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Former India coach Sanjay Bangar says that Board on Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should have a say in pitches at the venues in Indian Premier League (IPL). The statement comes after KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane and LSG mentor Zaheer Khan calling the respective curators out for the pitches after losing their home games.
"The thing is, the franchise pays a particular fee to the venue," Bangar said. "They do not own the ground, they do not pay the curators. I think there would be a time and place [in the future] where the franchise may have their own grounds, may have their own groundstaff, and then they can [make pitches to] order. At the moment, they're just living on rent, so to say. So when you live on rent, you can't totally make a lot of changes," said Bangar on ESPNCricinfo.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-after-playing-unenjoyable-cricket-past-few-months-embarrassed-buttler-back-with-a-bang-8921296" aria-label="IPL 2025 | After playing 'unenjoyable cricket' past few months 'embarrassed' Buttler back with a bang">IPL 2025 | After playing 'unenjoyable cricket' past few months 'embarrassed' Buttler back with a bang</a>
"I think still BCCI would like to have a little bit of control over it, and maintain the characteristics of a particular surface," Bangar added. "If you totally give it to the hands of the franchise, you do not really want the game to be too lopsided as well, so I'm of the opinion [of having] a little bit of uniformity wherein not having too much of a say for the home side, still there is enough variety in terms of the vast nature of our country wherein cricket is played all across the nation, in itself has variations in terms of red soil, black soil and all of that. I'm of the opinion that a little bit of direction or guideline is always better."
The hue and cry about pitches is becoming louder with each passing day with BBCI asking for better communication regarding the same.
&ldquo;The pitches have been good so far. Hence, they may be asking for pitches that have more help for bowlers. But there needs to be better communication between the franchise and the curators. It can&rsquo;t happen within a week of the IPL season,&rdquo; a BCCI source said as quoted by TOI.

The hue and cry about pitches is becoming louder with each passing day with BCCI asking for better communication regarding the same. Cricket Sports

Former India coach Sanjay Bangar says that Board on Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should have a say in pitches at the venues in Indian Premier League (IPL). The statement comes after KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane and LSG mentor Zaheer Khan calling the respective curators out for the pitches after losing their home games. "The thing is, the franchise pays a particular fee to the venue," Bangar said. "They do not own the ground, they do not pay the curators. I think there would be a time and place [in the future] where the franchise may have their own grounds, may have their own groundstaff, and then they can [make pitches to] order. At the moment, they're just living on rent, so to say. So when you live on rent, you can't totally make a lot of changes," said Bangar on ESPNCricinfo. Also Read: IPL 2025 | After playing 'unenjoyable cricket' past few months 'embarrassed' Buttler back with a bang "I think still BCCI would like to have a little bit of control over it, and maintain the characteristics of a particular surface," Bangar added. "If you totally give it to the hands of the franchise, you do not really want the game to be too lopsided as well, so I'm of the opinion [of having] a little bit of uniformity wherein not having too much of a say for the home side, still there is enough variety in terms of the vast nature of our country wherein cricket is played all across the nation, in itself has variations in terms of red soil, black soil and all of that. I'm of the opinion that a little bit of direction or guideline is always better." The hue and cry about pitches is becoming louder with each passing day with BBCI asking for better communication regarding the same. “The pitches have been good so far. Hence, they may be asking for pitches that have more help for bowlers. But there needs to be better communication between the franchise and the curators. It can’t happen within a week of the IPL season,” a BCCI source said as quoted by TOI.

IPL 2025 | 'They do not pay the curators,' Ex-India coach against franchises asking for tailor-made pitches at home

Jos Buttler has had a difficult last couple of years or so - he let go of England ODI and T20I captaincy after the team failed to have good results in 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy. His own form with the bat was becoming more of a burden than a relief for the team.
In Indian Premier League (IPL), Buttler was traded from Rajasthan Royals to Gujarat Titans and lost his position as opener as well. &nbsp;But during the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Wednesday (Apr 2), Buttler was back and with a bang.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rcb-vs-gt-indias-forgotten-hero-bhuvneshwar-kumar-enters-elite-list-with-ipl-2025-comeback-8920477" aria-label="IPL 2025: India&rsquo;s forgotten hero Bhuvneshwar Kumar enters elite list in RCB loss">IPL 2025: India&rsquo;s forgotten hero Bhuvneshwar Kumar enters elite list in RCB loss</a>
The batter, however, had dropped a catch in the field and was rather embarrassed by it. Buttler although made up and more with the bat as he smashed unbeaten 39-ball 73 and took his team home with eight wickets and 13 balls remaining.
"I was pretty embarrassed, especially with [dropping] Salty. He's a dangerous player. So the only thing I can think of, I was trying to throw it up to earlier, a bit like Herschelle Gibbs style [who dropped Steve Waugh during the 1999 World Cup] but I didn't even... I barely got a glove on it, it hit me in the chest. But due to that embarrassment, I was pretty determined to try and score some runs," Buttler said after the match.
Buttler also acknowledged that the last few months haven't been good so he was trying to play with some freedom and intent.&nbsp;
"I was trying to play with lots of freedom, lots of intent," he said. "I had a few months of pretty unenjoyable cricket, so trying to make sure I'm out there giving my best, and obviously a new team, new franchise, and excited to be here."
Gujarat Titans are now fourth on the points table with four points after two wins and a loss in three games.

The batter, however, had dropped a catch in the field and was rather embarrassed by it. Buttler although made up and more with the bat as he smashed unbeaten 39-ball 73. Cricket Sports

Jos Buttler has had a difficult last couple of years or so - he let go of England ODI and T20I captaincy after the team failed to have good results in 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy. His own form with the bat was becoming more of a burden than a relief for the team. In Indian Premier League (IPL), Buttler was traded from Rajasthan Royals to Gujarat Titans and lost his position as opener as well. But during the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Wednesday (Apr 2), Buttler was back and with a bang. Also Read: IPL 2025: India’s forgotten hero Bhuvneshwar Kumar enters elite list in RCB loss The batter, however, had dropped a catch in the field and was rather embarrassed by it. Buttler although made up and more with the bat as he smashed unbeaten 39-ball 73 and took his team home with eight wickets and 13 balls remaining. "I was pretty embarrassed, especially with [dropping] Salty. He's a dangerous player. So the only thing I can think of, I was trying to throw it up to earlier, a bit like Herschelle Gibbs style [who dropped Steve Waugh during the 1999 World Cup] but I didn't even... I barely got a glove on it, it hit me in the chest. But due to that embarrassment, I was pretty determined to try and score some runs," Buttler said after the match. Buttler also acknowledged that the last few months haven't been good so he was trying to play with some freedom and intent. "I was trying to play with lots of freedom, lots of intent," he said. "I had a few months of pretty unenjoyable cricket, so trying to make sure I'm out there giving my best, and obviously a new team, new franchise, and excited to be here." Gujarat Titans are now fourth on the points table with four points after two wins and a loss in three games.

IPL 2025 | After playing 'unenjoyable cricket' past few months 'embarrassed' Buttler back with a bang

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has addressed the rumours claiming that Suryakumar Yadav was the reason behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/heres-why-yashasvi-jaiswal-is-moving-to-goa-from-mumbai-for-2025-26-domestic-season-8917320" rel="dofollow">Yashasvi Jaiswal&rsquo;s shock Ranji Trophy move from Mumbai to Goa</a>. The rookie India opener made headlines (on Wednesday) when he sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the MCA to shift bases in India's premier domestic tournament harbouring captaincy ambitions. Although the MCA backed claims surrounding Jaiswal's move, they wasted no time to squash the other reports.
The MCA Secretary Abhay Hadap released an official statement on Thursday (Apr 3) addressing these rumours, saying the association spoke with Suryakumar following the internet outburst, only to discover that allegations levelled against him are false and baseless and that he played no role in pursuing anyone rather, let alone Jaiswal, in moving teams in the Ranji Trophy.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/australia-to-play-first-overseas-day-night-test-in-west-indies-details-inside-pink-ball-test-gabba-jamaica-sabina-park-floodlights-8920199" rel="dofollow">Australia to play first overseas Day/Night Test in West Indies, details inside</a>
Abhay Hadap further commented that Suryakumar is committed to Mumbai Cricket and takes immense pride in playing for the state team. He also urged everyone to refrain from spreading rumours and instead throw support behind the players.&nbsp;
"The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is aware of rumours circulating on social media regarding Suryakumar Yadav&rsquo;s alleged decision to move players to Goa instead of playing for Mumbai," Abhay Hadap said in an official statement.
"MCA officials have spoken with Surya this morning and can confirm that these rumours are completely baseless and untrue. Surya Kumar Yadav remains committed to Mumbai and takes immense pride in playing for Mumbai. We urge everyone to refrain from spreading misinformation and to support our players as they continue to contribute to the Mumbai Cricket Association," he added.
<h2>&lsquo;We granted him the NOC&rsquo;&nbsp;</h2>
Amid reports of Jaiswal moving teams in the Ranji Trophy, Abhay Hadap confirmed that Jaiswal did seek a NOC from the MCA, and they granted him, although he expressed being surprised over the same, wishing him good luck in the end.
"Yes, we have granted him the NOC. It is surprising for us, but Mumbai has enough strength. Someone else will now get a chance. We wish Yashasvi the best of luck," he said.
Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci" rel="dofollow">BCCI</a> had stated that for every centrally contracted player to stay in contention for a promotion in the annual central contract list, they must feature for their respective state teams across India&rsquo;s domestic tournaments, should they not get picked for any India squad or are injured.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Amid reports of Jaiswal wanting to switch from Mumbai to Goa in the Ranji Trophy, Abhay Hadap confirmed that he did seek a NOC from the MCA.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has addressed the rumours claiming that Suryakumar Yadav was the reason behind Yashasvi Jaiswal’s shock Ranji Trophy move from Mumbai to Goa. The rookie India opener made headlines (on Wednesday) when he sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the MCA to shift bases in India's premier domestic tournament harbouring captaincy ambitions. Although the MCA backed claims surrounding Jaiswal's move, they wasted no time to squash the other reports. The MCA Secretary Abhay Hadap released an official statement on Thursday (Apr 3) addressing these rumours, saying the association spoke with Suryakumar following the internet outburst, only to discover that allegations levelled against him are false and baseless and that he played no role in pursuing anyone rather, let alone Jaiswal, in moving teams in the Ranji Trophy. Also read | Australia to play first overseas Day/Night Test in West Indies, details inside Abhay Hadap further commented that Suryakumar is committed to Mumbai Cricket and takes immense pride in playing for the state team. He also urged everyone to refrain from spreading rumours and instead throw support behind the players. "The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is aware of rumours circulating on social media regarding Suryakumar Yadav’s alleged decision to move players to Goa instead of playing for Mumbai," Abhay Hadap said in an official statement. "MCA officials have spoken with Surya this morning and can confirm that these rumours are completely baseless and untrue. Surya Kumar Yadav remains committed to Mumbai and takes immense pride in playing for Mumbai. We urge everyone to refrain from spreading misinformation and to support our players as they continue to contribute to the Mumbai Cricket Association," he added. ‘We granted him the NOC’ Amid reports of Jaiswal moving teams in the Ranji Trophy, Abhay Hadap confirmed that Jaiswal did seek a NOC from the MCA, and they granted him, although he expressed being surprised over the same, wishing him good luck in the end. "Yes, we have granted him the NOC. It is surprising for us, but Mumbai has enough strength. Someone else will now get a chance. We wish Yashasvi the best of luck," he said. Meanwhile, the BCCI had stated that for every centrally contracted player to stay in contention for a promotion in the annual central contract list, they must feature for their respective state teams across India’s domestic tournaments, should they not get picked for any India squad or are injured. (With inputs from agencies)

Was Suryakumar Yadav behind Jaiswal's shock Ranji move from Mumbai to Goa? MCA reacts

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be facing each other on Thursday (Apr 3) with an aim to snap their losing streak and get back to the winnings ways. The match is being played in Eden Gardens in Kolkata where the pitch has become somewhat a point of contention after skipper Ajinkya Rahane's demand for a slow one.
<h2>IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Prediction</h2>
SRH top order needs to fire for them to have any chance at success with their brute-force batting style. Not much will be left to be done if SRH's top three batters score and if not, then Heinrich Klaasen should be exercising restraint and take game deep instead of trying to hit a six.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rcb-vs-gt-indias-forgotten-hero-bhuvneshwar-kumar-enters-elite-list-with-ipl-2025-comeback-8920477" aria-label="IPL 2025: India&rsquo;s forgotten hero Bhuvneshwar Kumar enters elite list in RCB loss">IPL 2025: India&rsquo;s forgotten hero Bhuvneshwar Kumar enters elite list in RCB loss</a>
SRH have Aniket Verma in the middle to help them out only if others continue to bat around him and not try to match him for each stroke.
As for KKR, their top order also needs to fire up and soon. They have good middle order which has looked a bit brittle but they'd hope for the batters like Rinku Singh and Andre Russell to come to party soon.
<h2>IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Toss Prediction</h2>
KKR have won the toss 39 times and have batted second 25 of those times including only once since 2014 - clearly they'd chase if they win the toss.&nbsp;
The other teams also show the same trait - out of 50 times the visiting teams have won the toss, they have batted first only 14 times and just thrice since 2016.
After winning the toss, KKR have won 25 games and lost only 14 games and the visiting teams have somewhat of a 50-50 record at Eden Gardens - winning 23 times after winning the toss and losing 27 times.
KKR are really playing at a fortress and SRH would need something special to beat them.
<h2>IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Pitch Report</h2>
After a bit of a controversy around the pitch, two strips have been prepared for the contest and there finally could be some spin on display as teams rally to get home advantage.
<h2>IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Possible Playing XI</h2>
KKR: Narine, de Kock, Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana
SRH: Abhishek, Head, Kishan, Nitish Reddy, Aniket Verma, Klaasen, Cummins, Harshal, Shami, Zampa, Simarjeet Singh

After winning the toss, KKR have won 25 games and lost only 14 games and the visiting teams have somewhat of a 50-50 record at Eden Gardens - winning 23 times after winning the toss and losing 27 times. Cricket Sports

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be facing each other on Thursday (Apr 3) with an aim to snap their losing streak and get back to the winnings ways. The match is being played in Eden Gardens in Kolkata where the pitch has become somewhat a point of contention after skipper Ajinkya Rahane's demand for a slow one. IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Prediction SRH top order needs to fire for them to have any chance at success with their brute-force batting style. Not much will be left to be done if SRH's top three batters score and if not, then Heinrich Klaasen should be exercising restraint and take game deep instead of trying to hit a six. Also Read: IPL 2025: India’s forgotten hero Bhuvneshwar Kumar enters elite list in RCB loss SRH have Aniket Verma in the middle to help them out only if others continue to bat around him and not try to match him for each stroke. As for KKR, their top order also needs to fire up and soon. They have good middle order which has looked a bit brittle but they'd hope for the batters like Rinku Singh and Andre Russell to come to party soon. IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Toss Prediction KKR have won the toss 39 times and have batted second 25 of those times including only once since 2014 - clearly they'd chase if they win the toss. The other teams also show the same trait - out of 50 times the visiting teams have won the toss, they have batted first only 14 times and just thrice since 2016. After winning the toss, KKR have won 25 games and lost only 14 games and the visiting teams have somewhat of a 50-50 record at Eden Gardens - winning 23 times after winning the toss and losing 27 times. KKR are really playing at a fortress and SRH would need something special to beat them. IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Pitch Report After a bit of a controversy around the pitch, two strips have been prepared for the contest and there finally could be some spin on display as teams rally to get home advantage. IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Today Match Possible Playing XI KKR: Narine, de Kock, Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana SRH: Abhishek, Head, Kishan, Nitish Reddy, Aniket Verma, Klaasen, Cummins, Harshal, Shami, Zampa, Simarjeet Singh

IPL 2025 | KKR vs SRH Today Match - Prediction, Toss, Pitch Report and Playing XI

For the longest time since his international debut, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bhuvneshwar-kumar" rel="dofollow">Bhuvneshwar Kumar</a> was India&rsquo;s frontline seamer across formats, producing wonders. His new ball spells helped India taste enormous success everywhere, let alone in favourable conditions. However, his effect dipped with time, with Team India replacing him with seam-bowl bowlers. In IPL, he represented <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad-srh" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> for several seasons before the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) picked him at the auction late last year. His second game for his new franchise saw him enter the record books.
Bhuvneshwar was on the bench for the first game but returned to the playing XI for the remaining two. Though the RCB lost the match by eight wickets, failing to defend 170, Bhuvneshwar picked one of the two fallen GT wickets and entered the record books with that.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pitch-controversy-bcci-draws-line-after-teams-complain-of-lack-of-home-advantage-in-ipl-2025-kkr-lsg-csk-dc-8919787" rel="dofollow">Pitch Controversy: BCCI draws line after teams complain of &lsquo;lack of home advantage&rsquo; in IPL 2025</a>
Following a decent start to the chase, Gujarat lost its captain, Shubman Gill, to Bhuvneshwar on run-a-ball 14 and with that, Bhuvi, as fans often call him, became the joint-highest wicket-taker among pacers in the Indian Premier League (IPL).&nbsp;
His impressive spell of 1/23 in four overs saw him equal former West Indies and IPL great Dwayne Bravo for most wickets (183) among the quicks. He, however, is third on the overall list of most wicket-takers (in IPL), with the Indian leg-spin duo of Piyush Chawla (192) and Yuzvendra Chahal (206 and counting) leading it.
<h2>Bowlers with the Most Wickets in IPL -</h2>
<ul>
<li>Yuzvendra Chahal &ndash; 206</li>
<li>Piyush Chawla &ndash; 192</li>
<li>Dwayne Bravo &ndash; 183</li>
<li>Bhuvneshwar Kumar &ndash; 183</li>
<li>Ravichandran Ashwin &ndash; 183</li>
<li>Sunil Narine &ndash; 183</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gujarat end RCB&rsquo;s winning run</h3>
RCB got off to a flyer this season, winning their two contested matches, including one against rivals and former winners, Chennai Super Kings. Though RCB won the two away games, they lost their first home game this season.
For the visitors, the Indian quick <a href="Siraj%20credits%20GT%20coach%20Nehra%20for%20finding%20form%20on%20emotional%20return%20to%20Bengaluru%20in%20IPL%202025" rel="dofollow">Mohammed Siraj picked up three wickets for 19 runs</a>, and spinner Sai Kishore returned with two to his. While chasing, the two batters in form, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, grew in confidence with match-winning knocks, with Sai scoring a well-made 49 and Buttler remaining unbeaten on 73.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: The RCB lost the match by 8 wickets, failing to defend 170. Bhuvneshwar picked one of the two fallen GT wickets and entered the record books with that.

For the longest time since his international debut, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was India’s frontline seamer across formats, producing wonders. His new ball spells helped India taste enormous success everywhere, let alone in favourable conditions. However, his effect dipped with time, with Team India replacing him with seam-bowl bowlers. In IPL, he represented SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for several seasons before the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) picked him at the auction late last year. His second game for his new franchise saw him enter the record books. Bhuvneshwar was on the bench for the first game but returned to the playing XI for the remaining two. Though the RCB lost the match by eight wickets, failing to defend 170, Bhuvneshwar picked one of the two fallen GT wickets and entered the record books with that. Also read | Pitch Controversy: BCCI draws line after teams complain of ‘lack of home advantage’ in IPL 2025 Following a decent start to the chase, Gujarat lost its captain, Shubman Gill, to Bhuvneshwar on run-a-ball 14 and with that, Bhuvi, as fans often call him, became the joint-highest wicket-taker among pacers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). His impressive spell of 1/23 in four overs saw him equal former West Indies and IPL great Dwayne Bravo for most wickets (183) among the quicks. He, however, is third on the overall list of most wicket-takers (in IPL), with the Indian leg-spin duo of Piyush Chawla (192) and Yuzvendra Chahal (206 and counting) leading it. Bowlers with the Most Wickets in IPL - Yuzvendra Chahal – 206 Piyush Chawla – 192 Dwayne Bravo – 183 Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 183 Ravichandran Ashwin – 183 Sunil Narine – 183 Gujarat end RCB’s winning run RCB got off to a flyer this season, winning their two contested matches, including one against rivals and former winners, Chennai Super Kings. Though RCB won the two away games, they lost their first home game this season. For the visitors, the Indian quick Mohammed Siraj picked up three wickets for 19 runs, and spinner Sai Kishore returned with two to his. While chasing, the two batters in form, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, grew in confidence with match-winning knocks, with Sai scoring a well-made 49 and Buttler remaining unbeaten on 73. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: India’s forgotten hero Bhuvneshwar Kumar enters elite list in RCB loss

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/australia-cricket" rel="dofollow">Cricket Australia</a> has agreed to play its first overseas <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pink-ball-test" rel="dofollow">Day/Night Test</a>&nbsp;during the tour of the West Indies in June later this year, per the latest reports. Australia will play the third Test against the West Indies with the pink ball, should the planned upgrade to Sabina Park&rsquo;s floodlights be ticked off. CWI chief executive Chris Dehring said considering how the hosts pulled off the Gabba miracle last year, they wish to do one better, but this time in their home conditions.
During the last Pink-Ball Test between both teams in Brisbane in January 2024, West Indies pulled off one of their best away wins lately, ending Australia&rsquo;s domination under the lights in Tests. Seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/watch-injured-shamar-joseph-takes-seven-wickets-as-west-indies-record-maiden-test-win-in-australia-since-1997-684462" rel="dofollow">Shamar Joseph broke all shackles with his match-winning 7/68</a> in the final innings, helping West Indies win by just eight runs, which, unlike Australians, Dehring doesn&rsquo;t call (it) an upset. &nbsp;
"The last time we played Australia in Australia, we pulled off what they consider an upset &ndash; but we certainly don&rsquo;t," CWI chief executive Chris Dehring said. "We intend to go one better."
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pitch-controversy-bcci-draws-line-after-teams-complain-of-lack-of-home-advantage-in-ipl-2025-kkr-lsg-csk-dc-8919787" rel="dofollow">Pitch Controversy: BCCI draws line after teams complain of &lsquo;lack of home advantage&rsquo; in IPL 2025</a>
Although Australia never lost a Day/Night before the Gabba bashing, playing 13 and winning 12 over the years, they never played one away from home; should it happen (in the Caribbean) this time, the pink ball will test the Aussies for the first time in overseas conditions.
Per the original itinerary, West Indies and Australia will play the first two Tests in Barbados and Grenada with the red ball; however, the third and final Test (in Jamaica) will be a Day/Night affair once the improvement to the ground&rsquo;s lights is finished, the CWI commented.
"We're open to it," Cricket Australia's scheduling and operations boss Peter Roach told cricket.com.au. "We're awaiting further information from Cricket West Indies about the successful installation of the new lights at Sabina Park.
"But we encourage teams to play day-night cricket here in Australia once a season, so when an opportunity to reciprocate comes up, we are very supportive.
"The planned lighting specifications look more than adequate to host day-night Test cricket, and provided these are met, then CWI and CA are aligned on playing the match as a day-night Test,&rdquo; he continued.
Meanwhile, Australia will play three Tests and five T20Is against the West Indies starting at June end, weeks after their WTC Final against South Africa at Lord&rsquo;s (beginning June 11).&nbsp;
<h2>Check out the schedule &ndash;</h2>
<ul>
<li>First Test: June 25-29, Bridgetown, Barbados</li>
<li>Second Test: July 3-7, St George's, Grenada</li>
<li>Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica</li>
<li>First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica</li>
<li>Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica</li>
<li>Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts</li>
<li>Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts</li>
<li>Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts</li>
</ul>
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Australia held an unbeaten record in Day/Night Tests until last year, when the touring West Indies beat them at the Gabba in Brisbane by eight runs.

Cricket Australia has agreed to play its first overseas Day/Night Test during the tour of the West Indies in June later this year, per the latest reports. Australia will play the third Test against the West Indies with the pink ball, should the planned upgrade to Sabina Park’s floodlights be ticked off. CWI chief executive Chris Dehring said considering how the hosts pulled off the Gabba miracle last year, they wish to do one better, but this time in their home conditions. During the last Pink-Ball Test between both teams in Brisbane in January 2024, West Indies pulled off one of their best away wins lately, ending Australia’s domination under the lights in Tests. Seamer Shamar Joseph broke all shackles with his match-winning 7/68 in the final innings, helping West Indies win by just eight runs, which, unlike Australians, Dehring doesn’t call (it) an upset. "The last time we played Australia in Australia, we pulled off what they consider an upset – but we certainly don’t," CWI chief executive Chris Dehring said. "We intend to go one better." Also read | Pitch Controversy: BCCI draws line after teams complain of ‘lack of home advantage’ in IPL 2025 Although Australia never lost a Day/Night before the Gabba bashing, playing 13 and winning 12 over the years, they never played one away from home; should it happen (in the Caribbean) this time, the pink ball will test the Aussies for the first time in overseas conditions. Per the original itinerary, West Indies and Australia will play the first two Tests in Barbados and Grenada with the red ball; however, the third and final Test (in Jamaica) will be a Day/Night affair once the improvement to the ground’s lights is finished, the CWI commented. "We're open to it," Cricket Australia's scheduling and operations boss Peter Roach told cricket.com.au. "We're awaiting further information from Cricket West Indies about the successful installation of the new lights at Sabina Park. "But we encourage teams to play day-night cricket here in Australia once a season, so when an opportunity to reciprocate comes up, we are very supportive. "The planned lighting specifications look more than adequate to host day-night Test cricket, and provided these are met, then CWI and CA are aligned on playing the match as a day-night Test,” he continued. Meanwhile, Australia will play three Tests and five T20Is against the West Indies starting at June end, weeks after their WTC Final against South Africa at Lord’s (beginning June 11). Check out the schedule – First Test: June 25-29, Bridgetown, Barbados Second Test: July 3-7, St George's, Grenada Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (With inputs from agencies)

Australia to play first overseas Day/Night Test in West Indies, details inside

There&rsquo;s plenty of chat about how the pitches prepared this season are not helping teams enjoy the home advantage in IPL 2025. After the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane first complained of how the Eden Gardens pitch for the tournament opener was not to the team&rsquo;s liking, assisting seamers more, others jumped onto it, with CSK, LSG and even DC putting their complaints forward. The BCCI has answered them all.
The drama surrounding the KKR pitch curator controversy took an ugly turn after Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee U-turned on denying any requests from the franchise, days after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-eden-gardens-curator-breaks-silence-on-kkrs-pitch-request-controversy-8906855" rel="dofollow">admitting to preparing the pitch (for the RCB clash) his way</a>, engaging everyone. It came to a point where renowned broadcasters <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-harsha-bhogle-simon-doull-unhappy-with-kkr-pitch-curator-for-disrespecting-ajinkya-rahane-8895205" rel="dofollow">Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull openly criticised Sujan for not working in tandem with KKR&rsquo;s directives</a>.
Meanwhile, following Lucknow Super Giants &lsquo; home game against Punjab Kings earlier, the team mentor Zaheer Khan didn&rsquo;t mince his words in accepting that the pitch prepared for the clash that ended with the touring team winning by eight wickets failed to support LSG&rsquo;s bowling strengths, and never looked like being prepared by LSG curators.
&ldquo;What was a little disappointing for me here, considering it&rsquo;s a home game, and you know, in IPL, you&rsquo;ve seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, you know,&rdquo; Zaheer said after his team lost in a one-sided contest against PBKS. &ldquo;From that point of view, you&rsquo;ve seen the curator is not really thinking that it&rsquo;s a home game. I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was (the) Punjab curator out here.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/mohammed-siraj-credits-gt-coach-ashish-nehra-for-finding-form-on-emotional-return-to-bengaluru-in-ipl-2025-rcb-8919462" rel="dofollow">Siraj credits GT coach Nehra for finding form on emotional return to Bengaluru in IPL 2025</a>
Besides KKR and LSG, Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming also expressed his reservations over Chepauk&rsquo;s wicket for the RCB tie (which CSK lost), with a Times of India (TOI) report suggesting that Delhi Capitals were also unhappy with how the pitch in Vizag (their second home venue) behaved in their first two matches.
<h2>No team, no player has any say in pitch preparation</h2>
Meanwhile, the BCCI has instructed the Delhi management that the board&rsquo;s designated curator has the ultimate authority, and neither the franchise nor the players have any say in pitch preparation.
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-buttler-serves-it-hot-as-gujarat-hand-royal-challengers-bengaluru-eight-wicket-loss-8918831" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Buttler serves it hot as Gujarat hand Royal Challengers Bengaluru eight-wicket loss</a>
&ldquo;The pitches have been good so far. Hence, they may be asking for pitches that have more help for bowlers. But there needs to be better communication between the franchise and the curators. It can&rsquo;t happen within a week of the IPL season,&rdquo; a BCCI source said as quoted by TOI.&nbsp;
&ldquo;As far as Lucknow is considered, the square needs to be re-laid to alter the basic nature of the pitch, which is intrinsically slow in nature. According to BCCI guidelines, it needs to have a good grass cover to sustain itself through the tournament. The same goes for all other venues,&rdquo; the source said while speaking of concerns around the Lucknow pitch.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Reports also suggest that Delhi Capitals were also unhappy with how the pitch in Vizag (their second home venue) behaved in their first two matches.

There’s plenty of chat about how the pitches prepared this season are not helping teams enjoy the home advantage in IPL 2025. After the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane first complained of how the Eden Gardens pitch for the tournament opener was not to the team’s liking, assisting seamers more, others jumped onto it, with CSK, LSG and even DC putting their complaints forward. The BCCI has answered them all. The drama surrounding the KKR pitch curator controversy took an ugly turn after Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee U-turned on denying any requests from the franchise, days after admitting to preparing the pitch (for the RCB clash) his way, engaging everyone. It came to a point where renowned broadcasters Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull openly criticised Sujan for not working in tandem with KKR’s directives. Meanwhile, following Lucknow Super Giants ‘ home game against Punjab Kings earlier, the team mentor Zaheer Khan didn’t mince his words in accepting that the pitch prepared for the clash that ended with the touring team winning by eight wickets failed to support LSG’s bowling strengths, and never looked like being prepared by LSG curators. “What was a little disappointing for me here, considering it’s a home game, and you know, in IPL, you’ve seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, you know,” Zaheer said after his team lost in a one-sided contest against PBKS. “From that point of view, you’ve seen the curator is not really thinking that it’s a home game. I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was (the) Punjab curator out here.” Also read | Siraj credits GT coach Nehra for finding form on emotional return to Bengaluru in IPL 2025 Besides KKR and LSG, Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming also expressed his reservations over Chepauk’s wicket for the RCB tie (which CSK lost), with a Times of India (TOI) report suggesting that Delhi Capitals were also unhappy with how the pitch in Vizag (their second home venue) behaved in their first two matches. No team, no player has any say in pitch preparation Meanwhile, the BCCI has instructed the Delhi management that the board’s designated curator has the ultimate authority, and neither the franchise nor the players have any say in pitch preparation. Also read | IPL 2025: Buttler serves it hot as Gujarat hand Royal Challengers Bengaluru eight-wicket loss “The pitches have been good so far. Hence, they may be asking for pitches that have more help for bowlers. But there needs to be better communication between the franchise and the curators. It can’t happen within a week of the IPL season,” a BCCI source said as quoted by TOI. “As far as Lucknow is considered, the square needs to be re-laid to alter the basic nature of the pitch, which is intrinsically slow in nature. According to BCCI guidelines, it needs to have a good grass cover to sustain itself through the tournament. The same goes for all other venues,” the source said while speaking of concerns around the Lucknow pitch. (With inputs from agencies)

Pitch Controversy: BCCI draws line after teams complain of ‘lack of home advantage’ in IPL 2025

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammed-siraj" rel="dofollow">Mohammed Siraj</a> was effective with the new ball, impressed with his line and length and produced a match-winning spell for his new IPL franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT), on his emotional return to Bengaluru this season. The right-arm seamer picked three wickets for 19 runs against his former team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), for whom he played for seven seasons before. His spell was instrumental in helping <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-buttler-serves-it-hot-as-gujarat-hand-royal-challengers-bengaluru-eight-wicket-loss-8918831" rel="dofollow">GT beat RCB by eight wickets on Wednesday night</a>.
The BCCI selectors dropped Siraj from Team India&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy-2025" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy 2025</a> squad, citing his lack of effectiveness with the new ball. Instead of putting himself under any pressure, Siraj worked on his game in the meantime. Upon joining former India seamer Ashish Nehra and experienced seamer Ishant Sharma (at GT), he improved it, and the results are there for everyone to see.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-rr-skipper-sanju-samson-back-at-helm-again-gets-nca-clearance-for-wicket-keeping-duties-8918163" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: RR skipper Sanju Samson back at helm again, gets NCA clearance for wicket-keeping duties</a>
&ldquo;I had been playing consistently, but during the break, I corrected my mistakes and worked on my fitness,&rdquo; Siraj explained after his Player of the Match performance. &ldquo;Once I was picked up by Gujarat Titans, I spoke to Ashish Bhai. He (Nehra) tells me to go enjoy your bowling, and Ishu (Ishant) Bhai tells me what line and length to bowl. My mindset is to have a belief, and then the pitch does not matter.&rdquo;
Meanwhile, Siraj bowled tight lines up front against the upbeat RCB openers. Although Phil Salt smacked him for a monstrous 105m six, Siraj dismissed him next ball (clean bowled) on 14. However, before that, he dismissed left-hander Devdutt Padikkal bowled and later accounted for RCB&rsquo;s highest scorer Liam Livingstone (54), caught behind on 54. The Indian quick also did his famous Cristiano Ronaldo&rsquo;s &lsquo;sui&rsquo; celebration, explaining his love affair behind it.
"I was a bit emotional. I was here for seven years; changed jersey from red to blue. There was some nervousness and some emotion, but the moment I got the ball in my hand, it was full-on," Siraj said.&nbsp;
When asked about his celebration style, Siraj replied, "I am Ronaldo's fan and, hence, the celebration."
<h2>Buttler saves the day for Gujarat</h2>
England great Jos Buttler top-scored for Gujarat, helping them complete the chase and win their second game in IPL 2025. Following Shubman Gill&rsquo;s dismissal inside the Powerplay, Buttler joined opener Sai Sudharsan in the middle, with the pair making light work of the RCB bowlers.&nbsp;
While Sai got out shy of yet another fifty-plus score in this tournament, Buttler remained unbeaten on 73 off 39 balls, hitting six sixes and five fours, continuing his incredible form with the bat.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Siraj picked three wickets for 19 runs against his former team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), for whom he played for seven seasons before.

Mohammed Siraj was effective with the new ball, impressed with his line and length and produced a match-winning spell for his new IPL franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT), on his emotional return to Bengaluru this season. The right-arm seamer picked three wickets for 19 runs against his former team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), for whom he played for seven seasons before. His spell was instrumental in helping GT beat RCB by eight wickets on Wednesday night. The BCCI selectors dropped Siraj from Team India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad, citing his lack of effectiveness with the new ball. Instead of putting himself under any pressure, Siraj worked on his game in the meantime. Upon joining former India seamer Ashish Nehra and experienced seamer Ishant Sharma (at GT), he improved it, and the results are there for everyone to see. Also read | IPL 2025: RR skipper Sanju Samson back at helm again, gets NCA clearance for wicket-keeping duties “I had been playing consistently, but during the break, I corrected my mistakes and worked on my fitness,” Siraj explained after his Player of the Match performance. “Once I was picked up by Gujarat Titans, I spoke to Ashish Bhai. He (Nehra) tells me to go enjoy your bowling, and Ishu (Ishant) Bhai tells me what line and length to bowl. My mindset is to have a belief, and then the pitch does not matter.” Meanwhile, Siraj bowled tight lines up front against the upbeat RCB openers. Although Phil Salt smacked him for a monstrous 105m six, Siraj dismissed him next ball (clean bowled) on 14. However, before that, he dismissed left-hander Devdutt Padikkal bowled and later accounted for RCB’s highest scorer Liam Livingstone (54), caught behind on 54. The Indian quick also did his famous Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘sui’ celebration, explaining his love affair behind it. "I was a bit emotional. I was here for seven years; changed jersey from red to blue. There was some nervousness and some emotion, but the moment I got the ball in my hand, it was full-on," Siraj said. When asked about his celebration style, Siraj replied, "I am Ronaldo's fan and, hence, the celebration." Buttler saves the day for Gujarat England great Jos Buttler top-scored for Gujarat, helping them complete the chase and win their second game in IPL 2025. Following Shubman Gill’s dismissal inside the Powerplay, Buttler joined opener Sai Sudharsan in the middle, with the pair making light work of the RCB bowlers. While Sai got out shy of yet another fifty-plus score in this tournament, Buttler remained unbeaten on 73 off 39 balls, hitting six sixes and five fours, continuing his incredible form with the bat. (With inputs from agencies)

Siraj credits GT coach Nehra for finding form on emotional return to Bengaluru in IPL 2025

A sensational innings by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler">Jos Buttler</a> (73 not out) along with Sherfane Rutherford (30 nout out) steered <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gujarat-titans">Gujarat Titans</a> to a dominating win over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bengaluru">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a> on Wednesday (April 2).&nbsp;
Set a target of 170, GT completed the chase with as many as 13 balls to spare.&nbsp;The swashbuckling Jos Buttler top-scored for GT, while opener Sai Sudharsan struck a 36-ball 49 as the two added 75 runs for the second wicket to put the visitors on course for their second victory in three matches.
Earlier in the innings, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammed-siraj">Mohammed Siraj</a> spearheaded a relentless Gujarat Titans bowling attack, restricting the formidable Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 169 for eight in their IPL clash on Wednesday. Despite a fortuitous 54 from Liam Livingstone, RCB&rsquo;s batting unit struggled on a surprisingly slow and gripping surface.
Opting to bowl first, GT wouldn&rsquo;t have anticipated such dominance over RCB&rsquo;s power-packed lineup. The collapse began early with Virat Kohli (7), who started with a delightful cover drive off Siraj (4-0-19-3) but fell to left-arm pacer Arshad Khan while attempting a pull, caught by Prasidh Krishna at fine leg.
<h2>RCB batters struggle</h2>
RCB&rsquo;s top-order crumbled under pressure as Siraj, returning after seven seasons in the red and gold, led the charge. Phil Salt, dropped on zero by Jos Buttler off Siraj, along with skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, were back in the pavilion as RCB slumped to 42 for four in 6.2 overs. Salt and Padikkal, both bowled attempting expansive shots, might rue their lack of restraint.
Jitesh Sharma (33 off 21) and Livingstone (54 off 40, 1x4, 5x6) provided some resistance, adding 52 runs off 38 balls for the fifth wicket. However, left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/22) ended their partnership, forcing Jitesh to sky one to Rahul Tewatia, who made amends after dropping Livingstone earlier.
The missed chance proved costly as Livingstone punished Rashid Khan with three sixes in an over, reaching his fifty in 39 balls. He then stitched a crucial 46-run stand with Tim David, whose brisk 32 off 18 balls (3x4, 2x6) gave RCB a late boost, pushing them past 150.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Royal Challengers Bengaluru's top-order crumbled under pressure as  Mohammed Siraj, returning after seven seasons in the red and gold, led the charge

A sensational innings by Jos Buttler (73 not out) along with Sherfane Rutherford (30 nout out) steered Gujarat Titans to a dominating win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Wednesday (April 2). Set a target of 170, GT completed the chase with as many as 13 balls to spare. The swashbuckling Jos Buttler top-scored for GT, while opener Sai Sudharsan struck a 36-ball 49 as the two added 75 runs for the second wicket to put the visitors on course for their second victory in three matches. Earlier in the innings, Mohammed Siraj spearheaded a relentless Gujarat Titans bowling attack, restricting the formidable Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 169 for eight in their IPL clash on Wednesday. Despite a fortuitous 54 from Liam Livingstone, RCB’s batting unit struggled on a surprisingly slow and gripping surface. Opting to bowl first, GT wouldn’t have anticipated such dominance over RCB’s power-packed lineup. The collapse began early with Virat Kohli (7), who started with a delightful cover drive off Siraj (4-0-19-3) but fell to left-arm pacer Arshad Khan while attempting a pull, caught by Prasidh Krishna at fine leg. RCB batters struggle RCB’s top-order crumbled under pressure as Siraj, returning after seven seasons in the red and gold, led the charge. Phil Salt, dropped on zero by Jos Buttler off Siraj, along with skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, were back in the pavilion as RCB slumped to 42 for four in 6.2 overs. Salt and Padikkal, both bowled attempting expansive shots, might rue their lack of restraint. Jitesh Sharma (33 off 21) and Livingstone (54 off 40, 1x4, 5x6) provided some resistance, adding 52 runs off 38 balls for the fifth wicket. However, left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/22) ended their partnership, forcing Jitesh to sky one to Rahul Tewatia, who made amends after dropping Livingstone earlier. The missed chance proved costly as Livingstone punished Rashid Khan with three sixes in an over, reaching his fifty in 39 balls. He then stitched a crucial 46-run stand with Tim David, whose brisk 32 off 18 balls (3x4, 2x6) gave RCB a late boost, pushing them past 150. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Buttler serves it hot as Gujarat hand Royal Challengers Bengaluru eight-wicket loss

Sanju Samson is set to resume his full leadership role as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals">Rajasthan Royals</a> captain after receiving clearance from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/national-cricket-academy">National Cricket Academy</a> (NCA) to take up wicket-keeping duties in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Samson had undergone surgery on his right index finger following an injury sustained during India's T20I series against England in February, when he was struck by former RR teammate and England pacer Jofra Archer. As a result, he played only as a specialist batter in Rajasthan Royals' first three matches, with Riyan Parag leading the side in his absence.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-the-value-for-batsmanship-is-no-longer-there-says-kkrs-mentor-dwayne-bravo-ahead-of-their-clash-against-srh-8917998">IPL 2025: 'The value for batsmanship is no longer there', says KKR's mentor Dwayne Bravo ahead of their clash against SRH</a>
The Royals' skipper featured in the season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad as an Impact Player but was substituted out in the games against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. He scored 66, 13, and 20 runs in the three matches.
<h2>'Samson will return to full leadership'</h2>
"Rajasthan Royals captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sanju-samson">Sanju Samson</a> has received clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to resume wicket-keeping duties following a period of recovery,&rdquo; the franchise announced in a statement. "The clearance comes after a thorough assessment of his fitness by the NCA medical team. With this positive development, Samson will return to his full leadership role and resume captaincy from the team's next match against Punjab Kings.&rdquo;
Currently, Rajasthan Royals sit second-last on the points table, with just one win from their first three matches. The inaugural IPL champions will face Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 5, hoping to turn their fortunes around.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Sanju Samson had undergone surgery on his right index finger following an injury sustained during India's T20I series against England in February 2025

Sanju Samson is set to resume his full leadership role as Rajasthan Royals captain after receiving clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to take up wicket-keeping duties in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Samson had undergone surgery on his right index finger following an injury sustained during India's T20I series against England in February, when he was struck by former RR teammate and England pacer Jofra Archer. As a result, he played only as a specialist batter in Rajasthan Royals' first three matches, with Riyan Parag leading the side in his absence. Also Read: IPL 2025: 'The value for batsmanship is no longer there', says KKR's mentor Dwayne Bravo ahead of their clash against SRH The Royals' skipper featured in the season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad as an Impact Player but was substituted out in the games against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. He scored 66, 13, and 20 runs in the three matches. 'Samson will return to full leadership' "Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has received clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to resume wicket-keeping duties following a period of recovery,” the franchise announced in a statement. "The clearance comes after a thorough assessment of his fitness by the NCA medical team. With this positive development, Samson will return to his full leadership role and resume captaincy from the team's next match against Punjab Kings.” Currently, Rajasthan Royals sit second-last on the points table, with just one win from their first three matches. The inaugural IPL champions will face Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 5, hoping to turn their fortunes around. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: RR skipper Sanju Samson back at helm again, gets NCA clearance for wicket-keeping duties

Gujarat Titans pacer Kagiso Rabada says that head coach Ashish Nehra 'doesn't give serious advice but very simple one' as the bowlers get hammered on a daily basis in the the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Rabada made the comments during an interaction with news outlet Times of India where he also spoke about batting friendly pitches in the tournament.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a belter. He&rsquo;s such a rad person. Yeah, nothing really serious, gives very simple advice. Not rocket science. Just a good man, and he knows his cricket,&rdquo; Rabada said about Nehra.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-uncapped-spinner-digvesh-rathi-only-lsg-bowler-to-take-wickets-vs-pbks-punished-by-bcci-8917731" aria-label="IPL 2025 | Uncapped spinner Digvesh Rathi, only LSG bowler to take wickets vs PBKS, punished by BCCI - Read Why">IPL 2025 | Uncapped spinner Digvesh Rathi, only LSG bowler to take wickets vs PBKS, punished by BCCI - Read Why</a>
IPL has already seen some of the big scores with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) scoring 286 in only the second match of the tournament. It is the second highest score in IPL history.
&ldquo;If wickets become too flat, then you might as well not call it cricket. You could just call it batting. &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s go play a game of batting, guys.&rsquo; It can&rsquo;t get too flat. What&rsquo;s the point? It becomes way too generic. I don&rsquo;t mind higher-scoring games. You need those in cricket. But if conditions are too flat too often, then what&rsquo;s the fun in that? There&rsquo;s no point,&rdquo; Rabada said.
In the first five matches of the season, the average first innings score was 213/7 at a run-rate of 10.65 with the highest being 286/6 by SRH. Out of five matches, three teams have managed to breach the 200+ score in the first innings - 286 by SRH vs Rajasthan Royals, 208 by Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals and 244 by PBKS vs GT.&nbsp;
Out of these three, two time the team batting first have won while the team batting second have won the remaining two games where the chase was less than 200.
If the trend continues, the season is poised to have many more runs fests in the coming games - more than 70 of them.

IPL has already seen some of the big scores with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) scoring 286 in only the second match of the tournament. It is the second highest score in IPL history. Cricket Sports

Gujarat Titans pacer Kagiso Rabada says that head coach Ashish Nehra 'doesn't give serious advice but very simple one' as the bowlers get hammered on a daily basis in the the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Rabada made the comments during an interaction with news outlet Times of India where he also spoke about batting friendly pitches in the tournament. “He’s a belter. He’s such a rad person. Yeah, nothing really serious, gives very simple advice. Not rocket science. Just a good man, and he knows his cricket,” Rabada said about Nehra. Also Read: IPL 2025 | Uncapped spinner Digvesh Rathi, only LSG bowler to take wickets vs PBKS, punished by BCCI - Read Why IPL has already seen some of the big scores with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) scoring 286 in only the second match of the tournament. It is the second highest score in IPL history. “If wickets become too flat, then you might as well not call it cricket. You could just call it batting. ‘Let’s go play a game of batting, guys.’ It can’t get too flat. What’s the point? It becomes way too generic. I don’t mind higher-scoring games. You need those in cricket. But if conditions are too flat too often, then what’s the fun in that? There’s no point,” Rabada said. In the first five matches of the season, the average first innings score was 213/7 at a run-rate of 10.65 with the highest being 286/6 by SRH. Out of five matches, three teams have managed to breach the 200+ score in the first innings - 286 by SRH vs Rajasthan Royals, 208 by Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals and 244 by PBKS vs GT. Out of these three, two time the team batting first have won while the team batting second have won the remaining two games where the chase was less than 200. If the trend continues, the season is poised to have many more runs fests in the coming games - more than 70 of them.

IPL 2025 | GT pacer Kagiso Rabada says coach Nehra doesn't give 'serious advice' as high scores become normal

As Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) prepare to take on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad">Sunrisers Hyderabad</a> (SRH) in their upcoming IPL 2025 fixture, team mentor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/dwayne-bravo">Dwayne Bravo</a> addressed the media, discussing the team&rsquo;s morale, player form, and evolving trends in the tournament. Despite two losses in three games, Bravo remains confident in the squad&rsquo;s ability to bounce back, emphasising resilience and smart cricket as key aspects of their approach.
On being asked about the team&rsquo;s mindset following their recent defeats, Bravo reassured that the focus remains on staying positive. "The message will always be from my side and from the coaching group to make sure that our morale and energy remain in a positive place. It&rsquo;s still early in the tournament, and we are looking ahead rather than dwelling on past results. Our main focus is to bounce back and control the things we can, starting with the next game," he said.
With SRH featuring some effective bowlers, Bravo acknowledged the importance of preparation but stressed that KKR would not overanalyse individual threats. "Our batsmen go through opposition bowlers like we do in every game. But we also believe in trusting our skills, instincts, and understanding the tempo of the game. While we respect our opponents, we also trust our ability to counter them," he explained.
South African pacer Anrich Nortje's fitness remains a key concern for KKR. While Bravo refrained from providing a definitive timeline for his return, he assured that the bowler is close to match fitness. "He&rsquo;s very close. But it&rsquo;s also about finding the right combination for the opposition we face. From a fitness perspective, he&rsquo;s almost ready," Bravo said.
<h2>KKR&rsquo;s batting struggles</h2>
Despite boasting an explosive batting line-up, KKR&rsquo;s batting unit has yet to find consistency. Bravo admitted that while the firepower is there, the team needs to apply themselves better. "Yes, we have an aggressive batting line-up, but cricket still requires basics. The games we lose serve as learning experiences. Our goal is to simplify the approach and get back to playing smart T20 cricket," he shared.
When questioned about the performances of key finishers like <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/andre-russell">Andre Russell</a> and Rinku Singh, Bravo dismissed early concerns. "You don&rsquo;t judge players based on two games. They have proven themselves over the years. We will continue to back them, reminding them of their past successes," he said.
With debates surrounding the impact of home advantage in T20 cricket, Bravo downplayed the role of pitches, instead highlighting the significance of fan support. "I don&rsquo;t focus much on pitches. The better team on the day wins. What matters more is the energy the fans bring. They play a huge role in lifting the players," he said.
<h2>'Bowlers have to outthink batters'</h2>
Bravo, a veteran of the IPL, also reflected on the shift in T20 dynamics, noting the reduced value placed on batsmanship. "In recent years, there has been a boom in scoring, but now bowlers are getting smarter. They have to outthink batters and be brave. Meanwhile, batsmen seem to value their wickets less, thinking they can always recover due to deep batting line-ups and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/impact-player-rule">Impact Player rule</a>. That&rsquo;s why scores are beginning to drop," he observed.
Despite early setbacks, Bravo remains optimistic about KKR&rsquo;s campaign. "We are not the only team in this position. Once we get smarter in key situations, we will be fine. Our players are all quality cricketers. It&rsquo;s just a matter of time before they regain their confidence and start winning games," he signed off.

Cricket, Sports: Team mentor Bravo remains confident in the squad’s ability to bounce back, emphasising resilience and smart cricket as key aspects of their approach

As Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) prepare to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their upcoming IPL 2025 fixture, team mentor Dwayne Bravo addressed the media, discussing the team’s morale, player form, and evolving trends in the tournament. Despite two losses in three games, Bravo remains confident in the squad’s ability to bounce back, emphasising resilience and smart cricket as key aspects of their approach. On being asked about the team’s mindset following their recent defeats, Bravo reassured that the focus remains on staying positive. "The message will always be from my side and from the coaching group to make sure that our morale and energy remain in a positive place. It’s still early in the tournament, and we are looking ahead rather than dwelling on past results. Our main focus is to bounce back and control the things we can, starting with the next game," he said. With SRH featuring some effective bowlers, Bravo acknowledged the importance of preparation but stressed that KKR would not overanalyse individual threats. "Our batsmen go through opposition bowlers like we do in every game. But we also believe in trusting our skills, instincts, and understanding the tempo of the game. While we respect our opponents, we also trust our ability to counter them," he explained. South African pacer Anrich Nortje's fitness remains a key concern for KKR. While Bravo refrained from providing a definitive timeline for his return, he assured that the bowler is close to match fitness. "He’s very close. But it’s also about finding the right combination for the opposition we face. From a fitness perspective, he’s almost ready," Bravo said. KKR’s batting struggles Despite boasting an explosive batting line-up, KKR’s batting unit has yet to find consistency. Bravo admitted that while the firepower is there, the team needs to apply themselves better. "Yes, we have an aggressive batting line-up, but cricket still requires basics. The games we lose serve as learning experiences. Our goal is to simplify the approach and get back to playing smart T20 cricket," he shared. When questioned about the performances of key finishers like Andre Russell and Rinku Singh, Bravo dismissed early concerns. "You don’t judge players based on two games. They have proven themselves over the years. We will continue to back them, reminding them of their past successes," he said. With debates surrounding the impact of home advantage in T20 cricket, Bravo downplayed the role of pitches, instead highlighting the significance of fan support. "I don’t focus much on pitches. The better team on the day wins. What matters more is the energy the fans bring. They play a huge role in lifting the players," he said. 'Bowlers have to outthink batters' Bravo, a veteran of the IPL, also reflected on the shift in T20 dynamics, noting the reduced value placed on batsmanship. "In recent years, there has been a boom in scoring, but now bowlers are getting smarter. They have to outthink batters and be brave. Meanwhile, batsmen seem to value their wickets less, thinking they can always recover due to deep batting line-ups and the Impact Player rule. That’s why scores are beginning to drop," he observed. Despite early setbacks, Bravo remains optimistic about KKR’s campaign. "We are not the only team in this position. Once we get smarter in key situations, we will be fine. Our players are all quality cricketers. It’s just a matter of time before they regain their confidence and start winning games," he signed off.

IPL 2025: 'The value for batsmanship is no longer there', says KKR's mentor Dwayne Bravo ahead of their clash against SRH

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had nothing going on for them in their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) as they lost their first home game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls remaining. The two wickets they took while defending a modest 172 belonged to Digvesh Rathi - a rookie spinner playing only his third IPL game ever.
<h2>Who is Digvesh Rathi?</h2>
Rathi caught the attention during the Delhi Premier League last year before the mega auction while playing under his LSG teammate Ayush Badoni. He picked 14 wickets in the tournament and was subsequently recommended to the franchise as an option to look into the auction.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-rohit-after-worst-ipl-start-since-2020-says-his-immediate-goal-is-8916892" aria-label="IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is...">IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is...</a>
Come IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool and has been giving rich dividends on the investment made so far.
The leggie has picked up five wickets in three games already and that too at an economy 8.41 which is good enough given how the runs have been scored in this season.
Before the IPL, Rathi played just two T20s at the domestic level in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and had three wickets to his name.
<h2>BCCI punishes Rathi for breach of Code of Conduct</h2>
Rathi, however, got a bit carried away with his first wicket of the night when he dismissed his Delhi teammate Priyansh Arya. The spinner went to him and pretend writing his name in notebook during the celebration - a move Virat Kohli had done against West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams in a T20I in 2019. Have a look at the video below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DigveshRathi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DigveshRathi</a> provides the breakthrough as <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PriyanshArya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PriyanshArya</a> heads back! P.S: Don't miss the celebration at the end! 👀✍🏻 Watch LIVE action of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSGvPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSGvPBKS</a> ➡ <a href="https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv">https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLOnJiostar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLOnJiostar</a> | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi &amp; JioHotstar! | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianPossibleLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianPossibleLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/TAhHDtXX8n">pic.twitter.com/TAhHDtXX8n</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1907104870999728486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Digvesh Singh, Bowler, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated One Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team&rsquo;s match against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday. Digvesh Singh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee&rsquo;s sanction," read a release by IPL on the matter.&nbsp;

In IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Delhi-based Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool by Lucknow Super Giants. Cricket Sports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had nothing going on for them in their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) as they lost their first home game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls remaining. The two wickets they took while defending a modest 172 belonged to Digvesh Rathi - a rookie spinner playing only his third IPL game ever. Who is Digvesh Rathi? Rathi caught the attention during the Delhi Premier League last year before the mega auction while playing under his LSG teammate Ayush Badoni. He picked 14 wickets in the tournament and was subsequently recommended to the franchise as an option to look into the auction. Also Read: IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is... Come IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool and has been giving rich dividends on the investment made so far. The leggie has picked up five wickets in three games already and that too at an economy 8.41 which is good enough given how the runs have been scored in this season. Before the IPL, Rathi played just two T20s at the domestic level in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and had three wickets to his name. BCCI punishes Rathi for breach of Code of Conduct Rathi, however, got a bit carried away with his first wicket of the night when he dismissed his Delhi teammate Priyansh Arya. The spinner went to him and pretend writing his name in notebook during the celebration - a move Virat Kohli had done against West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams in a T20I in 2019. Have a look at the video below: #DigveshRathi provides the breakthrough as #PriyanshArya heads back! P.S: Don't miss the celebration at the end! 👀✍🏻 Watch LIVE action of #LSGvPBKS ➡ https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv#IPLOnJiostar | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar! | #IndianPossibleLeague pic.twitter.com/TAhHDtXX8n — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 1, 2025 "Digvesh Singh, Bowler, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated One Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday. Digvesh Singh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction," read a release by IPL on the matter.

IPL 2025 | Uncapped spinner Digvesh Rathi, only LSG bowler to take wickets vs PBKS, punished by BCCI - Read Why

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yashasvi-jaiswal">Yashasvi Jaiswal</a> has opted to leave Mumbai and will move to Goa from the next season. He has formally written to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), requesting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to switch his state team from Mumbai to Goa starting the 2025-26 season.
The 23-year-old made his first-class debut for Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium in January 2019 against Chhattisgarh and has made most of his 3,712 first-class runs, including 12 centuries and 12 fifties, in 36 matches for Mumbai.
Goa Cricket Association (GCA) secretary Shambu Desai told that GCA had approached the Indian left-hander, who has quickly established himself across formats and is among the finest players in international cricket as well as the IPL, where he represents Rajasthan Royals. "We are building a strong squad for Goa and aim to acquire top talent, which is why we reached out to him (Jaiswal) recently," Desai was quoted saying to ESPNcricinfo.
Jaiswal&rsquo;s decision to leave Mumbai is influenced by limited opportunities in the team&rsquo;s middle order. With a settled batting line-up, he has found it difficult to get consistent game time. Moving to Goa will provide him with a leadership role and a chance to play a more prominent part in the squad&rsquo;s development.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-rohit-after-worst-ipl-start-since-2020-says-his-immediate-goal-is-8916892">IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is...</a>
<div class="publive-dynamic-container dynamic-container"></div>
Jaiswal last represented Mumbai in their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> Group A match against Jammu and Kashmir from January 23-25, following the BCCI&rsquo;s strict mandate that all India players must participate in domestic cricket when not on national duty.
In that match, Jaiswal featured for the first and only time in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, scoring 4 and 26 as Mumbai suffered a five-wicket defeat to Jammu and Kashmir for just the second time in history.
<h2>Jaiswal struggling to make mark in IPL</h2>
Since making his Test debut against the West Indies in July 2023, Jaiswal has been India&rsquo;s first-choice opener, excelling on the big stage in 19 matches with an average of just over 52, including four centuries and 10 fifties.
Currently playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL), Jaiswal has struggled for form, managing only 34 runs in three matches at an average of 11.33 and a strike rate of 106.25. He will be in action next against Punjab Kings on April 5 in Mullanpur.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Jaiswal has formally written to the Mumbai Cricket Association, requesting a NOC to switch his state team from Mumbai to Goa starting the 2025-26 season

Yashasvi Jaiswal has opted to leave Mumbai and will move to Goa from the next season. He has formally written to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), requesting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to switch his state team from Mumbai to Goa starting the 2025-26 season. The 23-year-old made his first-class debut for Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium in January 2019 against Chhattisgarh and has made most of his 3,712 first-class runs, including 12 centuries and 12 fifties, in 36 matches for Mumbai. Goa Cricket Association (GCA) secretary Shambu Desai told that GCA had approached the Indian left-hander, who has quickly established himself across formats and is among the finest players in international cricket as well as the IPL, where he represents Rajasthan Royals. "We are building a strong squad for Goa and aim to acquire top talent, which is why we reached out to him (Jaiswal) recently," Desai was quoted saying to ESPNcricinfo. Jaiswal’s decision to leave Mumbai is influenced by limited opportunities in the team’s middle order. With a settled batting line-up, he has found it difficult to get consistent game time. Moving to Goa will provide him with a leadership role and a chance to play a more prominent part in the squad’s development. Also Read: IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is... Jaiswal last represented Mumbai in their Ranji Trophy Group A match against Jammu and Kashmir from January 23-25, following the BCCI’s strict mandate that all India players must participate in domestic cricket when not on national duty. In that match, Jaiswal featured for the first and only time in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, scoring 4 and 26 as Mumbai suffered a five-wicket defeat to Jammu and Kashmir for just the second time in history. Jaiswal struggling to make mark in IPL Since making his Test debut against the West Indies in July 2023, Jaiswal has been India’s first-choice opener, excelling on the big stage in 19 matches with an average of just over 52, including four centuries and 10 fifties. Currently playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jaiswal has struggled for form, managing only 34 runs in three matches at an average of 11.33 and a strike rate of 106.25. He will be in action next against Punjab Kings on April 5 in Mullanpur. (With inputs from agencies)

Here's why Yashasvi Jaiswal is moving to Goa from Mumbai ahead of 2025-26 domestic season

KKR vs SRH IPL 2025 Live Streaming:&nbsp;After facing an embarrassing defeat against Mumbai Indians on Monday (Mar 31), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to get back to winning ways as they face SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). The match will take place at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium with SRH also suffering from poor form ahead of the crunch contest. Ahead of the clash between KKR and SRH, here are all the key details of the IPL 2025 contest, including match time and venue.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-updated-points-table-indian-premier-league-rankings-standings-net-run-rate-8888780" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NKKR with wins, loss and other key details</a> 
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Kolkata Knight Riders vs SunRisers Hyderabad Live Streaming Details</h2>
Here&rsquo;s everything you need to know about the live-streaming details for the KKR vs SRH IPL match:
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">When is the KKR vs SRH IPL match? Date</h2>
The KKR vs SRH IPL match will be played on Thursday (April 3).
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where is the KKR vs SRH IPL match being played? &nbsp;</h2>
The match will be hosted at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">What time will the KKR vs SRH IPL match start?&nbsp;</h2>
The KKR vs SRH IPL match will commence at 7:30 PM IST with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where can I watch the KKR vs SRH IPL match in India on TV?</h2>
The live telecast of the KKR vs SRH IPL match will be available on Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 1 HD).
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">How can I watch the KKR vs SRH IPL match online? &nbsp;</h2>
The KKR vs SRH IPL match will be available for live streaming on JioHotstar App and website in India.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Kolkata Knight Riders Probable Playing XI</h2>
Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh , Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Sub: Anrich Nortje
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">SunRisers Hyderabad Probable Playing XI</h2>
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Zeeshan Ansari, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami
Impact Sub: Adam Zampa

Sports, Cricket: After facing an embarrassing defeat against Mumbai Indians on Monday (Mar 31), KKR will look to get back to winning ways as they face SRH.

KKR vs SRH IPL 2025 Live Streaming: After facing an embarrassing defeat against Mumbai Indians on Monday (Mar 31), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to get back to winning ways as they face SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). The match will take place at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium with SRH also suffering from poor form ahead of the crunch contest. Ahead of the clash between KKR and SRH, here are all the key details of the IPL 2025 contest, including match time and venue. Also read: 'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NKKR with wins, loss and other key details Kolkata Knight Riders vs SunRisers Hyderabad Live Streaming Details Here’s everything you need to know about the live-streaming details for the KKR vs SRH IPL match: When is the KKR vs SRH IPL match? Date The KKR vs SRH IPL match will be played on Thursday (April 3). Where is the KKR vs SRH IPL match being played? The match will be hosted at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. What time will the KKR vs SRH IPL match start? The KKR vs SRH IPL match will commence at 7:30 PM IST with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST. Where can I watch the KKR vs SRH IPL match in India on TV? The live telecast of the KKR vs SRH IPL match will be available on Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 1 HD). How can I watch the KKR vs SRH IPL match online? The KKR vs SRH IPL match will be available for live streaming on JioHotstar App and website in India. Kolkata Knight Riders Probable Playing XI Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh , Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy Impact Sub: Anrich Nortje SunRisers Hyderabad Probable Playing XI Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Zeeshan Ansari, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami Impact Sub: Adam Zampa

KKR vs SRH Live Streaming: How to Watch on Smart TV, Mobile App, and Match Details with Probable Playing XIs

RCB vs GT Match details: Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to make three wins out of three as they take on 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Gujarat Titans on Wednesday (April 2). Having started on a losing note, Shubman Gill and Co were back to winning ways after they beat Mumbai Indians on Saturday.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">RCB vs GT Match Preview</h2>
Having won their opening matches of the IPL 2025 season, RCB will be high on confidence. Gujarat on the other hand have won one and lost the other as they look for a solid start to the season.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">RCB vs GT Head-to-Head Records</h2>
RCB and GT have faced each other in 5 matches in IPL. Out of these 5 games, Bengaluru have won three whereas Gujarat have come out victorious on two instances.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">RCB vs GT Dream11 Prediction MyPlaying 11</h2>
Wicketkeepers: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler
Batters: Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudhasan
All-Rounder: Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya&nbsp;
Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">3 Top Captain Or Vice-Captain Choices<o:p></o:p></h2>
1. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill has done well for Gujarat Titans in the last few seasons and 426 runs in 12 matches last season. He will be a good captaincy pick.
2. Virat Kohli&nbsp;
Virat Kohli is the leading run-getter in this history of IPL with more than 8000 runs. He will be a good captaincy pick for this match.
3. Josh Hazlewood
The Australian pacer has been the main bowler for RCB in IPL 2025 so far. With five wickets in 2 matches, Josh Hazlewood has the form and rhythm and could be a very important pick in the game.&nbsp;
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-updated-points-table-indian-premier-league-rankings-standings-net-run-rate-8888780" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NRR with wins, loss and other key details</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">RCB vs GT Fantasy Cricket Tips<o:p></o:p></h2>
Considering Virat Kohli's brilliant form at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, he could be a good choice in the Dream11 side.&nbsp;
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans Team Analysis<o:p></o:p></h2>
RCB:&nbsp;Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had the perfect start to the season as they have won both their matches and are the table toppers. They beat Chennai Super Kings in the previous match by 50 runs. They will be playing at home and looking to make it a fortress.
GT: On the other hand, Gujarat Titans will be led by Shubman Gill, and they suffered a defeat in the opening match against Punjab Kings by 11 runs. They bounced back in style to beat Mumbai Indians in the last game.&nbsp;
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">M.Chinnaswamy Stadium Pitch Report<o:p></o:p></h2>
The pitch at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium is renowned for its batting-friendly conditions, where a quick outfield and short boundaries create the perfect setting for high-scoring encounters.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Suggested playing 11 No. 2 for RCB vs GT Dream11 Fantasy Cricket<o:p></o:p></h2>
Wicketkeeper: Jos Buttler
Batters: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan
All-Rounders: Liam Livingstone
Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj, R Sai Kishore, Suyash Sharma
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Match Prediction: Who Will Win RCB vs GT?</h2>
Considering RCB's great form, we predict Rajat Patidar's side to win the match against Gujarat Titans and make it three wins in three.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: The fantasy tips and facts expressed within this article are the author's personal opinions and WION does not promote or endorse any sort of betting activity. They do not reflect the views of WION. It is not a reflection of the actual points you might earn. WION does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

Sports, Cricket:  Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to make three wins out of three as they take on 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Gujarat Titans.

RCB vs GT Match details: Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to make three wins out of three as they take on 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Gujarat Titans on Wednesday (April 2). Having started on a losing note, Shubman Gill and Co were back to winning ways after they beat Mumbai Indians on Saturday. RCB vs GT Match Preview Having won their opening matches of the IPL 2025 season, RCB will be high on confidence. Gujarat on the other hand have won one and lost the other as they look for a solid start to the season. RCB vs GT Head-to-Head Records RCB and GT have faced each other in 5 matches in IPL. Out of these 5 games, Bengaluru have won three whereas Gujarat have come out victorious on two instances. RCB vs GT Dream11 Prediction MyPlaying 11 Wicketkeepers: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler Batters: Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudhasan All-Rounder: Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan 3 Top Captain Or Vice-Captain Choices 1. Shubman Gill Shubman Gill has done well for Gujarat Titans in the last few seasons and 426 runs in 12 matches last season. He will be a good captaincy pick. 2. Virat Kohli Virat Kohli is the leading run-getter in this history of IPL with more than 8000 runs. He will be a good captaincy pick for this match. 3. Josh Hazlewood The Australian pacer has been the main bowler for RCB in IPL 2025 so far. With five wickets in 2 matches, Josh Hazlewood has the form and rhythm and could be a very important pick in the game. ALSO READ | 'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NRR with wins, loss and other key details RCB vs GT Fantasy Cricket Tips Considering Virat Kohli's brilliant form at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, he could be a good choice in the Dream11 side. Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans Team Analysis RCB: Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had the perfect start to the season as they have won both their matches and are the table toppers. They beat Chennai Super Kings in the previous match by 50 runs. They will be playing at home and looking to make it a fortress. GT: On the other hand, Gujarat Titans will be led by Shubman Gill, and they suffered a defeat in the opening match against Punjab Kings by 11 runs. They bounced back in style to beat Mumbai Indians in the last game. M.Chinnaswamy Stadium Pitch Report The pitch at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium is renowned for its batting-friendly conditions, where a quick outfield and short boundaries create the perfect setting for high-scoring encounters. Suggested playing 11 No. 2 for RCB vs GT Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Wicketkeeper: Jos Buttler Batters: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan All-Rounders: Liam Livingstone Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj, R Sai Kishore, Suyash Sharma Match Prediction: Who Will Win RCB vs GT? Considering RCB's great form, we predict Rajat Patidar's side to win the match against Gujarat Titans and make it three wins in three. Disclaimer: The fantasy tips and facts expressed within this article are the author's personal opinions and WION does not promote or endorse any sort of betting activity. They do not reflect the views of WION. It is not a reflection of the actual points you might earn. WION does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

RCB vs GT Dream11 Prediction: Check Team, captain and vice-captain picks for Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans

As Rohit Sharma has slumped to his worst Indian Premier League (IPL) starts since 2020, he has set bringing back the trophy to Mumbai as his immediate goal. Rohit, who has scored 0, 8 and 13 runs in three games in IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians, says that a lot of things have changed from past when he was the MI skipper.
Notably, MI have won five IPL titles - 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 - all under Rohit's captaincy but the team now is led by Hardik Pandya.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-mentor-zaheer-calls-out-curator-after-lsg-lose-home-game-but-fault-lies-in-their-batting-8915977">IPL 2025 | Mentor Zaheer calls out curator after LSG lose home game but fault lies in their batting</a>
"Since I started, things have obviously changed. I used to bat in the middle-order; now, I open the innings. I was the captain; now, I'm not. Some of my teammates from our championship-winning seasons are now in coaching roles. So, roles have changed, a lot has changed, but mindset remains the same. What I want to do for this team has not changed, and that is to go out there and win games and trophies. That is what Mumbai Indians is known for. Over the years, we have won trophies and turned games around from situations no one believed in. That is what MI and Mumbai are all about," Rohit said while talking on official broadcaster JioHotstar.
"Guys like Trent Boult, who have been here before, bring a lot of experience and understand MI's culture. Then we have Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain, who adds both experience and class. Players like Will Jacks and Reece Topley bring variety, while Ryan Rickelton is an exciting young prospect. Each of these players adds something different to the team, and when you bring that together as a collective unit, it makes a big impact. We also have several young Indian players with great potential, and I am looking forward to playing alongside them. My immediate goal is to win the TATA IPL trophy and bring the glory back to Mumbai Indians," he added.
In general, Rohit is going through a lean patch since the Tests matches against Bangladesh at home last year. He failed in New Zealand Tests after that and also the nightmarish Australia tour where he eventually dropped himself from the side.
In the Champions Trophy, he scored one fifty and that was in all important final but he was scratchy in rest of the tournament.&nbsp;
If Rohit doesn't find his groove quickly, the question of whether he should continue to play as a fixed member of Playing XI is bound to be asked sooner than later.

Rohit, who has scored 0, 8 and 13 runs in three games in IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians, says that a lot of things have changed from past when he was the MI skipper. Cricket Sports

As Rohit Sharma has slumped to his worst Indian Premier League (IPL) starts since 2020, he has set bringing back the trophy to Mumbai as his immediate goal. Rohit, who has scored 0, 8 and 13 runs in three games in IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians, says that a lot of things have changed from past when he was the MI skipper. Notably, MI have won five IPL titles - 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 - all under Rohit's captaincy but the team now is led by Hardik Pandya. Also Read: IPL 2025 | Mentor Zaheer calls out curator after LSG lose home game but fault lies in their batting "Since I started, things have obviously changed. I used to bat in the middle-order; now, I open the innings. I was the captain; now, I'm not. Some of my teammates from our championship-winning seasons are now in coaching roles. So, roles have changed, a lot has changed, but mindset remains the same. What I want to do for this team has not changed, and that is to go out there and win games and trophies. That is what Mumbai Indians is known for. Over the years, we have won trophies and turned games around from situations no one believed in. That is what MI and Mumbai are all about," Rohit said while talking on official broadcaster JioHotstar. "Guys like Trent Boult, who have been here before, bring a lot of experience and understand MI's culture. Then we have Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain, who adds both experience and class. Players like Will Jacks and Reece Topley bring variety, while Ryan Rickelton is an exciting young prospect. Each of these players adds something different to the team, and when you bring that together as a collective unit, it makes a big impact. We also have several young Indian players with great potential, and I am looking forward to playing alongside them. My immediate goal is to win the TATA IPL trophy and bring the glory back to Mumbai Indians," he added. In general, Rohit is going through a lean patch since the Tests matches against Bangladesh at home last year. He failed in New Zealand Tests after that and also the nightmarish Australia tour where he eventually dropped himself from the side. In the Champions Trophy, he scored one fifty and that was in all important final but he was scratchy in rest of the tournament. If Rohit doesn't find his groove quickly, the question of whether he should continue to play as a fixed member of Playing XI is bound to be asked sooner than later.

IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is...

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have started the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season really well with two wins in two games. They did so even before playing a single game at home - the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru which is known for high-scoring fests.
As RCB gear up to face Gujarat Titans (GT) on Wednesday (Apr 2) in their first home game, they'd bank on home advantage where they won three back-to-back games last season to make a run to playoffs last season.
<h2>IPL RCB vs GT Today Match Prediction</h2>
RCB has been an all-round team so far in two games played with good opening pair of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli followed by Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar - all of them have contributed so far in two games. After that the batting is a bit thin with Liam Livingstone going boom or bust but then Tim David at the lower order has been good so far with Krunal Pandya still to come.
In bowling, Hazlewood has been great so far and so is spinner Suyash Sharma. Pandya and Livingstone performing have also made life easier for RCB with Bhuvi Kumar &nbsp;and Yash Dayal doing the job as well. All in all, RCB look pretty covered for any situation.
GT, on the other hand, have lost one and won one in two games. They have good batters in top order but no David Miller and misfiring Rahul Tewatia as well as Shahrukh Khan has left them in a soup. The pacer, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishan have enough experience of playing in Chinnaswamy and Rashid Khan is excellent every place he plays.
<h2>IPL RCB vs GT Today Match - Pitch Report</h2>
The teams have not experienced dew in last two days but still the team which wins the toss has preferred to bat second and chase down the total at one of the smaller grounds in the country. The outfield, shorter boundaries and pitch with no real demons should make it a good contest with average runs nearing to 190-195 mark while batting first.
<h2>IPL RCB vs GT Today Match - Toss Prediction</h2>
RCB has won the toss 42 times and batted first only five of those time since 2008. The visiting teams too have preferred to chase - since 2008, 58 times visiting team has won the toss and batted second 50 of those times.
<h2>IPL RCB vs GT Today Match - Playing XI</h2>
RCB: Salt, Kohli, Padikkal, Patidar, Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar, Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, and Suyash Sharma (impact)
GT: Gill, Sudharsan, Buttler, Shahrukh, Rutherford, Tewatia, Rashid, Rabada, Sai Kishore, Siraj, Prasidh, Ishant Sharma (impact)

As RCB gear up to face GT on Wednesday (Apr 2) in their first home game, they'd bank on home advantage where they won three back-to-back games last season to make a run to playoff. Cricket Sports

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have started the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season really well with two wins in two games. They did so even before playing a single game at home - the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru which is known for high-scoring fests. As RCB gear up to face Gujarat Titans (GT) on Wednesday (Apr 2) in their first home game, they'd bank on home advantage where they won three back-to-back games last season to make a run to playoffs last season. IPL RCB vs GT Today Match Prediction RCB has been an all-round team so far in two games played with good opening pair of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli followed by Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar - all of them have contributed so far in two games. After that the batting is a bit thin with Liam Livingstone going boom or bust but then Tim David at the lower order has been good so far with Krunal Pandya still to come. In bowling, Hazlewood has been great so far and so is spinner Suyash Sharma. Pandya and Livingstone performing have also made life easier for RCB with Bhuvi Kumar and Yash Dayal doing the job as well. All in all, RCB look pretty covered for any situation. GT, on the other hand, have lost one and won one in two games. They have good batters in top order but no David Miller and misfiring Rahul Tewatia as well as Shahrukh Khan has left them in a soup. The pacer, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishan have enough experience of playing in Chinnaswamy and Rashid Khan is excellent every place he plays. IPL RCB vs GT Today Match - Pitch Report The teams have not experienced dew in last two days but still the team which wins the toss has preferred to bat second and chase down the total at one of the smaller grounds in the country. The outfield, shorter boundaries and pitch with no real demons should make it a good contest with average runs nearing to 190-195 mark while batting first. IPL RCB vs GT Today Match - Toss Prediction RCB has won the toss 42 times and batted first only five of those time since 2008. The visiting teams too have preferred to chase - since 2008, 58 times visiting team has won the toss and batted second 50 of those times. IPL RCB vs GT Today Match - Playing XI RCB: Salt, Kohli, Padikkal, Patidar, Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar, Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, and Suyash Sharma (impact) GT: Gill, Sudharsan, Buttler, Shahrukh, Rutherford, Tewatia, Rashid, Rabada, Sai Kishore, Siraj, Prasidh, Ishant Sharma (impact)

IPL 2025: RCB vs GT Today: Match Prediction, Toss, Pitch Report, Playing XI

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan has been left disappointed by pitch dished out at their home ground by the curator. The disappointment came after LSG lost their first game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls left against Punjab Kings. Zaheer, however, hoped that they'll be able to figure it out.
"What was a little disappointing for me here&hellip;" Zaheer said at press conference after the loss on Tuesday (Apr 1). "Considering it's a home game and in IPL you've seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, from that point of view you've seen the curator is not really thinking that it's a home game. I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was Punjab curator out here.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-srh-vs-hca-3900-complimentary-passes-issue-settled-franchise-to-stay-put-8915132" aria-label="IPL 2025 | SRH vs HCA: 3,900 complimentary passes issue settled, franchise to stay put">IPL 2025 | SRH vs HCA: 3,900 complimentary passes issue settled, franchise to stay put</a>
This is not the first time home advantage and pitch curator not helping has been talked about out loud this season. Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane had also voiced same concerns regarding the pitch at Eden Garden in Kolkata.
LSG, however, have more to worry about than getting the pitch right and first of those worries is skipper Rishabh Pant's form. The wicketkeeper-batter, bought for INR 27 crore (&gt;$3 million approx) has not been able to get going in the tournament so far.
In the three matches played, Pant has scores of 0, 15 and 2 - and this poor batting has been a big factor in LSG's two losses in three games.
Their batting has been relying on Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran so far. In the match against PBKS, Marsh got out on a duck and Pooran scored 44 off 30 balls - around 30 runs less than what he had scored in the last two games. Pant said after the match that's how much they were short while setting the target.
But it is not only Pant who has been out form, Aiden Markram at the top has scored 15, 1 and 28 runs in three games; David Miller hasn't been able to finish well, managing 27 not out, 13 not out and 19 in three games; Ayush Badoni has managed 4, 6 and 41 runs in those games.
So it is more about batting than pitch for LSG at the moment and they need to figure it out soon.

This is not the first time home advantage and pitch curator not helping has been talked about out loud this season. Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane had also voiced same concerns. Cricket Sports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan has been left disappointed by pitch dished out at their home ground by the curator. The disappointment came after LSG lost their first game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls left against Punjab Kings. Zaheer, however, hoped that they'll be able to figure it out. "What was a little disappointing for me here…" Zaheer said at press conference after the loss on Tuesday (Apr 1). "Considering it's a home game and in IPL you've seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, from that point of view you've seen the curator is not really thinking that it's a home game. I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was Punjab curator out here. Also Read: IPL 2025 | SRH vs HCA: 3,900 complimentary passes issue settled, franchise to stay put This is not the first time home advantage and pitch curator not helping has been talked about out loud this season. Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane had also voiced same concerns regarding the pitch at Eden Garden in Kolkata. LSG, however, have more to worry about than getting the pitch right and first of those worries is skipper Rishabh Pant's form. The wicketkeeper-batter, bought for INR 27 crore (>$3 million approx) has not been able to get going in the tournament so far. In the three matches played, Pant has scores of 0, 15 and 2 - and this poor batting has been a big factor in LSG's two losses in three games. Their batting has been relying on Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran so far. In the match against PBKS, Marsh got out on a duck and Pooran scored 44 off 30 balls - around 30 runs less than what he had scored in the last two games. Pant said after the match that's how much they were short while setting the target. But it is not only Pant who has been out form, Aiden Markram at the top has scored 15, 1 and 28 runs in three games; David Miller hasn't been able to finish well, managing 27 not out, 13 not out and 19 in three games; Ayush Badoni has managed 4, 6 and 41 runs in those games. So it is more about batting than pitch for LSG at the moment and they need to figure it out soon.

IPL 2025 | Mentor Zaheer calls out curator after LSG lose home game but fault lies in their batting

Indian Premier League franchise <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad">Sunrisers Hyderabad</a> (SRH) and the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) have reached an agreement to maintain the allocation of 3,900 complimentary passes, settling their recent dispute.
On Sunday,&nbsp;Sunrisers Hyderabad accused the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president of blackmail, coercion and threatening its staff at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajiv-gandhi-international-stadium">Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium</a> in Uppal, Hyderabad.
The SRH team, owned by the Chennai-based Sun Group, has also alleged that HCA president Jagan Mohan Rao locked the corporate boxes hours before their game against Lucknow Super Giants (March 27), and has sought a meeting with the association to sort out the vexing issue of tickets and complimentary passes.&nbsp;The franchise even considered relocating its home matches if the issue persisted. HCA denied the allegations.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-updated-points-table-indian-premier-league-rankings-standings-net-run-rate-8888780">'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NRR with wins, loss and other key details</a>
<h2 data-start="914" data-end="1271">'HCA &amp; SRH are committed to working together'</h2>
To resolve the standoff, HCA secretary R. Devraj met with SRH representatives Kiran, Saravanan, and Rohit Suresh at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. The discussions focused on adhering to the existing tri-party agreement between SRH, HCA, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci">BCCI</a>, which dictates that 10% of the stadium's capacity is allocated as complimentary passes.
After further telephonic discussions with SRH CEO Mr. Shanmugam, both parties agreed to keep the existing 3,900-pass allocation unchanged.
"HCA and SRH are committed to working together amicably to enhance the spectator experience at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium," a joint statement said, adding that the HCA has assured SRH of full cooperation moving forward.
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SRH entered IPL in 2013, after the previous Hyderabad-based team Deccan Chargers was dissolved due to financial issues. SRH have managed to amass a solid fanbase, and its popularity is growing over the years. David Warner led the Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL title in 2016. Last year, they came close but lost to a superior Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 IPL final.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Cricket, Sports: On Sunday, SRH accused the HCA president of blackmail, coercion and threatening its staff at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium

Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) have reached an agreement to maintain the allocation of 3,900 complimentary passes, settling their recent dispute. On Sunday, Sunrisers Hyderabad accused the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president of blackmail, coercion and threatening its staff at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad. The SRH team, owned by the Chennai-based Sun Group, has also alleged that HCA president Jagan Mohan Rao locked the corporate boxes hours before their game against Lucknow Super Giants (March 27), and has sought a meeting with the association to sort out the vexing issue of tickets and complimentary passes. The franchise even considered relocating its home matches if the issue persisted. HCA denied the allegations. Also Read: 'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NRR with wins, loss and other key details 'HCA & SRH are committed to working together' To resolve the standoff, HCA secretary R. Devraj met with SRH representatives Kiran, Saravanan, and Rohit Suresh at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. The discussions focused on adhering to the existing tri-party agreement between SRH, HCA, and the BCCI, which dictates that 10% of the stadium's capacity is allocated as complimentary passes. After further telephonic discussions with SRH CEO Mr. Shanmugam, both parties agreed to keep the existing 3,900-pass allocation unchanged. "HCA and SRH are committed to working together amicably to enhance the spectator experience at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium," a joint statement said, adding that the HCA has assured SRH of full cooperation moving forward. SRH entered IPL in 2013, after the previous Hyderabad-based team Deccan Chargers was dissolved due to financial issues. SRH have managed to amass a solid fanbase, and its popularity is growing over the years. David Warner led the Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL title in 2016. Last year, they came close but lost to a superior Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 IPL final. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 | SRH vs HCA: 3,900 complimentary passes issue settled, franchise to stay put

LSG vs PBKS, Highlights: Punjab Kings beat home side Lucknow Super Giants by eight in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as they went two wins out of two. Led by the excellent Prabhsimran Singh (69) and then skipper Shreyas Iyer (unbeaten 52), PBKS are now one of three teams with two wins in the IPL 2025.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Follow LSG vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2025</h2>
Punjab chased down the target of 172 set by Lucknow with nearly four overs to spare, and captain Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 52 off 30 balls. &nbsp;
Playing their first home game of the season, Lucknow Super Giants started poorly, losing in-form opener Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck in the first over of the match to Arshdeep Singh.&nbsp;
Marsh's opening partner Aiden Markram hit Arshdeep for three boundaries in his next over but fell for 28 off 18 soon after to New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson, who was playing his first match for the Kings.&nbsp;
Captain Rishabh Pant's stint at the crease was short-lived getting out for just two runs from five balls, leaving Lucknow reeling at 35-3 just prior to the end of the powerplay. &nbsp;
Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni steadied the innings with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket, but Pooran eventually fell to spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the 12th over after an entertaining 44 off 30 balls. &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">IPL 2025, LSG vs PBKS, Highlights: Follow WION for Updates of Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings match from the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow</h2>
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Prabhsimran Singh as Punjab have beaten Lucknow by eight wickets to go two wins in two matches. Shreyas Iyer also scored his fifty as PBKS looked flawless in their chase of 172 runs.&nbsp;
LSG 171/7 (20)
PBKS 177/2 (16.2)
Punjab Kings won by 8 wkts

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Prabhsimran Singh shines as Punjab beat Lucknow by eight wickets

Shreyas Iyer and Nihal Wadhera have taken control of the innings as Punjab near win in Lucknow.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: PBKS 143/2 (14) &nbsp;CRR: 10.21 &nbsp;REQ: 4.83
Punjab Kings need 29 runs in 36 balls
LSG 171/7 (20) &nbsp;CRR: 8.55
&nbsp;

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Shreyas-Wadhera take control

Prabhsimran Singh has to depart for a well-made 69 off 34 as he puts Punjab in a winning position in the match.&nbsp;
Last Wkt:&nbsp;Prabhsimran Singh c Ravi Bishnoi b Digvesh Rathi 69(34) - 110/2 in 10.1 ov.
LIVE SCORE: PBKS 112/2 (10.2) &nbsp;CRR: 10.84 &nbsp;REQ: 6.21
Punjab Kings need 60 runs in 58 balls
LSG 171/7 (20) &nbsp;CRR: 8.55

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Prabhsimran Singh falls after batting onslaught

It has been a great start for Punjab Kings to their innings as Prabhsimran shines with bat. They have scored 62 runs in the Powerplay.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: PBKS 62/1 (6) &nbsp;CRR: 10.33 &nbsp;REQ: 7.86
Punjab Kings need 110 runs
LSG 171/7 (20) &nbsp;CRR: 8.55
&nbsp;

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Punjab score 61 in Powerplay, Prabhsimran shines

Punjab Kings will need 172 runs to win the match after Ayush Badoni and Nicolas Pooran played an important knock after Rishabh Pant failed to impress.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: LSG 171/7 (20) &nbsp;CRR: 8.55
&nbsp;

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Punjab to chess 172 runs to win

Ayush Badoni is leading the LSG charge as they try to put a respectable total on the board in their first home match of the season.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: LSG 147/5 (17.3) &nbsp;CRR: 8.4

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Badoni leads Lucknow charge

100 is up for Lucknow as they look to revive after a poor start to their innings.
LIVE SCORE: LSG 117/4 (15) &nbsp;CRR: 7.8

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Lucknow look to fight back

Pooran-Badoni have stitched a mini comeback for Lucknow as they look to get back on track in the contest.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: LSG 76/3 (10) &nbsp;CRR: 7.60

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Pooran-Badoni launch comeback for Lucknow

Rishabh Pant fails on home debut as the Lucknow Super Giants skipper has to return for 2 off 5. It does not get any better for him.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: LSG 36/3 (5) &nbsp;CRR: 7.2
Last Wkt:&nbsp;Rishabh Pant c Chahal b Maxwell 2(5) - 35/3 in 4.5 ov.

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Rishabh Pant fails on home debut, dismissed for 2

Arshdeep Singh has struck in the opening over as Mitchell Marsh departs for a duck. Not the start LSG wanted in their first home game.
LIVE SCORE: LSG 3/1 (1.0) &nbsp;CRR: 3.0
Last Wkt: Mitchell Marsh c Marco Jansen b Arshdeep Singh 0(1) - 1/1 in 0.4 ov.

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Arshdeep strikes in first over, Mitchell Marsh out for duck

Lucknow Super Giants Impact Subs: Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Shahbaz Ahmed, Himmat Singh, Akash Maharaj Singh.
Punjab Kings Impact Subs: Praveen Dubey, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Harpreet Brar

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Impact players for both sides

Lucknow Super Giants&nbsp;(Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: LSG Playing XI

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: PBKS Playing XI

Punjab Kings have won the toss and opted to bowl first as the home season begins for Lucknow Super Giants.

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: PBKS win toss, opt to bowl first in Lucknow 

<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Punjab Kings Probable Playing XI</h2>
Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Sub: Nehal Wadhera

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Could play for PBKS?

<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Lucknow Super Giants Probable Playing XI</h2>
Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c &amp; wk), David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav
Impact Sub: Mitchell Marsh

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: So who is playing?

Welcome to the live coverage of the Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings IPL contest as the former start their home campaign. We are treated to an exciting start as Mika Singh is in the house.
The toss is at 7:00 PM IST while the first ball will be bowled at 7:30 PM IST.&nbsp;

LSG vs PBKS Live Updates: Toss at 7:00 PM IST as Lucknow kick start home campaign

Cricket, Sports, IPL: Punjab Kings beat home side Lucknow Super Giants by eight in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as they went two wins out of two. 

LSG vs PBKS, Highlights: Punjab Kings beat home side Lucknow Super Giants by eight in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as they went two wins out of two. Led by the excellent Prabhsimran Singh (69) and then skipper Shreyas Iyer (unbeaten 52), PBKS are now one of three teams with two wins in the IPL 2025. Follow LSG vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2025 Punjab chased down the target of 172 set by Lucknow with nearly four overs to spare, and captain Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 52 off 30 balls. Playing their first home game of the season, Lucknow Super Giants started poorly, losing in-form opener Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck in the first over of the match to Arshdeep Singh. Marsh's opening partner Aiden Markram hit Arshdeep for three boundaries in his next over but fell for 28 off 18 soon after to New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson, who was playing his first match for the Kings. Captain Rishabh Pant's stint at the crease was short-lived getting out for just two runs from five balls, leaving Lucknow reeling at 35-3 just prior to the end of the powerplay. Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni steadied the innings with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket, but Pooran eventually fell to spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the 12th over after an entertaining 44 off 30 balls. IPL 2025, LSG vs PBKS, Highlights: Follow WION for Updates of Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings match from the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

LSG vs PBKS, Highlights: Prabhsimran Singh shines as Punjab beat Lucknow by eight wickets

South Africa&rsquo;s white-ball head coach, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rob-walter">Rob Walter</a>, has stepped down from his role, citing personal reasons. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/cricket-south-africa">Cricket South Africa</a> (CSA) has accepted his resignation, which will take effect at the end of the month.
Walter, who took charge in March 2023, played a crucial role in South Africa&rsquo;s recent white-ball successes. Under his leadership, the Proteas reached their first-ever ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup final in 2024, finishing as runners-up to India in Barbados after a record-breaking eight-match winning streak. Additionally, he guided the 50-over team to the semi-finals of the ICC Men&rsquo;s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/haaland-ruled-out-for-up-to-seven-weeks-manchester-city-boss-pep-guardiola-confirms-8914844">Haaland ruled out for up to seven weeks: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola confirms</a>
<h2>'Coaching Proteas has been an incredible honour'</h2>
Over his tenure, Walter oversaw the national team in 36 One-Day Internationals and 31 T20 Internationals, securing series victories against the Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, and Pakistan. His final assignment was the ICC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> 2025, where he once again led the Proteas to a semi-final, facing New Zealand in Lahore in March.
Reflecting on his time with the team, Walter expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. &ldquo;Coaching the Proteas has been an incredible honour, and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together,&rdquo; he said in a CSA statement.
&ldquo;The players, support staff, and the South African cricketing community have been fantastic throughout this journey. While it's time for me to step away, I have no doubt that the team will continue to grow and reach even greater heights.&rdquo;
Walter&rsquo;s departure leaves South Africa searching for a new white-ball head coach, with CSA expected to announce a successor in due course.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Walter, who took charge in March 2023, played a crucial role in South Africa’s recent white-ball successes. CSA is expected to announce a successor soon

South Africa’s white-ball head coach, Rob Walter, has stepped down from his role, citing personal reasons. Cricket South Africa (CSA) has accepted his resignation, which will take effect at the end of the month. Walter, who took charge in March 2023, played a crucial role in South Africa’s recent white-ball successes. Under his leadership, the Proteas reached their first-ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final in 2024, finishing as runners-up to India in Barbados after a record-breaking eight-match winning streak. Additionally, he guided the 50-over team to the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. Also Read: Haaland ruled out for up to seven weeks: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola confirms 'Coaching Proteas has been an incredible honour' Over his tenure, Walter oversaw the national team in 36 One-Day Internationals and 31 T20 Internationals, securing series victories against the Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, and Pakistan. His final assignment was the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he once again led the Proteas to a semi-final, facing New Zealand in Lahore in March. Reflecting on his time with the team, Walter expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. “Coaching the Proteas has been an incredible honour, and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together,” he said in a CSA statement. “The players, support staff, and the South African cricketing community have been fantastic throughout this journey. While it's time for me to step away, I have no doubt that the team will continue to grow and reach even greater heights.” Walter’s departure leaves South Africa searching for a new white-ball head coach, with CSA expected to announce a successor in due course. (With inputs from agencies)

South Africa's white-ball coach Rob Walter resigns due to 'personal reasons'

Charlotte Edwards has been appointed as the new head coach of the England women's cricket team, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/england-cricket-board">England and Wales Cricket Board</a> (ECB) announced on Tuesday. A former England captain, Edwards played over 300 matches for her country, securing two World Cup titles and five Ashes victories during a distinguished 20-year career.
The 45-year-old, England&rsquo;s all-time leading run-scorer, takes over from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jon-lewis">Jon Lewis</a>, who was dismissed in March following England&rsquo;s 16-0 Ashes defeat in Australia.
Since retiring in 2017, Edwards has built an impressive coaching resume, achieving success in English domestic cricket and global T20 leagues. She has led the Southern Vipers in regional competitions, Southern Brave in The Hundred, Sydney Sixers in the Women&rsquo;s Big Bash League, and Mumbai Indians in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/womens-premier-league">Women&rsquo;s Premier League</a>.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-lsgs-pacer-has-his-say-on-high-scoring-pitches-all-bowlers-want-is-a-8914294">IPL 2025: LSG's pacer has his say on high-scoring pitches: 'All bowlers want is a...'</a>
<h2 data-start="497" data-end="826">'Thrilled to be back in leadership role'</h2>
Expressing her excitement, Edwards said: "I am thrilled to be back in a leadership role with the England Women&rsquo;s team. It means the world to wear the three lions again. Leading England as captain for a decade was an incredible honor, and I am deeply passionate about this team and its future.
"We have a highly talented group of players, and I&rsquo;m eager to work with them, helping them grow individually and as a team. With two home series coming up, followed by the ICC Women&rsquo;s World Cup in India later this year and the ICC Women&rsquo;s T20 World Cup on home soil next summer, the challenges ahead are exciting. There&rsquo;s also the historic first-ever Olympic women&rsquo;s cricket competition at LA 2028, and I can&rsquo;t wait to lead this team in pursuit of success.&rdquo;
ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women&rsquo;s Cricket, Clare Connor, described Edwards as the standout candidate for the role.
"Charlotte has the experience, passion, and expertise to take this team forward. Her track record as a head coach across different environments speaks volumes about her leadership and commitment to excellence. She is a proven winner, both as a player and a coach, and understands the importance of creating a high-performance yet supportive team culture," Connor said.
Edwards transitions to the ECB from Hampshire, with her first match in charge set for May 21 against the West Indies at Canterbury. The ECB also confirmed that a new women&rsquo;s captain will be announced in due course.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: The 45-year-old, England’s all-time leading run-scorer, takes over from Jon Lewis, who was dismissed following England’s 16-0 Ashes defeat in Australia

Charlotte Edwards has been appointed as the new head coach of the England women's cricket team, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday. A former England captain, Edwards played over 300 matches for her country, securing two World Cup titles and five Ashes victories during a distinguished 20-year career. The 45-year-old, England’s all-time leading run-scorer, takes over from Jon Lewis, who was dismissed in March following England’s 16-0 Ashes defeat in Australia. Since retiring in 2017, Edwards has built an impressive coaching resume, achieving success in English domestic cricket and global T20 leagues. She has led the Southern Vipers in regional competitions, Southern Brave in The Hundred, Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League, and Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League. Also Read: IPL 2025: LSG's pacer has his say on high-scoring pitches: 'All bowlers want is a...' 'Thrilled to be back in leadership role' Expressing her excitement, Edwards said: "I am thrilled to be back in a leadership role with the England Women’s team. It means the world to wear the three lions again. Leading England as captain for a decade was an incredible honor, and I am deeply passionate about this team and its future. "We have a highly talented group of players, and I’m eager to work with them, helping them grow individually and as a team. With two home series coming up, followed by the ICC Women’s World Cup in India later this year and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil next summer, the challenges ahead are exciting. There’s also the historic first-ever Olympic women’s cricket competition at LA 2028, and I can’t wait to lead this team in pursuit of success.” ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, described Edwards as the standout candidate for the role. "Charlotte has the experience, passion, and expertise to take this team forward. Her track record as a head coach across different environments speaks volumes about her leadership and commitment to excellence. She is a proven winner, both as a player and a coach, and understands the importance of creating a high-performance yet supportive team culture," Connor said. Edwards transitions to the ECB from Hampshire, with her first match in charge set for May 21 against the West Indies at Canterbury. The ECB also confirmed that a new women’s captain will be announced in due course. (With inputs from agencies)

Ex-captain Charlotte Edwards appointed as new England women's team head coach

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur">Shardul Thakur</a> has spoken out in favor of creating pitches that give bowlers a 'fair and square chance' rather than favoring batters, a trend he feels has been prevalent in the Indian Premier League.&nbsp;
Speaking ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a>' (LSG) first home game of the season against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/punjab-kings">Punjab Kings</a>, Thakur emphasised the need for balanced pitches that don&rsquo;t favor one side. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not just about what I want, it&rsquo;s what bowlers as a whole want,&rdquo; Thakur said. &ldquo;A lot of bowlers may not be outspoken or have the chance to speak up about pitch conditions, but all we&rsquo;re asking for is a level playing field.&rdquo;
Thakur explained that bowlers are simply seeking conditions where the game feels balanced, and batters aren't just coming in and dominating with big scores. "We just want a fair chance to bowl and get wickets," he added. "The pitch should not be tilted heavily in favor of the batters, giving them the advantage to smash us."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-mamba-mentality-pbks-pacer-arshdeep-says-key-is-to-improve-by-1-15-after-every-game-8913973">IPL 2025: Mamba mentality? PBKS pacer Arshdeep says 'key is to improve by 1-1.5% after every game'</a>
<h2>'Preparation is key'</h2>
In IPL 2025, high-scoring games have been common, with six matches surpassing 200 runs already. In one of the games, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 286/6. While Thakur expressed some reservations about the Impact Player rule, he believes that the real issue lies with the pitches.
"We&rsquo;ve seen the impact of the new rule, where teams can play an extra batter. The rule brings entertainment, but the big scores aren&rsquo;t just because of that change," he noted. "The pitches also play a big part. We, as bowlers, just want a fair chance to get batsmen out.&rdquo;
Thakur, who joined LSG as a replacement player, has quickly become the team's poster boy and their leading wicket-taker with six wickets from two matches, maintaining an economy rate of 8.83. He attributes his success to his preparation and understanding of his game. 'Preparation is key', Thakur said. "It&rsquo;s all about knowing how to bowl depending on the pitch conditions, the match situation, and which batter you're facing."
Despite a series of injuries in the team, with Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav sidelined, Thakur insists the team must focus on what is available rather than what is missing. "We have the bowlers available to us, and we have to focus on that," he said.
"In the IPL, all 25 players in the squad are equal. Past performances may earn players more opportunities, but when you step onto the field, it&rsquo;s about your confidence, your preparation, and how you perform on that particular day," he signed off.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Thakur explained that bowlers are simply seeking conditions where the game feels balanced, and batters aren't just coming in and hitting big scores

Shardul Thakur has spoken out in favor of creating pitches that give bowlers a 'fair and square chance' rather than favoring batters, a trend he feels has been prevalent in the Indian Premier League. Speaking ahead of Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) first home game of the season against Punjab Kings, Thakur emphasised the need for balanced pitches that don’t favor one side. “It’s not just about what I want, it’s what bowlers as a whole want,” Thakur said. “A lot of bowlers may not be outspoken or have the chance to speak up about pitch conditions, but all we’re asking for is a level playing field.” Thakur explained that bowlers are simply seeking conditions where the game feels balanced, and batters aren't just coming in and dominating with big scores. "We just want a fair chance to bowl and get wickets," he added. "The pitch should not be tilted heavily in favor of the batters, giving them the advantage to smash us." Also Read: IPL 2025: Mamba mentality? PBKS pacer Arshdeep says 'key is to improve by 1-1.5% after every game' 'Preparation is key' In IPL 2025, high-scoring games have been common, with six matches surpassing 200 runs already. In one of the games, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 286/6. While Thakur expressed some reservations about the Impact Player rule, he believes that the real issue lies with the pitches. "We’ve seen the impact of the new rule, where teams can play an extra batter. The rule brings entertainment, but the big scores aren’t just because of that change," he noted. "The pitches also play a big part. We, as bowlers, just want a fair chance to get batsmen out.” Thakur, who joined LSG as a replacement player, has quickly become the team's poster boy and their leading wicket-taker with six wickets from two matches, maintaining an economy rate of 8.83. He attributes his success to his preparation and understanding of his game. 'Preparation is key', Thakur said. "It’s all about knowing how to bowl depending on the pitch conditions, the match situation, and which batter you're facing." Despite a series of injuries in the team, with Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav sidelined, Thakur insists the team must focus on what is available rather than what is missing. "We have the bowlers available to us, and we have to focus on that," he said. "In the IPL, all 25 players in the squad are equal. Past performances may earn players more opportunities, but when you step onto the field, it’s about your confidence, your preparation, and how you perform on that particular day," he signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: LSG's pacer has his say on high-scoring pitches: 'All bowlers want is a...'

LSG vs PBKS Match details: Lucknow Super Giants will be poised to win their second match in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as they take on Punjab Kings on Tuesday (Apr 1). The contest in Lucknow will be LSG's first at home while PBKS will be in action after a week having last played on Mar 25.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">LSG vs PBKS Match Preview</h2>
Both teams have players with a point to prove, as Rishabh Pant and Ravi Bishnoi will look to make the most of their chances. Ahead of the clash between LSG and PBKS, here are all the key details of the IPL 2025 contest, including match time and venue.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">LSG vs PBKS Head-to-Head Records</h2>
LSG and PBKS have faced each other in 4 matches in IPL. Out of these 4 games, Lucknow have won three whereas Punjab have come out victorious on one instance.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">LSG vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction MyPlaying 11</h2>
Wicketkeepers: Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant
Batters: Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Shashank Singh&nbsp;
All-Rounder: Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis&nbsp;
Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Ravi Bishnoi&nbsp;
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">3 Top Captain Or Vice-Captain Choices<o:p></o:p></h2>
1. Nicholas Pooran
The West Indies power hitter and LSG dashing batter has been making bold headlines with his blistering performance. The left-handed batter has racked up an incredible 145 runs in the last two matches. One can look to have him as a captaincy pick considering his red-hot form.
2. Shreyas Iyer&nbsp;
Punjab Kings skipper made unbeaten 97 runs in the opening clash vs GT. The stylish right-handed batter is relishing playing at number three and aims to continue in the same vein. One must have him as a captaincy pick considering his red-hot form.
3. Shardul Thakur
Team India right-arm seamer has picked up six wickets in the last two matches. He will be expected to dominate in this clash.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-updated-points-table-indian-premier-league-rankings-standings-net-run-rate-8888780" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NRR with wins, loss and other key details</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">LSG vs PBKS Fantasy Cricket Tips<o:p></o:p></h2>
As Rishabh Pant struggles for form, we would suggest to drop him while Shardul Thakur remains a good value for money pick.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings Team Analysis<o:p></o:p></h2>
LSG: Now in third place in the standings, the Lucknow Super Giants have played two matches in which they have won one. But their bowling has been crucial with the breakthroughs, and their batting lineup has shown great effectiveness as well.
PBKS: Punjab Kings, currently at number five, have played only one game so far, winning it. The bowling attack has come good when needed, and their top-order batting lineup has shown strength.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Ekana Cricket Stadium Pitch Report<o:p></o:p></h2>
The pitch at Ekana Stadium generally supports fast bowlers. In the IPL, teams usually prefer chasing, and this trend is expected to persist. A total above 180 runs is considered competitive on this surface, and the dew is not anticipated to have much impact on the game.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Suggested playing 11 No. 2 for LSG vs PBKS Dream11 Fantasy Cricket<o:p></o:p></h2>
Wicketkeeper: Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant
Batters: David Miller, Aiden Markram, Abdul Samad, Shreyas Iyer
All-Rounders: Mitchell Marsh, Priyansh Arya, Shashank Singh
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Shardul Thakur
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Match Prediction: Who Will Win LSG vs PBKS?</h2>
We expect a tight contest in the IPL 2025 on Tuesday, however, counting on home advantage we predict Lucknow Super Giants to beat Punjab Kings.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: The fantasy tips and facts expressed within this article are the author's personal opinions and WION does not promote or endorse any sort of betting activity. They do not reflect the views of WION. It is not a reflection of the actual points you might earn. WION does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

LSG vs PBKS Dream11 prediction: LSG-PBKS have faced each other in 4 matches in IPL. Out of these games, Lucknow have won 3 whereas Punjab have come out victorious once.

LSG vs PBKS Match details: Lucknow Super Giants will be poised to win their second match in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as they take on Punjab Kings on Tuesday (Apr 1). The contest in Lucknow will be LSG's first at home while PBKS will be in action after a week having last played on Mar 25. LSG vs PBKS Match Preview Both teams have players with a point to prove, as Rishabh Pant and Ravi Bishnoi will look to make the most of their chances. Ahead of the clash between LSG and PBKS, here are all the key details of the IPL 2025 contest, including match time and venue. LSG vs PBKS Head-to-Head Records LSG and PBKS have faced each other in 4 matches in IPL. Out of these 4 games, Lucknow have won three whereas Punjab have come out victorious on one instance. LSG vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction MyPlaying 11 Wicketkeepers: Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant Batters: Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Shashank Singh All-Rounder: Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Ravi Bishnoi 3 Top Captain Or Vice-Captain Choices 1. Nicholas Pooran The West Indies power hitter and LSG dashing batter has been making bold headlines with his blistering performance. The left-handed batter has racked up an incredible 145 runs in the last two matches. One can look to have him as a captaincy pick considering his red-hot form. 2. Shreyas Iyer Punjab Kings skipper made unbeaten 97 runs in the opening clash vs GT. The stylish right-handed batter is relishing playing at number three and aims to continue in the same vein. One must have him as a captaincy pick considering his red-hot form. 3. Shardul Thakur Team India right-arm seamer has picked up six wickets in the last two matches. He will be expected to dominate in this clash. ALSO READ | 'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NRR with wins, loss and other key details LSG vs PBKS Fantasy Cricket Tips As Rishabh Pant struggles for form, we would suggest to drop him while Shardul Thakur remains a good value for money pick. Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings Team Analysis LSG: Now in third place in the standings, the Lucknow Super Giants have played two matches in which they have won one. But their bowling has been crucial with the breakthroughs, and their batting lineup has shown great effectiveness as well. PBKS: Punjab Kings, currently at number five, have played only one game so far, winning it. The bowling attack has come good when needed, and their top-order batting lineup has shown strength. Ekana Cricket Stadium Pitch Report The pitch at Ekana Stadium generally supports fast bowlers. In the IPL, teams usually prefer chasing, and this trend is expected to persist. A total above 180 runs is considered competitive on this surface, and the dew is not anticipated to have much impact on the game. Suggested playing 11 No. 2 for LSG vs PBKS Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Wicketkeeper: Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant Batters: David Miller, Aiden Markram, Abdul Samad, Shreyas Iyer All-Rounders: Mitchell Marsh, Priyansh Arya, Shashank Singh Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Shardul Thakur Match Prediction: Who Will Win LSG vs PBKS? We expect a tight contest in the IPL 2025 on Tuesday, however, counting on home advantage we predict Lucknow Super Giants to beat Punjab Kings. Disclaimer: The fantasy tips and facts expressed within this article are the author's personal opinions and WION does not promote or endorse any sort of betting activity. They do not reflect the views of WION. It is not a reflection of the actual points you might earn. WION does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

LSG vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction: Check Team, captain and vice-captain picks for Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings

Suryakumar Yadav does not require anymore introduction - the batter has rose through ranks in short time despite making a late entry to international cricket. His career took off exponentially after he joined Mumbai Indians (MI) from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2015 and now he leads India's T20I team as well.
On Monday (Mar 31) against KKR he reached 8000-run mark in all T20s and become the second fastest to do so in terms of balls - taking 5,256 balls. Ahead of him is Andre Russell who reached the milestone in 4,749 balls - the fastest in world cricket.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-time-is-ticking-for-soon-to-be-38-rohit-sharma-after-his-worst-ipl-start-since-2020-8913176" aria-label="IPL 2025: Time is ticking for soon to be 38 Rohit Sharma after his worst IPL start since 2020">IPL 2025: Time is ticking for soon to be 38 Rohit Sharma after his worst IPL start since 2020</a>
SKY left behind Glenn Maxwell for the record. The Aussie had taken 5,278 balls to reach the mark. The 34-year-old now has 8007 runs in T20s at a srike rate of 152 with six hundreds and a highest score 117.
Overall though, SKY is struggling a bit and has just one fifty in 10 matches across formats in both international and domestic cricket. SKY's USP, however, is his strike rate and he has kept that maintained throughout the years.
The batter, in current season, has scored 104 runs in three matches with a best of 48 at a strike rate of 165.
In Mumbai's win over KKR, SKY 27 not out and his partner on the other end Ryan Rickelton calling him a special batter.
&ldquo;I just told Quinny (Quinton de Kock) that SKY is a joke! He does things I can&rsquo;t even dream of. He&rsquo;s played that shot multiple times, but I&rsquo;m not going to try it. I&rsquo;m just glad he&rsquo;s on our team,&rdquo; Rickelton said after the match vs KKR.
The Protea batter himself scored match-winning fifty and said: &ldquo;I took my time. I just had to put bat to ball. The ball was moving around, and I was lucky to get some runs. I had been chatting with folks back in South Africa about Wankhede&mdash;how it challenges batters. But I&rsquo;m looking forward to using the pace on offer. The atmosphere was unbelievable, with the crowd turning the stadium blue. I&rsquo;m definitely going to enjoy my time here.&rdquo;

SKY is struggling a bit and has just one fifty in 10 matches across formats in both international and domestic cricket. SKY's USP, however, is his strike rate. Cricket Sports

Suryakumar Yadav does not require anymore introduction - the batter has rose through ranks in short time despite making a late entry to international cricket. His career took off exponentially after he joined Mumbai Indians (MI) from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2015 and now he leads India's T20I team as well. On Monday (Mar 31) against KKR he reached 8000-run mark in all T20s and become the second fastest to do so in terms of balls - taking 5,256 balls. Ahead of him is Andre Russell who reached the milestone in 4,749 balls - the fastest in world cricket. Also Read: IPL 2025: Time is ticking for soon to be 38 Rohit Sharma after his worst IPL start since 2020 SKY left behind Glenn Maxwell for the record. The Aussie had taken 5,278 balls to reach the mark. The 34-year-old now has 8007 runs in T20s at a srike rate of 152 with six hundreds and a highest score 117. Overall though, SKY is struggling a bit and has just one fifty in 10 matches across formats in both international and domestic cricket. SKY's USP, however, is his strike rate and he has kept that maintained throughout the years. The batter, in current season, has scored 104 runs in three matches with a best of 48 at a strike rate of 165. In Mumbai's win over KKR, SKY 27 not out and his partner on the other end Ryan Rickelton calling him a special batter. “I just told Quinny (Quinton de Kock) that SKY is a joke! He does things I can’t even dream of. He’s played that shot multiple times, but I’m not going to try it. I’m just glad he’s on our team,” Rickelton said after the match vs KKR. The Protea batter himself scored match-winning fifty and said: “I took my time. I just had to put bat to ball. The ball was moving around, and I was lucky to get some runs. I had been chatting with folks back in South Africa about Wankhede—how it challenges batters. But I’m looking forward to using the pace on offer. The atmosphere was unbelievable, with the crowd turning the stadium blue. I’m definitely going to enjoy my time here.”

IPL 2025: MI batter and India T20I skipper SKY is second fastest to achieve THIS feat

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