World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy`s Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena. 
 
"Things don`t come easy. I refuse to give up. That`s simply how it works with me," Tsitsipas said after the match, which ended past midnight. "You never really think about getting back after being two sets to love. You just play it point after point. You just wish that your efforts will pay off on a longer scale, longer run," the Greek was quoted as saying by atptour.com. 
 
"Being in that situation... it`s a mountain that you have to climb, and I was able to climb it and regain the momentum steadily, but consistently," he added. 
 
This is the second time in less than two years that Tsitsipas has produced a great escape in the opening round in Paris. He also came back from two sets down against Jaume Munar of Spain in September 2020 in the rescheduled edition of the clay-court Grand Slam. Tsitsipas repeated the feat against Rafael Nadal at the 2021 Australian Open.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-no-2-daniil-medvedev-cruises-past-facundo-bagnis-to-begin-roland-garros-campaign-481828">World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev cruises past Facundo Bagnis to begin Roland Garros campaign</a>

The 20-year-old Musetti also had tournament favourite Novak Djokovic on the ropes for the second straight year at the French Open in 2021. He won two tie-breaks to take control against the Serb in the 2021 fourth round, but faded late in the match. Djokovic went on to win at Roland Garros that year. 
 
"He`s fighting. He`s a talented player that has a very nice one-handed backhand. He knows the game on clay. He has grown up playing (on) these courts," Tsitsipas opined. "He`s definitely a difficult opponent to face in any circumstance, really. 
 
"Once I really found my momentum on the serve, my routines and everything, I knew that it can be a different match," Tsitsipas said. "I felt like I was serving better than him, creating more opportunities with my serve, pressing more. It would have been kind of not fair from my perspective to have a different outcome." 
 
With the victory, Tsitsipas advances to face Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar, who defeated France`s Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 earlier on Tuesday.

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy`s Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena.

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy`s Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena. "Things don`t come easy. I refuse to give up. That`s simply how it works with me," Tsitsipas said after the match, which ended past midnight. "You never really think about getting back after being two sets to love. You just play it point after point. You just wish that your efforts will pay off on a longer scale, longer run," the Greek was quoted as saying by atptour.com. "Being in that situation... it`s a mountain that you have to climb, and I was able to climb it and regain the momentum steadily, but consistently," he added. This is the second time in less than two years that Tsitsipas has produced a great escape in the opening round in Paris. He also came back from two sets down against Jaume Munar of Spain in September 2020 in the rescheduled edition of the clay-court Grand Slam. Tsitsipas repeated the feat against Rafael Nadal at the 2021 Australian Open. ALSO READ | World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev cruises past Facundo Bagnis to begin Roland Garros campaign The 20-year-old Musetti also had tournament favourite Novak Djokovic on the ropes for the second straight year at the French Open in 2021. He won two tie-breaks to take control against the Serb in the 2021 fourth round, but faded late in the match. Djokovic went on to win at Roland Garros that year. "He`s fighting. He`s a talented player that has a very nice one-handed backhand. He knows the game on clay. He has grown up playing (on) these courts," Tsitsipas opined. "He`s definitely a difficult opponent to face in any circumstance, really. "Once I really found my momentum on the serve, my routines and everything, I knew that it can be a different match," Tsitsipas said. "I felt like I was serving better than him, creating more opportunities with my serve, pressing more. It would have been kind of not fair from my perspective to have a different outcome." With the victory, Tsitsipas advances to face Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar, who defeated France`s Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 earlier on Tuesday.

French Open: World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas overcomes Italy's Lorenzo Musetti challenge to advance

BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had revealed that his former teammate and Test specialist VVS Laxman was eager to be India's head coach when Ravi Shastri's tenure was set to end in late 2021. However, the position went to Laxman's good friend Rahul Dravid.

Nonetheless, Laxman -- who is now serving as the National Cricket Academy (NCA) -- is set to take charge of India's T20I squad for the upcoming two-match series versus hosts Ireland. The former middle-order batter will fill in for Dravid, who will be with the Indian Test line-up ahead of their fifth and final match versus England in the United Kingdom, set to be held on July 01.

<section itemprop="articleBody">
"He will travel with the Indian team to Dublin" said Jay Shah, the BCCI Secretary, confirming that Laxman will take charge&nbsp;in the absence of&nbsp;Dravid.&nbsp;
</section>

<section itemprop="articleBody">
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-chief-selector-reacts-to-cheteshwar-pujaras-test-comeback-for-india-england-series-finale-482085">Former chief selector reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's Test comeback for India-England series finale</a>

The arrangement is similar to the one Team India had last year. During India's tour of the United Kingdom, after&nbsp;the WTC final and prior to the&nbsp;five Tests versus then Joe Root-led England, regular coach Shastri was with Virat Kohli-starrer red-ball team whereas Dravid had stepped in as the stand-in coach of the white-ball side who had travelled to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and T20Is each.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-has-amazing-reflexes-like-f1-driver-and-mind-like-5-star-general-says-team-indias-former-trainer-482128">MS Dhoni has amazing reflexes like F1 driver and mind like 5-star General, says Team India's former trainer</a>

This will be Laxman's first-ever assignment in a coaching role for the senior men's team. Earlier this year, he was a part of the backroom staff of the India U-19 team that lifted the trophy in the Caribbean island, beating England in the final.

The squad for the Ireland T20Is is yet to be announced by the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee.
</section>

BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had revealed that his former teammate and Test specialist VVS Laxman was eager to be India's head coach when Ravi Shastri's tenure was set to end in late 2021.

BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had revealed that his former teammate and Test specialist VVS Laxman was eager to be India's head coach when Ravi Shastri's tenure was set to end in late 2021. However, the position went to Laxman's good friend Rahul Dravid. Nonetheless, Laxman -- who is now serving as the National Cricket Academy (NCA) -- is set to take charge of India's T20I squad for the upcoming two-match series versus hosts Ireland. The former middle-order batter will fill in for Dravid, who will be with the Indian Test line-up ahead of their fifth and final match versus England in the United Kingdom, set to be held on July 01. "He will travel with the Indian team to Dublin" said Jay Shah, the BCCI Secretary, confirming that Laxman will take charge in the absence of Dravid. ALSO READ | Former chief selector reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's Test comeback for India-England series finale The arrangement is similar to the one Team India had last year. During India's tour of the United Kingdom, after the WTC final and prior to the five Tests versus then Joe Root-led England, regular coach Shastri was with Virat Kohli-starrer red-ball team whereas Dravid had stepped in as the stand-in coach of the white-ball side who had travelled to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and T20Is each. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni has amazing reflexes like F1 driver and mind like 5-star General, says Team India's former trainer This will be Laxman's first-ever assignment in a coaching role for the senior men's team. Earlier this year, he was a part of the backroom staff of the India U-19 team that lifted the trophy in the Caribbean island, beating England in the final. The squad for the Ireland T20Is is yet to be announced by the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirms VVS Laxman to be in charge of India's T20I side for Ireland series

MS Dhoni retired from international cricket in August 2020. However, the 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket to date. Debuting for Team India in late 2004, when the team desperately needed a specialist keeper-batter, Dhoni became the darling of the masses instantly courtesy of his big hits.&nbsp;

Soon, Dhoni's presence of mind, calmness, improved keeping skills, and fearless approach to the game saw him being promoted as India's captain across formats. While he became much a mature finisher in limited-overs, got the runs coming in whites (especially by playing some gutsy knocks both at home and overseas), and made world cricket take note of his unorthodox yet effective keeping skills, Dhoni changed Indian cricket forever by leading them to all major ICC titles and No. 1 rankings across formats.

Dhoni ended with 17,266 runs, 108 half-centuries, 16 tons, 634 catches, and 195 stumpings, overall, however, his knack for reading the game from behind the stumps,&nbsp;fast reflexes as a keeper, power-hitting, quick legs and overall fitness separated him from others.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-rohits-barren-run-to-mi-csks-mighty-fall-5-surprising-elements-from-ipl-2022s-league-stage-481871">Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage</a>

Recently, Team India's former trainer&nbsp;Ramji Srinivasan -- part of the team during their 2011 ODI World Cup success -- hailed the former captain after having observed him from closed quarters.

"MSD is an enigma and like Sachin Tendulkar, is one in a billion product. He does what suits him, be it strength work, agility, speed or hybrid work. He has his own protocols in place, which suits him. He has amazing reflex like a Formula One driver and with a mind like 5-star General. Very few can match MSD fitness when they reach that age," Srinivasan told the New Indian Express.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-legend-ms-dhoni-confirms-participation-in-ipl-2023-says-will-be-unfair-not-to-say-thank-you-to-chennai-480762">CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai'</a>

Dhoni was recently seen in IPL 2022, where he once again represented the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise. The 40-year-old continued to display his sharp mind as a leader and keeper whereas his fitness remains unmatched. He has confirmed his participation in IPL 2023 and is most likely to continue as CSK's skipper for another season.

MS Dhoni retired from international cricket in August 2020. However, the 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket to date. Debuting for Team India in late 2004, when the team desperately needed a specialist keeper-batter, Dhoni became the darling of the masses instantly courtesy of his big hits.

MS Dhoni retired from international cricket in August 2020. However, the 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket to date. Debuting for Team India in late 2004, when the team desperately needed a specialist keeper-batter, Dhoni became the darling of the masses instantly courtesy of his big hits. Soon, Dhoni's presence of mind, calmness, improved keeping skills, and fearless approach to the game saw him being promoted as India's captain across formats. While he became much a mature finisher in limited-overs, got the runs coming in whites (especially by playing some gutsy knocks both at home and overseas), and made world cricket take note of his unorthodox yet effective keeping skills, Dhoni changed Indian cricket forever by leading them to all major ICC titles and No. 1 rankings across formats. Dhoni ended with 17,266 runs, 108 half-centuries, 16 tons, 634 catches, and 195 stumpings, overall, however, his knack for reading the game from behind the stumps, fast reflexes as a keeper, power-hitting, quick legs and overall fitness separated him from others. ALSO READ | Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage Recently, Team India's former trainer Ramji Srinivasan -- part of the team during their 2011 ODI World Cup success -- hailed the former captain after having observed him from closed quarters. "MSD is an enigma and like Sachin Tendulkar, is one in a billion product. He does what suits him, be it strength work, agility, speed or hybrid work. He has his own protocols in place, which suits him. He has amazing reflex like a Formula One driver and with a mind like 5-star General. Very few can match MSD fitness when they reach that age," Srinivasan told the New Indian Express. ALSO READ | CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai' Dhoni was recently seen in IPL 2022, where he once again represented the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise. The 40-year-old continued to display his sharp mind as a leader and keeper whereas his fitness remains unmatched. He has confirmed his participation in IPL 2023 and is most likely to continue as CSK's skipper for another season.

MS Dhoni has amazing reflexes like F1 driver and mind like 5-star General, says Team India's former trainer

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu was bundled out of the French Open in the second round on Wednesday, losing 3-6 6-1 6-1 to inspired Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich. The 12th seeded Briton, who had to dig deep in her opening match to come from a set down to beat Czech qualifier Linda Noskova, was initially surprised by world number 47 Sasnovich`s attacking power.

Sasnovich was hitting the ball early, moving the Briton across the court before 19-year-old Raducanu responded in kind with some aggressive hitting. After dragging her opponent wide of the court she earned a key break to lead 4-2 and bagged the opening set when she fired a superb cross court winner. Undaunted, Sasnovich raised her game in the second set to race into a 4-0 lead.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-jo-wilfried-tsonga-bids-tearful-farewell-to-18-year-long-career-after-first-round-exit-481993">French Open: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bids tearful farewell to 18-year-long career after first-round exit</a>

The Belarusian, who had never gone past the second round in Paris, bagged the second with yet another break and then fought off multiple break points early in the deciding set before breaking for 3-1 when Raducanu sent a wild forehand five metres over the baseline.

Raducanu, who only played on clay professionally for the first time last month and had been struggling with a back injury in recent weeks, could do nothing to turn the tide. A dominant Sasnovich put her out of her misery with a sizzling backhand down the line on her first match point after two hours.

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu was bundled out of the French Open in the second round on Wednesday, losing 3-6 6-1 6-1 to inspired Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu was bundled out of the French Open in the second round on Wednesday, losing 3-6 6-1 6-1 to inspired Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich. The 12th seeded Briton, who had to dig deep in her opening match to come from a set down to beat Czech qualifier Linda Noskova, was initially surprised by world number 47 Sasnovich`s attacking power. Sasnovich was hitting the ball early, moving the Briton across the court before 19-year-old Raducanu responded in kind with some aggressive hitting. After dragging her opponent wide of the court she earned a key break to lead 4-2 and bagged the opening set when she fired a superb cross court winner. Undaunted, Sasnovich raised her game in the second set to race into a 4-0 lead. ALSO READ | French Open: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bids tearful farewell to 18-year-long career after first-round exit The Belarusian, who had never gone past the second round in Paris, bagged the second with yet another break and then fought off multiple break points early in the deciding set before breaking for 3-1 when Raducanu sent a wild forehand five metres over the baseline. Raducanu, who only played on clay professionally for the first time last month and had been struggling with a back injury in recent weeks, could do nothing to turn the tide. A dominant Sasnovich put her out of her misery with a sizzling backhand down the line on her first match point after two hours.

Emma Raducanu's French Open campaign cut-short after loss to Aliaksandra Sasnovich

KL Rahul has become an integral part of Team India across all formats of the game. Rahul, who debuted for India in late 2014, has shown his class as a batter by batting in various positions and is now also the vice-captain in all formats ever since Rohit Sharma took over from Virat Kohli. While Rahul's stature is growing with each year, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has credited Kohli for the former's rise.

Akhtar feels Kohli backed Rahul to the core when he broke into the scene and pushed him up the batting order to make him a permanent member across formats.&nbsp;"Virat Kohli invested a lot in KL Rahul (when he was the Indian captain). He pushed him up to open and made him a permanent member of the Indian team. Rahul is a nice and sensible guy. He has been able to prove himself and has successfully shown that he is a serious contender for India and in the IPL as well. I think KL Rahul is going to be a major factor in the match," Akhtar said in a video on Sportskeeda.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-chief-selector-reacts-to-cheteshwar-pujaras-test-comeback-for-india-england-series-finale-482085">Former chief selector reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's Test comeback for India-England series finale</a>

Ahead of IPL 2022's Eliminator -- where Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata -- Akhtar shared a word of advice for Rahul.&nbsp;

"The two new teams, Lucknow and Gujarat, had to prove a point and they have been doing that very well. I would go with KL Rahul (for this game). Let’s see if Rahul is able to get crowd support by controlling the game. He needs to focus hard on those two seconds every ball," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-rohits-barren-run-to-mi-csks-mighty-fall-5-surprising-elements-from-ipl-2022s-league-stage-481871">Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage</a>

The winner of the Eliminator will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 to book a place in the season finale, with Gujarat Titans (GT) already confirming a spot on Tuesday evening (May 24).

KL Rahul has become an integral part of Team India across all formats of the game. Rahul, who debuted for India in late 2014, has shown his class as a batter by batting in various positions and is now also the vice-captain in all formats ever since Rohit Sharma took over from Virat Kohli.

KL Rahul has become an integral part of Team India across all formats of the game. Rahul, who debuted for India in late 2014, has shown his class as a batter by batting in various positions and is now also the vice-captain in all formats ever since Rohit Sharma took over from Virat Kohli. While Rahul's stature is growing with each year, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has credited Kohli for the former's rise. Akhtar feels Kohli backed Rahul to the core when he broke into the scene and pushed him up the batting order to make him a permanent member across formats. "Virat Kohli invested a lot in KL Rahul (when he was the Indian captain). He pushed him up to open and made him a permanent member of the Indian team. Rahul is a nice and sensible guy. He has been able to prove himself and has successfully shown that he is a serious contender for India and in the IPL as well. I think KL Rahul is going to be a major factor in the match," Akhtar said in a video on Sportskeeda. ALSO READ | Former chief selector reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's Test comeback for India-England series finale Ahead of IPL 2022's Eliminator -- where Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata -- Akhtar shared a word of advice for Rahul. "The two new teams, Lucknow and Gujarat, had to prove a point and they have been doing that very well. I would go with KL Rahul (for this game). Let’s see if Rahul is able to get crowd support by controlling the game. He needs to focus hard on those two seconds every ball," he added. ALSO READ | Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage The winner of the Eliminator will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 to book a place in the season finale, with Gujarat Titans (GT) already confirming a spot on Tuesday evening (May 24).

Virat Kohli invested a lot in him: Shoaib Akhtar lauds ex-India captain for KL Rahul's rise

On Sunday (May 22), the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee announced a 17-man squad for Rohit Sharma-led India's fifth and final Test versus England, which will be held in early July at&nbsp;Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Among the four senior players who were dropped for the home series versus Sri Lanka, in March, Cheteshwar Pujara is the only one to have stormed his way back into the squad. Pujara was rewarded for his memorable run for&nbsp;Sussex in the County Championship in England. The right-hander returned with&nbsp;720 runs in 8 innings at an average of 120.0, including two double-tons, to make a comeback into the Test line-up for the series decider versus England, i.e. a part of&nbsp;the incomplete series held last year in the United Kingdom.&nbsp;

Thus, former chief selector MSK Prasad reacted to Pujara's comeback in whites and hailed his commitment. “Unbelievable. Only one word I can say is an unbelievable comeback. This shows the commitment he has towards the sport and himself. It's a wonderful story,” Prasad told NDTV.

<section>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-didnt-want-anyone-to-question-him-virender-sehwag-hails-anil-kumble-for-his-test-comeback-481825">'I didn't want anyone to question him...' - Virender Sehwag hails Anil Kumble for his Test comeback</a>

“Not many people would have believed what he has done. I think credit to him, for the way he performed in the County to stake his claim in the Test team. Because all through his career he has always been a Test cricketer, and had he not been there in this team, I think we would have missed him forever," the former keeper-batter added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cheteshwar-pujara-returns-as-selectors-announce-indias-squad-for-one-off-test-against-england-481256">Cheteshwar Pujara returns as selectors announce India's squad for one-off Test against England</a>

Pujara was unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction, following which he went to play the County championship.&nbsp;The decision proved to be a masterstroke for the Test specialist as he made a quick return to the red-ball squad after being dropped following a poor run in the South Africa Tests, held early this year.

Indian cricket team Test squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
</section>

On Sunday (May 22), the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee announced a 17-man squad for Rohit Sharma-led India's fifth and final Test versus England, which will be held in early July at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

On Sunday (May 22), the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee announced a 17-man squad for Rohit Sharma-led India's fifth and final Test versus England, which will be held in early July at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Among the four senior players who were dropped for the home series versus Sri Lanka, in March, Cheteshwar Pujara is the only one to have stormed his way back into the squad. Pujara was rewarded for his memorable run for Sussex in the County Championship in England. The right-hander returned with 720 runs in 8 innings at an average of 120.0, including two double-tons, to make a comeback into the Test line-up for the series decider versus England, i.e. a part of the incomplete series held last year in the United Kingdom. Thus, former chief selector MSK Prasad reacted to Pujara's comeback in whites and hailed his commitment. “Unbelievable. Only one word I can say is an unbelievable comeback. This shows the commitment he has towards the sport and himself. It's a wonderful story,” Prasad told NDTV. ALSO READ | 'I didn't want anyone to question him...' - Virender Sehwag hails Anil Kumble for his Test comeback “Not many people would have believed what he has done. I think credit to him, for the way he performed in the County to stake his claim in the Test team. Because all through his career he has always been a Test cricketer, and had he not been there in this team, I think we would have missed him forever," the former keeper-batter added. ALSO READ | Cheteshwar Pujara returns as selectors announce India's squad for one-off Test against England Pujara was unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction, following which he went to play the County championship. The decision proved to be a masterstroke for the Test specialist as he made a quick return to the red-ball squad after being dropped following a poor run in the South Africa Tests, held early this year. Indian cricket team Test squad: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna

Former chief selector reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's Test comeback for India-England series finale

After a riveting Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022, where Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) stormed their way into the final, the action now moves to the Eliminator as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the debutant franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the same venue, i.e. the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Wednesday evening (May 25).

For RCB, they have reached the playoffs for the third successive season and, hence, will be desperate to end their title drought this year. They aren't only reliant on one or two players as the team has seen many good performers and will be aiming to click as a unit in the knockouts. On the other hand, KL Rahul-led Lucknow have also impressed in their first-ever season. Will they manage to stand tall in a high-pressure match or succumb to the big occasion?

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-vs-lsg-weather-forecast-what-if-rain-entirely-plays-spoilsport-in-ipl-2022-eliminator-at-kolkata-482018">RCB vs LSG Weather Forecast: What if rain entirely plays spoilsport in IPL 2022 Eliminator at Kolkata?</a>

Here is all you need to know about the MI vs SRH clash in IPL 2022:

Head to head:

So far, both Lucknow and Bengaluru have faced each other only once in the league stage. Back then, RCB defeated LSG by 18 runs. Will RCB make it two wins in a row or Lucknow will settle the scores when it matters the most?

Stats:

Quinton de Kock has been the man in form for Lucknow, After his 140 not out versus Kolkata, he will be eager to continue in a similar stead in the playoffs. However, Josh Hazlewood has an edge over him, dismissing him thrice in IPL. Also, Glenn Maxwell can be handy early in the innings versus De Kock, if he gets the ball to move a bit outside off-stump; forcing him to edge one to the cordon or be caught at point.&nbsp;

Trivia:

While LSG finished above RCB in the league stage, they have lost five games so far in this season and all the defeats have come against the fellow playoffs contenders (losing twice to Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, respectively and once versus Bengaluru).

Predicted playing XIs:

RCB likely XI:&nbsp;Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik, Mahipal Lomror, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga Harshal Patel/Akash Deep, Siddarth Kaul/Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood.

LSG likely XI:&nbsp;Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c), Evin Lewis, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder, Krishnappa Gowtham, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

After a riveting Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022, where Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) stormed their way into the final, the action now moves to the Eliminator as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the debutant franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the same venue, i.

After a riveting Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022, where Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) stormed their way into the final, the action now moves to the Eliminator as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the debutant franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the same venue, i.e. the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Wednesday evening (May 25). For RCB, they have reached the playoffs for the third successive season and, hence, will be desperate to end their title drought this year. They aren't only reliant on one or two players as the team has seen many good performers and will be aiming to click as a unit in the knockouts. On the other hand, KL Rahul-led Lucknow have also impressed in their first-ever season. Will they manage to stand tall in a high-pressure match or succumb to the big occasion? ALSO READ | RCB vs LSG Weather Forecast: What if rain entirely plays spoilsport in IPL 2022 Eliminator at Kolkata? Here is all you need to know about the MI vs SRH clash in IPL 2022: Head to head: So far, both Lucknow and Bengaluru have faced each other only once in the league stage. Back then, RCB defeated LSG by 18 runs. Will RCB make it two wins in a row or Lucknow will settle the scores when it matters the most? Stats: Quinton de Kock has been the man in form for Lucknow, After his 140 not out versus Kolkata, he will be eager to continue in a similar stead in the playoffs. However, Josh Hazlewood has an edge over him, dismissing him thrice in IPL. Also, Glenn Maxwell can be handy early in the innings versus De Kock, if he gets the ball to move a bit outside off-stump; forcing him to edge one to the cordon or be caught at point. Trivia: While LSG finished above RCB in the league stage, they have lost five games so far in this season and all the defeats have come against the fellow playoffs contenders (losing twice to Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, respectively and once versus Bengaluru). Predicted playing XIs: RCB likely XI: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik, Mahipal Lomror, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga Harshal Patel/Akash Deep, Siddarth Kaul/Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood. LSG likely XI: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c), Evin Lewis, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder, Krishnappa Gowtham, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

RCB vs LSG, IPL 2022 Eliminator: Head-to-head, stats, trivia and predicted playing XIs

Indian and Pakistan cricketers have often shied away from expressing their views on political matters given how the relationship between both countries isn't at its best. However, former Pakistan all-rounder and captain Shahid Afridi often engages himself in political developments and now tweeted over the conviction of Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik.&nbsp;

For the unversed, Malik had pleaded guilty to all charges, including those under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, in a terror funding case in early May. In this regard, the&nbsp;Delhi court is all set to pronounce its verdict on Wednesday (May 25). Recently, the court had convicted Malik and had ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) authorities to assess his financial situation in a bid to decide upon&nbsp;the amount of fine likely to be imposed. The NIA has sought death penalty for the Kashmiri separatist in relation to all his activities in the valley.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-i-raised-my-voice-against-forced-conversion-danish-kaneria-tweets-amid-feud-with-shahid-afridi-477543">'India not our enemy country' - Danish Kaneria slams Shahid Afridi, makes explosive remark on Twitter</a>

Following the turn of events with regard to Malik's case, Afridi shared his two cents on the matter and came out in support of him via a tweet from his official account. In his tweet, he accused&nbsp;India&nbsp;of silencing voices against humans right abuses. Afridi wrote, "India’s continued attempts to silence critical voices against its blatant human right abuses are futile. Fabricated charges against #YasinMalik will not put a hold to #Kashmir’s struggle to freedom. Urging the #UN to take notice of unfair &amp; illegal trails against Kashmir leaders."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
India's continued attempts to silence critical voices against its blatant human right abuses are futile. Fabricated charges against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YasinMalik?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YasinMalik</a> will not put a hold to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kashmir</a>'s struggle to freedom. Urging the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UN</a> to take notice of unfair &amp; illegal trails against Kashmir leaders. <a href="https://t.co/EEJV5jyzmN">pic.twitter.com/EEJV5jyzmN</a>
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1529357436733337600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Thus, Amit Mishra -- India's former leg-spinner --&nbsp;joined the bandwagon and took a brutal dig at the ex-Pakistani captain. He replied saying, "Dear @safridiofficial he himself has pleaded guilty in court on record. Not everything is misleading like your birthdate."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@safridiofficial</a> he himself has pleaded guilty in court on record. Not everything is misleading like your birthdate. 🇮🇳🙏<a href="https://t.co/eSnFLiEd0z">https://t.co/eSnFLiEd0z</a>
— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) <a href="https://twitter.com/MishiAmit/status/1529384036552314880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kashmir-premier-league-to-formally-invite-indian-star-virat-kohli-to-feature-in-2nd-edition-report-479784">Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report</a>

It will be interesting to see if Afridi maintains silence or hits back at Mishra for his brutal dig. Both remain very active on the social media platform Twitter and, hence, one can expect some war of words on the hot and controversial topic of Yasin Malik.

Indian and Pakistan cricketers have often shied away from expressing their views on political matters given how the relationship between both countries isn't at its best.

Indian and Pakistan cricketers have often shied away from expressing their views on political matters given how the relationship between both countries isn't at its best. However, former Pakistan all-rounder and captain Shahid Afridi often engages himself in political developments and now tweeted over the conviction of Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik. For the unversed, Malik had pleaded guilty to all charges, including those under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, in a terror funding case in early May. In this regard, the Delhi court is all set to pronounce its verdict on Wednesday (May 25). Recently, the court had convicted Malik and had ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) authorities to assess his financial situation in a bid to decide upon the amount of fine likely to be imposed. The NIA has sought death penalty for the Kashmiri separatist in relation to all his activities in the valley. ALSO READ | 'India not our enemy country' - Danish Kaneria slams Shahid Afridi, makes explosive remark on Twitter Following the turn of events with regard to Malik's case, Afridi shared his two cents on the matter and came out in support of him via a tweet from his official account. In his tweet, he accused India of silencing voices against humans right abuses. Afridi wrote, "India’s continued attempts to silence critical voices against its blatant human right abuses are futile. Fabricated charges against #YasinMalik will not put a hold to #Kashmir’s struggle to freedom. Urging the #UN to take notice of unfair & illegal trails against Kashmir leaders." India's continued attempts to silence critical voices against its blatant human right abuses are futile. Fabricated charges against #YasinMalik will not put a hold to #Kashmir's struggle to freedom. Urging the #UN to take notice of unfair & illegal trails against Kashmir leaders. pic.twitter.com/EEJV5jyzmN — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 25, 2022 × Thus, Amit Mishra -- India's former leg-spinner -- joined the bandwagon and took a brutal dig at the ex-Pakistani captain. He replied saying, "Dear @safridiofficial he himself has pleaded guilty in court on record. Not everything is misleading like your birthdate." Dear @safridiofficial he himself has pleaded guilty in court on record. Not everything is misleading like your birthdate. 🇮🇳🙏https://t.co/eSnFLiEd0z — Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) May 25, 2022 × ALSO READ | Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report It will be interesting to see if Afridi maintains silence or hits back at Mishra for his brutal dig. Both remain very active on the social media platform Twitter and, hence, one can expect some war of words on the hot and controversial topic of Yasin Malik.

Ex-India spinner Amit Mishra takes brutal dig at Shahid Afridi after latter's tweet on Yasin Malik

Virat Kohli has not had a lot of success in the IPL 2022 edition, being held in India. After the end of the league stage, the 33-year-old has managed only 309 runs with two half-centuries, striking at less than 120. Nonetheless, the right-hander remains an integral part of the Faf du Plessis-led RCB line-up and is also part of the leadership group.

Ahead of RCB's clash versus Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Eliminator of IPL 15, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, the three-time runners-up's Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson has lavished huge praise on Kohli's man-management skills, where he has brought the seniors together and has looked after the younger lot with aplomb.

"Virat is obviously a key part of that, being our Ex-Captain, and such an influential character, but he also brought a whole lot of senior players for the ride that he can engage with. All the young guys love him because he cares, actually genuinely talks and sit to have breakfast with them, gets to know them, sits them by the pool, whatever it is to actually build that group and he does that organically, it's not fake, it's quite a natural way with how he deals with people," Hesson said while speaking on RCB Bold Diaries.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-vs-lsg-weather-forecast-what-if-rain-entirely-plays-spoilsport-in-ipl-2022-eliminator-at-kolkata-482018">RCB vs LSG Weather Forecast: What if rain entirely plays spoilsport in IPL 2022 Eliminator at Kolkata?</a>

RCB qualified for the playoffs for the third successive season, since IPL 2020, and will look to end their title drought with a win in the final. Ahead of the knockouts, Hesson shared details about the work gone behind in building a franchise.

In this regard, the New Zealander added, "I think it is more about having some real consistency of how we go about our work; you try to limit those ups and downs that happen in any IPL. It is all about being calm under pressure, in terms of, what your response is when you are under the pump, do you panic, do you make horrible changes, or do you believe in what you're trying to do? A lot of work goes behind the scenes in terms of making sure we are clear on how we want to play our cricket, and then about who are the people that can fulfill those roles."

Virat Kohli has not had a lot of success in the IPL 2022 edition, being held in India. After the end of the league stage, the 33-year-old has managed only 309 runs with two half-centuries, striking at less than 120.

Virat Kohli has not had a lot of success in the IPL 2022 edition, being held in India. After the end of the league stage, the 33-year-old has managed only 309 runs with two half-centuries, striking at less than 120. Nonetheless, the right-hander remains an integral part of the Faf du Plessis-led RCB line-up and is also part of the leadership group. Ahead of RCB's clash versus Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Eliminator of IPL 15, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, the three-time runners-up's Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson has lavished huge praise on Kohli's man-management skills, where he has brought the seniors together and has looked after the younger lot with aplomb. "Virat is obviously a key part of that, being our Ex-Captain, and such an influential character, but he also brought a whole lot of senior players for the ride that he can engage with. All the young guys love him because he cares, actually genuinely talks and sit to have breakfast with them, gets to know them, sits them by the pool, whatever it is to actually build that group and he does that organically, it's not fake, it's quite a natural way with how he deals with people," Hesson said while speaking on RCB Bold Diaries. ALSO READ | RCB vs LSG Weather Forecast: What if rain entirely plays spoilsport in IPL 2022 Eliminator at Kolkata? RCB qualified for the playoffs for the third successive season, since IPL 2020, and will look to end their title drought with a win in the final. Ahead of the knockouts, Hesson shared details about the work gone behind in building a franchise. In this regard, the New Zealander added, "I think it is more about having some real consistency of how we go about our work; you try to limit those ups and downs that happen in any IPL. It is all about being calm under pressure, in terms of, what your response is when you are under the pump, do you panic, do you make horrible changes, or do you believe in what you're trying to do? A lot of work goes behind the scenes in terms of making sure we are clear on how we want to play our cricket, and then about who are the people that can fulfill those roles."

'He brought senior leaders together, young guys love him' - RCB coach Mike Hesson hails Virat Kohli

India`s boy wonder Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa came up with another sensational performance as he defeated Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri to storm into the final of the Chessable Masters, the fourth leg of the USD1.6 million Champions Chess Tour. 
 
The 16-year-old from Chennai showed off all his skills as he simply overpowered the super-strong Dutch No.1 Giri to set up a summit clash with China`s World No. 2 Ding Liren, who stunned World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the other semifinal. 
 
Praggnanandhaa took lead with a checkmate in the second game of the best-of-four games semifinal encounter. But after two draws, Giri, a Dutch GM of Nepalese origin, returned the favour in the must-win fourth game to draw level at 2-2. 
 
However, he blundered in the first tiebreak game and Pragg capitalised on it to win 2-2, 1.5-0.5. With this win, Praggnanandhaa also sealed his place in the season finale of the Champions Chess Tour, which will be played in November this year. 
 
Giri had gone into the match unbeaten and in red-hot form having topped the USD150,000 event`s Prelim stage leaderboard. But the 29-year-old ran into one of the world`s top talents truly coming of age. Incredibly, schoolboy Pragg has something equally important to do first on Wednesday -- he has to tackle his class 11th exams. 
 
"I have to be at school around 8:45am. And now it`s 2am," he was quoted as saying by the organisers, the Play Magnus Group. And then after the exams a few hours of rest, he will be back at his computer for the final clash with Ding Liren. 
 
Tuesday`s semifinal clashes delivered incredible drama as they involved the four top players from the Prelim stage, all in great form. Pragg`s match with Giri caught fire in the second game after a tame first encounter ended in a draw.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spo-chess-ind-anand-480811">Superbet Rapid tourney: Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand continues bull run, leads field</a>

The youngster set Giri a deadly trap in the endgame and the 29-year-old missed the only defence. Checkmate was guaranteed and Pragg took the lead. Giri had lost his first game of the tournament, the organisers said in a release. 
 
The third game was another cracker. With Giri needing a win, the advantage switched several times. As Giri looked set to break through in the endgame, Pragg found a way to dig in and force a draw. The youngster was 2-1 in front with one game to go. 
 
An astonishingly tricky game that followed let Giri back in. Pragg defended brilliantly but one slip when the position was on a knife`s edge and Giri was onto it. The game ended with a beautiful checkmate on the board and the match locked at 2-2 and heading to tiebreaks. 
 
Then it all went wrong for Giri. He blundered badly in the first blitz game of the play-off with a queen move (32. Qc2), handing Pragg double attack that led to a piece capture. Giri resigned in a hopeless position and looked despondent. 
 
But the Dutchman wasn`t out yet. The second blitz game saw Giri on top before another slip gifted Pragg a pawn. There was no way back. A draw was agreed, but it was the same as a win for Pragg who was through to the final. 
 
In contrast, Carlsen vs Ding was a match of extreme, slow-burning pressure. To add to the intensity, Carlsen found himself plagued early on by internet connection problems at his base for this event in Skagen, Denmark. 
 
After three tense draws, where both players probed but couldn`t crack their opponents` defences, it all came down to the fourth and final game. 
 
And then, a moment no one expected: Carlsen cracked. Ding broke through and went on to win. Carlsen had failed to make the final for the first time in the 2022 Tour. 
 
Carlsen, however, presented a brave front. "I`m ok. I`m really disappointed with my play in the last game, but I think overall this match could have gone either way. I`ve played a lot of close matches with Ding and this one went his way which is disappointing but, yeah, that`s what it is," Carlsen was quoted s saying by the organisers. 
 
A triumphant Ding, playing from Wengzhou in China, said he was "very happy" and the result was "unbelievable". 
 
Ding added, "I`ve played him so many times and I haven`t beaten him in any of the knockout stage in the Champions Chess Tour. It`s my first time."

India`s boy wonder Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa came up with another sensational performance as he defeated Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri to storm into the final of the Chessable Masters, the fourth leg of the USD1.

India`s boy wonder Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa came up with another sensational performance as he defeated Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri to storm into the final of the Chessable Masters, the fourth leg of the USD1.6 million Champions Chess Tour. The 16-year-old from Chennai showed off all his skills as he simply overpowered the super-strong Dutch No.1 Giri to set up a summit clash with China`s World No. 2 Ding Liren, who stunned World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the other semifinal. Praggnanandhaa took lead with a checkmate in the second game of the best-of-four games semifinal encounter. But after two draws, Giri, a Dutch GM of Nepalese origin, returned the favour in the must-win fourth game to draw level at 2-2. However, he blundered in the first tiebreak game and Pragg capitalised on it to win 2-2, 1.5-0.5. With this win, Praggnanandhaa also sealed his place in the season finale of the Champions Chess Tour, which will be played in November this year. Giri had gone into the match unbeaten and in red-hot form having topped the USD150,000 event`s Prelim stage leaderboard. But the 29-year-old ran into one of the world`s top talents truly coming of age. Incredibly, schoolboy Pragg has something equally important to do first on Wednesday -- he has to tackle his class 11th exams. "I have to be at school around 8:45am. And now it`s 2am," he was quoted as saying by the organisers, the Play Magnus Group. And then after the exams a few hours of rest, he will be back at his computer for the final clash with Ding Liren. Tuesday`s semifinal clashes delivered incredible drama as they involved the four top players from the Prelim stage, all in great form. Pragg`s match with Giri caught fire in the second game after a tame first encounter ended in a draw. ALSO READ | Superbet Rapid tourney: Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand continues bull run, leads field The youngster set Giri a deadly trap in the endgame and the 29-year-old missed the only defence. Checkmate was guaranteed and Pragg took the lead. Giri had lost his first game of the tournament, the organisers said in a release. The third game was another cracker. With Giri needing a win, the advantage switched several times. As Giri looked set to break through in the endgame, Pragg found a way to dig in and force a draw. The youngster was 2-1 in front with one game to go. An astonishingly tricky game that followed let Giri back in. Pragg defended brilliantly but one slip when the position was on a knife`s edge and Giri was onto it. The game ended with a beautiful checkmate on the board and the match locked at 2-2 and heading to tiebreaks. Then it all went wrong for Giri. He blundered badly in the first blitz game of the play-off with a queen move (32. Qc2), handing Pragg double attack that led to a piece capture. Giri resigned in a hopeless position and looked despondent. But the Dutchman wasn`t out yet. The second blitz game saw Giri on top before another slip gifted Pragg a pawn. There was no way back. A draw was agreed, but it was the same as a win for Pragg who was through to the final. In contrast, Carlsen vs Ding was a match of extreme, slow-burning pressure. To add to the intensity, Carlsen found himself plagued early on by internet connection problems at his base for this event in Skagen, Denmark. After three tense draws, where both players probed but couldn`t crack their opponents` defences, it all came down to the fourth and final game. And then, a moment no one expected: Carlsen cracked. Ding broke through and went on to win. Carlsen had failed to make the final for the first time in the 2022 Tour. Carlsen, however, presented a brave front. "I`m ok. I`m really disappointed with my play in the last game, but I think overall this match could have gone either way. I`ve played a lot of close matches with Ding and this one went his way which is disappointing but, yeah, that`s what it is," Carlsen was quoted s saying by the organisers. A triumphant Ding, playing from Wengzhou in China, said he was "very happy" and the result was "unbelievable". Ding added, "I`ve played him so many times and I haven`t beaten him in any of the knockout stage in the Champions Chess Tour. It`s my first time."

Chessable Masters: India's teen sensation Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa seals place in final

After a high-scoring Qualifier 1 in IPL 2022, the action now moves to the Eliminator as the Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a must-win game for both sides to keep themselves alive in the competition and make it to the Qualifier 2.

The match will be held at the same venue where Qualifier 1 took place, i.e. at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday evening (May 25). While there were doubts regarding the weather for Qualifier 1, there remains the same for the Eliminator. Nonetheless, Qualifier 1 was still a completely non-interrupted game and the same is expected to be the case for the do-or-die game for both LSG-RCB.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-unfair-for-rishabh-pant-to-be-compared-with-ms-dhoni-says-bcci-chief-sourav-ganguly-482008">It's unfair for Rishabh Pant to be compared with MS Dhoni, says BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly</a>

According to the weather portal&nbsp;accuweather.com, the temperature of Kolkata on Wednesday will hover around 34° Celcius during the day and will go&nbsp;down to 28° Celcius during the night. In the afternoon, thunderstorms are on the cards.

Much to the delight of the fans, the&nbsp;chances of rain during the night is only at 4%, contrary to 65% chances during daytime. In all likelihood, there will be rain at Eden Gardens during the day, however, it is expected to be a clear sky once the match's commencement nears.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-rohits-barren-run-to-mi-csks-mighty-fall-5-surprising-elements-from-ipl-2022s-league-stage-481871">Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage</a>

What happens if rain entirely plays spoilsport in the Eliminator?

In case no play is possible and the weather forecast for the evening changes drastically, contrary to expectations, then there is provision of conducting a Super Over. However, in case conditions aren't favourable even for a Super Over, KL Rahul-led Lucknow will go through for finishing higher than RCB in the points table.

In head-to-head, RCB have an edge as they beat Lucknow in their only face-off, by 18 runs, however, it won't matter as LSG will book a ticket for Qualifier 2 due to a better finish in the league stage.

After a high-scoring Qualifier 1 in IPL 2022, the action now moves to the Eliminator as the Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a must-win game for both sides to keep themselves alive in the competition and make it to the Qualifier 2.

After a high-scoring Qualifier 1 in IPL 2022, the action now moves to the Eliminator as the Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a must-win game for both sides to keep themselves alive in the competition and make it to the Qualifier 2. The match will be held at the same venue where Qualifier 1 took place, i.e. at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday evening (May 25). While there were doubts regarding the weather for Qualifier 1, there remains the same for the Eliminator. Nonetheless, Qualifier 1 was still a completely non-interrupted game and the same is expected to be the case for the do-or-die game for both LSG-RCB. ALSO READ | It's unfair for Rishabh Pant to be compared with MS Dhoni, says BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly According to the weather portal accuweather.com, the temperature of Kolkata on Wednesday will hover around 34° Celcius during the day and will go down to 28° Celcius during the night. In the afternoon, thunderstorms are on the cards. Much to the delight of the fans, the chances of rain during the night is only at 4%, contrary to 65% chances during daytime. In all likelihood, there will be rain at Eden Gardens during the day, however, it is expected to be a clear sky once the match's commencement nears. ALSO READ | Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage What happens if rain entirely plays spoilsport in the Eliminator? In case no play is possible and the weather forecast for the evening changes drastically, contrary to expectations, then there is provision of conducting a Super Over. However, in case conditions aren't favourable even for a Super Over, KL Rahul-led Lucknow will go through for finishing higher than RCB in the points table. In head-to-head, RCB have an edge as they beat Lucknow in their only face-off, by 18 runs, however, it won't matter as LSG will book a ticket for Qualifier 2 due to a better finish in the league stage.

RCB vs LSG Weather Forecast: What if rain entirely plays spoilsport in IPL 2022 Eliminator at Kolkata?

At the time of MS Dhoni's sabbatical, post the 2019 ODI World Cup, many had their doubts about Rishabh Pant's abilities and whether he would be able to fill in the humongous shoes of the former. Nonetheless, the 24-year-old Pant has stepped up his game since late 2020 and is now raising his stature slowly and steadily for India across formats.

Hence, Pant is already India's first-choice keeper-batter in all forms of the game and is now even being trusted with leadership roles. Thus, the left-hander has served as India's vice-captain in the recent home series and has been named as KL Rahul's deputy in the forthcoming home T20Is versus South Africa. Moreover, he is handling captaincy duties for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL as well. Thus, comparisons are bound to happen between Pant and his idol Dhoni.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/david-miller-stars-as-gujarat-titans-beat-rajasthan-royals-by-7-wickets-to-secure-a-spot-in-ipl-2022-final-481917">David Miller stars as Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets to secure a spot in IPL 2022 final</a>

Nonetheless, BCCI chief and former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly have urged the people to refrain from making 'unfair' comparisons between Pant and Dhoni.&nbsp;

"Don't compare Pant with MS Dhoni. Dhoni has so much experience, has captained 500-plus games in IPL, Tests and ODIs. So it's not fair for Rishabh to be compared with Dhoni,"&nbsp;Ganguly told reporters before&nbsp;Qualifier 1 of&nbsp;IPL 2022, where&nbsp;Rajasthan Royals lost to Gujarat Titans at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday (May 24).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-rohits-barren-run-to-mi-csks-mighty-fall-5-surprising-elements-from-ipl-2022s-league-stage-481871">Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage</a>

Talking about Pant, he ended IPL 15 with&nbsp;340 runs at a strike rate of 151. Under him, DC ended at the fifth spot and missed out on qualifying for the playoffs with a defeat at the hands of bottom-ranked Mumbai Indians (MI) in their last league stage encounter. Pant will now shift his focus on the India-SA&nbsp; home series, which gets underway on June 09.

At the time of MS Dhoni's sabbatical, post the 2019 ODI World Cup, many had their doubts about Rishabh Pant's abilities and whether he would be able to fill in the humongous shoes of the former.

At the time of MS Dhoni's sabbatical, post the 2019 ODI World Cup, many had their doubts about Rishabh Pant's abilities and whether he would be able to fill in the humongous shoes of the former. Nonetheless, the 24-year-old Pant has stepped up his game since late 2020 and is now raising his stature slowly and steadily for India across formats. Hence, Pant is already India's first-choice keeper-batter in all forms of the game and is now even being trusted with leadership roles. Thus, the left-hander has served as India's vice-captain in the recent home series and has been named as KL Rahul's deputy in the forthcoming home T20Is versus South Africa. Moreover, he is handling captaincy duties for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL as well. Thus, comparisons are bound to happen between Pant and his idol Dhoni. ALSO READ | David Miller stars as Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets to secure a spot in IPL 2022 final Nonetheless, BCCI chief and former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly have urged the people to refrain from making 'unfair' comparisons between Pant and Dhoni. "Don't compare Pant with MS Dhoni. Dhoni has so much experience, has captained 500-plus games in IPL, Tests and ODIs. So it's not fair for Rishabh to be compared with Dhoni," Ganguly told reporters before Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022, where Rajasthan Royals lost to Gujarat Titans at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday (May 24). ALSO READ | Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage Talking about Pant, he ended IPL 15 with 340 runs at a strike rate of 151. Under him, DC ended at the fifth spot and missed out on qualifying for the playoffs with a defeat at the hands of bottom-ranked Mumbai Indians (MI) in their last league stage encounter. Pant will now shift his focus on the India-SA home series, which gets underway on June 09.

It's unfair for Rishabh Pant to be compared with MS Dhoni, says BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Aditya Sahay

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.