KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 15 of the IPL 2023 on Monday (April 10) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Opting to bowl first, LSG were in for the leather hunt as fifties from Faf du Plessis (79*), Virat Kohli (61) and Glenn Maxwell (59) took RCB to 212 for 2. In reply, LSG rode on Marcus Stoinis' 65 (30), Nicholas Pooran's 62 (19) and Ayush Badoni's 30 (24) to chase down the total on the last ball of the contest with one wicket to spare.&nbsp;

While LSG eventually won the game, they were nowhere in the hunt being reduced to 23 for 3 in no time during the powerplay overs. Skipper Rahul didn't hog much of the strike but went at a very slow pace throughout the first ten overs. The right-hander was 17 (18) after the halfway mark of LSG's run-chase with Marcus Stoinis doing the bulk of the scoring. After Stoinis fell, Rahul also departed for an unimpressive 18 (20) and was slammed for his inning left, right and centre on social media platforms.&nbsp;

Dodda Ganesh, India's former pacer, also joined the bandwagon and slammed Rahul for his snail-paced knock in what was a high-scoring thriller in Bengaluru on Monday evening. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Ganesh wrote, "This innings from KL Rahul has to be the most hideous innings played in the history of IPL ever considering the context of the game. Man. What’s in his mind? Seriously. This can’t happen for so long at this level. It’s not school cricket."

He added, "Not one shot with intent from KL Rahul in the PP while chasing 213. Don’t know what’s in his mind. You simply can’t bat like this #IPL2023"

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This innings from KL Rahul has to be the most hideous innings played in the history of IPL ever considering the context of the game. Man. What’s in his mind? Seriously. This can’t happen for so long at this level. It’s not school cricket <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DoddaMathu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DoddaMathu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2023</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketTwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketTwitter</a>
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) <a href="https://twitter.com/doddaganesha/status/1645473264804974594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Not one shot with intent from KL Rahul in the PP while chasing 213. Don’t know what’s in his mind. You simply can’t bat like this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2023</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketTwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketTwitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvLSG</a>
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) <a href="https://twitter.com/doddaganesha/status/1645465652281618432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/viral-virat-kohli-gautam-gambhir-share-a-warm-hug-after-lsg-beat-rcb-in-a-cliffhanger-see-post-581221">VIRAL: Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir share a warm hug after LSG beat RCB in a cliffhanger - See post</a>

Rahul's form and strike rate have been a cause of concern for quite some time. After the contest, he himself spoke about his knock and said, "When you are chasing 210 + you need to go hard. Sometimes you lose wickets but the ball was swinging a bit early for them and got wickets. That puts some pressure on you but the way Stoin and Pooran played was brilliant. The reason we have got 2 points here is because of the way they batted."

Rahul-led LSG are the table-toppers with three wins from four games and will now host Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Lucknow on Saturday evening (April 15).

KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 15 of the IPL 2023 on Monday (April 10) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 15 of the IPL 2023 on Monday (April 10) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Opting to bowl first, LSG were in for the leather hunt as fifties from Faf du Plessis (79*), Virat Kohli (61) and Glenn Maxwell (59) took RCB to 212 for 2. In reply, LSG rode on Marcus Stoinis' 65 (30), Nicholas Pooran's 62 (19) and Ayush Badoni's 30 (24) to chase down the total on the last ball of the contest with one wicket to spare. While LSG eventually won the game, they were nowhere in the hunt being reduced to 23 for 3 in no time during the powerplay overs. Skipper Rahul didn't hog much of the strike but went at a very slow pace throughout the first ten overs. The right-hander was 17 (18) after the halfway mark of LSG's run-chase with Marcus Stoinis doing the bulk of the scoring. After Stoinis fell, Rahul also departed for an unimpressive 18 (20) and was slammed for his inning left, right and centre on social media platforms. Dodda Ganesh, India's former pacer, also joined the bandwagon and slammed Rahul for his snail-paced knock in what was a high-scoring thriller in Bengaluru on Monday evening. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Ganesh wrote, "This innings from KL Rahul has to be the most hideous innings played in the history of IPL ever considering the context of the game. Man. What’s in his mind? Seriously. This can’t happen for so long at this level. It’s not school cricket." He added, "Not one shot with intent from KL Rahul in the PP while chasing 213. Don’t know what’s in his mind. You simply can’t bat like this #IPL2023" This innings from KL Rahul has to be the most hideous innings played in the history of IPL ever considering the context of the game. Man. What’s in his mind? Seriously. This can’t happen for so long at this level. It’s not school cricket #DoddaMathu #IPL2023 #CricketTwitter — Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) April 10, 2023 × Not one shot with intent from KL Rahul in the PP while chasing 213. Don’t know what’s in his mind. You simply can’t bat like this #IPL2023 #CricketTwitter #RCBvLSG — Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) April 10, 2023 × Also Read: VIRAL: Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir share a warm hug after LSG beat RCB in a cliffhanger - See post Rahul's form and strike rate have been a cause of concern for quite some time. After the contest, he himself spoke about his knock and said, "When you are chasing 210 + you need to go hard. Sometimes you lose wickets but the ball was swinging a bit early for them and got wickets. That puts some pressure on you but the way Stoin and Pooran played was brilliant. The reason we have got 2 points here is because of the way they batted." Rahul-led LSG are the table-toppers with three wins from four games and will now host Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Lucknow on Saturday evening (April 15).

'Most HIDEOUS innings in IPL' - Ex-India pacer RIPS APART Rahul for his snail-paced knock in LSG-RCB tie

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will host the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, on Monday evening (April 10). The match will be held at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru as the home crowd will hope for the Virat Kohli-starrer to return to winning ways after a hammering received at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in their previous game.

RCB opened their campaign in IPL 2023 with an eight-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at home. On the road, they faced KKR who dismissed them for 123 in pursuit of 205. With the heavy loss, RCB are now languishing at the seventh spot -- with a poor Net Run Rate (NRR) of&nbsp;-1.256, and needs to stage a comeback at the earliest.&nbsp;

LSG, on the other hand, started with a 50-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) in Lucknow and lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 12 runs in Chennai. Returning to home conditions, they hammered SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by five wickets. They occupy the third spot at present.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-from-living-in-lpg-quarters-to-becoming-kkrs-new-star-all-you-need-to-know-about-rinku-singh-580864">IPL 2023: From living in LPG quarters to becoming KKR's new star! All you need to know about Rinku Singh</a>

The pitch is expected to assist the swing bowlers for the early overs and will have enough pace throughout the match. RCB's death-bowling woes and LSG's main batters' dry run -- especially KL Rahul -- will be closely monioted as it could well define the outcome of the match.&nbsp;

Result Prediction –

Going by the current form, LSG have their noise ahead but expect RCB to bounce back at home. Overall, a competitive game surely on the cards. In head-to-head, RCB lead LSG 2-0.&nbsp;

Probable XIs

RCB:&nbsp;Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik, Michael Bracewell, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Karn Sharma, Mohammad Siraj

LSG:&nbsp;KL Rahul, Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis/Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham/Amit Mishra, Yash Thakur, Avesh Khan/Jaydev Unadkat, Mark Wood, Ravi Bishnoi

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will host the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, on Monday evening (April 10).

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will host the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, on Monday evening (April 10). The match will be held at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru as the home crowd will hope for the Virat Kohli-starrer to return to winning ways after a hammering received at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in their previous game. RCB opened their campaign in IPL 2023 with an eight-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at home. On the road, they faced KKR who dismissed them for 123 in pursuit of 205. With the heavy loss, RCB are now languishing at the seventh spot -- with a poor Net Run Rate (NRR) of -1.256, and needs to stage a comeback at the earliest. LSG, on the other hand, started with a 50-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) in Lucknow and lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 12 runs in Chennai. Returning to home conditions, they hammered SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by five wickets. They occupy the third spot at present. Also Read: IPL 2023: From living in LPG quarters to becoming KKR's new star! All you need to know about Rinku Singh The pitch is expected to assist the swing bowlers for the early overs and will have enough pace throughout the match. RCB's death-bowling woes and LSG's main batters' dry run -- especially KL Rahul -- will be closely monioted as it could well define the outcome of the match. Result Prediction – Going by the current form, LSG have their noise ahead but expect RCB to bounce back at home. Overall, a competitive game surely on the cards. In head-to-head, RCB lead LSG 2-0. Probable XIs RCB: Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik, Michael Bracewell, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Karn Sharma, Mohammad Siraj LSG: KL Rahul, Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis/Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham/Amit Mishra, Yash Thakur, Avesh Khan/Jaydev Unadkat, Mark Wood, Ravi Bishnoi

IPL 2023, Match 14, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants - Match preview and result prediction

Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) are off to a flying start in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. PBKS have started off on a winning note, emerging on top in their first two games of the new season under the new captain. Dhawan led the charge with the bat in his side's last outing, versus the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati on Wednesday (April 05), with a fine 56-ball 86* as Punjab beat Sanju Samson &amp; Co. by five runs in a high-scoring thriller.

The 16th edition of the IPL is a vital season for Dhawan. The senior Indian player has been dropped from the ODI side, having lost his T20I place back in late 2021, and needs a memorable run with the bat in IPL 2023 to have any chance of featuring in the Indian squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. After his splendid knock versus RR, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh backed Dhawan and questioned 'why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team'.

'You gave Rohit, Kohli and KL&nbsp;plenty of chances but there is no place for&nbsp;Dhawan'

"Shikhar has also led the Indian side in many tours but suddenly we saw that after the role of Shikhar was over he was sidelined as if he is not needed anymore. I felt bad on seeing this because the treatment for everyone should be the same. He is a big player and has given too much to Indian cricket," Harbhajan&nbsp;shared his views on YouTube.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-dhoni-or-de-villiers-name-your-favourite-cricketer-kohli-wins-hearts-with-epic-reply-watch-580021">IPL 2023: Dhoni or De Villiers -- name your favourite cricketer? Kohli wins hearts with epic reply – WATCH</a>

"You can not treat him like this. He played a good knock of 86 in 56 balls. I will not name anyone here. For instance, let's take Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, or KL Rahul who are big names. You gave them plenty of chances but on the other hand, there is no place for Shikhar Dhawan in the team now. He has always contributed for the team. Then why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team? Talking about fitness, he is as fit as Virat Kohli," Harbhajan further added.

The senior Indian batter has been replaced by Shubman Gill who has had a remarkable run across formats. Dhawan will still hope for a good IPL season with the bat and pray for a return to the national side for the ODI WC.

Dhawan-led PBKS will now face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad on Sunday evening (April 09) and hope to keep their winning run going in IPL 2023.

Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) are off to a flying start in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. PBKS have started off on a winning note, emerging on top in their first two games of the new season under the new captain.

Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) are off to a flying start in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. PBKS have started off on a winning note, emerging on top in their first two games of the new season under the new captain. Dhawan led the charge with the bat in his side's last outing, versus the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati on Wednesday (April 05), with a fine 56-ball 86* as Punjab beat Sanju Samson & Co. by five runs in a high-scoring thriller. The 16th edition of the IPL is a vital season for Dhawan. The senior Indian player has been dropped from the ODI side, having lost his T20I place back in late 2021, and needs a memorable run with the bat in IPL 2023 to have any chance of featuring in the Indian squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. After his splendid knock versus RR, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh backed Dhawan and questioned 'why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team'. 'You gave Rohit, Kohli and KL plenty of chances but there is no place for Dhawan' "Shikhar has also led the Indian side in many tours but suddenly we saw that after the role of Shikhar was over he was sidelined as if he is not needed anymore. I felt bad on seeing this because the treatment for everyone should be the same. He is a big player and has given too much to Indian cricket," Harbhajan shared his views on YouTube. Also Read: IPL 2023: Dhoni or De Villiers -- name your favourite cricketer? Kohli wins hearts with epic reply – WATCH "You can not treat him like this. He played a good knock of 86 in 56 balls. I will not name anyone here. For instance, let's take Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, or KL Rahul who are big names. You gave them plenty of chances but on the other hand, there is no place for Shikhar Dhawan in the team now. He has always contributed for the team. Then why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team? Talking about fitness, he is as fit as Virat Kohli," Harbhajan further added. The senior Indian batter has been replaced by Shubman Gill who has had a remarkable run across formats. Dhawan will still hope for a good IPL season with the bat and pray for a return to the national side for the ODI WC. Dhawan-led PBKS will now face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad on Sunday evening (April 09) and hope to keep their winning run going in IPL 2023.

'You gave Rohit, Virat & Rahul plenty of chances': Harbhajan Singh questions Indian star player's omission

On Monday (April 03), the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat KL Rahul's Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 12 runs in match 06 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. After a loss in the season-opener, against defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT), CSK returned to Chepauk after 1,426 days -- following IPL 2019 -- and marked a memorable comeback at their fortress to beat Lucknow in a high-scoring encounter at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.&nbsp;

Opting to bowl first, KL Rahul &amp; Co. were off to a poor start as Ruturaj Gaikwad (57) and Devon Conway (47) stitched a whirlwind 110-run opening stand. Cameos from Shivam Dube (16-ball 27), Moeen Ali (13-ball 19), Ambati Rayudu (14-ball 27 not out) and MS Dhoni (3-ball 12) led CSK to a mammoth 217 for 7. Dhoni also completed 5,000 runs in the tournament with his blistering sixes. In reply, LSG were 73 for no loss in five overs before Moeen Ali (4 for 26) and Mitchell Santner (1 for 21) brought the Yellow Army back into the contest.&nbsp;

Kyle Mayers (22-ball 53) led the charge early in the run-chase but Lucknow fell flat after his dismissal despite handy knocks from Nicholas Pooran (18-ball 32) and some lusty blows from Krishnappa Gowtham and Mark Wood. Eventually, Lucknow managfed 205 for 7 to lose by a dozen runs.

Here's a look at the updated points table after CSK beat LSG in IPL 2023

<img alt="Updated Points Table after CSK beat LSG in IPL 2023" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="47c6e740-8605-46de-ae5a-b9fa6163dc67" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Updated%20PT%20after%20CSK%20beat%20LSG.png" />

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-historic-feat-ms-dhoni-becomes-seventh-player-to-enter-5k-run-club-in-mega-event-578694">IPL 2023: HISTORIC FEAT! MS Dhoni becomes seventh player to enter 5k-run club in mega event - Watch</a>

At the post-match presentation, CSK captain Dhoni said, "Terrific high-scoring game. All of us were thinking how the wicket would be. It was the perfect first game that could happen. I thought it would be much slower. But it was a wicket where you could score runs. I was quite surprised with the wicket. But we'll have to see if we can produce a wicket like this game after game. Fast bowling we need to slightly improve. Need to bowl according to the conditions. WHat is important is to keep an eye as to what the opposition bowlers are doing. One more thing is they'll have to bowl no no-balls or extra wides. Or they'll have to play under a new captain. It will be my second warning and then I'll be off. Only reason we've scored those runs is if the surface is nice."

On Monday (April 03), the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat KL Rahul's Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 12 runs in match 06 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition.

On Monday (April 03), the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat KL Rahul's Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 12 runs in match 06 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. After a loss in the season-opener, against defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT), CSK returned to Chepauk after 1,426 days -- following IPL 2019 -- and marked a memorable comeback at their fortress to beat Lucknow in a high-scoring encounter at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Opting to bowl first, KL Rahul & Co. were off to a poor start as Ruturaj Gaikwad (57) and Devon Conway (47) stitched a whirlwind 110-run opening stand. Cameos from Shivam Dube (16-ball 27), Moeen Ali (13-ball 19), Ambati Rayudu (14-ball 27 not out) and MS Dhoni (3-ball 12) led CSK to a mammoth 217 for 7. Dhoni also completed 5,000 runs in the tournament with his blistering sixes. In reply, LSG were 73 for no loss in five overs before Moeen Ali (4 for 26) and Mitchell Santner (1 for 21) brought the Yellow Army back into the contest. Kyle Mayers (22-ball 53) led the charge early in the run-chase but Lucknow fell flat after his dismissal despite handy knocks from Nicholas Pooran (18-ball 32) and some lusty blows from Krishnappa Gowtham and Mark Wood. Eventually, Lucknow managfed 205 for 7 to lose by a dozen runs. Here's a look at the updated points table after CSK beat LSG in IPL 2023 Also Read: IPL 2023: HISTORIC FEAT! MS Dhoni becomes seventh player to enter 5k-run club in mega event - Watch At the post-match presentation, CSK captain Dhoni said, "Terrific high-scoring game. All of us were thinking how the wicket would be. It was the perfect first game that could happen. I thought it would be much slower. But it was a wicket where you could score runs. I was quite surprised with the wicket. But we'll have to see if we can produce a wicket like this game after game. Fast bowling we need to slightly improve. Need to bowl according to the conditions. WHat is important is to keep an eye as to what the opposition bowlers are doing. One more thing is they'll have to bowl no no-balls or extra wides. Or they'll have to play under a new captain. It will be my second warning and then I'll be off. Only reason we've scored those runs is if the surface is nice."

IPL 2023: Updated points table after Chennai Super Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants at Chepauk

The MS Dhoni-starrer Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned to their home ground, i.e. the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, after 1,426 days when they hosted the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match 6 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition on Monday evening (April 03). After a loss in the season-opener, the Yellow Army resorted to home comforts to beat Lucknow by 12&nbsp;runs.

Opting to bowl first, Rahul-led Lucknow didn't have the best of starts. Ruturaj Gaikwad, coming on the back of a splendid 50-ball 92 versus the Gujarat Titans (GT), continued his sublime form to stitch an impressive 110-run stand for the first wicket. Gaikwad fell for a 31-ball 57, at 183.87, whereas Devon Conway departed for an impressive 47.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-historic-feat-ms-dhoni-becomes-seventh-player-to-enter-5k-run-club-in-mega-event-578694">IPL 2023: HISTORIC FEAT! MS Dhoni becomes seventh player to enter 5k-run club in mega event - Watch</a>

CSK, who scored its third-highest runs in powerplays (75/0 in 6 overs), continued to pile runs with blazing cameos from Shivam Dube (16-ball 27), Moeen Ali (13-ball 19),&nbsp;Ambati Rayudu's (14-ball 27*) and MS Dhoni's 3-ball 12. The CSK skipper also completed 5,000 runs in the IPL, becoming the seventh batter to enter the elite club. As a result, CSK posted a mammoth 217 for 7 with Ravi Bishnoi (3 for 28) and Mark Wood (3 for 49) chipping in with regular scalps.

In reply, LSG were off to a blinder. Kyle Mayers, who struck a rapid fifty in the previous game, slammed Tushar Deshpande, Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar with captain Rahul giving him good company as well. CSK pacers were sloppy but Moeen Ali and Mitchell Santner brought the side back just before the end of the powerplay overs.

Moeen Ali's 4 for 26, removing Mayers, Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya, led the charge for Dhoni &amp; Co. Mitchell Santner removed Deepak Hooda whereas Deshpande put on a better show in his final spell to dismiss Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni.&nbsp; restrict LSG at 205 for 7. LSG ended at 205 for 7 to lose by a dozen runs.&nbsp;

Eventually, CSK were sloppy at parts but did enough damage with the bat to emerge on top and pick their first points of the season.&nbsp;

The MS Dhoni-starrer Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned to their home ground, i.e. the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, after 1,426 days when they hosted the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match 6 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition on Monday evening (April 03).

The MS Dhoni-starrer Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned to their home ground, i.e. the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, after 1,426 days when they hosted the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match 6 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition on Monday evening (April 03). After a loss in the season-opener, the Yellow Army resorted to home comforts to beat Lucknow by 12 runs. Opting to bowl first, Rahul-led Lucknow didn't have the best of starts. Ruturaj Gaikwad, coming on the back of a splendid 50-ball 92 versus the Gujarat Titans (GT), continued his sublime form to stitch an impressive 110-run stand for the first wicket. Gaikwad fell for a 31-ball 57, at 183.87, whereas Devon Conway departed for an impressive 47. Also Read: IPL 2023: HISTORIC FEAT! MS Dhoni becomes seventh player to enter 5k-run club in mega event - Watch CSK, who scored its third-highest runs in powerplays (75/0 in 6 overs), continued to pile runs with blazing cameos from Shivam Dube (16-ball 27), Moeen Ali (13-ball 19), Ambati Rayudu's (14-ball 27*) and MS Dhoni's 3-ball 12. The CSK skipper also completed 5,000 runs in the IPL, becoming the seventh batter to enter the elite club. As a result, CSK posted a mammoth 217 for 7 with Ravi Bishnoi (3 for 28) and Mark Wood (3 for 49) chipping in with regular scalps. In reply, LSG were off to a blinder. Kyle Mayers, who struck a rapid fifty in the previous game, slammed Tushar Deshpande, Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar with captain Rahul giving him good company as well. CSK pacers were sloppy but Moeen Ali and Mitchell Santner brought the side back just before the end of the powerplay overs. Moeen Ali's 4 for 26, removing Mayers, Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya, led the charge for Dhoni & Co. Mitchell Santner removed Deepak Hooda whereas Deshpande put on a better show in his final spell to dismiss Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni. restrict LSG at 205 for 7. LSG ended at 205 for 7 to lose by a dozen runs. Eventually, CSK were sloppy at parts but did enough damage with the bat to emerge on top and pick their first points of the season.

IPL 2023: MS Dhoni's CSK beat LSG by 12 runs in memorable Chepauk homecoming

After much hullabaloo, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is&nbsp;set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31). The opening game will see last year's winners Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The competition is once again expected to set the stage on fire as ardent cricket fans across the globe will be glued to their tv screens to watch the proceedings.

The upcoming season will see the addition of the Impact Player Rule, teams naming their playing XIs after the toss and mark the return of the traditional home-and-away format during the league stage. The group stage will comprise as many as 70 games which will be followed by the playoffs and the final.&nbsp;

After the IPL 2022 auction and in the run-up to the tournament, a lot has changed in terms of squad composition for all ten teams. For some franchises, new captains have also been named; due to unforseen circumstances for a few teams. Hence, here's an updated list of squads for all ten teams and their respective captains:

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-from-mumbai-indians-1408-to-gujarat-titans-79-most-sixes-hit-by-existing-teams-in-mega-event-577567">IPL 2023: From Mumbai Indians' 1,408 to Gujarat Titans' 79 - Most sixes hit by existing teams in mega event</a>

Chennai Super Kings&nbsp;

MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary (injured, replaced by Akash Singh) Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sidhu, Kyle Jamieson (injured, replaced by Sisanda Magala), Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Verma

Captain: MS Dhoni 
He remains CSK's only permanent captain 
Has led them to four IPL titles

Delhi Capitals&nbsp;

David Warner (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal, Phil Salt, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, Abhishek Porel (likely replacement for Rishabh Pant)

Captain: David Warner 
He has led SRH to the IPL championship in 2016 
He has replaced Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from a road accident

Gujarat Titans&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma

Captain: Hardik Pandya 
He led the last year's debutant to the championship and has won the IPL five times as well with the MI franchise.

Kolkata Knight Riders&nbsp;

Shreyas Iyer (expected to return in second-half), Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, N Jadadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan

Captain: Nitish Rana 
Rana has led Delhi in the domestic circuit and has been named as the interim captain with regular skipper Shreyas Iyer expected to return in the latter half of the tournament.

Lucknow Super Giants&nbsp;

KL Rahul (c), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yudhvir Charak

Captain: KL Rahul 
Rahul led the Lucknow franchise to the playoffs last season; their debut edition. He has also served as India's stand-in captain across formats in the recent past.

Mumbai Indians

Rohit Sharma (c), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal, Mohit Rathee

Captain: Rohit Sharma 
Rohit is IPL's most successful captain with as many as five titles (in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020)

Punjab Kings

Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow (injured, replaced by Matt Short), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh

Captain: Shikhar Dhawan 
Dhawan has led the SRH franchise in their debut season, in 2013. He took them to the playoffs and will hope to replicate the same this time around with the Punjab franshise.

Rajasthan Royals

Sanju Samson (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donavon Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, M Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root

Captain: Sanju Samson 
Samson led RR to their first-ever final, since 2008, in the 2022 edition. He will hope to take them to the title this time around.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Will Jacks (injured, replaced by Michael Bracewell), Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, R Sonu Yadav

Captain: Faf du Plessis 
Plessis led RCB to the playoffs in his first season for the Bengaluru camp. He has also led the South African team to considerable success during his captaincy tenure.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram (c), Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Anmolpreet Singh, Akeal Hosein

Captain: Aiden Markam 
Markram will hope to lead SRH to their first title since 2016. He led Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- also belonging to the Hyderabad franchise owners -- to the championship in the SA20 inaugural edition early this year. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead in his absence as he is on national duty during the first week of the IPL 2023 season.

After much hullabaloo, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31). The opening game will see last year's winners Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad.

After much hullabaloo, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31). The opening game will see last year's winners Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The competition is once again expected to set the stage on fire as ardent cricket fans across the globe will be glued to their tv screens to watch the proceedings. The upcoming season will see the addition of the Impact Player Rule, teams naming their playing XIs after the toss and mark the return of the traditional home-and-away format during the league stage. The group stage will comprise as many as 70 games which will be followed by the playoffs and the final. After the IPL 2022 auction and in the run-up to the tournament, a lot has changed in terms of squad composition for all ten teams. For some franchises, new captains have also been named; due to unforseen circumstances for a few teams. Hence, here's an updated list of squads for all ten teams and their respective captains: Also Read: IPL 2023: From Mumbai Indians' 1,408 to Gujarat Titans' 79 - Most sixes hit by existing teams in mega event Chennai Super Kings MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary (injured, replaced by Akash Singh) Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sidhu, Kyle Jamieson (injured, replaced by Sisanda Magala), Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Verma Captain: MS Dhoni He remains CSK's only permanent captain Has led them to four IPL titles Delhi Capitals David Warner (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal, Phil Salt, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, Abhishek Porel (likely replacement for Rishabh Pant) Captain: David Warner He has led SRH to the IPL championship in 2016 He has replaced Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from a road accident Gujarat Titans Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma Captain: Hardik Pandya He led the last year's debutant to the championship and has won the IPL five times as well with the MI franchise. Kolkata Knight Riders Shreyas Iyer (expected to return in second-half), Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, N Jadadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan Captain: Nitish Rana Rana has led Delhi in the domestic circuit and has been named as the interim captain with regular skipper Shreyas Iyer expected to return in the latter half of the tournament. Lucknow Super Giants KL Rahul (c), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yudhvir Charak Captain: KL Rahul Rahul led the Lucknow franchise to the playoffs last season; their debut edition. He has also served as India's stand-in captain across formats in the recent past. Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma (c), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal, Mohit Rathee Captain: Rohit Sharma Rohit is IPL's most successful captain with as many as five titles (in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020) Punjab Kings Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow (injured, replaced by Matt Short), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh Captain: Shikhar Dhawan Dhawan has led the SRH franchise in their debut season, in 2013. He took them to the playoffs and will hope to replicate the same this time around with the Punjab franshise. Rajasthan Royals Sanju Samson (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donavon Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, M Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root Captain: Sanju Samson Samson led RR to their first-ever final, since 2008, in the 2022 edition. He will hope to take them to the title this time around. Royal Challengers Bangalore Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Will Jacks (injured, replaced by Michael Bracewell), Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, R Sonu Yadav Captain: Faf du Plessis Plessis led RCB to the playoffs in his first season for the Bengaluru camp. He has also led the South African team to considerable success during his captaincy tenure. Sunrisers Hyderabad Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram (c), Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Anmolpreet Singh, Akeal Hosein Captain: Aiden Markam Markram will hope to lead SRH to their first title since 2016. He led Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- also belonging to the Hyderabad franchise owners -- to the championship in the SA20 inaugural edition early this year. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead in his absence as he is on national duty during the first week of the IPL 2023 season.

IPL 2023: Updated squads of all 10 teams and their captains

Ravindra Jadeja has been promoted to Grade A+ in BCCI's recently-released central contract list. Jadeja has been on a roll ever since he returned to action after a long injury layoff with superlative performances during India's home series versus Australia. Thus, he has joined skipper Rohit Sharma, former captain Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah in the top-grade contract (salary of INR 70 million/7 crore).

KL Rahul, who got removed as the white-ball vice-captain and was dropped for the final two Tests versus Australia, has been demoted to Grade B. As many as five players have been included in Grade A (INR 50 million/5 crore) whereas there are six players in Grade B and 11 in Grade C.

Check out the full list:

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sa-vs-wi-quinton-de-kock-hits-maiden-t20i-hundred-as-proteas-complete-highest-t20i-run-chase-in-centurion-576011">SA vs WI: Quinton de Kock hits maiden T20I hundred as Proteas complete highest T20I run chase in Centurion</a>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>PLAYER</td>
			<td>GRADE</td>
			<td>SALARY (in INR)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rohit Sharma</td>
			<td>A+</td>
			<td>70 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Virat Kohli</td>
			<td>A+</td>
			<td>70 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Jasprit Bumrah</td>
			<td>A+</td>
			<td>70 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ravindra Jadeja</td>
			<td>A+</td>
			<td>70 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hardik Pandya</td>
			<td>A</td>
			<td>50 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>R Ashwin</td>
			<td>A</td>
			<td>50 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rishabh Pant</td>
			<td>A</td>
			<td>50 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Axar Patel</td>
			<td>A</td>
			<td>50 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Md Shami</td>
			<td>A</td>
			<td>50 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cheteshwar Pujara</td>
			<td>B</td>
			<td>30 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KL Rahul</td>
			<td>B</td>
			<td>30 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shreyas Iyer</td>
			<td>B</td>
			<td>30 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Md Siraj</td>
			<td>B</td>
			<td>30 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Suryakumar Yadav</td>
			<td>B</td>
			<td>30 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shubman Gill</td>
			<td>B</td>
			<td>30 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shikhar Dhawan</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shardul Thakur</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Yuzvendra Chahal</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Umesh Yadav</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sanju Samson</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ishan Kishan</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Deepak Hooda</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kuldeep Yadav</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KS Bharat</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Washington Sundar</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Arshdeep Singh</td>
			<td>C</td>
			<td>10 million</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Shikhar Dhawan, who has been dropped from the ODI setup, is one of the biggest names in Grade C. He has been replaced by Shubman Gill as Rohit's opening partner in the 50-over setup whereas he was out of the T20I line-up in late 2021 itself. Moreover, star pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's name was missing from the entire list.

All the star Indian cricketers are now gearing up for IPL 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Ravindra Jadeja has been promoted to Grade A+ in BCCI's recently-released central contract list. Jadeja has been on a roll ever since he returned to action after a long injury layoff with superlative performances during India's home series versus Australia.

Ravindra Jadeja has been promoted to Grade A+ in BCCI's recently-released central contract list. Jadeja has been on a roll ever since he returned to action after a long injury layoff with superlative performances during India's home series versus Australia. Thus, he has joined skipper Rohit Sharma, former captain Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah in the top-grade contract (salary of INR 70 million/7 crore). KL Rahul, who got removed as the white-ball vice-captain and was dropped for the final two Tests versus Australia, has been demoted to Grade B. As many as five players have been included in Grade A (INR 50 million/5 crore) whereas there are six players in Grade B and 11 in Grade C. Check out the full list: Also Read: SA vs WI: Quinton de Kock hits maiden T20I hundred as Proteas complete highest T20I run chase in Centurion PLAYER GRADE SALARY (in INR) Rohit Sharma A+ 70 million Virat Kohli A+ 70 million Jasprit Bumrah A+ 70 million Ravindra Jadeja A+ 70 million Hardik Pandya A 50 million R Ashwin A 50 million Rishabh Pant A 50 million Axar Patel A 50 million Md Shami A 50 million Cheteshwar Pujara B 30 million KL Rahul B 30 million Shreyas Iyer B 30 million Md Siraj B 30 million Suryakumar Yadav B 30 million Shubman Gill B 30 million Shikhar Dhawan C 10 million Shardul Thakur C 10 million Yuzvendra Chahal C 10 million Umesh Yadav C 10 million Sanju Samson C 10 million Ishan Kishan C 10 million Deepak Hooda C 10 million Kuldeep Yadav C 10 million KS Bharat C 10 million Washington Sundar C 10 million Arshdeep Singh C 10 million Shikhar Dhawan, who has been dropped from the ODI setup, is one of the biggest names in Grade C. He has been replaced by Shubman Gill as Rohit's opening partner in the 50-over setup whereas he was out of the T20I line-up in late 2021 itself. Moreover, star pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's name was missing from the entire list. All the star Indian cricketers are now gearing up for IPL 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

BCCI central contracts: Ravindra Jadeja gets a PROMOTION, KL Rahul DEMOTED - Check full list

Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav's twin first-ball dismissals against Australia are making a lot of heads turn in the cricketing circle. Yadav, who's touted as one of the most destructive T20 batsmen around the world, hasn't been able to translate his form to ODIs.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, however, has assured him of a long rope before making any decision on his place in the side. Notably, Surya got a place in the XI most probably because of Shreyas Iyer absence due to injury. On the other hand, left-arm spinner Axar Patel is also making news with his batting abilities against Australia.

After a stellar show in Tests, Axar has also shown promise in ODIs as he was the last man standing during India's drubbing in the second ODI, scoring 29 not out. Many former cricketers have come out with their opinion about Yadav and Patel and the latest is Ajay Jadeja.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/odi-world-cup-likely-to-kick-off-on-october-5-final-on-november-19-in-ahmedabad-report-574549">ODI World Cup likely to kick off on October 5, final on November 19 in Ahmedabad: Report</a>

When asked if Axar Patel could bat before Suryakumar Yadav, Jadeja, while on Cricbuzz, said, "If an early wicket goes down, you may see a batting promotion but it won't be Axar Patel. It is easy for us to say, but the man running the show has to handle a lot - look after the players and take in certain pressures. At max, we will see one change. If India go 20/2 again, I have no doubt that the management and the captain, KL Rahul will come at 4 and Suryakumar Yadav at 5. No doubt Axar Patel has been playing well - he is probably batting the best - but sending him ahead of Hardik Pandya? Don't think that is going to happen."

He further explained his thoughts and said KL Rahul could definitely come ahead of Surya if India again lose top-order wickets early.

"For many years, there have been batters playing ahead and that will continue. A batter who has gotten 2 ducks, if you push him down, it will hurt his confidence. But like I said, if an early wicket falls, you will see KL Rahul ahead because earlier when he wasn't in form, he was dropped from the Test playing XI, and now that he has, he will get a chance," he added.

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Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav's twin first-ball dismissals against Australia are making a lot of heads turn in the cricketing circle. Yadav, who's touted as one of the most destructive T20 batsmen around the world, hasn't been able to translate his form to ODIs.

Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav's twin first-ball dismissals against Australia are making a lot of heads turn in the cricketing circle. Yadav, who's touted as one of the most destructive T20 batsmen around the world, hasn't been able to translate his form to ODIs. Skipper Rohit Sharma, however, has assured him of a long rope before making any decision on his place in the side. Notably, Surya got a place in the XI most probably because of Shreyas Iyer absence due to injury. On the other hand, left-arm spinner Axar Patel is also making news with his batting abilities against Australia. After a stellar show in Tests, Axar has also shown promise in ODIs as he was the last man standing during India's drubbing in the second ODI, scoring 29 not out. Many former cricketers have come out with their opinion about Yadav and Patel and the latest is Ajay Jadeja. Also Read: ODI World Cup likely to kick off on October 5, final on November 19 in Ahmedabad: Report When asked if Axar Patel could bat before Suryakumar Yadav, Jadeja, while on Cricbuzz, said, "If an early wicket goes down, you may see a batting promotion but it won't be Axar Patel. It is easy for us to say, but the man running the show has to handle a lot - look after the players and take in certain pressures. At max, we will see one change. If India go 20/2 again, I have no doubt that the management and the captain, KL Rahul will come at 4 and Suryakumar Yadav at 5. No doubt Axar Patel has been playing well - he is probably batting the best - but sending him ahead of Hardik Pandya? Don't think that is going to happen." He further explained his thoughts and said KL Rahul could definitely come ahead of Surya if India again lose top-order wickets early. "For many years, there have been batters playing ahead and that will continue. A batter who has gotten 2 ducks, if you push him down, it will hurt his confidence. But like I said, if an early wicket falls, you will see KL Rahul ahead because earlier when he wasn't in form, he was dropped from the Test playing XI, and now that he has, he will get a chance," he added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'KL Rahul will...': Jadeja predicts batting order for Suryakumar Yadav in 3rd ODI vs Australia

A lot has been said and written about KL Rahul of late. While he hasn't featured for India in the shortest format after the T20 World Cup and his form in red-ball format led to a huge war of words between Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra, the right-hander is on a roll as an ODI batter. In the ongoing India-Australia ODIs, the wicketkeeper-batter struck a magnificent 75 not out in the series opener, helping the Men in Blue win by five wickets.

Ever since Rahul has been given the task to bat at No. 5 in ODIs, the 30-year-old has come to his own. He has played&nbsp;18 innings at No. 5, slamming&nbsp;742 runs with one hundred and seven fifties at an average of 53.00. Thus, India's veteran off-spinner R Ashwin shunned Rahul's critics and lauded him for performing a tough role with ease. In addition, he compared him with MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, two of India's finest middle-order batters in white-ball formats.

'Yuvraj,&nbsp;Dhoni&nbsp;batted mostly at 5 in ODIs and made a mark. Rahul is doing a tough job with ease'

"Consider everyone who is currently batting at No.5 in ODI cricket. There isn't even one cricketer at the moment who bats at No 5 and has made a mark for himself. Because it is a very tough position to bat. Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni were the only two guys who batted mostly at 5 in ODIs and made a mark for themselves. Dhoni mostly batted at 6 though. For Australia, it was Michael Bevan. It is not at all easy to bat in that number in ODIs," said Ashwin on his Youtube channel.

The 36-year-old Test specialist further asserted, "If people we like do something good and get trending on Twitter then we will start worshipping and celebrating them like anything but if they are going through a bad patch, we will not celebrate their value or the magnitude of what they are doing. KL Rahul is doing a very difficult role with ease. He has been a proper box-office in ODIs. He has got phenomenal numbers batting at No.5. GO and search if you can find anyone even close to him in terms of numbers in ODIs."

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-have-narrowed-it-down-rahul-dravids-big-claim-on-indias-2023-world-cup-preparations-574584">'We have...': Rahul Dravid provides big update on India's 2023 World Cup preparations</a>

"Immediately after his knock (in Mumbai) people were like 'KL Rahul is back'. KL Rahul didn't go anywhere in ODI cricket to be back. He didn't do anything for us to put him down one day and celebrate him the other day. We shouldn't do that. We should know how to assess a player's performance. If we don't do that, we will back all the wrong and play all the wrong people," Ashwin concluded.

Rahul-starrer India is involved in the third and final ODI versus Australia, in Chennai, on Wednesday (March 22). The series is on the line, at 1-1, and Rahul will once again hope to perform with the bat and take Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. to a series triumph versus the No. 2 ranked Australian side. He will then lead the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2023.

A lot has been said and written about KL Rahul of late. While he hasn't featured for India in the shortest format after the T20 World Cup and his form in red-ball format led to a huge war of words between Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra, the right-hander is on a roll as an ODI batter.

A lot has been said and written about KL Rahul of late. While he hasn't featured for India in the shortest format after the T20 World Cup and his form in red-ball format led to a huge war of words between Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra, the right-hander is on a roll as an ODI batter. In the ongoing India-Australia ODIs, the wicketkeeper-batter struck a magnificent 75 not out in the series opener, helping the Men in Blue win by five wickets. Ever since Rahul has been given the task to bat at No. 5 in ODIs, the 30-year-old has come to his own. He has played 18 innings at No. 5, slamming 742 runs with one hundred and seven fifties at an average of 53.00. Thus, India's veteran off-spinner R Ashwin shunned Rahul's critics and lauded him for performing a tough role with ease. In addition, he compared him with MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, two of India's finest middle-order batters in white-ball formats. 'Yuvraj, Dhoni batted mostly at 5 in ODIs and made a mark. Rahul is doing a tough job with ease' "Consider everyone who is currently batting at No.5 in ODI cricket. There isn't even one cricketer at the moment who bats at No 5 and has made a mark for himself. Because it is a very tough position to bat. Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni were the only two guys who batted mostly at 5 in ODIs and made a mark for themselves. Dhoni mostly batted at 6 though. For Australia, it was Michael Bevan. It is not at all easy to bat in that number in ODIs," said Ashwin on his Youtube channel. The 36-year-old Test specialist further asserted, "If people we like do something good and get trending on Twitter then we will start worshipping and celebrating them like anything but if they are going through a bad patch, we will not celebrate their value or the magnitude of what they are doing. KL Rahul is doing a very difficult role with ease. He has been a proper box-office in ODIs. He has got phenomenal numbers batting at No.5. GO and search if you can find anyone even close to him in terms of numbers in ODIs." Also Read: 'We have...': Rahul Dravid provides big update on India's 2023 World Cup preparations "Immediately after his knock (in Mumbai) people were like 'KL Rahul is back'. KL Rahul didn't go anywhere in ODI cricket to be back. He didn't do anything for us to put him down one day and celebrate him the other day. We shouldn't do that. We should know how to assess a player's performance. If we don't do that, we will back all the wrong and play all the wrong people," Ashwin concluded. Rahul-starrer India is involved in the third and final ODI versus Australia, in Chennai, on Wednesday (March 22). The series is on the line, at 1-1, and Rahul will once again hope to perform with the bat and take Rohit Sharma & Co. to a series triumph versus the No. 2 ranked Australian side. He will then lead the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2023.

Ashwin lauds KL Rahul for 'doing very difficult role with ease', compares him with MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh

KL Rahul scored a sublime 75 not out in India's first ODI win versus Australia at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on March 17 (Friday). After a forgettable run in the Border-Gavaskar Test series, Rahul's return to form led to a sigh of relief for his supporters. In the recent past, a lot has been said and written on Rahul's form.

The former Indian vice-captain Rahul has been a part of international cricket since late 2014 and despite his occasional brilliance, the right-hander has still not been able to remain as consistent as he would have liked. Thus, it has led to severe criticism with former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad being quite vocal about Rahul's inconsistency. During the India-Australia Tests, Prasad's rant on Rahul went viral on Twitter and he also got engaged in a verbal spat with former Indian opener Aakash Chopra.

Recently, Prasad opened up on his criticism&nbsp;and said that 'it is&nbsp;not that I've only spoken about&nbsp;Rahul'.

'Few people have taken it very seriously and few have criticised'

"I've got nothing against anybody but it's just that whatever I feel I say it. Few people take it; few don't. It's up to them. It's not that I've only spoken about KL Rahul. I even expressed my opinion over Sarfaraz Ahmed as well who has been performing brilliantly. I have made sure that I didn't cross the line, as simple as that. Few people have taken it very seriously and few have criticised," Prasad told CNN News 18.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-have-a-point-to-prove-md-hafeez-on-rohit-sharma-cos-chances-at-odi-wc-573906">'India have a point to prove': Md Hafeez on Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s chances at 2023 ODI World Cup</a>

He further stated, "Look I've got great respect and regard to KL Rahul. I've seen him since his Under-16 days - almost for 15 years. Having followed and worked with him at different stages be in Karnataka, at NCA or with the Indian team. He was given a long rope and that's fair enough for the kind of potential that he has. But he has not lived up to the talent that he is there. I am sure it will get better in the next few months but having said that, I have not been harsh; I had to say what I felt."

Rahul-starrer India is gearing up for the third and final ODI versus Australia before the action shifts to the IPL 2023 edition.

KL Rahul scored a sublime 75 not out in India's first ODI win versus Australia at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on March 17 (Friday). After a forgettable run in the Border-Gavaskar Test series, Rahul's return to form led to a sigh of relief for his supporters.

KL Rahul scored a sublime 75 not out in India's first ODI win versus Australia at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on March 17 (Friday). After a forgettable run in the Border-Gavaskar Test series, Rahul's return to form led to a sigh of relief for his supporters. In the recent past, a lot has been said and written on Rahul's form. The former Indian vice-captain Rahul has been a part of international cricket since late 2014 and despite his occasional brilliance, the right-hander has still not been able to remain as consistent as he would have liked. Thus, it has led to severe criticism with former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad being quite vocal about Rahul's inconsistency. During the India-Australia Tests, Prasad's rant on Rahul went viral on Twitter and he also got engaged in a verbal spat with former Indian opener Aakash Chopra. Recently, Prasad opened up on his criticism and said that 'it is not that I've only spoken about Rahul'. 'Few people have taken it very seriously and few have criticised' "I've got nothing against anybody but it's just that whatever I feel I say it. Few people take it; few don't. It's up to them. It's not that I've only spoken about KL Rahul. I even expressed my opinion over Sarfaraz Ahmed as well who has been performing brilliantly. I have made sure that I didn't cross the line, as simple as that. Few people have taken it very seriously and few have criticised," Prasad told CNN News 18. Also Read: 'India have a point to prove': Md Hafeez on Rohit Sharma & Co.'s chances at 2023 ODI World Cup He further stated, "Look I've got great respect and regard to KL Rahul. I've seen him since his Under-16 days - almost for 15 years. Having followed and worked with him at different stages be in Karnataka, at NCA or with the Indian team. He was given a long rope and that's fair enough for the kind of potential that he has. But he has not lived up to the talent that he is there. I am sure it will get better in the next few months but having said that, I have not been harsh; I had to say what I felt." Rahul-starrer India is gearing up for the third and final ODI versus Australia before the action shifts to the IPL 2023 edition.

'Not that I've only....': Venkatesh Prasad opens up on his criticism of KL Rahul on Twitter

KL Rahul's place in the Indian team has become a big talking point. While Rohit Sharma-led India are on a roll versus Australia and gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy following the Delhi Test, Rahul finds himself in a spot of bother owing to his poor run of form in whites. In the last 12 innings,&nbsp;he has only managed 198 runs. In addition, he&nbsp;has a total of 38 runs in the three outings in the ongoing series.

Although captain Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid continue to support Rahul, many have raised concerns over his poor form and called for his ouster. Former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad has been quite vocal on his views on Rahul and&nbsp;called for his omission at the earliest. He shared a series of tweets during the recently-concluded second Test, in the national capital, criticising Rahul and was advised by ex-opener Aakash Chopra to not slam the right-hander further amid the proceedings. Later, he shared Rahul's away numbers to break the "he has great overseas Test record" notion,&nbsp;praised the likes of discarded openers Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal and youngster Shubman Gill.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/venkatesh-prasad-once-again-slams-kl-rahul-hits-back-at-he-has-great-overseas-test-record-claims-563881">Venkatesh Prasad once again slams KL Rahul, hits back at 'he has great overseas Test record' claims</a>

After all this, Chopra recently posted a video on his Youtube channel where he urged Prasad&nbsp;to stay calm and not peddle 'agendas' if&nbsp;any or point out Rahul's stats as per&nbsp;his thoughts. However, things have gone out of hand with the former speedster slamming Chopra for his choice of words.

Here's what Chopra said:

"I am not saying KL Rahul will become like Rohit Sharma but I humbly request you to stay calm. If there are any agendas, let's not peddle them. Let's talk about the numbers that are actually there and not those that suit your thoughts," Chopra stressed on his official Youtube channel.&nbsp;&nbsp;

'It was disappointing to see Aakash calling it personal agenda'

Prasad has now responded to Chopra's words and slammed him. He tweeted saying,&nbsp;"So my friend Aakash Chopra after making a vile video on YouTube this morning where he calls me an agenda peddle, &nbsp;conveniently and cleverly misquotes me, removes Mayank's average of 70 at home, wants to gag views which are not in line with what he believes but wanted Rohit out."

Further, he stated, "I have no agenda against any player, maybe there are others who have. Difference of opinion is fine but calling contrary views as apna personal agenda and Twitter par mat laayein is funny for&nbsp; 
@cricketaakash, considering he has made a great career by airing his views. I have nothing against KL or any other player, my voice has been against unfair selection and different yardsticks for performers. Be it Sarfaraz or Kuldeep, have voiced based on merit. But it was disappointing to see Aakash calling it personal agenda."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
So my friend Aakash Chopra after making a vile video on YouTube this morning where he calls me an agenda peddle, conveniently and cleverly misquotes me, removes Mayank’s average of 70 at home, wants to gag views which are not in line with what he believes but wanted Rohit out <a href="https://t.co/2HwFLMgvmd">pic.twitter.com/2HwFLMgvmd</a>
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/venkateshprasad/status/1628012386140688384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Prasad shared an old tweet of Chopra, in 2012, where he had called for current skipper Rohit's ouster from the team. "This is what Aakash had aired when Rohit was 24 with 4 yrs in international cross. He can use sarcasm for Rohit at 24, and I cannot point out underperforming Rahul at 31 with 8 years in International cricket.&nbsp;Yeh bhi sahi hai (This is also right)," Prasad&nbsp;pointed out."

Prasad concluded by saying, "And the argument that we should not criticise a player in an ongoing match personally doesn't make sense to me. That doesn't affect the players performance. &nbsp;Most players don't read views even after the match and no player can read in between match as phones are deposited." He added, "I admire Aakash for the hardwork he puts on his YouTube channel but calling a different view point as agenda because it doesn't suit his narrative is poor. There is no bitterness between us and since his video was in public domain wanted to put my point out here. Best wishes."

While the Chopra vs Prasad spat is unlikely to end soon, all eyes are on Rahul before India's third Test versus Australia at the Holkar Stadium, Indore on March 01. After being sacked as the Test vice-captain, he will be desperate to prove a point and silence his critics with a daddy hundred.

KL Rahul's place in the Indian team has become a big talking point. While Rohit Sharma-led India are on a roll versus Australia and gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy following the Delhi Test, Rahul finds himself in a spot of bother owing to his poor run of form in whites.

KL Rahul's place in the Indian team has become a big talking point. While Rohit Sharma-led India are on a roll versus Australia and gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy following the Delhi Test, Rahul finds himself in a spot of bother owing to his poor run of form in whites. In the last 12 innings, he has only managed 198 runs. In addition, he has a total of 38 runs in the three outings in the ongoing series. Although captain Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid continue to support Rahul, many have raised concerns over his poor form and called for his ouster. Former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad has been quite vocal on his views on Rahul and called for his omission at the earliest. He shared a series of tweets during the recently-concluded second Test, in the national capital, criticising Rahul and was advised by ex-opener Aakash Chopra to not slam the right-hander further amid the proceedings. Later, he shared Rahul's away numbers to break the "he has great overseas Test record" notion, praised the likes of discarded openers Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal and youngster Shubman Gill. Also Read: Venkatesh Prasad once again slams KL Rahul, hits back at 'he has great overseas Test record' claims After all this, Chopra recently posted a video on his Youtube channel where he urged Prasad to stay calm and not peddle 'agendas' if any or point out Rahul's stats as per his thoughts. However, things have gone out of hand with the former speedster slamming Chopra for his choice of words. Here's what Chopra said: "I am not saying KL Rahul will become like Rohit Sharma but I humbly request you to stay calm. If there are any agendas, let's not peddle them. Let's talk about the numbers that are actually there and not those that suit your thoughts," Chopra stressed on his official Youtube channel. 'It was disappointing to see Aakash calling it personal agenda' Prasad has now responded to Chopra's words and slammed him. He tweeted saying, "So my friend Aakash Chopra after making a vile video on YouTube this morning where he calls me an agenda peddle, conveniently and cleverly misquotes me, removes Mayank's average of 70 at home, wants to gag views which are not in line with what he believes but wanted Rohit out." Further, he stated, "I have no agenda against any player, maybe there are others who have. Difference of opinion is fine but calling contrary views as apna personal agenda and Twitter par mat laayein is funny for @cricketaakash, considering he has made a great career by airing his views. I have nothing against KL or any other player, my voice has been against unfair selection and different yardsticks for performers. Be it Sarfaraz or Kuldeep, have voiced based on merit. But it was disappointing to see Aakash calling it personal agenda." So my friend Aakash Chopra after making a vile video on YouTube this morning where he calls me an agenda peddle, conveniently and cleverly misquotes me, removes Mayank’s average of 70 at home, wants to gag views which are not in line with what he believes but wanted Rohit out pic.twitter.com/2HwFLMgvmd — Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) February 21, 2023 × Prasad shared an old tweet of Chopra, in 2012, where he had called for current skipper Rohit's ouster from the team. "This is what Aakash had aired when Rohit was 24 with 4 yrs in international cross. He can use sarcasm for Rohit at 24, and I cannot point out underperforming Rahul at 31 with 8 years in International cricket. Yeh bhi sahi hai (This is also right)," Prasad pointed out." Prasad concluded by saying, "And the argument that we should not criticise a player in an ongoing match personally doesn't make sense to me. That doesn't affect the players performance. Most players don't read views even after the match and no player can read in between match as phones are deposited." He added, "I admire Aakash for the hardwork he puts on his YouTube channel but calling a different view point as agenda because it doesn't suit his narrative is poor. There is no bitterness between us and since his video was in public domain wanted to put my point out here. Best wishes." While the Chopra vs Prasad spat is unlikely to end soon, all eyes are on Rahul before India's third Test versus Australia at the Holkar Stadium, Indore on March 01. After being sacked as the Test vice-captain, he will be desperate to prove a point and silence his critics with a daddy hundred.

'Disappointing...': Venkatesh Prasad blasts Aakash Chopra for calling him 'agenda peddler' vs KL Rahul

India lost the second and penultimate ODI, of the three-match home series, versus Australia on Sunday (March 19). They will now gear up to face Steve Smith-led Aussies in the third and final ODI, in Chennai, on Wednesday (March 22) with the series on the line (levelled at 1-1).

A series win will boost India's confidence as the No. 1 ranked ODI side is preparing hard for the upcoming 50-over World Cup, to be held in India later this year. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad features many superstars such as Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah (currently out of action due to injury), Ravindra Jadeja, Md Shami and Siraj, etc.

Thus, India are one of the contenders for the ODI World Cup. Former Australian opener and all-rounder Shane Watson opined on India's squad for the mega event and named 29-year-old Hardik as the key player.

"For me, the person who has impressed me a lot as an all-rounder and is very special is Hardik Pandya. He has an amazing batting technique, and he bowls very nicely as well. He has done wonders for India in ODIs and T20Is. He is someone I really love watching play. He (Hardik) is someone who brings some things I wanted to do as a fast-bowling all-rounder. He has done well for India, especially on the big stage. He is a special talent that India has," the Australian told TimesofIndia.com.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-before-ipl-became-a-thing-when-ganguly-bowled-to-teammates-tendulkar-dravid-watch-574198">Throwback: Before IPL became a thing! When Ganguly bowled to teammates Tendulkar, Dravid - Watch</a>

"Hardik will be a key player for Rohit in the World Cup. With his skills with the bat, the power and technique that he has, and the bowling power he has, he will be the key player for India in the World Cup," he added.

Hardik is Rohit's deputy in white-ball formats and has featured in n11 Tests, 73 ODIs, and 87 T20Is. He was part of India's 2019 ODI World Cup campaign, where the Virat Kohli-led side bowed out in the semi-finals. He will be desperate to guide India to the mega title later this year courtesy of his all-round skills.

India lost the second and penultimate ODI, of the three-match home series, versus Australia on Sunday (March 19). They will now gear up to face Steve Smith-led Aussies in the third and final ODI, in Chennai, on Wednesday (March 22) with the series on the line (levelled at 1-1).

India lost the second and penultimate ODI, of the three-match home series, versus Australia on Sunday (March 19). They will now gear up to face Steve Smith-led Aussies in the third and final ODI, in Chennai, on Wednesday (March 22) with the series on the line (levelled at 1-1). A series win will boost India's confidence as the No. 1 ranked ODI side is preparing hard for the upcoming 50-over World Cup, to be held in India later this year. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad features many superstars such as Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah (currently out of action due to injury), Ravindra Jadeja, Md Shami and Siraj, etc. Thus, India are one of the contenders for the ODI World Cup. Former Australian opener and all-rounder Shane Watson opined on India's squad for the mega event and named 29-year-old Hardik as the key player. "For me, the person who has impressed me a lot as an all-rounder and is very special is Hardik Pandya. He has an amazing batting technique, and he bowls very nicely as well. He has done wonders for India in ODIs and T20Is. He is someone I really love watching play. He (Hardik) is someone who brings some things I wanted to do as a fast-bowling all-rounder. He has done well for India, especially on the big stage. He is a special talent that India has," the Australian told TimesofIndia.com. Also Read: Throwback: Before IPL became a thing! When Ganguly bowled to teammates Tendulkar, Dravid - Watch "Hardik will be a key player for Rohit in the World Cup. With his skills with the bat, the power and technique that he has, and the bowling power he has, he will be the key player for India in the World Cup," he added. Hardik is Rohit's deputy in white-ball formats and has featured in n11 Tests, 73 ODIs, and 87 T20Is. He was part of India's 2019 ODI World Cup campaign, where the Virat Kohli-led side bowed out in the semi-finals. He will be desperate to guide India to the mega title later this year courtesy of his all-round skills.

Not Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli or Jasprit Bumrah! Shane Watson names India's key player for ODI World Cup

India qualified for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final for the second time in a row early this month. As India have not won an ICC title since 2013, they will be desperate to break their ten-year drought during the upcoming WTC finale, versus Australia, at The Oval, London. The finale kicks off on June 07 and is expected to go down to the wire.

In 2021, India locked horns with New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final and lost by eight wickets with many blaming the then Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri-led think tank for not choosing the ideal XI. Thus, Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid will be focused on choosing the right XI this time around as India look to win the elite championship. Ahead of the WTC summit clash, many feel it would be right to pick KL Rahul, who has been out of form in whites, for his good record in English conditions and he can also keep wickets. But some are of the opinion that KS Bharat remains the best bet behind the stumps in Rishabh Pant's absence.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-this-uncapped-mi-all-rounder-to-earn-more-than-his-skipper-rohit-sharma-in-mega-event-573831">IPL 2023: THIS uncapped MI all-rounder to earn more than his skipper Rohit Sharma in mega event</a>

While former cricketers Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar have backed Rahul as a wicketkeeper-batter for the WTC final, Rahul's IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)'s mentor and ex-Indian opener Gautam Gambhir feels Bharat should retain his place.

"You should always go with a specialist wicketkeeper. England is a tough place to keep, where you can’t go with a part-time wicketkeeper," Gambhir told&nbsp;Sports Tak.&nbsp;He added, "If you want to pick KL Rahul for the WTC final, then play him purely as a batsman."

<section>At present, India is involved in the three-match ODI series versus Australia with the series levelled at 1-1. The third and final ODI will be held in Chennai before the IPL 2023 edition kicks off. After the IPL final, the WTC finale will be held on June 07.</section>

India qualified for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final for the second time in a row early this month. As India have not won an ICC title since 2013, they will be desperate to break their ten-year drought during the upcoming WTC finale, versus Australia, at The Oval, London.

India qualified for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final for the second time in a row early this month. As India have not won an ICC title since 2013, they will be desperate to break their ten-year drought during the upcoming WTC finale, versus Australia, at The Oval, London. The finale kicks off on June 07 and is expected to go down to the wire. In 2021, India locked horns with New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final and lost by eight wickets with many blaming the then Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri-led think tank for not choosing the ideal XI. Thus, Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid will be focused on choosing the right XI this time around as India look to win the elite championship. Ahead of the WTC summit clash, many feel it would be right to pick KL Rahul, who has been out of form in whites, for his good record in English conditions and he can also keep wickets. But some are of the opinion that KS Bharat remains the best bet behind the stumps in Rishabh Pant's absence. Also read: IPL 2023: THIS uncapped MI all-rounder to earn more than his skipper Rohit Sharma in mega event While former cricketers Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar have backed Rahul as a wicketkeeper-batter for the WTC final, Rahul's IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)'s mentor and ex-Indian opener Gautam Gambhir feels Bharat should retain his place. "You should always go with a specialist wicketkeeper. England is a tough place to keep, where you can’t go with a part-time wicketkeeper," Gambhir told Sports Tak. He added, "If you want to pick KL Rahul for the WTC final, then play him purely as a batsman." At present, India is involved in the three-match ODI series versus Australia with the series levelled at 1-1. The third and final ODI will be held in Chennai before the IPL 2023 edition kicks off. After the IPL final, the WTC finale will be held on June 07.

KL Rahul or KS Bharat? Gautam Gambhir on who should keep wickets for India in WTC final vs Australia

Indian batsman KL Rahul shook his Test problems and stood up tall in India's five-wicket victory over Australia in the first ODI of the three-match series in Mumbai. Rahul scored unbeaten 75 off 91 balls as he held one end on a spicy pitch.&nbsp;

Rahul's effort were acknowledged by the dressing room too as soon as he reached his fifty and at front was ex-skipper Virat Kohli who is known to have backed Rahul a lot. In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) official twitter handle, Kohli can be seen clapping with hands up above his head to acknowledge Rahul individual milestone of 50 runs.

The video has gone viral for the reaction. Have a look at the video here:

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An excellent knock from <a href="https://twitter.com/klrahul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@klrahul</a> here in Mumbai when the going got tough!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> 22 runs away from victory. 
 
Live - <a href="https://t.co/8mvcwAwwah">https://t.co/8mvcwAwwah</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mastercardindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mastercardindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ct4Gq1R1ox">pic.twitter.com/Ct4Gq1R1ox</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1636741672376872960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Notably, Rahul was dropped from the recently-concluded Test series against Australia after first two Tests due to a poor run of form. The batsman was also relieved from his duties as the vice-captain as well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-sl-kane-williamson-enters-elite-list-with-6th-test-double-ton-equal-sehwag-pontings-record-573217">NZ vs SL: Kane Williamson enters elite list with 6th Test double ton, equals Sehwag, Ponting’s record</a>

Nonetheless, Rahul came into bat at number 5 in Mumbai, a position where he's been successful in the recent times for India, and helped India see through. Rahul added 108 runs with Player-of-the-Match Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth wicket after India were left five down on 83 in the 20the over of the chase.

Earlier, Australia were bowled out for a paltry 188 runs inside 36 overs, thanks to some outstanding bowling by Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom took three wickets each.

Australia, however, had a good start and were cruising along nicely with 129/2 in the 20th over. Ravindra Jadeja then started a dramatic collapse as he took out Mitchell March, who was batting belligerently on 81 off 65 and looking set for more.&nbsp;

The next match of the series will be played on March 19 in Vishakhapatnam with the third and final match scheduled to be played on March 22 in Chennai. 
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Indian batsman KL Rahul shook his Test problems and stood up tall in India's five-wicket victory over Australia in the first ODI of the three-match series in Mumbai.

Indian batsman KL Rahul shook his Test problems and stood up tall in India's five-wicket victory over Australia in the first ODI of the three-match series in Mumbai. Rahul scored unbeaten 75 off 91 balls as he held one end on a spicy pitch. Rahul's effort were acknowledged by the dressing room too as soon as he reached his fifty and at front was ex-skipper Virat Kohli who is known to have backed Rahul a lot. In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) official twitter handle, Kohli can be seen clapping with hands up above his head to acknowledge Rahul individual milestone of 50 runs. The video has gone viral for the reaction. Have a look at the video here: An excellent knock from @klrahul here in Mumbai when the going got tough!#TeamIndia 22 runs away from victory. Live - https://t.co/8mvcwAwwah #INDvAUS @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/Ct4Gq1R1ox — BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023 × Notably, Rahul was dropped from the recently-concluded Test series against Australia after first two Tests due to a poor run of form. The batsman was also relieved from his duties as the vice-captain as well. Also Read: NZ vs SL: Kane Williamson enters elite list with 6th Test double ton, equals Sehwag, Ponting’s record Nonetheless, Rahul came into bat at number 5 in Mumbai, a position where he's been successful in the recent times for India, and helped India see through. Rahul added 108 runs with Player-of-the-Match Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth wicket after India were left five down on 83 in the 20the over of the chase. Earlier, Australia were bowled out for a paltry 188 runs inside 36 overs, thanks to some outstanding bowling by Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom took three wickets each. Australia, however, had a good start and were cruising along nicely with 129/2 in the 20th over. Ravindra Jadeja then started a dramatic collapse as he took out Mitchell March, who was batting belligerently on 81 off 65 and looking set for more. The next match of the series will be played on March 19 in Vishakhapatnam with the third and final match scheduled to be played on March 22 in Chennai. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India vs Australia, 1st ODI: Virat Kohli's reaction on KL Rahul's 50 goes viral - WATCH

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that India must&nbsp;include&nbsp;KL Rahul in the XI for the WTC final against Australia. With Rishabh Pant out recovering from the injury he sustained following the road accident last year and KS Bharat underperforming with the bat, Shastri thinks bringing Rahul to bat in the middle order and keep wickets will only bolster team's chances of doing well in the one-off final.

After India’s five-wicket win over Australia in the first ODI in Mumbai on Friday, in which KL Rahul starred with the bat hitting an unbeaten 75, Shastri feels Rahul’s maturity to handle pressure and ability to keep wickets will keep the selectors interested.

“He (KL) has really done well to keep the selectors interested ahead of the WTC final," Shastri told Star Sports after India’s win in 1st ODI.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/arshdeep-singh-agrees-to-play-five-matches-for-kent-in-county-championship-573196">Arshdeep Singh agrees to play five matches for Kent in County Championship</a>

Meanwhile, KL Rahul faced a contrasting fate during the Border-Gavaskar series as he got dropped after three successive failures during the first two Tests. His chances of now returning to the top look bleak given Shubman Gill has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. On the flip side, Shreyas Iyer’s history with prolonged back injury would keep the selectors thinking before naming the final squad as well.

As Rohit Sharma will replace Ishan Kishan in the XI for the remaining two ODIs, and in that scenario, Rahul will continue keeping wickets;&nbsp;Shastri feels why couldn't the same formula be applied during the WTC final as well. &nbsp;

"Two things, one for the ODI series when Rohit Sharma returns and the other for the WTC final... India can bolster their batting if Rahul can keep wickets,” Shastri said.

Elaborating on how Rahul can tick both boxes in the final against Australia, Shastri said,

"Rahul can bat in the middle-order -- No. 5 or 6. In England, you have to generally keep wickets from far behind. You don't have to keep up with the spinners a lot. He (KL) has two more ODIs to go before the IPL. He can cement his place in that Indian team," the former India coach added.

India will now face Australia in the second ODI in Vizag on March 19th, Sunday.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that India must include KL Rahul in the XI for the WTC final against Australia. With Rishabh Pant out recovering from the injury he sustained following the road accident last year and KS Bharat underperforming with the bat, Shastri thinks bringing Rahul to bat in the middle order and keep wickets will only bolster team's chances of doing well in the one-off final.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that India must include KL Rahul in the XI for the WTC final against Australia. With Rishabh Pant out recovering from the injury he sustained following the road accident last year and KS Bharat underperforming with the bat, Shastri thinks bringing Rahul to bat in the middle order and keep wickets will only bolster team's chances of doing well in the one-off final. After India’s five-wicket win over Australia in the first ODI in Mumbai on Friday, in which KL Rahul starred with the bat hitting an unbeaten 75, Shastri feels Rahul’s maturity to handle pressure and ability to keep wickets will keep the selectors interested. “He (KL) has really done well to keep the selectors interested ahead of the WTC final," Shastri told Star Sports after India’s win in 1st ODI. ALSO READ: Arshdeep Singh agrees to play five matches for Kent in County Championship Meanwhile, KL Rahul faced a contrasting fate during the Border-Gavaskar series as he got dropped after three successive failures during the first two Tests. His chances of now returning to the top look bleak given Shubman Gill has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. On the flip side, Shreyas Iyer’s history with prolonged back injury would keep the selectors thinking before naming the final squad as well. As Rohit Sharma will replace Ishan Kishan in the XI for the remaining two ODIs, and in that scenario, Rahul will continue keeping wickets; Shastri feels why couldn't the same formula be applied during the WTC final as well. "Two things, one for the ODI series when Rohit Sharma returns and the other for the WTC final... India can bolster their batting if Rahul can keep wickets,” Shastri said. Elaborating on how Rahul can tick both boxes in the final against Australia, Shastri said, "Rahul can bat in the middle-order -- No. 5 or 6. In England, you have to generally keep wickets from far behind. You don't have to keep up with the spinners a lot. He (KL) has two more ODIs to go before the IPL. He can cement his place in that Indian team," the former India coach added. India will now face Australia in the second ODI in Vizag on March 19th, Sunday.

Ravi Shastri picks a new face to keep wickets in WTC final against Australia

West Indies batsman Chris Gayle is arguably one of the most destructive T20 batsmen in the world and holds the record for most runs in a T20 innings since 2013. Gayle, who calls himself Universe Boss, scored a mammoth 175 not out in 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) while batting for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI).

The fact that even after 10 years the record is still intact, speaks volumes about that blazing innings Gayle had played. A number of batsmen have come close to the record such as Aaron Finch (172), Hamilton Masakadza (162 not out), and Dewald Brevis (162), but none of them have been able to breach the barrier so far.

Recently, Gayle spoke on&nbsp;JioCinema's 'Legend Speak' and picked a batsman who he thinks could break his record of 175 runs in a T20 inning. The batsman Gayle picked is KL Rahul, his former teammate at RCB. Gayle gave the reason that Rahul is very dangerous and can go past 175 if gets a good start.

Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-virat-kohlis-footwork-on-oscar-winning-naatu-naatu-goes-viral-during-1st-odi-vs-australia-573266">Virat Kohli's FOOTWORK on Oscar-winning 'Naatu Naatu' goes viral during 1st ODI vs Australia</a>

"For one I think KL Rahul! On his day, he can do it. I don't think he believes in his ability to get that big score but listen to me, we all have seen KL Rahul on the go and if he decided to bat like that sometimes, if not most times which I'd love to see, he definitely can get that. Because when he gets from 15th to the 20th [over], he is very dangerous down there at the death as well, batting-wise. If he gets a good start and gets a big hundred he can definitely get past 175," said Gayle.

Rahul, who recently was dropped from Indian Test side following a string of low-scores, notched up a match-winning 75 off 91 against Australia in the first match of three-ODI series in Mumbai.

In IPL, KL Rahul plays and captains Lucknow Super Giants and has a top score of 132 which he scored in 2020 IPL season against his former team RCB while playing for Kings XI&nbsp;Punjab. The 2023 season of the IPL is set to kick-off on March 31.

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West Indies batsman Chris Gayle is arguably one of the most destructive T20 batsmen in the world and holds the record for most runs in a T20 innings since 2013. Gayle, who calls himself Universe Boss, scored a mammoth 175 not out in 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) while batting for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI).

West Indies batsman Chris Gayle is arguably one of the most destructive T20 batsmen in the world and holds the record for most runs in a T20 innings since 2013. Gayle, who calls himself Universe Boss, scored a mammoth 175 not out in 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) while batting for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI). The fact that even after 10 years the record is still intact, speaks volumes about that blazing innings Gayle had played. A number of batsmen have come close to the record such as Aaron Finch (172), Hamilton Masakadza (162 not out), and Dewald Brevis (162), but none of them have been able to breach the barrier so far. Recently, Gayle spoke on JioCinema's 'Legend Speak' and picked a batsman who he thinks could break his record of 175 runs in a T20 inning. The batsman Gayle picked is KL Rahul, his former teammate at RCB. Gayle gave the reason that Rahul is very dangerous and can go past 175 if gets a good start. Also Watch: Virat Kohli's FOOTWORK on Oscar-winning 'Naatu Naatu' goes viral during 1st ODI vs Australia "For one I think KL Rahul! On his day, he can do it. I don't think he believes in his ability to get that big score but listen to me, we all have seen KL Rahul on the go and if he decided to bat like that sometimes, if not most times which I'd love to see, he definitely can get that. Because when he gets from 15th to the 20th [over], he is very dangerous down there at the death as well, batting-wise. If he gets a good start and gets a big hundred he can definitely get past 175," said Gayle. Rahul, who recently was dropped from Indian Test side following a string of low-scores, notched up a match-winning 75 off 91 against Australia in the first match of three-ODI series in Mumbai. In IPL, KL Rahul plays and captains Lucknow Super Giants and has a top score of 132 which he scored in 2020 IPL season against his former team RCB while playing for Kings XI Punjab. The 2023 season of the IPL is set to kick-off on March 31. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Guess who? Chris Gayle picks THIS star Indian batsman to break his T20 record of 175 runs in an inning

Former India speedster Venkatesh Prasad went in awe of KL Rahul as he helped India win the first ODI match between India and Australia in Mumbai by five wickets. Chasing 189 runs, the veteran star scored an unbeaten 75-run knock that saw India clinch the contest by five wickets. Courtesy of that win, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series and will look to conquer the series in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

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Excellent composure under pressure and a brilliant innings by KL Rahul. 
Top knock. Great support by Ravindra Jadeja and a good win for India.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/tCs74rBiLP">pic.twitter.com/tCs74rBiLP</a>
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/venkateshprasad/status/1636748794560925697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h3>Prasad in awe for KL Rahul</h3>

"Excellent composure under pressure and a brilliant innings by KL Rahul. Top knock. Great support by Ravindra Jadeja and a good win for India," Venkatesh Prasad wrote on Twitter.

KL Rahul was seen in excellent touch for India as they got the better Australia by five wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. India had endured a tough run at the venue after they had gone 12 years without a win at the venue in the ODI format. India initially struggling at 83/5 in the match showed superb composure to get over the line and draw the first blood in the contest.

Asked to chase 189 runs, the Indian team got off to the worse possible start after Ishan Kishan departed for three runs in the second over. Things only got vulnerable for the home side who were chasing their first ODI win at the Wankhede in 12 years after Virat Kohli (4) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) departed on back-to-back balls with Mitchell Starc on a hat-trick.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sachin-tendulkar-underlines-the-reason-why-odis-are-getting-monotonous-and-boring-comes-up-with-a-solution-572946">Sachin Tendulkar underlines the reason why ODIs are getting monotonous and boring, comes up with a solution</a></h3>

With 16/3 India further lost Shubman Gill (20) and were 39/4 before KL Rahul and stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya (25) steadied the ship. They both put together a fifth wicket stand of 44 runs before the skipper was scalped by Marcus Stoinis. However, Jadeja and Rahul then took over the initiative for India and built an unbeaten stand of 108 runs that propelled India to their first win at the Wankhede in ODIs in 12 years.

The two nations will now meet on Sunday, March 19 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam as India will have a golden opportunity to seal another famous series win.

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Former India speedster Venkatesh Prasad went in awe of KL Rahul as he helped India win the first ODI match between India and Australia in Mumbai by five wickets.

Former India speedster Venkatesh Prasad went in awe of KL Rahul as he helped India win the first ODI match between India and Australia in Mumbai by five wickets. Chasing 189 runs, the veteran star scored an unbeaten 75-run knock that saw India clinch the contest by five wickets. Courtesy of that win, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series and will look to conquer the series in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Excellent composure under pressure and a brilliant innings by KL Rahul. Top knock. Great support by Ravindra Jadeja and a good win for India.#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/tCs74rBiLP — Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) March 17, 2023 × Prasad in awe for KL Rahul "Excellent composure under pressure and a brilliant innings by KL Rahul. Top knock. Great support by Ravindra Jadeja and a good win for India," Venkatesh Prasad wrote on Twitter. KL Rahul was seen in excellent touch for India as they got the better Australia by five wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. India had endured a tough run at the venue after they had gone 12 years without a win at the venue in the ODI format. India initially struggling at 83/5 in the match showed superb composure to get over the line and draw the first blood in the contest. Asked to chase 189 runs, the Indian team got off to the worse possible start after Ishan Kishan departed for three runs in the second over. Things only got vulnerable for the home side who were chasing their first ODI win at the Wankhede in 12 years after Virat Kohli (4) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) departed on back-to-back balls with Mitchell Starc on a hat-trick. ALSO READ | Sachin Tendulkar underlines the reason why ODIs are getting monotonous and boring, comes up with a solution With 16/3 India further lost Shubman Gill (20) and were 39/4 before KL Rahul and stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya (25) steadied the ship. They both put together a fifth wicket stand of 44 runs before the skipper was scalped by Marcus Stoinis. However, Jadeja and Rahul then took over the initiative for India and built an unbeaten stand of 108 runs that propelled India to their first win at the Wankhede in ODIs in 12 years. The two nations will now meet on Sunday, March 19 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam as India will have a golden opportunity to seal another famous series win. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IND vs AUS 1st ODI: After repeated backlash, Venkatesh Prasad in awe of KL Rahul, 'Excellent composure...'

KL Rahul’s composed 75-run knock helped Team India end their 12-year winless run in ODIs at the Wankhede Stadium after they beat Australia by five wickets on Friday, March 17. The win saw India take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series while also securing India’s first ODI win at the venue since beating England in October 2011. Asked to chase 189, the Indian team had initial struggles but an unbeaten 108-run stand between Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja (45 unbeaten) for the sixth wicket helped India draw the first blood.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> go 1⃣-0⃣ up in the series! 👏 👏 
 
An unbeaten 1⃣0⃣8⃣-run partnership between <a href="https://twitter.com/klrahul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@klrahul</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/imjadeja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imjadeja</a> as India sealed a 5⃣-wicket win over Australia in the first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> ODI 👍 👍 
 
Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/BAvv2E8K6h">https://t.co/BAvv2E8K6h</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mastercardindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mastercardindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/hq0WsRbOoC">pic.twitter.com/hq0WsRbOoC</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1636748771664236545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h3>India start poorly in run chase</h3>

Asked to chase 189 runs, the Indian team got off to the worse possible start after Ishan Kishan departed for three runs in the second over. Things only got vulnerable for the home side who were chasing their first ODI win at the Wankhede in 12 years after Virat Kohli (4) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) departed on back-to-back balls with Mitchell Starc on a hat-trick.

With 16/3 India further lost Shubman Gill (20) and were 39/4 before KL Rahul and stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya (25) steadied the ship. They both put together a fifth wicket stand of 44 runs before the skipper was scalped by Marcus Stoinis. However, Jadeja and Rahul then took over the initiative for India and built an unbeaten stand of 108 runs that propelled India to their first win at the Wankhede in ODIs in 12 years.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sachin-tendulkar-underlines-the-reason-why-odis-are-getting-monotonous-and-boring-comes-up-with-a-solution-572946">Sachin Tendulkar underlines the reason why ODIs are getting monotonous and boring, comes up with a solution</a></h3>

<h3>Australia face horrible collapse</h3>

Earlier, put into bat the Aussies had a horrible collapse as they lost eight wickets in a span of 59 runs. From 129/2 the visitors were bowled out for 188 with Mitchell Marsh scoring a quickfire 81 runs off 65 deliveries. However, a sublime spell from Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj brought Steve Smith’s side to knees and were left crumbling. Josh Inglis was the second-highest scorer with 26 runs which left a big hole to fill in the middle overs.

Both Siraj and Shami ended with three wickets each while Ravindra Jadeja ended with two wickets and Hardik Pandya scalped one.

The two nations will now meet on Sunday, March 19 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam as India will have a golden opportunity to seal another famous series win.

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KL Rahul’s composed 75-run knock helped Team India end their 12-year winless run in ODIs at the Wankhede Stadium after they beat Australia by five wickets on Friday, March 17.

KL Rahul’s composed 75-run knock helped Team India end their 12-year winless run in ODIs at the Wankhede Stadium after they beat Australia by five wickets on Friday, March 17. The win saw India take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series while also securing India’s first ODI win at the venue since beating England in October 2011. Asked to chase 189, the Indian team had initial struggles but an unbeaten 108-run stand between Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja (45 unbeaten) for the sixth wicket helped India draw the first blood. #TeamIndia go 1⃣-0⃣ up in the series! 👏 👏 An unbeaten 1⃣0⃣8⃣-run partnership between @klrahul & @imjadeja as India sealed a 5⃣-wicket win over Australia in the first #INDvAUS ODI 👍 👍 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BAvv2E8K6h @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/hq0WsRbOoC — BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023 × India start poorly in run chase Asked to chase 189 runs, the Indian team got off to the worse possible start after Ishan Kishan departed for three runs in the second over. Things only got vulnerable for the home side who were chasing their first ODI win at the Wankhede in 12 years after Virat Kohli (4) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) departed on back-to-back balls with Mitchell Starc on a hat-trick. With 16/3 India further lost Shubman Gill (20) and were 39/4 before KL Rahul and stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya (25) steadied the ship. They both put together a fifth wicket stand of 44 runs before the skipper was scalped by Marcus Stoinis. However, Jadeja and Rahul then took over the initiative for India and built an unbeaten stand of 108 runs that propelled India to their first win at the Wankhede in ODIs in 12 years. ALSO READ | Sachin Tendulkar underlines the reason why ODIs are getting monotonous and boring, comes up with a solution Australia face horrible collapse Earlier, put into bat the Aussies had a horrible collapse as they lost eight wickets in a span of 59 runs. From 129/2 the visitors were bowled out for 188 with Mitchell Marsh scoring a quickfire 81 runs off 65 deliveries. However, a sublime spell from Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj brought Steve Smith’s side to knees and were left crumbling. Josh Inglis was the second-highest scorer with 26 runs which left a big hole to fill in the middle overs. Both Siraj and Shami ended with three wickets each while Ravindra Jadeja ended with two wickets and Hardik Pandya scalped one. The two nations will now meet on Sunday, March 19 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam as India will have a golden opportunity to seal another famous series win. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IND vs AUS 1st ODI: KL Rahul helps India end 12-year Wankhede drought in famous 5-wicket win over Aussies

After a gruelling four-match Test series, India and Australia have locked horns in the three-match ODI series opener at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Friday (March 17). Both the regular captains Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins are not in action as the latter remains in Australia after his mother's passing away whereas Hitman will join the squad for the remainder ODIs after missing the series opener due to personal reasons.

In Rohit's absence, Hardik Pandya is leading Team India. After winning the toss, India opted to bowl first and have bundled out the Steve Smith-led Aussies for a paltry 188 in 35.4 overs. Md Siraj and Md Shami ended with three scalps each whereas Ravindra Jadeja took 2 for 48. Captain Hardik removed the dangerman Smith with KL Rahul grabbing a sharp low catch. Here's the video of Rahul's timely dive as he removed Smith with a stunner behind the stumps:

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Edged and taken!<a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya7</a> strikes and how good was that grab behind the stumps from <a href="https://twitter.com/klrahul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@klrahul</a> 💪 
 
Steve Smith departs. 
 
Watch his dismissal here 👇👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mastercardindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mastercardindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/yss3sj4N4z">pic.twitter.com/yss3sj4N4z</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1636659941585870848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-safe-sachin-adam-gilchrist-reacts-to-incorrect-claims-labelling-him-as-worlds-richest-cricketer-572958">You safe Sachin: Adam Gilchrist reacts to INCORRECT claims labelling him as world's RICHEST cricketer</a>

Rohit-less India will look to take a 1-0 lead in the three ODIs after dismissing Australia for 188. At one stage, they were well-placed at 129 for 2 with Mitchell Marsh (81 off 65 balls) lying the perfect platform but regular breakthroughs dented their progress.

From 129 for 2, Australia were soon reduced to 188 all-out and the Men in Yellow have a herculean task to stop the Indian team from chasing down the below-par total.

After a gruelling four-match Test series, India and Australia have locked horns in the three-match ODI series opener at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Friday (March 17).

After a gruelling four-match Test series, India and Australia have locked horns in the three-match ODI series opener at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Friday (March 17). Both the regular captains Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins are not in action as the latter remains in Australia after his mother's passing away whereas Hitman will join the squad for the remainder ODIs after missing the series opener due to personal reasons. In Rohit's absence, Hardik Pandya is leading Team India. After winning the toss, India opted to bowl first and have bundled out the Steve Smith-led Aussies for a paltry 188 in 35.4 overs. Md Siraj and Md Shami ended with three scalps each whereas Ravindra Jadeja took 2 for 48. Captain Hardik removed the dangerman Smith with KL Rahul grabbing a sharp low catch. Here's the video of Rahul's timely dive as he removed Smith with a stunner behind the stumps: Edged and taken!@hardikpandya7 strikes and how good was that grab behind the stumps from @klrahul 💪 Steve Smith departs. Watch his dismissal here 👇👇#INDvAUS @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/yss3sj4N4z — BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023 × Also read: You safe Sachin: Adam Gilchrist reacts to INCORRECT claims labelling him as world's RICHEST cricketer Rohit-less India will look to take a 1-0 lead in the three ODIs after dismissing Australia for 188. At one stage, they were well-placed at 129 for 2 with Mitchell Marsh (81 off 65 balls) lying the perfect platform but regular breakthroughs dented their progress. From 129 for 2, Australia were soon reduced to 188 all-out and the Men in Yellow have a herculean task to stop the Indian team from chasing down the below-par total.

WATCH: KL Rahul takes a STUNNER as Hardik Pandya gets rid of Steve Smith in India-Australia 1st ODI

India’s stand-in captain for the first ODI against Australia, Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first. As regular skipper Rohit Sharma was unavailable for selection for this game due to family commitments, team management roped in Ishan Kishan as his replacement at the top of the order.

India’s stand-in captain for the first ODI against Australia, Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first. As regular skipper Rohit Sharma was unavailable for selection for this game due to family commitments, team management roped in Ishan Kishan as his replacement at the top of the order. Out-of-favour batter, KL Rahul was also picked, whereas, left-arm unorthodox Kuldeep Yadav retained his place in the XI. On other hand, Australia’s stand-in skipper Steve Smith also informed that veteran opener David Warner hadn’t recovered completely and will thus remain out. In his place, the Aussies picked Mitchell Marsh who opened alongside Travis Head. At the toss, Smith also revealed that regular keeper-batter Alex Carey was sick and had returned home while Josh Inglis was picked as his replacement. ALSO READ: Tasmania great Tim Paine says quiet goodbye to first-class cricket following draw in final Shield game As mentioned by Mitchell Marsh in the pre-match presser on Thursday, the visiting team is banking on the bulk of all-rounders they have in their squad to deliver on D-Day. On that note other than Marsh, Australia picked Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, and Sean Abbott in the XI. Whereas, for India, young, dynamite, and the man-in-form at the moment Shubman Gill retained his place at the top while T20I specialist Suryakumar Yadav was picked to play at four in place of injured and out Shreyas Iyer. The first of the three ODIs at the Wankhede Stadium will also mark the 300th international match for Ravindra Jadeja, who also returned to the XI for the first time in over six months. Here are the playing XIs of both teams – India - Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan(w), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami Australia – Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

IND vs AUS: India bowl first in Mumbai, unwell Aussie keeper heads home, big update on playing XI

Ahead of the fourth and final Test versus Australia, in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team celebrated Holi, the festival of colours, in Ahmedabad. The fourth and final Test kicks off at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday (March 9) but before that the home side made sure to enjoy the festival in the dressing room, team bus&nbsp;along with support staff and security personnel.

Captain Rohit led the charge in the celebrations as he started applying colour before Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Cheteshwar Pujara and others joined in. Here's the viral video, shared on BCCI's official Twitter handle, where the Indian players were seen celebrating the joyous occasion:

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-4th-test-team-india-goes-full-of-colours-as-players-staff-celebrate-holi-ahead-of-ahmedabad-clash-569661">IND vs AUS 4th Test: Team India goes full of colours as players, staff celebrate Holi ahead of Ahmedabad clash</a>

BCCI captioned the post, "Colours, smiles &amp; more! Do not miss #TeamIndia's Holi celebration in Ahmedabad". Watch video:

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Colours, smiles &amp; more! 🥳 ☺️ 
 
Do not miss <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>’s Holi celebration in Ahmedabad 🎨 <a href="https://t.co/jOAKsxayBA">pic.twitter.com/jOAKsxayBA</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1633351211792633856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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India lead the four-match series, 2-1, but lost the third and penultimate Test in Indore by nine wickets and the series became alive even though India have already taken an unassailable lead. While Australia, who have already qualified for the WTC final, will aim for a memorable 2-2 scoreline, Rohit &amp; Co. will be desperate to win the series 3-1 and get the ticket to enter the WTC summit clash. If India lose or the series finale ends in a draw, they will hope for New Zealand to not lose both their Tests versus visitors Sri Lanka with their series kicking off on Thursday as well, in Christchurch.

Apart from India, Sri Lanka also have a faint chance of entering the WTC final. Nonetheless, Rohit &amp; Co. can put an end to SL's hopes with a win in Ahmedabad.

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Ahead of the fourth and final Test versus Australia, in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team celebrated Holi, the festival of colours, in Ahmedabad.

Ahead of the fourth and final Test versus Australia, in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team celebrated Holi, the festival of colours, in Ahmedabad. The fourth and final Test kicks off at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday (March 9) but before that the home side made sure to enjoy the festival in the dressing room, team bus along with support staff and security personnel. Captain Rohit led the charge in the celebrations as he started applying colour before Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Cheteshwar Pujara and others joined in. Here's the viral video, shared on BCCI's official Twitter handle, where the Indian players were seen celebrating the joyous occasion: Also read: IND vs AUS 4th Test: Team India goes full of colours as players, staff celebrate Holi ahead of Ahmedabad clash BCCI captioned the post, "Colours, smiles & more! Do not miss #TeamIndia's Holi celebration in Ahmedabad". Watch video: Colours, smiles & more! 🥳 ☺️ Do not miss #TeamIndia’s Holi celebration in Ahmedabad 🎨 pic.twitter.com/jOAKsxayBA — BCCI (@BCCI) March 8, 2023 × India lead the four-match series, 2-1, but lost the third and penultimate Test in Indore by nine wickets and the series became alive even though India have already taken an unassailable lead. While Australia, who have already qualified for the WTC final, will aim for a memorable 2-2 scoreline, Rohit & Co. will be desperate to win the series 3-1 and get the ticket to enter the WTC summit clash. If India lose or the series finale ends in a draw, they will hope for New Zealand to not lose both their Tests versus visitors Sri Lanka with their series kicking off on Thursday as well, in Christchurch. Apart from India, Sri Lanka also have a faint chance of entering the WTC final. Nonetheless, Rohit & Co. can put an end to SL's hopes with a win in Ahmedabad. ×

UNMISSABLE! Rohit Sharma leads the charge as Team India celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad - Watch

KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are all geared up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they launched their new kit for the upcoming season. LSG knocked out in the Eliminator of the IPL 2022, will look to go one better and win the IPL, having suffered defeats at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 14 runs.

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𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒈, 𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒉, 𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒊 𝑼𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒅, 𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑨𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒂𝒛 👕💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JerseyLaunch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JerseyLaunch</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LucknowSuperGiants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LucknowSuperGiants</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSG</a> <a href="https://t.co/u3wu5LqnjN">pic.twitter.com/u3wu5LqnjN</a>
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LucknowIPL/status/1633017141862735872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h3>LSG in new shades</h3>

Ahead of the latest season, LSG took to their social media handle to showcase their new kit and will be wearing the Navy Blue colours for the premier tournament. Earlier, the shades of the team were Sky Blue, but have opted to change the colours ahead of the upcoming season. LSG made a bold statement in the IPL 2023 auctions as they brought in Nicholas Pooran for Rs 16 crore and have bolstered their ranks this season.

LSG became the newest participant in the IPL fold in 2016 after Sanjeev Goenka-owned RPSG group bought them for a whopping Rs. 7,090 crores. Gautam Gambhir was adjourned as the mentor of the side and was seen in the dugout of the side. KL Rahul was bought up for an astonishing price tag of Rs 17 crores ahead of the first season in 2022.

Rahul finished second to Jos Buttler in the Orange Cap race and ended with 616 runs in the IPL 2022 season. On the flip side, the team won 11 of the 16 IPL matches in the process qualifying for the playoffs, where they eventually lost to RCB.

Skipper Rahul will look at the season as an opportunity to revive his career as he looks to regain his form. He was recently dropped in favour of Shubman Gill in the Indian Test side for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 🔥💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JerseyLaunch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JerseyLaunch</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LucknowSuperGiants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LucknowSuperGiants</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSG</a> <a href="https://t.co/rgToOIBp3t">pic.twitter.com/rgToOIBp3t</a>
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LucknowIPL/status/1633042923213189124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h3>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-4th-test-pm-modi-to-attend-day-1-of-ahmedabad-test-with-australian-pm-anthony-albanese-569592">IND vs AUS 4th Test: PM Modi to attend Day 1 of Ahmedabad Test with Australian PM Anthony Albanese</a></h3>

<h3>LSG Squad for IPL 2023</h3>

KL Rahul (c), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yudhvir Charak.

KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are all geared up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they launched their new kit for the upcoming season.

KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are all geared up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they launched their new kit for the upcoming season. LSG knocked out in the Eliminator of the IPL 2022, will look to go one better and win the IPL, having suffered defeats at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 14 runs. 𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒈, 𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒉, 𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒊 𝑼𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒅, 𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑨𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒂𝒛 👕💪#JerseyLaunch | #LucknowSuperGiants | #LSG pic.twitter.com/u3wu5LqnjN — Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 7, 2023 × LSG in new shades Ahead of the latest season, LSG took to their social media handle to showcase their new kit and will be wearing the Navy Blue colours for the premier tournament. Earlier, the shades of the team were Sky Blue, but have opted to change the colours ahead of the upcoming season. LSG made a bold statement in the IPL 2023 auctions as they brought in Nicholas Pooran for Rs 16 crore and have bolstered their ranks this season. LSG became the newest participant in the IPL fold in 2016 after Sanjeev Goenka-owned RPSG group bought them for a whopping Rs. 7,090 crores. Gautam Gambhir was adjourned as the mentor of the side and was seen in the dugout of the side. KL Rahul was bought up for an astonishing price tag of Rs 17 crores ahead of the first season in 2022. Rahul finished second to Jos Buttler in the Orange Cap race and ended with 616 runs in the IPL 2022 season. On the flip side, the team won 11 of the 16 IPL matches in the process qualifying for the playoffs, where they eventually lost to RCB. Skipper Rahul will look at the season as an opportunity to revive his career as he looks to regain his form. He was recently dropped in favour of Shubman Gill in the Indian Test side for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 🔥💙#JerseyLaunch | #LucknowSuperGiants | #LSG pic.twitter.com/rgToOIBp3t — Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 7, 2023 × ALSO READ | IND vs AUS 4th Test: PM Modi to attend Day 1 of Ahmedabad Test with Australian PM Anthony Albanese LSG Squad for IPL 2023 KL Rahul (c), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yudhvir Charak.

IPL 2023: KL Rahul's LSG to be seen in new avatar ahead of upcoming season | Check Pics

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) unveiled their new jersey for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off in India on March 31. The KL Rahul-led side bowed out in the IPL 2022 Eliminator and will be eager to go the distance this time around in the forthcoming season. Ahead of the tournament opener, LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir was all praise for Rahul.

Rahul has been under-fire for his poor form of late. In Tests, he has only managed 192 runs in the last 12 innings and was left out of India's playing XI for the Indore Test versus Australia. He lost the ODI vice-captaincy post to Hardik Pandya in January 2023 and got sacked as Rohit's deputy in Tests as well. Amid severe criticism from all corners, Gambhir -- former Indian opener and two-time IPL winning captain (for Kolkata Knight Riders) -- said that Lucknow is 'very fortunate' to have Rahul as their captain.

In addition, Gambhir&nbsp;further stated that the right-hander has a stable and balanced head while accepting that he lacked such qualities&nbsp;during his playing days.

At LSG's jersey launch, Gambhir said, "It starts with the captain. The captain is the flag bearer of the team. It is the captain's team. All of us in the dressing room are there to support him. No support staff is under as much pressure as the captain. It is the body language of the captain that will decide how we perform."

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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-achieves-massive-feat-becomes-youngest-cricketer-to-reach-25-million-followers-on-instagram-569535">Hardik Pandya achieves MASSIVE feat, becomes youngest cricketer to reach 25 million followers on Instagram</a>

"We are very fortunate to have someone like KL Rahul, who has a very stable and balanced head. I wish I had it, I did not have that. I was very extreme, but it did work for me. For a franchise like Lucknow, it is important to have someone like KL at the helm. Going forward, this is going to be a massive positive for us," Gambhir added.

Rahul is part of India's Test squad versus Australia with the final match starting on March 09 in Ahmedabad. He will also be seen in the three ODIs versus the Men in Yellow before taking charge of the LSG franchise in IPL 2023.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) squad for IPL 2023

KL Rahul, Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen ul Haq, Yudhvir Charak
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The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) unveiled their new jersey for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off in India on March 31. The KL Rahul-led side bowed out in the IPL 2022 Eliminator and will be eager to go the distance this time around in the forthcoming season.

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) unveiled their new jersey for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off in India on March 31. The KL Rahul-led side bowed out in the IPL 2022 Eliminator and will be eager to go the distance this time around in the forthcoming season. Ahead of the tournament opener, LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir was all praise for Rahul. Rahul has been under-fire for his poor form of late. In Tests, he has only managed 192 runs in the last 12 innings and was left out of India's playing XI for the Indore Test versus Australia. He lost the ODI vice-captaincy post to Hardik Pandya in January 2023 and got sacked as Rohit's deputy in Tests as well. Amid severe criticism from all corners, Gambhir -- former Indian opener and two-time IPL winning captain (for Kolkata Knight Riders) -- said that Lucknow is 'very fortunate' to have Rahul as their captain. In addition, Gambhir further stated that the right-hander has a stable and balanced head while accepting that he lacked such qualities during his playing days. At LSG's jersey launch, Gambhir said, "It starts with the captain. The captain is the flag bearer of the team. It is the captain's team. All of us in the dressing room are there to support him. No support staff is under as much pressure as the captain. It is the body language of the captain that will decide how we perform." Also read: Hardik Pandya achieves MASSIVE feat, becomes youngest cricketer to reach 25 million followers on Instagram "We are very fortunate to have someone like KL Rahul, who has a very stable and balanced head. I wish I had it, I did not have that. I was very extreme, but it did work for me. For a franchise like Lucknow, it is important to have someone like KL at the helm. Going forward, this is going to be a massive positive for us," Gambhir added. Rahul is part of India's Test squad versus Australia with the final match starting on March 09 in Ahmedabad. He will also be seen in the three ODIs versus the Men in Yellow before taking charge of the LSG franchise in IPL 2023. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) squad for IPL 2023 KL Rahul, Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen ul Haq, Yudhvir Charak

IPL 2023: Gambhir backs under-fire Rahul, says Lucknow Super Giants 'fortunate' to have him as captain

Rohit Sharma-led India lost the Indore Test versus Australia as the visitors kept the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy alive with hosts leading 2-1, ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad. Rohit &amp; Co. received a setback but will be hungry for success in the series decider, which kicks off on March 09 (Thursday), to not only win the series 3-1 but also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

With Australia having already qualified for the WTC final, following their win in Indore, they will come hard versus the Indian team. Ahead of the Ahmedabad Test, former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting has urged the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team to consider making one big change in their batting line-up if they reach the WTC finale, to be held at The Oval, London on June 07-11.

With conditions being different in England, as compared to the sub-continent, Ponting feels India should go ahead with both out-of-form KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. "With someone like KL Rahul having gone out of this side and Shubman Gill having come in, both these guys have played a bit of Test match cricket, and you could potentially have both of those guys in the same team," Ponting told ICC.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-sl-explained-how-sri-lanka-can-play-spoilsport-to-indias-wtc-final-chances-569483">NZ vs SL: EXPLAINED! How Sri Lanka can play spoilsport to India's WTC final chances</a>

"Maybe Shubman could start at the top and KL could potentially move down into the middle order, because he's played cricket in those (English) conditions before, albeit at the top of the order," he added.

Gill replaced Rahul in India's playing XI for the third and penultimate Test in Indore versus Australia. Rahul has been in woeful form in whites, managing only 192 runs in last 12 innings, but his replacement Gill also fell flat in both the innings of the Indore Test match. The young right-hander managed scores of 21 anf 5 as India lost by nine wickets in a low-scoring match.

It will be interesting to see if India go back to Rahul or persist with Gill for the final Test. It is highly unlikely that India will go ahead with both of them in the playing XI for the Ahmedabad Test.

Rohit Sharma-led India lost the Indore Test versus Australia as the visitors kept the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy alive with hosts leading 2-1, ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad.

Rohit Sharma-led India lost the Indore Test versus Australia as the visitors kept the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy alive with hosts leading 2-1, ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad. Rohit & Co. received a setback but will be hungry for success in the series decider, which kicks off on March 09 (Thursday), to not only win the series 3-1 but also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. With Australia having already qualified for the WTC final, following their win in Indore, they will come hard versus the Indian team. Ahead of the Ahmedabad Test, former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting has urged the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team to consider making one big change in their batting line-up if they reach the WTC finale, to be held at The Oval, London on June 07-11. With conditions being different in England, as compared to the sub-continent, Ponting feels India should go ahead with both out-of-form KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. "With someone like KL Rahul having gone out of this side and Shubman Gill having come in, both these guys have played a bit of Test match cricket, and you could potentially have both of those guys in the same team," Ponting told ICC. Also read: NZ vs SL: EXPLAINED! How Sri Lanka can play spoilsport to India's WTC final chances "Maybe Shubman could start at the top and KL could potentially move down into the middle order, because he's played cricket in those (English) conditions before, albeit at the top of the order," he added. Gill replaced Rahul in India's playing XI for the third and penultimate Test in Indore versus Australia. Rahul has been in woeful form in whites, managing only 192 runs in last 12 innings, but his replacement Gill also fell flat in both the innings of the Indore Test match. The young right-hander managed scores of 21 anf 5 as India lost by nine wickets in a low-scoring match. It will be interesting to see if India go back to Rahul or persist with Gill for the final Test. It is highly unlikely that India will go ahead with both of them in the playing XI for the Ahmedabad Test.

Ricky Ponting urges Team India to make a big change in batting order if they enter WTC final

IND vs AUS 4th Test playing XI: The fourth Test match of the 4-match series between India and Australia is scheduled to start from March 9. And with India’s qualification for WTC final at stake, the men in blue are not taking chances with the preparations. Captain Rohit Sharma understands that the key to India’s success in the IND vs AUS 4th Test could be the choice of playing XI.

As per the latest media reports, team India is expected to keep KL Rahul on the bench and include Shubman Gill in the playing XI. As far as India’s bowling attack is concerned, Mohammed Siraj could be asked to take rest before the upcoming IND vs AUS ODI series. Instead, Mohammad Shami could be asked to join the playing XI for the final Test match between India and Australia.

<h2>Playing XI: Inside details before IND vs AUS 4th Test match</h2>

After a crushing defeat to Australia in the third Test, India is looking to change its strategy in order to keep the visitors at bay. Initially, the team was preparing for a lush green pitch to prepare for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, but now they are considering playing on a surface that favours spin.

However, India's batters have struggled against the Australian spinners, with only Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Axar Patel showing the necessary grit. Captain Virat Kohli has had a poor showing in the series so far, while both openers KL Rahul and Shubman Gill have failed to perform.

With a must-win situation, India may consider adding an extra batter to the lineup and sacrificing a pacer. In the previous Test, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav bowled only 13 overs combined, with the trio of Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav bowling only 61.1 overs in the entire series.

India's best chance of success in the fourth Test lies in both departments firing in tandem. The team will need to regroup and come up with a new game plan in order to defeat a resurgent Australian team.

<h2>IND vs AUS 4th Test playing XI (tentative)</h2>

India playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami

Australia playing XI: Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Seve Smith (C), Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann

<h2>IND vs AUS 4th Test full squad</h2>

India Squad 4th Test: Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav

Australia squad 4th Test: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Starc/Lance Morris, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-loses-3rd-test-match-against-australia-heres-how-india-can-still-qualify-for-wtc-final-match-568035">India loses 3rd Test match against Australia, Here's how India can still qualify for WTC final match</a>

IND vs AUS 4th Test playing XI: The fourth Test match of the 4-match series between India and Australia is scheduled to start from March 9. And with India’s qualification for WTC final at stake, the men in blue are not taking chances with the preparations.

IND vs AUS 4th Test playing XI: The fourth Test match of the 4-match series between India and Australia is scheduled to start from March 9. And with India’s qualification for WTC final at stake, the men in blue are not taking chances with the preparations. Captain Rohit Sharma understands that the key to India’s success in the IND vs AUS 4th Test could be the choice of playing XI. As per the latest media reports, team India is expected to keep KL Rahul on the bench and include Shubman Gill in the playing XI. As far as India’s bowling attack is concerned, Mohammed Siraj could be asked to take rest before the upcoming IND vs AUS ODI series. Instead, Mohammad Shami could be asked to join the playing XI for the final Test match between India and Australia. Playing XI: Inside details before IND vs AUS 4th Test match After a crushing defeat to Australia in the third Test, India is looking to change its strategy in order to keep the visitors at bay. Initially, the team was preparing for a lush green pitch to prepare for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, but now they are considering playing on a surface that favours spin. However, India's batters have struggled against the Australian spinners, with only Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Axar Patel showing the necessary grit. Captain Virat Kohli has had a poor showing in the series so far, while both openers KL Rahul and Shubman Gill have failed to perform. With a must-win situation, India may consider adding an extra batter to the lineup and sacrificing a pacer. In the previous Test, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav bowled only 13 overs combined, with the trio of Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav bowling only 61.1 overs in the entire series. India's best chance of success in the fourth Test lies in both departments firing in tandem. The team will need to regroup and come up with a new game plan in order to defeat a resurgent Australian team. IND vs AUS 4th Test playing XI (tentative) India playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami Australia playing XI: Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Seve Smith (C), Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann IND vs AUS 4th Test full squad India Squad 4th Test: Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav Australia squad 4th Test: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Starc/Lance Morris, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy Also Read | India loses 3rd Test match against Australia, Here's how India can still qualify for WTC final match

IND vs AUS 4th Test playing XI: Rohit Sharma seals KL Rahul’s fate, check inside details

After the second Test between India and Australia, in the national capital, KL Rahul was removed as the vice-captain when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the national side's squad for the final two Tests. Rahul has been in woeful form and has been facing severe criticism from all corners. It is to be noted that Rahul has only 198 runs in the last 12 innings and has only managed 38 runs in the three outings in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home.&nbsp;

Hence, a lot has been said and written about Rahul. Many feel he should be dropped with Shubman Gill being in the form of his life. His sacking as the Test vice-captain has also been highlighted but captain Rohit Sharma stated that his opening partner's removal from the post indicates nothing.&nbsp;

"I said it after the last game also. When we talk about players going through a tough time, anyone with potential will be given enough time to prove himself. Being vice-captain or not being vice-captain doesn't tell you anything. At that point in time, when he was the vice-captain, he was probably the most senior. His removal of the vice-captaincy doesn't indicate anything," Rohit said on Tuesday ahead of the third and penultimate Test, which kicks off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore.

Also Read:&nbsp;

On being&nbsp;asked about the practice sessions and if Gill's active participation in the nets ahead of the Indore Test means he is set to replace Rahul in the playing XI, Rohit shied away from sharing any details on the team combination.

"As far as Gill and KL are both concerned, that is how they train and practice before any game. Today was an optional training session for the entire group. All 17-18 are in the reckoning. It's not just about Gill and Rahul. But as far as our XI is concerned, we have not finalised it yet. I prefer it to be announced at the toss. Can't count out last-minute injuries and all and we will keep it interesting for you guys as well," Rohit added.

India squad for final two Tests vs Australia

India’s Test squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

After the second Test between India and Australia, in the national capital, KL Rahul was removed as the vice-captain when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the national side's squad for the final two Tests.

After the second Test between India and Australia, in the national capital, KL Rahul was removed as the vice-captain when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the national side's squad for the final two Tests. Rahul has been in woeful form and has been facing severe criticism from all corners. It is to be noted that Rahul has only 198 runs in the last 12 innings and has only managed 38 runs in the three outings in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home. Hence, a lot has been said and written about Rahul. Many feel he should be dropped with Shubman Gill being in the form of his life. His sacking as the Test vice-captain has also been highlighted but captain Rohit Sharma stated that his opening partner's removal from the post indicates nothing. "I said it after the last game also. When we talk about players going through a tough time, anyone with potential will be given enough time to prove himself. Being vice-captain or not being vice-captain doesn't tell you anything. At that point in time, when he was the vice-captain, he was probably the most senior. His removal of the vice-captaincy doesn't indicate anything," Rohit said on Tuesday ahead of the third and penultimate Test, which kicks off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore. Also Read: On being asked about the practice sessions and if Gill's active participation in the nets ahead of the Indore Test means he is set to replace Rahul in the playing XI, Rohit shied away from sharing any details on the team combination. "As far as Gill and KL are both concerned, that is how they train and practice before any game. Today was an optional training session for the entire group. All 17-18 are in the reckoning. It's not just about Gill and Rahul. But as far as our XI is concerned, we have not finalised it yet. I prefer it to be announced at the toss. Can't count out last-minute injuries and all and we will keep it interesting for you guys as well," Rohit added. India squad for final two Tests vs Australia India’s Test squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

KL Rahul's removal as vice-captain doesn't indicate anything, says Rohit Sharma ahead of Ind-Aus 3rd Test

KL Rahul's form remains a huge cause of concern for Team India ahead of the third and penultimate Test versus Australia in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series and are likely to remain unchanged in their playing XI. However, many questions have been raised on Rahul being given a long run despite his repeated failures.

Recently, Sourav Ganguly -- former Indian captain and BCCI chief -- opined on Rahul.&nbsp;"When you don't score runs in India, obviously you will get flak. KL Rahul hasn't been the only one. There have been players in the past also," Ganguly told PTI in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of Delhi Capitals' IPL pre-season camp ahead of IPL 2023.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/awfully-inconsistent-irrational-ex-australia-captain-rips-apart-pat-cummins-co-for-poor-show-in-india-566382">Awfully inconsistent, irrational: Ex-Australia captain rips apart Pat Cummins &amp; Co for poor show in India</a>

Further, Ganguly sounded optimistic of Rahul's return to form and said, "He has performed but obviously you expect a lot more from a top order batter playing for India because the standards set by others are so high. When you fail for a while, obviously there will be criticism. I am sure Rahul has ability and I am sure as and when he gets more opportunities, he will have to find ways to score," he explained.

Rahul hasn't crossed the 25-run mark in his last ten innings. He has scored only 198 runs in the last 12 outings and has so far managed a paltry 38 runs overall in three innings in the Australia Tests. Hence, he will be desperate to go past his poor run of form in the third and penultimate India-Australia Test, in Indore, which kicks off on March 01.

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KL Rahul's form remains a huge cause of concern for Team India ahead of the third and penultimate Test versus Australia in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series and are likely to remain unchanged in their playing XI.

KL Rahul's form remains a huge cause of concern for Team India ahead of the third and penultimate Test versus Australia in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series and are likely to remain unchanged in their playing XI. However, many questions have been raised on Rahul being given a long run despite his repeated failures. Recently, Sourav Ganguly -- former Indian captain and BCCI chief -- opined on Rahul. "When you don't score runs in India, obviously you will get flak. KL Rahul hasn't been the only one. There have been players in the past also," Ganguly told PTI in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of Delhi Capitals' IPL pre-season camp ahead of IPL 2023. Also Read: Awfully inconsistent, irrational: Ex-Australia captain rips apart Pat Cummins & Co for poor show in India Further, Ganguly sounded optimistic of Rahul's return to form and said, "He has performed but obviously you expect a lot more from a top order batter playing for India because the standards set by others are so high. When you fail for a while, obviously there will be criticism. I am sure Rahul has ability and I am sure as and when he gets more opportunities, he will have to find ways to score," he explained. Rahul hasn't crossed the 25-run mark in his last ten innings. He has scored only 198 runs in the last 12 outings and has so far managed a paltry 38 runs overall in three innings in the Australia Tests. Hence, he will be desperate to go past his poor run of form in the third and penultimate India-Australia Test, in Indore, which kicks off on March 01. ×

When you don't score runs in India, you will get flak: Sourav Ganguly opines on KL Rahul's form

Former Indian all-rounder Ravi Shastri, while speaking on ICC Review Podcast, said that Shubman Gill will be challenging KL Rahul for the opener's position in the upcoming Test against Australia in Indore. The Test, third in the Border-Gavaskar trophy, is scheduled to start from March 1.

Shastri's statement comes on the back of Rahul's struggling form and the team management's decision to remove him as the vice-captain. Notably, KL Rahul has scored only 38 runs in three innings across the first two Tests against Australia&nbsp;at a paltry average of 12.66.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-skipper-greg-chappell-slams-australia-for-not-playing-to-their-strength-565916">Former skipper Greg Chappell slams Australia for not playing to their strength</a>

“If the vice-captain doesn’t perform, someone can take his place; at least the tag is not there. I’m being blunt and brutal, I never like vice-captain in home conditions. Overseas, it’s different. Here, you want prime form, you want someone like Shubman Gill, who’s red hot. He will challenge. He has to bang that door down and get into the side. Now, he’s not the vice-captain, it has to be team management’s decision,” Shastri said.

The call for Shubman Gil inclusion in the Test side over Rahul has been becoming louder with each passing day. The swashbuckling opener has been in great form having scored a double century in ODIs against touring New Zealand last month and scoring a T20I hundred against the same opposition later.

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/michael-hussey-urges-australia-to-take-a-leaf-out-of-rohit-sharmas-book-on-how-to-tackle-spin-565819">Michael Hussey urges Australia to take a leaf out of Rohit Sharma's book on how to tackle spin</a>

The 60-year-old former India coach, however, acknowledged that KL Rahul is a talented player but he need to convert that into results.

“They will have to see the form, his state of mind. He’s a tremendous player, but talent is only so much. You have to convert that into results and be consistent. There’s so much talent in India who is knocking on the door. It’s not just KL Rahul, there are many in the middle-order and bowling lineup as well,” said Shastri.

Shastri also put forth his view on appointing a new vice-captain and said that he doesn't believe in vice-captains for the home Tests.

“I, for one, always had the belief (to) never appoint a vice-captain for India. I would rather go with my best XI, and if the captain has to leave the field, you’d zero in on a player that can take over at the time, simply because you don’t need to create complications,” the former India coach said.

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Former Indian all-rounder Ravi Shastri, while speaking on ICC Review Podcast, said that Shubman Gill will be challenging KL Rahul for the opener's position in the upcoming Test against Australia in Indore.

Former Indian all-rounder Ravi Shastri, while speaking on ICC Review Podcast, said that Shubman Gill will be challenging KL Rahul for the opener's position in the upcoming Test against Australia in Indore. The Test, third in the Border-Gavaskar trophy, is scheduled to start from March 1. Shastri's statement comes on the back of Rahul's struggling form and the team management's decision to remove him as the vice-captain. Notably, KL Rahul has scored only 38 runs in three innings across the first two Tests against Australia at a paltry average of 12.66. Also Read: Former skipper Greg Chappell slams Australia for not playing to their strength “If the vice-captain doesn’t perform, someone can take his place; at least the tag is not there. I’m being blunt and brutal, I never like vice-captain in home conditions. Overseas, it’s different. Here, you want prime form, you want someone like Shubman Gill, who’s red hot. He will challenge. He has to bang that door down and get into the side. Now, he’s not the vice-captain, it has to be team management’s decision,” Shastri said. The call for Shubman Gil inclusion in the Test side over Rahul has been becoming louder with each passing day. The swashbuckling opener has been in great form having scored a double century in ODIs against touring New Zealand last month and scoring a T20I hundred against the same opposition later. Read More: Michael Hussey urges Australia to take a leaf out of Rohit Sharma's book on how to tackle spin The 60-year-old former India coach, however, acknowledged that KL Rahul is a talented player but he need to convert that into results. “They will have to see the form, his state of mind. He’s a tremendous player, but talent is only so much. You have to convert that into results and be consistent. There’s so much talent in India who is knocking on the door. It’s not just KL Rahul, there are many in the middle-order and bowling lineup as well,” said Shastri. Shastri also put forth his view on appointing a new vice-captain and said that he doesn't believe in vice-captains for the home Tests. “I, for one, always had the belief (to) never appoint a vice-captain for India. I would rather go with my best XI, and if the captain has to leave the field, you’d zero in on a player that can take over at the time, simply because you don’t need to create complications,” the former India coach said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India vs Australia: Ravi Shastri backs Shubman Gill to replace KL Rahul for Indore Test

KL Rahul's form has become a huge talking point in the Indian cricket fraternity. In the ongoing India-Australia Tests, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. have dominated proceedings and have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23 but Rahul's low returns with the bat have made heads turn. In three outings in the India-Australia series, the right-hander only has 38 runs whereas his last 12 innings has seen him score only 198 runs. Thus, his place is under threat whereas BCCI sacked him as the vice-captain while announcing the squad for the last two Tests.&nbsp;

Amid severe criticism coming from all corners, Rahul has been slammed left, right and centre by former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad. Now, another ex-player Dodda Ganesh has joined the bandwagon and lashed out at the under-fire opener. He replied to a post shared from Prasad and wrote, "Rahul Dravid and the think tank has immense faith in KL Rahul’s abilities, so he is getting an extended run like Rohit got in ODIs. We all know KL is a special player. It’s high time he converted his potential into consistent scores. Let’s hope he comes good in the last 2 tests."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-we-leave-kl-rahul-alone-harbhajan-singh-backs-under-fire-indian-opener-amid-severe-criticism-564582">'Can we leave KL Rahul alone?': Harbhajan Singh backs under-fire Indian opener amid severe criticism</a>

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Rahul Dravid and the think tank has immense faith in KL Rahul’s abilities, so he is getting an extended run like Rohit got in ODIs. We all know KL is a special player. It’s high time he converted his potential into consistent scores. Let’s hope he comes good in the last 2 tests. <a href="https://t.co/G5Pt7GSX2k">https://t.co/G5Pt7GSX2k</a>
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) <a href="https://twitter.com/doddaganesha/status/1627563511453974528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Time is running for Rahul who has been in woeful form in whites. He even lost his place in the T20I squad post India's 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of eventual champions England. The Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management have continued to back the 30-year-old amid his poor run of form. After the Delhi Test, head coach Dravid told Star Sports, "I&nbsp;think he (Rahul) needs to trust his processes. This is just a phase, he has been one of our most successful overseas openers. He’s got centuries in South Africa and England, we’ll continue to back him. I believe he has the quality and class to come out of this."

It will be interesting to see if Rahul retains his spot in the playing XI for the third and penultimate Test, which kicks off in Indore on March 01.

KL Rahul's form has become a huge talking point in the Indian cricket fraternity. In the ongoing India-Australia Tests, Rohit Sharma & Co. have dominated proceedings and have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23 but Rahul's low returns with the bat have made heads turn.

KL Rahul's form has become a huge talking point in the Indian cricket fraternity. In the ongoing India-Australia Tests, Rohit Sharma & Co. have dominated proceedings and have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23 but Rahul's low returns with the bat have made heads turn. In three outings in the India-Australia series, the right-hander only has 38 runs whereas his last 12 innings has seen him score only 198 runs. Thus, his place is under threat whereas BCCI sacked him as the vice-captain while announcing the squad for the last two Tests. Amid severe criticism coming from all corners, Rahul has been slammed left, right and centre by former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad. Now, another ex-player Dodda Ganesh has joined the bandwagon and lashed out at the under-fire opener. He replied to a post shared from Prasad and wrote, "Rahul Dravid and the think tank has immense faith in KL Rahul’s abilities, so he is getting an extended run like Rohit got in ODIs. We all know KL is a special player. It’s high time he converted his potential into consistent scores. Let’s hope he comes good in the last 2 tests." Also Read: 'Can we leave KL Rahul alone?': Harbhajan Singh backs under-fire Indian opener amid severe criticism Rahul Dravid and the think tank has immense faith in KL Rahul’s abilities, so he is getting an extended run like Rohit got in ODIs. We all know KL is a special player. It’s high time he converted his potential into consistent scores. Let’s hope he comes good in the last 2 tests. https://t.co/G5Pt7GSX2k — Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) February 20, 2023 × Time is running for Rahul who has been in woeful form in whites. He even lost his place in the T20I squad post India's 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of eventual champions England. The Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management have continued to back the 30-year-old amid his poor run of form. After the Delhi Test, head coach Dravid told Star Sports, "I think he (Rahul) needs to trust his processes. This is just a phase, he has been one of our most successful overseas openers. He’s got centuries in South Africa and England, we’ll continue to back him. I believe he has the quality and class to come out of this." It will be interesting to see if Rahul retains his spot in the playing XI for the third and penultimate Test, which kicks off in Indore on March 01.

'High time he.....': After Venkatesh Prasad, another former cricketer slams under-fire KL Rahul

KL Rahul's form has become a huge talking point in the Indian cricket fraternity. The dashing opener has struggled for runs in the ongoing India-Australia Tests and has managed only 38 runs in three outings in the first two Tests. Thus, many have slammed him left, right and centre and called for his omission. Skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid continue to back the star opener whereas former cricketers Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra have been at loggerheads with regards to Rahul's place in the side.&nbsp;

Amid all this, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took to his official Twitter handle to back Rahul and has urged one and all to 'leave him alone'. He tweeted, "Can we leave @klrahul alone guys ? He hasn’t done any crime.He is still a top player. He will come back strong.we all go thru such patches in international cricket.he is not the first one and last one. so please respect the fact that he is our own 🇮🇳 player and have faith." Here's Bhajji's post:

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Can we leave <a href="https://twitter.com/klrahul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@klrahul</a> alone guys ? He hasn’t done any crime.He is still a top player. He will come back strong.we all go thru such patches in international cricket.he is not the first one and last one. so please respect the fact that he is our own 🇮🇳 player and have faith 🙏
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/1628055859661266944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-shed-a-tear-or-two-dinesh-karthik-sympathises-with-kl-rahul-recalls-his-struggle-period-564444">I shed a tear or two: Dinesh Karthik sympathises with KL Rahul, recalls his struggle period</a>

Since Rahul's memorable ton in the India-South Africa Centurion Test in December 2021, the right-hander hasn't looked his part in whites. He has managed only 198 runs in the last 12 innings and his place is under threat with the rise of Shubman Gill in recent times.&nbsp;After India's Delhi Test victory, on February 19, Dravid backed Rahul and told Star Sports, "I&nbsp;think he (Rahul) needs to trust his processes. This is just a phase, he has been one of our most successful overseas openers. He’s got centuries in South Africa and England, we’ll continue to back him. I believe he has the quality and class to come out of this."

The India-Australia third and penultimate Test kicks off on March 01 in Indore. It will be interesting to see if Rahul holds on to his spot or Gill is given a run.&nbsp;

KL Rahul's form has become a huge talking point in the Indian cricket fraternity. The dashing opener has struggled for runs in the ongoing India-Australia Tests and has managed only 38 runs in three outings in the first two Tests.

KL Rahul's form has become a huge talking point in the Indian cricket fraternity. The dashing opener has struggled for runs in the ongoing India-Australia Tests and has managed only 38 runs in three outings in the first two Tests. Thus, many have slammed him left, right and centre and called for his omission. Skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid continue to back the star opener whereas former cricketers Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra have been at loggerheads with regards to Rahul's place in the side. Amid all this, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took to his official Twitter handle to back Rahul and has urged one and all to 'leave him alone'. He tweeted, "Can we leave @klrahul alone guys ? He hasn’t done any crime.He is still a top player. He will come back strong.we all go thru such patches in international cricket.he is not the first one and last one. so please respect the fact that he is our own 🇮🇳 player and have faith." Here's Bhajji's post: Can we leave @klrahul alone guys ? He hasn’t done any crime.He is still a top player. He will come back strong.we all go thru such patches in international cricket.he is not the first one and last one. so please respect the fact that he is our own 🇮🇳 player and have faith 🙏 — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 21, 2023 × Also Read: I shed a tear or two: Dinesh Karthik sympathises with KL Rahul, recalls his struggle period Since Rahul's memorable ton in the India-South Africa Centurion Test in December 2021, the right-hander hasn't looked his part in whites. He has managed only 198 runs in the last 12 innings and his place is under threat with the rise of Shubman Gill in recent times. After India's Delhi Test victory, on February 19, Dravid backed Rahul and told Star Sports, "I think he (Rahul) needs to trust his processes. This is just a phase, he has been one of our most successful overseas openers. He’s got centuries in South Africa and England, we’ll continue to back him. I believe he has the quality and class to come out of this." The India-Australia third and penultimate Test kicks off on March 01 in Indore. It will be interesting to see if Rahul holds on to his spot or Gill is given a run.

'Can we leave KL Rahul alone?': Harbhajan Singh backs under-fire Indian opener amid severe criticism

India have been on a rampage versus Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23. Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. won the series opener, in Nagpur, convincingly and also emerged on top in the second Test, in New Delhi, and will now aim for a 4-0 whitewash versus the Aussies at home. While the likes of Rohit, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Md Shami, Axar Patel have been on a roll, KL Rahul has struggled in particular in the two Tests.

Rahul, who has only 198 runs in the last 12 innings, has managed only 38 runs in 3 outings in the Australia Tests. Thus, he had drawn a lot of criticism and is place is on the line. Recently, veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik opined on Rahul's form and symphathised with him.&nbsp;He feels Rahul might lose his place soon not for his unlucky dismissal in the second innings of the Delhi Test but for his&nbsp;below-par returns since the South Africa series last year.

Karthik said on Cricbuzz, "He also knows for a fact that if he's going to be dropped for the next match, which is pretty much an eventuality, it is not because of the one innings, it is because of what has transpired in the last five-six Test matches. He is a class player. He is very good in all formats. At this point, I don't think it's the technique, it's what is happening between the ears. He might need some time away from the game. Come back fresh for the ODIs."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/disappointing-to-see-venkatesh-prasad-blasts-aakash-chopra-for-calling-him-agenda-peddle-vs-kl-rahul-564407">'Disappointing to see...': Venkatesh Prasad blasts Aakash Chopra for calling him 'agenda peddle' vs KL Rahul</a>

Karthik further added that he resonates with Rahul's current state. Sharing his own struggling period, DK&nbsp;revealed how he dealt with ups and downs in his career and said, "This is a professional world, you've got to deal with those sorrowful moments but as a player when I look at what he has gone through. When you get out that way knowing very well this could have been your last innings. It has happened to me when you go into the dressing room, quietly walk into the toilet, and shed a tear or two. It's not a nice feeling because there's not much you can do."

DK went on to pick Shubman Gill over Rahul for the third Test at Holkar Stadium, Indore. "Temporarily for the moment, I will have to go with Shubman Gill. He batted beautifully. There will be just one change in the India XI (for the third Test). I felt bad for KL Rahul. He has been under the scanner. But One thing is for sure, KL will come back strongly and when he does, there are not too many right-handed batters who can match him with the quality and range of shots," DK stated.

India will lock horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test at Indore which kicks off on March 01. While Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid have backed Rahul, he might still be out of the playing XI given he has looked completely out of sorts -- especially mentally -- in the series.&nbsp;

India have been on a rampage versus Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23. Rohit Sharma & Co. won the series opener, in Nagpur, convincingly and also emerged on top in the second Test, in New Delhi, and will now aim for a 4-0 whitewash versus the Aussies at home.

India have been on a rampage versus Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23. Rohit Sharma & Co. won the series opener, in Nagpur, convincingly and also emerged on top in the second Test, in New Delhi, and will now aim for a 4-0 whitewash versus the Aussies at home. While the likes of Rohit, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Md Shami, Axar Patel have been on a roll, KL Rahul has struggled in particular in the two Tests. Rahul, who has only 198 runs in the last 12 innings, has managed only 38 runs in 3 outings in the Australia Tests. Thus, he had drawn a lot of criticism and is place is on the line. Recently, veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik opined on Rahul's form and symphathised with him. He feels Rahul might lose his place soon not for his unlucky dismissal in the second innings of the Delhi Test but for his below-par returns since the South Africa series last year. Karthik said on Cricbuzz, "He also knows for a fact that if he's going to be dropped for the next match, which is pretty much an eventuality, it is not because of the one innings, it is because of what has transpired in the last five-six Test matches. He is a class player. He is very good in all formats. At this point, I don't think it's the technique, it's what is happening between the ears. He might need some time away from the game. Come back fresh for the ODIs." Also Read: 'Disappointing to see...': Venkatesh Prasad blasts Aakash Chopra for calling him 'agenda peddle' vs KL Rahul Karthik further added that he resonates with Rahul's current state. Sharing his own struggling period, DK revealed how he dealt with ups and downs in his career and said, "This is a professional world, you've got to deal with those sorrowful moments but as a player when I look at what he has gone through. When you get out that way knowing very well this could have been your last innings. It has happened to me when you go into the dressing room, quietly walk into the toilet, and shed a tear or two. It's not a nice feeling because there's not much you can do." DK went on to pick Shubman Gill over Rahul for the third Test at Holkar Stadium, Indore. "Temporarily for the moment, I will have to go with Shubman Gill. He batted beautifully. There will be just one change in the India XI (for the third Test). I felt bad for KL Rahul. He has been under the scanner. But One thing is for sure, KL will come back strongly and when he does, there are not too many right-handed batters who can match him with the quality and range of shots," DK stated. India will lock horns with Australia in the third and penultimate Test at Indore which kicks off on March 01. While Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid have backed Rahul, he might still be out of the playing XI given he has looked completely out of sorts -- especially mentally -- in the series.

I shed a tear or two: Dinesh Karthik sympathises with KL Rahul, recalls his struggle period

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