you have some really quality cricketers around you, you don’t have to talk much to them it is really easy as they know what they are doing. In the first season, I wanted to interact a lot more to understand a lot of different characters, so it’s really fun enjoying the funny characters we have in our team,” he added.

    Coming to the match, great knocks by Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal, followed by a cameo of Sanju Samson helped RR chase down the target of 158 runs in just 18.1 overs. Earlier, Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy scalped three wickets each to restrict RCB at 157/8.

    Rajasthan Royals will lock horns against debutants Gujarat Titans in the final on Sunday.

    AHMEDABAD: After registering a thumping win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2022, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson said that he wants his team to win this IPL 2022 for legendary Shane Warne.

    Buttler’s unbeaten 106, his fourth ton of the season, powered RR to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over RCB in the Qualifier-2 here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.

    “I think the tournament right from the start has been for him and I think we need to take one more step for him it’s really special and I don’t want to talk much about it,” Samson told Royals’ star batter Jos Buttler in a video posted on official site of IPL.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Further, Samson asked Buttler how he felt when he played in the atmosphere of Ahemdabad’s stadium.

    “I was actually very excited to play in this stadium with a hundred thousand people watching you, the atmosphere was amazing. It’s been two years playing in empty stadiums and IPL is all about that so I was really excited today,” replied Buttler.

    Talking about captaincy, the wicket-keeper batter said it is easy to manage a team full of ‘quality cricketers’.

    “It was really good, to be honest, I think it becomes really easy when you have some really quality cricketers around you, you don’t have to talk much to them it is really easy as they know what they are doing. In the first season, I wanted to interact a lot more to understand a lot of different characters, so it’s really fun enjoying the funny characters we have in our team,” he added.

    Coming to the match, great knocks by Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal, followed by a cameo of Sanju Samson helped RR chase down the target of 158 runs in just 18.1 overs. Earlier, Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy scalped three wickets each to restrict RCB at 157/8.

    Rajasthan Royals will lock horns against debutants Gujarat Titans in the final on Sunday.

  • Sanju Samson has been exceptional as player and skipper: Rajasthan Royals’ Kumar Sangakkara

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Rajasthan Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara finds Sanju Samson “exceptional” as the Kerala man has been able to perform triple roles of wicket-keeping, captaincy and batting with aplomb in a tournament of IPL’s magnitude.

    RR easily beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets on Friday to reach their first IPL final since 2008 and have a shot at a second title.

    “Sanju has been exceptional. He started off with quite a tough test last season with a young side and lot of upheaval because of COVID bubbles, tournament of two halves but he has really grown into his role,” Sangakkara said at the post-match press conference.

    “He is very soft-spoken, very reserved individual. He is exceptionally skilled with the bat. He has shown a lot of passion and hunger to taking on this testing role of captaincy. Wicket-keeping, captaining and being the best batter in your side along with Jos Buttler is not an easy kind of role to fill but he has done it really well this season,” he added.

    The legendary Sri Lankan feels that Samson has become more aware about his role in the side.

    “He has become more and more aware of what his role is. His tactical awareness has improved right throughout. He has really trusted his team. The team really looks up to him as a leader,” the former Lankan skipper added.

    Englishman Jos Buttler has been phenomenal with the bat for RR and is the leading scorer in the tournament with 824 runs from 16 games with four centuries and as many fifties.

    And Sangakkara said he has never seen anyone bat with such authority in the history of the IPL as Buttler did in the ongoing season.

    “It’s hard to describe what he (Buttler) has done for us this season in terms of T20 batting. He started off well, he had a little bit of a flutter at one point in the tournament but then he just calmed himself down, had a lot of good conversations rather than just training,” he said.

    “He accepted that he is mortal, he is a human and can’t be at that high level of excellence every single day. He can accelerate at any point, he has got all the strokes. He understands the game really well. I can’t remember anyone batting this well in the history of the IPL.”

    Sangakkara said having a core group of nine players made his job easy.

    “That’s an advantage of having an experienced side. We have a core group of nine players with exceptional experience and skill and around them, we have young guys and some very senior players in the bench. What I have to do as a coach is very little. It is just about being responsible of what has happened, owning it as a unit. RCB’s director of cricket, Mike Hesson said not being able to accelerate in the last five overs cost them dearly.

    “123 for 3 with 5 overs to go, we were very much in a position to get 175-180 with (Glenn) Maxwell set along with (Rajat) Patidar. We obviously lost those two wickets and then in the last 3 overs Obed McCoy and (Prasidh) Krishna bowled nicely, we struggled to get any momentum. We were probably 20 short,” he said.

    “Our death run score throughout the season has been exceptional, it’s probably the top end where we didn’t get the momentum. Other than today we pretty much nailed the last 5 overs in most innings.”

    By his own standard Virat Kohli has endured a forgettable IPL, scoring just 341 runs in 16 innings averaging 22.73 but Hesson said the former RCB skipper got better as the tournament progressed.

    Hesson also backed Mohammed Siraj, who took just nine wickets in 15 games, to comeback strongly.

    “Siraj is a fine bowler. He didn’t have the best tournament but he will comeback strong. Maxwell had a good all-round season with bat and ball. Virat got better and better as the season went on. He looked in good touch in the last 4-5 innings,” he said.

  • Sanju Samson has been exceptional as player and skipper: Rajasthan Royals’ Kumar Sangakkara

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Rajasthan Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara finds Sanju Samson “exceptional” as the Kerala man has been able to perform triple roles of wicket-keeping, captaincy and batting with aplomb in a tournament of IPL’s magnitude.

    RR easily beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets on Friday to reach their first IPL final since 2008 and have a shot at a second title.

    “Sanju has been exceptional. He started off with quite a tough test last season with a young side and lot of upheaval because of COVID bubbles, tournament of two halves but he has really grown into his role,” Sangakkara said at the post-match press conference.

    “He is very soft-spoken, very reserved individual. He is exceptionally skilled with the bat. He has shown a lot of passion and hunger to taking on this testing role of captaincy. Wicket-keeping, captaining and being the best batter in your side along with Jos Buttler is not an easy kind of role to fill but he has done it really well this season,” he added.

    The legendary Sri Lankan feels that Samson has become more aware about his role in the side.

    “He has become more and more aware of what his role is. His tactical awareness has improved right throughout. He has really trusted his team. The team really looks up to him as a leader,” the former Lankan skipper added.

    Englishman Jos Buttler has been phenomenal with the bat for RR and is the leading scorer in the tournament with 824 runs from 16 games with four centuries and as many fifties.

    And Sangakkara said he has never seen anyone bat with such authority in the history of the IPL as Buttler did in the ongoing season.

    “It’s hard to describe what he (Buttler) has done for us this season in terms of T20 batting. He started off well, he had a little bit of a flutter at one point in the tournament but then he just calmed himself down, had a lot of good conversations rather than just training,” he said.

    “He accepted that he is mortal, he is a human and can’t be at that high level of excellence every single day. He can accelerate at any point, he has got all the strokes. He understands the game really well. I can’t remember anyone batting this well in the history of the IPL.”

    Sangakkara said having a core group of nine players made his job easy.

    “That’s an advantage of having an experienced side. We have a core group of nine players with exceptional experience and skill and around them, we have young guys and some very senior players in the bench. What I have to do as a coach is very little. It is just about being responsible of what has happened, owning it as a unit. RCB’s director of cricket, Mike Hesson said not being able to accelerate in the last five overs cost them dearly.

    “123 for 3 with 5 overs to go, we were very much in a position to get 175-180 with (Glenn) Maxwell set along with (Rajat) Patidar. We obviously lost those two wickets and then in the last 3 overs Obed McCoy and (Prasidh) Krishna bowled nicely, we struggled to get any momentum. We were probably 20 short,” he said.

    “Our death run score throughout the season has been exceptional, it’s probably the top end where we didn’t get the momentum. Other than today we pretty much nailed the last 5 overs in most innings.”

    By his own standard Virat Kohli has endured a forgettable IPL, scoring just 341 runs in 16 innings averaging 22.73 but Hesson said the former RCB skipper got better as the tournament progressed.

    Hesson also backed Mohammed Siraj, who took just nine wickets in 15 games, to comeback strongly.

    “Siraj is a fine bowler. He didn’t have the best tournament but he will comeback strong. Maxwell had a good all-round season with bat and ball. Virat got better and better as the season went on. He looked in good touch in the last 4-5 innings,” he said.

    AHMEDABAD: Rajasthan Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara finds Sanju Samson “exceptional” as the Kerala man has been able to perform triple roles of wicket-keeping, captaincy and batting with aplomb in a tournament of IPL’s magnitude.

    RR easily beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets on Friday to reach their first IPL final since 2008 and have a shot at a second title.

    “Sanju has been exceptional. He started off with quite a tough test last season with a young side and lot of upheaval because of COVID bubbles, tournament of two halves but he has really grown into his role,” Sangakkara said at the post-match press conference.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “He is very soft-spoken, very reserved individual. He is exceptionally skilled with the bat. He has shown a lot of passion and hunger to taking on this testing role of captaincy. Wicket-keeping, captaining and being the best batter in your side along with Jos Buttler is not an easy kind of role to fill but he has done it really well this season,” he added.

    The legendary Sri Lankan feels that Samson has become more aware about his role in the side.

    “He has become more and more aware of what his role is. His tactical awareness has improved right throughout. He has really trusted his team. The team really looks up to him as a leader,” the former Lankan skipper added.

    Englishman Jos Buttler has been phenomenal with the bat for RR and is the leading scorer in the tournament with 824 runs from 16 games with four centuries and as many fifties.

    And Sangakkara said he has never seen anyone bat with such authority in the history of the IPL as Buttler did in the ongoing season.

    “It’s hard to describe what he (Buttler) has done for us this season in terms of T20 batting. He started off well, he had a little bit of a flutter at one point in the tournament but then he just calmed himself down, had a lot of good conversations rather than just training,” he said.

    “He accepted that he is mortal, he is a human and can’t be at that high level of excellence every single day. He can accelerate at any point, he has got all the strokes. He understands the game really well. I can’t remember anyone batting this well in the history of the IPL.”

    Sangakkara said having a core group of nine players made his job easy.

    “That’s an advantage of having an experienced side. We have a core group of nine players with exceptional experience and skill and around them, we have young guys and some very senior players in the bench. What I have to do as a coach is very little. It is just about being responsible of what has happened, owning it as a unit. RCB’s director of cricket, Mike Hesson said not being able to accelerate in the last five overs cost them dearly.

    “123 for 3 with 5 overs to go, we were very much in a position to get 175-180 with (Glenn) Maxwell set along with (Rajat) Patidar. We obviously lost those two wickets and then in the last 3 overs Obed McCoy and (Prasidh) Krishna bowled nicely, we struggled to get any momentum. We were probably 20 short,” he said.

    “Our death run score throughout the season has been exceptional, it’s probably the top end where we didn’t get the momentum. Other than today we pretty much nailed the last 5 overs in most innings.”

    By his own standard Virat Kohli has endured a forgettable IPL, scoring just 341 runs in 16 innings averaging 22.73 but Hesson said the former RCB skipper got better as the tournament progressed.

    Hesson also backed Mohammed Siraj, who took just nine wickets in 15 games, to comeback strongly.

    “Siraj is a fine bowler. He didn’t have the best tournament but he will comeback strong. Maxwell had a good all-round season with bat and ball. Virat got better and better as the season went on. He looked in good touch in the last 4-5 innings,” he said.