MS Dhoni slammed his first half century in two years to rescue Chennai Super Kings (CSK) from a tricky situation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 opener against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai on Saturday. 

Dhoni registered seven boundaries and one six to bring up his fifty in 38 balls as CSK posted a total of 131 for the loss of five wickets after losing their top order quite cheaply.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-csks-ravindra-jadeja-register-unique-record-in-opener-against-kkr-465774" hreflang="en">CSK's Ravindra Jadeja registers unique record in opener against KKR</a>

Dhoni started his innings quite slowly but accelerated towards the end of the innings as CSK scored 47 runs off the final three overs of the innings. He stitched together an 80-run partnership with skipper Ravindra Jadeja as they steadied the innings after five wickets fell within the 11th over.<o:p></o:p>

KKR started the match well as the bowlers keep taking wickets at regular intervals. Umesh Yadav dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway while Varun Chakravarty got the better of Robin Uthappa. Ambati Rayudu and Shivam Dube followed suit as CSK were reeling at 61 for 5.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-with-change-in-rcb-leadership-we-might-see-the-virat-kohli-from-2016-says-sunil-gavaskar-465760" hreflang="en">With change in RCB leadership, we might see the Virat Kohli from 2016, says Sunil Gavaskar</a>

Dhoni joined Jadeja at the middle and started quite slowly as KKR bowlers kept testing him with spin and short balls. On one end, Andre Russell implemented a short pitch bowling strategy while it was all spin on the other as Chakravarty and Sunil Narine bowled in tandem during the middle overs.<o:p></o:p>

However, Dhoni weathered the storm and went after Shivam Mavi and Russell during the end of the innings. He connected brilliantly and two fours and a six off Mavi clearly showed his intentions in the 19th over. He continued to bat confidently and was able to reach his half century in the final over.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

MS Dhoni slammed his first half century in two years to rescue Chennai Super Kings (CSK) from a tricky situation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 opener against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai on Saturday.

MS Dhoni slammed his first half century in two years to rescue Chennai Super Kings (CSK) from a tricky situation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 opener against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai on Saturday. Dhoni registered seven boundaries and one six to bring up his fifty in 38 balls as CSK posted a total of 131 for the loss of five wickets after losing their top order quite cheaply. Also read | CSK's Ravindra Jadeja registers unique record in opener against KKR Dhoni started his innings quite slowly but accelerated towards the end of the innings as CSK scored 47 runs off the final three overs of the innings. He stitched together an 80-run partnership with skipper Ravindra Jadeja as they steadied the innings after five wickets fell within the 11th over. KKR started the match well as the bowlers keep taking wickets at regular intervals. Umesh Yadav dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway while Varun Chakravarty got the better of Robin Uthappa. Ambati Rayudu and Shivam Dube followed suit as CSK were reeling at 61 for 5. Also read | With change in RCB leadership, we might see the Virat Kohli from 2016, says Sunil Gavaskar Dhoni joined Jadeja at the middle and started quite slowly as KKR bowlers kept testing him with spin and short balls. On one end, Andre Russell implemented a short pitch bowling strategy while it was all spin on the other as Chakravarty and Sunil Narine bowled in tandem during the middle overs. However, Dhoni weathered the storm and went after Shivam Mavi and Russell during the end of the innings. He connected brilliantly and two fours and a six off Mavi clearly showed his intentions in the 19th over. He continued to bat confidently and was able to reach his half century in the final over.

MS Dhoni smashes first IPL fifty in two years to rescue CSK's sinking ship against KKR

Former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg believes that MS Dhoni is the best Indian Premier League (IPL) skipper ever and he is even ahead of Rohit Sharma who has won five titles with Mumbai Indians.<o:p></o:p>

Dhoni captained Chennai Super Kings since the tournament began in 2008 before stepping down from the position ahead of the 2022 season and he was succeeded by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-kkr-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-chennai-super-kings-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-match-465639" hreflang="en">CSK vs KKR prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2022 opener?</a><o:p></o:p>

With CSK, Dhoni won the IPL title four times and he also won the Champions League T20 twice.<o:p></o:p>

"Rohit Sharma with the Mumbai Indians has won five titles, while MS Dhoni has won four titles as captain in the IPL. But does it mean that Rohit Sharma is a better captain than Dhoni? No, it doesn't. Why? Because it's the win percentage over your whole career as a captain that's important. Because you need consistency within your team, and if you have that consistency, you have got a better chance of success at the back end, and MS Dhoni has had that," Hogg said on his YouTube channel.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-and-virat-kohli-share-a-heartwarming-hug-as-legends-catch-up-ahead-of-ipl-2022-opener-watch-465629" hreflang="en">Dhoni and Kohli share a heartwarming hug as they catch up ahead of IPL 2022</a><o:p></o:p>

"Dhoni has captained 204 games at a 60-odd percent win ratio, which is 61 percent with the Chennai Super Kings in 190 matches. No one is going to break that record of captaining more than 100 games, so Dhoni is the best captain going around," he added when speaking about the comparisons.<o:p></o:p>

Chennai Super Kings will be beginning the tournament as favourites after winning the competition in 2021 and they will take over last year’s finalists Kolkata Knight Riders in the opener on Saturday.<o:p></o:p>

Former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg believes that MS Dhoni is the best Indian Premier League (IPL) skipper ever and he is even ahead of Rohit Sharma who has won five titles with Mumbai Indians.

Former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg believes that MS Dhoni is the best Indian Premier League (IPL) skipper ever and he is even ahead of Rohit Sharma who has won five titles with Mumbai Indians. Dhoni captained Chennai Super Kings since the tournament began in 2008 before stepping down from the position ahead of the 2022 season and he was succeeded by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Also read | CSK vs KKR prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2022 opener? With CSK, Dhoni won the IPL title four times and he also won the Champions League T20 twice. "Rohit Sharma with the Mumbai Indians has won five titles, while MS Dhoni has won four titles as captain in the IPL. But does it mean that Rohit Sharma is a better captain than Dhoni? No, it doesn't. Why? Because it's the win percentage over your whole career as a captain that's important. Because you need consistency within your team, and if you have that consistency, you have got a better chance of success at the back end, and MS Dhoni has had that," Hogg said on his YouTube channel. Also read | Dhoni and Kohli share a heartwarming hug as they catch up ahead of IPL 2022 "Dhoni has captained 204 games at a 60-odd percent win ratio, which is 61 percent with the Chennai Super Kings in 190 matches. No one is going to break that record of captaining more than 100 games, so Dhoni is the best captain going around," he added when speaking about the comparisons. Chennai Super Kings will be beginning the tournament as favourites after winning the competition in 2021 and they will take over last year’s finalists Kolkata Knight Riders in the opener on Saturday.

MS Dhoni vs Rohit Sharma: Former Australia cricketer picks the best ever IPL captain

MS Dhoni has been captaining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) side since the start of Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. However, the veteran wicket-keeper batsman decided to step down from his position and he was replaced with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the 2022 season.<o:p></o:p>

Former CSK cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath believes that Jadeja has improved a lot as all all-round cricketer but his captaincy is something ‘to be looked at’ as he has never done it before.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-kkr-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-chennai-super-kings-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-match-465639" hreflang="en">CSK vs KKR prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2022 opener?</a>

"Jadeja has always been a bowler but in the last two years, he has improved as a batsman tremendously. The biggest part of his game in which he has improved is his batting. His batting has made him a proper all-rounder, a proper 3D cricketer", the 41-year-old said told Times Now.<o:p></o:p>

"Now there's a fourth dimension as well. He will be a 4D cricketer because captaincy is also there. The only thing is that he has never led any team, even in First-Class cricket. That is the only thing that needs to be looked at. As for his value to the team, we all know it."

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/new-look-opening-pair-kkrs-predicted-playing-xi-for-ipl-2022-opener-against-csk-465699" hreflang="en">New look opening pair? KKR's predicted XI for IPL 2022 opener against CSK</a>

"The thing is, he already has the load. He has to be fielding in the hotspot. He has to do bowling, batting, and now there's captaincy also", he further added while taking about the developement.”<o:p></o:p>

Jadeja had a brilliant run of form in the Test series against Sri Lanka and thanks to his brilliant show, he was able to claim the top spot in the ICC all-rounders rankings ahead of the new season.

CSK will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against last year's finalists Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday.<o:p></o:p>

MS Dhoni has been captaining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) side since the start of Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. However, the veteran wicket-keeper batsman decided to step down from his position and he was replaced with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the 2022 season.

MS Dhoni has been captaining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) side since the start of Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. However, the veteran wicket-keeper batsman decided to step down from his position and he was replaced with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the 2022 season. Former CSK cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath believes that Jadeja has improved a lot as all all-round cricketer but his captaincy is something ‘to be looked at’ as he has never done it before. Also read | CSK vs KKR prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2022 opener? "Jadeja has always been a bowler but in the last two years, he has improved as a batsman tremendously. The biggest part of his game in which he has improved is his batting. His batting has made him a proper all-rounder, a proper 3D cricketer", the 41-year-old said told Times Now. "Now there's a fourth dimension as well. He will be a 4D cricketer because captaincy is also there. The only thing is that he has never led any team, even in First-Class cricket. That is the only thing that needs to be looked at. As for his value to the team, we all know it." Also read | New look opening pair? KKR's predicted XI for IPL 2022 opener against CSK "The thing is, he already has the load. He has to be fielding in the hotspot. He has to do bowling, batting, and now there's captaincy also", he further added while taking about the developement.” Jadeja had a brilliant run of form in the Test series against Sri Lanka and thanks to his brilliant show, he was able to claim the top spot in the ICC all-rounders rankings ahead of the new season. CSK will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against last year's finalists Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday.

IPL 2022: Former CSK star has his say on Ravindra Jadeja's captaincy appointment

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli cannot wait to get on the field for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

IPL 2022 will begin with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) here at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

As RCB will lock horns with Punjab Kings in their first match of the tournament on Sunday. An 'excited'&nbsp;Kohli on Saturday shared pictures from his training session.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-crickets-crown-jewel-the-ipl-is-back-home-bigger-better-and-longer-465657">Indian cricket's crown jewel, the IPL, is back home: bigger, better and longer</a>

"Heading into matchday weekend. All the buzz and excitement of IPL are in the air. Love this anticipation and butterflies in the stomach before the tournament starts," Virat Kohli said on Koo.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="koo-media" data-koo-permalink="https://embed.kooapp.com/embedKoo?kooId=de32ea74-6cdb-4248-a880-17aa8d49ea54" style="background:transparent;border: medium none;padding: 0;margin: 25px auto; max-width: 550px;">
<div style="padding: 5px;">
<div style="background: #ffffff; box-shadow: 0 0 0 1.5pt #e8e8e3; border-radius: 12px; font-family: 'Roboto', arial, sans-serif; color: #424242 !important; overflow: hidden; position: relative; "><a class="embedKoo-koocardheader" data-link="https://embed.kooapp.com/embedKoo?kooId=de32ea74-6cdb-4248-a880-17aa8d49ea54" href="https://www.kooapp.com/dnld" style=" background-color: #f2f2ef !important; padding: 6px; display: inline-block; border-bottom: 1.5pt solid #e8e8e3; justify-content: center; text-decoration:none;color:inherit !important;width: 100%;text-align: center;" target="_blank">Koo App</a>

<div style="padding: 10px"><a href="https://www.kooapp.com/koo/virat.kohli/de32ea74-6cdb-4248-a880-17aa8d49ea54" style="text-decoration:none;color: inherit !important;" target="_blank">Heading into matchday weekend. All the buzz and excitement of IPL in the air. Love this anticipation and butterflies in the stomach before the tournament starts. 👌✅</a>

<div style="margin:15px 0"><a href="https://www.kooapp.com/koo/virat.kohli/de32ea74-6cdb-4248-a880-17aa8d49ea54" style="text-decoration: none;color: inherit !important;" target="_blank">View attached media content </a></div>
- <a href="https://www.kooapp.com/profile/virat.kohli" style="color: inherit !important;" target="_blank">Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli)</a> 26 Mar 2022</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<img src="https://embed.kooapp.com/dolon.png?id=de32ea74-6cdb-4248-a880-17aa8d49ea54" style="display: none; height: 0; width: 0" /> <script src="https://embed.kooapp.com/embedLoader.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Kohli, free from the responsibilities as the captain, is focused on helping RCB lift the IPL trophy this season.

Asked if relinquishing captaincy duties has given him refreshed energy, Kohli on the RCB website said, "(I have) renewed energy because I'm off a lot of responsibilities and duties. And life is in a very good place. We have a child now, we have a family. For me, it's all about going on with life with a lot of joy and happiness and just watching our child grow and then just doing what I love, which is playing cricket."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-csk-vs-kkr-head-to-head-record-trivia-stats-and-squads-465662">IPL 2022: CSK vs KKR - Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads​</a>​​​​​​

"So, my focus is so clear now, it's so precise what I want to do. I want to just have a lot of fun and enjoy myself on the field and give myself fully to this team, to this franchise like I have for so many years, without any load. So, I'm absolutely ready," he added.

Coming back to IPL, the games will be played across stadiums in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Pune with an audience occupancy rate of 25 per cent as per COVID-19 protocols.

In all, 20 matches each will be held at Wankhede Stadium and DY Patil Stadium, 15 matches each at Brabourne and MCA International Stadium, Pune.&nbsp;

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli cannot wait to get on the field for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. IPL 2022 will begin with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) here at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli cannot wait to get on the field for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. IPL 2022 will begin with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) here at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. As RCB will lock horns with Punjab Kings in their first match of the tournament on Sunday. An 'excited' Kohli on Saturday shared pictures from his training session. ALSO READ: Indian cricket's crown jewel, the IPL, is back home: bigger, better and longer "Heading into matchday weekend. All the buzz and excitement of IPL are in the air. Love this anticipation and butterflies in the stomach before the tournament starts," Virat Kohli said on Koo. Koo App Heading into matchday weekend. All the buzz and excitement of IPL in the air. Love this anticipation and butterflies in the stomach before the tournament starts. 👌✅ View attached media content - Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) 26 Mar 2022 × Kohli, free from the responsibilities as the captain, is focused on helping RCB lift the IPL trophy this season. Asked if relinquishing captaincy duties has given him refreshed energy, Kohli on the RCB website said, "(I have) renewed energy because I'm off a lot of responsibilities and duties. And life is in a very good place. We have a child now, we have a family. For me, it's all about going on with life with a lot of joy and happiness and just watching our child grow and then just doing what I love, which is playing cricket." ALSO READ: IPL 2022: CSK vs KKR - Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads "So, my focus is so clear now, it's so precise what I want to do. I want to just have a lot of fun and enjoy myself on the field and give myself fully to this team, to this franchise like I have for so many years, without any load. So, I'm absolutely ready," he added. Coming back to IPL, the games will be played across stadiums in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Pune with an audience occupancy rate of 25 per cent as per COVID-19 protocols. In all, 20 matches each will be held at Wankhede Stadium and DY Patil Stadium, 15 matches each at Brabourne and MCA International Stadium, Pune.

IPL 2022: Butterflies in stomach before tournament starts, says Virat Kohli ahead of RCB's clash against PBKS

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look for some revenge when they take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 opener on Saturday. <o:p></o:p>

KKR started quite poorly last season but a quick turnaround in the UAE leg of the tournament saw them qualifying for the final. However, they were completely outplayed by MS Dhoni &amp; Co as they marched on their fourth IPL title thanks to Faf du Plessis and all-rounder Shardul Thakur.

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" hreflang="en">Conway to open? CSK's predicted playing XI for IPL 2022 opener against KKR</a><o:p></o:p>

This season, KKR will be under new leadership as big money signing Shreyas Iyer will be at the helm of affairs and there will be quite a number of new faces in the squad. However, they will be without the services of Pat Cummins, Tim Southee and Aaron Finch as they take on Chennai Super Kings.<o:p></o:p>

Venkatesh Iyer is expected to open the batting for KKR after having a brilliant season in 2021 and he will most likely be joined by veteran Ajinkya Rahane. Shreyas will take his familiar place at No 3 with Nitish Rana coming to bat at No 4 and wicket-keeper batsman Sam Billings at No. 5.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-kkr-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-chennai-super-kings-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-match-465639" hreflang="en">CSK vs KKR prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2022 opener?</a>

When it comes to the all-rounders, the West Indies duo of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine will retain their positions and Sri Lanka’s Chamika Karunaratne is expected to make his debut for his new side.<o:p></o:p>

In the bowling department, it will be mix of old and new as Umesh Yadav is expected to play for KKR along with young pacer Shivam Mavi and the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarty.<o:p></o:p>

KKR Predicted XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Sam Billings, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Chamika Karunaratne, Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy<o:p></o:p>

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look for some revenge when they take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 opener on Saturday.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look for some revenge when they take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 opener on Saturday. KKR started quite poorly last season but a quick turnaround in the UAE leg of the tournament saw them qualifying for the final. However, they were completely outplayed by MS Dhoni & Co as they marched on their fourth IPL title thanks to Faf du Plessis and all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Also read | Conway to open? CSK's predicted playing XI for IPL 2022 opener against KKR This season, KKR will be under new leadership as big money signing Shreyas Iyer will be at the helm of affairs and there will be quite a number of new faces in the squad. However, they will be without the services of Pat Cummins, Tim Southee and Aaron Finch as they take on Chennai Super Kings. Venkatesh Iyer is expected to open the batting for KKR after having a brilliant season in 2021 and he will most likely be joined by veteran Ajinkya Rahane. Shreyas will take his familiar place at No 3 with Nitish Rana coming to bat at No 4 and wicket-keeper batsman Sam Billings at No. 5. Also read | CSK vs KKR prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2022 opener? When it comes to the all-rounders, the West Indies duo of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine will retain their positions and Sri Lanka’s Chamika Karunaratne is expected to make his debut for his new side. In the bowling department, it will be mix of old and new as Umesh Yadav is expected to play for KKR along with young pacer Shivam Mavi and the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarty. KKR Predicted XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Sam Billings, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Chamika Karunaratne, Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

New look opening pair? KKR's predicted playing XI for IPL 2022 opener against CSK

Indian cricket's crown jewel, the IPL, is back home: bigger, better and longer. 
It will be the first time since 2011 that 10 teams be fighting it out for the most coveted T20 trophy in world cricket.

Two new entrants, Lucknow Supergiants and Gujarat Titans, fetching a combined price of approximately USD 1.7 billion shows that brand IPL keeps getting bigger.

It took 14 years but the league has now well and truly gone global.

The owners of the iconic Manchester Untied also wanted a slice of the IPL pie but lost to the RPSG Group and Britain-based CVC group on the bidding table.

With the COVID situation under control in the country, the board's top-brass can breathe easy and after a two year gap, IPL is set to be held in India in its entirety with at least 25 percent capacity of crowd allowed in stadiums this season.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-kkr-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-chennai-super-kings-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-match-465639">CSK vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders match?</a>

The number of games have been increased to 74 from 60 with the addition of new teams, extending the IPL window to over two months.

All teams however will play 14 games each like in the past but will a longer tournament impact the intensity and quality of cricket, only time will tell.

The board has learnt from the harsh lessons of the 2021 edition when the tournament had to be suspended midway due to the raging pandemic and could only be completed in the UAE four months later.

No air travel will be required this season with all the league games to be organised in four venues in Maharashtra (three Mumbai and one in Pune).

For curators, maintaining the trueness of pitches over two months will be a challenge but at least the half of the tournament is set to be a high-scoring affair.

One can expect more bounce on the red soil pitches of Wankhede, CCI and D Y Patil while the black soil surface in Pune is expected to offer more turn.

With Supergiants and Titans building their teams from scratch and the existing franchises having to release a chunk of their players before the mega auction, the 2022 edition can well be one of the most competitive in tournament history.

Ahead of the World Cup to be played in Australia later this year, the IPL will also decided fate of a few Indian players.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a heartwarming hug as legends catch up ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH">MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a heartwarming hug as legends catch up ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH</a>

No home advantage for MI? 
 
Rohit Sharma has insisted that there will be no home advantage for Mumbai Indians but he and the likes of Kieron Pollard, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishan Kishan won't certainly mind playing in their own backyard.

Having let of go of Pandya brothers and Trent Boult, the team doesn't look the same formidable outfit at least on paper.

At Royal Challengers Bangalore, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli like usual, though, he has happily relinquished the captaincy.

With the burden of leading the side off his shoulders, the former India skipper is expected to come back to his batting best and play an important role in taking the team to its elusive title.

Longtime CSK batter Faf du Plessis has been given the captaincy with a hope that he would be able to do what has not been done before at RCB.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ravi-shastri-has-his-say-on-virat-kohlis-batting-position-for-royal-challengers-bangalore-465542">IPL 2022: Ravi Shastri has his say on Virat Kohli's batting position for Royal Challengers Bangalore</a>

Farewell season for Dhoni?

Dhoni has done a Dhoni by giving up CSK captaincy three days before their opening game. While his decision did not come as a shock, it has fuelled speculation whether he would feature in all the games.

The 40-year-old stepping aside has also put the spotlight on Ravindra Jadeja, who will be captaining a high-profile team for the very first time.

Jadeja's stellar form in international cricket over the last couple of years would surely give him the confidence to lead from the front and in times of crisis, he will anyway have Dhoni by his side.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-liam-livingstone-reveals-his-position-in-punjab-kings-batting-order-465520">IPL 2022: Liam Livingstone opens up about preferred position in Punjab Kings batting order</a>

Time for Iyer, K L and Hardik to enhance captaincy credentials

Having led Delhi Capitals to their first ever final, Iyer was sidelined from captaincy following a shoulder injury. He decided to go back into the auction and KKR paid big money for his services.

The stylish batter has shown rich form for India of late and he will be hoping to carry that into the IPL and inspire KKR to their third title.

His India teammate Hardik Pandya's progress will be followed closely over the course of the IPL. Having lost his place in the Indian team due to his inability to bowl regularly following a back surgery in 2019, Hardik has a point to prove.

It is still not clear if he would bowl often in the IPL, making his form with the bat all the more crucial. Either way, he will have to come up with something special to resurrect his career and also ensure first-timers Gujarat put up a competitive show.

Hardik's close friend K L Rahul will also need to inspire a young unit. Success eluding him as captain, both at India and IPL level, the opener will be eyeing another prolific season with the bat besides leading an exciting bunch of cricketers.

Indian cricket's crown jewel, the IPL, is back home: bigger, better and longer. It will be the first time since 2011 that 10 teams be fighting it out for the most coveted T20 trophy in world cricket.

Indian cricket's crown jewel, the IPL, is back home: bigger, better and longer. It will be the first time since 2011 that 10 teams be fighting it out for the most coveted T20 trophy in world cricket. Two new entrants, Lucknow Supergiants and Gujarat Titans, fetching a combined price of approximately USD 1.7 billion shows that brand IPL keeps getting bigger. It took 14 years but the league has now well and truly gone global. The owners of the iconic Manchester Untied also wanted a slice of the IPL pie but lost to the RPSG Group and Britain-based CVC group on the bidding table. With the COVID situation under control in the country, the board's top-brass can breathe easy and after a two year gap, IPL is set to be held in India in its entirety with at least 25 percent capacity of crowd allowed in stadiums this season. ALSO READ: CSK vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders match? The number of games have been increased to 74 from 60 with the addition of new teams, extending the IPL window to over two months. All teams however will play 14 games each like in the past but will a longer tournament impact the intensity and quality of cricket, only time will tell. The board has learnt from the harsh lessons of the 2021 edition when the tournament had to be suspended midway due to the raging pandemic and could only be completed in the UAE four months later. No air travel will be required this season with all the league games to be organised in four venues in Maharashtra (three Mumbai and one in Pune). For curators, maintaining the trueness of pitches over two months will be a challenge but at least the half of the tournament is set to be a high-scoring affair. One can expect more bounce on the red soil pitches of Wankhede, CCI and D Y Patil while the black soil surface in Pune is expected to offer more turn. With Supergiants and Titans building their teams from scratch and the existing franchises having to release a chunk of their players before the mega auction, the 2022 edition can well be one of the most competitive in tournament history. Ahead of the World Cup to be played in Australia later this year, the IPL will also decided fate of a few Indian players. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a heartwarming hug as legends catch up ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH No home advantage for MI? Rohit Sharma has insisted that there will be no home advantage for Mumbai Indians but he and the likes of Kieron Pollard, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishan Kishan won't certainly mind playing in their own backyard. Having let of go of Pandya brothers and Trent Boult, the team doesn't look the same formidable outfit at least on paper. At Royal Challengers Bangalore, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli like usual, though, he has happily relinquished the captaincy. With the burden of leading the side off his shoulders, the former India skipper is expected to come back to his batting best and play an important role in taking the team to its elusive title. Longtime CSK batter Faf du Plessis has been given the captaincy with a hope that he would be able to do what has not been done before at RCB. ALSO READ: IPL 2022: Ravi Shastri has his say on Virat Kohli's batting position for Royal Challengers Bangalore Farewell season for Dhoni? Dhoni has done a Dhoni by giving up CSK captaincy three days before their opening game. While his decision did not come as a shock, it has fuelled speculation whether he would feature in all the games. The 40-year-old stepping aside has also put the spotlight on Ravindra Jadeja, who will be captaining a high-profile team for the very first time. Jadeja's stellar form in international cricket over the last couple of years would surely give him the confidence to lead from the front and in times of crisis, he will anyway have Dhoni by his side. ALSO READ: IPL 2022: Liam Livingstone opens up about preferred position in Punjab Kings batting order Time for Iyer, K L and Hardik to enhance captaincy credentials Having led Delhi Capitals to their first ever final, Iyer was sidelined from captaincy following a shoulder injury. He decided to go back into the auction and KKR paid big money for his services. The stylish batter has shown rich form for India of late and he will be hoping to carry that into the IPL and inspire KKR to their third title. His India teammate Hardik Pandya's progress will be followed closely over the course of the IPL. Having lost his place in the Indian team due to his inability to bowl regularly following a back surgery in 2019, Hardik has a point to prove. It is still not clear if he would bowl often in the IPL, making his form with the bat all the more crucial. Either way, he will have to come up with something special to resurrect his career and also ensure first-timers Gujarat put up a competitive show. Hardik's close friend K L Rahul will also need to inspire a young unit. Success eluding him as captain, both at India and IPL level, the opener will be eyeing another prolific season with the bat besides leading an exciting bunch of cricketers.

Indian cricket's crown jewel, the IPL, is back home: bigger, better and longer

Delhi Capitals (DC) have been witnessed a change in fortunes and have become a force to reckon with ever since the arrival of head coach Ricky Ponting. The former Australia captain had joined the franchise as the head coach in 2018 and has since led them to consecutive playoffs in the last three seasons. DC also made it to their maiden IPL final under Ponting's guidance in the year 2020.

From taking a bold step to hand over the captaincy reins to a young Shreyas Iyer after Gautam Gambhir's resignation from the post midway through the 2018 season to building a fabulous core of players, Ponting has masterminded Delhi Capitals' meteoric rise in the last few seasons.

The two-time World Cup-winning captain is one of the best coaches in the world at present but is yet to inspire his side to their maiden IPL title. Delhi Capitals, who have been part of the tournament since its inception in 2008, are yet to lift their first trophy despite having undergone a massive transformation over the last few years.

Ahead of the start of IPL 2022, Delhi Capitals face fresh challenges as they no more have the likes of former captain Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan and Kagiso Rabada among others, who played key roles in helping them dominate the proceedings in the last three seasons. However, with Rishabh Pant as their permanent captain and a great mix of youth and experience in their squad, DC are raring to go again.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/former-australian-cricketer-ricky-ponting-pays-tribute-to-shane-warne-465406/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Speaking to WION, Ponting insisted he is not with Delhi Capitals to just take part in the IPL but to win the tournament. The former Australia captain said it remains one of his biggest goals to take Delhi Capitals to their maiden title and give the players a chance to pull off something special this season.

"Yes, and we have been close. We have been close in the last few seasons. We lost the final two seasons back and finished on top of the table last year but unfortunately, we lost our two playoffs games to go out but absolutely. I am not here to just participate in the tournament that's one thing I have told the boys all the time and everyone here at this franchise is we are not here to just participate, we are here to win," Ponting said in an exclusive interaction with WION.

"Delhi Capitals has never won the IPL. That's a big responsibility and a big goal of mine to give these players every possible chance to achieve something special at the end of the tournament," added the Delhi Capitals head coach.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-kl-rahul-to-ruturaj-gaikwad-top-five-contenders-for-orange-cap-in-ipl-2022-464619">From KL Rahul to Ruturaj Gaikwad: Top five contenders for Orange Cap in IPL 2022</a>

Ever since its inception in 2008, IPL has grown into one of the best cricketing tournaments in the world at present. IPL has provided a platform for several young and talented cricketers who have gone on to become big names on the international stage. The tournament has also witnessed immense growth in terms of financial prowess and is currently the richest&nbsp;T20 league in the world.

Speaking about the tremendous growth that IPL has managed to achieve over the last 14 seasons, Ponting said it amazes him how the tournament still continues to grow every year. The former Australia captain also explained how IPL's success has&nbsp;paved the way for other nations to start their own T20 leagues to try and achieve the kind of success IPL has.

"It has been an extraordinary tournament already. Coming towards the end of my career when T20 cricket first burst onto the scene, I remember Australia playing New Zealand in the first-ever T20 international game, I must admit back then I thought that t20 cricket at the international level was going to be a showpiece to try and promote the other formats of the game. But look it has grown and grown. I am really staggered at how IPL finds a way to continue to grow year on year.," Ponting said when asked how IPL has changed the way cricket was played. 
&nbsp; 
"The TV rights (of the IPL) they are up soon and I am sure there is going to be a huge war there to see who bags the television rights. I think as a result of how successful the IPL has been through a long period of time, every other country is now trying to mimic or do exactly what the IPL has done," explained.

Also Read: <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>

<h3>Leading Delhi Capitals to the final one of the best moments of my career: Ponting</h3>

The former Aussie skipper, who led his country to back-to-back ODI World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007 while also winning several other major tournaments as a leader, said he has enjoyed some of the best moments of his career in the IPL.

Leading Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in 2020 and helping them top the table last year are some of the achievements which Ponting counts among the best he has achieved in his career.

"It has been awesome, and great to be a part of the tournament. I have been part of the IPL for probably 7-8 years now and it has been some of the best times I have had. Leading this franchise into the final and then finishing on top of the table last year, those are some of the best moments I have had in the game and I have been lucky to win World Cups and do pretty special things," said Ponting.

"But when you are here part of this tournament and you have success here, it certainly ranks higher among all other things I have achieved in the game," he added.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/former-australian-cricketer-ricky-ponting-pays-tribute-to-shane-warne-465406/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals (DC) have been witnessed a change in fortunes and have become a force to reckon with ever since the arrival of head coach Ricky Ponting. The former Australia captain had joined the franchise as the head coach in 2018 and has since led them to consecutive playoffs in the last three seasons.

Delhi Capitals (DC) have been witnessed a change in fortunes and have become a force to reckon with ever since the arrival of head coach Ricky Ponting. The former Australia captain had joined the franchise as the head coach in 2018 and has since led them to consecutive playoffs in the last three seasons. DC also made it to their maiden IPL final under Ponting's guidance in the year 2020. From taking a bold step to hand over the captaincy reins to a young Shreyas Iyer after Gautam Gambhir's resignation from the post midway through the 2018 season to building a fabulous core of players, Ponting has masterminded Delhi Capitals' meteoric rise in the last few seasons. The two-time World Cup-winning captain is one of the best coaches in the world at present but is yet to inspire his side to their maiden IPL title. Delhi Capitals, who have been part of the tournament since its inception in 2008, are yet to lift their first trophy despite having undergone a massive transformation over the last few years. Ahead of the start of IPL 2022, Delhi Capitals face fresh challenges as they no more have the likes of former captain Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan and Kagiso Rabada among others, who played key roles in helping them dominate the proceedings in the last three seasons. However, with Rishabh Pant as their permanent captain and a great mix of youth and experience in their squad, DC are raring to go again. × Speaking to WION, Ponting insisted he is not with Delhi Capitals to just take part in the IPL but to win the tournament. The former Australia captain said it remains one of his biggest goals to take Delhi Capitals to their maiden title and give the players a chance to pull off something special this season. "Yes, and we have been close. We have been close in the last few seasons. We lost the final two seasons back and finished on top of the table last year but unfortunately, we lost our two playoffs games to go out but absolutely. I am not here to just participate in the tournament that's one thing I have told the boys all the time and everyone here at this franchise is we are not here to just participate, we are here to win," Ponting said in an exclusive interaction with WION. "Delhi Capitals has never won the IPL. That's a big responsibility and a big goal of mine to give these players every possible chance to achieve something special at the end of the tournament," added the Delhi Capitals head coach. Also Read: From KL Rahul to Ruturaj Gaikwad: Top five contenders for Orange Cap in IPL 2022 Ever since its inception in 2008, IPL has grown into one of the best cricketing tournaments in the world at present. IPL has provided a platform for several young and talented cricketers who have gone on to become big names on the international stage. The tournament has also witnessed immense growth in terms of financial prowess and is currently the richest T20 league in the world. Speaking about the tremendous growth that IPL has managed to achieve over the last 14 seasons, Ponting said it amazes him how the tournament still continues to grow every year. The former Australia captain also explained how IPL's success has paved the way for other nations to start their own T20 leagues to try and achieve the kind of success IPL has. "It has been an extraordinary tournament already. Coming towards the end of my career when T20 cricket first burst onto the scene, I remember Australia playing New Zealand in the first-ever T20 international game, I must admit back then I thought that t20 cricket at the international level was going to be a showpiece to try and promote the other formats of the game. But look it has grown and grown. I am really staggered at how IPL finds a way to continue to grow year on year.," Ponting said when asked how IPL has changed the way cricket was played. "The TV rights (of the IPL) they are up soon and I am sure there is going to be a huge war there to see who bags the television rights. I think as a result of how successful the IPL has been through a long period of time, every other country is now trying to mimic or do exactly what the IPL has done," explained. Also Read: MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings Leading Delhi Capitals to the final one of the best moments of my career: Ponting The former Aussie skipper, who led his country to back-to-back ODI World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007 while also winning several other major tournaments as a leader, said he has enjoyed some of the best moments of his career in the IPL. Leading Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in 2020 and helping them top the table last year are some of the achievements which Ponting counts among the best he has achieved in his career. "It has been awesome, and great to be a part of the tournament. I have been part of the IPL for probably 7-8 years now and it has been some of the best times I have had. Leading this franchise into the final and then finishing on top of the table last year, those are some of the best moments I have had in the game and I have been lucky to win World Cups and do pretty special things," said Ponting. "But when you are here part of this tournament and you have success here, it certainly ranks higher among all other things I have achieved in the game," he added. ×

Exclusive! Not here to just participate, leading Delhi Capitals to maiden IPL title a big goal: Ricky Ponting

Liam Livingstone is a name that is synonymous with T20 leagues around the world. The England all-rounder is well known for his aggressive batting for franchises in various countries and thanks to his brilliant performances, he was picked by Punjab Kings ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.<o:p></o:p>

Livingstone commanded an impressive price of INR 11.5 crore as multiple franchises went for him and ahead of the tournament, he ended the suspense regarding his position in the batting order.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-suryakumar-yadav-can-cement-his-spot-in-team-india-says-sunil-gavaskar-465507" hreflang="en">Suryakumar Yadav can cement his spot in Team India, says Sunil Gavaskar</a>

"I know where I am going to bat anyway. I am going to bat in the middle-order so it would be stupid of me to say otherwise. I'm probably going to bat at 4 or 5. The team is always bigger than the individual and you've got to fit into a role which the team needs you and I think Punjab Kings are going to need me in the middle order role so that's where I am focused. I haven't even thought about anywhere else. The team is really important and I'm excited; hope I can finish off games while batting second or post a big total batting first," Livingstone told Sports Tak.<o:p></o:p>

Livingstone was the fourth costliest player in this year’s auction after Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians), Deepak Chahar (Chennai Super Kings) and Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders). However, the England international made it clear that he will not be intimidated by the massive price tag.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-ipl-2022-rishabh-pant-needs-to-maintain-his-aggressive-edge-for-dc-says-ricky-ponting-465468" hreflang="en">Pant needs to maintain his aggressive edge for DC, says Ponting</a>

“We are picked as cricketers to come in and do our jobs, which is to score runs and take wickets and catches. So I think the monetary value is irrelevant. I've played in the last couple of years for not a lot. The IPL is the biggest tournament in the world and I’m just really excited to get going,” he said.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 27.<o:p></o:p>

Liam Livingstone is a name that is synonymous with T20 leagues around the world. The England all-rounder is well known for his aggressive batting for franchises in various countries and thanks to his brilliant performances, he was picked by Punjab Kings ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Liam Livingstone is a name that is synonymous with T20 leagues around the world. The England all-rounder is well known for his aggressive batting for franchises in various countries and thanks to his brilliant performances, he was picked by Punjab Kings ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Livingstone commanded an impressive price of INR 11.5 crore as multiple franchises went for him and ahead of the tournament, he ended the suspense regarding his position in the batting order. Also read | Suryakumar Yadav can cement his spot in Team India, says Sunil Gavaskar "I know where I am going to bat anyway. I am going to bat in the middle-order so it would be stupid of me to say otherwise. I'm probably going to bat at 4 or 5. The team is always bigger than the individual and you've got to fit into a role which the team needs you and I think Punjab Kings are going to need me in the middle order role so that's where I am focused. I haven't even thought about anywhere else. The team is really important and I'm excited; hope I can finish off games while batting second or post a big total batting first," Livingstone told Sports Tak. Livingstone was the fourth costliest player in this year’s auction after Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians), Deepak Chahar (Chennai Super Kings) and Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders). However, the England international made it clear that he will not be intimidated by the massive price tag. Also read | Pant needs to maintain his aggressive edge for DC, says Ponting “We are picked as cricketers to come in and do our jobs, which is to score runs and take wickets and catches. So I think the monetary value is irrelevant. I've played in the last couple of years for not a lot. The IPL is the biggest tournament in the world and I’m just really excited to get going,” he said. Punjab Kings will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 27.

IPL 2022: Liam Livingstone opens up about preferred position in Punjab Kings batting order

IPL 2022: Reliving the magnanimous highs of MS Dhoni as CSK captain post his shocking resignation

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the best physiotherapists in the world as the tournament manages to get players fit just before the auction. Shastri, who is known to not sugarcoat his words, said all injured players recover before IPL as they want to land a deal at the auction and be a part of&nbsp;the cash-rich league.

Shastri will be making his comeback in the commentary box for the first time since leaving the India head coach post in the upcoming IPL 2022. Shastri will be part of the star-studded commentary panel for the official broadcaster Star Sports. He will be making his return in the commentary box after a gap of almost seven years having served as the head coach of the Indian team from 2017 to 2021.

"IPL is one of the greatest leagues in the world, and it's also one of the greatest physios in the world, because, before the IPL auction everyone wants to get fit because everyone wants to play in the IPL," Shastri said during a press conference organised by Star Sports on Tuesday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravindra-jadeja-can-be-ms-dhonis-successor-at-csk-suresh-raina-makes-big-claim-before-ipl-2022-464646">Ravindra Jadeja can be MS Dhoni's successor at CSK: Suresh Raina makes big claim before IPL 2022</a>

Shastri was part of the IPL commentary team for the first eleven editions of the tournament. However, he had to step away from the commentary box after becoming the head coach of the Indian team. Shastri stated that he wanted to continue commentating during matches but was not able to do so because of a 'stupid clause' in BCCI's constitution.

"This is the 15th edition of the IPL. I did the first 11 years and then, thanks to some stupid conflict of interest clause that exists in some stupid constitution that binds us, you could not do the last few seasons," said Shastri during the presser.

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&nbsp;delay, likely to miss CSK's opener vs KKR</a>

Shastri, who will be part of the Hindi commentary team for IPL 2022, will be joined by the likes of Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel among others in an elite line-up of commentators. The IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the best physiotherapists in the world as the tournament manages to get players fit just before the auction.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the best physiotherapists in the world as the tournament manages to get players fit just before the auction. Shastri, who is known to not sugarcoat his words, said all injured players recover before IPL as they want to land a deal at the auction and be a part of the cash-rich league. Shastri will be making his comeback in the commentary box for the first time since leaving the India head coach post in the upcoming IPL 2022. Shastri will be part of the star-studded commentary panel for the official broadcaster Star Sports. He will be making his return in the commentary box after a gap of almost seven years having served as the head coach of the Indian team from 2017 to 2021. "IPL is one of the greatest leagues in the world, and it's also one of the greatest physios in the world, because, before the IPL auction everyone wants to get fit because everyone wants to play in the IPL," Shastri said during a press conference organised by Star Sports on Tuesday. Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja can be MS Dhoni's successor at CSK: Suresh Raina makes big claim before IPL 2022 Shastri was part of the IPL commentary team for the first eleven editions of the tournament. However, he had to step away from the commentary box after becoming the head coach of the Indian team. Shastri stated that he wanted to continue commentating during matches but was not able to do so because of a 'stupid clause' in BCCI's constitution. "This is the 15th edition of the IPL. I did the first 11 years and then, thanks to some stupid conflict of interest clause that exists in some stupid constitution that binds us, you could not do the last few seasons," said Shastri during the presser. Also Read: Despite BCCI's intervention Moeen Ali stranded in UK due to visa delay, likely to miss CSK's opener vs KKR Shastri, who will be part of the Hindi commentary team for IPL 2022, will be joined by the likes of Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel among others in an elite line-up of commentators. The IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

IPL one of the greatest physios in the world, gets everyone fit before auction: Ravi Shastri

Shane Warne passed away early this month, to leave a huge void in the cricketing fraternity. The former Aussie spin wizard died due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand and his passing away left many shellshocked. During his illustrious international career, Warne returned with 708 Test wickets and 293 ODI scalps.

Apart from this, Warne also left his mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the championship in the inaugural edition in 2008. Being a part of RR's victorious run, Shane Watson recalled his days under Warne's leadership and hailed him in Delhi Capitals' (DC) virtual press conference.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-quite-shocking-for-me-indias-youngster-recalls-his-frustrating-injury-before-england-tests-464608">It was quite shocking for me: India's youngster recalls his frustrating injury before England Tests</a>

''The thing that stood out for me was that Rajasthan were written off because we didn't have big names as compared to the other teams. The advantage that Rajasthan had was the ability to pull the team together very quickly,'' DC's assistant coach Watson said.

He further opined, ''The incredible skill that Shane Warne had was seeing what people's roles were and then tapping into that role. For me, that was why he was an incredible leader, because he knew how to tap into a player's best version. He believed in the players, knew their skill set and where they fit in. For me, that's why Rajasthan did so well in the first season. He pulled all these from different cultures and different phases of their careers and led from the front."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wont-be-surprised-if-delhi-capitals-dont-make-it-to-playoffs-in-ipl-2022-aakash-chopra-464342">Won't be surprised if Delhi Capitals don't make it to playoffs in IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra</a>

On the other hand, Gujarat Titans' (GT) spin-bowling all-rounder Rashid Khan also shared his reaction to Warne's tragic and sudden demise. He said in a virtual presser,&nbsp;''It was a huge shock. I had a great time with him. It was a huge honour for me that he called me to the MCG to have that 15-minute session with him during the lunch (break) of the Australia-New Zealand match. I was so lucky, I learned so much from him. We had a discussion on how I can be more effective in a long format. He happily shared his experience with me.

''He shared those key points, the mindset, the skill set.' Only thing he said is that 'you don't need to change your speed or action, that is something unique you have, you just need to be consistent, need to be more patient. Sometimes you won't get a wicket, but that is the time you will be tested mentally and also physically. You have to fit in for those big games. I&nbsp;was looking forward to having him as head coach and playing with him, spending more time with him. That was a dream. We discussed that. He said hopefully we will be in a Hundred ball competition in the UK,'' Rashid added.

Warne, at 52, has shattered many's hearts with his sudden demise. As a result, the whole of Victoria will get to pay its tributes to the spin wizard in Melbourne on March 30, 2022. It will be held at the&nbsp;Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brunton Avenue, Richmond.

Shane Warne passed away early this month, to leave a huge void in the cricketing fraternity. The former Aussie spin wizard died due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand and his passing away left many shellshocked.

Shane Warne passed away early this month, to leave a huge void in the cricketing fraternity. The former Aussie spin wizard died due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand and his passing away left many shellshocked. During his illustrious international career, Warne returned with 708 Test wickets and 293 ODI scalps. Apart from this, Warne also left his mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the championship in the inaugural edition in 2008. Being a part of RR's victorious run, Shane Watson recalled his days under Warne's leadership and hailed him in Delhi Capitals' (DC) virtual press conference. ALSO READ | It was quite shocking for me: India's youngster recalls his frustrating injury before England Tests ''The thing that stood out for me was that Rajasthan were written off because we didn't have big names as compared to the other teams. The advantage that Rajasthan had was the ability to pull the team together very quickly,'' DC's assistant coach Watson said. He further opined, ''The incredible skill that Shane Warne had was seeing what people's roles were and then tapping into that role. For me, that was why he was an incredible leader, because he knew how to tap into a player's best version. He believed in the players, knew their skill set and where they fit in. For me, that's why Rajasthan did so well in the first season. He pulled all these from different cultures and different phases of their careers and led from the front." ALSO READ | Won't be surprised if Delhi Capitals don't make it to playoffs in IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra On the other hand, Gujarat Titans' (GT) spin-bowling all-rounder Rashid Khan also shared his reaction to Warne's tragic and sudden demise. He said in a virtual presser, ''It was a huge shock. I had a great time with him. It was a huge honour for me that he called me to the MCG to have that 15-minute session with him during the lunch (break) of the Australia-New Zealand match. I was so lucky, I learned so much from him. We had a discussion on how I can be more effective in a long format. He happily shared his experience with me. ''He shared those key points, the mindset, the skill set.' Only thing he said is that 'you don't need to change your speed or action, that is something unique you have, you just need to be consistent, need to be more patient. Sometimes you won't get a wicket, but that is the time you will be tested mentally and also physically. You have to fit in for those big games. I was looking forward to having him as head coach and playing with him, spending more time with him. That was a dream. We discussed that. He said hopefully we will be in a Hundred ball competition in the UK,'' Rashid added. Warne, at 52, has shattered many's hearts with his sudden demise. As a result, the whole of Victoria will get to pay its tributes to the spin wizard in Melbourne on March 30, 2022. It will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brunton Avenue, Richmond.

IPL 2022: Shane Watson lauds Shane Warne, explains how he was a stand-out RR captain

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to enter its 15th season as ten teams gear up to make the 2022 edition of the tournament a memorable affair. Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans are the two new franchises that will be making their debut in the IPL this year.

Ever since IPL's inception in 2008, the T20 league has witnessed remarkable growth in terms of quality of cricket, finances and popularity. IPL has become one of the most followed cricketing tournaments in the world and it remains a dream for players across the globe to ply their trade in the cash-rich league.

After IPL's inception, a number of other T20 leagues have also mushroomed around the globe with the likes of Big Bash League (Australia), Caribbean Premier League (West Indies) and Pakistan Super League (Pakistan) also trying to compete with the Indian t20 league. However, IPL has remained ahead due to the sheer quality of cricket at display and the finances involved.

Nonetheless, the likes of Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Big Bash have often been compared with the IPL.&nbsp;Several former Pakistani cricketers have over the years tried to draw comparisons between IPL and PSL. Recently, former Pakistan cricketer Aaqib Javed had made a tall claim suggesting that PSL was the most interesting league as IPL is played on flat tracks and the quality of bowling in IPL is poor.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-indians-skipper-rohit-sharma-on-the-verge-of-achieving-major-milestone-in-ipl-2022-463818">Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma on the verge of achieving major milestone in IPL 2022</a>

Earlier this week, a Pakistani journalist made similar comparisons on Twitter. The journalist claimed that there was no comparison between PSL and IPL as the Pakistani T20 league has gained more popularity in lesser time despite more competition in the current era.

The Pakistani journalist was trolled by the Indian fans, who countered his claims and suggested he not be delusional. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star and veteran Indian batter Robin Uthappa also came up with a fitting reply for the Pakistani journalist to shut him down.

"No comparison between PSL and IPL! PSL started in 2016 while IPL inaugurated in 2008. However one has to admit PSL gained worldwide popularity more quicker in an era when other boards had introduced their leagues too whereas there was no competitor in the market when IPL was born," Pakistani journalist Arfa Feroz Zake wrote on Twitter.

"IPL created the market," responded Uthappa to shut him down.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
IPL created the market!!
— Robin Aiyuda Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbieuthappa/status/1505065192497065984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuzvendra-chahal-to-open-with-jos-buttler-for-rr-in-ipl-2022-england-star-reacts-to-hilarious-tweet-watch-463681">Chahal to open with Jos Buttler for RR in IPL 2022? England star reacts to hilarious tweet - WATCH</a>

Uthappa, who is part of the Chennai Super Kings squad, will be looking to continue his fine form for the MS Dhoni-led franchise this season after impressing in the league last year. Uthappa got to make only four appearances for CSK last year but ended up scoring 128 runs at a strike rate of over 136 to help the team lift their fourth IPL trophy.

Uthappa has already joined the CSK camp and is preparing for the upcoming season. The veteran batter is likely to get more opportunities this year in the absence of Suresh Raina.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to enter its 15th season as ten teams gear up to make the 2022 edition of the tournament a memorable affair. Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans are the two new franchises that will be making their debut in the IPL this year.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to enter its 15th season as ten teams gear up to make the 2022 edition of the tournament a memorable affair. Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans are the two new franchises that will be making their debut in the IPL this year. Ever since IPL's inception in 2008, the T20 league has witnessed remarkable growth in terms of quality of cricket, finances and popularity. IPL has become one of the most followed cricketing tournaments in the world and it remains a dream for players across the globe to ply their trade in the cash-rich league. After IPL's inception, a number of other T20 leagues have also mushroomed around the globe with the likes of Big Bash League (Australia), Caribbean Premier League (West Indies) and Pakistan Super League (Pakistan) also trying to compete with the Indian t20 league. However, IPL has remained ahead due to the sheer quality of cricket at display and the finances involved. Nonetheless, the likes of Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Big Bash have often been compared with the IPL. Several former Pakistani cricketers have over the years tried to draw comparisons between IPL and PSL. Recently, former Pakistan cricketer Aaqib Javed had made a tall claim suggesting that PSL was the most interesting league as IPL is played on flat tracks and the quality of bowling in IPL is poor. Also Read: Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma on the verge of achieving major milestone in IPL 2022 Earlier this week, a Pakistani journalist made similar comparisons on Twitter. The journalist claimed that there was no comparison between PSL and IPL as the Pakistani T20 league has gained more popularity in lesser time despite more competition in the current era. The Pakistani journalist was trolled by the Indian fans, who countered his claims and suggested he not be delusional. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star and veteran Indian batter Robin Uthappa also came up with a fitting reply for the Pakistani journalist to shut him down. "No comparison between PSL and IPL! PSL started in 2016 while IPL inaugurated in 2008. However one has to admit PSL gained worldwide popularity more quicker in an era when other boards had introduced their leagues too whereas there was no competitor in the market when IPL was born," Pakistani journalist Arfa Feroz Zake wrote on Twitter. "IPL created the market," responded Uthappa to shut him down. IPL created the market!! — Robin Aiyuda Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) March 19, 2022 × Also Read: Chahal to open with Jos Buttler for RR in IPL 2022? England star reacts to hilarious tweet - WATCH Uthappa, who is part of the Chennai Super Kings squad, will be looking to continue his fine form for the MS Dhoni-led franchise this season after impressing in the league last year. Uthappa got to make only four appearances for CSK last year but ended up scoring 128 runs at a strike rate of over 136 to help the team lift their fourth IPL trophy. Uthappa has already joined the CSK camp and is preparing for the upcoming season. The veteran batter is likely to get more opportunities this year in the absence of Suresh Raina.

CSK star Robin Uthappa shuts down Pakistani journalist over tweet comparing IPL with PSL

Former India opener and ex-captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Gautam Gambhir recently opened up on his heated on-field spat with Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013. Gambhir and Kohli were involved in a heated argument on the field after the latter was dismissed by pacer Laxmipathy Balaji in the game.

Gambhir, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles as captain, is one of the most successful captains in the history of the league. The former India opener had lost his cool on Kohli during a game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and KKR in IPL 2013. While Gambhir had already led KKR to their maiden title in the previous year, it was Kohli's first year as the captain of RCB.

During the game, Kohli was seen losing his temper after getting dismissed by Balaji. He later went on to have a heated spat with Gambhir. Opening up on the incident, Gambhir said he was absolutely fine with what unfolded on the day as he likes people who are competitive. Both Gambhir was fierce competitor during his playing days, Kohli's aggressive style of playing his game is a secret to none.

"That's OK, I am absolutely fine with it and I expect him to be like that. I am like that. I like that contest, I like people who are competitive. MS Dhoni is a competitor in his own way, Virat is a competitor in his own way," Gambhir said when asked about the incident&nbsp;on popular sports presenter Jatin Sapru's YouTube channel.

"Sometimes when you are leading the side, you have to do it even if you don't want to do it because you want your team to play the way you want. As a leader, sometimes you are not thinking about personal relationships with the other guy [but] just because you are leading a team, you have to do it," he explained further.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VucpeeBUdsQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-lot-of-respect-for-ms-dhoni-will-be-the-first-person-standing-next-to-him-in-need-gautam-gambhir-463579">Have lot of respect for MS Dhoni, will be the first person standing next to him in need: Gautam Gambhir</a>

Gambhir clarified that there was nothing personal between him and Kohli and that there have never been anything personal between the duo. He also hailed the former Indian captain for the way he has transformed into one of the best batters in the world from a young prodigy during his initial days in international cricket.

Gambhir said he is not at all surprised by what Kohli has managed to achieve in his career so far and lauded the star batter for working on his fitness and game to become the world-beater that he is today.

"That's why there was nothing personal [then] and there never will be personal against Virat Kohli. And I say it again and again that what he's achieved, I am absolutely not surprised. That's the kind of player he was when we saw him early but what he's transformed into, I think from a fitness point of view and the way he's worked on his skills is tremendous," Gambhir said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuzvendra-chahal-to-open-with-jos-buttler-for-rr-in-ipl-2022-england-star-reacts-to-hilarious-tweet-watch-463681">Chahal to open with Jos Buttler for RR in IPL 2022? England star reacts to hilarious tweet - WATCH</a>

Gambhir and Kohli shared the dressing for Team India for a number of years and were part of the 2011 ICC ODI World Cup-winning side under MS Dhoni.

Former India opener and ex-captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Gautam Gambhir recently opened up on his heated on-field spat with Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013.

Former India opener and ex-captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Gautam Gambhir recently opened up on his heated on-field spat with Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013. Gambhir and Kohli were involved in a heated argument on the field after the latter was dismissed by pacer Laxmipathy Balaji in the game. Gambhir, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles as captain, is one of the most successful captains in the history of the league. The former India opener had lost his cool on Kohli during a game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and KKR in IPL 2013. While Gambhir had already led KKR to their maiden title in the previous year, it was Kohli's first year as the captain of RCB. During the game, Kohli was seen losing his temper after getting dismissed by Balaji. He later went on to have a heated spat with Gambhir. Opening up on the incident, Gambhir said he was absolutely fine with what unfolded on the day as he likes people who are competitive. Both Gambhir was fierce competitor during his playing days, Kohli's aggressive style of playing his game is a secret to none. "That's OK, I am absolutely fine with it and I expect him to be like that. I am like that. I like that contest, I like people who are competitive. MS Dhoni is a competitor in his own way, Virat is a competitor in his own way," Gambhir said when asked about the incident on popular sports presenter Jatin Sapru's YouTube channel. "Sometimes when you are leading the side, you have to do it even if you don't want to do it because you want your team to play the way you want. As a leader, sometimes you are not thinking about personal relationships with the other guy [but] just because you are leading a team, you have to do it," he explained further. × Also Read: Have lot of respect for MS Dhoni, will be the first person standing next to him in need: Gautam Gambhir Gambhir clarified that there was nothing personal between him and Kohli and that there have never been anything personal between the duo. He also hailed the former Indian captain for the way he has transformed into one of the best batters in the world from a young prodigy during his initial days in international cricket. Gambhir said he is not at all surprised by what Kohli has managed to achieve in his career so far and lauded the star batter for working on his fitness and game to become the world-beater that he is today. "That's why there was nothing personal [then] and there never will be personal against Virat Kohli. And I say it again and again that what he's achieved, I am absolutely not surprised. That's the kind of player he was when we saw him early but what he's transformed into, I think from a fitness point of view and the way he's worked on his skills is tremendous," Gambhir said. Also Read: Chahal to open with Jos Buttler for RR in IPL 2022? England star reacts to hilarious tweet - WATCH Gambhir and Kohli shared the dressing for Team India for a number of years and were part of the 2011 ICC ODI World Cup-winning side under MS Dhoni.

'Expected him to be like that': Gautam Gambhir opens up on his on-field spat with Virat Kohli in IPL 2013

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This year's cash-rich league will be extremely crucial for Team India players as they will try to put their best foot forward&nbsp;to be added to the national side's T20 World Cup squad, with the showpiece event to be held later this year in Australia.

Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah is sure to feature in the T20 WC squad (unless fitness concerns arise) but the same can't be said about Mohammed Shami. Shami has been a regular in Tests and also has good numbers in ODIs, but his T20I career isn't very impressive. For the unversed, the senior pacer has an economy rate of over 9 (9.54) in T20Is whereas he hasn't managed to contain the run-flow for various IPL franchises that he has represented over the years.&nbsp;

Thus, the forthcoming IPL season is very important for Shami. He is set to represent the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) after being bought by the debutant franchise for INR 62.5 million (INR 6.25 crore). As per a BCCI source, IPL will be a trial run for Shami to be in the scheme of things for India in the shortest format.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-does-ms-dhoni-don-no-7-jersey-csk-veteran-answers-the-big-question-ahead-of-ipl-2022-463195">Why does MS Dhoni don No. 7 jersey? CSK veteran answers the big question ahead of IPL 2022</a>

“It’s difficult to sustain all-format bowlers for all conditions. Jasprit Bumrah is the only one who has excelled in all formats. This team management believes in presenting a clear picture to all the players. Shami will surely be spoken to,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by TOI.

“His ODI career is much better placed. But this IPL will be a kind of trial for him to be considered for the T20 World Cup and he also understands it,” the source added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/success-is-theirs-failure-is-mine-captain-hardik-pandya-shares-his-philosophy-ahead-of-ipl-2022-463170">Success is theirs, failure is mine: Captain Hardik Pandya shares his philosophy ahead of IPL 2022</a>

Shami was part of India's disastrous run in the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, he has often been rested by the selectors for T20I assignments, in order to keep him fresh for big-ticket limited-overs events or Tests. However, with a T20 WC round the corner once again, his IPL season will determine if he remains in contention to appear in India's&nbsp;WC squad.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This year's cash-rich league will be extremely crucial for Team India players as they will try to put their best foot forward to be added to the national side's T20 World Cup squad, with the showpiece event to be held later this year in Australia.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This year's cash-rich league will be extremely crucial for Team India players as they will try to put their best foot forward to be added to the national side's T20 World Cup squad, with the showpiece event to be held later this year in Australia. Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah is sure to feature in the T20 WC squad (unless fitness concerns arise) but the same can't be said about Mohammed Shami. Shami has been a regular in Tests and also has good numbers in ODIs, but his T20I career isn't very impressive. For the unversed, the senior pacer has an economy rate of over 9 (9.54) in T20Is whereas he hasn't managed to contain the run-flow for various IPL franchises that he has represented over the years. Thus, the forthcoming IPL season is very important for Shami. He is set to represent the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) after being bought by the debutant franchise for INR 62.5 million (INR 6.25 crore). As per a BCCI source, IPL will be a trial run for Shami to be in the scheme of things for India in the shortest format. ALSO READ | Why does MS Dhoni don No. 7 jersey? CSK veteran answers the big question ahead of IPL 2022 “It’s difficult to sustain all-format bowlers for all conditions. Jasprit Bumrah is the only one who has excelled in all formats. This team management believes in presenting a clear picture to all the players. Shami will surely be spoken to,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by TOI. “His ODI career is much better placed. But this IPL will be a kind of trial for him to be considered for the T20 World Cup and he also understands it,” the source added. ALSO READ | Success is theirs, failure is mine: Captain Hardik Pandya shares his philosophy ahead of IPL 2022 Shami was part of India's disastrous run in the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, he has often been rested by the selectors for T20I assignments, in order to keep him fresh for big-ticket limited-overs events or Tests. However, with a T20 WC round the corner once again, his IPL season will determine if he remains in contention to appear in India's WC squad.

IPL 2022 to be a trial run for star Team India bowler for T20 World Cup consideration: Report

Just ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition's season-opener, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got a big blow as Englishman Alex Hales has withdrawn from the ten-team tournament citing bio-bubble fatigue. Earlier, Gujarat Titans' (GT) Jason Roy had also pulled out of the upcoming season of the cash-rich league, due to bubble fatigue.&nbsp;

With Hales not participating in the IPL 15 season, he was been replaced by Australia's white-ball captain Aaron Finch. It is to be noted that Finch had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction, which was held in mid-February, after he wasn't part of the previous edition. Prior to the last year's season, he had also failed to draw a single bid in the IPL 2021 auction. By joining KKR, Finch is all set to play for his 9th IPL franchise. He is joining the two-time winners for INR 15 million (INR 1.5 crore); the same price for which Hales was roped in during the mega auction.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/kolkata-knight-riders-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-shreyas-iyer-joins-galaxy-of-knights-cummins-returns-453041">Kolkata Knight Riders complete squad for IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer joins Galaxy of Knights, Cummins returns</a>

Finch's IPL career has been a rollercoaster ride. He has so far represented&nbsp;Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gujarat Lions (GL), Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI). In T20s, he has over 10,000 runs with an average of over 30 and a strike rate close to 140.

The Shreyas Iyer-led KKR unit will play the opening game of the season, versus four-time champions and defenders MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-set-to-earn-a-whopping-rs-8-billion-from-ipl-2022-sponsorship-and-other-deals-report-461341">BCCI set to earn a whopping Rs 8 billion from IPL 2022 sponsorship and other deals - Report</a>

Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022:&nbsp;

Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar,&nbsp;Sam Billings, Aaron Finch, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee,&nbsp;Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana,&nbsp;Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi

Just ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition's season-opener, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got a big blow as Englishman Alex Hales has withdrawn from the ten-team tournament citing bio-bubble fatigue.

Just ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition's season-opener, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got a big blow as Englishman Alex Hales has withdrawn from the ten-team tournament citing bio-bubble fatigue. Earlier, Gujarat Titans' (GT) Jason Roy had also pulled out of the upcoming season of the cash-rich league, due to bubble fatigue. With Hales not participating in the IPL 15 season, he was been replaced by Australia's white-ball captain Aaron Finch. It is to be noted that Finch had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction, which was held in mid-February, after he wasn't part of the previous edition. Prior to the last year's season, he had also failed to draw a single bid in the IPL 2021 auction. By joining KKR, Finch is all set to play for his 9th IPL franchise. He is joining the two-time winners for INR 15 million (INR 1.5 crore); the same price for which Hales was roped in during the mega auction. ALSO READ | Kolkata Knight Riders complete squad for IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer joins Galaxy of Knights, Cummins returns Finch's IPL career has been a rollercoaster ride. He has so far represented Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gujarat Lions (GL), Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI). In T20s, he has over 10,000 runs with an average of over 30 and a strike rate close to 140. The Shreyas Iyer-led KKR unit will play the opening game of the season, versus four-time champions and defenders MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. ALSO READ | BCCI set to earn a whopping Rs 8 billion from IPL 2022 sponsorship and other deals - Report Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar, Sam Billings, Aaron Finch, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi

IPL 2022: Aaron Finch replaces Alex Hales in Shreyas Iyer-led KKR squad after Englishman's withdrawal

Mumbai Indians on Tuesday began their preparations for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 campaign.

Earlier, captain Rohit Sharma accompanied by speedster Jasprit Bumrah moved from the bubble to join the squad late last night, while Ishan Kishan flew from Bengaluru separately after securing a full-fitness certificate from BCCI's NCA.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🔙 home. 💫💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jaspritbumrah93</a> MI TV <a href="https://t.co/r9qmwfky3E">pic.twitter.com/r9qmwfky3E</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1503591433583824901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The 12-day strength and conditioning pre-season camp, ahead of Mumbai Indians'&nbsp;first match, is being held at their in-house training facility at the Reliance Jio Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

Mumbai Indians will also play a couple of inter-squad practice matches towards the second week of the camp.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-delhi-capitals-appoints-australian-all-rounder-shane-watson-as-assistant-coach-462441">IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals appoint former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson as assistant coach</a>

The first-day training session was preceded with player assessment analysis by the coaching staff led by the director of cricket Zaheer Khan and coach Mahela Jayawardene.

Over the next 11-weeks, Mumbai Indians coaching staff will look at upskilling the young domestic and international recruits through individual sessions, game situations, mental aspects and physical fitness.

Joining Zaheer and Mahela in this task will be the likes of Shane Bond, Robin Singh, Kiran More, Rahul Sanghvi, Vinay Kumar, TA Sekar, Paul Chapman and data analyst CKM Dhananjai - who have a proven record of nurturing the likes of Suryakumar, Bumrah, Ishan, Pandya brothers and many more in the past.

Mumbai Indians on Tuesday began their preparations for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 campaign. Earlier, captain Rohit Sharma accompanied by speedster Jasprit Bumrah moved from the bubble to join the squad late last night, while Ishan Kishan flew from Bengaluru separately after securing a full-fitness certificate from BCCI's NCA.

Mumbai Indians on Tuesday began their preparations for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 campaign. Earlier, captain Rohit Sharma accompanied by speedster Jasprit Bumrah moved from the bubble to join the squad late last night, while Ishan Kishan flew from Bengaluru separately after securing a full-fitness certificate from BCCI's NCA. 🔙 home. 💫💙#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians @ImRo45 @Jaspritbumrah93 MI TV pic.twitter.com/r9qmwfky3E — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 15, 2022 × The 12-day strength and conditioning pre-season camp, ahead of Mumbai Indians' first match, is being held at their in-house training facility at the Reliance Jio Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Mumbai Indians will also play a couple of inter-squad practice matches towards the second week of the camp. ALSO READ: IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals appoint former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson as assistant coach The first-day training session was preceded with player assessment analysis by the coaching staff led by the director of cricket Zaheer Khan and coach Mahela Jayawardene. Over the next 11-weeks, Mumbai Indians coaching staff will look at upskilling the young domestic and international recruits through individual sessions, game situations, mental aspects and physical fitness. Joining Zaheer and Mahela in this task will be the likes of Shane Bond, Robin Singh, Kiran More, Rahul Sanghvi, Vinay Kumar, TA Sekar, Paul Chapman and data analyst CKM Dhananjai - who have a proven record of nurturing the likes of Suryakumar, Bumrah, Ishan, Pandya brothers and many more in the past.

Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah enter camp as Mumbai Indian begin preparations for IPL 2022

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is regarded as the best T20 cricket league in the world. Ever since the inception of the tournament in 2008, IPL has managed to maintain its quality and continues to attract the best players from around the world to ply their trade in the tournament. The cash-rich league is also one of the riches cricketing tournaments in the world in terms of revenue.

While a number of countries have established their own domestic T20 leagues like the Big Bash League (Australia), Caribbean Premier League (West Indies) and Pakistan Super League (Pakistan), IPL remains the best competition in the world due its sheer quality.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has often earned comparisons with the IPL due to the quality of cricket at display in the league but has failed to attract the best players from across the globe over the years. Nonetheless, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja wants to bring in some big changes in the league in order to help it compete with the IPL.

Raja recently hinted at scrapping the existing player draft system in the PSL to move to the auction model like the IPL. IPL doesn't have a draft system and the players are picked at the auction after bidding wars between the teams. Raja wants to increase the purse of the PSL franchises and move to the auction model which he believes will boost the revenue system of the league and attract players as their fees&nbsp;will go up significantly.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-jofra-archer-play-for-mumbai-indians-in-ipl-2022-england-pacer-responds-462394">Will Jofra Archer play for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022? England pacer responds</a>

"We need to create new properties to be financially independent. We have nothing for now but the PSL and ICC funds. There's an argument over the model from next year; I want to switch it to an auction model from next year. The market forces are conducive, but we'll sit down with the franchise owners to discuss it," Raja was quoted as saying by&nbsp;EspnCricinfo.

Raja said if the PSL adopts the auction model, he would like to put the Pakistani league in the same bracket as the IPL. The PCB chief also went on to make a bold claim that he would then see which players would head to the IPL over the PSL.

"This is a game of money. When the cricket economy grows in Pakistan, our respect will rise. The main driver of that financial economy is the PSL. If we take the PSL to auction model, increase the purse, then I'll put it in the IPL bracket. And then we'll see who goes to play the IPL over the PSL," Raja added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/1007-must-be-entertaining-shoaib-akhtar-takes-a-dig-at-babar-co-as-pakistan-collapse-against-australia-462408">'100/7 must be entertaining': Akhtar takes a dig at Babar &amp; Co. as Pakistan collapse against Australia</a>

The Pakistan Super League was started by PCB in the year 2016 and the board has since conducted seven successful editions of the T20 league. Shaheen Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars won the 2022 edition of the PSL this year.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, IPL is entering its 15th edition in 2022 with the league now featuring ten instead of eight teams. IPL 2022 is all set to kick off from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders in the season opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is regarded as the best T20 cricket league in the world. Ever since the inception of the tournament in 2008, IPL has managed to maintain its quality and continues to attract the best players from around the world to ply their trade in the tournament.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is regarded as the best T20 cricket league in the world. Ever since the inception of the tournament in 2008, IPL has managed to maintain its quality and continues to attract the best players from around the world to ply their trade in the tournament. The cash-rich league is also one of the riches cricketing tournaments in the world in terms of revenue. While a number of countries have established their own domestic T20 leagues like the Big Bash League (Australia), Caribbean Premier League (West Indies) and Pakistan Super League (Pakistan), IPL remains the best competition in the world due its sheer quality. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has often earned comparisons with the IPL due to the quality of cricket at display in the league but has failed to attract the best players from across the globe over the years. Nonetheless, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja wants to bring in some big changes in the league in order to help it compete with the IPL. Raja recently hinted at scrapping the existing player draft system in the PSL to move to the auction model like the IPL. IPL doesn't have a draft system and the players are picked at the auction after bidding wars between the teams. Raja wants to increase the purse of the PSL franchises and move to the auction model which he believes will boost the revenue system of the league and attract players as their fees will go up significantly. Also Read: Will Jofra Archer play for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022? England pacer responds "We need to create new properties to be financially independent. We have nothing for now but the PSL and ICC funds. There's an argument over the model from next year; I want to switch it to an auction model from next year. The market forces are conducive, but we'll sit down with the franchise owners to discuss it," Raja was quoted as saying by EspnCricinfo. Raja said if the PSL adopts the auction model, he would like to put the Pakistani league in the same bracket as the IPL. The PCB chief also went on to make a bold claim that he would then see which players would head to the IPL over the PSL. "This is a game of money. When the cricket economy grows in Pakistan, our respect will rise. The main driver of that financial economy is the PSL. If we take the PSL to auction model, increase the purse, then I'll put it in the IPL bracket. And then we'll see who goes to play the IPL over the PSL," Raja added. Also Read: '100/7 must be entertaining': Akhtar takes a dig at Babar & Co. as Pakistan collapse against Australia The Pakistan Super League was started by PCB in the year 2016 and the board has since conducted seven successful editions of the T20 league. Shaheen Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars won the 2022 edition of the PSL this year. Meanwhile, IPL is entering its 15th edition in 2022 with the league now featuring ten instead of eight teams. IPL 2022 is all set to kick off from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders in the season opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

'We'll see who goes to play IPL': PCB chief Ramiz Raja makes bold claim as hints at changes in PSL

JSW-GMR co-owned IPL franchise Delhi Capitals today unveiled the official jersey for the 2022 season.

With an equal dash of red and blue, the new jersey exudes youthful and vibrant energy.

While the red symbolises the team’s on-field courage, the blue stands for balance and composure.

The tiger, an intrinsic part of the DC logo, is bigger and bolder, as the team gears up to roar again!

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-aaron-finch-replaces-alex-hales-in-shreyas-iyer-led-kkr-squad-after-englishmans-withdrawal-461425">IPL 2022: Aaron Finch replaces Alex Hales in Shreyas Iyer-led KKR squad after Englishman's withdrawal</a>

Staying with its ‘Fans First’ approach, the first jerseys were given to select DC fans at the team’s home ground – the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

Additionally, select children from the city, the DC Cubs, were given official jerseys too, as part of a surprise activity curated specially for them.

“It’s a new cycle of the IPL, and we can’t wait to see our players in this brand new jersey,” said Vinod Bisht, Interim CEO, Delhi Capitals.

“Supporting this team in its quest for glory is our fan army, so it’s only fitting for us to make them a part of our journey in every step.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rajasthan-royals-rope-in-sri-lankan-legend-lasith-malinga-as-fast-bowling-coach-461328">IPL 2022: Rajasthan Royals rope in Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga as fast bowling coach</a>

Delhi Capitals will kickstart their season on the 27th of March against Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium.

Please find attached photos of the Official Delhi Capitals 2022 Jersey.&nbsp;

<img alt="Delhi Capitals fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. (Photo- Delhi Capitals)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e1816589-e96c-442f-8e84-ed4b4ca11720" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Delhi%20Capitals%20fans%20at%20the%20Arun%20Jaitley%20Stadium%20in%20New%20Delhi%20%282%29.png" /><img alt="Delhi Capitals fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. (Photo- Delhi Capitals)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f3ea8409-8b84-4d4d-a1e7-a59585cfead4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Delhi%20Capitals%20fans%20at%20the%20Arun%20Jaitley%20Stadium%20in%20New%20Delhi%20%281%29.png" /><img alt="Delhi Capitals fan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. (Photo- Delhi Capitals)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a810c51b-9f84-428d-8e7a-b0aa06aec646" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Delhi%20Capitals%20fan%20at%20the%20Arun%20Jaitley%20Stadium%20in%20New%20Delhi%20%283%29.png" />

Delhi Capitals fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi (Photos- Delhi Capitals)

JSW-GMR co-owned IPL franchise Delhi Capitals today unveiled the official jersey for the 2022 season. With an equal dash of red and blue, the new jersey exudes youthful and vibrant energy.

JSW-GMR co-owned IPL franchise Delhi Capitals today unveiled the official jersey for the 2022 season. With an equal dash of red and blue, the new jersey exudes youthful and vibrant energy. While the red symbolises the team’s on-field courage, the blue stands for balance and composure. The tiger, an intrinsic part of the DC logo, is bigger and bolder, as the team gears up to roar again! ALSO READ: IPL 2022: Aaron Finch replaces Alex Hales in Shreyas Iyer-led KKR squad after Englishman's withdrawal Staying with its ‘Fans First’ approach, the first jerseys were given to select DC fans at the team’s home ground – the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Additionally, select children from the city, the DC Cubs, were given official jerseys too, as part of a surprise activity curated specially for them. “It’s a new cycle of the IPL, and we can’t wait to see our players in this brand new jersey,” said Vinod Bisht, Interim CEO, Delhi Capitals. “Supporting this team in its quest for glory is our fan army, so it’s only fitting for us to make them a part of our journey in every step.” ALSO READ: IPL 2022: Rajasthan Royals rope in Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga as fast bowling coach Delhi Capitals will kickstart their season on the 27th of March against Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium. Please find attached photos of the Official Delhi Capitals 2022 Jersey. Delhi Capitals fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi (Photos- Delhi Capitals)

Delhi Capitals unveil their official jersey for IPL 2022 season

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to earn a whopping sum of a little over Rs 800 crore (INR 8 billion) from the sponsorship and other deals for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The new season of IPL is all set to get underway from March 26 with TATA as the new primary sponsor of the league.

Apart from Tata, BCCI has also secured deals with RuPay and Swiggy Instamart as new central sponsors for IPL. As per a report in Insidesport.in, the board has signed a deal worth Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) with RuPay and of Rs 44 crore (INR 440 million) per anum with Swiggy Instamart.

The report further stated that the Indian cricket board is set to earn a little over Rs 800 crore from IPL sponsorship revenue this year, which will be a record-breaking amount generated by the BCCI to date since the inception of the tournament in 2008. The revenue has increased as the number of sponsors have increased this year for the IPL and TATA is set to pay a huge fee for title sponsorship.

Though Tata will be paying less than what VIVO was supposed to pay the BCCI as title sponsors, however, as per the report, the title-sponsorship deal from VIVO has been transferred to TATA in such a way that all deficit will be borne by the Chinese phone makers.

BCCI had a deal with VIVO till 2023 earning them Rs 440 crore (INR 4.4 billion) per season, however, TATA will be paying the Indian board only Rs 335 (INR 3.35 billion) per season. The deficit amount of Rs 105 crore (INR 1.05 billion) will be borne by VIVO.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/5-indian-players-who-can-replace-deepak-chahar-for-csk-if-he-is-ruled-out-of-ipl-2022-461048">5 Indian players who can replace Deepak Chahar for CSK if he is ruled out of IPL 2022</a>

As per the report in Insidesport.in, BCCI will not only get the deficit amount from VIVO but also get pro-rata payments for the increased amount of matches in the upcoming two seasons. VIVO had agreed to pay BCCI Rs 484 crore and Rs 512 crore from IPL 2022 and 2023 seasons.

IPL 2022 will consist of a total of 74 matches as the tournament is now set to be a ten-team affair with the introduction of two new franchises - Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants.

&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to earn a whopping sum of a little over Rs 800 crore (INR 8 billion) from the sponsorship and other deals for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to earn a whopping sum of a little over Rs 800 crore (INR 8 billion) from the sponsorship and other deals for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The new season of IPL is all set to get underway from March 26 with TATA as the new primary sponsor of the league. Apart from Tata, BCCI has also secured deals with RuPay and Swiggy Instamart as new central sponsors for IPL. As per a report in Insidesport.in, the board has signed a deal worth Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) with RuPay and of Rs 44 crore (INR 440 million) per anum with Swiggy Instamart. The report further stated that the Indian cricket board is set to earn a little over Rs 800 crore from IPL sponsorship revenue this year, which will be a record-breaking amount generated by the BCCI to date since the inception of the tournament in 2008. The revenue has increased as the number of sponsors have increased this year for the IPL and TATA is set to pay a huge fee for title sponsorship. Though Tata will be paying less than what VIVO was supposed to pay the BCCI as title sponsors, however, as per the report, the title-sponsorship deal from VIVO has been transferred to TATA in such a way that all deficit will be borne by the Chinese phone makers. BCCI had a deal with VIVO till 2023 earning them Rs 440 crore (INR 4.4 billion) per season, however, TATA will be paying the Indian board only Rs 335 (INR 3.35 billion) per season. The deficit amount of Rs 105 crore (INR 1.05 billion) will be borne by VIVO. Also Read: 5 Indian players who can replace Deepak Chahar for CSK if he is ruled out of IPL 2022 As per the report in Insidesport.in, BCCI will not only get the deficit amount from VIVO but also get pro-rata payments for the increased amount of matches in the upcoming two seasons. VIVO had agreed to pay BCCI Rs 484 crore and Rs 512 crore from IPL 2022 and 2023 seasons. IPL 2022 will consist of a total of 74 matches as the tournament is now set to be a ten-team affair with the introduction of two new franchises - Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants.

BCCI set to earn a whopping Rs 8 billion from IPL 2022 sponsorship and other deals - Report

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has named one Indian star who used to give him sleepless nights in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir is one of the most successful leaders in the history of IPL with two trophies to his name as the captain of KKR.

Gambhir led KKR to their maiden IPL triumph in 2012 before inspiring them to another trophy in 2014. Gambhir's KKR had defeated MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2012 final to lift their first title before beating Punjab Kings in the final of the 2014 edition to win their second IPL crown.

As a captain, Gambhir came up against some of the best skippers in the IPL in the form of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma among others. Recalling his captaincy stint for KKR, Gambhir revealed Rohit was one captain who used to give him 'sleepless nights'.

Gambhir hailed Rohit as the most successful cricketer in the history of IPL and lauded him for being a terrific leader. Rohit is the most successful captain in the history of IPL with five titles to his name for his side Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;

"As captain, Rohit Sharma is the only player who gave me sleepless nights. Neither Chris Gayle nor AB de Villiers nor anyone else, only Rohit Sharma. He is the player who gave me sleepless nights," said Gambhir on Star Sports.

There is no more successful cricketer in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) than Rohit Sharma as captain," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-relief-for-dhoni-co-csk-pacer-deepak-chahar-likely-to-be-available-from-mid-april-report-460472">IPL 2022: Relief for Dhoni &amp; Co.! Deepak Chahar likely to be available from mid-April - Report</a>

Gautam Gambhir returns to IPL

Gambhir has made a comeback in the Indian Premier League as a mentor this time around. Having played his last season in 2018, Gambhir had opted for commentary after retiring from cricket. However, the former India opener has now been roped in as a mentor by the Lucknow Super Giants.

Gambhir will be mentoring the KL Rahul-led side in their debut season in the league. The former KKR skipper was also part of the Lucknow think tank at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month.

&nbsp;

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has named one Indian star who used to give him sleepless nights in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir is one of the most successful leaders in the history of IPL with two trophies to his name as the captain of KKR.

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has named one Indian star who used to give him sleepless nights in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir is one of the most successful leaders in the history of IPL with two trophies to his name as the captain of KKR. Gambhir led KKR to their maiden IPL triumph in 2012 before inspiring them to another trophy in 2014. Gambhir's KKR had defeated MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2012 final to lift their first title before beating Punjab Kings in the final of the 2014 edition to win their second IPL crown. As a captain, Gambhir came up against some of the best skippers in the IPL in the form of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma among others. Recalling his captaincy stint for KKR, Gambhir revealed Rohit was one captain who used to give him 'sleepless nights'. Gambhir hailed Rohit as the most successful cricketer in the history of IPL and lauded him for being a terrific leader. Rohit is the most successful captain in the history of IPL with five titles to his name for his side Mumbai Indians. "As captain, Rohit Sharma is the only player who gave me sleepless nights. Neither Chris Gayle nor AB de Villiers nor anyone else, only Rohit Sharma. He is the player who gave me sleepless nights," said Gambhir on Star Sports. There is no more successful cricketer in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) than Rohit Sharma as captain," he added. Also Read: IPL 2022: Relief for Dhoni & Co.! Deepak Chahar likely to be available from mid-April - Report Gautam Gambhir returns to IPL Gambhir has made a comeback in the Indian Premier League as a mentor this time around. Having played his last season in 2018, Gambhir had opted for commentary after retiring from cricket. However, the former India opener has now been roped in as a mentor by the Lucknow Super Giants. Gambhir will be mentoring the KL Rahul-led side in their debut season in the league. The former KKR skipper was also part of the Lucknow think tank at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month.

Not Dhoni or Kohli! Gautam Gambhir names player who used to give him 'sleepless nights' in IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is around the corner. The complete schedule was announced by the BCCI on Sunday (March 06) as the excitement is building for the upcoming season. Ahead of the season-opener, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are having their practice session in Surat, Gujarat.

In a recently-released practice session video from the Yellow Army's camp, skipper Dhoni made heads turn by showcasing his footvolley skills. In the clip shared by the official Twitter handle of CSK, the 40-year-old superstar cricketer was seen having fun with his team members as they engaged in a footvolley segment while preparing for the forthcoming season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-complete-schedule-announced-ms-dhonis-csk-to-take-on-kkr-in-season-opener-459595">IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Namma Special 🦁 Footvolley segment is B⚽CK! 🔁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://t.co/pXxIe994sG">pic.twitter.com/pXxIe994sG</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1500867862453719044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

For the unversed, the Dhoni-led CSK franchise will begin their title-defence in IPL 2022 opening fixture as they will lock horns with Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic&nbsp;Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26.

Under Dhoni, CSK had won the IPL 2021 season, their fourth-title overall, by beating KKR in the summit clash by 27 runs. This time around, they have strengthened their squad with new additions in the form of Devon Conway, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan, Shivam Dube, etc.

Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022:

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is around the corner. The complete schedule was announced by the BCCI on Sunday (March 06) as the excitement is building for the upcoming season.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is around the corner. The complete schedule was announced by the BCCI on Sunday (March 06) as the excitement is building for the upcoming season. Ahead of the season-opener, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are having their practice session in Surat, Gujarat. In a recently-released practice session video from the Yellow Army's camp, skipper Dhoni made heads turn by showcasing his footvolley skills. In the clip shared by the official Twitter handle of CSK, the 40-year-old superstar cricketer was seen having fun with his team members as they engaged in a footvolley segment while preparing for the forthcoming season. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener Namma Special 🦁 Footvolley segment is B⚽CK! 🔁#WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/pXxIe994sG — Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) March 7, 2022 × ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up For the unversed, the Dhoni-led CSK franchise will begin their title-defence in IPL 2022 opening fixture as they will lock horns with Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26. Under Dhoni, CSK had won the IPL 2021 season, their fourth-title overall, by beating KKR in the summit clash by 27 runs. This time around, they have strengthened their squad with new additions in the form of Devon Conway, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan, Shivam Dube, etc. Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH

Ireland pacer Josh Little has been roped in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a net bowler for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

"Congrats to Josh Little who is heading off on a development opportunity with the Chennai Super Kings in the early stages of the upcoming IPL. The experience as a net bowler for CSK should be fantastic," Cricket Ireland tweeted.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday had announced the schedule for IPL 2022.

A total number of 70 league matches and 4 Playoff games will be played in the duration of 65 days.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-skipper-ms-dhoni-flaunts-his-footvolley-skills-in-practice-session-ahead-of-ipl-2022-opener-watch-460135">CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH</a>

The 15th season will start on March 26 at the Wankhede stadium with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.

On March 27, the league will stage its first double-header starting off with a Day game at Brabourne where the Delhi Capitals will square off against Mumbai Indians.

The DY Patil Stadium will host the clash between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at night.

There will be 12 doubleheaders in total with the first match starting at 3:30 PM IST. All evening matches will start at 7:30 PM IST.

The final game of the league stage will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium.

The schedule for the Playoffs and the IPL 2022 final to be played on May 29 will be announced later.

&nbsp;ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/daniel-vettori-gives-his-verdict-on-whether-virat-kohli-will-return-to-rcb-captaincy-in-ipl-2022-459951">Daniel Vettori gives his verdict on whether Virat Kohli will return to RCB captaincy in IPL 2022</a>

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad: MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma.

Ireland pacer Josh Little has been roped in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a net bowler for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. "Congrats to Josh Little who is heading off on a development opportunity with the Chennai Super Kings in the early stages of the upcoming IPL.

Ireland pacer Josh Little has been roped in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a net bowler for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. "Congrats to Josh Little who is heading off on a development opportunity with the Chennai Super Kings in the early stages of the upcoming IPL. The experience as a net bowler for CSK should be fantastic," Cricket Ireland tweeted. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday had announced the schedule for IPL 2022. A total number of 70 league matches and 4 Playoff games will be played in the duration of 65 days. ALSO READ: CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH The 15th season will start on March 26 at the Wankhede stadium with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. On March 27, the league will stage its first double-header starting off with a Day game at Brabourne where the Delhi Capitals will square off against Mumbai Indians. The DY Patil Stadium will host the clash between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at night. There will be 12 doubleheaders in total with the first match starting at 3:30 PM IST. All evening matches will start at 7:30 PM IST. The final game of the league stage will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium. The schedule for the Playoffs and the IPL 2022 final to be played on May 29 will be announced later. ALSO READ: Daniel Vettori gives his verdict on whether Virat Kohli will return to RCB captaincy in IPL 2022 Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad: MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma.

IPL 2022: MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings rope in Ireland pacer Josh Little as net bowler

Shane Warne's tragic demise has left the cricketing world shocked and saddened. The Australian cricket legend breathed his last in Thailand last week. Regarded as one of the best spinners of all time, Warne has been hailed by many for his on-field heroics and remarkable contributions to the game.

Several former and current cricketers have paid heartfelt tributes to the legendary spinner while recalling the time spent with him. His immense love for the game and larger than life character was a secret to none which made Warne one of the most popular cricketers around the globe.

A magician with the ball in his hands, Warne revived leg-spin with his charismatic performances and won numerous matches for his country. Warne troubled some of the best batters of his time during his playing days, including former Indian captain Virat Kohli.

Though Kohli didn't get a chance to face Warne in international cricket, he came up against the legendary Australian spinner during his initial years in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While Warne was already a legend of the game, Kohli had just started out in his career.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-pays-heartfelt-tribute-to-shane-warne-hails-him-as-greatest-spinner-ever-watch-459174">Virat Kohli pays heartfelt tribute to Shane Warne, hails him as 'greatest spinner ever' - WATCH</a>

In an Instagram chat with Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri, Kohli had revealed Warne made him 'look like a fool' during IPL 2009. Kohli was asked who would he prefer facing between Waqar Younis and Warne, if he had to score three runs off the last ball in a game.

"Firstly Shane Warne hardly bowled during the death overs and secondly I would believe in my ability to score off the yorkers bowled by Waqar Younis,"&nbsp;Kohli had responded.

"Shane Warne made me look like a fool during IPL in 2009. I played him again in 2011 in Rajasthan, nothing significant happened there. He did not get me out, I did not score many runs against him. After the match, he came up to me and said never say anything back to the bowler, but obviously, I did not listen (laughs)," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shane-warnes-death-due-to-natural-causes-say-thai-police-after-autopsy-459825">Shane Warne's death due to natural causes, say Thai police after autopsy</a>

Warne was the first man to reach the milestone of 700 wickets in Test cricket. He completed the feat at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2006. The&nbsp;Great Southern Stand at the MCG has been named after the Australian legend to celebrate his legacy. Warne is the second-highest wicket-taker in Test history with 708 scalps to his name in 145 matches.

&nbsp;

Shane Warne's tragic demise has left the cricketing world shocked and saddened. The Australian cricket legend breathed his last in Thailand last week. Regarded as one of the best spinners of all time, Warne has been hailed by many for his on-field heroics and remarkable contributions to the game.

Shane Warne's tragic demise has left the cricketing world shocked and saddened. The Australian cricket legend breathed his last in Thailand last week. Regarded as one of the best spinners of all time, Warne has been hailed by many for his on-field heroics and remarkable contributions to the game. Several former and current cricketers have paid heartfelt tributes to the legendary spinner while recalling the time spent with him. His immense love for the game and larger than life character was a secret to none which made Warne one of the most popular cricketers around the globe. A magician with the ball in his hands, Warne revived leg-spin with his charismatic performances and won numerous matches for his country. Warne troubled some of the best batters of his time during his playing days, including former Indian captain Virat Kohli. Though Kohli didn't get a chance to face Warne in international cricket, he came up against the legendary Australian spinner during his initial years in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While Warne was already a legend of the game, Kohli had just started out in his career. Also Read: Virat Kohli pays heartfelt tribute to Shane Warne, hails him as 'greatest spinner ever' - WATCH In an Instagram chat with Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri, Kohli had revealed Warne made him 'look like a fool' during IPL 2009. Kohli was asked who would he prefer facing between Waqar Younis and Warne, if he had to score three runs off the last ball in a game. "Firstly Shane Warne hardly bowled during the death overs and secondly I would believe in my ability to score off the yorkers bowled by Waqar Younis," Kohli had responded. "Shane Warne made me look like a fool during IPL in 2009. I played him again in 2011 in Rajasthan, nothing significant happened there. He did not get me out, I did not score many runs against him. After the match, he came up to me and said never say anything back to the bowler, but obviously, I did not listen (laughs)," he added. Also Read: Shane Warne's death due to natural causes, say Thai police after autopsy Warne was the first man to reach the milestone of 700 wickets in Test cricket. He completed the feat at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2006. The Great Southern Stand at the MCG has been named after the Australian legend to celebrate his legacy. Warne is the second-highest wicket-taker in Test history with 708 scalps to his name in 145 matches.

'He made me look like a fool': When Virat Kohli recalled his face-off with Shane Warne during IPL 2009

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the complete schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

This time around the Indian Premier League is all set to have ten instead of eight teams but each team will play 14 league games like before. The ten teams have been divided into two groups of five each with Mumbai Indians and CSK headlining Group A and B respectively.

Here is a look at the two groups for IPL 2022:

Group A&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Group B 
Mumbai Indians&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Chennai Super Kings 
Kolkata Knight Riders&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sunrisers Hyderabad&nbsp; 
Rajasthan Royals&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Royal Challengers Bangalore 
Delhi Capitals&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Punjab Kings 
Lucknow Super Giants&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gujarat Titans

As per the new format of the IPL, each team will play twice against the other four teams in their respective groups and against the team who are placed in the same row in the other group. For an example, CSK will play twice against Mumbai Indians and the remaining four teams in Group B, while KKR will play twice against Sunrisers Hyderabad and the remaining four teams in Group A.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explained-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">&nbsp;IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

Check out the complete schedule of IPL 2022:

<img alt="IPL schedule" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9d0f999d-36c7-478a-b1de-38e2f2cce7c5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IPL%20schedule%201.png" />

<img alt="IPL schedule" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="becffb85-f81e-462b-bf1b-0f32c1a1f6c2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IPL%20schedule%202.jpg" />

Debutants Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants will play their respective first game of the season when they lock horns against each other at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 28.

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will take on Rishabh Pant's Delhi Capitals in the second game of the season on March 27, which will see the first double-header of the season with Punjab Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore on the same day.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/deepak-chahar-to-liam-livingstone-5-players-who-earned-biggest-pay-rise-at-ipl-mega-auction-453828">Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction</a>

There will be a total of 12 double headers in IPL 2022 with six on Saturdays and six on Sundays. The BCCI is so far announced the schedule for only the league stage of the competition featuring 70 matches in total. The venue and dates for the playoffs are yet to be announced while the final is confirmed to be played on May 29.

The final league game of the season will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22. The playoffs are expected to get underway from May 24 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The entire legaue stage will be hosted by four venues in Maharashtra.

The Wankhede Stadium and DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai will host 20 matches each during the league stage while the Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune will host 15 matches apiece.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the complete schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the complete schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This time around the Indian Premier League is all set to have ten instead of eight teams but each team will play 14 league games like before. The ten teams have been divided into two groups of five each with Mumbai Indians and CSK headlining Group A and B respectively. Here is a look at the two groups for IPL 2022: Group A Group B Mumbai Indians Chennai Super Kings Kolkata Knight Riders Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajasthan Royals Royal Challengers Bangalore Delhi Capitals Punjab Kings Lucknow Super Giants Gujarat Titans As per the new format of the IPL, each team will play twice against the other four teams in their respective groups and against the team who are placed in the same row in the other group. For an example, CSK will play twice against Mumbai Indians and the remaining four teams in Group B, while KKR will play twice against Sunrisers Hyderabad and the remaining four teams in Group A. Also Read: IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups Check out the complete schedule of IPL 2022: Debutants Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants will play their respective first game of the season when they lock horns against each other at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 28. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will take on Rishabh Pant's Delhi Capitals in the second game of the season on March 27, which will see the first double-header of the season with Punjab Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore on the same day. Also Read: Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction There will be a total of 12 double headers in IPL 2022 with six on Saturdays and six on Sundays. The BCCI is so far announced the schedule for only the league stage of the competition featuring 70 matches in total. The venue and dates for the playoffs are yet to be announced while the final is confirmed to be played on May 29. The final league game of the season will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22. The playoffs are expected to get underway from May 24 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The entire legaue stage will be hosted by four venues in Maharashtra. The Wankhede Stadium and DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai will host 20 matches each during the league stage while the Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune will host 15 matches apiece.

IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener

Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world at present. Since its inception in 2008, IPL has witnessed tremendous growth with each passing year and has become one of the most-followed sporting events across the globe. Cricketers around the world dream of playing in the IPL, which has over the years produced a number of superstars for several national teams.

IPL has the best of players from all major cricketing nations plying their trade in the tournament. The Indian T20 league has often been compared with the likes of the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Pakistan, however, IPL remains above them all with the sheer amount of talent on display and the huge finances involved.

IPL also remains the only T20 franchise league to feature Indian players which makes it stand out from other T20 leagues around the world. Recently, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja was asked about the comparisons between IPL and PSL. The Aussie batter said there was no competition between the two leagues as IPL is the best hands down.

"IPL is the strongest in the world. That's hands down. That's not really a contest there (between IPL and PSL) because at the end of the day they have all the world come to them and they also have the only league in the world that has Indian cricketers. So, it ends up becoming the best league in the world," said Khawaja while interacting to media in Pakistan ahead of Australia's first Test against the hosts in Rawalpindi.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-in-our-hands-jasprit-bumrah-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-100th-test-being-played-behind-closed-doors-457824">'Not in our hands': Jasprit Bumrah reacts to Virat Kohli's 100th Test being played behind closed doors</a>

Khawaja has just played one season in the Indian Premier League when he was part of the Rising Pune Supergiants franchise in IPL 2016. The Aussie batter had scored&nbsp;127 runs in six matches for the now-defunct franchise. He had enlisted his name for the IPL 2022 mega auction this year but remained unsold.

The new season of the Indian Premier League is all set to get underway from March 26 this year. The new season will be played in India with Mumbai and Pune hosting the entire league stage. The league stage will consists of a total of 70 matches.

Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world at present. Since its inception in 2008, IPL has witnessed tremendous growth with each passing year and has become one of the most-followed sporting events across the globe.

Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world at present. Since its inception in 2008, IPL has witnessed tremendous growth with each passing year and has become one of the most-followed sporting events across the globe. Cricketers around the world dream of playing in the IPL, which has over the years produced a number of superstars for several national teams. IPL has the best of players from all major cricketing nations plying their trade in the tournament. The Indian T20 league has often been compared with the likes of the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Pakistan, however, IPL remains above them all with the sheer amount of talent on display and the huge finances involved. IPL also remains the only T20 franchise league to feature Indian players which makes it stand out from other T20 leagues around the world. Recently, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja was asked about the comparisons between IPL and PSL. The Aussie batter said there was no competition between the two leagues as IPL is the best hands down. "IPL is the strongest in the world. That's hands down. That's not really a contest there (between IPL and PSL) because at the end of the day they have all the world come to them and they also have the only league in the world that has Indian cricketers. So, it ends up becoming the best league in the world," said Khawaja while interacting to media in Pakistan ahead of Australia's first Test against the hosts in Rawalpindi. Also Read: 'Not in our hands': Jasprit Bumrah reacts to Virat Kohli's 100th Test being played behind closed doors Khawaja has just played one season in the Indian Premier League when he was part of the Rising Pune Supergiants franchise in IPL 2016. The Aussie batter had scored 127 runs in six matches for the now-defunct franchise. He had enlisted his name for the IPL 2022 mega auction this year but remained unsold. The new season of the Indian Premier League is all set to get underway from March 26 this year. The new season will be played in India with Mumbai and Pune hosting the entire league stage. The league stage will consists of a total of 70 matches.

IPL best league in the world hands down, not really a contest with PSL: Usman Khawaja

Shreyas Iyer made heads turn in the just-concluded India-Sri Lanka T20Is at home. In the three games, Iyer got an opportunity to bat at No. 3 in Virat Kohli's absence and made the most of his chances to remain unbeaten throughout the series. He returned with scores of&nbsp;57* (28), 74* (44) and 73* (45) as Rohit Sharma's India completed a whitewash over the hapless Islanders.

While Iyer shifts his focus on the two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 04 in Mohali, he reflected back on his journey with the Delhi Capitals (DC), having made his IPL debut for the franchise in 2015. After a shoulder injury in early 2021, the right-hander couldn't take part in the first leg of IPL 2021 and eventually lost the captaincy to Rishabh Pant for the whole season. With DC willing to continue with Pant as the captain, Iyer wasn't retained and has now been bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of IPL 2022 edition.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-joins-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-kl-rahul-in-elite-list-after-dream-run-in-sri-lanka-t20is-457333">Shreyas Iyer joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul in elite list after dream run in Sri Lanka T20Is</a>

“Injury,” Iyer said in a recent interaction -- with Times of India -- on being asked what was the bigger blow between injury and losing DC captaincy. “That was a bigger low. If that didn't happen, they wouldn't have stepped me down as a captain. At Delhi Capitals, you saw the reflection of the environment at the start of 2021, which we created in 2019 &amp; 20. The atmosphere was amazing. The players knew each other inside out, their strengths and weaknesses. I don't want to get deeper into it," stated Iyer.

Under Iyer, DC had reached their first-ever playoffs after nine years in IPL 2019. In addition, the franchise played their maiden&nbsp;final during&nbsp;IPL 2020 season -- during Iyer's captaincy --&nbsp;held in the UAE.

He further asserted on his injury, "Sometimes things just happen for the better. It's just that we come to know about it later. I was on a roll right in New Zealand (in early 2020) and began feeling really confident of myself and my batting. As captain, I had an amazing season going in the IPL and I scored some 500 runs (in 2020 edition). I was in a good frame of mind and then that injury began playing on my mind. Forced breaks are never easy because you have to start all over again."

<section>
"Injuries and rehabs are painful. But I must say, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The injury had made me feel I was 50% of the player I otherwise am. Having fully recovered, I've come back fresh and feel good. So, whatever happens, happens for good," Iyer added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/best-number-for-me-is-shreyas-iyer-reveals-his-preferred-batting-slot-after-sri-lanka-t20is-457541">'Best number for me is....' - Shreyas Iyer reveals his preferred batting slot after Sri Lanka T20Is</a>

For the unversed, KKR acquired Iyer's services in the IPL 2022 mega auction for a whopping INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). Thus, he has joined an elite list of captains for the Kolkata-based franchise, including Sourav Ganguly, Brendon McCullum, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan. He will be eager to take the two-time winners one step ahead this time around, in the forthcoming season, after they ended as runners-up in IPL 2021.
</section>

Shreyas Iyer made heads turn in the just-concluded India-Sri Lanka T20Is at home. In the three games, Iyer got an opportunity to bat at No. 3 in Virat Kohli's absence and made the most of his chances to remain unbeaten throughout the series.

Shreyas Iyer made heads turn in the just-concluded India-Sri Lanka T20Is at home. In the three games, Iyer got an opportunity to bat at No. 3 in Virat Kohli's absence and made the most of his chances to remain unbeaten throughout the series. He returned with scores of 57* (28), 74* (44) and 73* (45) as Rohit Sharma's India completed a whitewash over the hapless Islanders. While Iyer shifts his focus on the two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 04 in Mohali, he reflected back on his journey with the Delhi Capitals (DC), having made his IPL debut for the franchise in 2015. After a shoulder injury in early 2021, the right-hander couldn't take part in the first leg of IPL 2021 and eventually lost the captaincy to Rishabh Pant for the whole season. With DC willing to continue with Pant as the captain, Iyer wasn't retained and has now been bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of IPL 2022 edition. ALSO READ | Shreyas Iyer joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul in elite list after dream run in Sri Lanka T20Is “Injury,” Iyer said in a recent interaction -- with Times of India -- on being asked what was the bigger blow between injury and losing DC captaincy. “That was a bigger low. If that didn't happen, they wouldn't have stepped me down as a captain. At Delhi Capitals, you saw the reflection of the environment at the start of 2021, which we created in 2019 & 20. The atmosphere was amazing. The players knew each other inside out, their strengths and weaknesses. I don't want to get deeper into it," stated Iyer. Under Iyer, DC had reached their first-ever playoffs after nine years in IPL 2019. In addition, the franchise played their maiden final during IPL 2020 season -- during Iyer's captaincy -- held in the UAE. He further asserted on his injury, "Sometimes things just happen for the better. It's just that we come to know about it later. I was on a roll right in New Zealand (in early 2020) and began feeling really confident of myself and my batting. As captain, I had an amazing season going in the IPL and I scored some 500 runs (in 2020 edition). I was in a good frame of mind and then that injury began playing on my mind. Forced breaks are never easy because you have to start all over again." "Injuries and rehabs are painful. But I must say, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The injury had made me feel I was 50% of the player I otherwise am. Having fully recovered, I've come back fresh and feel good. So, whatever happens, happens for good," Iyer added. ALSO READ | 'Best number for me is....' - Shreyas Iyer reveals his preferred batting slot after Sri Lanka T20Is For the unversed, KKR acquired Iyer's services in the IPL 2022 mega auction for a whopping INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). Thus, he has joined an elite list of captains for the Kolkata-based franchise, including Sourav Ganguly, Brendon McCullum, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan. He will be eager to take the two-time winners one step ahead this time around, in the forthcoming season, after they ended as runners-up in IPL 2021.

'They wouldn't have...': Shreyas Iyer recalls being replaced as Delhi Capitals' skipper

Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday (February 28) appointed opener Mayank Agarwal as the franchise's captain ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India from March 26. After much speculation, Mayank won the captaincy race despite the presence of senior pro Shikhar Dhawan in the squad, who was bought by the 2014 runners-up in the mega auction held earlier this month.

Mayank, who will now succeed his good friend and ex-Punjab opener KL Rahul as the captain,&nbsp;has been in the PBKS setup since IPL 2018 and had a wonderful run in the last two editions, amassing 424 runs at a whopping strike-rate of 156.45 in IPL 2020 and&nbsp;441&nbsp;runs, with 4 half-centuries, at a strike-rate of 140.44 in last year's&nbsp;season. He was the only capped player retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction (for INR 140 million).

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 Attention <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SherSquad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SherSquad</a> 🚨 
 
Our 🆕© ➜ Mayank Agarwal 
 
Send in your wishes for the new <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CaptainPunjab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CaptainPunjab</a> 🎉<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaddaPunjab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaddaPunjab</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PunjabKings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PunjabKings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mayankcricket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mayankcricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/hkxwzRyOVA">pic.twitter.com/hkxwzRyOVA</a>
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/PunjabKingsIPL/status/1498168752134930432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"I have been at Punjab Kings since 2018 and I take a lot of pride in representing this fantastic unit. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the team. I take over this responsibility with utmost sincerity, but at the same time, I believe my job would be made easier with the talent we have at the Punjab Kings squad this season. We have some vastly experienced players in our ranks, along with many talented youngsters who are keen to grab the opportunity and run with it. We have always taken to the field hoping to win the title and as a team we will once again work towards this goal of lifting our maiden IPL trophy. I thank the team management for entrusting me with this new role of leading the side. I look forward to the new season and the new challenges it brings with it,” said Mayank in a statement.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explained-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

Anil Kumble, Head Coach, Punjab Kings said, “Mayank has been an integral part of the side since 2018 and of the leadership group for the last two years. The new squad we selected at the recently concluded auction has exciting young talent and outstanding experienced players. We want to create a strong foundation for the future with Mayank at the helm. He is hardworking, enthusiastic, a team player with all the attributes required of a leader. I look forward to working with him as captain and believe that he will lead this team to a successful campaign."

PBKS squad for IPL 2022

Mayank Agarwal (captain), Arshdeep Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Rahul Chahar, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Porel, Liam Livingstone, Odean Smith, Sandeep Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Prerak Mankad, Vaibhav Arora, Writtick Chatterjee, Baltej Dhanda, Ansh Patel, Nathan Ellis, Atharva Taide, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Benny Howell

Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday (February 28) appointed opener Mayank Agarwal as the franchise's captain ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India from March 26.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday (February 28) appointed opener Mayank Agarwal as the franchise's captain ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India from March 26. After much speculation, Mayank won the captaincy race despite the presence of senior pro Shikhar Dhawan in the squad, who was bought by the 2014 runners-up in the mega auction held earlier this month. Mayank, who will now succeed his good friend and ex-Punjab opener KL Rahul as the captain, has been in the PBKS setup since IPL 2018 and had a wonderful run in the last two editions, amassing 424 runs at a whopping strike-rate of 156.45 in IPL 2020 and 441 runs, with 4 half-centuries, at a strike-rate of 140.44 in last year's season. He was the only capped player retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction (for INR 140 million). 🚨 Attention #SherSquad 🚨 Our 🆕© ➜ Mayank Agarwal Send in your wishes for the new #CaptainPunjab 🎉#SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #TATAIPL2022 @mayankcricket pic.twitter.com/hkxwzRyOVA — Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) February 28, 2022 × "I have been at Punjab Kings since 2018 and I take a lot of pride in representing this fantastic unit. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the team. I take over this responsibility with utmost sincerity, but at the same time, I believe my job would be made easier with the talent we have at the Punjab Kings squad this season. We have some vastly experienced players in our ranks, along with many talented youngsters who are keen to grab the opportunity and run with it. We have always taken to the field hoping to win the title and as a team we will once again work towards this goal of lifting our maiden IPL trophy. I thank the team management for entrusting me with this new role of leading the side. I look forward to the new season and the new challenges it brings with it,” said Mayank in a statement. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups Anil Kumble, Head Coach, Punjab Kings said, “Mayank has been an integral part of the side since 2018 and of the leadership group for the last two years. The new squad we selected at the recently concluded auction has exciting young talent and outstanding experienced players. We want to create a strong foundation for the future with Mayank at the helm. He is hardworking, enthusiastic, a team player with all the attributes required of a leader. I look forward to working with him as captain and believe that he will lead this team to a successful campaign." PBKS squad for IPL 2022 Mayank Agarwal (captain), Arshdeep Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Rahul Chahar, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Porel, Liam Livingstone, Odean Smith, Sandeep Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Prerak Mankad, Vaibhav Arora, Writtick Chatterjee, Baltej Dhanda, Ansh Patel, Nathan Ellis, Atharva Taide, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Benny Howell

Mayank Agarwal wins captaincy race to be named Punjab Kings' skipper ahead of IPL 2022

After the end of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the excitement for the 15th edition of the cash-rich league is at its peak. With the addition of two new teams and a new group stage format introduced, the ardent cricket fans are desperately looking forward to the commencement of the IPL 2022 season in India, from March 26.

Ahead of the new season, Star Sports -- official broadcaster&nbsp;of IPL -- has revealed&nbsp;a teaser for the promo of IPL 15. In the promo, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni is seen in a new moustache look. While only a teaser has been out, Dhoni's new look has garnered eyeballs&nbsp;and&nbsp;become an instant hit among social media users. Here's the teaser of IPL 2022's new promo:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-would-give-me-important-overs-jasprit-bumrah-reveals-how-rohit-sharma-helped-in-his-growth-456807">He would give me important overs: Jasprit Bumrah reveals how Rohit Sharma helped in his growth</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Stay Tuned<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DhonisNewLook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DhonisNewLook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ComingSoon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ComingSoon</a> <a href="https://t.co/S17D8L7JPD">pic.twitter.com/S17D8L7JPD</a>
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1497534445485637632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explained-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

On Friday (February 25), BCCI announced a new&nbsp;format for the upcoming showpiece event. The forthcoming season will see the ten teams divided into two groups of five.&nbsp;Each team will play twice against all other four sides in their group and with the team in the same row in the other group. In addition, they will play once against the remaining four teams from the other group.

Talking about Dhoni-led CSK, here's the defending champions' full squad for&nbsp;IPL 2022:

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

After the end of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the excitement for the 15th edition of the cash-rich league is at its peak. With the addition of two new teams and a new group stage format introduced, the ardent cricket fans are desperately looking forward to the commencement of the IPL 2022 season in India, from March 26.

After the end of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the excitement for the 15th edition of the cash-rich league is at its peak. With the addition of two new teams and a new group stage format introduced, the ardent cricket fans are desperately looking forward to the commencement of the IPL 2022 season in India, from March 26. Ahead of the new season, Star Sports -- official broadcaster of IPL -- has revealed a teaser for the promo of IPL 15. In the promo, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni is seen in a new moustache look. While only a teaser has been out, Dhoni's new look has garnered eyeballs and become an instant hit among social media users. Here's the teaser of IPL 2022's new promo: ALSO READ | He would give me important overs: Jasprit Bumrah reveals how Rohit Sharma helped in his growth Stay Tuned#DhonisNewLook #ComingSoon pic.twitter.com/S17D8L7JPD — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 26, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups On Friday (February 25), BCCI announced a new format for the upcoming showpiece event. The forthcoming season will see the ten teams divided into two groups of five. Each team will play twice against all other four sides in their group and with the team in the same row in the other group. In addition, they will play once against the remaining four teams from the other group. Talking about Dhoni-led CSK, here's the defending champions' full squad for IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

MS Dhoni's new moustache look breaks the internet before IPL 2022 - watch

The forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition will begin on March 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have confirmed on Thursday evening (February 24). The final decision regarding the commencement of the 15th edition was expected after the IPL general council meeting, which was held on Thursday.

Post the IPL GC meeting, the final date is now out as the upcoming season will begin in just over a month.&nbsp; "The IPL will kick off on March 26, the full schedule will come soon. We will also have crowds but as per the policy of the Maharashtra government. Whether it will be 25 or 50 per cent of the stadium capacity will be decided by the government instruction," the IPL chairman told Cricbuzz.

The ten-team showpiece event will be held in India, with Maharashtra hosting the league stage. Mumbai and Pune will host the 70-game league stage, with 55 games to be held in Mumbai's three venues and the remaining 15 in Pune (20 at the Wankhede Stadium, 15 at Brabourne Stadium, 20 more at DY Patil Stadium and&nbsp;15 at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) ground in Gahunje, Pune).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mumbai-and-pune-to-host-league-stage-final-decision-on-starting-date-venues-soon-report-455709">IPL 2022: Mumbai and Pune to host league stage; final decision on starting date, venues soon - Report</a>

The venues for the playoffs are not yet decided. However, Ahmedabad remains a frontrunner to host the knockouts.&nbsp;When asked about it, Patel said, "We will decide about the play-offs later." The full schedule of the IPL 2022 edition will be out soon.

This year's season will see two new teams making their respective debuts, i.e. the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/theres-nothing-to-be-shocked-about-virat-kohli-breaks-silence-on-decision-of-quitting-as-rcb-captain-455994">There’s nothing to be shocked about: Virat Kohli breaks silence on decision of quitting as RCB captain</a>

The IPL 15 final will be held on May 29. The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having won the tournament for the fourth time during last year's edition.

The forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition will begin on March 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have confirmed on Thursday evening (February 24).

The forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition will begin on March 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have confirmed on Thursday evening (February 24). The final decision regarding the commencement of the 15th edition was expected after the IPL general council meeting, which was held on Thursday. Post the IPL GC meeting, the final date is now out as the upcoming season will begin in just over a month. "The IPL will kick off on March 26, the full schedule will come soon. We will also have crowds but as per the policy of the Maharashtra government. Whether it will be 25 or 50 per cent of the stadium capacity will be decided by the government instruction," the IPL chairman told Cricbuzz. The ten-team showpiece event will be held in India, with Maharashtra hosting the league stage. Mumbai and Pune will host the 70-game league stage, with 55 games to be held in Mumbai's three venues and the remaining 15 in Pune (20 at the Wankhede Stadium, 15 at Brabourne Stadium, 20 more at DY Patil Stadium and 15 at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) ground in Gahunje, Pune). ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Mumbai and Pune to host league stage; final decision on starting date, venues soon - Report The venues for the playoffs are not yet decided. However, Ahmedabad remains a frontrunner to host the knockouts. When asked about it, Patel said, "We will decide about the play-offs later." The full schedule of the IPL 2022 edition will be out soon. This year's season will see two new teams making their respective debuts, i.e. the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans. ALSO READ | There’s nothing to be shocked about: Virat Kohli breaks silence on decision of quitting as RCB captain The IPL 15 final will be held on May 29. The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having won the tournament for the fourth time during last year's edition.

IPL 2022 to kick off from March 26, league stage to be played in Mumbai, Pune

Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on the day the second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition commenced in the UAE, i.e. on September 19. Back then, Kohli revealed that he won't be captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise after the end of the 14th edition.

In a video shared by the RCB franchise on Twitter, Kohli told, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me. I spoke to the management this evening. This was something that was on my mind... I needed the space to refresh, regroup and be absolutely clear in how to move forward."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-shikhar-dhawan-mayank-agarwal-likely-to-be-named-punjab-kings-captain-ahead-of-ipl-2022-report-455975">Not Shikhar Dhawan! Mayank Agarwal likely to be named Punjab Kings' captain ahead of IPL 2022 - Report</a>

Recently, on "The RCB Podcast", Kohli explained his decision behind quitting as Bengaluru's captain and said, "I’m not someone who holds onto things more than I should. Even if I know I can do a lot more, if I’m not going to enjoy the process, I’m not going to do it. Because it’s very difficult for people to understand your decisions unless they are in your situation. From the outside, people have their own expectations ‘Oh! How did that happen? We are so shocked'."

He further pointed out, "There was actually nothing at all. I keep my life very simple and basic, when I wanted to make a decision, I made a decision and I announced it. I didn’t want to think about it and contemplate it for another year. That would’ve done nothing to me, nothing to the environment I’m part of. Quality of life is something very important to me. And the quality of cricket is something very important to me.

"Over a period of time, you want to do what you’re doing day-in-and-day-out and you want to do as much as you can, but at the end of the day, you have to realize that quality is far more important than quantity," added the 33-year-old Kohli.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-has-got-ice-running-through-his-veins-virat-kohli-is-a-superhuman-shane-watson-455678">MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins, Virat Kohli is a superhuman: Shane Watson</a>

Under Kohli, the three-time runners-up RCB won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. The 33-year-old captained the Bengaluru-based franchise&nbsp;from 2011-2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. In 2016, Kohli-led RCB played the season-finale where the&nbsp;David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat them by 8 runs.

At present, Kohli is enjoying a bio-bubble break and won't take part in the India-Sri Lanka T20Is, starting on February 24. He will return for the two Tests between both sides, which wil get underway on March 04.

Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on the day the second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition commenced in the UAE, i.e. on September 19. Back then, Kohli revealed that he won't be captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise after the end of the 14th edition.

Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on the day the second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition commenced in the UAE, i.e. on September 19. Back then, Kohli revealed that he won't be captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise after the end of the 14th edition. In a video shared by the RCB franchise on Twitter, Kohli told, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me. I spoke to the management this evening. This was something that was on my mind... I needed the space to refresh, regroup and be absolutely clear in how to move forward." ALSO READ | Not Shikhar Dhawan! Mayank Agarwal likely to be named Punjab Kings' captain ahead of IPL 2022 - Report Recently, on "The RCB Podcast", Kohli explained his decision behind quitting as Bengaluru's captain and said, "I’m not someone who holds onto things more than I should. Even if I know I can do a lot more, if I’m not going to enjoy the process, I’m not going to do it. Because it’s very difficult for people to understand your decisions unless they are in your situation. From the outside, people have their own expectations ‘Oh! How did that happen? We are so shocked'." He further pointed out, "There was actually nothing at all. I keep my life very simple and basic, when I wanted to make a decision, I made a decision and I announced it. I didn’t want to think about it and contemplate it for another year. That would’ve done nothing to me, nothing to the environment I’m part of. Quality of life is something very important to me. And the quality of cricket is something very important to me. "Over a period of time, you want to do what you’re doing day-in-and-day-out and you want to do as much as you can, but at the end of the day, you have to realize that quality is far more important than quantity," added the 33-year-old Kohli. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins, Virat Kohli is a superhuman: Shane Watson Under Kohli, the three-time runners-up RCB won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. The 33-year-old captained the Bengaluru-based franchise from 2011-2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. In 2016, Kohli-led RCB played the season-finale where the David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat them by 8 runs. At present, Kohli is enjoying a bio-bubble break and won't take part in the India-Sri Lanka T20Is, starting on February 24. He will return for the two Tests between both sides, which wil get underway on March 04.

There’s nothing to be shocked about: Virat Kohli breaks silence on decision of quitting as RCB captain

Deepak Chahar has been one of the in-form players for the Indian team in the last few months. He has been impressive&nbsp;with both the bat and the ball and has been delivering consistent performances for the Men in Blue. However, Chahar's home season can be cut short early after he suffered an injury during the third T20I between India and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.

Chahar was bowling the second over his spell against West Indies when he stopped midway and was seen in a lot of pain. He had to walk off the field without completing the over and has now been ruled out of the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. BCCI on Wednesday confirmed that Chahar will miss the series after injuring his right quadriceps.

As per a report in the Times of India, the pacer can also miss the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). "His injury looks bad. For all you know, he could be out of the IPL too," a source was quoted as saying by TOI.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had gone all out to buy back the Indian pacer at the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction. CSK were involved in a bidding war with a number of teams and eventually managed to secure Chahar's services for a sum of a whopping Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million). It will be a huge blow for CSK if the Indian pacer is ruled out of IPL 2022.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/deepak-chahar-to-liam-livingstone-5-players-who-earned-biggest-pay-rise-at-ipl-mega-auction-453828">Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction</a>

Chahar has been an integral member of the Chennai Super Kings squad since joining the side in 2018 and is expected to play a key role for the franchise once again next season. While he has been superb with the new ball in the powerplay, he has also grown in confidence and has improved his death bowling under MS Dhoni.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-a-huge-honour-rohit-sharma-elated-after-being-appointed-indias-captain-across-all-formats-455617">It's a huge honour: Rohit Sharma elated after being appointed India's captain across all formats</a>

Chahar's recent good form with the bat could have come in handy for CSK in the lower middle order. If he is ruled out of the season, CSK will find it difficult to replace him after having spent a huge amount on signing him at the mega auction. CSK will hope Chahar can recover soon from his injury and return to action before the start of IPL 2022. 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Deepak Chahar has been one of the in-form players for the Indian team in the last few months. He has been impressive with both the bat and the ball and has been delivering consistent performances for the Men in Blue.

Deepak Chahar has been one of the in-form players for the Indian team in the last few months. He has been impressive with both the bat and the ball and has been delivering consistent performances for the Men in Blue. However, Chahar's home season can be cut short early after he suffered an injury during the third T20I between India and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. Chahar was bowling the second over his spell against West Indies when he stopped midway and was seen in a lot of pain. He had to walk off the field without completing the over and has now been ruled out of the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. BCCI on Wednesday confirmed that Chahar will miss the series after injuring his right quadriceps. As per a report in the Times of India, the pacer can also miss the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). "His injury looks bad. For all you know, he could be out of the IPL too," a source was quoted as saying by TOI. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had gone all out to buy back the Indian pacer at the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction. CSK were involved in a bidding war with a number of teams and eventually managed to secure Chahar's services for a sum of a whopping Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million). It will be a huge blow for CSK if the Indian pacer is ruled out of IPL 2022. Also Read: Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction Chahar has been an integral member of the Chennai Super Kings squad since joining the side in 2018 and is expected to play a key role for the franchise once again next season. While he has been superb with the new ball in the powerplay, he has also grown in confidence and has improved his death bowling under MS Dhoni. Also Read: It's a huge honour: Rohit Sharma elated after being appointed India's captain across all formats Chahar's recent good form with the bat could have come in handy for CSK in the lower middle order. If he is ruled out of the season, CSK will find it difficult to replace him after having spent a huge amount on signing him at the mega auction. CSK will hope Chahar can recover soon from his injury and return to action before the start of IPL 2022.

CSK's most expensive signing at mega auction Deepak Chahar can be ruled out of IPL 2022 - Report