<p>Ahead of the IPL 2024 opener, on Friday (March 22), Mumbai Indians (MI) have suffered a huge blow as their dashing batter Suryakumar Yadav is set to miss his side's opening game. The Mumbai batter has not received clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to participate in the upcoming T20 league. It is to be noted that Surya underwent a fitness assessment at the NCA, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday (March 19). However, the NCA management is understood to have withheld clearance, preventing the swasbuckling batter from being linked with the MI franchise. Surya suffered an ankle injury during India's T20I series versus South Africa in late 2023. In January, he even underwent a groin surgery and hasn't played any competitive cricket since.</p>

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<p>With the NCA clearance still pending,&nbsp;it has effectively led to Surya's omission from MI's opening game. The five-time winners will open their campaign versus Hardik's previous franchise Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 24 in Ahmedabad.</p>

<h2><strong>SKY - An integral part of MI</strong></h2>

<p>Since 2018, when he rejoined the MI franchise, Surya has been a force to reckon with in the IPL. He has amassed 2,641 runs (scoring 81.28 % of his total runs in IPL -- 3,249) in the last six seasons. The MI management will, thus, closely monitor his recovery and hope for him to join the franchise soon.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-know-he-is-mi-skipper-hardik-says-he-wont-feel-awkward-in-leading-india-captain-rohit-in-ipl-2024-701487">‘I know he is...’: MI skipper Hardik says he won’t feel ‘awkward’ in leading India captain Rohit in IPL 2024</a></strong></p>
</section>

<p>The five-time winners Mumbai&nbsp;will embark upon a new era in IPL 2024&nbsp;under the new captain Hardik. After rejoining the franchise, during the trade window ahead of last year's mini-auction, the all-rounder was named the captain in December 2023, replacing Rohit Sharma. He has a stern task to fill in the big shoes of Rohit, under whom MI have won all their five titles (since 2013).</p>

<p>The IPL 2024 season-opener will be held on Friday evening between defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai.</p>

<p><strong>MI squad for IPL 2024:</strong>&nbsp;Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.</p>


Ahead of the IPL 2024 opener, on Friday (March 22), Mumbai Indians (MI) have suffered a huge blow as their dashing batter Suryakumar Yadav is set to miss his side's opening game.

Ahead of the IPL 2024 opener, on Friday (March 22), Mumbai Indians (MI) have suffered a huge blow as their dashing batter Suryakumar Yadav is set to miss his side's opening game. The Mumbai batter has not received clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to participate in the upcoming T20 league. It is to be noted that Surya underwent a fitness assessment at the NCA, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday (March 19). However, the NCA management is understood to have withheld clearance, preventing the swasbuckling batter from being linked with the MI franchise. Surya suffered an ankle injury during India's T20I series versus South Africa in late 2023. In January, he even underwent a groin surgery and hasn't played any competitive cricket since. With the NCA clearance still pending, it has effectively led to Surya's omission from MI's opening game. The five-time winners will open their campaign versus Hardik's previous franchise Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 24 in Ahmedabad. SKY - An integral part of MI Since 2018, when he rejoined the MI franchise, Surya has been a force to reckon with in the IPL. He has amassed 2,641 runs (scoring 81.28 % of his total runs in IPL -- 3,249) in the last six seasons. The MI management will, thus, closely monitor his recovery and hope for him to join the franchise soon. Also read: ‘I know he is...’: MI skipper Hardik says he won’t feel ‘awkward’ in leading India captain Rohit in IPL 2024 The five-time winners Mumbai will embark upon a new era in IPL 2024 under the new captain Hardik. After rejoining the franchise, during the trade window ahead of last year's mini-auction, the all-rounder was named the captain in December 2023, replacing Rohit Sharma. He has a stern task to fill in the big shoes of Rohit, under whom MI have won all their five titles (since 2013). The IPL 2024 season-opener will be held on Friday evening between defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai. MI squad for IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.

IPL 2024: Setback for Hardik & Co.! Suryakumar Yadav to miss MI's IPL 2024 opener; awaits NCA clearance

Ahead of IPL 2024, starting on March 22 (Friday), WION got a chance to interact with former England spinner Graeme Swann. Swann hailed MS Dhoni's longevity, spoke on Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as MI captain, picked his top 4, made a bold claim on T20 World Cup finalists and revealed much more

Exclusive: No CSK in Graeme Swann's top 4 for IPL 2024, predicts India vs England T20 WC final

<p>With less than a week to go for&nbsp;the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, the eyes of the cricketing fraternity and fans are on the big-name players as they get ready to raise the bar. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been praised for its effort to host the IPL in the nation despite the ongoing buzz of the general elections. Besides, the BCCI has also earned a lot of praise for its role in safeguarding domestic cricket with its recent initiatives. Here we decode the BCCI’s policy of safeguarding domestic cricket and why was it necessary to do so.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">𝐂. 𝐇. 𝐀. 𝐌. 𝐏. 𝐈. 𝐎. 𝐍. 𝐒! 🏆<br />
<br />
Congratulations and a round of applause for the 4⃣2⃣-time <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a> winners - Mumbai 👏 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Final?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Final</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MUMvVID?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MUMvVID</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MumbaiCricAssoc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MumbaiCricAssoc</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/U5AuVayGzt">pic.twitter.com/U5AuVayGzt</a></p>
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIdomestic/status/1768211487552635161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Indian domestic cricket and how it works</strong></h2>

<p>Indian domestic cricket is divided into three formats like the international format with state teams being the primary participants. Apart from state teams, zonal and railways have also participated in the domestic cricket of India where they compete in the red-ball and white-ball formats. The red-ball or first-class format is represented by Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy while the white-ball format is represented by Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) and Vijay Hazare Trophy (ODI).</p>

<p>While there are no qualification criteria for the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, only the winners of Ranji Trophy qualify for the Irani Trophy and play against the rest of India.</p>

<h2><strong>Why did the BCCI need to safeguard domestic cricket?</strong></h2>

<p>Considered one of the oldest cricket tournaments, the Ranji Trophy remains the benchmark for domestic cricket which spreads over 4-5 months. However, in recent years, Ranji Trophy matches and other tournaments have not attracted a big fan base. Stadiums are generally empty which contributes to a lack of income from ticket sales. Also TV channels are hesitant to splash the cash for broadcasting and live stream the competitions which again have contributed to the lack of funds.</p>

<p>The low capital output has limited the salaries of players and coaching staff which makes the tournament less lucrative when compared to IPL. Also, sponsors are hesitant to invest in domestic cricket as it attracts less viewership, both on and off the field.</p>

<p>The above reasons have seen players and big-name coaches turn their backs on the competition. To compare, India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has not played a first-class match since December 2018, that is&nbsp;more than five years ago. Ishan Kishan, another player part of India’s ODI World Cup squad during their run to the final, also opted to focus on IPL and skip the Ranji Trophy season for Jharkhand, raising serious doubts on the future of domestic cricket in India. This is where the BCCI needed to step in to protect the domestic&nbsp; cricket which serves opportunities to budding cricketers for showcasing&nbsp;their talent.</p>

<h2><strong>How is BCCI safeguarding domestic cricket?</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier this month, the BCCI announced that those who play 75 per cent of India's Tests in a season will earn $54,000 (INR 45 lakh) per Test, and those who play 50 to 75 per cent of Tests will earn $36,000 (INR 30 lakh). This is in addition to the match fee of $18,000 (INR 15 lakh). According to reports, a similar approach is being proposed for domestic cricket which will see players earn more during a domestic season and hence encourage them to prioritise it.</p>

<p>Currently, a player earns around $2400 (INR 2 lakh) per match in the Ranji Trophy. If he plays every match in the season and his team makes it to the final, he ends up with ten games. The match fee for the Vijay Hazare Trophy is $600 (INR 50,000) and for the Syed Mushtaq Ali $211 (INR 17,500). Considering what players earn during the IPL, this small amount has discouraged big-name players from competing in the tournament. However, an increase in pay from BCCI is likely to bring back the glory days of domestic cricket.</p>

<p>Also, the BCCI has now made it mandatory for players contracted to the board to compete in the domestic format if they are not available for selection for the national side. Recently, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were dropped from the central contracts having refused to compete for both national and domestic sides despite being passed fit by the National Cricket Association (NCA) in Bengaluru.</p>

<p>Further, the board has now created a three-member committee to boost men's domestic cricket in the nation. The committee comprises national men’s team coach Rahul Dravid, NCA head VVS Laxman and national men’s team selector Ajit Agarkar.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/explained-what-to-watch-out-for-in-each-team-during-ipl-2024-season-701805">Explained: What to watch out for in each team during IPL 2024 season</a></p>

<h2><strong>IPL vs Domestic Cricket</strong></h2>

<p>The biggest issue with the current system is the lack of pay parity in Indian cricket. For example, Rinku Singh, uncapped during the IPL 2023 for India was reported to have earned a whopping amount in just eight weeks for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, had he played the entire season of Ranji Trophy he would have pocketed not more than $50,000. The players also get better hospitality during the IPL where they travel on flights and stay in seven-star hotels, compared to Ranji Trophy tournaments where players are often seen travelling by train and staying in three-star hotels.</p>

<p>Players are also exposed to more glamour and on-screen popularity during the IPL which does not exist during the domestic tournaments. This has resulted in players showing their back to the domestic tournaments.</p>

<p>However, it will be interesting to see how the BCCI now deals with the situation as they try to implement a new solution to increase the popularity of the domestic formats.&nbsp;</p>


With less than a week to go for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, the eyes of the cricketing fraternity and fans are on the big-name players as they get ready to raise the bar.

With less than a week to go for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, the eyes of the cricketing fraternity and fans are on the big-name players as they get ready to raise the bar. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been praised for its effort to host the IPL in the nation despite the ongoing buzz of the general elections. Besides, the BCCI has also earned a lot of praise for its role in safeguarding domestic cricket with its recent initiatives. Here we decode the BCCI’s policy of safeguarding domestic cricket and why was it necessary to do so. 𝐂. 𝐇. 𝐀. 𝐌. 𝐏. 𝐈. 𝐎. 𝐍. 𝐒! 🏆 Congratulations and a round of applause for the 4⃣2⃣-time #RanjiTrophy winners - Mumbai 👏 👏#Final | #MUMvVID | @MumbaiCricAssoc | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/U5AuVayGzt — BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) March 14, 2024 × Indian domestic cricket and how it works Indian domestic cricket is divided into three formats like the international format with state teams being the primary participants. Apart from state teams, zonal and railways have also participated in the domestic cricket of India where they compete in the red-ball and white-ball formats. The red-ball or first-class format is represented by Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy while the white-ball format is represented by Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) and Vijay Hazare Trophy (ODI). While there are no qualification criteria for the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, only the winners of Ranji Trophy qualify for the Irani Trophy and play against the rest of India. Why did the BCCI need to safeguard domestic cricket? Considered one of the oldest cricket tournaments, the Ranji Trophy remains the benchmark for domestic cricket which spreads over 4-5 months. However, in recent years, Ranji Trophy matches and other tournaments have not attracted a big fan base. Stadiums are generally empty which contributes to a lack of income from ticket sales. Also TV channels are hesitant to splash the cash for broadcasting and live stream the competitions which again have contributed to the lack of funds. The low capital output has limited the salaries of players and coaching staff which makes the tournament less lucrative when compared to IPL. Also, sponsors are hesitant to invest in domestic cricket as it attracts less viewership, both on and off the field. The above reasons have seen players and big-name coaches turn their backs on the competition. To compare, India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has not played a first-class match since December 2018, that is more than five years ago. Ishan Kishan, another player part of India’s ODI World Cup squad during their run to the final, also opted to focus on IPL and skip the Ranji Trophy season for Jharkhand, raising serious doubts on the future of domestic cricket in India. This is where the BCCI needed to step in to protect the domestic cricket which serves opportunities to budding cricketers for showcasing their talent. How is BCCI safeguarding domestic cricket? Earlier this month, the BCCI announced that those who play 75 per cent of India's Tests in a season will earn $54,000 (INR 45 lakh) per Test, and those who play 50 to 75 per cent of Tests will earn $36,000 (INR 30 lakh). This is in addition to the match fee of $18,000 (INR 15 lakh). According to reports, a similar approach is being proposed for domestic cricket which will see players earn more during a domestic season and hence encourage them to prioritise it. Currently, a player earns around $2400 (INR 2 lakh) per match in the Ranji Trophy. If he plays every match in the season and his team makes it to the final, he ends up with ten games. The match fee for the Vijay Hazare Trophy is $600 (INR 50,000) and for the Syed Mushtaq Ali $211 (INR 17,500). Considering what players earn during the IPL, this small amount has discouraged big-name players from competing in the tournament. However, an increase in pay from BCCI is likely to bring back the glory days of domestic cricket. Also, the BCCI has now made it mandatory for players contracted to the board to compete in the domestic format if they are not available for selection for the national side. Recently, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were dropped from the central contracts having refused to compete for both national and domestic sides despite being passed fit by the National Cricket Association (NCA) in Bengaluru. Further, the board has now created a three-member committee to boost men's domestic cricket in the nation. The committee comprises national men’s team coach Rahul Dravid, NCA head VVS Laxman and national men’s team selector Ajit Agarkar. ALSO READ | Explained: What to watch out for in each team during IPL 2024 season IPL vs Domestic Cricket The biggest issue with the current system is the lack of pay parity in Indian cricket. For example, Rinku Singh, uncapped during the IPL 2023 for India was reported to have earned a whopping amount in just eight weeks for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, had he played the entire season of Ranji Trophy he would have pocketed not more than $50,000. The players also get better hospitality during the IPL where they travel on flights and stay in seven-star hotels, compared to Ranji Trophy tournaments where players are often seen travelling by train and staying in three-star hotels. Players are also exposed to more glamour and on-screen popularity during the IPL which does not exist during the domestic tournaments. This has resulted in players showing their back to the domestic tournaments. However, it will be interesting to see how the BCCI now deals with the situation as they try to implement a new solution to increase the popularity of the domestic formats.

Explained: BCCI’s policy to sustain and boost domestic cricket amid focus on IPL

<p><strong>DC complete squad 2024:</strong> Delhi Capitals is one of the teams looking to get their squad right at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Auction after a horrible season last year. They will definitely get a boost by Rishabh Pant coming back after missing the last year due to injuries sustained in a car crash.</p>

<p>Delhi Capitals have retained 16 players ahead of the IPL 2024 Auction. They bought a total of nine players at the IPL 2024 Auction for INR 19.05 crore.</p>

<p>Here's everything you need to know about DC's IPL Squad.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>DC IPL Auction 2024&nbsp;Buys</strong></h2>

<p>Here's the full list of players bought by DC in the IPL Auction 2024:</p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Englishman Harry Brook for a whooping <strong>INR 4 crore&nbsp;($500,000).</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy South Africa's Tristian Stubbs for <strong>INR 50 lakh.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Rickey Bhui for <strong>INR 20 lakh.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Kumar Kushagra for <strong>INR 7.2 crore.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Rasikh Dar for INR <strong>20 lakh.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Aussie Jhye Richardson for <strong>INR 5 Crore.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Sumit Kumar for <strong>INR 1 crore.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Shai Hope for INR <strong>75 lakh.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals buy Swastik Chhikara for INR <strong>20 lakh.</strong></p>

<p>Delhi Capitals have remaining purse of INR 9.90&nbsp;crore.</p>

<h2><strong>DC IPL Auction 2024 Retained Players</strong></h2>

<p>Here's the full list of players retained by DC:</p>

<p>Abhishek Porel, Anrich Nortje, Axar Patel, David Warner, Ishant Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav, Lungisani Ngidi, Mitchell Marsh, Mukesh Kumar, Pravin Dubey, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Vicky Ostwal, Yash Dhull</p>

<h2><strong>DC IPL Auction 2024 Released Players</strong></h2>

<p>Here's the full list of players released by DC in IPL 2024:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Aman Khan</li>
	<li>Chetan Sakariya</li>
	<li>Kamlesh Nagarkoti</li>
	<li>Manish Pandey</li>
	<li>Mustafizur Rahman</li>
	<li>Phil Salt</li>
	<li>Priyam Garg</li>
	<li>Rilee Rossouw</li>
	<li>Ripal Patel</li>
	<li>Rovman Powell</li>
	<li>Sarfaraz Khan</li>
</ul>

<h2>DC IPL&nbsp;2024 Full Squad&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Rishabh Pant, Pravin Dubey, David Warner, Vicky Ostwal, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, Abishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Lungi Ngidi, Lalit Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mitchell Marsh, Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull, Mukesh Kumar, Harry Brook, Tristan Stubbs , Ricky Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Rasikh Dar, Jhye Richardson, Sumit Kumar, Shai Hope, Swastik Chhikara</p>


DC complete squad 2024: Delhi Capitals is one of the teams looking to get their squad right at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Auction after a horrible season last year.

DC complete squad 2024: Delhi Capitals is one of the teams looking to get their squad right at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Auction after a horrible season last year. They will definitely get a boost by Rishabh Pant coming back after missing the last year due to injuries sustained in a car crash. Delhi Capitals have retained 16 players ahead of the IPL 2024 Auction. They bought a total of nine players at the IPL 2024 Auction for INR 19.05 crore. Here's everything you need to know about DC's IPL Squad. DC IPL Auction 2024 Buys Here's the full list of players bought by DC in the IPL Auction 2024: Delhi Capitals buy Englishman Harry Brook for a whooping INR 4 crore ($500,000). Delhi Capitals buy South Africa's Tristian Stubbs for INR 50 lakh. Delhi Capitals buy Rickey Bhui for INR 20 lakh. Delhi Capitals buy Kumar Kushagra for INR 7.2 crore. Delhi Capitals buy Rasikh Dar for INR 20 lakh. Delhi Capitals buy Aussie Jhye Richardson for INR 5 Crore. Delhi Capitals buy Sumit Kumar for INR 1 crore. Delhi Capitals buy Shai Hope for INR 75 lakh. Delhi Capitals buy Swastik Chhikara for INR 20 lakh. Delhi Capitals have remaining purse of INR 9.90 crore. DC IPL Auction 2024 Retained Players Here's the full list of players retained by DC: Abhishek Porel, Anrich Nortje, Axar Patel, David Warner, Ishant Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav, Lungisani Ngidi, Mitchell Marsh, Mukesh Kumar, Pravin Dubey, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Vicky Ostwal, Yash Dhull DC IPL Auction 2024 Released Players Here's the full list of players released by DC in IPL 2024: Aman Khan Chetan Sakariya Kamlesh Nagarkoti Manish Pandey Mustafizur Rahman Phil Salt Priyam Garg Rilee Rossouw Ripal Patel Rovman Powell Sarfaraz Khan DC IPL 2024 Full Squad Rishabh Pant, Pravin Dubey, David Warner, Vicky Ostwal, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, Abishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Lungi Ngidi, Lalit Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mitchell Marsh, Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull, Mukesh Kumar, Harry Brook, Tristan Stubbs , Ricky Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Rasikh Dar, Jhye Richardson, Sumit Kumar, Shai Hope, Swastik Chhikara

DC 2024 updated squad: IPL 2024 Delhi Capitals probable playing XI, ruled out & replacement, Captain, schedule

<p>Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has opened up on his injury last year during the ODI World Cup. Pandya said he promised the team management to return to action in five days&nbsp;but his haste led to aggravation of the injury, forcing him to skip the tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pandya was last seen in action during the league match against Bangladesh in the marquee tournament.&nbsp;During the match, Pandya twisted his ankle when he came to bowl his first over of the day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I had been preparing for the World Cup for more than a year. It was a freak injury during the match. The injury was said to be for 25 days and that would mean I would miss the rest of the World Cup, but I pushed," Pandya told host broadcasters Star Sports.</p>

<p>“I told the management that I would return after five days. I got injections done on my ankle in three places. I had to remove blood from my ankle because of the swelling. I wanted to give everything,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-believe-in-50s-or-100s-says-hardik-pandya-ahead-of-ipl-return-to-mi-696474"><strong>Also read | ‘Don’t believe in 50s or 100s,’ says Hardik Pandya ahead of IPL return to MI</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>I knew if I kept pushing...</strong></h2>

<p>Pandya said he knew that if he kept pushing, the injury would force him to be away from the game for a long time but the prospect of playing for his country in the World Cup was always the target.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Even if there was a one per cent chance, I could be with the team, I would do it. While I was pushing for that, I had a reoccurrence which eventually became a three-month injury. I was aiming to run when I could not walk after pushing for 10 days but I missed out."</p>

<p>Although India cruised to the final, his unavailability was felt during the summit clash when the team was put under pressure by record-champions Australia. The Indian side lost its way batting first and could not apply sufficient pressure with the ball while defending.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-returns-to-competitive-cricket-for-first-time-since-suffering-ankle-injury-694038"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Hardik Pandya returns to competitive cricket for first time since suffering ankle injury</strong></a></p>

<p>After a lengthy time away from the game, Pandya appeared in a few domestic games last month and will be featuring for Mumbai Indians&nbsp;as IPL gets underway next week. His surprise return to MI will be the talking point as he replaces&nbsp;Rohit Sharma as the captain.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has opened up on his injury last year during the ODI World Cup. Pandya said he promised the team management to return to action in five days but his haste led to aggravation of the injury, forcing him to skip the tournament.

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has opened up on his injury last year during the ODI World Cup. Pandya said he promised the team management to return to action in five days but his haste led to aggravation of the injury, forcing him to skip the tournament. Pandya was last seen in action during the league match against Bangladesh in the marquee tournament. During the match, Pandya twisted his ankle when he came to bowl his first over of the day. “I had been preparing for the World Cup for more than a year. It was a freak injury during the match. The injury was said to be for 25 days and that would mean I would miss the rest of the World Cup, but I pushed," Pandya told host broadcasters Star Sports. “I told the management that I would return after five days. I got injections done on my ankle in three places. I had to remove blood from my ankle because of the swelling. I wanted to give everything,” he added. Also read | ‘Don’t believe in 50s or 100s,’ says Hardik Pandya ahead of IPL return to MI I knew if I kept pushing... Pandya said he knew that if he kept pushing, the injury would force him to be away from the game for a long time but the prospect of playing for his country in the World Cup was always the target. "Even if there was a one per cent chance, I could be with the team, I would do it. While I was pushing for that, I had a reoccurrence which eventually became a three-month injury. I was aiming to run when I could not walk after pushing for 10 days but I missed out." Although India cruised to the final, his unavailability was felt during the summit clash when the team was put under pressure by record-champions Australia. The Indian side lost its way batting first and could not apply sufficient pressure with the ball while defending. Also read | Hardik Pandya returns to competitive cricket for first time since suffering ankle injury After a lengthy time away from the game, Pandya appeared in a few domestic games last month and will be featuring for Mumbai Indians as IPL gets underway next week. His surprise return to MI will be the talking point as he replaces Rohit Sharma as the captain. (With inputs from agencies)

Hardik Pandya reveals how he pushed hard to return to Indian World Cup squad after injury

<p>Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will be held entirely in India. The comments came as the Indian general&nbsp;elections dates were announced which will take place in seven phase across the country from April 19 to June 1. The IPL will start from March 22 and as of now the schedule has been released only for 17 days or 21 games.</p>

<p>“Complete IPL will happen in India only. BCCI is working on the full schedule and will make it public soon,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah told news outlet The Indian Express.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-i-didnt-try-to-convince-him-a-lot-nehra-breaks-silence-on-hardik-pandyas-move-to-mumbai-indians-700927">IPL 2024: ‘I didn't try to convince him a lot’- Nehra breaks silence on Hardik Pandya’s move to Mumbai Indians</a></p>

<p>“As in the past, the BCCI will work closely with government and security agencies, following all necessary protocols and advisories related to the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in India. Once the dates for the 18th Lok Sabha elections are announced, the Board will review and address any issues pertaining to the schedule of the first two weeks. Subsequently, the BCCI will work in tandem with local authorities to finalize the schedule for the remainder of the season, taking into account the polling dates,” Shah had said while announcing the initial schedule of 17 days.</p>

<p>The IPL&nbsp;schedule was finally released by the BCCI on February 22. Keeping in mind the dates of the upcoming general elections in India; the BCCI had delayed the announcement of the schedule.</p>

<p>Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking&nbsp;on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)&nbsp;at the M&nbsp;A&nbsp;Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in the opening match. The rest of the league schedule is expected to be released soon by the governing body as the general elections dates have now been announced.</p>


Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will be held entirely in India. The comments came as the Indian general elections dates were announced which will take place in seven phase across the country from April 19 to June 1.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will be held entirely in India. The comments came as the Indian general elections dates were announced which will take place in seven phase across the country from April 19 to June 1. The IPL will start from March 22 and as of now the schedule has been released only for 17 days or 21 games. “Complete IPL will happen in India only. BCCI is working on the full schedule and will make it public soon,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah told news outlet The Indian Express. Also Read: IPL 2024: ‘I didn't try to convince him a lot’- Nehra breaks silence on Hardik Pandya’s move to Mumbai Indians “As in the past, the BCCI will work closely with government and security agencies, following all necessary protocols and advisories related to the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in India. Once the dates for the 18th Lok Sabha elections are announced, the Board will review and address any issues pertaining to the schedule of the first two weeks. Subsequently, the BCCI will work in tandem with local authorities to finalize the schedule for the remainder of the season, taking into account the polling dates,” Shah had said while announcing the initial schedule of 17 days. The IPL schedule was finally released by the BCCI on February 22. Keeping in mind the dates of the upcoming general elections in India; the BCCI had delayed the announcement of the schedule. Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in the opening match. The rest of the league schedule is expected to be released soon by the governing body as the general elections dates have now been announced.

IPL 2024: 'Entire tournament to be held in India,' BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirms

<p>Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir has asked the players to carry the attitude on the field of the very proud and successful side during the upcoming edition. Gambhir made the comments as the two-time champions started their pre-season campaign ahead of the March 22 start of the tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The former India international, notably, was the captain of the side during their tournament winning seasons in 2012 and 2014. He has returned to the side as a mentor after a two-year stint with Lucknow Super Giants.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-shares-rules-for-knockout-games-in-case-of-rain-delay-during-upcoming-t20-world-cup-700749">ICC shares rules for knockout games in case of rain delay during upcoming T20 World Cup</a></p>

<p>"We start this season from today. Whether it's physically, mentally skill-wise, give everything possible. It's a very, very proud and successful franchise," said Gambhir in video posted by KRR's social media handle.</p>

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<p>"You guys are representing a very successful franchise. Make sure you train that way, you play that way and you carry that attitude around the field. That is going to be very, very important. And one thing I absolutely believe in is giving all the freedom to the players. That is something which is very, very important," Gambhir added.</p>

<p>Gambhir also emphasised on the equality in the team and said there will be no discrimination on basis of seniority or playing status.</p>

<p>"So people who played with me will know one thing about me, that everyone in this group will be treated equally. There's no senior junior. There is no domestic, or international. So we have got one mission and that is to win this IPL," he said.</p>

<p>"So everyone needs to follow that one simple path. On 26th May, we should be there giving everything possible, and it starts from today. It's not gonna start on the 26th. It's not gonna start on the 23rd."</p>

<p>The mentor also added that the players will be given an honest answer to every question they ask.</p>

<p>"It starts from today and this is what we want to do. So if we walk the same path and we fight, I'm sure we're gonna achieve a lot of success. So good luck, guys. Have the freedom. Enjoy yourself. You can ask questions, whether behind closed doors or in front of everyone. And I can assure you, from a support staff point of view, that we're gonna be absolutely honest to every one of you. So, good luck," said Gambhir.</p>

<p>Kolkata start their campaign on the second day of tournament, that is March 23 against SunRisers Hyderabad.</p>


Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir has asked the players to carry the attitude on the field of the very proud and successful side during the upcoming edition.

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir has asked the players to carry the attitude on the field of the very proud and successful side during the upcoming edition. Gambhir made the comments as the two-time champions started their pre-season campaign ahead of the March 22 start of the tournament. The former India international, notably, was the captain of the side during their tournament winning seasons in 2012 and 2014. He has returned to the side as a mentor after a two-year stint with Lucknow Super Giants. Also Read: ICC shares rules for knockout games in case of rain delay during upcoming T20 World Cup "We start this season from today. Whether it's physically, mentally skill-wise, give everything possible. It's a very, very proud and successful franchise," said Gambhir in video posted by KRR's social media handle. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kolkata Knight Riders (@kkriders) × "You guys are representing a very successful franchise. Make sure you train that way, you play that way and you carry that attitude around the field. That is going to be very, very important. And one thing I absolutely believe in is giving all the freedom to the players. That is something which is very, very important," Gambhir added. Gambhir also emphasised on the equality in the team and said there will be no discrimination on basis of seniority or playing status. "So people who played with me will know one thing about me, that everyone in this group will be treated equally. There's no senior junior. There is no domestic, or international. So we have got one mission and that is to win this IPL," he said. "So everyone needs to follow that one simple path. On 26th May, we should be there giving everything possible, and it starts from today. It's not gonna start on the 26th. It's not gonna start on the 23rd." The mentor also added that the players will be given an honest answer to every question they ask. "It starts from today and this is what we want to do. So if we walk the same path and we fight, I'm sure we're gonna achieve a lot of success. So good luck, guys. Have the freedom. Enjoy yourself. You can ask questions, whether behind closed doors or in front of everyone. And I can assure you, from a support staff point of view, that we're gonna be absolutely honest to every one of you. So, good luck," said Gambhir. Kolkata start their campaign on the second day of tournament, that is March 23 against SunRisers Hyderabad.

IPL 2024: 'Attitude, Freedom and Equality,' Gautam Gambhir gives fiery first speech as KKR mentor - WATCH

<p>Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is excited about&nbsp;his return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he'll be turning up for Kolkata Knight Riders. Starc, who is back in the cash-rich league after an eight-year hiatus, was bought in December 2023 auction for a record sum of around $3 million (INR 24.5 crore) after intense bidding. He last played in the IPL in 2015 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The pacer was expected to join KKR in 2018 but pulled out eventually.</p>

<p>"It's been 8 years, I think. Back to KKR where I was supposed to be in 2018. So I'll be back there for the chance to pull on the gold and purple. I guess my memories are a few and far between of back in 2014 and 2015 with RCB but yeah, really excited to get stuck in. Obviously, a new group of players. A bunch of guys I certainly haven't met or been able to work with before," Starc told cricket.com.au ahead of the season.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl/news-los-angeles-rams-superstar-aaron-donald-announces-retirement-700639">Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald announces retirement</a></p>

<p>"A couple of guys that I've, international guys that I've played against and come across. Yeah, it's gonna be exciting. It's definitely a new challenge. But yeah, it'll be exciting. It's always a bit of a circus when it is the best T20 league in the world. So, yeah I look forward to it," he added.</p>

<p>The 10-team tournament starts March 22 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on RCB. KKR play their first match the next day on March 23 against SunRisers Hyderabad.</p>

<p>As of now, the league has released the schedule for 17 days. It&nbsp;will come up with the rest of the schedule after the dates of India's general elections are announced. The initial schedule will see 21 matches being played from March 22 to April 7.</p>


Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is excited about his return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he'll be turning up for Kolkata Knight Riders. Starc, who is back in the cash-rich league after an eight-year hiatus, was bought in December 2023 auction for a record sum of around $3 million (INR 24.

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is excited about his return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he'll be turning up for Kolkata Knight Riders. Starc, who is back in the cash-rich league after an eight-year hiatus, was bought in December 2023 auction for a record sum of around $3 million (INR 24.5 crore) after intense bidding. He last played in the IPL in 2015 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The pacer was expected to join KKR in 2018 but pulled out eventually. "It's been 8 years, I think. Back to KKR where I was supposed to be in 2018. So I'll be back there for the chance to pull on the gold and purple. I guess my memories are a few and far between of back in 2014 and 2015 with RCB but yeah, really excited to get stuck in. Obviously, a new group of players. A bunch of guys I certainly haven't met or been able to work with before," Starc told cricket.com.au ahead of the season. Also Read: Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald announces retirement "A couple of guys that I've, international guys that I've played against and come across. Yeah, it's gonna be exciting. It's definitely a new challenge. But yeah, it'll be exciting. It's always a bit of a circus when it is the best T20 league in the world. So, yeah I look forward to it," he added. The 10-team tournament starts March 22 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on RCB. KKR play their first match the next day on March 23 against SunRisers Hyderabad. As of now, the league has released the schedule for 17 days. It will come up with the rest of the schedule after the dates of India's general elections are announced. The initial schedule will see 21 matches being played from March 22 to April 7.

IPL 2024: Mitchell Starc ready for 'new challenge' with Kolkata Knight Riders in upcoming season

<p>Legendary Sri Lanka bowler Lasith Malinga hailed the impact of Mumbai Indians’ academy MI Juniors as they continue to nurture the upcoming talent. Malinga, once the holder of the most wickets feat in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is in Mumbai as he prepares for the upcoming season of the most lucrative cricket league in the world. Malinga paid a visit to the MI Junior Inter-School cricket tournament’s fourth edition where he oversaw a host of upcoming talents.</p>

<p>“MI has always backed talent. Jasprit Bumrah in 2013, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya have all been backed by MI. They have gone on to play for India. MI Junior is another such great platform for budding cricketers. Youngsters can perform there and then go on to play for the state and national side too in the future,” Malinga said while speaking after the event in Mumbai.</p>

<p>"It is a brilliant opportunity for young cricketers in Mumbai. I am really thankful to MI for hosting a tournament like this where young cricketers can show their talent. They get to learn how to approach tournaments, deal with pressure. Once they display their talent, they can then go on to make a career in cricket,” Malinga added on the MI Junior.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dutch-footballer-quincy-promes-arrested-in-drug-smuggling-case-700106">Dutch footballer Quincy Promes arrested in drug smuggling case</a></p>

<p>Malinga joined the MI camp a couple of days ago and has met up with new captain Hardik Pandya and several other players who were not representing the national side or were not part of the domestic season. Malinga’s experience will play a crucial role in the coming days as MI bid for a sixth title in the IPL.</p>

<p>The five-time champions will start their campaign on Sunday (March 24) when they take on Pandya’s former side Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Both teams will look to have&nbsp;a winning start.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Legendary Sri Lanka bowler Lasith Malinga hailed the impact of Mumbai Indians’ academy MI Juniors as they continue to nurture the upcoming talent. Malinga, once the holder of the most wickets feat in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is in Mumbai as he prepares for the upcoming season of the most lucrative cricket league in the world.

Legendary Sri Lanka bowler Lasith Malinga hailed the impact of Mumbai Indians’ academy MI Juniors as they continue to nurture the upcoming talent. Malinga, once the holder of the most wickets feat in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is in Mumbai as he prepares for the upcoming season of the most lucrative cricket league in the world. Malinga paid a visit to the MI Junior Inter-School cricket tournament’s fourth edition where he oversaw a host of upcoming talents. “MI has always backed talent. Jasprit Bumrah in 2013, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya have all been backed by MI. They have gone on to play for India. MI Junior is another such great platform for budding cricketers. Youngsters can perform there and then go on to play for the state and national side too in the future,” Malinga said while speaking after the event in Mumbai. "It is a brilliant opportunity for young cricketers in Mumbai. I am really thankful to MI for hosting a tournament like this where young cricketers can show their talent. They get to learn how to approach tournaments, deal with pressure. Once they display their talent, they can then go on to make a career in cricket,” Malinga added on the MI Junior. ALSO READ | Dutch footballer Quincy Promes arrested in drug smuggling case Malinga joined the MI camp a couple of days ago and has met up with new captain Hardik Pandya and several other players who were not representing the national side or were not part of the domestic season. Malinga’s experience will play a crucial role in the coming days as MI bid for a sixth title in the IPL. The five-time champions will start their campaign on Sunday (March 24) when they take on Pandya’s former side Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Both teams will look to have a winning start.

IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians have always backed talent - Legendary fast bowler Lasith Malinga

<p>Indian Premier League (IPL)&nbsp;2024 will see the return of Gautam Gambhir in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dugout after the 2017 season. Gambhir led the franchise from 2011-2017, helping them win the title twice during this period. This time around, the former Indian opener will wear the mentor's hat for the two-time winners and hope for the Shreyas Iyer-led side to lift their third IPL trophy.</p>

<p>After joining the franchise on Thursday (March 14), Gambhir spoke about new recruit Mitchell Starc. The Australian pacer was bought by KKR in the IPL 2024 mini-auction, held in Dubai last December, for a whopping INR&nbsp; 24.75 crore (247.5 million); becoming the costliest buy ever. Gambhir feels the Aussie speedster will be KKR's X-factor this season</p>

<p>Speaking to the press in Kolkata,&nbsp;Gambhir said, "I had already said on the auction table that he [Starc] is an X-factor and I am sure he is going to deliver. And there's no such pressure of a price tag. I hope that what he has done in international cricket, he can do the same for KKR."</p>

<p>Starc returns to the IPL after nine years, having played two seasons for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2014 and 2015; ending with 34 wickets. He was bought by the KKR franchise in 2018, for INR 9.4&nbsp;crore (94&nbsp;million), before he withdrew his participation ahead of&nbsp;the season. All eyes are on his return&nbsp;after being sold for a whopping amount.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-he-is-the-ipl-graeme-swann-lauds-ms-dhonis-fitness-backs-hardiks-appointment-as-mi-captain-700333">Exclusive: 'He is the IPL' - Graeme Swann lauds MS Dhoni's fitness; backs Hardik's appointment as MI captain</a></strong></p>

<p>On his own return to the KKR franchise, Gambhir stated, "I have always mentioned that KKR to me is not a franchise, but an emotion. I am thus happy to be back. I know there will be expectations and I hope to live up to it and make the fans happy."</p>

<p>Gambhir was part of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for two years, serving as a mentor, before rejoining the Kolkata-based franchise. KKR begin their season on March 23 (Saturday), hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.</p>

<p><strong>KKR squad for IPL 2024:</strong> Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shreyas Iyer (c), Jason Roy, Sunil Narine, Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, KS Bharat, Chetan Sakariya, Mitchell Starc, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Gus Atkinson, Sakib Hussain.&nbsp;</p>


Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will see the return of Gautam Gambhir in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dugout after the 2017 season. Gambhir led the franchise from 2011-2017, helping them win the title twice during this period.

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will see the return of Gautam Gambhir in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dugout after the 2017 season. Gambhir led the franchise from 2011-2017, helping them win the title twice during this period. This time around, the former Indian opener will wear the mentor's hat for the two-time winners and hope for the Shreyas Iyer-led side to lift their third IPL trophy. After joining the franchise on Thursday (March 14), Gambhir spoke about new recruit Mitchell Starc. The Australian pacer was bought by KKR in the IPL 2024 mini-auction, held in Dubai last December, for a whopping INR 24.75 crore (247.5 million); becoming the costliest buy ever. Gambhir feels the Aussie speedster will be KKR's X-factor this season Speaking to the press in Kolkata, Gambhir said, "I had already said on the auction table that he [Starc] is an X-factor and I am sure he is going to deliver. And there's no such pressure of a price tag. I hope that what he has done in international cricket, he can do the same for KKR." Starc returns to the IPL after nine years, having played two seasons for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2014 and 2015; ending with 34 wickets. He was bought by the KKR franchise in 2018, for INR 9.4 crore (94 million), before he withdrew his participation ahead of the season. All eyes are on his return after being sold for a whopping amount. Also read: Exclusive: 'He is the IPL' - Graeme Swann lauds MS Dhoni's fitness; backs Hardik's appointment as MI captain On his own return to the KKR franchise, Gambhir stated, "I have always mentioned that KKR to me is not a franchise, but an emotion. I am thus happy to be back. I know there will be expectations and I hope to live up to it and make the fans happy." Gambhir was part of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for two years, serving as a mentor, before rejoining the Kolkata-based franchise. KKR begin their season on March 23 (Saturday), hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. KKR squad for IPL 2024: Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shreyas Iyer (c), Jason Roy, Sunil Narine, Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, KS Bharat, Chetan Sakariya, Mitchell Starc, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Gus Atkinson, Sakib Hussain.

IPL 2024: Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc will be KKR's X-factor, claims mentor Gautam Gambhir

<p>The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be a special treat to cricket fans as India’s star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is all set for a return. Pant, who has been sidelined from cricket since December 2022 after suffering several injuries during a near-fatal car accident has been passed fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and will feature for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024. Rishabh ahead of the upcoming season has started preparations with the DC side.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Greatest Comeback Story<br />
<br />
This story is about inspiration, steely will power and the single-minded focus to get <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a> back on the cricket field. We track all those who got the special cricketer back in shape after a deadly car crash.<br />
<br />
Part 1 of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MiracleMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MiracleMan</a>… <a href="https://t.co/ifir9Vplwl">pic.twitter.com/ifir9Vplwl</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1767876644637655068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Rishabh Pant sprints in training session</strong></h2>

<p>The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on its official handle shared a video of Pant sprinting during the training session. The video showcased the Indian batter being in the best possible body shape to return to cricket having missed the IPL 2023, World Test Championship (WTC) final and the ODI World Cup in India. In the video Pant was seen sprinting at full strength as he took intense training sessions under the close observation&nbsp;of coach Ricky Ponting in Vizag.</p>

<p>The Indian batter last played competitive cricket in December 2022 when India beat Bangladesh in the two-match Test series. Days after the conclusion of the Test match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Pant met with the accident in Roorkee (a village 213 km East of the Indian capital New Delhi).</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mi-vs-rcb-wpl-2024-eliminator-mi-vs-rcb-playing-xi-weather-pitch-live-streaming-all-you-need-to-know-700061">MI vs RCB- WPL 2024 Eliminator: MI vs RCB playing XI, weather, pitch, live streaming | All you need to know</a></p>

<p>While there was no timeline set for his return, Pant has now managed to prove his fitness and will possibly feature for the Delhi Capitals in the early stage of the season. DC will start their campaign against Punjab Kings on Saturday (Mar 23) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh.</p>

<h2><strong>Delhi to start against Punjab Kings</strong></h2>

<p>The home fans in Delhi however, won’t be able to see Pant in action at least in the first phase of the tournament. Delhi Capitals will play three away matches during the first phase of the IPL 2024 while their remaining two matches (technically home games) will be played in Visakhapatnam. The upcoming general elections in India have forced the above-mentioned adjustments for Delhi Capitals.&nbsp;</p>


The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be a special treat to cricket fans as India’s star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is all set for a return.

The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be a special treat to cricket fans as India’s star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is all set for a return. Pant, who has been sidelined from cricket since December 2022 after suffering several injuries during a near-fatal car accident has been passed fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and will feature for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024. Rishabh ahead of the upcoming season has started preparations with the DC side. The Greatest Comeback Story This story is about inspiration, steely will power and the single-minded focus to get @RishabhPant17 back on the cricket field. We track all those who got the special cricketer back in shape after a deadly car crash. Part 1 of the #MiracleMan… pic.twitter.com/ifir9Vplwl — BCCI (@BCCI) March 13, 2024 × Rishabh Pant sprints in training session The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on its official handle shared a video of Pant sprinting during the training session. The video showcased the Indian batter being in the best possible body shape to return to cricket having missed the IPL 2023, World Test Championship (WTC) final and the ODI World Cup in India. In the video Pant was seen sprinting at full strength as he took intense training sessions under the close observation of coach Ricky Ponting in Vizag. The Indian batter last played competitive cricket in December 2022 when India beat Bangladesh in the two-match Test series. Days after the conclusion of the Test match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Pant met with the accident in Roorkee (a village 213 km East of the Indian capital New Delhi). ALSO READ | MI vs RCB- WPL 2024 Eliminator: MI vs RCB playing XI, weather, pitch, live streaming | All you need to know While there was no timeline set for his return, Pant has now managed to prove his fitness and will possibly feature for the Delhi Capitals in the early stage of the season. DC will start their campaign against Punjab Kings on Saturday (Mar 23) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh. Delhi to start against Punjab Kings The home fans in Delhi however, won’t be able to see Pant in action at least in the first phase of the tournament. Delhi Capitals will play three away matches during the first phase of the IPL 2024 while their remaining two matches (technically home games) will be played in Visakhapatnam. The upcoming general elections in India have forced the above-mentioned adjustments for Delhi Capitals.

IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant sprints during training session as star batter prepares for return with DC - Watch

<p>Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar is certainly on cloud nine after India's emphatic 4-1 series win over England at home. The five-match Test series saw Rohit Sharma-led India concede a 1-0 lead before turning it around in style, and winning the five-Test series 4-1. What makes the victory more sweeter is that India were without many key players but the young guns, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep and Devdutt Padikkal, stood tall at various junctures to take India to a memorable series triumph at home. Thus, Gavaskar lauded the Indian squad and even slammed England for their attitude, believing them to be above all.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>England arrived in India with the usual 'we are doing you a favour' attitude: Gavaskar</strong></h2>

<p>In his column for The Sportstar, the former captain Gavaskar wrote, "What a walloping, what great fun to watch a young India team demolish an England team that had arrived in India with the usual 'we are doing you a favour' attitude that brings a smirk on the faces of those Indian officials who go to receive them at various airports."</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-cant-be-true-stuart-broad-rubbishes-reports-of-virat-kohli-to-be-dropped-for-t20-world-cup-699698">'This can’t be true': Stuart Broad rubbishes reports of Virat Kohli to be dropped for T20 World Cup</a></strong></p>

<p>Gavaskar went on to claim that some of the England players simply cannot digest the fact that their Indian counterparts earn a whopping amount in the IPL; resulting in more on-field sledging and banter. He stated that the Australian cricketers have been 'invariably better' (as they also earn more than the English players) and do not carry the same attitude unlike their arch-rivals.</p>

<p>In this regard, he opined, "The Aussies have been invariably better, looking to adapt themselves to the culture and not look down their noses at us natives. It also helps that the Aussies recognise a golden goose when they see one, and the IPL is certainly a humongous golden goose. Not only do Aussie players, some so memorably described by Kevin Pietersen as second or third-grade cricketers, go for astronomical amounts, but there are also Aussie coaches, physios, trainers, and anybody who is their golf and beer buddy in the IPL coaching staff, making more money than they do at home."</p>

<p>Gavaskar further&nbsp;claimed, "That is also the reason why the England and Indian players get into verbal skirmishes so often when they are playing against each other. Not a lot of England players are picked in the IPL, mainly because they can be withdrawn by their Board anytime for a preparation camp or something, which leaves the franchises in a lurch."</p>

<p>"Some of them can't stomach the fees for which some of the Indian players are bought and compare their achievements at the international level when the IPL auction dynamics can be so volatile and hard to explain or even understand. So you see more lip in the India-England encounters than in any other India match. That's why the pleasure of beating England is always greater," he added.</p>

<p>At present, the likes of Jason Roy and Harry Brook have withdrawn from the upcoming IPL 2024 edition citing personal reasons. Over the years, many England cricketers have pulled out at the last minute, leaving their respective franchises in a spot of bother.&nbsp;</p>


Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar is certainly on cloud nine after India's emphatic 4-1 series win over England at home. The five-match Test series saw Rohit Sharma-led India concede a 1-0 lead before turning it around in style, and winning the five-Test series 4-1.

Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar is certainly on cloud nine after India's emphatic 4-1 series win over England at home. The five-match Test series saw Rohit Sharma-led India concede a 1-0 lead before turning it around in style, and winning the five-Test series 4-1. What makes the victory more sweeter is that India were without many key players but the young guns, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep and Devdutt Padikkal, stood tall at various junctures to take India to a memorable series triumph at home. Thus, Gavaskar lauded the Indian squad and even slammed England for their attitude, believing them to be above all. England arrived in India with the usual 'we are doing you a favour' attitude: Gavaskar In his column for The Sportstar, the former captain Gavaskar wrote, "What a walloping, what great fun to watch a young India team demolish an England team that had arrived in India with the usual 'we are doing you a favour' attitude that brings a smirk on the faces of those Indian officials who go to receive them at various airports." Also read: 'This can’t be true': Stuart Broad rubbishes reports of Virat Kohli to be dropped for T20 World Cup Gavaskar went on to claim that some of the England players simply cannot digest the fact that their Indian counterparts earn a whopping amount in the IPL; resulting in more on-field sledging and banter. He stated that the Australian cricketers have been 'invariably better' (as they also earn more than the English players) and do not carry the same attitude unlike their arch-rivals. In this regard, he opined, "The Aussies have been invariably better, looking to adapt themselves to the culture and not look down their noses at us natives. It also helps that the Aussies recognise a golden goose when they see one, and the IPL is certainly a humongous golden goose. Not only do Aussie players, some so memorably described by Kevin Pietersen as second or third-grade cricketers, go for astronomical amounts, but there are also Aussie coaches, physios, trainers, and anybody who is their golf and beer buddy in the IPL coaching staff, making more money than they do at home." Gavaskar further claimed, "That is also the reason why the England and Indian players get into verbal skirmishes so often when they are playing against each other. Not a lot of England players are picked in the IPL, mainly because they can be withdrawn by their Board anytime for a preparation camp or something, which leaves the franchises in a lurch." "Some of them can't stomach the fees for which some of the Indian players are bought and compare their achievements at the international level when the IPL auction dynamics can be so volatile and hard to explain or even understand. So you see more lip in the India-England encounters than in any other India match. That's why the pleasure of beating England is always greater," he added. At present, the likes of Jason Roy and Harry Brook have withdrawn from the upcoming IPL 2024 edition citing personal reasons. Over the years, many England cricketers have pulled out at the last minute, leaving their respective franchises in a spot of bother.

Some England players can’t stomach the IPL fees of Indians: Sunil Gavaskar’s verbal volley makes heads turn

<p>Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, in December 2023, ahead of the IPL 2024 edition. The move shocked many as Hardik rejoined his former franchise after being traded by Gujarat Titans (GT), who won the IPL championship under him in&nbsp;their maiden season in 2022. Ahead of the upcoming season, many former cricketers and experts have opined on&nbsp;how Hardik and Rohit will have to work in tandem to ensure MI's success. Now, former England opener Nick Knight also joined the bandwagon and feels Rohit will still be a leader and help Hardik.</p>

<p>Talking on Sports18, Knight said, "I think a lot of it depends on Rohit Sharma's reaction to it, how he feels about it. How do I think he would react to it? Certainly, on the pitch, he would go out and play his best possible game for the team. He would realise how important his contribution is for the team."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-ambati-rayudu-wants-rohit-sharma-to-join-ms-dhonis-csk-in-2025-season-heres-why-698910">IPL 2024: Ambati Rayudu wants Rohit Sharma to join MS Dhoni's CSK in 2025 season! Here's why</a></strong></p>

<p>"I would also like to think that he would help Hardik, help him do his job as best as he can. We have talked a lot about Rohit, his captaincy and leadership skills. He can still be a leader, in a slightly different way. I would fully expect him to do that," he added.</p>

<p>Rohit took charge of the MI franchise midway through the IPL 2013 season. Since then, he led the team to five IPL titles (in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020). In IPL 2023, Mumbai were off to a poor start but they managed to reach the playoffs where they lost to Hardik-led GT in Qualifier 2.</p>

<p>With captaincy responsibility off his shoulders, Hitman will now focus on his batting as he has had an ordinary run in the IPL since the 2017 season.</p>

<p>For MI, a&nbsp;new chapter will surely commence in their rich history during IPL 2024 with Hardik taking over from Rohit. It&nbsp;will be interesting to see how the two operate with each other and take the franchise forward.</p>

<p><strong>MI squad for IPL 2024:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.&nbsp;</p>


Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, in December 2023, ahead of the IPL 2024 edition. The move shocked many as Hardik rejoined his former franchise after being traded by Gujarat Titans (GT), who won the IPL championship under him in their maiden season in 2022.

Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, in December 2023, ahead of the IPL 2024 edition. The move shocked many as Hardik rejoined his former franchise after being traded by Gujarat Titans (GT), who won the IPL championship under him in their maiden season in 2022. Ahead of the upcoming season, many former cricketers and experts have opined on how Hardik and Rohit will have to work in tandem to ensure MI's success. Now, former England opener Nick Knight also joined the bandwagon and feels Rohit will still be a leader and help Hardik. Talking on Sports18, Knight said, "I think a lot of it depends on Rohit Sharma's reaction to it, how he feels about it. How do I think he would react to it? Certainly, on the pitch, he would go out and play his best possible game for the team. He would realise how important his contribution is for the team." Also read: IPL 2024: Ambati Rayudu wants Rohit Sharma to join MS Dhoni's CSK in 2025 season! Here's why "I would also like to think that he would help Hardik, help him do his job as best as he can. We have talked a lot about Rohit, his captaincy and leadership skills. He can still be a leader, in a slightly different way. I would fully expect him to do that," he added. Rohit took charge of the MI franchise midway through the IPL 2013 season. Since then, he led the team to five IPL titles (in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020). In IPL 2023, Mumbai were off to a poor start but they managed to reach the playoffs where they lost to Hardik-led GT in Qualifier 2. With captaincy responsibility off his shoulders, Hitman will now focus on his batting as he has had an ordinary run in the IPL since the 2017 season. For MI, a new chapter will surely commence in their rich history during IPL 2024 with Hardik taking over from Rohit. It will be interesting to see how the two operate with each other and take the franchise forward. MI squad for IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.

IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma can still be a leader at Mumbai Indians, feels former England opener Nick Knight

<p>BCCI secretary Jay Shah has revealed that star batter Rishabh Pant could play in the T20 World Cup, scheduled later this year if he can don the wicketkeeping gloves once again.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pant is set to make his much-awaited comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) later this month, after being involved in a horrific car crash in December 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He is batting well, he is keeping well. We will declare him fit very soon," Shah told news agency <em>PTI</em>.</p>

<p>"If he can play the T20 World Cup for us, that will be a big thing for us. He is a big asset for us. If he can keep, he can play the World Cup. Let's see how he does in the IPL."</p>

<p>The car crash had caused significant physical damage to Pant who was forced to step back from the game. According to reports, the Indian dasher suffered a severe right knee injury that required ligament reconstruction surgery. He also had a fractured wrist and ankle that took significant physiotherapy to heal.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ben-duckett-hasnt-seen-pant-play-rohit-sharma-schools-english-opener-over-absurd-bazball-remark-697252"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;‘Duckett hasn’t seen Pant play’: Rohit Sharma schools English opener over absurd Bazball remark</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Ponting updates on Pant's comeback</strong></h2>

<p>While Shah hinted at Pant's comeback to the national team, his franchise Delhi Capital's head coach Ricky Ponting provided encouraging signs about Pant's participation in the marquee tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It's a big decision we'll have to make because if he is fit, you'd think he'd step straight back into that captaincy role,” Ponting said.</p>

<p>“If he's not entirely fit and we have to use him in a slightly different role, then we've got some decisions to make there,” he added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-delhi-capitals-coach-ricky-ponting-offers-clarity-on-rishabh-pants-role-in-upcoming-season-698857"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting offers clarity on Rishabh Pant's role in upcoming season</strong></a></p>

<p>Ponting updated that Pant has played some practice games and has shown improved fitness throughout the games.</p>

<p>“He's actually played some practice matches over the last couple of weeks, which has been really encouraging for us. I know he's worked incredibly hard on his body and his fitness to get back to the level that he's at now. He's kept in one of those games, he's fielded in these games and the batting hasn't seemingly been an issue for him so far," said Ponting.</p>

<p>Prior to the accident, Pant had become a mainstay for the Indian team in nearly all three formats while holding the Delhi franchise together with his scintillating performances.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


BCCI secretary Jay Shah has revealed that star batter Rishabh Pant could play in the T20 World Cup, scheduled later this year if he can don the wicketkeeping gloves once again.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has revealed that star batter Rishabh Pant could play in the T20 World Cup, scheduled later this year if he can don the wicketkeeping gloves once again. Pant is set to make his much-awaited comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) later this month, after being involved in a horrific car crash in December 2022. "He is batting well, he is keeping well. We will declare him fit very soon," Shah told news agency PTI. "If he can play the T20 World Cup for us, that will be a big thing for us. He is a big asset for us. If he can keep, he can play the World Cup. Let's see how he does in the IPL." The car crash had caused significant physical damage to Pant who was forced to step back from the game. According to reports, the Indian dasher suffered a severe right knee injury that required ligament reconstruction surgery. He also had a fractured wrist and ankle that took significant physiotherapy to heal. Also read | ‘Duckett hasn’t seen Pant play’: Rohit Sharma schools English opener over absurd Bazball remark Ponting updates on Pant's comeback While Shah hinted at Pant's comeback to the national team, his franchise Delhi Capital's head coach Ricky Ponting provided encouraging signs about Pant's participation in the marquee tournament. “It's a big decision we'll have to make because if he is fit, you'd think he'd step straight back into that captaincy role,” Ponting said. “If he's not entirely fit and we have to use him in a slightly different role, then we've got some decisions to make there,” he added. Also read | IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting offers clarity on Rishabh Pant's role in upcoming season Ponting updated that Pant has played some practice games and has shown improved fitness throughout the games. “He's actually played some practice matches over the last couple of weeks, which has been really encouraging for us. I know he's worked incredibly hard on his body and his fitness to get back to the level that he's at now. He's kept in one of those games, he's fielded in these games and the batting hasn't seemingly been an issue for him so far," said Ponting. Prior to the accident, Pant had become a mainstay for the Indian team in nearly all three formats while holding the Delhi franchise together with his scintillating performances. (With inputs from agencies)

'Pant might play T20 World Cup if he...': BCCI secretary Jay Shah drops major hint

<p>Indian Premier League (IPL) side Delhi Capitals head coach has opined on Rishabh Pant coming back to the side as captain and said he'll slot straight in the captaincy role if he's fit enough. Ponting made the comments on ICC Review podcast ahead of the upcoming IPL 2024 season which starts Mach 22. Notably, Delhi had a horrible 2023 season, finishing at ninth place in 10-team event with only five wins and nine losses in 14 games.</p>

<p>“It's a big decision we'll have to make because if he is fit, you'd think he'd step straight back into that captaincy role,” Ponting said.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/aus-vs-nz-alex-carey-mitchell-marsh-help-australia-whitewash-new-zealand-after-tense-win-in-second-test-698828">AUS vs NZ: Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh help Australia whitewash New Zealand after tense win in second Test</a></p>

<p>“If he's not entirely fit and we have to use him in a slightly different role, then we've got some decisions to make there,” he added.</p>

<p>Ponting updated that Pant has played some practice games and has shown improved fitness throughout the games.</p>

<p>“He's actually played some practice matches over the last couple of weeks, which has been really encouraging for us. I know he's worked incredibly hard on his body and his fitness to get back to the level that he's at now. He's kept in one of those games, he's fielded in these games and the batting hasn't seemingly been an issue for him so far.</p>

<p>“We've obviously had worries and concerns that he might not have made it in time to be ready for the IPL this year. I mean, he was a huge loss for us last year and what he went through, we can't even begin to describe what he's been through the last 12 or 14 months,” added Ponting.</p>

<p>Pant, after&nbsp;suffering a horrifying car crash in December 2022&nbsp;hasn't played any competitive cricket. The Indian wicketkeeper is crucial to the team's World T20 World Cup plans and a good IPL could see him return to the squad. The World Cup starts in June 2024 just after the IPL ends.&nbsp;</p>


Indian Premier League (IPL) side Delhi Capitals head coach has opined on Rishabh Pant coming back to the side as captain and said he'll slot straight in the captaincy role if he's fit enough.

Indian Premier League (IPL) side Delhi Capitals head coach has opined on Rishabh Pant coming back to the side as captain and said he'll slot straight in the captaincy role if he's fit enough. Ponting made the comments on ICC Review podcast ahead of the upcoming IPL 2024 season which starts Mach 22. Notably, Delhi had a horrible 2023 season, finishing at ninth place in 10-team event with only five wins and nine losses in 14 games. “It's a big decision we'll have to make because if he is fit, you'd think he'd step straight back into that captaincy role,” Ponting said. Also Read: AUS vs NZ: Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh help Australia whitewash New Zealand after tense win in second Test “If he's not entirely fit and we have to use him in a slightly different role, then we've got some decisions to make there,” he added. Ponting updated that Pant has played some practice games and has shown improved fitness throughout the games. “He's actually played some practice matches over the last couple of weeks, which has been really encouraging for us. I know he's worked incredibly hard on his body and his fitness to get back to the level that he's at now. He's kept in one of those games, he's fielded in these games and the batting hasn't seemingly been an issue for him so far. “We've obviously had worries and concerns that he might not have made it in time to be ready for the IPL this year. I mean, he was a huge loss for us last year and what he went through, we can't even begin to describe what he's been through the last 12 or 14 months,” added Ponting. Pant, after suffering a horrifying car crash in December 2022 hasn't played any competitive cricket. The Indian wicketkeeper is crucial to the team's World T20 World Cup plans and a good IPL could see him return to the squad. The World Cup starts in June 2024 just after the IPL ends.

IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting offers clarity on Rishabh Pant's role in upcoming season

<p>Ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis recalled how he hit it off with Virat Kohli at his first session with the franchise ahead of the 2022 season. Notably, the South African joined the Bengaluru-based franchise two years back and replaced Kohli as the RCB captain.</p>

<p>Since his inclusion at RCB, Du Plessis and Kohli have forged a superb opening pair. The two have also worked well as leaders of the group. Recently, Du Plessis shared his relationship with Kohli and said in a Star Sports interview, "There are quite a few things that Virat and I are very similar, very alike in the way we see the game or think about the game, but also in how we look at ourselves and how we want to be."</p>

<p>"Obviously athletic, train hard, be fit, eat well. So we look at a holistic approach to being a professional sportsman and I think that's why we connected so well in my first season at RCB, we were very similar."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-rishabh-pant-should-not-rush-his-comeback-former-csk-stars-advice-to-dc-captain-697558">IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant should not rush his comeback - Former CSK star's advice to DC captain</a></strong></p>

<p>He added, "And yes he's amazing, he trains hard, he's very fit, and I feel like in today's age of sport you have to be like that if you're looking for longevity so he will be a great example for the younger generation that maybe feel like they can just come in and rely on their talent. Yes they are good enough in terms of talent but in terms of longevity in your body to make sure you can play for as long as possible, fitness will definitely play a role."</p>

<p>Kohli is currently out of international action and missed the entire home Tests versus England due to personal reasons. In mid-February, the superstar cricketer got blessed with a second child and is currently with wife Anushka Sharma and close family members. He is expected to join RCB squad soon for the upcoming IPL season.</p>

<p>RCB take on defending champions MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2024 opener on March 22 in Chennai.</p>


Ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis recalled how he hit it off with Virat Kohli at his first session with the franchise ahead of the 2022 season.

Ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis recalled how he hit it off with Virat Kohli at his first session with the franchise ahead of the 2022 season. Notably, the South African joined the Bengaluru-based franchise two years back and replaced Kohli as the RCB captain. Since his inclusion at RCB, Du Plessis and Kohli have forged a superb opening pair. The two have also worked well as leaders of the group. Recently, Du Plessis shared his relationship with Kohli and said in a Star Sports interview, "There are quite a few things that Virat and I are very similar, very alike in the way we see the game or think about the game, but also in how we look at ourselves and how we want to be." "Obviously athletic, train hard, be fit, eat well. So we look at a holistic approach to being a professional sportsman and I think that's why we connected so well in my first season at RCB, we were very similar." Also read: IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant should not rush his comeback - Former CSK star's advice to DC captain He added, "And yes he's amazing, he trains hard, he's very fit, and I feel like in today's age of sport you have to be like that if you're looking for longevity so he will be a great example for the younger generation that maybe feel like they can just come in and rely on their talent. Yes they are good enough in terms of talent but in terms of longevity in your body to make sure you can play for as long as possible, fitness will definitely play a role." Kohli is currently out of international action and missed the entire home Tests versus England due to personal reasons. In mid-February, the superstar cricketer got blessed with a second child and is currently with wife Anushka Sharma and close family members. He is expected to join RCB squad soon for the upcoming IPL season. RCB take on defending champions MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2024 opener on March 22 in Chennai.

IPL 2024: RCB captain Faf du Plessis recalls how he connected instantly with Virat Kohli

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a lot of high-scoring matches over the years since the inception in 2008. There have been five double-ton partnerships as well in the tournament history with Virat Kohli featuring in three of them. Here are some of the highest partnerships for any wicket in the league which starts on March 22 for 2024 season.

Highest partnerships in IPL

<p>Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody says that Hardik Pandya's biggest challenge as the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Mumbai Indians' (MI) skipper will be not allowing the pressure to enter the dressing room. Notably, Pandya will be making a return to MI after two seasons as Gujarat Titans' skipper in 2022 and 2023 seasons. The blockbuster trade also saw Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai skipper.</p>

<p>"They (MI) expect nothing but excellence, which is what you will expect of any high-performance environment. So Hardik's challenge is managing that expectation and allowing himself and his whole team to be able to play with that freedom, without that pressure sort of filtering into the dressing room," Moody said to StarSport.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/australia-spinner-nathan-lyon-planning-to-play-spoilsport-in-kiwi-kane-williamsons-100th-test-697257">Australia spinner Nathan Lyon planning to play spoilsport in Kiwi Kane Williamson's 100th Test</a></p>

<p>On speaking if losing the captaincy will have any effect on Rohit, Moody said: "We know what Rohit Sharma is capable of doing and how dangerous he is as a player, as he has demonstrated with an Indian shirt on his back. I don't think the captaincy is going to have any bearing on his approach. I think he will go out and play his brand of cricket. He is very confident and owns his own game."</p>

<p>Mumbai won five titles under Rohit's captaincy after he took over the reins in 2013. He marshalled the troops in 158 games, second only to CSK skipper MS Dhoni's 226. During his tenure, Rohit won 87 games - also the second most behind Dhoni's 133 wins.</p>

<p>As a batter, Rohit is fourth highest run-getter in the league history. The Indian skipper has 6,211 runs in 243 games, behind only Virat Kohli (7,263 runs), Shikhar Dhawan (6,617 runs) and David Warner (6,397 runs). Sharma, however, has most most sixes among active IPL players - 257 - which is also the second highest overall to Chris Gayle's 357.</p>


Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody says that Hardik Pandya's biggest challenge as the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Mumbai Indians' (MI) skipper will be not allowing the pressure to enter the dressing room.

Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody says that Hardik Pandya's biggest challenge as the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Mumbai Indians' (MI) skipper will be not allowing the pressure to enter the dressing room. Notably, Pandya will be making a return to MI after two seasons as Gujarat Titans' skipper in 2022 and 2023 seasons. The blockbuster trade also saw Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai skipper. "They (MI) expect nothing but excellence, which is what you will expect of any high-performance environment. So Hardik's challenge is managing that expectation and allowing himself and his whole team to be able to play with that freedom, without that pressure sort of filtering into the dressing room," Moody said to StarSport. Also Read: Australia spinner Nathan Lyon planning to play spoilsport in Kiwi Kane Williamson's 100th Test On speaking if losing the captaincy will have any effect on Rohit, Moody said: "We know what Rohit Sharma is capable of doing and how dangerous he is as a player, as he has demonstrated with an Indian shirt on his back. I don't think the captaincy is going to have any bearing on his approach. I think he will go out and play his brand of cricket. He is very confident and owns his own game." Mumbai won five titles under Rohit's captaincy after he took over the reins in 2013. He marshalled the troops in 158 games, second only to CSK skipper MS Dhoni's 226. During his tenure, Rohit won 87 games - also the second most behind Dhoni's 133 wins. As a batter, Rohit is fourth highest run-getter in the league history. The Indian skipper has 6,211 runs in 243 games, behind only Virat Kohli (7,263 runs), Shikhar Dhawan (6,617 runs) and David Warner (6,397 runs). Sharma, however, has most most sixes among active IPL players - 257 - which is also the second highest overall to Chris Gayle's 357.

Former IPL coach Tom Moody reveals MI skipper Hardik Pandya's biggest challenge in upcoming season

<p>Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has slammed the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team management for appointing Pat Cummins as the new captain for IPL 2024. On Monday (March 4), the SRH camp announced Cummins taking over as the new skipper, replacing Aiden Markram. Cummins, who was bought by the franchise in IPL 2024 mini-auction for INR 20.50 crores, doesn't have great numbers in the IPL and isn't even Australia's captain in T20Is. Hence, his appointment hasn't been well received by Chopra.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'That is why Pat Cummins is not the captain of the team where 11 Australians play'</strong></h2>

<p>Talking on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out, "You have made Pat Cummins the captain but have you seen his recent IPL numbers? Check attentively, he concedes a lot of runs and doesn't score that many runs with the bat. Only four overseas players play. He neither bowls in the powerplay nor at the death."</p>

<p>"If he is not going to do all those jobs, you are spending 25 per cent of your overseas resources on a player whose place in the XI was not 100 per cent guaranteed in the IPL. That is why Pat Cummins is not the captain of the team where 11 Australians play, although he has won the World Cup, but not T20," Chopra opined.</p>

<p>Chopra's claims are not incorrect, Cummins has an ordinary record in the IPL. The Aussie has only 45 wickets in 42 games, at an economy of 8.54,&nbsp;along with 379 runs. He withdrew from the IPL 2023 season and featured in only 12 matches in 2021 and 2022 editions; managing 16 wickets and 122 runs overall. For Australia, he has played only two T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup. Hence, Australia have Mitchell Marsh as their T20I captain despite Cummins winning the WTC and ODI World Cup titles as captain last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-odi-world-cup-winning-captain-pat-cummins-named-sunrisers-hyderabad-skipper-696341"><strong>IPL 2024: ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins named Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper</strong></a></p>

<p>SRH removed Markram as the captain, who led them in IPL 2023. The South African batter, however, has&nbsp;led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- Hyderabad's sister franchise in SA20 -- to two successive titles (in 2023 and 2024). Chopra further stated that Markram could have retained his position as he had led the franchise amid a lot of confusion in the last IPL season.</p>

<p>Chopra added, "There is a player named Aiden Markram who benefited the SunRisers franchise a lot. He made the SunRisers Eastern Cape the champions for two successive years in the SA20 league. However, he has been removed from the captaincy here. He captained one year in total where I felt there was a lot of confusion."</p>

<p><strong>SRH squad for IPL 2024:</strong>&nbsp;Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Sanvir Singh, Heinrich Klaasen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, T. Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Upendra Singh Yadav, Umran Malik, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pat Cummins (c), Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh, Jhathavedh Subramanyan.&nbsp;</p>


Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has slammed the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team management for appointing Pat Cummins as the new captain for IPL 2024. On Monday (March 4), the SRH camp announced Cummins taking over as the new skipper, replacing Aiden Markram.

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has slammed the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team management for appointing Pat Cummins as the new captain for IPL 2024. On Monday (March 4), the SRH camp announced Cummins taking over as the new skipper, replacing Aiden Markram. Cummins, who was bought by the franchise in IPL 2024 mini-auction for INR 20.50 crores, doesn't have great numbers in the IPL and isn't even Australia's captain in T20Is. Hence, his appointment hasn't been well received by Chopra. 'That is why Pat Cummins is not the captain of the team where 11 Australians play' Talking on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out, "You have made Pat Cummins the captain but have you seen his recent IPL numbers? Check attentively, he concedes a lot of runs and doesn't score that many runs with the bat. Only four overseas players play. He neither bowls in the powerplay nor at the death." "If he is not going to do all those jobs, you are spending 25 per cent of your overseas resources on a player whose place in the XI was not 100 per cent guaranteed in the IPL. That is why Pat Cummins is not the captain of the team where 11 Australians play, although he has won the World Cup, but not T20," Chopra opined. Chopra's claims are not incorrect, Cummins has an ordinary record in the IPL. The Aussie has only 45 wickets in 42 games, at an economy of 8.54, along with 379 runs. He withdrew from the IPL 2023 season and featured in only 12 matches in 2021 and 2022 editions; managing 16 wickets and 122 runs overall. For Australia, he has played only two T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup. Hence, Australia have Mitchell Marsh as their T20I captain despite Cummins winning the WTC and ODI World Cup titles as captain last year. Also read: IPL 2024: ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins named Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper SRH removed Markram as the captain, who led them in IPL 2023. The South African batter, however, has led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- Hyderabad's sister franchise in SA20 -- to two successive titles (in 2023 and 2024). Chopra further stated that Markram could have retained his position as he had led the franchise amid a lot of confusion in the last IPL season. Chopra added, "There is a player named Aiden Markram who benefited the SunRisers franchise a lot. He made the SunRisers Eastern Cape the champions for two successive years in the SA20 league. However, he has been removed from the captaincy here. He captained one year in total where I felt there was a lot of confusion." SRH squad for IPL 2024: Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Sanvir Singh, Heinrich Klaasen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, T. Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Upendra Singh Yadav, Umran Malik, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pat Cummins (c), Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh, Jhathavedh Subramanyan.

‘You have made Pat Cummins...’: Aakash Chopra slams SRH over captaincy change before IPL 2024

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition is set to be held in India early next year, likely to kick off in mid-March. Over the years, many cricketers have played for several franchises in IPL history.

Players featuring for most IPL teams

<p>On Monday (Mar 4), the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise named Pat Cummins as their new captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition. Cummins replaces South Africa's Aiden Markram from the top post. Under Markram, the Orange Army ended at the bottom in the IPL 2023 edition and were a pale shadow of themselves throughout the campaign. With Cummins raising his stocks as a leader in recent times, leading Australia to the WTC 2023 and ODI World Cup titles in the last few months, the team management would be confident to see the side's revival in the upcoming edition.</p>

<p>The official handle of SRH's Instagram account made the news public on Monday. <strong>Here is the post:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wpl-2024-meg-lanning-radha-yadav-headline-delhis-third-straight-win-beat-gujarat-giants-696241">WPL 2024: Meg Lanning, Radha Yadav headline Delhi’s third straight win as Gujarat Giants lose again</a></strong></p>

<p>Cummins was included in the SRH setup during the IPL 2024 mini-auction, held in Dubai in Dec 2023. At the auction, the Aussie pacer was sold for a whopping INR 20.50 crore (205 million); second-most expensive player ever. Speaking ahead of his debut for the Orange Army,&nbsp;Cummins stated that he sees India as a second home.</p>

<p>"India is like a second home. We spend so much time here. IPL you've got your home teams. So you actually feel like you've got plenty of fans Or, you know, at least cricket fans that have, you know, supported you or, you know, lots of people come up to me and say, Oh, I'm from Kolkata or I go for KKR. So it's nice feeling like not everyone's against you," Cummins said on Star Sports.</p>

<p>Cummins has replaced Markram, who has led the SRH's sister franchise -- Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- to two successive titles in SA20.</p>

<p><strong>SRH squad for IPL 2024:</strong> Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Sanvir Singh, Heinrich Klaasen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, T. Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Upendra Singh Yadav, Umran Malik, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahbaz Ahmed , Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pat Cummins (c), Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh, Jhathavedh Subramanyan.&nbsp;</p>


On Monday (Mar 4), the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise named Pat Cummins as their new captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition. Cummins replaces South Africa's Aiden Markram from the top post.

On Monday (Mar 4), the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise named Pat Cummins as their new captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition. Cummins replaces South Africa's Aiden Markram from the top post. Under Markram, the Orange Army ended at the bottom in the IPL 2023 edition and were a pale shadow of themselves throughout the campaign. With Cummins raising his stocks as a leader in recent times, leading Australia to the WTC 2023 and ODI World Cup titles in the last few months, the team management would be confident to see the side's revival in the upcoming edition. The official handle of SRH's Instagram account made the news public on Monday. Here is the post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by SunRisers Hyderabad (@sunrisershyd) × Also read: WPL 2024: Meg Lanning, Radha Yadav headline Delhi’s third straight win as Gujarat Giants lose again Cummins was included in the SRH setup during the IPL 2024 mini-auction, held in Dubai in Dec 2023. At the auction, the Aussie pacer was sold for a whopping INR 20.50 crore (205 million); second-most expensive player ever. Speaking ahead of his debut for the Orange Army, Cummins stated that he sees India as a second home. "India is like a second home. We spend so much time here. IPL you've got your home teams. So you actually feel like you've got plenty of fans Or, you know, at least cricket fans that have, you know, supported you or, you know, lots of people come up to me and say, Oh, I'm from Kolkata or I go for KKR. So it's nice feeling like not everyone's against you," Cummins said on Star Sports. Cummins has replaced Markram, who has led the SRH's sister franchise -- Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- to two successive titles in SA20. SRH squad for IPL 2024: Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Sanvir Singh, Heinrich Klaasen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, T. Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Upendra Singh Yadav, Umran Malik, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahbaz Ahmed , Travis Head, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pat Cummins (c), Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh, Jhathavedh Subramanyan.

IPL 2024: ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins named Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper

The IPL 2023 Auction is just around the corner and the teams are looking to plug the remaining gaps during the December 19 event. The auction will be held outside India for the first time as Dubai gets ready to host the franchises and players. Ahead of the marquee event, here is a list of players with most IPL hundreds before the 2024 season takes center stage.

Players With Most Hundreds in IPL History

There have been teams that have had several batters to have crossed the 100-run mark on numerous occasions in international cricket.

Teams with most international 100s in men's cricket

<p>R Ashwin heaped praise on Sanju Samson and has labelled the young Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain as 'phenomenal' ahead of the Indian premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, which gets underway on March 22. Samson has been leading the RR franchise since IPL 2021 and led them to the final in IPL 2022. In IPL 2023, the Royals ended fifth and narrowly missed out on entering the playoffs. Ashwin, who has been part of the Royals since 2022, feels Samson is a phenomenal leader and also dwelled on his on and off-field bond with the keeper-batter.</p>

<p>Speaking to Star Sports, Ashwin told, "On the field, I try and give him inputs as I see how the game is panning out. However, that relationship off the field doesn’t come on the field. It’s generally that younger brother, elder brother sort of a relationship off it. On the field, we are able to switch off."</p>

<p>He further opined, "I do what he wants and give my inputs and then he takes what he wants and gets on with it. I find Sanju as a young captain, he is able to differentiate, and demarcate both which is phenomenal."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-odi-world-cup-winning-captain-pat-cummins-named-sunrisers-hyderabad-skipper-696341">IPL 2024: ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins named Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper</a></strong></p>

<p>Ashwin added, "Sanju is extremely funny off the field. I am not sure a lot of people understand that or probably know that. It’s a problem of perfection a lot of people battle how you see someone on the ground and how they are off it, it’s completely different."&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, Samson is gearing up for IPL 2024 whereas Ashwin is currently part of the Indian team who will take on England in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, starting on March 7. He will join the Samson-starrer RR franchise soon after the end of the India-England Test series.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>RR squad for IPL 2024</strong></p>

<p>Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger.&nbsp;</p>


R Ashwin heaped praise on Sanju Samson and has labelled the young Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain as 'phenomenal' ahead of the Indian premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, which gets underway on March 22.

R Ashwin heaped praise on Sanju Samson and has labelled the young Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain as 'phenomenal' ahead of the Indian premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, which gets underway on March 22. Samson has been leading the RR franchise since IPL 2021 and led them to the final in IPL 2022. In IPL 2023, the Royals ended fifth and narrowly missed out on entering the playoffs. Ashwin, who has been part of the Royals since 2022, feels Samson is a phenomenal leader and also dwelled on his on and off-field bond with the keeper-batter. Speaking to Star Sports, Ashwin told, "On the field, I try and give him inputs as I see how the game is panning out. However, that relationship off the field doesn’t come on the field. It’s generally that younger brother, elder brother sort of a relationship off it. On the field, we are able to switch off." He further opined, "I do what he wants and give my inputs and then he takes what he wants and gets on with it. I find Sanju as a young captain, he is able to differentiate, and demarcate both which is phenomenal." Also read: IPL 2024: ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins named Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Ashwin added, "Sanju is extremely funny off the field. I am not sure a lot of people understand that or probably know that. It’s a problem of perfection a lot of people battle how you see someone on the ground and how they are off it, it’s completely different." At present, Samson is gearing up for IPL 2024 whereas Ashwin is currently part of the Indian team who will take on England in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, starting on March 7. He will join the Samson-starrer RR franchise soon after the end of the India-England Test series. RR squad for IPL 2024 Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger.

IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals spinner R Ashwin heaps praise on 'phenomenal' captain Sanju Samson

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<p>Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) all-rounder&nbsp;(LSG) Naveen-ul-Haq has opened up on the heated battle between him and Virat Kohli during the last season of IPL which eventually escalated with Gautam Gambhir getting involved in the proceedings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Naveen and Kohli had exchanged some words in the middle which angered Gambhir who sided with his team member, leading to players from both camps coming out to separate the former Indian teammates.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking to <em>ZalmiTV,</em> Naveen revealed that the seeds of the tussle were laid in the previous match between the two sides in Bengaluru where the Lucknow-based franchise won and that Gambhir later got 'carried away'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We went to play our away match in Bengaluru. That's where it all started. We won that game - it was very close – so one of our players [Avesh Khan] threw the helmet in excitement after scoring the winning runs," said Naveen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Virat Kohli probably didn't like it. Next, their team came to Lucknow. I think I went out to bat at No. 9 or 10 and we had pretty much lost the game by then," he added.</p>

<p>"So, I didn't expect that I would be sledged. But when it happened, like I said, when someone starts, I can't hold back. After the game, things continued during the handshake too. The sledging came from two guys – Kohli and Mohammed Siraj."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/naveen-ul-haq-makes-sensational-claim-against-virat-kohli-it-wasnt-me-stst-605448"><strong>Also read | Naveen-ul-Haq makes sensational claim against Virat Kohli: ‘It wasn’t me’</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Gambhir overreacted&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>In the podcast, Naveen, who retired from ODIs and Test cricket last year, added that Gambhir had an overreaction when he made the shush gesture in Bengaluru.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Gautam Gambhir got carried away because in the previous game, when we needed 1 off 1, one of their bowlers wanted to run the non-striker out while running in to bowl. It was the last wicket. It got heated because the bowler missed taking the bails off."</p>

<p>After he spat, the three cricketers were handed heavy fines. Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100 per cent of their match fees while Naveen had to forego 50 per cent of his match fee. IPL also released a statement conveying that Kohli and Gambhir confessed to having committed a Level 2 offence.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/odi-world-cup-2023-watch-virat-kohli-and-naveen-ul-haq-close-ipl-fight-with-hug-during-india-vs-afghanistan-645660"><strong>Watch | ODI World Cup 2023&nbsp;- Virat Kohli and Naveen ul Haq close IPL fight with hug during India vs Afghanistan</strong></a></p>

<p>However, during the ODI World Cup match in New Delhi in October last year, Kohli and Naveen hugged each other with a smile and buried the hatchet.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) all-rounder (LSG) Naveen-ul-Haq has opened up on the heated battle between him and Virat Kohli during the last season of IPL which eventually escalated with Gautam Gambhir getting involved in the proceedings.

Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) all-rounder (LSG) Naveen-ul-Haq has opened up on the heated battle between him and Virat Kohli during the last season of IPL which eventually escalated with Gautam Gambhir getting involved in the proceedings. Naveen and Kohli had exchanged some words in the middle which angered Gambhir who sided with his team member, leading to players from both camps coming out to separate the former Indian teammates. Speaking to ZalmiTV, Naveen revealed that the seeds of the tussle were laid in the previous match between the two sides in Bengaluru where the Lucknow-based franchise won and that Gambhir later got 'carried away'. "We went to play our away match in Bengaluru. That's where it all started. We won that game - it was very close – so one of our players [Avesh Khan] threw the helmet in excitement after scoring the winning runs," said Naveen. "Virat Kohli probably didn't like it. Next, their team came to Lucknow. I think I went out to bat at No. 9 or 10 and we had pretty much lost the game by then," he added. "So, I didn't expect that I would be sledged. But when it happened, like I said, when someone starts, I can't hold back. After the game, things continued during the handshake too. The sledging came from two guys – Kohli and Mohammed Siraj." Also read | Naveen-ul-Haq makes sensational claim against Virat Kohli: ‘It wasn’t me’ Gambhir overreacted In the podcast, Naveen, who retired from ODIs and Test cricket last year, added that Gambhir had an overreaction when he made the shush gesture in Bengaluru. "Gautam Gambhir got carried away because in the previous game, when we needed 1 off 1, one of their bowlers wanted to run the non-striker out while running in to bowl. It was the last wicket. It got heated because the bowler missed taking the bails off." After he spat, the three cricketers were handed heavy fines. Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100 per cent of their match fees while Naveen had to forego 50 per cent of his match fee. IPL also released a statement conveying that Kohli and Gambhir confessed to having committed a Level 2 offence. Watch | ODI World Cup 2023 - Virat Kohli and Naveen ul Haq close IPL fight with hug during India vs Afghanistan However, during the ODI World Cup match in New Delhi in October last year, Kohli and Naveen hugged each other with a smile and buried the hatchet. (With inputs from agencies)

‘He got carried away’: Naveen-ul-Haq opens up on his spat with Virat Kohli

<p>The Indian Premier League (IPL) season is all set to kick off on March 22 as franchises flex their muscle to conquer the crown in the country’s biggest franchise league. One of the prime candidates to win the IPL 2024 title will be five-time champions Mumbai Indians who will be under new leadership from the upcoming campaign. Hardik Pandya, who will resume his second stint with the Mumbai-based side, reflected on his journey and called the 2015 season as his best having won the title that year.</p>

<h2><strong>Hardik on 2015 IPL</strong></h2>

<p>“The first title holds a special place in my memory as it (2015) was the best year of my career. My two best performances came in the knockout stage of the season’s IPL, so It goes down as a memorable moment for me,” Hardik said while speaking in a programme in Mumbai.</p>

<p>Pandya, who returned to Mumbai on the deadline day of the trade window in November, will take over from Rohit Sharma, who successfully led the franchise to five IPL titles during his stint as the skipper of the side. He now joins the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh and Ricky Ponting to lead the record IPL champions.</p>

<p>The announcement on December 15 came as a big surprise for the cricket fraternity after Rohit decided to step down from his role as captain.&nbsp;Pandya, having led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the previous two seasons, will now look to help his new team, Mumbai Indians, clinch the title.</p>

<p>Interestingly, Pandya's first year with GT saw him lead them to glory after beating Rajasthan Royals in the final of the 2022 tournament. Pandya also acts as deputy to Rohit in the Indian cricket team but is currently nursing an injury.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/psl-franchise-owner-calls-out-pakistan-cricket-over-humiliating-pacer-haris-rauf-696295">PSL franchise owner calls out Pakistan Cricket over 'humiliating' pacer Haris Rauf</a></p>

<h2><strong>Rohit’s stint as captain</strong></h2>

<p>Rohit took over the captaincy&nbsp;in 2013 from Ricky Ponting in the middle of the season and led the team to their first IPL title.&nbsp; He then led Mumbai to victories in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 during which Pandya was part of the side. Rohit went on to become the most successful captain in the history of the tournament. Later, MS Dhoni in 2023 helped his team Chennai Super Kings bag the title for the fifth time and joined Rohit Sharma to achieve the feat of most titles.&nbsp;</p>


The Indian Premier League (IPL) season is all set to kick off on March 22 as franchises flex their muscle to conquer the crown in the country’s biggest franchise league.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) season is all set to kick off on March 22 as franchises flex their muscle to conquer the crown in the country’s biggest franchise league. One of the prime candidates to win the IPL 2024 title will be five-time champions Mumbai Indians who will be under new leadership from the upcoming campaign. Hardik Pandya, who will resume his second stint with the Mumbai-based side, reflected on his journey and called the 2015 season as his best having won the title that year. Hardik on 2015 IPL “The first title holds a special place in my memory as it (2015) was the best year of my career. My two best performances came in the knockout stage of the season’s IPL, so It goes down as a memorable moment for me,” Hardik said while speaking in a programme in Mumbai. Pandya, who returned to Mumbai on the deadline day of the trade window in November, will take over from Rohit Sharma, who successfully led the franchise to five IPL titles during his stint as the skipper of the side. He now joins the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh and Ricky Ponting to lead the record IPL champions. The announcement on December 15 came as a big surprise for the cricket fraternity after Rohit decided to step down from his role as captain. Pandya, having led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the previous two seasons, will now look to help his new team, Mumbai Indians, clinch the title. Interestingly, Pandya's first year with GT saw him lead them to glory after beating Rajasthan Royals in the final of the 2022 tournament. Pandya also acts as deputy to Rohit in the Indian cricket team but is currently nursing an injury. ALSO READ | PSL franchise owner calls out Pakistan Cricket over 'humiliating' pacer Haris Rauf Rohit’s stint as captain Rohit took over the captaincy in 2013 from Ricky Ponting in the middle of the season and led the team to their first IPL title. He then led Mumbai to victories in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 during which Pandya was part of the side. Rohit went on to become the most successful captain in the history of the tournament. Later, MS Dhoni in 2023 helped his team Chennai Super Kings bag the title for the fifth time and joined Rohit Sharma to achieve the feat of most titles.

IPL 2024: The maiden title holds a special place in memory - Hardik Pandya reflects on first stint with MI

<p>Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, which kicks off on March 22, former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina has backed Virat Kohli to get his hand on the coveted trophy for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Raina feels Kohli has been exceptional for the RCB over the years, having played for the franchise since the tournament's inception, and deserves to win the IPL for his loyalty and commitment towards the team.</p>

<p>Speaking to TOI, Raina said, "Virat deserves a trophy. He has done so well for the Indian team and RCB for years. He has had a lot of success at RCB and his fans deserve to hold a trophy for him."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli has been a force to reckon with as part of the RCB franchise since 2008. He has amassed&nbsp;7263&nbsp;runs in 237 IPL games, all for the Bengaluru-based team, at a strike rate of&nbsp;130.02 with seven hundreds. He served as the full-time captain from 2013-2021, leading the side to 66 wins in 140 matches. Under him, RCB came close to winning the title in IPL 2016 but lost the final to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-the-next-ms-dhoni-suresh-raina-lauds-rohit-sharma-after-indias-test-series-win-over-england-694410">‘He is the next MS Dhoni’ - Suresh Raina lauds Rohit Sharma after India’s Test series win over England</a></strong></p>

<p>Raina also opined on MS Dhoni, who returns to competitive cricket after a year during IPL 2024. While there are strong rumours of the upcoming edition being Dhoni's last-ever appearance in the tournament, Raina shared his take on Dhoni's IPL future.</p>

<p>"I have no idea about this. But he is working really hard. He is looking really fit. This is up to him. He will be in a yellow jersey and entertain the fans. Fans just love him. He will do really well I am sure. He has given a lot to cricket," Raina added.</p>

<p>Dhoni's&nbsp;Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Faf du Plessis-led&nbsp;RCB in the IPL 2024 opener in Chennai on March 22. Thus, the 17th edition&nbsp;will kick off with a Dhoni vs Kohli face-off.&nbsp;</p>


Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, which kicks off on March 22, former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina has backed Virat Kohli to get his hand on the coveted trophy for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, which kicks off on March 22, former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina has backed Virat Kohli to get his hand on the coveted trophy for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Raina feels Kohli has been exceptional for the RCB over the years, having played for the franchise since the tournament's inception, and deserves to win the IPL for his loyalty and commitment towards the team. Speaking to TOI, Raina said, "Virat deserves a trophy. He has done so well for the Indian team and RCB for years. He has had a lot of success at RCB and his fans deserve to hold a trophy for him." Kohli has been a force to reckon with as part of the RCB franchise since 2008. He has amassed 7263 runs in 237 IPL games, all for the Bengaluru-based team, at a strike rate of 130.02 with seven hundreds. He served as the full-time captain from 2013-2021, leading the side to 66 wins in 140 matches. Under him, RCB came close to winning the title in IPL 2016 but lost the final to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Also read: ‘He is the next MS Dhoni’ - Suresh Raina lauds Rohit Sharma after India’s Test series win over England Raina also opined on MS Dhoni, who returns to competitive cricket after a year during IPL 2024. While there are strong rumours of the upcoming edition being Dhoni's last-ever appearance in the tournament, Raina shared his take on Dhoni's IPL future. "I have no idea about this. But he is working really hard. He is looking really fit. This is up to him. He will be in a yellow jersey and entertain the fans. Fans just love him. He will do really well I am sure. He has given a lot to cricket," Raina added. Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Faf du Plessis-led RCB in the IPL 2024 opener in Chennai on March 22. Thus, the 17th edition will kick off with a Dhoni vs Kohli face-off.

RCB star Virat Kohli deserves to lift the IPL trophy, says Suresh Raina ahead of 2024 edition

<p>Team India’s ODI World Cup star, Mohammed Shami has successfully undergone an Achilles tendon surgery in London. Shami posted pictures of him recovering in the hospital on his social media handle. Shami, one of India’s prime performers during the ODI World Cup in the homeland, has been out of action for a few months. He last represented the national side in the&nbsp;ODI World Cup final where Team India lost. He&nbsp;scalped a total of 24 wickets in the tournament.</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just had a successful heel operation on my achilles tendon! 👟 Recovery is going to take some time, but looking forward to getting back on my feet. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AchillesRecovery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AchillesRecovery</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeelSurgery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeelSurgery</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToRecovery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToRecovery</a> <a href="https://t.co/LYpzCNyKjS">pic.twitter.com/LYpzCNyKjS</a></p>
— 𝕸𝖔𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖉 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖎 (@MdShami11) <a href="https://twitter.com/MdShami11/status/1762172564028182849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Shami to miss IPL</strong></h2>

<p>Shami will miss the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season as he will be recovering post-surgery. This will be a big blow for the Gujarat Titans,&nbsp;having already lost captain Hardik Panyda in the trading window. While it is not known by when&nbsp;will he recover, it is likely that he will be available for selection only after the IPL and will target the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.</p>

<p>"Looking forward to getting back on my feet," Shami wrote on his X handle and posted pictures of him.</p>

<p>Shami, having suffered&nbsp;the heel issue during the ODI World Cup, lifted himself to help India land glory on home turf. Despite missing the first four matches of the ODI World Cup and being down the pecking order, Shami managed to bag 24 wickets in the tournament to end as the highest wicket-taker. On three occasions, he managed to scalp a five-fer including a best of 57/7 in the semifinal against New Zealand.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-michael-vaughan-wants-cameras-on-drs-operators-for-transparency-694104">IND vs ENG: Michael Vaughan wants cameras on DRS operators for ‘transparency’</a></p>

<p>Shami, 33, missed the T20I series against Australia after the World Cup while also missing the South Africa tour in December-January. He was not available for selection for either the home series against Afghanistan or England in the ongoing five-match Test series.</p>

<p>India, however, have&nbsp;managed well without Shami as they beat England 3-1 in the Test series with still a match to go. Rohit Sharma’s men got the better of England’s Bazball antics and won three consecutive Tests in Vizag, Rajkot and Ranchi. They will target a 4-1 series win as&nbsp;attention turns to the Dharamsala Test which starts on March 7.</p>


Team India’s ODI World Cup star, Mohammed Shami has successfully undergone an Achilles tendon surgery in London. Shami posted pictures of him recovering in the hospital on his social media handle.

Team India’s ODI World Cup star, Mohammed Shami has successfully undergone an Achilles tendon surgery in London. Shami posted pictures of him recovering in the hospital on his social media handle. Shami, one of India’s prime performers during the ODI World Cup in the homeland, has been out of action for a few months. He last represented the national side in the ODI World Cup final where Team India lost. He scalped a total of 24 wickets in the tournament. Just had a successful heel operation on my achilles tendon! 👟 Recovery is going to take some time, but looking forward to getting back on my feet. #AchillesRecovery #HeelSurgery #RoadToRecovery pic.twitter.com/LYpzCNyKjS — 𝕸𝖔𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖉 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖎 (@MdShami11) February 26, 2024 × Shami to miss IPL Shami will miss the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season as he will be recovering post-surgery. This will be a big blow for the Gujarat Titans, having already lost captain Hardik Panyda in the trading window. While it is not known by when will he recover, it is likely that he will be available for selection only after the IPL and will target the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. "Looking forward to getting back on my feet," Shami wrote on his X handle and posted pictures of him. Shami, having suffered the heel issue during the ODI World Cup, lifted himself to help India land glory on home turf. Despite missing the first four matches of the ODI World Cup and being down the pecking order, Shami managed to bag 24 wickets in the tournament to end as the highest wicket-taker. On three occasions, he managed to scalp a five-fer including a best of 57/7 in the semifinal against New Zealand. ALSO READ | IND vs ENG: Michael Vaughan wants cameras on DRS operators for ‘transparency’ Shami, 33, missed the T20I series against Australia after the World Cup while also missing the South Africa tour in December-January. He was not available for selection for either the home series against Afghanistan or England in the ongoing five-match Test series. India, however, have managed well without Shami as they beat England 3-1 in the Test series with still a match to go. Rohit Sharma’s men got the better of England’s Bazball antics and won three consecutive Tests in Vizag, Rajkot and Ranchi. They will target a 4-1 series win as attention turns to the Dharamsala Test which starts on March 7.

Mohammed Shami undergoes Achilles tendon surgery in London, to miss IPL 2024

<p>The Mumbai Indians are all set to start their Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign on Friday (Feb 23) as they take on Delhi Capitals in the curtain-raiser contest at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The contest will be a repeat of the 2023 WPL final where Mumbai got the better of Delhi to be crowned the maiden champions. Now in search of another title, MI have bolstered their squad with the addition of Fatima Jaffer who will apply her trade under the captaincy of Harmanpreet Kaur.</p>

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<h2><strong>Who is Fatima Jaffer?</strong></h2>

<p>Fatima Jaffer is the daughter of the well-known coach in Mumbai’s cricketing circles, Kaleem Jaffer, and is the niece of former India opener and Mumbai domestic legend Wasim Jaffer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I was around seven or eight when I first started to play cricket. It was my father’s decision. He asked me to play cricket because he wanted one of the girls from the family to play cricket,” Fatima said ahead of the start of the upcoming season.</p>

<p>“He never stopped me from doing anything. He always encouraged me to play cricket. Even when I’m not doing well, he comes up to me and encourages me. There’s no major difference between Kaleem Jaffer the father and Kaleem Jaffer the coach. We mostly discuss only cricket even at home,” she&nbsp;added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-gujarat-titans-pacer-mohammed-shami-to-miss-full-season-to-undergo-surgery-for-ankle-injury-692685">IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami to miss full season to undergo surgery for ankle injury</a></p>

<p>MI are one of the favourites to clinch the WPL in its second edition as they look to start the season on a strong footing. Last season Harmanpreet’s side won six matches in the league stage before winning the Eliminator and the Final. They finished runners-up in the league stage and along with Delhi Capitals were the most successful teams in the league stages with 12 points.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mumbai Indians: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Humaira Kazi, Issy Wong, Jintimani Kalita, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Pooja Vastrakar, Priyanka Bala, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia, Shabnim Ismail, S Sajana, Amandeep Kaur, Fatima Jaffer, Keerthana Balakrishnan</p>


The Mumbai Indians are all set to start their Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign on Friday (Feb 23) as they take on Delhi Capitals in the curtain-raiser contest at the M.

The Mumbai Indians are all set to start their Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign on Friday (Feb 23) as they take on Delhi Capitals in the curtain-raiser contest at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The contest will be a repeat of the 2023 WPL final where Mumbai got the better of Delhi to be crowned the maiden champions. Now in search of another title, MI have bolstered their squad with the addition of Fatima Jaffer who will apply her trade under the captaincy of Harmanpreet Kaur. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mumbai Indians (@mumbaiindians) × Who is Fatima Jaffer? Fatima Jaffer is the daughter of the well-known coach in Mumbai’s cricketing circles, Kaleem Jaffer, and is the niece of former India opener and Mumbai domestic legend Wasim Jaffer. “I was around seven or eight when I first started to play cricket. It was my father’s decision. He asked me to play cricket because he wanted one of the girls from the family to play cricket,” Fatima said ahead of the start of the upcoming season. “He never stopped me from doing anything. He always encouraged me to play cricket. Even when I’m not doing well, he comes up to me and encourages me. There’s no major difference between Kaleem Jaffer the father and Kaleem Jaffer the coach. We mostly discuss only cricket even at home,” she added. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami to miss full season to undergo surgery for ankle injury MI are one of the favourites to clinch the WPL in its second edition as they look to start the season on a strong footing. Last season Harmanpreet’s side won six matches in the league stage before winning the Eliminator and the Final. They finished runners-up in the league stage and along with Delhi Capitals were the most successful teams in the league stages with 12 points. Mumbai Indians: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Humaira Kazi, Issy Wong, Jintimani Kalita, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Pooja Vastrakar, Priyanka Bala, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia, Shabnim Ismail, S Sajana, Amandeep Kaur, Fatima Jaffer, Keerthana Balakrishnan

WPL 2024: Mumbai Indians bolster squad ahead of curtain-raiser, add Fatima Jaffer to illustrious roster

<p>Rishabh Pant will lead the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, confirmed co-owner of the franchise Parth Jindal. Pant is gearing up for his much-awaited return to competitive cricket since his fatal car accident in Dec 2022. Jindal, however, revealed that Pant will play solely as a&nbsp;batter in the first half of the tournament.</p>

<p>"Rishabh is batting. He's running. He has started his wicketkeeping. He is likely to be fully fit for the IPL. I am expecting Rishabh to play IPL and he will lead from match one. First seven games, we are going to play him only as a batter and depending on how his body reacts, we will take a call for the rest of the IPL," Jindal said while speaking to ESPN Cricinfo.</p>

<p>Pant has been posting videos of his preparations for IPL 2024. He has missed a considerable amount of cricket following his horrific car crash. With him returning for DC, it will bolster their squad as the team struggled in IPL 2023 and ended at the ninth spot under David Warner. While the Delhi camp is happy to reappoint Pant as the captain, they are believed to be taking it slow with the Indian star batter as he won't be donning the gloves at least in the first half of the mega event.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-schedule-announcement-csk-vs-rcb-to-headline-opener-on-march-22-in-chennai-692738">IPL 2024 Schedule Announcement: CSK vs RCB to headline opener on March 22 in Chennai</a></strong></p>

<p>Jindal also opined on pacer Anrich Nortje, who has missed a lot of cricket in recent times due to injury concerns. On the South African pacer, who missed the 2023 ODI World Cup, SA20 and the entire multi-format series versus India at home, Jindal stated, "He's fit. Right now, he is bowing at 80 per cent&nbsp;intensity. Next week, he will bowl at 100 per cent. He's going to make his comeback in the IPL. He is going to join our camp and should be good to go for our first game."</p>

<p>On Thursday (Feb 22), the partial schedule of IPL 2024 was released which covers fixtures&nbsp;for the first two weeks. Delhi will not play their first two home games at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the national capital as the ground will not be ready to host the matches soon after WPL 2024. Thus, they have opted to play in Visakhapatnam.</p>

<p><strong>DC squad for IPL 2024:</strong></p>

<p>Rishabh Pant (c), Pravin Dubey, David Warner, Vicky Ostwal, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, Abishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Lungi Ngidi, Lalit Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mitchell Marsh, Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull, Mukesh Kumar, Harry Brook, Tristan Stubbs, Ricky Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Rasikh Dar, Jhye Richardson, Sumit Kumar, Shai Hope, Swastik Chhikara.</p>


Rishabh Pant will lead the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, confirmed co-owner of the franchise Parth Jindal. Pant is gearing up for his much-awaited return to competitive cricket since his fatal car accident in Dec 2022.

Rishabh Pant will lead the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition, confirmed co-owner of the franchise Parth Jindal. Pant is gearing up for his much-awaited return to competitive cricket since his fatal car accident in Dec 2022. Jindal, however, revealed that Pant will play solely as a batter in the first half of the tournament. "Rishabh is batting. He's running. He has started his wicketkeeping. He is likely to be fully fit for the IPL. I am expecting Rishabh to play IPL and he will lead from match one. First seven games, we are going to play him only as a batter and depending on how his body reacts, we will take a call for the rest of the IPL," Jindal said while speaking to ESPN Cricinfo. Pant has been posting videos of his preparations for IPL 2024. He has missed a considerable amount of cricket following his horrific car crash. With him returning for DC, it will bolster their squad as the team struggled in IPL 2023 and ended at the ninth spot under David Warner. While the Delhi camp is happy to reappoint Pant as the captain, they are believed to be taking it slow with the Indian star batter as he won't be donning the gloves at least in the first half of the mega event. Also read: IPL 2024 Schedule Announcement: CSK vs RCB to headline opener on March 22 in Chennai Jindal also opined on pacer Anrich Nortje, who has missed a lot of cricket in recent times due to injury concerns. On the South African pacer, who missed the 2023 ODI World Cup, SA20 and the entire multi-format series versus India at home, Jindal stated, "He's fit. Right now, he is bowing at 80 per cent intensity. Next week, he will bowl at 100 per cent. He's going to make his comeback in the IPL. He is going to join our camp and should be good to go for our first game." On Thursday (Feb 22), the partial schedule of IPL 2024 was released which covers fixtures for the first two weeks. Delhi will not play their first two home games at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the national capital as the ground will not be ready to host the matches soon after WPL 2024. Thus, they have opted to play in Visakhapatnam. DC squad for IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant (c), Pravin Dubey, David Warner, Vicky Ostwal, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, Abishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Lungi Ngidi, Lalit Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mitchell Marsh, Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull, Mukesh Kumar, Harry Brook, Tristan Stubbs, Ricky Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Rasikh Dar, Jhye Richardson, Sumit Kumar, Shai Hope, Swastik Chhikara.

IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant will lead Delhi Capitals, to play as pure batter during 1st half, confirms co-owner

<p><strong>Mohammed Shami IPL:</strong> Gujarat Titans (GT) have dealt&nbsp;a major blow as senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the forthcoming IPL 2024 edition. Shami will miss the entire season to undergo surgery for an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign at home. The speedster missed the entire South Africa tour and is also not part of the ongoing home Tests versus England.</p>

<p>A senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity, "Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running and take it from thereon. But the injection hasn't worked and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for UK for surgery. IPL seems out of question."</p>

<p>Shami's injury is a big blow to Shubman Gill-led GT ahead of IPL 2024, whose schedule is expected to be out soon.</p>

<p>Shami has been in sublime touch in recent times. Having missed the initial ODI WC games, the pacer still managed to end the tournament as the leading wicket-taker (24). Even in IPL 2023, he was the highest wicket-taker, ending with 28 scalps at an average of 18.64 and a best of 4 for 11 for the then Hardik Pandya-led side. His performance was instrumental in the one-time winners ending as the runners-up.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-worry-about-jasprit-bumrah-he-is-sa-legend-dale-steyn-on-pacers-rest-for-ranchi-test-692589">'Don't worry about Jasprit Bumrah, he is...': SA legend Dale Steyn on the pacer skipping Ranchi Test</a></strong></p>

<p>The new development has pointed fingers at the injury rehabilitation management programme planned by the National Cricket Academy (NCA), in Bengaluru, for Shami. It is highly unlikely for the pacer to regain full fitness ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup and also for the Test series versus Bangladesh and New Zealand (later in the year).&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>GT squad for IPL 2024</strong></h2>

<p>Mathew Wade, Wriddiman Saha, Robin Minz, Shubman Gill (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Kane Williamson, Sai Sudharsan, Rashid Khan (vc), Rahul Tewatia, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darshan Nalkande, Shahrukh Khan, Umesh Yadav, Josh Little, R. Sai Kishore, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Manav Suthar, Spencer Johnson</p>


Mohammed Shami IPL: Gujarat Titans (GT) have dealt a major blow as senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the forthcoming IPL 2024 edition. Shami will miss the entire season to undergo surgery for an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign at home.

Mohammed Shami IPL: Gujarat Titans (GT) have dealt a major blow as senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the forthcoming IPL 2024 edition. Shami will miss the entire season to undergo surgery for an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign at home. The speedster missed the entire South Africa tour and is also not part of the ongoing home Tests versus England. A senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity, "Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running and take it from thereon. But the injection hasn't worked and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for UK for surgery. IPL seems out of question." Shami's injury is a big blow to Shubman Gill-led GT ahead of IPL 2024, whose schedule is expected to be out soon. Shami has been in sublime touch in recent times. Having missed the initial ODI WC games, the pacer still managed to end the tournament as the leading wicket-taker (24). Even in IPL 2023, he was the highest wicket-taker, ending with 28 scalps at an average of 18.64 and a best of 4 for 11 for the then Hardik Pandya-led side. His performance was instrumental in the one-time winners ending as the runners-up. Also read: 'Don't worry about Jasprit Bumrah, he is...': SA legend Dale Steyn on the pacer skipping Ranchi Test The new development has pointed fingers at the injury rehabilitation management programme planned by the National Cricket Academy (NCA), in Bengaluru, for Shami. It is highly unlikely for the pacer to regain full fitness ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup and also for the Test series versus Bangladesh and New Zealand (later in the year). GT squad for IPL 2024 Mathew Wade, Wriddiman Saha, Robin Minz, Shubman Gill (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Kane Williamson, Sai Sudharsan, Rashid Khan (vc), Rahul Tewatia, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darshan Nalkande, Shahrukh Khan, Umesh Yadav, Josh Little, R. Sai Kishore, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Manav Suthar, Spencer Johnson

IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami to miss full season, undergo surgery for ankle injury

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