The memorable 2011 ODI World Cup triumph is one of the greatest moments in the history of Indian cricket. MS Dhoni-led India had defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in a thrilling final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to bring an end to a 28-year-long drought for India's second ODI World Cup trophy.

In the final, India chased down the target of 276 runs with the help of two exceptional knocks from Gautam Gambhir and skipper Dhoni. While Gambhir set the stage for India's win with a stunning 97 off 122 balls, Dhoni slammed an unbeaten 91 off 79 balls to bag the Man of the Match award in the memorable summit clash.

Besides his unbeaten 91, Dhoni's iconic six to finish off the run chase against Sri Lanka in the final is etched in the memories of every Indian cricket fan. The former India captain has often been lauded by many for his exceptional leadership and amazing knock in the final which helped India win the 2011 ODI World Cup.

However, Dhoni getting praised for India's World Cup win hasn't gone down well with several former cricketers who were part of the World Cup-winning side. Recently, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh questioned Dhoni getting all the credit for India's 2011 World Cup triumph and asked if the other ten players were there just to 'drink lassi'.

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It all started when former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif pointed out how Delhi Capitals had played their first-ever IPL final under now-KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer in 2020. Harbhajan didn't quite agree with Kaif's comments and asked - “Were the rest of the players playing gulli-danda?" before he went on to bring up the example of Dhoni getting credit for India's 2011 World Cup victory.

“When Australia wins the World Cup, the headlines are: ‘Australia won the World Cup’. When India won the World Cup at that time, everyone said, ‘MS Dhoni won the World Cup. Toh baaki ke 10 waha lassi peene gaye the (Were the remaining ten drinking lassi there)? What did the other 10 players do? What did Gautam Gambhir do?" -&nbsp;Harbhajan said.

"It’s a team game. When 7-8 players play well only then only your team will progress," the former India spinner added.

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Bhajji on ... But no hate for MS <a href="https://t.co/4tXxc90lt6">pic.twitter.com/4tXxc90lt6</a>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-learned-a-lot-from-ms-dhoni-he-is-fantastic-rcb-skipper-faf-du-plessis-lauds-chennais-thala-470517">Have learned a lot from MS Dhoni, he is fantastic: RCB skipper Faf du Plessis lauds Chennai's 'Thala'</a>

The playing XI that played the final of the 2011 World Cup never played together again for the Indian team. Only Dhoni, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Suresh Raina from the 2011 World Cup squad were part of the team's World Cup squad in 2015. India had reached the semi-finals at the 2015 ODI World Cup where they lost against Australia to bow out of the tournament.

Dhoni, who led India to memorable triumphs at the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, remains the only captain to have won all three major limited-over ICC trophies as a skipper.

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The memorable 2011 ODI World Cup triumph is one of the greatest moments in the history of Indian cricket. MS Dhoni-led India had defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in a thrilling final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to bring an end to a 28-year-long drought for India's second ODI World Cup trophy.

The memorable 2011 ODI World Cup triumph is one of the greatest moments in the history of Indian cricket. MS Dhoni-led India had defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in a thrilling final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to bring an end to a 28-year-long drought for India's second ODI World Cup trophy. In the final, India chased down the target of 276 runs with the help of two exceptional knocks from Gautam Gambhir and skipper Dhoni. While Gambhir set the stage for India's win with a stunning 97 off 122 balls, Dhoni slammed an unbeaten 91 off 79 balls to bag the Man of the Match award in the memorable summit clash. Besides his unbeaten 91, Dhoni's iconic six to finish off the run chase against Sri Lanka in the final is etched in the memories of every Indian cricket fan. The former India captain has often been lauded by many for his exceptional leadership and amazing knock in the final which helped India win the 2011 ODI World Cup. However, Dhoni getting praised for India's World Cup win hasn't gone down well with several former cricketers who were part of the World Cup-winning side. Recently, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh questioned Dhoni getting all the credit for India's 2011 World Cup triumph and asked if the other ten players were there just to 'drink lassi'. Also Read: Sanjay Manjrekar lauds Shivam Dube, compares him with Yuvraj after stunning knock against RCB It all started when former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif pointed out how Delhi Capitals had played their first-ever IPL final under now-KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer in 2020. Harbhajan didn't quite agree with Kaif's comments and asked - “Were the rest of the players playing gulli-danda?" before he went on to bring up the example of Dhoni getting credit for India's 2011 World Cup victory. “When Australia wins the World Cup, the headlines are: ‘Australia won the World Cup’. When India won the World Cup at that time, everyone said, ‘MS Dhoni won the World Cup. Toh baaki ke 10 waha lassi peene gaye the (Were the remaining ten drinking lassi there)? What did the other 10 players do? What did Gautam Gambhir do?" - Harbhajan said. "It’s a team game. When 7-8 players play well only then only your team will progress," the former India spinner added. Watch video: Bhajji on ... But no hate for MS pic.twitter.com/4tXxc90lt6 — Arghya Dey (@91_arghya) April 11, 2022 × Also Read: Have learned a lot from MS Dhoni, he is fantastic: RCB skipper Faf du Plessis lauds Chennai's 'Thala' The playing XI that played the final of the 2011 World Cup never played together again for the Indian team. Only Dhoni, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Suresh Raina from the 2011 World Cup squad were part of the team's World Cup squad in 2015. India had reached the semi-finals at the 2015 ODI World Cup where they lost against Australia to bow out of the tournament. Dhoni, who led India to memorable triumphs at the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, remains the only captain to have won all three major limited-over ICC trophies as a skipper.

'Remaining 10 were having lassi?': Harbhajan Singh on MS Dhoni getting credit for India's 2011 World Cup win

Irfan Pathan had announced his arrival at international cricket with a bang. He made a mark with his swing, pace and yorkers during India's memorable 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in Australia, and was also a part of India's historic tour of Pakistan in early 2004.&nbsp;

During the tour, Pathan kept shining with the ball in key situations and also showed a glimpse of what was in store from him as a power-hitter. While his tour was memorable, playing a part in Sourav Ganguly-led India's 3-2 ODI series triumph and and a 2-1&nbsp;win in Tests, he had an embarrassing moment with none other than Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar.&nbsp;

In his interaction with Vikram Sathaye on What the Duck, Pathan revealed the entire incident; leaving the host in splits.&nbsp;

He revealed, "I was in Pakistan. It was my second trip since I arrived. My plate was full of chicken biryani and nihari. At that time, there was an incident with Sachin Tendulkar. He walked in and saw my plate and sarcastically asked me 'Irfan, we are batting, right?' (although he knew we were to bowl first). Then he looked at my plate and casually said, "Oh, we are bowling? Okay" and quietly walked away (laughs).&nbsp;After that&nbsp;incident, I never used to sit and eat near him."

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/srt-would-change-strategy-ex-pak-cricketer-mentions-difference-between-virat-kohli-master-blaster-470547https://www.wionews.com/sports/srt-would-change-strategy-ex-pak-cricketer-mentions-difference-between-virat-kohli-master-blaster-470547">SRT would change strategy: Ex-Pak cricketer mentions difference between Virat Kohli, Master Blaster</a>

The former all-rounder ended the Pakistan tour with 20 wickets, 8 in ODIs (India's highest wicket-taker), and 12 in whites (second-most overall).

Pathan retired from international cricket in early 2019, claiming 301 wickets overall along with 11 fifties and a Test century.

Irfan Pathan had announced his arrival at international cricket with a bang. He made a mark with his swing, pace and yorkers during India's memorable 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in Australia, and was also a part of India's historic tour of Pakistan in early 2004.

Irfan Pathan had announced his arrival at international cricket with a bang. He made a mark with his swing, pace and yorkers during India's memorable 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in Australia, and was also a part of India's historic tour of Pakistan in early 2004. During the tour, Pathan kept shining with the ball in key situations and also showed a glimpse of what was in store from him as a power-hitter. While his tour was memorable, playing a part in Sourav Ganguly-led India's 3-2 ODI series triumph and and a 2-1 win in Tests, he had an embarrassing moment with none other than Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. In his interaction with Vikram Sathaye on What the Duck, Pathan revealed the entire incident; leaving the host in splits. He revealed, "I was in Pakistan. It was my second trip since I arrived. My plate was full of chicken biryani and nihari. At that time, there was an incident with Sachin Tendulkar. He walked in and saw my plate and sarcastically asked me 'Irfan, we are batting, right?' (although he knew we were to bowl first). Then he looked at my plate and casually said, "Oh, we are bowling? Okay" and quietly walked away (laughs). After that incident, I never used to sit and eat near him." × ALSO READ | SRT would change strategy: Ex-Pak cricketer mentions difference between Virat Kohli, Master Blaster The former all-rounder ended the Pakistan tour with 20 wickets, 8 in ODIs (India's highest wicket-taker), and 12 in whites (second-most overall). Pathan retired from international cricket in early 2019, claiming 301 wickets overall along with 11 fifties and a Test century.

Throwback! 'My plate was full': When Irfan Pathan was left embarrassed in front of Sachin Tendulkar

Virat Kohli has dominated world cricket, especially since India's 2011 ODI World Cup win and following stalwart Sachin Tendulkar's international retirement. Kohli has been India's go-to-man whenever they need to address a batting collapse, across formats, and has bailed the team out on numerous occasions with fighting knocks, finishing touches and several memorable tons.

From 2012-2019, Kohli majorly dominated the scoring charts and has guided India to plethora of wins. However, the superstar cricketer and former Indian captain has been nothing close to his usual best with the bat -- in any formats -- since late 2019 despite scoring half-centuries at regular intervals. It is the triple-figure knocks which have evaded Kohli and, thus, former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif addressed the Indian's indifferent run and also mentioned a technical flaw in his approach while comparing him with the Master Blaster.

“When I speak about Virat, he always used to go across the stumps. But he never believed in date, stats, coaching. He is a great player but got caught. A bottom-hand player who goes across, he got caught there. That is why when the ball goes away, he would have a problem,” Latif said on his YouTube channel ‘Caught Behind’.

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“Recently, Sri Lanka came to India for a Test series. The ball was kept low. On such low pitches, Sachin would never get out, whereas Virat did. Tendulkar would change his strategy. He would come inside the crease if it’s spinning too much, and vice-versa. Sachin has had this problem a few times – like Asif dismissed him in Karachi (2006), but most often he would adjust. So this is the difference if I have to compare (Kohli and Tendulkar). On poor pitches, there is no batsman better than Sachin," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-share-heartwarming-video-of-catchups-as-virat-kohli-ravindra-jadeja-du-plessis-co-reunite-watch-470475">CSK share heartwarming video of 'catchups' as Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Du Plessis &amp; Co. reunite - WATCH</a>

Currently, Kohli is involved in IPL 2022 edition, where he his representing his franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He gave up RCB captaincy last year and will like to make this a memorable season with the bat with several big scores.

So far, RCB have three wins from four encounters and occupy the third spot in the points table.
</section>

Virat Kohli has dominated world cricket, especially since India's 2011 ODI World Cup win and following stalwart Sachin Tendulkar's international retirement. Kohli has been India's go-to-man whenever they need to address a batting collapse, across formats, and has bailed the team out on numerous occasions with fighting knocks, finishing touches and several memorable tons.

Virat Kohli has dominated world cricket, especially since India's 2011 ODI World Cup win and following stalwart Sachin Tendulkar's international retirement. Kohli has been India's go-to-man whenever they need to address a batting collapse, across formats, and has bailed the team out on numerous occasions with fighting knocks, finishing touches and several memorable tons. From 2012-2019, Kohli majorly dominated the scoring charts and has guided India to plethora of wins. However, the superstar cricketer and former Indian captain has been nothing close to his usual best with the bat -- in any formats -- since late 2019 despite scoring half-centuries at regular intervals. It is the triple-figure knocks which have evaded Kohli and, thus, former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif addressed the Indian's indifferent run and also mentioned a technical flaw in his approach while comparing him with the Master Blaster. “When I speak about Virat, he always used to go across the stumps. But he never believed in date, stats, coaching. He is a great player but got caught. A bottom-hand player who goes across, he got caught there. That is why when the ball goes away, he would have a problem,” Latif said on his YouTube channel ‘Caught Behind’. “Recently, Sri Lanka came to India for a Test series. The ball was kept low. On such low pitches, Sachin would never get out, whereas Virat did. Tendulkar would change his strategy. He would come inside the crease if it’s spinning too much, and vice-versa. Sachin has had this problem a few times – like Asif dismissed him in Karachi (2006), but most often he would adjust. So this is the difference if I have to compare (Kohli and Tendulkar). On poor pitches, there is no batsman better than Sachin," he added. ALSO READ | CSK share heartwarming video of 'catchups' as Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Du Plessis & Co. reunite - WATCH Currently, Kohli is involved in IPL 2022 edition, where he his representing his franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He gave up RCB captaincy last year and will like to make this a memorable season with the bat with several big scores. So far, RCB have three wins from four encounters and occupy the third spot in the points table.

SRT would change strategy: Ex-Pak cricketer mentions difference between Virat Kohli, Master Blaster

The BCCI Apex Council will review the probe committee's report concerning India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, who had accused journalist Boria Majumdar of intimidating him, at its meeting on April 23.

The BCCI had formed a three-member panel comprising vice-president Rajeev Shukla, treasurer Arun Dhumal and Apex Council member Prabhtej Bhatia to probe Saha's allegation.

The 37-year-old India discard appeared before the Committee last month and so did the accused journalist Majumdar and presented their respective versions. Saha had alleged that Majumdar intimidated him for not giving him an interview.

BCCI is expected to close the matter at the Apex Council meeting.

"Review of the Committee report on issue concerning Mr Wriddhiman Saha," read item no.4 on the meeting agenda which is in PTI's possession.

Majumdar on his part had claimed that Saha had "doctored" the WhatsApp screenshots of the chats he had with him before putting it on social media, triggering a massive controversy.

A centrally-contracted player, Saha had posted a series of tweets on February 23 against the then unnamed journalist, who happened to be Majumdar.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/journalist-boria-majumdar-accuses-wriddhiman-saha-of-doctoring-chats-says-will-serve-defamation-notice-459488">&nbsp;Boria Majumdar accuses Wriddhiman Saha of doctoring chats, says will serve defamation notice</a>

Saha was told by head coach Rahul Dravid in South Africa that he was no longer in the scheme of things and this classified information was revealed by the cricketer himself.

Saha has played 40 Tests since making his debut in 2010 and for the last few years he was in the team as the reserve wicketkeeper with Rishabh Pant rising to become the number one choice in all conditions.

Other items in seven-point meeting agenda include "hosting fee and participation fee for multi-day tournaments and resolution for updating of bank signatories".

The members are also expected to finalise the venues for the knock-out stages of Ranji Tophy which will be held post the Indian Premier League from May 30 to June 26.

The league phase of the tournament was held in February-March after a two year gap due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The BCCI Apex Council will review the probe committee's report concerning India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, who had accused journalist Boria Majumdar of intimidating him, at its meeting on April 23.

The BCCI Apex Council will review the probe committee's report concerning India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, who had accused journalist Boria Majumdar of intimidating him, at its meeting on April 23. The BCCI had formed a three-member panel comprising vice-president Rajeev Shukla, treasurer Arun Dhumal and Apex Council member Prabhtej Bhatia to probe Saha's allegation. The 37-year-old India discard appeared before the Committee last month and so did the accused journalist Majumdar and presented their respective versions. Saha had alleged that Majumdar intimidated him for not giving him an interview. BCCI is expected to close the matter at the Apex Council meeting. "Review of the Committee report on issue concerning Mr Wriddhiman Saha," read item no.4 on the meeting agenda which is in PTI's possession. Majumdar on his part had claimed that Saha had "doctored" the WhatsApp screenshots of the chats he had with him before putting it on social media, triggering a massive controversy. A centrally-contracted player, Saha had posted a series of tweets on February 23 against the then unnamed journalist, who happened to be Majumdar. Also Read: Boria Majumdar accuses Wriddhiman Saha of doctoring chats, says will serve defamation notice Saha was told by head coach Rahul Dravid in South Africa that he was no longer in the scheme of things and this classified information was revealed by the cricketer himself. Saha has played 40 Tests since making his debut in 2010 and for the last few years he was in the team as the reserve wicketkeeper with Rishabh Pant rising to become the number one choice in all conditions. Other items in seven-point meeting agenda include "hosting fee and participation fee for multi-day tournaments and resolution for updating of bank signatories". The members are also expected to finalise the venues for the knock-out stages of Ranji Tophy which will be held post the Indian Premier League from May 30 to June 26. The league phase of the tournament was held in February-March after a two year gap due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BCCI Apex Council to review probe committee's report on allegations made by Wriddhiman Saha

MS Dhoni's love for football is a secret to none. Dhoni wanted to be a goalkeeper in football before trying his hands at wicket-keeping in cricket. He went on to become one of the most successful wicket-keeper batters in the world and enjoyed tremendous success in his illustrious international career for the Indian cricket team.

Dhoni, who captained India to numerous memorable triumphs, retired from international cricket in 2020 but continues to ply his trade for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhoni has also given up captaincy at CSK and continues to play only as a wicket-keeper batter.&nbsp;

On Saturday, Dhoni was seen enjoying some football ahead of CSK's clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL 2022. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who has been on commentary duties during the ongoing season, revealed an interesting anecdote regarding Dhoni's love for football.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rcb-pacer-harshal-patel-leaves-bio-bubble-after-demise-of-his-family-member-469925">RCB pacer Harshal Patel leaves team's bio-bubble after demise of his family member</a>

Shastri, who served as India's full-time head coach from 2017 to 2021, revealed how he once yelled at Dhoni like never before to stop his game of football before Team India's final against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Shastri said there was dew before the game and he didn't want Dhoni to pick up an injury ahead of the all-important game.

“He loves football. It scares, the intensity he plays, you from the outside, you hope he doesn’t get injured. I remember before the Asia Cup final, there was dew, he went skidding five minutes before the toss," said Shastri on Star Sports.

“I’ve never yelled like that in my life, I said stop the game! Something like that. You don’t want to lose your main player in a game against Pakistan, because five minutes later was the toss. But, to get him out, leave the football, impossible," he added.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-delhi-capitals-shardul-thakur-completes-incredible-catch-to-dismiss-kkrs-ajinkya-rahane-watch-469989">Delhi Capitals' Shardul Thakur completes incredible catch to dismiss KKR's Ajinkya Rahane - WATCH</a>

After struggling with the bat in the last couple of seasons in the IPL, Dhoni got off to a great start in the ongoing IPL 2022 with a half-century in CSK's opening clash against Kolkata Knight Riders. However, he has since struggled to fire and has managed only 42 runs in his last three games.

CSK are yet to get off the mark in IPL 2022 as they have lost their first four matches in a row this season under their new captain Ravindra Jadeja.

MS Dhoni's love for football is a secret to none. Dhoni wanted to be a goalkeeper in football before trying his hands at wicket-keeping in cricket. He went on to become one of the most successful wicket-keeper batters in the world and enjoyed tremendous success in his illustrious international career for the Indian cricket team.

MS Dhoni's love for football is a secret to none. Dhoni wanted to be a goalkeeper in football before trying his hands at wicket-keeping in cricket. He went on to become one of the most successful wicket-keeper batters in the world and enjoyed tremendous success in his illustrious international career for the Indian cricket team. Dhoni, who captained India to numerous memorable triumphs, retired from international cricket in 2020 but continues to ply his trade for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhoni has also given up captaincy at CSK and continues to play only as a wicket-keeper batter. On Saturday, Dhoni was seen enjoying some football ahead of CSK's clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL 2022. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who has been on commentary duties during the ongoing season, revealed an interesting anecdote regarding Dhoni's love for football. Also Read: RCB pacer Harshal Patel leaves team's bio-bubble after demise of his family member Shastri, who served as India's full-time head coach from 2017 to 2021, revealed how he once yelled at Dhoni like never before to stop his game of football before Team India's final against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Shastri said there was dew before the game and he didn't want Dhoni to pick up an injury ahead of the all-important game. “He loves football. It scares, the intensity he plays, you from the outside, you hope he doesn’t get injured. I remember before the Asia Cup final, there was dew, he went skidding five minutes before the toss," said Shastri on Star Sports. “I’ve never yelled like that in my life, I said stop the game! Something like that. You don’t want to lose your main player in a game against Pakistan, because five minutes later was the toss. But, to get him out, leave the football, impossible," he added. Also Read: Delhi Capitals' Shardul Thakur completes incredible catch to dismiss KKR's Ajinkya Rahane - WATCH After struggling with the bat in the last couple of seasons in the IPL, Dhoni got off to a great start in the ongoing IPL 2022 with a half-century in CSK's opening clash against Kolkata Knight Riders. However, he has since struggled to fire and has managed only 42 runs in his last three games. CSK are yet to get off the mark in IPL 2022 as they have lost their first four matches in a row this season under their new captain Ravindra Jadeja.

'I’ve never yelled like that': When Ravi Shastri scolded MS Dhoni for playing football before Asia Cup final

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has backed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Dinesh Karthik to make his comeback to the Indian team as a finisher for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 after the veteran batter's heroics in the ongoing IPL 2022. Karthik has been brilliant so far for RCB in the finisher's role and has been enjoying great form.

Karthik, who was roped in by RCB at the IPL 2022 mega auction in February this year, played a sensational knock of unbeaten 44 runs off just 23 balls to help RCB beat Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling run chase on Tuesday. Karthik came out to bat at number seven when RCB were 87/5 in the 170-run chase.

He went after the bowlers right from the start of his innings to turn the game in his side's favour and take them over the line comfortably. Shastri, who was left impressed by Karthik's heroics in the run-chase against Rajasthan Royals, has backed the veteran wicket-keeper batter to find a spot in India's squad for T20 World Cup 2022 which will be staged in Australia later this year.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-correct-to-say-there-were-differences-between-virat-kohli-anil-kumble-says-ex-coa-chief-vinod-rai-469460">Not correct to say there were differences between Virat Kohli, Anil Kumble, says ex-CoA chief Vinod Rai</a>

"With the amount of cricket being played and with the injuries that can take place, if you have a good IPL season which I feel he is right in thinking in that fashion. He has started off really hot and if he has a crackerjack of a season, surely he will be in that mix," Shastri said on ESPN Cricinfo.

"He has got the experience, he has got all the shots...there is no Dhoni in the side now so you are looking at a finisher as well. But you also have to see how many keepers you want - there's Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant and now there's Karthik. And if there's an injury there, then he comes in automatically," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dinesh-karthik-ahead-of-rishabh-pant-shaun-pollock-makes-bold-claim-regarding-rcb-stars-t20-wc-chances-468903">Karthik ahead of&nbsp;Pant? Shaun Pollock makes bold claim regarding RCB star's T20 WC chances</a>

Karthik, who had taken up commentary during the T20 World Cup 2021 last year, has been sensational with the bat for RCB in IPL 2022 and has been making heads turn with his performances for the Faf du Plessis-led side. Karthik has so far notched up 90 runs in three matches for his team and has been unbeaten twice this season.

The 36-year-old last played for India in the 2019 ODI World Cup where India lost against New Zealand in the semi-final to bow out of the tournament.

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Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has backed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Dinesh Karthik to make his comeback to the Indian team as a finisher for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 after the veteran batter's heroics in the ongoing IPL 2022.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has backed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Dinesh Karthik to make his comeback to the Indian team as a finisher for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 after the veteran batter's heroics in the ongoing IPL 2022. Karthik has been brilliant so far for RCB in the finisher's role and has been enjoying great form. Karthik, who was roped in by RCB at the IPL 2022 mega auction in February this year, played a sensational knock of unbeaten 44 runs off just 23 balls to help RCB beat Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling run chase on Tuesday. Karthik came out to bat at number seven when RCB were 87/5 in the 170-run chase. He went after the bowlers right from the start of his innings to turn the game in his side's favour and take them over the line comfortably. Shastri, who was left impressed by Karthik's heroics in the run-chase against Rajasthan Royals, has backed the veteran wicket-keeper batter to find a spot in India's squad for T20 World Cup 2022 which will be staged in Australia later this year. Also Read: Not correct to say there were differences between Virat Kohli, Anil Kumble, says ex-CoA chief Vinod Rai "With the amount of cricket being played and with the injuries that can take place, if you have a good IPL season which I feel he is right in thinking in that fashion. He has started off really hot and if he has a crackerjack of a season, surely he will be in that mix," Shastri said on ESPN Cricinfo. "He has got the experience, he has got all the shots...there is no Dhoni in the side now so you are looking at a finisher as well. But you also have to see how many keepers you want - there's Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant and now there's Karthik. And if there's an injury there, then he comes in automatically," he added. Also Read: Karthik ahead of Pant? Shaun Pollock makes bold claim regarding RCB star's T20 WC chances Karthik, who had taken up commentary during the T20 World Cup 2021 last year, has been sensational with the bat for RCB in IPL 2022 and has been making heads turn with his performances for the Faf du Plessis-led side. Karthik has so far notched up 90 runs in three matches for his team and has been unbeaten twice this season. The 36-year-old last played for India in the 2019 ODI World Cup where India lost against New Zealand in the semi-final to bow out of the tournament.

'There is no MS Dhoni now': Ravi Shastri backs RCB star to return as a finisher in India's T20 WC 2022 squad

Anil Kumble has served Indian cricket with distinction. The wily leg-spinner not only returned with a plethora of wickets for Team India (956 scalps overall) but also bowled plenty of decisive and economical spells across formats, along with scoring some handy runs down the order.

In early 2016, Kumble became India's head coach for a year with skipper Virat Kohli at the helm. Despite success on the field, Kumble and Kohli's were reportedly the best as the latter's feedback on the former Indian captain led to his exit from the top post. Since then, a lot has been said and written about the strained relationship between Kohli-Kumble. Former BCCI CoA head Vinod Rai has now once again opened up on the whole saga and made a big claim that there were no such 'differences' between the two superstar cricketers.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-virat-kohli-raised-issue-i-spoke-to-sachin-tendulkar-vinod-rai-recalls-anil-kumbles-coaching-stint-469417">When Virat Kohli raised issue, I spoke to Sachin Tendulkar: Vinod Rai recalls Anil Kumble's coaching stint</a>

"This is not correct to say that there were differences between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble. There were no differences between them. I have only written that when the time came to renew Anil Kumble's contract, we consulted the team and then Virat said that the junior members of the team feel intimidated by Anil Kumble because of his discipline. There was nothing like the difference between Kumble and Kohli. Neither I had any such information nor I have written, " said Vinod Rai while in conversation with news agency ANI.

"The board did try to convince Virat Kohli but the selection of coach is done by Cricket's Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman only selected Anil Kumble as coach earlier. I wrote this thing in the book when CAC was selecting the coach that you people should speak to the team and the coach because we were outsiders. If senior players like Sachin, Sourav and VVS speak to the players then the impact is different and if we speak, then it will not be that effective. So, these three spoke to the captain and the coach, " explained Vinod.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/younger-members-of-the-team-felt-intimidated-by-anil-kumble-vinod-rai-reveals-chat-with-virat-kohi-468541">Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli</a>

He further added, "There is no doubt that Kumble was a good coach we could not have got a better coach than Anil Kumble and that is why, Kumble was selected. The only misfortune was that Kumble got a contract for only one year and I just said that CAC also reappointed to select Anil Kumble but the Kumble-Kohli issue had absolutely no issues. Nothing of this sort came to our notice. I have written in the book that this thing came to our notice in April and we took charge on 30th January. So, we did not get the chance to see it in the space of two months."

At present, both have moved on from the forgettable episode. While Kumble is the head coach of IPL franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kohli's India captaincy era got over officially in early 2022. He had already resigned as the Royal Challengers Bangalore&nbsp;(RCB) captain last year.

Anil Kumble has served Indian cricket with distinction. The wily leg-spinner not only returned with a plethora of wickets for Team India (956 scalps overall) but also bowled plenty of decisive and economical spells across formats, along with scoring some handy runs down the order.

Anil Kumble has served Indian cricket with distinction. The wily leg-spinner not only returned with a plethora of wickets for Team India (956 scalps overall) but also bowled plenty of decisive and economical spells across formats, along with scoring some handy runs down the order. In early 2016, Kumble became India's head coach for a year with skipper Virat Kohli at the helm. Despite success on the field, Kumble and Kohli's were reportedly the best as the latter's feedback on the former Indian captain led to his exit from the top post. Since then, a lot has been said and written about the strained relationship between Kohli-Kumble. Former BCCI CoA head Vinod Rai has now once again opened up on the whole saga and made a big claim that there were no such 'differences' between the two superstar cricketers. ALSO READ | When Virat Kohli raised issue, I spoke to Sachin Tendulkar: Vinod Rai recalls Anil Kumble's coaching stint "This is not correct to say that there were differences between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble. There were no differences between them. I have only written that when the time came to renew Anil Kumble's contract, we consulted the team and then Virat said that the junior members of the team feel intimidated by Anil Kumble because of his discipline. There was nothing like the difference between Kumble and Kohli. Neither I had any such information nor I have written, " said Vinod Rai while in conversation with news agency ANI. "The board did try to convince Virat Kohli but the selection of coach is done by Cricket's Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman only selected Anil Kumble as coach earlier. I wrote this thing in the book when CAC was selecting the coach that you people should speak to the team and the coach because we were outsiders. If senior players like Sachin, Sourav and VVS speak to the players then the impact is different and if we speak, then it will not be that effective. So, these three spoke to the captain and the coach, " explained Vinod. ALSO READ | Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli He further added, "There is no doubt that Kumble was a good coach we could not have got a better coach than Anil Kumble and that is why, Kumble was selected. The only misfortune was that Kumble got a contract for only one year and I just said that CAC also reappointed to select Anil Kumble but the Kumble-Kohli issue had absolutely no issues. Nothing of this sort came to our notice. I have written in the book that this thing came to our notice in April and we took charge on 30th January. So, we did not get the chance to see it in the space of two months." At present, both have moved on from the forgettable episode. While Kumble is the head coach of IPL franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kohli's India captaincy era got over officially in early 2022. He had already resigned as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain last year.

Not correct to say there were differences between Virat Kohli, Anil Kumble, says ex-CoA chief Vinod Rai

Anil Kumble coached India for a year, from early 2016 to mid-2017. The former Indian captain's tenure was a quite a tale in itself. While he led India to considerable success across formats, his term came to an end unceremoniously after a fallout with then skipper Virat Kohli.

As a result, Kohli got the upper hand and Kumble was succeeded by ex all-rounder Ravi Shastri who later forged a lethal pair with the former. Former Auditor General (CAG)&nbsp;Vinod Rai reflected on Kumble's coaching saga. He&nbsp;revealed how he had to involve Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar when he felt Kohli and Kumble weren't on the same page.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/younger-members-of-the-team-felt-intimidated-by-anil-kumble-vinod-rai-reveals-chat-with-virat-kohi-468541">Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli</a>

"See, I have on record said that we couldn’t have got a better coach than Kumble and we could have treated a cricketing legend like him much better. I find it intriguing that he was given a one-year term in 2016, while his predecessor (Ravi Shastri) was given two years term. Kumble was not only given one-year tenure but also there was no extension clause in his contract. Had there been an extension clause, I would have readily extended it," said Rai in conversation with&nbsp;FirstPost.

He further opined, "It was on this issue that Ram Guha was upset. He wanted us to automatically extend his term. Now, just imagine if we had extended the term, and somebody only to embarrass the CoA had gone to court, he could have easily stalled our move. So, I decided to follow the process and let Kumble be an automatic inclusion in the process."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-was-unhappy-with-anil-kumble-for-not-standing-up-for-players-claims-former-bcci-official-450649">Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official</a>

Rai added, But when Virat Kohli raised the issue of younger players being intimidated by Kumble’s disciplinarian approach, I took the lead in speaking to Sachin Tendulkar. I saw myself as a rank outsider. Why would players listen to me? But if someone like Sachin (Tendulkar), Sourav (Ganguly) or VVS (Laxman) speaks to the team management or the players, there is a greater chance of a breakthrough. Still, I believe the entire episode could have been handled 100 times better."

Eventually, many firmly believe that the entire Kumble-Kohli saga could've been handled in a much better way. With the former leg spinner being one of India's biggest match-winners to date, his exit from the head coach position remains one of the forgettable chapters of Indian cricket.

Anil Kumble coached India for a year, from early 2016 to mid-2017. The former Indian captain's tenure was a quite a tale in itself. While he led India to considerable success across formats, his term came to an end unceremoniously after a fallout with then skipper Virat Kohli.

Anil Kumble coached India for a year, from early 2016 to mid-2017. The former Indian captain's tenure was a quite a tale in itself. While he led India to considerable success across formats, his term came to an end unceremoniously after a fallout with then skipper Virat Kohli. As a result, Kohli got the upper hand and Kumble was succeeded by ex all-rounder Ravi Shastri who later forged a lethal pair with the former. Former Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai reflected on Kumble's coaching saga. He revealed how he had to involve Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar when he felt Kohli and Kumble weren't on the same page. ALSO READ | Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli "See, I have on record said that we couldn’t have got a better coach than Kumble and we could have treated a cricketing legend like him much better. I find it intriguing that he was given a one-year term in 2016, while his predecessor (Ravi Shastri) was given two years term. Kumble was not only given one-year tenure but also there was no extension clause in his contract. Had there been an extension clause, I would have readily extended it," said Rai in conversation with FirstPost. He further opined, "It was on this issue that Ram Guha was upset. He wanted us to automatically extend his term. Now, just imagine if we had extended the term, and somebody only to embarrass the CoA had gone to court, he could have easily stalled our move. So, I decided to follow the process and let Kumble be an automatic inclusion in the process." ALSO READ | Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official Rai added, But when Virat Kohli raised the issue of younger players being intimidated by Kumble’s disciplinarian approach, I took the lead in speaking to Sachin Tendulkar. I saw myself as a rank outsider. Why would players listen to me? But if someone like Sachin (Tendulkar), Sourav (Ganguly) or VVS (Laxman) speaks to the team management or the players, there is a greater chance of a breakthrough. Still, I believe the entire episode could have been handled 100 times better." Eventually, many firmly believe that the entire Kumble-Kohli saga could've been handled in a much better way. With the former leg spinner being one of India's biggest match-winners to date, his exit from the head coach position remains one of the forgettable chapters of Indian cricket.

When Virat Kohli raised issue, I spoke to Sachin Tendulkar: Vinod Rai recalls Anil Kumble's coaching stint

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

All eyes were on Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. There were many speculations whether he would don the role of an all-rounder or play only as a specialist batter-cum-captain for the new franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT).&nbsp;

After the opening two games for GT, Hardik has bowled his full quota of overs -- accounting for a scalp -- has shown maturity with the bat and as a leader. MSK Prasad, who was the chairman of selectors when Hardik was initially picked for Team India in early 2016, lavished praise on Hardik and said that 'wherever he does well, I feel proud like my own son has performed or done anything like that'.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/knowing-that-this-is-one-of-dinesh-karthiks-sunil-gavaskar-questions-sanju-samson-after-rr-rcb-tie-468862">'Knowing that this is one of Dinesh Karthik's...' - Sunil Gavaskar questions Sanju Samson after RR-RCB tie</a>

“Whenever he does well, I feel proud and I feel like my own son has performed or done anything like that. It was very difficult to find a great all-rounder post the legendary Kapil Dev but someone who has got skills. The beauty about this boy is that his basics are very strong. His bowling basics, batting basics, fielding basics – everything is very strong. All that he needs to understand is to keep that part between his ears in a good stead and I am sure he will grow into a wonderful allrounder,” Prasad told cricket historian and broadcaster Boria Majumdar during his YouTube show.

"Now that he is not the same chubby-bubbly sort of a Hardik. Now he's married, settled down and got an added responsibility with Gujarat Titans. I'm sure it is definitely going to help him, Titans and Indian cricket. The way he led the other day – because I was there on the ground – he was very cool, calm and the manner in which he rotated the bowlers and placed fielders, everything was spot on. Even when the wickets were taken, he maintained his composure and I like that attitude," the former selector further pointed out.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-is-not-one-of-those-dhoni-is-paddy-upton-feels-ex-india-captain-a-massive-high-pressure-player-468850">Yuvraj is not one of those, Dhoni is: Paddy Upton feels ex-India captain a 'massive high-pressure' player</a>

At 34, Rohit Sharma -- India's current all-format captain -- might not hold the post for a very long time. In this regard, there are few more debutant, or inexperieced,&nbsp;Indian captains in the ongoing 15th season of the cash-rich league, in India. Apart from Hardik, Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja are&nbsp;also now to the job&nbsp;whereas the likes Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson still have a lot to prove as leaders. Thus, Hardik has joined the race and is showing good signs after GT's first two encounters.

All eyes were on Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. There were many speculations whether he would don the role of an all-rounder or play only as a specialist batter-cum-captain for the new franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT).

All eyes were on Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. There were many speculations whether he would don the role of an all-rounder or play only as a specialist batter-cum-captain for the new franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT). After the opening two games for GT, Hardik has bowled his full quota of overs -- accounting for a scalp -- has shown maturity with the bat and as a leader. MSK Prasad, who was the chairman of selectors when Hardik was initially picked for Team India in early 2016, lavished praise on Hardik and said that 'wherever he does well, I feel proud like my own son has performed or done anything like that'. ALSO READ | 'Knowing that this is one of Dinesh Karthik's...' - Sunil Gavaskar questions Sanju Samson after RR-RCB tie “Whenever he does well, I feel proud and I feel like my own son has performed or done anything like that. It was very difficult to find a great all-rounder post the legendary Kapil Dev but someone who has got skills. The beauty about this boy is that his basics are very strong. His bowling basics, batting basics, fielding basics – everything is very strong. All that he needs to understand is to keep that part between his ears in a good stead and I am sure he will grow into a wonderful allrounder,” Prasad told cricket historian and broadcaster Boria Majumdar during his YouTube show. "Now that he is not the same chubby-bubbly sort of a Hardik. Now he's married, settled down and got an added responsibility with Gujarat Titans. I'm sure it is definitely going to help him, Titans and Indian cricket. The way he led the other day – because I was there on the ground – he was very cool, calm and the manner in which he rotated the bowlers and placed fielders, everything was spot on. Even when the wickets were taken, he maintained his composure and I like that attitude," the former selector further pointed out. ALSO READ | Yuvraj is not one of those, Dhoni is: Paddy Upton feels ex-India captain a 'massive high-pressure' player At 34, Rohit Sharma -- India's current all-format captain -- might not hold the post for a very long time. In this regard, there are few more debutant, or inexperieced, Indian captains in the ongoing 15th season of the cash-rich league, in India. Apart from Hardik, Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja are also now to the job whereas the likes Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson still have a lot to prove as leaders. Thus, Hardik has joined the race and is showing good signs after GT's first two encounters.

When he does well, I feel proud: MSK Prasad names India player whose success elates him

Team India have produced several match-winners over the years. The list is a long one, which also includes the likes of former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and ex-India captain MS Dhoni. While Yuvraj made his international debut before Dhoni, he played under the latter for the majority part of his career and the two formed a lethal batting pair in white-ball formats.

Both Yuvraj and Dhoni shared the dressing room for India during their victorious campaigns in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. While Yuvraj was the man in form during the entire 50-over World Cup, held in the subcontinent sans Pakistan, Dhoni took the onus upon himself to deliver the goods when the stakes were down for the Men in Blue in the tournament finale versus Sri Lanka, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 2.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/5-times-ms-dhoni-shell-shocked-fans-with-his-unexpected-decisions-468659">5 times MS Dhoni shell-shocked fans with his unexpected decisions</a>

Recalling India's tremendous run in the 2011 ODI World Cup, hosts' then mental conditioning Paddy Upton made a big statement by claiming that not Yuvraj but Dhoni&nbsp;a 'massive high-pressure' player. "He (MS Dhoni) would do what he is the best in the world at – which is seeing a team home in a chase in the second innings in a white-ball game. He had delivered nothing in the eight games before the final. Yuvraj had done his bit, he had played his tournament. He was done, he was spent. That moment was set up for someone like Dhoni. There are very few players in the world who are genuine “massive high-pressure” players. Yuvraj Singh is not one of those, Dhoni is,” Upton wrote in his column for The Indian Express.

“The moment ‘t just a testimony to his leadership and courage, it spoke a lot about his relationship with Gary. Mind you, Gary didn’t have to stand up and have a conversation with Dhoni to discuss the merits and demerits of the move. It was just the two leaders of the team being on the same page. The knock on the glass, him pointing to himself, Gary’s nod… and it was done. I do remember very clearly when Dhoni walked down the stairs, I turned to Gary and said “Do you realise Dhoni is going there to fetch us the World Cup?” I had absolute conviction that Dhoni would come back with the trophy,” he said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mi-star-ishan-kishan-shares-a-hilarious-incident-on-how-ms-dhonis-hand-gestures-left-him-puzzled-468663">MI star Ishan Kishan shares a hilarious incident on how MS Dhoni's hand-gestures left him puzzled</a>

While there isn't much to separate between Dhoni-Yuvi, both remain&nbsp;two of the biggest players to have represented India at the highest level. Yuvraj called it quits from international cricket in 2019 whereas Dhoni retired in mid-August 2020 and remains active in the IPL, playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Team India have produced several match-winners over the years. The list is a long one, which also includes the likes of former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and ex-India captain MS Dhoni.

Team India have produced several match-winners over the years. The list is a long one, which also includes the likes of former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and ex-India captain MS Dhoni. While Yuvraj made his international debut before Dhoni, he played under the latter for the majority part of his career and the two formed a lethal batting pair in white-ball formats. Both Yuvraj and Dhoni shared the dressing room for India during their victorious campaigns in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. While Yuvraj was the man in form during the entire 50-over World Cup, held in the subcontinent sans Pakistan, Dhoni took the onus upon himself to deliver the goods when the stakes were down for the Men in Blue in the tournament finale versus Sri Lanka, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 2. ALSO READ | 5 times MS Dhoni shell-shocked fans with his unexpected decisions Recalling India's tremendous run in the 2011 ODI World Cup, hosts' then mental conditioning Paddy Upton made a big statement by claiming that not Yuvraj but Dhoni a 'massive high-pressure' player. "He (MS Dhoni) would do what he is the best in the world at – which is seeing a team home in a chase in the second innings in a white-ball game. He had delivered nothing in the eight games before the final. Yuvraj had done his bit, he had played his tournament. He was done, he was spent. That moment was set up for someone like Dhoni. There are very few players in the world who are genuine “massive high-pressure” players. Yuvraj Singh is not one of those, Dhoni is,” Upton wrote in his column for The Indian Express. “The moment ‘t just a testimony to his leadership and courage, it spoke a lot about his relationship with Gary. Mind you, Gary didn’t have to stand up and have a conversation with Dhoni to discuss the merits and demerits of the move. It was just the two leaders of the team being on the same page. The knock on the glass, him pointing to himself, Gary’s nod… and it was done. I do remember very clearly when Dhoni walked down the stairs, I turned to Gary and said “Do you realise Dhoni is going there to fetch us the World Cup?” I had absolute conviction that Dhoni would come back with the trophy,” he said. ALSO READ | MI star Ishan Kishan shares a hilarious incident on how MS Dhoni's hand-gestures left him puzzled While there isn't much to separate between Dhoni-Yuvi, both remain two of the biggest players to have represented India at the highest level. Yuvraj called it quits from international cricket in 2019 whereas Dhoni retired in mid-August 2020 and remains active in the IPL, playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Yuvraj is not one of those, Dhoni is: Paddy Upton feels ex-India captain a 'massive high-pressure' player

5 times MS Dhoni shell-shocked fans with his unexpected decisions

India and Pakistan share one of the greatest rivalries in world cricket. The stakes are always high when the two arch-rivals lock horns on the international stage. Millions of fans around the world stay glued to their TV screens when the two teams meet each other irrespective of the competition.

Though the two teams have not played any bilateral cricket between them since 2013 due to political tensions between the two nations, they continue to meet in major ICC competitions. India and Pakistan have over the years produced a number of thrilling encounters across formats and any meeting between the two sides is always a high-octane affair.

The semi-final of the 2011 ODI World Cup between India and Pakistan remains one of the most famous encounters between the arch-rivals. With a spot in the final on the line, the pressure was immense on both teams as they locked horns at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.

While stakes were high as it was a knockout clash in a World Cup and a game against Pakistan, there was also additional pressure on the MS Dhoni-led Indian team. Paddy Upton, who was the&nbsp;strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team back then, recently recalled why the semi-final against Pakistan was a non-negotiable game to lose for India.

“There was an additional extraneous political pressure that nobody spoke about but everybody was acutely aware of: if India lost, Pakistan would go to Mumbai and stay at the very same Taj Hotel that was a target of the terrorist attacks,"&nbsp;Upton wrote in his column for the Indian Express on the 11th anniversary of India's 2011 World Cup triumph.

"Each one of us knew the symbolism of that without having to say it. That was not really ideal to allow Pakistan to win and go to stay at Taj; it didn’t stack up on an energetic level. So, there was that additional pressure that this was to be a non-negotiable game to lose," he explained further.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dad-has-gone-to-the-hospital-ishan-kishan-recalls-his-familys-reaction-to-mis-bid-for-him-in-ipl-2018-468581">'Dad has gone to the hospital': Ishan Kishan recalls his family's reaction to MI's bid for him in IPL 2018</a>

It was a thrilling encounter between the two sides in Mohali as India rode on Sachin Tendulkar's brilliant knock of 85 runs to post 260 runs on the board before bundling out Pakistan for 231 runs to win the game 29 runs and enter the final. Tendulkar got a couple of lifelines during the game and made the most of it to help India out on a strong total on the board.

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Speaking about the India-Pakistan rivalry, Upton said the players from both sides know each other well and there is no animosity but the fierceness is more about the spectators. He also stated that the Indian players didn't need any extra motivation to win against Pakistan in the semi-final.

“The fierce Indo-Pak rivalry is more about spectators; players themselves don’t have that fierceness and animosity. They know each other fairly well and get along well. Pakistan was always a very easy game for which to prepare the Indian team for as they didn’t need any extra motivation,” Upton wrote.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/younger-members-of-the-team-felt-intimidated-by-anil-kumble-vinod-rai-reveals-chat-with-virat-kohi-468541">Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli</a>

After beating Pakistan, India went on to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to lift their second World Cup trophy after a wait of 28 years. India became the first country to win a World Cup title on home soil with the memorable triumph.

&nbsp;

India and Pakistan share one of the greatest rivalries in world cricket. The stakes are always high when the two arch-rivals lock horns on the international stage.

India and Pakistan share one of the greatest rivalries in world cricket. The stakes are always high when the two arch-rivals lock horns on the international stage. Millions of fans around the world stay glued to their TV screens when the two teams meet each other irrespective of the competition. Though the two teams have not played any bilateral cricket between them since 2013 due to political tensions between the two nations, they continue to meet in major ICC competitions. India and Pakistan have over the years produced a number of thrilling encounters across formats and any meeting between the two sides is always a high-octane affair. The semi-final of the 2011 ODI World Cup between India and Pakistan remains one of the most famous encounters between the arch-rivals. With a spot in the final on the line, the pressure was immense on both teams as they locked horns at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. While stakes were high as it was a knockout clash in a World Cup and a game against Pakistan, there was also additional pressure on the MS Dhoni-led Indian team. Paddy Upton, who was the strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team back then, recently recalled why the semi-final against Pakistan was a non-negotiable game to lose for India. “There was an additional extraneous political pressure that nobody spoke about but everybody was acutely aware of: if India lost, Pakistan would go to Mumbai and stay at the very same Taj Hotel that was a target of the terrorist attacks," Upton wrote in his column for the Indian Express on the 11th anniversary of India's 2011 World Cup triumph. "Each one of us knew the symbolism of that without having to say it. That was not really ideal to allow Pakistan to win and go to stay at Taj; it didn’t stack up on an energetic level. So, there was that additional pressure that this was to be a non-negotiable game to lose," he explained further. Also Read: 'Dad has gone to the hospital': Ishan Kishan recalls his family's reaction to MI's bid for him in IPL 2018 It was a thrilling encounter between the two sides in Mohali as India rode on Sachin Tendulkar's brilliant knock of 85 runs to post 260 runs on the board before bundling out Pakistan for 231 runs to win the game 29 runs and enter the final. Tendulkar got a couple of lifelines during the game and made the most of it to help India out on a strong total on the board. × Speaking about the India-Pakistan rivalry, Upton said the players from both sides know each other well and there is no animosity but the fierceness is more about the spectators. He also stated that the Indian players didn't need any extra motivation to win against Pakistan in the semi-final. “The fierce Indo-Pak rivalry is more about spectators; players themselves don’t have that fierceness and animosity. They know each other fairly well and get along well. Pakistan was always a very easy game for which to prepare the Indian team for as they didn’t need any extra motivation,” Upton wrote. Also Read: Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli After beating Pakistan, India went on to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to lift their second World Cup trophy after a wait of 28 years. India became the first country to win a World Cup title on home soil with the memorable triumph.

Wasn't ideal to let Pakistan win & stay at Taj, 2011 WC semi-final was non-negotiable for India: Paddy Upton

Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul are currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition where both the star cricketers are showcasing their cricketing skills and captaincy credentials to world cricket. While Hardik is leading the Gujarat Titans (GT), Rahul is Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) skipper. The duo remain best of friends on and off the field, however, they were involved in a massive controversy for their&nbsp;misogynistic remarks on Karan Johar's talk show, the Koffee with Karan.

The episode aired in early 2019 and sparked a huge controversy as the two cricketers' several on-air remarks were criticised left, right and center.&nbsp;Recalling the whole episode in his new book&nbsp;‘Not Just a Nightwatchman – My Innings in the&nbsp;BCCI'&nbsp;former BCCI CoA chief&nbsp;Vinod Rai shared his take on the Hardik-Rahul controversy.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/younger-members-of-the-team-felt-intimidated-by-anil-kumble-vinod-rai-reveals-chat-with-virat-kohi-468541">Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli</a>

"Rahul and Pandya are among the finest we have in the team. Not being so media savvy, they seemed to have got carried away and indulged in ‘boy’s dressing room talk’ without being conscious that they were on national television. We all acknowledge that their remarks were reprehensible. They regretted the same and tendered an unconditional apology.

"An off-the-ground misdemeanour of this kind needed a correction but did not require putting their careers in jeopardy. I felt that prolonging their suspension and keeping them away from cricket could possibly cause an irreparable scar on their career and make matters worse," Rai wrote in his book.

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">IPL 2022: KL Rahul scores 50th T20 fifty, joins Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in elite list</a>

Following the controversy,&nbsp;BCCI had banned Hardik and Rahul under "Rule 46 of the approved BCCI Constitution" for a brief period before making their international comebacks. Since then, both have risen in stature as Hardik remains a vital cog for India across formats whereas Rahul is Rohit Sharma's limited-overs deputy&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul are currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition where both the star cricketers are showcasing their cricketing skills and captaincy credentials to world cricket.

Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul are currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition where both the star cricketers are showcasing their cricketing skills and captaincy credentials to world cricket. While Hardik is leading the Gujarat Titans (GT), Rahul is Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) skipper. The duo remain best of friends on and off the field, however, they were involved in a massive controversy for their misogynistic remarks on Karan Johar's talk show, the Koffee with Karan. The episode aired in early 2019 and sparked a huge controversy as the two cricketers' several on-air remarks were criticised left, right and center. Recalling the whole episode in his new book ‘Not Just a Nightwatchman – My Innings in the BCCI' former BCCI CoA chief Vinod Rai shared his take on the Hardik-Rahul controversy. ALSO READ | Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli "Rahul and Pandya are among the finest we have in the team. Not being so media savvy, they seemed to have got carried away and indulged in ‘boy’s dressing room talk’ without being conscious that they were on national television. We all acknowledge that their remarks were reprehensible. They regretted the same and tendered an unconditional apology. "An off-the-ground misdemeanour of this kind needed a correction but did not require putting their careers in jeopardy. I felt that prolonging their suspension and keeping them away from cricket could possibly cause an irreparable scar on their career and make matters worse," Rai wrote in his book. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: KL Rahul scores 50th T20 fifty, joins Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in elite list Following the controversy, BCCI had banned Hardik and Rahul under "Rule 46 of the approved BCCI Constitution" for a brief period before making their international comebacks. Since then, both have risen in stature as Hardik remains a vital cog for India across formats whereas Rahul is Rohit Sharma's limited-overs deputy

They seemed to have got carried away: Rai recalls Hardik-Rahul's infamous appearance on a talk show

Anil Kumble served as Team India's head coach for a year, from early 2016 to mid-2017. While he had a successful run as the head coach of the senior men's team, his tenure ended unceremoniously following his infamous fallout with then captain Virat Kohli.

As a result, Kumble's tenure came to an end after India's massive 2017 Champions Trophy final loss, to Pakistan, and the former leg-spinner was replaced by Ravi Shastri at the top job. A lot has been said and written about Kohli's relationship with Kumble and how the two created differences, which led to the ouster of the latter.&nbsp;

In his book&nbsp;Not Just a Nightwatchman, former Auditor General (CAG)&nbsp;Vinod Rai&nbsp;has revealed that Kohli had stated that “young members of the Indian team felt intimidated by Kumble”. While Rai maintained that the relationship between Kohli and Kumble was quite strained and going downhill,&nbsp;things could've been handled in a much better way than how it finally turned out to be.

"In my conversations with the captain and team management, it was conveyed that Kumble was too much of a disciplinarian and hence the team members were not too happy with him. I had spoken to Virat Kohli on the issue and he did mention that the younger members of the team felt intimidated by the way he worked with them,” Rai has written in his book.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-was-unhappy-with-anil-kumble-for-not-standing-up-for-players-claims-former-bcci-official-450649">Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official</a>

“We had long conversations with Kumble after he had returned from the UK. He was obviously upset about the manner in which the entire episode had panned out. He felt he had been unfairly treated and a captain or team should not be given so much importance. It was the duty of the coach to bring discipline and professionalism into the team and as a senior, his views should have been respected by the players,” Rai further wrote.

<section>
“They felt that the differences were fairly severe and maybe it was only the CAC that would be best suited to have a thorough discussion with both of them. Soon, the CAC met in London and interacted with the two separately, in a bid to resolve the issue. After deliberations over three days, they decided to recommend Kumble’s reappointment as the head coach,” Rai&nbsp;pointed out&nbsp;in his book.

The Kohli-Kumble partnership was short-lived, however, the duo enjoyed a dream run as captain-coach for a year. During Kumble's coaching period, India were unbeaten at home -- in four back-to-back Test series -- whereas they also reached the summit clash of the 2017 Champions Trophy, in England and Wales.&nbsp;

After Kumble's departure, Shastri took over as the head coach and formed a lethal pair with Kohli till 2021 end.&nbsp;
</section>

Anil Kumble served as Team India's head coach for a year, from early 2016 to mid-2017. While he had a successful run as the head coach of the senior men's team, his tenure ended unceremoniously following his infamous fallout with then captain Virat Kohli.

Anil Kumble served as Team India's head coach for a year, from early 2016 to mid-2017. While he had a successful run as the head coach of the senior men's team, his tenure ended unceremoniously following his infamous fallout with then captain Virat Kohli. As a result, Kumble's tenure came to an end after India's massive 2017 Champions Trophy final loss, to Pakistan, and the former leg-spinner was replaced by Ravi Shastri at the top job. A lot has been said and written about Kohli's relationship with Kumble and how the two created differences, which led to the ouster of the latter. In his book Not Just a Nightwatchman, former Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai has revealed that Kohli had stated that “young members of the Indian team felt intimidated by Kumble”. While Rai maintained that the relationship between Kohli and Kumble was quite strained and going downhill, things could've been handled in a much better way than how it finally turned out to be. "In my conversations with the captain and team management, it was conveyed that Kumble was too much of a disciplinarian and hence the team members were not too happy with him. I had spoken to Virat Kohli on the issue and he did mention that the younger members of the team felt intimidated by the way he worked with them,” Rai has written in his book. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official “We had long conversations with Kumble after he had returned from the UK. He was obviously upset about the manner in which the entire episode had panned out. He felt he had been unfairly treated and a captain or team should not be given so much importance. It was the duty of the coach to bring discipline and professionalism into the team and as a senior, his views should have been respected by the players,” Rai further wrote. “They felt that the differences were fairly severe and maybe it was only the CAC that would be best suited to have a thorough discussion with both of them. Soon, the CAC met in London and interacted with the two separately, in a bid to resolve the issue. After deliberations over three days, they decided to recommend Kumble’s reappointment as the head coach,” Rai pointed out in his book. The Kohli-Kumble partnership was short-lived, however, the duo enjoyed a dream run as captain-coach for a year. During Kumble's coaching period, India were unbeaten at home -- in four back-to-back Test series -- whereas they also reached the summit clash of the 2017 Champions Trophy, in England and Wales. After Kumble's departure, Shastri took over as the head coach and formed a lethal pair with Kohli till 2021 end.

Younger members of the team felt intimidated by Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai reveals chat with Virat Kohli

A lot has changed in Indian cricket post the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Since then, Rohit Sharma has taken charge of Team India across formats whereas Rahul Dravid succeeded Ravi Shastri as the head coach of the senior men's team. While the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha have been dropped from the Test side, youngsters such as Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Md Siraj and KL Rahul are rising in stature with each series.&nbsp;

Talking about Pant, the 24-year-old has seen massive growth in his international career since the India-Australia 2020-21 series Down Under. Since then, he has scored runs across all forms of the game and improved immensely as a wicketkeeper. Recently, India's batting coach Vikram Rathour heaped praise on the Indian youngster and feels that he is now a matured cricketer who cannot be dropped easily.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-was-talking-to-rohit-sharma-ms-dhoni-rishabh-pant-recalls-his-tough-phase-before-miraculous-comeback-468334">'I was talking to Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni' - Rishabh Pant recalls his tough phase before miraculous comeback</a>

In this regard, Rathour told The Week, "He has suddenly grown up. Rohit and Dravid are in the saddle now, and he knows he is an important player in the India setup. He has now matured as a player. He is getting better and better, but there is still a long way to cover."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-reveals-what-he-would-do-first-if-he-woke-up-as-portugal-captain-cristiano-ronaldo-468304">Virat Kohli reveals what he would do first if he woke up as Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo</a>

Rathour also feels that Pant has it in him to succeed MS Dhoni and become the next finisher for Team India. Following Dhoni's international retirement, the role of a finisher has been fulfilled by the likes of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, however, Rathour feels Pant is suited to make an impact lower down the order (despite being experimented to bat at No. 4).

"He will be a finisher at number five or six, he knows that. Nobody is pushing him to get a hundred in ODIs. He will always be an impact player and if he is consistently getting 40-50 and winning it for the team, then that is fine," Rathour added.

Pant is currently involved with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2022 edition. Under him, DC have won and lost a game each after their opening two encounters in the 15th season.

A lot has changed in Indian cricket post the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Since then, Rohit Sharma has taken charge of Team India across formats whereas Rahul Dravid succeeded Ravi Shastri as the head coach of the senior men's team.

A lot has changed in Indian cricket post the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Since then, Rohit Sharma has taken charge of Team India across formats whereas Rahul Dravid succeeded Ravi Shastri as the head coach of the senior men's team. While the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha have been dropped from the Test side, youngsters such as Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Md Siraj and KL Rahul are rising in stature with each series. Talking about Pant, the 24-year-old has seen massive growth in his international career since the India-Australia 2020-21 series Down Under. Since then, he has scored runs across all forms of the game and improved immensely as a wicketkeeper. Recently, India's batting coach Vikram Rathour heaped praise on the Indian youngster and feels that he is now a matured cricketer who cannot be dropped easily. ALSO READ | 'I was talking to Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni' - Rishabh Pant recalls his tough phase before miraculous comeback In this regard, Rathour told The Week, "He has suddenly grown up. Rohit and Dravid are in the saddle now, and he knows he is an important player in the India setup. He has now matured as a player. He is getting better and better, but there is still a long way to cover." ALSO READ | Virat Kohli reveals what he would do first if he woke up as Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo Rathour also feels that Pant has it in him to succeed MS Dhoni and become the next finisher for Team India. Following Dhoni's international retirement, the role of a finisher has been fulfilled by the likes of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, however, Rathour feels Pant is suited to make an impact lower down the order (despite being experimented to bat at No. 4). "He will be a finisher at number five or six, he knows that. Nobody is pushing him to get a hundred in ODIs. He will always be an impact player and if he is consistently getting 40-50 and winning it for the team, then that is fine," Rathour added. Pant is currently involved with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2022 edition. Under him, DC have won and lost a game each after their opening two encounters in the 15th season.

Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid are in the saddle now: Vikram Rathour heaps praise on Indian youngster

Rishabh Pant has become an all-format player for Team India. Things, however, weren't the same for the swashbuckling left-hander post India's 2019 ODI World Cup campaign. After IPL 2020, questions were raised for his shot selection, fitness and wicketkeeping skills as many former cricketers and experts slammed his approach towards the game.

Nonetheless, Pant answered his critics in style after the conclusion of the 13th IPL season, in the UAE. The 24-year-old got a chance in India's MCG Test versus Australia during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and hasn't looked behind ever since. Since then, Pant has slammed six half-centuries and two tons in red-ball format, four fifties in ODIs and has played some vital cameos in the shortest format as well. Moreover, his keeping has improved leaps and bounds whereas he is also the Delhi Capitals (DC) captain in the IPL.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-reveals-what-he-would-do-first-if-he-woke-up-as-portugal-captain-cristiano-ronaldo-468304">Virat Kohli reveals what he would do first if he woke up as Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo</a>

Recently, Pant recalled&nbsp;his tough phase at the highest level during an interaction to&nbsp;The Week&nbsp;magazine. The young keeper-batter revealed that&nbsp;he didn't want to talk to anybody and only spoke a little to&nbsp;Rohit Sharma&nbsp;and MS Dhoni. He stated, "It was a hard time and I shut out everyone. It was difficult for me to go to many people. I only believed in myself; I wanted to prove myself to the world. I did not want to think negative thoughts. I was waiting for my chance. I was talking to Rohit bhai and Mahi ]Dhoni] bhai a little bit. But mostly I kept believing in myself."

"It was obviously very challenging. That was a low phase in my life. You feel good when you come from hard times and play like that (50 off 101 against England). But, at the same time, I do not think of either [fifties] too much. I just play on the merit of the ball. [However,] I did find that I could control my instincts better," Pant added.

<section>
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-didnt-get-a-move-on-sunil-gavaskar-explains-reason-behind-csks-61-run-loss-vs-punjab-kings-468230">'MS Dhoni didn't get a move on': Sunil Gavaskar explains reason behind CSK's 61-run loss vs Punjab Kings</a>
At present, Pant is going great guns and will be eager to make a strong statement as a leader during the ongoing IPL 2022 edition. Under him, DC reached the playoffs in IPL 2021 and have won and lost a game each after two encounters in the 15th season.</section>

Rishabh Pant has become an all-format player for Team India. Things, however, weren't the same for the swashbuckling left-hander post India's 2019 ODI World Cup campaign.

Rishabh Pant has become an all-format player for Team India. Things, however, weren't the same for the swashbuckling left-hander post India's 2019 ODI World Cup campaign. After IPL 2020, questions were raised for his shot selection, fitness and wicketkeeping skills as many former cricketers and experts slammed his approach towards the game. Nonetheless, Pant answered his critics in style after the conclusion of the 13th IPL season, in the UAE. The 24-year-old got a chance in India's MCG Test versus Australia during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and hasn't looked behind ever since. Since then, Pant has slammed six half-centuries and two tons in red-ball format, four fifties in ODIs and has played some vital cameos in the shortest format as well. Moreover, his keeping has improved leaps and bounds whereas he is also the Delhi Capitals (DC) captain in the IPL. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli reveals what he would do first if he woke up as Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo Recently, Pant recalled his tough phase at the highest level during an interaction to The Week magazine. The young keeper-batter revealed that he didn't want to talk to anybody and only spoke a little to Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. He stated, "It was a hard time and I shut out everyone. It was difficult for me to go to many people. I only believed in myself; I wanted to prove myself to the world. I did not want to think negative thoughts. I was waiting for my chance. I was talking to Rohit bhai and Mahi ]Dhoni] bhai a little bit. But mostly I kept believing in myself." "It was obviously very challenging. That was a low phase in my life. You feel good when you come from hard times and play like that (50 off 101 against England). But, at the same time, I do not think of either [fifties] too much. I just play on the merit of the ball. [However,] I did find that I could control my instincts better," Pant added. ALSO READ | 'MS Dhoni didn't get a move on': Sunil Gavaskar explains reason behind CSK's 61-run loss vs Punjab Kings At present, Pant is going great guns and will be eager to make a strong statement as a leader during the ongoing IPL 2022 edition. Under him, DC reached the playoffs in IPL 2021 and have won and lost a game each after two encounters in the 15th season.

'I was talking to Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni' - Rishabh Pant recalls his tough phase before miraculous comeback

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Umesh Yadav has made a stunning comeback in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Umesh has delivered consistent performances with the ball in KKR's first three matches of the season and is currently the leading wicket-taker of IPL 2022 with 8 wickets from three games so far.

Umesh, who had played only two matches in the last two seasons of IPL&nbsp;having been written off by many as a T20 bowler, has been absolutely sensational for KKR this year. The 34-year-old, who is also a regular for the Indian team in Tests, recently opened up on his journey to realising his dream of playing cricket for India.

It was not an easy journey for Umesh, who comes from a humble background. Umesh was born in Nagpur city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and his father used to work in coal mines. Opening up on the initial struggles in his cricketing career, Umesh said he comes from a place where dreaming about playing cricket is an expensive one for youngsters.

"From where I belong, there will be very few boys who believe that they could play for India. Playing and dreaming about cricket was expensive for them. Kit, bat, pad, shoes, etc. you just can't do it because you live in coal mines, your father goes to coal mines and does hard work. At that time I had never thought I would play for India as it was beyond my imagination," Umesh said in a video posted by KKR.

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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-not-finished-mohammad-kaif-makes-big-prediction-about-ms-dhonis-ipl-future-467983">'He is not finished': Mohammad Kaif makes big prediction about MS Dhoni's IPL future</a>

Umesh, who made his debut for Team India in the year 2010, was the leading wicket-taker for the Men in Blue in the 2015 ODI World Cup. Umesh picked up 18 wickets in the tournament to help India reach the semi-finals. However, he soon was dropped from the white-ball sides and was labelled a red-ball specialist by many.

Umesh said it was difficult for him to come to terms with the fact that he was dropped from India's white-ball teams despite his splendid performances during the 2015 ODI World Cup. The 34-year-old also struggled in the IPL over the last couple of years but has bounced back well this year.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/heartbreaking-to-seee-the-despair-of-people-kumar-sangakkara-on-sri-lankas-economic-crisis-467959">Heartbreaking to seee the despair of people: Kumar Sangakkara on Sri Lanka's economic crisis</a>

"After we won the title (with KKR) in 2014, the next big moment for me was the 2015 World Cup. The kind of wickets that I got, I was the highest wicket-taker for India. So the real journey in white-ball cricket started from there," said Umesh.

"I feel bad when there was a downfall in my career and when I was in and out of the Indian white-ball team. People labelled me as someone who is not a white-ball bowler. I felt bad that how so much changed suddenly, at one point I was India's leading wicket-taker of the 2015 World Cup. But it's okay, it's life, it goes on," he added.

&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Umesh Yadav has made a stunning comeback in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Umesh has delivered consistent performances with the ball in KKR's first three matches of the season and is currently the leading wicket-taker of IPL 2022 with 8 wickets from three games so far.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Umesh Yadav has made a stunning comeback in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Umesh has delivered consistent performances with the ball in KKR's first three matches of the season and is currently the leading wicket-taker of IPL 2022 with 8 wickets from three games so far. Umesh, who had played only two matches in the last two seasons of IPL having been written off by many as a T20 bowler, has been absolutely sensational for KKR this year. The 34-year-old, who is also a regular for the Indian team in Tests, recently opened up on his journey to realising his dream of playing cricket for India. It was not an easy journey for Umesh, who comes from a humble background. Umesh was born in Nagpur city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and his father used to work in coal mines. Opening up on the initial struggles in his cricketing career, Umesh said he comes from a place where dreaming about playing cricket is an expensive one for youngsters. "From where I belong, there will be very few boys who believe that they could play for India. Playing and dreaming about cricket was expensive for them. Kit, bat, pad, shoes, etc. you just can't do it because you live in coal mines, your father goes to coal mines and does hard work. At that time I had never thought I would play for India as it was beyond my imagination," Umesh said in a video posted by KKR. × Also Read: 'He is not finished': Mohammad Kaif makes big prediction about MS Dhoni's IPL future Umesh, who made his debut for Team India in the year 2010, was the leading wicket-taker for the Men in Blue in the 2015 ODI World Cup. Umesh picked up 18 wickets in the tournament to help India reach the semi-finals. However, he soon was dropped from the white-ball sides and was labelled a red-ball specialist by many. Umesh said it was difficult for him to come to terms with the fact that he was dropped from India's white-ball teams despite his splendid performances during the 2015 ODI World Cup. The 34-year-old also struggled in the IPL over the last couple of years but has bounced back well this year. Also Read: Heartbreaking to seee the despair of people: Kumar Sangakkara on Sri Lanka's economic crisis "After we won the title (with KKR) in 2014, the next big moment for me was the 2015 World Cup. The kind of wickets that I got, I was the highest wicket-taker for India. So the real journey in white-ball cricket started from there," said Umesh. "I feel bad when there was a downfall in my career and when I was in and out of the Indian white-ball team. People labelled me as someone who is not a white-ball bowler. I felt bad that how so much changed suddenly, at one point I was India's leading wicket-taker of the 2015 World Cup. But it's okay, it's life, it goes on," he added.

Playing and dreaming about cricket expensive for someone who lived in coal mines: KKR pacer Umesh Yadav

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh relived the memories of India's historic World Cup triumph in 2011 as he shared a throwback post on social media. Saturday (April 2nd) marked the 11th anniversary of India's memorable victory in the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

In his post, Yuvraj said he is proud to be a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team and that the victory in the final was not just a win but it was also a dream of a billion Indians getting fulfilled.&nbsp;Chasing a target of 275 runs in the final, Gautam Gambhir (97) and captain MS Dhoni (91) played two fabulous knocks to help the Men in Blue bring an end to a 28-year-long wait for their second World Cup triumph.

Recalling the famous World Cup win, which remains one of the greatest achievements of the Indian cricket team, Yuvraj wrote -&nbsp;"This wasn’t just a world cup victory - this was the dream of a billion Indians being fulfilled Proud to be a part of this team that wanted to win the cup for the entire country and for a very special person @sachintendulkar. Nothing can match the pride of wearing the tricolour and bringing glory to the nation."

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Yuvraj was one of the key players for India in the 2011 World Cup and played an instrumental role in helping the team lift the trophy after 28 years. Yuvraj was terrific with both the bat and the ball as he scored 362 runs and scalped 15 wickets throughout the tournament to bag the Player of the Tournament award.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-prime-minister-narendra-modi-extends-best-wishes-to-team-australia-for-icc-womens-world-cup-final-467630">&nbsp;India PM Narendra Modi extends best wishes to Team Australia for ICC Women's World Cup final</a>

India had gotten off to a nervy start in the final as they lost opener Virender Sehwag on a duck on the second ball of the first over before the legendary Sachin Tendulkar departed on 18 off 14 balls. The entire Wankhede Stadium had gone silent after the Master Blaster's dismissal but Gambhir combined with Virat Kohli to steady the ship for India.

The duo added 83 runs for the third wicket before Gambhir combined with Dhoni to add 109 runs for the 4th wicket and take India close to victory. Dhoni then sealed the World Cup with an iconic six off the bowling of Nuwan Kulasekara in the 49th over.

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh relived the memories of India's historic World Cup triumph in 2011 as he shared a throwback post on social media. Saturday (April 2nd) marked the 11th anniversary of India's memorable victory in the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh relived the memories of India's historic World Cup triumph in 2011 as he shared a throwback post on social media. Saturday (April 2nd) marked the 11th anniversary of India's memorable victory in the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In his post, Yuvraj said he is proud to be a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team and that the victory in the final was not just a win but it was also a dream of a billion Indians getting fulfilled. Chasing a target of 275 runs in the final, Gautam Gambhir (97) and captain MS Dhoni (91) played two fabulous knocks to help the Men in Blue bring an end to a 28-year-long wait for their second World Cup triumph. Recalling the famous World Cup win, which remains one of the greatest achievements of the Indian cricket team, Yuvraj wrote - "This wasn’t just a world cup victory - this was the dream of a billion Indians being fulfilled Proud to be a part of this team that wanted to win the cup for the entire country and for a very special person @sachintendulkar. Nothing can match the pride of wearing the tricolour and bringing glory to the nation." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yuvraj Singh (@yuvisofficial) × Yuvraj was one of the key players for India in the 2011 World Cup and played an instrumental role in helping the team lift the trophy after 28 years. Yuvraj was terrific with both the bat and the ball as he scored 362 runs and scalped 15 wickets throughout the tournament to bag the Player of the Tournament award. Also Read: India PM Narendra Modi extends best wishes to Team Australia for ICC Women's World Cup final India had gotten off to a nervy start in the final as they lost opener Virender Sehwag on a duck on the second ball of the first over before the legendary Sachin Tendulkar departed on 18 off 14 balls. The entire Wankhede Stadium had gone silent after the Master Blaster's dismissal but Gambhir combined with Virat Kohli to steady the ship for India. The duo added 83 runs for the third wicket before Gambhir combined with Dhoni to add 109 runs for the 4th wicket and take India close to victory. Dhoni then sealed the World Cup with an iconic six off the bowling of Nuwan Kulasekara in the 49th over.

Yuvraj Singh recalls India's 2011 World Cup triumph: This was dream of billion Indians being fulfilled

The Indian cricket team, possibly under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, is likely to play two T20Is against West Indies later this year. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the team is expected to travel to the Caribbean for a full-fledged tour which will have three ODIs and five T20 Internationals.<o:p></o:p>

The report further claims that the final two matches of the T20I series will take place in the United States. Lauderhill, Florida, where India played in 2016 and 2019, will be the venue for the matches.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ms-dhoni-reaches-impressive-milestone-joins-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-in-elite-list-467248">Dhoni reaches impressive milestone, joins Kohli and Rohit in elite T20 list</a>

The series is expected to take place in the third week of July and will possibly end in early August. India will be facing South Africa at home after the end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season and then, they will be travelling to England for three T20is and two ODIs. They will also play the rescheduled Test match which was postponed in September last year after a COVID-19 outbreak.<o:p></o:p>

"Playing the final two T20Is in the United States makes logistical sense for the Indian team." The CWI neither confirmed nor denied the American schedule, with a top official saying, "The Indian schedule will be announced soonest," Cricbuzz quoted a BCCI official close to the developments.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-can-chennai-super-kings-defend-their-title-this-year-matthew-hayden-has-his-say-467176" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Can CSK defend their title this year? Matthew Hayden has his say</a>

The two games will be played on August 6 and 7. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already announced that CWI and USA CA will jointly host the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in 2024. The series will end just in time for the West Indies cricketers to return home for the Caribbean Premier League.<o:p></o:p>

The Indian cricket team, possibly under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, is likely to play two T20Is against West Indies later this year. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the team is expected to travel to the Caribbean for a full-fledged tour which will have three ODIs and five T20 Internationals.

The Indian cricket team, possibly under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, is likely to play two T20Is against West Indies later this year. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the team is expected to travel to the Caribbean for a full-fledged tour which will have three ODIs and five T20 Internationals. The report further claims that the final two matches of the T20I series will take place in the United States. Lauderhill, Florida, where India played in 2016 and 2019, will be the venue for the matches. Also read | Dhoni reaches impressive milestone, joins Kohli and Rohit in elite T20 list The series is expected to take place in the third week of July and will possibly end in early August. India will be facing South Africa at home after the end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season and then, they will be travelling to England for three T20is and two ODIs. They will also play the rescheduled Test match which was postponed in September last year after a COVID-19 outbreak. "Playing the final two T20Is in the United States makes logistical sense for the Indian team." The CWI neither confirmed nor denied the American schedule, with a top official saying, "The Indian schedule will be announced soonest," Cricbuzz quoted a BCCI official close to the developments. Also read | IPL 2022: Can CSK defend their title this year? Matthew Hayden has his say The two games will be played on August 6 and 7. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already announced that CWI and USA CA will jointly host the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in 2024. The series will end just in time for the West Indies cricketers to return home for the Caribbean Premier League.

Indian cricket team to play two T20Is against West Indies in USA during the Caribbean tour: Report

Virat Kohli remains the poster boy of Indian cricket despite not being the captain across formats. In mid-September, the superstar cricketer announced that he will resign as the shortest format's&nbsp;captain post India's campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE.

Post the T20 WC, radical changes were made in the Team India setup. While Kohli was sacked as the ODI skipper, he also went onto step down as the Test captain in early 2022. Amid all this, he had already given up Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) captaincy after Bengaluru's end of campaign in IPL 2021. Thus, resuming as a pure batter for India and the RCB franchise, Kohli's brand valuation has taken a dip as well.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dinesh-karthik-is-as-close-as-it-gets-to-ms-dhoni-faf-du-plessis-lauds-rcbs-finisher-after-kkr-win-467160">Dinesh Karthik is as close as it gets to MS Dhoni: Faf du Plessis lauds RCB's finisher after KKR win</a>

According to a report filed by&nbsp;TimesofIndia, the 33-year-old Kohli's brand valuation has shrunk from around $238 million in 2020 to $186 million in the next year (2021). Despite the dip, the former India and RCB skipper continues to hold&nbsp;the top spot in the top celebrity endorser list. This is for the fifth consecutive time that he has retained the No. 1 spot&nbsp;in India's top celebrity endorser list, staying ahead of the likes of Ranveer Singh (second), Akshay Kumar (third), Alia Bhatt (fourth) and MS Dhoni (fifth). Moreover, India's full-time captain Rohit Sharma occupies the 13th spot (with brand value of USD 32.2 million).

On the other hand, Dhoni's brand valuation has also seen an increase (to $61 million).&nbsp;"There were rumours that Dhoni quit the Indian Premier League (IPL). But he turned it around by taking Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a win and transitioning to the role of a mentor for the national team,” Aviral Jain, MD, Duff &amp; Phelps (A Kroll Business) told TOI. He further added, "Dhoni has become a timeless brand similar to Sachin Tendulkar."

“Brand value is directly proportional to eyeballs, focus and the chemistry the brand is able to create among its users and fans. More so in the case of a persona brand from the world of cricket,” said Harish Bijoor who is the founder of Harish Bijoor Consults.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-suresh-raina-ms-dhoni-and-ab-de-villiers-were-the-most-challenging-to-bowl-to-says-sandeep-sharma-467156">EXCLUSIVE: Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers were the most challenging to bowl to, says Sandeep Sharma</a>

“Kohli’s brand valuation is down. It is bound to be. He no longer sports the India captain’s cap. He no longer bears the RCB mantle, as well. New names occupy these positions today. As each of them deepen their brand valuation, Kohli will weaken his. It’s all part of the game. Part of the game is called branding!,” Bijoor pointed out.

At present, both Dhoni and Kohli are involved in the IPL 2022 edition. Dhoni has stepped down as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain whereas Kohli-starrer RCB is being led by Faf du Plessis.

Virat Kohli remains the poster boy of Indian cricket despite not being the captain across formats. In mid-September, the superstar cricketer announced that he will resign as the shortest format's captain post India's campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE.

Virat Kohli remains the poster boy of Indian cricket despite not being the captain across formats. In mid-September, the superstar cricketer announced that he will resign as the shortest format's captain post India's campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Post the T20 WC, radical changes were made in the Team India setup. While Kohli was sacked as the ODI skipper, he also went onto step down as the Test captain in early 2022. Amid all this, he had already given up Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) captaincy after Bengaluru's end of campaign in IPL 2021. Thus, resuming as a pure batter for India and the RCB franchise, Kohli's brand valuation has taken a dip as well. ALSO READ | Dinesh Karthik is as close as it gets to MS Dhoni: Faf du Plessis lauds RCB's finisher after KKR win According to a report filed by TimesofIndia, the 33-year-old Kohli's brand valuation has shrunk from around $238 million in 2020 to $186 million in the next year (2021). Despite the dip, the former India and RCB skipper continues to hold the top spot in the top celebrity endorser list. This is for the fifth consecutive time that he has retained the No. 1 spot in India's top celebrity endorser list, staying ahead of the likes of Ranveer Singh (second), Akshay Kumar (third), Alia Bhatt (fourth) and MS Dhoni (fifth). Moreover, India's full-time captain Rohit Sharma occupies the 13th spot (with brand value of USD 32.2 million). On the other hand, Dhoni's brand valuation has also seen an increase (to $61 million). "There were rumours that Dhoni quit the Indian Premier League (IPL). But he turned it around by taking Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a win and transitioning to the role of a mentor for the national team,” Aviral Jain, MD, Duff & Phelps (A Kroll Business) told TOI. He further added, "Dhoni has become a timeless brand similar to Sachin Tendulkar." “Brand value is directly proportional to eyeballs, focus and the chemistry the brand is able to create among its users and fans. More so in the case of a persona brand from the world of cricket,” said Harish Bijoor who is the founder of Harish Bijoor Consults. ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE: Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers were the most challenging to bowl to, says Sandeep Sharma “Kohli’s brand valuation is down. It is bound to be. He no longer sports the India captain’s cap. He no longer bears the RCB mantle, as well. New names occupy these positions today. As each of them deepen their brand valuation, Kohli will weaken his. It’s all part of the game. Part of the game is called branding!,” Bijoor pointed out. At present, both Dhoni and Kohli are involved in the IPL 2022 edition. Dhoni has stepped down as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain whereas Kohli-starrer RCB is being led by Faf du Plessis.

Kohli No. 1 in top celebrity endorser list despite brand valuation dip, Dhoni's climbs to $61 million: Report

KL Rahul has become an all-format player for Team India in current times. While Rahul dons the role of an opener in Tests and T20Is, the right-hander plays in the middle-order for India in the 50-over format. However, he wasn't a regular starter in all forms of the game a few years back.&nbsp;

In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rahul was part of India's middle-order before Shikhar Dhawan's injury promoted him as an opener along with Rohit Sharma. Rahul returned with 361 runs in his maiden 50-over World Cup, with a century and two fifties. Despite his good run with the willow in the showpiece event, Rahul was part of India's T20I, ODI and Test squads for the following&nbsp;West Indies tour, however, he was dropped from the playing XI in the white-ball series.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-looked-at-anushka-sharma-in-shock-virat-kohli-recalls-ab-de-villiers-shocking-ipl-retirement-466667">'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement</a>

Rahul recently spilled the beans on his sudden omission from India's playing XI. In a chat with Gaurav Kapoor in the new season of Breakfast with Champions, Rahul said, "I remember in 2019, I think we played the World Cup and right after it, we went to the West Indies for a series. I played the World Cup, I did decently well and then we went into the series and I got dropped. I was messaging him, he said 'Come by the pool. I'm having a drink'. It was his 300th game the next day so he was very happy and he had some friends over. So I went. I was by the pool. He came, sat with me, spoke to me that why are you not playing."

Rahul then revealed how Universe Boss Chris Gayle came to his aid and lifted his spirits. "You know, I obviously was frustrated because I played the World Cup and I'm not playing this. Makes no sense. So, I was just talking to him and he's like 'See you can always say that you're not playing because of 100 other reasons but it's in your hands whether you play or not. If 70 is not enough, get 150. If you are getting 150, get 200 if that's not enough. That's how you need to look at things. If a 600-run IPL season is not enough, then get 800. Or like you're getting 50s, 60s in the World Cup, you should have converted that and gotten 100-120s. Then no one has the power to drop you'," he further added.

<section>
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kl-rahul-dismissed-for-golden-duck-on-debut-for-lucknow-super-giants-466467">IPL 2022: KL Rahul dismissed for golden duck on debut for Lucknow Super Giants</a>
Rahul is currently involved in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition, where he is leading one of the two debutant teams, i.e. the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Rahul-led LSG lost their season-opener to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 5 wickets at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday (March 28).</section>

KL Rahul has become an all-format player for Team India in current times. While Rahul dons the role of an opener in Tests and T20Is, the right-hander plays in the middle-order for India in the 50-over format.

KL Rahul has become an all-format player for Team India in current times. While Rahul dons the role of an opener in Tests and T20Is, the right-hander plays in the middle-order for India in the 50-over format. However, he wasn't a regular starter in all forms of the game a few years back. In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rahul was part of India's middle-order before Shikhar Dhawan's injury promoted him as an opener along with Rohit Sharma. Rahul returned with 361 runs in his maiden 50-over World Cup, with a century and two fifties. Despite his good run with the willow in the showpiece event, Rahul was part of India's T20I, ODI and Test squads for the following West Indies tour, however, he was dropped from the playing XI in the white-ball series. ALSO READ | 'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement Rahul recently spilled the beans on his sudden omission from India's playing XI. In a chat with Gaurav Kapoor in the new season of Breakfast with Champions, Rahul said, "I remember in 2019, I think we played the World Cup and right after it, we went to the West Indies for a series. I played the World Cup, I did decently well and then we went into the series and I got dropped. I was messaging him, he said 'Come by the pool. I'm having a drink'. It was his 300th game the next day so he was very happy and he had some friends over. So I went. I was by the pool. He came, sat with me, spoke to me that why are you not playing." Rahul then revealed how Universe Boss Chris Gayle came to his aid and lifted his spirits. "You know, I obviously was frustrated because I played the World Cup and I'm not playing this. Makes no sense. So, I was just talking to him and he's like 'See you can always say that you're not playing because of 100 other reasons but it's in your hands whether you play or not. If 70 is not enough, get 150. If you are getting 150, get 200 if that's not enough. That's how you need to look at things. If a 600-run IPL season is not enough, then get 800. Or like you're getting 50s, 60s in the World Cup, you should have converted that and gotten 100-120s. Then no one has the power to drop you'," he further added. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: KL Rahul dismissed for golden duck on debut for Lucknow Super Giants Rahul is currently involved in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition, where he is leading one of the two debutant teams, i.e. the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Rahul-led LSG lost their season-opener to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 5 wickets at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday (March 28).

KL Rahul recalls being sidelined despite a good CWC'19 for India, reveals how Chris Gayle lifted his spirits

It was a game of fine margins as a crucial no-ball call in the final over meant that India were eliminated from the 2022 Women’s World Cup after losing to South Africa. With 3 runs need from 2 balls, Deepti Sharma dismissed Mignon du Preez as Harmanpreet Kaur took the catch at long-off.<o:p></o:p>

However, the celebration was short lived as the third umpire confirmed that it was a no-ball and du Preez scored a boundary off the very next ball to end India’s dreams of reaching the knockout stage.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africa-beat-india-in-last-ball-thriller-as-mithali-raj-co-crash-out-of-womens-world-cup-2022-465912">SA beat India in last-ball thriller to dump them out of Women's WC 2022</a><o:p></o:p>

Former India opener Virender Sehwag took to Twitter to console the Indian women’s cricket team after the defeat and said that sometimes ‘an inch costs moments that took a decade to achieve’.

<o:p></o:p>

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It wasn't just the no ball which cost India the game today but sometimes an inch costs moments that takes decades to achieve and are possibly once in a lifetime achievement for many players. Disappointing end to India's campaign <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvSA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cwc22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cwc22</a> <a href="https://t.co/2DzerovJD1">pic.twitter.com/2DzerovJD1</a>
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/1508009659214434304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<o:p></o:p>“It wasn't just the no ball which cost India the game today but sometimes an inch costs moments that takes decades to achieve and are possibly once in a lifetime achievement for many players. Disappointing end to India's campaign #IndvSA #cwc22,” Sehwag posted on his account.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-scripts-unique-record-with-his-brilliant-fifty-against-kolkata-knight-riders-in-ipl-2022-opener-465870" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: MS Dhoni scripts unique record with brilliant fifty against KKR</a><o:p></o:p>

Batting first, India were able to post a total of 274 for the loss of seven wickets thanks to brilliant contributions from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma who stitched together a 91-run partnership for the opening wicket. Skipper Mithali Raj capitalized on the foundation and scored her 64th fifty. <o:p></o:p>

While bowling, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Harmanpreet took two wickets each but Laura Wolvaardt started well and du Preez played another brilliant knock to guide South Africa to victory. Du Preez came to bat at a difficult situation and her 52-run knock earned her the Player of the Match award. <o:p></o:p>

It was a game of fine margins as a crucial no-ball call in the final over meant that India were eliminated from the 2022 Women’s World Cup after losing to South Africa.

It was a game of fine margins as a crucial no-ball call in the final over meant that India were eliminated from the 2022 Women’s World Cup after losing to South Africa. With 3 runs need from 2 balls, Deepti Sharma dismissed Mignon du Preez as Harmanpreet Kaur took the catch at long-off. However, the celebration was short lived as the third umpire confirmed that it was a no-ball and du Preez scored a boundary off the very next ball to end India’s dreams of reaching the knockout stage. Also read | SA beat India in last-ball thriller to dump them out of Women's WC 2022 Former India opener Virender Sehwag took to Twitter to console the Indian women’s cricket team after the defeat and said that sometimes ‘an inch costs moments that took a decade to achieve’. It wasn't just the no ball which cost India the game today but sometimes an inch costs moments that takes decades to achieve and are possibly once in a lifetime achievement for many players. Disappointing end to India's campaign #IndvSA #cwc22 pic.twitter.com/2DzerovJD1 — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 27, 2022 × “It wasn't just the no ball which cost India the game today but sometimes an inch costs moments that takes decades to achieve and are possibly once in a lifetime achievement for many players. Disappointing end to India's campaign #IndvSA #cwc22,” Sehwag posted on his account. Also read | IPL 2022: MS Dhoni scripts unique record with brilliant fifty against KKR Batting first, India were able to post a total of 274 for the loss of seven wickets thanks to brilliant contributions from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma who stitched together a 91-run partnership for the opening wicket. Skipper Mithali Raj capitalized on the foundation and scored her 64th fifty. While bowling, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Harmanpreet took two wickets each but Laura Wolvaardt started well and du Preez played another brilliant knock to guide South Africa to victory. Du Preez came to bat at a difficult situation and her 52-run knock earned her the Player of the Match award.

'It wasn't just the no ball' - Virender Sehwag reacts to India's Women's WC 2022 heartbreak

In order to look after players'&nbsp;mental health, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official on Friday said that the Yo-Yo tests, which are conducted for the selection of the team players, will not be made tougher.

Yo-Yo tests are mandatory for Team India players to secure a place in the top 15 but in recent times, many players have failed to clear the test and had to sit outside.

BCCI had recently announced that the players who fail to clear the Yo-Yo tests, will not be allowed to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kevin-conway-to-open-csks-predicted-playing-xi-for-opener-against-kkr-465681">Devon Conway to open with Ruturaj Gaikwad? CSK's predicted playing XI for IPL 2022 opener against KKR</a>

"No, we don't have any plans of making the Yo-Yo tests harder for the player, as it is not good for the mental health of the players. A lot of cricket is being played and we can't put unnecessary pressure on our players," a BCCI official told ANI.

Currently, bio-bubble is the main factor of fatigue for the players, which is harming their mental health. Considering this, the board has decided to not put any extra pressure on the players.

IPL 2022 will start from Saturday with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squaring off in the inaugural clash at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

In order to look after players' mental health, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official on Friday said that the Yo-Yo tests, which are conducted for the selection of the team players, will not be made tougher.

In order to look after players' mental health, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official on Friday said that the Yo-Yo tests, which are conducted for the selection of the team players, will not be made tougher. Yo-Yo tests are mandatory for Team India players to secure a place in the top 15 but in recent times, many players have failed to clear the test and had to sit outside. BCCI had recently announced that the players who fail to clear the Yo-Yo tests, will not be allowed to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. ALSO READ: Devon Conway to open with Ruturaj Gaikwad? CSK's predicted playing XI for IPL 2022 opener against KKR "No, we don't have any plans of making the Yo-Yo tests harder for the player, as it is not good for the mental health of the players. A lot of cricket is being played and we can't put unnecessary pressure on our players," a BCCI official told ANI. Currently, bio-bubble is the main factor of fatigue for the players, which is harming their mental health. Considering this, the board has decided to not put any extra pressure on the players. IPL 2022 will start from Saturday with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squaring off in the inaugural clash at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

BCCI to not make Yo-Yo test more difficult considering players' mental health

A lot of focus will be on all-rounder Hardik Pandya when the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 kicks off on March 26. Pandya was selected by Gujarat Titans ahead of the mega auction and he will be leading the new franchise this season. While he has been cleared to bowl this time, he has played in the recent past mainly as a batsman due to various fitness issues and surgeries.<o:p></o:p>

Former Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri believes that if Pandya cannot start bowling again, he will not be able to make it spot in India squad ahead of the T20 World Cup just based on his batting.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-hands-over-csk-captaincy-to-ravindra-jadeja-ahead-of-ipl-2022-465123">MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022</a>

"In the top five, there's a lot of muscle there. If anyone's occupying the position Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he'll have to bring that extra department to the game. That is why from Hardik's point of view, from India's point of view, from the Gujarat team's point of view, it's extremely important that he strings those two or three overs together because if he does and bowls with even limited success, he becomes an automatic choice in the Indian team," Shastri told ESPNcricinfo.<o:p></o:p>

Shastri added that the No 6 position in the national side is now fixed for an all-rounder.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ravindra-jadejas-first-reactions-after-becoming-csk-captain-watch-465244" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Jadeja's 'first reactions' after becoming CSK captain - Watch</a>

"I think the all-rounder's position at No. 6 for sure. Ideally someone in the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the pressure off the captain. It gives him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can choose. That will be one area I'll be looking at very closely. And of course, the fast bowling and fielding. I'm not really worried about the batting. Batting is there," he said.<o:p></o:p>

Gujarat Titans will kick off their campaign on Monday against Lucknow Super Giants.<o:p></o:p>

A lot of focus will be on all-rounder Hardik Pandya when the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 kicks off on March 26. Pandya was selected by Gujarat Titans ahead of the mega auction and he will be leading the new franchise this season.

A lot of focus will be on all-rounder Hardik Pandya when the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 kicks off on March 26. Pandya was selected by Gujarat Titans ahead of the mega auction and he will be leading the new franchise this season. While he has been cleared to bowl this time, he has played in the recent past mainly as a batsman due to various fitness issues and surgeries. Former Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri believes that if Pandya cannot start bowling again, he will not be able to make it spot in India squad ahead of the T20 World Cup just based on his batting. Also read | MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022 "In the top five, there's a lot of muscle there. If anyone's occupying the position Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he'll have to bring that extra department to the game. That is why from Hardik's point of view, from India's point of view, from the Gujarat team's point of view, it's extremely important that he strings those two or three overs together because if he does and bowls with even limited success, he becomes an automatic choice in the Indian team," Shastri told ESPNcricinfo. Shastri added that the No 6 position in the national side is now fixed for an all-rounder. Also read | IPL 2022: Jadeja's 'first reactions' after becoming CSK captain - Watch "I think the all-rounder's position at No. 6 for sure. Ideally someone in the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the pressure off the captain. It gives him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can choose. That will be one area I'll be looking at very closely. And of course, the fast bowling and fielding. I'm not really worried about the batting. Batting is there," he said. Gujarat Titans will kick off their campaign on Monday against Lucknow Super Giants.

Ravi Shastri gives his verdict on Hardik Pandya's possible return to Team India

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26. Ahead of the new season, the ardent fans are excited to see how the two new teams shape up and compete with the rest. While KL Rahul will lead the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the Gujarat Titans (GT) will be led by local boy Hardik Pandya.

Ahead of the 15th season, all eyes are on Hardik as it remains to be seen if he will return back as an all-rounder. Since the 2021 T20 World Cup, Hardik hasn't been in the scheme of things for Team India, mainly due to the all-rounder working on his fitness to return back to bowling in full flow. In the last two IPL seasons, Hardik didn't bowl a single over for the Mumbai Indians (MI). However, ex-Team India head coach Ravi Shastri feels the 28-year-old needs to bowl to be able to return back in the playing XI for India in white-ball formats.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-hands-over-csk-captaincy-to-ravindra-jadeja-ahead-of-ipl-2022-465123">MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022</a>

"In the top five, there's a lot of muscle there. If anyone's occupying the position Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he'll have to bring that extra department to the game. That is why from Hardik's point of view, from India's point of view, from the Gujarat team's point of view, it's extremely important that he strings those two or three overs together because if he does and bowls with even limited success, he becomes an automatic choice in the Indian team," said Shastri to&nbsp;Espncricinfo.

"I think the all-rounder's position at No. 6 for sure. Ideally, someone in the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the pressure off the captain. It gives him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can choose. That will be one area I'll be looking at very closely. And of course the fast bowling and fielding. I'm not really worried about the batting. Batting is there," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-a-look-at-the-veterans-captaincy-record-for-chennai-super-kings-465141">MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings</a>

The GT franchise will open their campaign versus LSG on March 28 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. So far, Hardik has kept mum on his bowling plans and has said that it will be a 'surprise' for fans. Let's see what he has in store for one and all in this IPL edition.

Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022:

Jason Roy,&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

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26. Ahead of the new season, the ardent fans are excited to see how the two new teams shape up and compete with the rest.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26. Ahead of the new season, the ardent fans are excited to see how the two new teams shape up and compete with the rest. While KL Rahul will lead the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the Gujarat Titans (GT) will be led by local boy Hardik Pandya. Ahead of the 15th season, all eyes are on Hardik as it remains to be seen if he will return back as an all-rounder. Since the 2021 T20 World Cup, Hardik hasn't been in the scheme of things for Team India, mainly due to the all-rounder working on his fitness to return back to bowling in full flow. In the last two IPL seasons, Hardik didn't bowl a single over for the Mumbai Indians (MI). However, ex-Team India head coach Ravi Shastri feels the 28-year-old needs to bowl to be able to return back in the playing XI for India in white-ball formats. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022 "In the top five, there's a lot of muscle there. If anyone's occupying the position Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he'll have to bring that extra department to the game. That is why from Hardik's point of view, from India's point of view, from the Gujarat team's point of view, it's extremely important that he strings those two or three overs together because if he does and bowls with even limited success, he becomes an automatic choice in the Indian team," said Shastri to Espncricinfo. "I think the all-rounder's position at No. 6 for sure. Ideally, someone in the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the pressure off the captain. It gives him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can choose. That will be one area I'll be looking at very closely. And of course the fast bowling and fielding. I'm not really worried about the batting. Batting is there," he added. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings The GT franchise will open their campaign versus LSG on March 28 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. So far, Hardik has kept mum on his bowling plans and has said that it will be a 'surprise' for fans. Let's see what he has in store for one and all in this IPL edition. Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022: Jason Roy, 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

'He'll have to bring....': Shastri claims Hardik needs to bowl in IPL 2022 to make India comeback

KL Rahul is all set to embark on a new journey in his Indian Premier League (IPL) career as he will lead debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming season. Rahul captained Punjab Kings for two seasons and was also their leading run-getter in both the editions before deciding to leave the franchise to join Lucknow Super Giants this year.

At Punjab Kings, the expectations were high from Rahul when he was appointed as the leader of the side ahead of IPL 2020. However, he failed to impress as a captain as Punjab failed to make it to the playoffs in two seasons under his leadership. The imbalance in Punjab's squad and an inconsistent middle-order were seen as two of the major reasons behind the team's struggles under Rahul.

As an opener, Rahul would lead from the front and score heap of runs for his franchise but the lack of support in the middle-order often hampered his strike rate and aggressive instincts while batting. Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who will be the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022, wants Rahul to not repeat the mistakes from his time at Punjab Kings.

Gambhir said he would like Rahul the batter to take charge and take calculated risks in order to improve his and his team's performances on the pitch. Gambhir also confirmed that Rahul will not have to keep wickets for LSG to ensure he has less pressure and is&nbsp;relaxed as captain.

"Ultimately, it is the leader who is the flag-bearer of a team and so it's Rahul who will lead Lucknow Super Giants on and off the field. For me, it is important to have KL Rahul the batter, who is also the captain of the team rather than KL Rahul, the captain, who also bats. I hope I am able to make you understand the difference,” Gambhir said in a&nbsp;conversation with PTI.

"Any captain should learn to take risks. I would want Rahul to take risks and unless you take calculated risks, you won't know if you would succeed or not. Also this time, Quinton de Kock will be our wicketkeeper, so with no keeping duties, he can be free and relaxed, concentrating on his batting and leadership,” he explained.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-one-of-the-greatest-physios-in-the-world-gets-everyone-fit-before-auction-ravi-shastri-464769">IPL one of the greatest physios in the world, gets everyone fit before auction: Ravi Shastri</a>

Gambhir also issued a warning to Rahul in regards to his India captaincy aspirations. The stylish right-hander is currently the vice-captain of the Indian team across formats and is seen as one of the future leaders of the Indian team. He has also captained the Indian team in a few matches in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma.

When asked if there will be additional pressure on Rahul to prove his captaincy credentials in the IPL keeping the India job in mind, Gambhir said no one should play in the IPL looking at the national team. The Lucknow Super Giants mentor believes IPl performances will not guarantee India captaincy for Rahul.

"Know one thing. There is a difference between being talked up as a future India captain and ultimately being appointed India captain. I have never believed that you should play IPL looking at the national team. IPL is a platform to express one's self. One can grow as a leader but there are no guarantees that there is a time period that IPL will help you become India captain," said Gambhir.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/despite-bccis-intervention-moeen-ali-stranded-in-uk-due-to-visay-delay-likely-to-miss-csks-opener-vs-kkr-464759">Despite BCCI's intervention Moeen Ali stranded in UK due to visa delay, likely to miss CSK's opener vs KKR</a>

Lucknow Super Giants have managed to assemble a brilliant squad for their debut season in the IPL this year. Their squad features the likes of Rahul, De Kock, Manish Pandey, Avesh Khan, Jason Holder and Krunal Pandya among others who can all be game-changers on their day.

Lucknow Super Giants will open their IPL 2022 campaign against fellow debutants Gujarat Titans on Monday (March 28). 
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KL Rahul is all set to embark on a new journey in his Indian Premier League (IPL) career as he will lead debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming season.

KL Rahul is all set to embark on a new journey in his Indian Premier League (IPL) career as he will lead debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming season. Rahul captained Punjab Kings for two seasons and was also their leading run-getter in both the editions before deciding to leave the franchise to join Lucknow Super Giants this year. At Punjab Kings, the expectations were high from Rahul when he was appointed as the leader of the side ahead of IPL 2020. However, he failed to impress as a captain as Punjab failed to make it to the playoffs in two seasons under his leadership. The imbalance in Punjab's squad and an inconsistent middle-order were seen as two of the major reasons behind the team's struggles under Rahul. As an opener, Rahul would lead from the front and score heap of runs for his franchise but the lack of support in the middle-order often hampered his strike rate and aggressive instincts while batting. Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who will be the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022, wants Rahul to not repeat the mistakes from his time at Punjab Kings. Gambhir said he would like Rahul the batter to take charge and take calculated risks in order to improve his and his team's performances on the pitch. Gambhir also confirmed that Rahul will not have to keep wickets for LSG to ensure he has less pressure and is relaxed as captain. "Ultimately, it is the leader who is the flag-bearer of a team and so it's Rahul who will lead Lucknow Super Giants on and off the field. For me, it is important to have KL Rahul the batter, who is also the captain of the team rather than KL Rahul, the captain, who also bats. I hope I am able to make you understand the difference,” Gambhir said in a conversation with PTI. "Any captain should learn to take risks. I would want Rahul to take risks and unless you take calculated risks, you won't know if you would succeed or not. Also this time, Quinton de Kock will be our wicketkeeper, so with no keeping duties, he can be free and relaxed, concentrating on his batting and leadership,” he explained. Also Read: IPL one of the greatest physios in the world, gets everyone fit before auction: Ravi Shastri Gambhir also issued a warning to Rahul in regards to his India captaincy aspirations. The stylish right-hander is currently the vice-captain of the Indian team across formats and is seen as one of the future leaders of the Indian team. He has also captained the Indian team in a few matches in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. When asked if there will be additional pressure on Rahul to prove his captaincy credentials in the IPL keeping the India job in mind, Gambhir said no one should play in the IPL looking at the national team. The Lucknow Super Giants mentor believes IPl performances will not guarantee India captaincy for Rahul. "Know one thing. There is a difference between being talked up as a future India captain and ultimately being appointed India captain. I have never believed that you should play IPL looking at the national team. IPL is a platform to express one's self. One can grow as a leader but there are no guarantees that there is a time period that IPL will help you become India captain," said Gambhir. Also Read: Despite BCCI's intervention Moeen Ali stranded in UK due to visa delay, likely to miss CSK's opener vs KKR Lucknow Super Giants have managed to assemble a brilliant squad for their debut season in the IPL this year. Their squad features the likes of Rahul, De Kock, Manish Pandey, Avesh Khan, Jason Holder and Krunal Pandya among others who can all be game-changers on their day. Lucknow Super Giants will open their IPL 2022 campaign against fellow debutants Gujarat Titans on Monday (March 28).

Gautam Gambhir issues warning to KL Rahul: No guarantee that IPL will help you become India captain

Team India star Shreyas Iyer recently picked KL Rahul as his favourite captain and explained the reason behind the same. Iyer, who has become an integral member of the Indian team across formats with his impressive performances recently, is himself seen as one of the potential leaders of the Indian team going forward.

Iyer has already proved the mettle of his captaincy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) having led his former side Delhi Capitals to their maiden final in the 2020 season. Iyer, who left DC ahead of IPL 2022, has been roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as their new captain ahead of the upcoming season.

Iyer, who played under Rahul's captaincy for the Indian team during the ODI series against South Africa last year, said the star batter is an outstanding player and has a calm demeanour as a leader. Iyer said Rahul was the first captain to give him a chance to bowl for India which no other captain had done before which is why he was his favourite.

“It was nice to play under him. Firstly, he is an outstanding player. The confidence he carries on the field and in the team meetings, the support that he provides to the players is great," Iyer said while speaking on the Red Bull clubhouse.

"He’s got a very calm demeanour and his on-field decision making is very instinctive. I really enjoyed playing under him. Also, he gave me three overs of bowling, which none of the captains previously had done. So yeah, he’s my favourite captain," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="Stephen Fleming names three overseas stars who CSK got for cheap at IPL 2022 mega auction - WATCH">Stephen Fleming names three overseas stars who CSK got for cheap at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Rahul had led the Indian team in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma during the ODI series against South Africa. However, India failed to win even a single game in the three-match series under Rahul's captaincy in what was a disappointing outing for the Men in Blue against the Proteas.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t-natarajan-breaks-a-stump-into-two-as-sunrisers-hyderabad-pacer-breathes-fire-ahead-of-ipl-2022-watch-464044">&nbsp;T Natarajan breaks a stump into two as Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer breathes fire ahead of IPL 2022&nbsp;</a>

Nonetheless, Iyer, who has played under the likes of Virat Kohli and current skipper Rohit, decided to pick Rahul as his favourite captain among all. While Iyer will be leading his new side KKR in IPL 2022 this year, Rahul will also be leading his new team Lucknow Super Giants after being roped in for a whopping Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million) at the mega auction last month.

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Team India star Shreyas Iyer recently picked KL Rahul as his favourite captain and explained the reason behind the same. Iyer, who has become an integral member of the Indian team across formats with his impressive performances recently, is himself seen as one of the potential leaders of the Indian team going forward.

Team India star Shreyas Iyer recently picked KL Rahul as his favourite captain and explained the reason behind the same. Iyer, who has become an integral member of the Indian team across formats with his impressive performances recently, is himself seen as one of the potential leaders of the Indian team going forward. Iyer has already proved the mettle of his captaincy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) having led his former side Delhi Capitals to their maiden final in the 2020 season. Iyer, who left DC ahead of IPL 2022, has been roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as their new captain ahead of the upcoming season. Iyer, who played under Rahul's captaincy for the Indian team during the ODI series against South Africa last year, said the star batter is an outstanding player and has a calm demeanour as a leader. Iyer said Rahul was the first captain to give him a chance to bowl for India which no other captain had done before which is why he was his favourite. “It was nice to play under him. Firstly, he is an outstanding player. The confidence he carries on the field and in the team meetings, the support that he provides to the players is great," Iyer said while speaking on the Red Bull clubhouse. "He’s got a very calm demeanour and his on-field decision making is very instinctive. I really enjoyed playing under him. Also, he gave me three overs of bowling, which none of the captains previously had done. So yeah, he’s my favourite captain," he added. Also Read: Stephen Fleming names three overseas stars who CSK got for cheap at IPL 2022 mega auction Rahul had led the Indian team in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma during the ODI series against South Africa. However, India failed to win even a single game in the three-match series under Rahul's captaincy in what was a disappointing outing for the Men in Blue against the Proteas. Also Read: T Natarajan breaks a stump into two as Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer breathes fire ahead of IPL 2022 Nonetheless, Iyer, who has played under the likes of Virat Kohli and current skipper Rohit, decided to pick Rahul as his favourite captain among all. While Iyer will be leading his new side KKR in IPL 2022 this year, Rahul will also be leading his new team Lucknow Super Giants after being roped in for a whopping Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million) at the mega auction last month.

Not Kohli or Rohit! Shreyas Iyer picks KL Rahul as his 'favourite' captain, explains why

Sri Lanka is all set to host the 2022 edition of the Asia Cup. The tournament will be played in the 20-over format this time around and will be conducted between August 27 to September 11. The date and venue of the tournament were confirmed after the Annual General Meeting between the member nations on Saturday (March 19).

Asia Cup was lasted staged in 2018 when India emerged as champions under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma in the absence of former skipper Virat Kohli. The next edition of the tournament was set to be held in 2020 but it had to be postponed due to COVID-19. Sri Lanka was scheduled to host the 2020 edition which was postponed to 2021 before being moved to 2022 last year.

Pakistan were the original hosts of the 2022 edition of the tournament and were expecting to retain the hosting rights this year. However, Sri Lanka will host Asia Cup this year while Pakistan have been awarded the hosting rights for the 2023 edition of the tournament.

The tournament has been played in both ODI and T20I formats over the years. However, this time around it will be staged in the 20-over format with all five member nations - Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh featuring in the tournament.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/womens-world-cup-2022-can-india-still-qualify-for-semi-finals-after-six-wicket-defeat-against-australia-463762">Women's World Cup 2022: Can India still qualify for semi-finals after six-wicket defeat against Australia?</a>

There will be another Asian side that will be added to the tournament after the conclusion of the qualifiers which will get underway from August 20. The sixth team to take part in the tournament will be one of&nbsp;UAE, Kuwait, Singapore or Hong Kong.

India are the most successful team in the history of the Asia Cup, a tournament which started in 1984. India have won six Asia Cup titles in 14 editions of the tournament so far. The upcoming edition will be the 15th one. India have won five Asia Cup titles in the fifty-over format and one in the T20I format.

Sri Lanka is all set to host the 2022 edition of the Asia Cup. The tournament will be played in the 20-over format this time around and will be conducted between August 27 to September 11.

Sri Lanka is all set to host the 2022 edition of the Asia Cup. The tournament will be played in the 20-over format this time around and will be conducted between August 27 to September 11. The date and venue of the tournament were confirmed after the Annual General Meeting between the member nations on Saturday (March 19). Asia Cup was lasted staged in 2018 when India emerged as champions under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma in the absence of former skipper Virat Kohli. The next edition of the tournament was set to be held in 2020 but it had to be postponed due to COVID-19. Sri Lanka was scheduled to host the 2020 edition which was postponed to 2021 before being moved to 2022 last year. Pakistan were the original hosts of the 2022 edition of the tournament and were expecting to retain the hosting rights this year. However, Sri Lanka will host Asia Cup this year while Pakistan have been awarded the hosting rights for the 2023 edition of the tournament. The tournament has been played in both ODI and T20I formats over the years. However, this time around it will be staged in the 20-over format with all five member nations - Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh featuring in the tournament. Also Read: Women's World Cup 2022: Can India still qualify for semi-finals after six-wicket defeat against Australia? There will be another Asian side that will be added to the tournament after the conclusion of the qualifiers which will get underway from August 20. The sixth team to take part in the tournament will be one of UAE, Kuwait, Singapore or Hong Kong. India are the most successful team in the history of the Asia Cup, a tournament which started in 1984. India have won six Asia Cup titles in 14 editions of the tournament so far. The upcoming edition will be the 15th one. India have won five Asia Cup titles in the fifty-over format and one in the T20I format.

Asia Cup 2022 to be hosted by Sri Lanka not Pakistan, tournament to be played in 20-over format

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir hs rubbished the rumours that he doesn't like former India captain MS Dhoni and that all is not well between the two former India teammates. Gambhir and Dhoni shared the Indian dressing room for nearly a decade and were part of some of the most memorable victories for Team India including the ICC T20 World Cup triumph in 2007 and the ICC ODI World Cup win in 2011.

Gambhir made his debut for the Indian team much before Dhoni in 2003 itself but he went on to play for a number of years under the latter's captaincy. Gambhir played an instrumental role in India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup wins under Dhoni's captaincy and was Man of the Match in the finals of both the tournaments.

Gambhir was also Dhoni's deputy across formats for a number of years for the Indian team and led the side in the former captain's absence in six matches. When asked why some people think he doesn't like Dhoni, Gambhir called the rumours 'crap' and said he has a lot of mutual respect for the former India captain.

Gambhir also heaped praise on Dhoni for his contributions towards Indian cricket and said he will be the first person to stand next to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain if he is ever in need in life. Gambhir also explained that he and Dhoni might have had their own ways of looking at the game but it was never the case that they didn't like each other or didn't get along well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-was-completely-opposite-of-what-i-thought-captaincy-would-have-looked-like-faf-du-plessis-461867">MS Dhoni was completely opposite of what I thought captaincy would have looked like: Faf du Plessis</a>

"I have lots of mutual respect for MS Dhoni. I have said it on air, I can say it anywhere in front of 138 crore people, if ever in need, I hope he's never in need in life but if he is ever in need, I will be the first person standing next to him because of what he has done for Indian cricket and what he is as a human being," Gambhir told popular sports presenter Jatin Sapru on his show Over &amp; Out.

You might look at the game in a different way, I might look at it in a different way. I have got my own opinions, he has got his own opinions. I have been the vice-captain (Of the Indian team) for the longest time when he was the captain and never has it been the case. Even when we have played for our respective teams it was never the case," Gambhir added.

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Gambhir and Dhoni were part of one of the most memorable partnerships in the history of Indian cricket during the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The duo had posted a 109-run stand for the fourth wicket in the high-pressure final to take India over the line comfortably.

While Gambhir was the top-scorer for the Men in Blue in the final with 97 off 122 balls, Dhoni scored an unbeaten 91 off 79 balls and had finished the game with an iconic six, a shot which still remains fresh in the memories of millions of Indian cricket fans.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir hs rubbished the rumours that he doesn't like former India captain MS Dhoni and that all is not well between the two former India teammates.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir hs rubbished the rumours that he doesn't like former India captain MS Dhoni and that all is not well between the two former India teammates. Gambhir and Dhoni shared the Indian dressing room for nearly a decade and were part of some of the most memorable victories for Team India including the ICC T20 World Cup triumph in 2007 and the ICC ODI World Cup win in 2011. Gambhir made his debut for the Indian team much before Dhoni in 2003 itself but he went on to play for a number of years under the latter's captaincy. Gambhir played an instrumental role in India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup wins under Dhoni's captaincy and was Man of the Match in the finals of both the tournaments. Gambhir was also Dhoni's deputy across formats for a number of years for the Indian team and led the side in the former captain's absence in six matches. When asked why some people think he doesn't like Dhoni, Gambhir called the rumours 'crap' and said he has a lot of mutual respect for the former India captain. Gambhir also heaped praise on Dhoni for his contributions towards Indian cricket and said he will be the first person to stand next to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain if he is ever in need in life. Gambhir also explained that he and Dhoni might have had their own ways of looking at the game but it was never the case that they didn't like each other or didn't get along well. Also Read: MS Dhoni was completely opposite of what I thought captaincy would have looked like: Faf du Plessis "I have lots of mutual respect for MS Dhoni. I have said it on air, I can say it anywhere in front of 138 crore people, if ever in need, I hope he's never in need in life but if he is ever in need, I will be the first person standing next to him because of what he has done for Indian cricket and what he is as a human being," Gambhir told popular sports presenter Jatin Sapru on his show Over & Out. You might look at the game in a different way, I might look at it in a different way. I have got my own opinions, he has got his own opinions. I have been the vice-captain (Of the Indian team) for the longest time when he was the captain and never has it been the case. Even when we have played for our respective teams it was never the case," Gambhir added. × Gambhir and Dhoni were part of one of the most memorable partnerships in the history of Indian cricket during the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The duo had posted a 109-run stand for the fourth wicket in the high-pressure final to take India over the line comfortably. While Gambhir was the top-scorer for the Men in Blue in the final with 97 off 122 balls, Dhoni scored an unbeaten 91 off 79 balls and had finished the game with an iconic six, a shot which still remains fresh in the memories of millions of Indian cricket fans.

Have a lot of respect for MS Dhoni, will be the first person standing next to him in need: Gautam Gambhir

After the end of the second and penultimate Test between hosts Pakistan and Australia, the series scoreline remains 0-0. While the series opener was a run-fest in Rawalpindi, the pitch at Karachi also failed to provide a result as the two teams have shifted focus to the series finale, which will get underway at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore on March 21.

Ahead of the third and final Test, former Pakistan cricketer Aquib Javed has slammed the Ramiz Raja-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the pitches it has produced and asked them to take a leaf from the curators in India. In this regard, he said on his Youtube channel, "Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc how they prepare the turners on which Indian spinners dominate. I am surprised until now Pakistan has not been able to produce pure turning tracks, which will help our spinners."

Thus, Javed has asked PCB to learn from the Indian curators in preparing turning pitches which would benefit the hosts. In the recently-concluded India-Sri Lanka Test series, in India, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. whitewashed the Lankans despite not playing on rank-turners but on pitches which did offer adequete help for the spinners and also led to pacers chipping in with regular scalps. Thus, it will be interesting to see what kind of a surface is prepared for the Pakistan-Australia Test series finale.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/best-all-round-batter-in-the-world-vaughan-lavishes-huge-praise-on-pakistan-captain-after-2nd-test-vs-aus-463099">Best all-round batter in the world: Vaughan lavishes huge praise on Pakistan captain after 2nd Test vs AUS</a>

Talking about the second and final Test, Australia rode on Marnus Labuschagne's 160 to post 556-9 decl, after opting to bat first at the National Stadium, Karachi. In reply, Babar Azam-led home side managed only 148 in their first innings (conceding a whopping 408-run lead). After Pat Cummins' Australia set a massive 506-run target for the hosts, Babar's 196, Mohammad Rizwan's 104* led Pakistan to 443-7 as both sides settled for a draw on the final day's play on Wednesday (March 16).

The series decider will now be held on March 21 at Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore.

After the end of the second and penultimate Test between hosts Pakistan and Australia, the series scoreline remains 0-0. While the series opener was a run-fest in Rawalpindi, the pitch at Karachi also failed to provide a result as the two teams have shifted focus to the series finale, which will get underway at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore on March 21.

After the end of the second and penultimate Test between hosts Pakistan and Australia, the series scoreline remains 0-0. While the series opener was a run-fest in Rawalpindi, the pitch at Karachi also failed to provide a result as the two teams have shifted focus to the series finale, which will get underway at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore on March 21. Ahead of the third and final Test, former Pakistan cricketer Aquib Javed has slammed the Ramiz Raja-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the pitches it has produced and asked them to take a leaf from the curators in India. In this regard, he said on his Youtube channel, "Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc how they prepare the turners on which Indian spinners dominate. I am surprised until now Pakistan has not been able to produce pure turning tracks, which will help our spinners." Thus, Javed has asked PCB to learn from the Indian curators in preparing turning pitches which would benefit the hosts. In the recently-concluded India-Sri Lanka Test series, in India, Rohit Sharma & Co. whitewashed the Lankans despite not playing on rank-turners but on pitches which did offer adequete help for the spinners and also led to pacers chipping in with regular scalps. Thus, it will be interesting to see what kind of a surface is prepared for the Pakistan-Australia Test series finale. ALSO READ | Best all-round batter in the world: Vaughan lavishes huge praise on Pakistan captain after 2nd Test vs AUS Talking about the second and final Test, Australia rode on Marnus Labuschagne's 160 to post 556-9 decl, after opting to bat first at the National Stadium, Karachi. In reply, Babar Azam-led home side managed only 148 in their first innings (conceding a whopping 408-run lead). After Pat Cummins' Australia set a massive 506-run target for the hosts, Babar's 196, Mohammad Rizwan's 104* led Pakistan to 443-7 as both sides settled for a draw on the final day's play on Wednesday (March 16). The series decider will now be held on March 21 at Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore.

'Find out from Indian curators...' - Ex-Pak cricketer lashes out at PCB over pitches prepared for AUS Tests

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