Chennai Super Kings’ could be handed a major blow for their Indian Premier League (IPL) curtain-raiser clash against Gujarat Titans on Friday, March 31. Influential legendary skipper MS Dhoni could have to sit out of the Playing XI with several reports stating that he has sustained an injury ahead of the IPL opener. Dhoni, 41, did not take the batting sessions on Thursday evening which has created a buzz about his availability for the Gujarat Titans clash.

<h3>Is Dhoni out?</h3>

Although there is no official word from the franchise, Dhoni did not take the net sessions for batting on Thursday and is now reported to miss the opening clash. According to several sources, the former India skipper is struggling with niggles in his left knee and will therefore be a doubt for the clash against the defending champions.

<h3>Who will lead the side?</h3>

If the above case is true, Dhoni will be a big miss for the franchise on several grounds as they will need a leader and a wicketkeeper to fill in the slot. Although Ravindra Jadeja is an option to lead in Dhoni’s absence, his previous experience did not go well and saw him relinquish the role. Ben Stokes looks to be the perfect fit for the role having enjoyed a stellar time as skipper of England in Test format.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is also another option but has never led a side in the IPL provided the core of Indian players leading their sides; he could be an option as well.

The opening clash of the IPL will start at 7:30 PM on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-dream-of-winning-the-trophy-will-come-true-manjrekars-massive-claim-ahead-of-ipl-2023-577258">Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023</a>

<h3>Chennai Super Kings Final Squad:</h3>

MS Dhoni (doubtful), Ravindra Jadeja, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Varma, Sisanda Magala

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Chennai Super Kings’ could be handed a major blow for their Indian Premier League (IPL) curtain-raiser clash against Gujarat Titans on Friday, March 31. Influential legendary skipper MS Dhoni could have to sit out of the Playing XI with several reports stating that he has sustained an injury ahead of the IPL opener.

Chennai Super Kings’ could be handed a major blow for their Indian Premier League (IPL) curtain-raiser clash against Gujarat Titans on Friday, March 31. Influential legendary skipper MS Dhoni could have to sit out of the Playing XI with several reports stating that he has sustained an injury ahead of the IPL opener. Dhoni, 41, did not take the batting sessions on Thursday evening which has created a buzz about his availability for the Gujarat Titans clash. Is Dhoni out? Although there is no official word from the franchise, Dhoni did not take the net sessions for batting on Thursday and is now reported to miss the opening clash. According to several sources, the former India skipper is struggling with niggles in his left knee and will therefore be a doubt for the clash against the defending champions. Who will lead the side? If the above case is true, Dhoni will be a big miss for the franchise on several grounds as they will need a leader and a wicketkeeper to fill in the slot. Although Ravindra Jadeja is an option to lead in Dhoni’s absence, his previous experience did not go well and saw him relinquish the role. Ben Stokes looks to be the perfect fit for the role having enjoyed a stellar time as skipper of England in Test format. Ruturaj Gaikwad is also another option but has never led a side in the IPL provided the core of Indian players leading their sides; he could be an option as well. The opening clash of the IPL will start at 7:30 PM on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023 Chennai Super Kings Final Squad: MS Dhoni (doubtful), Ravindra Jadeja, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Varma, Sisanda Magala WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: MS Dhoni likely to sit out of CSK's curtain-raiser clash against GT due to THIS reason - Reports

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will have another captaincy twist in their opening Indian Premier League (IPL) contest on Sunday, April 2 against Rajasthan Royals. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be seen donning the captain’s armband for the opening clash against Rajasthan Royals with new permanent skipper Aiden Markram not available for the contest.

<h3>Why is Markram not available for IPL opener?</h3>

Currently, the newly appointed SRH skipper is on international duty with South Africa and will arrive in India on Monday, April 3. South Africa are currently engaged in a two-match ODI series and will have to win the series to secure an automatic spot in the ODI World Cup later in the year. South Africa need to win the series 2-0 while also hoping for Bangladesh to make them a favour.

If Ireland lose one of their matches against Bangladesh in May and South Africa win the series against the Dutch they will book their place in the ODI World Cup and will not need to play in the match.

Markram had a productive IPL 2022 and scored 381 runs with a strike rate near 140 while he was also part of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape side that won the inaugural season of the SA20. Markram amassed 366 runs at a strike rate of 127.97 while also scalping 11 wickets.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-dream-of-winning-the-trophy-will-come-true-manjrekars-massive-claim-ahead-of-ipl-2023-577258">Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023</a>

<h3>Bhuvneshwar gets captaincy nod</h3>

In Markram’s absence, SRH’s long-standing man Bhuvneshwar Kumar will take over the nods of captaincy. The Indian pacer has been with the franchise since 2013 and was part of the IPL-winning side in 2016 under David Warner. Bhuvneshwar was also India’s vice-captain in the Ireland tour of 2022 when Hardik Pandya led the side.

<h3>SRH squad for IPL 2023</h3>

Abdul Samad, Umran Malik, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tripathi, Abhishek Sharma, Kartik Tyagi, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Aiden Markram(out of RR clash), Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Singh Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akeal Hosein, Anmolpreet Singh

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Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will have another captaincy twist in their opening Indian Premier League (IPL) contest on Sunday, April 2 against Rajasthan Royals. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be seen donning the captain’s armband for the opening clash against Rajasthan Royals with new permanent skipper Aiden Markram not available for the contest.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will have another captaincy twist in their opening Indian Premier League (IPL) contest on Sunday, April 2 against Rajasthan Royals. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be seen donning the captain’s armband for the opening clash against Rajasthan Royals with new permanent skipper Aiden Markram not available for the contest. Why is Markram not available for IPL opener? Currently, the newly appointed SRH skipper is on international duty with South Africa and will arrive in India on Monday, April 3. South Africa are currently engaged in a two-match ODI series and will have to win the series to secure an automatic spot in the ODI World Cup later in the year. South Africa need to win the series 2-0 while also hoping for Bangladesh to make them a favour. If Ireland lose one of their matches against Bangladesh in May and South Africa win the series against the Dutch they will book their place in the ODI World Cup and will not need to play in the match. Markram had a productive IPL 2022 and scored 381 runs with a strike rate near 140 while he was also part of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape side that won the inaugural season of the SA20. Markram amassed 366 runs at a strike rate of 127.97 while also scalping 11 wickets. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023 Bhuvneshwar gets captaincy nod In Markram’s absence, SRH’s long-standing man Bhuvneshwar Kumar will take over the nods of captaincy. The Indian pacer has been with the franchise since 2013 and was part of the IPL-winning side in 2016 under David Warner. Bhuvneshwar was also India’s vice-captain in the Ireland tour of 2022 when Hardik Pandya led the side. SRH squad for IPL 2023 Abdul Samad, Umran Malik, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tripathi, Abhishek Sharma, Kartik Tyagi, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Aiden Markram(out of RR clash), Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Singh Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akeal Hosein, Anmolpreet Singh WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Captaincy twist at SRH with Bhuvneshwar Kumar set to lead in Aiden Markram's absence for RR clash

IPL 2023: 100-WIN CLUB! CSK, MI, RCB and two others feature in the elite list

Virat Kohli Class 10th Marksheet: Virat Kohli was last seen on the cricket field during the India-Australia home ODI series. He will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The 34-year-old will once again represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who are yet to win the elusive trophy in the showpiece event.&nbsp;

Ahead of RCB's season-opener, where they host the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the M Chinnaswammgy Stadium on April 02 (Sunday), Kohli shared his Class 10 report card on Koo app and the post has gone viral in no time.

The former Indian captain posted a photo of his Class 10th mark sheet and wrote,&nbsp;"It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character." As soon as the RCB star batter shared the post, it soon became the talk of the town on the internet. Here's the post:

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-dream-of-winning-the-trophy-will-come-true-manjrekars-massive-claim-ahead-of-ipl-2023-577258">Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023</a>

<img alt="Virat Kohli Class 10 report card" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bee88a05-ddf0-4e14-96aa-1c3e6c0e2377" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Kohli%20report%20card.JPG" />

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Virat Kohli's 10th class marksheet. <a href="https://t.co/FNuCbUPsTB">pic.twitter.com/FNuCbUPsTB</a>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1641398561815547906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Irrespective of how he was as a student, Kohli has become a superstar of world cricket. Debuting in 2008, he soon climbed up the ladder to become India's main batter post the retirements of stalwarts such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. To date, he remains one of India's main batter across formats and has scored over 22,000 international runs along with 75 centuries. The right-hander also led India from late 2014 till early 2022 and took the side to the 2019 ODI World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) finals.

At present, Kohli is gearing up for the IPL 2023 season, where he will once again represent the RCB franchise and hope to take them to their maiden title. He remains the leading run-scorer of the showpiece event &nbsp;6,624 in 223 matches at a strike rate of&nbsp;129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli Class 10th Marksheet: Virat Kohli was last seen on the cricket field during the India-Australia home ODI series. He will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Virat Kohli Class 10th Marksheet: Virat Kohli was last seen on the cricket field during the India-Australia home ODI series. He will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The 34-year-old will once again represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who are yet to win the elusive trophy in the showpiece event. Ahead of RCB's season-opener, where they host the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the M Chinnaswammgy Stadium on April 02 (Sunday), Kohli shared his Class 10 report card on Koo app and the post has gone viral in no time. The former Indian captain posted a photo of his Class 10th mark sheet and wrote, "It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character." As soon as the RCB star batter shared the post, it soon became the talk of the town on the internet. Here's the post: Also Read: Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023 Virat Kohli's 10th class marksheet. pic.twitter.com/FNuCbUPsTB — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 30, 2023 × Irrespective of how he was as a student, Kohli has become a superstar of world cricket. Debuting in 2008, he soon climbed up the ladder to become India's main batter post the retirements of stalwarts such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. To date, he remains one of India's main batter across formats and has scored over 22,000 international runs along with 75 centuries. The right-hander also led India from late 2014 till early 2022 and took the side to the 2019 ODI World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) finals. At present, Kohli is gearing up for the IPL 2023 season, where he will once again represent the RCB franchise and hope to take them to their maiden title. He remains the leading run-scorer of the showpiece event 6,624 in 223 matches at a strike rate of 129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries.

Ahead of IPL 2023, RCB star Virat Kohli shares his Class 10th Marksheet; post goes viral

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered yet another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for initial few matches of IPL 2023 due to lingering Achilles strain. As the commencement of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is just a sleep away, absence of Hazlewood, who starred for the RCB in the last season with 20 wickets, comes as a spoiler. Not only Hazlewood, RCB might also miss Glenn Maxwell for the first game against Mumbai Indians as he continues to recuperate from a leg injury.

The 32-year-old Hazlewood suffered an Achilles strain while bowling on the damp run-ups during the SCG Test against South Africa early this year. More so he got ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar series and the three-match ODI series against India. While he headed home after the end of the Delhi Test, Hazlewood was given an extended rest so as to be ready for the IPL 2023 and the long away summer in England.

Despite all, Hazlewood didn’t get fit in time for the RCB from the start and is expected to be in contention for the later part of the tournament. Following the IPL, Hazlewood will be part of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, scheduled for June 7&nbsp;in London and then, five Ashes Tests await&nbsp;him.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-the-way-ms-dhoni-helped-me-guided-me-was-incredible-guy-hes-a-terrific-guy-says-steve-smith-577183">IPL 2023: 'The way MS Dhoni helped me, guided me was incredible guy, he's terrific,' says Steve Smith</a>

Earlier, during February in Bengaluru, Hazlewood expressed his desire to return to the IPL but remained firm as what stays as his priority – which is Test cricket.

"As fun as T20 is and as lucrative as it is, I find it still plays second fiddle to Test cricket," Hazlewood had said as quoted by cricket.com.au. "This series, Ashes series, home summers are what you play cricket for. I don't think that will ever change."

"I've chatted with guys at Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW…to get a plan together (to manage his body). It's probably about short-term loss versus long-term gain a lot of the time. You've got a T20 World Cup or an IPL or a one-day series, it's about still ticking those boxes off the field to be ready to go for a Test series,” Hazlewood added.

On the other hand, Maxwell, who suffered a freak injury in November last year, feels his return to ODI cricket to be more demanding, as per the national selector George Bailey. The ‘Big Show’, who missed the final One-Dayer in Chennai, also remains uncertain to start against Mumbai Indians – a franchise for which&nbsp;young Cameron Green is likely to make his debut.

Earlier, England's Will Jacks also got ruled out of the tournament as RCB announced New Zealand's Michael Bracewell as his replacement.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered yet another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for initial few matches of IPL 2023 due to lingering Achilles strain.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered yet another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for initial few matches of IPL 2023 due to lingering Achilles strain. As the commencement of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is just a sleep away, absence of Hazlewood, who starred for the RCB in the last season with 20 wickets, comes as a spoiler. Not only Hazlewood, RCB might also miss Glenn Maxwell for the first game against Mumbai Indians as he continues to recuperate from a leg injury. The 32-year-old Hazlewood suffered an Achilles strain while bowling on the damp run-ups during the SCG Test against South Africa early this year. More so he got ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar series and the three-match ODI series against India. While he headed home after the end of the Delhi Test, Hazlewood was given an extended rest so as to be ready for the IPL 2023 and the long away summer in England. Despite all, Hazlewood didn’t get fit in time for the RCB from the start and is expected to be in contention for the later part of the tournament. Following the IPL, Hazlewood will be part of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, scheduled for June 7 in London and then, five Ashes Tests await him. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: 'The way MS Dhoni helped me, guided me was incredible guy, he's terrific,' says Steve Smith Earlier, during February in Bengaluru, Hazlewood expressed his desire to return to the IPL but remained firm as what stays as his priority – which is Test cricket. "As fun as T20 is and as lucrative as it is, I find it still plays second fiddle to Test cricket," Hazlewood had said as quoted by cricket.com.au. "This series, Ashes series, home summers are what you play cricket for. I don't think that will ever change." "I've chatted with guys at Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW…to get a plan together (to manage his body). It's probably about short-term loss versus long-term gain a lot of the time. You've got a T20 World Cup or an IPL or a one-day series, it's about still ticking those boxes off the field to be ready to go for a Test series,” Hazlewood added. On the other hand, Maxwell, who suffered a freak injury in November last year, feels his return to ODI cricket to be more demanding, as per the national selector George Bailey. The ‘Big Show’, who missed the final One-Dayer in Chennai, also remains uncertain to start against Mumbai Indians – a franchise for which young Cameron Green is likely to make his debut. Earlier, England's Will Jacks also got ruled out of the tournament as RCB announced New Zealand's Michael Bracewell as his replacement.

IPL 2023: RCB suffer another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood ruled out for initial matches

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad as the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. Ahead of the season, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their predictions for the upcoming season and former England captain Michael Vaughan also joined the bandwagon on March 29 (Wednesday).

Taking to his Twitter handle, Vaughan predicted that the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) can end up winning the IPL 2023 edition. Here's his tweet which has gone viral in no time:

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-dream-of-winning-the-trophy-will-come-true-manjrekars-massive-claim-ahead-of-ipl-2023-577258">Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023</a>

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Can’t wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the <a href="https://twitter.com/cricbuzz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cricbuzz</a> team .. I thinks it’s going to be <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajasthanroyals</a> year .. they will be lifting the trophy in late May .. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnOn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnOn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2023</a>
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1641103648900935683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The one-time winners RR had a memorable run in IPL 2022. After the 2018 edition, the inaugural champions reached the playoffs after ending as the second-ranked side. Eventually, they reached the final where they lost by seven wickets to the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) and will now look to go a step ahead and claim the title this time around.&nbsp;

Last year, RR rode on Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Devdutt Padikkal, Samson, Shimron Hetymer, Trent Boult to reach the finale. For the 2023 edition, they have seen some valuable additions in the form of Joe Root, Adam Zampa, Jason Holder, etc.

RR complete squad for IPL 2023

Sanju Samson (c &amp; wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag,&nbsp;Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad as the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad as the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. Ahead of the season, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their predictions for the upcoming season and former England captain Michael Vaughan also joined the bandwagon on March 29 (Wednesday). Taking to his Twitter handle, Vaughan predicted that the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) can end up winning the IPL 2023 edition. Here's his tweet which has gone viral in no time: Also Read: Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023 Can’t wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the @cricbuzz team .. I thinks it’s going to be @rajasthanroyals year .. they will be lifting the trophy in late May .. #OnOn #IPL2023 — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 29, 2023 × The one-time winners RR had a memorable run in IPL 2022. After the 2018 edition, the inaugural champions reached the playoffs after ending as the second-ranked side. Eventually, they reached the final where they lost by seven wickets to the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) and will now look to go a step ahead and claim the title this time around. Last year, RR rode on Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Devdutt Padikkal, Samson, Shimron Hetymer, Trent Boult to reach the finale. For the 2023 edition, they have seen some valuable additions in the form of Joe Root, Adam Zampa, Jason Holder, etc. RR complete squad for IPL 2023 Sanju Samson (c & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root.

'They will be lifting IPL 2023 trophy': Michael Vaughan's MASSIVE PREDICTION ahead of season-opener

Virat Kohli&nbsp;is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for the same team -- i.e. the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in all seasons so far starting from 2008, when the cash-rich league came into the picture. He is also one of the few big players to have not won the IPL so far. However, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels IPL 2023 could be the season where Kohli's trophy-drought might get over.

Ahead of the IPL 2023 opener, where the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad on Friday (March 31), Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo, "Yes, I feel Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true this time. They have a wonderful bowling attack. If Faf du Plessis scores runs, they will have a great chance."

Kohli has scored most runs in the IPL (6,624) in 223 matches at a strike rate of&nbsp;129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries. The 34-year-old had a dismal run in IPL 2022 where he only managed&nbsp;341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73 and a below-par strike rate of 115.99. Last year, the Faf du Plessis-led RCB franchise reached the playoffs and won the Eliminator, versus the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), before they bowed out with a loss to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. 
 
Thus, Kohli will be desperate to get going with the bat this time around and guide his side to their maiden title. They have a strong squad at their disposal comprising the likes of Du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Kohli, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Rajat Patidar, Md Siraj, David Willey, Reece Topley, Michael Bracewell, etc.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-not-kohli-rohit-or-tendulkar-this-batter-was-indias-first-centurion-in-cash-rich-league-577218">IPL 2023: Not Kohli, Rohit or Tendulkar! THIS batter was India's first centurion in cash-rich league</a> 
&nbsp;

RCB Complete Squad for IPL 2023

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Siraj, Faf Du Plessis (c), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahemad, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Karn Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, David Willey, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma,&nbsp; Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav, Micheal Bracewell

Virat Kohli is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for the same team -- i.e. the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in all seasons so far starting from 2008, when the cash-rich league came into the picture.

Virat Kohli is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for the same team -- i.e. the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in all seasons so far starting from 2008, when the cash-rich league came into the picture. He is also one of the few big players to have not won the IPL so far. However, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels IPL 2023 could be the season where Kohli's trophy-drought might get over. Ahead of the IPL 2023 opener, where the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad on Friday (March 31), Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo, "Yes, I feel Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true this time. They have a wonderful bowling attack. If Faf du Plessis scores runs, they will have a great chance." Kohli has scored most runs in the IPL (6,624) in 223 matches at a strike rate of 129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries. The 34-year-old had a dismal run in IPL 2022 where he only managed 341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73 and a below-par strike rate of 115.99. Last year, the Faf du Plessis-led RCB franchise reached the playoffs and won the Eliminator, versus the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), before they bowed out with a loss to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. Thus, Kohli will be desperate to get going with the bat this time around and guide his side to their maiden title. They have a strong squad at their disposal comprising the likes of Du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Kohli, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Rajat Patidar, Md Siraj, David Willey, Reece Topley, Michael Bracewell, etc. Also Read: IPL 2023: Not Kohli, Rohit or Tendulkar! THIS batter was India's first centurion in cash-rich league RCB Complete Squad for IPL 2023 Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Siraj, Faf Du Plessis (c), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahemad, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Karn Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, David Willey, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav, Micheal Bracewell

Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023

Bengal keeper-batter Abhishek Porel is set to replace injured Rishabh Pant at Delhi Capitals (DC). The India international is currently recovering from the injuries he suffered in a horrific road accident late last year that ruled him out for most of 2023.

An IPL source close to the information revealed that Delhi Capitals have zeroed in on the young 21-year-old Abhishek as Pant’s replacement; and that, under the supreme guidance of the coach Ricky Ponting and Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly, Abhishek can learn and grow in a better space.

"Delhi Capitals are likely to put forth Abhishek Porel's name as Rishabh's replacement for the current season. He is only 21, and under the guidance of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, could be groomed as a second option even after Rishabh comes back," an IPL source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-bashes-reports-of-pakistan-playing-its-2023-world-cup-matches-in-bangladesh-sources-577150">ICC bashes reports of Pakistan playing its 2023 World Cup matches in Bangladesh: Sources</a>

While Delhi is adding up local wicket-keeping options from their end, the in-form Mumbai&nbsp;batter, Sarfaraz Khan, is likely to take up the keeper’s role for the upcoming IPL 2023. England’s Phil Salt could also be one of the options behind the wickets in some matches.

"As of now, it looks like Sarfaraz will start against Lucknow Super Giants and if the experiment works, then he will continue," the source added.

Earlier, during their first camp in Kolkata, DC had called Porel, Karnataka’s Luvnith Sisodia and Saurashtra’s Sheldon Jackson for the trials. While Jackson is someone who has played in the IPL before, at 36, he wasn’t the best option to go ahead with. Whereas Luvnith and Abhishek &nbsp;impressed the DC management, Ganguly and Ponting appeared to go ahead with Porel.

Porel, in his short career so far, has scored six half-centuries in 16 first-class games, in addition to having 66 dismissals with the gloves to his name.

Meanwhile, Delhi will open its IPL 2023 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1st.

Bengal keeper-batter Abhishek Porel is set to replace injured Rishabh Pant at Delhi Capitals (DC). The India international is currently recovering from the injuries he suffered in a horrific road accident late last year that ruled him out for most of 2023.

Bengal keeper-batter Abhishek Porel is set to replace injured Rishabh Pant at Delhi Capitals (DC). The India international is currently recovering from the injuries he suffered in a horrific road accident late last year that ruled him out for most of 2023. An IPL source close to the information revealed that Delhi Capitals have zeroed in on the young 21-year-old Abhishek as Pant’s replacement; and that, under the supreme guidance of the coach Ricky Ponting and Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly, Abhishek can learn and grow in a better space. "Delhi Capitals are likely to put forth Abhishek Porel's name as Rishabh's replacement for the current season. He is only 21, and under the guidance of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, could be groomed as a second option even after Rishabh comes back," an IPL source told PTI on the condition of anonymity. ALSO READ: ICC bashes reports of Pakistan playing its 2023 World Cup matches in Bangladesh: Sources While Delhi is adding up local wicket-keeping options from their end, the in-form Mumbai batter, Sarfaraz Khan, is likely to take up the keeper’s role for the upcoming IPL 2023. England’s Phil Salt could also be one of the options behind the wickets in some matches. "As of now, it looks like Sarfaraz will start against Lucknow Super Giants and if the experiment works, then he will continue," the source added. Earlier, during their first camp in Kolkata, DC had called Porel, Karnataka’s Luvnith Sisodia and Saurashtra’s Sheldon Jackson for the trials. While Jackson is someone who has played in the IPL before, at 36, he wasn’t the best option to go ahead with. Whereas Luvnith and Abhishek impressed the DC management, Ganguly and Ponting appeared to go ahead with Porel. Porel, in his short career so far, has scored six half-centuries in 16 first-class games, in addition to having 66 dismissals with the gloves to his name. Meanwhile, Delhi will open its IPL 2023 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1st.

IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals set to bring in Bengal keeper Abhishek Porel as Rishabh Pant's replacement

Rohit Sharma is geaing up for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. In IPL 2022, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) had a forgettable run where they ended at the bottom in the ten-team tournament. It was the first time that the star-studded MI line-up ended at the bottom in the tournament history. Thus, they will be aiming for a big turnaround in IPL 2023, where they will open their campaign versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 02 in Bengaluru.

Ahead of the IPL 2023 edition, former Indian and MI spinner Pragyan Ojha recalled his first interaction with Rohit. The duo have played a lot of cricket together since the U-15 days and even shared the dressing room for India and the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in the initial years of the IPL, before also playing together in the MI camp. Thus, Ojha recalled his early days with Hitman and revealed that Rohit showed a lot of aggression towards him.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-dont-think-anyone-else-has-mastered-the-finishing-art-rr-star-hails-csk-captain-ms-dhoni-576878">IPL 2023: 'Don't think anyone else has mastered the finishing art' - RR star hails CSK captain MS Dhoni</a>

"When I first met Rohit in the U-15 national camp, everyone said he was a very special player. There, I played against him and took his wicket. Rohit being a typical Bombay guy, didn't speak much but was aggressive when he played. In fact, I was very surprised as to why he was being so aggressive with me when we didn't know each other! But after that our friendship began to grow," Ojha said during the show 'My Time with Rohit' on Jio Cinema.

Rohit has featured in 227 matches in the IPL, scoring 5,879 runs at a strike rate of&nbsp;129.89. In IPL 2022, he had a dismal run where he only managed&nbsp;268 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 120.18. He will aim for a memorable run in IPL 2023 and take the MI franchise to their sixth title.&nbsp;

Complete MI squad for IPL 2023

Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Jofra Archer, Tim David, Mohd Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kartikeya, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal

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Rohit Sharma is geaing up for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. In IPL 2022, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) had a forgettable run where they ended at the bottom in the ten-team tournament.

Rohit Sharma is geaing up for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. In IPL 2022, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) had a forgettable run where they ended at the bottom in the ten-team tournament. It was the first time that the star-studded MI line-up ended at the bottom in the tournament history. Thus, they will be aiming for a big turnaround in IPL 2023, where they will open their campaign versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 02 in Bengaluru. Ahead of the IPL 2023 edition, former Indian and MI spinner Pragyan Ojha recalled his first interaction with Rohit. The duo have played a lot of cricket together since the U-15 days and even shared the dressing room for India and the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in the initial years of the IPL, before also playing together in the MI camp. Thus, Ojha recalled his early days with Hitman and revealed that Rohit showed a lot of aggression towards him. Also Read: IPL 2023: 'Don't think anyone else has mastered the finishing art' - RR star hails CSK captain MS Dhoni "When I first met Rohit in the U-15 national camp, everyone said he was a very special player. There, I played against him and took his wicket. Rohit being a typical Bombay guy, didn't speak much but was aggressive when he played. In fact, I was very surprised as to why he was being so aggressive with me when we didn't know each other! But after that our friendship began to grow," Ojha said during the show 'My Time with Rohit' on Jio Cinema. Rohit has featured in 227 matches in the IPL, scoring 5,879 runs at a strike rate of 129.89. In IPL 2022, he had a dismal run where he only managed 268 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 120.18. He will aim for a memorable run in IPL 2023 and take the MI franchise to their sixth title. Complete MI squad for IPL 2023 Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Jofra Archer, Tim David, Mohd Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kartikeya, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'Was surprised to see why he was so aggressive with me': Former India spinner on MI skipper Rohit Sharma

Former South Africa and RCB star AB de Villiers is loved all around the world and Indian fans also admire the batsman from the heart. ABD gained wild popularity in India during his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from which he retired at the end of 2021 season.

Recently, RCB announced the decision to induct de Villiers and Chris Gayle into their Hall of Fame as first two inductees and ABD wrote a heartfelt note on Instagram, reminiscing his playing days and love he got from the fans.&nbsp;

"I don’t know where to start really.. So, March 26th 2023 Chris and I were inducted into the RCB hall of fame and our jersey numbers retired forever. My heart blossomed as my wife, two boys and little girl walked up the stairs to enter our RCB den, stairs that I have walked up so many times with butterflies fluttering in my stomach. It felt weird to walk up there in a different state of mind," wrote de Villiers.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-to-take-rest-in-some-matches-surya-to-lead-in-his-absence-report-576846">IPL 2023: MI skipper Rohit Sharma to take rest in some matches, Surya to lead in his absence: Report</a>

"Tears filled my eyes when I stepped on to the balcony of our dressing room at the Chinnaswamy in front of a packed stadium. I never thought hearing the chants of ABD could beat the first time, but this time was different. It used to be adrenalin combined with an extreme hunger to please the cry out of our fans to find a way to win, this time it was a sea of emotion that filled my body as I simply felt grateful to have had my time in the arena representing a proud city, an amazing franchise and incredible teammates," he added.

"So many special memories rushed back as I thought of all my days spent in India since 2003, I have a deep connection with this country and its people. I’ll forever be grateful!. Thank you teammates, especially Virat, thank you RCB, thank you Bengaluru," concluded the batsman.

Notably, de Villiers is second highest scorer for the RCB behind Virat Kohli with 4,522 runs in 157 matches. He previously played for Delhi from 2008 to 2010 before joining Royal Challengers Bangalore.

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Former South Africa and RCB star AB de Villiers is loved all around the world and Indian fans also admire the batsman from the heart. ABD gained wild popularity in India during his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from which he retired at the end of 2021 season.

Former South Africa and RCB star AB de Villiers is loved all around the world and Indian fans also admire the batsman from the heart. ABD gained wild popularity in India during his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from which he retired at the end of 2021 season. Recently, RCB announced the decision to induct de Villiers and Chris Gayle into their Hall of Fame as first two inductees and ABD wrote a heartfelt note on Instagram, reminiscing his playing days and love he got from the fans. "I don’t know where to start really.. So, March 26th 2023 Chris and I were inducted into the RCB hall of fame and our jersey numbers retired forever. My heart blossomed as my wife, two boys and little girl walked up the stairs to enter our RCB den, stairs that I have walked up so many times with butterflies fluttering in my stomach. It felt weird to walk up there in a different state of mind," wrote de Villiers. Also Read: IPL 2023: MI skipper Rohit Sharma to take rest in some matches, Surya to lead in his absence: Report "Tears filled my eyes when I stepped on to the balcony of our dressing room at the Chinnaswamy in front of a packed stadium. I never thought hearing the chants of ABD could beat the first time, but this time was different. It used to be adrenalin combined with an extreme hunger to please the cry out of our fans to find a way to win, this time it was a sea of emotion that filled my body as I simply felt grateful to have had my time in the arena representing a proud city, an amazing franchise and incredible teammates," he added. "So many special memories rushed back as I thought of all my days spent in India since 2003, I have a deep connection with this country and its people. I’ll forever be grateful!. Thank you teammates, especially Virat, thank you RCB, thank you Bengaluru," concluded the batsman. Notably, de Villiers is second highest scorer for the RCB behind Virat Kohli with 4,522 runs in 157 matches. He previously played for Delhi from 2008 to 2010 before joining Royal Challengers Bangalore. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: 'It felt weird...,' AB de Villiers pens emotional note to RCB fans - Read

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The forthcoming season might be MS Dhoni's last appearance. Although no official confirmation has been made, speculations are rife that IPL 2023 will be the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain's farwell season and, thus, his ardent fans will come in large numbers to watch his on-field heroics. Ahead of the tournament opener, on Friday, Rajasthan Royals (RR)'s young star Riyan Parag heaped praise on Dhoni.&nbsp;

Parag has taken over as Rajasthan's finisher in the past few seasons. In IPL 2022, the right-hander amassed 183 runs at a strike rate of&nbsp;138.64 with a best of 56 versus the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He will aim to have a breakthrough season this time around and try to improve significantly as a finisher for the Royals. Prior to his side's season opener, versus Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday (April 02), Parag hailed Dhoni the finisher and stated that no one has 'mastered the finishing art' like the former Indian captain.

"I have been doing the finishing role for the last three years now. There is just one name that comes to my mind which I also have said before, MS Dhoni. I do not think anyone else has mastered that art. Going into that role, I always look up to him, how he finishes games or how he takes the game deep," Parag told news agency&nbsp;PTI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-king-virat-kohli-to-ms-dhonis-protege-rishabh-pant-most-runs-in-an-ipl-season-574365">From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season</a>

Parag opened up on where he wishes to bat for the IPL 2022 runners-up in the upcoming edition. "If they (Royals) were to ask me where I want to bat, I would say No. 4. But, then, like always, I am open to bat wherever the team needs me and wherever they think I fit the best. It is a team game; whichever way the combinations match up, I am happy to contribute," the 21-year-old added.&nbsp;

Sanju Samson-led RR franchise will hope to win their first title since IPL 2008. Last year, they failed to get past the eventual winners Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final after a seven-wicket loss.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The forthcoming season might be MS Dhoni's last appearance. Although no official confirmation has been made, speculations are rife that IPL 2023 will be the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain's farwell season and, thus, his ardent fans will come in large numbers to watch his on-field heroics.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The forthcoming season might be MS Dhoni's last appearance. Although no official confirmation has been made, speculations are rife that IPL 2023 will be the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain's farwell season and, thus, his ardent fans will come in large numbers to watch his on-field heroics. Ahead of the tournament opener, on Friday, Rajasthan Royals (RR)'s young star Riyan Parag heaped praise on Dhoni. Parag has taken over as Rajasthan's finisher in the past few seasons. In IPL 2022, the right-hander amassed 183 runs at a strike rate of 138.64 with a best of 56 versus the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He will aim to have a breakthrough season this time around and try to improve significantly as a finisher for the Royals. Prior to his side's season opener, versus Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday (April 02), Parag hailed Dhoni the finisher and stated that no one has 'mastered the finishing art' like the former Indian captain. "I have been doing the finishing role for the last three years now. There is just one name that comes to my mind which I also have said before, MS Dhoni. I do not think anyone else has mastered that art. Going into that role, I always look up to him, how he finishes games or how he takes the game deep," Parag told news agency PTI. Also Read: From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season Parag opened up on where he wishes to bat for the IPL 2022 runners-up in the upcoming edition. "If they (Royals) were to ask me where I want to bat, I would say No. 4. But, then, like always, I am open to bat wherever the team needs me and wherever they think I fit the best. It is a team game; whichever way the combinations match up, I am happy to contribute," the 21-year-old added. Sanju Samson-led RR franchise will hope to win their first title since IPL 2008. Last year, they failed to get past the eventual winners Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final after a seven-wicket loss.

IPL 2023: 'Don't think anyone else has mastered the finishing art' - RR star hails CSK captain MS Dhoni

Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is all set for the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the predations are in the final stage. While Mumbai will look to put behind a disappointing 2022 season, their main aim will be to conquer the glorious title for the sixth time. However, ahead of the start he was disappointed to miss out on the services of star man Jasprit Bumrah and says those are big shoes to fill in.

“It will be a big miss," the India skipper said.

"It is sad, but we do understand how big his (Jasprit) shoes are to fill."

While MI are yet to find a suitable replacement for Jasprit, the franchise is looking to close in on a replacement as the IPL season is set for a kickoff in less than 48 hours. Mumbai will have the luxury of getting an experienced player but replacing Bumrah will be a big headache.

"Yes, we have been discussing a few options and hopefully we can close it in the next couple of days and let you know about it," Rohit said on Wednesday.

"There is an opportunity that is up for grabs, to fill that place. A lot of young players will get an opportunity and this is a platform for them to come out and express themselves. There are a couple of guys who have been with this team for the last two years and they are very much ready to step up,” Rohit added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-ipl-2023-be-ms-dhonis-final-season-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-shares-his-take-576928">Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take</a>

MI’s head coach Mark Boucher also highlighted Bumrah’s absence but insisted there is an opportunity up for grabs. According to him, some young players that can come in and make an impact with their bench strength also a feasible option. There are talks of Arjun Tendulkar’s potential debut for the franchise after he was bought for Rs 30 lakh in the 2022 auctions.

"We will see tonight (in a practice match). He's playing tonight. One of the things about international players is that they need the freedom to move around a bit. All of them have been playing cricket. Jofra obviously is coming off a major injury, he has been playing quite a bit of cricket lately, which is good. He's in a good space. He's ready to get up there and perform, which, for us, is a good place to be in. We will see tonight how he goes," Boucher said while addressing Bumrah’s potential replacement headache.

Mumbai will bid to win their sixth IPL title in the upcoming season and will start their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The contest will take place at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, April 2 when the entire nation also celebrates the 12th anniversary of India’s 2011 World Cup campaign.

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Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is all set for the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the predations are in the final stage. While Mumbai will look to put behind a disappointing 2022 season, their main aim will be to conquer the glorious title for the sixth time.

Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is all set for the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the predations are in the final stage. While Mumbai will look to put behind a disappointing 2022 season, their main aim will be to conquer the glorious title for the sixth time. However, ahead of the start he was disappointed to miss out on the services of star man Jasprit Bumrah and says those are big shoes to fill in. “It will be a big miss," the India skipper said. "It is sad, but we do understand how big his (Jasprit) shoes are to fill." While MI are yet to find a suitable replacement for Jasprit, the franchise is looking to close in on a replacement as the IPL season is set for a kickoff in less than 48 hours. Mumbai will have the luxury of getting an experienced player but replacing Bumrah will be a big headache. "Yes, we have been discussing a few options and hopefully we can close it in the next couple of days and let you know about it," Rohit said on Wednesday. "There is an opportunity that is up for grabs, to fill that place. A lot of young players will get an opportunity and this is a platform for them to come out and express themselves. There are a couple of guys who have been with this team for the last two years and they are very much ready to step up,” Rohit added. ALSO READ | Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take MI’s head coach Mark Boucher also highlighted Bumrah’s absence but insisted there is an opportunity up for grabs. According to him, some young players that can come in and make an impact with their bench strength also a feasible option. There are talks of Arjun Tendulkar’s potential debut for the franchise after he was bought for Rs 30 lakh in the 2022 auctions. "We will see tonight (in a practice match). He's playing tonight. One of the things about international players is that they need the freedom to move around a bit. All of them have been playing cricket. Jofra obviously is coming off a major injury, he has been playing quite a bit of cricket lately, which is good. He's in a good space. He's ready to get up there and perform, which, for us, is a good place to be in. We will see tonight how he goes," Boucher said while addressing Bumrah’s potential replacement headache. Mumbai will bid to win their sixth IPL title in the upcoming season and will start their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The contest will take place at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, April 2 when the entire nation also celebrates the 12th anniversary of India’s 2011 World Cup campaign. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Rohit rues THIS star man's absence, says 'big shoes to fill' ahead of season kickoff against RCB

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a couple of days away from the 2023 season and Indian players' workload is something which has been in the news due to rigorous scheduling these days. With India slated to play in the World Test Championship (WTC) final nine days after the IPL finale, it'll be important for players to stay fresh.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma recently said that it is up to the franchises now to manage the workload as they are the owners. Now, as per a report by the media house Indian Express, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit will be taking off from a few matches, keeping the WTC final in mind.

After the WTC final against Australia in June, India are slated to play Asia Cup in ODI format this year in September and then there's the ICC ODI World Cup around October. The schedule is jam-packed and Rohit, who will lead the side in all these tournaments, will use IPL to take some rest in between, as per the report.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-former-australia-skipper-steve-smith-back-in-spotlight-set-to-feature-in-this-role-576724">IPL 2023: Former Australia skipper Steve Smith back in spotlight, set to feature in THIS role</a>

In the matches Rohit is resting, Suryakumar Yadav is going to lead the team, claims the same report. Kieron Pollard was the designated vice-captain of Mumbai Indians but after he retired last season, word no. 1 T20I batter Surya definitely fits the bill.

Yadav, however, has been under scrutiny after his three consecutive first-ball ducks against Australia in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series. Australia had won the series 2-1 after losing the four-match Border-Gavaskar Test series 1-2.

It'll be interesting to see how Surya fares in the role of a skipper as he'll be walking into very big shoes. Rohit Sharma is the most successful IPL skipper with five trophies to his name. He led Mumbai to titles in 2013, 2015. 2017, 2019 and 2022.

Mumbai start their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 2.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a couple of days away from the 2023 season and Indian players' workload is something which has been in the news due to rigorous scheduling these days.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a couple of days away from the 2023 season and Indian players' workload is something which has been in the news due to rigorous scheduling these days. With India slated to play in the World Test Championship (WTC) final nine days after the IPL finale, it'll be important for players to stay fresh. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma recently said that it is up to the franchises now to manage the workload as they are the owners. Now, as per a report by the media house Indian Express, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit will be taking off from a few matches, keeping the WTC final in mind. After the WTC final against Australia in June, India are slated to play Asia Cup in ODI format this year in September and then there's the ICC ODI World Cup around October. The schedule is jam-packed and Rohit, who will lead the side in all these tournaments, will use IPL to take some rest in between, as per the report. Also Read: IPL 2023: Former Australia skipper Steve Smith back in spotlight, set to feature in THIS role In the matches Rohit is resting, Suryakumar Yadav is going to lead the team, claims the same report. Kieron Pollard was the designated vice-captain of Mumbai Indians but after he retired last season, word no. 1 T20I batter Surya definitely fits the bill. Yadav, however, has been under scrutiny after his three consecutive first-ball ducks against Australia in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series. Australia had won the series 2-1 after losing the four-match Border-Gavaskar Test series 1-2. It'll be interesting to see how Surya fares in the role of a skipper as he'll be walking into very big shoes. Rohit Sharma is the most successful IPL skipper with five trophies to his name. He led Mumbai to titles in 2013, 2015. 2017, 2019 and 2022. Mumbai start their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 2. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: MI skipper Rohit Sharma to take rest in some matches, Surya to lead in his absence: Report

England batter Liam Livingstone will miss the Punjab Kings (PBKS) campaign opener of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as he is awaiting a fitness clearance from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after recovering from a knee injury sustained last year in December, reported ESPNCricinfo on Wednesday.

PBKS will open its IPL campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders at the home arena of Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali from April 1. Livingstone is a vital part of PBKS set-up for his all-round abilities. He has not played any competitive cricket since picking up the injury on his Test debut against Pakistan back in December.

He had also suffered an ankle injury during the Hundred tournament last year. He was recently in Dubai for almost a week for his county Lancashire's pre-season tour and was at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Livingstone had a great campaign for PBKS in IPL 2022. In 14 matches, he scored 437 runs at an average of 36.41 and a massive strike rate of 182.08. He scored four half-centuries in the tournament with best score of 70. He also picked up six wickets with his spin bowling. Livingstone has also represented England in 12 ODIs and 29 T20Is, He also has scored the fastest century by an England player in T20Is.

But PBKS finished at the sixth spot for the fourth season in a row despite his heroics. They won seven and lost seven out of their 14 matches, ending up with 14 points. They fell two points short of a potential spot in a playoff.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-ipl-2023-be-ms-dhonis-final-season-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-shares-his-take-576928">Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take</a>

Sam Curran, the highest-paid player in IPL history, purchased for Rs 18.50 crore at the auction last year, has joined the team. He is the only English player left in the squad. Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of the competition as well, with Australia's Matthew Short named as his replacement.

Matthew Short was the 'Player of the Tournament' during the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23, representing Adelaide Strikers. He was the second-highest run scorer in the tournament with 458 runs at an average of 35.23 in 14 matches, with one century and two fifties and a best of 100*.

He also took 11 wickets in 14 matches, with the best bowling figures of 3/14. In all, he has played 67 T20s, in which he has scored 1,409 runs in 64 matches at an average of 23.88, with one century and seven fifties. He also has 22 wickets in the format.

Besides Livingstone, South African pacer Kagiso Rabada will also miss the opening nggame because of international cricket commitments. The bowler is expected to arrive in India on April 3 ahead of away match against Rajasthan Royals.

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England batter Liam Livingstone will miss the Punjab Kings (PBKS) campaign opener of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as he is awaiting a fitness clearance from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after recovering from a knee injury sustained last year in December, reported ESPNCricinfo on Wednesday.

England batter Liam Livingstone will miss the Punjab Kings (PBKS) campaign opener of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as he is awaiting a fitness clearance from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after recovering from a knee injury sustained last year in December, reported ESPNCricinfo on Wednesday. PBKS will open its IPL campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders at the home arena of Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali from April 1. Livingstone is a vital part of PBKS set-up for his all-round abilities. He has not played any competitive cricket since picking up the injury on his Test debut against Pakistan back in December. He had also suffered an ankle injury during the Hundred tournament last year. He was recently in Dubai for almost a week for his county Lancashire's pre-season tour and was at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Livingstone had a great campaign for PBKS in IPL 2022. In 14 matches, he scored 437 runs at an average of 36.41 and a massive strike rate of 182.08. He scored four half-centuries in the tournament with best score of 70. He also picked up six wickets with his spin bowling. Livingstone has also represented England in 12 ODIs and 29 T20Is, He also has scored the fastest century by an England player in T20Is. But PBKS finished at the sixth spot for the fourth season in a row despite his heroics. They won seven and lost seven out of their 14 matches, ending up with 14 points. They fell two points short of a potential spot in a playoff. ALSO READ | Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take Sam Curran, the highest-paid player in IPL history, purchased for Rs 18.50 crore at the auction last year, has joined the team. He is the only English player left in the squad. Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of the competition as well, with Australia's Matthew Short named as his replacement. Matthew Short was the 'Player of the Tournament' during the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23, representing Adelaide Strikers. He was the second-highest run scorer in the tournament with 458 runs at an average of 35.23 in 14 matches, with one century and two fifties and a best of 100*. He also took 11 wickets in 14 matches, with the best bowling figures of 3/14. In all, he has played 67 T20s, in which he has scored 1,409 runs in 64 matches at an average of 23.88, with one century and seven fifties. He also has 22 wickets in the format. Besides Livingstone, South African pacer Kagiso Rabada will also miss the opening nggame because of international cricket commitments. The bowler is expected to arrive in India on April 3 ahead of away match against Rajasthan Royals. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Punjab Kings handed setback ahead of season kickoff, THIS key star to miss opening clash against KKR

India are one of the favourites to win the ICC ODI World Cup being the host and the bench strength they have in terms of talent and numbers. Injuries to players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, however, has left some gaps in the squad but India have enough players to plug them.

One of the players who could come in the squad as a backup for Bumrah is Umesh Yadav. The pacer, who majorly plays Tests in India, recently made his comeback to the white-ball squad against Australia in the three-match series.

Umesh, who is 35, however, knows that it could be his last chance to play in the marquee event.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/was-surprised-to-see-why-he-was-so-aggressive-with-me-former-india-spinner-on-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-576891">'Was surprised to see why he was so aggressive with me': Former India spinner on MI skipper Rohit Sharma</a>

"The ODI World Cup is played after every four years and this can be my last opportunity to be a part of it. So I need to do well in IPL and make a comeback in ODI format," said the fast bowler in an interview with media outlet Aaj Tak.

Speaking on why he think this could be his last chance to play in the world cup, Umesh added, "As I said the World Cup comes after every four years and I'm not sure if I'll be around then. Hence I want to make this season count and not wait for another four years."

Skipper Rohit Sharma although, has backed Umesh to come though in any format after the ODI series against Australia where he played in just one match in the three-ODI series.

"Guys like Umesh, Shami don't need to be playing a particular format to succeed at it. They have proven themselves. It's the quality. Young guys need to prove but not them. If they are fit and available they will be called back. We don't need to look at form. We saw how well Umesh Yadav bowled in the IPL. He bowled pretty well. He gives us option to use upfront with the new ball, swings the ball, bowls fast so not a much debate about him," Rohit had said.

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India are one of the favourites to win the ICC ODI World Cup being the host and the bench strength they have in terms of talent and numbers. Injuries to players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, however, has left some gaps in the squad but India have enough players to plug them.

India are one of the favourites to win the ICC ODI World Cup being the host and the bench strength they have in terms of talent and numbers. Injuries to players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, however, has left some gaps in the squad but India have enough players to plug them. One of the players who could come in the squad as a backup for Bumrah is Umesh Yadav. The pacer, who majorly plays Tests in India, recently made his comeback to the white-ball squad against Australia in the three-match series. Umesh, who is 35, however, knows that it could be his last chance to play in the marquee event. Also Read: 'Was surprised to see why he was so aggressive with me': Former India spinner on MI skipper Rohit Sharma "The ODI World Cup is played after every four years and this can be my last opportunity to be a part of it. So I need to do well in IPL and make a comeback in ODI format," said the fast bowler in an interview with media outlet Aaj Tak. Speaking on why he think this could be his last chance to play in the world cup, Umesh added, "As I said the World Cup comes after every four years and I'm not sure if I'll be around then. Hence I want to make this season count and not wait for another four years." Skipper Rohit Sharma although, has backed Umesh to come though in any format after the ODI series against Australia where he played in just one match in the three-ODI series. "Guys like Umesh, Shami don't need to be playing a particular format to succeed at it. They have proven themselves. It's the quality. Young guys need to prove but not them. If they are fit and available they will be called back. We don't need to look at form. We saw how well Umesh Yadav bowled in the IPL. He bowled pretty well. He gives us option to use upfront with the new ball, swings the ball, bowls fast so not a much debate about him," Rohit had said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'I'm not sure if I'll be around...': Star India player aims to play in his final ODI World Cup

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on March 31 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT). Over the years, IPL has become a huge brand in the cricketing fraternity and every season is keenly awaited. Since the tournament's inception, players such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, David Warner, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Brendon McCullum, etc. have played a big role in popularising the cash-rich league and making it the best T20 tournament across the globe.

Recently, former Indian spinner Anil Kumble, who led the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to the IPL 2009 final, named Universe Boss Gayle as IPL's undisputed Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T)

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-ipl-2023-be-ms-dhonis-final-season-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-shares-his-take-576928">Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take</a>

Kumble while speaking on Jio Cinema said, "There are plenty of them; it’s difficult to pick just one. I can certainly look back and say probably a Chris Gayle, someone who is larger than life. The way he came across as a player! What he brought to RCB and the way he sorts of changed the whole powerplay and the power he brought to batting."

Gayle started his IPL career with the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but his fortunates changed when he was picked by the RCB camp in 2011. He went on to win the Orange Cap -- awarded to a player with most runs in a season -- in the 2011 and 2012 editions and became a regular in their line-up. In 2018, the swashbuckling batter joined the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), now known as the Punjab Kings (PBKS). During his run for the Punjab franchise, Kumble served as the head coach.

The left-handed batter scored a total of 4,965 runs in his IPL career, featuring in as many as 142 matches at a strike rate of 148.96. He remains the eighth-highest run-getter&nbsp;to date and has most centuries (six) under his belt in the tournament as well.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on March 31 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT).

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on March 31 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT). Over the years, IPL has become a huge brand in the cricketing fraternity and every season is keenly awaited. Since the tournament's inception, players such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, David Warner, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Brendon McCullum, etc. have played a big role in popularising the cash-rich league and making it the best T20 tournament across the globe. Recently, former Indian spinner Anil Kumble, who led the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to the IPL 2009 final, named Universe Boss Gayle as IPL's undisputed Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T) Also Read: Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take Kumble while speaking on Jio Cinema said, "There are plenty of them; it’s difficult to pick just one. I can certainly look back and say probably a Chris Gayle, someone who is larger than life. The way he came across as a player! What he brought to RCB and the way he sorts of changed the whole powerplay and the power he brought to batting." Gayle started his IPL career with the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but his fortunates changed when he was picked by the RCB camp in 2011. He went on to win the Orange Cap -- awarded to a player with most runs in a season -- in the 2011 and 2012 editions and became a regular in their line-up. In 2018, the swashbuckling batter joined the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), now known as the Punjab Kings (PBKS). During his run for the Punjab franchise, Kumble served as the head coach. The left-handed batter scored a total of 4,965 runs in his IPL career, featuring in as many as 142 matches at a strike rate of 148.96. He remains the eighth-highest run-getter to date and has most centuries (six) under his belt in the tournament as well. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Not Virat, Dhoni, Raina or De Villiers! Anil Kumble names THIS superstar as undisputed G.O.A.T. of IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Gujarat's capital city. The forthcoming edition is much hyped as it can be CSK captain MS Dhoni's last season. While there has been no official confirmation, speculations are rife that the former Indian captain might retire from IPL after the 2023 season.

Recently, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Team India skipper Rohit Sharma opened up on Dhoni's IPL future and shared his take.&nbsp;"I've been hearing for the last 2-3 years that this is going to be MS Dhoni's last season. I think he is fit enough to play a few more seasons," Rohit said during MI's pre-season press conference.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-not-virat-kohli-or-chris-gayle-this-star-player-has-won-most-orange-caps-in-mega-event-history-576907">IPL 2023: Not Virat Kohli or Chris Gayle! THIS star player has won most Orange Caps in mega event history</a>

Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore head coach Sanjay Bangar also opined on Dhoni's successor at CSK and said, "As far as his successor is concerned, that's something the team management and his himself would have thought about. There are some good additions to the team. Even in terms of international players, they have Devon Conway and Ben Stokes. So there are a couple of leadership candidates but it all boils down to with time, when he wants to pass on the baton. I am sure, once he hangs on his boots, he would still be participating with CSK in some role or the other."

CSK will kick off the IPL 2023 edition by locking horns with Hardik Pandya &amp; Co. They will then host their first game, after IPL 2019, taking on the KL Rahul-led&nbsp;Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

CSK Complete Squad for IPL 2023

MS Dhoni (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Kyle Jamieson, Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Varma

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Gujarat's capital city.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Gujarat's capital city. The forthcoming edition is much hyped as it can be CSK captain MS Dhoni's last season. While there has been no official confirmation, speculations are rife that the former Indian captain might retire from IPL after the 2023 season. Recently, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Team India skipper Rohit Sharma opened up on Dhoni's IPL future and shared his take. "I've been hearing for the last 2-3 years that this is going to be MS Dhoni's last season. I think he is fit enough to play a few more seasons," Rohit said during MI's pre-season press conference. Also Read: IPL 2023: Not Virat Kohli or Chris Gayle! THIS star player has won most Orange Caps in mega event history Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore head coach Sanjay Bangar also opined on Dhoni's successor at CSK and said, "As far as his successor is concerned, that's something the team management and his himself would have thought about. There are some good additions to the team. Even in terms of international players, they have Devon Conway and Ben Stokes. So there are a couple of leadership candidates but it all boils down to with time, when he wants to pass on the baton. I am sure, once he hangs on his boots, he would still be participating with CSK in some role or the other." CSK will kick off the IPL 2023 edition by locking horns with Hardik Pandya & Co. They will then host their first game, after IPL 2019, taking on the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. CSK Complete Squad for IPL 2023 MS Dhoni (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Kyle Jamieson, Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Varma

Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s 16th season is set to kick off on March 31 (Friday) in Ahmedabad where the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Over the years, IPL has become a huge brand and ardent cricket fans worldwide keenly await for every edition's commencement. The cash-rich league has generated huge eyeballs across the globe with the presence of various superstar cricketers.

Many batters and bowlers have ruled the roost in IPL history. The likes of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Hussey and many others have dominated the show with the bat. Many big names have won the Orange Cap -- awarded to the batter with most runs in a season -- but no one has won it more than Australian opener David Warner (3). Warner has won the Orange Cap in three seasons -- in 2015, 2017 and 2019 -- and only Universe Boss Gayle comes close (2). Gayle is the only cricketer to have won the Orange Cap two seasons in a row.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/was-surprised-to-see-why-he-was-so-aggressive-with-me-former-india-spinner-on-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-576891">'Was surprised to see why he was so aggressive with me': Former India spinner on MI skipper Rohit Sharma</a>

Here's the overall list of Orange Cap winners in IPL:

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>PLAYER</td>
			<td>RUNS</td>
			<td>YEAR</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shaun Marsh</td>
			<td>616</td>
			<td>2008</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Matthew Hayden</td>
			<td>572</td>
			<td>2009</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sachin Tendulkar</td>
			<td>618</td>
			<td>2010</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chris Gayle</td>
			<td>608</td>
			<td>2011</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chris Gayle</td>
			<td>733</td>
			<td>2012</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mike Hussey</td>
			<td>733</td>
			<td>2013</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Robin Uthappa</td>
			<td>660</td>
			<td>2014</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>David Warner</td>
			<td>562</td>
			<td>2015</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Virat Kohli</td>
			<td>973</td>
			<td>2016</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>David Warner</td>
			<td>641</td>
			<td>2017</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kane Williamson</td>
			<td>735</td>
			<td>2018</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>David Warner</td>
			<td>692</td>
			<td>2019</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KL Rahul</td>
			<td>670</td>
			<td>2020</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ruturaj Gaikwad</td>
			<td>635</td>
			<td>2021</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Jos Buttler</td>
			<td>863</td>
			<td>2022</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Warner has represented the Delhi Daredevils (DD), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL. He has had most success for the Orange Army, leading them to their only title so far (in IPL 2016). So far, Warner has featured in&nbsp;162 IPL games, scoring&nbsp;5,881 runs at a strike rate of&nbsp;140.69 along with 55 fifties and four hundreds. Out of his overall runs -- which is third-most in tournament history -- he scored&nbsp;4,014 runs under his belt.&nbsp;

Warner will lead the DC camp in IPL 2023 in Rishabh Pant's absence, who is recovering from his injuries after a horrific car crash in late 2022.

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s 16th season is set to kick off on March 31 (Friday) in Ahmedabad where the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s 16th season is set to kick off on March 31 (Friday) in Ahmedabad where the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Over the years, IPL has become a huge brand and ardent cricket fans worldwide keenly await for every edition's commencement. The cash-rich league has generated huge eyeballs across the globe with the presence of various superstar cricketers. Many batters and bowlers have ruled the roost in IPL history. The likes of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Hussey and many others have dominated the show with the bat. Many big names have won the Orange Cap -- awarded to the batter with most runs in a season -- but no one has won it more than Australian opener David Warner (3). Warner has won the Orange Cap in three seasons -- in 2015, 2017 and 2019 -- and only Universe Boss Gayle comes close (2). Gayle is the only cricketer to have won the Orange Cap two seasons in a row. Also Read: 'Was surprised to see why he was so aggressive with me': Former India spinner on MI skipper Rohit Sharma Here's the overall list of Orange Cap winners in IPL: PLAYER RUNS YEAR Shaun Marsh 616 2008 Matthew Hayden 572 2009 Sachin Tendulkar 618 2010 Chris Gayle 608 2011 Chris Gayle 733 2012 Mike Hussey 733 2013 Robin Uthappa 660 2014 David Warner 562 2015 Virat Kohli 973 2016 David Warner 641 2017 Kane Williamson 735 2018 David Warner 692 2019 KL Rahul 670 2020 Ruturaj Gaikwad 635 2021 Jos Buttler 863 2022 Warner has represented the Delhi Daredevils (DD), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL. He has had most success for the Orange Army, leading them to their only title so far (in IPL 2016). So far, Warner has featured in 162 IPL games, scoring 5,881 runs at a strike rate of 140.69 along with 55 fifties and four hundreds. Out of his overall runs -- which is third-most in tournament history -- he scored 4,014 runs under his belt. Warner will lead the DC camp in IPL 2023 in Rishabh Pant's absence, who is recovering from his injuries after a horrific car crash in late 2022.

IPL 2023: Not Virat Kohli or Chris Gayle! THIS star player has won most Orange Caps in mega event history

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is just days out from 2023 season and fans are in full zeal with the league back to home-and-away format. The fans' enthusiasm was visible recently when they spotted Chennai Super Kings and India legend MS Dhoni warming up in the gym at Chepauk stadium.

In a video making rounds on social media, people can be seen gathered outside the gym at the stadium and shouting 'Dhoni Dhoni' as the former Indian skipper goes through some fitness drills. Have a look at the video here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thala <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> warming up in Gym and Crowd going crazy already 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/ROTQ3PTJ2I">pic.twitter.com/ROTQ3PTJ2I</a>
— 🎰 (@StanMSD) <a href="https://twitter.com/StanMSD/status/1640339298355380229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In another video, shared by Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) official twitter handle, fans can be heard cheering on the top of their lungs with Dhoni walking in to bat in a practise session at the stadium. Here's the video below:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Nayagan meendum varaar… 💛🥳<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anbuden?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Anbuden</a> 🦁 <a href="https://t.co/3wQb1Zxppe">pic.twitter.com/3wQb1Zxppe</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1640373518599847942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Notably, Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in the IPL history with four titles to his name. Under his leadership, CSK has managed to make it to playoffs every single season except the last one - where he took over the reins mid-season from Ravindra Jadeja.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-apart-from-ms-dhoni-chennai-team-is-defined-by-all-rounders-says-aakash-chopra-576328">IPL 2023: Apart from MS Dhoni, Chennai team is defined by all-rounders, says Aakash Chopra</a>

There, however, been many reports that this could be Dhoni's last IPL after the 41-year-old player announced last year that he'll play in 2023 season and take a call on future depending on how the season goes. MSD had also said that he would like to play his last game in front of the home crowd at Chepauk before calling it quits.

Talking about his numbers, Dhoni has 4,978 runs in the IPL in 234 matches at an average of 39.20 and strike rate of 135.20. Known as one of the best finishers not only in the league but world, Dhoni has led CSK to many victories every since he was bought by the franchise in the inception year of 2008.

CSK start their campaign against defending champions Gujarat Titans on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is just days out from 2023 season and fans are in full zeal with the league back to home-and-away format. The fans' enthusiasm was visible recently when they spotted Chennai Super Kings and India legend MS Dhoni warming up in the gym at Chepauk stadium.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is just days out from 2023 season and fans are in full zeal with the league back to home-and-away format. The fans' enthusiasm was visible recently when they spotted Chennai Super Kings and India legend MS Dhoni warming up in the gym at Chepauk stadium. In a video making rounds on social media, people can be seen gathered outside the gym at the stadium and shouting 'Dhoni Dhoni' as the former Indian skipper goes through some fitness drills. Have a look at the video here: Thala @msdhoni warming up in Gym and Crowd going crazy already 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ROTQ3PTJ2I — 🎰 (@StanMSD) March 27, 2023 × In another video, shared by Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) official twitter handle, fans can be heard cheering on the top of their lungs with Dhoni walking in to bat in a practise session at the stadium. Here's the video below: Nayagan meendum varaar… 💛🥳#WhistlePodu #Anbuden 🦁 pic.twitter.com/3wQb1Zxppe — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 27, 2023 × Notably, Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in the IPL history with four titles to his name. Under his leadership, CSK has managed to make it to playoffs every single season except the last one - where he took over the reins mid-season from Ravindra Jadeja. Also Read: IPL 2023: Apart from MS Dhoni, Chennai team is defined by all-rounders, says Aakash Chopra There, however, been many reports that this could be Dhoni's last IPL after the 41-year-old player announced last year that he'll play in 2023 season and take a call on future depending on how the season goes. MSD had also said that he would like to play his last game in front of the home crowd at Chepauk before calling it quits. Talking about his numbers, Dhoni has 4,978 runs in the IPL in 234 matches at an average of 39.20 and strike rate of 135.20. Known as one of the best finishers not only in the league but world, Dhoni has led CSK to many victories every since he was bought by the franchise in the inception year of 2008. CSK start their campaign against defending champions Gujarat Titans on March 31 in Ahmedabad. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Dhoni fever grips Chennai as fans go CRAZY for a glimpse of MSD - WATCH

Former Australia skipper and Rajasthan Royals star Steve Smith is set to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16, despite going unsold in the auctions. The star Aussie all-rounder will be seen in the commentary box for the upcoming season after it was confirmed by the broadcasters. Smith was last seen in the IPL in 2021 when Delhi Capitals signed him for Rs 2.20 crore and will now handle the microphone rather than the bat.

"Steve Smith has joined the expert panel for the marquee tournament. Smith will be making his broadcast debut with Star Sports, adding his invaluable insights and expertise to Star Sports' already impressive roster of panelists," the broadcaster said in a statement.

Smith, 33, announced his return to the tournament on Twitter on Monday, saying in a teaser video: "Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023.”

The Aussie star first came into the spotlight in 2012, when he was snapped by the Pune Warriors India and would then play for the Rising Pune Supergiants. With the latter, Smith reached the final of the IPL in 2017 before failing to take his team over the line in the final over of the season finale. Smith then signed for Rajasthan Royals and led the side before being released ahead of the 2021 season.

"DON'T blink if you're being held at gunpoint," one Twitter user quipped.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-sachin-tendulkar-abdul-razzaq-names-master-blasters-iconic-teammate-as-most-dangerous-player-576611">Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player'</a>

The former Australia captain was recently seen leading the ODI side as regular skipper Pat Cummins was absent due to the death of his ill mother. Smith’s Aussie side came from behind to win 2-1 while condemning India to their first home ODI series defeat in four years.

Till now he has played 103 matches in his IPL career. He has scored 2485 runs, with an average of 34.51. He has also slammed one century and 11 half-centuries, with his highest IPL score being 101 runs.

The IPL 2023 season will start on Friday, March 31 when defending champions Gujarat Titans take on four-time champions Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmadabad.

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Former Australia skipper and Rajasthan Royals star Steve Smith is set to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16, despite going unsold in the auctions.

Former Australia skipper and Rajasthan Royals star Steve Smith is set to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16, despite going unsold in the auctions. The star Aussie all-rounder will be seen in the commentary box for the upcoming season after it was confirmed by the broadcasters. Smith was last seen in the IPL in 2021 when Delhi Capitals signed him for Rs 2.20 crore and will now handle the microphone rather than the bat. "Steve Smith has joined the expert panel for the marquee tournament. Smith will be making his broadcast debut with Star Sports, adding his invaluable insights and expertise to Star Sports' already impressive roster of panelists," the broadcaster said in a statement. Smith, 33, announced his return to the tournament on Twitter on Monday, saying in a teaser video: "Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023.” The Aussie star first came into the spotlight in 2012, when he was snapped by the Pune Warriors India and would then play for the Rising Pune Supergiants. With the latter, Smith reached the final of the IPL in 2017 before failing to take his team over the line in the final over of the season finale. Smith then signed for Rajasthan Royals and led the side before being released ahead of the 2021 season. "DON'T blink if you're being held at gunpoint," one Twitter user quipped. ALSO READ | Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player' The former Australia captain was recently seen leading the ODI side as regular skipper Pat Cummins was absent due to the death of his ill mother. Smith’s Aussie side came from behind to win 2-1 while condemning India to their first home ODI series defeat in four years. Till now he has played 103 matches in his IPL career. He has scored 2485 runs, with an average of 34.51. He has also slammed one century and 11 half-centuries, with his highest IPL score being 101 runs. The IPL 2023 season will start on Friday, March 31 when defending champions Gujarat Titans take on four-time champions Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmadabad. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Former Australia skipper Steve Smith back in spotlight, set to feature in THIS role

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season is all set for the kick-off as 2008 champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) launched their new kit. Runners-up in 2022, the Royals will be eager to end a 15-year wait for the IPL title, having not tasted glory since 2008 when they lifted the trophy under Shane Warne’s captaincy. While RR fell short of lifting the title and ending the drought, their performances still caught everyone’s eye.

Skipper Sanju Samson on the occasion of team’s latest kit launch called back the memories from 2022 and reflected on the team’s performance.

<h3>Pressure to match last year’s performance</h3>

“Pressure of matching last year's show will always be there. It was a dream performance by the entire team to reach the summit clash in 2022. Having reached the final last year, people will be expecting us to dazzle yet again. We have no choice but to play well and match last year's feat if not doing better,” Samson said during the kit launch.

“I joined Rajasthan Royals when I was just 18. Now I'm 28 and it's been a remarkable journey so far. The last ten years have been thoroughly exciting and challenging. This is my team and I always want to see RR doing well,” said Samson.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-sachin-tendulkar-abdul-razzaq-names-master-blasters-iconic-teammate-as-most-dangerous-player-576611">Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player'</a>

<h3>Fortunate to have great coaching staff</h3>

Samson also spoke on the team’s backroom staff which includes head coach Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga. He spoke about their influence on the team and how Sangakkara in particular has impacted the team’s morale.

"We are fortunate to have Sangakkara as our coach. He is a legendary player and having him in the dressing room and on the ground while practising is a big boost for us. With his vast experience, we are always in the process of improving ourselves. He is constantly thinking of different strategies for the benefit of the squad,” said Samson.

RR will start their IPL 2023 campaign against 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, April 2. The contest will take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad with the IPL yet again returning to a home-away format.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season is all set for the kick-off as 2008 champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) launched their new kit. Runners-up in 2022, the Royals will be eager to end a 15-year wait for the IPL title, having not tasted glory since 2008 when they lifted the trophy under Shane Warne’s captaincy.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season is all set for the kick-off as 2008 champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) launched their new kit. Runners-up in 2022, the Royals will be eager to end a 15-year wait for the IPL title, having not tasted glory since 2008 when they lifted the trophy under Shane Warne’s captaincy. While RR fell short of lifting the title and ending the drought, their performances still caught everyone’s eye. Skipper Sanju Samson on the occasion of team’s latest kit launch called back the memories from 2022 and reflected on the team’s performance. Pressure to match last year’s performance “Pressure of matching last year's show will always be there. It was a dream performance by the entire team to reach the summit clash in 2022. Having reached the final last year, people will be expecting us to dazzle yet again. We have no choice but to play well and match last year's feat if not doing better,” Samson said during the kit launch. “I joined Rajasthan Royals when I was just 18. Now I'm 28 and it's been a remarkable journey so far. The last ten years have been thoroughly exciting and challenging. This is my team and I always want to see RR doing well,” said Samson. ALSO READ | Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player' Fortunate to have great coaching staff Samson also spoke on the team’s backroom staff which includes head coach Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga. He spoke about their influence on the team and how Sangakkara in particular has impacted the team’s morale. "We are fortunate to have Sangakkara as our coach. He is a legendary player and having him in the dressing room and on the ground while practising is a big boost for us. With his vast experience, we are always in the process of improving ourselves. He is constantly thinking of different strategies for the benefit of the squad,” said Samson. RR will start their IPL 2023 campaign against 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, April 2. The contest will take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad with the IPL yet again returning to a home-away format. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Sanju Samson turns back clock to reflect on team's show in 2022, says 'It was a dream performance'

Hardik Pandya has been in sensational form of late. Over the past one year, the all-rounder has made rapid strides in white-ball formats and remains one of the key players for India in the shorter formats. Since his comeback post a back injury, which kept him out of action after the 2021 T20 World Cup, Hardik has been part of India's white-ball setup but is yet to play a Test for Team India since mid-2018. His last Test appearance came during Virat Kohli-led India's five-match Test series versus hosts England.&nbsp;

Ahead of the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad, former Indian captain and Delhi Capitals' (DC) Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly opined on Hardik. He lavished praise on the Gujarat Titans (GT) captain but wants him to return to Test cricket.&nbsp;

'He should return to Test cricket because that's what he will be remembered for'

“There will be specialists in T20s. There's Hardik Pandya although I still feel he is an asset in Test cricket also and he should come back to Test cricket because that's what he will be remembered for. He is a specialist in ODIs and T20Is. But he is a very special cricketer,” Ganguly told&nbsp;The Times of India.

“I think money has nothing to do with how players play. It's great that money has come into the sport and that's how it should be. But I believe the majority of the players want to play all formats as long as they are good. It's terrific to see how hungry these boys are,” the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief further added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-sachin-tendulkar-abdul-razzaq-names-master-blasters-iconic-teammate-as-most-dangerous-player-576611">Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player'</a>

Hardik has so far played only 11 Tests for Team India despite making his international debut in early 2016. The 29-year-old all-rounder recently opined on his possible Test return when a reporter asked him if he will be part of India's forthcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in early June, where they will face Australia at The Oval, London.

To this, Hardik said, "No. I am an ethically very strong person. I haven’t done 10 per cent to reach there. I am not even a part of 1 per cent. So me coming there and taking someone’s place will ethically not go well." He added, "If I want to play Test cricket, I’ll go through the grind and earn my spot. Hence, for that reason I will not be available for the WTC final or future Test series until I don’t feel that I have earned my spot."

Hardik Pandya has been in sensational form of late. Over the past one year, the all-rounder has made rapid strides in white-ball formats and remains one of the key players for India in the shorter formats.

Hardik Pandya has been in sensational form of late. Over the past one year, the all-rounder has made rapid strides in white-ball formats and remains one of the key players for India in the shorter formats. Since his comeback post a back injury, which kept him out of action after the 2021 T20 World Cup, Hardik has been part of India's white-ball setup but is yet to play a Test for Team India since mid-2018. His last Test appearance came during Virat Kohli-led India's five-match Test series versus hosts England. Ahead of the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad, former Indian captain and Delhi Capitals' (DC) Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly opined on Hardik. He lavished praise on the Gujarat Titans (GT) captain but wants him to return to Test cricket. 'He should return to Test cricket because that's what he will be remembered for' “There will be specialists in T20s. There's Hardik Pandya although I still feel he is an asset in Test cricket also and he should come back to Test cricket because that's what he will be remembered for. He is a specialist in ODIs and T20Is. But he is a very special cricketer,” Ganguly told The Times of India. “I think money has nothing to do with how players play. It's great that money has come into the sport and that's how it should be. But I believe the majority of the players want to play all formats as long as they are good. It's terrific to see how hungry these boys are,” the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief further added. Also Read: Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player' Hardik has so far played only 11 Tests for Team India despite making his international debut in early 2016. The 29-year-old all-rounder recently opined on his possible Test return when a reporter asked him if he will be part of India's forthcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in early June, where they will face Australia at The Oval, London. To this, Hardik said, "No. I am an ethically very strong person. I haven’t done 10 per cent to reach there. I am not even a part of 1 per cent. So me coming there and taking someone’s place will ethically not go well." He added, "If I want to play Test cricket, I’ll go through the grind and earn my spot. Hence, for that reason I will not be available for the WTC final or future Test series until I don’t feel that I have earned my spot."

'Hardik Pandya should....': Sourav Ganguly shares advice for 'a very special cricketer'

With just days to go for the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16, Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey has commented on Ben Stokes’ role in the team. Stokes, a big money purchase for CSK for Rs 16.25 crore arrived at the CSK camp last week and will look to help the team rise from ashes after a disappointing 2022 season.

Stokes is likely to play as a specialist batter at the start of the 2023 IPL and has had a cortisone injection in order to manage an injury to his left knee, according to a report published on Tuesday.

<h3>Stokes to play as batter</h3>

"My understanding is he's ready to go as a batsman from the start," Mike Hussey, Super Kings' batting coach, told ESPNcricinfo and PA news.

"The bowling might be wait and see. I know he had his first very light bowl yesterday [Sunday] since he had his injections in his knee.

"The physios from Chennai and the ECB are working pretty closely together. My understanding is he won't be bowling much at all in the first few games of the tournament… it might be a few weeks. I'm not 100% sure, [but we will] hopefully get him bowling at some stage in the tournament."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-sachin-tendulkar-abdul-razzaq-names-master-blasters-iconic-teammate-as-most-dangerous-player-576611">Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player'</a>

<h3>Stokes' rich vein of form</h3>

While limited-overs cricket has already seen the best out of the former Rajasthan Royals man, he has excelled in the red-ball format for England. Stokes is yet to lose a Test series as England skipper and has led them to series wins against New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.

Stokes also guided England in the Birmingham Test, where his side beat India in July 2022. Most recently he was seen in action in the Test series against New Zealand, where his side was on the receiving end. New Zealand's win against England saw them become just the third nation to have won a Test match despite following-on.

CSK will start their IPL 2023 campaign against Gujarat Titans on coming Friday, March 31 with the contest taking place at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmadabad.

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With just days to go for the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16, Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey has commented on Ben Stokes’ role in the team.

With just days to go for the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16, Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey has commented on Ben Stokes’ role in the team. Stokes, a big money purchase for CSK for Rs 16.25 crore arrived at the CSK camp last week and will look to help the team rise from ashes after a disappointing 2022 season. Stokes is likely to play as a specialist batter at the start of the 2023 IPL and has had a cortisone injection in order to manage an injury to his left knee, according to a report published on Tuesday. Stokes to play as batter "My understanding is he's ready to go as a batsman from the start," Mike Hussey, Super Kings' batting coach, told ESPNcricinfo and PA news. "The bowling might be wait and see. I know he had his first very light bowl yesterday [Sunday] since he had his injections in his knee. "The physios from Chennai and the ECB are working pretty closely together. My understanding is he won't be bowling much at all in the first few games of the tournament… it might be a few weeks. I'm not 100% sure, [but we will] hopefully get him bowling at some stage in the tournament." ALSO READ | Not Sachin Tendulkar! Abdul Razzaq names Master Blaster's ICONIC teammate as 'most dangerous player' Stokes' rich vein of form While limited-overs cricket has already seen the best out of the former Rajasthan Royals man, he has excelled in the red-ball format for England. Stokes is yet to lose a Test series as England skipper and has led them to series wins against New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan. Stokes also guided England in the Birmingham Test, where his side beat India in July 2022. Most recently he was seen in action in the Test series against New Zealand, where his side was on the receiving end. New Zealand's win against England saw them become just the third nation to have won a Test match despite following-on. CSK will start their IPL 2023 campaign against Gujarat Titans on coming Friday, March 31 with the contest taking place at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmadabad. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: CSK batting coach Mike Hussey's BIG TAKE on Ben Stokes' participation as all-rounder

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain only one of the three teams, from the initial eight franchises, to have not won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to date. The RCB franchise have come close to winning the title on three occasions, reaching the final in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but have never tasted success as yet. Over the years, the fan-following has just grown for the RCB camp who have had some big marquee players such as Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, etc.

The trio of Kohli, ABD and Gayle have entertained fans over the years. Recently, the former South African captain De Villiers recalled the first impression he had of Kohli to which Gayle gave an epic reply. During a conversation with Universe Boss Gayle, in the video posted by RCB on their YouTube channel, De Villiers said, "Oh my goodness...I have had this question before and I had given this answer before as well. I think he was quite cocky and arrogant when I met him the first time. With that hairstyle and he had bit of a strut going..."

To this, the West Indies legend Gayle burst out laughing and asked, “Flamboyant, was he?”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-shameful-pakistan-fan-trolls-own-player-on-eating-habits-during-loss-in-afghanistan-t20is-576531">Watch: SHAMEFUL! Pakistan fan trolls own player on eating habits during loss in Afghanistan T20Is</a>

ABD replied, “Yes absolutely. But the minute I got to know him a bit better and watched him play I mean I've got as much respect for him but I got to know him better as a human being. I think he had a barrier around him when I met him the first time and that barrier opened up and I got to know the person. I didn't not like him but you know what I'm saying. He's a top person now but first impression was ufff...he's got to come down to earth a bit.”

Over the years, the camaraderie between Gayle, Kohli and ABD have mesmerised RCB fans. The trio were seen together during an event where the new jersey of the Bengaluru franchise was unveiled for the upcoming IPL 2023 edition. RCB will open their campaign versus five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 02 at their home ground M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bengaluru.

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The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain only one of the three teams, from the initial eight franchises, to have not won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to date.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain only one of the three teams, from the initial eight franchises, to have not won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to date. The RCB franchise have come close to winning the title on three occasions, reaching the final in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but have never tasted success as yet. Over the years, the fan-following has just grown for the RCB camp who have had some big marquee players such as Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, etc. The trio of Kohli, ABD and Gayle have entertained fans over the years. Recently, the former South African captain De Villiers recalled the first impression he had of Kohli to which Gayle gave an epic reply. During a conversation with Universe Boss Gayle, in the video posted by RCB on their YouTube channel, De Villiers said, "Oh my goodness...I have had this question before and I had given this answer before as well. I think he was quite cocky and arrogant when I met him the first time. With that hairstyle and he had bit of a strut going..." To this, the West Indies legend Gayle burst out laughing and asked, “Flamboyant, was he?” Also Read: Watch: SHAMEFUL! Pakistan fan trolls own player on eating habits during loss in Afghanistan T20Is ABD replied, “Yes absolutely. But the minute I got to know him a bit better and watched him play I mean I've got as much respect for him but I got to know him better as a human being. I think he had a barrier around him when I met him the first time and that barrier opened up and I got to know the person. I didn't not like him but you know what I'm saying. He's a top person now but first impression was ufff...he's got to come down to earth a bit.” Over the years, the camaraderie between Gayle, Kohli and ABD have mesmerised RCB fans. The trio were seen together during an event where the new jersey of the Bengaluru franchise was unveiled for the upcoming IPL 2023 edition. RCB will open their campaign versus five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 02 at their home ground M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bengaluru. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'He was cocky, arrogant': Ex-RCB star De Villiers shares first impression of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle reacts

Bangalore's Chinnaswamy stadium once again welcomed its favorite Royal Challengers after a three-year COVID-19 hiatus. With the Indian Premier League (IPL) back to home-and-away format for the upcoming season, the fans flocked to see their favorite superstars in a practise session.&nbsp;

Former India and RCB skipper Virat Kohli also got involved with the crowd to the fullest as he asked them to cheer louder while he shot a video of Bangalore legends AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle. RCB have made the announcement to induct both the players in team's Hall of Fame list as the first two inductees.

RCB's full squad took a lap of honour around the stadium after the practise session and Gayle showed his dance moves afterwards. Kohli, who shot the video, can be seen asking the crowd to cheer louder for the West Indian great. Have a look at the video here:

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Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and Ab de Villiers together. Gayle dancing and Virat Kohli making his video🥹🫶 <a href="https://t.co/bF5ycnBvGB">pic.twitter.com/bF5ycnBvGB</a>
— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) <a href="https://twitter.com/BluntIndianGal/status/1639977708942917633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Notably, AB di Villers and Chris Gayle were the stalwarts of RCB after joining the franchise in 2011. While Gayle stayed with the RCB till 2017, ABD remained with them till retirement after the 2021 season. Along with Virat Kohli, the three players made up one of the most destructive batting line-ups of the IPL.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sa-vs-wi-quinton-de-kock-hits-maiden-t20i-hundred-as-proteas-complete-highest-t20i-run-chase-in-centurion-576011">Quinton de Kock hits maiden T20I hundred as Proteas complete highest T20I run chase in Centurion</a>

During his time, Gayle scored 3420 runs in 91 matches with the RCB - the third highest for the franchise. His most famous innings came in 2013 IPL when he smashed 175 not out - an IPL and T20 record still, against now-defunct Pune Warriors India.

ABD, on the other hand, played in 157 matches for the team, scoring 4,522 runs - the second highest for RCB, behind Virat Kohli's 6,624 runs.

Bangalore, who have failed to win a single IPL trophy in 15 seasons of IPL, will try their luck once again to catch the elusive title with their quest beginning on April 2 against Mumbai Indians.

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Bangalore's Chinnaswamy stadium once again welcomed its favorite Royal Challengers after a three-year COVID-19 hiatus. With the Indian Premier League (IPL) back to home-and-away format for the upcoming season, the fans flocked to see their favorite superstars in a practise session.

Bangalore's Chinnaswamy stadium once again welcomed its favorite Royal Challengers after a three-year COVID-19 hiatus. With the Indian Premier League (IPL) back to home-and-away format for the upcoming season, the fans flocked to see their favorite superstars in a practise session. Former India and RCB skipper Virat Kohli also got involved with the crowd to the fullest as he asked them to cheer louder while he shot a video of Bangalore legends AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle. RCB have made the announcement to induct both the players in team's Hall of Fame list as the first two inductees. RCB's full squad took a lap of honour around the stadium after the practise session and Gayle showed his dance moves afterwards. Kohli, who shot the video, can be seen asking the crowd to cheer louder for the West Indian great. Have a look at the video here: Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and Ab de Villiers together. Gayle dancing and Virat Kohli making his video🥹🫶 pic.twitter.com/bF5ycnBvGB — Pari (@BluntIndianGal) March 26, 2023 × Notably, AB di Villers and Chris Gayle were the stalwarts of RCB after joining the franchise in 2011. While Gayle stayed with the RCB till 2017, ABD remained with them till retirement after the 2021 season. Along with Virat Kohli, the three players made up one of the most destructive batting line-ups of the IPL. Also Read: Quinton de Kock hits maiden T20I hundred as Proteas complete highest T20I run chase in Centurion During his time, Gayle scored 3420 runs in 91 matches with the RCB - the third highest for the franchise. His most famous innings came in 2013 IPL when he smashed 175 not out - an IPL and T20 record still, against now-defunct Pune Warriors India. ABD, on the other hand, played in 157 matches for the team, scoring 4,522 runs - the second highest for RCB, behind Virat Kohli's 6,624 runs. Bangalore, who have failed to win a single IPL trophy in 15 seasons of IPL, will try their luck once again to catch the elusive title with their quest beginning on April 2 against Mumbai Indians. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Virat Kohli asks crowd to cheer louder as Chris Gayle shows DANCE moves - Watch

After Shreyas Iyer's back injury during the India-Australia Tests, his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 became doubtful. Amid such uncertainty, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were left with a huge concern; to get an additional&nbsp;batter and a new skipper for IPL 2023. On Monday (March 27), the two-time winners KKR named Nitish Rana as their captain for the forthcoming season while they remain hopeful of Iyer's return in the latter stage of the tournament.

The IPL 2023 edition kicks off on March 31 with the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad. KKR, on the other hand, will open its campaign against the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the&nbsp;Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on April 01. Thus, Rana will have a herculean task to fill up Iyer's place as the new skipper amid the presence of star players such as Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, etc.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-did-my-hiv-test-team-indias-shikhar-dhawan-shares-hilarious-episode-of-when-he-got-his-first-tattoo-576219">I did my HIV Test: Team India's Shikhar Dhawan shares hilarious episode of when he got his first tattoo</a>

Many thought KKR would appoint Narine, Shardul, or Russell as their new skipper for IPL 2023. However, Kolkata have gone ahead with Rana who is a veteran in the IPL. The left-hander has been a part of the IPL since the 2016 edition and represented the Mumbai Indians (MI) and KKR (joining them in 2018).

In IPL 2022, Rana amassed&nbsp;361 runs at a strike rate of&nbsp;143.82 with two half-centuries. He has scored over 300 runs in every season for the KKR franchise. He has led the Delhi team in the Indian domestic circuit. The 29-year-old&nbsp;has also represented India in two T20Is and an ODI.&nbsp;

'While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover but we feel fortunate that Nitish will do a great job'

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A release from the franchise said, "While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover and participate at some stage in the IPL 2023 edition, we feel fortunate that Nitish, with the captaincy experience having led his state side in white ball cricket and the IPL experience he has had with KKR since 2018, will do a great job."
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"We are also confident that under Head Coach Chandrakant Pandit and the support staff, he will get all the support needed off the field, and the highly experienced leaders in the squad will provide all support that Nitish may need on the field. We wish him the best in his new role and Shreyas a full and speedy recovery," it added.
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Complete KKR squad for IPL 2023

Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Weise, Kulwant Khejrolia, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan.&nbsp;

After Shreyas Iyer's back injury during the India-Australia Tests, his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 became doubtful. Amid such uncertainty, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were left with a huge concern; to get an additional batter and a new skipper for IPL 2023.

After Shreyas Iyer's back injury during the India-Australia Tests, his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 became doubtful. Amid such uncertainty, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were left with a huge concern; to get an additional batter and a new skipper for IPL 2023. On Monday (March 27), the two-time winners KKR named Nitish Rana as their captain for the forthcoming season while they remain hopeful of Iyer's return in the latter stage of the tournament. The IPL 2023 edition kicks off on March 31 with the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad. KKR, on the other hand, will open its campaign against the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on April 01. Thus, Rana will have a herculean task to fill up Iyer's place as the new skipper amid the presence of star players such as Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, etc. Also Read: I did my HIV Test: Team India's Shikhar Dhawan shares hilarious episode of when he got his first tattoo Many thought KKR would appoint Narine, Shardul, or Russell as their new skipper for IPL 2023. However, Kolkata have gone ahead with Rana who is a veteran in the IPL. The left-hander has been a part of the IPL since the 2016 edition and represented the Mumbai Indians (MI) and KKR (joining them in 2018). In IPL 2022, Rana amassed 361 runs at a strike rate of 143.82 with two half-centuries. He has scored over 300 runs in every season for the KKR franchise. He has led the Delhi team in the Indian domestic circuit. The 29-year-old has also represented India in two T20Is and an ODI. 'While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover but we feel fortunate that Nitish will do a great job' A release from the franchise said, "While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover and participate at some stage in the IPL 2023 edition, we feel fortunate that Nitish, with the captaincy experience having led his state side in white ball cricket and the IPL experience he has had with KKR since 2018, will do a great job." "We are also confident that under Head Coach Chandrakant Pandit and the support staff, he will get all the support needed off the field, and the highly experienced leaders in the squad will provide all support that Nitish may need on the field. We wish him the best in his new role and Shreyas a full and speedy recovery," it added. Complete KKR squad for IPL 2023 Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Weise, Kulwant Khejrolia, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan.

IPL 2023: Not Narine, Shardul or Russell! Nitish Rana named KKR captain after Shreyas Iyer's injury

Just 4 days to go for the most awaited cricket tournament IPL 2023 to begin on March 31. Fans are super-excited as the IPL returns to its old standards where each team will play seven matches at home and seven away.

Just 4 days to go for the most awaited cricket tournament IPL 2023 to begin on March 31. Fans are super-excited as the IPL returns to its old standards where each team will play seven matches at home and seven away. The first match will be between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The first game will begin at 03:30 PM IST. Evening games will begin at 07:30 PM. This year, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BBCI) has made some amendments to the rules and formats, including restorations of the home-and-away method of conducting the matches for the 16th season. A total of 74 league matches will be played across 52 matchdays and the first double-header of the new season will be played on April 1st. Two-time winners Kolkata KnightRiders will take on Punjab Kings in Mohali, Punjab in the afternoon game while Lucknow Supergiants will face the Delhi Capitals in the evening game. Here are the time, venue, date, teams, full schedule and live-streaming details you need to know about the Indian Premier League 2023: Date: Start from March 31, 2023 Time: First match in Ahmedabad at 03:30 PM IST IPL 2023 Teams: Mumbai Indians Rajasthan Royals Kolkata Knight Riders Delhi Challengers Lucknow Super Giants Chennai Super Kings Punjab Kings Sunrisers Hyderabad Royal Challengers Bangalore Gujrat Titians IPL 2023 Squad: Chennai Super Kings (CSK): MS Dhoni (C), Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Mitchell Santner, Moeen Ali, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Simarjeet Singh, Subhranshu Senapati, Tushar Deshpande, Bhagath Varma, Ajay Mandal, Kyle Jamieson, Nishant Sindhu, Shaik Rasheed, Ben Stokes, Ajinkya Rahane Delhi Capitals (DC): Rishabh Pant (C), Aman Khan (T), David Warner, Anrich Nortje, Axar Patel, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav, Lungisani Ngidi, Mitchell Marsh, Mustafizur Rahman, Pravin Dubey, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Vicky Ostwal, Yash Dhull, Rilee Rossouw, Manish Pandey, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Phil Salt Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Glenn Phillips, Kartik Tyagi, Marco Jansen, Rahul Tripathi, T. Natarajan, Umran Malik, Washington Sundar, Mayank Dagar, Upendra Yadav, Sanvir Singh, Samarth Vyas, Vivrant Sharma, Mayank Markande, Adil Rashid, Heinrich Klaasen, Mayank Agarwal, Harry Brook Punjab Kings (PBKS): Shikhar Dhawan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Raj Angad Bawa, Prabhsimran Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Jitesh Sharma, Baltej Singh Dhanda, Atharva Taide, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Nathan Ellis, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Shivam Singh, Mohit Rathee, Vidwath Kaverappa, Harpreet Bhatia, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Virat Kohli, Akash Deep, Anuj Rawat, David Willey, Dinesh Karthik, Faf Du Plessis (C), Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Rajat Patidar, Shahbaz Ahamad, Siddharth Kaul, Suyash Prabhudessai, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sonu Yadav, Avinash Singh, Rajan Kumar, Manoj Bhandage, Will Jacks, Himanshu Sharma, Reece Topley Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Shreyas Iyer (C), Andre Russell, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Lockie Ferguson (T), Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (T), Rinku Singh, Shardul Thakur (T), Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Shakib Al Hasan, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Kulwant Khejroliya, David Wiese, Suyash Sharma, Vaibhav Arora, N. Jagadeesan Mumbai Indians (MI): Rohit Sharma (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Akash Madhwal, Arjun Tendulkar, Dewald Brevis, Hrithik Shokeen, Ishan Kishan, Jason Behrendorff (T), Jasprit Bumrah, Jofra Archer, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Mohd. Arshad Khan, N. Tilak Varma, Ramandeep Singh, Tim David, Tristan Stubbs, Raghav Goyal, Nehal Wadhera, Shams Mulani, Vishnu Vinod, Duan Jansen, Piyush Chawla, Jhye Richardson, Cameron Green Rajasthan Royals (RR): Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, K.C Cariappa, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Obed Mccoy, Prasidh Krishna, R. Ashwin, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Trent Boult, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal, Joe Root, Abdul P A, Akash Vashisht, Murugan Ashwin, KM Asif, Adam Zampa, Kunal Rathore, Donovan Ferreira, Jason Holder Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): KL Rahul (C), Avesh Khan, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, K. Gowtham, Karan Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Kyle Mayers, Manan Vohra, Marcus Stoinis, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Quinton De Kock, Ravi Bishnoi, Yudhvir Charak, Naveen-ul-Haq, Swapnil Singh, Prerak Mankad, Amit Mishra, Daniel Sams, Romario Shepherd, Yash Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Nicholas Pooran Gujrat Titans (GT): Hardik Pandya (C), Rashid Khan, Abhinav Sadarangani, Alzarri Joseph, B. Sai Sudharsan, Darshan Nalkande, David Miller, Jayant Yadav, Matthew Wade, Mohammad Shami, Noor Ahmad, Pradeep Sangwan, R. Sai Kishore, Rahul Tewatia, Shubman Gill, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Yash Dayal, Mohit Sharma, Joshua Little, Urvil Patel, Shivam Mavi, KS Bharat, Odean Smith, Kane Williamson IPL Schedule: Match Day Day Date IPL Match Time Home Team Away Team Venue 1 Fri 31-Mar-23 7:30 PM Gujarat Titans Chennai Super Kings Ahmedabad 2 Sat 01-Apr-23 3:30 PM Punjab Kings Kolkata Knight Riders Mohali 2 Sat 01-Apr-23 7:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants Delhi Capitals Lucknow 3 Sun 02-Apr-23 3:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajasthan Royals Hyderabad 3 Sun 02-Apr-23 7:30 PM Royal Challengers Bangalore Mumbai Indians Bengaluru 4 Mon 03-Apr-23 7:30 PM Chennai Super Kings Lucknow Super Giants Chennai 5 Tue 04-Apr-23 7:30 PM Delhi Capitals Gujarat Titans Delhi 6 Wed 05-Apr-23 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals Punjab Kings Guwahati 7 Thu 06-Apr-23 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders Royal Challengers Bangalore Kolkata 8 Fri 07-Apr-23 7:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants Sunrisers Hyderabad Lucknow 9 Sat 08-Apr-23 3:30 PM Rajasthan Royals Delhi Capitals Guwahati 9 Sat 08-Apr-23 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians Chennai Super Kings Mumbai 10 Sun 09-Apr-23 3:30 PM Gujarat Titans Kolkata Knight Riders Ahmedabad 10 Sun 09-Apr-23 7:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad Punjab Kings Hyderabad 11 Mon 10-Apr-23 7:30 PM Royal Challengers Bangalore Lucknow Super Giants Bengaluru 12 Tue 11-Apr-23 7:30 PM Delhi Capitals Mumbai Indians Delhi 13 Wed 12-Apr-23 7:30 PM Chennai Super Kings Rajasthan Royals Chennai 14 Thu 13-Apr-23 7:30 PM Punjab Kings Gujarat Titans Mohali 15 Fri 14-Apr-23 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders Sunrisers Hyderabad Kolkata 16 Sat 15-Apr-23 3:30 PM Royal Challengers Bangalore Delhi Capitals Bengaluru 16 Sat 15-Apr-23 7:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants Punjab Kings Lucknow 17 Sun 16-Apr-23 3:30 PM Mumbai Indians Kolkata Knight Riders Mumbai 17 Sun 16-Apr-23 7:30 PM Gujarat Titans Rajasthan Royals Ahmedabad 18 Mon 17-Apr-23 7:30 PM Royal Challengers Bangalore Chennai Super Kings Bengaluru 19 Tue 18-Apr-23 7:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad Mumbai Indians Hyderabad 20 Wed 19-Apr-23 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals Lucknow Super Giants Jaipur 21 Thu 20-Apr-23 3:30 PM Punjab Kings Royal Challengers Bangalore Mohali 21 Thu 20-Apr-23 7:30 PM Delhi Capitals Kolkata Knight Riders Delhi 22 Fri 21-Apr-23 7:30 PM Chennai Super Kings Sunrisers Hyderabad Chennai 23 Sat 22-Apr-23 3:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants Gujarat Titans Lucknow 23 Sat 22-Apr-23 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians Punjab Kings Mumbai 24 Sun 23-Apr-23 3:30 PM Royal Challengers Bangalore Rajasthan Royals Bengaluru 24 Sun 23-Apr-23 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders Chennai Super Kings Kolkata 25 Mon 24-Apr-23 7:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad Delhi Capitals Hyderabad 26 Tue 25-Apr-23 7:30 PM Gujarat Titans Mumbai Indians Ahmedabad 27 Wed 26-Apr-23 7:30 PM Royal Challengers Bangalore Kolkata Knight Riders Bengaluru 28 Thu 27-Apr-23 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals Chennai Super Kings Jaipur 29 Fri 28-Apr-23 7:30 PM Punjab Kings Lucknow Super Giants Mohali 30 Sat 29-Apr-23 3:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders Gujarat Titans Kolkata 30 Sat 29-Apr-23 7:30 PM Delhi Capitals Sunrisers Hyderabad Delhi 31 Sun 30-Apr-23 3:30 PM Chennai Super Kings Punjab Kings Chennai 31 Sun 30-Apr-23 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians Rajasthan Royals Mumbai 32 Mon 01-May-23 7:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants Royal Challengers Bangalore Lucknow 33 Tue 02-May-23 7:30 PM Gujarat Titans Delhi Capitals Ahmedabad 34 Wed 03-May-23 7:30 PM Punjab Kings Mumbai Indians Mohali 35 Thu 04-May-23 3:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants Chennai Super Kings Lucknow 35 Thu 04-May-23 7:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad Kolkata Knight Riders Hyderabad 36 Fri 05-May-23 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals Gujarat Titans Jaipur 37 Sat 06-May-23 7:30 PM Delhi Capitals Royal Challengers Bangalore Delhi 38 Sun 07-May-23 3:30 PM Gujarat Titans Lucknow Super Giants Ahmedabad 38 Sun 07-May-23 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals Sunrisers Hyderabad Jaipur 39 Mon 08-May-23 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders Punjab Kings Kolkata 40 Tue 09-May-23 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians Royal Challengers Bangalore Mumbai 41 Wed 10-May-23 7:30 PM Chennai Super Kings Delhi Capitals Chennai 42 Thu 11-May-23 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders Rajasthan Royals Kolkata 43 Fri 12-May-23 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians Gujarat Titans Mumbai 44 Sat 13-May-23 3:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad Lucknow Super Giants Hyderabad 44 Sat 13-May-23 7:30 PM Delhi Capitals Punjab Kings Delhi 45 Sun 14-May-23 3:30 PM Rajasthan Royals Royal Challengers Bangalore Jaipur 45 Sun 14-May-23 7:30 PM Chennai Super Kings Kolkata Knight Riders Chennai 46 Mon 15-May-23 7:30 PM Gujarat Titans Sunrisers Hyderabad Ahmedabad 47 Tue 16-May-23 7:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants Mumbai Indians Lucknow 48 Wed 17-May-23 7:30 PM Punjab Kings Delhi Capitals Dharamshala 49 Thu 18-May-23 7:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad Royal Challengers Bangalore Hyderabad 50 Fri 19-May-23 7:30 PM Punjab Kings Rajasthan Royals Dharamshala 51 Sat 20-May-23 3:30 PM Delhi Capitals Chennai Super Kings Delhi 51 Sat 20-May-23 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders Lucknow Super Giants Kolkata 52 Sun 21-May-23 3:30 PM Mumbai Indians Sunrisers Hyderabad Mumbai 52 Sun 21-May-23 7:30 PM Royal Challengers Bangalore Gujarat Titans Bengaluru IPL 2023 Venues: IPL 2023 Venues IPL Team Venues Mumbai Indians Wankhede Stadium Gujarat Titans Narendra Modi Stadium Delhi Capitals Arun Jaitley Stadium Kolkata Knight Riders Eden Gardens Chennai Super Kings M. A. Chidambaram Stadium Punjab Kings Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium Royal Challengers Bangalore M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Lucknow Super Joints BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium Rajasthan Royals Sawai Mansingh Stadium Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium IPL 2023 Live Streaming The IPL 2023 matches will be broadcasted on JioCinema. It would allow its users to rotate between multi-camera feature viewpoints for each game, just like it did for FIFA World Cup 2022. As the feature supports JioCinema, JioPhone subscribers might be able to watch the matches for FREE. Star Sports TV channel will also be telecasting the IPL 2023.

IPL 2023: 4 days to go! Check full schedule, date, time, venue, teams and live streaming details

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) is all ready to begin in a week and the teams are finishing up with their strategies and tactics for the upcoming season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), however, have received some unfortunate news which could hamper their plans for the upcoming season.

As per the reports by media outlet ESPNCricinfo, RCB may not have service of Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood and Indian batsman Rajat Patidar for&nbsp;the first&nbsp;few matches.

The report says that Hazlewood, who is still recovering from &nbsp;Achilles tendonitis, is under a cloud of doubt. The 32-year-old pacer didn't take part in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar trophy because of the same injury. Hazlewood had also missed the three-match ODI series as well after the conclusion of Test series. Notably, Hazlewood was bought by the RCB for a whopping sum of INR 7.75 crore in the mega-auction last year.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-delhi-capitals-coach-ricky-ponting-picks-this-indian-batter-to-have-a-breakout-season-575793">IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting picks THIS Indian batter to have a breakout season</a>

Rajat Patidar, on the other hand, is recovering from a heel injury and may miss the first half of the IPL, as per the report. The batsman is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) where he has been advised to rest for the next three weeks before a MRI scan determines his participation in the IPL.

Patidar rose to prominence after scoring a century for RCB last season in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. He subsequently earned a call up from the national team. The batsman, however, got injured before joining the RCB camp and would need a clearance from the NCA to participate in the league.

Bangalore is one of the most popular IPL teams but hasn't been able to win a single title in 15 seasons of the league despite having&nbsp;some of the biggest names with them over the years. The most notable cricketers who are or have been associated with RCB over the years are former Indian skipper Virat Kohli, South African AB de Villiers, and West Indian batsman Chris Gayle to name a few.

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The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) is all ready to begin in a week and the teams are finishing up with their strategies and tactics for the upcoming season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), however, have received some unfortunate news which could hamper their plans for the upcoming season.

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) is all ready to begin in a week and the teams are finishing up with their strategies and tactics for the upcoming season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), however, have received some unfortunate news which could hamper their plans for the upcoming season. As per the reports by media outlet ESPNCricinfo, RCB may not have service of Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood and Indian batsman Rajat Patidar for the first few matches. The report says that Hazlewood, who is still recovering from Achilles tendonitis, is under a cloud of doubt. The 32-year-old pacer didn't take part in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar trophy because of the same injury. Hazlewood had also missed the three-match ODI series as well after the conclusion of Test series. Notably, Hazlewood was bought by the RCB for a whopping sum of INR 7.75 crore in the mega-auction last year. Also Read: IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting picks THIS Indian batter to have a breakout season Rajat Patidar, on the other hand, is recovering from a heel injury and may miss the first half of the IPL, as per the report. The batsman is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) where he has been advised to rest for the next three weeks before a MRI scan determines his participation in the IPL. Patidar rose to prominence after scoring a century for RCB last season in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. He subsequently earned a call up from the national team. The batsman, however, got injured before joining the RCB camp and would need a clearance from the NCA to participate in the league. Bangalore is one of the most popular IPL teams but hasn't been able to win a single title in 15 seasons of the league despite having some of the biggest names with them over the years. The most notable cricketers who are or have been associated with RCB over the years are former Indian skipper Virat Kohli, South African AB de Villiers, and West Indian batsman Chris Gayle to name a few. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Two key RCB players' participation under doubt due to injury - Report

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is around the corner and the pre-season anticipation around the players and the teams is at its peak. IPL is known to have made or break careers of many international and India players with Delhi Capitals' Prithvi Shaw being one of them.

The right-hand batsman has played some good knocks over the years but lack of consistency has marred his chances to cement his place in the Indian national team. Among the scrutiny, Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting, however, has backed the 23-year-old batter to come through this season.

"I think we are going to see the real Prithvi Shaw this season," the former Aussie skipper has said. Ponting made the assertion based on Shaw's pre-season practice and attitude.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mastermind-ravi-ashwin-explains-how-steve-smith-and-ashton-agar-plotted-virat-kohlis-dismissal-in-final-odi-575675">Mastermind Ravi Ashwin explains how Steve Smith and Ashton Agar plotted Virat Kohli's dismissal in final ODI</a>

"He’s in a better physical shape than I’ve ever seen him before. I spoke to him the other day about his attitude, the way he’s working, and how things are going. I honestly feel that this is going to be his biggest season in the IPL. He just has that different look in his eye this year. You can see, he’s hungrier than ever," said Punter.

The former Aussie batsman was confident of Shaw making it big this season and said that he feels that the upcoming season is going to be defining&nbsp;for the Mumbai batsman.

"It just seems to me that this season, something has really clicked with Prithvi. I actually said to him at the end of the training two days ago, ‘This game, if you don’t pay full attention to it, it’ll take away from you. But if you put in the hard yards, it will give back to you all the time.’ That’s why I feel that this could be a really big year for him," he added.

Shaw, who made his debut with Delhi in 2018, has been associated with the franchise ever since. In 63 IPL games so far, Shaw has scored 1588 runs at a strike rate of 147.45, managing 12 50+ scores and a highest of 99.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is around the corner and the pre-season anticipation around the players and the teams is at its peak. IPL is known to have made or break careers of many international and India players with Delhi Capitals' Prithvi Shaw being one of them.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is around the corner and the pre-season anticipation around the players and the teams is at its peak. IPL is known to have made or break careers of many international and India players with Delhi Capitals' Prithvi Shaw being one of them. The right-hand batsman has played some good knocks over the years but lack of consistency has marred his chances to cement his place in the Indian national team. Among the scrutiny, Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting, however, has backed the 23-year-old batter to come through this season. "I think we are going to see the real Prithvi Shaw this season," the former Aussie skipper has said. Ponting made the assertion based on Shaw's pre-season practice and attitude. Also Read: Mastermind Ravi Ashwin explains how Steve Smith and Ashton Agar plotted Virat Kohli's dismissal in final ODI "He’s in a better physical shape than I’ve ever seen him before. I spoke to him the other day about his attitude, the way he’s working, and how things are going. I honestly feel that this is going to be his biggest season in the IPL. He just has that different look in his eye this year. You can see, he’s hungrier than ever," said Punter. The former Aussie batsman was confident of Shaw making it big this season and said that he feels that the upcoming season is going to be defining for the Mumbai batsman. "It just seems to me that this season, something has really clicked with Prithvi. I actually said to him at the end of the training two days ago, ‘This game, if you don’t pay full attention to it, it’ll take away from you. But if you put in the hard yards, it will give back to you all the time.’ That’s why I feel that this could be a really big year for him," he added. Shaw, who made his debut with Delhi in 2018, has been associated with the franchise ever since. In 63 IPL games so far, Shaw has scored 1588 runs at a strike rate of 147.45, managing 12 50+ scores and a highest of 99. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting picks THIS Indian batter to have a breakout season

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are all set to reignite their hunger to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they get ready for the premier competition with less than a week to go. Their star preposition Glenn Maxwell is all set for the tournament but has insisted he won’t be 100 percent but is ready to go. RCB who have been thrice runners-up in the competition will look to go all the way with the exploits of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and others.

“The legs are okay. It’s alright. It’s still going to be a couple of months before I am at my 100% but hopefully, it is good enough to get through this tournament and still do the job,” Maxwell spoke to the RCB website.

“In the last couple of years, that is everything that players have talked about, so finally to get back here after a couple of years, it’s very exciting and we are all pretty pumped to play in front of our home fans finally,” the Australian star added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-delhi-capitals-coach-ricky-ponting-picks-this-indian-batter-to-have-a-breakout-season-575793">IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting picks THIS Indian batter to have a breakout season</a>

RCB will be one of the favourites to clinch the tournament despite not winning the premier title. Maxwell will be an important member of the squad with his experience in different franchise leagues around the world. In 2014 he was named the ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the IPL while he was playing for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).

Maxwell won the IPL title with Mumbai Indians in his solitary season with the franchise in 2013 and will look to bring the winning mentality to the table. His compatriot and skipper Faf du Plessis has also won the IPL with CSK and was the second-leading run scorer with 633 runs in the 2021 edition.

RCB will start their IPL campaign on Sunday, April 2 when they will take on five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are all set to reignite their hunger to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they get ready for the premier competition with less than a week to go.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are all set to reignite their hunger to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they get ready for the premier competition with less than a week to go. Their star preposition Glenn Maxwell is all set for the tournament but has insisted he won’t be 100 percent but is ready to go. RCB who have been thrice runners-up in the competition will look to go all the way with the exploits of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and others. “The legs are okay. It’s alright. It’s still going to be a couple of months before I am at my 100% but hopefully, it is good enough to get through this tournament and still do the job,” Maxwell spoke to the RCB website. “In the last couple of years, that is everything that players have talked about, so finally to get back here after a couple of years, it’s very exciting and we are all pretty pumped to play in front of our home fans finally,” the Australian star added. ALSO READ | IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting picks THIS Indian batter to have a breakout season RCB will be one of the favourites to clinch the tournament despite not winning the premier title. Maxwell will be an important member of the squad with his experience in different franchise leagues around the world. In 2014 he was named the ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the IPL while he was playing for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Maxwell won the IPL title with Mumbai Indians in his solitary season with the franchise in 2013 and will look to bring the winning mentality to the table. His compatriot and skipper Faf du Plessis has also won the IPL with CSK and was the second-leading run scorer with 633 runs in the 2021 edition. RCB will start their IPL campaign on Sunday, April 2 when they will take on five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Glenn Maxwell reveals fitness status ahead of season kickoff, says ' I am not at my 100 percent'

Top T20 batter in the world, Chris Gayle, has showered praises on his former IPL teammate Virat Kohli saying he loves his passion for the game but has also claimed that he is better than his Indian counterpart in dancing. Ahead of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League that starts in less than a week, Gayle revealed batting alongside Virat was fantastic and that Kohli needs to get credit for his performances over the years.

"Batting with Virat was just fantastic. I like the passion he has for the game. I like his passion and his work ethic, it's fantastic. You have to give him credit for that, and he wants to show it with his performances," Gayle said as quoted in TOI.

Gayle joined Virat at RCB in 2011, and till the time both played together, they accounted for ten plus century-stand partnerships – an IPL record in itself.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shubman-gill-over-me-on-current-form-says-out-of-favour-india-opener-as-50-over-world-cup-looms-575877">Shubman Gill over me on current form, says out-of-favour India opener as 50-over World Cup looms</a>

Speaking on having a good understanding with the former India captain, Gayle said both complimented each other well. And while he is remembered to be scoring most runs via boundaries during all partnerships, the Windies star player admitted he contributed in those twos and threes and was among the quickest between the wickets.

"We had a good understanding with each other. We complemented each other well. Sometimes people might say 'Chris didn't run between the wickets'. "I bat with Virat, and I ran between the wickets, so I don't want anyone to use this as an alibi to say we don't run between the wickets. We have over nine (ten) 100-run partnerships, check how many times how many twos and threes we took. I was the quickest one between the wickets. Don't get it twisted," Gayle added.

An entertainer on-and-off the field, Gayle is regarded as the live wire. Sharing his dressing room experiences with Virat Kohli, Gayle said while Kohli knew some dance moves, he will still fall second in a competition with Chris irrespective of the dance form being an Indian or Caribbean.

"Sharing a dressing room with Virat and the other guys, once I am there, I am always jovial and having a lot of fun, dancing and everything like that. I'd show them a few moves and realise Virat's got the skills. He can move, you know. But if it's an Indian dance, Chris Gayle will win, if it's a Caribbean dance, Chris Gayle will win," the former Windies captain added.

Meanwhile, Gayle last featured in IPL for Punjab Kings in 2021.

In 142 games, IPL games played since the beginning, Gayle scored 4965 runs at an average of over 39 and a strike-rate of 148.96.

Top T20 batter in the world, Chris Gayle, has showered praises on his former IPL teammate Virat Kohli saying he loves his passion for the game but has also claimed that he is better than his Indian counterpart in dancing.

Top T20 batter in the world, Chris Gayle, has showered praises on his former IPL teammate Virat Kohli saying he loves his passion for the game but has also claimed that he is better than his Indian counterpart in dancing. Ahead of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League that starts in less than a week, Gayle revealed batting alongside Virat was fantastic and that Kohli needs to get credit for his performances over the years. "Batting with Virat was just fantastic. I like the passion he has for the game. I like his passion and his work ethic, it's fantastic. You have to give him credit for that, and he wants to show it with his performances," Gayle said as quoted in TOI. Gayle joined Virat at RCB in 2011, and till the time both played together, they accounted for ten plus century-stand partnerships – an IPL record in itself. ALSO READ: Shubman Gill over me on current form, says out-of-favour India opener as 50-over World Cup looms Speaking on having a good understanding with the former India captain, Gayle said both complimented each other well. And while he is remembered to be scoring most runs via boundaries during all partnerships, the Windies star player admitted he contributed in those twos and threes and was among the quickest between the wickets. "We had a good understanding with each other. We complemented each other well. Sometimes people might say 'Chris didn't run between the wickets'. "I bat with Virat, and I ran between the wickets, so I don't want anyone to use this as an alibi to say we don't run between the wickets. We have over nine (ten) 100-run partnerships, check how many times how many twos and threes we took. I was the quickest one between the wickets. Don't get it twisted," Gayle added. An entertainer on-and-off the field, Gayle is regarded as the live wire. Sharing his dressing room experiences with Virat Kohli, Gayle said while Kohli knew some dance moves, he will still fall second in a competition with Chris irrespective of the dance form being an Indian or Caribbean. "Sharing a dressing room with Virat and the other guys, once I am there, I am always jovial and having a lot of fun, dancing and everything like that. I'd show them a few moves and realise Virat's got the skills. He can move, you know. But if it's an Indian dance, Chris Gayle will win, if it's a Caribbean dance, Chris Gayle will win," the former Windies captain added. Meanwhile, Gayle last featured in IPL for Punjab Kings in 2021. In 142 games, IPL games played since the beginning, Gayle scored 4965 runs at an average of over 39 and a strike-rate of 148.96.

'Virat Kohli has got skills but I am better than him in...,' reveals Chris Gayle ahead of IPL 2023

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