Mumbai Indians may have lost their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but their rookie spinner Vignesh Puthur grabbed the attention. The 24-year-old Kerala-born spinner impressed even in loss on Sunday (Mar 23) and got the appreciation from legendary MS Dhoni himself.
Puthur finished with 3/32 in his four overs as MI made it tough for CSK to chase down a modest 155 at Chepauk. After the match, CSK and India legend Dhoni was seen having a word with the young spinner who no doubt will cherish this memory forever - getting a pat on the back in his debut from Dhoni. Have a look at the moment below:
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The men in 💛 take home the honours! 💪 A classic clash in Chennai ends in the favour of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> ✨ Scorecard ▶ <a href="https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0">https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvMI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZGPkkmsRHe">pic.twitter.com/ZGPkkmsRHe</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1903868078380986742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>

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While CSK may have won the match, this MI spinner definitely caught the attention of everyone with almost full season ahead of him to make full use of this opportunity.
IPL 2025: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-ishan-kishan-was-too-hot-for-rajasthan-royals-after-buying-into-srhs-brute-force-ideology-8884433">Ishan Kishan was too hot for Rajasthan after buying into SRH's brute-force ideology</a>
<h2>Who is Vignesh Puthur - MI's new spin sensation</h2>
The 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner from Malappuram, Kerala, made an immediate impact in his debut for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025, leaving fans and cricketing experts in awe.
Coming from a modest background, his father, Sunil Kumar, is an autorickshaw driver, and his mother, K.P. Bindu, is a homemaker. Growing up in Malappuram, cricket was more of a dream than a reality for Puthur. Financial constraints often posed challenges, but his passion and determination never wavered.
Mumbai Indians, known for their exceptional talent scouting system, took notice of Puthur during the Kerala Premier League. Recognising his potential, MI acquired him in the IPL 2025 auction for $35,000&mdash;a moment that changed his life forever. To ensure his growth as a bowler, the franchise even sent him to South Africa for the SA20 league, where he served as a net bowler for MI Cape Town. There, he trained alongside Rashid Khan, one of the finest wrist-spinners in the world, further refining his skills.

24-year-old Kerala-born MI spinner Vignesh Puthur impressed even in loss on Sunday (Mar 23) and got the appreciation from legendary MS Dhoni himself. Cricket SPorts

Mumbai Indians may have lost their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but their rookie spinner Vignesh Puthur grabbed the attention. The 24-year-old Kerala-born spinner impressed even in loss on Sunday (Mar 23) and got the appreciation from legendary MS Dhoni himself. Puthur finished with 3/32 in his four overs as MI made it tough for CSK to chase down a modest 155 at Chepauk. After the match, CSK and India legend Dhoni was seen having a word with the young spinner who no doubt will cherish this memory forever - getting a pat on the back in his debut from Dhoni. Have a look at the moment below: The men in 💛 take home the honours! 💪 A classic clash in Chennai ends in the favour of #CSK ✨ Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0#TATAIPL | #CSKvMI | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/ZGPkkmsRHe — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2025 While CSK may have won the match, this MI spinner definitely caught the attention of everyone with almost full season ahead of him to make full use of this opportunity. IPL 2025: Ishan Kishan was too hot for Rajasthan after buying into SRH's brute-force ideology Who is Vignesh Puthur - MI's new spin sensation The 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner from Malappuram, Kerala, made an immediate impact in his debut for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025, leaving fans and cricketing experts in awe. Coming from a modest background, his father, Sunil Kumar, is an autorickshaw driver, and his mother, K.P. Bindu, is a homemaker. Growing up in Malappuram, cricket was more of a dream than a reality for Puthur. Financial constraints often posed challenges, but his passion and determination never wavered. Mumbai Indians, known for their exceptional talent scouting system, took notice of Puthur during the Kerala Premier League. Recognising his potential, MI acquired him in the IPL 2025 auction for $35,000—a moment that changed his life forever. To ensure his growth as a bowler, the franchise even sent him to South Africa for the SA20 league, where he served as a net bowler for MI Cape Town. There, he trained alongside Rashid Khan, one of the finest wrist-spinners in the world, further refining his skills.

IPL 2025: MS Dhoni acknowledges MI spinner Vignesh Puthur's craft in heartfelt moment after CSK win - WATCH

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The IPL 2025 season is heating up, and one of the most anticipated clashes sees Punjab Kings locking horns with Gujarat Titans. This isn&rsquo;t just a match&mdash;it&rsquo;s a battle of two fearless young captains, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer">Shreyas Iyer</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shubhman-gill" rel="dofollow">Shubman Gill</a>, both leading their teams with determination and tactical brilliance.&nbsp;
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Iyer, a proven leader with an IPL title under his belt, brings stability and an aggressive mindset to Punjab Kings. On the other hand, Gill, the elegant stroke-maker turned skipper, is crafting his own legacy with Gujarat Titans. Both teams have undergone strategic transformations, building squads that blend raw power, smart game plans, and an insatiable hunger for victory.&nbsp;
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As Punjab and Gujarat take the field, it&rsquo;s not just about points on the table&mdash;it&rsquo;s a statement of intent. Who will outthink and outplay the other? Will Iyer&rsquo;s calculated leadership trump Gill&rsquo;s instinctive captaincy? The answers lie in the thrilling battle ahead.&nbsp;
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Shreyas Iyer&rsquo;s appointment as the captain of Punjab Kings marks a significant chapter in the franchise&rsquo;s history.&nbsp;Acquired for a staggering approximately $3.18 million, Iyer became the second-most expensive player in the IPL 2025 auction. His leadership credentials are well-established, having led <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) to an IPL title in 2024.&nbsp;
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Meanwhile, Shubman Gill&rsquo;s elevation to the captaincy of Gujarat Titans signifies a new era for the franchise. Known for his elegant batting style and calm demeanor, Gill&nbsp;represents the modern cricketer who combines skill with strategic thinking.&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW141748864 BCX0" paraid="209121751" paraeid="{9b7e9f9c-22d9-468d-9848-48af91fe6850}{104}">Strengths of Punjab Kings&nbsp;</h2>
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1. Iyer&rsquo;s proven track record as a captain brings strategic acumen and composure to the team. His previous success with KKR underscores his ability to inspire and lead.&nbsp;
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2. Under the guidance of head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ricky-ponting">Ricky Ponting</a>, Punjab Kings have made calculated moves in the auction, assembling a squad that balances youth and experience. The reunion of Iyer and Ponting, who previously collaborated successfully at Delhi Capitals, is expected to bolster the team&rsquo;s performance.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW141748864 BCX0" paraid="401062424" paraeid="{9b7e9f9c-22d9-468d-9848-48af91fe6850}{122}">Weaknesses of Punjab Kings&nbsp;</h2>
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1. With several new players joining the squad, building on-field chemistry may take time. The integration of diverse talents requires effective communication and understanding.&nbsp;
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2. Historically, Punjab Kings have struggled with maintaining consistent performances throughout the season. Addressing this challenge is crucial for their success in IPL 2025.&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW141748864 BCX0" paraid="1673847910" paraeid="{9b7e9f9c-22d9-468d-9848-48af91fe6850}{142}">Strengths of Gujarat Titans&nbsp;</h2>
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1. Gill&rsquo;s approach to leadership is characterised by adaptability and a deep understanding of the game. His ability to remain unflustered under pressure is a valuable asset.&nbsp;
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2. The acquisition of England&rsquo;s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, for $1.8 million adds firepower to the Titans&rsquo; batting order. Buttler&rsquo;s aggressive style complements Gill&rsquo;s technique, creating a formidable top order.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
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<h2 class="Paragraph SCXW141748864 BCX0" paraid="699310724" paraeid="{9b7e9f9c-22d9-468d-9848-48af91fe6850}{162}">Weaknesses of Gujarat Titans&nbsp;</h2>
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1. While Gill&rsquo;s potential as a leader is undeniable, his relative inexperience in captaincy at the IPL level could pose challenges, especially in high-pressure situations.&nbsp;
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2. The Titans&rsquo; bowling attack lacks seasoned campaigners, which could be a vulnerability against strong batting line-ups. Developing young bowlers and strategic rotations will be essential.&nbsp;
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As Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans prepare to face off, the duel between these two young leaders adds an intriguing narrative to the contest. Their fearless leadership styles not only influence their teams&rsquo; performances but also enrich the IPL&rsquo;s legacy of nurturing dynamic and innovative cricketing talent.
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Cricket, Sports: Will Iyer’s calculated leadership trump Gill’s instinctive captaincy? The answers lie in the thrilling battle ahead as they lock horns on Tuesday

The IPL 2025 season is heating up, and one of the most anticipated clashes sees Punjab Kings locking horns with Gujarat Titans. This isn’t just a match—it’s a battle of two fearless young captains, Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill, both leading their teams with determination and tactical brilliance. Iyer, a proven leader with an IPL title under his belt, brings stability and an aggressive mindset to Punjab Kings. On the other hand, Gill, the elegant stroke-maker turned skipper, is crafting his own legacy with Gujarat Titans. Both teams have undergone strategic transformations, building squads that blend raw power, smart game plans, and an insatiable hunger for victory. As Punjab and Gujarat take the field, it’s not just about points on the table—it’s a statement of intent. Who will outthink and outplay the other? Will Iyer’s calculated leadership trump Gill’s instinctive captaincy? The answers lie in the thrilling battle ahead. Shreyas Iyer’s appointment as the captain of Punjab Kings marks a significant chapter in the franchise’s history. Acquired for a staggering approximately $3.18 million, Iyer became the second-most expensive player in the IPL 2025 auction. His leadership credentials are well-established, having led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title in 2024. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill’s elevation to the captaincy of Gujarat Titans signifies a new era for the franchise. Known for his elegant batting style and calm demeanor, Gill represents the modern cricketer who combines skill with strategic thinking. Strengths of Punjab Kings 1. Iyer’s proven track record as a captain brings strategic acumen and composure to the team. His previous success with KKR underscores his ability to inspire and lead. 2. Under the guidance of head coach Ricky Ponting, Punjab Kings have made calculated moves in the auction, assembling a squad that balances youth and experience. The reunion of Iyer and Ponting, who previously collaborated successfully at Delhi Capitals, is expected to bolster the team’s performance. Weaknesses of Punjab Kings 1. With several new players joining the squad, building on-field chemistry may take time. The integration of diverse talents requires effective communication and understanding. 2. Historically, Punjab Kings have struggled with maintaining consistent performances throughout the season. Addressing this challenge is crucial for their success in IPL 2025. Strengths of Gujarat Titans 1. Gill’s approach to leadership is characterised by adaptability and a deep understanding of the game. His ability to remain unflustered under pressure is a valuable asset. 2. The acquisition of England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, for $1.8 million adds firepower to the Titans’ batting order. Buttler’s aggressive style complements Gill’s technique, creating a formidable top order. Weaknesses of Gujarat Titans 1. While Gill’s potential as a leader is undeniable, his relative inexperience in captaincy at the IPL level could pose challenges, especially in high-pressure situations. 2. The Titans’ bowling attack lacks seasoned campaigners, which could be a vulnerability against strong batting line-ups. Developing young bowlers and strategic rotations will be essential. As Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans prepare to face off, the duel between these two young leaders adds an intriguing narrative to the contest. Their fearless leadership styles not only influence their teams’ performances but also enrich the IPL’s legacy of nurturing dynamic and innovative cricketing talent.

IPL 2025 | Battle of Kings vs Titans: Iyer’s Punjab takes on Gill’s Gujarat

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is up and about with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) picking things from where they left last season - smashing everyone coming in their way. With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, a.k.a. Travishek, already set for one-two punch, they now have Ishan Kishan at number 3.
Kishan, who landed with SRH after IPL 2025 mega auction shuffle, smacked a belligerent hundred in his first game for them. He batted for 47 balls in total and scored 106 not out as SRH posted 286/6 - the second highest score in the IPL history only behind their 287 posted last season.
IPL 2025: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-harbhajan-singh-tangled-in-big-controversy-with-racist-remark-on-jofra-archer-compares-him-to-kaali-taxi-8884038">Harbhajan Singh tangled in big controversy with 'racist' remark on Jofra Archer. Compares him to...</a>
Kishan was simply too hot for the RR - pretty ironic given Royals are based out of Rajasthan - one of the hottest regions in India.
<h2>Here's how Kishan took apart Rajasthan Royals:&nbsp;</h2>
Kishan's first ball a fuller one on the stumps which he drilled back to the ball - probably gazing the pace, bounce and rest of the parameters before he went into the beast mode - which was on the very next ball and the ball after that.&nbsp;
Kishan drilled two back-to-back fours and showed that he isn't here to play nice. All this happened in the fourth over and by the time powerplay was done - Kishan already had 20 runs off 9 balls which included four fours.
This was only the start of a long afternoon for Rajasthan and Kishan made sure that every bowler, including world-renowned Jofra Archer, felt the heat as well.
The left-hand batting dynamite played eight more balls in the next four overs and smoked 13 more runs which included two more fours. Kishan unleashed himself fully in the 13th over bowled by Archer - hitting the Englishman for three sixes including an inside-out one. In the same over, Kishan completed his half-century off just 25 balls.
In the next three overs, i.e. by the end of 16th, Kishan had amassed 21 runs more off just 11 balls and was batting on 80 off 39 deliveries. He had nine fours and four sixes to his name and SRH was past 200 with four more overs to go.
The batter played only nine of the remaining 24 balls but scored 26 runs, hitting two more of sixes and fours each as RR was all but thankful and relived that the nightmare had ended.
SRH went on to win the match by 44 runs - nearly same as Kishan had scored after peaking in his innings when he had hit Archer for three sixes.
If his form continues like this, the rest of the teams have nothing but more fear and worries for them ahead as this was just the first game SRH had played this season.&nbsp;

SRH went on to with match by 44 runs - nearly same as Kishan had scored after peaking in his innings when he had hit Archer for three sixes. Cricket Sports

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is up and about with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) picking things from where they left last season - smashing everyone coming in their way. With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, a.k.a. Travishek, already set for one-two punch, they now have Ishan Kishan at number 3. Kishan, who landed with SRH after IPL 2025 mega auction shuffle, smacked a belligerent hundred in his first game for them. He batted for 47 balls in total and scored 106 not out as SRH posted 286/6 - the second highest score in the IPL history only behind their 287 posted last season. IPL 2025: Harbhajan Singh tangled in big controversy with 'racist' remark on Jofra Archer. Compares him to... Kishan was simply too hot for the RR - pretty ironic given Royals are based out of Rajasthan - one of the hottest regions in India. Here's how Kishan took apart Rajasthan Royals: Kishan's first ball a fuller one on the stumps which he drilled back to the ball - probably gazing the pace, bounce and rest of the parameters before he went into the beast mode - which was on the very next ball and the ball after that. Kishan drilled two back-to-back fours and showed that he isn't here to play nice. All this happened in the fourth over and by the time powerplay was done - Kishan already had 20 runs off 9 balls which included four fours. This was only the start of a long afternoon for Rajasthan and Kishan made sure that every bowler, including world-renowned Jofra Archer, felt the heat as well. The left-hand batting dynamite played eight more balls in the next four overs and smoked 13 more runs which included two more fours. Kishan unleashed himself fully in the 13th over bowled by Archer - hitting the Englishman for three sixes including an inside-out one. In the same over, Kishan completed his half-century off just 25 balls. In the next three overs, i.e. by the end of 16th, Kishan had amassed 21 runs more off just 11 balls and was batting on 80 off 39 deliveries. He had nine fours and four sixes to his name and SRH was past 200 with four more overs to go. The batter played only nine of the remaining 24 balls but scored 26 runs, hitting two more of sixes and fours each as RR was all but thankful and relived that the nightmare had ended. SRH went on to win the match by 44 runs - nearly same as Kishan had scored after peaking in his innings when he had hit Archer for three sixes. If his form continues like this, the rest of the teams have nothing but more fear and worries for them ahead as this was just the first game SRH had played this season.

IPL 2025: Ishan Kishan was too hot for Rajasthan after buying into SRH's brute-force ideology

Former Indian cricketer and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> commentator <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harbhajan-singh">Harbhajan Singh</a> has found himself at the center of a racism controversy following his remarks on England pacer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jofra-archer">Jofra Archer</a>. During a recent IPL 2025 broadcast, Harbhajan compared Archer to a 'Kaali Taxi in London', a comment that has sparked widespread outrage on social media and among cricketing circles.
During a live discussion, Harbhajan reportedly made a casual comparison between Archer's appearance and the black cabs of London, a remark that many found offensive and racially insensitive. The statement quickly gained traction on social media, with fans and experts condemning it as inappropriate and discriminatory.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/former-melbourne-gymnastics-coach-charged-with-seven-child-sex-offences-8883839">Former Melbourne gymnastics coach charged with seven child sex offences</a>
<h2>Backlash and reactions</h2>
As the clip went viral, social media users and cricket fans demanded immediate action against the former Indian off-spinner. Many called for a ban on Harbhajan from IPL commentary and other cricketing roles. Some users highlighted that such remarks perpetuate racial stereotypes and have no place in modern cricket.
The controversy also drew reactions from notable figures in cricket. While some former players defended Harbhajan, claiming his words were taken out of context, others criticised him for making an insensitive statement. Various cricket boards and organisations have yet to issue an official response.
<h2>Harbhajan's response</h2>
Following the backlash, Harbhajan Singh issued a statement attempting to clarify his remarks. He insisted that his comment was not intended to be racist and apologised if it hurt anyone&rsquo;s sentiments. However, many fans and critics believe the apology was not sufficient, with calls for stronger action continuing to grow.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL governing body have not yet taken any formal action against Harbhajan, but discussions are reportedly underway regarding potential consequences. If found guilty of violating IPL&rsquo;s code of conduct, Harbhajan could face suspension from his commentary duties or other penalties.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Harbhajan reportedly made a casual comparison between Archer's appearance and the black cabs of London, a remark that many found offensive

Former Indian cricketer and Indian Premier League commentator Harbhajan Singh has found himself at the center of a racism controversy following his remarks on England pacer Jofra Archer. During a recent IPL 2025 broadcast, Harbhajan compared Archer to a 'Kaali Taxi in London', a comment that has sparked widespread outrage on social media and among cricketing circles. During a live discussion, Harbhajan reportedly made a casual comparison between Archer's appearance and the black cabs of London, a remark that many found offensive and racially insensitive. The statement quickly gained traction on social media, with fans and experts condemning it as inappropriate and discriminatory. Also Read: Former Melbourne gymnastics coach charged with seven child sex offences Backlash and reactions As the clip went viral, social media users and cricket fans demanded immediate action against the former Indian off-spinner. Many called for a ban on Harbhajan from IPL commentary and other cricketing roles. Some users highlighted that such remarks perpetuate racial stereotypes and have no place in modern cricket. The controversy also drew reactions from notable figures in cricket. While some former players defended Harbhajan, claiming his words were taken out of context, others criticised him for making an insensitive statement. Various cricket boards and organisations have yet to issue an official response. Harbhajan's response Following the backlash, Harbhajan Singh issued a statement attempting to clarify his remarks. He insisted that his comment was not intended to be racist and apologised if it hurt anyone’s sentiments. However, many fans and critics believe the apology was not sufficient, with calls for stronger action continuing to grow. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL governing body have not yet taken any formal action against Harbhajan, but discussions are reportedly underway regarding potential consequences. If found guilty of violating IPL’s code of conduct, Harbhajan could face suspension from his commentary duties or other penalties. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Harbhajan Singh tangled in big controversy with 'racist' remark on Jofra Archer. Compares him to...

Cricket has long been a sport where talent meets opportunity, and Vignesh Puthur is the latest embodiment of that. The 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner from Malappuram, Kerala, made an immediate impact in his debut for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians">Mumbai Indians</a> in Indian Premier League 2025, leaving fans and cricketing experts in awe. With a spell of 3/32 against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings">Chennai Super Kings</a>, he not only justified the faith MI put in him but also demonstrated that raw talent, when nurtured correctly, can create magic on the biggest stage.
<h2>Humble beginnings</h2>
Vignesh Puthur's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Coming from a modest background, his father, Sunil Kumar, is an autorickshaw driver, and his mother, K.P. Bindu, is a homemaker. Growing up in Malappuram, cricket was more of a dream than a reality for Puthur. Financial constraints often posed challenges, but his passion and determination never wavered.
Despite the hardships, he moved from Malappuram to Thrissur in pursuit of his cricketing dreams. Initially a medium pacer until his college years, Puthur made a pivotal shift to spin bowling, and it turned out to be a game-changing decision. His ability to give the ball flight and deceive batters with his variations soon caught the attention of the cricketing fraternity.
While studying for a Master of Arts in Literature at St. Thomas College in Thrissur, Puthur honed his skills further, making a name for himself in Kerala&rsquo;s domestic circuits. His performances for the Alleppey Ripples in the inaugural Kerala Cricket League turned heads, and his stint in the Tamil Nadu Premier League further solidified his reputation as a promising spinner.
Mumbai Indians, known for their exceptional talent scouting system, took notice of Puthur during the Kerala Premier League. Recognising his potential, MI acquired him in the IPL 2025 auction for $35,000&mdash;a moment that changed his life forever. To ensure his growth as a bowler, the franchise even sent him to South Africa for the SA20 league, where he served as a net bowler for MI Cape Town. There, he trained alongside <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rashid-khan">Rashid Khan</a>, one of the finest wrist-spinners in the world, further refining his skills.
<h2>IPL debut: A dream come true</h2>
Vignesh Puthur made his IPL debut as an impact substitute, replacing none other than India&rsquo;s cricketing icon, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>. Stepping onto the field for the first time in front of millions of fans, Puthur showed no signs of nerves. He delivered a spell that left even the most seasoned CSK batters struggling. His three crucial wickets included the prized scalps of CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda.
For now, the spotlight is on Vignesh Puthur&mdash;the boy from Kerala who spun his way into IPL history.

Cricket, Sports: With a spell of 3/32 vs CSK, Vignesh not only justified the faith MI put in him but also showed that talent, when nurtured correctly, can create magic

Cricket has long been a sport where talent meets opportunity, and Vignesh Puthur is the latest embodiment of that. The 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner from Malappuram, Kerala, made an immediate impact in his debut for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League 2025, leaving fans and cricketing experts in awe. With a spell of 3/32 against Chennai Super Kings, he not only justified the faith MI put in him but also demonstrated that raw talent, when nurtured correctly, can create magic on the biggest stage. Humble beginnings Vignesh Puthur's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Coming from a modest background, his father, Sunil Kumar, is an autorickshaw driver, and his mother, K.P. Bindu, is a homemaker. Growing up in Malappuram, cricket was more of a dream than a reality for Puthur. Financial constraints often posed challenges, but his passion and determination never wavered. Despite the hardships, he moved from Malappuram to Thrissur in pursuit of his cricketing dreams. Initially a medium pacer until his college years, Puthur made a pivotal shift to spin bowling, and it turned out to be a game-changing decision. His ability to give the ball flight and deceive batters with his variations soon caught the attention of the cricketing fraternity. While studying for a Master of Arts in Literature at St. Thomas College in Thrissur, Puthur honed his skills further, making a name for himself in Kerala’s domestic circuits. His performances for the Alleppey Ripples in the inaugural Kerala Cricket League turned heads, and his stint in the Tamil Nadu Premier League further solidified his reputation as a promising spinner. Mumbai Indians, known for their exceptional talent scouting system, took notice of Puthur during the Kerala Premier League. Recognising his potential, MI acquired him in the IPL 2025 auction for $35,000—a moment that changed his life forever. To ensure his growth as a bowler, the franchise even sent him to South Africa for the SA20 league, where he served as a net bowler for MI Cape Town. There, he trained alongside Rashid Khan, one of the finest wrist-spinners in the world, further refining his skills. IPL debut: A dream come true Vignesh Puthur made his IPL debut as an impact substitute, replacing none other than India’s cricketing icon, Rohit Sharma. Stepping onto the field for the first time in front of millions of fans, Puthur showed no signs of nerves. He delivered a spell that left even the most seasoned CSK batters struggling. His three crucial wickets included the prized scalps of CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda. For now, the spotlight is on Vignesh Puthur—the boy from Kerala who spun his way into IPL history.

New spin wizard in town! Meet 24-year-old Vignesh Puthur, Mumbai Indians spinner from Kerala who impressed on IPL debut

MS Dhoni's lightning-fast stumping left Noor Ahmad in awe during Chennai Super Kings' high-octane Indian Premier League 2025 clash against Mumbai Indians. The electrifying moment at Chepauk sent the crowd into a frenzy as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mahendra-singh-dhoni">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a>'s brilliance behind the stumps turned the tide in CSK's favour.
The magic unfolded in the 11th over of MI's innings when stand-in skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suryakumar-yadav">Suryakumar Yadav</a> stepped out to play an inside-out drive but misjudged Noor's delivery. Before he could react, Dhoni had already whipped off the bails with incredible speed, sending Surya back for 29 from 26 balls.
"The focus was on landing the ball in the right area, and Surya's wicket was special. MSD's stumping was out of this world. Having Mahi bhai behind the stumps is a huge support for me," Noor said at the post-match presentation.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-not-rachin-ravindra-mi-captain-suryakumar-yadav-says-this-player-who-took-game-away-from-them-8883668">IPL 2025: Not Rachin Ravindra, MI captain Suryakumar Yadav says THIS player who took game away from them</a>
Justifying his $116 million price tag, Noor spun a web around MI's batters, returning with stunning figures of 4/18 and earning the Player of the Match award. His spell choked MI&rsquo;s scoring, dismissing key batters one after another. Robin Minz found himself caught at long off, Tilak Varma fell victim to a deceptive googly, and Naman Dhir misjudged a sweep, losing his stumps.
Noor's heroics restricted MI to 155/9, a target CSK chased down comfortably. Rachin Ravindra (65 not out) and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (53) led the charge, sealing a commanding four-wicket victory for the five-time champions.
"It feels special to play in the IPL. I'm happy for the team and my contribution," Noor reflected after his match-winning performance.
<h2 data-start="0" data-end="84">'Noor Ahmad is an X-factor'</h2>
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ruturaj-gaikwad" rel="dofollow">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a> praised spinner Noor Ahmad as the team's 'X factor' after their hard-fought four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians. However, he admitted they could have been more clinical with the bat.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Gaikwad expressed his satisfaction with the win while acknowledging areas for improvement. "Happy to be on the winning side. We would have liked to be more clinical, but that&rsquo;s how the game goes. Batting at No. 3 is a team requirement, and I am happy to adjust for the team&rsquo;s balance," he said.
Gaikwad also highlighted the impact of CSK's spin attack. "Right after the auction, we were excited about having all three spinners bowling in tandem at Chepauk. Khaleel Ahmed brings experience, Noor is an X factor, and having Ravichandran Ashwin is a huge plus for us."
He also provided an update on MS Dhoni, saying, "He is fitter than ever this year and still looks young."
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: The magic unfolded in the 11th over of MI's innings when Suryakumar Yadav stepped out to play an inside-out drive but misjudged Noor's delivery

MS Dhoni's lightning-fast stumping left Noor Ahmad in awe during Chennai Super Kings' high-octane Indian Premier League 2025 clash against Mumbai Indians. The electrifying moment at Chepauk sent the crowd into a frenzy as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's brilliance behind the stumps turned the tide in CSK's favour. The magic unfolded in the 11th over of MI's innings when stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav stepped out to play an inside-out drive but misjudged Noor's delivery. Before he could react, Dhoni had already whipped off the bails with incredible speed, sending Surya back for 29 from 26 balls. "The focus was on landing the ball in the right area, and Surya's wicket was special. MSD's stumping was out of this world. Having Mahi bhai behind the stumps is a huge support for me," Noor said at the post-match presentation. Also Read: IPL 2025: Not Rachin Ravindra, MI captain Suryakumar Yadav says THIS player who took game away from them Justifying his $116 million price tag, Noor spun a web around MI's batters, returning with stunning figures of 4/18 and earning the Player of the Match award. His spell choked MI’s scoring, dismissing key batters one after another. Robin Minz found himself caught at long off, Tilak Varma fell victim to a deceptive googly, and Naman Dhir misjudged a sweep, losing his stumps. Noor's heroics restricted MI to 155/9, a target CSK chased down comfortably. Rachin Ravindra (65 not out) and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (53) led the charge, sealing a commanding four-wicket victory for the five-time champions. "It feels special to play in the IPL. I'm happy for the team and my contribution," Noor reflected after his match-winning performance. 'Noor Ahmad is an X-factor' Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad praised spinner Noor Ahmad as the team's 'X factor' after their hard-fought four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians. However, he admitted they could have been more clinical with the bat. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Gaikwad expressed his satisfaction with the win while acknowledging areas for improvement. "Happy to be on the winning side. We would have liked to be more clinical, but that’s how the game goes. Batting at No. 3 is a team requirement, and I am happy to adjust for the team’s balance," he said. Gaikwad also highlighted the impact of CSK's spin attack. "Right after the auction, we were excited about having all three spinners bowling in tandem at Chepauk. Khaleel Ahmed brings experience, Noor is an X factor, and having Ravichandran Ashwin is a huge plus for us." He also provided an update on MS Dhoni, saying, "He is fitter than ever this year and still looks young." (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Noor Ahmad in awe of MS Dhoni's 'out of world' stumping of Suryakumar Yadav

Mumbai Indians' stand-in captain, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suryakumar-yadav">Suryakumar Yadav</a>, admitted that his team fell 15-20 runs short despite putting up a commendable fight against Chennai Super Kings in their high-stakes IPL 2025 match on Sunday (March 23).
In another thrilling match of Indian Premier League&rsquo;s &lsquo;El Clasico,&rsquo; MI faced a sea of yellow at Chepauk after being put in to bat by CSK. Their innings got off to a rocky start as veteran opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a> departed for a four-ball duck. Left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad dismantled MI&rsquo;s middle order, hampering their chances of posting a formidable total.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/csk-vs-mi-ipl-2025-rohit-attains-unwanted-record-dhoni-rolls-back-years-with-spicy-stumping-watch-8883370">CSK vs MI: Rohit attains unwanted record; MS Dhoni rolls back years with spicy stumping &ndash; Watch</a>
A crucial 51-run stand between Suryakumar and Tilak Varma helped MI scrape to 155/9. However, the total appeared below par on a challenging surface. Reflecting on the innings, Suryakumar said, "Absolutely. We were 15-20 runs short, but the fight the boys showed was commendable."
Despite the underwhelming total, MI unearthed an unexpected hero in debutant Vignesh Puthur. The young pacer, who had never played a domestic match before, made an instant impact. He dismissed CSK skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ruturaj-gaikwad" rel="dofollow">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a> with his maiden IPL wicket and later sent back Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda, keeping MI in the hunt.
<h2>SKY all praise for Vignesh</h2>
However, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rachin-ravindra">Rachin Ravindra</a> anchored CSK&rsquo;s chase and finished the game in style with a towering six, sealing a four-wicket win for the hosts. Suryakumar credited MI&rsquo;s scouting system for unearthing talents like Vignesh, saying, "Amazing, MI is known for that&mdash;giving youngsters opportunities. The scouts work for 10 months, and he is a product of that. I kept his one over in the pocket if the game went deep, but it was a no-brainer to give him the 18th over."
While Rachin steered CSK home, Suryakumar believed it was Gaikwad&rsquo;s blistering 53 that ultimately decided the match. "There wasn't any dew, but it was sticky. The way Ruturaj batted in the second innings took the game away from us," he signed off.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, sports: Rachin Ravindra anchored Chennai Super Kings' chase and finished the game in style with a towering six, sealing a four-wicket win for the hosts

Mumbai Indians' stand-in captain, Suryakumar Yadav, admitted that his team fell 15-20 runs short despite putting up a commendable fight against Chennai Super Kings in their high-stakes IPL 2025 match on Sunday (March 23). In another thrilling match of Indian Premier League’s ‘El Clasico,’ MI faced a sea of yellow at Chepauk after being put in to bat by CSK. Their innings got off to a rocky start as veteran opener Rohit Sharma departed for a four-ball duck. Left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad dismantled MI’s middle order, hampering their chances of posting a formidable total. Also Read: CSK vs MI: Rohit attains unwanted record; MS Dhoni rolls back years with spicy stumping – Watch A crucial 51-run stand between Suryakumar and Tilak Varma helped MI scrape to 155/9. However, the total appeared below par on a challenging surface. Reflecting on the innings, Suryakumar said, "Absolutely. We were 15-20 runs short, but the fight the boys showed was commendable." Despite the underwhelming total, MI unearthed an unexpected hero in debutant Vignesh Puthur. The young pacer, who had never played a domestic match before, made an instant impact. He dismissed CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad with his maiden IPL wicket and later sent back Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda, keeping MI in the hunt. SKY all praise for Vignesh However, Rachin Ravindra anchored CSK’s chase and finished the game in style with a towering six, sealing a four-wicket win for the hosts. Suryakumar credited MI’s scouting system for unearthing talents like Vignesh, saying, "Amazing, MI is known for that—giving youngsters opportunities. The scouts work for 10 months, and he is a product of that. I kept his one over in the pocket if the game went deep, but it was a no-brainer to give him the 18th over." While Rachin steered CSK home, Suryakumar believed it was Gaikwad’s blistering 53 that ultimately decided the match. "There wasn't any dew, but it was sticky. The way Ruturaj batted in the second innings took the game away from us," he signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Not Rachin Ravindra, MI captain Suryakumar Yadav says THIS player who took game away from them

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> opened their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> campaign with a comfortable four-wicket win over rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) in their tournament opener at Chepauk on Sunday evening. Opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rachin-ravindra" rel="dofollow">Rachin Ravindra</a> played an unbeaten knock of 65 while chasing, with Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad impressing everyone with a clutch half-century. In the first innings, Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmed returned with four wickets for 18 runs without conceding a boundary.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/csk-vs-mi-chennai-super-kings-open-ipl-2025-campaign-with-comfortable-win-over-mumbai-indians-8883408" rel="dofollow">CSK vs MI: Chennai Super Kings open IPL 2025 campaign with comfortable win over Mumbai Indians</a>
Chennai won the toss and elected to field first, bringing former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin back in the side, which included a few debutants. Seamer Khaleel Ahmed removed MI star opener Rohit Sharma on a four-ball duck before removing MI&rsquo;s gloveman Ryan Rickelton soon after. Ashwin picked a wicket on his return to CSK after a decade, with MI losing three inside the Powerplay.
Seasoned campaigners, stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma steadied MI&rsquo;s sinking ship, but not for long. CSK&rsquo;s latest recruit, Noor Ahmed, tore into MI&rsquo;s middle order, returning with four wickets on his debut for the franchise.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8lygcaj-2xskz9dl-v8p13grj">
𝙁𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝙁𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙈𝙎 𝘿𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙞 🫡 📹 Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> legend's jaw-dropping reflexes behind the stumps 🔥 Updates ▶ <a href="https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0">https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvMI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/S26cUYzRd8">pic.twitter.com/S26cUYzRd8</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1903829068996632608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
Although CSK pushed MI&rsquo;s back against the wall, a late blitz from their former seamer Deepak Chahar propelled Mumbai to a fighting 155 for nine in 20 overs.
<h2>Rachin, Rutu see CSK home</h2>
Rachin Ravindra continued his excellent touch at the top, while CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad came to the fore to help his team through in the first game. After Deepak removed CSK&rsquo;s Impact Player sub &ndash; Rahul Tripathi, caught behind cheaply, Rachin and Ruturaj stitched a 67-run stand for the second wicket, which included 53 just from the skipper&rsquo;s bat.&nbsp;
However, the introduction of debutant unorthodox spinner Vignesh Puthur to the attack somewhat dented CSK&rsquo;s scoring rate, as he picked three wickets, all biggies, including Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8lyg1c7-815q4hwt-gs550qcd">
𝘼 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 ✨ Twin strikes from the young Vignesh Puthur sparks a comeback for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI</a> 💙 Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0">https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvMI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> <a href="https://t.co/DKh2r1mmOx">pic.twitter.com/DKh2r1mmOx</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1903853552403095995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
England&rsquo;s Sam Curran departed soon after before a mix-up between Ravindra Jadeja and Rachin resulted in another dismissal at the stroke of chase completion.
MS Dhoni walked down the track but couldn&rsquo;t finish off the game.&nbsp;
Rachin completed the formality by hitting his national teammate Mitchell Santner for a first-ball six in the last over to complete the chase.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8lyfi85-kc8ejt7p-qofvolst">
The men in 💛 take home the honours! 💪 A classic clash in Chennai ends in the favour of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> ✨ Scorecard ▶ <a href="https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0">https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvMI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZGPkkmsRHe">pic.twitter.com/ZGPkkmsRHe</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1903868078380986742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>

Cricket, Sports: The overseas duo of spinner Noor Ahmed and opener Rachin Ravindra starred for the hosts as they clinched a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opened their IPL 2025 campaign with a comfortable four-wicket win over rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) in their tournament opener at Chepauk on Sunday evening. Opener Rachin Ravindra played an unbeaten knock of 65 while chasing, with Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad impressing everyone with a clutch half-century. In the first innings, Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmed returned with four wickets for 18 runs without conceding a boundary. Also read | CSK vs MI: Chennai Super Kings open IPL 2025 campaign with comfortable win over Mumbai Indians Chennai won the toss and elected to field first, bringing former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin back in the side, which included a few debutants. Seamer Khaleel Ahmed removed MI star opener Rohit Sharma on a four-ball duck before removing MI’s gloveman Ryan Rickelton soon after. Ashwin picked a wicket on his return to CSK after a decade, with MI losing three inside the Powerplay. Seasoned campaigners, stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma steadied MI’s sinking ship, but not for long. CSK’s latest recruit, Noor Ahmed, tore into MI’s middle order, returning with four wickets on his debut for the franchise. 𝙁𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝙁𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙈𝙎 𝘿𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙞 🫡 📹 Watch #CSK legend's jaw-dropping reflexes behind the stumps 🔥 Updates ▶ https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0#TATAIPL | #CSKvMI | @ChennaiIPL | @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/S26cUYzRd8 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2025 Although CSK pushed MI’s back against the wall, a late blitz from their former seamer Deepak Chahar propelled Mumbai to a fighting 155 for nine in 20 overs. Rachin, Rutu see CSK home Rachin Ravindra continued his excellent touch at the top, while CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad came to the fore to help his team through in the first game. After Deepak removed CSK’s Impact Player sub – Rahul Tripathi, caught behind cheaply, Rachin and Ruturaj stitched a 67-run stand for the second wicket, which included 53 just from the skipper’s bat. However, the introduction of debutant unorthodox spinner Vignesh Puthur to the attack somewhat dented CSK’s scoring rate, as he picked three wickets, all biggies, including Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda. 𝘼 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 ✨ Twin strikes from the young Vignesh Puthur sparks a comeback for #MI 💙 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0#TATAIPL | #CSKvMI | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/DKh2r1mmOx — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2025 England’s Sam Curran departed soon after before a mix-up between Ravindra Jadeja and Rachin resulted in another dismissal at the stroke of chase completion. MS Dhoni walked down the track but couldn’t finish off the game. Rachin completed the formality by hitting his national teammate Mitchell Santner for a first-ball six in the last over to complete the chase. The men in 💛 take home the honours! 💪 A classic clash in Chennai ends in the favour of #CSK ✨ Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/QlMj4G7kV0#TATAIPL | #CSKvMI | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/ZGPkkmsRHe — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2025

CSK vs MI: Chennai Super Kings open IPL 2025 campaign with comfortable win over Mumbai Indians

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad-srh" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad</a>&rsquo;s latest recruit, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ishan-kishan" rel="dofollow">Ishan Kishan</a>, slammed his maiden hundred for his new franchise as they prevailed over Rajasthan Royals by 44 runs in game 2 of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> on Sunday. With over 500 runs scored in a T20 game, it was a nightmare for the bowlers, especially for RR seamer Jofra Archer, who bowled the most expensive spell in the tournament history, conceding 76 runs without picking a wicket in four overs.
The second game of this edition lived up to its hype, with both teams taking a crack at each other till the final ball. Though Hyderabad won by a 44-run margin, understandably, after hitting the second-highest team total (286/4) in the competition, Rajasthan&rsquo;s intent during the chase impressed everyone equally. While Kishan made headlines with his first hundred of the season, the Indian pair of Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel kept the home fans silent for most of the chase.
RR won the toss, and the stand-in captain, Riyan Parag, asked the home side to bat first, a decision he probably regretted after the first innings. The super-attacking pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head began from where they left last season, smoking bowlers to all parts of the ground. Despite losing Abhishek inside the Powerplay, SRH hit 94 runs in six overs.
Kishan and Head continued the onslaught, with Head completing his fifty. His dismissal brought Nitish Kumar Reddy to the crease, who enjoyed his brief stint, and so did Proteas&rsquo; Heinrich Klaasen, who came in next. Though they had their share of cheers, Kishan holding one end meant he would achieve history, which he did after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ishan-kishan-hits-hundred-on-srh-debut-as-hosts-register-second-highest-team-total-in-ipl-history-8882718" rel="dofollow">becoming the first Indian player to score an IPL hundred for SRH</a>.
<h2>RR came close, but not enough</h2>
Rajasthan lost three wickets upfront, including their captain on four. Reeling at 50 for three inside the first six overs, they looked like running a lost race, but Jurel and Samson had other plans. While Jurel began taking the SRH bowlers to the cleaners, including smashing their skipper Pat Cummins for an overhead six on his first ball, Samson joined him soon after.&nbsp;
The pair added 111 runs in 59 balls, giving little hope to the RR fans of an improbable-looking chase; however, SRH quick Harshal Patel broke that hope with a bouncer that dismissed Samson on 66. Two balls later, SRH&rsquo;s Impact Sub Adam Zampa removed Jurel (70).&nbsp;
With plenty remaining to fight for, Shimron Hetmyer and Shubham Dubey tried their best, hitting quick-fire 42 and 34*, respectively, but they failed to get their team across the line.&nbsp;

Cricket, Sports: SRH scored 286 for four in the first innings, the second-highest team total in the tournament history. The highest, however, belongs to them only.

SunRisers Hyderabad’s latest recruit, Ishan Kishan, slammed his maiden hundred for his new franchise as they prevailed over Rajasthan Royals by 44 runs in game 2 of IPL 2025 on Sunday. With over 500 runs scored in a T20 game, it was a nightmare for the bowlers, especially for RR seamer Jofra Archer, who bowled the most expensive spell in the tournament history, conceding 76 runs without picking a wicket in four overs. The second game of this edition lived up to its hype, with both teams taking a crack at each other till the final ball. Though Hyderabad won by a 44-run margin, understandably, after hitting the second-highest team total (286/4) in the competition, Rajasthan’s intent during the chase impressed everyone equally. While Kishan made headlines with his first hundred of the season, the Indian pair of Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel kept the home fans silent for most of the chase. RR won the toss, and the stand-in captain, Riyan Parag, asked the home side to bat first, a decision he probably regretted after the first innings. The super-attacking pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head began from where they left last season, smoking bowlers to all parts of the ground. Despite losing Abhishek inside the Powerplay, SRH hit 94 runs in six overs. Kishan and Head continued the onslaught, with Head completing his fifty. His dismissal brought Nitish Kumar Reddy to the crease, who enjoyed his brief stint, and so did Proteas’ Heinrich Klaasen, who came in next. Though they had their share of cheers, Kishan holding one end meant he would achieve history, which he did after becoming the first Indian player to score an IPL hundred for SRH. RR came close, but not enough Rajasthan lost three wickets upfront, including their captain on four. Reeling at 50 for three inside the first six overs, they looked like running a lost race, but Jurel and Samson had other plans. While Jurel began taking the SRH bowlers to the cleaners, including smashing their skipper Pat Cummins for an overhead six on his first ball, Samson joined him soon after. The pair added 111 runs in 59 balls, giving little hope to the RR fans of an improbable-looking chase; however, SRH quick Harshal Patel broke that hope with a bouncer that dismissed Samson on 66. Two balls later, SRH’s Impact Sub Adam Zampa removed Jurel (70). With plenty remaining to fight for, Shimron Hetmyer and Shubham Dubey tried their best, hitting quick-fire 42 and 34*, respectively, but they failed to get their team across the line.

IPL 2025: Ishan Kishan’s match-winning 106* helps SRH prevail in run-fest against RR

Records galore for fun in game 2 of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> as hosts <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad-srh" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> hammered a mammoth 286 for four against Rajasthan Royals, registering the second-highest team total in the tournament history. Making his SRH debut, India gloveman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ishan-kishan" rel="dofollow">Ishan Kishan</a> was on song, hitting the first hundred of this edition, remaining unbeaten 106 off 47 balls, including six sixes and 11 fours.
Rajasthan&rsquo;s stand-in captain Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision SRH ensured he would regret after the end of the first innings.&nbsp;
The attacking pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head began proceedings in the most SRH way, slamming fours and sixes for fun. Despite Abhishek&rsquo;s dismissal inside the Powerplay, the hosts hit 94 from the first six overs.&nbsp;
So, what was the big deal about it? It was a sign of things to come.
Recruited at the last mega auction in December, gloveman Ishan Kishan delivered on his SRH debut, whacking bowlers to all parts of the ground. He took the attack to the England seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jofra-archer" rel="dofollow">Jofra Archer</a>, who attained an unwanted record of conceding the most runs in an IPL game (0/76 in four overs).
<h2>Kishan's show all the way!</h2>
Meanwhile, Kishan and Head never looked like stopping, increasing the team&rsquo;s scoring rate with each passing over. Seamer Tushar Deshpande removed Head on 67 (31), only for Nitish Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen to come and continue the onslaught.&nbsp;
Despite everyone else hogging a little limelight with his brief stints, Ishan held his ground and looked in his element till the end. He completed his first hundred for his new IPL team, putting them in the driver&rsquo;s seat in their tournament opener.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8lm84aq-8oc9ivjk-3kxhzmlg">
𝐆𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐃'𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟏𝟎𝟎 🥶 WHAT A KNOCK, ISHAN! A stunning century in just 45 balls, pure fireworks on the field! 🤩 Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/AS2kwWg8tW">https://t.co/AS2kwWg8tW</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 SRH 🆚 RR, LIVE NOW on Star Sports 2 &amp; JioHotstar <a href="https://t.co/T0Hu69jixI">pic.twitter.com/T0Hu69jixI</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903780013062979687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
Although Deshpande came close to picking his maiden IPL hat-trick in the last over after dismissing Aniket Verma and Abhinav Manohar on successive balls, Kishan&rsquo;s last-ball boundary stole the show.
Addressing the media right after his super show at his new IPL home, Kishan said,
&ldquo;(It) feels good; it was coming for a while. Wanted to get this last season but happy to get that first hundred. The team has put their faith in me, and I want to do my best for them.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The captain has given us all a lot of freedom and confidence, hats off to the management. When Abhishek and Head started, they gave a lot of confidence to us batters in the dugout. The pitch was looking good, and we were just trying to get them under pressure. We need to be on point with the ball and keep it simple. Rajasthan bowlers are good, but if we bowl in the right areas and to the plans, we should be good,&rdquo; Kishan said. Meanwhile, for RR to win this match, they need to complete the highest successful run chase in IPL.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) holds the record for the highest team total in the competition history, scoring 287 for three against the RCB last season.

Records galore for fun in game 2 of IPL 2025 as hosts SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) hammered a mammoth 286 for four against Rajasthan Royals, registering the second-highest team total in the tournament history. Making his SRH debut, India gloveman Ishan Kishan was on song, hitting the first hundred of this edition, remaining unbeaten 106 off 47 balls, including six sixes and 11 fours. Rajasthan’s stand-in captain Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision SRH ensured he would regret after the end of the first innings. The attacking pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head began proceedings in the most SRH way, slamming fours and sixes for fun. Despite Abhishek’s dismissal inside the Powerplay, the hosts hit 94 from the first six overs. So, what was the big deal about it? It was a sign of things to come. Recruited at the last mega auction in December, gloveman Ishan Kishan delivered on his SRH debut, whacking bowlers to all parts of the ground. He took the attack to the England seamer Jofra Archer, who attained an unwanted record of conceding the most runs in an IPL game (0/76 in four overs). Kishan's show all the way! Meanwhile, Kishan and Head never looked like stopping, increasing the team’s scoring rate with each passing over. Seamer Tushar Deshpande removed Head on 67 (31), only for Nitish Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen to come and continue the onslaught. Despite everyone else hogging a little limelight with his brief stints, Ishan held his ground and looked in his element till the end. He completed his first hundred for his new IPL team, putting them in the driver’s seat in their tournament opener. 𝐆𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐃'𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟏𝟎𝟎 🥶 WHAT A KNOCK, ISHAN! A stunning century in just 45 balls, pure fireworks on the field! 🤩 Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/AS2kwWg8tW#IPLonJioStar 👉 SRH 🆚 RR, LIVE NOW on Star Sports 2 & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/T0Hu69jixI — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 23, 2025 Although Deshpande came close to picking his maiden IPL hat-trick in the last over after dismissing Aniket Verma and Abhinav Manohar on successive balls, Kishan’s last-ball boundary stole the show. Addressing the media right after his super show at his new IPL home, Kishan said, “(It) feels good; it was coming for a while. Wanted to get this last season but happy to get that first hundred. The team has put their faith in me, and I want to do my best for them. “The captain has given us all a lot of freedom and confidence, hats off to the management. When Abhishek and Head started, they gave a lot of confidence to us batters in the dugout. The pitch was looking good, and we were just trying to get them under pressure. We need to be on point with the ball and keep it simple. Rajasthan bowlers are good, but if we bowl in the right areas and to the plans, we should be good,” Kishan said. Meanwhile, for RR to win this match, they need to complete the highest successful run chase in IPL. (With inputs from agencies)

Ishan Kishan hits hundred on SRH debut as hosts register second-highest team total in IPL history

Veteran India cricketer-turned-broadcaster <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunil-gavaskar" rel="dofollow">Sunil Gavaskar</a> got irritated by the same question around <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ms-dhoni" rel="dofollow">MS Dhoni</a>&rsquo;s IPL retirement ahead of the marquee CSK vs MI <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> clash at Chepauk on Sunday evening. Dhoni, 43, will feature in his 18th edition of the cash-rich league, becoming one of the handfuls of Indian stars to play all editions.
Everyone, from active cricketers to commentators and analysts, has asked MS Dhoni at least once about his retirement plans ahead and after every season. Since announcing his international retirement in August 2020, almost a year after he last played for the Men in Blue during the 2019 ODI World Cup, Dhoni has featured for CSK in all seasons, winning twice (2021 and 2023), with the ongoing edition tipped to be his last.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/did-personal-vendetta-against-certain-players-cost-irfan-pathan-his-ipl-2025-commentary-stint-report-suggests-so-8882426" rel="dofollow">Did personal vendetta against certain players cost Irfan Pathan his IPL 2025 commentary stint? Report suggests so</a>
Meanwhile, Dhoni denied reports of hanging his IPL boots, as he does every time before each edition, adding he would play for as long as he wants and that CSK is his franchise. Thala, as cricket fans call him, said CSK will drag him into the playing XI even if he's in a wheelchair.
"I can play for as long as I want for CSK. That's my franchise. Even if I'm in a wheelchair, they'll drag me," Dhoni said in a chat on JioHotstar.
<h2>The same question irks Gavaskar</h2>
Although it&rsquo;s understandable how annoying it must be for anyone to keep answering the same questions for years together, for Gavaskar, who himself must have done it before, it got to his nerves, saying why should anyone even ask that question to him and by doing that put him under pressure.&nbsp;
"Why should we even ask that question? Why put pressure on him? Every time people question MS Dhoni, he proves them wrong," Gavaskar said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.&nbsp;
Gavaskar lauded Dhoni, saying he still hits the farthest sixes in the game and that age is just the number for him.&nbsp;
"Don't doubt his ability. Even at this age, he's hitting sixes not just past the boundary but into the stands during practice. Age is just a number when it comes to Dhoni," the veteran cricketer added.
Meanwhile, Dhoni will again hog all the limelight when he takes the field against Mumbai Indians at the Chepauk in CSK&rsquo;s tournament opener. Although not a designated captain anymore, Dhoni remains the cult figure in CSK&rsquo;s dressing room, taking all decisions, on and off the field.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Veteran Sunil Gavaskar lauded MS Dhoni, saying the CSK giant still hits the farthest sixes in the game and that age is just the number for him.

Veteran India cricketer-turned-broadcaster Sunil Gavaskar got irritated by the same question around MS Dhoni’s IPL retirement ahead of the marquee CSK vs MI IPL 2025 clash at Chepauk on Sunday evening. Dhoni, 43, will feature in his 18th edition of the cash-rich league, becoming one of the handfuls of Indian stars to play all editions. Everyone, from active cricketers to commentators and analysts, has asked MS Dhoni at least once about his retirement plans ahead and after every season. Since announcing his international retirement in August 2020, almost a year after he last played for the Men in Blue during the 2019 ODI World Cup, Dhoni has featured for CSK in all seasons, winning twice (2021 and 2023), with the ongoing edition tipped to be his last. Also read | Did personal vendetta against certain players cost Irfan Pathan his IPL 2025 commentary stint? Report suggests so Meanwhile, Dhoni denied reports of hanging his IPL boots, as he does every time before each edition, adding he would play for as long as he wants and that CSK is his franchise. Thala, as cricket fans call him, said CSK will drag him into the playing XI even if he's in a wheelchair. "I can play for as long as I want for CSK. That's my franchise. Even if I'm in a wheelchair, they'll drag me," Dhoni said in a chat on JioHotstar. The same question irks Gavaskar Although it’s understandable how annoying it must be for anyone to keep answering the same questions for years together, for Gavaskar, who himself must have done it before, it got to his nerves, saying why should anyone even ask that question to him and by doing that put him under pressure. "Why should we even ask that question? Why put pressure on him? Every time people question MS Dhoni, he proves them wrong," Gavaskar said, as quoted by Hindustan Times. Gavaskar lauded Dhoni, saying he still hits the farthest sixes in the game and that age is just the number for him. "Don't doubt his ability. Even at this age, he's hitting sixes not just past the boundary but into the stands during practice. Age is just a number when it comes to Dhoni," the veteran cricketer added. Meanwhile, Dhoni will again hog all the limelight when he takes the field against Mumbai Indians at the Chepauk in CSK’s tournament opener. Although not a designated captain anymore, Dhoni remains the cult figure in CSK’s dressing room, taking all decisions, on and off the field. (With inputs from agencies)

CSK vs MI: 'Why should we even...,' MS Dhoni’s IPL retirement question irks Gavaskar

Former cricketer-turned-broadcaster <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/irfan-pathan" rel="dofollow">Irfan Pathan</a> was nowhere mentioned or to be seen in the commentary box during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> opener on Saturday (Mar 22). Per the latest report, the BCCI has sidelined the ex-India quick from commentating in the 18th edition of the cash-rich league as the broadcasters are unhappy with him for bringing personal vendetta against certain unnamed players on-air and on his social media handles.
Once deemed India&rsquo;s Jacques Kallis, Pathan had a premature end to his international career, with his last appearance coming 13 years ago during the 2012 T20 World Cup. Since then, he moved to his new job as a broadcaster, regularly doing Hindi commentary for Star Sports.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-shardul-thakur-to-join-lsg-after-mohsin-ruled-out-due-to-injury-8881962" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Shardul Thakur to join LSG after Mohsin ruled out due to injury</a>
However, with time, his grudges against a few players kept coming out in some form or the other, with the Indian Board and broadcaster taking note of it.
"Pathan had a fallout with a couple of players a few years ago. Since then, he has not shied away from referring to them aggressively. The matter was raised that other junior players got caught in the crossfire. He has been accused of taking potshots at them on social media platforms even if he didn't name them," a BCCI source said, as quoted by the TOI.
<h2>Not the first time</h2>
However, even before the BCCI banned former cricketers from commentating during domestic or international matches. In 2020, the Indian Cricket Board stripped Sanjay Manjrekar from the commentary panel for India&rsquo;s ODI series against the Proteas over his controversial &lsquo;bits and pieces&rsquo; remarks on India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-theres-something-special-about-this-rcb-team-this-year-says-former-australian-opening-batter-matthew-hayden-8881570" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden</a>
"I have always considered commentary as a great privilege but never an entitlement. It is up to my employers whether they choose to have me or not &amp; I will always respect that. Maybe BCCI has not been happy with my performance of late. I accept that as a professional," Manjrekar posted on social media after facing commentary snub.
Besides, veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle was removed from IPL&rsquo;s commentary panel in 2016.&nbsp;
"I still don't know why I am not doing the IPL. I can accept the fact that people don't like me. But I genuinely hope it isn't because cricketers have complained about what I have to say," Bhogle posted on social media.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Once deemed India’s Kallis, Irfan Pathan had a premature end to his international career, with his last appearance coming 13 years ago.

Former cricketer-turned-broadcaster Irfan Pathan was nowhere mentioned or to be seen in the commentary box during the IPL 2025 opener on Saturday (Mar 22). Per the latest report, the BCCI has sidelined the ex-India quick from commentating in the 18th edition of the cash-rich league as the broadcasters are unhappy with him for bringing personal vendetta against certain unnamed players on-air and on his social media handles. Once deemed India’s Jacques Kallis, Pathan had a premature end to his international career, with his last appearance coming 13 years ago during the 2012 T20 World Cup. Since then, he moved to his new job as a broadcaster, regularly doing Hindi commentary for Star Sports. Also read | IPL 2025: Shardul Thakur to join LSG after Mohsin ruled out due to injury However, with time, his grudges against a few players kept coming out in some form or the other, with the Indian Board and broadcaster taking note of it. "Pathan had a fallout with a couple of players a few years ago. Since then, he has not shied away from referring to them aggressively. The matter was raised that other junior players got caught in the crossfire. He has been accused of taking potshots at them on social media platforms even if he didn't name them," a BCCI source said, as quoted by the TOI. Not the first time However, even before the BCCI banned former cricketers from commentating during domestic or international matches. In 2020, the Indian Cricket Board stripped Sanjay Manjrekar from the commentary panel for India’s ODI series against the Proteas over his controversial ‘bits and pieces’ remarks on India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Also read | IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden "I have always considered commentary as a great privilege but never an entitlement. It is up to my employers whether they choose to have me or not & I will always respect that. Maybe BCCI has not been happy with my performance of late. I accept that as a professional," Manjrekar posted on social media after facing commentary snub. Besides, veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle was removed from IPL’s commentary panel in 2016. "I still don't know why I am not doing the IPL. I can accept the fact that people don't like me. But I genuinely hope it isn't because cricketers have complained about what I have to say," Bhogle posted on social media. (With inputs from agencies)

Did personal vendetta against certain players cost Irfan Pathan his IPL 2025 commentary stint? Report suggests so

SRH vs RR, IPL 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: Rajasthan Royals will kick off their Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) campaign against last season's runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The former champions will look to make a positive start to their season, having made the playoffs in IPL 2024. Ahead of the IPL 2025 contest between SunRisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, here are all the details.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match&nbsp;on TV?</h2>
The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports and Sports 18 Network in India.<o:p></o:p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the SRH vs RR IPL 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT?</h2>
The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Which stadium will host the SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match?</h2>
The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will be played at the iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">What time will the SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match?</h2>
The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will start at 3:30 PM IST on Sunday (Mar 23) with the toss taking place at 3:00 PM IST.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-heres-what-ipl-chairman-said-about-cash-rich-league-happening-in-saudi-arabia-8879549" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia</a> 
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">SRH vs RR, IPL 2025 Squads<o:p></o:p></h2>
SunRisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby, Pat Cummins(c), Harshal Patel, Adam Zampa, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Wiaan Mulder, Atharva Taide, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Aniket Verma.
Rajasthan Royals:&nbsp;Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel(w), Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Maheesh Theekshana, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kunal Singh Rathore.

SRH vs RR Free Live Streaming: Rajasthan Royals will kick off their Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) campaign against last season's runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).

SRH vs RR, IPL 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: Rajasthan Royals will kick off their Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) campaign against last season's runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The former champions will look to make a positive start to their season, having made the playoffs in IPL 2024. Ahead of the IPL 2025 contest between SunRisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, here are all the details. Where to watch the SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match on TV? The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports and Sports 18 Network in India. Where to watch the SRH vs RR IPL 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT? The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. Which stadium will host the SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match? The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will be played at the iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. What time will the SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match? The SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 match will start at 3:30 PM IST on Sunday (Mar 23) with the toss taking place at 3:00 PM IST. ALSO READ | IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia SRH vs RR, IPL 2025 Squads SunRisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby, Pat Cummins(c), Harshal Patel, Adam Zampa, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Wiaan Mulder, Atharva Taide, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Aniket Verma. Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel(w), Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Maheesh Theekshana, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kunal Singh Rathore.

SRH vs RR Free Live Streaming || When and where to watch SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 live online

CSK vs MI, IPL 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue:&nbsp;Arch-rivals Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will lock horns in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as the two meet at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The contest will serve as the first high-voltage meeting between the sides as they aim to capture their sixth title in the IPL. Ahead of the IPL 2025 contest between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, here are all the details.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">CSK vs MI Free Live Streaming: OTT</h2>
The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match&nbsp;on TV?</h2>
The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports and Sports 18 Network in India.<o:p></o:p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Which stadium will host the Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match?</h2>
The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will be played at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">What time will the Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match?</h2>
The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will start at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday (Mar 23) with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-heres-what-ipl-chairman-said-about-cash-rich-league-happening-in-saudi-arabia-8879549" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia</a> 
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">CSK vs MI, IPL 2025 Squads<o:p></o:p></h2>
Chennai Super Kings:&nbsp;Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.
Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Verma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Shrijith Krishnan, Raj Angad Bawa, Venkat Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Vignesh Puthhur, Suryakumar Yadav.
Injury replacements: Allah Ghazanfar and Lizaad Williams were replaced by Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Corbin Bosch.

CSK vs MI Free Live Streaming: Arch-rivals Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will lock horns in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as the two meet at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

CSK vs MI, IPL 2025 Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: Arch-rivals Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will lock horns in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as the two meet at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The contest will serve as the first high-voltage meeting between the sides as they aim to capture their sixth title in the IPL. Ahead of the IPL 2025 contest between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, here are all the details. CSK vs MI Free Live Streaming: OTT The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. Where to watch the Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match on TV? The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports and Sports 18 Network in India. Which stadium will host the Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match? The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will be played at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. What time will the Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match? The Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 match will start at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday (Mar 23) with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST. ALSO READ | IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia CSK vs MI, IPL 2025 Squads Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth. Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Verma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Shrijith Krishnan, Raj Angad Bawa, Venkat Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Vignesh Puthhur, Suryakumar Yadav. Injury replacements: Allah Ghazanfar and Lizaad Williams were replaced by Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Corbin Bosch.

CSK vs MI Free Live Streaming || When and where to watch Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 live online

IPL Opening Ceremony was possibly one of the biggest highlights of the weekend as Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan took over hosting duties. The Indian Premiere League kicked off in Kolkata. While there was a lot that happened as Shah Rukh took to hosting duties, one thing that particularly stood out was his reaction during the national anthem.&nbsp;
Shah Rukh Khan closed his eyes as the national anthem played. He took off his sunglasses for the national anthem and was seen being engrossed in singing the anthem.&nbsp;
<h2>Fans impressed with Shah Rukh Khan for THIS sweet gesture</h2>
Netizens called him a &ldquo;great&rdquo; person and praised him for being a &ldquo;respectful&rdquo; person. As the video went viral, fans took to social media to share snippets of the video and pictures zooming into the actor. One fan wrote, &ldquo;Pic Treasure: During the National Anthem Shah Rukh Khan removed his glasses &amp; started reciting with closing eyes in the respect.&rdquo; Another user wrote, &ldquo;If you think we love @iamsrk just because he is an actor you are wrong! He is such a great and respectful person.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8laqwaw-stsmgoym-h8wupza8">
Pic Treasure: During the National Anthem 🇮🇳 Shah Rukh Khan removed his glasses &amp; started reciting with closing eyes in the respect 🫶<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvsRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvsRCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2025</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShahRukhKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShahRukhKhan</a> <a href="https://t.co/nMukrlL52R">pic.twitter.com/nMukrlL52R</a>
&mdash; ℣ (@Vamp_Combatant) <a href="https://twitter.com/Vamp_Combatant/status/1903457912418447626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
Another person wrote on X, &ldquo;That's such a touching gesture from Shah Rukh Khan! His respect and patriotism truly shine through.&rdquo;
Also read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/not-a-murder-cbi-closes-sushant-singh-rajput-death-case-citing-no-evidence-for-foul-play-8881686" aria-label="Not a murder! CBI closes Sushant Singh Rajput death case citing no evidence of foul play">Not a murder! CBI closes Sushant Singh Rajput death case citing no evidence of foul play</a>
At the IPL Opening Ceremony, Shah Rukh Khan also shared an adorable moment with Virat Kohli. The highlight of the night was the duo grooving to the song &ldquo;Jhoome Jo Pathaan&rdquo; together. During his opening monologue, the actor delivered a dialogue from his superhit film Pathaan,&nbsp;&ldquo;Party Pathaan ke ghar pe rakhoge toh mehman nawazi ke liye Pathaan khud aayega aur patake bhi layega (If you host a party at a Pathaan's house, the Pathaan himself will take care of the guests and will also bring firecrackers).&rdquo;
Also read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/yash-kiara-advanis-toxic-gets-new-release-date-8881624" aria-label="Yash, Kiara Advani's Toxic gets new release date">Yash, Kiara Advani's Toxic gets new release date</a>

Entertainment Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan recently hosted the IPL 2025 opening ceremony and the internet fell in love with him again after he made a sweet gesture.

IPL Opening Ceremony was possibly one of the biggest highlights of the weekend as Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan took over hosting duties. The Indian Premiere League kicked off in Kolkata. While there was a lot that happened as Shah Rukh took to hosting duties, one thing that particularly stood out was his reaction during the national anthem. Shah Rukh Khan closed his eyes as the national anthem played. He took off his sunglasses for the national anthem and was seen being engrossed in singing the anthem. Fans impressed with Shah Rukh Khan for THIS sweet gesture Netizens called him a “great” person and praised him for being a “respectful” person. As the video went viral, fans took to social media to share snippets of the video and pictures zooming into the actor. One fan wrote, “Pic Treasure: During the National Anthem Shah Rukh Khan removed his glasses & started reciting with closing eyes in the respect.” Another user wrote, “If you think we love @iamsrk just because he is an actor you are wrong! He is such a great and respectful person.” Pic Treasure: During the National Anthem 🇮🇳 Shah Rukh Khan removed his glasses & started reciting with closing eyes in the respect 🫶#KKRvsRCB #IPL2025 #ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/nMukrlL52R — ℣ (@Vamp_Combatant) March 22, 2025 Another person wrote on X, “That's such a touching gesture from Shah Rukh Khan! His respect and patriotism truly shine through.” Also read: Not a murder! CBI closes Sushant Singh Rajput death case citing no evidence of foul play At the IPL Opening Ceremony, Shah Rukh Khan also shared an adorable moment with Virat Kohli. The highlight of the night was the duo grooving to the song “Jhoome Jo Pathaan” together. During his opening monologue, the actor delivered a dialogue from his superhit film Pathaan, “Party Pathaan ke ghar pe rakhoge toh mehman nawazi ke liye Pathaan khud aayega aur patake bhi layega (If you host a party at a Pathaan's house, the Pathaan himself will take care of the guests and will also bring firecrackers).” Also read: Yash, Kiara Advani's Toxic gets new release date

WATCH: Shah Rukh Khan impresses netizens with this sweet gesture during IPL Opening Ceremony

During the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> 2025 opening ceremony at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, an incident involving Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rinku-singh">Rinku Singh</a> and Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> caught fans' attention. As Bollywood superstar and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan invited both players on stage, Rinku shook hands with Shah Rukh but appeared to walk past Kohli, who had extended his hand for a handshake. ​
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-rahane-calls-for-spin-friendly-pitch-at-eden-gardens-after-kkrs-loss-to-rcb-8881652">IPL 2025: Rahane calls for spin-friendly pitch at Eden Gardens after KKR&rsquo;s loss to RCB</a>
This moment sparked discussions on social media, with fans debating whether Rinku intentionally ignored Kohli or simply missed the gesture. Despite this, the ceremony continued with both players participating in light-hearted activities, including dancing to popular Bollywood tracks alongside Shah Rukh Khan. ​
<h2>See the video here:&nbsp;</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Rinku singh ignored Virat Kohli 💔 <a href="https://t.co/qg1IAvXKOU">pic.twitter.com/qg1IAvXKOU</a>
&mdash; Ankit Sheoran (@sheoranankit_) <a href="https://twitter.com/sheoranankit_/status/1903503546521420278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Interestingly, Rinku and Kohli share a good rapport. Last year, Kohli even gifted one of his bats to Rinku. Therefore, the incident is likely to be a simple misunderstanding rather than a deliberate snub.
<h2>Hazlewood sets tone for RCB</h2>
Josh Hazlewood set the tone for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their IPL 2025 opener with a commanding bowling display that put Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the defensive. Leading RCB&rsquo;s pace attack, he struck in the first and final overs, finishing with impressive figures of 2/22.
Beyond just taking wickets&mdash;dismissing Quinton de Kock early and Harshit Rana at the death&mdash;Hazlewood&rsquo;s precision in line and length made the real difference. He delivered 16 dot balls, maintained a remarkable economy rate of 5.50, and stood out as the best fast bowler of the match. His success stemmed from disciplined bowling, focusing on short and short-of-good-length deliveries while rarely pitching it up.
After the match, Hazlewood explained that his strategy was dictated by the conditions. With the pitch under covers for nearly two days, he anticipated moisture in the surface, which played to his strengths. His approach ensured KKR struggled early, managing just nine runs in the first three overs.
"It was more based on pitch and conditions," Hazlewood said in the post-match press conference, as quoted saying to ESPNcricinfo.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The incident from the IPL 2025 opening ceremony, featuring Virat Kohli, Rinku Singh and Shah Rukh Khan, has gone viral on social media platforms

During the Indian Premier League 2025 opening ceremony at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, an incident involving Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) Rinku Singh and Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Virat Kohli caught fans' attention. As Bollywood superstar and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan invited both players on stage, Rinku shook hands with Shah Rukh but appeared to walk past Kohli, who had extended his hand for a handshake. Also Read: IPL 2025: Rahane calls for spin-friendly pitch at Eden Gardens after KKR’s loss to RCB This moment sparked discussions on social media, with fans debating whether Rinku intentionally ignored Kohli or simply missed the gesture. Despite this, the ceremony continued with both players participating in light-hearted activities, including dancing to popular Bollywood tracks alongside Shah Rukh Khan. See the video here: Rinku singh ignored Virat Kohli 💔 pic.twitter.com/qg1IAvXKOU — Ankit Sheoran (@sheoranankit_) March 22, 2025 Interestingly, Rinku and Kohli share a good rapport. Last year, Kohli even gifted one of his bats to Rinku. Therefore, the incident is likely to be a simple misunderstanding rather than a deliberate snub. Hazlewood sets tone for RCB Josh Hazlewood set the tone for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their IPL 2025 opener with a commanding bowling display that put Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the defensive. Leading RCB’s pace attack, he struck in the first and final overs, finishing with impressive figures of 2/22. Beyond just taking wickets—dismissing Quinton de Kock early and Harshit Rana at the death—Hazlewood’s precision in line and length made the real difference. He delivered 16 dot balls, maintained a remarkable economy rate of 5.50, and stood out as the best fast bowler of the match. His success stemmed from disciplined bowling, focusing on short and short-of-good-length deliveries while rarely pitching it up. After the match, Hazlewood explained that his strategy was dictated by the conditions. With the pitch under covers for nearly two days, he anticipated moisture in the surface, which played to his strengths. His approach ensured KKR struggled early, managing just nine runs in the first three overs. "It was more based on pitch and conditions," Hazlewood said in the post-match press conference, as quoted saying to ESPNcricinfo. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Did Rinku Singh snub Virat Kohli? Handshake controversy sparks debate in opener- WATCH

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> admitted that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/eden-gardens">Eden Gardens</a> pitch played differently than usual in their IPL 2025 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Traditionally known to assist spinners, the surface offered little turn, affecting KKR&rsquo;s spin-heavy bowling attack in their seven-wicket defeat.
Rahane attributed the change in conditions to persistent rain, which kept the wicket under covers for nearly two days. This led to early moisture, favoring RCB&rsquo;s fast bowlers, particularly Josh Hazlewood, who made full use of the conditions.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-theres-something-special-about-this-rcb-team-this-year-says-former-australian-opening-batter-matthew-hayden-8881570">IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden</a>
"We would love to see a pitch that helps spin bowlers, but this wicket was under covers for the last one and a half days," Rahane said in the post-match press conference. "There was some moisture when we started our batting, and Hazlewood used the conditions really well."
<h2>'Pitch played different due to rain'</h2>
KKR&rsquo;s spin duo, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, struggled to extract their usual turn. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Chakravarthy</a>, coming off a strong Champions Trophy campaign, conceded 43 runs in four overs, while Narine finished with 1 for 27. Their combined two wickets were a stark contrast to their usual impact.
Despite the setback, Rahane backed his spinners. "No complaints. Both our spinners are of great quality; they can bowl on any kind of wicket. I'm sure they are confident as well, but yes, the pitch played differently because of the rain," he added.
Chasing 175, RCB openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli (59*) gave a flying start, taking their side to 80/0 in the powerplay. Salt&rsquo;s explosive hitting dismantled Chakravarthy in the fourth over, hammering 21 runs.
Though KKR managed breakthroughs later, the damage was done. Salt fell after scoring a quick-fire fifty, while Devdutt Padikkal (19) was caught off Narine. Kohli, staying true to his "chase master' reputation, reached his half-century in style with a lofted boundary over covers.
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar (34) played a quick cameo before losing his wicket to Vaibhav Arora. Liam Livingstone (15*) finished the chase with a flourish, sealing a seven-wicket win.
KKR will look to bounce back when they face Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Wednesday (March 26).
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Traditionally known to assist spinners, the surface offered little turn, affecting KKR’s spin-heavy bowling attack in their seven-wicket defeat

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane admitted that the Eden Gardens pitch played differently than usual in their IPL 2025 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Traditionally known to assist spinners, the surface offered little turn, affecting KKR’s spin-heavy bowling attack in their seven-wicket defeat. Rahane attributed the change in conditions to persistent rain, which kept the wicket under covers for nearly two days. This led to early moisture, favoring RCB’s fast bowlers, particularly Josh Hazlewood, who made full use of the conditions. Also Read: IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden "We would love to see a pitch that helps spin bowlers, but this wicket was under covers for the last one and a half days," Rahane said in the post-match press conference. "There was some moisture when we started our batting, and Hazlewood used the conditions really well." 'Pitch played different due to rain' KKR’s spin duo, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, struggled to extract their usual turn. Chakravarthy, coming off a strong Champions Trophy campaign, conceded 43 runs in four overs, while Narine finished with 1 for 27. Their combined two wickets were a stark contrast to their usual impact. Despite the setback, Rahane backed his spinners. "No complaints. Both our spinners are of great quality; they can bowl on any kind of wicket. I'm sure they are confident as well, but yes, the pitch played differently because of the rain," he added. Chasing 175, RCB openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli (59*) gave a flying start, taking their side to 80/0 in the powerplay. Salt’s explosive hitting dismantled Chakravarthy in the fourth over, hammering 21 runs. Though KKR managed breakthroughs later, the damage was done. Salt fell after scoring a quick-fire fifty, while Devdutt Padikkal (19) was caught off Narine. Kohli, staying true to his "chase master' reputation, reached his half-century in style with a lofted boundary over covers. RCB skipper Rajat Patidar (34) played a quick cameo before losing his wicket to Vaibhav Arora. Liam Livingstone (15*) finished the chase with a flourish, sealing a seven-wicket win. KKR will look to bounce back when they face Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Wednesday (March 26). (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Rahane calls for spin-friendly pitch at Eden Gardens after KKR’s loss to RCB

The highly anticipated 18th season of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league" rel="dofollow">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) has begun, bringing with it thrilling cricketing action, record-breaking performances, and edge-of-the-seat entertainment. In the opening match, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) delivered a dominating win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), setting the stage for an exhilarating tournament. Following the match, cricketing legends and JioStar experts Sunil Gavaskar and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/matthew-hayden">Matthew Hayden</a> provided in-depth analysis exclusively on JioHotstar, dissecting key performances and strategic takeaways.
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar praised the performances of Rajat Patidar and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>, emphasising their strong rapport. He said, &ldquo;Rajat Patidar has spent considerable time playing under Virat Kohli, which has helped him settle in seamlessly. Kohli&rsquo;s presence gave him confidence, and Patidar responded with an outstanding knock. The way he stroked the ball and made it look effortless was commendable."
"Additionally, RCB&rsquo;s ability to restrict KKR from what seemed like a 200-210 total to just 175 was crucial. Rajat Patidar&rsquo;s captaincy was impressive&mdash;his bowling changes were spot on, and his performance as a batter was equally impactful," he added.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-fan-breaches-security-at-eden-gardens-to-touch-virat-kohlis-feet-during-kkr-rcb-opener-watch-8881428">IPL 2025: Fan breaches security at Eden Gardens to touch Virat Kohli's feet during KKR-RCB opener-WATCH</a>
Gavaskar also highlighted the evolving aggressive approach of IPL batters.&nbsp;&ldquo;Players are becoming more adventurous, understanding the importance of capitalizing on the powerplay. With only two fielders outside the inner circle, teams must aim for 10-12 runs per over in the first six overs, targeting 60-75 runs even at the cost of one wicket. This provides a strong foundation to push for totals around 180-200, he said.
<h2>'Kohli's partnership with Salt was key'</h2>
Meanwhile, Matthew Hayden analysed Virat Kohli&rsquo;s performance while chasing. The former Australia opener said,&nbsp;&ldquo;This was the ideal total for Virat Kohli to chase. He thrives in scenarios where the target is around par or slightly above. His strike rate, particularly in the middle overs, was exceptional&mdash;maintaining over 170, which was exactly what was required."
"His partnership with Phil Salt was also key, as Salt&rsquo;s role in increasing the scoring rate complemented Kohli&rsquo;s approach. We&rsquo;re witnessing &lsquo;Virat Kohli 2.0&rsquo;&mdash;he remains dominant in powerplays but has now enhanced his effectiveness in the middle overs as well," he added.
Hayden further stressed the significance of net run rate in the IPL.&nbsp;&ldquo;Every season, net run rate plays a critical role. Last year, RCB had to make a late surge, and net run rate proved decisive. This season, too, it will be a crucial factor in the playoff race.&rdquo;
The Australian also discussed the influence of Krunal Pandya. &ldquo;Krunal Pandya was a brilliant selection. His variations, change of pace, and ability to attack the stumps made a significant impact. Experience is invaluable in high-pressure situations, and he demonstrated great composure. At one stage, RCB seemed to be struggling, but their resilience and comeback were remarkable.&rdquo;

Sports, Cricket: Sunil Gavaskar praised the performances of Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli, while Matthew Hayden praised Virat Kohli’s performance while chasing

The highly anticipated 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has begun, bringing with it thrilling cricketing action, record-breaking performances, and edge-of-the-seat entertainment. In the opening match, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) delivered a dominating win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), setting the stage for an exhilarating tournament. Following the match, cricketing legends and JioStar experts Sunil Gavaskar and Matthew Hayden provided in-depth analysis exclusively on JioHotstar, dissecting key performances and strategic takeaways. Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar praised the performances of Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli, emphasising their strong rapport. He said, “Rajat Patidar has spent considerable time playing under Virat Kohli, which has helped him settle in seamlessly. Kohli’s presence gave him confidence, and Patidar responded with an outstanding knock. The way he stroked the ball and made it look effortless was commendable." "Additionally, RCB’s ability to restrict KKR from what seemed like a 200-210 total to just 175 was crucial. Rajat Patidar’s captaincy was impressive—his bowling changes were spot on, and his performance as a batter was equally impactful," he added. Also Read: IPL 2025: Fan breaches security at Eden Gardens to touch Virat Kohli's feet during KKR-RCB opener-WATCH Gavaskar also highlighted the evolving aggressive approach of IPL batters. “Players are becoming more adventurous, understanding the importance of capitalizing on the powerplay. With only two fielders outside the inner circle, teams must aim for 10-12 runs per over in the first six overs, targeting 60-75 runs even at the cost of one wicket. This provides a strong foundation to push for totals around 180-200, he said. 'Kohli's partnership with Salt was key' Meanwhile, Matthew Hayden analysed Virat Kohli’s performance while chasing. The former Australia opener said, “This was the ideal total for Virat Kohli to chase. He thrives in scenarios where the target is around par or slightly above. His strike rate, particularly in the middle overs, was exceptional—maintaining over 170, which was exactly what was required." "His partnership with Phil Salt was also key, as Salt’s role in increasing the scoring rate complemented Kohli’s approach. We’re witnessing ‘Virat Kohli 2.0’—he remains dominant in powerplays but has now enhanced his effectiveness in the middle overs as well," he added. Hayden further stressed the significance of net run rate in the IPL. “Every season, net run rate plays a critical role. Last year, RCB had to make a late surge, and net run rate proved decisive. This season, too, it will be a crucial factor in the playoff race.” The Australian also discussed the influence of Krunal Pandya. “Krunal Pandya was a brilliant selection. His variations, change of pace, and ability to attack the stumps made a significant impact. Experience is invaluable in high-pressure situations, and he demonstrated great composure. At one stage, RCB seemed to be struggling, but their resilience and comeback were remarkable.”

IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/krunal-pandya">Krunal Pandya</a> shared his thought process behind delivering an unexpected bouncer to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) batter Venkatesh Iyer during the opening match of Indian Premier League 2025.
In the 12th over of KKR&rsquo;s innings, Venkatesh walked to the crease without wearing a helmet. Sensing an opportunity, Krunal bowled a sharp bouncer. However, Venkatesh read it early and avoided any trouble. The very next ball, now with his helmet on, the southpaw attempted a wristy shot but ended up dragging the ball onto his stumps.
Speaking about his strategy in the post-match presentation, Krunal said, "Whether it's a wide yorker or a bouncer, if you have something in your arsenal, why not use it?"
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-learning-from-the-best-rcb-captain-applauds-virat-kohlis-unbeaten-fifty-in-curtain-raiser-8881337">IPL 2025: 'Learning from the best', RCB captain applauds Virat Kohli&rsquo;s unbeaten fifty in curtain-raiser</a>
Krunal&rsquo;s brilliance wasn&rsquo;t limited to that one dismissal. Earlier, he claimed the crucial wicket of KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was in destructive form, striking boundaries with ease. Rahane, on 56 off 31 balls, miscued a shot straight into the hands of Rasikh Salam, courtesy of Krunal&rsquo;s well-crafted plan.
The left-arm spinner wrapped up his spell with another key scalp, clean bowling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rinku-singh">Rinku Singh</a> with a quicker delivery that skidded past the batter&rsquo;s attempted pull shot. Finishing with figures of 3/29, Krunal was named Player of the Match for his match-winning performance.
<h2>'My focus is on bowling quicker'</h2>
Reflecting on his approach, he emphasised the importance of adaptability in modern cricket.&nbsp;"When you play in front of such a big crowd, you have to narrow your focus. If I get hit, it should be off a good ball. Batters today have the skill to hit sixes consistently, so as a bowler, you need to evolve. That&rsquo;s why I focus on bowling quicker and using variations. Change of pace isn&rsquo;t just for pacers; I try it too," he explained.
Krunal, who was acquired by RCB from Lucknow Super Giants for $66 million in the mega auction, also spoke about his short but thrilling stint with the franchise so far:&nbsp;"It&rsquo;s been amazing. The energy around RCB is unreal. Even in domestic cricket, you hear fans chanting &lsquo;RCB.&rsquo; It&rsquo;s been just 10 days since I joined, and I&rsquo;m loving it."
Thanks to Krunal&rsquo;s stellar bowling, KKR managed only 174/8. In response, RCB&rsquo;s opening duo of Virat Kohli and Philip Salt set the stage for an easy chase, stitching together a commanding 95-run partnership.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: In the 12th over of KKR’s innings, Venkatesh walked to the crease without wearing a helmet. Sensing an opportunity, Krunal bowled a sharp bouncer

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya shared his thought process behind delivering an unexpected bouncer to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Venkatesh Iyer during the opening match of Indian Premier League 2025. In the 12th over of KKR’s innings, Venkatesh walked to the crease without wearing a helmet. Sensing an opportunity, Krunal bowled a sharp bouncer. However, Venkatesh read it early and avoided any trouble. The very next ball, now with his helmet on, the southpaw attempted a wristy shot but ended up dragging the ball onto his stumps. Speaking about his strategy in the post-match presentation, Krunal said, "Whether it's a wide yorker or a bouncer, if you have something in your arsenal, why not use it?" Also Read: IPL 2025: 'Learning from the best', RCB captain applauds Virat Kohli’s unbeaten fifty in curtain-raiser Krunal’s brilliance wasn’t limited to that one dismissal. Earlier, he claimed the crucial wicket of KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was in destructive form, striking boundaries with ease. Rahane, on 56 off 31 balls, miscued a shot straight into the hands of Rasikh Salam, courtesy of Krunal’s well-crafted plan. The left-arm spinner wrapped up his spell with another key scalp, clean bowling Rinku Singh with a quicker delivery that skidded past the batter’s attempted pull shot. Finishing with figures of 3/29, Krunal was named Player of the Match for his match-winning performance. 'My focus is on bowling quicker' Reflecting on his approach, he emphasised the importance of adaptability in modern cricket. "When you play in front of such a big crowd, you have to narrow your focus. If I get hit, it should be off a good ball. Batters today have the skill to hit sixes consistently, so as a bowler, you need to evolve. That’s why I focus on bowling quicker and using variations. Change of pace isn’t just for pacers; I try it too," he explained. Krunal, who was acquired by RCB from Lucknow Super Giants for $66 million in the mega auction, also spoke about his short but thrilling stint with the franchise so far: "It’s been amazing. The energy around RCB is unreal. Even in domestic cricket, you hear fans chanting ‘RCB.’ It’s been just 10 days since I joined, and I’m loving it." Thanks to Krunal’s stellar bowling, KKR managed only 174/8. In response, RCB’s opening duo of Virat Kohli and Philip Salt set the stage for an easy chase, stitching together a commanding 95-run partnership. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: 'Why not use it?'– Krunal Pandya on his surprise bouncer to Venkatesh Iyer

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) 2025 campaign with a commanding seven-wicket victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens. Skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajat-patidar">Rajat Patidar</a> celebrated his debut as RCB captain with a memorable win, while <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> faced defeat in his first match as KKR skipper.
Following the match, Patidar praised star batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> for his unbeaten knock, which played a crucial role in the victory. "There was pressure, but it was a good day for me. If we keep winning like this, it will be even better. I fully backed Suyash despite him conceding runs because he was our main wicket-taker. Credit goes to the bowlers for their courage and determination. Having a player like Kohli in the team is a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the best in the game," Patidar said at the post-match presentation.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-kkr-captain-ajinkya-rahane-pinpoints-game-changing-moment-in-defeat-against-rcb-8881320">IPL 2025: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane pinpoints game-changing moment in defeat against RCB</a>
Kohli remained unbeaten on 59 off 36 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. With this innings, he became the third batter to score 1,000 runs against KKR, joining David Warner (1,093) and Rohit Sharma (1,070).
<h2>King Kohli honoured</h2>
Before the season opener, Kohli was honored with an 'IPL 18' memento by BCCI president Roger Binny, recognising his long-standing contribution to the league. Having been with RCB since the tournament's inception, Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, making 8,004 runs in 252 matches, including eight centuries and 55 half-centuries. His phenomenal 2016 season, where he scored 973 runs with four centuries, remains unmatched, though an IPL title has eluded him.
The match also marked Kohli&rsquo;s 400th appearance in T20 cricket. Before the felicitation, he delighted fans by dancing with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh welcomed Kohli on stage with an electrifying introduction: "The King of 22 yards and a billion hearts. Let's hear it for the GOAT, Virat Kohli."
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Kohli remained unbeaten on 59. With this innings, he became the third batter to score 1,000 runs against KKR, joining David Warner and Rohit Sharma

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign with a commanding seven-wicket victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens. Skipper Rajat Patidar celebrated his debut as RCB captain with a memorable win, while Ajinkya Rahane faced defeat in his first match as KKR skipper. Following the match, Patidar praised star batter Virat Kohli for his unbeaten knock, which played a crucial role in the victory. "There was pressure, but it was a good day for me. If we keep winning like this, it will be even better. I fully backed Suyash despite him conceding runs because he was our main wicket-taker. Credit goes to the bowlers for their courage and determination. Having a player like Kohli in the team is a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the best in the game," Patidar said at the post-match presentation. Also Read: IPL 2025: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane pinpoints game-changing moment in defeat against RCB Kohli remained unbeaten on 59 off 36 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. With this innings, he became the third batter to score 1,000 runs against KKR, joining David Warner (1,093) and Rohit Sharma (1,070). King Kohli honoured Before the season opener, Kohli was honored with an 'IPL 18' memento by BCCI president Roger Binny, recognising his long-standing contribution to the league. Having been with RCB since the tournament's inception, Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, making 8,004 runs in 252 matches, including eight centuries and 55 half-centuries. His phenomenal 2016 season, where he scored 973 runs with four centuries, remains unmatched, though an IPL title has eluded him. The match also marked Kohli’s 400th appearance in T20 cricket. Before the felicitation, he delighted fans by dancing with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh welcomed Kohli on stage with an electrifying introduction: "The King of 22 yards and a billion hearts. Let's hear it for the GOAT, Virat Kohli." (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: 'Learning from the best', RCB captain applauds Virat Kohli’s unbeaten fifty in curtain-raiser

In a disappointing start to their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) campaign, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) suffered a 7-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens. Captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> pointed to a crucial moment in the first innings that shifted the game&rsquo;s momentum away from the defending champions.
After being put in to bat, KKR struggled early against Josh Hazlewood&rsquo;s sharp bowling. However, Rahane and Sunil Narine counterattacked, propelling the team to a promising 107/1 in 9.5 overs. Just when KKR seemed poised for a big total, RCB struck back. Rasikh Salam dismissed Narine for 44, opening the floodgates. Krunal Pandya then inflicted further damage, removing key batters in quick succession, leaving KKR stumbling at 145/5.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-be-wary-of-srh-approach-will-be-ultra-aggressive-coach-daniel-vettori-to-all-teams-8880748">IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams</a>
Rahane reflected on this phase as the moment that derailed their innings. &ldquo;We were going well till the 13th over, but those 2-3 quick wickets completely changed the momentum. Venky (Venkatesh Iyer) and I believed 200-210 was possible, but after those dismissals, we couldn't recover,&rdquo; Rahane said in the post-match presentation.
<h2>Rahane optimistic&nbsp;</h2>
KKR eventually managed only 174/8, a total that proved insufficient against RCB&rsquo;s explosive batting. Openers Philip Salt and Virat Kohli dismantled KKR&rsquo;s bowling attack, putting on a 95-run stand that silenced the Eden Gardens crowd and shifted the chants in RCB&rsquo;s favor. With a commanding chase, RCB cruised to victory with seven wickets in hand.
Despite the loss, Rahane remained optimistic about improving in key areas. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t want to dwell too much on this game, but we&rsquo;ll look to get better in certain aspects,&rdquo; he added.
As KKR regroups for the next match, addressing their mid-innings collapse and bowling vulnerabilities will be crucial in bouncing back from this setback.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Just when Kolkata Knight Riders seemed poised for a big total, RCB struck back. Rasikh Salam dismissed Sunil Narine for 44, opening the floodgates

In a disappointing start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered a 7-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens. Captain Ajinkya Rahane pointed to a crucial moment in the first innings that shifted the game’s momentum away from the defending champions. After being put in to bat, KKR struggled early against Josh Hazlewood’s sharp bowling. However, Rahane and Sunil Narine counterattacked, propelling the team to a promising 107/1 in 9.5 overs. Just when KKR seemed poised for a big total, RCB struck back. Rasikh Salam dismissed Narine for 44, opening the floodgates. Krunal Pandya then inflicted further damage, removing key batters in quick succession, leaving KKR stumbling at 145/5. Also Read: IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams Rahane reflected on this phase as the moment that derailed their innings. “We were going well till the 13th over, but those 2-3 quick wickets completely changed the momentum. Venky (Venkatesh Iyer) and I believed 200-210 was possible, but after those dismissals, we couldn't recover,” Rahane said in the post-match presentation. Rahane optimistic KKR eventually managed only 174/8, a total that proved insufficient against RCB’s explosive batting. Openers Philip Salt and Virat Kohli dismantled KKR’s bowling attack, putting on a 95-run stand that silenced the Eden Gardens crowd and shifted the chants in RCB’s favor. With a commanding chase, RCB cruised to victory with seven wickets in hand. Despite the loss, Rahane remained optimistic about improving in key areas. “We don’t want to dwell too much on this game, but we’ll look to get better in certain aspects,” he added. As KKR regroups for the next match, addressing their mid-innings collapse and bowling vulnerabilities will be crucial in bouncing back from this setback. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane pinpoints game-changing moment in defeat against RCB

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow">Virat Kohli</a> scored his first fifty of the season, an unbeaten 59, but Krunal Pandya&rsquo;s heroics with the ball in the first innings laid the platform for a comfortable win for the RCB over KKR in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> opener. On Saturday (Mar 22) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajat-patidar" rel="dofollow">Rajat Patidar</a> began his captaincy tenure with a victory.
KKR vs RCB at the Eden was always going to be a blockbuster, and it didn&rsquo;t disappoint. Game one of IPL 2025 was a cracker but heartbreak for the home fans as KKR lost their first match of the season.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-be-wary-of-srh-approach-will-be-ultra-aggressive-coach-daniel-vettori-to-all-teams-8880748" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams</a>
Sent to bat first after losing the toss, KKR lost opener Quinton de Kock inside the first over. Newly-appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine steadied the ship, with Rahane taking all bowlers to cleaners. He smashed the first six of the tournament, adding three more in his 103-run stand with Narine for the second wicket.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8khsqm4-y3co0t2u-03hsdexv">
MAXIMUM! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AjinkyaRahane?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AjinkyaRahane</a> picks the length early and whacks <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RasikhSalam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RasikhSalam</a> for the first six of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> 2025! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv">https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvRCB</a>, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network &amp; JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/JhVhuON09F">pic.twitter.com/JhVhuON09F</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903452936656806202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
Though KKR looked like crossing the 200-run-mark at one stage, they scored 174/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of some brilliant bowling and captaincy from RCB.&nbsp;
Krunal impressed everyone with his clutch spell, picking three wickets for 29 runs, while others also chipped in with a wicket each. Seamer Josh Hazlewood grabbed two on his return to competitive cricket.
<h2>Salt, Kohli pull off 7-wicket chase for RCB</h2>
RCB has had several powerful opening pairs over the years, but this new one of England&rsquo;s Phil Salt and batting giant Virat Kohli looks like a real deal. The batting duo clicked from the offset - similar to how they did during the pre-season camp, hammering KKR bowlers to all parts.&nbsp;While Salt took the onus early on, Kohli joined him soon after, smashing KKR debutant Spencer Johnson for massive sixes in the same over.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8khqrol-wkt6on83-l350mh9k">
A stroke which had class written all over it! 😍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> lifts an overpitched delivery effortlessly for a sublime six! 🫰🏻 Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv">https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvRCB</a>, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network &amp; JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/zIapSr0RNj">pic.twitter.com/zIapSr0RNj</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903484861488537658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
However, what broke KKR&rsquo;s back was Salt&rsquo;s assault against premier spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in his first two overs. The pair added 95 for the first wicket before Varun had Salt&rsquo;s number on 56.
RCB sent in the Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal at three, but that trick failed.&nbsp;Captain Rajat Patidar joined Kohli in the middle and began bashing from the word go, crushing early jitters.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8khrrvs-bo2fd7o2-1l8g3tph">
And the skipper joins the party! ❤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajatPatidar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajatPatidar</a> smashes <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SunilNarine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SunilNarine</a> over long for a beautiful MAXIMUM! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv">https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvRCB</a>, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network &amp; JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/OBtBfFkr00">pic.twitter.com/OBtBfFkr00</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903495597191225634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
He, however, got out playing the glory shot, with English all-rounder Liam Livingstone completing the formalities, scoring an unbeaten 15 off five balls, including two fours and a six.&nbsp;

Cricket, Sports: Krunal Pandya picked three for 29 in the first innings, helping RCB restrict KKR to 174 for eight in the tournament opener at Eden Gardens.

Virat Kohli scored his first fifty of the season, an unbeaten 59, but Krunal Pandya’s heroics with the ball in the first innings laid the platform for a comfortable win for the RCB over KKR in the IPL 2025 opener. On Saturday (Mar 22) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as Rajat Patidar began his captaincy tenure with a victory. KKR vs RCB at the Eden was always going to be a blockbuster, and it didn’t disappoint. Game one of IPL 2025 was a cracker but heartbreak for the home fans as KKR lost their first match of the season. Also read | IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams Sent to bat first after losing the toss, KKR lost opener Quinton de Kock inside the first over. Newly-appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine steadied the ship, with Rahane taking all bowlers to cleaners. He smashed the first six of the tournament, adding three more in his 103-run stand with Narine for the second wicket. MAXIMUM! 🔥#AjinkyaRahane picks the length early and whacks #RasikhSalam for the first six of #TATAIPL 2025! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv #IPLonJioStar 👉 #KKRvRCB, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/JhVhuON09F — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 22, 2025 Though KKR looked like crossing the 200-run-mark at one stage, they scored 174/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of some brilliant bowling and captaincy from RCB. Krunal impressed everyone with his clutch spell, picking three wickets for 29 runs, while others also chipped in with a wicket each. Seamer Josh Hazlewood grabbed two on his return to competitive cricket. Salt, Kohli pull off 7-wicket chase for RCB RCB has had several powerful opening pairs over the years, but this new one of England’s Phil Salt and batting giant Virat Kohli looks like a real deal. The batting duo clicked from the offset - similar to how they did during the pre-season camp, hammering KKR bowlers to all parts. While Salt took the onus early on, Kohli joined him soon after, smashing KKR debutant Spencer Johnson for massive sixes in the same over. A stroke which had class written all over it! 😍#ViratKohli lifts an overpitched delivery effortlessly for a sublime six! 🫰🏻 Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv #IPLonJioStar 👉 #KKRvRCB, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/zIapSr0RNj — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 22, 2025 However, what broke KKR’s back was Salt’s assault against premier spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in his first two overs. The pair added 95 for the first wicket before Varun had Salt’s number on 56. RCB sent in the Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal at three, but that trick failed. Captain Rajat Patidar joined Kohli in the middle and began bashing from the word go, crushing early jitters. And the skipper joins the party! ❤#RajatPatidar smashes #SunilNarine over long for a beautiful MAXIMUM! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv #IPLonJioStar 👉 #KKRvRCB, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/OBtBfFkr00 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 22, 2025 He, however, got out playing the glory shot, with English all-rounder Liam Livingstone completing the formalities, scoring an unbeaten 15 off five balls, including two fours and a six.

KKR vs RCB: Kohli, Krunal power Bengaluru to comfortable win in IPL 2025 opener

Nothing is stopping <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad-srh" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> from bettering their last season&rsquo;s result, coach Daniel Vettori said ahead of their tournament opener against Rajasthan Royals in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>. However, that&rsquo;s not even the most worrying warning for all teams; Vettori added that SRH&rsquo;s batting, which made headlines last season for deploying a fearless approach, will remain ultra-aggressive this season.
SRH scored the bulk of runs last season, including registering three of the top five highest team totals, the first two being the most in tournament history. Their attacking approach crushed everyone coming their way, barring the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which beat them to win their third IPL title.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-adam-gilchrist-picks-orange-cap-contender-backs-ponting-iyer-to-change-pbks-fortunes-8880644" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Gilchrist picks orange cap contender; backs Ponting-Iyer to change PBKS fortunes</a>
With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma at the top and Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen coming down the order, SRH perhaps has the most-daunting batting top five this season, with Vettori sending warning signs to all teams to remain beware.
"Whatever ground we go to, we have an understanding that the batting team is going to be aggressive. The only thing that can mitigate that is the pitch, but most times, the pitches in IPL are very flat,&rdquo; Vettori said at the pre-game presser.
Vettori said the teams know what to expect from the IPL venues as they prepare strategies accordingly. The former New Zealand captain added that team skipper Pat Cummins cleared the agenda earlier, informing everyone of the template they wish to follow this season.
"When you come to these grounds, you know exactly what to expect. You know how the batsmen are going come against you. It's quite&hellip;..maybe not fun is the right word; it's a good challenge for a bowling group to try and work their way through that.
"That's what Pat [Cummins, the captain] addressed the bowling group the other day. He said the expectation is on the batters to do all the work, score the runs, and the bowlers can sort of feed into that. If we get those days to make it all work, it's going go a long way in us winning games. The onus on the batting group to score runs and for the bowlers to be able to mitigate that,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>&lsquo;Expectations bring excitement&rsquo;</h2>
SRH came close to winning their second IPL title last year, only for them to falter on the day when it mattered the most.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/watch-ms-dhoni-shares-light-moment-with-hardik-pandya-ahead-of-marquee-csk-mi-ipl-2025-clash-8880461" rel="dofollow">Watch &ndash; MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash</a>
Come IPL 2025, fans are expecting them to go one notch ahead and clinch the trophy.&nbsp;
"Expectations bring some excitement," he said. "Expectations are built around the performances of last year and the quality of the team we've been able to put together at the back end of last season and into the auction.
"As a franchise, we're really excited about the season because we have that foundation from the five players [Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma] we retained, and how well they performed last year, hopefully, we have the squad to perform as well this year if not better,&rdquo; Vettori noted.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: SRH scored the bulk of runs last season, including registering three of the top five highest team totals, the first two being the most ever in IPL.

Nothing is stopping SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) from bettering their last season’s result, coach Daniel Vettori said ahead of their tournament opener against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. However, that’s not even the most worrying warning for all teams; Vettori added that SRH’s batting, which made headlines last season for deploying a fearless approach, will remain ultra-aggressive this season. SRH scored the bulk of runs last season, including registering three of the top five highest team totals, the first two being the most in tournament history. Their attacking approach crushed everyone coming their way, barring the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which beat them to win their third IPL title. Also read | IPL 2025: Gilchrist picks orange cap contender; backs Ponting-Iyer to change PBKS fortunes With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma at the top and Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen coming down the order, SRH perhaps has the most-daunting batting top five this season, with Vettori sending warning signs to all teams to remain beware. "Whatever ground we go to, we have an understanding that the batting team is going to be aggressive. The only thing that can mitigate that is the pitch, but most times, the pitches in IPL are very flat,” Vettori said at the pre-game presser. Vettori said the teams know what to expect from the IPL venues as they prepare strategies accordingly. The former New Zealand captain added that team skipper Pat Cummins cleared the agenda earlier, informing everyone of the template they wish to follow this season. "When you come to these grounds, you know exactly what to expect. You know how the batsmen are going come against you. It's quite…..maybe not fun is the right word; it's a good challenge for a bowling group to try and work their way through that. "That's what Pat [Cummins, the captain] addressed the bowling group the other day. He said the expectation is on the batters to do all the work, score the runs, and the bowlers can sort of feed into that. If we get those days to make it all work, it's going go a long way in us winning games. The onus on the batting group to score runs and for the bowlers to be able to mitigate that,” he continued. ‘Expectations bring excitement’ SRH came close to winning their second IPL title last year, only for them to falter on the day when it mattered the most. Also read | Watch – MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash Come IPL 2025, fans are expecting them to go one notch ahead and clinch the trophy. "Expectations bring some excitement," he said. "Expectations are built around the performances of last year and the quality of the team we've been able to put together at the back end of last season and into the auction. "As a franchise, we're really excited about the season because we have that foundation from the five players [Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma] we retained, and how well they performed last year, hopefully, we have the squad to perform as well this year if not better,” Vettori noted. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams

Former IPL-winning captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/adam-gilchrist-0" rel="dofollow">Adam Gilchrist</a> has picked his orange cap contender for the 18th edition while backing the new leadership at Punjab Kings (PBKS) to change the team&rsquo;s fortune for good. Gilchrist won the IPL in 2009 with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers but failed to lead the Punjab side to glory during his stint. He, however, dropped ground-breaking revelations about how the management was erratic and acted like a handbrake when he led them.
"There&rsquo;s still the same ownership when I was the captain of that particular franchise, and it was somewhat erratic at times, and that might be the handbrake for them for a long while," the former PBKS captain Gilchrist said on the YouTube show Club Prairie Fire.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/watch-ms-dhoni-shares-light-moment-with-hardik-pandya-ahead-of-marquee-csk-mi-ipl-2025-clash-8880461" rel="dofollow">Watch &ndash; MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash</a>
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have a new head coach - Ricky Ponting, and skipper - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer" rel="dofollow">Shreyas Iyer</a>, heading into <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, and Gilchrist believes with Punter around, as fans used to call Ponting, he can help settle PBKS&rsquo; sinking ship. PBKS is among the only three IPL teams, alongside the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to have never won a title.
Throwing weight behind this new pairing of Iyer and Ponting at PBKS, Gilchrist said considering they had worked previously, they know how to function in tandem, something that might click for the team.
&ldquo;I think the combination of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer will inspire that franchise. They have worked well together previously, and that&rsquo;s going to be the cohesive gel to bring their ownership together. But I think Ricky will settle the ship,&rdquo; Gilchrist added.
<h2>New orange cap winner</h2>
As accolades go, the player with the most runs gets the orange cap, while the purple cap is bestowed upon the highest wicket-taker. With the tournament already underway, Gilchrist picked his first choice for the orange cap holder, and without any surprises, it&rsquo;s PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer.
Considering the new-look PBKS side filled with plenty of match winners, Iyer is likely to bat at number three, a position Gilchrist feels will help stay among the runs.
&ldquo;Shreyas Iyer is going to be my Orange Cap wearer by the end of it. He is going to bat at number three. He has been talking about it and he is shifting up the order and taking on the leadership role for them,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
Besides his batting number, Iyer&rsquo;s credentials as a captain will benefit PBKS this season. Under Iyer&rsquo;s leadership, Kolkata Knight Riders won the title last season.&nbsp;
However, after both parties decided to mutually part ways, PBKS bagged Iyer&rsquo;s services for a whopping $3.1m (INR 26.75 crore) &ndash; the second-most expensive player in auction history.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: PBKS is among the only three IPL teams, alongside the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to have never won a title.

Former IPL-winning captain Adam Gilchrist has picked his orange cap contender for the 18th edition while backing the new leadership at Punjab Kings (PBKS) to change the team’s fortune for good. Gilchrist won the IPL in 2009 with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers but failed to lead the Punjab side to glory during his stint. He, however, dropped ground-breaking revelations about how the management was erratic and acted like a handbrake when he led them. "There’s still the same ownership when I was the captain of that particular franchise, and it was somewhat erratic at times, and that might be the handbrake for them for a long while," the former PBKS captain Gilchrist said on the YouTube show Club Prairie Fire. Also read | Watch – MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have a new head coach - Ricky Ponting, and skipper - Shreyas Iyer, heading into IPL 2025, and Gilchrist believes with Punter around, as fans used to call Ponting, he can help settle PBKS’ sinking ship. PBKS is among the only three IPL teams, alongside the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to have never won a title. Throwing weight behind this new pairing of Iyer and Ponting at PBKS, Gilchrist said considering they had worked previously, they know how to function in tandem, something that might click for the team. “I think the combination of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer will inspire that franchise. They have worked well together previously, and that’s going to be the cohesive gel to bring their ownership together. But I think Ricky will settle the ship,” Gilchrist added. New orange cap winner As accolades go, the player with the most runs gets the orange cap, while the purple cap is bestowed upon the highest wicket-taker. With the tournament already underway, Gilchrist picked his first choice for the orange cap holder, and without any surprises, it’s PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer. Considering the new-look PBKS side filled with plenty of match winners, Iyer is likely to bat at number three, a position Gilchrist feels will help stay among the runs. “Shreyas Iyer is going to be my Orange Cap wearer by the end of it. He is going to bat at number three. He has been talking about it and he is shifting up the order and taking on the leadership role for them,” he continued. Besides his batting number, Iyer’s credentials as a captain will benefit PBKS this season. Under Iyer’s leadership, Kolkata Knight Riders won the title last season. However, after both parties decided to mutually part ways, PBKS bagged Iyer’s services for a whopping $3.1m (INR 26.75 crore) – the second-most expensive player in auction history. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Gilchrist picks orange cap contender; backs Ponting-Iyer to change PBKS fortunes

Ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/csk-vs-mi" rel="dofollow">CSK-MI</a> IPL 2025 clash at the Chepauk in Chennai on Sunday (Mar 23), two superstars &ndash; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ms-dhoni" rel="dofollow">MS Dhoni</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hardik-pandya" rel="dofollow">Hardik Pandya</a>, shared a light moment during the training. Former Chennai Super Kings captain Dhoni and Mumbai Indians&rsquo; Pandya hugged midway through the practice session and giggled around as the video went viral on social media.
<h3>Watch &ndash;</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8kaipzb-hcki4ajk-hsoausqc">
HP 🫂 MSD<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayLikeMumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayLikeMumbai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvMI</a> [Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni] <a href="https://t.co/JtCDgnShBq">pic.twitter.com/JtCDgnShBq</a>
&mdash; Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1903438955498103272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
While MI&rsquo;s captain Pandya will miss his team&rsquo;s tournament opener against fierce rivals CSK, Dhoni, 43, will hog all the limelight in potentially his last season as an active IPL cricketer. In Pandya&rsquo;s absence, star batter Suryakumar Yadav will captain Mumbai (against Chennai), while Ruturaj Gaikwad will walk out at the toss as CSK's skipper.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-record-breaker-gibbs-doesnt-think-scoring-300-in-an-inning-is-biggest-achievement-8880269" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn&rsquo;t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement</a>
<h2>CSK-MI in IPL 2025</h2>
The two most successful IPL teams, having won five titles each, will square off in Chennai on Sunday evening in the first marquee match of the tournament. Unlike the previous season, where CSK-MI faced off only once (at Wankhede), the two heavyweights will meet twice in IPL 2025, the second of which is scheduled (for April 20) in Mumbai.
For Mumbai Indians, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah will miss the action as he recovers from the back spasm suffered on the Australian tour in January. Although he came close to attaining full fitness and earning an India recall for the recently concluded Champions Trophy, a last-minute lapse in his recovery forced the selectors to overlook him for the first showpiece event of the year.
Per the latest reports, Bumrah returned to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru a week after making his first visit since getting ruled out. Bumrah has resumed bowling at the NCA nets, preparing for his anticipated return to competitive cricket.
Predicted XIs of CSK and MI &ndash;
CSK &ndash; Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Devon Conway/Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed and Matheesha Pathirana
MI &ndash; Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa/Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult and Karn Sharma
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: While Pandya will miss MI's tournament opener against CSK, MS Dhoni will hog all the limelight in potentially his last season as an active IPL cricketer

Ahead of the CSK-MI IPL 2025 clash at the Chepauk in Chennai on Sunday (Mar 23), two superstars – MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya, shared a light moment during the training. Former Chennai Super Kings captain Dhoni and Mumbai Indians’ Pandya hugged midway through the practice session and giggled around as the video went viral on social media. Watch – HP 🫂 MSD#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai #TATAIPL #CSKvMI [Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni] pic.twitter.com/JtCDgnShBq — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 22, 2025 While MI’s captain Pandya will miss his team’s tournament opener against fierce rivals CSK, Dhoni, 43, will hog all the limelight in potentially his last season as an active IPL cricketer. In Pandya’s absence, star batter Suryakumar Yadav will captain Mumbai (against Chennai), while Ruturaj Gaikwad will walk out at the toss as CSK's skipper. Also read | IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn’t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement CSK-MI in IPL 2025 The two most successful IPL teams, having won five titles each, will square off in Chennai on Sunday evening in the first marquee match of the tournament. Unlike the previous season, where CSK-MI faced off only once (at Wankhede), the two heavyweights will meet twice in IPL 2025, the second of which is scheduled (for April 20) in Mumbai. For Mumbai Indians, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah will miss the action as he recovers from the back spasm suffered on the Australian tour in January. Although he came close to attaining full fitness and earning an India recall for the recently concluded Champions Trophy, a last-minute lapse in his recovery forced the selectors to overlook him for the first showpiece event of the year. Per the latest reports, Bumrah returned to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru a week after making his first visit since getting ruled out. Bumrah has resumed bowling at the NCA nets, preparing for his anticipated return to competitive cricket. Predicted XIs of CSK and MI – CSK – Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Devon Conway/Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed and Matheesha Pathirana MI – Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa/Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult and Karn Sharma (With inputs from agencies)

Watch – MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash

Former Indian all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yuvraj-singh" rel="dofollow">Yuvraj Singh</a> has thrown his weight behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad" rel="dofollow">Sunrisers Hyderabad</a> (SRH) as his favorites to lift the Indian Premier League 2025&nbsp;trophy. However, the World Cup-winning cricketer made it clear that his preference has nothing to do with his mentorship of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/abhishek-sharma">Abhishek Sharma</a>, one of SRH&rsquo;s most promising young stars.
Yuvraj, who has been closely working with&nbsp;Abhishek Sharma, has seen the youngster develop into a powerful top-order batter for SRH. In IPL 2024, Abhishek stunned everyone with his 63 off just 23 balls against Mumbai Indians (MI), playing a crucial role in SRH's record-breaking 277/3 total&mdash;the highest-ever in IPL history.
Speaking exclusively to WION, the former Indian cricketer said, "SRH looks a well-balanced team. They have enough firepower to life the coveted IPL trophy this season. I am not saying this because I am biased towards Abhishek, but they really are a strong team."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-record-breaker-gibbs-doesnt-think-scoring-300-in-an-inning-is-biggest-achievement-8880269">IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn&rsquo;t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement</a>
Despite his evident connection with Abhishek, Yuvraj was quick to clarify that his backing of SRH is based purely on the team's overall strength, balance, and performance, not personal bias. He believes that under the leadership of Pat Cummins, SRH has all the ingredients to go all the way this season.
In a lighthearted moment after Abhishek&rsquo;s stunning knock, Yuvraj praised the youngster's innings but jokingly pointed out his mistake while playing the short ball that led to his dismissal. This showed the high expectations the former cricketer has for his protege.
<h2 data-start="1156" data-end="1427">Yuvi's love for RCB&nbsp;</h2>
While SRH remains his top pick, Yuvraj also expressed his admiration for&nbsp;Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), saying that he would love to see them go all the way. RCB, a team with a massive fanbase and star players like&nbsp;Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, has been chasing their elusive maiden IPL title for years.
By supporting both SRH and RCB, Yuvraj has set up an interesting narrative for the IPL season. Will SRH capitalise on their explosive batting lineup, or will RCB finally break their trophy drought? With Yuvraj&rsquo;s endorsement, all eyes will be on these two franchises as they battle for the IPL 2024 crown.
With high expectations and intense competition, IPL 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons yet. Whether SRH lives up to Yuvraj&rsquo;s prediction or RCB fulfills the dreams of their loyal fans, one thing is certain&mdash;this tournament is going to be a&nbsp;thriller!

Sports, Cricket: Yuvraj, who has been closely working with Abhishek Sharma, has seen the youngster develop into a powerful top-order batter for Sunrisers Hyderabad

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has thrown his weight behind Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as his favorites to lift the Indian Premier League 2025 trophy. However, the World Cup-winning cricketer made it clear that his preference has nothing to do with his mentorship of Abhishek Sharma, one of SRH’s most promising young stars. Yuvraj, who has been closely working with Abhishek Sharma, has seen the youngster develop into a powerful top-order batter for SRH. In IPL 2024, Abhishek stunned everyone with his 63 off just 23 balls against Mumbai Indians (MI), playing a crucial role in SRH's record-breaking 277/3 total—the highest-ever in IPL history. Speaking exclusively to WION, the former Indian cricketer said, "SRH looks a well-balanced team. They have enough firepower to life the coveted IPL trophy this season. I am not saying this because I am biased towards Abhishek, but they really are a strong team." Also Read: IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn’t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement Despite his evident connection with Abhishek, Yuvraj was quick to clarify that his backing of SRH is based purely on the team's overall strength, balance, and performance, not personal bias. He believes that under the leadership of Pat Cummins, SRH has all the ingredients to go all the way this season. In a lighthearted moment after Abhishek’s stunning knock, Yuvraj praised the youngster's innings but jokingly pointed out his mistake while playing the short ball that led to his dismissal. This showed the high expectations the former cricketer has for his protege. Yuvi's love for RCB While SRH remains his top pick, Yuvraj also expressed his admiration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), saying that he would love to see them go all the way. RCB, a team with a massive fanbase and star players like Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, has been chasing their elusive maiden IPL title for years. By supporting both SRH and RCB, Yuvraj has set up an interesting narrative for the IPL season. Will SRH capitalise on their explosive batting lineup, or will RCB finally break their trophy drought? With Yuvraj’s endorsement, all eyes will be on these two franchises as they battle for the IPL 2024 crown. With high expectations and intense competition, IPL 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons yet. Whether SRH lives up to Yuvraj’s prediction or RCB fulfills the dreams of their loyal fans, one thing is certain—this tournament is going to be a thriller!

Exclusive | IPL 2025: Not RCB or Punjab Kings, Yuvraj Singh picks THIS team as favourite to lift title

What happens when your landlord is more obsessed with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">IPL</a> than rent payments? Welcome to DC PG by Gulati, where veteran actor Rajesh Sharma plays Gulati, a die-hard Delhi Capitals fan who only allows fellow DC supporters to stay in his PG. But when non-DC fans sneak in, the real IPL drama begins&mdash;off the field!&nbsp;
In an exclusive conversation with WION, Rajesh Sharma shared his excitement about the role, revealing that despite his character's cricket obsession, he was actually a football captain in school and never played cricket. "The excitement was that I had to play cricket for the role," he said. "Cricket in India is like a religion, and if I can connect with people through the right emotion, it takes this religion to a different level."&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-king-khans-pep-talk-to-kkr-god-bless-you-be-healthy-and-play-well-8879692">IPL 2025 | King Khan&rsquo;s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well</a>
Though he doesn&rsquo;t follow IPL closely, Sharma enjoys discussing the matches with friends. "I like 2-3 teams&mdash;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings">Chennai Super Kings</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a>, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings," he admitted.&nbsp;
On his experience filming the series, Sharma praised the fresh and hardworking team. "The script, written by Panky, was full of natural humor, so I didn&rsquo;t have to improvise much. Everyone on the crew was so involved. That's what made the work fun and easy going."&nbsp;
A self-proclaimed foodie, Sharma couldn&rsquo;t stop raving about Delhi&rsquo;s street food. "There&rsquo;s a guy at CP who sells gajar ka halwa. I would take a 10-minute break from the shoot just to eat it!"&nbsp;
When asked which IPL team he would allow into his character's PG, Sharma was clear: "I would allow everyone. Cricket is about inclusivity."&nbsp;
He also spoke about the challenges of comedy in acting. "Comedy is hard because the person making others laugh is often serious inside. It&rsquo;s about balancing heart and mind, like Bertolt Brecht's theory&mdash;don&rsquo;t just flow with emotions, but work with awareness."
As Delhi Capitals engage their fans with their new mini-web series, they will be keen to start their campaign on a positive note when they face Lucknow Super Giants in the opening match of IPL 2025 on Monday (March 24).&nbsp;
<h2>Rapid fire with Rajesh Sharma:&nbsp;</h2>
Chennai Super Kings or Delhi Capitals-Delhi&nbsp;
All-time favorite cricketer-Mohammad Azharuddin&nbsp;
If you could swap places with a cricketer for a day-Kapil Dev&nbsp;
Cricketer biopic you'd like to star in-Virat Kohli&nbsp;
Who would you spend more time with, Dhoni or Kohli-Dhoni&nbsp;
Your IPL 2025 winner prediction- Kolkata Knight Riders

Sports, Entertainment: Rajesh Sharma shared his excitement about the role, revealing that despite his character's cricket obsession, he never played cricket

What happens when your landlord is more obsessed with IPL than rent payments? Welcome to DC PG by Gulati, where veteran actor Rajesh Sharma plays Gulati, a die-hard Delhi Capitals fan who only allows fellow DC supporters to stay in his PG. But when non-DC fans sneak in, the real IPL drama begins—off the field! In an exclusive conversation with WION, Rajesh Sharma shared his excitement about the role, revealing that despite his character's cricket obsession, he was actually a football captain in school and never played cricket. "The excitement was that I had to play cricket for the role," he said. "Cricket in India is like a religion, and if I can connect with people through the right emotion, it takes this religion to a different level." Also Read: IPL 2025 | King Khan’s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well Though he doesn’t follow IPL closely, Sharma enjoys discussing the matches with friends. "I like 2-3 teams—Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings," he admitted. On his experience filming the series, Sharma praised the fresh and hardworking team. "The script, written by Panky, was full of natural humor, so I didn’t have to improvise much. Everyone on the crew was so involved. That's what made the work fun and easy going." A self-proclaimed foodie, Sharma couldn’t stop raving about Delhi’s street food. "There’s a guy at CP who sells gajar ka halwa. I would take a 10-minute break from the shoot just to eat it!" When asked which IPL team he would allow into his character's PG, Sharma was clear: "I would allow everyone. Cricket is about inclusivity." He also spoke about the challenges of comedy in acting. "Comedy is hard because the person making others laugh is often serious inside. It’s about balancing heart and mind, like Bertolt Brecht's theory—don’t just flow with emotions, but work with awareness." As Delhi Capitals engage their fans with their new mini-web series, they will be keen to start their campaign on a positive note when they face Lucknow Super Giants in the opening match of IPL 2025 on Monday (March 24). Rapid fire with Rajesh Sharma: Chennai Super Kings or Delhi Capitals-Delhi All-time favorite cricketer-Mohammad Azharuddin If you could swap places with a cricketer for a day-Kapil Dev Cricketer biopic you'd like to star in-Virat Kohli Who would you spend more time with, Dhoni or Kohli-Dhoni Your IPL 2025 winner prediction- Kolkata Knight Riders

Exclusive | IPL 2025: IPL kickstarts and so does the fun with Rajesh Sharma's new show

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> gets underway at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (Mar 22), with the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the curtain raiser. Two star-studded teams have plenty to offer this season, with KKR&rsquo;s premier spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakravarthy" rel="dofollow">Varun Chakravarthy</a> looking forward to facing batting giant and India teammate Virat Kohli in the marquee clash. The mystery spinner admitted working on a few tricks to get the better of the RCB veteran.
Varun-Virat faced off seven times in IPL history, with Virat scoring 40 off 39 balls faced, and getting out once. Though Kohli never looks like he is slowing down on his run-scoring spree, Varun has plans to put brakes on it.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-king-khans-pep-talk-to-kkr-god-bless-you-be-healthy-and-play-well-8879692" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 | King Khan&rsquo;s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well</a>
"I've done just the same preparation I did last year," Varun said. "Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat bhai. Obviously, he has batted well against me, and I would want to do well against him.
"Anyone at this level, you cannot think of it as an easy opposition. Every team in the IPL is as good as the other one. RCB have a quality team, but we have done our homework. I have done my homework too,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>&lsquo;Fresh weapons to unleash&rsquo;</h2>
Varun has been a thorn in the flesh of some of the best batters around across competitions. His variations are tougher to pick for even the most in-form players, and though he admitted working on new ones ahead of the impending season, he believes it may or may not click, like previous times.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-virat-kohlis-400th-t20-new-beginnings-old-challenges-and-hunt-for-glory-8878710" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 | Virat Kohli&rsquo;s 400th T20: New beginnings, old challenges, and hunt for glory</a>
"Whenever I play some domestic, I try to work something new. Every year I try to bowl something new," Varun said.&nbsp;
"Last year it worked out, in seasons before that it didn't. Obviously, I have a few balls up my sleeves, but it will depend on other factors also.
"Basically, the ball can deviate in three ways: left, right or straight. So how I choose those balls, the sequencing of it - that's where the tactical side of the game comes, and that's what I'm working on.
&ldquo;Whenever my captain wants me to bowl, I am ready for it. I have bowled in the Powerplay, middle and death also. We have a new captain this time, and he has spoken to me about where I can be most effective. I have also conveyed that to him,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Varun says he is excited to resume his partnership with IPL veteran Sunil Narine, whom he admits has no competition with, calling him a legend.&nbsp;
"I don't have to compliment him," Varun said. "He is a legend of the game. One of the greats of the game. He was the MVP last year also.
"We've had a little conversation this year, and he looks very well prepared. He looks ready to take on the IPL just like how he did last year. I'm very excited to see him go this year also. Whatever he does, I just look at that, and I try to imbibe whatever he does here,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Though Kohli never looks like he is slowing down on his run-scoring spree, Varun Chakravarthy has plans to put brakes on it ahead of the marquee clash.

IPL 2025 gets underway at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (Mar 22), with the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the curtain raiser. Two star-studded teams have plenty to offer this season, with KKR’s premier spinner Varun Chakravarthy looking forward to facing batting giant and India teammate Virat Kohli in the marquee clash. The mystery spinner admitted working on a few tricks to get the better of the RCB veteran. Varun-Virat faced off seven times in IPL history, with Virat scoring 40 off 39 balls faced, and getting out once. Though Kohli never looks like he is slowing down on his run-scoring spree, Varun has plans to put brakes on it. Also read | IPL 2025 | King Khan’s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well "I've done just the same preparation I did last year," Varun said. "Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat bhai. Obviously, he has batted well against me, and I would want to do well against him. "Anyone at this level, you cannot think of it as an easy opposition. Every team in the IPL is as good as the other one. RCB have a quality team, but we have done our homework. I have done my homework too,” he continued. ‘Fresh weapons to unleash’ Varun has been a thorn in the flesh of some of the best batters around across competitions. His variations are tougher to pick for even the most in-form players, and though he admitted working on new ones ahead of the impending season, he believes it may or may not click, like previous times. Also read | IPL 2025 | Virat Kohli’s 400th T20: New beginnings, old challenges, and hunt for glory "Whenever I play some domestic, I try to work something new. Every year I try to bowl something new," Varun said. "Last year it worked out, in seasons before that it didn't. Obviously, I have a few balls up my sleeves, but it will depend on other factors also. "Basically, the ball can deviate in three ways: left, right or straight. So how I choose those balls, the sequencing of it - that's where the tactical side of the game comes, and that's what I'm working on. “Whenever my captain wants me to bowl, I am ready for it. I have bowled in the Powerplay, middle and death also. We have a new captain this time, and he has spoken to me about where I can be most effective. I have also conveyed that to him,” he added. Meanwhile, Varun says he is excited to resume his partnership with IPL veteran Sunil Narine, whom he admits has no competition with, calling him a legend. "I don't have to compliment him," Varun said. "He is a legend of the game. One of the greats of the game. He was the MVP last year also. "We've had a little conversation this year, and he looks very well prepared. He looks ready to take on the IPL just like how he did last year. I'm very excited to see him go this year also. Whatever he does, I just look at that, and I try to imbibe whatever he does here,” he continued. (With inputs from agencies)

Varun keen on facing Virat in IPL 2025 opener, says 'he has done his homework'

Bollywood superstar and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) co-owner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shah-rukh-khan">Shah Rukh Khan</a> extended his best wishes to the team ahead of their IPL 2025 opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
In a video shared by KKR&rsquo;s official Instagram handle, SRK was seen personally greeting each player in the dressing room. He warmly embraced them and said, &ldquo;God bless you. Please be healthy, be happy. And thank you, Chandu sir, for looking after them. Welcome aboard to the new members. Thank you, Ajinkya, for joining us and being a captain. God bless you, and I hope you will find a good home here and play well with all of us. Have a good evening, a good match, and be healthy.&rdquo;
The post was captioned, "King Khan ka pyaar, Knights ke naam. Shahrukh Khan | #AmiKKR | #TATAIPL2025 | #KKRvRCB."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-heres-what-ipl-chairman-said-about-cash-rich-league-happening-in-saudi-arabia-8879549">IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia</a>
<h2>See the video here:</h2>
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SRK arrived in Kolkata on Friday (March 21) evening to attend the grand IPL 2025 opening ceremony at Eden Gardens. Dressed in a white T-shirt and denim jeans, he made a stylish entrance, greeting his fans at the airport with waves and flying kisses.
The match between KKR and RCB revives memories of the IPL 2008 opener, where Brendon McCullum&rsquo;s historic 158-run knock set the tournament alight. Both teams enter IPL 2025 with new captains&mdash;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> leading KKR and Rajat Patidar at the helm for RCB.
Spin bowling is expected to play a key role, with KKR boasting experienced spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, supported by Moeen Ali and Anukul Roy. RCB counters with Krunal Pandya leading their spin attack, alongside Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, and former KKR player Suyash Sharma.
Both teams also feature explosive batting line-ups. RCB&rsquo;s squad includes Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, and Jitesh Sharma. KKR, on the other hand, has Quinton de Kock, Rinku Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, and Venkatesh Iyer in their ranks.
Squads: KKR: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer (vc), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya, Spencer Johnson.
RCB: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Swastik Chikara, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Philip Salt, Manoj Bhandage, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The match between KKR and RCB revives memories of the IPL 2008 opener, where Brendon McCullum’s historic 158-run knock set the tournament alight

Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan extended his best wishes to the team ahead of their IPL 2025 opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In a video shared by KKR’s official Instagram handle, SRK was seen personally greeting each player in the dressing room. He warmly embraced them and said, “God bless you. Please be healthy, be happy. And thank you, Chandu sir, for looking after them. Welcome aboard to the new members. Thank you, Ajinkya, for joining us and being a captain. God bless you, and I hope you will find a good home here and play well with all of us. Have a good evening, a good match, and be healthy.” The post was captioned, "King Khan ka pyaar, Knights ke naam. Shahrukh Khan | #AmiKKR | #TATAIPL2025 | #KKRvRCB." Also Read: IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia See the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kolkata Knight Riders (@kkriders) SRK arrived in Kolkata on Friday (March 21) evening to attend the grand IPL 2025 opening ceremony at Eden Gardens. Dressed in a white T-shirt and denim jeans, he made a stylish entrance, greeting his fans at the airport with waves and flying kisses. The match between KKR and RCB revives memories of the IPL 2008 opener, where Brendon McCullum’s historic 158-run knock set the tournament alight. Both teams enter IPL 2025 with new captains—Ajinkya Rahane leading KKR and Rajat Patidar at the helm for RCB. Spin bowling is expected to play a key role, with KKR boasting experienced spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, supported by Moeen Ali and Anukul Roy. RCB counters with Krunal Pandya leading their spin attack, alongside Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, and former KKR player Suyash Sharma. Both teams also feature explosive batting line-ups. RCB’s squad includes Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, and Jitesh Sharma. KKR, on the other hand, has Quinton de Kock, Rinku Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, and Venkatesh Iyer in their ranks. Squads: KKR: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer (vc), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya, Spencer Johnson. RCB: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Swastik Chikara, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Philip Salt, Manoj Bhandage, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 | King Khan’s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well

As the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) enters its 18th season, the brand continues to grow stronger, facing no significant threats from the increasing number of global T20 leagues, according to IPL chairman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arun-dhumal">Arun Dhumal</a>. Dhumal dismissed speculation regarding a Saudi-backed cricket event, emphasising that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india">Board of Control for Cricket in India</a> (BCCI) supports the expansion of T20 leagues, particularly in emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the USA. He believes this growth will ultimately benefit the sport, especially ahead of cricket&rsquo;s return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"There is no point discussing speculation. As far as I know, there is no infrastructure in Saudi Arabia to host a tournament of this scale," Dhumal was quoted saying to PTI. While there has been much media chatter about Saudi Arabia's potential entry into cricket, nothing concrete has materialized. However, the country has been involved with the IPL as a sponsor and even hosted the mega auction last year.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-we-are-going-to-become-greatest-punjab-kings-side-says-head-coach-ricky-ponting-8879282">IPL 2025 | 'We are going to become greatest Punjab Kings side', says head coach Ricky Ponting</a>
Recent reports suggest Saudi Arabia is planning a tennis Grand Slam-style cricket league, but no official details have emerged.
<h2>IPL ranks second globally in per-match value</h2>
The IPL is currently valued at over $12 billion and ranks second globally in per-match value, trailing only the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. With such a dominant position, no other cricket league poses a direct challenge to the IPL. In fact, IPL franchise owners are expanding their reach by investing in foreign leagues such as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), International League T20 (ILT20), and most recently, The Hundred in the UK.
"The goal of bringing cricket to the Olympics is to ensure its global growth. More leagues mean more opportunities, and we don&rsquo;t see anyone as a threat," Dhumal said. "We encourage cricket's expansion into newer territories like Saudi Arabia, America, and Europe. Our focus remains on strengthening the IPL."
Regarding England star <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook">Harry Brook</a>&rsquo;s recent two-year ban for withdrawing from his contract with Delhi Capitals, Dhumal defended the decision, emphasising its importance in maintaining the integrity of the auction process. "Franchises strategize their squads around auction picks. If a player withdraws without a valid reason, it disrupts team planning and affects the tournament," he explained. The two-year suspension includes the season the player pulled out from.
Dhumal also addressed the Impact Player Rule, which has sparked mixed reactions. "The feedback from fans and broadcasters has been overwhelmingly positive, and it has elevated the standard of play. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;ve extended it until 2027," he said. He dismissed concerns about the rule hindering the development of Indian all-rounders, asserting that IPL has raised the benchmark for all players, and the same will happen for all-rounders over time.
Among other changes, the IPL has lifted the five-year-old ban on saliva use and introduced new technologies to improve fairness. "We consulted captains, and they felt lifting the saliva ban would provide some relief to bowlers in a batsman-dominated format," said Dhumal. Additionally, Decision Review System (DRS) will now apply to height and off-stump wides, and a second ball will be introduced in the second innings to counter dew.
To rival the NFL, NBA, and English Premier League, the IPL needs a larger window beyond its current two-month slot. However, with bilateral series and ICC events dominating the calendar until at least 2031, increasing the IPL&rsquo;s duration remains a challenge.
"Whenever a larger window becomes available, we would like to extend the tournament," Dhumal said. "Players don&rsquo;t want to miss IPL, and a longer season benefits everyone."
Ultimately, innovation remains key to IPL&rsquo;s continued success. "The fan experience is at the heart of any sport," Dhumal emphasised. "Our goal is to reinforce IPL&rsquo;s position as the world&rsquo;s premier sporting league. Consistently breaking viewership records in India, along with rising global interest in the UK, USA, Australia, Malaysia, and the Middle East, reflects our efforts.
With club cricket on the rise and many leagues following IPL&rsquo;s model, the IPL must continue leading the way for others to follow."
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal dismissed speculation regarding a Saudi-backed cricket event, emphasising that the BCCI supports the expansion of T20 leagues

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters its 18th season, the brand continues to grow stronger, facing no significant threats from the increasing number of global T20 leagues, according to IPL chairman Arun Dhumal. Dhumal dismissed speculation regarding a Saudi-backed cricket event, emphasising that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) supports the expansion of T20 leagues, particularly in emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the USA. He believes this growth will ultimately benefit the sport, especially ahead of cricket’s return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "There is no point discussing speculation. As far as I know, there is no infrastructure in Saudi Arabia to host a tournament of this scale," Dhumal was quoted saying to PTI. While there has been much media chatter about Saudi Arabia's potential entry into cricket, nothing concrete has materialized. However, the country has been involved with the IPL as a sponsor and even hosted the mega auction last year. Also Read: IPL 2025 | 'We are going to become greatest Punjab Kings side', says head coach Ricky Ponting Recent reports suggest Saudi Arabia is planning a tennis Grand Slam-style cricket league, but no official details have emerged. IPL ranks second globally in per-match value The IPL is currently valued at over $12 billion and ranks second globally in per-match value, trailing only the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. With such a dominant position, no other cricket league poses a direct challenge to the IPL. In fact, IPL franchise owners are expanding their reach by investing in foreign leagues such as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), International League T20 (ILT20), and most recently, The Hundred in the UK. "The goal of bringing cricket to the Olympics is to ensure its global growth. More leagues mean more opportunities, and we don’t see anyone as a threat," Dhumal said. "We encourage cricket's expansion into newer territories like Saudi Arabia, America, and Europe. Our focus remains on strengthening the IPL." Regarding England star Harry Brook’s recent two-year ban for withdrawing from his contract with Delhi Capitals, Dhumal defended the decision, emphasising its importance in maintaining the integrity of the auction process. "Franchises strategize their squads around auction picks. If a player withdraws without a valid reason, it disrupts team planning and affects the tournament," he explained. The two-year suspension includes the season the player pulled out from. Dhumal also addressed the Impact Player Rule, which has sparked mixed reactions. "The feedback from fans and broadcasters has been overwhelmingly positive, and it has elevated the standard of play. That’s why we’ve extended it until 2027," he said. He dismissed concerns about the rule hindering the development of Indian all-rounders, asserting that IPL has raised the benchmark for all players, and the same will happen for all-rounders over time. Among other changes, the IPL has lifted the five-year-old ban on saliva use and introduced new technologies to improve fairness. "We consulted captains, and they felt lifting the saliva ban would provide some relief to bowlers in a batsman-dominated format," said Dhumal. Additionally, Decision Review System (DRS) will now apply to height and off-stump wides, and a second ball will be introduced in the second innings to counter dew. To rival the NFL, NBA, and English Premier League, the IPL needs a larger window beyond its current two-month slot. However, with bilateral series and ICC events dominating the calendar until at least 2031, increasing the IPL’s duration remains a challenge. "Whenever a larger window becomes available, we would like to extend the tournament," Dhumal said. "Players don’t want to miss IPL, and a longer season benefits everyone." Ultimately, innovation remains key to IPL’s continued success. "The fan experience is at the heart of any sport," Dhumal emphasised. "Our goal is to reinforce IPL’s position as the world’s premier sporting league. Consistently breaking viewership records in India, along with rising global interest in the UK, USA, Australia, Malaysia, and the Middle East, reflects our efforts. With club cricket on the rise and many leagues following IPL’s model, the IPL must continue leading the way for others to follow." (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia

Punjab Kings&rsquo; new head coach, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ricky-ponting">Ricky Ponting</a>, is brimming with confidence ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) 2025 season. The Australian World Cup-winning captain believes the franchise has built its strongest squad ever and is determined to secure their maiden IPL title.
During a conversation with meta creators at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh, Ponting emphasised his vision for the team, stating, &ldquo;The goal is clear&mdash;we want to win the IPL. From the first day of camp in Dharamshala, I told the players that we are going to create and become the greatest Punjab Kings team ever. It&rsquo;s a journey that takes time, but we are committed to building something special.&rdquo;
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Ponting highlighted the importance of a winning mindset, explaining, &ldquo;Winning is all about attitude. If the opposition wants to beat us, it should feel like they&rsquo;re taking something away from us. I don&rsquo;t want to let anyone take anything away from my team.&rdquo;
<h2>'Musheer has got an infectious attitude'</h2>
He also praised the squad&rsquo;s balance of youth and experience, noting that the blend of young talent and seasoned players will be crucial to their success. Among the emerging stars, Ponting singled out Priyansh Arya, a promising opening batsman, as well as Suryansh Shedge, who has impressed in training. Another young player who has caught his attention is Musheer Khan. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got an infectious attitude and brings great energy to the team. I&rsquo;ve really enjoyed working with him,&rdquo; Ponting said.
The head coach also stressed the role of experienced overseas players in setting the right example for young Indian cricketers. &ldquo;I expect them to lead by example. The young domestic players look up to them, and if they do things the right way, it sets the standard for the entire squad,&rdquo; he explained.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/punjab-kings">Punjab Kings</a> will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gujarat-titans">Gujarat Titans</a> at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 25. After an away game against Lucknow Super Giants, they will return home to face Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.

Sports, Cricket: Ponting also praised squad’s balance of youth and experience, noting that the blend of young talent & seasoned players will be crucial to their success

Punjab Kings’ new head coach, Ricky Ponting, is brimming with confidence ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The Australian World Cup-winning captain believes the franchise has built its strongest squad ever and is determined to secure their maiden IPL title. During a conversation with meta creators at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh, Ponting emphasised his vision for the team, stating, “The goal is clear—we want to win the IPL. From the first day of camp in Dharamshala, I told the players that we are going to create and become the greatest Punjab Kings team ever. It’s a journey that takes time, but we are committed to building something special.” Also Read: IPL 2025 | Lucknow Super Giants trolled as 'worst IPL franchise' over viral social media clip Ponting highlighted the importance of a winning mindset, explaining, “Winning is all about attitude. If the opposition wants to beat us, it should feel like they’re taking something away from us. I don’t want to let anyone take anything away from my team.” 'Musheer has got an infectious attitude' He also praised the squad’s balance of youth and experience, noting that the blend of young talent and seasoned players will be crucial to their success. Among the emerging stars, Ponting singled out Priyansh Arya, a promising opening batsman, as well as Suryansh Shedge, who has impressed in training. Another young player who has caught his attention is Musheer Khan. “He’s got an infectious attitude and brings great energy to the team. I’ve really enjoyed working with him,” Ponting said. The head coach also stressed the role of experienced overseas players in setting the right example for young Indian cricketers. “I expect them to lead by example. The young domestic players look up to them, and if they do things the right way, it sets the standard for the entire squad,” he explained. Punjab Kings will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 25. After an away game against Lucknow Super Giants, they will return home to face Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.

IPL 2025 | 'We are going to become greatest Punjab Kings side', says head coach Ricky Ponting

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