Ireland put up a spirted fight but India proved too strong for the home team to win the rain-hit opening T20I by seven wickets here on Sunday. Harry Tector's counter-attacking 64 not out off 33 balls took Ireland to 108 for four after the rain reduced the game to 12 overs a side.

India were always ahead of the run rate in the chase and with contributions from Ishan Kishan (26 off 11), Deepak Hooda (47 not out off 29) and skipper Hardik Pandya (24 off 12), cruised to victory in 9.2 overs.

Kishan continued his good form to get India off to a quick start. The first over of the innings went for 15 runs as Kishan collected couple of fours and a six off Joshua Little.

In a rather surprising move, Deepak Hooda came to open alongside Kishan in place of Ruturaj Gaikwad. He found his rhythm after a scratchy start and put up a match-winning 64-run stand with Hardik.

Just when it seemed Indian were running away with the contest, Craig Young got rid of Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav (0) in successive deliveries to raise hopes for his team.

Kishan's stumps were rattled in another attempt to get a full ball out of the park. Returning to the side after an injury break, Suryakumar got a beauty first up that seamed back to trap him in front of the stumps.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-was-not-a-friend-former-pak-batter-salman-butt-opens-up-on-controversial-bus-fight-with-shahid-afridi-492026">'He was not a friend': Former Pak batter Salman Butt opens up on controversial 'bus fight' with Shahid Afridi</a>

However, Hardik and Hooda kept going for their strokes and a 21-run over from Andy Mcbrine put India back in control. While Hardik departed after hitting three sixes, Hooda stayed till the end to hit the winning four. His innings comprised two sixes and half a dozen boundaries.

Earlier, India opted to bowl in overcast conditions but soon after the rain arrived, delaying the start of play by more than two hours and 20 minutes. The conditions were ripe for Bhuvneshwar Kumar to make the ball talk and he did just that in the opening over of the match.

The wily operator got the ball to swing both ways before an inswinger breached the defence of Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie. Skipper Hardik Pandya got himself into the attack in the second over and took two balls to dismiss the dangerous Paul Stirling.

After hitting the first ball over cover, Stirling went for the same shot but mistimed to be caught at mid off. Avesh Khan then had Gareth Delany caught behind in his first over to leave Ireland at 22 for three.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/alex-ferguson-of-ranji-trophy-dinesh-karthik-hails-head-coach-chandrakant-pandit-as-mp-claim-maiden-title-491994">'Alex Ferguson of Ranji Trophy': Karthik hails head coach Chandrakant Pandit as MP claim maiden title</a>

India were expected to run through the opposition but Ireland staged a spirited recovery through Tector, who went for the offensive against the Indian pacers, including debutant Umran Malik. All eyes were on the Indian pace sensation but he had a rather nervous start to his international career.

He dragged his third ball down the leg side and it raced to the boundary off Lorcan Tucker's (18 off 16) pads. Two balls later, Tector played a beautiful straight drive off a full delivery. Malik dragged the next one short but Hector was ready to pull it for a six.

Tucker smashed two successive sixes off Hardik to give further impetus to the innings. The last over of the innings yielded 17 runs and pushed the total past 100 with Tector collecting a boundary from a reverse hit off Avesh before smashing a full toss for six over deep cover.

Ireland put up a spirted fight but India proved too strong for the home team to win the rain-hit opening T20I by seven wickets here on Sunday. Harry Tector's counter-attacking 64 not out off 33 balls took Ireland to 108 for four after the rain reduced the game to 12 overs a side.

Ireland put up a spirted fight but India proved too strong for the home team to win the rain-hit opening T20I by seven wickets here on Sunday. Harry Tector's counter-attacking 64 not out off 33 balls took Ireland to 108 for four after the rain reduced the game to 12 overs a side. India were always ahead of the run rate in the chase and with contributions from Ishan Kishan (26 off 11), Deepak Hooda (47 not out off 29) and skipper Hardik Pandya (24 off 12), cruised to victory in 9.2 overs. Kishan continued his good form to get India off to a quick start. The first over of the innings went for 15 runs as Kishan collected couple of fours and a six off Joshua Little. In a rather surprising move, Deepak Hooda came to open alongside Kishan in place of Ruturaj Gaikwad. He found his rhythm after a scratchy start and put up a match-winning 64-run stand with Hardik. Just when it seemed Indian were running away with the contest, Craig Young got rid of Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav (0) in successive deliveries to raise hopes for his team. Kishan's stumps were rattled in another attempt to get a full ball out of the park. Returning to the side after an injury break, Suryakumar got a beauty first up that seamed back to trap him in front of the stumps. Also Read: 'He was not a friend': Former Pak batter Salman Butt opens up on controversial 'bus fight' with Shahid Afridi However, Hardik and Hooda kept going for their strokes and a 21-run over from Andy Mcbrine put India back in control. While Hardik departed after hitting three sixes, Hooda stayed till the end to hit the winning four. His innings comprised two sixes and half a dozen boundaries. Earlier, India opted to bowl in overcast conditions but soon after the rain arrived, delaying the start of play by more than two hours and 20 minutes. The conditions were ripe for Bhuvneshwar Kumar to make the ball talk and he did just that in the opening over of the match. The wily operator got the ball to swing both ways before an inswinger breached the defence of Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie. Skipper Hardik Pandya got himself into the attack in the second over and took two balls to dismiss the dangerous Paul Stirling. After hitting the first ball over cover, Stirling went for the same shot but mistimed to be caught at mid off. Avesh Khan then had Gareth Delany caught behind in his first over to leave Ireland at 22 for three. Also Read: 'Alex Ferguson of Ranji Trophy': Karthik hails head coach Chandrakant Pandit as MP claim maiden title India were expected to run through the opposition but Ireland staged a spirited recovery through Tector, who went for the offensive against the Indian pacers, including debutant Umran Malik. All eyes were on the Indian pace sensation but he had a rather nervous start to his international career. He dragged his third ball down the leg side and it raced to the boundary off Lorcan Tucker's (18 off 16) pads. Two balls later, Tector played a beautiful straight drive off a full delivery. Malik dragged the next one short but Hector was ready to pull it for a six. Tucker smashed two successive sixes off Hardik to give further impetus to the innings. The last over of the innings yielded 17 runs and pushed the total past 100 with Tector collecting a boundary from a reverse hit off Avesh before smashing a full toss for six over deep cover.

Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya guide India to 7-wicket win over Ireland in rain-affected 1st T20I

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was keenly awaited. The excitement for each year's edition knows no boundaries. This time around, it went a level up as the ardent cricket fans welcomed the two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the cash-rich league.

The BCCI decided to expand the league by adding two more teams with an aim to give more opportunities to youngsters, some big names who often got sidelined and&nbsp;fans plenty more to cheer for. While a nervy start was expected from both Gujarat and Lucknow in IPL 2022, the two teams have taken the 15th season by storm and have announced their arrivals with a bang. Both GT and LSG have been the giant killers of IPL 2022, surpassing some big teams and surprising many without breaking much sweat.

1) Team compositions

Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz,&nbsp;Abhinav Sadarangani, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal,&nbsp;Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, Varun Aaron, Rahul Tewatia, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Gurkeerat Singh Mann,&nbsp;Sai Sudarshan

Complete squad of Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2022

KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey, Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Mark Wood, Avesh Khan, Ankit Rajpoot,&nbsp;Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav

Looking at both squads, it is safe to say that the newbies didn't get bogged down in the two-day mega auction, held in mid-February. They came with a clear plan: to fill their squads with multi-dimensional players,&nbsp;seasoned bowlers, a mix of domestic talents and foreign players. Their smart team composition is helping them reap rewards in the IPL 2022 edition so far.

2) Newness, fresh minds, new captains

Starting from scratch often helps, especially if it is going the distance in a big-ticket T20 tournament like the IPL. Both Gujarat and Lucknow have benefitted from a fresh and positive dressing room environment created since the beginning of the 15th season. With the leadership group being expanded in Team India, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have also put their best foot forward to showcase their credentials as GT and LSG skippers, respectively.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/dewlad-brevis-to-liam-livingstone-batters-with-biggest-sixes-in-ipl-2022-so-far-471945">Dewlad Brevis to Liam Livingstone: Batters with biggest sixes in IPL 2022 so far</a>

Meanwhile, the inclusions of Ashish Nehra, Gary Kirsten (for Gujarat) and Gautam Gambhir, Andy Bichel, Andy Flower (for Lucknow) in the coaching setup have led to&nbsp;role clarity for players, keeping things simple, sticking to basics, resorting to smart and tactical matchups. The presence of such stalwarts have given enough cushion to both the young captains and their respective players.

3) Playing fearlessly, without any past baggage

Both Lucknow and Gujarat have expressed themselves freely on the field, having no past baggage. While it helped both sides to settle their nerves by locking horns with each other on debut, they have only grown from strength to strength from thereon. In addition, the two teams have gained immensely with the repeated failures of two of the most successful IPL teams; i.e. Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

GT and LSG&nbsp;in IPL 2022 (after match 31):

Gujarat playing like 'Titans'

Played - 6 
Won - 5 
Lost - 1 
NRR - 0.395&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Position - Table-toppers&nbsp;

'Super Giants' Lucknow

Played - 7 
Won - 4 
Lost - 3 
NRR - +0.124 
Position - 4th

Both sides have beaten defending champions CSK (once so far) whereas Lucknow have also beaten MI. Gujarat are yet to face MI.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-former-india-opener-names-two-franchises-who-have-lit-up-the-competition-this-year-471826">IPL 2022: Former India opener names two franchises who have 'lit up' the competition this year</a>

In IPL 2016, the then debutant and now-defunct&nbsp;Gujarat Lions (GL) had topped the points table and reached Qualifiers 2. In IPL 2017, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), in their second season, had qualified for the final and lost the coveted title by a run (to MI). While Gujarat (under a totally different owner) and Lucknow both have started well in their first-ever IPL season, the duo are here for the long run and not just to fill in for a few seasons. Thus, they will hope to go the distance courtesy the strong foundation laid down&nbsp;and build something special&nbsp;for themselves in the IPL, where the eight original franchises have already carved out their own space and identity.&nbsp;

For now, it is just the start. But the start surely has been promising. Let's see what else is in store for the two newbies as they strive hard to gain prominence, value and recognition&nbsp;in the cash-rich league.

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was keenly awaited. The excitement for each year's edition knows no boundaries. This time around, it went a level up as the ardent cricket fans welcomed the two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the cash-rich league.

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was keenly awaited. The excitement for each year's edition knows no boundaries. This time around, it went a level up as the ardent cricket fans welcomed the two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the cash-rich league. The BCCI decided to expand the league by adding two more teams with an aim to give more opportunities to youngsters, some big names who often got sidelined and fans plenty more to cheer for. While a nervy start was expected from both Gujarat and Lucknow in IPL 2022, the two teams have taken the 15th season by storm and have announced their arrivals with a bang. Both GT and LSG have been the giant killers of IPL 2022, surpassing some big teams and surprising many without breaking much sweat. 1) Team compositions Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abhinav Sadarangani, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, Varun Aaron, Rahul Tewatia, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Sai Sudarshan Complete squad of Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2022 KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey, Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Mark Wood, Avesh Khan, Ankit Rajpoot, Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav Looking at both squads, it is safe to say that the newbies didn't get bogged down in the two-day mega auction, held in mid-February. They came with a clear plan: to fill their squads with multi-dimensional players, seasoned bowlers, a mix of domestic talents and foreign players. Their smart team composition is helping them reap rewards in the IPL 2022 edition so far. 2) Newness, fresh minds, new captains Starting from scratch often helps, especially if it is going the distance in a big-ticket T20 tournament like the IPL. Both Gujarat and Lucknow have benefitted from a fresh and positive dressing room environment created since the beginning of the 15th season. With the leadership group being expanded in Team India, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have also put their best foot forward to showcase their credentials as GT and LSG skippers, respectively. ALSO READ | Dewlad Brevis to Liam Livingstone: Batters with biggest sixes in IPL 2022 so far Meanwhile, the inclusions of Ashish Nehra, Gary Kirsten (for Gujarat) and Gautam Gambhir, Andy Bichel, Andy Flower (for Lucknow) in the coaching setup have led to role clarity for players, keeping things simple, sticking to basics, resorting to smart and tactical matchups. The presence of such stalwarts have given enough cushion to both the young captains and their respective players. 3) Playing fearlessly, without any past baggage Both Lucknow and Gujarat have expressed themselves freely on the field, having no past baggage. While it helped both sides to settle their nerves by locking horns with each other on debut, they have only grown from strength to strength from thereon. In addition, the two teams have gained immensely with the repeated failures of two of the most successful IPL teams; i.e. Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). GT and LSG in IPL 2022 (after match 31): Gujarat playing like 'Titans' Played - 6 Won - 5 Lost - 1 NRR - 0.395 Position - Table-toppers 'Super Giants' Lucknow Played - 7 Won - 4 Lost - 3 NRR - +0.124 Position - 4th Both sides have beaten defending champions CSK (once so far) whereas Lucknow have also beaten MI. Gujarat are yet to face MI. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Former India opener names two franchises who have 'lit up' the competition this year In IPL 2016, the then debutant and now-defunct Gujarat Lions (GL) had topped the points table and reached Qualifiers 2. In IPL 2017, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), in their second season, had qualified for the final and lost the coveted title by a run (to MI). While Gujarat (under a totally different owner) and Lucknow both have started well in their first-ever IPL season, the duo are here for the long run and not just to fill in for a few seasons. Thus, they will hope to go the distance courtesy the strong foundation laid down and build something special for themselves in the IPL, where the eight original franchises have already carved out their own space and identity. For now, it is just the start. But the start surely has been promising. Let's see what else is in store for the two newbies as they strive hard to gain prominence, value and recognition in the cash-rich league.

How newbies Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants have been the giant-killers in IPL 2022

Match 31 of the IPL 2022 edition will see the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lock horns with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday evening (April 19).&nbsp;

Both sides are coming into this game on the back of a win in their respective last encounter. As a result, both LSG and RCB are in the top-4&nbsp;in the points table. Talking about the Lucknow franchise, the debutant side stretched Mumbai Indians' (MI) winless streak to six games by handing them a convincing 18-run defeat after riding on captain KL Rahul's ton to post 199-4 at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on Saturday (April 16).&nbsp;

After getting the better of MI, will LSG make wholesome changes to&nbsp;triumph over Faf du Plessis-led RCB? Here's predicting Lucknow's XI versus Bengaluru:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-delhi-capitals-punjab-kings-tie-shifted-from-pune-to-mumbai-after-covid-cases-in-delhi-camp-472109">IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals-Punjab Kings' tie shifted from Pune to Mumbai after Covid cases in Delhi camp</a>

Rahul and Quinton de Kock will continue to open the innings. Both have been good at the top with Rahul finally coming to his own with a century versus Mumbai. Both love playing against the RCB line-up and will come hard versus Faf &amp; Co. this time around as well. Manish Pandey made a 29-ball 38, striking at 131.03, but is yet to do justice to his credentials. With some runs under his belt, will he be retained or the management will look at Manan Vohra? Even Krishnappa Gowtham can play as a hitter at No. 3 and bowl some useful overs of off-spin.

Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya will follow suit as the trio are not only able hitters and contributors with the bat but also vital all-rounders. They will give enough cushion to Rahul even during LSG's bowling. Ayush Badoni, Jason Holder -- another all-rounder -- Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi are certainities. Sri Lanka's Dushmantha Chameera's spot might be under the scanner. The Islander has only three wickets at an economy of 9.40. Will he be persisted or replaced by Andrew Tye? LSG can also play an India seamer and go without their full quota of overseas players.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lsg-vs-rcb-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-lucknow-super-giants-vs-royal-challengers-bangalore-match-472065">LSG vs RCB, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore match?</a>

KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey/Manan Vohra, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, Dushmantha Chameera/Ankit Rajput/Andrew Tye, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

Match 31 of the IPL 2022 edition will see the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lock horns with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday evening (April 19).

Match 31 of the IPL 2022 edition will see the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lock horns with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday evening (April 19). Both sides are coming into this game on the back of a win in their respective last encounter. As a result, both LSG and RCB are in the top-4 in the points table. Talking about the Lucknow franchise, the debutant side stretched Mumbai Indians' (MI) winless streak to six games by handing them a convincing 18-run defeat after riding on captain KL Rahul's ton to post 199-4 at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on Saturday (April 16). After getting the better of MI, will LSG make wholesome changes to triumph over Faf du Plessis-led RCB? Here's predicting Lucknow's XI versus Bengaluru: ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals-Punjab Kings' tie shifted from Pune to Mumbai after Covid cases in Delhi camp Rahul and Quinton de Kock will continue to open the innings. Both have been good at the top with Rahul finally coming to his own with a century versus Mumbai. Both love playing against the RCB line-up and will come hard versus Faf & Co. this time around as well. Manish Pandey made a 29-ball 38, striking at 131.03, but is yet to do justice to his credentials. With some runs under his belt, will he be retained or the management will look at Manan Vohra? Even Krishnappa Gowtham can play as a hitter at No. 3 and bowl some useful overs of off-spin. Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya will follow suit as the trio are not only able hitters and contributors with the bat but also vital all-rounders. They will give enough cushion to Rahul even during LSG's bowling. Ayush Badoni, Jason Holder -- another all-rounder -- Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi are certainities. Sri Lanka's Dushmantha Chameera's spot might be under the scanner. The Islander has only three wickets at an economy of 9.40. Will he be persisted or replaced by Andrew Tye? LSG can also play an India seamer and go without their full quota of overseas players. ALSO READ | LSG vs RCB, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore match? KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey/Manan Vohra, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, Dushmantha Chameera/Ankit Rajput/Andrew Tye, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

Will Manish Pandey, Dushmantha Chameera retain their spots? Predicting LSG's XI for RCB face-off

Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya had a major fallout while representing Baroda in the 2020/21 domestic season. It resulted in Deepak shifting base from Baroda to Rajasthan in the 2021/22 season. However, fate had other things in mind as the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise roped in both of them in the IPL 2022 mega auction.

Deepak and Krunal's inclusion in the Lucknow franchise surely made heads turn. Since Lucknow's opening game in the ongoing 15th season, all eyes have been on their camaraderie and equation on the field. In the franchise's maiden outing, versus the Gujarat Titans (GT), both seemed to have moved on from their past fallout as they hugged each other on-field and were comfortable in each other's presence.

Dwelling on his equation with Krunal, Hooda&nbsp;told&nbsp;Dainik Jagran recently, "Krunal Pandya is like my brother, and brothers do fight. We are playing with one aim, which is to win games for LSG."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dc-vs-lsg-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-delhi-capitals-vs-lucknow-super-giants-match-469039">DC vs LSG, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants match?</a>

At present, both Deepak and Krunal have been vital cogs in the Lucknow setup. While the former has been in sensational form with the bat and has played out some important knocks in crunch situations, Krunal has been among the wickets for KL Rahul &amp; Co.&nbsp;

So far, Lucknow have won two out of three games in IPL 2022, beating defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). They face the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday evening (April 07).

Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya had a major fallout while representing Baroda in the 2020/21 domestic season. It resulted in Deepak shifting base from Baroda to Rajasthan in the 2021/22 season.

Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya had a major fallout while representing Baroda in the 2020/21 domestic season. It resulted in Deepak shifting base from Baroda to Rajasthan in the 2021/22 season. However, fate had other things in mind as the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise roped in both of them in the IPL 2022 mega auction. Deepak and Krunal's inclusion in the Lucknow franchise surely made heads turn. Since Lucknow's opening game in the ongoing 15th season, all eyes have been on their camaraderie and equation on the field. In the franchise's maiden outing, versus the Gujarat Titans (GT), both seemed to have moved on from their past fallout as they hugged each other on-field and were comfortable in each other's presence. Dwelling on his equation with Krunal, Hooda told Dainik Jagran recently, "Krunal Pandya is like my brother, and brothers do fight. We are playing with one aim, which is to win games for LSG." ALSO READ | DC vs LSG, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants match? At present, both Deepak and Krunal have been vital cogs in the Lucknow setup. While the former has been in sensational form with the bat and has played out some important knocks in crunch situations, Krunal has been among the wickets for KL Rahul & Co. So far, Lucknow have won two out of three games in IPL 2022, beating defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). They face the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday evening (April 07).

He is my brother & brothers do fight, says Deepak Hooda on his equation with Krunal Pandya

Lucknow Super Giants` all-rounder Deepak Hooda said although he played a good knock of 51 off 33 balls, he was disappointed in not being able to capitalise in the last five overs. 
 
Lucknow were in trouble at 27/3 in 4.5 overs. But Hooda played a blistering knock, laced with three fours and as many sixes to lift Lucknow to 169/7 in 20 overs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kl-rahul-scores-50th-t20-fifty-joins-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-in-elite-list-468352">KL Rahul hits 50th T20 fifty, joins Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in elite list</a> 
 
"Innings was good but was disappointed that I couldn`t do my role of capitalising in the last five overs. But happy with 170-odd. To be honest I didn`t think about Orange Cap (missed out by 17 runs)," said Hooda in a mid-innings chat with broadcasters Star Sports. 
 
Hooda stitched a crucial partnership of 87 off 62 balls with Rahul, who top-scored with 68 off 50 balls. "(We) Thought of a good total. Rahul and I were set, we were getting runs, and we wanted to cash in. Rahul told me it`s a good wicket and to give myself time and that straight-bat shots are going to prove good," stated Hooda.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-srh-skipper-kane-williamson-pulls-off-sharp-catch-to-dismiss-quinton-de-kock-watch-468340" hreflang="en">Kane Williamson pulls off sharp catch to dismiss Quinton de Kock - WATCH</a> 
 
In Hooda`s terrific knock, 26 runs came through off-side while the rest of 25 runs were hit through leg-side. Out of his 51 runs, 27 runs came through using the pace of tearaway quick Umran Malik with fours slammed through long-on, cover and point while the sixes were hit over fine leg and third man. 
 
"Self belief and self confidence are both high. I prepare myself as every day as a new game anyway. It`s a decent total, and the balls that are delivered into the wicket are skidding a little low and not coming on well," concluded Hooda.

Lucknow Super Giants` all-rounder Deepak Hooda said although he played a good knock of 51 off 33 balls, he was disappointed in not being able to capitalise in the last five overs.

Lucknow Super Giants` all-rounder Deepak Hooda said although he played a good knock of 51 off 33 balls, he was disappointed in not being able to capitalise in the last five overs. Lucknow were in trouble at 27/3 in 4.5 overs. But Hooda played a blistering knock, laced with three fours and as many sixes to lift Lucknow to 169/7 in 20 overs. Also read | KL Rahul hits 50th T20 fifty, joins Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in elite list "Innings was good but was disappointed that I couldn`t do my role of capitalising in the last five overs. But happy with 170-odd. To be honest I didn`t think about Orange Cap (missed out by 17 runs)," said Hooda in a mid-innings chat with broadcasters Star Sports. Hooda stitched a crucial partnership of 87 off 62 balls with Rahul, who top-scored with 68 off 50 balls. "(We) Thought of a good total. Rahul and I were set, we were getting runs, and we wanted to cash in. Rahul told me it`s a good wicket and to give myself time and that straight-bat shots are going to prove good," stated Hooda. Also read | Kane Williamson pulls off sharp catch to dismiss Quinton de Kock - WATCH In Hooda`s terrific knock, 26 runs came through off-side while the rest of 25 runs were hit through leg-side. Out of his 51 runs, 27 runs came through using the pace of tearaway quick Umran Malik with fours slammed through long-on, cover and point while the sixes were hit over fine leg and third man. "Self belief and self confidence are both high. I prepare myself as every day as a new game anyway. It`s a decent total, and the balls that are delivered into the wicket are skidding a little low and not coming on well," concluded Hooda.

IPL 2022: Disappointed with inability to capitalise in last five overs, says Deepak Hooda

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition saw two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). As both were eager to start off with a bang, it was a riveting contest which went down to the last over before Hardik Pandya's Gujarat emerged on top with a five-wicket win.

It was a topsy-turvy contest from the word go. Courtesy Mohammed Shami's early strikes, KL Rahul-led Lucknow were on the back foot with their big guns back in the pavillion (such as&nbsp;Rahul, Evin Lewis and Quinton de Kock) before Deepak Hooda-Ayush Badoni's fifties and Krunal Pandya's 13-ball 21* as the team posted 158-6. In reply, Gujarat rode on Matthew Wade-Hardik's knocks but were behind in the run-chase ahead of the final overs before David Miller's 30 (21) and Rahul Tewatia's match-winning 24-ball 40* propelled Gujarat to their maiden win.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-tewatia-mohammed-shami-steer-gujarat-titans-to-five-wicket-win-on-ipl-debut-466498">Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami steer Gujarat Titans to five-wicket win on IPL debut</a>

During the game, there was a heartfelt moment between Lucknow teammates Krunal and Deepak. For the unversed, both&nbsp;Hooda and Krunal were involved in a huge controversy during last&nbsp;year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament, where they were a part of Team&nbsp;Baroda. Back then,&nbsp;Hooda&nbsp;had accused his state captain Krunal of bullying him and, later, went on to&nbsp;part ways and&nbsp;quit the team. Nonetheless, it seems everything is now in the past and the duo have let bygones be bygones.

During Gujarat's chase, Hooda caught opener Shubman Gill, off Dushmantha Chameera, as the right-hander fell for a 3-ball duck. Thus, an excited Krunal came running towards Hooda and the two hugged it out in the middle:

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Krunal Pandya hugging Deepak hooda <a href="https://t.co/umWJhY0Etu">https://t.co/umWJhY0Etu</a> <a href="https://t.co/InTfczI3jn">pic.twitter.com/InTfczI3jn</a>
— Uneeb🇮🇳 (@khan_68578) <a href="https://twitter.com/khan_68578/status/1508477819709501452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-points-table-gujarat-titans-grab-fourth-spot-with-victory-over-lucknow-super-giants-466492">IPL 2022 points table: Gujarat Titans grab fourth spot with victory over Lucknow Super Giants</a>

Earlier, Krunal had even given a pat on Hooda's back after the former replaced him in the middle following the right-hander's&nbsp;dismissal during Lucknow's innings. Both of them had a good game (Krunal and Hooda also claimed a wicket each) but couldn't take their team to a winning start.

Post Lucknow's close defeat, captain&nbsp;Rahul said at the post-match presentation, "It was a phenomenal game. What a way to start the campaign. Starting off like that with the bat was not ideal but the way we recovered was phenomenal. It gives us so much confidence when the batters in the middle and lower order can do the job. We know with the Wankhede the ball can do a bit at the start and if we can get through that it will be ideal. We couldn't have started the campaign in any better way."&nbsp;

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition saw two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28).

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition saw two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). As both were eager to start off with a bang, it was a riveting contest which went down to the last over before Hardik Pandya's Gujarat emerged on top with a five-wicket win. It was a topsy-turvy contest from the word go. Courtesy Mohammed Shami's early strikes, KL Rahul-led Lucknow were on the back foot with their big guns back in the pavillion (such as Rahul, Evin Lewis and Quinton de Kock) before Deepak Hooda-Ayush Badoni's fifties and Krunal Pandya's 13-ball 21* as the team posted 158-6. In reply, Gujarat rode on Matthew Wade-Hardik's knocks but were behind in the run-chase ahead of the final overs before David Miller's 30 (21) and Rahul Tewatia's match-winning 24-ball 40* propelled Gujarat to their maiden win. ALSO READ | Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami steer Gujarat Titans to five-wicket win on IPL debut During the game, there was a heartfelt moment between Lucknow teammates Krunal and Deepak. For the unversed, both Hooda and Krunal were involved in a huge controversy during last year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament, where they were a part of Team Baroda. Back then, Hooda had accused his state captain Krunal of bullying him and, later, went on to part ways and quit the team. Nonetheless, it seems everything is now in the past and the duo have let bygones be bygones. During Gujarat's chase, Hooda caught opener Shubman Gill, off Dushmantha Chameera, as the right-hander fell for a 3-ball duck. Thus, an excited Krunal came running towards Hooda and the two hugged it out in the middle: Krunal Pandya hugging Deepak hooda https://t.co/umWJhY0Etu pic.twitter.com/InTfczI3jn — Uneeb🇮🇳 (@khan_68578) March 28, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022 points table: Gujarat Titans grab fourth spot with victory over Lucknow Super Giants Earlier, Krunal had even given a pat on Hooda's back after the former replaced him in the middle following the right-hander's dismissal during Lucknow's innings. Both of them had a good game (Krunal and Hooda also claimed a wicket each) but couldn't take their team to a winning start. Post Lucknow's close defeat, captain Rahul said at the post-match presentation, "It was a phenomenal game. What a way to start the campaign. Starting off like that with the bat was not ideal but the way we recovered was phenomenal. It gives us so much confidence when the batters in the middle and lower order can do the job. We know with the Wankhede the ball can do a bit at the start and if we can get through that it will be ideal. We couldn't have started the campaign in any better way."

IPL 2022: Krunal, Hooda hug it out during Lucknow Super Giants' face-off vs Gujarat Titans - WATCH

Match 4 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition saw two new teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other on Monday evening (March 28). As both teams were eager to start off the season with a win, it was Hardik Pandya-led GT franchise that went past the finish line, courtesy five wickets in pursuit of 159,&nbsp;in a tight contest.

There were plenty of moments in the marquee encounter, which was held at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. It saw two best friends KL Rahul and Hardik square off as captains whereas the Pandya brothers also competed against each other for the first time in IPL history. In addition, the Indian cricket fans enjoyed watching Krunal-Deepak Hooda bury their hatchet and play together in the Lucknow franchise.

In chase of a challenging 159, Hardik &amp; Co. had lost opener Shubman Gill and Vijay Shankar in a flash. However, they had their experienced duo -- Matthew Wade and captain Hardik -- in the middle at the halfway stage. Needing 87 off 60 balls, Hardik took on his elder brother Krunal on the first ball of the 11th over and paid the price; being caught at the deep for a 28-ball 33.&nbsp;

Dismissing his young brother, Krunal's reaction went viral as he didn't celebrate the wicket and hesitantly hugged his teammates. Here's the video:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/srh-vs-rr-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-sunrisers-hyderabad-vs-rajasthan-royals-match-466598">SRH vs RR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals match?</a>

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WATCH - Battle of brothers: <a href="https://twitter.com/krunalpandya24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@krunalpandya24</a> goes one up on Hardik. 
 
Full video 📽️📽️<a href="https://t.co/EWbIHmwR3p">https://t.co/EWbIHmwR3p</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GTvLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GTvLSG</a> <a href="https://t.co/xE2omUC2V2">pic.twitter.com/xE2omUC2V2</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1508495054092255233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-krunal-hooda-hug-it-out-during-lucknow-super-giants-face-off-vs-gujarat-titans-watch-466560">IPL 2022: Krunal, Hooda hug it out during Lucknow Super Giants' face-off vs Gujarat Titans - WATCH</a>

Hardik spoke about getting dismissed to his elder brother at the post-match presentation and said, "Getting out to Krunal would have pinched me more had we lost, but now the family is neutral and happy. He got me out and we won the match."

After Mohammed Shami's three-fer restricted Lucknow to 158-6, Gujarat ended the run-chase in the last over courtesy Rahul Tewatia (24 off 40 not out) and David Miller's vital knocks.

Match 4 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition saw two new teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other on Monday evening (March 28).

Match 4 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition saw two new teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other on Monday evening (March 28). As both teams were eager to start off the season with a win, it was Hardik Pandya-led GT franchise that went past the finish line, courtesy five wickets in pursuit of 159, in a tight contest. There were plenty of moments in the marquee encounter, which was held at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. It saw two best friends KL Rahul and Hardik square off as captains whereas the Pandya brothers also competed against each other for the first time in IPL history. In addition, the Indian cricket fans enjoyed watching Krunal-Deepak Hooda bury their hatchet and play together in the Lucknow franchise. In chase of a challenging 159, Hardik & Co. had lost opener Shubman Gill and Vijay Shankar in a flash. However, they had their experienced duo -- Matthew Wade and captain Hardik -- in the middle at the halfway stage. Needing 87 off 60 balls, Hardik took on his elder brother Krunal on the first ball of the 11th over and paid the price; being caught at the deep for a 28-ball 33. Dismissing his young brother, Krunal's reaction went viral as he didn't celebrate the wicket and hesitantly hugged his teammates. Here's the video: ALSO READ | SRH vs RR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals match? WATCH - Battle of brothers: @krunalpandya24 goes one up on Hardik. Full video 📽️📽️https://t.co/EWbIHmwR3p #TATAIPL #GTvLSG pic.twitter.com/xE2omUC2V2 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 28, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Krunal, Hooda hug it out during Lucknow Super Giants' face-off vs Gujarat Titans - WATCH Hardik spoke about getting dismissed to his elder brother at the post-match presentation and said, "Getting out to Krunal would have pinched me more had we lost, but now the family is neutral and happy. He got me out and we won the match." After Mohammed Shami's three-fer restricted Lucknow to 158-6, Gujarat ended the run-chase in the last over courtesy Rahul Tewatia (24 off 40 not out) and David Miller's vital knocks.

IPL 2022: Krunal refrains from celebrating brother Hardik's wicket, his reaction goes viral - WATCH

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition will see two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). After much wait, the two new sides will start their respective campaigns as the ardent IPL fans will be eager to see what they bring to the table overall.

Talking about the Lucknow franchise, they will be without some big players in the initial few games. The likes of Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers and Marcus Stoinis will not be available. On the other hand, GT isn't missing a lot of players at present. They don't have Jason Roy, who pulled out of the season citing bio-bubble concerns. Alzarri Joseph will join them in a bit. However, GT's main worry is the lack of big Indian batters in the middle. All in all, it will be interesting to see how Hardik Pandya fills in the gaps and leads in his maiden season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rohits-mi-attain-unwanted-record-after-going-down-to-dc-lose-opening-game-for-10th-time-in-a-row-466233">IPL 2022: Rohit's MI attain unwanted record after going down to DC, lose opening game for 10th time in a row</a>

Match prediction for Lucknow vs Gujarat:&nbsp;Both sides will meet each other at the Wankhede Stadium, which hosted the season-opener between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The pitch was a bit dump on that day and run-scoring became easier as the game progressed, due to the dew factor. The two new captains will be eager to bowl first and a lot will fall upon the finishers from both the camps if the match goes down the wire in a high-scoring affair.&nbsp;

Tough to predict a winner. Lucknow is slightly more powerful in batting and have all-rounders in their mix. Meanwhile, Gujarat have a challenging set of bowlers.

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition will see two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28).

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition will see two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). After much wait, the two new sides will start their respective campaigns as the ardent IPL fans will be eager to see what they bring to the table overall. Talking about the Lucknow franchise, they will be without some big players in the initial few games. The likes of Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers and Marcus Stoinis will not be available. On the other hand, GT isn't missing a lot of players at present. They don't have Jason Roy, who pulled out of the season citing bio-bubble concerns. Alzarri Joseph will join them in a bit. However, GT's main worry is the lack of big Indian batters in the middle. All in all, it will be interesting to see how Hardik Pandya fills in the gaps and leads in his maiden season. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Rohit's MI attain unwanted record after going down to DC, lose opening game for 10th time in a row Match prediction for Lucknow vs Gujarat: Both sides will meet each other at the Wankhede Stadium, which hosted the season-opener between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The pitch was a bit dump on that day and run-scoring became easier as the game progressed, due to the dew factor. The two new captains will be eager to bowl first and a lot will fall upon the finishers from both the camps if the match goes down the wire in a high-scoring affair. Tough to predict a winner. Lucknow is slightly more powerful in batting and have all-rounders in their mix. Meanwhile, Gujarat have a challenging set of bowlers.

LSG vs GT, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans match?

The IPL 2022 edition is set to commence on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Two new teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will look to challenge the eight old franchises for the coveted title.

Ahead of the commencement of the forthcoming season, there is a lot of excitement on some of the newly-formed pairs in all teams. Among them, all eyes are on how Krunal Pandya-Deepak Hooda form a lethal all-round pair for the Lucknow franchise, keeping their differences aside. For the unversed, Hooda and Krunal were involved in a huge controversy during their time at the Baroda team. Back then,&nbsp;Hooda&nbsp;had accused his state captain Krunal of bullying him. Later, he decided to part ways and&nbsp;quit the team.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-revenue-to-cross-inr-10-billion-mark-for-first-time-ever-confirms-bcci-secretary-jay-shah-464823">IPL revenue to cross INR 10-billion mark for first time ever, confirms BCCI Secretary Jay Shah</a>

Dwelling on their equation, Lucknow's mentor and former IPL-winning captain Gautam Gambhir told PTI, "Look, you don't have to be best friends off the field to perform on it. They are professionals and they know that they have a job to do. You don't have to go out for dinner every night if you are playing in the same team."

“I have not been friends with everyone in every team that I have played in. But that hasn't stopped me from giving my best when I am out there on the field. These are matured people and they know there are here to win matches for Lucknow," Gambhir added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/moeen-ali-likely-to-miss-ipl-2022-opener-3-csk-players-who-can-replace-england-all-rounder-against-kkr-464849">Moeen Ali likely to miss IPL 2022 opener: 3 CSK players who can replace England all-rounder against KKR</a>

Talking about the Lucknow team, they have plenty of match-winners such as captain KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Jason Holder, Manish Pandey, Krunal, Deepak, etc. and will like to go the distance in their first-ever IPL season. They will open their campaign versus the other debutant, Hardik Pandya-led GT franchise&nbsp;on March 28 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to commence on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Two new teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will look to challenge the eight old franchises for the coveted title.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to commence on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Two new teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will look to challenge the eight old franchises for the coveted title. Ahead of the commencement of the forthcoming season, there is a lot of excitement on some of the newly-formed pairs in all teams. Among them, all eyes are on how Krunal Pandya-Deepak Hooda form a lethal all-round pair for the Lucknow franchise, keeping their differences aside. For the unversed, Hooda and Krunal were involved in a huge controversy during their time at the Baroda team. Back then, Hooda had accused his state captain Krunal of bullying him. Later, he decided to part ways and quit the team. ALSO READ | IPL revenue to cross INR 10-billion mark for first time ever, confirms BCCI Secretary Jay Shah Dwelling on their equation, Lucknow's mentor and former IPL-winning captain Gautam Gambhir told PTI, "Look, you don't have to be best friends off the field to perform on it. They are professionals and they know that they have a job to do. You don't have to go out for dinner every night if you are playing in the same team." “I have not been friends with everyone in every team that I have played in. But that hasn't stopped me from giving my best when I am out there on the field. These are matured people and they know there are here to win matches for Lucknow," Gambhir added. ALSO READ | Moeen Ali likely to miss IPL 2022 opener: 3 CSK players who can replace England all-rounder against KKR Talking about the Lucknow team, they have plenty of match-winners such as captain KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Jason Holder, Manish Pandey, Krunal, Deepak, etc. and will like to go the distance in their first-ever IPL season. They will open their campaign versus the other debutant, Hardik Pandya-led GT franchise on March 28 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

'I've not been friends with everyone...': Lucknow mentor Gambhir on Krunal Pandya- Deepak Hooda's equation

India survived a last-over scare from Rovman Powell to secure a thrilling 8-run win in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series to take an unassailable lead of 2-0. India will be aiming for a 3-0 clean sweep when they lock horns with Kieron Pollard &amp; Co. in the third and final T20I of the series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday (February 20).

If India manage to continue their stellar winning run in the third T20I on Sunday, it will be the second successive T20I series clean sweep for the hosts, who had defeated New Zealand 3-0 at home post the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. India have been enjoying a brilliant run under captain Rohit Sharma and will be hopeful of making it three wins in a row on Sunday.

However, the hosts are set to be without Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant in the final encounter. Both Kohli and Pant were the heroes of India's victory in the second game as they slammed a half-century apiece to help the Men in Blue post a challenging total of 186 runs on the board. Kohli and Pant left the team's bio-bubble and have been given a ten-day break by the BCCI.

The duo will also miss the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka which is set to get underway from February 24. In the absence of the duo, India are likely to bring Shreyas Iyer back in the playing XI. Iyer, who is yet to feature in the ongoing T20I series, can take Kohli's no.3 spot in the batting line-up. Talented opener Ruturaj Gaikwad also might finally get a chance to break into the XI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dravid-suggested-retirement-ganguly-assured-test-spot-wriddhiman-saha-makes-explosive-revelations-454719">Dravid suggested retirement, Ganguly assured Test spot:&nbsp;Saha makes explosive revelations</a>

Gaikwad is part of the squad but is yet to get a chance in the series and he might open with captain Rohit Sharma in the 3rd T20I on Sunday. Ishan Kishan, who has had average outings as an opener in the first two games, might be asked to take Pant's spot in the middle-order and keep wickets in his absence.

All-rounder Deepak Hooda might also make his T20I debut in case India want to add another all-rounder in the XI to have extra batting and bowling depth in the final game of the series. Hooda, who impressed in the ODI series against the West Indies, is yet to play his first T20I for India.

India's predicted playing XI for 3rd T20I against West Indies:

Rohit Sharma (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India survived a last-over scare from Rovman Powell to secure a thrilling 8-run win in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series to take an unassailable lead of 2-0.

India survived a last-over scare from Rovman Powell to secure a thrilling 8-run win in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series to take an unassailable lead of 2-0. India will be aiming for a 3-0 clean sweep when they lock horns with Kieron Pollard & Co. in the third and final T20I of the series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday (February 20). If India manage to continue their stellar winning run in the third T20I on Sunday, it will be the second successive T20I series clean sweep for the hosts, who had defeated New Zealand 3-0 at home post the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. India have been enjoying a brilliant run under captain Rohit Sharma and will be hopeful of making it three wins in a row on Sunday. However, the hosts are set to be without Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant in the final encounter. Both Kohli and Pant were the heroes of India's victory in the second game as they slammed a half-century apiece to help the Men in Blue post a challenging total of 186 runs on the board. Kohli and Pant left the team's bio-bubble and have been given a ten-day break by the BCCI. The duo will also miss the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka which is set to get underway from February 24. In the absence of the duo, India are likely to bring Shreyas Iyer back in the playing XI. Iyer, who is yet to feature in the ongoing T20I series, can take Kohli's no.3 spot in the batting line-up. Talented opener Ruturaj Gaikwad also might finally get a chance to break into the XI. Also Read: Dravid suggested retirement, Ganguly assured Test spot: Saha makes explosive revelations Gaikwad is part of the squad but is yet to get a chance in the series and he might open with captain Rohit Sharma in the 3rd T20I on Sunday. Ishan Kishan, who has had average outings as an opener in the first two games, might be asked to take Pant's spot in the middle-order and keep wickets in his absence. All-rounder Deepak Hooda might also make his T20I debut in case India want to add another all-rounder in the XI to have extra batting and bowling depth in the final game of the series. Hooda, who impressed in the ODI series against the West Indies, is yet to play his first T20I for India. India's predicted playing XI for 3rd T20I against West Indies: Rohit Sharma (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer to feature? India's predicted playing XI for 3rd T20I against West Indies

All eyes were on the newly-formed IPL team, i.e. the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. Having picked KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi as their top three picks ahead of the mega auction proceedings, the Lucknow IPL team made heads turn by going all-out in buying the likes of Quinton de Kock,&nbsp;Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda on Day 1 on Saturday (February 12).

On Day 2, Lucknow mentor Gautam Gambhir named a 'steal deal' for the&nbsp;franchise which they roped in on Sunday (February 13). Lucknow bought&nbsp;former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spin-bowling all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham for INR 9 million (INR 90 lakhs). For the unversed, the MS Dhoni-led Yellow Army broke the bank for the Karnataka player in the IPL 2021 auction, buying him for INR 92.5 million (INR 9.25 crore). Hence, Gambhir called him&nbsp;a 'steal deal'.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nothing-more-dangerous-twitter-explodes-as-mi-include-jofra-archer-in-jasprit-bumrah-starrer-pace-attack-452996">Nothing more dangerous: Twitter explodes as MI include Jofra Archer in Jasprit Bumrah-starrer pace attack</a>

Speaking to official broadcaster Star Sports, on Sunday (February 13), the former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gambhir firstly shared his experience of building a squad from scratch. "I have been at the auction table before but never have a built a squad from scratch as there was always a core team around which we built the squad," he said.

Gambhir then highlighted a signing from Day 2 which&nbsp;was a steal deal, as per him, for the&nbsp;franchise. "I think getting Krishnappa Gautham for 90 lakhs was a steal deal. He went for 9.25 crore last time around. We were looking for somebody to add firepower at No. 8 and with Krunal Pandya already a part of the squad, we were very happy to buy Gowtham as well," he asserted.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-faf-du-plessis-emotional-message-for-dhonis-csk-after-joining-rcb-watch-452969">IPL 2022 mega auction: Faf du Plessis' emotional message for Dhoni's CSK after joining RCB - WATCH</a>

LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had stated after&nbsp;Day 1 of the IPL mega auction during a virtual press conference, "We are very happy with the way it's gone so far. We have got our top preferences as of now and it's gone well so far for us. We have got a great opener in Quinton, a very good all-rounder in Jason Holder. We have two quality Indian batsmen. Out of the seven people we had in the squad so far, I think there is a balance beginning to emerge. So far, it is very much on track for us."

All eyes were on the newly-formed IPL team, i.e. the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. Having picked KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi as their top three picks ahead of the mega auction proceedings, the Lucknow IPL team made heads turn by going all-out in buying the likes of Quinton de Kock, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda on Day 1 on Saturday (February 12).

All eyes were on the newly-formed IPL team, i.e. the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. Having picked KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi as their top three picks ahead of the mega auction proceedings, the Lucknow IPL team made heads turn by going all-out in buying the likes of Quinton de Kock, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda on Day 1 on Saturday (February 12). On Day 2, Lucknow mentor Gautam Gambhir named a 'steal deal' for the franchise which they roped in on Sunday (February 13). Lucknow bought former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spin-bowling all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham for INR 9 million (INR 90 lakhs). For the unversed, the MS Dhoni-led Yellow Army broke the bank for the Karnataka player in the IPL 2021 auction, buying him for INR 92.5 million (INR 9.25 crore). Hence, Gambhir called him a 'steal deal'. ALSO READ | Nothing more dangerous: Twitter explodes as MI include Jofra Archer in Jasprit Bumrah-starrer pace attack Speaking to official broadcaster Star Sports, on Sunday (February 13), the former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gambhir firstly shared his experience of building a squad from scratch. "I have been at the auction table before but never have a built a squad from scratch as there was always a core team around which we built the squad," he said. Gambhir then highlighted a signing from Day 2 which was a steal deal, as per him, for the franchise. "I think getting Krishnappa Gautham for 90 lakhs was a steal deal. He went for 9.25 crore last time around. We were looking for somebody to add firepower at No. 8 and with Krunal Pandya already a part of the squad, we were very happy to buy Gowtham as well," he asserted. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction: Faf du Plessis' emotional message for Dhoni's CSK after joining RCB - WATCH LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had stated after Day 1 of the IPL mega auction during a virtual press conference, "We are very happy with the way it's gone so far. We have got our top preferences as of now and it's gone well so far for us. We have got a great opener in Quinton, a very good all-rounder in Jason Holder. We have two quality Indian batsmen. Out of the seven people we had in the squad so far, I think there is a balance beginning to emerge. So far, it is very much on track for us."

IPL 2022 mega auction: Gautam Gambhir names ex-CSK player as 'steal deal' for Lucknow Super Giants

Debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) went bonkers on Day 1 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12) as they broke the bank to secure the signings of the likes of Jason Holder, Quinton de Kock and Deepak Hooda.

Lucknow Super Giants made their first signing at the IPL mega auction in the form of South Africa wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock for a sum of Rs&nbsp;Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million). De Kock was part of the Mumbai Indians squad last season and has been a consistent run-getter in the IPL over the years.

He is likely to open the batting with KL Rahul for the Super Giants, who fended off competition from the likes of Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings to secure the signing of the Proteas star at the mega auction. De Kock has so far played 77 matches in his IPL career and has amassed 2256 runs at a strike rate of over 130.

Lucknow Super Giants spend big on Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda&nbsp;

After securing the signing of De Kock, Lucknow were quick to move into action yet again as they went after West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder. Holder was expected to be one of the most sought-after players in the IPL 2022 mega auction and he turned out to be one as several teams joined the bidding war for him.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-beat-csk-and-dc-to-rope-in-faf-du-plessis-for-a-whopping-rs-70-million-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452582">RCB beat CSK and DC to rope in Faf du Plessis for a whopping Rs 70 million at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

The likes of Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals all joined the race for his signing before Lucknow eventually managed to get him for Rs 8.75 crore (INR 87.5 million). Lucknow also roped in Indian all-rounder Deepak Hooda after spending a whopping Rs&nbsp;Rs 5.75 crore (INR 57.5 million) on him at the mega auction.

Debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) went bonkers on Day 1 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12) as they broke the bank to secure the signings of the likes of Jason Holder, Quinton de Kock and Deepak Hooda.

Debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) went bonkers on Day 1 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12) as they broke the bank to secure the signings of the likes of Jason Holder, Quinton de Kock and Deepak Hooda. Lucknow Super Giants made their first signing at the IPL mega auction in the form of South Africa wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock for a sum of Rs Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million). De Kock was part of the Mumbai Indians squad last season and has been a consistent run-getter in the IPL over the years. He is likely to open the batting with KL Rahul for the Super Giants, who fended off competition from the likes of Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings to secure the signing of the Proteas star at the mega auction. De Kock has so far played 77 matches in his IPL career and has amassed 2256 runs at a strike rate of over 130. Lucknow Super Giants spend big on Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda After securing the signing of De Kock, Lucknow were quick to move into action yet again as they went after West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder. Holder was expected to be one of the most sought-after players in the IPL 2022 mega auction and he turned out to be one as several teams joined the bidding war for him. Also Read: RCB beat CSK and DC to rope in Faf du Plessis for a whopping Rs 70 million at IPL 2022 mega auction The likes of Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals all joined the race for his signing before Lucknow eventually managed to get him for Rs 8.75 crore (INR 87.5 million). Lucknow also roped in Indian all-rounder Deepak Hooda after spending a whopping Rs Rs 5.75 crore (INR 57.5 million) on him at the mega auction.

KL Rahul's Lucknow Super Giants spend big on Jason Holder, Quinton de Kock at IPL 2022 mega auction

India's vice-captain KL Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel have been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against West Indies. While Rahul will miss the three-match rubber after suffering a hamstring injury while fielding during the second ODI against West Indies on Wednesday, Axar is yet to recover fully from his shin injury and had also tested positive for COVID-19 recently.

The duo will be replaced by opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Deepak Hooda in India's T20 squad for the West Indies series. While Gaikwad has already made his T20I debut for the Indian team, Hooda is yet to earn his maiden cap in the shortest format of the game. Hooda had recently impressed on his ODI debut for the Men in Blue against Kieron Pollard's men.

"Rahul sustained an upper left hamstring strain during fielding in the 2nd ODI on 9th February 2022 while Axar has resumed the final stage of his rehabilitation after recently recovering from Covid-19. They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injury," said the BCCI in a statement on Friday.

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda as replacements," it added.&nbsp;

Both Gaikwad and Hooda are already part of India's ODI squad for the ongoing three-match series against West Indies and will stay with the squad for the T20Is. In the absence of Rahul, Gaikwad will be hoping to get more opportunities at the top after not getting even a single game in the ODI series.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-endures-worst-odi-series-in-9-years-as-he-bags-2-ball-duck-in-3rd-odi-against-west-indies-452428">Virat Kohli endures worst ODI series in 9 years as he bags 2-ball duck in 3rd ODI against West Indies</a>

Hooda can also be used as a finisher in the lower middle-order in the absence of the likes of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, who are both not part of the squad. Venkatesh Iyer will be Hooda's only competitor for the all-rounder's spot in the playing XI.

India's updated T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India's vice-captain KL Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel have been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against West Indies. While Rahul will miss the three-match rubber after suffering a hamstring injury while fielding during the second ODI against West Indies on Wednesday, Axar is yet to recover fully from his shin injury and had also tested positive for COVID-19 recently.

India's vice-captain KL Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel have been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against West Indies. While Rahul will miss the three-match rubber after suffering a hamstring injury while fielding during the second ODI against West Indies on Wednesday, Axar is yet to recover fully from his shin injury and had also tested positive for COVID-19 recently. The duo will be replaced by opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Deepak Hooda in India's T20 squad for the West Indies series. While Gaikwad has already made his T20I debut for the Indian team, Hooda is yet to earn his maiden cap in the shortest format of the game. Hooda had recently impressed on his ODI debut for the Men in Blue against Kieron Pollard's men. "Rahul sustained an upper left hamstring strain during fielding in the 2nd ODI on 9th February 2022 while Axar has resumed the final stage of his rehabilitation after recently recovering from Covid-19. They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injury," said the BCCI in a statement on Friday. "The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda as replacements," it added. Both Gaikwad and Hooda are already part of India's ODI squad for the ongoing three-match series against West Indies and will stay with the squad for the T20Is. In the absence of Rahul, Gaikwad will be hoping to get more opportunities at the top after not getting even a single game in the ODI series. Also Read: Virat Kohli endures worst ODI series in 9 years as he bags 2-ball duck in 3rd ODI against West Indies Hooda can also be used as a finisher in the lower middle-order in the absence of the likes of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, who are both not part of the squad. Venkatesh Iyer will be Hooda's only competitor for the all-rounder's spot in the playing XI. India's updated T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda.

KL Rahul, Axar Patel ruled out of T20I series against West Indies, replacements announced

The BCCI announced 18-member ODI and T20I squads for Team India's white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies on Wednesday (January 26). As it was reported earlier that Rohit Sharma had passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Bengaluru, Hitman has returned to the squad after missing the entire South Africa tour. Rohit was appointed as the white-ball captain in early December 2021, however, he missed leading the side in the three ODIs in South Africa due to hamstring injury. Nonetheless, he has returned as Rohit will gear up to play his first ODI series since early 2021.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, however, remained unfit and couldn't return&nbsp;to the line-up, failing to recovering from his knee injury.&nbsp;Selectors didn't include Hardik Panya as well, in any of the squads, as they aren't fully confident of his ability to deliver as an all-rounder due to fitness concerns. R Ashwin, meanwhile, is not in any squads&nbsp;for being unavailable for selection and the offie is undergoing treatment. Bhuvneshwar Kumar held onto his T20I spot&nbsp;but isn't in the scheme of things for ODIs.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-is-one-of-the-sharpest-cricket-minds-greg-chappell-heaps-praise-on-former-indian-captain-447839">MS Dhoni is one of the sharpest cricket minds: Greg Chappell heaps praise on former Indian captain</a>

In addition, there are some big updates with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being rested. Limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul will be available from the second ODI onwards whereas spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel will feature only in the T20Is.

&nbsp;

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Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami have been rested from the series. 
KL Rahul will be available from 2nd ODI onwards. 
R Jadeja is undergoing his final stage of recovery post his knee injury and will not be available for the ODIs and T20Is. 
Axar Patel will be available for the T20Is.
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1486385548063555584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The biggest talking point is the addition of some domestic and IPL star players such as Deepak Hooda and Ravi Bishnoi. Hooda, Harshal Patel are&nbsp;named in the ODI and T20I squad, respectively,&nbsp;whereas Bishnoi is part of both ODIs and T20Is. Kuldeep Yadav also makes a return to the ODI setup. Pacers Md Siraj and&nbsp;Avesh Khan&nbsp;have been backed for both the white-balls series whereas Prasidh Krishna is part of the 50-over squad.&nbsp;Nonetheless, there was no room for Himachal's star Rishi Dhawan, who has had a stellar run in the domestic circuit of late.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/good-news-for-team-india-fans-rohit-sharma-clears-fitness-test-ahead-of-west-indies-series-report-447797">Good news for Team India fans! Rohit Sharma clears fitness test ahead of West Indies series: Report</a>

India will lock horns with West Indies in three ODIs and equal number of T20Is in early February,&nbsp;starting on the 6th. The ODIs will be held in Ahmedabad and the T20Is will take place in Kolkata. The BCCI had recently revised the schedule, to not have the ODIs clash with the IPL 2022 mega auction, and also narrowed down the total venues from six to two cities due to Covid-19 crisis.

Squad for WI series:

ODI squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Capt), KL Rahul (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), D Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Y Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan

T20I squad: Rohit Sharma(Capt),KL Rahul (vc),Ishan Kishan,Virat Kohli,Shreyas Iyer,Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk),Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel

The BCCI announced 18-member ODI and T20I squads for Team India's white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies on Wednesday (January 26). As it was reported earlier that Rohit Sharma had passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Bengaluru, Hitman has returned to the squad after missing the entire South Africa tour.

The BCCI announced 18-member ODI and T20I squads for Team India's white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies on Wednesday (January 26). As it was reported earlier that Rohit Sharma had passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Bengaluru, Hitman has returned to the squad after missing the entire South Africa tour. Rohit was appointed as the white-ball captain in early December 2021, however, he missed leading the side in the three ODIs in South Africa due to hamstring injury. Nonetheless, he has returned as Rohit will gear up to play his first ODI series since early 2021. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, however, remained unfit and couldn't return to the line-up, failing to recovering from his knee injury. Selectors didn't include Hardik Panya as well, in any of the squads, as they aren't fully confident of his ability to deliver as an all-rounder due to fitness concerns. R Ashwin, meanwhile, is not in any squads for being unavailable for selection and the offie is undergoing treatment. Bhuvneshwar Kumar held onto his T20I spot but isn't in the scheme of things for ODIs. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni is one of the sharpest cricket minds: Greg Chappell heaps praise on former Indian captain In addition, there are some big updates with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being rested. Limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul will be available from the second ODI onwards whereas spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel will feature only in the T20Is. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami have been rested from the series. KL Rahul will be available from 2nd ODI onwards. R Jadeja is undergoing his final stage of recovery post his knee injury and will not be available for the ODIs and T20Is. Axar Patel will be available for the T20Is. — BCCI (@BCCI) January 26, 2022 × The biggest talking point is the addition of some domestic and IPL star players such as Deepak Hooda and Ravi Bishnoi. Hooda, Harshal Patel are named in the ODI and T20I squad, respectively, whereas Bishnoi is part of both ODIs and T20Is. Kuldeep Yadav also makes a return to the ODI setup. Pacers Md Siraj and Avesh Khan have been backed for both the white-balls series whereas Prasidh Krishna is part of the 50-over squad. Nonetheless, there was no room for Himachal's star Rishi Dhawan, who has had a stellar run in the domestic circuit of late. ALSO READ | Good news for Team India fans! Rohit Sharma clears fitness test ahead of West Indies series: Report India will lock horns with West Indies in three ODIs and equal number of T20Is in early February, starting on the 6th. The ODIs will be held in Ahmedabad and the T20Is will take place in Kolkata. The BCCI had recently revised the schedule, to not have the ODIs clash with the IPL 2022 mega auction, and also narrowed down the total venues from six to two cities due to Covid-19 crisis. Squad for WI series: ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), KL Rahul (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), D Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Y Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan T20I squad: Rohit Sharma(Capt),KL Rahul (vc),Ishan Kishan,Virat Kohli,Shreyas Iyer,Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk),Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel

BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out

Punjab Kings on Monday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign with a thumping four-run win over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda were the stars for PBKS as they smashed 91 off 50 and 62 off 28 respectively to help Punjab Kings reach a mammoth total of 221/6 in 20 overs.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings were invited to bat first and were off to a shaky start as they lost opener Mayank Agarwal early in the innings. While Chris Gayle and KL Rahul brought in the fireworks and stitched a crucial partnership, it was Deepak Hooda who stole the show with his blistering knock of 62 runs in just 28 deliveries laced with four boundaries and six 6s. <o:p></o:p>

Courtesy of some brilliant hitting by Rahul and Hooda, PBKS posted 221/6 in 20 overs.

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-riyan-parag-brings-out-right-arm-perpendicular-delivery-vs-punjab-kings-in-ipl-2021-377140" hreflang="en">Watch: Riyan Parag brings out 'right-arm perpendicular' delivery vs Punjab Kings in IPL 2021</a>

With a pitch assisting batsmen, Rajasthan Royals started the 222-run chase on a torrid note as they lost opener Ben Stokes for a three-ball duck while Manan Vohra was dismissed for 12. Jos Buttler started promisingly as he smashed Riley Meredith for four consecutive boundaries but was soon sent packing by Jhye Richardson. <o:p></o:p>

Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube stitched a mini-partnership but the latter perished after a 15-ball 23. <o:p></o:p>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chris-gayle-becomes-first-player-to-smash-350-sixes-in-ipl-history-377119" hreflang="en">Chris Gayle becomes first player to smash 350 sixes in IPL history</a>

Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag put the pressure back on Punjab Kings bowlers with some expansive shots in the middle overs as the duo took the chase deep. While Parag played a blistering knock, he was sent back to the hut by Mohammed Shami after a 11-ball 25-run knock. <o:p></o:p>

Samson played a blinder of a knock and became the first debutant captain to score a century in IPL. However, his was dismissed in the last ball of the match when RR required six runs to win. Samson ended up with 119 runs off just 63 deliveries but wasn’t enough to take his team over the winning line.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings on Monday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign with a thumping four-run win over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Punjab Kings on Monday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign with a thumping four-run win over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda were the stars for PBKS as they smashed 91 off 50 and 62 off 28 respectively to help Punjab Kings reach a mammoth total of 221/6 in 20 overs. Punjab Kings were invited to bat first and were off to a shaky start as they lost opener Mayank Agarwal early in the innings. While Chris Gayle and KL Rahul brought in the fireworks and stitched a crucial partnership, it was Deepak Hooda who stole the show with his blistering knock of 62 runs in just 28 deliveries laced with four boundaries and six 6s. Courtesy of some brilliant hitting by Rahul and Hooda, PBKS posted 221/6 in 20 overs. TRENDING: Watch: Riyan Parag brings out 'right-arm perpendicular' delivery vs Punjab Kings in IPL 2021 With a pitch assisting batsmen, Rajasthan Royals started the 222-run chase on a torrid note as they lost opener Ben Stokes for a three-ball duck while Manan Vohra was dismissed for 12. Jos Buttler started promisingly as he smashed Riley Meredith for four consecutive boundaries but was soon sent packing by Jhye Richardson. Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube stitched a mini-partnership but the latter perished after a 15-ball 23. ALSO READ: Chris Gayle becomes first player to smash 350 sixes in IPL history Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag put the pressure back on Punjab Kings bowlers with some expansive shots in the middle overs as the duo took the chase deep. While Parag played a blistering knock, he was sent back to the hut by Mohammed Shami after a 11-ball 25-run knock. Samson played a blinder of a knock and became the first debutant captain to score a century in IPL. However, his was dismissed in the last ball of the match when RR required six runs to win. Samson ended up with 119 runs off just 63 deliveries but wasn’t enough to take his team over the winning line.

Sanju Samson's century in vain as KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda steer Punjab Kings to thrilling win

MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday.

The two top teams&nbsp;will lock horns as Chennai&nbsp;host Hyderabad and fight to book a berth in the play-offs of IPL 2018.

Although, Hyderabad have already qualified in the play-off but team Chennai is just one win away from solidifying the place in the top four.

For Chennai there is just one change, Deepak Chahar comes in for Karn Sharma.

For Hyderabad, Deepak Hooda has been included in the squad as Yusuf Pathan is facing some health issues.

Playing XI:

Chennai: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Sam Billings, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, David Willey, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur

Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

The two top teams will lock horns as Chennai host Hyderabad and fight to book a berth in the play-offs of IPL 2018

MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday. The two top teams will lock horns as Chennai host Hyderabad and fight to book a berth in the play-offs of IPL 2018. Although, Hyderabad have already qualified in the play-off but team Chennai is just one win away from solidifying the place in the top four. For Chennai there is just one change, Deepak Chahar comes in for Karn Sharma. For Hyderabad, Deepak Hooda has been included in the squad as Yusuf Pathan is facing some health issues. Playing XI: Chennai: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Sam Billings, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, David Willey, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni opts to bowl against Hyderabad

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