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

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

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

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

IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are jolted with yet another blow as ace Kiwi seamer Lockie Ferguson is likely to miss a few early games in the upcoming season due to a hamstring injury. New Zealander will also not appear in the first&nbsp;ODI against Sri Lanka, which starts on March 25th in Auckland.

Following news of Shreyas Iyer remaining doubtful for the complete season due to his persisting back injury, Lockie’s hamstring&nbsp;further dents KKR’s motivation ahead of IPL 2023. Moreover, the overseas duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das will also miss a few games in the beginning as Bangladesh is scheduled to face Ireland in three T20Is and a one-off Test that ends on April 8th.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-premier-tournament-to-stay-in-pakistan-but-india-likely-to-play-at-this-neutral-venue-575090">Asia Cup 2023: Premier tournament to stay in Pakistan, but India likely to play at THIS neutral venue</a>

As reported earlier, three IPL-bound New Zealand players – Ferguson, Glenn Philips, and Finn Allen were supposed to land in India on March 26th; however, with an untimely injury to Lockie, it remains unclear by when he will be deemed fit and available for KKR in IPL 2023, which starts on March 31st.

Regarded as one of the fastest bowlers around Ferguson, alongside Afghanistan keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, got traded from Gujarat Titans (GT) in an all-cash deal ahead of December’s auction. For GT, Ferguson picked up 12 wickets in 13 matches and helped the newly-added franchise lift the trophy in their maiden season.

The right-hand seamer was part of the KKR setup from 2019 to 2021, having played just 18 matches across three seasons, picking 21 wickets. Later, during the 2022 mega auction, Gujarat spent INR 10 crores on him and bagged his service only to trade him in the next season.

As things stand, if Ferguson remains unavailable for the initial few games for KKR, his compatriot Tim Southee could be a sure-starter in the XI alongside Umesh Yadav. Meanwhile, for KKR, the bigger question here remains who lead them in this season? The answers to this shall be out soon as the 16th edition of the cash-rich commences in one week's time.

Kolkata Knight Riders will open their IPL 2023 campaign against Punjab Kings on April 1st.

IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are jolted with yet another blow as ace Kiwi seamer Lockie Ferguson is likely to miss a few early games in the upcoming season due to a hamstring injury.

IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are jolted with yet another blow as ace Kiwi seamer Lockie Ferguson is likely to miss a few early games in the upcoming season due to a hamstring injury. New Zealander will also not appear in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, which starts on March 25th in Auckland. Following news of Shreyas Iyer remaining doubtful for the complete season due to his persisting back injury, Lockie’s hamstring further dents KKR’s motivation ahead of IPL 2023. Moreover, the overseas duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das will also miss a few games in the beginning as Bangladesh is scheduled to face Ireland in three T20Is and a one-off Test that ends on April 8th. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023: Premier tournament to stay in Pakistan, but India likely to play at THIS neutral venue As reported earlier, three IPL-bound New Zealand players – Ferguson, Glenn Philips, and Finn Allen were supposed to land in India on March 26th; however, with an untimely injury to Lockie, it remains unclear by when he will be deemed fit and available for KKR in IPL 2023, which starts on March 31st. Regarded as one of the fastest bowlers around Ferguson, alongside Afghanistan keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, got traded from Gujarat Titans (GT) in an all-cash deal ahead of December’s auction. For GT, Ferguson picked up 12 wickets in 13 matches and helped the newly-added franchise lift the trophy in their maiden season. The right-hand seamer was part of the KKR setup from 2019 to 2021, having played just 18 matches across three seasons, picking 21 wickets. Later, during the 2022 mega auction, Gujarat spent INR 10 crores on him and bagged his service only to trade him in the next season. As things stand, if Ferguson remains unavailable for the initial few games for KKR, his compatriot Tim Southee could be a sure-starter in the XI alongside Umesh Yadav. Meanwhile, for KKR, the bigger question here remains who lead them in this season? The answers to this shall be out soon as the 16th edition of the cash-rich commences in one week's time. Kolkata Knight Riders will open their IPL 2023 campaign against Punjab Kings on April 1st.

IPL 2023: Worries mount for KKR as ace seamer doubtful for opening few games due to hamstring injury

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer could feature in the later stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with him yet to decide on a lower-back surgery. Shreyas, who missed the last two days of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia has been frequently struggling with a lower-back issue and was recommended to have surgery by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). However, as of now the player is yet to decide on the surgery and could yet feature in the IPL and the World Test Championship (WTC).

<h3>Shreyas yet to decide on surgery</h3>

As of Thursday, March 23 according to Cricbuzz, Shreyas will not have surgery on his lower back and will instead focus on his rehabilitation. The idea behind the rehabilitation is to play in the later stage of the IPL 2023 season. Initially, the right-hand batter was ruled out of the IPL as well as the WTC final in June. But the latest report suggests, Shreyas could feature for both KKR and in the WTC final in June while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also kept in the loop for any further decision.

Cricbuzz had reported on March 17 that he was asked to rest for 10 days by Mumbai-based spine specialist Abhay Nene. He is at home in Mumbai currently, following the expert's advice.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-ipl-teammates-virat-kohli-and-marcus-stoinis-collide-during-india-australia-chennai-odi-watch-574907">Former IPL teammates Virat Kohli and Marcus Stoinis collide during India-Australia Chennai ODI - WATCH</a></h3>

<h3>World Cup in sight</h3>

While the WTC final will surely come early for Shreyas, he will likely miss the ODI World Cup later in the year. A back surgery will see him get ruled out for at least six or seven months and will therefore have to be optimistic about his chances to play in the ODI World Cup. Shreyas is one of the lead candidates in the middle order for India and will be a big miss if he does not make the showpiece tournament later in the year.

Shreyas missed the three-match ODI series against New Zealand earlier in January while also he was warming the bench in the Nagpur Test. He was replaced by Suryakumar Yadav in the first Test with Shreyas staying away from the action. The Indian team also was unable to call a replacement for Shreyas in Ahmedabad as it was not a concussion issue.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer could feature in the later stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with him yet to decide on a lower-back surgery.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer could feature in the later stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with him yet to decide on a lower-back surgery. Shreyas, who missed the last two days of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia has been frequently struggling with a lower-back issue and was recommended to have surgery by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). However, as of now the player is yet to decide on the surgery and could yet feature in the IPL and the World Test Championship (WTC). Shreyas yet to decide on surgery As of Thursday, March 23 according to Cricbuzz, Shreyas will not have surgery on his lower back and will instead focus on his rehabilitation. The idea behind the rehabilitation is to play in the later stage of the IPL 2023 season. Initially, the right-hand batter was ruled out of the IPL as well as the WTC final in June. But the latest report suggests, Shreyas could feature for both KKR and in the WTC final in June while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also kept in the loop for any further decision. Cricbuzz had reported on March 17 that he was asked to rest for 10 days by Mumbai-based spine specialist Abhay Nene. He is at home in Mumbai currently, following the expert's advice. ALSO READ | Former IPL teammates Virat Kohli and Marcus Stoinis collide during India-Australia Chennai ODI - WATCH World Cup in sight While the WTC final will surely come early for Shreyas, he will likely miss the ODI World Cup later in the year. A back surgery will see him get ruled out for at least six or seven months and will therefore have to be optimistic about his chances to play in the ODI World Cup. Shreyas is one of the lead candidates in the middle order for India and will be a big miss if he does not make the showpiece tournament later in the year. Shreyas missed the three-match ODI series against New Zealand earlier in January while also he was warming the bench in the Nagpur Test. He was replaced by Suryakumar Yadav in the first Test with Shreyas staying away from the action. The Indian team also was unable to call a replacement for Shreyas in Ahmedabad as it was not a concussion issue. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Shreyas Iyer yet to decide on surgery, could feature in later stage for Kolkata Knight Riders

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer complained of back issues during the fourth and final Test between India and Australia, in Ahmedabad, and is now likely to miss IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, and ODI World Cup.

As per a report in India Today, sources have confirmed that Iyer has been advised of surgery in his third meeting with a Mumbai-based doctor. Thus, the middle-order batter&nbsp;is expected to remain out of action for at least five months; ruling him out of IPL 2023 edition,&nbsp;WTC finale in early June, and possibly skipping the ODI WC at home as well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-king-virat-kohli-to-ms-dhonis-protege-rishabh-pant-most-runs-in-an-ipl-season-574365">From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season</a>

The 28-year-old Iyer&nbsp;will be touch and go for the 2023 ODI WC. However, it will be highly unlikely that the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management might consider the talented batter without playing him in the run-up to the showpiece event in the subcontinent.

Iyer was out of action due to injury concerns in the run-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup and even though he was included as a reserve, he didn't get a game. He didn't feature in a single game for Team India in the 2022 edition as well. Hence, if he is likely to miss the WTC final and the forthcoming 50-over WC, it will really be&nbsp;unfortunate for the youngster.

Moreover, the KKR franchise will also have to search for a new captain and batter as a replacement for Iyer. IPL 2023&nbsp;kicks off in less than ten days; on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident.

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer complained of back issues during the fourth and final Test between India and Australia, in Ahmedabad, and is now likely to miss IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, and ODI World Cup. As per a report in India Today, sources have confirmed that Iyer has been advised of surgery in his third meeting with a Mumbai-based doctor. Thus, the middle-order batter is expected to remain out of action for at least five months; ruling him out of IPL 2023 edition, WTC finale in early June, and possibly skipping the ODI WC at home as well. Also Read: From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season The 28-year-old Iyer will be touch and go for the 2023 ODI WC. However, it will be highly unlikely that the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management might consider the talented batter without playing him in the run-up to the showpiece event in the subcontinent. Iyer was out of action due to injury concerns in the run-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup and even though he was included as a reserve, he didn't get a game. He didn't feature in a single game for Team India in the 2022 edition as well. Hence, if he is likely to miss the WTC final and the forthcoming 50-over WC, it will really be unfortunate for the youngster. Moreover, the KKR franchise will also have to search for a new captain and batter as a replacement for Iyer. IPL 2023 kicks off in less than ten days; on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Big blow to Team India! Shreyas Iyer to undergo surgery, likely to skip IPL 2023, WTC final and ODI WC

KKR 2023 IPL full schedule: BCCI released the IPL 2023 schedule on February 17 according to which Kolkata Knight Riders will be playing its first match of the edition on April 1 against Punjab Kings in Mohali. The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, will play its first home match on April 6 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The two-time IPL champion KKR had a mediocre season last year, and this year, the team will push hard to get back on the right track. KKR is placed in group A of the IPL 2023, along with other teams including Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants. KKR will play a total of 14 matches in the league stage of IPL 2023.

Here is the KKR 2023 full schedule; with fixture, date, time and venue of all matches of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023

Match 1: April 1 - Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Mohali (3:30PM IST) 
Match 2: April 6 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) 
Match 3: April 9 - Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Ahmedabad (3:30PM IST) 
Match 4: April 14 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) 
Match 5: April 16 - Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai (3:30PM IST) 
Match 6: April 20 - Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi (7:30PM IST) 
Match 7: April 23 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) 
Match 8: April 26 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Bengaluru (7:30PM IST) 
Match 9: April 29 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans, Kolkata (3:30PM IST) 
Match 10: May 4 - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Hyderabad (7:30PM IST) 
Match 11: May 8 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) 
Match 12: May 11 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) 
Match 13: May 14 - Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai (7:30PM IST) 
Match 14: May 20 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata (7:30PM IST)

<h2>Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) full squad for IPL 2023</h2>

Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, 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. Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan.

<h2>Captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2023</h2>

Shreyas Iyer will lead the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team this season as well, as decided in the IPL auction last year. Shreyas Iyer was purchased by Kolkata for Rs 12.25 crore. Under his leadership, the team ended the league stage of IPL 2022 in seventh position.&nbsp;

When will KKR play its first match of IPL 2023?

KKR will play its first match of IPL 2023 on April 1 against Punjab Kings.

Where will KKR’s first match of IPL 2023 be played?

KKR’s first match of IPL 2023 will be played in Mohali.

Who will be KKR’s captain during IPL 2023?

Shreyas Iyer will lead the KKR camp during IPL 2023.

When will the final match of IPL 2023 be played?

The final match of IPL 2023 will be played on May 28.

KKR 2023 IPL full schedule: BCCI released the IPL 2023 schedule on February 17 according to which Kolkata Knight Riders will be playing its first match of the edition on April 1 against Punjab Kings in Mohali.

KKR 2023 IPL full schedule: BCCI released the IPL 2023 schedule on February 17 according to which Kolkata Knight Riders will be playing its first match of the edition on April 1 against Punjab Kings in Mohali. The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, will play its first home match on April 6 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The two-time IPL champion KKR had a mediocre season last year, and this year, the team will push hard to get back on the right track. KKR is placed in group A of the IPL 2023, along with other teams including Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants. KKR will play a total of 14 matches in the league stage of IPL 2023. Here is the KKR 2023 full schedule; with fixture, date, time and venue of all matches of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023 Match 1: April 1 - Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Mohali (3:30PM IST) Match 2: April 6 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) Match 3: April 9 - Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Ahmedabad (3:30PM IST) Match 4: April 14 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) Match 5: April 16 - Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai (3:30PM IST) Match 6: April 20 - Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi (7:30PM IST) Match 7: April 23 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) Match 8: April 26 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Bengaluru (7:30PM IST) Match 9: April 29 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans, Kolkata (3:30PM IST) Match 10: May 4 - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Hyderabad (7:30PM IST) Match 11: May 8 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) Match 12: May 11 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) Match 13: May 14 - Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai (7:30PM IST) Match 14: May 20 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata (7:30PM IST) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) full squad for IPL 2023 Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, 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. Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan. Captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2023 Shreyas Iyer will lead the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team this season as well, as decided in the IPL auction last year. Shreyas Iyer was purchased by Kolkata for Rs 12.25 crore. Under his leadership, the team ended the league stage of IPL 2022 in seventh position. When will KKR play its first match of IPL 2023? KKR will play its first match of IPL 2023 on April 1 against Punjab Kings. Where will KKR’s first match of IPL 2023 be played? KKR’s first match of IPL 2023 will be played in Mohali. Who will be KKR’s captain during IPL 2023? Shreyas Iyer will lead the KKR camp during IPL 2023. When will the final match of IPL 2023 be played? The final match of IPL 2023 will be played on May 28.

KKR 2023 IPL full schedule: Check Kolkata Knight Riders fixture, date, time, venues, captain & full squad

Kuldeep Yadav had a good outing in 2022. It was the year of revival for the wrist spinner following his successful run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition. After being released from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in late 2021, he was bought by the Delhi Capitals (DC) and played all games for the franchise in last year's edition, returning with 21 wickets (fifth-most overall). While he is still not a regular across formats for Team India, his run for DC surely grabbed eyeballs as the 28-year-old has seen his stocks go down following IPL 2019.

During IPL 2019-2021, Kuldeep was part of KKR (his first-ever franchise) but only played a handful of games. He featured in only 14 games in 2019 and 2020 before entirely missing the 2021 season. While he was not in the best of form as well, many criticised KKR for their treatment towards the star spinner. Back then, Karthik was the KKR captain when Kuldeep became out of favour. Recently, the veteran keeper-batter praised Kuldeep -- following his recent five-fer in the India-Bangladesh Tests -- but the spinner's coach has slammed DK and the Kolkata franchise for dropping him.

Speaking to&nbsp;Sportskeeda, Kuldeep's coach Kapil Pandey said, "When he was with Kolkata and Karthik was the captain, he used to give him just 1-2 overs each game. Now he says that Kuldeep is his favourite Indian bowler. "Favorite tha to usko khilaaya kyu nahi? Usko khilaate?&nbsp;(If he was your favourite, then why didn't you play him?) But that’s okay, that’s past now and I believe the future will be great for Kuldeep."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-my-right-ex-pcb-chief-ramiz-raja-opens-up-on-misbah-waqar-sacking-before-2021-t20-wc-548747">'It was my right...': Ex-PCB chief Ramiz Raja opens up on Misbah, Waqar sacking before 2021 T20 WC</a>

Further, Kapil lauded DC's team management for backing Kuldeep's talent in IPL 2022. "He used to be badly neglected in Kolkata, but it has been the complete opposite in Delhi. Rishabh Pant, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and others have backed and supported him and that really helped him play freely "Ponting told him that he will play all games, and when you hear this as a bowler, your morale gets boosted. Rishabh also backed him in all situations and so he deserves a lot of praise for Kuldeep’s comeback," he added.

<section>Being an ODI World Cup year, with the showpiece event to be held in India later in 2023, Kuldeep will be eager to remin consistent in the forthcoming IPL season and also come out with glittering performances for Team India to cement his place across formats. Currently, he is part of India's ODI squad for the home series versus Sri Lanka, which will get underway on January 10.</section>

Kuldeep Yadav had a good outing in 2022. It was the year of revival for the wrist spinner following his successful run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition.

Kuldeep Yadav had a good outing in 2022. It was the year of revival for the wrist spinner following his successful run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition. After being released from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in late 2021, he was bought by the Delhi Capitals (DC) and played all games for the franchise in last year's edition, returning with 21 wickets (fifth-most overall). While he is still not a regular across formats for Team India, his run for DC surely grabbed eyeballs as the 28-year-old has seen his stocks go down following IPL 2019. During IPL 2019-2021, Kuldeep was part of KKR (his first-ever franchise) but only played a handful of games. He featured in only 14 games in 2019 and 2020 before entirely missing the 2021 season. While he was not in the best of form as well, many criticised KKR for their treatment towards the star spinner. Back then, Karthik was the KKR captain when Kuldeep became out of favour. Recently, the veteran keeper-batter praised Kuldeep -- following his recent five-fer in the India-Bangladesh Tests -- but the spinner's coach has slammed DK and the Kolkata franchise for dropping him. Speaking to Sportskeeda, Kuldeep's coach Kapil Pandey said, "When he was with Kolkata and Karthik was the captain, he used to give him just 1-2 overs each game. Now he says that Kuldeep is his favourite Indian bowler. "Favorite tha to usko khilaaya kyu nahi? Usko khilaate? (If he was your favourite, then why didn't you play him?) But that’s okay, that’s past now and I believe the future will be great for Kuldeep." Also read: 'It was my right...': Ex-PCB chief Ramiz Raja opens up on Misbah, Waqar sacking before 2021 T20 WC Further, Kapil lauded DC's team management for backing Kuldeep's talent in IPL 2022. "He used to be badly neglected in Kolkata, but it has been the complete opposite in Delhi. Rishabh Pant, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and others have backed and supported him and that really helped him play freely "Ponting told him that he will play all games, and when you hear this as a bowler, your morale gets boosted. Rishabh also backed him in all situations and so he deserves a lot of praise for Kuldeep’s comeback," he added. Being an ODI World Cup year, with the showpiece event to be held in India later in 2023, Kuldeep will be eager to remin consistent in the forthcoming IPL season and also come out with glittering performances for Team India to cement his place across formats. Currently, he is part of India's ODI squad for the home series versus Sri Lanka, which will get underway on January 10.

'If he was your favourite bowler....?': Kuldeep Yadav's coach slams Dinesh Karthik, KKR for dropping him

Star Bangladesh batter Litton Das is looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some of the biggest names in cricket after getting picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 50 lacs at the IPL mini-auction in Kochi on December 23rd. Bagging his first IPL contract, Das feels picking up different players’ brains will only help him get better at his game – something that will boost his mental strength as well.

Talking to Sportstar about the cash-rich league, Bangladesh’s all-format batter said IPL is a massive platform and that a lot of high-intensity games are played there.

"IPL is a huge platform and you get to play in high-intensity games. Sharing the dressing room with some of the big names in world cricket will help me immensely because the more you get to know them, the better it is for you to pick their brains and learn a thing or two. Once you interact with them, it will help me better my game and boost my mental strength," Litton Das said.

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Excited 😀🤙 <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmiKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmiKKR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuctions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuctions</a> <a href="https://t.co/USvzHUcFmT">pic.twitter.com/USvzHUcFmT</a>
— Litton Das (@LittonOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LittonOfficial/status/1606315308591255552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-to-take-at-least-three-to-six-months-to-recover-set-to-miss-australia-series-ipl-2023-548256">Rishabh Pant to take at least three to six months to recover; set to miss Australia series, IPL 2023</a>

Captaining for the first time in ODIs against India in the recently-concluded series, Litton helped his team win the One-Dayers 2-1. Though his leadership throughout the series was impressive, Das failed to convert his good starts into big scores on most occasions. In three matches played, he could score just 77 runs.

While during the Test series which India won 2-0, Das was among the runs for Bangladesh, putting up performances&nbsp;when the chips were mostly down. After Zakir Hasan, he was Bangladesh's second-highest run-scorer with 141 runs across four runs.

As the Bangla Tigers are now gearing up for 2023 with the Bangladesh Premier League, England and Ireland series slated to take place, Das feels for them to prosper Bangladesh need to begin well.

"Our dream is to grow as a team and fix the weak links, but I think that 2022 hasn’t been bad for us. We plan to start 2023 on a good note as it’s another action-packed year and I would not want to think too much about planning as it varies from series to series," Das said.

"We start the year with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), then we have series against England and Ireland, so there’s a lot to play for and we hope to play to our strengths," he added.

In T20Is, Das has played 65 matches scoring&nbsp;1388 runs at a strike rate of 128.88.

Star Bangladesh batter Litton Das is looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some of the biggest names in cricket after getting picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 50 lacs at the IPL mini-auction in Kochi on December 23rd.

Star Bangladesh batter Litton Das is looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some of the biggest names in cricket after getting picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 50 lacs at the IPL mini-auction in Kochi on December 23rd. Bagging his first IPL contract, Das feels picking up different players’ brains will only help him get better at his game – something that will boost his mental strength as well. Talking to Sportstar about the cash-rich league, Bangladesh’s all-format batter said IPL is a massive platform and that a lot of high-intensity games are played there. "IPL is a huge platform and you get to play in high-intensity games. Sharing the dressing room with some of the big names in world cricket will help me immensely because the more you get to know them, the better it is for you to pick their brains and learn a thing or two. Once you interact with them, it will help me better my game and boost my mental strength," Litton Das said. Excited 😀🤙 @KKRiders #AmiKKR #IPLAuctions pic.twitter.com/USvzHUcFmT — Litton Das (@LittonOfficial) December 23, 2022 × ALSO READ: Rishabh Pant to take at least three to six months to recover; set to miss Australia series, IPL 2023 Captaining for the first time in ODIs against India in the recently-concluded series, Litton helped his team win the One-Dayers 2-1. Though his leadership throughout the series was impressive, Das failed to convert his good starts into big scores on most occasions. In three matches played, he could score just 77 runs. While during the Test series which India won 2-0, Das was among the runs for Bangladesh, putting up performances when the chips were mostly down. After Zakir Hasan, he was Bangladesh's second-highest run-scorer with 141 runs across four runs. As the Bangla Tigers are now gearing up for 2023 with the Bangladesh Premier League, England and Ireland series slated to take place, Das feels for them to prosper Bangladesh need to begin well. "Our dream is to grow as a team and fix the weak links, but I think that 2022 hasn’t been bad for us. We plan to start 2023 on a good note as it’s another action-packed year and I would not want to think too much about planning as it varies from series to series," Das said. "We start the year with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), then we have series against England and Ireland, so there’s a lot to play for and we hope to play to our strengths," he added. In T20Is, Das has played 65 matches scoring 1388 runs at a strike rate of 128.88.

IPL 2023: 'Sharing dressing room with some big names will help me', says KKR new recruit Litton Das

Kolkata Knight Riders added a bunch of new faces to their squad at the IPL auction 2023 with Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan emerging as their costliest buy. He was picked for Rs 1.5 crore in the final moments of the auction along with compatriot Litton Das for Rs 50 lakh.

KKR did the bulk of their recruitment ahead of the auction with Shardul Thakur coming from Delhi Capitals and the duo of Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz coming from Gujarat Titans.

In return, all-rounder Aman Khan was traded to the Capitals.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-auction-sam-curran-becomes-the-most-expensive-player-ever-sold-to-punjab-kings-for-185-crores-545930">Sam Curran becomes the most expensive player ever, sold to Punjab Kings for Rs 18.5 crores</a>

Among the new buys, N Jagadeesan was the most attractive following the wicketkeeper batsman’s exploits in the domestic circuit. The former Chennai Super Kings player had an amazing season for Tamil Nadu as he created history by scoring five back-to-back centuries in List A cricket.

When it comes to Indian talent, KKR also found two solid picks in Vaibhav Arora and Mandeep Singh.

Players bought in the auction: N. Jagadeesan (INR 90 lakh), Vaibhav Arora (INR 60 lakh), Suyash Sharma (INR 20 lakh), David Wiese (INR 1 crore), Kulwant Khejroliya (INR 20 lakh), Litton Das (INR 50 lakh), Mandeep Singh (INR 50 lakh), Shakib Al Hasan (INR 1.5 crore)

KKR Complete Squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, 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. Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan

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Kolkata Knight Riders added a bunch of new faces to their squad at the IPL auction 2023 with Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan emerging as their costliest buy.

Kolkata Knight Riders added a bunch of new faces to their squad at the IPL auction 2023 with Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan emerging as their costliest buy. He was picked for Rs 1.5 crore in the final moments of the auction along with compatriot Litton Das for Rs 50 lakh. KKR did the bulk of their recruitment ahead of the auction with Shardul Thakur coming from Delhi Capitals and the duo of Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz coming from Gujarat Titans. In return, all-rounder Aman Khan was traded to the Capitals. Also read | Sam Curran becomes the most expensive player ever, sold to Punjab Kings for Rs 18.5 crores Among the new buys, N Jagadeesan was the most attractive following the wicketkeeper batsman’s exploits in the domestic circuit. The former Chennai Super Kings player had an amazing season for Tamil Nadu as he created history by scoring five back-to-back centuries in List A cricket. When it comes to Indian talent, KKR also found two solid picks in Vaibhav Arora and Mandeep Singh. Players bought in the auction: N. Jagadeesan (INR 90 lakh), Vaibhav Arora (INR 60 lakh), Suyash Sharma (INR 20 lakh), David Wiese (INR 1 crore), Kulwant Khejroliya (INR 20 lakh), Litton Das (INR 50 lakh), Mandeep Singh (INR 50 lakh), Shakib Al Hasan (INR 1.5 crore) KKR Complete Squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, 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. Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL Auction 2023 complete players' list, full KKR Squad

While there is a lot of cricketing action taking place across the globe, the&nbsp;focus has also shifted toward the upcoming IPL 2023 mini-auction. Just like in every auction, many lives will change as teams will break the bank to acquire their services in the forthcoming auction. While the core group of players has been identified in every ten teams, their owners and team management will like to strengthen their respective squads by shopping smartly and adding some vital names to their arsenal.&nbsp;

It is to be noted that this will be the 16th IPL auction and will take place on December 23 (Friday) in Kochi -- which will be the host for the first time ever. Earlier, the IPL 2022 auction had taken place early this year, in February, in Bengaluru.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-auction-live-streaming-for-free-how-to-watch-ipl-auction-2023-live-stream-online-apps-mobile-tv-544695">IPL 2023 Auction Live Streaming Online App: Easy Ways to watch IPL Mini Auction LIVE Stream for free in India</a>

The final auction pool is set to have&nbsp;405 players -- from the originally registered 991. A maximum&nbsp;of 87 slots will&nbsp;be filled by&nbsp;the&nbsp;franchises. Of these, 30 will be overseas recruits. Notably, there will be a total of 273 Indian players, and 132 overseas - including four from associate nations. In addition, there are 119 capped&nbsp;as well as a whopping 286 uncapped players. Prior to the auction, here's a look at the remaining purse of all ten teams:&nbsp;

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Team</td>
			<td>Purse</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)</td>
			<td>INR 42.25 crore (422.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Punjab Kings (PBKS)</td>
			<td>INR 32.20 crore (322 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)</td>
			<td>INR 23.35 crore (233.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mumbai Indians (MI)</td>
			<td>INR 20.55 crore (205.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 20.45 crore (204.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Delhi Capitals (DC)</td>
			<td>INR 19.45 crore (194.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gujarat Titans (GT)</td>
			<td>INR 19.25 crore (192.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rajasthan Royals (RR)</td>
			<td>INR 13.2 crore (132 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)</td>
			<td>INR 8.75 crore (87.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 7.05 crore (70.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Who will be the auctioneer?

Ever since he took over from Richard Madley, Hugh Edmeades has been in charge. While he suffered a fall -- due to Postural Hypotension -- and Indian commentator Charu Sharma took over, Edmeades came back and ended the last auction. He will be back for the IPL 2023 mini-auction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While there is a lot of cricketing action taking place across the globe, the focus has also shifted toward the upcoming IPL 2023 mini-auction. Just like in every auction, many lives will change as teams will break the bank to acquire their services in the forthcoming auction.

While there is a lot of cricketing action taking place across the globe, the focus has also shifted toward the upcoming IPL 2023 mini-auction. Just like in every auction, many lives will change as teams will break the bank to acquire their services in the forthcoming auction. While the core group of players has been identified in every ten teams, their owners and team management will like to strengthen their respective squads by shopping smartly and adding some vital names to their arsenal. It is to be noted that this will be the 16th IPL auction and will take place on December 23 (Friday) in Kochi -- which will be the host for the first time ever. Earlier, the IPL 2022 auction had taken place early this year, in February, in Bengaluru. Also read: IPL 2023 Auction Live Streaming Online App: Easy Ways to watch IPL Mini Auction LIVE Stream for free in India The final auction pool is set to have 405 players -- from the originally registered 991. A maximum of 87 slots will be filled by the franchises. Of these, 30 will be overseas recruits. Notably, there will be a total of 273 Indian players, and 132 overseas - including four from associate nations. In addition, there are 119 capped as well as a whopping 286 uncapped players. Prior to the auction, here's a look at the remaining purse of all ten teams: Team Purse Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) INR 42.25 crore (422.5 million) Punjab Kings (PBKS) INR 32.20 crore (322 million) Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) INR 23.35 crore (233.5 million) Mumbai Indians (MI) INR 20.55 crore (205.5 million) Chennai Super Kings (CSK) INR 20.45 crore (204.5 million) Delhi Capitals (DC) INR 19.45 crore (194.5 million) Gujarat Titans (GT) INR 19.25 crore (192.5 million) Rajasthan Royals (RR) INR 13.2 crore (132 million) Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) INR 8.75 crore (87.5 million) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) INR 7.05 crore (70.5 million) Who will be the auctioneer? Ever since he took over from Richard Madley, Hugh Edmeades has been in charge. While he suffered a fall -- due to Postural Hypotension -- and Indian commentator Charu Sharma took over, Edmeades came back and ended the last auction. He will be back for the IPL 2023 mini-auction.

IPL 2023: Remaining purse of all 10 teams ahead of mini-auction in Kochi

All ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises revealed their final list of retained and released players on Tuesday (November 15) ahead of the mini-auction next month. While a number of high-profile players were released by their respective teams, the franchises managed to keep their core intact.

Mumbai Indians (MI) let go of star all-rounder Kieron Pollard after he announced his retirement from IPL while Chennai Super Kings (CSK) released the legendary Dwayne Bravo. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) let go of their captain Kane Williamson with Punjab Kings also parting ways with their skipper from last season - Mayank Agarwal.

There were no major surprises when it came to retention as all teams focused on investing in players while keeping the future in the mind. Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja were among the big names retained by their respective franchises.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-complete-list-of-players-released-and-remaining-purses-of-all-ten-franchises-ahead-of-mini-auction-534665">Complete list of players released and remaining purses of all ten franchises ahead of mini-auction</a>

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC)&nbsp;made the least number of releases while the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, and Sunrisers Hyderabad let go of a number of players and will be hoping to revamp their squad in the upcoming mini-auction.

Here is the complete list of players retained by all ten teams ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction:

Mumbai Indians&nbsp;

Players retained - Rohit Sharma (c), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal

Kolkata Knight Riders

Players retained - Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh

Chennai Super Kings

Players retained - 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, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/everything-is-fine-ravindra-jadeja-shuns-rift-rumours-with-ms-dhoni-led-csk-after-being-retained-534500">'Everything is fine': Ravindra Jadeja shuns rift rumours with MS Dhoni-led CSK after being retained</a>

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Players retained - Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik

Gujarat Titans

Players retained - 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

Punjab Kings

Players retained - Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow, 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

Delhi Capitals

Players retained - Rishabh Pant (c), David Warner, 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

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Players retained - 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

Lucknow Supergiants

Players retained - 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

Rajasthan Royals

Players retained - 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

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All ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises revealed their final list of retained and released players on Tuesday (November 15) ahead of the mini-auction next month.

All ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises revealed their final list of retained and released players on Tuesday (November 15) ahead of the mini-auction next month. While a number of high-profile players were released by their respective teams, the franchises managed to keep their core intact. Mumbai Indians (MI) let go of star all-rounder Kieron Pollard after he announced his retirement from IPL while Chennai Super Kings (CSK) released the legendary Dwayne Bravo. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) let go of their captain Kane Williamson with Punjab Kings also parting ways with their skipper from last season - Mayank Agarwal. There were no major surprises when it came to retention as all teams focused on investing in players while keeping the future in the mind. Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja were among the big names retained by their respective franchises. Also Read: Complete list of players released and remaining purses of all ten franchises ahead of mini-auction Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) made the least number of releases while the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, and Sunrisers Hyderabad let go of a number of players and will be hoping to revamp their squad in the upcoming mini-auction. Here is the complete list of players retained by all ten teams ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction: Mumbai Indians Players retained - Rohit Sharma (c), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal Kolkata Knight Riders Players retained - Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh Chennai Super Kings Players retained - 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, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana Also Read: 'Everything is fine': Ravindra Jadeja shuns rift rumours with MS Dhoni-led CSK after being retained Sunrisers Hyderabad Players retained - Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik Gujarat Titans Players retained - 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 Punjab Kings Players retained - Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow, 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 Delhi Capitals Players retained - Rishabh Pant (c), David Warner, 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 Royal Challengers Bangalore Players retained - 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 Lucknow Supergiants Players retained - 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 Rajasthan Royals Players retained - 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 ×

Complete list of players retained by all ten teams ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released as many as sixteen players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 mini-auction next month. KKR have let go of the likes of Pat Cummins, Sam Billings, Shivam Mavi, and Alex Hales among others after completing three trades during the trading window.

Kolkata Knight Riders have also let go of senior India batter Ajinkya Rahane, who they had roped in last season. The two-time champions were looking at a major revamp after failing to make it to the playoffs last season and were the most active team during the trading window, making some shrewd signings.

While Cummins, Hales, and Billings were released after pulling out of IPL 2023 due to international commitments, KKR also let go of Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, Australian skipper Aaron Finch and Sri Lanka's Chamika Karunaratne after minimal contributions from them&nbsp;last season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ip-2023-mumbai-indians-release-retired-kieron-pollard-daniel-sams-and-11-others-check-complete-list-534427">Mumbai Indians release retired Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, and 11 others; check complete list</a>

Here is the complete list of players released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction:

Pat Cummins, Sam Billings, Aman Khan, Shivam Mavi, Mohammad Nabi, Chamika Karunaratne, Aaron Finch, Alex Hales, Abhijeet Tomar, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Sharma, Baba Indrajith, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Sheldon Jackson

While they have let go of some big names in the form of Cummins, Finch, and Hales, KKR have still managed to retain a solid core and will be banking on captain Shreyas Iyer to deliver the goods next season. Iyer has been retained alongside the likes of Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Nitish Rana.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-keep-it-simple-jason-behrendorff-only-big-name-released-by-bengaluru-ahead-of-ipl-2023-mini-auction-534464">RCB keep it simple! Jason Behrendorff only big name released by Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2023 mini auction</a>

Here is the complete list of players retained by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction:

Shreyas Iyer, Rahmanullah&nbsp;Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Anukul Roy, Venkatesh&nbsp;Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released as many as sixteen players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 mini-auction next month. KKR have let go of the likes of Pat Cummins, Sam Billings, Shivam Mavi, and Alex Hales among others after completing three trades during the trading window.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released as many as sixteen players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 mini-auction next month. KKR have let go of the likes of Pat Cummins, Sam Billings, Shivam Mavi, and Alex Hales among others after completing three trades during the trading window. Kolkata Knight Riders have also let go of senior India batter Ajinkya Rahane, who they had roped in last season. The two-time champions were looking at a major revamp after failing to make it to the playoffs last season and were the most active team during the trading window, making some shrewd signings. While Cummins, Hales, and Billings were released after pulling out of IPL 2023 due to international commitments, KKR also let go of Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, Australian skipper Aaron Finch and Sri Lanka's Chamika Karunaratne after minimal contributions from them last season. Also Read: Mumbai Indians release retired Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, and 11 others; check complete list Here is the complete list of players released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction: Pat Cummins, Sam Billings, Aman Khan, Shivam Mavi, Mohammad Nabi, Chamika Karunaratne, Aaron Finch, Alex Hales, Abhijeet Tomar, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Sharma, Baba Indrajith, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Sheldon Jackson While they have let go of some big names in the form of Cummins, Finch, and Hales, KKR have still managed to retain a solid core and will be banking on captain Shreyas Iyer to deliver the goods next season. Iyer has been retained alongside the likes of Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Nitish Rana. Also Read: RCB keep it simple! Jason Behrendorff only big name released by Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2023 mini auction Here is the complete list of players retained by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction: Shreyas Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Anukul Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana. ×

KKR release Pat Cummins, Alex Hales and 14 others ahead of IPL 2023 auction; check complete list

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continue to make moves in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) trading window as they have now reportedly roped in Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur from Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the IPL 2023 mini-auction. KKR had earlier traded New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans.

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, Kolkata Knight Riders have traded Shardul from Delhi Capitals in an all-cash deal. Shardul was the most expensive fast bowler in the Delhi Capitals squad after being bought for a huge sum of Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million) at the mega auction last year.

The Capitals spent big money on acquiring his services but the pace all-rounder failed to impress with his performances in IPL 2022. Shardul picked up 15 wickets in 14 matches but conceded at an economy of 9.79. He also failed to contribute much with the bat.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kolkata-knight-riders-trade-lockie-ferguson-and-rahmanullah-gurbaz-from-gujarat-titans-ahead-of-ipl-2023-533710">Kolkata Knight Riders trade Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2023</a>

Delhi Capitals had bought him at the mega auction last year following his heroics with his former side Chennai Super Kings in the last four seasons. However, the move didn't work out for the Rishabh Pant-led side, who failed to make it to the playoffs last season.

As per the report, CSK were among the teams interested in roping in Shardul from Delhi Capitals along with the likes of Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans but the franchise decided to trade him to KKR.

With thee trades completed already in this window, KKR have already spent huge money and will have to let go of a number of players from their existing squad to head into the mini-auction with a decent purse.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-names-most-valuable-team-of-t20-world-cup-2022-virat-kohli-and-suryakumar-yadav-make-the-cut-534021">ICC names Most Valuable Team of T20 World Cup 2022, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav make the cut</a>

KKR were left with only Rs 45 lakh (INR 4.5 million) after the mega auction last year and will have to release a lot of players to register both Shardul and Lockie, who have cost them Rs 20.75 crore (INR 207.5 million) combined.

Each team had a purse of Rs 90 crore (INR 900 million) at the mega auction last year and will get an additional Rs 5 crore (INR 50 Million) added to their remaining purse at the mini-auction ahead of IPL 023.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continue to make moves in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) trading window as they have now reportedly roped in Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur from Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the IPL 2023 mini-auction.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continue to make moves in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) trading window as they have now reportedly roped in Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur from Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the IPL 2023 mini-auction. KKR had earlier traded New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans. As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, Kolkata Knight Riders have traded Shardul from Delhi Capitals in an all-cash deal. Shardul was the most expensive fast bowler in the Delhi Capitals squad after being bought for a huge sum of Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million) at the mega auction last year. The Capitals spent big money on acquiring his services but the pace all-rounder failed to impress with his performances in IPL 2022. Shardul picked up 15 wickets in 14 matches but conceded at an economy of 9.79. He also failed to contribute much with the bat. Also Read: Kolkata Knight Riders trade Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2023 Delhi Capitals had bought him at the mega auction last year following his heroics with his former side Chennai Super Kings in the last four seasons. However, the move didn't work out for the Rishabh Pant-led side, who failed to make it to the playoffs last season. As per the report, CSK were among the teams interested in roping in Shardul from Delhi Capitals along with the likes of Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans but the franchise decided to trade him to KKR. With thee trades completed already in this window, KKR have already spent huge money and will have to let go of a number of players from their existing squad to head into the mini-auction with a decent purse. Also Read: ICC names Most Valuable Team of T20 World Cup 2022, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav make the cut KKR were left with only Rs 45 lakh (INR 4.5 million) after the mega auction last year and will have to release a lot of players to register both Shardul and Lockie, who have cost them Rs 20.75 crore (INR 207.5 million) combined. Each team had a purse of Rs 90 crore (INR 900 million) at the mega auction last year and will get an additional Rs 5 crore (INR 50 Million) added to their remaining purse at the mini-auction ahead of IPL 023. ×

Delhi Capitals trade their most expensive pacer Shardul Thakur to KKR ahead of IPL 2023 - Report

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made their first move in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) trading window as they have traded New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and Afghanistan wicket-keeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the mini-auction next month.

Earlier there were reports that KKR were in talks with the Titans to sign two of their players. The trade was confirmed by the Indian Premier League on Sunday (November 13). Ferguson was earlier part of the KKR squad before being released and bought by the Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2022.

He will return to his former side ahead of the 2023 edition of the tournament after playing a key role in Gujarat Titans' maiden title triumph last season. Ferguson picked up 12 wickets in 13 matches for the reigning champions but has now&nbsp;been deemed excessive to the team's demands.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan star Gurbaz was roped in by the Titans as a replacement for injured Jason Roy last season. The Titans had the choice to retain him and let go of Roy but they have instead parted ways with the Afghanistan cricketer, who will now down the purple and gold next season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uk-pm-rishi-sunak-sends-special-message-to-england-team-ahead-of-t20-world-cup-final-533686">UK PM Rishi Sunak sends special message to England team ahead of T20 World Cup final</a>

"New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been traded from Gujarat Titans to Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming TATA IPL 2023. He played 13 matches for Gujarat Titans and picked 12 wickets that included a 4-wicket haul," read a statement from IPL.

"Kolkata Knight Riders have also traded Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans. He was included in the Gujarat Titans squad in the 2022 TATA IPL edition as a replacement for England batter Jason Roy but did not play any game last season," it added.

Ferguson spent three seasons with KKR from IPL 2019 to 2012. He played a total of 18 matches in three seasons with KKR and picked up 21 wickets. The Kiwi fast bowler played a key role in helping KKR reach the final of the 2021 season with 13 wickets from just eight matches.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jason-behrendorff-traded-from-rcb-to-mumbai-indians-ahead-of-ipl-2023-533623">Jason Behrendorff traded from RCB to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2023</a>

However, he was released by KKR ahead of the mega auction in 2021 and was bought by Gujarat Titans for a sum of a whopping Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million). With his addition, KKR have bolstered their pace attack but will be mindful of their purse heading into the auction.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made their first move in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) trading window as they have traded New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and Afghanistan wicket-keeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the mini-auction next month.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made their first move in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) trading window as they have traded New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and Afghanistan wicket-keeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the mini-auction next month. Earlier there were reports that KKR were in talks with the Titans to sign two of their players. The trade was confirmed by the Indian Premier League on Sunday (November 13). Ferguson was earlier part of the KKR squad before being released and bought by the Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2022. He will return to his former side ahead of the 2023 edition of the tournament after playing a key role in Gujarat Titans' maiden title triumph last season. Ferguson picked up 12 wickets in 13 matches for the reigning champions but has now been deemed excessive to the team's demands. Meanwhile, Afghanistan star Gurbaz was roped in by the Titans as a replacement for injured Jason Roy last season. The Titans had the choice to retain him and let go of Roy but they have instead parted ways with the Afghanistan cricketer, who will now down the purple and gold next season. Also Read: UK PM Rishi Sunak sends special message to England team ahead of T20 World Cup final "New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been traded from Gujarat Titans to Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming TATA IPL 2023. He played 13 matches for Gujarat Titans and picked 12 wickets that included a 4-wicket haul," read a statement from IPL. "Kolkata Knight Riders have also traded Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans. He was included in the Gujarat Titans squad in the 2022 TATA IPL edition as a replacement for England batter Jason Roy but did not play any game last season," it added. Ferguson spent three seasons with KKR from IPL 2019 to 2012. He played a total of 18 matches in three seasons with KKR and picked up 21 wickets. The Kiwi fast bowler played a key role in helping KKR reach the final of the 2021 season with 13 wickets from just eight matches. Also Read: Jason Behrendorff traded from RCB to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2023 However, he was released by KKR ahead of the mega auction in 2021 and was bought by Gujarat Titans for a sum of a whopping Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million). With his addition, KKR have bolstered their pace attack but will be mindful of their purse heading into the auction. ×

Kolkata Knight Riders trade Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2023

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recalled how leaving Mumbai Indians changed a young Suryakumar Yadav's career in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yadav, who is currently the no.2 ranked batter in T20Is, has come a long way in his career and has gone on to become an integral member of India's white-ball squad.

It was not an easy path to the national team for the 32-year-old, who had to wait until last year to make his debut for the Indian team. However, it took him little time in establishing his credentials as one of the most exciting batters in T20Is after getting his dream India debut.

A young Yadav was part of the Mumbai Indians' squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was with the five-time champions. He rarely got chances in the playing XI and was traded to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2014, a move that proved to be a game-changing one in his career.

Yadav became a vital cog in KKR's middle-order under Gambhir and played several match-winning knocks for the team as his stocks rose. He was picked up by Mumbai Indians in the 2018 player auction and has since played an instrumental role in Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s success by helping them win two titles.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-arshdeep-singh-to-return-indias-predicted-playing-xi-for-1st-t20i-vs-south-africa-520497">Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh to return? India's predicted playing XI for 1st T20I vs South Africa</a>

“When I was in Mumbai, he was an 18-19-year-old kid, a young man. He was in our squad not quite getting a game. The year after I left, he was traded to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) where his career started to turn around,” Ponting said in the ICC review.

“He got a bit of an opportunity in the middle order and then MI bought him back in the auction and has been a match-winning player for them for five or six seasons now, to the point that he is one of their retained players,” he added.

Yadav has been one of Mumbai Indians' best batters since joining the team in 2018. He has so far notched up 2036 runs in 68 matches for the five-time champions and was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction earlier this year.

He was rewarded for his consistent performances in the IPL and the domestic circuit by making his India debut last year and has since gone on to prove why he is so highly rated. The 32-year-old has been a prolific run-getter for India in T20Is and is set to be India's no.4 at the upcoming T20 World Cup this year.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-virat-kohli-only-35-runs-away-from-leapfrogging-rohit-sharma-in-elite-list-520504">IND vs SA, 1st T20I: Virat Kohli only 35 runs away from leapfrogging Rohit Sharma in elite list</a>

Recalling his time with a young Yadav, Ponting said those who have been around him from a young age always knew the star India batter had talent in abundance and just needed the opportunities to prove himself at the highest level.

“Anyone who has seen him from a young age knew that he had an abundance of talent. The more he has played, the more he has learned about himself, the more different situations he has found himself in a game, he has found a way to not just survive, but thrive in the IPL at international level,” Ponting said. 
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Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recalled how leaving Mumbai Indians changed a young Suryakumar Yadav's career in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yadav, who is currently the no.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recalled how leaving Mumbai Indians changed a young Suryakumar Yadav's career in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yadav, who is currently the no.2 ranked batter in T20Is, has come a long way in his career and has gone on to become an integral member of India's white-ball squad. It was not an easy path to the national team for the 32-year-old, who had to wait until last year to make his debut for the Indian team. However, it took him little time in establishing his credentials as one of the most exciting batters in T20Is after getting his dream India debut. A young Yadav was part of the Mumbai Indians' squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was with the five-time champions. He rarely got chances in the playing XI and was traded to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2014, a move that proved to be a game-changing one in his career. Yadav became a vital cog in KKR's middle-order under Gambhir and played several match-winning knocks for the team as his stocks rose. He was picked up by Mumbai Indians in the 2018 player auction and has since played an instrumental role in Rohit Sharma & Co.'s success by helping them win two titles. Also Read: Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh to return? India's predicted playing XI for 1st T20I vs South Africa “When I was in Mumbai, he was an 18-19-year-old kid, a young man. He was in our squad not quite getting a game. The year after I left, he was traded to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) where his career started to turn around,” Ponting said in the ICC review. “He got a bit of an opportunity in the middle order and then MI bought him back in the auction and has been a match-winning player for them for five or six seasons now, to the point that he is one of their retained players,” he added. Yadav has been one of Mumbai Indians' best batters since joining the team in 2018. He has so far notched up 2036 runs in 68 matches for the five-time champions and was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction earlier this year. He was rewarded for his consistent performances in the IPL and the domestic circuit by making his India debut last year and has since gone on to prove why he is so highly rated. The 32-year-old has been a prolific run-getter for India in T20Is and is set to be India's no.4 at the upcoming T20 World Cup this year. Also Read: IND vs SA, 1st T20I: Virat Kohli only 35 runs away from leapfrogging Rohit Sharma in elite list Recalling his time with a young Yadav, Ponting said those who have been around him from a young age always knew the star India batter had talent in abundance and just needed the opportunities to prove himself at the highest level. “Anyone who has seen him from a young age knew that he had an abundance of talent. The more he has played, the more he has learned about himself, the more different situations he has found himself in a game, he has found a way to not just survive, but thrive in the IPL at international level,” Ponting said.

He was not quite getting a game: Ricky Ponting recalls how KKR move changed Suryakumar Yadav's career

Sheldon Jackson recently took to social media in a bid to offer his thoughts to fans after he failed to make the cut for the&nbsp;New Zealand A series which is set to take place at home. He was also left out of the&nbsp;West Zone Duleep Trophy squads.

Responding to his reactionary tweet, a fan justified the BCCI's decision to leave him out of the squad by reminding him of his lacklustre performance during the annual domestic league, IPL.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-not-out-of-form-the-issue-is-rashid-khan-shares-his-take-on-virat-kohlis-form-ahead-of-asia-cup-510038" hreflang="en">'He is not out of form, the issue is...' - Rashid Khan shares his take on Virat Kohli's form ahead of Asia Cup</a>

Jackson initially took to Twitter to declare that per his understanding, he had done enough to confirm his position on at least one of the squads based on his performances in the last three seasons, having scored almost 2000 runs.&nbsp;

“I have a right to believe and dream that if I have performed for 3 continuous season, I may get picked on the basis of my performances not age, tired of hearing this that I’m a good player and performer but I’m old, I’m 35 not 75,” Jackson wrote.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have a right to believe and dream that if i have performed for 3 continuous season, i may get picked on the basis of my performances not age, tired of hearing this that im a good player and performer but im old🤣, im 35 not 75 🤣🤣
— Sheldon Jackson (@ShelJackson27) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShelJackson27/status/1562436299885543424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In response to his tweet, a fan recalled his performances at the IPL, saying, "I understand your pain but you were terrible in the IPL. All that hype; it fizzled. Sorry!"

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I understand your pain but you were terrible in the IPL. 
All that hype; it fizzled. Sorry!
— Sourav (@iamsouravroy) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsouravroy/status/1562457057281732612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Subsequently, Jackson issued a response to the seemingly disgruntled fan, admitting that sometimes that was how the cookie crumbled when it came to the fickle nature of the sport.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-just-another-opposition-rohit-sharma-downplays-hype-around-india-pakistan-face-off-in-asia-cup-510061" hreflang="en">'It's just another opposition' - Rohit Sharma downplays hype around India-Pakistan face-off in Asia Cup</a>

"Hey, i&nbsp;understand your upset with me and i was angry with myself too coz i havnt got anything in cricket easily or early ,but in cricket it happens no matter how much you try at times things dont go your way, im sorry i couldn’t show you how good i actually am, someday."

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Hey, i understand your upset with me and i was angry with myself too coz i havnt got anything in cricket easily or early ,but in cricket it happens no matter how much you try at times things dont go your way, im sorry i couldn’t show you how good i actually am, someday 🙏
— Sheldon Jackson (@ShelJackson27) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShelJackson27/status/1562469881169444865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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However,&nbsp;the fan, clearly taken aback by Jackson's response admitted that he was just a fan who was upset with his performance. He went on to wish Jackson the best, hoping for him to make his way back to winning ways.

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So sorry; didn’t think you would read/reply.. was just upset as a fan! I hope you blast everyone out of the park next year. 
 
Looking forward to your performance. 🤞
— Sourav (@iamsouravroy) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsouravroy/status/1562471197060657153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Sheldon Jackson recently took to social media in a bid to offer his thoughts to fans after he failed to make the cut for the New Zealand A series which is set to take place at home.

Sheldon Jackson recently took to social media in a bid to offer his thoughts to fans after he failed to make the cut for the New Zealand A series which is set to take place at home. He was also left out of the West Zone Duleep Trophy squads. Responding to his reactionary tweet, a fan justified the BCCI's decision to leave him out of the squad by reminding him of his lacklustre performance during the annual domestic league, IPL. ALSO READ: 'He is not out of form, the issue is...' - Rashid Khan shares his take on Virat Kohli's form ahead of Asia Cup Jackson initially took to Twitter to declare that per his understanding, he had done enough to confirm his position on at least one of the squads based on his performances in the last three seasons, having scored almost 2000 runs. “I have a right to believe and dream that if I have performed for 3 continuous season, I may get picked on the basis of my performances not age, tired of hearing this that I’m a good player and performer but I’m old, I’m 35 not 75,” Jackson wrote. I have a right to believe and dream that if i have performed for 3 continuous season, i may get picked on the basis of my performances not age, tired of hearing this that im a good player and performer but im old🤣, im 35 not 75 🤣🤣 — Sheldon Jackson (@ShelJackson27) August 24, 2022 × In response to his tweet, a fan recalled his performances at the IPL, saying, "I understand your pain but you were terrible in the IPL. All that hype; it fizzled. Sorry!" I understand your pain but you were terrible in the IPL. All that hype; it fizzled. Sorry! — Sourav (@iamsouravroy) August 24, 2022 × Subsequently, Jackson issued a response to the seemingly disgruntled fan, admitting that sometimes that was how the cookie crumbled when it came to the fickle nature of the sport. ALSO READ: 'It's just another opposition' - Rohit Sharma downplays hype around India-Pakistan face-off in Asia Cup "Hey, i understand your upset with me and i was angry with myself too coz i havnt got anything in cricket easily or early ,but in cricket it happens no matter how much you try at times things dont go your way, im sorry i couldn’t show you how good i actually am, someday." Hey, i understand your upset with me and i was angry with myself too coz i havnt got anything in cricket easily or early ,but in cricket it happens no matter how much you try at times things dont go your way, im sorry i couldn’t show you how good i actually am, someday 🙏 — Sheldon Jackson (@ShelJackson27) August 24, 2022 × However, the fan, clearly taken aback by Jackson's response admitted that he was just a fan who was upset with his performance. He went on to wish Jackson the best, hoping for him to make his way back to winning ways. So sorry; didn’t think you would read/reply.. was just upset as a fan! I hope you blast everyone out of the park next year. Looking forward to your performance. 🤞 — Sourav (@iamsouravroy) August 24, 2022 ×

Fan responds to Sheldon Jackson's tweet post his omission from India A squad, KKR player responds

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer recently took to social media in a bid to offer his two cents on the appointment of Chandrakant Pandit as the head coach of popular IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. He hilariously drew parallels between Pandit and Shah Rukh Khan's character in the hit Bollywood flick,&nbsp;Chak De India.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-super-league-to-clash-with-ipl-in-2025-heres-why-507800" hreflang="en">Pakistan Super League to clash with IPL in 2025, here's why</a>

Jaffer took to Twitter and congratulated Pandit on his appointment, quipping, "Happy for [Chandrakant Pandit] bhai! To the KKR players unfamiliar with his coaching style, I'd suggest watching [Shah Rukh Khan] in Chak de India will help ?? #IPL."

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Happy for Chandu bhai! To the KKR players unfamiliar with his coaching style, I'd suggest watching <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamsrk</a> in Chak de India will help 😉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/myaxTQyzUe">https://t.co/myaxTQyzUe</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1559881838738345984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Discussing his appointment as the KKR frontman, Pandit admitted that he was excited to take control of the reigns of a franchise that has previously enjoyed great success in the league and has the potential to make its way to the top again.

"It's a great honour and privilege to be given this responsibility. I have heard from players and others who have been associated with the Knight Riders, about the family culture, as well as the tradition of success that has been created. I am excited about the quality of the support staff and the players who are part of the setup and I am looking forward to this opportunity with all humility and positive expectations."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-cricketers-only-play-ipl-or-big-bash-kapil-dev-wants-icc-to-protect-test-and-odi-cricket-507506" hreflang="en">Will cricketers only play IPL or Big Bash? Kapil Dev wants ICC to protect Test and ODI cricket</a>

Pandit, who is widely recognised as one of the most celebrated coaches in the domestic cricketing circuit, recently assumed his position at the helm of the Kolkata Knight Riders' ship. KKR were looking to fill the void that was left by the outgoing Brendon McCullum, who will now pilot the English Test outfit to glory.

The franchise has made it to the top of the IPL food chain on two occasions, with their most recent triumphant outing in the league coming way back in 2014. The Kolkata-based outfit will now look to Pandit to lead them to glory as he did&nbsp;Madhya Pradesh's team to their maiden Ranji trophy during the 2021-2022 season by beating the 41-time champions, Mumbai.

&nbsp;

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer recently took to social media in a bid to offer his two cents on the appointment of Chandrakant Pandit as the head coach of popular IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer recently took to social media in a bid to offer his two cents on the appointment of Chandrakant Pandit as the head coach of popular IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. He hilariously drew parallels between Pandit and Shah Rukh Khan's character in the hit Bollywood flick, Chak De India. ALSO READ: Pakistan Super League to clash with IPL in 2025, here's why Jaffer took to Twitter and congratulated Pandit on his appointment, quipping, "Happy for [Chandrakant Pandit] bhai! To the KKR players unfamiliar with his coaching style, I'd suggest watching [Shah Rukh Khan] in Chak de India will help ?? #IPL." Happy for Chandu bhai! To the KKR players unfamiliar with his coaching style, I'd suggest watching @iamsrk in Chak de India will help 😉 #IPL https://t.co/myaxTQyzUe — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) August 17, 2022 × Discussing his appointment as the KKR frontman, Pandit admitted that he was excited to take control of the reigns of a franchise that has previously enjoyed great success in the league and has the potential to make its way to the top again. "It's a great honour and privilege to be given this responsibility. I have heard from players and others who have been associated with the Knight Riders, about the family culture, as well as the tradition of success that has been created. I am excited about the quality of the support staff and the players who are part of the setup and I am looking forward to this opportunity with all humility and positive expectations." ALSO READ: Will cricketers only play IPL or Big Bash? Kapil Dev wants ICC to protect Test and ODI cricket Pandit, who is widely recognised as one of the most celebrated coaches in the domestic cricketing circuit, recently assumed his position at the helm of the Kolkata Knight Riders' ship. KKR were looking to fill the void that was left by the outgoing Brendon McCullum, who will now pilot the English Test outfit to glory. The franchise has made it to the top of the IPL food chain on two occasions, with their most recent triumphant outing in the league coming way back in 2014. The Kolkata-based outfit will now look to Pandit to lead them to glory as he did Madhya Pradesh's team to their maiden Ranji trophy during the 2021-2022 season by beating the 41-time champions, Mumbai.

Former India player hilariously draws parallels between Shah Rukh Khan and KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has revealed Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises are open to the idea of tying down the best T20 players around the world on an annual 12-month contract. IPL currently has ten teams and a number of franchises have their presence in T20 leagues outside of India as well.

While IPL teams currently offer contracts to the players for only a certain amount of time for the season, they are exploring the idea of contracting players for full 12 months in a year. KKR is one of the IPL franchises with a global presence as the Knight Riders currently have four teams under their belt.

The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned KKR also owns the&nbsp;Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and a team each in the&nbsp;International League T20 (UAE), and Major League Cricket (USA) which are set to be launched next year. Contracting players for 12 months will allow the franchises to use them in their teams across different leagues around the globe.

Mysore believes it will be 'nirvana' for IPL franchises if they can have a certain amount of contracted players who they can use for their teams in different leagues as it will help them enhance their brand and further increase their fan base across the globe.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-dont-need-dravids-thinking-kris-srikanth-criticises-india-for-picking-iyer-over-hooda-in-1st-t20i-502006">'We don't need Dravid's thinking': Kris Srikanth criticises India for picking Iyer over Hooda in 1st T20I</a>

While KKR have&nbsp;4 franchises under their umbrella, recently, the owners of six different IPL teams purchased a franchise each in South Africa's upcoming T20 league to expand their presence globally. Mysore believes offering annual contracts will also provide more opportunities to top cricketers.

"If it happened that way at some point in the future, that'd be great. What we want to create is a common platform, a system, and a culture that allows us to participate around the year - enhancing our brand, building our fan base, and providing opportunities for cricketers around the world. And in the process, you build hopefully a successful business around it," Mysore told Telegraph.co.uk&nbsp;in an interview.

"In an ideal world, sure—because that gives us the opportunity to make our vision and our strategy even stronger. If we were able to have X number of contracted players and were able to use them all in different leagues, I think that would be nirvana. Hopefully, someday it will happen. I wouldn't be surprised if it did," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-to-miss-zimbabwe-tour-due-to-delayed-recovery-sundar-chahar-return-to-odi-squad-502119">KL Rahul to miss Zimbabwe tour due to delayed recovery; Sundar, Chahar return to ODI squad</a>

BCCI open to the idea of players paying in overseas T20 leagues: Mysore

While IPL franchises are aiming to expand their presence globally and own franchises in different T20 leagues overseas, there lies a major hurdle in their way. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) still doesn't allow active Indian players to take part in overseas leagues. Only retired Indian cricketers or those not active in either domestic or international cricket are allowed to play in the leagues overseas.

However, Mysore revealed that BCCI is open to the idea of letting Indian players ply their trade in T20 leagues outside the country. The KKR CEO said BCCI is working to figure out what will work in the best interest of Indian cricket.

"Certainly, we're hoping that will happen at some point in the future. When we broach this topic, the BCCI say, 'Yeah, we have to figure out how to do something'," said Mysore.

"I think they have an open mind. But they need to figure out what's best for Indian cricket and for Indian players. That's how they would be thinking about it, which is fair enough. Some very good minds would be applying their minds to this idea. If it all comes together, it'd be terrific," he added. 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has revealed Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises are open to the idea of tying down the best T20 players around the world on an annual 12-month contract.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has revealed Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises are open to the idea of tying down the best T20 players around the world on an annual 12-month contract. IPL currently has ten teams and a number of franchises have their presence in T20 leagues outside of India as well. While IPL teams currently offer contracts to the players for only a certain amount of time for the season, they are exploring the idea of contracting players for full 12 months in a year. KKR is one of the IPL franchises with a global presence as the Knight Riders currently have four teams under their belt. The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned KKR also owns the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and a team each in the International League T20 (UAE), and Major League Cricket (USA) which are set to be launched next year. Contracting players for 12 months will allow the franchises to use them in their teams across different leagues around the globe. Mysore believes it will be 'nirvana' for IPL franchises if they can have a certain amount of contracted players who they can use for their teams in different leagues as it will help them enhance their brand and further increase their fan base across the globe. Also Read: 'We don't need Dravid's thinking': Kris Srikanth criticises India for picking Iyer over Hooda in 1st T20I While KKR have 4 franchises under their umbrella, recently, the owners of six different IPL teams purchased a franchise each in South Africa's upcoming T20 league to expand their presence globally. Mysore believes offering annual contracts will also provide more opportunities to top cricketers. "If it happened that way at some point in the future, that'd be great. What we want to create is a common platform, a system, and a culture that allows us to participate around the year - enhancing our brand, building our fan base, and providing opportunities for cricketers around the world. And in the process, you build hopefully a successful business around it," Mysore told Telegraph.co.uk in an interview. "In an ideal world, sure—because that gives us the opportunity to make our vision and our strategy even stronger. If we were able to have X number of contracted players and were able to use them all in different leagues, I think that would be nirvana. Hopefully, someday it will happen. I wouldn't be surprised if it did," he added. Also Read: KL Rahul to miss Zimbabwe tour due to delayed recovery; Sundar, Chahar return to ODI squad BCCI open to the idea of players paying in overseas T20 leagues: Mysore While IPL franchises are aiming to expand their presence globally and own franchises in different T20 leagues overseas, there lies a major hurdle in their way. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) still doesn't allow active Indian players to take part in overseas leagues. Only retired Indian cricketers or those not active in either domestic or international cricket are allowed to play in the leagues overseas. However, Mysore revealed that BCCI is open to the idea of letting Indian players ply their trade in T20 leagues outside the country. The KKR CEO said BCCI is working to figure out what will work in the best interest of Indian cricket. "Certainly, we're hoping that will happen at some point in the future. When we broach this topic, the BCCI say, 'Yeah, we have to figure out how to do something'," said Mysore. "I think they have an open mind. But they need to figure out what's best for Indian cricket and for Indian players. That's how they would be thinking about it, which is fair enough. Some very good minds would be applying their minds to this idea. If it all comes together, it'd be terrific," he added.

IPL owners open to offer 12-month contracts to best T20 players in the world

It is&nbsp;the end of an era in English cricket as Eoin Morgan confirmed his international retirement on Tuesday (June 28). The ODI World Cup-winning skipper Morgan was expected to remain captain till this year's T20 World Cup, or 2023 50-over showpiece event in India, however, he decided to step aside after a dismal run with the bat for the past year and fitness concerns.&nbsp;

"To call time on what has been without doubt the most enjoyable and rewarding chapter of my career hasn't been an easy decision, but I believe now is the right time to do so, both for me, personally, and for both England white-ball sides I have led to this point," said Morgan in a statement issued by the England Cricket Board (ECB).

Thus, reactions have been pouring in from the cricket fraternity for Morgan, who retires as an absolute legend for England cricket in white-ball formats. The Irish-born swashbuckling left-hander started his career playing for his national side before switching to England. He ended his career with&nbsp;700 runs in Tests and 7,701 and 2,458 runs in ODIs and T20Is, respectively, including 16 tons overall. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:

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For over 13 years, it's been an absolute pleasure, Morgs 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouMorgs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouMorgs</a> 👏 <a href="https://t.co/sm0D3DV8yT">pic.twitter.com/sm0D3DV8yT</a>
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1541772371450798086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Record-breaker 📊 
History maker 📝 
Our greatest ever 🏏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouMorgs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouMorgs</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/jvvWprBSDK">pic.twitter.com/jvvWprBSDK</a>
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1541769644956164096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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A leader par excellence! 🙌 
 
Wish you a happy second innings, <a href="https://twitter.com/Eoin16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eoin16</a> 💜<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouMorgs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouMorgs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmiKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmiKKR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EoinMorgan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EoinMorgan</a> <a href="https://t.co/dLIPYLjbUL">pic.twitter.com/dLIPYLjbUL</a>
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders/status/1541772802251886593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Congratulations, Eoin Morgan <a href="https://twitter.com/Eoin16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eoin16</a>. I have admired &amp; respected your outlook towards the game enormously.What a career &amp; what a transformational leader. Few players have had as much of an impact on the white ball game as you have. Well done, hopefully our paths continue to cross
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/1541425770660347904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Thank you, Eoin Morgan. One hell of a captain to take that England squad from 2015 to world champions 🏆<a href="https://t.co/IaljjiY7KL">pic.twitter.com/IaljjiY7KL</a>
— Cricket Mate 🏏 (@CricketMate_) <a href="https://twitter.com/CricketMate_/status/1541364347884212225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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- Most ODI appearances and runs for England 
- Most IT20 appearances and runs for England 
- World Cup winning captain 
 
Eoin Morgan completed white-ball cricket 🏏 <a href="https://t.co/EYqAdJ0YmF">pic.twitter.com/EYqAdJ0YmF</a>
— England’s Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBarmyArmy/status/1541770877682991104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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One of the best innings in the World Cup history - 148 from just 71 balls with 17 sixes by Eoin Morgan.<a href="https://t.co/PBb9F308el">pic.twitter.com/PBb9F308el</a>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1541771728224919552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/end-of-an-era-englands-odi-wc-winning-skipper-eoin-morgan-confirms-international-retirement-492661">End of an era! England's ODI WC-winning skipper Eoin Morgan confirms international retirement</a>

Morgan changed England cricket after taking over as the limited-overs captain post Alastair Cook's tenure. Under him, England were eliminated in the group stage of the 2015 ODI World Cup, however, he revamped the side in style and led them to their maiden title in the 2019 edition, in England and Wales. England also ended as the semi-finalists in the 2017 Champions Trophy and last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE. The Three Lions also ended as runners-up in the 2016 T20 World Cup, in India; depicting their success under the Ireland-born cricketer.

Morgan achieved several laurels as a batter for England, ending as their leading run-getter in both ODIs and T20Is, however, his biggest contribution has been in inspiring the white-ball sides into playing a fearless and attacking form of cricket. The left-hander also led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL final during the 2021 edition.

It is the end of an era in English cricket as Eoin Morgan confirmed his international retirement on Tuesday (June 28). The ODI World Cup-winning skipper Morgan was expected to remain captain till this year's T20 World Cup, or 2023 50-over showpiece event in India, however, he decided to step aside after a dismal run with the bat for the past year and fitness concerns.

It is the end of an era in English cricket as Eoin Morgan confirmed his international retirement on Tuesday (June 28). The ODI World Cup-winning skipper Morgan was expected to remain captain till this year's T20 World Cup, or 2023 50-over showpiece event in India, however, he decided to step aside after a dismal run with the bat for the past year and fitness concerns. "To call time on what has been without doubt the most enjoyable and rewarding chapter of my career hasn't been an easy decision, but I believe now is the right time to do so, both for me, personally, and for both England white-ball sides I have led to this point," said Morgan in a statement issued by the England Cricket Board (ECB). Thus, reactions have been pouring in from the cricket fraternity for Morgan, who retires as an absolute legend for England cricket in white-ball formats. The Irish-born swashbuckling left-hander started his career playing for his national side before switching to England. He ended his career with 700 runs in Tests and 7,701 and 2,458 runs in ODIs and T20Is, respectively, including 16 tons overall. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter: For over 13 years, it's been an absolute pleasure, Morgs 🙌#ThankYouMorgs 👏 pic.twitter.com/sm0D3DV8yT — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2022 × Record-breaker 📊 History maker 📝 Our greatest ever 🏏#ThankYouMorgs ❤️ pic.twitter.com/jvvWprBSDK — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2022 × A leader par excellence! 🙌 Wish you a happy second innings, @Eoin16 💜#ThankYouMorgs #AmiKKR #EoinMorgan pic.twitter.com/dLIPYLjbUL — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) June 28, 2022 × Congratulations, Eoin Morgan @Eoin16. I have admired & respected your outlook towards the game enormously.What a career & what a transformational leader. Few players have had as much of an impact on the white ball game as you have. Well done, hopefully our paths continue to cross — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 27, 2022 × Thank you, Eoin Morgan. One hell of a captain to take that England squad from 2015 to world champions 🏆pic.twitter.com/IaljjiY7KL — Cricket Mate 🏏 (@CricketMate_) June 27, 2022 × - Most ODI appearances and runs for England - Most IT20 appearances and runs for England - World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan completed white-ball cricket 🏏 pic.twitter.com/EYqAdJ0YmF — England’s Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) June 28, 2022 × One of the best innings in the World Cup history - 148 from just 71 balls with 17 sixes by Eoin Morgan.pic.twitter.com/PBb9F308el — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 28, 2022 × ALSO READ | End of an era! England's ODI WC-winning skipper Eoin Morgan confirms international retirement Morgan changed England cricket after taking over as the limited-overs captain post Alastair Cook's tenure. Under him, England were eliminated in the group stage of the 2015 ODI World Cup, however, he revamped the side in style and led them to their maiden title in the 2019 edition, in England and Wales. England also ended as the semi-finalists in the 2017 Champions Trophy and last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE. The Three Lions also ended as runners-up in the 2016 T20 World Cup, in India; depicting their success under the Ireland-born cricketer. Morgan achieved several laurels as a batter for England, ending as their leading run-getter in both ODIs and T20Is, however, his biggest contribution has been in inspiring the white-ball sides into playing a fearless and attacking form of cricket. The left-hander also led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL final during the 2021 edition.

Thank you, Eoin Morgan! Cricket fraternity reacts as England's white-ball captain confirms int'l retirement

IPL 2022 roundup: From MS Dhoni's confirmation to Gujarat Titans' historic triumph

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's comments had caused a stir on social media when he revealed that the franchise CEO - Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection. Several fans and former cricketers had lashed out the KKR team management for allowing the CEO to interfere in cricketing decisions.

After the backlash, Iyer issued a clarification following the conclusion of KKR's next game and said he only meant that the CEO motivated players who were sitting out and didn't find a spot in the playing XI for a particular game. However, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes KKR CEO was indeed involved in team selection.

"When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer had said issuing a clarification over his statement on Mysore.

KKR failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2022 after enduring an inconsistent campaign. The team blew hot and cold throughout the season and struggled to find the balance in their playing XI due to injuries and poor form of several players. KKR finished the season with 12 points from 14 matches which were not enough to secure a spot in the top four.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-youve-brought-karthik-in-suresh-raina-questions-veteran-batters-exclusion-from-indias-t20i-squad-481498">'If you've brought Karthik in..':&nbsp;Raina questions veteran batter's exclusion from India's T20I squad</a>

Speaking about Iyer's comments on KKR CEO, Chopra said the skipper might have been asked to change his statement by the team management after intense criticism from all corners.

"Shreyas Iyer once said in a press conference that the KKR CEO is also involved in team selection. I think he got a rap on his knuckles and maybe he was told to change his statement. He then clarified that he had meant that the CEO motivates players when they get dropped and consoles them, but he isn't involved in the team selection," Chopra said&nbsp;in a video on his YouTube channel.

"But I am not sure about that because we saw in one game that he visibly looked upset while talking to Brendon McCullum after getting out against RR," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-umran-malik-make-his-india-debut-against-south-africa-former-head-coach-ravi-shastri-gives-his-take-481473">Can Umran Malik make his India debut against South Africa? Former head coach Ravi Shastri gives his take</a>

With Brendon McCullum set to take over as England's new Test coach, he will no longer serve as the head coach of the KKR from next season. KKR&nbsp;are certain to ring in changes in the coaching department ahead of the next season and it remains to be seen who will replace McCullum as the head coach of the side.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's comments had caused a stir on social media when he revealed that the franchise CEO - Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's comments had caused a stir on social media when he revealed that the franchise CEO - Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection. Several fans and former cricketers had lashed out the KKR team management for allowing the CEO to interfere in cricketing decisions. After the backlash, Iyer issued a clarification following the conclusion of KKR's next game and said he only meant that the CEO motivated players who were sitting out and didn't find a spot in the playing XI for a particular game. However, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes KKR CEO was indeed involved in team selection. "When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer had said issuing a clarification over his statement on Mysore. KKR failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2022 after enduring an inconsistent campaign. The team blew hot and cold throughout the season and struggled to find the balance in their playing XI due to injuries and poor form of several players. KKR finished the season with 12 points from 14 matches which were not enough to secure a spot in the top four. Also Read: 'If you've brought Karthik in..': Raina questions veteran batter's exclusion from India's T20I squad Speaking about Iyer's comments on KKR CEO, Chopra said the skipper might have been asked to change his statement by the team management after intense criticism from all corners. "Shreyas Iyer once said in a press conference that the KKR CEO is also involved in team selection. I think he got a rap on his knuckles and maybe he was told to change his statement. He then clarified that he had meant that the CEO motivates players when they get dropped and consoles them, but he isn't involved in the team selection," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. "But I am not sure about that because we saw in one game that he visibly looked upset while talking to Brendon McCullum after getting out against RR," he added. Also Read: Can Umran Malik make his India debut against South Africa? Former head coach Ravi Shastri gives his take With Brendon McCullum set to take over as England's new Test coach, he will no longer serve as the head coach of the KKR from next season. KKR are certain to ring in changes in the coaching department ahead of the next season and it remains to be seen who will replace McCullum as the head coach of the side.

'Maybe he was told to change his statement': Ex-India opener on Shreyas Iyer's clarification on KKR CEO

It was raining sixes and runs for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after they opted to bat first versus the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 18), at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai.

Riding on South Africa's Quinton de Kock's mammoth 140 not out and captain KL Rahul's well-compiled 51-ball unbeaten 68, LSG put KKR on the back foot on a batting-friendly track to take the team total to 210-0 in 20 overs. While De Kock was the aggressor, scoring 71 runs alone since the start of the 16th over, with 10 fours and sixes each -- at a whopping strike rate of 200 -- Rahul played his part and also struck at 133.33

Courtesy De Kock-Rahul's brilliance, the duo also entered the record books by registering the highest-ever opening partnership in IPL history. The pair went past Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) former opening partners&nbsp;Jonny Bairstow-David Warner's 185-run stand versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2019.

This also became the first time a team has batted the entire 20 overs in IPL without losing a single wicket. Here are some other records achieved by the LSG openers and De Kock, in particular, who slammed his second IPL hundred:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/being-dropped-isnt-always-bad-ishan-kishan-defends-mi-management-for-initially-dropping-tim-david-480158">'Being dropped isn't always bad' - Ishan Kishan defends MI management for initially dropping Tim David</a>

Highest partnerships for any wicket in IPL 
229 Kohli - De Villiers RCB v GL Bengaluru 2016 
215*Kohli - De Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 
210*Rahul - De Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022

Highest individual scores in IPL 
175* C Gayle RCB v PWI Bengaluru 2013 
158* B McCullum KKR v RCB Bengaluru 2008 
140* Q de Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022 
133* AB de Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 
132* KL Rahul PK v RCB Dubai 2020

Meanwhile, Rahul also became the first-ever Indian batter to cross the 500-run mark for the fifth successive IPL season. He is now only behind Delhi Capitals' (DC) opener David Warner, who has done this in six consecutive seasons.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-jasprit-bumrah-becomes-first-indian-pacer-to-achieve-elusive-feat-in-t20s-480160">IPL 2022: Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian pacer to achieve elusive feat in T20s</a>

At the mid-innings, LSG head coach Andy Flower told the broadcasters, "It's a helluva score, they batted beautifully. We've been seeing some special batting from both of them this season and again that was brilliant to watch. They are both beautiful batters to watch. At the end of the 18th over, we sent a message on saying, 'If you guys are too tired hitting the ball hard, you can retire and we'll send some of our big-hitters in." These boys, all of them, from 1 to 9 can hit the ball hard like that. One boundary is a big boundary, so Quinton hitting balls like that, who's not renowned for his big-hitting actually, that'd have given him a lot of satisfaction."

KKR need to chase down the total in 16.5 overs to bolster their NRR (and go past DC's NRR, i.e.&nbsp;+0.255) and also remain in the playoffs race. Meanwhile, LSG already have one foot in the playoffs and will like to win big to not only confirm a last-four berth but also help them to ensure a&nbsp;top-two finish eventually.

It was raining sixes and runs for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after they opted to bat first versus the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 18), at the Dr.

It was raining sixes and runs for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after they opted to bat first versus the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 18), at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai. Riding on South Africa's Quinton de Kock's mammoth 140 not out and captain KL Rahul's well-compiled 51-ball unbeaten 68, LSG put KKR on the back foot on a batting-friendly track to take the team total to 210-0 in 20 overs. While De Kock was the aggressor, scoring 71 runs alone since the start of the 16th over, with 10 fours and sixes each -- at a whopping strike rate of 200 -- Rahul played his part and also struck at 133.33 Courtesy De Kock-Rahul's brilliance, the duo also entered the record books by registering the highest-ever opening partnership in IPL history. The pair went past Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) former opening partners Jonny Bairstow-David Warner's 185-run stand versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2019. This also became the first time a team has batted the entire 20 overs in IPL without losing a single wicket. Here are some other records achieved by the LSG openers and De Kock, in particular, who slammed his second IPL hundred: ALSO READ | 'Being dropped isn't always bad' - Ishan Kishan defends MI management for initially dropping Tim David Highest partnerships for any wicket in IPL 229 Kohli - De Villiers RCB v GL Bengaluru 2016 215*Kohli - De Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 210*Rahul - De Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022 Highest individual scores in IPL 175* C Gayle RCB v PWI Bengaluru 2013 158* B McCullum KKR v RCB Bengaluru 2008 140* Q de Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022 133* AB de Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 132* KL Rahul PK v RCB Dubai 2020 Meanwhile, Rahul also became the first-ever Indian batter to cross the 500-run mark for the fifth successive IPL season. He is now only behind Delhi Capitals' (DC) opener David Warner, who has done this in six consecutive seasons. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian pacer to achieve elusive feat in T20s At the mid-innings, LSG head coach Andy Flower told the broadcasters, "It's a helluva score, they batted beautifully. We've been seeing some special batting from both of them this season and again that was brilliant to watch. They are both beautiful batters to watch. At the end of the 18th over, we sent a message on saying, 'If you guys are too tired hitting the ball hard, you can retire and we'll send some of our big-hitters in." These boys, all of them, from 1 to 9 can hit the ball hard like that. One boundary is a big boundary, so Quinton hitting balls like that, who's not renowned for his big-hitting actually, that'd have given him a lot of satisfaction." KKR need to chase down the total in 16.5 overs to bolster their NRR (and go past DC's NRR, i.e. +0.255) and also remain in the playoffs race. Meanwhile, LSG already have one foot in the playoffs and will like to win big to not only confirm a last-four berth but also help them to ensure a top-two finish eventually.

LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL

Quinton de Kock struck a sensational hundred and shared a record opening stand with skipper K L Rahul as Lucknow Super Giants pipped Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs in a last-ball IPL thriller to seal their play-off spot here on Wednesday. De Kock gave a batting masterclass enroute to an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls as he and Rahul (68 not out off 51) fired LSG to 210 for no loss, the highest opening stand in IPL history. 
It was a steep chase but KKR stayed in the game through Nitish Rana (42) and captain Shreyas Iyer (50) but it was too big a task for the lower-order. Their innings ended 208 for eight in 20 overs.

Just when it looked KKR were down and out, Sunil Narine (21 not out off) and Rinku Singh (40 off 15) started smashing the LSG bowlers around the ground to reignite hopes of the dug out. KKR needed 38 runs off the last two overs and they both brought the equation down to 21 off the final over.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-updated-points-table-lucknow-super-giants-move-to-2nd-spot-with-win-over-kolkata-knight-riders-480232">IPL 2022 updated points table: Lucknow Super Giants move to 2nd spot with win over Kolkata Knight Riders</a>

Rinku came up with couple of sixes and a four to make it five off the last three balls but he fell to a special one-handed catch from Evin Lewis to bring LSG back into the game. With three needed off the final ball, Marcus Stoinis landed a yorker to dismiss Umesh Yadav and help his team win a humdinger. The loss knocked KKR out of the competition, while LSG, who had lost their last two matches, moved back into the top-two with the win.

Earlier, Rahul and de Kock got the measure of the wicket in the powerplay, reaching 44 for no loss, before flaunting their wide range of strokes on way to the third highest stand in tournament history. The South African hammered 10 sixes and as many fours in his whirlwind innings, while Rahul collected four sixes and three fours in his 51-ball 68 not out.

De Kock, who was dropped by Abhijeet Tomar off Umesh Yadav in the third over, made KKR pay heavily by getting the highest score of the season. His memorable innings was also third highest individual score in tournament history. The South African was in his elements smashing the spinners and pacers with equal disdain.

He used the pull shot against the faster bowlers and was at his innovative best against the seasoned spin duo of Sunil Narine and off coloured Varun Chakaravarthy. Out of the sixes he hit, de Kock's reverse sweep off Narine stood out. Anything short from the pacers, de Kock was happy to put it away over deep square leg region.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lsg-vs-kkr-kl-rahul-centurion-quinton-de-kock-enter-record-books-put-on-highest-opening-stand-in-ipl-480204">ALSO READ |&nbsp;LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL</a>

De Kock cruised to his hundred in the 18th over with a cut shot off Russell and the innings meant a lot to him, something that was visibly by his down on knees celebration. The southpaw was in no mood to stop even after reaching three figures. Tim Southee was poor in the death overs as he fed balls after balls in the slot for de Kock to deposit it into the stands.

His 19th over yielded as many as 27 runs with de Kock finding the boundary at will. Rahul watched de Kock's breathtaking knock from the best seat in the house. The skipper did not have much to do in the slog overs but he too played some sublime strokes on way to his third half century of the season. Rahul also completed 500 runs in the tournament for the fifth season in a row.&nbsp;

KKR bowlers leaked 88 runs in the last five overs with Southee and Russell proving to be the most expensive bowlers.

Quinton de Kock struck a sensational hundred and shared a record opening stand with skipper K L Rahul as Lucknow Super Giants pipped Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs in a last-ball IPL thriller to seal their play-off spot here on Wednesday.

Quinton de Kock struck a sensational hundred and shared a record opening stand with skipper K L Rahul as Lucknow Super Giants pipped Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs in a last-ball IPL thriller to seal their play-off spot here on Wednesday. De Kock gave a batting masterclass enroute to an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls as he and Rahul (68 not out off 51) fired LSG to 210 for no loss, the highest opening stand in IPL history. It was a steep chase but KKR stayed in the game through Nitish Rana (42) and captain Shreyas Iyer (50) but it was too big a task for the lower-order. Their innings ended 208 for eight in 20 overs. Just when it looked KKR were down and out, Sunil Narine (21 not out off) and Rinku Singh (40 off 15) started smashing the LSG bowlers around the ground to reignite hopes of the dug out. KKR needed 38 runs off the last two overs and they both brought the equation down to 21 off the final over. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 updated points table: Lucknow Super Giants move to 2nd spot with win over Kolkata Knight Riders Rinku came up with couple of sixes and a four to make it five off the last three balls but he fell to a special one-handed catch from Evin Lewis to bring LSG back into the game. With three needed off the final ball, Marcus Stoinis landed a yorker to dismiss Umesh Yadav and help his team win a humdinger. The loss knocked KKR out of the competition, while LSG, who had lost their last two matches, moved back into the top-two with the win. Earlier, Rahul and de Kock got the measure of the wicket in the powerplay, reaching 44 for no loss, before flaunting their wide range of strokes on way to the third highest stand in tournament history. The South African hammered 10 sixes and as many fours in his whirlwind innings, while Rahul collected four sixes and three fours in his 51-ball 68 not out. De Kock, who was dropped by Abhijeet Tomar off Umesh Yadav in the third over, made KKR pay heavily by getting the highest score of the season. His memorable innings was also third highest individual score in tournament history. The South African was in his elements smashing the spinners and pacers with equal disdain. He used the pull shot against the faster bowlers and was at his innovative best against the seasoned spin duo of Sunil Narine and off coloured Varun Chakaravarthy. Out of the sixes he hit, de Kock's reverse sweep off Narine stood out. Anything short from the pacers, de Kock was happy to put it away over deep square leg region. ALSO READ | LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL De Kock cruised to his hundred in the 18th over with a cut shot off Russell and the innings meant a lot to him, something that was visibly by his down on knees celebration. The southpaw was in no mood to stop even after reaching three figures. Tim Southee was poor in the death overs as he fed balls after balls in the slot for de Kock to deposit it into the stands. His 19th over yielded as many as 27 runs with de Kock finding the boundary at will. Rahul watched de Kock's breathtaking knock from the best seat in the house. The skipper did not have much to do in the slog overs but he too played some sublime strokes on way to his third half century of the season. Rahul also completed 500 runs in the tournament for the fifth season in a row. KKR bowlers leaked 88 runs in the last five overs with Southee and Russell proving to be the most expensive bowlers.

IPL 2022: Quinton de Kock's 140*, Mohsin Khan's 3-fer take LSG to playoffs as KKR eliminated

Match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) face the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the former had a playoffs spot up for grabs whereas Shreyas Iyer &amp; Co. had to win to remain alive in the top-four race.&nbsp;In a high-scoring affair, at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (May 18), LSG beat KKR by two runs to progress to the playoffs whereas last edition's runners-up now stand eliminated, joining Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI).

Batting first, KL Rahul's 68&nbsp;and Quinton de Kock's 140 not out went bonkers -- especially towards the end -- as LSG posted 210 for no loss in 20 overs. In reply, KKR were 9 for 2 but valuable knocks from Nitish Rana, Iyer, Rinku Singh, Sam Billings and Sunil Narine led to the franchise's top-class fight right till the end before they eventually fell short by two runs, managing 208 for 8.

Here's the IPL 2022 updated points table after the LSG-KKR clash:

<img alt="Updated IPL 2022 points table" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5e3afe9-716a-4916-ac4b-ddf3e1879b2b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/PT%20kkr%20-%20lsg%20contest.png" />

LSG now take the second spot and have a strong chance to finish in the top-two. Their closest contender, who can finish at the second position, is currently third-ranked Rajasthan Royals (RR). The 2008 winners have one game left.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lsg-vs-kkr-kl-rahul-centurion-quinton-de-kock-enter-record-books-put-on-highest-opening-stand-in-ipl-480204">LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL</a>

At the post-match presentation, the now-eliminated KKR team's skipper Iyer told, "I am not feeling sad at all. That was one of the best games of cricket I have played. The way we should our character and attitude was simply outstanding. I love the way Rinku got us till the end but unfortunately couldn't time it when two balls were remaining, he was really sad. I was hoping he could finish the game for us and could have been the hero, but still played a fantastic knock and I am really happy for him. When we came in, I never thought it would play this way because it was dry and the grass wasn't that wet. I thought there would be little help for the spinners but once they started going.. LSG took on the bowlers and got a par total. It was a do or die situation for us, even after losing two wickets in the powerplay our mindset was to go for the chase and take it close as possible and put them under pressure. It was a volatile season for us, we started great but lost five games in a row and I personally feel we did a lot of chopping and changing, we had to do that because of the niggles and form, but we also got to know the players such as Rinku."

Match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) face the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the former had a playoffs spot up for grabs whereas Shreyas Iyer & Co.

Match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) face the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the former had a playoffs spot up for grabs whereas Shreyas Iyer & Co. had to win to remain alive in the top-four race. In a high-scoring affair, at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (May 18), LSG beat KKR by two runs to progress to the playoffs whereas last edition's runners-up now stand eliminated, joining Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Batting first, KL Rahul's 68 and Quinton de Kock's 140 not out went bonkers -- especially towards the end -- as LSG posted 210 for no loss in 20 overs. In reply, KKR were 9 for 2 but valuable knocks from Nitish Rana, Iyer, Rinku Singh, Sam Billings and Sunil Narine led to the franchise's top-class fight right till the end before they eventually fell short by two runs, managing 208 for 8. Here's the IPL 2022 updated points table after the LSG-KKR clash: LSG now take the second spot and have a strong chance to finish in the top-two. Their closest contender, who can finish at the second position, is currently third-ranked Rajasthan Royals (RR). The 2008 winners have one game left. ALSO READ | LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL At the post-match presentation, the now-eliminated KKR team's skipper Iyer told, "I am not feeling sad at all. That was one of the best games of cricket I have played. The way we should our character and attitude was simply outstanding. I love the way Rinku got us till the end but unfortunately couldn't time it when two balls were remaining, he was really sad. I was hoping he could finish the game for us and could have been the hero, but still played a fantastic knock and I am really happy for him. When we came in, I never thought it would play this way because it was dry and the grass wasn't that wet. I thought there would be little help for the spinners but once they started going.. LSG took on the bowlers and got a par total. It was a do or die situation for us, even after losing two wickets in the powerplay our mindset was to go for the chase and take it close as possible and put them under pressure. It was a volatile season for us, we started great but lost five games in a row and I personally feel we did a lot of chopping and changing, we had to do that because of the niggles and form, but we also got to know the players such as Rinku."

IPL 2022 updated points table: Lucknow Super Giants move to 2nd spot with win over Kolkata Knight Riders

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will be desperately looking to bounce back to winning ways when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Wednesday (May 18). LSG have lost their last two games in a row and are yet to confirm a spot in the playoffs despite having come close last week.

LSG were on the top of the points table last week with 16 points from 11 matches when they had the chance to become the first team to qualify for the playoffs against Gujarat Titans. However, a humiliating defeat at the hands of GT followed by a loss against Rajasthan Royals in their last game have pushed them to the 3rd spot.

A win against KKR on Wednesday will see LSG qualify for the playoffs and also keep them in contention to finish in the top two. However, a loss can put them in a tricky situation and certainly push them out of the top two. KL Rahul &amp; Co. will be looking to ensure they don't repeat their mistakes from their last outing against KKR on Tuesday.

While Lucknow's place in the top four is not in danger even if they lose against KKR, a defeat will end the Shreyas Iyer-led side's campaign in IPL 2022 on Wednesday. KKR have 12 points in 13 matches so far and have an outside chance of finishing in the top four if they can finish their campaign with 14 points.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kkr-vs-lsg-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-kolkata-knight-riders-vs-lucknow-super-giants-match-480116">KKR vs LSG, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match?</a>

KKR will be heading into the clash against LSG on a confident note having won their last two matches in a row. While their batters stepped up in their last game against SRH, Andre Russell and Tim Southee were brilliant with the ball as well to hand them a much-needed win.

Here is all you need to know about the LSG vs KKR clash in IPL 2022:

Head to head:

Lucknow Super Giants lead 1-0 in the head-to-head record against Kolkata Knight Riders. KL Rahul's men had defeated Shreyas Iyer &amp; Co. in the only meeting between the two teams earlier this season.

Stats:

Lucknow Super Giants have been heavily reliant on their top order so far this season. The top three of KL Rahul (469), Quinton de Kock (362) and Deepak Hooda (406) have scored as many as 61% of the total runs for the franchise this season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-still-wouldnt-have-qualified-for-ipl-2022-playoffs-had-ms-dhoni-remained-captain-harbhajan-singh-480074">CSK still wouldn't have qualified for IPL 2022 playoffs had Dhoni remained captain: Harbhajan Singh</a>

Trivia:

Both LSG skipper KL Rahul and KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer have struggled with the willow in the last few matches. While Rahul has managed only 101 runs in his last five innings for LSG, Iyer has scored only &nbsp;115 runs in his last six innings at an average of just 19.17 and a poor strike rate of 104.55.

Predicted playing XIs:

Lucknow Super Giants: Quinton de Kock(w), KL Rahul(c), Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Ayush Badoni/Manish Pandey, Marcus Stoinis/Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Dushmantha Chameera, Avesh Khan

KKR: Venkatesh Iyer, Baba Indrajith, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer(c), Sam Billings(w), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Varun Chakaravarthy

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will be desperately looking to bounce back to winning ways when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Wednesday (May 18).

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will be desperately looking to bounce back to winning ways when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Wednesday (May 18). LSG have lost their last two games in a row and are yet to confirm a spot in the playoffs despite having come close last week. LSG were on the top of the points table last week with 16 points from 11 matches when they had the chance to become the first team to qualify for the playoffs against Gujarat Titans. However, a humiliating defeat at the hands of GT followed by a loss against Rajasthan Royals in their last game have pushed them to the 3rd spot. A win against KKR on Wednesday will see LSG qualify for the playoffs and also keep them in contention to finish in the top two. However, a loss can put them in a tricky situation and certainly push them out of the top two. KL Rahul & Co. will be looking to ensure they don't repeat their mistakes from their last outing against KKR on Tuesday. While Lucknow's place in the top four is not in danger even if they lose against KKR, a defeat will end the Shreyas Iyer-led side's campaign in IPL 2022 on Wednesday. KKR have 12 points in 13 matches so far and have an outside chance of finishing in the top four if they can finish their campaign with 14 points. Also Read: KKR vs LSG, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match? KKR will be heading into the clash against LSG on a confident note having won their last two matches in a row. While their batters stepped up in their last game against SRH, Andre Russell and Tim Southee were brilliant with the ball as well to hand them a much-needed win. Here is all you need to know about the LSG vs KKR clash in IPL 2022: Head to head: Lucknow Super Giants lead 1-0 in the head-to-head record against Kolkata Knight Riders. KL Rahul's men had defeated Shreyas Iyer & Co. in the only meeting between the two teams earlier this season. Stats: Lucknow Super Giants have been heavily reliant on their top order so far this season. The top three of KL Rahul (469), Quinton de Kock (362) and Deepak Hooda (406) have scored as many as 61% of the total runs for the franchise this season. Also Read: CSK still wouldn't have qualified for IPL 2022 playoffs had Dhoni remained captain: Harbhajan Singh Trivia: Both LSG skipper KL Rahul and KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer have struggled with the willow in the last few matches. While Rahul has managed only 101 runs in his last five innings for LSG, Iyer has scored only 115 runs in his last six innings at an average of just 19.17 and a poor strike rate of 104.55. Predicted playing XIs: Lucknow Super Giants: Quinton de Kock(w), KL Rahul(c), Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Ayush Badoni/Manish Pandey, Marcus Stoinis/Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Dushmantha Chameera, Avesh Khan KKR: Venkatesh Iyer, Baba Indrajith, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer(c), Sam Billings(w), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Varun Chakaravarthy

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, IPL 2022: Head-to-head, stats, trivia and predicted playing XIs

The action will continue in IPL 2022 with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the&nbsp;Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (May 18). While the two-time winners are in a must-win situation, somehow still being alive in the playoffs race, Lucknow will want to end their league stage with a win and confirm their spot in the playoffs. Moreover, they will also be eager to win big to ensure a top-two finish.&nbsp;

Talking about the KKR camp, their campaign was all but over but have managed to breathe for some more time with back-to-back wins and will need to ensure a big victory over Lucknow, against whom they lost the earlier&nbsp;face-off by 75 runs, to make it tougher for Delhi Capitals (DC) and also the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). While one among DC or RCB&nbsp;look set to take the remaining fourth playoffs slot, Kolkata will hope for a top-class performance to close their league stage in style and hope for some poor fortunes for Delhi and Bengaluru.

On the other hand, KL Rahul &amp; Co. will be frustrated to not have confirmed a slot in the playoffs despite being the table-toppers a week back. They are still very much in the next round, however, two successive defeats have hurt them. Thus, they also need a good win to ensure Rajasthan Royals (RR), the other contender to end at the second spot, remains behind them.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-stirred-up-the-aussies-a-lot-shane-watson-lavishes-huge-praise-on-ex-india-pacer-480094">'He stirred up the Aussies a lot' - Shane Watson lavishes huge praise on ex-India pacer</a>

Match prediction for LSG vs KKR clash:&nbsp;With pitches tiring out, both captains will look to bat first. KKR have already won two in a row while defending totals, Lucknow are also been excellent in setting up totals and defending them (although, they are the third-worst chasing side this season). A 155-plus scoring affair on cards with LSG to eliminate KKR.

The action will continue in IPL 2022 with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (May 18).

The action will continue in IPL 2022 with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (May 18). While the two-time winners are in a must-win situation, somehow still being alive in the playoffs race, Lucknow will want to end their league stage with a win and confirm their spot in the playoffs. Moreover, they will also be eager to win big to ensure a top-two finish. Talking about the KKR camp, their campaign was all but over but have managed to breathe for some more time with back-to-back wins and will need to ensure a big victory over Lucknow, against whom they lost the earlier face-off by 75 runs, to make it tougher for Delhi Capitals (DC) and also the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). While one among DC or RCB look set to take the remaining fourth playoffs slot, Kolkata will hope for a top-class performance to close their league stage in style and hope for some poor fortunes for Delhi and Bengaluru. On the other hand, KL Rahul & Co. will be frustrated to not have confirmed a slot in the playoffs despite being the table-toppers a week back. They are still very much in the next round, however, two successive defeats have hurt them. Thus, they also need a good win to ensure Rajasthan Royals (RR), the other contender to end at the second spot, remains behind them. ALSO READ | 'He stirred up the Aussies a lot' - Shane Watson lavishes huge praise on ex-India pacer Match prediction for LSG vs KKR clash: With pitches tiring out, both captains will look to bat first. KKR have already won two in a row while defending totals, Lucknow are also been excellent in setting up totals and defending them (although, they are the third-worst chasing side this season). A 155-plus scoring affair on cards with LSG to eliminate KKR.

KKR vs LSG, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match?

The race for the playoffs is heating up in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as seven teams remain in the fray to clinch the remaining three spots in the top four. Gujarat Titans (GT) were the first and the only team so far to have qualified for the playoffs this season as they continue to enjoy a stellar season under captain Hardik Pandya.

Lucknow Super Giants had twin chances to become the second team to make it to the playoff this season but back-to-back losses for KL Rahul &amp; Co. in their last two games mean they are still stuck at the third spot on the points table with just one game in hand.

While Gujarat Titans have already qualified for the playoffs, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and LSG are all but certain to get through as they have 16 points each with one game to go and a healthy positive net run rate. With three spots done and dusted, there will be a battle between as many as five&nbsp;teams for the final fourth spot in the playoffs.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-would-icc-ban-him-otherwise-shoaib-akhtar-knew-he-was-chucking-says-virender-sehwag-479824">Why would ICC ban him otherwise? Shoaib Akhtar knew he was chucking, says Virender Sehwag</a>

Here is a look at what the five&nbsp;teams need to do to make it to the IPL 2022 playoffs:

Delhi Capitals:&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals are among the favourites to qualify for the playoffs as Rishabh Pant &amp; Co. have their fate in their own hands. With a net run rate of +0.255, DC have 14 points in 13 matches and a game in hand. If they manage to win their final game against Mumbai Indians, they are certain to qualify. Even a loss will keep them in contention with 14 points.

Royal Challengers Bangalore:&nbsp;

Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore once looked set to enter the playoffs comfortably as they were enjoying a tremendous run in the competition. However, their defeat against Punjab Kings in their last game have put them in a tricky situation. RCB will play their last game against Gujarat Titans and only a win can see them make it to the playoffs as they have a negative net run rate.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Shreyas Iyer &amp; Co. also have an outside chance of qualifying with 12 points from 13 matches so far. KKR will need a favour from other teams and a big win against Lucknow Super Giants in their final game to make it to top four. KKR have a very slim chance of finishing in the top four.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kashmir-premier-league-to-formally-invite-indian-star-virat-kohli-to-feature-in-2nd-edition-report-479784">Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report</a>

Punjab Kings:&nbsp;

Punjab Kings' chances are even slimmer as they have a negative net run rate of -0.043 despite having the same number of points as KKR - 12. Only a big win in their final game against Sunrisers Hyderabad and some other results going in their favour will ensure their progression in the playoffs.

Sunrisers Hyderabad:

Sunrisers Hyderabad too have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs with 10 points in 12 matches so far this season. They are in a must-win situation in their last two games and a loss against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday (May 17) will confirm their elimination from the tournament.

The race for the playoffs is heating up in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as seven teams remain in the fray to clinch the remaining three spots in the top four.

The race for the playoffs is heating up in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as seven teams remain in the fray to clinch the remaining three spots in the top four. Gujarat Titans (GT) were the first and the only team so far to have qualified for the playoffs this season as they continue to enjoy a stellar season under captain Hardik Pandya. Lucknow Super Giants had twin chances to become the second team to make it to the playoff this season but back-to-back losses for KL Rahul & Co. in their last two games mean they are still stuck at the third spot on the points table with just one game in hand. While Gujarat Titans have already qualified for the playoffs, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and LSG are all but certain to get through as they have 16 points each with one game to go and a healthy positive net run rate. With three spots done and dusted, there will be a battle between as many as five teams for the final fourth spot in the playoffs. Also Read: Why would ICC ban him otherwise? Shoaib Akhtar knew he was chucking, says Virender Sehwag Here is a look at what the five teams need to do to make it to the IPL 2022 playoffs: Delhi Capitals: Delhi Capitals are among the favourites to qualify for the playoffs as Rishabh Pant & Co. have their fate in their own hands. With a net run rate of +0.255, DC have 14 points in 13 matches and a game in hand. If they manage to win their final game against Mumbai Indians, they are certain to qualify. Even a loss will keep them in contention with 14 points. Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore once looked set to enter the playoffs comfortably as they were enjoying a tremendous run in the competition. However, their defeat against Punjab Kings in their last game have put them in a tricky situation. RCB will play their last game against Gujarat Titans and only a win can see them make it to the playoffs as they have a negative net run rate. Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer & Co. also have an outside chance of qualifying with 12 points from 13 matches so far. KKR will need a favour from other teams and a big win against Lucknow Super Giants in their final game to make it to top four. KKR have a very slim chance of finishing in the top four. Also Read: Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report Punjab Kings: Punjab Kings' chances are even slimmer as they have a negative net run rate of -0.043 despite having the same number of points as KKR - 12. Only a big win in their final game against Sunrisers Hyderabad and some other results going in their favour will ensure their progression in the playoffs. Sunrisers Hyderabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad too have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs with 10 points in 12 matches so far this season. They are in a must-win situation in their last two games and a loss against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday (May 17) will confirm their elimination from the tournament.

IPL 2022 playoffs scenario explained! What RCB, DC, KKR, SRH and PBKS need to finish in top four?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's recent revelations had sparked a massive debate on social media. In the post-match interview after KKR's win over Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this month, Iyer revealed that KKR's CEO Venky Mysore is also involved in team selection at the franchise.

His comments soon went viral as fans and experts slammed the KKR team management for not letting the captain and coaches take control of the cricketing matters in the team. Many also felt the CEO's involvement in selection has played a role in KKR's poor show so far this season.

KKR have not enjoyed the best of campaigns in IPL 2022 as they currently lie at the sixth spot on the points table with six wins and seven losses in the tournament so far. The two-time champions have just one game remaining this season and have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they manage to win it.

Reacting to Iyer's revelations about KKR CEO's involvement in team selection, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt slammed KKR head coach Brendon McCullum calling his style of cricket 'senseless'. He also asserted that McCullum should treat the skipper with respect and not like a 'peon' who is there to follow all his commands.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wish-we-had-one-more-day-andrew-symonds-sister-heartbroken-leaves-note-on-his-accident-site-479567">Wish we had one more day: Andrew Symonds' sister 'heartbroken', leaves note on his accident site</a>

"McCullum has some issues. He knows one way. He won't look at the pitch, the venue, what can we score, how much we need for a particular opposition. He just says play freely, score quickly. He starts senseless cricket in the garb of fearless cricket at times," Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"You need to give leverage to the team. When you make someone a captain, he is allowed to make mistakes. Captain is not your peon, who will follow all your commands," he added.

Butt recalled McCullum's stint with Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and revealed former New Zealand&nbsp;captain's tactics didn't work out for the franchise. Butt said McCullum insisted on playing attacking cricket irrespective of the team's situation which more often than not resulted in failure.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ms-dhonis-csk-achieves-new-low-after-gt-defeat-on-cusp-of-finishing-bottom-of-the-table-479537">MS Dhoni's CSK achieves new low after GT defeat, on cusp of finishing bottom of the table</a>

"We saw a lot of that in Lahore Qalandars. The meaning of McCullum's fearless cricket was to keep your brains aside and just keep on hitting without looking back. If you have lost 7 out of 10 wickets with 15 overs remaining, he still wanted the team to play that attacking way," Butt recalled.

"Lahore gave a lot of chances to him but his method didn't work out. That kind of tactic can work on good pitches but it's not a remedy for all conditions. As a coach, you must plan for all conditions," he added.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's recent revelations had sparked a massive debate on social media. In the post-match interview after KKR's win over Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this month, Iyer revealed that KKR's CEO Venky Mysore is also involved in team selection at the franchise.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's recent revelations had sparked a massive debate on social media. In the post-match interview after KKR's win over Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this month, Iyer revealed that KKR's CEO Venky Mysore is also involved in team selection at the franchise. His comments soon went viral as fans and experts slammed the KKR team management for not letting the captain and coaches take control of the cricketing matters in the team. Many also felt the CEO's involvement in selection has played a role in KKR's poor show so far this season. KKR have not enjoyed the best of campaigns in IPL 2022 as they currently lie at the sixth spot on the points table with six wins and seven losses in the tournament so far. The two-time champions have just one game remaining this season and have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they manage to win it. Reacting to Iyer's revelations about KKR CEO's involvement in team selection, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt slammed KKR head coach Brendon McCullum calling his style of cricket 'senseless'. He also asserted that McCullum should treat the skipper with respect and not like a 'peon' who is there to follow all his commands. Also Read: Wish we had one more day: Andrew Symonds' sister 'heartbroken', leaves note on his accident site "McCullum has some issues. He knows one way. He won't look at the pitch, the venue, what can we score, how much we need for a particular opposition. He just says play freely, score quickly. He starts senseless cricket in the garb of fearless cricket at times," Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel. "You need to give leverage to the team. When you make someone a captain, he is allowed to make mistakes. Captain is not your peon, who will follow all your commands," he added. Butt recalled McCullum's stint with Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and revealed former New Zealand captain's tactics didn't work out for the franchise. Butt said McCullum insisted on playing attacking cricket irrespective of the team's situation which more often than not resulted in failure. Also Read: MS Dhoni's CSK achieves new low after GT defeat, on cusp of finishing bottom of the table "We saw a lot of that in Lahore Qalandars. The meaning of McCullum's fearless cricket was to keep your brains aside and just keep on hitting without looking back. If you have lost 7 out of 10 wickets with 15 overs remaining, he still wanted the team to play that attacking way," Butt recalled. "Lahore gave a lot of chances to him but his method didn't work out. That kind of tactic can work on good pitches but it's not a remedy for all conditions. As a coach, you must plan for all conditions," he added.

'Captain is not your peon': Former Pakistan captain slams KKR head coach after Shreyas Iyer's revelations

Andre Russell's all-round brilliance theoretically kept Kolkata Knight Riders in contention for a play-off berth as they recorded a comprehensive 54- run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win IPL game on Saturday.

It was Russell's unbeaten 49 off 28 balls that took KKR to 177 for six in 20 overs after being down and out at 94 for 5.

In reply, SRH were never in the hunt as they huffed and puffed their way to 123 for 8 against a collective bowling effort from Shreyas Iyer's men with the flamboyant Jamaican finishing with best figures of 3 for 22.

Umesh Yadav (1/19 in 4 overs), Tim Southee (2/23 in 4 overs), Varun Chakravarthy (1/25 in 4 overs) and Sunil Narine (1/34 in 4 overs) -- all stuck to their respective game plans with near-perfect executions over after over.

KKR now have 12 points from 13 games with a net run-rate of +0.160 and moved to sixth place.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-was-a-bit-disappointed-csk-ceo-explains-reason-behind-ambati-rayudus-ipl-retirement-tweet-478957" hreflang="en">CSK CEO explains reason behind Ambati Rayudu's IPL retirement tweet</a>

With Rajasthan Royals (14 from 12) and RCB (14 from 13 games) having chance to move up, even a victory is unlikely to be enough for Shah Rukh Khan owned franchise which played its 13th 'first XI' combination in as many games.

For Sunrisers, 10 points from 12 games with a dismal NRR of -0.270 means that even two big wins and 14 points might not be enough after five straight defeats.

While he is a sentimental favourite among Indian cricket lovers, a lot of SRH's poor batting show could be attributed to skipper Kane Williamson's nightmarish season that has yielded only 208 runs in 12 games at an average of less than 19 and a strike-rate of 92.85.

Williamson (9 off 17 balls) has been SRH's weakest link this season and his failure at the top of the order has been one of the biggest reasons for their slump.

It was an ordeal for Williamson till Russell bowled one on the stumps to end his misery. Rahul Tripathi (9 off 1 balls) also looked scratchy even as Abhishek Sharma (43 off 28 balls) attacked Sunil Narine, hitting him for two sixes.

It was Tim Southee's brilliant reflex return catch that ended Tripathi's innings.

At the halfway stage, SRH weren't in a very comfortable position at 66 for two and even the statistic of teams chasing (highest successful chase of 170) at the Gahunje Stadium didn't paint an altogether rosy picture.

Once Abhishek was dismissed by Varun Chakaravarthy (1/25) and Narine took a fine return catch to dismiss SRH's big hope Nicholas Pooran (2), there wasn't much resistance from the rest of the batters.

Earlier, Umran Malik was back in his groove after a few forgettable outings as he ran through KKR's top-order but Russell along with Sam Billings (34 off 29 balls) added 63 runs for the sixth wicket to give the total a semblance of respectability after KKR were in trouble at 94 for 5.

KKR added 58 runs in the last five overs, mainly due to Russell as he hit three sixes off three full-tosses bowled by off-break bowler Washington Sundar (0/40 in 4 overs).

Malik (3/33 in 4 overs), who had gone for 120-odd runs in his last 10 overs (across 3 games) and that too wicketless, was back in his element as he bowled fast and straight to get rid of Nitish Rana (26 off 16 balls), Ajinkya Rahane (28 off 23 balls) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (15 off 9 balls) in his first two overs to peg back KKR.

He did get good support from T Natarajan (1/43), who nailed the block-hole deliveries with perfection, getting rid of Rinku Singh (5).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-updated-points-table-after-kolkata-knight-riders-beat-sunrisers-hyderabad-478988" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Updated points table after Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad</a>

Venkatesh Iyer's "second season blues" continued as he chopped one from Marco Jansen (1/30 in 4 overs) onto the stumps.

As far as Rahane is concerned, he has well past his IPL sell-by date and even three sixes couldn't hide the fact that he played a lot of dot balls and once he started cramping, it became even more difficult to rotate the strike.

Finally he was out when he slashed hard at a wide rising delivery and Shashank Singh at sweeper cover fence maintained perfect body balance in a side on position to latch on to the catch.

Russell and Billings then took the attack back to the opposition camp with some big blows after initial period of struggle.

While the Jamaican had three fours and four sixes to his name, Billings hit three fours and one maximum.

Andre Russell's all-round brilliance theoretically kept Kolkata Knight Riders in contention for a play-off berth as they recorded a comprehensive 54- run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win IPL game on Saturday.

Andre Russell's all-round brilliance theoretically kept Kolkata Knight Riders in contention for a play-off berth as they recorded a comprehensive 54- run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win IPL game on Saturday. It was Russell's unbeaten 49 off 28 balls that took KKR to 177 for six in 20 overs after being down and out at 94 for 5. In reply, SRH were never in the hunt as they huffed and puffed their way to 123 for 8 against a collective bowling effort from Shreyas Iyer's men with the flamboyant Jamaican finishing with best figures of 3 for 22. Umesh Yadav (1/19 in 4 overs), Tim Southee (2/23 in 4 overs), Varun Chakravarthy (1/25 in 4 overs) and Sunil Narine (1/34 in 4 overs) -- all stuck to their respective game plans with near-perfect executions over after over. KKR now have 12 points from 13 games with a net run-rate of +0.160 and moved to sixth place. Also read | CSK CEO explains reason behind Ambati Rayudu's IPL retirement tweet With Rajasthan Royals (14 from 12) and RCB (14 from 13 games) having chance to move up, even a victory is unlikely to be enough for Shah Rukh Khan owned franchise which played its 13th 'first XI' combination in as many games. For Sunrisers, 10 points from 12 games with a dismal NRR of -0.270 means that even two big wins and 14 points might not be enough after five straight defeats. While he is a sentimental favourite among Indian cricket lovers, a lot of SRH's poor batting show could be attributed to skipper Kane Williamson's nightmarish season that has yielded only 208 runs in 12 games at an average of less than 19 and a strike-rate of 92.85. Williamson (9 off 17 balls) has been SRH's weakest link this season and his failure at the top of the order has been one of the biggest reasons for their slump. It was an ordeal for Williamson till Russell bowled one on the stumps to end his misery. Rahul Tripathi (9 off 1 balls) also looked scratchy even as Abhishek Sharma (43 off 28 balls) attacked Sunil Narine, hitting him for two sixes. It was Tim Southee's brilliant reflex return catch that ended Tripathi's innings. At the halfway stage, SRH weren't in a very comfortable position at 66 for two and even the statistic of teams chasing (highest successful chase of 170) at the Gahunje Stadium didn't paint an altogether rosy picture. Once Abhishek was dismissed by Varun Chakaravarthy (1/25) and Narine took a fine return catch to dismiss SRH's big hope Nicholas Pooran (2), there wasn't much resistance from the rest of the batters. Earlier, Umran Malik was back in his groove after a few forgettable outings as he ran through KKR's top-order but Russell along with Sam Billings (34 off 29 balls) added 63 runs for the sixth wicket to give the total a semblance of respectability after KKR were in trouble at 94 for 5. KKR added 58 runs in the last five overs, mainly due to Russell as he hit three sixes off three full-tosses bowled by off-break bowler Washington Sundar (0/40 in 4 overs). Malik (3/33 in 4 overs), who had gone for 120-odd runs in his last 10 overs (across 3 games) and that too wicketless, was back in his element as he bowled fast and straight to get rid of Nitish Rana (26 off 16 balls), Ajinkya Rahane (28 off 23 balls) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (15 off 9 balls) in his first two overs to peg back KKR. He did get good support from T Natarajan (1/43), who nailed the block-hole deliveries with perfection, getting rid of Rinku Singh (5). Also read | IPL 2022: Updated points table after Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad Venkatesh Iyer's "second season blues" continued as he chopped one from Marco Jansen (1/30 in 4 overs) onto the stumps. As far as Rahane is concerned, he has well past his IPL sell-by date and even three sixes couldn't hide the fact that he played a lot of dot balls and once he started cramping, it became even more difficult to rotate the strike. Finally he was out when he slashed hard at a wide rising delivery and Shashank Singh at sweeper cover fence maintained perfect body balance in a side on position to latch on to the catch. Russell and Billings then took the attack back to the opposition camp with some big blows after initial period of struggle. While the Jamaican had three fours and four sixes to his name, Billings hit three fours and one maximum.

IPL 2022: Kolkata Knight Riders 'stay alive' on paper after 54-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Kolkata Knight Riders moved up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 points table with a comprehensive victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. Andre Russell produced a brilliant all-round show while Tim Southee took two wickets as KKR registered a 54-run victory. This victory also kept their playoff chance alive with 12 points from 13 encounters with a net run rate of 0.160.

However, this was somewhat the end of the playoff chances for Sunrisers Hyderabad as they have just 10 points from 12 matches with a NRR of -0.270. However, they can still make it to the Top 4 as they have played a game less than KKR and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-was-a-bit-disappointed-csk-ceo-explains-reason-behind-ambati-rayudus-ipl-retirement-tweet-478957" hreflang="en">CSK CEO explains reason behind Ambati Rayudu's IPL retirement tweet</a>

Andre Russell produced a brilliant all-round show with 49 runs and three wickets as KKR dominated the game completely. SRH were never in the match as they were defeat completely on Saturday.

<img alt="IPL points table" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="df40ebac-89b3-45b5-b882-e80e12f7218b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/cccc.jpg" />

At the top of the table, Gujarat Titans continue to dominate proceedings with 18 points while Lucknow Super Giants are second with 16 points from 12 encounters. Rajasthan Royals and RCB are third and fourth in the points table at the moment with 14 points each but RR have the better NRR.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-becomes-first-batsman-in-history-to-claim-massive-ipl-milestone-478908" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli becomes first batsman in history to claim massive IPL milestone</a>

Delhi Capitals are fifth with 12 points from 12 matches while in the seventh position, we have Punjab Kings with similar points but an inferior NRR than DC. In the final two places in the table, it is still Chennai Super Kings with 8 points from 12 matches and Mumbai Indians with 6 points.

Kolkata Knight Riders moved up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 points table with a comprehensive victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. Andre Russell produced a brilliant all-round show while Tim Southee took two wickets as KKR registered a 54-run victory.

Kolkata Knight Riders moved up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 points table with a comprehensive victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. Andre Russell produced a brilliant all-round show while Tim Southee took two wickets as KKR registered a 54-run victory. This victory also kept their playoff chance alive with 12 points from 13 encounters with a net run rate of 0.160. However, this was somewhat the end of the playoff chances for Sunrisers Hyderabad as they have just 10 points from 12 matches with a NRR of -0.270. However, they can still make it to the Top 4 as they have played a game less than KKR and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Also read | CSK CEO explains reason behind Ambati Rayudu's IPL retirement tweet Andre Russell produced a brilliant all-round show with 49 runs and three wickets as KKR dominated the game completely. SRH were never in the match as they were defeat completely on Saturday. At the top of the table, Gujarat Titans continue to dominate proceedings with 18 points while Lucknow Super Giants are second with 16 points from 12 encounters. Rajasthan Royals and RCB are third and fourth in the points table at the moment with 14 points each but RR have the better NRR. Also read | Virat Kohli becomes first batsman in history to claim massive IPL milestone Delhi Capitals are fifth with 12 points from 12 matches while in the seventh position, we have Punjab Kings with similar points but an inferior NRR than DC. In the final two places in the table, it is still Chennai Super Kings with 8 points from 12 matches and Mumbai Indians with 6 points.

IPL 2022: Updated points table after Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday (May 14) to keep their playoffs hopes alive. KKR rode on Andre Russell's all-round heroics to post a fighting total of 177 runs on the board before restricting SRH on a paltry 123 runs to bag a crucial win.

Following his side's victory, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer issued a clarification regarding his statement on the franchise's CEO being involved in team selection. After KKR's win over Mumbai Indians earlier this week, Iyer had revealed KKR CEO Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection.

Iyer's comments soon became one of the major talking points among cricket fans on social media as the KKR management was slammed by many for not letting the captain and coaching staff be in control of cricketing matters. However, Iyer issued a clarification on Saturday and said the KKR CEO was there to console players.

"When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer said clarifying his earlier statement on Mysore.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kolkata-knight-riders-stay-alive-on-paper-after-54-run-win-against-sunrisers-hyderabad-478990">Kolkata Knight Riders 'stay alive' on paper after 54-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad</a>

Following Iyer's revelation about the CEO being involved in team selection, several former cricketers had also criticised the team management. Former India cricketer Madan Lal had said it's the job of the captain and the coaches to decide the team, not the CEO.&nbsp;

"If that’s true, then what are the coaches and support staff doing? It is the job of coaches and captains to decide on the team, not the CEO. That’s the reason why the team is performing so badly on the field. Something is fundamentally wrong within the team," Madan Lal had said reacting to Iyer's statement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/started-to-drink-heavily-when-andrew-symonds-opened-up-on-his-downhill-slide-after-monkeygate-scandal-479034">'Started to drink heavily': When Symonds opened up on his 'downhill slide' after Monkeygate scandal</a>

KKR moved to the fifth spot on the points table with the win against SRH as they now have 12 points from 13 matches so far this season. KKR have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they can win their final league game which will take them to 14 points from as many matches.

KKR will play their last game against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday (May 18) and will be hoping to continue their winning run.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday (May 14) to keep their playoffs hopes alive. KKR rode on Andre Russell's all-round heroics to post a fighting total of 177 runs on the board before restricting SRH on a paltry 123 runs to bag a crucial win.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday (May 14) to keep their playoffs hopes alive. KKR rode on Andre Russell's all-round heroics to post a fighting total of 177 runs on the board before restricting SRH on a paltry 123 runs to bag a crucial win. Following his side's victory, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer issued a clarification regarding his statement on the franchise's CEO being involved in team selection. After KKR's win over Mumbai Indians earlier this week, Iyer had revealed KKR CEO Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection. Iyer's comments soon became one of the major talking points among cricket fans on social media as the KKR management was slammed by many for not letting the captain and coaching staff be in control of cricketing matters. However, Iyer issued a clarification on Saturday and said the KKR CEO was there to console players. "When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer said clarifying his earlier statement on Mysore. Also Read: Kolkata Knight Riders 'stay alive' on paper after 54-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad Following Iyer's revelation about the CEO being involved in team selection, several former cricketers had also criticised the team management. Former India cricketer Madan Lal had said it's the job of the captain and the coaches to decide the team, not the CEO. "If that’s true, then what are the coaches and support staff doing? It is the job of coaches and captains to decide on the team, not the CEO. That’s the reason why the team is performing so badly on the field. Something is fundamentally wrong within the team," Madan Lal had said reacting to Iyer's statement. Also Read: 'Started to drink heavily': When Symonds opened up on his 'downhill slide' after Monkeygate scandal KKR moved to the fifth spot on the points table with the win against SRH as they now have 12 points from 13 matches so far this season. KKR have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they can win their final league game which will take them to 14 points from as many matches. KKR will play their last game against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday (May 18) and will be hoping to continue their winning run.

Shreyas Iyer issues clarification on 'CEO is involved in team selection' statement after KKR thrash SRH

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar picked Shreyas Iyer as the ‘premier player’ for Kolkata Knight Riders and said that he can play freely right now with Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh getting runs in the last few matches. Iyer has scored 336 runs in 12 appearances for the KKR and although KKR are seventh in the IPL points table, Iyer’s captaincy has received a lot of praise.

"Shreyas Iyer is a premier player for KKR, he's been a premier player for whichever franchise he's played for. It's good to see that Shreyas doesn't have to share all the burden in the batting department. The recent exploits of Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh will give him the confidence to bat freely and play those big shots early in the innings", Gavaskar said on Star Sports Cricket Live.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-becomes-first-batsman-in-history-to-claim-massive-ipl-milestone-478908" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli becomes first batsman in history to claim massive IPL milestone</a>

Gavaskar’s fellow expert – Mohammed Kaif – also praised Shreyas Iyer for his performances in the tournament this year and said that he is the right person to take KKR in the right direction.

"Shreyas Iyer is a class batsman. He loves to play under pressure and knows how to score runs consistently. He likes playing long and impactful innings. He is a brilliant captain and can put KKR in the right direction with his batting," said the former Indian cricket team player.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ambati-rayudu-not-retiring-from-ipl-says-csk-ceo-after-star-batter-deletes-retirement-tweet-478850" hreflang="en">Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after he deletes retirement tweet</a>

"Shreyas has one weakness though. He doesn't play leg spinners well and tends to get deceived by the turn and flight from the leggies. It is surprising to see an Indian batter struggle consistently against leg-spin. He's been dismissed by leg-spinners quite a few times in this season too," he added.

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar picked Shreyas Iyer as the ‘premier player’ for Kolkata Knight Riders and said that he can play freely right now with Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh getting runs in the last few matches.

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar picked Shreyas Iyer as the ‘premier player’ for Kolkata Knight Riders and said that he can play freely right now with Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh getting runs in the last few matches. Iyer has scored 336 runs in 12 appearances for the KKR and although KKR are seventh in the IPL points table, Iyer’s captaincy has received a lot of praise. "Shreyas Iyer is a premier player for KKR, he's been a premier player for whichever franchise he's played for. It's good to see that Shreyas doesn't have to share all the burden in the batting department. The recent exploits of Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh will give him the confidence to bat freely and play those big shots early in the innings", Gavaskar said on Star Sports Cricket Live. Also read | Virat Kohli becomes first batsman in history to claim massive IPL milestone Gavaskar’s fellow expert – Mohammed Kaif – also praised Shreyas Iyer for his performances in the tournament this year and said that he is the right person to take KKR in the right direction. "Shreyas Iyer is a class batsman. He loves to play under pressure and knows how to score runs consistently. He likes playing long and impactful innings. He is a brilliant captain and can put KKR in the right direction with his batting," said the former Indian cricket team player. Also read | Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after he deletes retirement tweet "Shreyas has one weakness though. He doesn't play leg spinners well and tends to get deceived by the turn and flight from the leggies. It is surprising to see an Indian batter struggle consistently against leg-spin. He's been dismissed by leg-spinners quite a few times in this season too," he added.

Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammed Kaif pick 'premier player' for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2022

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