<p>Team India thrashed England by seven wickets in their first warm-up match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (October 18) to find some momentum ahead of the start of their campaign in the showpiece event. India comfortably chased down the target of 189 runs with the help of half-centuries from KL Rahul (51) and Ishan Kishan (70) to bag a comprehensive win.</p>

<p>With Kishan doing well as an opener ahead of the start of India's campaign, the left-hander might pose some selection headaches for captain Virat Kohli and the team management. However, Kohli on Monday confirmed that Rahul will open the batting for the Men in Blue alongside senior opener Rohit Sharma. Opening up on the team's opening combination ahead of the start of their campaign in the tournament, Kohli said it was difficult to look beyond Rahul at present.</p>

<p>"Things were different before IPL, now it's difficult to look beyond KL Rahul. He's been solid upfront. I will be batting at 3. That's the only thing I can say for now," said Kohli during toss ahead of the warm-up game against England.</p>

<p>Talking about the warm-up game between India and England, the Jos Buttler-led side posted a strong total of 188 runs batting first at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai with the help of Jonny Bairstow's 49 off 36 balls and Moeen Ali's quickfire 20-ball 43.</p>

<p>In reply, India were off to a flyer as Rahul and Kishan shared an 82-run stand for the first wicket and set the stage for a comprehensive win for the Men in Blue. While Rahul dashed his way to 51 off just 24 balls, Kishan too went all guns blazing in his 46-ball 70 laced with seven fours and three sixes.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/advantage-india-or-pakistan-former-pak-all-rounder-makes-big-claim-ahead-of-t20-wc-face-off-421898">Advantage India or Pakistan? Former Pak all-rounder makes BIG claim ahead of T20 WC face-off</a></p>

<p>Rishabh Pant then cracked an unbeaten 29 off just 14 balls and combined with Hardik Pandya (10) to take India over the line comfortably in the run-chase. India will now take on Australia in their second warm-up match on October 20 before opening their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign against Pakistan on October 24.</p>


Team India thrashed England by seven wickets in their first warm-up match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (October 18) to find some momentum ahead of the start of their campaign in the showpiece event.

Team India thrashed England by seven wickets in their first warm-up match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (October 18) to find some momentum ahead of the start of their campaign in the showpiece event. India comfortably chased down the target of 189 runs with the help of half-centuries from KL Rahul (51) and Ishan Kishan (70) to bag a comprehensive win. With Kishan doing well as an opener ahead of the start of India's campaign, the left-hander might pose some selection headaches for captain Virat Kohli and the team management. However, Kohli on Monday confirmed that Rahul will open the batting for the Men in Blue alongside senior opener Rohit Sharma. Opening up on the team's opening combination ahead of the start of their campaign in the tournament, Kohli said it was difficult to look beyond Rahul at present. "Things were different before IPL, now it's difficult to look beyond KL Rahul. He's been solid upfront. I will be batting at 3. That's the only thing I can say for now," said Kohli during toss ahead of the warm-up game against England. Talking about the warm-up game between India and England, the Jos Buttler-led side posted a strong total of 188 runs batting first at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai with the help of Jonny Bairstow's 49 off 36 balls and Moeen Ali's quickfire 20-ball 43. In reply, India were off to a flyer as Rahul and Kishan shared an 82-run stand for the first wicket and set the stage for a comprehensive win for the Men in Blue. While Rahul dashed his way to 51 off just 24 balls, Kishan too went all guns blazing in his 46-ball 70 laced with seven fours and three sixes. Also Read: Advantage India or Pakistan? Former Pak all-rounder makes BIG claim ahead of T20 WC face-off Rishabh Pant then cracked an unbeaten 29 off just 14 balls and combined with Hardik Pandya (10) to take India over the line comfortably in the run-chase. India will now take on Australia in their second warm-up match on October 20 before opening their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign against Pakistan on October 24.

No Ishan Kishan? Virat Kohli reveals India's opening combination for T20 World Cup 2021

<p>Ishan Kishan was given a chance at the top-order for Team India in their first warm-up fixture, ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Virat Kohli-led India faced England in a warm-up encounter on Monday evening (October 18) and the swashbuckling left-hander, who didn't have a memorable IPL 14 for Mumbai Indians (MI), stunned one and all with his entertaining 46-ball 70 before he voluntarily walked off, retired hurt, to give others a chance in India's successful 189-run chase.</p>

<p>Opting to bowl first, Kohli-led India rode on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami's breakthroughs to keep Eoin Morgan-less England for 188-5. Jos Buttler-led Three Lions posted a competitive score courtesy Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone. However, the dew factor coupled with some sloppy fielding along with Ishan-KL Rahul's fireworks led to England's seven-wicket thrashing. Kohli &amp; Co. finished the run-chase with an over to spare, at ICC Academy Ground, Dubai.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ishan, who opened the innings with Rohit Sharma being rested, has added to India's selection woes as the team management have plenty to choose from. The left-hander's innings comprised 7 fours and 3 sixes, at 152.37, as he has made a strong statement to be in India's XI for their tournament-opener, versus Pakistan on October 24 at Dubai.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-was-our-mentor-even-when-he-was-captain-kl-rahul-gives-his-take-on-ms-dhonis-mentorship-role-in-t20-wc-422076">'He was our mentor even when he was captain' - KL Rahul gives his take on MS Dhoni's mentorship role in T20 WC</a></strong></p>

<p>Ahead of the high-voltage Indo-Pak clash, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has suggested where Ishan should bat&nbsp;in the mega event. He told on his Youtube channel, "Don't disturb the opening combination. Talk about the batting line-up after that. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will open and I don't think that will change. It could be possible that they use Ishan Kishan somewhere in the middle order or at one down or even bring him in after Kohli. That is because he is in form and can play anywhere.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I haven't seen him struggling against the new ball or the spinners. So, these are very good signs. He played Moeen Ali very well and he hit Adil Rashid, who is a very good leg spinner, for a plenty. But today's highlight of India's batting, someone who batted extremely beautifully, was KL Rahul. It looked like he was facing the bowling machine. He was able to hit any ball anywhere and the best part was that all of them were correct shots. He is in dangerous form currently," opined Butt.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-never-give-big-statements-virender-sehwag-explains-why-pakistan-have-failed-to-beat-india-in-world-cups-422082">'We never give big statements': Virender Sehwag explains why Pakistan have failed to beat India in World Cups</a></strong></p>

<p>It will be interesting to see if Ishan features in India's XI for their tournament-opener versus Babar Azam-led Men in Green. They have plenty of power-hitters to choose from, in the form of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India are in Pool B along with Pakistan, New Zealand and Afghanistan whereas two more teams will join them from the qualifiers.</p>


Ishan Kishan was given a chance at the top-order for Team India in their first warm-up fixture, ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Virat Kohli-led India faced England in a warm-up encounter on Monday evening (October 18) and the swashbuckling left-hander, who didn't have a memorable IPL 14 for Mumbai Indians (MI), stunned one and all with his entertaining 46-ball 70 before he voluntarily walked off, retired hurt, to give others a chance in India's successful 189-run chase.

Ishan Kishan was given a chance at the top-order for Team India in their first warm-up fixture, ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Virat Kohli-led India faced England in a warm-up encounter on Monday evening (October 18) and the swashbuckling left-hander, who didn't have a memorable IPL 14 for Mumbai Indians (MI), stunned one and all with his entertaining 46-ball 70 before he voluntarily walked off, retired hurt, to give others a chance in India's successful 189-run chase. Opting to bowl first, Kohli-led India rode on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami's breakthroughs to keep Eoin Morgan-less England for 188-5. Jos Buttler-led Three Lions posted a competitive score courtesy Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone. However, the dew factor coupled with some sloppy fielding along with Ishan-KL Rahul's fireworks led to England's seven-wicket thrashing. Kohli & Co. finished the run-chase with an over to spare, at ICC Academy Ground, Dubai. Ishan, who opened the innings with Rohit Sharma being rested, has added to India's selection woes as the team management have plenty to choose from. The left-hander's innings comprised 7 fours and 3 sixes, at 152.37, as he has made a strong statement to be in India's XI for their tournament-opener, versus Pakistan on October 24 at Dubai. ALSO READ | 'He was our mentor even when he was captain' - KL Rahul gives his take on MS Dhoni's mentorship role in T20 WC Ahead of the high-voltage Indo-Pak clash, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has suggested where Ishan should bat in the mega event. He told on his Youtube channel, "Don't disturb the opening combination. Talk about the batting line-up after that. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will open and I don't think that will change. It could be possible that they use Ishan Kishan somewhere in the middle order or at one down or even bring him in after Kohli. That is because he is in form and can play anywhere. “I haven't seen him struggling against the new ball or the spinners. So, these are very good signs. He played Moeen Ali very well and he hit Adil Rashid, who is a very good leg spinner, for a plenty. But today's highlight of India's batting, someone who batted extremely beautifully, was KL Rahul. It looked like he was facing the bowling machine. He was able to hit any ball anywhere and the best part was that all of them were correct shots. He is in dangerous form currently," opined Butt. ALSO READ | 'We never give big statements': Virender Sehwag explains why Pakistan have failed to beat India in World Cups It will be interesting to see if Ishan features in India's XI for their tournament-opener versus Babar Azam-led Men in Green. They have plenty of power-hitters to choose from, in the form of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, etc. India are in Pool B along with Pakistan, New Zealand and Afghanistan whereas two more teams will join them from the qualifiers.

T20 WC: Salman Butt suggests Ishan Kishan's batting slot after his blitzkrieg vs England ahead of Pakistan tie

<p>Virat Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the Indian captain in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. While Kohli's decision shocked many in the cricketing fraternity, the Indian team is gearing up for the mega event with an aim to give a perfect send-off to the 32-year-old as his T20I captaincy tenure is set to end.</p>

<p>As Kohli is on the verge of stepping aside as T20I captain, former South African speedster Dale Steyn -- who has shared the dressing room with Kohli in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise -- suggested who should succeed the right-hander at the top post.</p>

<p>While many believe Rohit Sharma -- the vice-captain in shorter formats -- is best suited to succeed King Kohli, Steyn also belives Hitman will be an ideal candidate as the Indian T20I captain.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="David Warner comes up with hilarious response as Rohit Sharma flaunts India's T20 World Cup jersey">David Warner comes up with hilarious response as Rohit Sharma flaunts India's T20 World Cup jersey</a></strong></p>

<p>"They have got tons. You just have to look around in the IPL and there are so many players. You’ve got SKY, who I think will come in at some place. You've got Rishabh Pant, who is looking good. There are just so many of these guys… Iyer, Rohit. They can all do it but you just have to give somebody that responsibility and allow them to run with it. India have been really good with it. They have given the captaincy to one particular players for a long time and they have done the job," Steyn told Sports Tak.</p>

<p>"They have got a bunch of different people to pick from. I think the most exciting thing for India right now is that the young players that are coming through, they are all world-class players. You look at Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant… these are young guys who are doing extremely well at the international level. So if you give the captaincy to Rohit, who has been around for a while… has won numerous IPLs, it will be a great call since he can nurture the youngsters," he further pointed out.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-wasim-jaffer-michael-vaughan-engage-in-cheeky-banter-as-india-thrash-england-in-warm-up-tie-422020"><strong>T20 WC: Wasim Jaffer, Michael Vaughan engage in cheeky banter as India thrash England in warm-up tie</strong></a></p>

<p>Rohit has already led India in T20Is and ODIs, leading the Men in Blue to Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup 2018 titles. In addition, he remains the most successful IPL captain, with 5 titles with the Mumbai Indians (MI). BCCI will take a call on Kohli's successor post the T20 World Cup.</p>


Virat Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the Indian captain in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. While Kohli's decision shocked many in the cricketing fraternity, the Indian team is gearing up for the mega event with an aim to give a perfect send-off to the 32-year-old as his T20I captaincy tenure is set to end.

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the Indian captain in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. While Kohli's decision shocked many in the cricketing fraternity, the Indian team is gearing up for the mega event with an aim to give a perfect send-off to the 32-year-old as his T20I captaincy tenure is set to end. As Kohli is on the verge of stepping aside as T20I captain, former South African speedster Dale Steyn -- who has shared the dressing room with Kohli in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise -- suggested who should succeed the right-hander at the top post. While many believe Rohit Sharma -- the vice-captain in shorter formats -- is best suited to succeed King Kohli, Steyn also belives Hitman will be an ideal candidate as the Indian T20I captain. ALSO READ | David Warner comes up with hilarious response as Rohit Sharma flaunts India's T20 World Cup jersey "They have got tons. You just have to look around in the IPL and there are so many players. You’ve got SKY, who I think will come in at some place. You've got Rishabh Pant, who is looking good. There are just so many of these guys… Iyer, Rohit. They can all do it but you just have to give somebody that responsibility and allow them to run with it. India have been really good with it. They have given the captaincy to one particular players for a long time and they have done the job," Steyn told Sports Tak. "They have got a bunch of different people to pick from. I think the most exciting thing for India right now is that the young players that are coming through, they are all world-class players. You look at Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant… these are young guys who are doing extremely well at the international level. So if you give the captaincy to Rohit, who has been around for a while… has won numerous IPLs, it will be a great call since he can nurture the youngsters," he further pointed out. ALSO READ | T20 WC: Wasim Jaffer, Michael Vaughan engage in cheeky banter as India thrash England in warm-up tie Rohit has already led India in T20Is and ODIs, leading the Men in Blue to Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup 2018 titles. In addition, he remains the most successful IPL captain, with 5 titles with the Mumbai Indians (MI). BCCI will take a call on Kohli's successor post the T20 World Cup.

Dale Steyn names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's T20I captain: He can nurture Pant & others

<p>India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma recently took to Instagram to share a video where he can be seen flaunting the team's new jersey for T20 World Cup 2021. In the video shared by Rohit on his Instagram account, the Hitman can be seen slipping into his new jersey ahead of the start of their campaign.</p>

<p>India have already kicked off their preparations for the T20 World Cup with a seven-wicket win against England in their first warm-up game and will open their campaign against Pakistan on October 24. India are scheduled to play two warm-up matches before locking horns with Pakistan in their T20 World Cup 2021 opener.</p>

<p>Excited to wear the new Indian jersey ahead of their warm-up game against England which concluded on Monday (October 18), Rohit was seen flaunting his Indian jersey in his hotel room in the UAE. “Jumping into my India Blue,” Rohit captioned the post.</p>

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<p>The video soon went viral among fans with some cricketers also reacting to the Hitman's post. Australian batter David Warner also came up with hilarious response to Rohit's video and compared it to his TikTok videos. Warner is popular among fans for his hilarious TikTok videos.</p>

<p>“You copying my Tiktok,” Warner wrote in the comments section along with three laughing emojis. Check out Warner's comment on Rohit's post -&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Warner's comment on Rohit's post" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b27b0a80-7ae3-4c5f-9964-3cf4f891dd5b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Warner%20comm1.png" /></p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-india-under-pressure-thats-why-they-are-taking-ms-dhoni-as-mentor-says-former-pakistan-cricketer-422013">India under pressure, that’s why they are taking MS Dhoni as mentor, says former Pakistan cricketer</a></p>

<p>Rohit did not feature in India's warm-up game against England on Monday. Batting first, England rode on Jonny Bairstow's 49 and Moeen Ali's 20-ball 43 to post a strong total of 188 runs on the board in 20 overs. However, India chased down the target with an over to spare.</p>

<p>Ishan Kishan played a fabulous knock of 46-ball 70 while KL Rahul scored a magnificent 51 off 24 balls to prpoel India to a comfortable win and get their preparations off to a perfect start in the T20 World Cup 2021. India will now face Australia in their second warm-up fixture on Tuesday (October 20).</p>


India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma recently took to Instagram to share a video where he can be seen flaunting the team's new jersey for T20 World Cup 2021.

India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma recently took to Instagram to share a video where he can be seen flaunting the team's new jersey for T20 World Cup 2021. In the video shared by Rohit on his Instagram account, the Hitman can be seen slipping into his new jersey ahead of the start of their campaign. India have already kicked off their preparations for the T20 World Cup with a seven-wicket win against England in their first warm-up game and will open their campaign against Pakistan on October 24. India are scheduled to play two warm-up matches before locking horns with Pakistan in their T20 World Cup 2021 opener. Excited to wear the new Indian jersey ahead of their warm-up game against England which concluded on Monday (October 18), Rohit was seen flaunting his Indian jersey in his hotel room in the UAE. “Jumping into my India Blue,” Rohit captioned the post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rohit Sharma (@rohitsharma45) × The video soon went viral among fans with some cricketers also reacting to the Hitman's post. Australian batter David Warner also came up with hilarious response to Rohit's video and compared it to his TikTok videos. Warner is popular among fans for his hilarious TikTok videos. “You copying my Tiktok,” Warner wrote in the comments section along with three laughing emojis. Check out Warner's comment on Rohit's post - Also Read: India under pressure, that’s why they are taking MS Dhoni as mentor, says former Pakistan cricketer Rohit did not feature in India's warm-up game against England on Monday. Batting first, England rode on Jonny Bairstow's 49 and Moeen Ali's 20-ball 43 to post a strong total of 188 runs on the board in 20 overs. However, India chased down the target with an over to spare. Ishan Kishan played a fabulous knock of 46-ball 70 while KL Rahul scored a magnificent 51 off 24 balls to prpoel India to a comfortable win and get their preparations off to a perfect start in the T20 World Cup 2021. India will now face Australia in their second warm-up fixture on Tuesday (October 20).

David Warner comes up with hilarious response as Rohit Sharma flaunts India's T20 World Cup jersey

<p>Mumbai Indians (MI) had a disappointing campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the Rohit Sharma-led failed to make it to the playoffs. MI were ousted from the tournament on the final day of the league stage of IPL 2021 despite registering a 42-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their last league game. MI might have endured a poor season this year but they remain the most successful team in the history of IPL with five titles to their name.</p>

<p>In a video shared by Mumbai Indians on Monday (October 18), skipper Rohit Sharma reflected on his journey with the franchise and insisted last season won't take away anything from the team's success in the past. Mumbai Indians won the IPL title in successive seasons in IPL 2019 and 2020 before faltering this year to finish fifth on the points table.</p>

<p>"Yes, it was an unfortunate season for us. We are a little disappointed with that but nothing to take away from what we have done in the past and all of those efforts. You are bound to have a season like that where things will not go the way you want to but that doesn't change the quality and the potential of the team," Rohit said in the video.</p>

<p>Rohit also gave some insights on Mumbai Indians' chances to retain their core group of players, admitting that it will be almost impossible for them to have all the players in their current squad back. Rohit said he is aware that MI might not have the same squad for IPL 2022, considering two new teams will be added to the tournament from the next season with a mega auction set to take place.</p>

<p>"We won't have the same squad,&nbsp;unless some miracle happens. It will be hard not have all of them as part of the same group next year. But, hopefully, we can get the same core group of players and create a magical couple of years," Rohit said.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"All these players are not just made in one or two days... Its a lot of hard work that they have put in."<br />
<br />
Ro talks about his journey with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI</a> and the special bond that he shares with this group <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KhelTakaTak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KhelTakaTak</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MXTakaTak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MXTakaTak</a> MI TV <a href="https://t.co/rwYL2txiXi">pic.twitter.com/rwYL2txiXi</a></p>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1449940800859738114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-would-be-working-at-a-petrol-pump-if-not-for-money-in-cricket-hardik-pandya-421729">&nbsp;I would be working at a petrol pump if not for money in cricket: Hardik Pandya</a></p>

<p>Mumbai Indians have a host of superstars in their ranks who will be major contenders to be retained by the franchise. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard among others will be the players MI will be looking to keep depending on the number of retentions allowed ahead of the mega auction.</p>

<p>Mumbai Indians have won five titles under Rohit's captaincy, who might&nbsp;be the first-choice retention and will be leading the side for the next couple of years.</p>


Mumbai Indians (MI) had a disappointing campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the Rohit Sharma-led failed to make it to the playoffs. MI were ousted from the tournament on the final day of the league stage of IPL 2021 despite registering a 42-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their last league game.

Mumbai Indians (MI) had a disappointing campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the Rohit Sharma-led failed to make it to the playoffs. MI were ousted from the tournament on the final day of the league stage of IPL 2021 despite registering a 42-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their last league game. MI might have endured a poor season this year but they remain the most successful team in the history of IPL with five titles to their name. In a video shared by Mumbai Indians on Monday (October 18), skipper Rohit Sharma reflected on his journey with the franchise and insisted last season won't take away anything from the team's success in the past. Mumbai Indians won the IPL title in successive seasons in IPL 2019 and 2020 before faltering this year to finish fifth on the points table. "Yes, it was an unfortunate season for us. We are a little disappointed with that but nothing to take away from what we have done in the past and all of those efforts. You are bound to have a season like that where things will not go the way you want to but that doesn't change the quality and the potential of the team," Rohit said in the video. Rohit also gave some insights on Mumbai Indians' chances to retain their core group of players, admitting that it will be almost impossible for them to have all the players in their current squad back. Rohit said he is aware that MI might not have the same squad for IPL 2022, considering two new teams will be added to the tournament from the next season with a mega auction set to take place. "We won't have the same squad, unless some miracle happens. It will be hard not have all of them as part of the same group next year. But, hopefully, we can get the same core group of players and create a magical couple of years," Rohit said. "All these players are not just made in one or two days... Its a lot of hard work that they have put in." Ro talks about his journey with #MI and the special bond that he shares with this group #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #IPL2021 #KhelTakaTak @ImRo45 @MXTakaTak MI TV pic.twitter.com/rwYL2txiXi — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) October 18, 2021 × Also Read: I would be working at a petrol pump if not for money in cricket: Hardik Pandya Mumbai Indians have a host of superstars in their ranks who will be major contenders to be retained by the franchise. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard among others will be the players MI will be looking to keep depending on the number of retentions allowed ahead of the mega auction. Mumbai Indians have won five titles under Rohit's captaincy, who might be the first-choice retention and will be leading the side for the next couple of years.

Mumbai Indians won't have the same squad for IPL 2022, unless some miracle happens: Rohit Sharma

<p>India and England will lock horns with each other in their first of the two warm-up games before the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 commences from October 23. Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue have a stern task in the warm-up encounters, playing strong contenders such as England and Australia, respectively.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the unversed, both India and England met each other during early 2021 for a five-match T20I series. It will be interesting to see what will be the team combination for both sides as majority of their players were seen in the final leg of IPL 2021 and are well aware of the conditions to be on offer in the UAE. The match will be played at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-world-t20-shardul-chakravarthy-to-get-a-look-in-indias-predicted-playing-xi-for-warm-up-game-vs-england-421758"><strong>ICC World T20: Shardul, Chakravarthy to get a look-in? India's predicted playing XI for warm-up game vs England</strong></a></p>

<p>Team India will like to make the most of their two warm-up encounters as they have plenty of questions to answer. Their opening combination, bowling attack, Hardik Pandya's availability as a bowler, etc. will be in focus. For England, Eoin Morgan &amp; Co. will hope for their skipper to get some runs under his belt before the main draw of the tournament starts, from October 23. On the other hand, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, etc. will want to make the most of the two games as well after they struggled to get their timing right in the UAE leg of IPL 14. Jos Buttler will turn up on the 22-yard cricket strip after a long gap. Hence, it will be interesting to see how he approaches the warm-up tie.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-ind-vs-eng-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-india-vs-england-warm-up-match-421727"><strong>T20 World Cup, IND vs ENG live streaming: When and where to watch India vs England warm-up match?</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Match prediction for India-England T20 WC match:&nbsp;</strong>It will be interesting to see how the two teams approach these warm-up encounters. Needless to say, they will like to get a win under their belt but it also serves as a chance to test their bench strength or tweak few of their combinations. On paper, both sides are very strong but England have some serious power-hitters in their line-up. India isn't far behind by any means and will like to make use of the slow and sluggish surfaces in UAE. Much will depend on how much bounce will the track provide. England might edge past India in the warm-up encounter, given most of the Indian players are still coming out of a gruelling second and final leg of IPL 2021.</p>


India and England will lock horns with each other in their first of the two warm-up games before the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 commences from October 23.

India and England will lock horns with each other in their first of the two warm-up games before the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 commences from October 23. Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue have a stern task in the warm-up encounters, playing strong contenders such as England and Australia, respectively. For the unversed, both India and England met each other during early 2021 for a five-match T20I series. It will be interesting to see what will be the team combination for both sides as majority of their players were seen in the final leg of IPL 2021 and are well aware of the conditions to be on offer in the UAE. The match will be played at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai. ALSO READ | ICC World T20: Shardul, Chakravarthy to get a look-in? India's predicted playing XI for warm-up game vs England Team India will like to make the most of their two warm-up encounters as they have plenty of questions to answer. Their opening combination, bowling attack, Hardik Pandya's availability as a bowler, etc. will be in focus. For England, Eoin Morgan & Co. will hope for their skipper to get some runs under his belt before the main draw of the tournament starts, from October 23. On the other hand, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, etc. will want to make the most of the two games as well after they struggled to get their timing right in the UAE leg of IPL 14. Jos Buttler will turn up on the 22-yard cricket strip after a long gap. Hence, it will be interesting to see how he approaches the warm-up tie. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup, IND vs ENG live streaming: When and where to watch India vs England warm-up match? Match prediction for India-England T20 WC match: It will be interesting to see how the two teams approach these warm-up encounters. Needless to say, they will like to get a win under their belt but it also serves as a chance to test their bench strength or tweak few of their combinations. On paper, both sides are very strong but England have some serious power-hitters in their line-up. India isn't far behind by any means and will like to make use of the slow and sluggish surfaces in UAE. Much will depend on how much bounce will the track provide. England might edge past India in the warm-up encounter, given most of the Indian players are still coming out of a gruelling second and final leg of IPL 2021.

IND vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2021 prediction: Who will win today's warm-up match between India and England?

<p>Virat Kohli-led Team India will begin their campaign in the seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 with their first of the two warm-up encounters, versus Eoin Morgan-led England on Monday (October 18). The one-time winners are starting their campaign versus one of the strongest contenders for the marquee title. Hence, the Men in Blue will be on their toes and eager&nbsp;to tick some of the boxes in the warm-up encounters before the main draw of the tournament kicks off from October 23.</p>

<p>For the unversed, India played their last T20I -- comprising full-strength side -- versus England in early 2021. Hence, both sides are fully aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses. What will be interesting to see is how the two teams go ahead, in terms of the team combinations, in the warm-up face-off.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For Kohli-led India, they have plenty of questions to answer. In their last game versus England, during the five-match T20Is in India in February-March, KL Rahul didn't open in the series-decider as Kohli-Rohit Sharma came out as openers. Back then, Rahul was in torrid form. Will Kohli continue as an opener despite Rahul's brilliant form in IPL 14's second and final leg in the UAE? Moreover, it will be interesting to see how many spinners get included in the India XI. At present, they have options in the form of Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy. Given the recent form, Varun and Jadeja seem like a certain in the XI. However, Varun's fitness was an issue in the last few games in IPL 2021. Hence, the focus will be on him.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-would-be-working-at-a-petrol-pump-if-not-for-money-in-cricket-hardik-pandya-421729">&nbsp;I would be working at a petrol pump if not for money in cricket: Hardik Pandya</a></strong></p>

<p>India also have a veteran and experienced campaigner in Ashwin. However, he was off-colours in the second and final IPL 14 leg. Hence, he might not make it to the first XI so easily. The biggest factor among all will be Hardik Pandya's bowling. Will the all-rounder finally contribute with some overs? He didn't bowl a single over in IPL 14's final leg in the UAE. On the other hand, Shardul Thakur -- one of the most-successful bowlers for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2021 -- is very likely to be in India's XI for their first warm-up fixture.</p>

<p>The team management will also closely monitor Bhuvneshwar Kumar's form, who wasn't at his best for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the just-concluded IPL season. Lastly, Ishan Kishan returned back to form in the last few games for Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 14. Will he get a look-in as well?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>India's playing XI for England warm-up tie: </strong>KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy</p>

<p>If Hardik doesn't plan to bowl, India will have to make way for another pacer; which might also prompt them to drop the 27-year-old.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-stakes-are-always-high-ajit-agarkar-on-india-pakistan-t20-world-cup-clash-421641">'The stakes are always high': Ajit Agarkar on India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Squads</strong></p>

<p><strong>India:</strong>&nbsp;Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya.</p>

<p><strong>England:</strong>&nbsp;Eoin Morgan (capt), Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Jos Buttler (wk), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.</p>


Virat Kohli-led Team India will begin their campaign in the seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 with their first of the two warm-up encounters, versus Eoin Morgan-led England on Monday (October 18).

Virat Kohli-led Team India will begin their campaign in the seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 with their first of the two warm-up encounters, versus Eoin Morgan-led England on Monday (October 18). The one-time winners are starting their campaign versus one of the strongest contenders for the marquee title. Hence, the Men in Blue will be on their toes and eager to tick some of the boxes in the warm-up encounters before the main draw of the tournament kicks off from October 23. For the unversed, India played their last T20I -- comprising full-strength side -- versus England in early 2021. Hence, both sides are fully aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses. What will be interesting to see is how the two teams go ahead, in terms of the team combinations, in the warm-up face-off. For Kohli-led India, they have plenty of questions to answer. In their last game versus England, during the five-match T20Is in India in February-March, KL Rahul didn't open in the series-decider as Kohli-Rohit Sharma came out as openers. Back then, Rahul was in torrid form. Will Kohli continue as an opener despite Rahul's brilliant form in IPL 14's second and final leg in the UAE? Moreover, it will be interesting to see how many spinners get included in the India XI. At present, they have options in the form of Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy. Given the recent form, Varun and Jadeja seem like a certain in the XI. However, Varun's fitness was an issue in the last few games in IPL 2021. Hence, the focus will be on him. ALSO READ | I would be working at a petrol pump if not for money in cricket: Hardik Pandya India also have a veteran and experienced campaigner in Ashwin. However, he was off-colours in the second and final IPL 14 leg. Hence, he might not make it to the first XI so easily. The biggest factor among all will be Hardik Pandya's bowling. Will the all-rounder finally contribute with some overs? He didn't bowl a single over in IPL 14's final leg in the UAE. On the other hand, Shardul Thakur -- one of the most-successful bowlers for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2021 -- is very likely to be in India's XI for their first warm-up fixture. The team management will also closely monitor Bhuvneshwar Kumar's form, who wasn't at his best for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the just-concluded IPL season. Lastly, Ishan Kishan returned back to form in the last few games for Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 14. Will he get a look-in as well? India's playing XI for England warm-up tie: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy If Hardik doesn't plan to bowl, India will have to make way for another pacer; which might also prompt them to drop the 27-year-old. ALSO READ | 'The stakes are always high': Ajit Agarkar on India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash Squads India: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya. England: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Jos Buttler (wk), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

ICC World T20: Shardul, Chakravarthy to get a look-in? India's predicted playing XI for warm-up game vs England

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidOZ1OwCQW8EEP" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>The unveiling of Virat Kohli-led Team India's jersey for the T20 World Cup got bigger and better with a breathtaking light show at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is one of the host cities for the tournament that will get underway from October 17.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Wednesday (October 13), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the Indian team's jersey, which is inspired by the fans and called the 'Billion Cheers Jersey'. It comes in shades of prussian blue and royal blue.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/iconic-shades-of-blue-evolution-of-team-indias-jersey-from-1985-to-2021-420376">Iconic shades of blue: Evolution of Team India's jersey from 1985 to 2021</a></strong></p>

<p>"This is the first time in the history of Indian cricket that fans have been memorialised on a jersey. It carries their chants and cheers from iconic past matches, transformed into unique soundwave patterns," stated a release from ML Sports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of BCCI, India's new kit can be seen on Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa. "The Team India World Cup jersey unveil gets bigger and better with a projection on the iconic Burj Khalifa. Watch the historic moment here!" BCCI wrote as the caption.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch the video here:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Team India World Cup jersey unveil gets bigger and better with a projection on the iconic Burj Khalifa.<br />
<br />
Watch the historic moment here! 🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/mpl_sport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mpl_sport</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BillionCheersJersey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BillionCheersJersey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShowYourGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShowYourGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ee8S6rGD6c">pic.twitter.com/Ee8S6rGD6c</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1448556179571941377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-makes-big-claim-ahead-of-marquee-face-off-between-india-and-pakistan-in-t20-world-cup-420643">Babar Azam makes BIG claim ahead of marquee face-off between India and Pakistan in T20 World Cup</a></strong></p>

<p>The Men in Blue will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai. The tournament was scheduled to be held in India but the COVID-19 situation in the country forced organisers to shift it to the United Arab Emirates and Oman.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahead of the tournament, India tweaked its squad as Shardul Thakur has been added to the 15-member squad as he replaced Axar Patel, who will now be on the list of standby players.&nbsp;</p>


The unveiling of Virat Kohli-led Team India's jersey for the T20 World Cup got bigger and better with a breathtaking light show at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is one of the host cities for the tournament that will get underway from October 17.

The unveiling of Virat Kohli-led Team India's jersey for the T20 World Cup got bigger and better with a breathtaking light show at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is one of the host cities for the tournament that will get underway from October 17. On Wednesday (October 13), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the Indian team's jersey, which is inspired by the fans and called the 'Billion Cheers Jersey'. It comes in shades of prussian blue and royal blue. IN PICS | Iconic shades of blue: Evolution of Team India's jersey from 1985 to 2021 "This is the first time in the history of Indian cricket that fans have been memorialised on a jersey. It carries their chants and cheers from iconic past matches, transformed into unique soundwave patterns," stated a release from ML Sports. Now, in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of BCCI, India's new kit can be seen on Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa. "The Team India World Cup jersey unveil gets bigger and better with a projection on the iconic Burj Khalifa. Watch the historic moment here!" BCCI wrote as the caption. Watch the video here: The Team India World Cup jersey unveil gets bigger and better with a projection on the iconic Burj Khalifa. Watch the historic moment here! 🇮🇳 @mpl_sport #BillionCheersJersey #ShowYourGame #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/Ee8S6rGD6c — BCCI (@BCCI) October 14, 2021 × ALSO READ | Babar Azam makes BIG claim ahead of marquee face-off between India and Pakistan in T20 World Cup The Men in Blue will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai. The tournament was scheduled to be held in India but the COVID-19 situation in the country forced organisers to shift it to the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Ahead of the tournament, India tweaked its squad as Shardul Thakur has been added to the 15-member squad as he replaced Axar Patel, who will now be on the list of standby players.

Watch: Team India's jersey for T20 World Cup displayed at Burj Khalifa with a breathtaking light show

<p>After a long wait, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have finally unveiled the new jersey of Virat Kohli-led Team India for the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2021. Fans waited for a long period and the Indian board had revealed that the new jersey will be shared with one and all on October 13 (Wednesday). Thus, the BCCI didn't disappoint as the new stylish jersey has gone viral in no time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>BCCI shared the new jersey with a picture, comprising captain Virat Kohli, vice-captain Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, on its official social media platforms and captioned the post, "Presenting the Billion Cheers Jersey! The patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Presenting the Billion Cheers Jersey!<br />
<br />
The patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans.<br />
<br />
Get ready to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShowYourGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShowYourGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mpl_sport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mpl_sport</a>.<br />
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Buy your jersey now on <a href="https://t.co/u3GYA2wIg1">https://t.co/u3GYA2wIg1</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MPLSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MPLSports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BillionCheersJersey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BillionCheersJersey</a> <a href="https://t.co/XWbZhgjBd2">pic.twitter.com/XWbZhgjBd2</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1448204361516126215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-politely-turns-down-bccis-offer-to-succeed-ravi-shastri-as-team-india-coach-reports-420351"><strong>Rahul Dravid politely turns down BCCI's offer to succeed Ravi Shastri as Team India coach: Reports</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Here are some of the reactions of the ardent Team India fans seeing the new jersey:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All the best Team India <a href="https://t.co/hS071ZSPiQ">pic.twitter.com/hS071ZSPiQ</a></p>
— 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒖𝒑𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒚 (@surup_reddy) <a href="https://twitter.com/surup_reddy/status/1448208264349376517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">TBH<br />
<br />
This one is looking cool and way better than retro one<br />
<br />
Just love these blue+ Orange combo <a href="https://t.co/bz7NONKFps">pic.twitter.com/bz7NONKFps</a></p>
— Ravi Desai Champion CSK (@its_DRP) <a href="https://twitter.com/its_DRP/status/1448205120085188614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kings* <a href="https://t.co/9n9aFYWYfx">pic.twitter.com/9n9aFYWYfx</a></p>
— Aditya Singh Rajput (@culer_aditya) <a href="https://twitter.com/culer_aditya/status/1448208308842557442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The winning jersey looks good.</p>
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FarziCricketer/status/1448206707788697604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-to-play-england-australia-complete-schedule-of-t20-world-cup-2021-warm-up-matches-420232"><strong>India to play England, Australia: Complete schedule of T20 World Cup 2021 warm-up matches</strong></a></p>

<p>The T20 World Cup will commence from October 17, two days after the conclusion of IPL 2021 in the UAE. For the unversed, the qualifying round (along with the warm-up encounters) will be held from October 17-22 before the main draw of the showpiece event will kick off from October 23. India will open their campaign versus arch-rivals Pakistan, on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India are placed in Pool B along with Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two more teams will join them from the qualifiers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This will also be Kohli's last series as India's T20I captain as he will step down from the post, in the shortest format, post the tournament. Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni will also join the national side as the team mentor for the mega event.</p>


After a long wait, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have finally unveiled the new jersey of Virat Kohli-led Team India for the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2021.

After a long wait, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have finally unveiled the new jersey of Virat Kohli-led Team India for the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2021. Fans waited for a long period and the Indian board had revealed that the new jersey will be shared with one and all on October 13 (Wednesday). Thus, the BCCI didn't disappoint as the new stylish jersey has gone viral in no time. BCCI shared the new jersey with a picture, comprising captain Virat Kohli, vice-captain Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, on its official social media platforms and captioned the post, "Presenting the Billion Cheers Jersey! The patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans." Presenting the Billion Cheers Jersey! The patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans. Get ready to #ShowYourGame @mpl_sport. Buy your jersey now on https://t.co/u3GYA2wIg1#MPLSports #BillionCheersJersey pic.twitter.com/XWbZhgjBd2 — BCCI (@BCCI) October 13, 2021 × ALSO READ | Rahul Dravid politely turns down BCCI's offer to succeed Ravi Shastri as Team India coach: Reports Here are some of the reactions of the ardent Team India fans seeing the new jersey: All the best Team India pic.twitter.com/hS071ZSPiQ — 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒖𝒑𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒚 (@surup_reddy) October 13, 2021 × TBH This one is looking cool and way better than retro one Just love these blue+ Orange combo pic.twitter.com/bz7NONKFps — Ravi Desai Champion CSK (@its_DRP) October 13, 2021 × Kings* pic.twitter.com/9n9aFYWYfx — Aditya Singh Rajput (@culer_aditya) October 13, 2021 × The winning jersey looks good. — Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) October 13, 2021 × ALSO READ | India to play England, Australia: Complete schedule of T20 World Cup 2021 warm-up matches The T20 World Cup will commence from October 17, two days after the conclusion of IPL 2021 in the UAE. For the unversed, the qualifying round (along with the warm-up encounters) will be held from October 17-22 before the main draw of the showpiece event will kick off from October 23. India will open their campaign versus arch-rivals Pakistan, on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. India are placed in Pool B along with Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two more teams will join them from the qualifiers. This will also be Kohli's last series as India's T20I captain as he will step down from the post, in the shortest format, post the tournament. Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni will also join the national side as the team mentor for the mega event.

Fans cannot keep calm as BCCI unveils Virat Kohli-led Team India's new jersey for T20 World Cup

<p>MS Dhoni is currently busy involved in the IPL 2021 edition as his franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already qualified for the tournament-finale and are awaiting the winner of the Qualifier 2 -- between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following IPL 14, Dhoni will join Team India in the UAE. The 40-year-old, who announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020, will return back to the Indian team dressing room as the Virat Kohli-led India's mentor for the forthcoming T20 World Cup. The mega event will kick off from October 17 whereas the main draw of the showpiece event will commence from October 23.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahead of Dhoni's new role, BCCI secretary Jay Shah dropped a bomb regarding the former captain's new role and told ANI, "MS Dhoni is not charging any honorarium for his services as the mentor of Indian team for the T20 World Cup."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/august-15-again-ms-dhoni-drops-a-bomb-on-his-ipl-future-says-you-can-bid-me-farewell-in-chennai-418461"><strong>August 15 again? MS Dhoni drops a bomb on his IPL future, says you can bid me farewell in Chennai</strong></a></p>

<p>For the unversed, Dhoni will serve as the national side's mentor only for the mega event; in a bid to break India's eight-year ICC-title drought. India's last ICC title came under Dhoni, during the 2013 Champions Trophy in England and Wales.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harshal-patel-and-2-other-ipl-stars-likely-to-join-indian-team-to-support-their-training-for-t20-wc-report-420152"><strong>Harshal Patel and 2 other IPL stars likely to join Indian team to support their training for T20 WC - Report</strong></a></p>

<p>India, meanwhile, will start their campaign in the main draw of the event on October 24 (Sunday), where they play the arch-rivals Pakistan&nbsp;at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. The one-time winners are placed in Pool B along with the Men in Green, New Zealand, Afghanistan and will be joined by two other teams from the qualifiers.&nbsp;</p>


MS Dhoni is currently busy involved in the IPL 2021 edition as his franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already qualified for the tournament-finale and are awaiting the winner of the Qualifier 2 -- between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC).

MS Dhoni is currently busy involved in the IPL 2021 edition as his franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already qualified for the tournament-finale and are awaiting the winner of the Qualifier 2 -- between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC). Following IPL 14, Dhoni will join Team India in the UAE. The 40-year-old, who announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020, will return back to the Indian team dressing room as the Virat Kohli-led India's mentor for the forthcoming T20 World Cup. The mega event will kick off from October 17 whereas the main draw of the showpiece event will commence from October 23. Ahead of Dhoni's new role, BCCI secretary Jay Shah dropped a bomb regarding the former captain's new role and told ANI, "MS Dhoni is not charging any honorarium for his services as the mentor of Indian team for the T20 World Cup." ALSO READ | August 15 again? MS Dhoni drops a bomb on his IPL future, says you can bid me farewell in Chennai For the unversed, Dhoni will serve as the national side's mentor only for the mega event; in a bid to break India's eight-year ICC-title drought. India's last ICC title came under Dhoni, during the 2013 Champions Trophy in England and Wales. ALSO READ | Harshal Patel and 2 other IPL stars likely to join Indian team to support their training for T20 WC - Report India, meanwhile, will start their campaign in the main draw of the event on October 24 (Sunday), where they play the arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. The one-time winners are placed in Pool B along with the Men in Green, New Zealand, Afghanistan and will be joined by two other teams from the qualifiers.

MS Dhoni not charging any honorarium for his services as India's mentor for T20 World Cup: Jay Shah

<p>Virat Kohli is the biggest name in world cricket in the modern-era. The 32-year-old broke into the scene at the highest level in 2008 and was a part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team which won the 2011 ODI World Cup at home. After the mega event, Team India went through a revamp which saw the rise of King Kohli.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since then, Kohli continues to be the poster boy of Indian cricket and one of the best batsmen across formats. While many will point out that the right-hander isn't at his fluent best in all forms of the game, having not scored a single century since late 2019, but his records still speak volumes of his abilities. To date, Kohli has 70 international tons and over 22,000 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the Indian captain plays the game in an aggressive manner, he is totally opposite off the 22-yard cricket strip; fooling around with his teammates and having a blast from time to time even during training sessions. In the past, his ardent fans have often been treated with Kohli's funny side; imitating his Team India players with perfection. So far, Kohli has imitated the body language and playing style of many superstar cricketers, such as MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-likely-to-replace-virat-kohli-as-team-indias-limited-overs-captain-post-t20-world-cup-reports-412694"><strong>Rohit Sharma likely to replace Virat Kohli as Team India's limited-overs captain post T20 World Cup: Reports</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Here's a compilation of Kohli's imitation skills:</strong></p>

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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-will-see-himself-as-a-failure-michael-vaughan-opines-on-virat-kohlis-tenure-as-rcb-captain-420104"><strong>'He will see himself as a failure' - Michael Vaughan opines on Virat Kohli's tenure as RCB captain</strong></a></p>

<p>The above video illustrates that while Kohli might be a passionate and aggressive cricketer on the field, he likes to have fun with his teammates off the 22-yard cricket strip and leaves the worries of the game behind him once stepping out of the field.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bowed out of the IPL 2021 edition, on Monday (October 11), the Indian captain will now gear up for leading the Men in Blue -- for the last time in the shortest format -- in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UAE, from October 17.</p>


Virat Kohli is the biggest name in world cricket in the modern-era. The 32-year-old broke into the scene at the highest level in 2008 and was a part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team which won the 2011 ODI World Cup at home.

Virat Kohli is the biggest name in world cricket in the modern-era. The 32-year-old broke into the scene at the highest level in 2008 and was a part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team which won the 2011 ODI World Cup at home. After the mega event, Team India went through a revamp which saw the rise of King Kohli. Since then, Kohli continues to be the poster boy of Indian cricket and one of the best batsmen across formats. While many will point out that the right-hander isn't at his fluent best in all forms of the game, having not scored a single century since late 2019, but his records still speak volumes of his abilities. To date, Kohli has 70 international tons and over 22,000 runs. While the Indian captain plays the game in an aggressive manner, he is totally opposite off the 22-yard cricket strip; fooling around with his teammates and having a blast from time to time even during training sessions. In the past, his ardent fans have often been treated with Kohli's funny side; imitating his Team India players with perfection. So far, Kohli has imitated the body language and playing style of many superstar cricketers, such as MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, etc. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma likely to replace Virat Kohli as Team India's limited-overs captain post T20 World Cup: Reports Here's a compilation of Kohli's imitation skills: × ALSO READ | 'He will see himself as a failure' - Michael Vaughan opines on Virat Kohli's tenure as RCB captain The above video illustrates that while Kohli might be a passionate and aggressive cricketer on the field, he likes to have fun with his teammates off the 22-yard cricket strip and leaves the worries of the game behind him once stepping out of the field. After Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bowed out of the IPL 2021 edition, on Monday (October 11), the Indian captain will now gear up for leading the Men in Blue -- for the last time in the shortest format -- in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UAE, from October 17.

From MSD to Hitman: How Virat Kohli left fans in splits with his flawless imitation of Team India players

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<p>A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official on Saturday (October 9) reportedly said that there will be "no change" in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup unless there is an injury. The showpiece event will get underway from October 17 in UAE and Oman.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahead of the October 10 deadline, speculative reports were floating that the Indian side might see some changes as skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Rohit Sharma reportedly set up a meeting with the national selectors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, dismissing all the claims, sources have said the team will remain the same. "No formal meeting! And no changes will take place in the team unless there is an injury. Yes, the physios are keeping an eye on some of the players and they will share their report with the BCCI. This is a routine nothing new in that. But as of now, no change in the team is happening," the official told IANS.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-wasnt-asked-to-do-it-david-warner-responds-to-fan-after-going-missing-from-srhs-farewell-video-419479">'I wasn't asked to do it': David Warner responds to fan after going missing from SRH's farewell video</a></strong></p>

<p>Since the squad has been announced, critics and some former players have raised concerns over the snub of some top players like Shikhar Dhawan, Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal. Especially after their performance during the IPL 2021 UAE leg.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad weighed in on the same as he said that the Virat-led team could use one more pacer besides the likes of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian squad has named Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur as reserves. Meanwhile, doubts remain over the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya as he hasn't bowled during the second phase of IPL 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-pakistan-beat-india-in-t20-world-cup-pcb-to-get-blank-cheque-ramiz-raja-reveals-investors-big-claim-418875">If Pakistan beat India in T20 World Cup, PCB to get blank cheque: Ramiz Raja reveals investor's BIG claim</a></strong></p>

<p>Former Indian spinner, Harbhajan Singh said he is still hoping to see Yuzvendra Chahal in India's T20 World Cup squad but former India pacer Ajit Agarkar feels the selectors shouldn't make any change.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>India squad:</strong>&nbsp;Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Varun, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Standby players:&nbsp;</strong>Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.</p>


A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official on Saturday (October 9) reportedly said that there will be "no change" in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup unless there is an injury.

A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official on Saturday (October 9) reportedly said that there will be "no change" in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup unless there is an injury. The showpiece event will get underway from October 17 in UAE and Oman. Ahead of the October 10 deadline, speculative reports were floating that the Indian side might see some changes as skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Rohit Sharma reportedly set up a meeting with the national selectors. However, dismissing all the claims, sources have said the team will remain the same. "No formal meeting! And no changes will take place in the team unless there is an injury. Yes, the physios are keeping an eye on some of the players and they will share their report with the BCCI. This is a routine nothing new in that. But as of now, no change in the team is happening," the official told IANS. ALSO READ | 'I wasn't asked to do it': David Warner responds to fan after going missing from SRH's farewell video Since the squad has been announced, critics and some former players have raised concerns over the snub of some top players like Shikhar Dhawan, Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal. Especially after their performance during the IPL 2021 UAE leg. Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad weighed in on the same as he said that the Virat-led team could use one more pacer besides the likes of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Indian squad has named Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur as reserves. Meanwhile, doubts remain over the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya as he hasn't bowled during the second phase of IPL 2021. ALSO READ | If Pakistan beat India in T20 World Cup, PCB to get blank cheque: Ramiz Raja reveals investor's BIG claim Former Indian spinner, Harbhajan Singh said he is still hoping to see Yuzvendra Chahal in India's T20 World Cup squad but former India pacer Ajit Agarkar feels the selectors shouldn't make any change. India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Varun, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan. Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.

T20 World Cup: No change in Indian squad unless there is an injury, says report

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<p>As the T20 World Cup is approaching, all the teams are gearing up for the showpiece event, including India as the selection committee still has time to re-think the final squad. The World Cup will get underway from October 17 in UAE and Oman.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since the squad has been announced, the performance of players (who are part of the Indian squad) in the Indian Premier League 2021 is being monitored very closely especially Hardik Pandya, whose chances of bowling during the tournament look dim after not bowling a single over during Mumbai Indians' disappointing IPL campaign.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported by PTI, the BCCI has five more days to make any change to the squad (other than injury) as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has allowed all the Super 12 teams a window of one week till October 15 to make any required change. For the Round-1 teams, the deadline for changing squad (without injury) ends on October 10, at midnight (Dubai time).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/drs-to-make-debut-in-upcoming-icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2021-419613">DRS to make debut in upcoming ICC men's T20 World Cup 2021</a></strong></p>

<p>"Indian team is at least one fast bowler short in the main squad of 15. They have two experienced campaigners in Shardul Thakur, who is also a handy bowling all-rounder and Deepak Chahar, who has shown his batting prowess in Sri Lanka in the stand byes."</p>

<p>"So in case Hardik is not able to bowl, one of the two can be fitted in by the Committee," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.</p>

<p>Till October 15, if selectors feel that Hardik's utility is less than half, Deepak or Shardul have a good enough chance of making it but it seems curtains for Yuzvendra Chahal as far as this tournament is concerned.</p>

<p>"The only option is if Varun Chakravarthy, who has dodgy knees, is ruled out by Indian team's support staff then Yuzi can get in. Selectors can pick him among stand byes so that if Chakravarthy's fitness becomes a concern, he can be drafted."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-pakistan-beat-india-in-t20-world-cup-pcb-to-get-blank-cheque-ramiz-raja-reveals-investors-big-claim-418875">If Pakistan beat India in T20 World Cup, PCB to get blank cheque: Ramiz Raja reveals investor's BIG claim</a></strong></p>

<p>Umran Malik is already there in the India bio-bubble as net bowler. It will be interesting to see if Shivam Mavi is considered a net bowler.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Critics and some former players have raised concerns over the snub of some top players like Shikhar Dhawan, Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal. Especially after their performance during the IPL 2021 UAE leg.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad weighed in on the same as he said that the Virat-led team could use one more pacer besides the likes of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian squad has named Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur as reserves. Meanwhile, doubts remain over the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya as he hasn't bowled during the second phase of IPL 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>India squad:</strong>&nbsp;Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Varun, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Standby players:&nbsp;</strong>Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


As the T20 World Cup is approaching, all the teams are gearing up for the showpiece event, including India as the selection committee still has time to re-think the final squad.

As the T20 World Cup is approaching, all the teams are gearing up for the showpiece event, including India as the selection committee still has time to re-think the final squad. The World Cup will get underway from October 17 in UAE and Oman. Since the squad has been announced, the performance of players (who are part of the Indian squad) in the Indian Premier League 2021 is being monitored very closely especially Hardik Pandya, whose chances of bowling during the tournament look dim after not bowling a single over during Mumbai Indians' disappointing IPL campaign. As reported by PTI, the BCCI has five more days to make any change to the squad (other than injury) as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has allowed all the Super 12 teams a window of one week till October 15 to make any required change. For the Round-1 teams, the deadline for changing squad (without injury) ends on October 10, at midnight (Dubai time). ALSO READ | DRS to make debut in upcoming ICC men's T20 World Cup 2021 "Indian team is at least one fast bowler short in the main squad of 15. They have two experienced campaigners in Shardul Thakur, who is also a handy bowling all-rounder and Deepak Chahar, who has shown his batting prowess in Sri Lanka in the stand byes." "So in case Hardik is not able to bowl, one of the two can be fitted in by the Committee," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity. Till October 15, if selectors feel that Hardik's utility is less than half, Deepak or Shardul have a good enough chance of making it but it seems curtains for Yuzvendra Chahal as far as this tournament is concerned. "The only option is if Varun Chakravarthy, who has dodgy knees, is ruled out by Indian team's support staff then Yuzi can get in. Selectors can pick him among stand byes so that if Chakravarthy's fitness becomes a concern, he can be drafted." ALSO READ | If Pakistan beat India in T20 World Cup, PCB to get blank cheque: Ramiz Raja reveals investor's BIG claim Umran Malik is already there in the India bio-bubble as net bowler. It will be interesting to see if Shivam Mavi is considered a net bowler. Critics and some former players have raised concerns over the snub of some top players like Shikhar Dhawan, Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal. Especially after their performance during the IPL 2021 UAE leg. Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad weighed in on the same as he said that the Virat-led team could use one more pacer besides the likes of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Indian squad has named Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur as reserves. Meanwhile, doubts remain over the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya as he hasn't bowled during the second phase of IPL 2021. India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Varun, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan. Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar. (With inputs from agencies)

Hardik Pandya in or out? Will India rejig T20 World Cup squad over fast bowler conundrum?

<p>Mumbai Indians (MI) came close to sealing a spot in the IPL 2021 playoffs on the final day of the league stages but fell short at the end to suffer an early exit from the competition. Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. needed to win by a massive margin of 171 runs against SRH in their final league game to qualify for the top four but could only manage a 42-run win as they bowed out of the tournament.</p>

<p>Mumbai Indians managed to attain 14 points with the help of seven wins in 14 matches this season but fell short in terms of the net run rate to finish fifth. In his farewell message for the fans after MI's exit from IPL 2021, captain Rohit Sharma said the failure to make it to the playoffs cannot take away the glory Mumbai Indians have achieved in the last few seasons.</p>

<p>Rohit also hailed his teammates for giving the best in the tournament and called the season full of ups and downs. The defending champions had a mixed campaign and were abysmal at the start of the UAE leg before finding their rhythm towards the end of the league stages. However, they crashed out despite winning their final league game.</p>

<p>"A season full of ups, downs &amp; learnings. But these 14 matches won’t take away the glory this incredible group achieved over the last 2-3 seasons. Every player who don the blue &amp; gold played with pride &amp; gave his best. And that’s what makes us the team we are! ONE FAMILY @mipaltan," Rohit wrote in his tweet.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A season full of ups, downs &amp; learnings. But these 14 matches won’t take away the glory this incredible group achieved over the last 2-3 seasons. Every player who don the blue &amp; gold played with pride &amp; gave his best. And that’s what makes us the team we are! ONE FAMILY <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> <a href="https://t.co/bcylQ2dSMY">pic.twitter.com/bcylQ2dSMY</a></p>
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45/status/1446851188964544513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/video-analyst-captains-kkr-gautam-gambhir-fires-shots-at-eoin-morgan-ahead-of-ipl-2021-playoffs-419593">Video analyst captains KKR: Gautam Gambhir fires shots at Eoin Morgan ahead of IPL 2021 playoffs</a></strong></p>

<p>Mumbai Indians are one of the best teams in the history of IPL with as many as five titles under their belt. They own the record for winning the most number of IPL trophies by any team in the history of the competition. MI won back-to-back IPL titles in last two seasons and were aiming for a hat-trick of trophies this year.</p>

<p>However, they failed to make it to the playoffs in what was a disappointing campaign for the five-time champions.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Mumbai Indians (MI) came close to sealing a spot in the IPL 2021 playoffs on the final day of the league stages but fell short at the end to suffer an early exit from the competition.

Mumbai Indians (MI) came close to sealing a spot in the IPL 2021 playoffs on the final day of the league stages but fell short at the end to suffer an early exit from the competition. Rohit Sharma & Co. needed to win by a massive margin of 171 runs against SRH in their final league game to qualify for the top four but could only manage a 42-run win as they bowed out of the tournament. Mumbai Indians managed to attain 14 points with the help of seven wins in 14 matches this season but fell short in terms of the net run rate to finish fifth. In his farewell message for the fans after MI's exit from IPL 2021, captain Rohit Sharma said the failure to make it to the playoffs cannot take away the glory Mumbai Indians have achieved in the last few seasons. Rohit also hailed his teammates for giving the best in the tournament and called the season full of ups and downs. The defending champions had a mixed campaign and were abysmal at the start of the UAE leg before finding their rhythm towards the end of the league stages. However, they crashed out despite winning their final league game. "A season full of ups, downs & learnings. But these 14 matches won’t take away the glory this incredible group achieved over the last 2-3 seasons. Every player who don the blue & gold played with pride & gave his best. And that’s what makes us the team we are! ONE FAMILY @mipaltan," Rohit wrote in his tweet. A season full of ups, downs & learnings. But these 14 matches won’t take away the glory this incredible group achieved over the last 2-3 seasons. Every player who don the blue & gold played with pride & gave his best. And that’s what makes us the team we are! ONE FAMILY @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/bcylQ2dSMY — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) October 9, 2021 × Also Read: Video analyst captains KKR: Gautam Gambhir fires shots at Eoin Morgan ahead of IPL 2021 playoffs Mumbai Indians are one of the best teams in the history of IPL with as many as five titles under their belt. They own the record for winning the most number of IPL trophies by any team in the history of the competition. MI won back-to-back IPL titles in last two seasons and were aiming for a hat-trick of trophies this year. However, they failed to make it to the playoffs in what was a disappointing campaign for the five-time champions.

14 matches in IPL 2021 won't take away the glory MI have achieved in last 2-3 seasons: Rohit Sharma

<p>Mumbai Indians (MI) failed to make it to the playoffs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 despite a late surge in the UAE leg of the tournament. MI won their last two league games of the season comprehensively but fell short in terms of the net run rate to finish outside the top four and make an early exit from the competition.</p>

<p>Mumbai Indians will be looking to revamp their squad and make some quality additions in the upcoming mega auction ahead of the 2022 edition of the league. The franchises are likely to get a limited amount of retentions ahead of the mega auction and they will have to be wise in making the final decision on who to retain.</p>

<p>Mumbai Indians have a number of match-winners in their ranks and will be looking to retain some of their best players before the mega auction. They had retained captain Rohit Sharma, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pacer Jasprit Bumrah the last time around.</p>

<p>However, former India opener Virender Sehwag believes Hardik should not be MI's first-choice retention this time around. Sehwag, who led Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings in the IPL, named three players who MI should retain ahead of the new season and snubbed Pandya from the list.</p>

<p>"I think I would retain Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah. Ishan seems to be in it for the long haul, age is on his side so he can serve you better. If Hardik Pandya doesn't bowl, I don't think he would be able to fetch big money at the auction because due to his injury concerns, everyone would think twice," Sehwag said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sehwag's comments came after Kishan took the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers to the cleaners in MI's final league game of the season. The young left-hander slammed a brilliant 84 off just 32 balls to power MI to a 42-run win. Sehwag believes MI should retain Kishan over Hardik as he is a top-order batsman and offers more value.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tom-moodys-desire-to-become-indias-next-head-coach-reason-behind-david-warners-fall-from-grace-at-srh-419434">Tom Moody's desire to become India's next head coach reason behind&nbsp;Warner's fall from grace at SRH?</a></p>

<p>Sehwag also pointed out concerns regarding Pandya's bowling. The all-rounder didn't bowl a single ball in the UAE leg of IPL 2021 and has been struggling with his fitness to return to full-time bowling as an all-rounder.</p>

<p>"Will he bowl or not? If he can declare himself fit and start bowling then teams can buy him at the auction. The kind of performance Ishan Kishan has dished out today, expect many more from him in time to come because is a top-order batsman, unlike Hardik Pandya who bats lower," said Sehwag.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Mumbai Indians (MI) failed to make it to the playoffs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 despite a late surge in the UAE leg of the tournament. MI won their last two league games of the season comprehensively but fell short in terms of the net run rate to finish outside the top four and make an early exit from the competition.

Mumbai Indians (MI) failed to make it to the playoffs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 despite a late surge in the UAE leg of the tournament. MI won their last two league games of the season comprehensively but fell short in terms of the net run rate to finish outside the top four and make an early exit from the competition. Mumbai Indians will be looking to revamp their squad and make some quality additions in the upcoming mega auction ahead of the 2022 edition of the league. The franchises are likely to get a limited amount of retentions ahead of the mega auction and they will have to be wise in making the final decision on who to retain. Mumbai Indians have a number of match-winners in their ranks and will be looking to retain some of their best players before the mega auction. They had retained captain Rohit Sharma, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pacer Jasprit Bumrah the last time around. However, former India opener Virender Sehwag believes Hardik should not be MI's first-choice retention this time around. Sehwag, who led Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings in the IPL, named three players who MI should retain ahead of the new season and snubbed Pandya from the list. "I think I would retain Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah. Ishan seems to be in it for the long haul, age is on his side so he can serve you better. If Hardik Pandya doesn't bowl, I don't think he would be able to fetch big money at the auction because due to his injury concerns, everyone would think twice," Sehwag said. Sehwag's comments came after Kishan took the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers to the cleaners in MI's final league game of the season. The young left-hander slammed a brilliant 84 off just 32 balls to power MI to a 42-run win. Sehwag believes MI should retain Kishan over Hardik as he is a top-order batsman and offers more value. Also Read: Tom Moody's desire to become India's next head coach reason behind Warner's fall from grace at SRH? Sehwag also pointed out concerns regarding Pandya's bowling. The all-rounder didn't bowl a single ball in the UAE leg of IPL 2021 and has been struggling with his fitness to return to full-time bowling as an all-rounder. "Will he bowl or not? If he can declare himself fit and start bowling then teams can buy him at the auction. The kind of performance Ishan Kishan has dished out today, expect many more from him in time to come because is a top-order batsman, unlike Hardik Pandya who bats lower," said Sehwag.

No Hardik Pandya! Virender Sehwag names 3 players Mumbai Indians should retain ahead of IPL mega auction

<p>Mumbai Indians (MI) failed to qualify for the IPL 2021 playoffs despite pulling off a brilliant 42-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their final league game of the season at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday (October 08). Mumbai Indians produced a magnificent performance with the bat as they went on to post their highest-ever total in IPL history in search of an unlikely win against SRH to secure a berth in the playoffs.</p>

<p>MI needed to win by a staggering 171 runs to qualify for the playoffs and went on to post 235 runs on the board, batting first in Abu Dhabi. However, they couldn't restrict SRH below 65 runs as the Manish Pandey-led side scored 193 runs to ensure MI's early exit from the competition.</p>

<p>It was an entertaining contest between the two teams in Abu Dhabi with the MI batsmen going berserk after captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first. A fan was spotted in the stands with a hilarious request for Rohit during his side's innings in the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The fan came with a placard requesting the MI skipper and team India vice-captain to arrange two tickets for the India-Pakistan clash in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021. The fan was spotted by the TV cameras and grabbed the limelight during MI's innings.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-sport-uae-2021-instead-of-india-2021-in-t20-world-cup-jersey-leaked-picture-sparks-controversy-419359">&nbsp;Pakistan sport 'UAE 2021' instead of India 2021 in T20 World Cup jersey, leaked picture sparks controversy</a></p>

<p>The T20 World Cup 2021 is scheduled to kick off from Sunday (October 17) post the conclusion of the ongoing IPL 2021 in UAE. The World Cup will be staged in UAE and Oman with arch-rivals India and Pakistan locking horns against each other in the opening game of Group 2 at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on October 24.</p>

<p>India will then take on New Zealand and Afghanistan in their next two games in the group stages of the T20 World Cup 2021.</p>


Mumbai Indians (MI) failed to qualify for the IPL 2021 playoffs despite pulling off a brilliant 42-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their final league game of the season at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday (October 08).

Mumbai Indians (MI) failed to qualify for the IPL 2021 playoffs despite pulling off a brilliant 42-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their final league game of the season at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday (October 08). Mumbai Indians produced a magnificent performance with the bat as they went on to post their highest-ever total in IPL history in search of an unlikely win against SRH to secure a berth in the playoffs. MI needed to win by a staggering 171 runs to qualify for the playoffs and went on to post 235 runs on the board, batting first in Abu Dhabi. However, they couldn't restrict SRH below 65 runs as the Manish Pandey-led side scored 193 runs to ensure MI's early exit from the competition. It was an entertaining contest between the two teams in Abu Dhabi with the MI batsmen going berserk after captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first. A fan was spotted in the stands with a hilarious request for Rohit during his side's innings in the game. The fan came with a placard requesting the MI skipper and team India vice-captain to arrange two tickets for the India-Pakistan clash in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021. The fan was spotted by the TV cameras and grabbed the limelight during MI's innings. Also Read: Pakistan sport 'UAE 2021' instead of India 2021 in T20 World Cup jersey, leaked picture sparks controversy The T20 World Cup 2021 is scheduled to kick off from Sunday (October 17) post the conclusion of the ongoing IPL 2021 in UAE. The World Cup will be staged in UAE and Oman with arch-rivals India and Pakistan locking horns against each other in the opening game of Group 2 at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on October 24. India will then take on New Zealand and Afghanistan in their next two games in the group stages of the T20 World Cup 2021.

Fan requests Rohit Sharma to arrange tickets for India-Pakistan T20 WC clash during IPL 2021, pic goes viral

<p>Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma shed light on all-rounder Hardik Pandya's fitness saying that "he hasn't bowled a single ball yet", raising doubts on whether he would retain his place in the Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup beginning in a week's time.<br />
<br />
Pandya batted against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday, scoring 10 runs off eight deliveries before he was sent packing by Jason Holder. The all-rounder did strike an unbeaten 30-ball 40 in Mumbai Indians'&nbsp;six-wicket win over Punjab Kings on September 28 to break the five-time champions` losing streak, but it's his bowling fitness which is causing concern ahead of the mega-event.<br />
<br />
After missing the first two matches in the second leg of the tournament in the UAE, Pandya has featured for Mumbai as a pure batsman. The all-rounder hadn't bowled in the first leg of the tournament in India as well.<br />
<br />
"Look, in terms of his bowling, he hasn't bowled yet. So the physios, trainer and the medical team are working on his bowling. As of now, all I know is that he hasn't bowled a single ball yet but we wanted to take one game at a time and see where he stands. You saw he didn't bowl today (Friday against SRH) as well, but he is getting better day by day. So, in the next week or so he might be able to bowl," said Sharma in the post-match press conference.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-playoffs-schedule-rishabh-pant-led-dc-face-ms-dhonis-csk-in-qualifier-1-rcb-kkr-to-play-eliminator-419342">IPL 2021 playoffs schedule: Rishabh Pant-led DC face MS Dhoni's CSK in Qualifier 1, RCB-KKR to play Eliminator</a><br />
<br />
"The doctor, physio will be able to give an update on that. As far as his batting is concerned, he will be a little disappointed but we know the quality of him. He is a quality player and there is no doubt about that and he has come back from tough situations before as well. Personally, for him he will not be happy with his batting but again the team has confidence in his ability. I personally have confidence in his ability. So yes, he is progressing.<br />
<br />
"When you look at him, he is getting better every time he goes on to the field. He looks better and better. But again, a player like him is probably just one innings away from getting back and getting back to his own natural way. We have seen it in the past. He has done it before as well. If I have to put everything together, I am personally very confident of his ability. We have seen it in the past and there is no doubt that he will be a valuable asset."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/id-spoken-to-ab-de-villiers-in-2019-virat-kohli-drops-a-bomb-regarding-his-decision-to-quit-rcb-captaincy-419241">'I'd spoken to AB de Villiers in 2019' - Virat Kohli drops a bomb regarding his decision to quit RCB captaincy</a></strong><br />
<br />
India have already named their squad for the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 17. While announcing the squad, chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma had said Pandya was fully fit and he would be able to bowl his quota of overs at the World Cup.<br />
<br />
Ever since his back surgery, Hardik has been given the freedom to choose which match he wants to bowl in. The underlying reason is usually that his workload needs to be managed.</p>


Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma shed light on all-rounder Hardik Pandya's fitness saying that "he hasn't bowled a single ball yet", raising doubts on whether he would retain his place in the Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup beginning in a week's time.

Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma shed light on all-rounder Hardik Pandya's fitness saying that "he hasn't bowled a single ball yet", raising doubts on whether he would retain his place in the Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup beginning in a week's time. Pandya batted against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday, scoring 10 runs off eight deliveries before he was sent packing by Jason Holder. The all-rounder did strike an unbeaten 30-ball 40 in Mumbai Indians' six-wicket win over Punjab Kings on September 28 to break the five-time champions` losing streak, but it's his bowling fitness which is causing concern ahead of the mega-event. After missing the first two matches in the second leg of the tournament in the UAE, Pandya has featured for Mumbai as a pure batsman. The all-rounder hadn't bowled in the first leg of the tournament in India as well. "Look, in terms of his bowling, he hasn't bowled yet. So the physios, trainer and the medical team are working on his bowling. As of now, all I know is that he hasn't bowled a single ball yet but we wanted to take one game at a time and see where he stands. You saw he didn't bowl today (Friday against SRH) as well, but he is getting better day by day. So, in the next week or so he might be able to bowl," said Sharma in the post-match press conference. Also Read: IPL 2021 playoffs schedule: Rishabh Pant-led DC face MS Dhoni's CSK in Qualifier 1, RCB-KKR to play Eliminator "The doctor, physio will be able to give an update on that. As far as his batting is concerned, he will be a little disappointed but we know the quality of him. He is a quality player and there is no doubt about that and he has come back from tough situations before as well. Personally, for him he will not be happy with his batting but again the team has confidence in his ability. I personally have confidence in his ability. So yes, he is progressing. "When you look at him, he is getting better every time he goes on to the field. He looks better and better. But again, a player like him is probably just one innings away from getting back and getting back to his own natural way. We have seen it in the past. He has done it before as well. If I have to put everything together, I am personally very confident of his ability. We have seen it in the past and there is no doubt that he will be a valuable asset." ALSO READ | 'I'd spoken to AB de Villiers in 2019' - Virat Kohli drops a bomb regarding his decision to quit RCB captaincy India have already named their squad for the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 17. While announcing the squad, chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma had said Pandya was fully fit and he would be able to bowl his quota of overs at the World Cup. Ever since his back surgery, Hardik has been given the freedom to choose which match he wants to bowl in. The underlying reason is usually that his workload needs to be managed.

He hasn't bowled a single ball yet: Rohit Sharma opens up on Hardik Pandya's potential return with the ball

<p>Rohit Sharma is an IPL legend. To date, he remains the most successful IPL skipper with as many as 5 trophies for the Mumbai Indians (MI). In addition, he has won the IPL championship on six occasions. While he is also one of the leading run-getters (third) in the all-time list, with 5,594 runs, the right-hander hasn't had a 600-run season so far.</p>

<p>For the unversed, Rohit has never managed to cross the 500-run mark in the IPL apart from the 2013 season, where he led MI to their maiden title. Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir -- who is a huge fan of Hitman -- has opined on Rohit's IPL run and fails to understand how the swashbuckling opener hasn't crossed the 600-run mark in any IPL season.</p>

<p>Talking to&nbsp;<em>EspnCricinfo</em>, he said, "I don't understand why he never had that one big IPL season ever. And I have no reason to probably even defend him. He's a world-class player, I've always admired him, when he first busted onto the scene in international cricket. I said even then, that he's the best talent India has ever produced. And then proved himself in the int. stage but it just amazes me that when he wears that MI Jersey, he's never had a season like what VK or KL Rahul had - a 600 run season."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-has-more-shots-than-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-gautam-gambhir-makes-bold-claim-on-team-india-star-419176">'He has more shots than Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma' - Gautam Gambhir makes BOLD claim on Team India star</a></strong></p>

<p>Meanwhile, Rohit-led MI have not yet been disqualified from the IPL 2021 edition. While they haven't been at their best in the second and final leg, in the UAE, the sixth-ranked side&nbsp;have a very slim chance of entering the playoffs. If they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 170 runs, in match 55 of the season on Friday evening, they can topple KKR to enter the playoffs as the fourth-ranked side.</p>


Rohit Sharma is an IPL legend. To date, he remains the most successful IPL skipper with as many as 5 trophies for the Mumbai Indians (MI). In addition, he has won the IPL championship on six occasions.

Rohit Sharma is an IPL legend. To date, he remains the most successful IPL skipper with as many as 5 trophies for the Mumbai Indians (MI). In addition, he has won the IPL championship on six occasions. While he is also one of the leading run-getters (third) in the all-time list, with 5,594 runs, the right-hander hasn't had a 600-run season so far. For the unversed, Rohit has never managed to cross the 500-run mark in the IPL apart from the 2013 season, where he led MI to their maiden title. Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir -- who is a huge fan of Hitman -- has opined on Rohit's IPL run and fails to understand how the swashbuckling opener hasn't crossed the 600-run mark in any IPL season. Talking to EspnCricinfo, he said, "I don't understand why he never had that one big IPL season ever. And I have no reason to probably even defend him. He's a world-class player, I've always admired him, when he first busted onto the scene in international cricket. I said even then, that he's the best talent India has ever produced. And then proved himself in the int. stage but it just amazes me that when he wears that MI Jersey, he's never had a season like what VK or KL Rahul had - a 600 run season." ALSO READ | 'He has more shots than Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma' - Gautam Gambhir makes BOLD claim on Team India star Meanwhile, Rohit-led MI have not yet been disqualified from the IPL 2021 edition. While they haven't been at their best in the second and final leg, in the UAE, the sixth-ranked side have a very slim chance of entering the playoffs. If they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 170 runs, in match 55 of the season on Friday evening, they can topple KKR to enter the playoffs as the fourth-ranked side.

I have no reason to defend him: Gautam Gambhir wonders why Rohit Sharma hasn't had a 600-run season in IPL

<p>Match 53 of the IPL 2021 edition saw the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lock horns with the KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday evening (October 7). In what was the last league stage game for both the sides, the Rahul-led Punjab franchise thrashed CSK by 6 wickets, and 7 overs to spare, to sign off on a high.</p>

<p>At the time of the win, Punjab was still mathematically alive in the playoffs race, but have now officially bowed out of the current edition (post KKR's massive win over RR) with 12 points under their belt. Captain Rahul stood tall in PBKS' memorable win over CSK (who are set to now enter the playoffs), where he led from the front to finish off the 135-run chase in style. The stylish right-hander -- who has been in sublime form for Team India since the England ODIs early this year -- smashed a 42-ball 98*, laced with&nbsp;eight sixes and&nbsp;seven boundaries.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wasim-jaffer-hilariously-trolls-rohit-sharma-led-mi-who-face-improbable-task-for-playoffs-spot-419156"><strong>Wasim Jaffer hilariously trolls Rohit Sharma-led MI who face improbable task for playoffs spot</strong></a></p>

<p>Seeing his range of strokes, ability to clear the ropes courtesy proper cricketing shots and to score in all parts of the ground, former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has made a bold claim on Rahul.</p>

<p>“If you can bat like this, why don’t you bat like this? He probably has more ability than Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. I am not saying it just because I have seen KL Rahul doing it today, he just has it. He has got more shots than anyone else in India. And he showed that again,” Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-how-ms-dhoni-prompted-deepak-chahar-to-prepone-his-proposal-plan-for-his-beloved-jaya-bhardwaj-419108"><strong>IPL 2021: How MS Dhoni prompted Deepak Chahar to prepone his proposal plan for his beloved Jaya Bhardwaj</strong></a></p>

<p>Rahul is currently the Orange Cap holder in IPL 14, with 626 runs in 13 innings at an average of 62.60 and strike-rate of 138.80. While his franchise PBKS' campaign has ended, he will look to carry on in a similar stead as India gear up for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, from October 17.</p>


Match 53 of the IPL 2021 edition saw the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lock horns with the KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday evening (October 7).

Match 53 of the IPL 2021 edition saw the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lock horns with the KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday evening (October 7). In what was the last league stage game for both the sides, the Rahul-led Punjab franchise thrashed CSK by 6 wickets, and 7 overs to spare, to sign off on a high. At the time of the win, Punjab was still mathematically alive in the playoffs race, but have now officially bowed out of the current edition (post KKR's massive win over RR) with 12 points under their belt. Captain Rahul stood tall in PBKS' memorable win over CSK (who are set to now enter the playoffs), where he led from the front to finish off the 135-run chase in style. The stylish right-hander -- who has been in sublime form for Team India since the England ODIs early this year -- smashed a 42-ball 98*, laced with eight sixes and seven boundaries. ALSO READ | Wasim Jaffer hilariously trolls Rohit Sharma-led MI who face improbable task for playoffs spot Seeing his range of strokes, ability to clear the ropes courtesy proper cricketing shots and to score in all parts of the ground, former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has made a bold claim on Rahul. “If you can bat like this, why don’t you bat like this? He probably has more ability than Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. I am not saying it just because I have seen KL Rahul doing it today, he just has it. He has got more shots than anyone else in India. And he showed that again,” Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: How MS Dhoni prompted Deepak Chahar to prepone his proposal plan for his beloved Jaya Bhardwaj Rahul is currently the Orange Cap holder in IPL 14, with 626 runs in 13 innings at an average of 62.60 and strike-rate of 138.80. While his franchise PBKS' campaign has ended, he will look to carry on in a similar stead as India gear up for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, from October 17.

'He has more shots than Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma' - Gautam Gambhir makes BOLD claim on Team India star

<p>Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will face the bottom-lying Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match 55 of the IPL 2021 edition, on Friday evening (October 8), at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. With Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) whopping 86-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), the Eoin Morgan-led franchise have done everything asked of them to secure the remaining fourth playoffs spot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, MI are still not completely out of the playoffs race. Nonetheless, they have an improbable task ahead of themselves to thrash SRH by a huge margin and topple KKR to take the fourth spot. The equation is nearly impossible for the defending champions and five-time winners as they need to beat SRH by 170 runs, or more, and cannot qualify further if they bat second.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-explained-how-can-rohit-sharma-led-mi-still-topple-kkr-to-secure-playoffs-spot-419085">IPL 2021: EXPLAINED! How can Rohit Sharma-led MI still topple KKR to secure playoffs spot</a></strong></p>

<p>Hence, the toss itself can end MI's campaign, who are currently at the sixth position, if they are made to bat second. Thus, Punjab Kings' (PBKS) batting coach Wasim Jaffer took a cue from Bollywood's iconic movie (<em>Aamir Khan and Salman Khan-starrer&nbsp;Andaz&nbsp;Apna Apna)&nbsp;</em>to troll MI. <strong>Here's what he wrote and posted on his official Instagram handle:</strong></p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUwfgPBN1P0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Wasim Jaffer (@wasimjaffer14)</a></p>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-mi-vs-srh-head-to-head-record-trivia-stats-and-squads-419135"><strong>IPL 2021: MI vs SRH- Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads</strong></a></p>

<p>Even if MI bat first, they will need to pile up a huge total and bundle out SRH for a very low score. Thus, it seems that MI are look set to play their last match in IPL 14. While they can certainly match KKR's points tally (14) with a win over SRH and end at the fifth position, over PBKS, it will need a miracle for them to enter the next round.&nbsp;</p>


Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will face the bottom-lying Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match 55 of the IPL 2021 edition, on Friday evening (October 8), at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will face the bottom-lying Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match 55 of the IPL 2021 edition, on Friday evening (October 8), at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. With Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) whopping 86-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), the Eoin Morgan-led franchise have done everything asked of them to secure the remaining fourth playoffs spot. However, MI are still not completely out of the playoffs race. Nonetheless, they have an improbable task ahead of themselves to thrash SRH by a huge margin and topple KKR to take the fourth spot. The equation is nearly impossible for the defending champions and five-time winners as they need to beat SRH by 170 runs, or more, and cannot qualify further if they bat second. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: EXPLAINED! How can Rohit Sharma-led MI still topple KKR to secure playoffs spot Hence, the toss itself can end MI's campaign, who are currently at the sixth position, if they are made to bat second. Thus, Punjab Kings' (PBKS) batting coach Wasim Jaffer took a cue from Bollywood's iconic movie (Aamir Khan and Salman Khan-starrer Andaz Apna Apna) to troll MI. Here's what he wrote and posted on his official Instagram handle: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wasim Jaffer (@wasimjaffer14) × ALSO READ | IPL 2021: MI vs SRH- Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads Even if MI bat first, they will need to pile up a huge total and bundle out SRH for a very low score. Thus, it seems that MI are look set to play their last match in IPL 14. While they can certainly match KKR's points tally (14) with a win over SRH and end at the fifth position, over PBKS, it will need a miracle for them to enter the next round.

Wasim Jaffer hilariously trolls Rohit Sharma-led MI who face improbable task for playoffs spot

<p>Match 55 of the IPL 2021 edition will see the defending champions and five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Friday (October 8). This will be the penultimate encounter of the league stage before the action moves to the playoffs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hammered Rajasthan Royals (RR) by a whopping 86-run margin on Thursday (October 7), the MI franchise have a humungous and a near-impossible task to make it to the playoffs. Yes, MI are still alive in the race,&nbsp;but it is safe to claim that KKR have one foot in the playoffs. Thus, unless Mumbai pull off a miracle courtesy a huge win over SRH, they look set to bow out of the current edition on Friday evening.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mi-vs-srh-ipl-2021-prediction-today-who-will-win-mumbai-indians-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-match-418938"><strong>MI vs SRH, IPL 2021 prediction today: Who will win Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match?</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>EXPLAINED! How can MI still topple KKR to secure the fourth spot?</strong></p>

<p>MI can surely match KKR's points (14) with a win over SRH. However, a win won't guarantee them a spot in the last four. For them to move past KKR and enter the last round, Rohit &amp; Co. need to beat SRH by a whopping 171-run margin, or more. For the unversed, MI won't be able to qualify if SRH bat first. In such a case, they will fail out of the equation mathematically.&nbsp;</p>

<p>MI's net run-rate is&nbsp;-0.048 whereas KKR's&nbsp; +0.587. While MI had beaten RR by a huge 8-wicket margin, little did they know that KKR will produce an even more dominating performance versus the same opposition to bolster their chances further.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-after-kkr-stake-claim-for-playoffs-skipper-eoin-morgan-says-we-did-everything-right-418997"><strong>IPL 2021: After KKR stake claim for playoffs, skipper Eoin Morgan says, 'We did everything right'</strong></a></p>

<p>Given that MI have looked far away from their usual best in the second and final leg in the UAE, they will like to sign off on a high versus SRH. But at present, it looks a miraculous task ahead for them to advance further. On the other hand, KKR have done everything asked from them to remain in contention for the last four. Thus, MI's face-off versus SRH practically looks like their last of the season.&nbsp;</p>


Match 55 of the IPL 2021 edition will see the defending champions and five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Friday (October 8).

Match 55 of the IPL 2021 edition will see the defending champions and five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Friday (October 8). This will be the penultimate encounter of the league stage before the action moves to the playoffs. After Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hammered Rajasthan Royals (RR) by a whopping 86-run margin on Thursday (October 7), the MI franchise have a humungous and a near-impossible task to make it to the playoffs. Yes, MI are still alive in the race, but it is safe to claim that KKR have one foot in the playoffs. Thus, unless Mumbai pull off a miracle courtesy a huge win over SRH, they look set to bow out of the current edition on Friday evening. ALSO READ | MI vs SRH, IPL 2021 prediction today: Who will win Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match? EXPLAINED! How can MI still topple KKR to secure the fourth spot? MI can surely match KKR's points (14) with a win over SRH. However, a win won't guarantee them a spot in the last four. For them to move past KKR and enter the last round, Rohit & Co. need to beat SRH by a whopping 171-run margin, or more. For the unversed, MI won't be able to qualify if SRH bat first. In such a case, they will fail out of the equation mathematically. MI's net run-rate is -0.048 whereas KKR's +0.587. While MI had beaten RR by a huge 8-wicket margin, little did they know that KKR will produce an even more dominating performance versus the same opposition to bolster their chances further. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: After KKR stake claim for playoffs, skipper Eoin Morgan says, 'We did everything right' Given that MI have looked far away from their usual best in the second and final leg in the UAE, they will like to sign off on a high versus SRH. But at present, it looks a miraculous task ahead for them to advance further. On the other hand, KKR have done everything asked from them to remain in contention for the last four. Thus, MI's face-off versus SRH practically looks like their last of the season.

IPL 2021: EXPLAINED! How can Rohit Sharma-led MI still topple KKR to secure playoffs spot

<p>Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) haven't been at their very best in the IPL 2021 edition. The defending champions and five-time winners still remain alive in the playoffs race, however, the Mumbai franchise have a tough battle with the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in order to grab the fourth spot.</p>

<p>Despite MI having lots to do in order to qualify for the playoffs, the 34-year-old Rohit has been at his cheeky best off the 22-yard cricket strip. Recently, Rohit turned into a prankster and hilariously trolled his wife Ritika Sajdeh, sharing the video on his official Instagram handle. On Wednesday (October 6), Rohit once again entertained his fans and came up with a hilarious video where he imitated some of the legendary cricketers, such as Sachin Tendulkar, MI coach Mahela Jayawardene and Harbhajan Singh.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-as-mi-crush-rr-heres-how-mumbai-or-kkr-can-grab-the-4th-spot-in-ipl-2021-playoffs-418570">EXPLAINED: As MI crush RR, here's how Mumbai or KKR can grab the 4th spot in IPL 2021 playoffs</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Here's Rohit's on-point imitation of the legendary players:</strong></p>

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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-think-he-can-gautam-gambhir-slams-mis-hardik-pandya-for-not-bowling-in-ipl-2021-ahead-of-t20-wc-418667">'Don't think he can...' - Gautam Gambhir slams MI's Hardik Pandya for not bowling in IPL 2021 ahead of T20 WC</a></strong></p>

<p>While the comment&nbsp;section is filled with many names, Rohit imitated MI's former skippers Tendulkar, Bhajji and current head coach Jayawardene.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Tuesday (October 5), Rohit-led MI pulled off a thumping win over one-time winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah in match 51. Asking RR to bat first, Rohit &amp; Co. rode on Nathan Coulter-Nile's 4-fer and Jimmy Neesham's three-wicket haul to bundle out RR for a mere 90. In reply, MI chased down the total with 8 wickets and 70 balls to spare.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rohit-led MI, thus, remain in contention for the fourth playoffs spot. However, they still need to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by a big margin and hope for RR to beat KKR to progress into the last four.</p>


Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) haven't been at their very best in the IPL 2021 edition. The defending champions and five-time winners still remain alive in the playoffs race, however, the Mumbai franchise have a tough battle with the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in order to grab the fourth spot.

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) haven't been at their very best in the IPL 2021 edition. The defending champions and five-time winners still remain alive in the playoffs race, however, the Mumbai franchise have a tough battle with the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in order to grab the fourth spot. Despite MI having lots to do in order to qualify for the playoffs, the 34-year-old Rohit has been at his cheeky best off the 22-yard cricket strip. Recently, Rohit turned into a prankster and hilariously trolled his wife Ritika Sajdeh, sharing the video on his official Instagram handle. On Wednesday (October 6), Rohit once again entertained his fans and came up with a hilarious video where he imitated some of the legendary cricketers, such as Sachin Tendulkar, MI coach Mahela Jayawardene and Harbhajan Singh. ALSO READ | EXPLAINED: As MI crush RR, here's how Mumbai or KKR can grab the 4th spot in IPL 2021 playoffs Here's Rohit's on-point imitation of the legendary players: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rohit Sharma (@rohitsharma45) × ALSO READ | 'Don't think he can...' - Gautam Gambhir slams MI's Hardik Pandya for not bowling in IPL 2021 ahead of T20 WC While the comment section is filled with many names, Rohit imitated MI's former skippers Tendulkar, Bhajji and current head coach Jayawardene. On Tuesday (October 5), Rohit-led MI pulled off a thumping win over one-time winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah in match 51. Asking RR to bat first, Rohit & Co. rode on Nathan Coulter-Nile's 4-fer and Jimmy Neesham's three-wicket haul to bundle out RR for a mere 90. In reply, MI chased down the total with 8 wickets and 70 balls to spare. Rohit-led MI, thus, remain in contention for the fourth playoffs spot. However, they still need to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by a big margin and hope for RR to beat KKR to progress into the last four.

IPL 2021: Man of many talents! Rohit Sharma imitates MI legends, shares video on Instagram - WATCH

<p>On Tuesday (October 5), the defending champions and five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) thrashed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 8 wickets, and 70 balls to spare, to keep their IPL 2021 playoffs hopes alive. With Delhi Capitals (DC), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) already occupying three out of the four playoffs spot, the race is now between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and MI to book the remaining slot.</p>

<p>While RR and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are still mathematically in contention to seal the fourth spot, there chances are negligible. <strong>Here's an explainer on how MI or KKR can seal the fourth spot:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Eoin Morgan-led KKR: </strong>The two-time winners have revamped in style in the UAE leg and now have 6 wins in 13 games, with an impressive net-run rate of +0.294. The biggest plus for KKR is that they still have fate in their own hands and the equation is pretty simple for them; one the last game and qualify. However, they will like to demolish RR to further bolster their chances and give no room to MI on account of net run-rate.&nbsp;On the other hand, a defeat can make things tough for Kolkata as Mumbai could topple them by winning their final game of the league campaign; i.e. versus already-eliminated and bottom-lying Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).</p>

<p>What is interesting to note that even if KKR lose to RR, they can still make the playoffs if MI are beaten by SRH or in case Mumbai win versus SRH but only by a narrow margin.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-vs-srh-ipl-2021-prediction-today-who-will-win-royal-challengers-bangalore-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-match-418490">RCB vs SRH, IPL 2021 prediction today: Who will win Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match?</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Rohit's charged-up MI:&nbsp;</strong>With equal wins and loss, just like KKR, MI are now at the 5th spot in the points table. However, they still have an inferior net-run rate of -0.048 as compared to Kolkata. If KKR lose to RR and MI beat SRH, the five-time winners will proceed ahead but they will like to thrash SRH, as they mauled RR on Tuesday evening; to march ahead on the basis of net-run rate.</p>

<p>On the other hand, if KKR emerge on top of RR, MI's hopes would be all but over. Again, Rohit &amp; Co. will remain alive but only mathematically in such a case as they will have to beat SRH in an even more dominant way, like they did versus Rajasthan, to go through. Even if KKR lose to RR, their margin of defeat will be closely monitored by the MI franchise.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/new-ipl-teams-likely-to-be-sold-for-inr-30-35-billion-mega-auction-can-take-place-in-december-punjab-kings-co-owner-418333">New IPL teams likely to be sold for INR 30-35 billion, mega auction can take place in December: Punjab Kings co-owner</a></strong></p>

<p>For the RR and PBKS fans, their teams are also still alive in the playoffs race but their chances remain very slim. Both sides have one more game in hand, versus KKR and CSK respectively, and will have to beat them by a huge margin and also hope for other results to favour them to grab the fourth spot. As of now, that looks highly unlikely.</p>

<p>IPL 2021 playoffs will commence from October 10&nbsp;(Sunday) whereas the final will be played on October 15.</p>


On Tuesday (October 5), the defending champions and five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) thrashed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 8 wickets, and 70 balls to spare, to keep their IPL 2021 playoffs hopes alive.

On Tuesday (October 5), the defending champions and five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) thrashed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 8 wickets, and 70 balls to spare, to keep their IPL 2021 playoffs hopes alive. With Delhi Capitals (DC), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) already occupying three out of the four playoffs spot, the race is now between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and MI to book the remaining slot. While RR and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are still mathematically in contention to seal the fourth spot, there chances are negligible. Here's an explainer on how MI or KKR can seal the fourth spot: Eoin Morgan-led KKR: The two-time winners have revamped in style in the UAE leg and now have 6 wins in 13 games, with an impressive net-run rate of +0.294. The biggest plus for KKR is that they still have fate in their own hands and the equation is pretty simple for them; one the last game and qualify. However, they will like to demolish RR to further bolster their chances and give no room to MI on account of net run-rate. On the other hand, a defeat can make things tough for Kolkata as Mumbai could topple them by winning their final game of the league campaign; i.e. versus already-eliminated and bottom-lying Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). What is interesting to note that even if KKR lose to RR, they can still make the playoffs if MI are beaten by SRH or in case Mumbai win versus SRH but only by a narrow margin. ALSO READ | RCB vs SRH, IPL 2021 prediction today: Who will win Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match? Rohit's charged-up MI: With equal wins and loss, just like KKR, MI are now at the 5th spot in the points table. However, they still have an inferior net-run rate of -0.048 as compared to Kolkata. If KKR lose to RR and MI beat SRH, the five-time winners will proceed ahead but they will like to thrash SRH, as they mauled RR on Tuesday evening; to march ahead on the basis of net-run rate. On the other hand, if KKR emerge on top of RR, MI's hopes would be all but over. Again, Rohit & Co. will remain alive but only mathematically in such a case as they will have to beat SRH in an even more dominant way, like they did versus Rajasthan, to go through. Even if KKR lose to RR, their margin of defeat will be closely monitored by the MI franchise. ALSO READ | New IPL teams likely to be sold for INR 30-35 billion, mega auction can take place in December: Punjab Kings co-owner For the RR and PBKS fans, their teams are also still alive in the playoffs race but their chances remain very slim. Both sides have one more game in hand, versus KKR and CSK respectively, and will have to beat them by a huge margin and also hope for other results to favour them to grab the fourth spot. As of now, that looks highly unlikely. IPL 2021 playoffs will commence from October 10 (Sunday) whereas the final will be played on October 15.

EXPLAINED: As MI crush RR, here's how Mumbai or KKR can grab the 4th spot in IPL 2021 playoffs

<p>IPL 2021 edition is nearing its conclusion as 50 matches have been done and dusted. Before we enter the playoffs stage, there are a few riveting encounters left in the group stages as the defending champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will face the one-time winners Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 51 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.</p>

<p>Both MI and RR have been far from impressive this season. While RR have shown some brilliance from time to time, they are at the sixth position with 5 wins from 12 encounters. MI also have the same number of wins and losses but find themselves languishing on the seventh spot due to a poor net run-rate. For the unversed, both sides are alive in the playoffs race but really need to pull up their socks and attain some big wins to move ahead.</p>

<p>For RR, they need to win both their games. MI need to emerge on top in the remaining games and also hope for RR to beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are favourites to take the vacant fourth-playoffs spot at the moment.</p>

<p><strong>Ahead of the clash, here's a look at the head-to-head, trivia, stats and squads for both sides:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Head-to-head</strong></p>

<p>In 23 games, MI lead RR 12-11 as both sides have been involved in some humdingers in the past. Hence, there isn't much to separate between both teams as match 51 promises to be an enthralling affair.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rr-vs-mi-ipl-2021-prediction-today-who-will-win-rajasthan-royals-vs-mumbai-indians-match-418309"><strong>RR vs MI, IPL 2021 prediction today: Who will win Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians match?</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Stats</strong></p>

<p>One of the main reasons for MI's failures this season has been their scoring rate against spinners in the UAE leg. It stands at 6.11 rpo. They are only better than Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who have fared much worse with a run-rate of 6.05</p>

<p><strong>Trivia</strong></p>

<p>This will be the first time that both sides will meet at Sharjah. They two teams have only played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi whenever they met in the UAE in IPL history. In UAE, both sides met twice, with a 1-1 scoreline.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-rr-vs-mi-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-rajasthan-royals-vs-mumbai-indians-418252">IPL 2021, RR vs MI, Live Streaming: When and where to watch Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians?</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Squads:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Rajasthan Royals: </strong>Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Shivam Dube, Glenn Phillips, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Akash Singh, Mayank Markande, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya, Jaydev Unadkat, Chris Morris, Manan Vohra, Shreyas Gopal, Liam Livingstone, Tabraiz Shamsi, KC Cariappa, Mahipal Lomror, Oshane Thomas, Riyan Parag, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, Gerald Coetzee, Kuldip Yadav</p>

<p><strong>Mumbai Indians:</strong> Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jayant Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, James Neesham, Anukul Roy, Ishan Kishan, Chris Lynn, Adam Milne, Aditya Tare, Piyush Chawla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Roosh Kalaria, Anmolpreet Singh, Rahul Chahar, Marco Jansen, Yudhvir Singh</p>


IPL 2021 edition is nearing its conclusion as 50 matches have been done and dusted. Before we enter the playoffs stage, there are a few riveting encounters left in the group stages as the defending champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will face the one-time winners Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 51 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.

IPL 2021 edition is nearing its conclusion as 50 matches have been done and dusted. Before we enter the playoffs stage, there are a few riveting encounters left in the group stages as the defending champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will face the one-time winners Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 51 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah. Both MI and RR have been far from impressive this season. While RR have shown some brilliance from time to time, they are at the sixth position with 5 wins from 12 encounters. MI also have the same number of wins and losses but find themselves languishing on the seventh spot due to a poor net run-rate. For the unversed, both sides are alive in the playoffs race but really need to pull up their socks and attain some big wins to move ahead. For RR, they need to win both their games. MI need to emerge on top in the remaining games and also hope for RR to beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are favourites to take the vacant fourth-playoffs spot at the moment. Ahead of the clash, here's a look at the head-to-head, trivia, stats and squads for both sides: Head-to-head In 23 games, MI lead RR 12-11 as both sides have been involved in some humdingers in the past. Hence, there isn't much to separate between both teams as match 51 promises to be an enthralling affair. ALSO READ | RR vs MI, IPL 2021 prediction today: Who will win Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians match? Stats One of the main reasons for MI's failures this season has been their scoring rate against spinners in the UAE leg. It stands at 6.11 rpo. They are only better than Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who have fared much worse with a run-rate of 6.05 Trivia This will be the first time that both sides will meet at Sharjah. They two teams have only played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi whenever they met in the UAE in IPL history. In UAE, both sides met twice, with a 1-1 scoreline. ALSO READ | IPL 2021, RR vs MI, Live Streaming: When and where to watch Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians? Squads: Rajasthan Royals: Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Shivam Dube, Glenn Phillips, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Akash Singh, Mayank Markande, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya, Jaydev Unadkat, Chris Morris, Manan Vohra, Shreyas Gopal, Liam Livingstone, Tabraiz Shamsi, KC Cariappa, Mahipal Lomror, Oshane Thomas, Riyan Parag, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, Gerald Coetzee, Kuldip Yadav Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jayant Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, James Neesham, Anukul Roy, Ishan Kishan, Chris Lynn, Adam Milne, Aditya Tare, Piyush Chawla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Roosh Kalaria, Anmolpreet Singh, Rahul Chahar, Marco Jansen, Yudhvir Singh

IPL 2021: MI vs RR- Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads

<p>Mumbai Indians' (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma means business on the field while leading the five-time champions in the IPL or representing Team India.&nbsp;However, he remains at his cheerful best off the 22-yard cricket strip. Despite the defending champions MI struggling to proceed to the IPL 2021 playoffs and being on the verge of elimination, Rohit continues to entertain his fans on social media platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently, the MI skipper Rohit pulled off a hilarious prank on his beloved wife Ritika Sajdeh. In a video shared by the 34-year-old Mumbai Indians opener, he can be seen scaring his wife with chocolate hidden in his hand. He pretended to be hiding something else in his hand to scare Ritika, who finally surrendered and gave a fist-up only to find out it was chocolate inside. Here's the video of the hilarious prank pulled off by Hitman:</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-playoffs-qualification-scenario-explained-can-mumbai-indians-punjab-kings-still-qualify-418113">IPL 2021 playoffs qualification scenario explained: Can Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings still qualify?</a></strong></p>

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<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-have-won-the-series-rohit-sharma-makes-big-statement-on-incomplete-india-england-test-series-418172"><strong>'We have won the series' - Rohit Sharma makes BIG statement on incomplete India-England Test series</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking of MI's performance so far in the IPL 2021 edition, the five-time champions have managed to win only a solitary game in the second and final leg of the season, in the UAE. After 12 games, MI find themselves at the seventh spot and are on the verge of facing an early elimination. For them to qualify, they need to win their remaining two games and better their net-run rate. In addition, they need to hope that Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are the closest to attain the remaining fourth playoffs spot.</p>


Mumbai Indians' (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma means business on the field while leading the five-time champions in the IPL or representing Team India. However, he remains at his cheerful best off the 22-yard cricket strip.

Mumbai Indians' (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma means business on the field while leading the five-time champions in the IPL or representing Team India. However, he remains at his cheerful best off the 22-yard cricket strip. Despite the defending champions MI struggling to proceed to the IPL 2021 playoffs and being on the verge of elimination, Rohit continues to entertain his fans on social media platforms. Recently, the MI skipper Rohit pulled off a hilarious prank on his beloved wife Ritika Sajdeh. In a video shared by the 34-year-old Mumbai Indians opener, he can be seen scaring his wife with chocolate hidden in his hand. He pretended to be hiding something else in his hand to scare Ritika, who finally surrendered and gave a fist-up only to find out it was chocolate inside. Here's the video of the hilarious prank pulled off by Hitman: ALSO READ | IPL 2021 playoffs qualification scenario explained: Can Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings still qualify? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rohit Sharma (@rohitsharma45) × ALSO READ | 'We have won the series' - Rohit Sharma makes BIG statement on incomplete India-England Test series Speaking of MI's performance so far in the IPL 2021 edition, the five-time champions have managed to win only a solitary game in the second and final leg of the season, in the UAE. After 12 games, MI find themselves at the seventh spot and are on the verge of facing an early elimination. For them to qualify, they need to win their remaining two games and better their net-run rate. In addition, they need to hope that Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are the closest to attain the remaining fourth playoffs spot.

Watch: ROFL! MI skipper Rohit Sharma hilariously pulls off a prank on wife Ritika Sajdeh

<p>Virat Kohli-led India had a memorable Test series versus England in the United Kingdom, after the WTC final. With Kohli &amp; Co. gaining an unassailable 2-1 lead following their win in the fourth and penultimate Test, the fifth Test was set to give the visitors a chance to win their first-ever Test series on English soil after 2007. However, Covid-19 crisis in the Indian camp led to the series coming to an abrupt ending as the tour got over with the fifth Test being abandoned.</p>

<p>Rohit Sharma, one of India's stars during their 2-1 series lead versus England, has now opened up on the India-England series and made a big statement. Hitman believes India have won the series courtesy their unassailable lead.</p>

<p>"It was a good one (England tou) based on where I was standing in Test cricket before that. But I wouldn't say this was my best. I know my best is yet to come in Test cricket, it was a great tour personally for me. And also for the team. I don't know what has happened in the last Test match, whether we won the series or we are going to play that one-off Test match later. I think in my eyes, we have won the series 2-1. That's how I would like to look at it," Rohit told the press during the launch of Adidas India's ‘IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING’ campaign.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/was-there-an-alleged-rift-between-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-ravi-shastri-breaks-his-silence-410083"><strong>Was there an alleged rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? Ravi Shastri breaks his silence</strong></a></p>

<p>For Rohit, the India-England Tests was another chance to cement his spot as a Test player. The 34-year-old didn't disappoint as he returned as India's leading run-scorer (368 runs) with two half-centuries and also registered his maiden overseas ton.</p>

<p>In this regard, he told, "For me, it was a great challenge and I thought I overcame that challenge well. I did a lot of preparation for that. The 15-20 days after the WTC final, I think I utilised that very well. I understood those small little adjustments and technical changes that one needs to do when playing in England, I managed to do that. I would like to take that confidence and take it forward in my future Test series as well," Rohit added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shardul-thakur-reacts-as-team-india-draw-criticism-for-cancelled-manchester-test-vs-england-413406"><strong>Shardul Thakur reacts as Team India draw criticism for cancelled Manchester Test vs England</strong></a></p>

<p>Rohit has emphatically turned his Test career ever since he was given the responsibility to open the innings in the purest format. He will like to continue in a similar stead in the next series, when India will host New Zealand after the T20 World Cup.</p>


Virat Kohli-led India had a memorable Test series versus England in the United Kingdom, after the WTC final. With Kohli & Co. gaining an unassailable 2-1 lead following their win in the fourth and penultimate Test, the fifth Test was set to give the visitors a chance to win their first-ever Test series on English soil after 2007.

Virat Kohli-led India had a memorable Test series versus England in the United Kingdom, after the WTC final. With Kohli & Co. gaining an unassailable 2-1 lead following their win in the fourth and penultimate Test, the fifth Test was set to give the visitors a chance to win their first-ever Test series on English soil after 2007. However, Covid-19 crisis in the Indian camp led to the series coming to an abrupt ending as the tour got over with the fifth Test being abandoned. Rohit Sharma, one of India's stars during their 2-1 series lead versus England, has now opened up on the India-England series and made a big statement. Hitman believes India have won the series courtesy their unassailable lead. "It was a good one (England tou) based on where I was standing in Test cricket before that. But I wouldn't say this was my best. I know my best is yet to come in Test cricket, it was a great tour personally for me. And also for the team. I don't know what has happened in the last Test match, whether we won the series or we are going to play that one-off Test match later. I think in my eyes, we have won the series 2-1. That's how I would like to look at it," Rohit told the press during the launch of Adidas India's ‘IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING’ campaign. ALSO READ | Was there an alleged rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? Ravi Shastri breaks his silence For Rohit, the India-England Tests was another chance to cement his spot as a Test player. The 34-year-old didn't disappoint as he returned as India's leading run-scorer (368 runs) with two half-centuries and also registered his maiden overseas ton. In this regard, he told, "For me, it was a great challenge and I thought I overcame that challenge well. I did a lot of preparation for that. The 15-20 days after the WTC final, I think I utilised that very well. I understood those small little adjustments and technical changes that one needs to do when playing in England, I managed to do that. I would like to take that confidence and take it forward in my future Test series as well," Rohit added. ALSO READ | Shardul Thakur reacts as Team India draw criticism for cancelled Manchester Test vs England Rohit has emphatically turned his Test career ever since he was given the responsibility to open the innings in the purest format. He will like to continue in a similar stead in the next series, when India will host New Zealand after the T20 World Cup.

'We have won the series' - Rohit Sharma makes BIG statement on incomplete India-England Test series

<p>The IPL 2021 edition has entered the business end with only 11 games left in the group stages before the playoffs commence. Match 46 will see the five-time winners and defending champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) face the second-ranked Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah on Saturday afternoon (October 2).</p>

<p>Both sides are entering the game with different agendas. While the MI franchise have struggled with back-to-back losses before reviving their campaign to an extend with a win over the Punjab Kings (PBKS), they still have a long way to go before finalising a spot in the last-four. They need to win all games and, thus, will come hard versus the DC camp.</p>

<p>DC, on the other hand, are now assured of the playoffs&nbsp;spot. However, they need to keep winning in order to remain in the top-two. They will be eager to get back to winning ways after a 3-wicket loss versus the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their previous outing.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-mi-vs-dc-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-mumbai-indians-vs-delhi-capitals-417555">IPL 2021, MI vs DC Live Streaming: When and where to watch Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals?</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Match prediction: </strong>Run-making hasn't been easy at Sharjah in this season. Hence, both sides will continue to chase the 'winning totals' in match 46. In terms of head-to-head, MI lead DC 16-13 and were also unbeaten versus the opposition during IPL 2020. Nonetheless, DC will be playing their second game on the trot at Sharjah and, thus, are expected to learn from their mistakes and smartly apply themselves in the middle; something they didn't do versus KKR.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Given that MI have still not looked at their best, and are dealing with batting woes in the powerplays and death overs, DC still have an edge ahead of their face-off with MI. However, MI can take much confidence from the overall encounters versus Delhi to earn their second successive win.</p>


The IPL 2021 edition has entered the business end with only 11 games left in the group stages before the playoffs commence. Match 46 will see the five-time winners and defending champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) face the second-ranked Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah on Saturday afternoon (October 2).

The IPL 2021 edition has entered the business end with only 11 games left in the group stages before the playoffs commence. Match 46 will see the five-time winners and defending champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) face the second-ranked Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah on Saturday afternoon (October 2). Both sides are entering the game with different agendas. While the MI franchise have struggled with back-to-back losses before reviving their campaign to an extend with a win over the Punjab Kings (PBKS), they still have a long way to go before finalising a spot in the last-four. They need to win all games and, thus, will come hard versus the DC camp. DC, on the other hand, are now assured of the playoffs spot. However, they need to keep winning in order to remain in the top-two. They will be eager to get back to winning ways after a 3-wicket loss versus the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their previous outing. ALSO READ | IPL 2021, MI vs DC Live Streaming: When and where to watch Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals? Match prediction: Run-making hasn't been easy at Sharjah in this season. Hence, both sides will continue to chase the 'winning totals' in match 46. In terms of head-to-head, MI lead DC 16-13 and were also unbeaten versus the opposition during IPL 2020. Nonetheless, DC will be playing their second game on the trot at Sharjah and, thus, are expected to learn from their mistakes and smartly apply themselves in the middle; something they didn't do versus KKR. Given that MI have still not looked at their best, and are dealing with batting woes in the powerplays and death overs, DC still have an edge ahead of their face-off with MI. However, MI can take much confidence from the overall encounters versus Delhi to earn their second successive win.

MI vs DC, IPL 2021 prediction today: Who will win Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals match?

IPL 2021: Rishabh's Delhi fly high, Rohit's Mumbai falter - A look at DC vs MI clash in pics

<p>Match 46 of the IPL 2021 edition will see two teams with contrasting fortunes lock horns with each other.&nbsp;Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) will meet the defending champions and five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. While the Pant-led side have now qualified for the playoffs, for the third season in a row, they will not like to take things lightly and look to end at the top-two in the points table.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the other hand, Rohit-led MI still have lots of work to do despite their 6-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their last outing. With the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders and PBKS still fighting for the fourth-spot, MI need to win all their remaining games for qualifications else at 14 points they might miss out on a last-four finish.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It will be interesting to see if the MI middle and lower-order can once again contribute like they did in the game vs PBKS. On the other hand, DC have been hit by injuries of Marcus Stoinis and Prithvi Shaw. Hence, their team combination versus MI will keep their fans on the edge of their seats before the toss.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-dc-spinner-r-ashwin-opens-up-on-heated-altercation-with-kkr-stars-eoin-morgan-tim-southee-417109">IPL 2021: DC spinner R Ashwin opens up on heated altercation with KKR stars Eoin Morgan, Tim Southee</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Where is the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals taking place?</strong></p>

<p>The IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals<strong>&nbsp;</strong>will take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.</p>

<p><strong>What time does the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals&nbsp;begin?</strong></p>

<p>The IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals begins at 3:30 PM IST on Saturday.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-t20-world-cup-is-irrelevant-at-this-point-of-time-says-mumbai-indians-all-rounder-416827">&nbsp;IPL 2021: T20 World Cup is 'irrelevant at this point of time,' says Mumbai Indians all-rounder</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Where and how to watch live coverage of the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals?</strong></p>

<p>The IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the IPL 2021 match between PBKS vs RCB will be available on Hotstar.</p>


Match 46 of the IPL 2021 edition will see two teams with contrasting fortunes lock horns with each other. Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) will meet the defending champions and five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Match 46 of the IPL 2021 edition will see two teams with contrasting fortunes lock horns with each other. Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) will meet the defending champions and five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. While the Pant-led side have now qualified for the playoffs, for the third season in a row, they will not like to take things lightly and look to end at the top-two in the points table. On the other hand, Rohit-led MI still have lots of work to do despite their 6-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their last outing. With the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders and PBKS still fighting for the fourth-spot, MI need to win all their remaining games for qualifications else at 14 points they might miss out on a last-four finish. It will be interesting to see if the MI middle and lower-order can once again contribute like they did in the game vs PBKS. On the other hand, DC have been hit by injuries of Marcus Stoinis and Prithvi Shaw. Hence, their team combination versus MI will keep their fans on the edge of their seats before the toss. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: DC spinner R Ashwin opens up on heated altercation with KKR stars Eoin Morgan, Tim Southee Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match: Where is the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals taking place? The IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah. What time does the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals begin? The IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals begins at 3:30 PM IST on Saturday. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: T20 World Cup is 'irrelevant at this point of time,' says Mumbai Indians all-rounder Where and how to watch live coverage of the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals? The IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the IPL 2021 match between PBKS vs RCB will be available on Hotstar.

IPL 2021, MI vs DC Live Streaming: When and where to watch Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals?

<p>After <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-avesh-khan-shines-as-delhi-capitals-dent-mumbai-indians-playoffs-hopes-with-4-wicket-win-417691">losing to Delhi Capitals</a> by four wickets in a low-scoring Indian Premier League 2021 contest on Saturday (October 2), Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma accepted that the team has "struggled" with their batting this season.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For Delhi, Avesh Khan with a bowling figure of 3-15 and an unbeaten 33 by Shreyas Iyer helped DC beat defending champions. Now, Rohit's Mumbai have lost three of their four matches in the revived IPL in the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals restricted five-time champions Mumbai to 129-8, a total Delhi overhauled in 19.1 overs on a sluggish Sharjah pitch.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/avesh-khan-breathes-fire-cleans-up-hardik-pandya-with-a-stunning-yorker-in-mi-vs-dc-clash-watch-417682">Avesh Khan breathes fire, cleans up Hardik Pandya with a stunning yorker in MI vs DC clash - WATCH</a></strong></p>

<p>During the post-match presentation, Rohit said, "We have struggled with our batting this season, I personally accept that. But I don't want to take anything away from the guys, we are preparing very well. We are just not able to execute in the middle, a little disappointing."</p>

<p>"We just look to play the game we are known to, something's missing in our game. We are not playing to our potential that we are known for, that is something that is missing in the UAE leg," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If your batters aren't going to post runs on the board, it will be difficult to win games," said Sharma.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/others-cannot-judge-me-r-ashwin-reacts-amid-spirit-of-cricket-talks-after-heated-exchange-with-kkrs-eoin-morgan-417666">'Others cannot judge me' - R Ashwin reacts amid 'Spirit of Cricket' talks after heated exchange with KKR's Eoin Morgan</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">That Winning Feeling! 👌 👌<a href="https://twitter.com/DelhiCapitals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DelhiCapitals</a> held their nerve to beat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI</a> by 4⃣ wickets &amp; registered their 9th win of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a>. 👏 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvDC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvDC</a><br />
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Scorecard 👉 <a href="https://t.co/Kqs548PStW">https://t.co/Kqs548PStW</a> <a href="https://t.co/XCM9OUDxwD">pic.twitter.com/XCM9OUDxwD</a></p>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1444300619263533061?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Composed victory tonight from our boys! <a href="https://t.co/uc32PDHpnA">https://t.co/uc32PDHpnA</a></p>
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) <a href="https://twitter.com/DelhiCapitals/status/1444317726562865160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Mumbai Indians need to win their remaining two games to have any chance of making the playoffs which will feature four teams fighting for a place in the final. "Hopefully, in the next two games, we can come out and play the way we are known for," said Sharma.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Delhi, who have already qualified for the play-offs after MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings, now eye a top-two finish at the end of the league stage in the Twenty20 tournament.</p>


After losing to Delhi Capitals by four wickets in a low-scoring Indian Premier League 2021 contest on Saturday (October 2), Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma accepted that the team has "struggled" with their batting this season.

After losing to Delhi Capitals by four wickets in a low-scoring Indian Premier League 2021 contest on Saturday (October 2), Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma accepted that the team has "struggled" with their batting this season. For Delhi, Avesh Khan with a bowling figure of 3-15 and an unbeaten 33 by Shreyas Iyer helped DC beat defending champions. Now, Rohit's Mumbai have lost three of their four matches in the revived IPL in the United Arab Emirates. Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals restricted five-time champions Mumbai to 129-8, a total Delhi overhauled in 19.1 overs on a sluggish Sharjah pitch. ALSO READ | Avesh Khan breathes fire, cleans up Hardik Pandya with a stunning yorker in MI vs DC clash - WATCH During the post-match presentation, Rohit said, "We have struggled with our batting this season, I personally accept that. But I don't want to take anything away from the guys, we are preparing very well. We are just not able to execute in the middle, a little disappointing." "We just look to play the game we are known to, something's missing in our game. We are not playing to our potential that we are known for, that is something that is missing in the UAE leg," he added. "If your batters aren't going to post runs on the board, it will be difficult to win games," said Sharma. ALSO READ | 'Others cannot judge me' - R Ashwin reacts amid 'Spirit of Cricket' talks after heated exchange with KKR's Eoin Morgan That Winning Feeling! 👌 👌@DelhiCapitals held their nerve to beat #MI by 4⃣ wickets & registered their 9th win of the #VIVOIPL. 👏 👏 #MIvDC Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/Kqs548PStW pic.twitter.com/XCM9OUDxwD — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 2, 2021 × Composed victory tonight from our boys! https://t.co/uc32PDHpnA — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) October 2, 2021 × Mumbai Indians need to win their remaining two games to have any chance of making the playoffs which will feature four teams fighting for a place in the final. "Hopefully, in the next two games, we can come out and play the way we are known for," said Sharma. Delhi, who have already qualified for the play-offs after MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings, now eye a top-two finish at the end of the league stage in the Twenty20 tournament.

IPL 2021: MI skipper Rohit Sharma 'disappointed' after DC loss, says team 'struggled' with batting this season

<p>Since Virat Kohli announced that he will be stepping down as the skipper of Team India's T20 captain after the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14, speculations have been made over who should lead the team next.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As the Indian cricket board is yet to decide a name, critics have been suggesting players for the captaincy role with swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma as the top contender.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But batting great Sunil Gavaskar believes Rohit should lead India in the next two World Cups, the one&nbsp;in UAE, and also the next one in 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-rohit-sharma-krunal-pandya-get-thumbs-up-from-twitterati-for-spirit-of-cricket-act-vs-pbks-kl-rahul-416757">Watch: Rohit Sharma, Krunal Pandya get thumbs-up from Twitterati for 'spirit of cricket' act vs PBKS' KL Rahul</a></strong></p>

<p>Gavaskar, who had previously also suggested Rohit's name as India's future T20 captain, added two more names to his list to consider for vice-captain role.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said Rohit should be India's captain in the next two T20 World Cups. "I think (of) Rohit Sharma (as captain) for the next two World Cups," Gavaskar said on the Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.</p>

<p>Gavaskar added, "You could say they (World Cups) are back-to-back, one starting in a month and another exactly a year from now. So clearly, yes, you don't want to change too many captains at this particular stage.</p>

<p>"Rohit Sharma would definitely be my choice for captaincy of the Indian team for both these T20 World Cups."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rohit led India to victory in the Nidahas Trophy T20 tournament and Asia Cup in 2018, which was played in the ODI format.</p>

<p>He is also the most successful captain in the history of IPL with five trophies to his name for the Mumbai Indians.</p>

<p>Gavaskar had previously tossed in another name while commenting on the future leadership role in T20Is as he said that KL Rahul is captaincy material again said that he looks at Rahul for "vice-captain".</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/trouble-for-virat-kohli-senior-cricketers-complained-about-indian-skippers-attitude-to-bccis-jay-shah-report-416835">Trouble for Virat Kohli? Senior cricketers complained about Indian skipper's attitude to BCCI's Jay Shah: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>During his chat, he said, "I would also keep Rishabh Pant in mind because he has been really impressive in the way he has led a star-studded Delhi team and the bowling changes that he has been making in the T20 format, using Nortje and Rabada in such a clever manner that actually shows a street-smart captain."</p>

<p>"You always want a street-smart captain who can read situations and act immediately. So yes, Rahul and Pant are the two guys I would look at as vice-captains," said the batting legend. &nbsp;</p>

<p>India were officially scheduled to host the upcoming edition of the World Cup, which will now be held in the UAE and Oman due to the COVID-19 situation in India.</p>

<p>The 2020 edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia, which was cancelled due to the global pandemic, is slated to be played next year.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Since Virat Kohli announced that he will be stepping down as the skipper of Team India's T20 captain after the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14, speculations have been made over who should lead the team next.

Since Virat Kohli announced that he will be stepping down as the skipper of Team India's T20 captain after the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14, speculations have been made over who should lead the team next. As the Indian cricket board is yet to decide a name, critics have been suggesting players for the captaincy role with swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma as the top contender. But batting great Sunil Gavaskar believes Rohit should lead India in the next two World Cups, the one in UAE, and also the next one in 2022. ALSO READ | Watch: Rohit Sharma, Krunal Pandya get thumbs-up from Twitterati for 'spirit of cricket' act vs PBKS' KL Rahul Gavaskar, who had previously also suggested Rohit's name as India's future T20 captain, added two more names to his list to consider for vice-captain role. He said Rohit should be India's captain in the next two T20 World Cups. "I think (of) Rohit Sharma (as captain) for the next two World Cups," Gavaskar said on the Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'. Gavaskar added, "You could say they (World Cups) are back-to-back, one starting in a month and another exactly a year from now. So clearly, yes, you don't want to change too many captains at this particular stage. "Rohit Sharma would definitely be my choice for captaincy of the Indian team for both these T20 World Cups." Rohit led India to victory in the Nidahas Trophy T20 tournament and Asia Cup in 2018, which was played in the ODI format. He is also the most successful captain in the history of IPL with five trophies to his name for the Mumbai Indians. Gavaskar had previously tossed in another name while commenting on the future leadership role in T20Is as he said that KL Rahul is captaincy material again said that he looks at Rahul for "vice-captain". ALSO READ | Trouble for Virat Kohli? Senior cricketers complained about Indian skipper's attitude to BCCI's Jay Shah: Report During his chat, he said, "I would also keep Rishabh Pant in mind because he has been really impressive in the way he has led a star-studded Delhi team and the bowling changes that he has been making in the T20 format, using Nortje and Rabada in such a clever manner that actually shows a street-smart captain." "You always want a street-smart captain who can read situations and act immediately. So yes, Rahul and Pant are the two guys I would look at as vice-captains," said the batting legend. India were officially scheduled to host the upcoming edition of the World Cup, which will now be held in the UAE and Oman due to the COVID-19 situation in India. The 2020 edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia, which was cancelled due to the global pandemic, is slated to be played next year.

Sunil Gavaskar says Rohit Sharma should be India's captain for next two T20 World Cups

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