<p>It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-spinners-help-chennai-defend-160-against-punjab-reclaim-top-spot-208398">22-run win over Punjab</a> in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the match, a video went viral in which Jr Tahir and Jr Watson were getting ready for a sprint challenge assisted by their fathers and from nowhere,&nbsp;the 37-year-old entered the frame and started running with the kids.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He later lifted Tahir's son and run back to the finishing line.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The video was posted by the franchise's official account with the caption, "Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless!"&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch the video here:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless! <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JustThalaThings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JustThalaThings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/bIGEgedZYW">pic.twitter.com/bIGEgedZYW</a></p>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1114542024256962560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> picks wickets and runs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> picks Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> and runs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/3LWXza38ie">pic.twitter.com/3LWXza38ie</a></p>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1114561373336301569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>It is well-known that India's two-time World Cup-winning skipper is comfortable around kids and his videos with daughter Ziva Dhoni often go viral.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently he was&nbsp;talking with daughter Ziva in six different languages, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ms-dhoni-interacting-with-ziva-in-six-different-languages-is-cutest-thing-on-internet-today-205407">watch</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the match, defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.&nbsp;</p>


It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.

It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday. After the match, a video went viral in which Jr Tahir and Jr Watson were getting ready for a sprint challenge assisted by their fathers and from nowhere, the 37-year-old entered the frame and started running with the kids. He later lifted Tahir's son and run back to the finishing line. The video was posted by the franchise's official account with the caption, "Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless!" Watch the video here: Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless! @msdhoni #JustThalaThings #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/bIGEgedZYW — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 6, 2019 × #ParasakthiExpress picks wickets and runs! #Thala picks Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and runs! #OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/3LWXza38ie — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 6, 2019 × It is well-known that India's two-time World Cup-winning skipper is comfortable around kids and his videos with daughter Ziva Dhoni often go viral. Recently he was talking with daughter Ziva in six different languages, watch. In the match, defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67). The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.

Watch: Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's sprint competition with Shane Watson and Imran Tahir's sons

<p>MS Dhoni is known for his brilliant accuracy while stumping and he is often termed as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world. It is believed that he will keep the stumps in the upcoming cricket World Cup in England and Wales for India as he remains the trusted and efficient wicketkeeper for the team.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, maybe for the first time, Dhoni committed an unexpected error on the field in an Indian Premier League match in which Chennai registered <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-spinners-help-chennai-defend-160-against-punjab-reclaim-top-spot-208398">a 22-run win over Punjab</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-chennai-skipper-ms-dhonis-sprint-competition-with-shane-watson-and-imran-tahirs-sons-208503">Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's sprint competition with Shane Watson and Imran Tahir's sons</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The incident happened when Punjab's batsman KL Rahul made the luckiest escape when MS Dhoni failed to run him out.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch the video:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">KXIP's KL Rahul survived a close run out after MS Dhoni's direct hit fails to dislodge the bails from their groo . <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/lionsdenkxip?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lionsdenkxip</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/pUj4ZMnkXs">pic.twitter.com/pUj4ZMnkXs</a></p>
— Rakesh sharma (@rk11official) <a href="https://twitter.com/rk11official/status/1114802470742421504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">MS Dhoni Gets Unlucky With No-Look Throw, KL Rahul Survives –&nbsp;Watch <a href="https://t.co/EFRPYTZZQc">https://t.co/EFRPYTZZQc</a> <a href="https://t.co/1xBeUnfb9u">pic.twitter.com/1xBeUnfb9u</a></p>
— Top Trending (@TopTrending18) <a href="https://twitter.com/TopTrending18/status/1114803959204597760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>In the match, however, led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.&nbsp;</p>


MS Dhoni is known for his brilliant accuracy while stumping and he is often termed as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world. It is believed that he will keep the stumps in the upcoming cricket World Cup in England and Wales for India as he remains the trusted and efficient wicketkeeper for the team.

MS Dhoni is known for his brilliant accuracy while stumping and he is often termed as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world. It is believed that he will keep the stumps in the upcoming cricket World Cup in England and Wales for India as he remains the trusted and efficient wicketkeeper for the team. However, maybe for the first time, Dhoni committed an unexpected error on the field in an Indian Premier League match in which Chennai registered a 22-run win over Punjab. Also Watch: Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's sprint competition with Shane Watson and Imran Tahir's sons The incident happened when Punjab's batsman KL Rahul made the luckiest escape when MS Dhoni failed to run him out. In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease. Watch the video: KXIP's KL Rahul survived a close run out after MS Dhoni's direct hit fails to dislodge the bails from their groo . #dhoni #IPL2019 #VIVOIPL #VIVOIPL2019 @lionsdenkxip @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/pUj4ZMnkXs — Rakesh sharma (@rk11official) April 7, 2019 × MS Dhoni Gets Unlucky With No-Look Throw, KL Rahul Survives – Watch https://t.co/EFRPYTZZQc pic.twitter.com/1xBeUnfb9u — Top Trending (@TopTrending18) April 7, 2019 × In the match, however, led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab. Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67). The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.

Watch: How MS Dhoni missed KL Rahul's stumping in IPL match

<p>Led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab in an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a> match on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from K L Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Harbhajan was the best bowler for the hosts with the figures of 4-1-17-2. In a brilliant spell, he bowled a maiden and grabbed two wickets, including that of the 'universal boss' Chris Gayle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ravindra Jadeja (4-0-24-0) and Imran Tahir (4-0-20-0) also helped team put the brakes on the rival batsmen. They, along with Harbhajan, conceded only 61 runs in 12 overs even as the required run-rate kept mounting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kuggeleijn did not start very well, being hit for a six off his very first ball, but did well to finish with 2 for 37 in his 4 overs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Harbhajan struck a huge blow to rivals by dismissing the Gayle, having him caught behind by MS Dhoni for 5 in the second over. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Two balls later, he had the stylish Mayank Agarwal, caught by Faf du Plessis near the boundary with the batsman going for a big hit. Harbhajan started off with a double wicket maiden to put Punjab on the back foot early. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The century partnership for the third wicket between Rahul and Sarfaraz was a productive one but they consumed a lot of balls and stymied the Punjab chase as the Chennai bowlers kept things tight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, du Plessis hit a fine half-century up the order while skipper Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu provided the late flourish to help Chennai post a competitive 160 for three.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Du Plessis made 54 off 38 balls with the help of two fours and four hits over the fence and together with Shane Watson (26) added 56 runs for the first wicket after opting to bat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it was some late hitting by Dhoni (37 not out) and Rayudu (21 not out) and their unbeaten 60-run fourth wicket partnership in 30 balls helped the defending champions reach a respectable total.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thanks to Dhoni and Rayudu, Chennai scored 52 runs in the last five overs after a rather quiet middle period.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the best bowler for the visitors, picking up three wickets for 23 runs from his four overs. He was on a hat-trick in the 14th over after getting half-centurion Du Plessis and Suresh Raina off successive deliveries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watson fell against the run of play, attempting a big shot off Punjab captain Ashwin to be well caught by Sam Curran in the deep.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Raina (17), who came in at No.3, strung together an useful 44-run partnership with Du Plessis, who kept the scoreboard ticking with a mix of attacking shots and judicious running between the wickets. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The partnership was broken when Du Plessis perished while going for a big hit off Ashwin, caught at long-on by David Miller and then a ball later the off-spinner cleaned up Raina as the batsman went for a sweep.</p>


Led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.

Led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday. Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from K L Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67). The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz. Harbhajan was the best bowler for the hosts with the figures of 4-1-17-2. In a brilliant spell, he bowled a maiden and grabbed two wickets, including that of the 'universal boss' Chris Gayle. Ravindra Jadeja (4-0-24-0) and Imran Tahir (4-0-20-0) also helped team put the brakes on the rival batsmen. They, along with Harbhajan, conceded only 61 runs in 12 overs even as the required run-rate kept mounting. Kuggeleijn did not start very well, being hit for a six off his very first ball, but did well to finish with 2 for 37 in his 4 overs. Harbhajan struck a huge blow to rivals by dismissing the Gayle, having him caught behind by MS Dhoni for 5 in the second over. Two balls later, he had the stylish Mayank Agarwal, caught by Faf du Plessis near the boundary with the batsman going for a big hit. Harbhajan started off with a double wicket maiden to put Punjab on the back foot early. In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease. The century partnership for the third wicket between Rahul and Sarfaraz was a productive one but they consumed a lot of balls and stymied the Punjab chase as the Chennai bowlers kept things tight. Earlier, du Plessis hit a fine half-century up the order while skipper Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu provided the late flourish to help Chennai post a competitive 160 for three. Du Plessis made 54 off 38 balls with the help of two fours and four hits over the fence and together with Shane Watson (26) added 56 runs for the first wicket after opting to bat. But it was some late hitting by Dhoni (37 not out) and Rayudu (21 not out) and their unbeaten 60-run fourth wicket partnership in 30 balls helped the defending champions reach a respectable total. Thanks to Dhoni and Rayudu, Chennai scored 52 runs in the last five overs after a rather quiet middle period. Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the best bowler for the visitors, picking up three wickets for 23 runs from his four overs. He was on a hat-trick in the 14th over after getting half-centurion Du Plessis and Suresh Raina off successive deliveries. Watson fell against the run of play, attempting a big shot off Punjab captain Ashwin to be well caught by Sam Curran in the deep. Raina (17), who came in at No.3, strung together an useful 44-run partnership with Du Plessis, who kept the scoreboard ticking with a mix of attacking shots and judicious running between the wickets. The partnership was broken when Du Plessis perished while going for a big hit off Ashwin, caught at long-on by David Miller and then a ball later the off-spinner cleaned up Raina as the batsman went for a sweep.

IPL 2019: Spinners help Chennai defend 160 against Punjab; reclaim top spot

<p>Mumbai Indians' <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ombudsman-sends-notices-to-hardik-pandya-kl-rahul-for-deposition-in-chat-show-controversy-207151">Hardik Pandya</a> Wednesday termed the last seven months the toughest of his life "when I didn't know what to do", and dedicated the award-winning performance in the IPL to those who stood by him.</p>

<p>Pandya smashed an eight-ball 25 and then picked up three wickets to power MI to a 37-run win over Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai.</p>

<p>"It feels pretty good to help the team to win and contribute. It's been seven months that I've hardly played games. They weren't easy and I didn't know what to do. I've just batted and batted. I want to improve my game every day. It's a fantastic feeling batting like that and making your team win."</p>

<p>The India all-rounder got embroiled in a controversy after his outrage-evoking comments on women in a chat show earlier this year. But he has overcome that now.</p>

<p>"I was out with injury and then some other controversy happened. I want to dedicate this Man of the Match to my family and friends, who stood with me in the toughest times.</p>

<p>"Now my only focus is to play IPL and make sure India wins the World Cup," Hardik said at the post-match presentation ceremony.</p>

<p>CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt many "things went wrong" for his side.</p>

<p>"We started well, were right on the mark for the first 10-12 overs. Then, a few catches were dropped, a few misfields, the death over bowling wasn't great. We don't have bowlers who hit the deck, it was slightly tough on them."</p>

<p>Dhoni said he would prefer a one-on-one meeting with his players rather than a team meeting.</p>

<p>"We do have one-on-one plans, we needed to know where we could cut-off the boundaries, which batsmen to target, a boundary-less or two could have made a difference to a 10-12 run over or a 7-run over. We needed to build some momentum, but we need to know when to plan for those.</p>

<p>"It is a tough thing - this so-called momentum, it doesn't really matter, a good start from the bowlers will make things tight, once you set the tone, the game goes along in that flow.</p>

<p>"Bravo has a hamstring injury, we don't have a few players, we already have some injuries, David Willey isn't there, he has his own problems, Lungi Ngidi isn't with us as well, we will have to look at the pitch and then decide on the right combination," the former India skipper added.</p>

<p>MI captain Rohit Sharma was delighted with the result.</p>

<p>"We don't want the headache of winning every game at the back-end of the tournament. It becomes very tough. I thought 170 was a fighting total because there was something in the pitch.</p>

<p>"If we knock a few wickets with the new ball, we'll be in the game. That's probably why I can't find a game-changing moment in this 40 overs."<br />
Kieron Pollard called Hardik "phenomenal" and explained his role in the current setup.</p>

<p>"The Pandya boys have been batting well, so being the more experienced guy I have to take the initiative and try to do well whenever I come in.&nbsp;<br />
"(Why are you not bowling?) That's a question you'll have to ask the skipper. I think as a team we strive on momentum.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"(Hardik) is phenomenal. For us it's just about encouraging him and giving him that opportunity. He practices like that," Pollard said.&nbsp;</p>


Mumbai Indians' Hardik Pandya Wednesday termed the last seven months the toughest of his life "when I didn't know what to do", and dedicated the award-winning performance in the IPL to those who stood by him.

Mumbai Indians' Hardik Pandya Wednesday termed the last seven months the toughest of his life "when I didn't know what to do", and dedicated the award-winning performance in the IPL to those who stood by him. Pandya smashed an eight-ball 25 and then picked up three wickets to power MI to a 37-run win over Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai. "It feels pretty good to help the team to win and contribute. It's been seven months that I've hardly played games. They weren't easy and I didn't know what to do. I've just batted and batted. I want to improve my game every day. It's a fantastic feeling batting like that and making your team win." The India all-rounder got embroiled in a controversy after his outrage-evoking comments on women in a chat show earlier this year. But he has overcome that now. "I was out with injury and then some other controversy happened. I want to dedicate this Man of the Match to my family and friends, who stood with me in the toughest times. "Now my only focus is to play IPL and make sure India wins the World Cup," Hardik said at the post-match presentation ceremony. CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt many "things went wrong" for his side. "We started well, were right on the mark for the first 10-12 overs. Then, a few catches were dropped, a few misfields, the death over bowling wasn't great. We don't have bowlers who hit the deck, it was slightly tough on them." Dhoni said he would prefer a one-on-one meeting with his players rather than a team meeting. "We do have one-on-one plans, we needed to know where we could cut-off the boundaries, which batsmen to target, a boundary-less or two could have made a difference to a 10-12 run over or a 7-run over. We needed to build some momentum, but we need to know when to plan for those. "It is a tough thing - this so-called momentum, it doesn't really matter, a good start from the bowlers will make things tight, once you set the tone, the game goes along in that flow. "Bravo has a hamstring injury, we don't have a few players, we already have some injuries, David Willey isn't there, he has his own problems, Lungi Ngidi isn't with us as well, we will have to look at the pitch and then decide on the right combination," the former India skipper added. MI captain Rohit Sharma was delighted with the result. "We don't want the headache of winning every game at the back-end of the tournament. It becomes very tough. I thought 170 was a fighting total because there was something in the pitch. "If we knock a few wickets with the new ball, we'll be in the game. That's probably why I can't find a game-changing moment in this 40 overs." Kieron Pollard called Hardik "phenomenal" and explained his role in the current setup. "The Pandya boys have been batting well, so being the more experienced guy I have to take the initiative and try to do well whenever I come in. "(Why are you not bowling?) That's a question you'll have to ask the skipper. I think as a team we strive on momentum. "(Hardik) is phenomenal. For us it's just about encouraging him and giving him that opportunity. He practices like that," Pollard said.

Last seven months weren't easy, didn't know what to do: Pandya 

<p>No matter which ground he is playing on in India, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni is one of the most popular cricketers on and off the pitch.&nbsp;It is not just his cricketing skills, but the humbleness which has helped in increasing his fan base.</p>

<p>On Wednesday, during Chennai vs Mumbai game, Captain Cool showed why he is everyone's favourite.</p>

<p>An elderly woman had come to the Wankhede stadium not to watch the game but to meet the former Indian skipper. She was caught on camera holding a placard with her wish written on it - "I am here only for Dhoni".</p>

<p>After the match got over on, Dhoni made his way down the stairs from the team's dressing room and met the woman and the young girl who accompanied her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>IPL's Twitter handle also shared a video in which Dhoni can be seen taking out time to meet the woman.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv0NFjzh0py/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Captain cool, @mahi7781 humble 😊 Heartwarming to see this gesture from the legend in Mumbai 🤗 @chennaiipl #VIVOIPL</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/iplt20/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> IPL</a> (@iplt20) on <time datetime="2019-04-04T04:37:53+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Apr 3, 2019 at 9:37pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>Dhoni spoke to them at length and then took a selfie with the two and signed a Chennai jersey for them.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A series of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> Peranbu! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> 💛💛! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> 🦁 <a href="https://t.co/ZIC3e3f7RG">pic.twitter.com/ZIC3e3f7RG</a></p>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1113684863394111488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Mumbai, yesterday, put an end to Chennai's winning streak and defeated them by 37 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chasing 171 for victory, Mumbai restricted Chennai to 133 for 8 in 20 overs with Hardik Pandya and Lasith Malinga bagging three wickets each.</p>


No matter which ground he is playing on in India, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni is one of the most popular cricketers on and off the pitch. It is not just his cricketing skills, but the humbleness which has helped in increasing his fan base.

No matter which ground he is playing on in India, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni is one of the most popular cricketers on and off the pitch. It is not just his cricketing skills, but the humbleness which has helped in increasing his fan base. On Wednesday, during Chennai vs Mumbai game, Captain Cool showed why he is everyone's favourite. An elderly woman had come to the Wankhede stadium not to watch the game but to meet the former Indian skipper. She was caught on camera holding a placard with her wish written on it - "I am here only for Dhoni". After the match got over on, Dhoni made his way down the stairs from the team's dressing room and met the woman and the young girl who accompanied her. IPL's Twitter handle also shared a video in which Dhoni can be seen taking out time to meet the woman. View this post on Instagram Captain cool, @mahi7781 humble 😊 Heartwarming to see this gesture from the legend in Mumbai 🤗 @chennaiipl #VIVOIPL A post shared by IPL (@iplt20) on Apr 3, 2019 at 9:37pm PDT × Dhoni spoke to them at length and then took a selfie with the two and signed a Chennai jersey for them. A series of the #Yellove Peranbu! #Thala 💛💛! #WhistlePodu 🦁 pic.twitter.com/ZIC3e3f7RG — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 4, 2019 × Mumbai, yesterday, put an end to Chennai's winning streak and defeated them by 37 runs. Chasing 171 for victory, Mumbai restricted Chennai to 133 for 8 in 20 overs with Hardik Pandya and Lasith Malinga bagging three wickets each.

Watch: This is why MS Dhoni is called 'a man with a golden heart'

IPL 2019: All teams and their squad list

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni's well-calculated half-century in challenging conditions turned out to be game-changer as Chennai&nbsp;won their third match of the season with an eight-run defeat of Rajasthan, here Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The pitch used in the previous match was a rank turner here but on Sunday it turned to be a different challenge for the batsmen since it was not conducive for stroke-play as the ball was stopping a bit.</p>

<p>Dhoni paced his innings beautifully, scoring unbeaten 75 off 46 balls to lead his side to a competitive 175 for five, seizing momentum from Royals bowlers who were off to an inspiring start.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rajasthan needed someone to play a Dhoni-like innings but none took that responsibility and they could manage 167 for 8, suffering their third defeat in as many matches.</p>

<p>Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer took the chase deep with their fiery 44-run stand but Dwayne Bravo bowled a brilliant last over, defending 12 runs that Royals needed to score to claim the win.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhoni used his vast experience to read the conditions and mostly worked the ball around to keep the scoreboard ticking. Whenever he got the chance, he opened his arms and hit four fours and as many sixes.</p>

<p>Dhoni and Suresh Raina (36) added 61 runs for the fourth wicket, pushing the ball around and later the former India skipper raised a 56-run stand with West Indies' Dwayne Barvo, who added quick 27 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Royals were disciplined throughout but pacer Jaydev Unadkat (1/54) conceded 28 runs in the final over with Dhoni finding three of his four sixes in that over after Ravindra Jadeja (8) lofted the paceman for a maximum.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Royals innings went the Chennai way as they struggled in Powerplay overs and lost top three batsmen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Steve Smith (28) and Rahul Tripathi (3) steadied the innings with their 61-run partnership for the fourth wicket but spinner Imran Tahir sent them back in an excellent spell to make it difficult for the visitors.</p>

<p>Stokes (46 off 26) was still at the crease when Royals needed 44 from last three overs. Stokes and Archer collected 19 runs from Barvo's over taking the equation to 25 from 12.</p>

<p>It came down to 12 from last six balls and Bravo made up for that expensive over by having Stokes caught in the first ball. The West Indian all-rounder conceded just three runs by bowling quick to ensure Chennai end on the right side of the result.</p>

<p>Earlier, the Royals pace trio of Archer (2/17), Dhawal Kulkarni (1/37) and Stokes kept the Chennai batsmen on a tight leash in the powerplay overs. They conceded just 29 runs and also got rid of three top-order batsmen.</p>

<p>Each of them accounted for one C&nbsp;batsman, bringing experienced Dhoni and Raina together at the crease.</p>

<p>The runs came in singles with spinners Shreyas Gopal and Krishnappa Gowtham maintaining the pressure with tight line and length.</p>

<p>The ball stopped a bit, especially when Gopal operated, making stroke-making even more difficult.&nbsp;At the half-way mark, Chennai out on board just 55 runs and only seven boundaries were struck.</p>

<p>Raina meanwhile hit a massive six off Gopal but the two spinners did well to concede 37 runs while bowling in tandem for five overs.</p>

<p>In came Unadkat and went for a few runs but broke the stand by castling Raina with a quick delivery. Raina missed the line and Unadkat hit the stumps.&nbsp;</p>


Mahendra Singh Dhoni's well-calculated half-century in challenging conditions turned out to be game-changer as Chennai won their third match of the season with an eight-run defeat of Rajasthan, here Sunday.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's well-calculated half-century in challenging conditions turned out to be game-changer as Chennai won their third match of the season with an eight-run defeat of Rajasthan, here Sunday. The pitch used in the previous match was a rank turner here but on Sunday it turned to be a different challenge for the batsmen since it was not conducive for stroke-play as the ball was stopping a bit. Dhoni paced his innings beautifully, scoring unbeaten 75 off 46 balls to lead his side to a competitive 175 for five, seizing momentum from Royals bowlers who were off to an inspiring start. Rajasthan needed someone to play a Dhoni-like innings but none took that responsibility and they could manage 167 for 8, suffering their third defeat in as many matches. Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer took the chase deep with their fiery 44-run stand but Dwayne Bravo bowled a brilliant last over, defending 12 runs that Royals needed to score to claim the win. Dhoni used his vast experience to read the conditions and mostly worked the ball around to keep the scoreboard ticking. Whenever he got the chance, he opened his arms and hit four fours and as many sixes. Dhoni and Suresh Raina (36) added 61 runs for the fourth wicket, pushing the ball around and later the former India skipper raised a 56-run stand with West Indies' Dwayne Barvo, who added quick 27 runs. Royals were disciplined throughout but pacer Jaydev Unadkat (1/54) conceded 28 runs in the final over with Dhoni finding three of his four sixes in that over after Ravindra Jadeja (8) lofted the paceman for a maximum. The Royals innings went the Chennai way as they struggled in Powerplay overs and lost top three batsmen. Steve Smith (28) and Rahul Tripathi (3) steadied the innings with their 61-run partnership for the fourth wicket but spinner Imran Tahir sent them back in an excellent spell to make it difficult for the visitors. Stokes (46 off 26) was still at the crease when Royals needed 44 from last three overs. Stokes and Archer collected 19 runs from Barvo's over taking the equation to 25 from 12. It came down to 12 from last six balls and Bravo made up for that expensive over by having Stokes caught in the first ball. The West Indian all-rounder conceded just three runs by bowling quick to ensure Chennai end on the right side of the result. Earlier, the Royals pace trio of Archer (2/17), Dhawal Kulkarni (1/37) and Stokes kept the Chennai batsmen on a tight leash in the powerplay overs. They conceded just 29 runs and also got rid of three top-order batsmen. Each of them accounted for one C batsman, bringing experienced Dhoni and Raina together at the crease. The runs came in singles with spinners Shreyas Gopal and Krishnappa Gowtham maintaining the pressure with tight line and length. The ball stopped a bit, especially when Gopal operated, making stroke-making even more difficult. At the half-way mark, Chennai out on board just 55 runs and only seven boundaries were struck. Raina meanwhile hit a massive six off Gopal but the two spinners did well to concede 37 runs while bowling in tandem for five overs. In came Unadkat and went for a few runs but broke the stand by castling Raina with a quick delivery. Raina missed the line and Unadkat hit the stumps.

IPL 2019: MS Dhoni's intelligent batting in tough conditions scripts Chennai's 3rd win against Rajasthan

<p>Chennai Sunday inducted New Zealand all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijn to their squad as a replacement for South African pacer Lungi Ngidi. Ngidi sustained an injury on his right knee and has been ruled out from the ongoing IPL 2019.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kuggeleijn will join the team next week and will play the remaining season.&nbsp;He has featured in two One-Day Internationals (ODI) and four T20 Internationals for the Kiwi side.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"For Lungi we've been a little bit more selective. It's obviously a different level of replacement player (required for him) based on price. We've gone with Scott Kuggeleijn, who's a New Zealand international, who bowls quick and bats well. So we've gone for an all-rounder who has good pace and good variations. He'll be joining us next week," Fleming told reporters.</p>

<p>This will be the 27-year-old's first appearance in the Indian Premier League.&nbsp;Chennai will host Ajinkya Rahane-led Rajasthan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The MS Dhoni-led side have won both the games&nbsp;are high on confidence and will look to continue their winning streak.&nbsp;</p>


Chennai Sunday inducted New Zealand all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijn to their squad as a replacement for South African pacer Lungi Ngidi. Ngidi sustained an injury on his right knee and has been ruled out from the ongoing IPL 2019.

Chennai Sunday inducted New Zealand all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijn to their squad as a replacement for South African pacer Lungi Ngidi. Ngidi sustained an injury on his right knee and has been ruled out from the ongoing IPL 2019. Kuggeleijn will join the team next week and will play the remaining season. He has featured in two One-Day Internationals (ODI) and four T20 Internationals for the Kiwi side. "For Lungi we've been a little bit more selective. It's obviously a different level of replacement player (required for him) based on price. We've gone with Scott Kuggeleijn, who's a New Zealand international, who bowls quick and bats well. So we've gone for an all-rounder who has good pace and good variations. He'll be joining us next week," Fleming told reporters. This will be the 27-year-old's first appearance in the Indian Premier League. Chennai will host Ajinkya Rahane-led Rajasthan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The MS Dhoni-led side have won both the games are high on confidence and will look to continue their winning streak.

Chennai induct New Zealand all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijn as replacement of Lungi Ngidi

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni was at the receiving end of yet another pitch invasion by a fan for the umpteenth time.</p>

<p>During the fifth game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) against Delhi, a fan&nbsp;invaded the pitch and touched Chennai skipper's feet. The fan&nbsp;was however taken away by the security officials.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-experienced-chennai-beat-young-delhi-by-six-wickets-205884">Chennai registered a comfortable six-wicket victory against Delhi.</a><br />
&nbsp;<br />
Shane Watson and Suresh Raina made batting look easy on a lifeless track. Shikhar Dhawan's painstaking half-century was the only silver lining in Delhi ' sub-par total of 147 for six which the defending champions overtook with two balls to spare.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fan storms into MS Dhoni right after the victory. This Superman has a separate fanbase. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DCvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DCvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvDC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvDC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/ge5Lr6pNzT">pic.twitter.com/ge5Lr6pNzT</a></p>
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirJadeja/status/1110611842559139845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Chennai were always in control of the chase despite a lot of balls being wasted by Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the back end of the innings.</p>

<p>For Chennai, Dwayne Bravo took three important wickets - Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Shikhar Dhawan - to dominate the hosts.</p>

<p>He finished with figures 3/33 in four overs.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, for Delhi, Amit Mishra dismissed two set batsmen - Shane Watson and &nbsp;Suresh Raina - to keep the game alive.&nbsp;</p>


Mahendra Singh Dhoni was at the receiving end of yet another pitch invasion by a fan for the umpteenth time. During the fifth game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) against Delhi, a fan invaded the pitch and touched Chennai skipper's feet.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was at the receiving end of yet another pitch invasion by a fan for the umpteenth time. During the fifth game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) against Delhi, a fan invaded the pitch and touched Chennai skipper's feet. The fan was however taken away by the security officials. Chennai registered a comfortable six-wicket victory against Delhi. Shane Watson and Suresh Raina made batting look easy on a lifeless track. Shikhar Dhawan's painstaking half-century was the only silver lining in Delhi ' sub-par total of 147 for six which the defending champions overtook with two balls to spare. Fan storms into MS Dhoni right after the victory. This Superman has a separate fanbase. #DCvCSK #CSKvDC #IPL2019 pic.twitter.com/ge5Lr6pNzT — Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) March 26, 2019 × Chennai were always in control of the chase despite a lot of balls being wasted by Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the back end of the innings. For Chennai, Dwayne Bravo took three important wickets - Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Shikhar Dhawan - to dominate the hosts. He finished with figures 3/33 in four overs. Meanwhile, for Delhi, Amit Mishra dismissed two set batsmen - Shane Watson and Suresh Raina - to keep the game alive.

See pictures! Fan invades pitch to meet Chennai skipper MS Dhoni

<p>Shane Watson and Suresh Raina made batting look easy on a lifeless track as Chennai coasted to a six-wicket victory over Delhi in an Indian Premier League encounter on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Shikhar Dhawan's painstaking half-century was the only silver lining in Delhi's sub-par total of 147 for six which the defending champions overtook with two balls to spare.</p>

<p>The scoreline might suggest that it was a close game but Chennai were always in control of the chase despite a lot of balls being wasted by Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the back end of the innings.</p>

<p>When Delhi batted first, run-scoring looked an arduous job with a middle-order collapse dashing hopes of a big total.</p>

<p>When Chennai started their chase, it was expected that the slowness will be a factor but it seemed Watson (44 off 26 balls) and Suresh Raina (30 off 16 balls) were batting on a different track. They showed positive intent which was singularly lacking in Dhawan and Co.</p>

<p>They hit eight fours and four sixes between them to add 52 runs in only four overs and there was no recovery from that onslaught.</p>

<p>Ishant Sharma (0/28 in 3 overs) bowled too many length balls which were driven with disdain and short ones were cut ferociously. Five boundaries off Ishant's in three overs was just the start that Chennai needed.</p>

<p>Veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra got a couple of wickets but mostly bowled hittable length with three maximums coming in his spell, including the decisive six from Dhoni (32 no off 35 balls).</p>

<p>Kagiso Rabada, who was impressive in the first match, was erratic on the day and an altercation with Watson only disturbed his concentration.<br />
By the time Watson was out, it was a formality for the CSK to record their second victory but Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav (27) made an easy chase look difficult.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Dhawan played the role of sheet anchor in his 51 off 47 balls that had seven boundaries but unfortunately failed to accelerate during the final overs. This left the home team at least 30 runs short of a fighting score which proved to be decisive in the end.</p>

<p>From a comfortable 120 for 2 with the dangerous Rishabh Pant at the crease, CSK seized the momentum, effecting a middle-order collapse. Capitals lost four wickets for seven runs in just 1.5 overs. From 118 for 2 after 15 overs, the last five overs yielded only 29 runs.</p>

<p>With the ball stopping and coming, Capitals batsmen found Dwayne Bravo's (3/33 in 4 overs) variations difficult to handle. Ravindra Jadeja (1/23 in 4 overs) also made life difficult in the middle overs and Harbhajan Singh (0/30 in 4 overs) also bowled as many as 10 dot balls.</p>

<p>Dhawan, however, continued to hold one end up and hit the occasional boundary in between, even as stroke making became increasingly difficult.<br />
Pant (25 off 12 balls), during his 41-run stand with Dhawan, tried to negate the pitch factor but did not last till the death overs.</p>

<p>He did reach out to a short ball from Harbhajan, dispatching it over long off for a six. In the next over, his short arm pull off Dwayne Bravo was taken by Shardul Thakur at deep square leg boundary.</p>

<p>With Colin Ingram (2) and Keemo Paul (0) also being dismissed cheaply, followed by Dhawan, the expectations of a 175-plus total withered away.&nbsp;</p>


Shane Watson and Suresh Raina made batting look easy on a lifeless track as Chennai coasted to a six-wicket victory over Delhi in an Indian Premier League encounter on Tuesday.

Shane Watson and Suresh Raina made batting look easy on a lifeless track as Chennai coasted to a six-wicket victory over Delhi in an Indian Premier League encounter on Tuesday. Shikhar Dhawan's painstaking half-century was the only silver lining in Delhi's sub-par total of 147 for six which the defending champions overtook with two balls to spare. The scoreline might suggest that it was a close game but Chennai were always in control of the chase despite a lot of balls being wasted by Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the back end of the innings. When Delhi batted first, run-scoring looked an arduous job with a middle-order collapse dashing hopes of a big total. When Chennai started their chase, it was expected that the slowness will be a factor but it seemed Watson (44 off 26 balls) and Suresh Raina (30 off 16 balls) were batting on a different track. They showed positive intent which was singularly lacking in Dhawan and Co. They hit eight fours and four sixes between them to add 52 runs in only four overs and there was no recovery from that onslaught. Ishant Sharma (0/28 in 3 overs) bowled too many length balls which were driven with disdain and short ones were cut ferociously. Five boundaries off Ishant's in three overs was just the start that Chennai needed. Veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra got a couple of wickets but mostly bowled hittable length with three maximums coming in his spell, including the decisive six from Dhoni (32 no off 35 balls). Kagiso Rabada, who was impressive in the first match, was erratic on the day and an altercation with Watson only disturbed his concentration. By the time Watson was out, it was a formality for the CSK to record their second victory but Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav (27) made an easy chase look difficult. Earlier, Dhawan played the role of sheet anchor in his 51 off 47 balls that had seven boundaries but unfortunately failed to accelerate during the final overs. This left the home team at least 30 runs short of a fighting score which proved to be decisive in the end. From a comfortable 120 for 2 with the dangerous Rishabh Pant at the crease, CSK seized the momentum, effecting a middle-order collapse. Capitals lost four wickets for seven runs in just 1.5 overs. From 118 for 2 after 15 overs, the last five overs yielded only 29 runs. With the ball stopping and coming, Capitals batsmen found Dwayne Bravo's (3/33 in 4 overs) variations difficult to handle. Ravindra Jadeja (1/23 in 4 overs) also made life difficult in the middle overs and Harbhajan Singh (0/30 in 4 overs) also bowled as many as 10 dot balls. Dhawan, however, continued to hold one end up and hit the occasional boundary in between, even as stroke making became increasingly difficult. Pant (25 off 12 balls), during his 41-run stand with Dhawan, tried to negate the pitch factor but did not last till the death overs. He did reach out to a short ball from Harbhajan, dispatching it over long off for a six. In the next over, his short arm pull off Dwayne Bravo was taken by Shardul Thakur at deep square leg boundary. With Colin Ingram (2) and Keemo Paul (0) also being dismissed cheaply, followed by Dhawan, the expectations of a 175-plus total withered away.

IPL 2019: Experienced Chennai beat young Delhi by six wickets

IPL 2019: Major takeaways from Chennai vs Delhi match

<p>Ever since Ravichandran Ashwin 'mankaded' Jos Buttler during the Rajasthan vs Punjab encounter on Monday, the skipper has been at the receiving end.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A massive controversy has been made of the run-out Ashiwn did that left the cricketing world divided. Even the ICC had cleared via a tweet what <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-here-is-iccs-reaction-on-ravichandran-ashwin-mankading-jos-buttler-205707">Ashwin did on the field&nbsp;saying "It's within the rules"</a></p>

<p>Ashwin, who was slammed for disrespecting the game, also received support from various quarters, with one being from commentator Harsha Bhogle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Harsha's supported to Ashwin did not go well with the Shane Warne as they went to the extent of accusing Harsha Bhogle of being biased and urged him to stick up "for your own".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Nothing in the laws though about warning. Just as there is nothing in the laws about a wicket keeper warning a batsman for being out of the crease and not stumping him <a href="https://t.co/OqYypMiRIQ">https://t.co/OqYypMiRIQ</a></p>
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/1110255627266228224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Shane Warne slammed Ravichandran Ashwin with a series of tweets that seems it was also meant for Harsha Bhogle.</p>

<p>Buttler had given Rajasthan a flying start in their run-chase and looked unstoppable after scoring his seventh half-century in the Indian Premier League (IPL).</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Harsha you are missing the point completely &amp; I’m disappointed in you as you always push the spirit of the game - now you condone this behaviour ? Ashwin’s actions were simply disgraceful, and I hope the BCCI doesn’t condone this sort of behaviour in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> ! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spiritofthegame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spiritofthegame</a> <a href="https://t.co/BsIKDBN51X">https://t.co/BsIKDBN51X</a></p>
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneWarne/status/1110257742328025100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Harsha, if that had of been an international player you would have nailed him ! Please do not be bias &amp; stick up for your own. Any player in the game that does that to anyone is an embarrassment to the game &amp; as captain it’s even more disgraceful ! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spiritofthegame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spiritofthegame</a> ! <a href="https://t.co/4PqLL1MzBT">https://t.co/4PqLL1MzBT</a></p>
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneWarne/status/1110262035605012481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sorry - one more thing to add. If Ben Stokes did what Ashwin did to <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> it would be ok ? I’m just very disappointed in Ashwin as I thought he had integrity &amp; class. Kings lost a lot of supporters tonight. Especially young boys and girls ! I do hope the BCCI does something</p>
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneWarne/status/1110284190501736452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-jos-buttler-mankaded-by-r-ashwin-twitter-slams-punjab-captain-205606">Ashwin put an end to Buttler's stay at the crease with one of the most controversial dismissals.&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>The incident took place in the 13th over with Rajasthan needing 77 off 43 balls with nine wickets in hand.&nbsp;Ashwin paused while delivering the ball and took the bails off at the non-striker's end as Buttler stepped out of the crease.</p>

<p>The on-field umpire immediately signalled for the decision to be taken by the third umpire, who decided to give Buttler out.</p>

<p>The wicket was the changing point in the game, as Punjab went on to restrict Rajasthan to 170 for nine in the chase to register a 14-run win.</p>


Ever since Ravichandran Ashwin 'mankaded' Jos Buttler during the Rajasthan vs Punjab encounter on Monday, the skipper has been at the receiving end. A massive controversy has been made of the run-out Ashiwn did that left the cricketing world divided.

Ever since Ravichandran Ashwin 'mankaded' Jos Buttler during the Rajasthan vs Punjab encounter on Monday, the skipper has been at the receiving end. A massive controversy has been made of the run-out Ashiwn did that left the cricketing world divided. Even the ICC had cleared via a tweet what Ashwin did on the field saying "It's within the rules" Ashwin, who was slammed for disrespecting the game, also received support from various quarters, with one being from commentator Harsha Bhogle. However, Harsha's supported to Ashwin did not go well with the Shane Warne as they went to the extent of accusing Harsha Bhogle of being biased and urged him to stick up "for your own". Nothing in the laws though about warning. Just as there is nothing in the laws about a wicket keeper warning a batsman for being out of the crease and not stumping him https://t.co/OqYypMiRIQ — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 25, 2019 × Shane Warne slammed Ravichandran Ashwin with a series of tweets that seems it was also meant for Harsha Bhogle. Buttler had given Rajasthan a flying start in their run-chase and looked unstoppable after scoring his seventh half-century in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Harsha you are missing the point completely & I’m disappointed in you as you always push the spirit of the game - now you condone this behaviour ? Ashwin’s actions were simply disgraceful, and I hope the BCCI doesn’t condone this sort of behaviour in the #IPL ! #spiritofthegame https://t.co/BsIKDBN51X — Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) March 25, 2019 × Harsha, if that had of been an international player you would have nailed him ! Please do not be bias & stick up for your own. Any player in the game that does that to anyone is an embarrassment to the game & as captain it’s even more disgraceful ! #spiritofthegame ! https://t.co/4PqLL1MzBT — Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) March 25, 2019 × Sorry - one more thing to add. If Ben Stokes did what Ashwin did to @imVkohli it would be ok ? I’m just very disappointed in Ashwin as I thought he had integrity & class. Kings lost a lot of supporters tonight. Especially young boys and girls ! I do hope the BCCI does something — Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) March 25, 2019 × However, spinner Ashwin put an end to Buttler's stay at the crease with one of the most controversial dismissals. The incident took place in the 13th over with Rajasthan needing 77 off 43 balls with nine wickets in hand. Ashwin paused while delivering the ball and took the bails off at the non-striker's end as Buttler stepped out of the crease. The on-field umpire immediately signalled for the decision to be taken by the third umpire, who decided to give Buttler out. The wicket was the changing point in the game, as Punjab went on to restrict Rajasthan to 170 for nine in the chase to register a 14-run win.

Ashwin's mankad row: Shane Warne slams Harsha Bhogle for supporting Punjab captain, calls him 'biased'

IPL 2019: Top 5 players to watch out for in Chennai vs Delhi clash

<p>Delhi will welcome Chennai for their first home game at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on Tuesday.</p>

<p>The two teams launched their campaigns for the season in style by winning their first encounter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Chennai defeated Virat Kohli's Bangalore by seven wickets, Delhi defeated Mumbai at their home ground by 37 runs. It was Rishabh Pant's remarkable 78 off &nbsp;27 balls that helped Delhi post a mammoth 214 runs target on board.</p>

<p>Either of the two teams shall taste their first defeat of the season.</p>

<p>As the two teams take field at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, all eyes will be on MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant.</p>

<p>Ever since 21-year-old Pant burst on international stage, he has impressed one and all with audacious stroke play much like how Dhoni bewildered everyone during the formative years of his career.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With Pant also keeping wickets he is seen as Dhoni's heir apparent.</p>

<p>In IPL Dhoni has tasted grand success. The old war horse holds the irresistible record of winning the coveted IPL trophy three times.</p>

<p>While Delhi, for the last six seasons, has been finishing in the sixth position, or lower. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This year for Delhi, Shikhar Dhawan returned to form with his crucial 36-ball 43, however, his consistency to score has always been a major concern.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from Dhawan, the team has Colin Ingram and Keemo Paul, who can deplete any bowling attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Dhoni remains the biggest strength of the side, the team comprises of players like Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav that can play strong at crucial moments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So overall, the match will be a classic case of new guard challenging the might of old guard.</p>


Delhi will welcome Chennai for their first home game at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on Tuesday. The two teams launched their campaigns for the season in style by winning their first encounter.

Delhi will welcome Chennai for their first home game at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on Tuesday. The two teams launched their campaigns for the season in style by winning their first encounter. While Chennai defeated Virat Kohli's Bangalore by seven wickets, Delhi defeated Mumbai at their home ground by 37 runs. It was Rishabh Pant's remarkable 78 off 27 balls that helped Delhi post a mammoth 214 runs target on board. Either of the two teams shall taste their first defeat of the season. As the two teams take field at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, all eyes will be on MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant. Ever since 21-year-old Pant burst on international stage, he has impressed one and all with audacious stroke play much like how Dhoni bewildered everyone during the formative years of his career. With Pant also keeping wickets he is seen as Dhoni's heir apparent. In IPL Dhoni has tasted grand success. The old war horse holds the irresistible record of winning the coveted IPL trophy three times. While Delhi, for the last six seasons, has been finishing in the sixth position, or lower. This year for Delhi, Shikhar Dhawan returned to form with his crucial 36-ball 43, however, his consistency to score has always been a major concern. Apart from Dhawan, the team has Colin Ingram and Keemo Paul, who can deplete any bowling attack. While Dhoni remains the biggest strength of the side, the team comprises of players like Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav that can play strong at crucial moments. So overall, the match will be a classic case of new guard challenging the might of old guard.

Chennai vs Delhi: 'Student' Rishabh Pant to welcome 'master' MS Dhoni at Feroz Shah Kotla

IPL 2019: Chennai vs Delhi

<p>MS Dhoni is known for his wit and humour and he did not miss a chance to tease his Chennai teammate Kedar Jadhav.</p>

<p>The Chennai skipper trolled Jadhav in a funny video which has now gone viral on social platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incident happened when Mohit Sharma was asking Jadhav about his thoughts on Chennai' victory over Bangalore at the MA Chidambram Stadium on Saturday.</p>

<p>Jadhav remained unbeaten when The Yellow Brigade chased down Virat Kohli-led side's paltry score and he recalled how he was also at the crease when the Kings defeated Mumbai in a thriller in the opening game of the 2018 IPL.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jadhav went nostalgic and was drawing similarities before Dhoni quipped: "Ghar jaane ka waapas plan hai?"</p>

<p>Jadhav, Mohit Sharma and the others in the group burst out laughing.</p>

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<p>Chennai went on to win the 2019 IPL campaign opener by seven wickets and will next face Delhi at Feroz Shah Kotla. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


MS Dhoni is known for his wit and humour and he did not miss a chance to tease his Chennai teammate Kedar Jadhav. The Chennai skipper trolled Jadhav in a funny video which has now gone viral on social platforms.

MS Dhoni is known for his wit and humour and he did not miss a chance to tease his Chennai teammate Kedar Jadhav. The Chennai skipper trolled Jadhav in a funny video which has now gone viral on social platforms. The incident happened when Mohit Sharma was asking Jadhav about his thoughts on Chennai' victory over Bangalore at the MA Chidambram Stadium on Saturday. Jadhav remained unbeaten when The Yellow Brigade chased down Virat Kohli-led side's paltry score and he recalled how he was also at the crease when the Kings defeated Mumbai in a thriller in the opening game of the 2018 IPL. Jadhav went nostalgic and was drawing similarities before Dhoni quipped: "Ghar jaane ka waapas plan hai?" Jadhav, Mohit Sharma and the others in the group burst out laughing. × Chennai went on to win the 2019 IPL campaign opener by seven wickets and will next face Delhi at Feroz Shah Kotla.

Watch: Ghar jaane ka waapas plan hai?, says MS Dhoni to Kedar Jadhav

<p>The twelfth edition of Indian Premier League has started with the off-field fun and madness. It's a time when cricketers not only play pranks on their teammates but also include their families in the madness.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Just like in the latest video, which was uploaded on Dhoni’s official Instagram account where he was having a fun chat with his daughter Ziva.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni was asking Ziva "how are you” in six different languages: Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, and Urdu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch the video to see how effortlessly Ziva responded to the questions in all the languages.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch the video here:&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZHMeSlO29/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781)</a> on <time datetime="2019-03-24T13:19:25+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Mar 24, 2019 at 6:19am PDT</time></p>
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<p>Chennai started their IPL 2019 campaign on a winning note after defeating Virat Kohli-led Bangalore at the Chidambaram Stadium on March 23.</p>

<p>Now Dhoni-led team will play its next match against Delhi on March 26 at Firoz Shah Kotla stadium.</p>


The twelfth edition of Indian Premier League has started with the off-field fun and madness. It's a time when cricketers not only play pranks on their teammates but also include their families in the madness.

The twelfth edition of Indian Premier League has started with the off-field fun and madness. It's a time when cricketers not only play pranks on their teammates but also include their families in the madness. Just like in the latest video, which was uploaded on Dhoni’s official Instagram account where he was having a fun chat with his daughter Ziva. Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni was asking Ziva "how are you” in six different languages: Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, and Urdu. Watch the video to see how effortlessly Ziva responded to the questions in all the languages. Watch the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) on Mar 24, 2019 at 6:19am PDT × Chennai started their IPL 2019 campaign on a winning note after defeating Virat Kohli-led Bangalore at the Chidambaram Stadium on March 23. Now Dhoni-led team will play its next match against Delhi on March 26 at Firoz Shah Kotla stadium.

Watch: MS Dhoni talking with daughter Ziva in six different languages is the cutest thing on the internet

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni has criticised the slowness of the Chidambaram's track even after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-chennai-beat-bangalore-by-7-wickets-in-seasons-opener-205144">winning the first match</a> of the twelfth edition of India Premier League against Virat Kohli-led Bangalore.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the match post-match presentation, Dhoni said, "I never expected the wicket to play how it actually played. It was too slow. We were really surprised by how slow the wicket was. It reminded me of a Champions League wicket in 2011 after we won the IPL." &nbsp;</p>

<p>"The wicket definitely needs to be much better, even with dew it was spinning big," Dhoni added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhoni said his reason for opting to bowl after winning the toss was the uncertainty over how the surface would behave as Chennai had the experience of playing a practice match leading into the IPL opener.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Virat's team was all-out for 70 in 17.1 overs, a target that Chennai achieved in 17.4 overs to win the match by seven wickets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even Virat said the wicket looked much better than it played during the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli added, "We thought somewhere 140-150 would be an ideal score because of the dew factor later on. A scrappy sort of start to the league. That is what you get when you have a wicket like that."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"But either team would have struggled batting first. I don't think either team had control over it. The pitch was under the covers for four days."&nbsp;<br />
Kohli felt neither teams enjoyed "that kind of a pitch".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I don't think either of the team would have enjoyed that kind of a pitch, especially in T20 cricket where guys want to get runs and put the runs on the board or chase scores down."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"So the wicket needs to get much better than where it is right now. It needs to be (more) high scoring. Other teams have good spinners as well and this isn't the pitch we are looking forward to," the Dhoni added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We were not really sure about the wicket. We played a practice game on the same wicket and it wasn't turning so much. It was a slightly high-scoring game. Yes, practice game, there is a tendency normally you will score 30 runs more than what you will in a proper game."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chennai will play its next match against Delhi on March 26.&nbsp;</p>


Mahendra Singh Dhoni has criticised the slowness of the Chidambaram's track even after winning the first match of the twelfth edition of India Premier League against Virat Kohli-led Bangalore.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has criticised the slowness of the Chidambaram's track even after winning the first match of the twelfth edition of India Premier League against Virat Kohli-led Bangalore. During the match post-match presentation, Dhoni said, "I never expected the wicket to play how it actually played. It was too slow. We were really surprised by how slow the wicket was. It reminded me of a Champions League wicket in 2011 after we won the IPL." "The wicket definitely needs to be much better, even with dew it was spinning big," Dhoni added. Dhoni said his reason for opting to bowl after winning the toss was the uncertainty over how the surface would behave as Chennai had the experience of playing a practice match leading into the IPL opener. Virat's team was all-out for 70 in 17.1 overs, a target that Chennai achieved in 17.4 overs to win the match by seven wickets. Even Virat said the wicket looked much better than it played during the match. Kohli added, "We thought somewhere 140-150 would be an ideal score because of the dew factor later on. A scrappy sort of start to the league. That is what you get when you have a wicket like that." "But either team would have struggled batting first. I don't think either team had control over it. The pitch was under the covers for four days." Kohli felt neither teams enjoyed "that kind of a pitch". "I don't think either of the team would have enjoyed that kind of a pitch, especially in T20 cricket where guys want to get runs and put the runs on the board or chase scores down." "So the wicket needs to get much better than where it is right now. It needs to be (more) high scoring. Other teams have good spinners as well and this isn't the pitch we are looking forward to," the Dhoni added. "We were not really sure about the wicket. We played a practice game on the same wicket and it wasn't turning so much. It was a slightly high-scoring game. Yes, practice game, there is a tendency normally you will score 30 runs more than what you will in a proper game." Chennai will play its next match against Delhi on March 26.

MS Dhoni criticises Chidambaram's track despite winning first match of IPL 2019

IPL 2019, Chennai vs Bangalore: From Bhajji's spin attack to Raina's 5000 IPL runs, major takeaways from match

<p>Chennai defeated Bangalore by seven wickets in the opening match of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-chennai-super-kings-vs-royal-challengers-bangalore-at-chidambaram-stadium-205095">Indian Premier League 2019</a> on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni put Virat-led team to bat first and restricted them to a low total of 70 runs in 17.1 overs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For Bangalore, Parthiv Patel top scored with 29 off 35 balls.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After losing the match, Virat Kohli said, "No one wants to start like this, but it's good to get a game like this out of the way - this early in the tournament."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further added, "We spoke of trying to be in the game, taking it to the 18th over was nice to see."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli pointed out the flaws in the batting unit, saying, "The batting wasn't good, it wasn't easy to bat on, looked much better surface though, I thought 140-150 would have been an ideal score, especially with dew expected later on."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 7 wickets in the opening encounter of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> 2019.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvRCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/ghDdVeF9PD">pic.twitter.com/ghDdVeF9PD</a></p>
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<p>Harbhajan Singh (3/20 in 4 overs), Imran Tahir (3/9 in 3 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/15 in 4 overs) shared the wickets. Dwayne Bravo also chipped in with a wicket. In reply, CSK scored the runs in 17.4 overs with Ambati Rayudu scoring 28.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhoni-led Chennai achieved the set target with 17 balls left.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chennai have won their last six matches against Bangalore dating back to 2014 and at Chepak, Chennai have&nbsp;a&nbsp;6-1 lead against Bangalore.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chennai have won 12 out of their last 13 Indian Premier League clashes at Chidambaram Stadium.&nbsp;</p>


Chennai defeated Bangalore by seven wickets in the opening match of the Indian Premier League 2019 on Saturday. Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni put Virat-led team to bat first and restricted them to a low total of 70 runs in 17.

Chennai defeated Bangalore by seven wickets in the opening match of the Indian Premier League 2019 on Saturday. Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni put Virat-led team to bat first and restricted them to a low total of 70 runs in 17.1 overs. For Bangalore, Parthiv Patel top scored with 29 off 35 balls. After losing the match, Virat Kohli said, "No one wants to start like this, but it's good to get a game like this out of the way - this early in the tournament." He further added, "We spoke of trying to be in the game, taking it to the 18th over was nice to see." Kohli pointed out the flaws in the batting unit, saying, "The batting wasn't good, it wasn't easy to bat on, looked much better surface though, I thought 140-150 would have been an ideal score, especially with dew expected later on." .@ChennaiIPL beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 7 wickets in the opening encounter of #VIVOIPL 2019.#CSKvRCB pic.twitter.com/ghDdVeF9PD — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2019 × Harbhajan Singh (3/20 in 4 overs), Imran Tahir (3/9 in 3 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/15 in 4 overs) shared the wickets. Dwayne Bravo also chipped in with a wicket. In reply, CSK scored the runs in 17.4 overs with Ambati Rayudu scoring 28. Dhoni-led Chennai achieved the set target with 17 balls left. Chennai have won their last six matches against Bangalore dating back to 2014 and at Chepak, Chennai have a 6-1 lead against Bangalore. Chennai have won 12 out of their last 13 Indian Premier League clashes at Chidambaram Stadium.

IPL 2019: Chennai beat Bangalore by 7 wickets in season's opener

IPL 2019, Match 1: MS Dhoni-led Chennai vs Virat Kohli-led Bangalore at MA Chidambaram Stadium

IPL 2019, Chennai vs Bangalore: Players to watch out for

<p>They ruled for seasons, were banned for two years, came back strong and are the current champions - Yes it's none other than Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - Indian Premier League's most successful franchise.</p>

<p>With the 12th edition of the cash-rich tournament scheduled to commence from March 23, the Yellow Brigade is preparing hard at nets to continue their dominance.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Strengths</strong></p>

<p>A factor why the franchise managed to survive the tough time and increase its fans by leaps and bounds during those two years is Mahendra Singh Dhoni.</p>

<p>Dhoni is the biggest strength of Chennai as he has the ability to bring the best out of any player.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Moreover, he is always spot-on with his on-field decisions; his brilliant captaincy and unmatchable glovework, are among one of the reasons that Chennai have won the prestigious IPL trophy thrice.</p>

<p>The second positive for CSK is that they have retained their 2018 team players. They have surely replaced two-three players but their core team remains the same.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also, they will be playing at their original home ground i.e. M.A. Chidambaram stadium. Last season they were forced to play at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), Pune, due to political tensions, but this time the case is different.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Weaknesses</strong></p>

<p>There is no obvious weakness in this star-stunned side apart from a single concern that it's a relatively old team, where the average age is 30 years. However, they had defied the concern in the laast season but fitness might be an issue for the side.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The second thing that can stop the franchise from defending their title is that many of their players have not been playing regular cricket.</p>

<p>Suresh Raina, who hit the nets yesterday in a video circulated on social media, last played international cricket in 2018. There is a chance that he may be rusty in the first few matches of the tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Opportunities</strong></p>

<p>Ambati Rayudu was able to a comeback to the Indian team owing to a great 2018 IPL season and the batsman will be keen to repeat his performance and book a spot in the Indian World Cup squad.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-squad-analysis-of-delhi-capitals-201142"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;IPL 2019: Squad analysis of Delhi</strong></a></p>

<p>On the same plane is all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. He is also sailing in the same boat as his decent performances against the Aussies have increased his chances of making it to the World Cup. A great IPL season could see him going to England too.</p>

<p>Apart from the two other players like Deepak Chahar and Lungi Ngidi will also be eager to make the most of this opportunity.</p>

<p>Another add-on which the Dhoni-led team have is that they have too many bowling options.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh - the list of players who can bowl is quite long.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Team:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Retained: </strong><em>MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Karn Sharma, Dhruv Shorey, Faf du Plessis, M Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Billings, Mitchell Santner, David Willey, Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, N Jagadeesan, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Chaitanya Bishnoi</em></p>

<p><strong>Purchased: </strong><em>Mohit Sharma (Rs 5 crore), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Rs 20 lakh)</em></p>


They ruled for seasons, were banned for two years, came back strong and are the current champions - Yes it's none other than Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - Indian Premier League's most successful franchise.

They ruled for seasons, were banned for two years, came back strong and are the current champions - Yes it's none other than Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - Indian Premier League's most successful franchise. With the 12th edition of the cash-rich tournament scheduled to commence from March 23, the Yellow Brigade is preparing hard at nets to continue their dominance. Strengths A factor why the franchise managed to survive the tough time and increase its fans by leaps and bounds during those two years is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni is the biggest strength of Chennai as he has the ability to bring the best out of any player. Moreover, he is always spot-on with his on-field decisions; his brilliant captaincy and unmatchable glovework, are among one of the reasons that Chennai have won the prestigious IPL trophy thrice. The second positive for CSK is that they have retained their 2018 team players. They have surely replaced two-three players but their core team remains the same. Also, they will be playing at their original home ground i.e. M.A. Chidambaram stadium. Last season they were forced to play at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), Pune, due to political tensions, but this time the case is different. Weaknesses There is no obvious weakness in this star-stunned side apart from a single concern that it's a relatively old team, where the average age is 30 years. However, they had defied the concern in the laast season but fitness might be an issue for the side. The second thing that can stop the franchise from defending their title is that many of their players have not been playing regular cricket. Suresh Raina, who hit the nets yesterday in a video circulated on social media, last played international cricket in 2018. There is a chance that he may be rusty in the first few matches of the tournament. Opportunities Ambati Rayudu was able to a comeback to the Indian team owing to a great 2018 IPL season and the batsman will be keen to repeat his performance and book a spot in the Indian World Cup squad. Also read: IPL 2019: Squad analysis of Delhi On the same plane is all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. He is also sailing in the same boat as his decent performances against the Aussies have increased his chances of making it to the World Cup. A great IPL season could see him going to England too. Apart from the two other players like Deepak Chahar and Lungi Ngidi will also be eager to make the most of this opportunity. Another add-on which the Dhoni-led team have is that they have too many bowling options. Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh - the list of players who can bowl is quite long. Team: Retained: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Karn Sharma, Dhruv Shorey, Faf du Plessis, M Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Billings, Mitchell Santner, David Willey, Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, N Jagadeesan, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Chaitanya Bishnoi Purchased: Mohit Sharma (Rs 5 crore), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Rs 20 lakh)

IPL 2019: Squad analysis of Chennai

<p>The twelfth season of Indian Premier League will kick off with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-squad-analysis-of-chennai-super-kings-204246">Chennai</a> taking on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-squad-analysis-of-royal-challengers-bangalore-204410">Bangalore</a> at Chennai's Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Virat Kohli's young team is craving maiden success as it has failed in previous seasons despite reaching the finals on three occasions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And unlikely them, the three-time title winner CSK will start their hunt from the first game itself.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When we see both the teams, both have batsmen who can turn a match on its head in a matter of two-three overs. So the outcome of the game will depend on which team bowls better and holds its nerve.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Strength and weaknesses of Bangalore:</strong></p>

<p>Like previous seasons, Bangalore's batting will revolve around their star players Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And they have added Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, and Nathan-Coulter Nile will add depth to their squad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pacer Umesh Yadav will also look to shine in the IPL keeping World Cup selection in mind.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal will again be the key man for Bangalore as he has been over the past seasons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Off-spinner Washington Sundar will add necessary support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The middle order batting is a huge concern for the team, however, they have added Marcus Stoinis to resolve it but he will arrive late due to his international commitments, same goes with Nathan Coulter-Nile.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Strength and weaknesses of Chennai:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The core team of Chennai, which comprises of Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja will be vital in this season.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides, Ambati Rayudu, who was brilliant in the last season scoring 602 runs, will be keen to step up his performance and seal a spot in the Indian World Cup squad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The opening pair Rayudu and Shane Watson scored a combined 1160 runs last season.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Spinners with truckloads of experience Imran Tahir and Harbhajan Singh are the strength of the team. They both have the ability to change the complexion of a game in one over.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But ruling out of Lungi Ngidi due to injury was a major set back for the team.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Probable playing XI:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Bangalore:</strong> Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel, AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Colin de Grandhomme, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Murali Vijay, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj</p>

<p><strong>Chennai:</strong> Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Imran Tahir, Sam Billings, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur</p>


The twelfth season of Indian Premier League will kick off with Chennai taking on Bangalore at Chennai's Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. Virat Kohli's young team is craving maiden success as it has failed in previous seasons despite reaching the finals on three occasions.

The twelfth season of Indian Premier League will kick off with Chennai taking on Bangalore at Chennai's Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. Virat Kohli's young team is craving maiden success as it has failed in previous seasons despite reaching the finals on three occasions. And unlikely them, the three-time title winner CSK will start their hunt from the first game itself. When we see both the teams, both have batsmen who can turn a match on its head in a matter of two-three overs. So the outcome of the game will depend on which team bowls better and holds its nerve. Strength and weaknesses of Bangalore: Like previous seasons, Bangalore's batting will revolve around their star players Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. And they have added Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, and Nathan-Coulter Nile will add depth to their squad. Pacer Umesh Yadav will also look to shine in the IPL keeping World Cup selection in mind. And leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal will again be the key man for Bangalore as he has been over the past seasons. Off-spinner Washington Sundar will add necessary support. The middle order batting is a huge concern for the team, however, they have added Marcus Stoinis to resolve it but he will arrive late due to his international commitments, same goes with Nathan Coulter-Nile. Strength and weaknesses of Chennai: The core team of Chennai, which comprises of Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja will be vital in this season. Besides, Ambati Rayudu, who was brilliant in the last season scoring 602 runs, will be keen to step up his performance and seal a spot in the Indian World Cup squad. The opening pair Rayudu and Shane Watson scored a combined 1160 runs last season. Spinners with truckloads of experience Imran Tahir and Harbhajan Singh are the strength of the team. They both have the ability to change the complexion of a game in one over. But ruling out of Lungi Ngidi due to injury was a major set back for the team. Probable playing XI: Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel, AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Colin de Grandhomme, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Murali Vijay, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj Chennai: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Imran Tahir, Sam Billings, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur

IPL 2019, Chennai vs Bangalore: Strengths, weaknesses and probable playing XI

<p>2018 IPL runner-up Hyderabad will be back with some new talents and experienced hitters in their squad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Retaining their core team has reaped rich dividends for Hyderabad over the past few seasons and it has helped them be one of the most consistent franchises.</p>

<p>Over the past three seasons, they have lifted the trophy once (2016) finished runners-up (last season).</p>

<p>Hyderabad have been different compared to the rest of the pack only because of one reason, i.e. how they have gone about bolstering their bowling unit. Their strength in depth and the variations that are on offer in the bowling department helped Hyderabad bounce back from tricky situations last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the 12th&nbsp;edition set to take place on Saturday, let's do a quick analysis of the squad.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Strengths</strong><br />
&nbsp;<br />
The biggest strength this season for Hyderabad is David Warner's return. The Australian player, who was banned following his involvement in the ball-tampering incident in South Africa last year, will surely return with a bang.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He is easily one of the finest to play in IPL but with lack of competitive cricket in recent times, it will be interesting to see if he can hit the ground running.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2019-all-teams-and-their-squad-list-185821#chennai-super-kings-185803"><strong>Also -&nbsp;IPL 2019: All teams and their squad list</strong></a></p>

<p>Meanwhile, regular India opener Shikhar Dhawan’s tenure with the franchise ended after he was traded with Delhi all-rounder Vijay Shankar, among a couple of other players. Hyderabad should be thrilled that the 27-year-old from Tamil Nadu has been fine form with the bat for India recently and stands a fighting chance of making it to the World Cup squad.</p>

<p>England’s Test wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow and Martin Guptill also provide cover at the top of the order, with Kane Williamson the fulcrum.</p>

<p>The bowling unit has always been at its best and therefore, spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and India U-19 World Cup winner Abhishek Sharma, meanwhile, are notable additions to the spin department, drafted in as part of the Dhawan trade.</p>

<p><strong>Weaknesses</strong></p>

<p>This is the only area of concern for the Sunrisers Hyderabad as Shakib Al-Hasan, Mohammad Nabi and Vijay Shankar are the available options in the all-rounder category.</p>

<p>While, Shakib Al Hasan is a good all-rounder, his counterparts, Nabi and Vijay Shankar might not live up to the expectations considering the pressure on them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>SRH also lack a strong pace bowling all-rounder like Shane Watson, Andre Russel, Ben Stokes or Dwayne Bravo.</p>

<p><strong>Opportunities</strong></p>

<p>All eyes are on keeper Wriddhiman Saha and how good a comeback he can make following a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury. Saha being tossed around in the batting order was one of the few sore points last season in what was an otherwise efficient outfit.</p>

<p>Vijay Shankar and Manish Pandey’s form will also be closely monitored as India continue to seek answers to their No 4 conundrum. While the Indian team management lost patience with Pandey, Vijay Shankar has impressed with his stroke-making ability.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar may not have set the stage on fire in the recently concluded Australia series, but he has been one of the best exponents in the death overs in the IPL. Without a doubt, the medium-pacer is one of the vital cogs of this side.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Threats</strong></p>

<p>Hyderabad have a gun bowling lineup, a lot of their bowlers are also part of the World Cup squads of respective international teams.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is a different ball-game for batters but bowlers - due to the stress on their body - are more prone to injuries and hence all teams including India would like to protect their international bowlers.</p>

<p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar has already hinted at taking a rest in the latter half of the tournament. SRH would have to find an alternative of a bowler like Bhuvi who can bowl well both at the top and at the death which would be a tough task.</p>

<p><strong>Teams</strong></p>

<p><strong>Retained:</strong> Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Hooda, Manish Pandey, T Natarajan, Ricky Bhui, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul, Shreevats Goswami (wk), Khaleel Ahmed, Yusuf Pathan, Billy Stanlake, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Shakib Al Hasan</p>

<p><strong>Purchased:</strong> Jonny Bairstow (Rs 2.20 crore), Wriddhiman Saha (Rs 1.2 crore), Martin Guptill (Rs 1 crore).</p>


2018 IPL runner-up Hyderabad will be back with some new talents and experienced hitters in their squad. Retaining their core team has reaped rich dividends for Hyderabad over the past few seasons and it has helped them be one of the most consistent franchises.

2018 IPL runner-up Hyderabad will be back with some new talents and experienced hitters in their squad. Retaining their core team has reaped rich dividends for Hyderabad over the past few seasons and it has helped them be one of the most consistent franchises. Over the past three seasons, they have lifted the trophy once (2016) finished runners-up (last season). Hyderabad have been different compared to the rest of the pack only because of one reason, i.e. how they have gone about bolstering their bowling unit. Their strength in depth and the variations that are on offer in the bowling department helped Hyderabad bounce back from tricky situations last year. With the 12th edition set to take place on Saturday, let's do a quick analysis of the squad. Strengths The biggest strength this season for Hyderabad is David Warner's return. The Australian player, who was banned following his involvement in the ball-tampering incident in South Africa last year, will surely return with a bang. He is easily one of the finest to play in IPL but with lack of competitive cricket in recent times, it will be interesting to see if he can hit the ground running. Also - IPL 2019: All teams and their squad list Meanwhile, regular India opener Shikhar Dhawan’s tenure with the franchise ended after he was traded with Delhi all-rounder Vijay Shankar, among a couple of other players. Hyderabad should be thrilled that the 27-year-old from Tamil Nadu has been fine form with the bat for India recently and stands a fighting chance of making it to the World Cup squad. England’s Test wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow and Martin Guptill also provide cover at the top of the order, with Kane Williamson the fulcrum. The bowling unit has always been at its best and therefore, spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and India U-19 World Cup winner Abhishek Sharma, meanwhile, are notable additions to the spin department, drafted in as part of the Dhawan trade. Weaknesses This is the only area of concern for the Sunrisers Hyderabad as Shakib Al-Hasan, Mohammad Nabi and Vijay Shankar are the available options in the all-rounder category. While, Shakib Al Hasan is a good all-rounder, his counterparts, Nabi and Vijay Shankar might not live up to the expectations considering the pressure on them. SRH also lack a strong pace bowling all-rounder like Shane Watson, Andre Russel, Ben Stokes or Dwayne Bravo. Opportunities All eyes are on keeper Wriddhiman Saha and how good a comeback he can make following a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury. Saha being tossed around in the batting order was one of the few sore points last season in what was an otherwise efficient outfit. Vijay Shankar and Manish Pandey’s form will also be closely monitored as India continue to seek answers to their No 4 conundrum. While the Indian team management lost patience with Pandey, Vijay Shankar has impressed with his stroke-making ability. Bhuvneshwar Kumar may not have set the stage on fire in the recently concluded Australia series, but he has been one of the best exponents in the death overs in the IPL. Without a doubt, the medium-pacer is one of the vital cogs of this side. Threats Hyderabad have a gun bowling lineup, a lot of their bowlers are also part of the World Cup squads of respective international teams. It is a different ball-game for batters but bowlers - due to the stress on their body - are more prone to injuries and hence all teams including India would like to protect their international bowlers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has already hinted at taking a rest in the latter half of the tournament. SRH would have to find an alternative of a bowler like Bhuvi who can bowl well both at the top and at the death which would be a tough task. Teams Retained: Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Hooda, Manish Pandey, T Natarajan, Ricky Bhui, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul, Shreevats Goswami (wk), Khaleel Ahmed, Yusuf Pathan, Billy Stanlake, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Shakib Al Hasan Purchased: Jonny Bairstow (Rs 2.20 crore), Wriddhiman Saha (Rs 1.2 crore), Martin Guptill (Rs 1 crore).

IPL 2019: Squad analysis of Hyderabad

<p>Chennai will donate proceeds from their first IPL home game to families of the CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni presenting the cheque.</p>

<p>The 12th Indian Premier League will begin with defending champions Chennai taking on Bangalore and ticket proceeds of the game, scheduled to be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, will go to the kin of the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the February 14 terror attack, said CSK's director Rakesh Singh.</p>

<p>"Chennai IPL first home match ticket proceeds will go towards the families of the victims of Pulwama Attack. Captain MS Dhoni, who is honorary Lt. Colonel of the Indian territorial army, will present the cheque!" Singh said on the team's twitter handle.</p>

<p>Tickets to the much-awaited game were sold out within hours of the opening day sale.</p>

<p>More than 40 jawans lost their lives in the attack perpetrated by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir's Pulwama.</p>

<p>A convoy of 78 buses, in which around 2,500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, came under attack on February 14.</p>

<p>As a mark of respect for the personnel who lost their lives, Indian cricketers recently sported special army caps during the third ODI against Australia and donated their match fee to the National Defence Fund.</p>


Chennai will donate proceeds from their first IPL home game to families of the CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni presenting the cheque.

Chennai will donate proceeds from their first IPL home game to families of the CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni presenting the cheque. The 12th Indian Premier League will begin with defending champions Chennai taking on Bangalore and ticket proceeds of the game, scheduled to be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, will go to the kin of the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the February 14 terror attack, said CSK's director Rakesh Singh. "Chennai IPL first home match ticket proceeds will go towards the families of the victims of Pulwama Attack. Captain MS Dhoni, who is honorary Lt. Colonel of the Indian territorial army, will present the cheque!" Singh said on the team's twitter handle. Tickets to the much-awaited game were sold out within hours of the opening day sale. More than 40 jawans lost their lives in the attack perpetrated by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. A convoy of 78 buses, in which around 2,500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, came under attack on February 14. As a mark of respect for the personnel who lost their lives, Indian cricketers recently sported special army caps during the third ODI against Australia and donated their match fee to the National Defence Fund.

IPL 2019: Chennai to donate proceeds from 1st home game to families of CRPF men killed in Pulwama attack

<p>India all-rounder Kedar Jadhav Wednesday said he will have to manage his bowling to remain fit during the two-month long Indian Premier League, amid concerns around players' workload ahead of the upcoming World Cup.</p>

<p>"My workload, I think, is about managing my bowling. In Chennai Super Kings, I don't think I need to bowl as much as I do in the Indian team," said Jadhav, who is expected to share the responsibility of the fifth bowler during the World Cup starting May 30.</p>

<p>"We all are professional cricketers and we know how to manage our bodies. How you recover after every IPL game really matters during this two-month period. You can't just improve in one training session."</p>

<p>Jadhav said it was up to individuals to handle the situation and the players need to work in tandem with the Indian team's trainers and physios as well as that of IPL franchises.</p>

<p>"Obviously, its up to the individuals and we are smart enough to handle the situation. We will work in tandem with trainers and physios of Indian team as well as the franchisees," he said.</p>

<p>"We have got some notes (from the Indian trainers and physios) and we have to follow them."</p>

<p>Jadhav, who was ruled out of last year's IPL after the opening match owing to a hamstring injury, said it is every cricketer's dream to play in a World Cup, but for now his focus will be on giving his best for the Chennai outfit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Basically every cricketer who plays for India it's a dream for him to feature in a World Cup team, and I'm no different to that," Jadhav said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As of now, my focus in the next two months will be on CSK. I hope to win it this year and I'm looking forward to all those two months with a fit body and contribute to the best of my abilities.<br />
"I love the environment and the culture here. Last year also I was here for only a week or 10 days but I watched all the games when I was in Melbourne for surgery. But I missed so many people and the whole journey when we lifted the Cup last year," he added.</p>


India all-rounder Kedar Jadhav Wednesday said he will have to manage his bowling to remain fit during the two-month long Indian Premier League, amid concerns around players' workload ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

India all-rounder Kedar Jadhav Wednesday said he will have to manage his bowling to remain fit during the two-month long Indian Premier League, amid concerns around players' workload ahead of the upcoming World Cup. "My workload, I think, is about managing my bowling. In Chennai Super Kings, I don't think I need to bowl as much as I do in the Indian team," said Jadhav, who is expected to share the responsibility of the fifth bowler during the World Cup starting May 30. "We all are professional cricketers and we know how to manage our bodies. How you recover after every IPL game really matters during this two-month period. You can't just improve in one training session." Jadhav said it was up to individuals to handle the situation and the players need to work in tandem with the Indian team's trainers and physios as well as that of IPL franchises. "Obviously, its up to the individuals and we are smart enough to handle the situation. We will work in tandem with trainers and physios of Indian team as well as the franchisees," he said. "We have got some notes (from the Indian trainers and physios) and we have to follow them." Jadhav, who was ruled out of last year's IPL after the opening match owing to a hamstring injury, said it is every cricketer's dream to play in a World Cup, but for now his focus will be on giving his best for the Chennai outfit. "Basically every cricketer who plays for India it's a dream for him to feature in a World Cup team, and I'm no different to that," Jadhav said. "As of now, my focus in the next two months will be on CSK. I hope to win it this year and I'm looking forward to all those two months with a fit body and contribute to the best of my abilities. "I love the environment and the culture here. Last year also I was here for only a week or 10 days but I watched all the games when I was in Melbourne for surgery. But I missed so many people and the whole journey when we lifted the Cup last year," he added.

IPL 2019: My workload is all about managing my bowling, says Kedar Jadhav

<p>Young Kerala pacer Basil Thampi feels the IPL has given him the confidence to bowl at just about any batsman in the world as the tournament is more challenging for the bowlers.</p>

<p>The 25-year-old uncapped pacer will be turning up for the Sunrisers Hyderabad this year after two seasons with the now dissolved Gujarat Lions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is very challenging to bowl in the IPL because it is a batsmen's game and we all know that. We should have confidence to bowl, that is the key. So, in the last three years I got the confidence to bowl at everyone. Whenever I get the ball, I want to deliver my best," Thampi told PTI in an interaction.</p>

<p>The IPL season 12 commences on March 23.</p>

<p>Thampi is part of an impressive bowling line-up that also includes experienced swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Siddharth Kaul and left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed.</p>

<p>"This coming season I want to do well. The most important thing is if I get a chance, I want to do well for the team. From the last experience, I learnt a lot for this team," Thampi said.</p>

<p>The youngster said he will mostly stick to his stock delivery, which is the yorker.</p>

<p>"Because I have good yorkers, I guess, and I want to stick to it and, with that, some variations," the right-arm medium pacer said.</p>

<p>According to Thampi, the most important thing which he learnt from the senior pacers was how to prepare his body.</p>

<p>Thampi said he shares a good rapport with his co-pacers.</p>

<p>"We know each other. Khaleel, Sandeep and Siddharth Kaul, we have played together in India A matches. We are (always) sharing our thoughts on and off the field," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sunrisers will begin their IPL campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 24 at the Eden Gardens.</p>


Young Kerala pacer Basil Thampi feels the IPL has given him the confidence to bowl at just about any batsman in the world as the tournament is more challenging for the bowlers.

Young Kerala pacer Basil Thampi feels the IPL has given him the confidence to bowl at just about any batsman in the world as the tournament is more challenging for the bowlers. The 25-year-old uncapped pacer will be turning up for the Sunrisers Hyderabad this year after two seasons with the now dissolved Gujarat Lions. "It is very challenging to bowl in the IPL because it is a batsmen's game and we all know that. We should have confidence to bowl, that is the key. So, in the last three years I got the confidence to bowl at everyone. Whenever I get the ball, I want to deliver my best," Thampi told PTI in an interaction. The IPL season 12 commences on March 23. Thampi is part of an impressive bowling line-up that also includes experienced swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Siddharth Kaul and left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed. "This coming season I want to do well. The most important thing is if I get a chance, I want to do well for the team. From the last experience, I learnt a lot for this team," Thampi said. The youngster said he will mostly stick to his stock delivery, which is the yorker. "Because I have good yorkers, I guess, and I want to stick to it and, with that, some variations," the right-arm medium pacer said. According to Thampi, the most important thing which he learnt from the senior pacers was how to prepare his body. Thampi said he shares a good rapport with his co-pacers. "We know each other. Khaleel, Sandeep and Siddharth Kaul, we have played together in India A matches. We are (always) sharing our thoughts on and off the field," he said. Sunrisers will begin their IPL campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 24 at the Eden Gardens.

Very challenging to bowl in Indian Premier League: Sunrisers Hyderabad's Basil Thampi

<p>After Chennai, if there's one team that has made a difference in the Indian Premier League is Mumbai. Led by Rohit Sharma, Mumbai is the only team that first hit the rock bottom, and&nbsp;then have climbed the ladder and finally ended up winning the trophy.</p>

<p>With three IPL titles in their kitty, Mumbai are the most successful team in IPL history, alongside MS Dhoni's side.&nbsp;The 'Blue Jersey' were champions in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Going by history, all MI fans will fancy their chances of lifting the trophy this year.</p>

<p>With the tournament scheduled to commence from March 23, let’s take a look at the squad analysis of the team.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Strengths:</strong></p>

<p>Like every year, this tournament will also see Mumbai relying on all-rounders who can turn the game their way. &nbsp;Brothers Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Ben Cutting are the few names who can be useful with both bat and ball.</p>

<p>Another great buy that Mumbai made this year is Yuvraj Singh. though he has been out of form from a very long time but the experience he will bring to the dressing room will be invaluable.</p>

<p><strong>Weaknesses:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The team needs a regular performer at their No 3 position. &nbsp;The 2018 season saw an erratic performance from Ishan Kishan. If Mumbai want to be at the top of the table, they would want Kishan or to deliver his best right from the start of the tournament.</p>

<p>Speculations were their that Rohit might step in for the slot but he lately announced his decision of opening for the franchise this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Opportunities:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Suryakumar Yadav is the card which the side needs to play very carefully. He is one of those talents who can be used as per the need of the hour as he has proved that he is adaptable to any batting position.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2019-all-teams-and-their-squad-list-185821">IPL 2019: All teams and their squad list</a></strong></p>

<p>When the in-form Quinton De Kock joins skipper Rohit Sharma, the opening slot will be taken care of. If they want to up the net run rate, they can use Yadav in the No. 3 position and bring Ishan Kishan at no. 4. &nbsp;</p>

<p>If the openers end up being dismissed early, both Yadav and Kishan are capable enough to anchor the middle-order of the team.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Threats:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The only threat looms over Mumbai is that pace bowling unit will be led by the death-overs specialist Jasprit Bumrah, along with Mitchell McClenaghan. But there are high chances that Bumrah might be asked to rest for the latter part of the series, keeping in mind the ICC World Cup Mumbai will sweat a lot to fill his shoes.</p>

<p><strong>Teams:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Retained:</strong>&nbsp;Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Mayank Markande, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Siddhesh Lad, Aditya Tare, Quinton de Kock, Evin Lewis, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Jason Behrendorff</p>

<p><strong>Traded:</strong>&nbsp;Quinton de Kock from Bangalore.</p>

<p><strong>Purchased:</strong>&nbsp;Lasith Malinga (Rs 2 crore), Anmolpreet Singh (Rs 80 lakh), Barinder Sran (Rs 3.40 crore), Pankaj Jaiswal (Rs 20 lakh), Rasikh Salam (Rs 20 lakh), Yuvraj Singh (Rs 1 crore)</p>


After Chennai, if there's one team that has made a difference in the Indian Premier League is Mumbai. Led by Rohit Sharma, Mumbai is the only team that first hit the rock bottom, and then have climbed the ladder and finally ended up winning the trophy.

After Chennai, if there's one team that has made a difference in the Indian Premier League is Mumbai. Led by Rohit Sharma, Mumbai is the only team that first hit the rock bottom, and then have climbed the ladder and finally ended up winning the trophy. With three IPL titles in their kitty, Mumbai are the most successful team in IPL history, alongside MS Dhoni's side. The 'Blue Jersey' were champions in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Going by history, all MI fans will fancy their chances of lifting the trophy this year. With the tournament scheduled to commence from March 23, let’s take a look at the squad analysis of the team. Strengths: Like every year, this tournament will also see Mumbai relying on all-rounders who can turn the game their way. Brothers Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Ben Cutting are the few names who can be useful with both bat and ball. Another great buy that Mumbai made this year is Yuvraj Singh. though he has been out of form from a very long time but the experience he will bring to the dressing room will be invaluable. Weaknesses: The team needs a regular performer at their No 3 position. The 2018 season saw an erratic performance from Ishan Kishan. If Mumbai want to be at the top of the table, they would want Kishan or to deliver his best right from the start of the tournament. Speculations were their that Rohit might step in for the slot but he lately announced his decision of opening for the franchise this year. Opportunities: Suryakumar Yadav is the card which the side needs to play very carefully. He is one of those talents who can be used as per the need of the hour as he has proved that he is adaptable to any batting position. Also read - IPL 2019: All teams and their squad list When the in-form Quinton De Kock joins skipper Rohit Sharma, the opening slot will be taken care of. If they want to up the net run rate, they can use Yadav in the No. 3 position and bring Ishan Kishan at no. 4. If the openers end up being dismissed early, both Yadav and Kishan are capable enough to anchor the middle-order of the team. Threats: The only threat looms over Mumbai is that pace bowling unit will be led by the death-overs specialist Jasprit Bumrah, along with Mitchell McClenaghan. But there are high chances that Bumrah might be asked to rest for the latter part of the series, keeping in mind the ICC World Cup Mumbai will sweat a lot to fill his shoes. Teams: Retained: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Mayank Markande, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Siddhesh Lad, Aditya Tare, Quinton de Kock, Evin Lewis, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Jason Behrendorff Traded: Quinton de Kock from Bangalore. Purchased: Lasith Malinga (Rs 2 crore), Anmolpreet Singh (Rs 80 lakh), Barinder Sran (Rs 3.40 crore), Pankaj Jaiswal (Rs 20 lakh), Rasikh Salam (Rs 20 lakh), Yuvraj Singh (Rs 1 crore)

IPL 2019: Squad analysis of Mumbai

<p>The Indian Premier League will commence on March 23 but the frenzy has already started in Chennai's MA Chidambaram stadium. The home of the defending champions Chennai saw a packed stadium just for a practice session.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The stands were open for the fans who welcomed Chennai's players, especially captain MS Dhoni, with thunderous applause and loud cheers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the franchise' website, as many as 12000 people had come to witness the practice session.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the first game of the tournament will see Dhoni's men take on Virat Kohli-led Bangalore in Chennai.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="et">Whistle parakkum paaru! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThalaParaak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThalaParaak</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 💛🦁 <a href="https://t.co/6EeMkYT0QY">pic.twitter.com/6EeMkYT0QY</a></p>
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<p>Last year, the venue saw only one match as the side was forced to shift their home games to Pune following political protests.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite that, Chennai went on to win the tournament defeating Kane Williamson's Hyderabad in the final at Wankhede stadium.</p>


The Indian Premier League will commence on March 23 but the frenzy has already started in Chennai's MA Chidambaram stadium. The home of the defending champions Chennai saw a packed stadium just for a practice session.

The Indian Premier League will commence on March 23 but the frenzy has already started in Chennai's MA Chidambaram stadium. The home of the defending champions Chennai saw a packed stadium just for a practice session. The stands were open for the fans who welcomed Chennai's players, especially captain MS Dhoni, with thunderous applause and loud cheers. According to the franchise' website, as many as 12000 people had come to witness the practice session. Meanwhile, the first game of the tournament will see Dhoni's men take on Virat Kohli-led Bangalore in Chennai. Whistle parakkum paaru! #ThalaParaak #WhistlePodu #Yellove 💛🦁 pic.twitter.com/6EeMkYT0QY — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 17, 2019 × Last year, the venue saw only one match as the side was forced to shift their home games to Pune following political protests. Despite that, Chennai went on to win the tournament defeating Kane Williamson's Hyderabad in the final at Wankhede stadium.

Watch: MS Dhoni walks out to thunderous applause, loud cheers during Chennai's practice session

<p>"The biggest crime that I can commit is not a murder, it is actually match-fixing," <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=Dhoni">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a> has said in a soon-to-be-released documentary that focuses on Chennai Super Kings' fairy tale IPL comeback last year, following a two-year suspension for spot-fixing.</p>

<p>Dhoni led the Chennai franchise to its third IPL title in 2018, making it a dream return to the competition after the team served out a two-year ban for its management's role in the 2013 spot-fixing scandal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The team was involved, I was accused too. It was a tough phase for all of us. Fans felt that the punishment was harsh. Coming back was an emotional moment and I have always said, what doesn't kill you makes you strong," says Dhoni in the 45-second trailer of documentary 'Roar of the Lion' which will be streamed on Hotstar from March 20.</p>

<p>Dhoni had not commented on the turmoil before this.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In July 2015, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended from the cash-rich cricket league for two years for betting activities of their key officials Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra during the 2013 season. Both the officials were banned for life from being involved in any cricket matches conducted by the BCCI.</p>

<p>The punishment was handed down by a Supreme Court- appointed three-member committee headed by former CJI R M Lodha, which held that the betting activities of the two officials, Meiyappan and Kundra, then a co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, brought the game of cricket, BCCI and IPL into disrepute.</p>

<p>The 2019 edition of the IPL begins March 23 with Chennai Super Kings hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.&nbsp;</p>


"The biggest crime that I can commit is not a murder, it is actually match-fixing," Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said in a soon-to-be-released documentary that focuses on Chennai Super Kings' fairy tale IPL comeback last year, following a two-year suspension for spot-fixing.

"The biggest crime that I can commit is not a murder, it is actually match-fixing," Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said in a soon-to-be-released documentary that focuses on Chennai Super Kings' fairy tale IPL comeback last year, following a two-year suspension for spot-fixing. Dhoni led the Chennai franchise to its third IPL title in 2018, making it a dream return to the competition after the team served out a two-year ban for its management's role in the 2013 spot-fixing scandal. "The team was involved, I was accused too. It was a tough phase for all of us. Fans felt that the punishment was harsh. Coming back was an emotional moment and I have always said, what doesn't kill you makes you strong," says Dhoni in the 45-second trailer of documentary 'Roar of the Lion' which will be streamed on Hotstar from March 20. Dhoni had not commented on the turmoil before this. In July 2015, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended from the cash-rich cricket league for two years for betting activities of their key officials Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra during the 2013 season. Both the officials were banned for life from being involved in any cricket matches conducted by the BCCI. The punishment was handed down by a Supreme Court- appointed three-member committee headed by former CJI R M Lodha, which held that the betting activities of the two officials, Meiyappan and Kundra, then a co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, brought the game of cricket, BCCI and IPL into disrepute. The 2019 edition of the IPL begins March 23 with Chennai Super Kings hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.

Match-fixing bigger crime than murder, says Dhoni in soon-to-be released documentary