In an unfortunate incident, an Indian Premier League (IPL) fan&nbsp;died after being beaten for celebrating the wicket of Mumbai Indians batter Rohit Sharma. The incident happened in Kolhapur district of Indian state of Maharashtra during MI's match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 27. Mumbai had lost the match by 31 runs after failing to chase a record total of 277.

Rohit, who was replaced as MI skipper by Hardik Pandya ahead of the ongoing season, scored 26 off 12 balls during the chase before getting out in the fifth over. The deceased, Bandopant Tibile (63), reported to have celebrated the wicket after which he was attacked by his friend Balawant Jhanjge (50) and his nephew Sagar Jhanjge. Fans have been divided ever since Pandya's appointment as franchise skipper.

Also Watch:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-watch-csk-batter-ms-dhonis-power-hitting-in-death-overs-against-dc-thrills-crowd-706463">&nbsp;CSK batter MS Dhoni's power hitting in death overs against DC thrills crowd</a>

The incident happened in Kolhapur's Karveer tehsil where the victim and the accused were watching the match at a common friend's house in Hanmantwadi village. Tibile was admitted to the hospital after being beaten by a wooden block and succumbed to his injuries on Saturday (Mar 30).

Police, who had arrested the accused on charge&nbsp;of attempt to murder, have now booked both for murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).&nbsp;

As for the match, SRH took MI bowlers to cleaners as Hyderabad posted IPL's highest total of 277/8. MI although posted 246/5 in 20 overs they ended up losing the game. Skipper Pandya's innings of 24 off 20 balls faced a lot of heat due to slow strike rate in a high-octane chase.

While rest of the MI batters did get starts in the match against SRH, batting still remains&nbsp;a concern for MI. They'll hope to turn it around at their home ground in Wankhede - a batting paradise - when they face Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 1.

In an unfortunate incident, an Indian Premier League (IPL) fan died after being beaten for celebrating the wicket of Mumbai Indians batter Rohit Sharma. The incident happened in Kolhapur district of Indian state of Maharashtra during MI's match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 27.

In an unfortunate incident, an Indian Premier League (IPL) fan died after being beaten for celebrating the wicket of Mumbai Indians batter Rohit Sharma. The incident happened in Kolhapur district of Indian state of Maharashtra during MI's match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 27. Mumbai had lost the match by 31 runs after failing to chase a record total of 277. Rohit, who was replaced as MI skipper by Hardik Pandya ahead of the ongoing season, scored 26 off 12 balls during the chase before getting out in the fifth over. The deceased, Bandopant Tibile (63), reported to have celebrated the wicket after which he was attacked by his friend Balawant Jhanjge (50) and his nephew Sagar Jhanjge. Fans have been divided ever since Pandya's appointment as franchise skipper. Also Watch: CSK batter MS Dhoni's power hitting in death overs against DC thrills crowd The incident happened in Kolhapur's Karveer tehsil where the victim and the accused were watching the match at a common friend's house in Hanmantwadi village. Tibile was admitted to the hospital after being beaten by a wooden block and succumbed to his injuries on Saturday (Mar 30). Police, who had arrested the accused on charge of attempt to murder, have now booked both for murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). As for the match, SRH took MI bowlers to cleaners as Hyderabad posted IPL's highest total of 277/8. MI although posted 246/5 in 20 overs they ended up losing the game. Skipper Pandya's innings of 24 off 20 balls faced a lot of heat due to slow strike rate in a high-octane chase. While rest of the MI batters did get starts in the match against SRH, batting still remains a concern for MI. They'll hope to turn it around at their home ground in Wankhede - a batting paradise - when they face Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 1.

IPL 2024: Fan dies after being beaten for celebrating Rohit Sharma's wicket during MI vs SRH game

It was a monumental evening for Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma on Wednesday (Mar 27) as he became the first player from the franchise to appear in 200 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. To mark the special occasion, Rohit was presented with a special kit numbered ‘200’ by legendary batter and former Mumbai Indians’ captain Sachin Tendulkar at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The appearance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) also saw him become just the third player after Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to record the feat for a single franchise.

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Moment hai bhai, moment hai 📸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiMeriJaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRHvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRHvMI</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fo5CE4PN0g">pic.twitter.com/Fo5CE4PN0g</a>
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<h2>Sachin Tendulkar presents Rohit with special kit</h2>

Before the start of the contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium between Mumbai and Sunrisers Hyderabad, MI mentor Tendulkar felicitated Rohit in front of the entire stadium and presented him with the kit. Captain Hardik Pandya, coach Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga were also seen greeting Rohit on the occasion. The stadium also has a special place in Rohit’s heart, having played for Deccan Chargers at the same venue.

Most Appearances for MI in IPL

Rohit Sharma – 200 matches

Kieron Pollard - 189 matches

Harbhajan Singh - 136 matches

Lasith Malinga - 122 matches

Jasprit Bumrah - 121 matches

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-he-told-me-one-day-csk-star-sameer-rizvi-reveals-advice-from-former-captain-after-gt-clash-704778">IPL 2024: 'He told me one day...': CSK star Sameer Rizvi reveals advice he got from former captain</a>

Under his captaincy Mumbai won the IPL title in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the finest in the game. During his 199 matches for MI in IPL, Rohit has scored 5084 runs at a strike rate of 129.86 while he averages 29.39. He has scored a century and 34 fifties in 195 innings for MI, with the best score of 109*.

The contest in Hyderabad will be crucial for Rohit and MI as they look to avoid the disappointment of back-to-back defeats in the IPL. They were beaten by Gujarat Titans in a narrow contest on Sunday in their season opener with Hardik Pandya taking charge of the side for the first time since taking over the captaincy of the Mumbai side.

<h2>Mumbai Indians’ Playing XI</h2>

Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Gerald Coetzee, Shams Mulani, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Kwena Maphaka

It was a monumental evening for Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma on Wednesday (Mar 27) as he became the first player from the franchise to appear in 200 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.

It was a monumental evening for Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma on Wednesday (Mar 27) as he became the first player from the franchise to appear in 200 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. To mark the special occasion, Rohit was presented with a special kit numbered ‘200’ by legendary batter and former Mumbai Indians’ captain Sachin Tendulkar at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The appearance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) also saw him become just the third player after Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to record the feat for a single franchise. Moment hai bhai, moment hai 📸#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #SRHvMI pic.twitter.com/Fo5CE4PN0g — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 27, 2024 × Sachin Tendulkar presents Rohit with special kit Before the start of the contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium between Mumbai and Sunrisers Hyderabad, MI mentor Tendulkar felicitated Rohit in front of the entire stadium and presented him with the kit. Captain Hardik Pandya, coach Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga were also seen greeting Rohit on the occasion. The stadium also has a special place in Rohit’s heart, having played for Deccan Chargers at the same venue. Most Appearances for MI in IPL Rohit Sharma – 200 matches Kieron Pollard - 189 matches Harbhajan Singh - 136 matches Lasith Malinga - 122 matches Jasprit Bumrah - 121 matches ALSO READ | IPL 2024: 'He told me one day...': CSK star Sameer Rizvi reveals advice he got from former captain Under his captaincy Mumbai won the IPL title in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the finest in the game. During his 199 matches for MI in IPL, Rohit has scored 5084 runs at a strike rate of 129.86 while he averages 29.39. He has scored a century and 34 fifties in 195 innings for MI, with the best score of 109*. The contest in Hyderabad will be crucial for Rohit and MI as they look to avoid the disappointment of back-to-back defeats in the IPL. They were beaten by Gujarat Titans in a narrow contest on Sunday in their season opener with Hardik Pandya taking charge of the side for the first time since taking over the captaincy of the Mumbai side. Mumbai Indians’ Playing XI Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Gerald Coetzee, Shams Mulani, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Kwena Maphaka

IPL 2024: Sachin Tendulkar presents Rohit with special kit for record appearance in Mumbai Indians' colours

Rohit Sharma is set for a special outing on Wednesday (Mar 27) for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he faces Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rohit, who is the joint-most successful captain in the history of the IPL is set to make his 200th appearance for the Mumbai Indians, becoming only the third player after Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to achieve the feat for one franchise. The match will also be at a special place for Rohit, having won the title with now-defunct Deccan Charges at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

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Let's get that 𝐖 👊💙 
 
Tap ⏬ to know more and gear up for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRHvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRHvMI</a> 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiMeriJaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://t.co/iYegnZvV5c">https://t.co/iYegnZvV5c</a>
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<h2>Rohit Sharma&nbsp;to play 200th IPL match for MI</h2>

Having been picked by Mumbai Indians in 2011 from the auctions, Rohit has been one of the most successful players in the history of the franchise. He first played for Mumbai in the IPL 2011 when they took on Delhi Daredevils in their season opener. Since then Rohit has not looked back and went on to win the IPL title on five occasions.

He led MI to their maiden title in 2013 when he was handed the captaincy at the midway point of the season from Ricky Ponting. He also added two Champions League titles to his name taking his overall trophy cabinet to eight titles in franchise cricket.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-he-told-me-one-day-csk-star-sameer-rizvi-reveals-advice-from-former-captain-after-gt-clash-704778">IPL 2024: 'He told me one day...': CSK star Sameer Rizvi reveals advice he got from former captain</a>

Under his captaincy Mumbai won the IPL title in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the finest in the game. During his 199 matches for MI in IPL, Rohit has scored 5084 runs at a strike rate of 129.86 while he averages 29.39. He has scored a century and 34 fifties in 195 innings for MI, with the best score of 109*.

<h3>Most Appearances for MI in IPL</h3>

Rohit Sharma - 199 matches

Kieron Pollard - 189 matches

Harbhajan Singh - 136 matches

Lasith Malinga - 122 matches

Jasprit Bumrah - 121 matches

The contest in Hyderabad will be crucial for Rohit and MI as they look to avoid the disappointment of back-to-back defeats in the IPL. They were beaten by Gujarat Titans in a narrow contest on Sunday in their season opener with Hardik Pandya taking charge of the side for the first time since taking over the captaincy of the Mumbai side.

Rohit Sharma is set for a special outing on Wednesday (Mar 27) for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he faces Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rohit, who is the joint-most successful captain in the history of the IPL is set to make his 200th appearance for the Mumbai Indians, becoming only the third player after Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to achieve the feat for one franchise.

Rohit Sharma is set for a special outing on Wednesday (Mar 27) for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he faces Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rohit, who is the joint-most successful captain in the history of the IPL is set to make his 200th appearance for the Mumbai Indians, becoming only the third player after Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to achieve the feat for one franchise. The match will also be at a special place for Rohit, having won the title with now-defunct Deccan Charges at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Let's get that 𝐖 👊💙 Tap ⏬ to know more and gear up for #SRHvMI 😎#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians https://t.co/iYegnZvV5c — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 27, 2024 × Rohit Sharma to play 200th IPL match for MI Having been picked by Mumbai Indians in 2011 from the auctions, Rohit has been one of the most successful players in the history of the franchise. He first played for Mumbai in the IPL 2011 when they took on Delhi Daredevils in their season opener. Since then Rohit has not looked back and went on to win the IPL title on five occasions. He led MI to their maiden title in 2013 when he was handed the captaincy at the midway point of the season from Ricky Ponting. He also added two Champions League titles to his name taking his overall trophy cabinet to eight titles in franchise cricket. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: 'He told me one day...': CSK star Sameer Rizvi reveals advice he got from former captain Under his captaincy Mumbai won the IPL title in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the finest in the game. During his 199 matches for MI in IPL, Rohit has scored 5084 runs at a strike rate of 129.86 while he averages 29.39. He has scored a century and 34 fifties in 195 innings for MI, with the best score of 109*. Most Appearances for MI in IPL Rohit Sharma - 199 matches Kieron Pollard - 189 matches Harbhajan Singh - 136 matches Lasith Malinga - 122 matches Jasprit Bumrah - 121 matches The contest in Hyderabad will be crucial for Rohit and MI as they look to avoid the disappointment of back-to-back defeats in the IPL. They were beaten by Gujarat Titans in a narrow contest on Sunday in their season opener with Hardik Pandya taking charge of the side for the first time since taking over the captaincy of the Mumbai side.

Rohit Sharma set to play 200th IPL match for Mumbai Indians, to become third player to achieve rare feat

An all-round team show from Gujarat Titans helped the home side upset Hardik Pandya’s homecoming as they beat travelling Mumbai Indians by six runs on Sunday (March 24) in Ahmedabad. While bowlers pulled the game to their side in the final five overs, courtesy of a brilliant penultimate and last over by Spencer Johnson and Umesh Yadav, respectively, Sai Sudharsan starred for GT in the first innings, hitting a gritty 45.

Mumbai won the toss, and Hardik elected to bowl first in the side’s tournament opener this season. Wriddhiman Saha and Captain Shubman Gill started brilliantly, scoring fours at will inside the first three overs. Following Saha’s dismissal, Sai and Shubman kept the scoring rate going, adding 33 for the next wicket.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-lsgs-kl-rahul-vows-not-to-read-much-into-20-run-beat-against-rr-but-admits-to-improve-703873">IPL 2024: LSG’s KL Rahul vows not to read much into 20-run defeat against RR but aims to improve</a>

Azmatullah Omarzai, playing ahead of Kane Williamson, scored 17, while David Miller hit 12. However, Rahul Tewatia’s 22 off 15 balls in the end helped Gujarat post a fighting total of 168 for six in 20 overs. For Mumbai, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah was their star bowler, picking three wickets for 14 runs in four overs.

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1️⃣ brings 2️⃣ 
 
Three wickets in the match for <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jaspritbumrah93</a> 👏 
 
Watch the match LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JioCinema</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StarSportsIndia</a> 💻📱 
 
Match Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/oPSjdbb1YT">https://t.co/oPSjdbb1YT</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GTvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GTvMI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> <a href="https://t.co/XXH33C7Yq6">pic.twitter.com/XXH33C7Yq6</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1771923995723497505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Bowlers keep GT afloat against MI</h2>

Ishan Kishan fell early on zero, but former skipper Rohit Sharma and newcomer Naman Dhir piled up runs to bail their side from trouble.

Azmatullah picked his second wicket in Dhir on 20. Impact Player Dewald Brevis and Rohit scored 46 and 43, respectively, putting MI in a strong position.&nbsp;

Tilak Varma and Tim David smashed a few shots to keep the fans entertained, but Gujarat bowlers seemed to have the last laugh.&nbsp;

Be it Mohit Sharma, Spencer Johnson and Umesh Yadav, every one delivered when it mattered.&nbsp;

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Now that's a 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 😍 
 
Umesh Yadav with the all important wicket of Hardik Pandya when it mattered the most 👏 
 
Watch the match LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JioCinema</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StarSportsIndia</a> 💻📱 
 
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— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1771958374487245192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The penultimate and the last over is where the game changed for GT as they clinched the close win over their rivals by six runs.

In the clash of two sides with the new captains at the helm, Shubman Gill came on the top in the first leg.&nbsp;

An all-round team show from Gujarat Titans helped the home side upset Hardik Pandya’s homecoming as they beat travelling Mumbai Indians by six runs on Sunday (March 24) in Ahmedabad.

An all-round team show from Gujarat Titans helped the home side upset Hardik Pandya’s homecoming as they beat travelling Mumbai Indians by six runs on Sunday (March 24) in Ahmedabad. While bowlers pulled the game to their side in the final five overs, courtesy of a brilliant penultimate and last over by Spencer Johnson and Umesh Yadav, respectively, Sai Sudharsan starred for GT in the first innings, hitting a gritty 45. Mumbai won the toss, and Hardik elected to bowl first in the side’s tournament opener this season. Wriddhiman Saha and Captain Shubman Gill started brilliantly, scoring fours at will inside the first three overs. Following Saha’s dismissal, Sai and Shubman kept the scoring rate going, adding 33 for the next wicket. ALSO READ: IPL 2024: LSG’s KL Rahul vows not to read much into 20-run defeat against RR but aims to improve Azmatullah Omarzai, playing ahead of Kane Williamson, scored 17, while David Miller hit 12. However, Rahul Tewatia’s 22 off 15 balls in the end helped Gujarat post a fighting total of 168 for six in 20 overs. For Mumbai, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah was their star bowler, picking three wickets for 14 runs in four overs. 1️⃣ brings 2️⃣ Three wickets in the match for @Jaspritbumrah93 👏 Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia 💻📱 Match Updates ▶️ https://t.co/oPSjdbb1YT#TATIPL | #GTvMI | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/XXH33C7Yq6 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 24, 2024 × Bowlers keep GT afloat against MI Ishan Kishan fell early on zero, but former skipper Rohit Sharma and newcomer Naman Dhir piled up runs to bail their side from trouble. Azmatullah picked his second wicket in Dhir on 20. Impact Player Dewald Brevis and Rohit scored 46 and 43, respectively, putting MI in a strong position. Tilak Varma and Tim David smashed a few shots to keep the fans entertained, but Gujarat bowlers seemed to have the last laugh. Be it Mohit Sharma, Spencer Johnson and Umesh Yadav, every one delivered when it mattered. Now that's a 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 😍 Umesh Yadav with the all important wicket of Hardik Pandya when it mattered the most 👏 Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia 💻📱 Match Updates ▶️ https://t.co/oPSjdbb1YT #TATAIPL | #GTvMI | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/1ijg3ISCCt — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 24, 2024 × The penultimate and the last over is where the game changed for GT as they clinched the close win over their rivals by six runs. In the clash of two sides with the new captains at the helm, Shubman Gill came on the top in the first leg.

IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans upset Hardik Pandya’s homecoming as Mumbai Indians lose in Ahmedabad

Game number five&nbsp;of IPL 2024 is between two giants of the league – one is a five-time winner, while the other raised the bar by winning the title in its first season. The mighty Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians on Super Sunday (March 24) at 7:30 PM IST. Here is the match preview and result prediction of GT vs MI.

<h2>Match Preview –</h2>

All eyes will be on Mumbai Indians' new captain, Hardik Pandya, who switched bases from GT in a trade ahead of this season. Returning to his former home ground, Pandya will hold the key for the touring side in this top-of-the-line clash.&nbsp;

In the absence of a few marquee players like Suryakumar Yadav and an overseas trio of Gerald Coetzee, Jason Behrendorff and Dilshan Madushanka, all away with injuries, Mumbai will field a new-look bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah. Piyush Chawla might play ahead of Shreyas Gopal, while Kwena Mphaka or Luke Wood could make their IPL debut.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-kkrs-harshit-rana-heavily-fined-by-bcci-for-on-field-antics-703713">IPL 2024: KKR's Harshit Rana heavily fined by BCCI for on-field antics</a>

Shubman Gill will walk out as the new captain for the hosts Gujarat Titans while their core remains the same. The return of Kane Williamson and the addition of Shahrukh Khan to the playing XI will boost the side’s confidence heading into their season opener.

While David Miller, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia and Sai Sudharsan will start in the XI, Spencer Johnson might make his IPL debut against Mumbai. Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma will make up for the MI seam attack.&nbsp;

<h3>Pitch Condition and Weather Condition</h3>

The weather in Ahmedabad is expected to be hot in the evening, with the temperature searing around 38 degrees. Under the lights, the pitch will assist bounce and carry, making it an even contest between bat and ball.

<h4>Result Prediction –</h4>

Both teams are without their star players in Shami (GT) and SKY (MI), but the home side will walk in with an advantage over Mumbai, given the balance in their playing XI.

Here are the predicted playing XIs of both teams –

GT - Shubman Gill (Captain), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), B Sai Sudharsan, Kane Williamson, David Miller, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Umesh Yadav, Spencer Johnson and Mohit Sharma

Impact Player - R Sai Kishore

MI - Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Luke Wood and Akash Madhwal

Impact Player - Dewald Brevis

Game number five of IPL 2024 is between two giants of the league – one is a five-time winner, while the other raised the bar by winning the title in its first season.

Game number five of IPL 2024 is between two giants of the league – one is a five-time winner, while the other raised the bar by winning the title in its first season. The mighty Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians on Super Sunday (March 24) at 7:30 PM IST. Here is the match preview and result prediction of GT vs MI. Match Preview – All eyes will be on Mumbai Indians' new captain, Hardik Pandya, who switched bases from GT in a trade ahead of this season. Returning to his former home ground, Pandya will hold the key for the touring side in this top-of-the-line clash. In the absence of a few marquee players like Suryakumar Yadav and an overseas trio of Gerald Coetzee, Jason Behrendorff and Dilshan Madushanka, all away with injuries, Mumbai will field a new-look bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah. Piyush Chawla might play ahead of Shreyas Gopal, while Kwena Mphaka or Luke Wood could make their IPL debut. ALSO READ: IPL 2024: KKR's Harshit Rana heavily fined by BCCI for on-field antics Shubman Gill will walk out as the new captain for the hosts Gujarat Titans while their core remains the same. The return of Kane Williamson and the addition of Shahrukh Khan to the playing XI will boost the side’s confidence heading into their season opener. While David Miller, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia and Sai Sudharsan will start in the XI, Spencer Johnson might make his IPL debut against Mumbai. Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma will make up for the MI seam attack. Pitch Condition and Weather Condition The weather in Ahmedabad is expected to be hot in the evening, with the temperature searing around 38 degrees. Under the lights, the pitch will assist bounce and carry, making it an even contest between bat and ball. Result Prediction – Both teams are without their star players in Shami (GT) and SKY (MI), but the home side will walk in with an advantage over Mumbai, given the balance in their playing XI. Here are the predicted playing XIs of both teams – GT - Shubman Gill (Captain), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), B Sai Sudharsan, Kane Williamson, David Miller, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Umesh Yadav, Spencer Johnson and Mohit Sharma Impact Player - R Sai Kishore MI - Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Luke Wood and Akash Madhwal Impact Player - Dewald Brevis

IPL 2024, Match 5, Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians – Match preview and result prediction

India played a riveting five-match Test series versus Ben Stokes-led England, at home, ahead of the upcoming IPL 2024 edition. While Rohit Sharma-led India were without many key players, such as Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, etc., they rode on youngsters' excellent run to win the series 4-1 despite conceding a 1-0 lead. Ahead of the IPL, Indian captain Rohit Sharma recalled the five Tests and lauded vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah for his overall show, especially hailing his Visakhapatnam Test spell.&nbsp;

In the second Test, held in Vizag, Bumrah's match figures of 9 for 91 ensured India levelled the series. After Yashasvi Jasiwal's 209 took India to 396, when they opted to bat first, the Indian pacer dismissed England for 253 after they were well-placed at 132 for 2 at one stage. He&nbsp;returned with 6 for 45, producing a brilliant display of reverse swing. The 30-year-old's delivery to dismiss Ollie Pope, and even Stokes, were hailed by many. In the final innings, when England were chasing 399, Bumrah once again stood tall with three key scalps to take India past the finish line. He also won the Player-of-the-Match award.&nbsp;

<h2>'On a flat pitch and 35-36 degrees...'</h2>

On Bumrah's spell, Rohit said in an interview with team45ro, "That Bumrah spell at Vizag was unreal. On a flat pitch and 35-36 degrees, it is nearly impossible for a fast bowler to bowl that spell. And then comes Bumrah, who gets the ball to reverse both sides and brings the team into the game. I have never seen any fast bowler in India bowled the way he has bowled and got us those wickets."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-former-csk-star-picks-rohit-sharma-over-ms-dhoni-in-leadership-role-says-he-doesnt-make-blunder-702258">IPL 2024: Former CSK star picks Rohit Sharma over MS Dhoni in leadership role, says ‘he doesn’t make blunder’</a>

Hitman even praised Jaiswal for his double ton setting a good platform for India. He added, "(Yashasvi) Jaiswal’s innings (209) covered half the percentage of the team’s score, while the next best was 30-40. For us to come back into the Test series and perhaps win the next three matches on the trot, someone had to put their hand up to bail the team out in the second match. And for the same, there was Bumrah and Jaiswal."

Shubman Gill's 104 was also crucial for India in setting a target of over 350 in Vizag, which brought them back in the series. Eventually, India went onto win 4-1 with brilliant display from the younger lot -- such as Dhruv Jurel 90 and 39* in Ranchi Test, Sarfaraz Khan ending with three fifties, Devdutt Padikkal (who scored a fine 65 in his first-ever innings), Akash Deep (accounting for 3 scalps on debut), whereas Jaiswal ended with 712 runs in the series. Gill also stood tall in the absence of senior batters and amassed 452 runs.

Rohit and&nbsp;Bumrah will now return to action in IPL 2024, starting on March 22 in Chennai. The duo are part of the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lineup, who open their campaign on March 24 (Sunday) in Ahmedabad.

India played a riveting five-match Test series versus Ben Stokes-led England, at home, ahead of the upcoming IPL 2024 edition. While Rohit Sharma-led India were without many key players, such as Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, etc.

India played a riveting five-match Test series versus Ben Stokes-led England, at home, ahead of the upcoming IPL 2024 edition. While Rohit Sharma-led India were without many key players, such as Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, etc., they rode on youngsters' excellent run to win the series 4-1 despite conceding a 1-0 lead. Ahead of the IPL, Indian captain Rohit Sharma recalled the five Tests and lauded vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah for his overall show, especially hailing his Visakhapatnam Test spell. In the second Test, held in Vizag, Bumrah's match figures of 9 for 91 ensured India levelled the series. After Yashasvi Jasiwal's 209 took India to 396, when they opted to bat first, the Indian pacer dismissed England for 253 after they were well-placed at 132 for 2 at one stage. He returned with 6 for 45, producing a brilliant display of reverse swing. The 30-year-old's delivery to dismiss Ollie Pope, and even Stokes, were hailed by many. In the final innings, when England were chasing 399, Bumrah once again stood tall with three key scalps to take India past the finish line. He also won the Player-of-the-Match award. 'On a flat pitch and 35-36 degrees...' On Bumrah's spell, Rohit said in an interview with team45ro, "That Bumrah spell at Vizag was unreal. On a flat pitch and 35-36 degrees, it is nearly impossible for a fast bowler to bowl that spell. And then comes Bumrah, who gets the ball to reverse both sides and brings the team into the game. I have never seen any fast bowler in India bowled the way he has bowled and got us those wickets." Also read: IPL 2024: Former CSK star picks Rohit Sharma over MS Dhoni in leadership role, says ‘he doesn’t make blunder’ Hitman even praised Jaiswal for his double ton setting a good platform for India. He added, "(Yashasvi) Jaiswal’s innings (209) covered half the percentage of the team’s score, while the next best was 30-40. For us to come back into the Test series and perhaps win the next three matches on the trot, someone had to put their hand up to bail the team out in the second match. And for the same, there was Bumrah and Jaiswal." Shubman Gill's 104 was also crucial for India in setting a target of over 350 in Vizag, which brought them back in the series. Eventually, India went onto win 4-1 with brilliant display from the younger lot -- such as Dhruv Jurel 90 and 39* in Ranchi Test, Sarfaraz Khan ending with three fifties, Devdutt Padikkal (who scored a fine 65 in his first-ever innings), Akash Deep (accounting for 3 scalps on debut), whereas Jaiswal ended with 712 runs in the series. Gill also stood tall in the absence of senior batters and amassed 452 runs. Rohit and Bumrah will now return to action in IPL 2024, starting on March 22 in Chennai. The duo are part of the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lineup, who open their campaign on March 24 (Sunday) in Ahmedabad.

Never seen a pacer bowl like that: Rohit Sharma recalls Jasprit Bumrah's Vizag Test spell vs England

Former Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians player Parthiv Patel has hailed the impact of Rohit Sharma as captain over MS Dhoni as teams get ready for the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With just three days to go for the start of the IPL 2024, Parthiv Patel has heaped praise on Rohit, who will no longer serve as captain of the Mumbai Indians. The five-time champions have opted to bring Hardik Pandya as the new skipper after he was traded from Gujarat Titans in November.&nbsp;

<h2>Rohit has fewer blunders</h2>

"When there's a tense match, sometimes wrong decisions or blunders are made. But the hallmark of Rohit Sharma's captaincy is that in the last 10 years, you don't remember that he made a blunder," Parthiv told JioCinema.

"Dhoni has made blunders like giving Pawan Negi an over, but if you see Rohit, you'll never see a blunder. Keeping the process simple is something that Dhoni advises but we see Rohit practice that in games," Parthiv added.

Due to general elections in India, the date for the high-voltage clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings is yet to be finalised. Rohit will be in his 14th season with the franchise while Dhoni will represent CSK for a record 15th season. Both Dhoni and Rohit remain the most successful captains in the history of the tournament with five wins each.&nbsp;

Rohit has won the IPL on six occasions and will look to add a seventh title in the coming season while Dhoni could join him if he has his hand on one more title.&nbsp;

CSK will start their IPL 2024 season against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday in the curtain-raiser clash at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. Mumbai on the other hand will be in action on Sunday when they take on Pandya’s former side Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-we-will-attack-rcb-coach-andy-flower-shares-strategy-for-upcoming-season-702144">IPL 2024: 'We will attack...,' RCB coach Andy Flower shares strategy for upcoming season</a>

<h2>Chennai Super Kings squad</h2>

Ajay Mandal, Ajinkya Rahane, Avanish Rao Aravelly, Daryl Mitchell, Deepak Chahar, MS Dhoni (C), Maheesh Theekshana, Mitchell Santner, Moeen Ali, Mukesh Choudhary, Mustafizur Rahman, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Rachin Ravindra, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sameer Rizvi, Shaik Rasheed, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Simarjeet Singh, Tushar Deshpande ​

Former Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians player Parthiv Patel has hailed the impact of Rohit Sharma as captain over MS Dhoni as teams get ready for the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Former Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians player Parthiv Patel has hailed the impact of Rohit Sharma as captain over MS Dhoni as teams get ready for the latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With just three days to go for the start of the IPL 2024, Parthiv Patel has heaped praise on Rohit, who will no longer serve as captain of the Mumbai Indians. The five-time champions have opted to bring Hardik Pandya as the new skipper after he was traded from Gujarat Titans in November. Rohit has fewer blunders "When there's a tense match, sometimes wrong decisions or blunders are made. But the hallmark of Rohit Sharma's captaincy is that in the last 10 years, you don't remember that he made a blunder," Parthiv told JioCinema. "Dhoni has made blunders like giving Pawan Negi an over, but if you see Rohit, you'll never see a blunder. Keeping the process simple is something that Dhoni advises but we see Rohit practice that in games," Parthiv added. Due to general elections in India, the date for the high-voltage clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings is yet to be finalised. Rohit will be in his 14th season with the franchise while Dhoni will represent CSK for a record 15th season. Both Dhoni and Rohit remain the most successful captains in the history of the tournament with five wins each. Rohit has won the IPL on six occasions and will look to add a seventh title in the coming season while Dhoni could join him if he has his hand on one more title. CSK will start their IPL 2024 season against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday in the curtain-raiser clash at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. Mumbai on the other hand will be in action on Sunday when they take on Pandya’s former side Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: 'We will attack...,' RCB coach Andy Flower shares strategy for upcoming season Chennai Super Kings squad Ajay Mandal, Ajinkya Rahane, Avanish Rao Aravelly, Daryl Mitchell, Deepak Chahar, MS Dhoni (C), Maheesh Theekshana, Mitchell Santner, Moeen Ali, Mukesh Choudhary, Mustafizur Rahman, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Rachin Ravindra, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sameer Rizvi, Shaik Rasheed, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Simarjeet Singh, Tushar Deshpande

IPL 2024: Former CSK star picks Rohit Sharma over MS Dhoni in leadership role, says ‘he doesn’t make blunder’

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

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

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

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

IPL 2024 kicks off on March 22 with the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are also the defending champions, taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai. Like every year, there is a lot of buzz about the upcoming IPL season. Dhoni's return is once again making the headlines whereas his protege Rishabh Pant will also mark&nbsp;his comeback at the competitive level since his horrific car crash. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya will start his captaincy tenure with the Mumbai Indians (MI),&nbsp;heralding a new era for the five-time winners (following the end of Rohit Sharma's inspiring leadership).

Ahead of the IPL, WION exclusively interacted with former England spinner Graeme Swann. Swann spoke at length on Dhoni's IPL return and hailed the 42-year-old's fitness and longevity. In addition, he backed MI's bold call to replace Rohit with Hardik as the&nbsp;captain.

<h2>'I don't think IPL will be the same without MSD'</h2>

Dhoni has featured in all IPL seasons since its inception in 2008. At 42, he continues to inspire with his fitness and longevity. Hence, Swann said, "Oh, I have no worries about Dhoni. He is the IPL. He has been there since its inception. He is an absolute megastar in India. I don't think it will be the same without him. I am really looking forward to see him play once again. And he is such a great leader on the field. Even if his fitness wasn't the same as it was 5-6 years (ago), he is still very close to that.&nbsp;He is still performing at an elite level. I have no worries about MS Dhoni playing."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-he-is-like-a-diesel-engine-that-never-stops-de-villiers-hails-csk-captain-ms-dhonis-longevity-699968">IPL 2024: 'He is like a diesel engine that never stops' - De Villiers hails CSK captain MS Dhoni's longevity</a>

<h2>Everyone knew Hardik would join Mumbai at some point: Swann</h2>

On the other hand, Swann backed MI team management's call to appoint Hardik as the captain, who rejoined the team after being traded by Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of last year's mini-auction in Dubai. While many have slammed their decision to remove Rohit, the Englishman claims it was the right call.

In this regard, he said, "Oh yes. It was (the right decision). He led two years in Gujarat and he was unbelievable. He got that title under his belt. He is a natural leader. Everyone knew at some point that he would return to the mother's arms in Mumbai. I think Mumbai recruited very well. They look very strong now."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wouldve-given-rohit-sharma-one-more-season-and-let-hardik-pandya-be-vice-captain-yuvraj-on-mi-captaincy-699935">Would've given Rohit Sharma one more season as Mumbai Indians captain: Yuvraj</a>

All eyes are on Dhoni's comeback on the 22-yard cricket strip. This might be his last season in the IPL. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how Hardik leads the star-studded MI lineup after his success as a leader in GT (where he led them to the championship in their maiden season in 2022).

Squads:

CSK squad for IPL 2024:&nbsp;MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Avanish Rao Aravelly, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shaik Rasheed, Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Ajay Mandal, Nishant Sindhu, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukesh Choudhary.

MI squad for IPL 2024:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.&nbsp;

IPL 2024 kicks off on March 22 with the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are also the defending champions, taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai.

IPL 2024 kicks off on March 22 with the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are also the defending champions, taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai. Like every year, there is a lot of buzz about the upcoming IPL season. Dhoni's return is once again making the headlines whereas his protege Rishabh Pant will also mark his comeback at the competitive level since his horrific car crash. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya will start his captaincy tenure with the Mumbai Indians (MI), heralding a new era for the five-time winners (following the end of Rohit Sharma's inspiring leadership). Ahead of the IPL, WION exclusively interacted with former England spinner Graeme Swann. Swann spoke at length on Dhoni's IPL return and hailed the 42-year-old's fitness and longevity. In addition, he backed MI's bold call to replace Rohit with Hardik as the captain. 'I don't think IPL will be the same without MSD' Dhoni has featured in all IPL seasons since its inception in 2008. At 42, he continues to inspire with his fitness and longevity. Hence, Swann said, "Oh, I have no worries about Dhoni. He is the IPL. He has been there since its inception. He is an absolute megastar in India. I don't think it will be the same without him. I am really looking forward to see him play once again. And he is such a great leader on the field. Even if his fitness wasn't the same as it was 5-6 years (ago), he is still very close to that. He is still performing at an elite level. I have no worries about MS Dhoni playing." Also read: IPL 2024: 'He is like a diesel engine that never stops' - De Villiers hails CSK captain MS Dhoni's longevity Everyone knew Hardik would join Mumbai at some point: Swann On the other hand, Swann backed MI team management's call to appoint Hardik as the captain, who rejoined the team after being traded by Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of last year's mini-auction in Dubai. While many have slammed their decision to remove Rohit, the Englishman claims it was the right call. In this regard, he said, "Oh yes. It was (the right decision). He led two years in Gujarat and he was unbelievable. He got that title under his belt. He is a natural leader. Everyone knew at some point that he would return to the mother's arms in Mumbai. I think Mumbai recruited very well. They look very strong now." Also read: Would've given Rohit Sharma one more season as Mumbai Indians captain: Yuvraj All eyes are on Dhoni's comeback on the 22-yard cricket strip. This might be his last season in the IPL. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how Hardik leads the star-studded MI lineup after his success as a leader in GT (where he led them to the championship in their maiden season in 2022). Squads: CSK squad for IPL 2024: MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Avanish Rao Aravelly, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shaik Rasheed, Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Ajay Mandal, Nishant Sindhu, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukesh Choudhary. MI squad for IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.

Exclusive: 'He is the IPL' - Graeme Swann lauds MS Dhoni's fitness; backs Hardik's appointment as MI captain

Ahead of IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya recalled his ankle injury that led to him being sidelined from the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Hardik played just three full&nbsp;games for India in the ODI WC and twisted his ankle while bowling in Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s fourth encounter&nbsp;versus Bangladesh in Pune on October 19. The MI skipper revealed why he decided to pull out from the tournament as he didn't want&nbsp;the team to have a player who is '50 per cent fit'.

While speaking to the press ahead of MI's IPL 2024 opener, versus Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 24 in Ahmedabad, Hardik stated, "When I got injured. When it happened, I had no clue how bad it is or how good it is. When I went to the scan as well. Initially, it just showed because, when I twisted my whole ankle, it just showed that it's just a little niggle, which would be fine."

"But as a couple of hours progressed, it showed the real picture where my ankle became like a big ankle. And in that process, straight away next day I went to NCA to make sure that I fasten my processes and make sure that I come back," he opined.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-know-he-is-mi-skipper-hardik-says-he-wont-feel-awkward-in-leading-india-captain-rohit-in-ipl-2024-701487">'I know he is...': MI skipper Hardik says he won't feel 'awkward' in leading India captain Rohit in IPL 2024</a>

<h2>'Do I want to represent India at 50 per cent? And the answer was No'</h2>

Hardik further mentioned, "Again, we tried every day to make sure that we are available for the World Cup and we had to take a call after 12th day where I had a recurrence again where my injury kind of expanded more."

And the question was that 'do I want to represent India at 50 per cent? And the answer was No. Because India deserves better than that, and I myself will not be able to justify the fact that I'm coming, not completely ready," he added.

Hardik concluded by saying, "And from there obviously journey started of my rehab and the whole process was the focus was only to make sure that I come back as soon as possible, but with injuries and with something like a freak injury which I had, you need to give time because it is not something which goes away in mobility or it goes with physio helping you. It is just natural body recovery which you need to do."

Hardik will be looking to play IPL 2024 without any injury concerns and then gear up for the ICC T20 World Cup. The T20 WC will commence on June 1, in West Indies and USA, and Rohit-led India are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan.

At present, Hardik-starrer MI is gearing up for their IPL 2024 opener, where they play Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad on March 24.

Ahead of IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya recalled his ankle injury that led to him being sidelined from the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Hardik played just three full games for India in the ODI WC and twisted his ankle while bowling in Rohit Sharma & Co.

Ahead of IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya recalled his ankle injury that led to him being sidelined from the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Hardik played just three full games for India in the ODI WC and twisted his ankle while bowling in Rohit Sharma & Co.'s fourth encounter versus Bangladesh in Pune on October 19. The MI skipper revealed why he decided to pull out from the tournament as he didn't want the team to have a player who is '50 per cent fit'. While speaking to the press ahead of MI's IPL 2024 opener, versus Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 24 in Ahmedabad, Hardik stated, "When I got injured. When it happened, I had no clue how bad it is or how good it is. When I went to the scan as well. Initially, it just showed because, when I twisted my whole ankle, it just showed that it's just a little niggle, which would be fine." "But as a couple of hours progressed, it showed the real picture where my ankle became like a big ankle. And in that process, straight away next day I went to NCA to make sure that I fasten my processes and make sure that I come back," he opined. Also read: 'I know he is...': MI skipper Hardik says he won't feel 'awkward' in leading India captain Rohit in IPL 2024 'Do I want to represent India at 50 per cent? And the answer was No' Hardik further mentioned, "Again, we tried every day to make sure that we are available for the World Cup and we had to take a call after 12th day where I had a recurrence again where my injury kind of expanded more." And the question was that 'do I want to represent India at 50 per cent? And the answer was No. Because India deserves better than that, and I myself will not be able to justify the fact that I'm coming, not completely ready," he added. Hardik concluded by saying, "And from there obviously journey started of my rehab and the whole process was the focus was only to make sure that I come back as soon as possible, but with injuries and with something like a freak injury which I had, you need to give time because it is not something which goes away in mobility or it goes with physio helping you. It is just natural body recovery which you need to do." Hardik will be looking to play IPL 2024 without any injury concerns and then gear up for the ICC T20 World Cup. The T20 WC will commence on June 1, in West Indies and USA, and Rohit-led India are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan. At present, Hardik-starrer MI is gearing up for their IPL 2024 opener, where they play Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad on March 24.

Didn’t want to represent India at ‘50 per cent’: MI captain Hardik Pandya recalls his injury during ODI WC

Ahead of the IPL 2024 opener, on March 22, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Mark Boucher addressed the media. In the presser, Hardik spoke on leading India captain Rohit Sharma for the first time in the upcoming season. In December 2023, the MI team management named Hardik as the captain, replacing Rohit who led the franchise from 2013-2023 (winning them five titles).

Since the big announcement, a lot has been said and written about Hardik. It will be interesting to see how he leads Rohit, under whom he has played majority of his cricket. Hardik reacted to the prospect of leading Rohit and said that it won't be 'awkward' for him and feels Hitman will be around to help him whenever needed.

<h2>'Rohit is the captain of the Indian team'</h2>

Hardik said, "First of all, it won't be any different because he is going to be there to help me out, if I need any help. At the same time, he is the captain of the Indian team, which helps me because this team, what he has achieved under his captaincy, from now onwards, I want to carry forward what he has achieved."

"It won't be awkward or anything different. It will be a nice experience. I have played all my career under his captaincy. I know he is going to have a hand on my shoulder always, throughout the season," he further mentioned.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-refused-to-drop-kohli-for-t20-world-cup-sends-clear-message-to-jay-shah-reports-701106">Rohit refuses to drop Kohli for T20 World Cup, sends clear message to Jay Shah – Reports</a>

'To be very honest, we respect fans. At the same time, we focus on sport'

On Rohit's removal as MI captain, many fans shared their disappointment. Even the social media followers of the MI franchise dipped considerably. Hardik reacted to the fans' sentiments and said on the negative response, "Backlash bit. To be very honest, we respect fans. At the same time, we focus on sport. I control the controllables. I don't focus on what I can't control. At the same time, I am very grateful to fans. They have every right to say what they say. I respect their opinion. At the same time, we will focus on doing well."

The five-time winners Mumbai&nbsp;will open their campaign in IPL 2024 versus Hardik's previous franchise GT, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24 (Sunday). The season-opener will be held between defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai on Friday evening (March 22).

MI squad for IPL 2024:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.

Ahead of the IPL 2024 opener, on March 22, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Mark Boucher addressed the media. In the presser, Hardik spoke on leading India captain Rohit Sharma for the first time in the upcoming season.

Ahead of the IPL 2024 opener, on March 22, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Mark Boucher addressed the media. In the presser, Hardik spoke on leading India captain Rohit Sharma for the first time in the upcoming season. In December 2023, the MI team management named Hardik as the captain, replacing Rohit who led the franchise from 2013-2023 (winning them five titles). Since the big announcement, a lot has been said and written about Hardik. It will be interesting to see how he leads Rohit, under whom he has played majority of his cricket. Hardik reacted to the prospect of leading Rohit and said that it won't be 'awkward' for him and feels Hitman will be around to help him whenever needed. 'Rohit is the captain of the Indian team' Hardik said, "First of all, it won't be any different because he is going to be there to help me out, if I need any help. At the same time, he is the captain of the Indian team, which helps me because this team, what he has achieved under his captaincy, from now onwards, I want to carry forward what he has achieved." "It won't be awkward or anything different. It will be a nice experience. I have played all my career under his captaincy. I know he is going to have a hand on my shoulder always, throughout the season," he further mentioned. Also read: Rohit refuses to drop Kohli for T20 World Cup, sends clear message to Jay Shah – Reports 'To be very honest, we respect fans. At the same time, we focus on sport' On Rohit's removal as MI captain, many fans shared their disappointment. Even the social media followers of the MI franchise dipped considerably. Hardik reacted to the fans' sentiments and said on the negative response, "Backlash bit. To be very honest, we respect fans. At the same time, we focus on sport. I control the controllables. I don't focus on what I can't control. At the same time, I am very grateful to fans. They have every right to say what they say. I respect their opinion. At the same time, we will focus on doing well." The five-time winners Mumbai will open their campaign in IPL 2024 versus Hardik's previous franchise GT, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24 (Sunday). The season-opener will be held between defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai on Friday evening (March 22). MI squad for IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.

‘I know he is...’: MI skipper Hardik says he won’t feel ‘awkward’ in leading India captain Rohit in IPL 2024

India’s World Cup winner&nbsp;Kirti Azad’s latest social media post has created quite a stir in the cricket circuit surrounding speculations on Virat Kohli’s future in T20I cricket. Taking to the micro-blogging website X (previously known as Twitter), Azad revealed that BCCI secretary Jay Shah had asked chief selector Ajit Agarkar to convince others to drop Kohli for the T20 World Cup (to be held in June in the Caribbean and the USA).

A Telegraph report last week broke the internet claiming that India veteran Virat could face omission from the squad for the marquee event for his inability to make runs on slower pitches.&nbsp;

While people close to the information admitted this report to be false, Azad’s latest post contradicts it.

Azad said Shah had given Agarkar time till March 15 to convey the message to the decision-makers within and even Captain Rohit Sharma to drop Kohli for the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-reveals-how-his-plan-to-return-to-indian-world-cup-squad-was-derailed-701080">Hardik Pandya reveals how his plan to return to Indian World Cup squad was derailed</a>

As per sources, Rohit declined, saying he needs Kohli at any cost for&nbsp;the ICC event.

Without mentioning any name, Azad even said, “Nincompoops should not involve themselves in the selection process.”

His post read,&nbsp;“Why should Jay Shah, he is not a selector, to give responsibility to Ajit Agarkar to talk to the other selectors and convince them that Virat Kohli is not getting a place in the T20 team. For this, time was given till 15th March. If sources are to be believed, Ajit Agarkar was neither able to convince himself nor the other selectors. Jay Shah asked Rohit Sharma too, but Rohit said we need Virat Kohli at any cost. Virat Kohli will play the T20 World Cup, and its official announcement will be made before the team selection. 
Nincompoops&nbsp;should not involve themselves in the selection process. 
@imVkohli @ImRo45 @BCCI

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Why should Jay Shah, he is not a selector, to give responsibility to Ajit Agarkar to talk to the other selectors and convince them that Virat Kohli is not getting a place in the T20 team. For this, time was given till 15th March. If sources are to be believed, Ajit Agarkar was… <a href="https://t.co/FyaJSClOLw">pic.twitter.com/FyaJSClOLw</a>
— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirtiAzaad/status/1769211440693674359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Kohli returns to IPL after the break</h2>

Virat Kohli missed the England Test series for the birth of his second child and has joined his IPL team – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), ahead of the 17th edition beginning on March 22 in Chennai.&nbsp;

RCB and Chennai Super Kings will play IPL 2024 opener.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup will begin shortly after the IPL 2024, the final schedule of which is yet to be announced.&nbsp;

For the record, India last won the T20 World Cup in 2007 – the inaugural edition in South Africa.&nbsp;

India’s World Cup winner Kirti Azad’s latest social media post has created quite a stir in the cricket circuit surrounding speculations on Virat Kohli’s future in T20I cricket.

India’s World Cup winner Kirti Azad’s latest social media post has created quite a stir in the cricket circuit surrounding speculations on Virat Kohli’s future in T20I cricket. Taking to the micro-blogging website X (previously known as Twitter), Azad revealed that BCCI secretary Jay Shah had asked chief selector Ajit Agarkar to convince others to drop Kohli for the T20 World Cup (to be held in June in the Caribbean and the USA). A Telegraph report last week broke the internet claiming that India veteran Virat could face omission from the squad for the marquee event for his inability to make runs on slower pitches. While people close to the information admitted this report to be false, Azad’s latest post contradicts it. Azad said Shah had given Agarkar time till March 15 to convey the message to the decision-makers within and even Captain Rohit Sharma to drop Kohli for the T20 World Cup. ALSO READ: Hardik Pandya reveals how his plan to return to Indian World Cup squad was derailed As per sources, Rohit declined, saying he needs Kohli at any cost for the ICC event. Without mentioning any name, Azad even said, “Nincompoops should not involve themselves in the selection process.” His post read, “Why should Jay Shah, he is not a selector, to give responsibility to Ajit Agarkar to talk to the other selectors and convince them that Virat Kohli is not getting a place in the T20 team. For this, time was given till 15th March. If sources are to be believed, Ajit Agarkar was neither able to convince himself nor the other selectors. Jay Shah asked Rohit Sharma too, but Rohit said we need Virat Kohli at any cost. Virat Kohli will play the T20 World Cup, and its official announcement will be made before the team selection. Nincompoops should not involve themselves in the selection process. @imVkohli @ImRo45 @BCCI Why should Jay Shah, he is not a selector, to give responsibility to Ajit Agarkar to talk to the other selectors and convince them that Virat Kohli is not getting a place in the T20 team. For this, time was given till 15th March. If sources are to be believed, Ajit Agarkar was… pic.twitter.com/FyaJSClOLw — Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) March 17, 2024 × Kohli returns to IPL after the break Virat Kohli missed the England Test series for the birth of his second child and has joined his IPL team – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), ahead of the 17th edition beginning on March 22 in Chennai. RCB and Chennai Super Kings will play IPL 2024 opener. Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup will begin shortly after the IPL 2024, the final schedule of which is yet to be announced. For the record, India last won the T20 World Cup in 2007 – the inaugural edition in South Africa.

Rohit refuses to drop Kohli for T20 World Cup, sends clear message to Jay Shah – Reports

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made a shocking claim that the team under captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid attempted to doctor the pitch during the ODI World Cup final last year.

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made a shocking claim that the team under captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid attempted to doctor the pitch during the ODI World Cup final last year. According to Kaif, the Indian team was heavily involved in the preparation of the pitch and went overboard which eventually resulted in handing the advantage to Australia. The team from Down Under went on to win their sixth ODI World Cup trophy as India fumbled at the final hurdle. "I was there for three days. Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid inspected the pitch every day for 3 days ahead of the final. They stood beside the pitch for an hour every day. I saw the pitch change its colour. There was no watering the pitch, no grass on the track. India wanted to give Australia a slow track. This is the truth, even if people don't want to believe it," Kaif told Lallantop in an interview. Also read | IPL 2024: 'Entire tournament to be held in India,' BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirms Explaining why India went ahead with the alterations to the pitch, Kaif said it was done so to neutralise the Australian pace bowlers. "The feeling was that Australia had Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc, so India wanted to give a slow pitch, and that was our mistake. Many people say that curators do their own thing and we don't influence - that is rubbish. When you are moving around the pitch - you have to say just two lines - please don't put water, just reduce the grass. This happens. That is truth. And it should be done. You are playing at home. And we did it a little too much," Kaif added. Tame end to a promising story India had been playing a brilliant brand of cricket throughout the tournament with all departments firing in a cohesive manner. The team did not lose a single game in the run up to the final and up until the first few overs of the final, looked in a commanding position. However, once Rohit perished attempting to hoick the ball into the stands, via stunning catch from Travis Head, the wheels came off the Indian innings. Also read | Sunil Gavaskar urges BCCI to implement ‘incentive scheme’ in Ranji Trophy to motivate players The Indian side finished with a paltry total of 240 which was chased with relative ease by the Australian batters. Head smashed a daddy hundred (137) on the big stage with Marnus Labuschagne (58*) providing adequate support. The defeat meant India's quest for an ICC trophy was extended another year. The men-in-blue last won a major silverware in 2013 and since then, have faltered in the final stages of the tournaments. (With inputs from agencies)

Mohammad Kaif accuses Indian team of doctoring ODI World Cup final pitch

Ahead of the IPL 2024 edition, which kicks off on March 22 in Chennai, all eyes are on Hardik Pandya who is set to commence his journey as Mumbai Indians (MI) captain. The MI management announced the big news in Dec 2023, after trading Hardik from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the mini-auction, that the all-rounder -- who made his IPL debut for MI in IPL 2015 -- will lead the side, replacing Rohit Sharma.

Under Rohit, MI became a force to reckon with; winning all&nbsp;five of their IPL titles in his leadership. He started leading the franchise midway during IPL 2013 and led them to the championship in the same year, winning four more in IPL 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. Before IPL 2024's commencement, former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh -- who was also part of MI in IPL 2019 -- stated that he would've given Rohit another season as captain and made Hardik his deputy.

In a video for host broadcasters Star Sports, Yuvraj said, "Rohit Sharma is a 5-time IPL winner as a captain. Removing him is a big decision. I would have gotten someone in, like they brought Hardik (Pandya), but I still would have given Rohit one more season and let Hardik be the vice-captain and see how the whole franchise works."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-likely-to-miss-ipl-2024-start-due-to-recurring-back-injury-reports-699897">Shreyas Iyer likely to miss IPL 2024 start due to recurring back injury - Reports</a>

<h2>'I understand the franchise has to see the future&nbsp;but...'</h2>

Yuvraj further stated, "I understand from the franchise's point of view, they have to see the future of the franchise. But then again, Rohit is captaining India and still playing well, so it's a big decision. " He opined on Hardik and added, "In terms of talent, yes, he has great talent. Being captain of Gujarat will be different from being captain of Mumbai. Expectations are a lot. Mumbai Indians have been a big side."

MI will open their campaign in IPL 2024 versus Hardik's previous franchise GT, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24 (Sunday).

MI squad for IPL 2024:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.&nbsp;

Ahead of the IPL 2024 edition, which kicks off on March 22 in Chennai, all eyes are on Hardik Pandya who is set to commence his journey as Mumbai Indians (MI) captain.

Ahead of the IPL 2024 edition, which kicks off on March 22 in Chennai, all eyes are on Hardik Pandya who is set to commence his journey as Mumbai Indians (MI) captain. The MI management announced the big news in Dec 2023, after trading Hardik from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the mini-auction, that the all-rounder -- who made his IPL debut for MI in IPL 2015 -- will lead the side, replacing Rohit Sharma. Under Rohit, MI became a force to reckon with; winning all five of their IPL titles in his leadership. He started leading the franchise midway during IPL 2013 and led them to the championship in the same year, winning four more in IPL 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. Before IPL 2024's commencement, former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh -- who was also part of MI in IPL 2019 -- stated that he would've given Rohit another season as captain and made Hardik his deputy. In a video for host broadcasters Star Sports, Yuvraj said, "Rohit Sharma is a 5-time IPL winner as a captain. Removing him is a big decision. I would have gotten someone in, like they brought Hardik (Pandya), but I still would have given Rohit one more season and let Hardik be the vice-captain and see how the whole franchise works." Also read: Shreyas Iyer likely to miss IPL 2024 start due to recurring back injury - Reports 'I understand the franchise has to see the future but...' Yuvraj further stated, "I understand from the franchise's point of view, they have to see the future of the franchise. But then again, Rohit is captaining India and still playing well, so it's a big decision. " He opined on Hardik and added, "In terms of talent, yes, he has great talent. Being captain of Gujarat will be different from being captain of Mumbai. Expectations are a lot. Mumbai Indians have been a big side." MI will open their campaign in IPL 2024 versus Hardik's previous franchise GT, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24 (Sunday). MI squad for IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.

Would've given Rohit Sharma one more season as Mumbai Indians captain: Yuvraj

Indian all-rounder R Ashwin has revealed it was captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid who stepped up big time when he had to leave the Rajkot Test midway to go and tend to his ailing mother.

Indian all-rounder R Ashwin has revealed it was captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid who stepped up big time when he had to leave the Rajkot Test midway to go and tend to his ailing mother. Ashwin said Rohit helped arrange a private plane that took him to Chennai. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said he was waiting for his parents' call after picking up the 500th wicket, earlier in the day. "Around 7 pm, I called my wife before going to shower. My parents did not pick up the calls. And I found my wife's voice was breaking. She asked me to move away from my teammates and then she told me that my mother collapsed after a severe headache." Ashwin said he contemplated returning home but couldn't find a flight as Rajkot Airport shuts down by 6 pm. It was then that Rohit came to his rescue and helped arrange the flight. "Rohit and Rahul bhai (brother) came to my room. Rohit saw me thinking and he said 'what are you thinking about? Just pack your bags and leave now'. He told me that he would try and arrange a charter flight for me," said Ashwin. "A big thank you to Cheteshwar Pujara. He spoke to a lot of people and arranged for the charter flight. I didn't know how I spent 2 hours in that flight back home," he added. Also read | ‘You should go back’: R Ashwin reveals how his hospitalised mother urged him to return to Rajkot Test 'Even Dhoni does that but he takes 10 steps more' Ashwin said Rohit asked team physio Kamlesh to accompany him but he refused as the team only had two physios. "Rohit is like 'That's okay'. But I told Kamlesh to stay back with the team. However, when I went down to the lobby, Kamlesh and a security person were standing there. Rohit was calling Kamlesh and keeping a tab on me throughout the journey back home." Ashwin said he was extremely grateful to Rohit and wished god gave him more. “I’ve played under several captains and leaders, but it is his (Rohit’s) good heart that has made him what he is today – someone with five IPL titles as equal to Dhoni. God doesn’t give it easy. He should get something bigger than all that." "I already had respect for him as a leader, he backs a player without question until the last moment. It’s not an easy thing. Even Dhoni does that. But he takes 10 steps more.” Ashwin returned after the brief visit home and played a major part in the remainder of the series which India won 4-1. (With inputs from agencies)

R Ashwin shares how Rohit Sharma looked after him during his mother’s hospitalisation

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

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

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

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

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Ambati Rayudu has wished for Rohit Sharma to join the MS Dhoni-led Yellow Army ahead of the IPL 2025 season. At present, all the ten IPL franchises are gearing up for IPL 2024 which gets underway on March 22 in Chennai. Before the season-opener, Rayudu wished for Rohit to become a part of CSK, MI's arch-rivals, from the 2025 season onwards and win titles with them as well. Rohit was replaced by Hardik Pandya as the MI skipper for IPL 2024, in Dec 2023, and will feature only as a player in the upcoming season.

MI's move to replace Rohit with Hardik raised a lot of eyebrows. It will be interesting to see how he&nbsp;fits under captain Hardik and if the latter can replicate his success in MI,&nbsp;IPL's joint-most successful franchise. After winning four titles with Rohit-led MI, Hardik moved to the Gujarat Titans (GT) and captained them in 2022 and 2023, leading them to the final in successive editions and winning in 2022.

However, it will be interesting to see how Hardik manages a star-studded MI line-up in IPL 2024. Also, all eyes will be on Rohit who will only feature as a batter this time around. Meanwhile, Rayudu -- who has won the IPL both under MI and CSK -- feels Rohit should move to Chennai in the coming years and increase his trophy count. Here's why:

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-delhi-capitals-coach-ricky-ponting-offers-clarity-on-rishabh-pants-role-in-upcoming-season-698857">IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting offers clarity on Rishabh Pant's role in upcoming season</a>

<h2>'Rohit has earned the right to take that call'</h2>

"I want to see him play for CSK in the near future. He has played so long for Mumbai Indians. It would be nice if he can play for CSK and win there as well. That's (captaincy at CSK) upon him. Rohit has earned the right to take that call. It's his call on whether or not he wants to lead or not," Rayudu told News24 while also mentioning that MI must have informed Rohit of the captaincy change.

At present, there are no talks of Rohit willing to make a move from MI. The IPL 2024 season will give a clear picture of how he still fits into MI's scheme of things, without the leadership tag. He has won the IPL six times, five as MI captain. Hence, he remains a big name in their setup. Nonetheless, if things aren't quite right for him in the dugout, he might make a move elsewhere (which will certainly grab a lot of eyeballs). If he replaces Dhoni as CSK captain going ahead, it will surely be a big development in the IPL and add a new chapter in the MI-CSK rivalry.&nbsp;

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Ambati Rayudu has wished for Rohit Sharma to join the MS Dhoni-led Yellow Army ahead of the IPL 2025 season. At present, all the ten IPL franchises are gearing up for IPL 2024 which gets underway on March 22 in Chennai.

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Ambati Rayudu has wished for Rohit Sharma to join the MS Dhoni-led Yellow Army ahead of the IPL 2025 season. At present, all the ten IPL franchises are gearing up for IPL 2024 which gets underway on March 22 in Chennai. Before the season-opener, Rayudu wished for Rohit to become a part of CSK, MI's arch-rivals, from the 2025 season onwards and win titles with them as well. Rohit was replaced by Hardik Pandya as the MI skipper for IPL 2024, in Dec 2023, and will feature only as a player in the upcoming season. MI's move to replace Rohit with Hardik raised a lot of eyebrows. It will be interesting to see how he fits under captain Hardik and if the latter can replicate his success in MI, IPL's joint-most successful franchise. After winning four titles with Rohit-led MI, Hardik moved to the Gujarat Titans (GT) and captained them in 2022 and 2023, leading them to the final in successive editions and winning in 2022. However, it will be interesting to see how Hardik manages a star-studded MI line-up in IPL 2024. Also, all eyes will be on Rohit who will only feature as a batter this time around. Meanwhile, Rayudu -- who has won the IPL both under MI and CSK -- feels Rohit should move to Chennai in the coming years and increase his trophy count. Here's why: Also read: IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting offers clarity on Rishabh Pant's role in upcoming season 'Rohit has earned the right to take that call' "I want to see him play for CSK in the near future. He has played so long for Mumbai Indians. It would be nice if he can play for CSK and win there as well. That's (captaincy at CSK) upon him. Rohit has earned the right to take that call. It's his call on whether or not he wants to lead or not," Rayudu told News24 while also mentioning that MI must have informed Rohit of the captaincy change. At present, there are no talks of Rohit willing to make a move from MI. The IPL 2024 season will give a clear picture of how he still fits into MI's scheme of things, without the leadership tag. He has won the IPL six times, five as MI captain. Hence, he remains a big name in their setup. Nonetheless, if things aren't quite right for him in the dugout, he might make a move elsewhere (which will certainly grab a lot of eyeballs). If he replaces Dhoni as CSK captain going ahead, it will surely be a big development in the IPL and add a new chapter in the MI-CSK rivalry.

IPL 2024: Ambati Rayudu wants Rohit Sharma to join MS Dhoni's CSK in 2025 season! Here's why

India have ascended to the top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after claiming the top spot in Test team rankings following their 4-1 series win against England on Saturday (Mar 9). India are also at the top of World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle standing with 74 points and a win percentage of 68.51.

India had lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs in the recently-concluded five-match series against England before winning the next four matches in a resounding manner.&nbsp;

The hosts won the second Test in Vizag by 106 runs before thrashing England by 434 runs in Rajkot Test and then took an unassailable 3-1 lead with a win in the fourth Test by five wickets in Ranchi. India then wrapped up the series by an innings and 64-run win in Dharamsala inside three days.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/we-need-to-relook-says-india-coach-rahul-dravid-on-domestic-schedule-698516">'We need to relook,' says India coach Rahul Dravid on domestic schedule</a>

India currently have 122 points in Test team ranking, five more than second-placed Australia. Notably, the Aussies are playing a two-Test series in New Zealand and lead it 1-0 after winning the first Test by 172 runs. The Baggy Green, however, won't be able to replace India even if they win the second Test, currently going on in Christchurch.

India were at the top of Test team rankings in December 2023 as well. A drawn two-Test series (1-1) against South Africa in December last year and Australia whitewashing Pakistan 3-2 in January 2024, however, saw India coming down to the second spot for a brief amount of time.

In other formats, India have 121 points and the top spot in the ODI team rankings as well. Australia, the 2023 ODI World Champions, are behind them here as well with 118 points to their name.&nbsp;

In T20I team rankings, India have 266 points at the top spot while England sit behind them on the second spot with 256 points.

India have ascended to the top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after claiming the top spot in Test team rankings following their 4-1 series win against England on Saturday (Mar 9).

India have ascended to the top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after claiming the top spot in Test team rankings following their 4-1 series win against England on Saturday (Mar 9). India are also at the top of World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle standing with 74 points and a win percentage of 68.51. India had lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs in the recently-concluded five-match series against England before winning the next four matches in a resounding manner. The hosts won the second Test in Vizag by 106 runs before thrashing England by 434 runs in Rajkot Test and then took an unassailable 3-1 lead with a win in the fourth Test by five wickets in Ranchi. India then wrapped up the series by an innings and 64-run win in Dharamsala inside three days. Also Read: 'We need to relook,' says India coach Rahul Dravid on domestic schedule India currently have 122 points in Test team ranking, five more than second-placed Australia. Notably, the Aussies are playing a two-Test series in New Zealand and lead it 1-0 after winning the first Test by 172 runs. The Baggy Green, however, won't be able to replace India even if they win the second Test, currently going on in Christchurch. India were at the top of Test team rankings in December 2023 as well. A drawn two-Test series (1-1) against South Africa in December last year and Australia whitewashing Pakistan 3-2 in January 2024, however, saw India coming down to the second spot for a brief amount of time. In other formats, India have 121 points and the top spot in the ODI team rankings as well. Australia, the 2023 ODI World Champions, are behind them here as well with 118 points to their name. In T20I team rankings, India have 266 points at the top spot while England sit behind them on the second spot with 256 points.

India on top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after Test series win against England

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill headlined day two in Dharamsala with twin tons. While Sarfaraz Khan contributed with another fifty, debutant Devdutt Padikkal scored an impressive 65 off 103 balls to keep his team ahead. First-inning hero Kuldeep Yadav remained unbeaten on 27 as India leads by 255 at stumps on day two.

Rohit and Gill began from where they left as the pair went after the English bowlers in the first session. Both right-handed batters completed their respective hundreds before&nbsp;lunch on day two, with Gill notching his second of the series.&nbsp;

With his brilliant 103, Rohit entered an elite list of Indian openers with the most Test tons against England. He now equalled Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of four hundreds while leading the chart for batters with the most tons (6) for India since 2021. It was Rohit’s 48th international ton (43rd as an opener).

<h2>Stokes returns to bowling with a 'Jaffa'&nbsp;</h2>

Just when Rohit got to his hundred, England captain Ben Stokes, bowling for the first time since Ashes last year, clean bowled him off his first delivery. Soon after, James Anderson removed Shubman Gill, clean bowled in the next over on 110.&nbsp;

Padikkal and Sarfaraz added 97 for the fourth wicket before Bashir returned to pick both of them.

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Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel added 15 each to the scorecard before spinners turned the tables around for England. Ravi Ashwin getting out on zero mounted worries for India.

However, an unlikely pair of Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah added 45 runs for the ninth wicket to frustrate England and help India add on the lead, which has crossed 250, putting the hosts in a winning position. Tom Hartley and Bashir conceded 126 and 170 runs, respectively.&nbsp;

Stokes and Anderson picked a wicket each, while Hartley finished day two with two wickets to his name.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill headlined day two in Dharamsala with twin tons. While Sarfaraz Khan contributed with another fifty, debutant Devdutt Padikkal scored an impressive 65 off 103 balls to keep his team ahead.

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill headlined day two in Dharamsala with twin tons. While Sarfaraz Khan contributed with another fifty, debutant Devdutt Padikkal scored an impressive 65 off 103 balls to keep his team ahead. First-inning hero Kuldeep Yadav remained unbeaten on 27 as India leads by 255 at stumps on day two. Rohit and Gill began from where they left as the pair went after the English bowlers in the first session. Both right-handed batters completed their respective hundreds before lunch on day two, with Gill notching his second of the series. With his brilliant 103, Rohit entered an elite list of Indian openers with the most Test tons against England. He now equalled Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of four hundreds while leading the chart for batters with the most tons (6) for India since 2021. It was Rohit’s 48th international ton (43rd as an opener). Stokes returns to bowling with a 'Jaffa' Just when Rohit got to his hundred, England captain Ben Stokes, bowling for the first time since Ashes last year, clean bowled him off his first delivery. Soon after, James Anderson removed Shubman Gill, clean bowled in the next over on 110. Padikkal and Sarfaraz added 97 for the fourth wicket before Bashir returned to pick both of them. 🎥 That Maiden Test Fifty Moment! 🙌 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/jnMticF6fc #TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @devdpd07 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/NLSSZ9TjCC — BCCI (@BCCI) March 8, 2024 × Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel added 15 each to the scorecard before spinners turned the tables around for England. Ravi Ashwin getting out on zero mounted worries for India. However, an unlikely pair of Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah added 45 runs for the ninth wicket to frustrate England and help India add on the lead, which has crossed 250, putting the hosts in a winning position. Tom Hartley and Bashir conceded 126 and 170 runs, respectively. Stokes and Anderson picked a wicket each, while Hartley finished day two with two wickets to his name.

Dharamsala Test: Rohit, Gill floor England with twin tons on day two; Bashir shines for visitors

Former England opener-turned-commentator Nick Knight feels Joe Root dropping Rohit Sharma in the first innings of the third Test, in Rajkot, changed the course of the India-England series. Back then, the scoreline was 1-1 and India had lost three early wickets after&nbsp;opting to bat first in Rajkot. Rohit was given a reprieve by Root, at 27, when the former English skipper dropped a catch at slips, off Tom Hartley's bowling, only for the Indian captain to make the most of it and score 131.

Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja (112) stitched a mammoth 204-run fourth-wicket stand, after India were reeling at 33-3, and took India to 445. The home side got a crucial 126-run lead and managed to setup a mammoth 557-run target, winning by a whopping 434-run margin. In the fourth and penultimate Test, both sides had their moments before Rohit &amp; Co. won by five wickets to take an unassailable 3-1 lead.

During the ongoing fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, Knight stated that Root's dropped catch changed the course of the series. While the English cricketer stated that Ben Stokes' underperformance was also a big factor, and Root's catch changed it all.

Knight told Jio Cinemas, "If the captain is feeling under a bit of pressure, he’s been targeted by the opposition, it makes everybody in the dressing room vulnerable. When you look at the two sides, you have Ben Stokes, whose performances individually haven’t been where he wanted them to be."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-rohit-sharma-equals-sunil-gavaskars-elite-feat-with-impressive-ton-on-day-2-of-dharamsala-test-697939">IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma equals Sunil Gavaskar’s elite feat with impressive ton on Day 2 of Dharamsala Test</a>

He shifted focus on Stokes' counterpart Rohit and said, "About Rohit, I go back to one factor that might have determined the outcome of the series, and it’s Joe Root dropping Rohit in Rajkot. Rohit got an outside edge off Tom Hartley and Root put that down."

He added, "At that point, he was contributing but not big scores. From that moment onwards, he has pushed on. When you look back at the bigger picture of the series, it was quite crucial."

Before his Rajkot hundred, Rohit had got starts in the first two Tests but couldn't make it count. However, Root's reprieve helped him turn it around for himself.

Rohit also slammed a crucial fifty in the Ranchi run-chase and made 103 in India's first innings in Dharamsala, in response to England's 218. Courtesy of Rohit and Shubman Gill (110), India have already taken a 200-plus lead and have a solid chance to end the five Tests series&nbsp;with a 4-1 scoreline.&nbsp;

Former England opener-turned-commentator Nick Knight feels Joe Root dropping Rohit Sharma in the first innings of the third Test, in Rajkot, changed the course of the India-England series.

Former England opener-turned-commentator Nick Knight feels Joe Root dropping Rohit Sharma in the first innings of the third Test, in Rajkot, changed the course of the India-England series. Back then, the scoreline was 1-1 and India had lost three early wickets after opting to bat first in Rajkot. Rohit was given a reprieve by Root, at 27, when the former English skipper dropped a catch at slips, off Tom Hartley's bowling, only for the Indian captain to make the most of it and score 131. Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja (112) stitched a mammoth 204-run fourth-wicket stand, after India were reeling at 33-3, and took India to 445. The home side got a crucial 126-run lead and managed to setup a mammoth 557-run target, winning by a whopping 434-run margin. In the fourth and penultimate Test, both sides had their moments before Rohit & Co. won by five wickets to take an unassailable 3-1 lead. During the ongoing fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, Knight stated that Root's dropped catch changed the course of the series. While the English cricketer stated that Ben Stokes' underperformance was also a big factor, and Root's catch changed it all. Knight told Jio Cinemas, "If the captain is feeling under a bit of pressure, he’s been targeted by the opposition, it makes everybody in the dressing room vulnerable. When you look at the two sides, you have Ben Stokes, whose performances individually haven’t been where he wanted them to be." Also read: IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma equals Sunil Gavaskar’s elite feat with impressive ton on Day 2 of Dharamsala Test He shifted focus on Stokes' counterpart Rohit and said, "About Rohit, I go back to one factor that might have determined the outcome of the series, and it’s Joe Root dropping Rohit in Rajkot. Rohit got an outside edge off Tom Hartley and Root put that down." He added, "At that point, he was contributing but not big scores. From that moment onwards, he has pushed on. When you look back at the bigger picture of the series, it was quite crucial." Before his Rajkot hundred, Rohit had got starts in the first two Tests but couldn't make it count. However, Root's reprieve helped him turn it around for himself. Rohit also slammed a crucial fifty in the Ranchi run-chase and made 103 in India's first innings in Dharamsala, in response to England's 218. Courtesy of Rohit and Shubman Gill (110), India have already taken a 200-plus lead and have a solid chance to end the five Tests series with a 4-1 scoreline.

IND vs ENG: Root dropping Rohit in Rajkot Test turned around the series, feels former English opener

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had a monumental Day 2 of the Dharamsala Test after he smashed his 12th Test ton against England on Friday (Mar 8). Having made a good start to his innings on Day 1 of the Dharamsala Test, Rohit got to his hundred in the first session on Friday, which saw him&nbsp;level with Rahul Dravid in the third position in the list of&nbsp;most international tons. The Indian skipper was however dismissed immediately after reaching the three-figure mark having been scalped by opposite number Ben Stokes.

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Rohit Sharma 🤝 Shubman Gill 
 
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<h2>Rohit joins Dravid</h2>

On the final ball of the 58th over, Rohit got a run to bring up his hundred which saw him go level with the current Indian coach for most hundreds at the international level. He now has 48 tons in all three formats with just 12 coming in the red-ball format. His favourite format is the 50-over where he has scored 31&nbsp;while five tons have come in the T20Is.

<h3>Most International tons for India</h3>

100 - Sachin Tendulkar

80 - Virat Kohli

48 - Rahul Dravid

48 - Rohit Sharma

38 - Virender Sehwag

38 - Sourav Ganguly

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-he-isnt-abusing-his-form-former-india-pacer-zaheer-khan-lauds-yashasvi-jaiswal-697923">IND vs ENG: 'He isn't abusing his form' - Former India pacer Zaheer Khan lauds young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>

Unlike Rohit, Dravid’s tons came in the Test and ODI formats only with 36 coming in the red-ball. On 12 occasions Dravid scored hundreds in the ODI format. His only T20I game saw him score 31 runs against England in August 2011. Currently, India’s Sachin Tendulkar leads the chart for most international tons with 100 while Virat comes next on 80.

<h2>What happened in the match so far?</h2>

Alongside Rohit, Shubman Gill also scored his fourth Test ton continuing to impress after a rough patch. He too like Rohit did not last for long and was dismissed soon after getting the three-figure mark. India at the time of writing were 313/3 and are on course for a massive first-innings lead. For England Shoaib Bashir, Ben Stokes and James Anderson were the wicket-takers. Anderson at the time of writing needs one more wicket to reach 700 Test wickets.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had a monumental Day 2 of the Dharamsala Test after he smashed his 12th Test ton against England on Friday (Mar 8). Having made a good start to his innings on Day 1 of the Dharamsala Test, Rohit got to his hundred in the first session on Friday, which saw him level with Rahul Dravid in the third position in the list of most international tons.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had a monumental Day 2 of the Dharamsala Test after he smashed his 12th Test ton against England on Friday (Mar 8). Having made a good start to his innings on Day 1 of the Dharamsala Test, Rohit got to his hundred in the first session on Friday, which saw him level with Rahul Dravid in the third position in the list of most international tons. The Indian skipper was however dismissed immediately after reaching the three-figure mark having been scalped by opposite number Ben Stokes. Of hundreds and celebrations! 👏 🙌 Rohit Sharma 🤝 Shubman Gill Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/jnMticF6fc #TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @ImRo45 | @ShubmanGill | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/yTZQ4dAoEe — BCCI (@BCCI) March 8, 2024 × Rohit joins Dravid On the final ball of the 58th over, Rohit got a run to bring up his hundred which saw him go level with the current Indian coach for most hundreds at the international level. He now has 48 tons in all three formats with just 12 coming in the red-ball format. His favourite format is the 50-over where he has scored 31 while five tons have come in the T20Is. Most International tons for India 100 - Sachin Tendulkar 80 - Virat Kohli 48 - Rahul Dravid 48 - Rohit Sharma 38 - Virender Sehwag 38 - Sourav Ganguly ALSO READ | IND vs ENG: 'He isn't abusing his form' - Former India pacer Zaheer Khan lauds young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal Unlike Rohit, Dravid’s tons came in the Test and ODI formats only with 36 coming in the red-ball. On 12 occasions Dravid scored hundreds in the ODI format. His only T20I game saw him score 31 runs against England in August 2011. Currently, India’s Sachin Tendulkar leads the chart for most international tons with 100 while Virat comes next on 80. What happened in the match so far? Alongside Rohit, Shubman Gill also scored his fourth Test ton continuing to impress after a rough patch. He too like Rohit did not last for long and was dismissed soon after getting the three-figure mark. India at the time of writing were 313/3 and are on course for a massive first-innings lead. For England Shoaib Bashir, Ben Stokes and James Anderson were the wicket-takers. Anderson at the time of writing needs one more wicket to reach 700 Test wickets.

IND vs ENG: Rohit joins Dravid in 3rd place for most international centuries following Dharamsala ton

On Day 2 of the fifth and final Test versus England, in Dharamsala, Indian captain Rohit Sharma slammed his second ton of the series.&nbsp;On Friday morning (March 8), Rohit reached his 12th Test century in just 154 balls and equalled Little Master Sunil Gavaskar in the list of&nbsp;most Test hundreds by an Indian opener&nbsp;against England. This was also&nbsp;Rohit's 48th international ton (43rd as an opener overall).

Most Test hundreds by an Indian opener vs England

4 - Sunil Gavaskar 
4 - Rohit Sharma 
3 - Vijay Merchant 
3 - Murali Vijay 
3 - KL Rahul

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-he-isnt-abusing-his-form-former-india-pacer-zaheer-khan-lauds-yashasvi-jaiswal-697923">IND vs ENG: 'He isn't abusing his form' - Former India pacer Zaheer Khan lauds young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>

Rohit is also the leading century-maker for India since the start of 2021. In the past three years, he has slammed as many as six centuries.&nbsp;

Most Test hundreds for India since 2021 
6 - Rohit Sharma 
4 - Shubman Gill 
3 - Ravindra Jadeja 
3 - Yashasvi Jaiswal 
3 - Rishabh Pant 
3 - KL Rahul

On Day 1 of the Dharamsala encounter, Rohit also slammed 1,000 runs as a Test captain. He, thus, became only the third Indian skipper (after MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli) to have&nbsp;1K-plus runs in all formats as captain.

Speaking about the final Test between India and England, the home side is ahead with a lead of over 70&nbsp;at the time of publishing this report, with debutant Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan in the middle. Rohit fell soon after lunch, for 103, whereas Shubman Gill departed for 110.&nbsp;

Rohit-led India already have an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series and are aiming to end with a 4-1 scoreline.

On Day 2 of the fifth and final Test versus England, in Dharamsala, Indian captain Rohit Sharma slammed his second ton of the series. On Friday morning (March 8), Rohit reached his 12th Test century in just 154 balls and equalled Little Master Sunil Gavaskar in the list of most Test hundreds by an Indian opener against England.

On Day 2 of the fifth and final Test versus England, in Dharamsala, Indian captain Rohit Sharma slammed his second ton of the series. On Friday morning (March 8), Rohit reached his 12th Test century in just 154 balls and equalled Little Master Sunil Gavaskar in the list of most Test hundreds by an Indian opener against England. This was also Rohit's 48th international ton (43rd as an opener overall). Most Test hundreds by an Indian opener vs England 4 - Sunil Gavaskar 4 - Rohit Sharma 3 - Vijay Merchant 3 - Murali Vijay 3 - KL Rahul Also read: IND vs ENG: 'He isn't abusing his form' - Former India pacer Zaheer Khan lauds young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal Rohit is also the leading century-maker for India since the start of 2021. In the past three years, he has slammed as many as six centuries. Most Test hundreds for India since 2021 6 - Rohit Sharma 4 - Shubman Gill 3 - Ravindra Jadeja 3 - Yashasvi Jaiswal 3 - Rishabh Pant 3 - KL Rahul On Day 1 of the Dharamsala encounter, Rohit also slammed 1,000 runs as a Test captain. He, thus, became only the third Indian skipper (after MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli) to have 1K-plus runs in all formats as captain. Speaking about the final Test between India and England, the home side is ahead with a lead of over 70 at the time of publishing this report, with debutant Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan in the middle. Rohit fell soon after lunch, for 103, whereas Shubman Gill departed for 110. Rohit-led India already have an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series and are aiming to end with a 4-1 scoreline.

IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma equals Sunil Gavaskar’s elite feat with impressive ton on Day 2 of Dharamsala Test

Rohit Sharma-led India dominated proceedings on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test versus England at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday (March 7). Being asked to bowl first, the home side rode on Kuldeep Yadav's 5 for 79 and R Ashwin's 4 for 51 to dismiss the English side for a below-par 218. In reply, India ended the day's play at 135 for 1 with skipper Rohit unbeaten on 52. With his second half-century of the series, Rohit also became the tenth Indian skipper to enter the 1,000-run club in Tests.&nbsp;

Thus, Rohit joined an elite list comprising his predecessor Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and the likes. Here is the list:

Virat Kohli - 5,864 runs 
MS Dhoni - 3,454 runs 
Sunil Gavaskar - 3,449 runs 
Mohammed Azharuddin - 2,856 runs 
Sourav Ganguly - 2,561 runs 
MAK Pataudi - 2,424 runs 
Sachin Tendulkar - 2,054 runs 
Rahul Dravid - 1,736 runs 
Kapil Dev - 1,364 runs 
Rohit Sharma - 1,039 runs

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-rohit-sharma-becomes-1st-ever-to-achieve-all-format-catching-feat-on-day-1-of-dharamsala-test-697642">IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma becomes 1st-ever to achieve all-format catching feat on Day 1 of Dharamsala Test</a>

In addition, Rohit is now only the third Indian captain to score 1k-plus runs in all formats as captain. He joined Dhoni and Kohli in this elite list:

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Captains</td>
			<td>Tests</td>
			<td>ODIs</td>
			<td>T20Is</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MS Dhoni</td>
			<td>3,454</td>
			<td>6,641</td>
			<td>1,112</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Virat Kohli</td>
			<td>5,864</td>
			<td>5,449</td>
			<td>1,570</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rohit Sharma</td>
			<td>1,039*</td>
			<td>2047*</td>
			<td>1,648*</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Rohit will look to make the most of his start and take India beyond England's 218 on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test at the picturesque stadium in Dharamsala on Friday (March 8). The hosts will aim for a big lead to dictate terms over Ben Stokes-led England. The five Tests have already been sealed with India taking an unassailable 3-1 lead following their five-wicket win in the previous game in Ranchi. Rohit &amp; Co., however, will aim for a 4-1 scoreline to bolster their chances of playing the final of the ongoing 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Rohit Sharma-led India dominated proceedings on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test versus England at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday (March 7). Being asked to bowl first, the home side rode on Kuldeep Yadav's 5 for 79 and R Ashwin's 4 for 51 to dismiss the English side for a below-par 218.

Rohit Sharma-led India dominated proceedings on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test versus England at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday (March 7). Being asked to bowl first, the home side rode on Kuldeep Yadav's 5 for 79 and R Ashwin's 4 for 51 to dismiss the English side for a below-par 218. In reply, India ended the day's play at 135 for 1 with skipper Rohit unbeaten on 52. With his second half-century of the series, Rohit also became the tenth Indian skipper to enter the 1,000-run club in Tests. Thus, Rohit joined an elite list comprising his predecessor Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and the likes. Here is the list: Virat Kohli - 5,864 runs MS Dhoni - 3,454 runs Sunil Gavaskar - 3,449 runs Mohammed Azharuddin - 2,856 runs Sourav Ganguly - 2,561 runs MAK Pataudi - 2,424 runs Sachin Tendulkar - 2,054 runs Rahul Dravid - 1,736 runs Kapil Dev - 1,364 runs Rohit Sharma - 1,039 runs Also read: IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma becomes 1st-ever to achieve all-format catching feat on Day 1 of Dharamsala Test In addition, Rohit is now only the third Indian captain to score 1k-plus runs in all formats as captain. He joined Dhoni and Kohli in this elite list: Captains Tests ODIs T20Is MS Dhoni 3,454 6,641 1,112 Virat Kohli 5,864 5,449 1,570 Rohit Sharma 1,039* 2047* 1,648* Rohit will look to make the most of his start and take India beyond England's 218 on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test at the picturesque stadium in Dharamsala on Friday (March 8). The hosts will aim for a big lead to dictate terms over Ben Stokes-led England. The five Tests have already been sealed with India taking an unassailable 3-1 lead following their five-wicket win in the previous game in Ranchi. Rohit & Co., however, will aim for a 4-1 scoreline to bolster their chances of playing the final of the ongoing 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma joins Kohli, Dhoni to become 10th Indian captain to score 1k runs in Tests

Indian men's Test team captain Rohit Sharma has hit back at England batter Ben Duckett's recent comments that the hosts had learned from the 'Bazball' style of cricket and changed their gameplay.

Indian men's Test team captain Rohit Sharma has hit back at England batter Ben Duckett's recent comments that the hosts had learned from the 'Bazball' style of cricket and changed their gameplay. Speaking to reporters on the eve of the fifth Test match at Dharamsala, Sharma gave it back to the England opener, reminding him of swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant. “Yashasvi Jaiswal learning from Ben Duckett? There was a guy called Rishabh Pant in our team. Probably Ben Duckett hasn’t seen him play," quipped Sharma. Also read | Explained: Why IPL is cricket equivalent version of English Premier League After Indian batters took an aggressive route against the English bowlers during the Rajkot Test, Duckett made the comment, suggesting that England's flamboyant style of play should be credited for Jaiswal's performance. “When you see players from the opposition playing like that, it almost feels like we should take some credit that they’re playing differently than how other people play Test cricket,” Duckett was quoted as saying. Nasser Hussain's reaction to Duckett's statement Notably, Sharma is not the first cricketer to have reacted to Duckett's rather absurd statement. Former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain in a passionate monologue said Jaiswal had learned attacking form of cricket after doing the hard yards in the IPL and domestic circuit. "The comment on Jaiswal that he has learned from us, I am going to touch on that. He has not learned from you, he has learned from his upbringing and all the hard yards he has put in while growing up, he has learned from the IPL. If anything, I would look at him and learn from him," Hussain told Michael Atherton on Sky Sports podcast. "So, whatever they are saying in public and in that dressing room, I hope they are going back into their room with self-introspection. I can look at that lad and learn from him. Otherwise, it becomes a cult, doesn’t it? At times, Bazball has been described as a cult where you cannot criticise either within or externally. Even in this regime, there is room for learning and improving," he added. Also read | IND vs ENG, 5th Test: England skipper Ben Stokes shares what's at stake in Dharamsala Despite the hullabaloo surrounding Bazball in the run-up to the series, India managed to comfortably secure an unassailable lead in the series. There were brief aspersions after India's defeat in the Hyderabad Test but the team quickly bounced back and kept Ben Stokes' team at bay. The final test of the series gets underway at Dharamshala on Thursday (Mar 7) with both teams hoping to earn valuable points to keep them in contention for the World Test Championship final. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Duckett hasn’t seen Pant play’: Rohit Sharma schools English opener over absurd Bazball remark

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma lavished huge praise on veteran spinner R Ashwin ahead of his 100th Test appearance. India take on England in the fifth and final Test, in Dharamsala, which gets underway on March 7 (Thursday). It will see Ashwin and English batter Jonny Bairstow making their respective 100th appearances in the red ball format. Rohit, thus,&nbsp;heaped praise on his teammate Ashwin for his impeccable run in Tests for India.

<h2>'It is rare to have players like R Ashwin'</h2>

In the pre-match presser of the Dharamsala Test, Rohit told the reporters, "Big achievement for any player to play 100 Tests. It is a big milestone. He has been a big match winner for us. What he has done for us, no praise is enough. His performances over 5-7 years, every series he has contributed. It is rare to have players like him."

Ashwin has accounted for 507 wickets in 99 Tests, including 35 five-fers. He is the ninth-highest wicket-taker overall, second-most by an Indian, in Tests. In the ongoing home series versus England, he entered the elite 500-wicket club during the third Test in Rajkot.

The 37-year-old, who also has 3,309 runs including five hundreds and 14 fifties in whites, will look to have&nbsp;a memorable outing in his landmark Test, in Dharamsala.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-dharamsala-test-r-ashwin-recalls-how-2012-england-series-gave-him-a-wonderful-lesson-696755">IND vs ENG, Dharamsala Test: R Ashwin recalls how 2012 England series taught him a wonderful lesson</a>

Talking about the Dharamsala Test, the picturesque venue has hosted only one game in the format (between India and Australia in 2017). Rohit spoke on the surface and expects a "typical Indian pitch". In this regard, he stated, "I have not&nbsp;played a Test match here in Dharamsala. Both seamers and spinners were played back in the 2017 Test."

“Looking at the pitch; it looks like a good pitch. It will be a typical Indian pitch with some movement at the start and towards the end."

India have already won the five-match series with an unassailable 3-1 lead following their win in the Ranchi Test. They will, however, look to make the scoreline 4-1 and add crucial points in their kitty in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma lavished huge praise on veteran spinner R Ashwin ahead of his 100th Test appearance. India take on England in the fifth and final Test, in Dharamsala, which gets underway on March 7 (Thursday).

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma lavished huge praise on veteran spinner R Ashwin ahead of his 100th Test appearance. India take on England in the fifth and final Test, in Dharamsala, which gets underway on March 7 (Thursday). It will see Ashwin and English batter Jonny Bairstow making their respective 100th appearances in the red ball format. Rohit, thus, heaped praise on his teammate Ashwin for his impeccable run in Tests for India. 'It is rare to have players like R Ashwin' In the pre-match presser of the Dharamsala Test, Rohit told the reporters, "Big achievement for any player to play 100 Tests. It is a big milestone. He has been a big match winner for us. What he has done for us, no praise is enough. His performances over 5-7 years, every series he has contributed. It is rare to have players like him." Ashwin has accounted for 507 wickets in 99 Tests, including 35 five-fers. He is the ninth-highest wicket-taker overall, second-most by an Indian, in Tests. In the ongoing home series versus England, he entered the elite 500-wicket club during the third Test in Rajkot. The 37-year-old, who also has 3,309 runs including five hundreds and 14 fifties in whites, will look to have a memorable outing in his landmark Test, in Dharamsala. Also read: IND vs ENG, Dharamsala Test: R Ashwin recalls how 2012 England series taught him a wonderful lesson Talking about the Dharamsala Test, the picturesque venue has hosted only one game in the format (between India and Australia in 2017). Rohit spoke on the surface and expects a "typical Indian pitch". In this regard, he stated, "I have not played a Test match here in Dharamsala. Both seamers and spinners were played back in the 2017 Test." “Looking at the pitch; it looks like a good pitch. It will be a typical Indian pitch with some movement at the start and towards the end." India have already won the five-match series with an unassailable 3-1 lead following their win in the Ranchi Test. They will, however, look to make the scoreline 4-1 and add crucial points in their kitty in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.

IND vs ENG: ‘No praise is enough’ - Rohit Sharma all praise for R Ashwin before spinner’s 100th Test

India skipper Rohit Sharma has equaled former captains Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most wins for India in Tests. Rohit now has nine Test wins as captain for India after beating England in fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series. Both, Gavaskar and Pataudi have nine wins in Tests as India skipper but in more games than Rohit. While Sharma reached the mark in 15 games, Gavaskar and Pataudi took 47 and 40 matches, respectively to reach the nine-win mark in Tests as skipper.

Rohit is now fifth most successful India Test captain with Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin ahead of him. Azhar has 14 wins in 47 Tests, Ganguly managed 21 in 49 games, Dhoni won 27 times in 40 matches and Kohli has a whopping 40 Test wins in 67 games he led Indian in.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dharamsala-test-kl-rahul-unlikely-for-5th-test-leaves-for-london-to-get-expert-opinion-on-injury-694749">Dharamsala Test: KL Rahul unlikely for 5th Test, leaves for London to get expert opinion on injury</a>

Rohit took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli in 2022 and has led India against Sri Lanka and Australia at home apart from leading on tour of West Indies and South Africa as well. In between, Rohit also lead the side in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 against Australia in June last year.&nbsp;

Against Sri Lanka, India won 2-0 while they beat Australia 2-1. On foreign tours, India got better of West Indies 1-0 and drew the series 1-1 against South Africa but lost the WTC final. In the ongoing series, India lead 3-1 with one more Test to be played in Dharamsala from March 7.&nbsp;

As a skipper, Rohit has 987 runs in 26 innings of the 15 Tests he has played at an average of 39. He has also managed three hundreds and three fifties with a highest score of 131.

As non-captain, Rohit has score 3,047 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 47 with eight hundreds and 14 fifties.

India skipper Rohit Sharma has equaled former captains Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most wins for India in Tests. Rohit now has nine Test wins as captain for India after beating England in fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series.

India skipper Rohit Sharma has equaled former captains Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most wins for India in Tests. Rohit now has nine Test wins as captain for India after beating England in fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series. Both, Gavaskar and Pataudi have nine wins in Tests as India skipper but in more games than Rohit. While Sharma reached the mark in 15 games, Gavaskar and Pataudi took 47 and 40 matches, respectively to reach the nine-win mark in Tests as skipper. Rohit is now fifth most successful India Test captain with Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin ahead of him. Azhar has 14 wins in 47 Tests, Ganguly managed 21 in 49 games, Dhoni won 27 times in 40 matches and Kohli has a whopping 40 Test wins in 67 games he led Indian in. Also Read: Dharamsala Test: KL Rahul unlikely for 5th Test, leaves for London to get expert opinion on injury Rohit took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli in 2022 and has led India against Sri Lanka and Australia at home apart from leading on tour of West Indies and South Africa as well. In between, Rohit also lead the side in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 against Australia in June last year. Against Sri Lanka, India won 2-0 while they beat Australia 2-1. On foreign tours, India got better of West Indies 1-0 and drew the series 1-1 against South Africa but lost the WTC final. In the ongoing series, India lead 3-1 with one more Test to be played in Dharamsala from March 7. As a skipper, Rohit has 987 runs in 26 innings of the 15 Tests he has played at an average of 39. He has also managed three hundreds and three fifties with a highest score of 131. As non-captain, Rohit has score 3,047 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 47 with eight hundreds and 14 fifties.

India skipper Rohit Sharma equals Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most Test wins

Yashasvi Jaiswal continues his merry run as the Indian opener&nbsp;moved three spots higher to attain a career-best 12th spot in the latest batting chart, updated on Wednesday (Feb&nbsp;28). The swashbuckling left-hander, who has been in sublime form in the ongoing five Test&nbsp;series versus England at home, surpassed Indian captain&nbsp;and his opening partner, Rohit Sharma -- who has moved down to No. 13 in the batting list.

Jaiswal has been in top form in India's current home series versus England. Rohit &amp; Co. recently attained an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series after winning the fourth Test, in Ranchi, by five wickets. Jaiswal has been one of the star performers, being the top run-getter with 655 runs in four games. He struck his maiden double ton in the second Test, in Visakhapatnam, and went past the 200-run mark once again in the following Test in Rajkot. Apart from that, he also has two fifties (80 in the first Test in Hyderabad and 73 in Ranchi) under his belt.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lets-not-sunil-gavaskar-opines-on-rishabh-pants-awaited-comeback-during-ipl-2024-694666">'Let's not...': Sunil Gavaskar opines on Rishabh Pant's awaited comeback during IPL 2024</a>

Thus, Jaiswal has reaped rewards for his brilliant run, climbing three spots in the latest ICC Test rankings for batters. In the overall list, New Zealand's Kane Williamson continues to top the chart whereas Virat Kohli -- who&nbsp;withdrew&nbsp;from the first two Tests versus England before eventually pulling away completely to welcome his second child -- remains India's top batter (9th).

<h3>ICC TEST BATTING RANKINGS</h3>

1. Kane Williamson - 893 rating points 
2. Steve Smith - 818 rating points 
3. Joe Root - 799&nbsp;rating points 
4. Daryl Mitchell - 780&nbsp;rating points 
5. Babar Azam - 768 rating points 
6. Usman Khawaja - 765&nbsp;rating points 
7. Dimuth Karunaratne - 750&nbsp;rating points 
8. Marnus Labuschagne - 746&nbsp;rating points 
9. Virat Kohli - 744&nbsp;rating points 
10. Harry Brook - 743&nbsp;rating points

Other Indians in Notable Spots

12. Yashasvi Jaiswal - 727&nbsp;rating points 
13. Rohit Sharma - 720&nbsp;rating points 
14. Rishabh Pant - 699&nbsp;rating points

Jaiswal-starrer India will take on England in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala which gets underway on March 7. The left-hander -- who equalled Kohli's record for the most runs in a bilateral series against England in Tests -- will aim to finish off on a high with another daddy hundred in the&nbsp;final Test.

Yashasvi Jaiswal continues his merry run as the Indian opener moved three spots higher to attain a career-best 12th spot in the latest batting chart, updated on Wednesday (Feb 28).

Yashasvi Jaiswal continues his merry run as the Indian opener moved three spots higher to attain a career-best 12th spot in the latest batting chart, updated on Wednesday (Feb 28). The swashbuckling left-hander, who has been in sublime form in the ongoing five Test series versus England at home, surpassed Indian captain and his opening partner, Rohit Sharma -- who has moved down to No. 13 in the batting list. Jaiswal has been in top form in India's current home series versus England. Rohit & Co. recently attained an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series after winning the fourth Test, in Ranchi, by five wickets. Jaiswal has been one of the star performers, being the top run-getter with 655 runs in four games. He struck his maiden double ton in the second Test, in Visakhapatnam, and went past the 200-run mark once again in the following Test in Rajkot. Apart from that, he also has two fifties (80 in the first Test in Hyderabad and 73 in Ranchi) under his belt. Also read: 'Let's not...': Sunil Gavaskar opines on Rishabh Pant's awaited comeback during IPL 2024 Thus, Jaiswal has reaped rewards for his brilliant run, climbing three spots in the latest ICC Test rankings for batters. In the overall list, New Zealand's Kane Williamson continues to top the chart whereas Virat Kohli -- who withdrew from the first two Tests versus England before eventually pulling away completely to welcome his second child -- remains India's top batter (9th). ICC TEST BATTING RANKINGS 1. Kane Williamson - 893 rating points 2. Steve Smith - 818 rating points 3. Joe Root - 799 rating points 4. Daryl Mitchell - 780 rating points 5. Babar Azam - 768 rating points 6. Usman Khawaja - 765 rating points 7. Dimuth Karunaratne - 750 rating points 8. Marnus Labuschagne - 746 rating points 9. Virat Kohli - 744 rating points 10. Harry Brook - 743 rating points Other Indians in Notable Spots 12. Yashasvi Jaiswal - 727 rating points 13. Rohit Sharma - 720 rating points 14. Rishabh Pant - 699 rating points Jaiswal-starrer India will take on England in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala which gets underway on March 7. The left-hander -- who equalled Kohli's record for the most runs in a bilateral series against England in Tests -- will aim to finish off on a high with another daddy hundred in the final Test.

ICC Test Rankings: Yashasvi Jaiswal surpasses Indian captain Rohit Sharma for career-best spot

Rohit Sharma-led India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test to clinch the five-match series 3-1 with a game to spare. After India's triumph over Ben Stokes-led England, former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina heaped praise on captain Rohit. Raina lauded Rohit's leadership and made a big claim, saying Hitman is 'the next MS Dhoni'.

<h2>'He is&nbsp;giving&nbsp;chances to youngsters the way MS Dhoni did'</h2>

Speaking to TOI, Raina said that Rohit has been giving lot of chances to youngsters, just like Dhoni, and has handled the team well in pressure situations. "He is the next MS Dhoni. He has done well. He has been giving a lot of chances to youngsters the way MS Dhoni did. I played a lot of cricket under MS Dhoni. Sourav Ganguly supported his team a lot. Then MS Dhoni came and led from the front. Rohit is going in the right direction. He is a brilliant captain," opined Raina.

He further stated, "I want to give credit to Rohit Sharma. He first gave Sarfaraz the chance and then made Jurel part of the team."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-why-indias-test-series-triumph-over-england-should-be-rated-highly-694385">Explained: Why India's Test series triumph over England should be rated highly</a>

<h2>'Rohit has been handling the pressure and players really well'</h2>

Raina added, "Rohit has been amazing with his planning. He has been giving a lot of chances to the youngsters. The way he is rotating the players is something I have never seen in the last couple of years. Whenever the fast bowlers came in the last couple of years, we have seen injuries. But Rohit has been managing that really well. Being a captain is not easy, especially when you are playing in India. Earlier, we used to have one fast bowler and 3-4 spinners. Now, he is bringing two fast bowlers. He brought in Siraj and Bumrah. He sent Bumrah back and managed his workload well and then handed debut to Akash Deep. Rohit has been handling the pressure and players really well."

India's series triumph over England came on the back of several top performances from young players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal (with over 600 runs in the ongoing series), Shubman Gill (having scores of 104, 91, 52*), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (Player-of-the-Match in Ranchi for his keeping skills along with a priceless 90 and 39*), Akash Deep, etc.

The likes of Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja have also stepped up but the series win has come courtesy of the younger brigade. Meanwhile, Rohit has also led brilliantly despite missing key players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.

The fifth and final Test, versus England, kicks off on March 7 in Dharamsala.

Rohit Sharma-led India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test to clinch the five-match series 3-1 with a game to spare. After India's triumph over Ben Stokes-led England, former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina heaped praise on captain Rohit.

Rohit Sharma-led India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test to clinch the five-match series 3-1 with a game to spare. After India's triumph over Ben Stokes-led England, former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina heaped praise on captain Rohit. Raina lauded Rohit's leadership and made a big claim, saying Hitman is 'the next MS Dhoni'. 'He is giving chances to youngsters the way MS Dhoni did' Speaking to TOI, Raina said that Rohit has been giving lot of chances to youngsters, just like Dhoni, and has handled the team well in pressure situations. "He is the next MS Dhoni. He has done well. He has been giving a lot of chances to youngsters the way MS Dhoni did. I played a lot of cricket under MS Dhoni. Sourav Ganguly supported his team a lot. Then MS Dhoni came and led from the front. Rohit is going in the right direction. He is a brilliant captain," opined Raina. He further stated, "I want to give credit to Rohit Sharma. He first gave Sarfaraz the chance and then made Jurel part of the team." Also read: Explained: Why India's Test series triumph over England should be rated highly 'Rohit has been handling the pressure and players really well' Raina added, "Rohit has been amazing with his planning. He has been giving a lot of chances to the youngsters. The way he is rotating the players is something I have never seen in the last couple of years. Whenever the fast bowlers came in the last couple of years, we have seen injuries. But Rohit has been managing that really well. Being a captain is not easy, especially when you are playing in India. Earlier, we used to have one fast bowler and 3-4 spinners. Now, he is bringing two fast bowlers. He brought in Siraj and Bumrah. He sent Bumrah back and managed his workload well and then handed debut to Akash Deep. Rohit has been handling the pressure and players really well." India's series triumph over England came on the back of several top performances from young players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal (with over 600 runs in the ongoing series), Shubman Gill (having scores of 104, 91, 52*), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (Player-of-the-Match in Ranchi for his keeping skills along with a priceless 90 and 39*), Akash Deep, etc. The likes of Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja have also stepped up but the series win has come courtesy of the younger brigade. Meanwhile, Rohit has also led brilliantly despite missing key players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. The fifth and final Test, versus England, kicks off on March 7 in Dharamsala.

‘He is the next MS Dhoni’ - Suresh Raina lauds Rohit Sharma after India’s Test series win over England

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India were 84 for no loss before being reduced to 120-5. An unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand between Shubman Gill (52*) and Dhruv Jurel (39 not out) propelled India to a stunning win, also claiming the five-match series 3-1 with a game to spare.

This became India's 17th successive Test series win&nbsp;on home soil (most by any). Their last series loss at home came versus Alastair Cook-led England in 2012/13. Since then, they have beaten the likes of Australia, England, West Indies, South Africa, Bangladesh and New Zealand (with Pakistan being the only non-visiting side due to strained political relations between the two nations).&nbsp;

Often, we tend to overlook the Test series wins at home. While there is no doubt that an away series win is very satisfying, people often underplay the importance of a series win in home conditions. Indian captain Rohit Sharma underlined the importance of a home series win&nbsp;in the post-match presser in Ranchi.&nbsp;

Responding to WION's correspondent, Hitman said, "Yeah, I think every series is important for us. Our job is to win the game, the series or tournament. Home and away can be differentiated. If we win at home, it is said that 'India is supposed to win at home' but if we lose, then I know what happens (smiles). Clearly, every series win against any team is crucial. Given where we were at before the series, with a lot of players missing, these young guys have taken the responsibility perfectly."

While home series wins deserve to be celebrated as well, this triumph over England -- a Test team who have been entertaining one and all with their aggressive style of play&nbsp;-- needs to be&nbsp;rated highly. The home side were challenged by England on many occasions and got a 3-1 lead facing many hindrances.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-dhruv-jurel-took-the-pressure-off-me-shubman-gill-on-unbeaten-stand-in-tense-ranchi-chase-694027">IND vs ENG: 'Dhruv Jurel took the pressure off me' - Shubman Gill on unbeaten stand in tense Ranchi chase</a>

<h2>EXPLAINED: Why the England Test series win should be rated highly</h2>

India entered the series without star batter Virat Kohli, who was out for personal reasons (having&nbsp;stepped aside for the birth of his second child). The home team still dominated the first half of the series opener in Hyderabad before an Ollie Pope special blew them away. Despite a whopping 190-run lead, India lost the first Test after Pope's 196 revived England's chances. Chasing 231, India folded for 202, lost&nbsp;by 28 runs and conceded a 1-0 lead.

The troubles increased from the second Test. KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja got injured and were sidelined (leading to&nbsp;Rajat Patidar's debut). Moreover, captain Rohit was looking timid with the bat&nbsp;-- grappling with the pressure of missing his key batters. While his struggles continued in Visakhapatnam as well, venue for the second encounter,&nbsp;a young Yashasvi Jaiswal -- who missed out on a ton in the opening game -- came as India's saviour and slammed a majestic 209 in the first innings. After India made 396, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah produced a brilliant bowling spell, with reverse swing on offer, to hand his side a big 143-run lead. In the second essay, 24-year-old Shubman Gill rose to the occasion&nbsp;with an impressive 104, as India setup a 399-run target and won by 106 runs.

The third Test, in Rajkot, saw the return of local boy Jadeja, however, Rahul still remained unfit.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer lost his place&nbsp;after a flurry of low scores. Thus, India brought in two debutants in the form of Sarfaraz Khan and keeper-batter&nbsp;Jurel.&nbsp;Opting to bat first, the hosts were 33-3 when captain Rohit (131) and Jadeja (112) stitched an invaluable 204-run fourth-wicket stand to take the side out of troubled waters. Still, India were 237-4 with inexperienced batters to follow. Nonetheless, both Sarfaraz (62) and Jurel (46) showed enough grit and determination to take India to 445. Senior pros R Ashwin (37) and Bumrah (26) also played a helping hand.

Ben Duckett (153) led England's response and the visitors were marching towards India's 445, being 182-2 in 30 overs. At 224-2, England still looked confident enough to go past India's score but Mohammed Siraj stepped up this time around.&nbsp;His 4 for 84 led to a collapse with Ben Stokes &amp; Co. folding up for 319.&nbsp;

With a 126-run lead, India took the game away&nbsp;with their&nbsp;young brigade once again coming to the party. Jaiswal (214*), Gill (91) and Sarfaraz (68 not out) propelled the team's lead to a daunting 556. Chasing 557, the English side managed a paltry 122 with Jadeja shining with 5 for 41.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prior to the&nbsp;fourth Test, the Indian team were much more confident and took the punt to rest ace pacer Bumrah. They included uncapped Bengal pacer Akash Deep in&nbsp;the playing XI in Ranchi. With England off to a flier, after opting to bat first, it was the 27-year-old debutant&nbsp;who struck thrice in one over to reduce England to 57 for 3. Later,&nbsp;Joe Root's 122* enabled England to 353. In reply, India were on the mat; reeling at 177-7.&nbsp;

Nonetheless, the 23-year-old Jurel (90) became India's hero in the crisis situation. He stitched a priceless 76-run eighth-wicket stand with Kuldeep Yadav (28). He aced the art of batting with the tail to take the team closer to England's 353. As a result, India posted 307 and handed only a slender 46-run lead, which could have easily been over 100. England then crumbled to Ashwin-Kuldeep's spin web to setup only a 192-run target. In the run-chase, India were made to toil hard for every run but Jurel-Gill ensured they got past the finish line.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jurel-gill-and-spinners-help-india-beat-england-in-4th-test-in-ranchi-hosts-clinch-five-match-series-693960">Jurel, Gill and spinners help India beat England in 4th Test in Ranchi as hosts clinch five-match series</a>

India came from behind to win the Test series with a game to spare, mainly due&nbsp;to their young brigade (with the seniors also raising their game). Heaping praise on the&nbsp;youngsters, Rohit said in the post-match PC, "You can take a lot of pride with such performances. Test cricket throws a different kind of challenge and pressure. The way these guys have performed has been superb. It is important to understand the dressing room culture and understand what we want to do as a team. These guys have come with an open mind and have raised their hands. That is important&nbsp;to understand to put the team's need ahead of individual performances. These guys have done all that. I know these are early days but they have responded beautifully and have shown the skills to excel in this format."

Thus, India's Test series triumph deserves accolades for the way the youngsters have stepped up in the absence of the likes of Kohli, Rahul, Bumrah, etc. The inexperienced players have embraced every challenge presented before Team India.&nbsp;

Let us be honest. Had this series win come abroad, especially in SENA countries, it&nbsp;would have rightly been hailed by all. There definitely is nothing wrong in celebrating away wins, but home wins deserve appreciation as well. Well, this one certainly does and needs to be rated highly by the countrymen.

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India were 84 for no loss before being reduced to 120-5.

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India were 84 for no loss before being reduced to 120-5. An unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand between Shubman Gill (52*) and Dhruv Jurel (39 not out) propelled India to a stunning win, also claiming the five-match series 3-1 with a game to spare. This became India's 17th successive Test series win on home soil (most by any). Their last series loss at home came versus Alastair Cook-led England in 2012/13. Since then, they have beaten the likes of Australia, England, West Indies, South Africa, Bangladesh and New Zealand (with Pakistan being the only non-visiting side due to strained political relations between the two nations). Often, we tend to overlook the Test series wins at home. While there is no doubt that an away series win is very satisfying, people often underplay the importance of a series win in home conditions. Indian captain Rohit Sharma underlined the importance of a home series win in the post-match presser in Ranchi. Responding to WION's correspondent, Hitman said, "Yeah, I think every series is important for us. Our job is to win the game, the series or tournament. Home and away can be differentiated. If we win at home, it is said that 'India is supposed to win at home' but if we lose, then I know what happens (smiles). Clearly, every series win against any team is crucial. Given where we were at before the series, with a lot of players missing, these young guys have taken the responsibility perfectly." While home series wins deserve to be celebrated as well, this triumph over England -- a Test team who have been entertaining one and all with their aggressive style of play -- needs to be rated highly. The home side were challenged by England on many occasions and got a 3-1 lead facing many hindrances. Also read: IND vs ENG: 'Dhruv Jurel took the pressure off me' - Shubman Gill on unbeaten stand in tense Ranchi chase EXPLAINED: Why the England Test series win should be rated highly India entered the series without star batter Virat Kohli, who was out for personal reasons (having stepped aside for the birth of his second child). The home team still dominated the first half of the series opener in Hyderabad before an Ollie Pope special blew them away. Despite a whopping 190-run lead, India lost the first Test after Pope's 196 revived England's chances. Chasing 231, India folded for 202, lost by 28 runs and conceded a 1-0 lead. The troubles increased from the second Test. KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja got injured and were sidelined (leading to Rajat Patidar's debut). Moreover, captain Rohit was looking timid with the bat -- grappling with the pressure of missing his key batters. While his struggles continued in Visakhapatnam as well, venue for the second encounter, a young Yashasvi Jaiswal -- who missed out on a ton in the opening game -- came as India's saviour and slammed a majestic 209 in the first innings. After India made 396, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah produced a brilliant bowling spell, with reverse swing on offer, to hand his side a big 143-run lead. In the second essay, 24-year-old Shubman Gill rose to the occasion with an impressive 104, as India setup a 399-run target and won by 106 runs. The third Test, in Rajkot, saw the return of local boy Jadeja, however, Rahul still remained unfit. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer lost his place after a flurry of low scores. Thus, India brought in two debutants in the form of Sarfaraz Khan and keeper-batter Jurel. Opting to bat first, the hosts were 33-3 when captain Rohit (131) and Jadeja (112) stitched an invaluable 204-run fourth-wicket stand to take the side out of troubled waters. Still, India were 237-4 with inexperienced batters to follow. Nonetheless, both Sarfaraz (62) and Jurel (46) showed enough grit and determination to take India to 445. Senior pros R Ashwin (37) and Bumrah (26) also played a helping hand. Ben Duckett (153) led England's response and the visitors were marching towards India's 445, being 182-2 in 30 overs. At 224-2, England still looked confident enough to go past India's score but Mohammed Siraj stepped up this time around. His 4 for 84 led to a collapse with Ben Stokes & Co. folding up for 319. With a 126-run lead, India took the game away with their young brigade once again coming to the party. Jaiswal (214*), Gill (91) and Sarfaraz (68 not out) propelled the team's lead to a daunting 556. Chasing 557, the English side managed a paltry 122 with Jadeja shining with 5 for 41. Prior to the fourth Test, the Indian team were much more confident and took the punt to rest ace pacer Bumrah. They included uncapped Bengal pacer Akash Deep in the playing XI in Ranchi. With England off to a flier, after opting to bat first, it was the 27-year-old debutant who struck thrice in one over to reduce England to 57 for 3. Later, Joe Root's 122* enabled England to 353. In reply, India were on the mat; reeling at 177-7. Nonetheless, the 23-year-old Jurel (90) became India's hero in the crisis situation. He stitched a priceless 76-run eighth-wicket stand with Kuldeep Yadav (28). He aced the art of batting with the tail to take the team closer to England's 353. As a result, India posted 307 and handed only a slender 46-run lead, which could have easily been over 100. England then crumbled to Ashwin-Kuldeep's spin web to setup only a 192-run target. In the run-chase, India were made to toil hard for every run but Jurel-Gill ensured they got past the finish line. Also read: Jurel, Gill and spinners help India beat England in 4th Test in Ranchi as hosts clinch five-match series India came from behind to win the Test series with a game to spare, mainly due to their young brigade (with the seniors also raising their game). Heaping praise on the youngsters, Rohit said in the post-match PC, "You can take a lot of pride with such performances. Test cricket throws a different kind of challenge and pressure. The way these guys have performed has been superb. It is important to understand the dressing room culture and understand what we want to do as a team. These guys have come with an open mind and have raised their hands. That is important to understand to put the team's need ahead of individual performances. These guys have done all that. I know these are early days but they have responded beautifully and have shown the skills to excel in this format." Thus, India's Test series triumph deserves accolades for the way the youngsters have stepped up in the absence of the likes of Kohli, Rahul, Bumrah, etc. The inexperienced players have embraced every challenge presented before Team India. Let us be honest. Had this series win come abroad, especially in SENA countries, it would have rightly been hailed by all. There definitely is nothing wrong in celebrating away wins, but home wins deserve appreciation as well. Well, this one certainly does and needs to be rated highly by the countrymen.

Explained: Why India’s Test series triumph over England should be rated highly

Dhruv Jurel (39*) and Shubman Gill (52*) stitched an unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand to help India chase 192 on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test versus England, at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). The day's play started with India being 40-0 and moved to 84 for no loss before English spinners chipped in with regular breakthroughs. However, Jurel (who scored a magnificent 90 in the first innings) and Gill remained unbeaten to take India to a stunning five-wicket win. With the victory, the hosts have&nbsp;clinched the five-match series with&nbsp;an unassailable 3-1 lead.

India started the day on a confident note with skipper Rohit Sharma (55) looking in his elements and constantly guiding his in-form partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (37). The duo added 84 for the opening stand but Joe Root, Shoaib Bashir (who took a five-fer in the first essay) and Tom Hartley made use of the turn and low bounce on offer to dent India. At 120-5, the home team&nbsp;had a job in hand but Jurel and Gill got together and resorted to smart cricket -- playing with soft hands, stepping outside the crease against the spinners&nbsp;and running well between the wickets --&nbsp;to take India to a win.&nbsp;

The Ranchi Test&nbsp;proved to be a hard-fought battle from the word go. Opting to bat first, Ben Stokes-led England got off to a flier on Day 1 before being reduced to 112-5, thanks to debutant pacer Akash Deep's three successive strikes. Nonetheless, Joe Root's 122* helped England post 353. In reply, India were on the backfoot at stumps on Day 2, reeling at 177-7 (despite Jaiswal's 73). The next morning saw India's fightback, led by young keeper-batter Jurel who scored a brilliant 90. The 23-year-old's knock, which included a 76-run eighth-wicket stand with spinner Kuldeep Yadav (28), helped the hosts get close to England's 353 as they managed 307.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-dhruv-jurels-90-a-delightful-saga-on-raising-the-tail-against-the-odds-693668">IND vs ENG: Dhruv Jurel's 90 - a delightful saga on raising the tail against the odds</a>

In their second innings, England were well-placed at 110-3 with Zak Crawley leading the&nbsp;charge. However, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav tested the English batters throughout with the former taking 5 for 51 to dismiss the opposition for a paltry 145. Jurel also contributed from&nbsp;behind the stumps with his proactiveness and keeping skills.&nbsp;England fell flat on a tricky surface -- with a tinge of low bounce&nbsp;throughout -- to set up only a 192-run target. The total wasn't daunting but the visitors made India toil hard for every run before Gill and Jurel's unbeaten stand.

Notably, this was the first time when India won a contest chasing over 150 at home since early 2013 (versus Australia -- chasing 155).&nbsp;India have clinched&nbsp;the series 3-1 to remain unbeaten in home Tests since late 2012-13 (when Alastair Cook-led England beat them 2-1).

The fifth and final Test will commence in Dharamsala on March 7.

Dhruv Jurel (39*) and Shubman Gill (52*) stitched an unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand to help India chase 192 on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test versus England, at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26).

Dhruv Jurel (39*) and Shubman Gill (52*) stitched an unbroken 72-run sixth-wicket stand to help India chase 192 on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test versus England, at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). The day's play started with India being 40-0 and moved to 84 for no loss before English spinners chipped in with regular breakthroughs. However, Jurel (who scored a magnificent 90 in the first innings) and Gill remained unbeaten to take India to a stunning five-wicket win. With the victory, the hosts have clinched the five-match series with an unassailable 3-1 lead. India started the day on a confident note with skipper Rohit Sharma (55) looking in his elements and constantly guiding his in-form partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (37). The duo added 84 for the opening stand but Joe Root, Shoaib Bashir (who took a five-fer in the first essay) and Tom Hartley made use of the turn and low bounce on offer to dent India. At 120-5, the home team had a job in hand but Jurel and Gill got together and resorted to smart cricket -- playing with soft hands, stepping outside the crease against the spinners and running well between the wickets -- to take India to a win. The Ranchi Test proved to be a hard-fought battle from the word go. Opting to bat first, Ben Stokes-led England got off to a flier on Day 1 before being reduced to 112-5, thanks to debutant pacer Akash Deep's three successive strikes. Nonetheless, Joe Root's 122* helped England post 353. In reply, India were on the backfoot at stumps on Day 2, reeling at 177-7 (despite Jaiswal's 73). The next morning saw India's fightback, led by young keeper-batter Jurel who scored a brilliant 90. The 23-year-old's knock, which included a 76-run eighth-wicket stand with spinner Kuldeep Yadav (28), helped the hosts get close to England's 353 as they managed 307. Also read: IND vs ENG: Dhruv Jurel's 90 - a delightful saga on raising the tail against the odds In their second innings, England were well-placed at 110-3 with Zak Crawley leading the charge. However, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav tested the English batters throughout with the former taking 5 for 51 to dismiss the opposition for a paltry 145. Jurel also contributed from behind the stumps with his proactiveness and keeping skills. England fell flat on a tricky surface -- with a tinge of low bounce throughout -- to set up only a 192-run target. The total wasn't daunting but the visitors made India toil hard for every run before Gill and Jurel's unbeaten stand. Notably, this was the first time when India won a contest chasing over 150 at home since early 2013 (versus Australia -- chasing 155). India have clinched the series 3-1 to remain unbeaten in home Tests since late 2012-13 (when Alastair Cook-led England beat them 2-1). The fifth and final Test will commence in Dharamsala on March 7.

Jurel, Gill and spinners help India beat England in 4th Test in Ranchi as hosts clinch five-match series

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India started the day at 40 for no loss but were reduced to 120 for 5 before Shubman Gill's 52* and Dhruv Jurel (39 not out) ensured&nbsp;no further hiccups to take hosts&nbsp;past the finish line. With the win, India clinched the five-match series 3-1 with the final Test to be held in Dharamsala on March 7.

This became the 17th successive series win for India at home. At the post-match presser, Indian captain Rohit underlined the importance of a series win on home soil.

Responding to WION's correspondent, Hitman said, "Yeah, I think every series is important for us. Our job is to win the game, the series or tournament. Home and away can be differentiated. If we win at home, it is said that 'India is supposed to win at home' but if we lose, then I know what happens (smiles). Clearly, every series win against any team is crucial. Given where we were at before the series, with a lot of players missing, these young guys have taken the responsibility perfectly. "

Rohit then lauded the young and inexperienced players who stood up for India during crucial moments of the series. He added, "You can take a lot of pride with such performances. Test cricket throws a different kind of challenge and pressure. The way these guys have performed has been superb. It is important to understand the dressing room culture and understand what we want to do as a team. These guys have come with an open mind and have raised their hands. That is important&nbsp;to understand to put the team's need ahead of individual performances. These guys have done all that. I know these are early days but they have responded beautifully and have shown the skills to excel in this format."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-couldnt-be-more-proud-says-england-skipper-ben-stokes-after-losing-test-series-to-india-693983">IND vs ENG: 'Couldn't be more proud...,' says England skipper Ben Stokes after losing Test series to India</a>

India handed debut caps to many players -- such as&nbsp;Jurel, Akash Deep, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan -- with Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (who only featured in the first Test), Shreyas Iyer (out of action following the second Test), etc. missing out. Even Ravindra Jadeja missed the Visakhapatnam Test whereas Jasprit Bumrah was rested for the Ranchi encounter. All the newcomers made significant contributions whereas youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal has had a memorable run in the ongoing series (with 655 runs in four Tests). Even Gill has stood tall with a ton and two crucial fifties. Thus, this Test series triumph holds a lot of significance for the hosts.&nbsp;

Talking about the Ranchi Test, Ben Stokes-led England opted to bat first and rode on Joe Root's 122* to post 353. In reply, India were reeling at 177-7 before Jurel's 90 took India to 307. In their second essay, England folded for 145 courtesy of R Ashwin's 5 for 51. Chasing 192, India held their nerves, on Monday, to reach the finish line with five wickets in hand.

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India started the day at 40 for no loss but were reduced to 120 for 5 before Shubman Gill's 52* and Dhruv Jurel (39 not out) ensured no further hiccups to take hosts past the finish line.

India beat England by five wickets on Day 4 of the fourth and penultimate Test at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Monday (Feb 26). Chasing 192, India started the day at 40 for no loss but were reduced to 120 for 5 before Shubman Gill's 52* and Dhruv Jurel (39 not out) ensured no further hiccups to take hosts past the finish line. With the win, India clinched the five-match series 3-1 with the final Test to be held in Dharamsala on March 7. This became the 17th successive series win for India at home. At the post-match presser, Indian captain Rohit underlined the importance of a series win on home soil. Responding to WION's correspondent, Hitman said, "Yeah, I think every series is important for us. Our job is to win the game, the series or tournament. Home and away can be differentiated. If we win at home, it is said that 'India is supposed to win at home' but if we lose, then I know what happens (smiles). Clearly, every series win against any team is crucial. Given where we were at before the series, with a lot of players missing, these young guys have taken the responsibility perfectly. " Rohit then lauded the young and inexperienced players who stood up for India during crucial moments of the series. He added, "You can take a lot of pride with such performances. Test cricket throws a different kind of challenge and pressure. The way these guys have performed has been superb. It is important to understand the dressing room culture and understand what we want to do as a team. These guys have come with an open mind and have raised their hands. That is important to understand to put the team's need ahead of individual performances. These guys have done all that. I know these are early days but they have responded beautifully and have shown the skills to excel in this format." Also read: IND vs ENG: 'Couldn't be more proud...,' says England skipper Ben Stokes after losing Test series to India India handed debut caps to many players -- such as Jurel, Akash Deep, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan -- with Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (who only featured in the first Test), Shreyas Iyer (out of action following the second Test), etc. missing out. Even Ravindra Jadeja missed the Visakhapatnam Test whereas Jasprit Bumrah was rested for the Ranchi encounter. All the newcomers made significant contributions whereas youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal has had a memorable run in the ongoing series (with 655 runs in four Tests). Even Gill has stood tall with a ton and two crucial fifties. Thus, this Test series triumph holds a lot of significance for the hosts. Talking about the Ranchi Test, Ben Stokes-led England opted to bat first and rode on Joe Root's 122* to post 353. In reply, India were reeling at 177-7 before Jurel's 90 took India to 307. In their second essay, England folded for 145 courtesy of R Ashwin's 5 for 51. Chasing 192, India held their nerves, on Monday, to reach the finish line with five wickets in hand.

IND vs ENG: India captain Rohit Sharma underlines importance of home series win after Ranchi Test

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