Kolkata Knight Riders hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore is always exciting for cricket. Given their head-to-head record and a rich history playing at the Eden Gardens, the fans are up for a great game of cricket on Thursday night. While RCB is roaring following their massive win over Mumbai Indians, Kolkata will try and find their feet after going down against Punjab Kings in their opener.&nbsp;

On Wednesday only, KKR announced the signing of England’s World Cup-winning opener Jason Roy, but he is unlikely to feature in tonight’s game. The same goes for seamer Lockie Ferguson, who missed the first match but has returned to bowling half run-ups in the nets.&nbsp;The absence of Litton Das means Kolkata could stick with Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the order, whereas, Anukul Roy could get another game, given how spinners fare on the Eden track, particularly against RCB.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kane-williamson-to-undergo-surgery-in-three-weeks-following-leg-injury-set-to-miss-world-cup-in-india-579638">Kane Williamson to undergo surgery in three weeks following leg injury, set to miss World Cup in India</a>

On the other hand, injury woes continue for the Bangalore team also, who will miss left-armer Reece Topley for this clash. The English international dislocated his shoulder in RCB’s first match, but has travelled to Kolkata with the team despite that. His compatriot, David Willey, could get a game today. On a brighter note, RCB’s star-studded top order is again likely to make headlines, with Virat Kohli and captain Faf du Plessis expected to provide them with a good start.

Meanwhile, Kolkata’s Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have enjoyed their outing against RCB in the past and will pose threat this time too.

While the hosts are likely to play the same XI, RCB will be forced to make a change at least.

Result Prediction -

While RCB are carrying the winning momentum, Kolkata will have an edge over them in tonight's game at the Eden Gardens.&nbsp;

Here are the predicted XIs of both teams for tonight’s game –

KKR: Mandeep Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Anukul Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (captain), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee

RCB: Faf du Plessis (captain), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suyash Prabhudessai, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, David Willey and Karn Sharma

The match begins at 7:30 PM IST at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata.&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore is always exciting for cricket. Given their head-to-head record and a rich history playing at the Eden Gardens, the fans are up for a great game of cricket on Thursday night.

Kolkata Knight Riders hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore is always exciting for cricket. Given their head-to-head record and a rich history playing at the Eden Gardens, the fans are up for a great game of cricket on Thursday night. While RCB is roaring following their massive win over Mumbai Indians, Kolkata will try and find their feet after going down against Punjab Kings in their opener. On Wednesday only, KKR announced the signing of England’s World Cup-winning opener Jason Roy, but he is unlikely to feature in tonight’s game. The same goes for seamer Lockie Ferguson, who missed the first match but has returned to bowling half run-ups in the nets. The absence of Litton Das means Kolkata could stick with Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the order, whereas, Anukul Roy could get another game, given how spinners fare on the Eden track, particularly against RCB. ALSO READ: Kane Williamson to undergo surgery in three weeks following leg injury, set to miss World Cup in India On the other hand, injury woes continue for the Bangalore team also, who will miss left-armer Reece Topley for this clash. The English international dislocated his shoulder in RCB’s first match, but has travelled to Kolkata with the team despite that. His compatriot, David Willey, could get a game today. On a brighter note, RCB’s star-studded top order is again likely to make headlines, with Virat Kohli and captain Faf du Plessis expected to provide them with a good start. Meanwhile, Kolkata’s Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have enjoyed their outing against RCB in the past and will pose threat this time too. While the hosts are likely to play the same XI, RCB will be forced to make a change at least. Result Prediction - While RCB are carrying the winning momentum, Kolkata will have an edge over them in tonight's game at the Eden Gardens. Here are the predicted XIs of both teams for tonight’s game – KKR: Mandeep Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Anukul Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (captain), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee RCB: Faf du Plessis (captain), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suyash Prabhudessai, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, David Willey and Karn Sharma The match begins at 7:30 PM IST at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata.

IPL 2023: Match 9th Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match preview and result prediction

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been dealt another injury blow in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16 after star man Rajat Patidar’s heel injury. Patidar has been ruled out of the entire season of the IPL and will now serve time in the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore where he will carry out his rehabilitation.

“Unfortunately, Rajat Patidar has been ruled out of #IPL2023 due to an Achilles Heel injury. We wish Rajat a speedy recovery and will continue to support him during the process. The coaches and management have decided not to name a replacement player for Rajat just yet,” read a statement on the RCB’s official Twitter handle.

The injury news comes at the wrong time for the RCB after having Josh Hazlewood and Will Jacks unavailable due to their time out on the treatment table. The RCB franchise is also struggling with the injury of Recce Topley, where he injured his shoulder against the Mumbai Indians. Although Topley has been involved with the squad Patidar has now been ruled out altogether.

The 29-year-old was RCB’s third-highest scorer in the 2022 season despite going unpicked at the start. Patidar came in as a replacement for injured Luvnith Sisodia and made an early impression with some top knocks. Patidar scored the fastest hundred in IPL history in the 2022 Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants where he dazzled for the franchise.

AL SO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/just-come-and-bowl-ms-dhoni-has-asked-you-to-return-s-sreesanth-reveals-untold-tale-from-cwc11-final-578927">Just come and bowl, MS Dhoni has asked you to return: S Sreesanth reveals untold tale from CWC'11 final</a>

In just seven innings in the 2022 edition, only skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli scored more runs for the South Indian giants. The recently concluded Ranji Trophy season also saw Patidar make an impression as he helped them win the tournament. Patidar’s impressive run in the domestic season also saw him earn a call-up to the Indian side for the ODI series but did not get the opportunity to make his debut.

RCB will next take the field on Thursday, April 6 against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens. RCB won their opening contest by eight wickets against Mumbai Indians and will look to maintain their winning momentum against the two-time champions.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been dealt another injury blow in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16 after star man Rajat Patidar’s heel injury.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been dealt another injury blow in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16 after star man Rajat Patidar’s heel injury. Patidar has been ruled out of the entire season of the IPL and will now serve time in the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore where he will carry out his rehabilitation. “Unfortunately, Rajat Patidar has been ruled out of #IPL2023 due to an Achilles Heel injury. We wish Rajat a speedy recovery and will continue to support him during the process. The coaches and management have decided not to name a replacement player for Rajat just yet,” read a statement on the RCB’s official Twitter handle. The injury news comes at the wrong time for the RCB after having Josh Hazlewood and Will Jacks unavailable due to their time out on the treatment table. The RCB franchise is also struggling with the injury of Recce Topley, where he injured his shoulder against the Mumbai Indians. Although Topley has been involved with the squad Patidar has now been ruled out altogether. The 29-year-old was RCB’s third-highest scorer in the 2022 season despite going unpicked at the start. Patidar came in as a replacement for injured Luvnith Sisodia and made an early impression with some top knocks. Patidar scored the fastest hundred in IPL history in the 2022 Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants where he dazzled for the franchise. AL SO READ | Just come and bowl, MS Dhoni has asked you to return: S Sreesanth reveals untold tale from CWC'11 final In just seven innings in the 2022 edition, only skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli scored more runs for the South Indian giants. The recently concluded Ranji Trophy season also saw Patidar make an impression as he helped them win the tournament. Patidar’s impressive run in the domestic season also saw him earn a call-up to the Indian side for the ODI series but did not get the opportunity to make his debut. RCB will next take the field on Thursday, April 6 against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens. RCB won their opening contest by eight wickets against Mumbai Indians and will look to maintain their winning momentum against the two-time champions. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: RCB's injury woes continue as Rajat Patidar gets ruled out of season with heel issue

Mohammed Siraj has come a long way since his international debut in 2017. His breakthrough performance came during Ajinkya Rahane-led India's famous 2-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory over Australia Down Under. Since then, Siraj has grown leaps and bounds and remains in India's scheme of things across formats.

Siraj is currently the No. 3 bowler in ICC ODI Rankings and is involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition where he is once again representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). RCB opened their campaign in style in the ongoing edition with an eight-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Sunday evening (April 02).&nbsp;

Siraj also played a key role with an impressive spell of 4-0-21-1. Recently, Siraj opened up on his experience with online trolling. In a chat with Danish Sait on RCB Podcast, the 29-year-old said that while fans at Chinnaswamy stadium have chanted his name and cheered for him, it won't take long for them to troll him with one bad performance.

'Those messages kill your motivation'

“It is easy to write abuses," Siraj said. "But you don’t know anything about his struggle. How can you abuse someone then? Those messages kill your motivation. A guy is getting abused for no reason at all. Why? What’s next? One day they call you the future of India, the next day they claim you are nothing and should drive an auto. I don’t understand this," the speedster opined.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-unbelievable-jason-holder-pulls-off-a-stunner-in-srh-vs-rr-clash-watch-video-578548">IPL 2023: UNBELIEVABLE! Jason Holder pulls off a stunner in SRH vs RR clash - Watch video</a>

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Mohammed Siraj talks about dealing with social media trolling and urges the fans not to hate on the players, on <a href="https://twitter.com/eatsurenow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eatsurenow</a> presents <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBPodcast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBPodcast</a>! 🚫 
 
Listen to the audio versions of all ten episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 🎙️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://t.co/nOUWndLIjv">pic.twitter.com/nOUWndLIjv</a>
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Siraj, who was retained by the RCB ahead of IPL 2021, further added, "When you perform well, people start praising you so much, You are such a good bowler, next level. When I was retained, it was called as best retention. Now they question why I was retained? There was no need for you to be retained. You aren’t good enough to play cricket."

“Thank you for all the support but don’t abuse anyone. Ups and downs are part of life. That’s all I can say. Rest is up to you. You are aware of our struggle still you behave like that with us. That doesn’t affect us much but as a human, all I can ask from you is respect everyone," the RCB pacer&nbsp;added.

Siraj-starrer RCB will next be seen in action on April 06 (Thursday) when they will face the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

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Mohammed Siraj has come a long way since his international debut in 2017. His breakthrough performance came during Ajinkya Rahane-led India's famous 2-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory over Australia Down Under.

Mohammed Siraj has come a long way since his international debut in 2017. His breakthrough performance came during Ajinkya Rahane-led India's famous 2-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory over Australia Down Under. Since then, Siraj has grown leaps and bounds and remains in India's scheme of things across formats. Siraj is currently the No. 3 bowler in ICC ODI Rankings and is involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition where he is once again representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). RCB opened their campaign in style in the ongoing edition with an eight-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Sunday evening (April 02). Siraj also played a key role with an impressive spell of 4-0-21-1. Recently, Siraj opened up on his experience with online trolling. In a chat with Danish Sait on RCB Podcast, the 29-year-old said that while fans at Chinnaswamy stadium have chanted his name and cheered for him, it won't take long for them to troll him with one bad performance. 'Those messages kill your motivation' “It is easy to write abuses," Siraj said. "But you don’t know anything about his struggle. How can you abuse someone then? Those messages kill your motivation. A guy is getting abused for no reason at all. Why? What’s next? One day they call you the future of India, the next day they claim you are nothing and should drive an auto. I don’t understand this," the speedster opined. Also Read: IPL 2023: UNBELIEVABLE! Jason Holder pulls off a stunner in SRH vs RR clash - Watch video Mohammed Siraj talks about dealing with social media trolling and urges the fans not to hate on the players, on @eatsurenow presents #RCBPodcast! 🚫 Listen to the audio versions of all ten episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 🎙️#PlayBold pic.twitter.com/nOUWndLIjv — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 3, 2023 × Siraj, who was retained by the RCB ahead of IPL 2021, further added, "When you perform well, people start praising you so much, You are such a good bowler, next level. When I was retained, it was called as best retention. Now they question why I was retained? There was no need for you to be retained. You aren’t good enough to play cricket." “Thank you for all the support but don’t abuse anyone. Ups and downs are part of life. That’s all I can say. Rest is up to you. You are aware of our struggle still you behave like that with us. That doesn’t affect us much but as a human, all I can ask from you is respect everyone," the RCB pacer added. Siraj-starrer RCB will next be seen in action on April 06 (Thursday) when they will face the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

One day they call you India's future, next day they say you should drive an auto: Md Siraj on online trolls

On Sunday (April 02), Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) opened their campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. The five-time winners faced the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bengaluru and suffered an eight-wicket defeat. While the match didn't go as per plan for Rohit &amp; Co., the Team India and MI captain achieved a special feat.

Rohit became only the second Indian and third cricketer overall to captain in 200 T20 matches. Thus, he joined the elite club, spearheaded by former Indian skipper MS Dhoni and West Indies' two-time T20 World Cup winning captain Daren Sammy.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-rrs-yuzvendra-chahal-creates-history-becomes-first-indian-to-reach-this-milestone-578509">IPL 2023: RR's Yuzvendra Chahal creates history, becomes first Indian to reach THIS milestone</a>

Most matches as T20 captain

1) MS Dhoni - 307 matches

2) Daren Sammy - 208 games

3) Rohit Sharma - 200 matches

4) Virat Kohli- 190 matches

5) Gautam Gambhir- 170 matches

Talking about Rohit's 200th game as captain in T20s, MI were asked to bat first and their famed top-order fell flat against Md Siraj, Reece Topley, Akash Deep (picking a wicket each) before spinner Karn Sharma returned with 2 for 29. MI were tottering at 48 for 4 before Tilak Verma's sublime 46-ball 84* took them to a competitive 171 for 7.

However, the target wasn't enough as RCB rode on skipper Faf du Plessis' 73 and former captain Kohli's 82 not out to finish the chase with eight wickets and 22 balls to spare.

MI will now face the Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday evening (April 08) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

On Sunday (April 02), Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) opened their campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. The five-time winners faced the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bengaluru and suffered an eight-wicket defeat.

On Sunday (April 02), Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) opened their campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. The five-time winners faced the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bengaluru and suffered an eight-wicket defeat. While the match didn't go as per plan for Rohit & Co., the Team India and MI captain achieved a special feat. Rohit became only the second Indian and third cricketer overall to captain in 200 T20 matches. Thus, he joined the elite club, spearheaded by former Indian skipper MS Dhoni and West Indies' two-time T20 World Cup winning captain Daren Sammy. Also Read: IPL 2023: RR's Yuzvendra Chahal creates history, becomes first Indian to reach THIS milestone Most matches as T20 captain 1) MS Dhoni - 307 matches 2) Daren Sammy - 208 games 3) Rohit Sharma - 200 matches 4) Virat Kohli- 190 matches 5) Gautam Gambhir- 170 matches Talking about Rohit's 200th game as captain in T20s, MI were asked to bat first and their famed top-order fell flat against Md Siraj, Reece Topley, Akash Deep (picking a wicket each) before spinner Karn Sharma returned with 2 for 29. MI were tottering at 48 for 4 before Tilak Verma's sublime 46-ball 84* took them to a competitive 171 for 7. However, the target wasn't enough as RCB rode on skipper Faf du Plessis' 73 and former captain Kohli's 82 not out to finish the chase with eight wickets and 22 balls to spare. MI will now face the Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday evening (April 08) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

IPL 2023: Rohit Sharma joins MS Dhoni and Daren Sammy in elite club during MI-RCB face-off

Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis hit a fifty each as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Mumbai Indians by nine&nbsp;wickets in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Chasing a target of 172, RCB got off to a flyer with openers Kohli and skipper du Plessis adding 53 runs in just six overs. du Plessis reached his fifty on 29 balls, hitting four sixes and four fours each till the time. Any hopes of Mumbai's comeback were crushed soon as the opening pair reached 100 in just 10.3 overs.

Virat Kohli also scored his fifty soon, albeit on 38 balls with the help of four fours and two sixes as the partnership reached 129 in just 13 overs. du Plessis was the first wicket to fall after scoring 73 off 43, hitting five fours and six sixes. Dinesh Karthik then came on to bat but lasted just two balls as Cam Green got him caught for a duck.

Aussie Glenn Maxwell then hit two sixes and Kohli finished off the match in 17th over, hitting a four and six to take his team home. Kohli scored unbeaten 82 off 49, hitting six fours and five sixes.

Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-rcbs-faf-du-plessis-takes-a-screamer-to-dismiss-mis-hrithik-shokeen-watch-578362">RCB's Faf du Plessis takes a SCREAMER to dismiss MI's Hrithik Shokeen</a>

Earlier, RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision was proven right by RCB bowlers who brought MI down to 29/3 at the end of powerplay. The situation became worse after fearsome Suryakumar Yadav departed shortly for 15 with the team at 48. Nehal Wadhera (21 off 13) then joined the forces with Tilak Verma and the duo added 50 runs for the fifth wicket.

Three quick wickets of Wadhera, Tim David and Hrithik Shokeen then put brakes on MI's recovery but Verma had different plans. The 20-year-old southpaw took the charge as Mumbai added 48 runs in the last 17 balls to reach 171/7 in 20 overs. Verma remained unbeaten on 84 off 46, hitting nine fours and four sixes.

For RCB, every bowler chipped in but spinner Karn Sharma took two wickets for 32 in four overs while Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Akash Deep, Harshal Patel, and Michael Bracewell took one wicket each.

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Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis hit a fifty each as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Mumbai Indians by nine wickets in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis hit a fifty each as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Mumbai Indians by nine wickets in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Chasing a target of 172, RCB got off to a flyer with openers Kohli and skipper du Plessis adding 53 runs in just six overs. du Plessis reached his fifty on 29 balls, hitting four sixes and four fours each till the time. Any hopes of Mumbai's comeback were crushed soon as the opening pair reached 100 in just 10.3 overs. Virat Kohli also scored his fifty soon, albeit on 38 balls with the help of four fours and two sixes as the partnership reached 129 in just 13 overs. du Plessis was the first wicket to fall after scoring 73 off 43, hitting five fours and six sixes. Dinesh Karthik then came on to bat but lasted just two balls as Cam Green got him caught for a duck. Aussie Glenn Maxwell then hit two sixes and Kohli finished off the match in 17th over, hitting a four and six to take his team home. Kohli scored unbeaten 82 off 49, hitting six fours and five sixes. Also Watch: RCB's Faf du Plessis takes a SCREAMER to dismiss MI's Hrithik Shokeen Earlier, RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision was proven right by RCB bowlers who brought MI down to 29/3 at the end of powerplay. The situation became worse after fearsome Suryakumar Yadav departed shortly for 15 with the team at 48. Nehal Wadhera (21 off 13) then joined the forces with Tilak Verma and the duo added 50 runs for the fifth wicket. Three quick wickets of Wadhera, Tim David and Hrithik Shokeen then put brakes on MI's recovery but Verma had different plans. The 20-year-old southpaw took the charge as Mumbai added 48 runs in the last 17 balls to reach 171/7 in 20 overs. Verma remained unbeaten on 84 off 46, hitting nine fours and four sixes. For RCB, every bowler chipped in but spinner Karn Sharma took two wickets for 32 in four overs while Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Akash Deep, Harshal Patel, and Michael Bracewell took one wicket each. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Kohli, du Plessis run riot as RCB beat MI by eight wickets after Tilak Verma's 84

RCB skipper Faf du Plessis turned back the time on Sunday vs Mumbai Indians as he took a screamer of a catch in the match while back-tracking from mid-off.&nbsp;

Mumbai's Hrithik Shokeen was looking to accelerate the innings as he tried to take on Harshal Patel and hit the first ball of the seventeenth over in the air. du Plessis, however, showed great athleticism as he caught Shokeen to leave Mumbai seven down for 123. Have a look at the video here:

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What a Catch by Faf Du Plessis 😳😮 
(எல்லைச் சாமி Faf )<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/staraikelungal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#staraikelungal</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvMI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chinnaswamy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chinnaswamy</a> <a href="https://t.co/5WlxM8JyXT">pic.twitter.com/5WlxM8JyXT</a>
— Saravanan 🌍 (@saravanaDjoko59) <a href="https://twitter.com/saravanaDjoko59/status/1642553076384141314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision was proven right by RCB bowlers who brought MI down to 29/3 at the end of powerplay. The situation became worse after fearsome Suryakumar Yadav departed shortly for 15 with the team at 48. Nehal Wadhera (21 off 13) then joined the forces with Tilak Verma and the duo added 50 runs for the fifth wicket.

Three quick wickets of Wadhera, Tim David and Hrithik Shokeen then put brakes on MI's recovery but Verma had different plans. The 20-year-old southpaw took the charge as Mumbai added 48 runs in the last 17 balls to reach 171/7 in 20 overs. Verma remained unbeaten on 84 off 46, hitting nine fours and four sixes.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-openers-chahal-four-for-help-rajasthan-royals-rout-sunrisers-hyderabad-by-72-runs-578324">Openers, Chahal four-for help Rajasthan Royals rout Sunrisers Hyderabad by 72 runs</a>

For RCB, every bowler chipped in but spinner Karn Sharma took two wickets for 32 in four overs while Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Akash Deep, Harshal Patel, and Michael Bracewell took one wicket each.

During the chase, RCB were given flyer by openers Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis as the duo added 53 runs in just six overs.&nbsp;

In the first match of the day, Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 72 runs. Royals' top three batsmen Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Sanju Samson hit a 50 each as they scored 203/5 in 20 overs.

SRH couldn't get going after Trent Boult took two wickets in the first over and Yuzvendra Chahal then joined in with four wickets as SRH managed 131/8 in their 20 overs.

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RCB skipper Faf du Plessis turned back the time on Sunday vs Mumbai Indians as he took a screamer of a catch in the match while back-tracking from mid-off. Mumbai's Hrithik Shokeen was looking to accelerate the innings as he tried to take on Harshal Patel and hit the first ball of the seventeenth over in the air.

RCB skipper Faf du Plessis turned back the time on Sunday vs Mumbai Indians as he took a screamer of a catch in the match while back-tracking from mid-off. Mumbai's Hrithik Shokeen was looking to accelerate the innings as he tried to take on Harshal Patel and hit the first ball of the seventeenth over in the air. du Plessis, however, showed great athleticism as he caught Shokeen to leave Mumbai seven down for 123. Have a look at the video here: What a Catch by Faf Du Plessis 😳😮 (எல்லைச் சாமி Faf )#staraikelungal#RCBvMI #chinnaswamy pic.twitter.com/5WlxM8JyXT — Saravanan 🌍 (@saravanaDjoko59) April 2, 2023 × Earlier, RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision was proven right by RCB bowlers who brought MI down to 29/3 at the end of powerplay. The situation became worse after fearsome Suryakumar Yadav departed shortly for 15 with the team at 48. Nehal Wadhera (21 off 13) then joined the forces with Tilak Verma and the duo added 50 runs for the fifth wicket. Three quick wickets of Wadhera, Tim David and Hrithik Shokeen then put brakes on MI's recovery but Verma had different plans. The 20-year-old southpaw took the charge as Mumbai added 48 runs in the last 17 balls to reach 171/7 in 20 overs. Verma remained unbeaten on 84 off 46, hitting nine fours and four sixes. Also Read: Openers, Chahal four-for help Rajasthan Royals rout Sunrisers Hyderabad by 72 runs For RCB, every bowler chipped in but spinner Karn Sharma took two wickets for 32 in four overs while Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Akash Deep, Harshal Patel, and Michael Bracewell took one wicket each. During the chase, RCB were given flyer by openers Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis as the duo added 53 runs in just six overs. In the first match of the day, Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 72 runs. Royals' top three batsmen Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Sanju Samson hit a 50 each as they scored 203/5 in 20 overs. SRH couldn't get going after Trent Boult took two wickets in the first over and Yuzvendra Chahal then joined in with four wickets as SRH managed 131/8 in their 20 overs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: RCB's Faf du Plessis takes a SCREAMER to dismiss MI's Hrithik Shokeen - WATCH

Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener against Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Sanjay Bangar said that Sri Lankan all-rounder will be available for the side only after April 9 due to his international cricket commitments.

RCB will take on MI in their IPL 2023 campaign opener on Sunday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. "Wanindu Hasaranga will be unavailable for us till the ninth of this month," said Bangar in the pre-match press conference.

Hasaranga was the leading wicket-taker for RCB last season and was the second-highest wicket-taker overall with 26 scalps in 16 matches at an average of 16.53 and an economy rate of 7.54. His best bowling figures in the last season were 5/18.

England pacer Reece Topley will be a like-for-like replacement for Australian quick Josh Hazlewood, who will be missing out on the first half of the league due to an achilles injury, said the coach.

"We sort of anticipated it (Hazlewood missing IPL games) and it was factored in the auction and pre-auction meetings. Reece Topley provides a like-to-like replacement for him. I am sure that his left-arm bowling will add to the strength of our bowling," said Bangar.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-blow-to-gujarat-titans-as-kane-williamson-ruled-out-for-whole-season-due-to-knee-injury-reports-577938">IPL 2023: Blow to Gujarat Titans as Kane Williamson ruled out for whole season due to knee injury - Reports</a>

On the status of Rajat Patidar, who is also expected to miss the first half of IPL due to a heel injury, Bangar said that the batter is undergoing treatment at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and the franchise is awaiting clarification from him.

The coach also added that star Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who recently made his return to cricket in the ODI series against Australia after a leg injury sustained last year, has been cleared to play by Cricket Australia (CA) and will play on Sunday.

Bangar revealed that the franchise wanted to sign New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell during the auction last year, but had to sign Will Jacks, an England all-rounder due to the auction sequence. The all-rounder is now in the team as a replacement for an injured Jacks."

"Bracewell is a versatile player. He can bat at the top and lower down the order. We will be looking to make the best use of him," added Bangar.

On playing at the home ground of M Chinnaswammy Stadium after a gap of over three years, Bangar said, "Boys are excited. The build-up was very nice. We had this RCB Unbox event and also the Hall of Fame event that the team management did. The response to these events was nice and it gave goosebumps to the new boys who have not experienced the atmosphere at the Chinnaswammy Stadium. Hope fans will continue providing the energy like they do always."

Last year, RCB qualified for playoffs and lost to Rajasthan Royals in qualifier 2 by seven wickets.

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Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener against Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Sanjay Bangar said that Sri Lankan all-rounder will be available for the side only after April 9 due to his international cricket commitments.

Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener against Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Sanjay Bangar said that Sri Lankan all-rounder will be available for the side only after April 9 due to his international cricket commitments. RCB will take on MI in their IPL 2023 campaign opener on Sunday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. "Wanindu Hasaranga will be unavailable for us till the ninth of this month," said Bangar in the pre-match press conference. Hasaranga was the leading wicket-taker for RCB last season and was the second-highest wicket-taker overall with 26 scalps in 16 matches at an average of 16.53 and an economy rate of 7.54. His best bowling figures in the last season were 5/18. England pacer Reece Topley will be a like-for-like replacement for Australian quick Josh Hazlewood, who will be missing out on the first half of the league due to an achilles injury, said the coach. "We sort of anticipated it (Hazlewood missing IPL games) and it was factored in the auction and pre-auction meetings. Reece Topley provides a like-to-like replacement for him. I am sure that his left-arm bowling will add to the strength of our bowling," said Bangar. ALSO READ | IPL 2023: Blow to Gujarat Titans as Kane Williamson ruled out for whole season due to knee injury - Reports On the status of Rajat Patidar, who is also expected to miss the first half of IPL due to a heel injury, Bangar said that the batter is undergoing treatment at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and the franchise is awaiting clarification from him. The coach also added that star Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who recently made his return to cricket in the ODI series against Australia after a leg injury sustained last year, has been cleared to play by Cricket Australia (CA) and will play on Sunday. Bangar revealed that the franchise wanted to sign New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell during the auction last year, but had to sign Will Jacks, an England all-rounder due to the auction sequence. The all-rounder is now in the team as a replacement for an injured Jacks." "Bracewell is a versatile player. He can bat at the top and lower down the order. We will be looking to make the best use of him," added Bangar. On playing at the home ground of M Chinnaswammy Stadium after a gap of over three years, Bangar said, "Boys are excited. The build-up was very nice. We had this RCB Unbox event and also the Hall of Fame event that the team management did. The response to these events was nice and it gave goosebumps to the new boys who have not experienced the atmosphere at the Chinnaswammy Stadium. Hope fans will continue providing the energy like they do always." Last year, RCB qualified for playoffs and lost to Rajasthan Royals in qualifier 2 by seven wickets. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: RCB dealt another major blow before MI opener, THIS Purple Cap contender to miss first week's action

Two sporting giants – former India cricket captain Virat Kohli and India’s current football skipper Sunil Chhetri met during Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) training session ahead of their IPL 2023 opener against Mumbai Indians on Sunday.

Two sporting giants – former India cricket captain Virat Kohli and India’s current football skipper Sunil Chhetri met during Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) training session ahead of their IPL 2023 opener against Mumbai Indians on Sunday. Legends on the field and friends off it, Kohli and Chhetri are known to be good pals, and it was visible during their interaction, as shared on the social media handles by RCB. Chhetri, 38, was seen chatting with RCB batting coach Sanjay Banger alongside other players. Since the crowd was allowed to attend RCB’s training session, as we have seen during the build-up, everyone was cheering for the Indian football legend inside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: Ben Stokes is not 100% yet, we are working closely with him, reveals CSK coach Stephen Fleming You can watch the clips here – Thank you @pumacricket for bringing the legend home! #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 #RCBxPuma pic.twitter.com/I87yvEDNYe — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 1, 2023 × Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis-led RCB will face old rivals Mumbai Indians in their opening clash on Sunday evening. Struggling with injuries to star players like Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell and Josh Hazlewood, RCB will be missing firepower in their XI, but their attacking bowlers are up to the mark to compensate for that. In their absence, RCB could try a few new faces or give an extended run to local talents like Mahipal Lomror or Anuj Rawat. RCB’s bowling will include all-rounders in Shahbaz Ahmed and David Willey, while Mohammed Siraj and Harshal Patel could take care of the pace bowling department. For Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, debutant Cameron Green and returning Jofra Archer are likely to make it to XI. Regular star players like Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma will also be among the sure-starters. Of the 30 games played between these two sides, Mumbai has won 17 occasions while Bangalore came on top 13 times. During the previous season, Bangalore beat MI by seven wickets. The match starts at 7:30 PM IST.

IPL 2023: Sunil Chhetri meets Virat Kohli, RCB squad ahead of MI clash, shows athleticism - WATCH

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on Friday (March 31) when the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in&nbsp;Ahmedabad. This will be the&nbsp;cash-rich league's 16th edition. It has become a huge brand globally with the presence of superstar cricketers, playing in front of packed stadiums, with huge money involved.&nbsp;

The IPL kicked off for the first time in 2008. Back then, many yesteryear Indian superstars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble and others were also part of the league. On the other hand, current stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were in the nascent stage of their respective careers, having made a mark in the domestic circuit and at the U-19 level. The Indian cricket fans were thrilled to see their national stars adapt to the shortest format of the game and cheered&nbsp;them on their on-field heroics.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-not-kohli-sky-or-stokes-ex-eng-pacer-says-this-srh-debutant-could-win-player-of-the-tournament-577203">IPL 2023: Not Kohli, SKY or Stokes! Ex-Eng pacer says THIS SRH debutant could win Player of the Tournament</a>

Nonetheless, the Indian fans had to wait for a long time before a national player reached the triple-figure mark in the IPL. Brendon McCullum had slammed the first-ever IPL hundred in the league's maiden encounter while five other batters joined him in the century club in the 2008 edition. AB de Villiers scored a ton in IPL 2009 before Manish Pandey -- an uncapped player back then -- became the first Indian to reach the milestone in the tournament's history. He scored a memorable ton in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)'s face-off versus eventual winners Deccan Chargers.

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First ipl 100 Manish pandey <a href="https://t.co/tWy9ckwO22">pic.twitter.com/tWy9ckwO22</a>
— Rajeev Mishra (@RajeevM77675925) <a href="https://twitter.com/RajeevM77675925/status/832857525645111296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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It was the 56th game of the IPL 2009 edition, at Cape Town. Opting to bat first, the Kumble-led RCB franchise rode on Pandey's 114, off 73 balls, to post 170 for 4 and restricted Adam Gilchrist &amp; Co. for 158 for 6 to win the clash by 12 runs. Pandey's inning was laced with 10 fours and 4 sixes. He scored at a whopping 156.16 run rate.

In IPL 2023, Pandey will represent the Delhi Capitals (DC) and hope to take his side to their maiden title.&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on Friday (March 31) when the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on Friday (March 31) when the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. This will be the cash-rich league's 16th edition. It has become a huge brand globally with the presence of superstar cricketers, playing in front of packed stadiums, with huge money involved. The IPL kicked off for the first time in 2008. Back then, many yesteryear Indian superstars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble and others were also part of the league. On the other hand, current stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were in the nascent stage of their respective careers, having made a mark in the domestic circuit and at the U-19 level. The Indian cricket fans were thrilled to see their national stars adapt to the shortest format of the game and cheered them on their on-field heroics. Also Read: IPL 2023: Not Kohli, SKY or Stokes! Ex-Eng pacer says THIS SRH debutant could win Player of the Tournament Nonetheless, the Indian fans had to wait for a long time before a national player reached the triple-figure mark in the IPL. Brendon McCullum had slammed the first-ever IPL hundred in the league's maiden encounter while five other batters joined him in the century club in the 2008 edition. AB de Villiers scored a ton in IPL 2009 before Manish Pandey -- an uncapped player back then -- became the first Indian to reach the milestone in the tournament's history. He scored a memorable ton in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)'s face-off versus eventual winners Deccan Chargers. First ipl 100 Manish pandey pic.twitter.com/tWy9ckwO22 — Rajeev Mishra (@RajeevM77675925) February 18, 2017 × It was the 56th game of the IPL 2009 edition, at Cape Town. Opting to bat first, the Kumble-led RCB franchise rode on Pandey's 114, off 73 balls, to post 170 for 4 and restricted Adam Gilchrist & Co. for 158 for 6 to win the clash by 12 runs. Pandey's inning was laced with 10 fours and 4 sixes. He scored at a whopping 156.16 run rate. In IPL 2023, Pandey will represent the Delhi Capitals (DC) and hope to take his side to their maiden title.

IPL 2023: Not Kohli, Rohit or Tendulkar! THIS batter was India's first centurion in cash-rich league

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31) with the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on the four-time winners MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. Over the years, the craze of the cash-rich league has increased and the upcoming season is also keenly awaited.

The ten-team tournament will once again see a plethora of superstar cricketers rub shoulders against each other on the 22-yard cricket strip. The season promises to be filled with several close games, tough battle for the playoffs spot, plenty of boundaries, records being broken, etc.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2023-100-win-club-csk-mi-rcb-and-two-others-feature-in-the-elite-list-577342">IPL 2023: 100-WIN CLUB! CSK, MI, RCB and two others feature in the elite list</a>

Ahead of the new season, here's a look at most sixes hit by the existing teams in the IPL:

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Team</td>
			<td>Sixes</td>
			<td>Span</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mumbai Indians</td>
			<td>1,408</td>
			<td>2008-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Royal Challengers Bangalore</td>
			<td>1,377</td>
			<td>2008-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Punjab Kings&nbsp;</td>
			<td>1,276</td>
			<td>2008-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chennai Super Kings&nbsp;</td>
			<td>1,268</td>
			<td>2008-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kolkata Knight Riders</td>
			<td>1,226</td>
			<td>2008-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Delhi Capitals</td>
			<td>1,146</td>
			<td>2008-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rajasthan Royals</td>
			<td>1,011</td>
			<td>2008-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sunrisers Hyderabad</td>
			<td>776</td>
			<td>2013-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lucknow Super Giants</td>
			<td>115</td>
			<td>2022-2022</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gujarat Titans</td>
			<td>79</td>
			<td>2022-2022</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Thus, the Rohit Sharma-led MI franchise -- the most successful IPL team with five titles -- leads this list by a whisker. They have hit as many as 1,408 sixes and are closely followed by the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who have had some big hitters in their rich history including Universe Boss Chris Gayle.&nbsp;

The Dhoni-led CSK franchise are at the fourth spot, with them missing two seasons (in 2016 and 2017) due to their spot-fixing ban. The list sees the last season's debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat at the bottom and the duo are expected to move up the ladder in the coming seasons.

The IPL 2023 edition will mark the return of home-and-away format after a long gap of four years. The tournament is once again expected to be a closely-fought mega event.

Who will win the title? Only time will tell...

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31) with the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on the four-time winners MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31) with the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on the four-time winners MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. Over the years, the craze of the cash-rich league has increased and the upcoming season is also keenly awaited. The ten-team tournament will once again see a plethora of superstar cricketers rub shoulders against each other on the 22-yard cricket strip. The season promises to be filled with several close games, tough battle for the playoffs spot, plenty of boundaries, records being broken, etc. Also Read: IPL 2023: 100-WIN CLUB! CSK, MI, RCB and two others feature in the elite list Ahead of the new season, here's a look at most sixes hit by the existing teams in the IPL: Team Sixes Span Mumbai Indians 1,408 2008-2022 Royal Challengers Bangalore 1,377 2008-2022 Punjab Kings 1,276 2008-2022 Chennai Super Kings 1,268 2008-2022 Kolkata Knight Riders 1,226 2008-2022 Delhi Capitals 1,146 2008-2022 Rajasthan Royals 1,011 2008-2022 Sunrisers Hyderabad 776 2013-2022 Lucknow Super Giants 115 2022-2022 Gujarat Titans 79 2022-2022 Thus, the Rohit Sharma-led MI franchise -- the most successful IPL team with five titles -- leads this list by a whisker. They have hit as many as 1,408 sixes and are closely followed by the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who have had some big hitters in their rich history including Universe Boss Chris Gayle. The Dhoni-led CSK franchise are at the fourth spot, with them missing two seasons (in 2016 and 2017) due to their spot-fixing ban. The list sees the last season's debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat at the bottom and the duo are expected to move up the ladder in the coming seasons. The IPL 2023 edition will mark the return of home-and-away format after a long gap of four years. The tournament is once again expected to be a closely-fought mega event. Who will win the title? Only time will tell...

IPL 2023: From Mumbai Indians' 1,408 to Gujarat Titans' 79 - Most sixes hit by existing teams in mega event

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

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

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

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

IPL 2023: 100-WIN CLUB! CSK, MI, RCB and two others feature in the elite list

Virat Kohli Class 10th Marksheet: Virat Kohli was last seen on the cricket field during the India-Australia home ODI series. He will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The 34-year-old will once again represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who are yet to win the elusive trophy in the showpiece event.&nbsp;

Ahead of RCB's season-opener, where they host the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the M Chinnaswammgy Stadium on April 02 (Sunday), Kohli shared his Class 10 report card on Koo app and the post has gone viral in no time.

The former Indian captain posted a photo of his Class 10th mark sheet and wrote,&nbsp;"It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character." As soon as the RCB star batter shared the post, it soon became the talk of the town on the internet. Here's the post:

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-dream-of-winning-the-trophy-will-come-true-manjrekars-massive-claim-ahead-of-ipl-2023-577258">Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023</a>

<img alt="Virat Kohli Class 10 report card" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bee88a05-ddf0-4e14-96aa-1c3e6c0e2377" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Kohli%20report%20card.JPG" />

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Virat Kohli's 10th class marksheet. <a href="https://t.co/FNuCbUPsTB">pic.twitter.com/FNuCbUPsTB</a>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1641398561815547906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Irrespective of how he was as a student, Kohli has become a superstar of world cricket. Debuting in 2008, he soon climbed up the ladder to become India's main batter post the retirements of stalwarts such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. To date, he remains one of India's main batter across formats and has scored over 22,000 international runs along with 75 centuries. The right-hander also led India from late 2014 till early 2022 and took the side to the 2019 ODI World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) finals.

At present, Kohli is gearing up for the IPL 2023 season, where he will once again represent the RCB franchise and hope to take them to their maiden title. He remains the leading run-scorer of the showpiece event &nbsp;6,624 in 223 matches at a strike rate of&nbsp;129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli Class 10th Marksheet: Virat Kohli was last seen on the cricket field during the India-Australia home ODI series. He will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Virat Kohli Class 10th Marksheet: Virat Kohli was last seen on the cricket field during the India-Australia home ODI series. He will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The 34-year-old will once again represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who are yet to win the elusive trophy in the showpiece event. Ahead of RCB's season-opener, where they host the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the M Chinnaswammgy Stadium on April 02 (Sunday), Kohli shared his Class 10 report card on Koo app and the post has gone viral in no time. The former Indian captain posted a photo of his Class 10th mark sheet and wrote, "It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character." As soon as the RCB star batter shared the post, it soon became the talk of the town on the internet. Here's the post: Also Read: Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023 Virat Kohli's 10th class marksheet. pic.twitter.com/FNuCbUPsTB — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 30, 2023 × Irrespective of how he was as a student, Kohli has become a superstar of world cricket. Debuting in 2008, he soon climbed up the ladder to become India's main batter post the retirements of stalwarts such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. To date, he remains one of India's main batter across formats and has scored over 22,000 international runs along with 75 centuries. The right-hander also led India from late 2014 till early 2022 and took the side to the 2019 ODI World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) finals. At present, Kohli is gearing up for the IPL 2023 season, where he will once again represent the RCB franchise and hope to take them to their maiden title. He remains the leading run-scorer of the showpiece event 6,624 in 223 matches at a strike rate of 129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries.

Ahead of IPL 2023, RCB star Virat Kohli shares his Class 10th Marksheet; post goes viral

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered yet another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for initial few matches of IPL 2023 due to lingering Achilles strain. As the commencement of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is just a sleep away, absence of Hazlewood, who starred for the RCB in the last season with 20 wickets, comes as a spoiler. Not only Hazlewood, RCB might also miss Glenn Maxwell for the first game against Mumbai Indians as he continues to recuperate from a leg injury.

The 32-year-old Hazlewood suffered an Achilles strain while bowling on the damp run-ups during the SCG Test against South Africa early this year. More so he got ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar series and the three-match ODI series against India. While he headed home after the end of the Delhi Test, Hazlewood was given an extended rest so as to be ready for the IPL 2023 and the long away summer in England.

Despite all, Hazlewood didn’t get fit in time for the RCB from the start and is expected to be in contention for the later part of the tournament. Following the IPL, Hazlewood will be part of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, scheduled for June 7&nbsp;in London and then, five Ashes Tests await&nbsp;him.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-the-way-ms-dhoni-helped-me-guided-me-was-incredible-guy-hes-a-terrific-guy-says-steve-smith-577183">IPL 2023: 'The way MS Dhoni helped me, guided me was incredible guy, he's terrific,' says Steve Smith</a>

Earlier, during February in Bengaluru, Hazlewood expressed his desire to return to the IPL but remained firm as what stays as his priority – which is Test cricket.

"As fun as T20 is and as lucrative as it is, I find it still plays second fiddle to Test cricket," Hazlewood had said as quoted by cricket.com.au. "This series, Ashes series, home summers are what you play cricket for. I don't think that will ever change."

"I've chatted with guys at Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW…to get a plan together (to manage his body). It's probably about short-term loss versus long-term gain a lot of the time. You've got a T20 World Cup or an IPL or a one-day series, it's about still ticking those boxes off the field to be ready to go for a Test series,” Hazlewood added.

On the other hand, Maxwell, who suffered a freak injury in November last year, feels his return to ODI cricket to be more demanding, as per the national selector George Bailey. The ‘Big Show’, who missed the final One-Dayer in Chennai, also remains uncertain to start against Mumbai Indians – a franchise for which&nbsp;young Cameron Green is likely to make his debut.

Earlier, England's Will Jacks also got ruled out of the tournament as RCB announced New Zealand's Michael Bracewell as his replacement.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered yet another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for initial few matches of IPL 2023 due to lingering Achilles strain.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered yet another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for initial few matches of IPL 2023 due to lingering Achilles strain. As the commencement of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is just a sleep away, absence of Hazlewood, who starred for the RCB in the last season with 20 wickets, comes as a spoiler. Not only Hazlewood, RCB might also miss Glenn Maxwell for the first game against Mumbai Indians as he continues to recuperate from a leg injury. The 32-year-old Hazlewood suffered an Achilles strain while bowling on the damp run-ups during the SCG Test against South Africa early this year. More so he got ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar series and the three-match ODI series against India. While he headed home after the end of the Delhi Test, Hazlewood was given an extended rest so as to be ready for the IPL 2023 and the long away summer in England. Despite all, Hazlewood didn’t get fit in time for the RCB from the start and is expected to be in contention for the later part of the tournament. Following the IPL, Hazlewood will be part of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, scheduled for June 7 in London and then, five Ashes Tests await him. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: 'The way MS Dhoni helped me, guided me was incredible guy, he's terrific,' says Steve Smith Earlier, during February in Bengaluru, Hazlewood expressed his desire to return to the IPL but remained firm as what stays as his priority – which is Test cricket. "As fun as T20 is and as lucrative as it is, I find it still plays second fiddle to Test cricket," Hazlewood had said as quoted by cricket.com.au. "This series, Ashes series, home summers are what you play cricket for. I don't think that will ever change." "I've chatted with guys at Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW…to get a plan together (to manage his body). It's probably about short-term loss versus long-term gain a lot of the time. You've got a T20 World Cup or an IPL or a one-day series, it's about still ticking those boxes off the field to be ready to go for a Test series,” Hazlewood added. On the other hand, Maxwell, who suffered a freak injury in November last year, feels his return to ODI cricket to be more demanding, as per the national selector George Bailey. The ‘Big Show’, who missed the final One-Dayer in Chennai, also remains uncertain to start against Mumbai Indians – a franchise for which young Cameron Green is likely to make his debut. Earlier, England's Will Jacks also got ruled out of the tournament as RCB announced New Zealand's Michael Bracewell as his replacement.

IPL 2023: RCB suffer another blow as seamer Josh Hazlewood ruled out for initial matches

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad as the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. Ahead of the season, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their predictions for the upcoming season and former England captain Michael Vaughan also joined the bandwagon on March 29 (Wednesday).

Taking to his Twitter handle, Vaughan predicted that the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) can end up winning the IPL 2023 edition. Here's his tweet which has gone viral in no time:

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-dream-of-winning-the-trophy-will-come-true-manjrekars-massive-claim-ahead-of-ipl-2023-577258">Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023</a>

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Can’t wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the <a href="https://twitter.com/cricbuzz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cricbuzz</a> team .. I thinks it’s going to be <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajasthanroyals</a> year .. they will be lifting the trophy in late May .. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnOn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnOn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2023</a>
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1641103648900935683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The one-time winners RR had a memorable run in IPL 2022. After the 2018 edition, the inaugural champions reached the playoffs after ending as the second-ranked side. Eventually, they reached the final where they lost by seven wickets to the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) and will now look to go a step ahead and claim the title this time around.&nbsp;

Last year, RR rode on Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Devdutt Padikkal, Samson, Shimron Hetymer, Trent Boult to reach the finale. For the 2023 edition, they have seen some valuable additions in the form of Joe Root, Adam Zampa, Jason Holder, etc.

RR complete squad for IPL 2023

Sanju Samson (c &amp; wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag,&nbsp;Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad as the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad as the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. Ahead of the season, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their predictions for the upcoming season and former England captain Michael Vaughan also joined the bandwagon on March 29 (Wednesday). Taking to his Twitter handle, Vaughan predicted that the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) can end up winning the IPL 2023 edition. Here's his tweet which has gone viral in no time: Also Read: Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023 Can’t wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the @cricbuzz team .. I thinks it’s going to be @rajasthanroyals year .. they will be lifting the trophy in late May .. #OnOn #IPL2023 — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 29, 2023 × The one-time winners RR had a memorable run in IPL 2022. After the 2018 edition, the inaugural champions reached the playoffs after ending as the second-ranked side. Eventually, they reached the final where they lost by seven wickets to the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) and will now look to go a step ahead and claim the title this time around. Last year, RR rode on Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Devdutt Padikkal, Samson, Shimron Hetymer, Trent Boult to reach the finale. For the 2023 edition, they have seen some valuable additions in the form of Joe Root, Adam Zampa, Jason Holder, etc. RR complete squad for IPL 2023 Sanju Samson (c & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root.

'They will be lifting IPL 2023 trophy': Michael Vaughan's MASSIVE PREDICTION ahead of season-opener

Virat Kohli&nbsp;is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for the same team -- i.e. the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in all seasons so far starting from 2008, when the cash-rich league came into the picture. He is also one of the few big players to have not won the IPL so far. However, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels IPL 2023 could be the season where Kohli's trophy-drought might get over.

Ahead of the IPL 2023 opener, where the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad on Friday (March 31), Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo, "Yes, I feel Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true this time. They have a wonderful bowling attack. If Faf du Plessis scores runs, they will have a great chance."

Kohli has scored most runs in the IPL (6,624) in 223 matches at a strike rate of&nbsp;129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries. The 34-year-old had a dismal run in IPL 2022 where he only managed&nbsp;341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73 and a below-par strike rate of 115.99. Last year, the Faf du Plessis-led RCB franchise reached the playoffs and won the Eliminator, versus the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), before they bowed out with a loss to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. 
 
Thus, Kohli will be desperate to get going with the bat this time around and guide his side to their maiden title. They have a strong squad at their disposal comprising the likes of Du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Kohli, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Rajat Patidar, Md Siraj, David Willey, Reece Topley, Michael Bracewell, etc.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-not-kohli-rohit-or-tendulkar-this-batter-was-indias-first-centurion-in-cash-rich-league-577218">IPL 2023: Not Kohli, Rohit or Tendulkar! THIS batter was India's first centurion in cash-rich league</a> 
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RCB Complete Squad for IPL 2023

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Siraj, Faf Du Plessis (c), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahemad, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Karn Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, David Willey, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma,&nbsp; Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav, Micheal Bracewell

Virat Kohli is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for the same team -- i.e. the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in all seasons so far starting from 2008, when the cash-rich league came into the picture.

Virat Kohli is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for the same team -- i.e. the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in all seasons so far starting from 2008, when the cash-rich league came into the picture. He is also one of the few big players to have not won the IPL so far. However, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels IPL 2023 could be the season where Kohli's trophy-drought might get over. Ahead of the IPL 2023 opener, where the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad on Friday (March 31), Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo, "Yes, I feel Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true this time. They have a wonderful bowling attack. If Faf du Plessis scores runs, they will have a great chance." Kohli has scored most runs in the IPL (6,624) in 223 matches at a strike rate of 129.14 along with five hundreds and 44 half-centuries. The 34-year-old had a dismal run in IPL 2022 where he only managed 341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73 and a below-par strike rate of 115.99. Last year, the Faf du Plessis-led RCB franchise reached the playoffs and won the Eliminator, versus the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), before they bowed out with a loss to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. Thus, Kohli will be desperate to get going with the bat this time around and guide his side to their maiden title. They have a strong squad at their disposal comprising the likes of Du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Kohli, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Rajat Patidar, Md Siraj, David Willey, Reece Topley, Michael Bracewell, etc. Also Read: IPL 2023: Not Kohli, Rohit or Tendulkar! THIS batter was India's first centurion in cash-rich league RCB Complete Squad for IPL 2023 Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Siraj, Faf Du Plessis (c), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahemad, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Karn Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, David Willey, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav, Micheal Bracewell

Virat Kohli's dream of winning the trophy will come true: Manjrekar's MASSIVE claim ahead of IPL 2023

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on March 31 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT). Over the years, IPL has become a huge brand in the cricketing fraternity and every season is keenly awaited. Since the tournament's inception, players such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, David Warner, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Brendon McCullum, etc. have played a big role in popularising the cash-rich league and making it the best T20 tournament across the globe.

Recently, former Indian spinner Anil Kumble, who led the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to the IPL 2009 final, named Universe Boss Gayle as IPL's undisputed Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T)

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-ipl-2023-be-ms-dhonis-final-season-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-shares-his-take-576928">Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take</a>

Kumble while speaking on Jio Cinema said, "There are plenty of them; it’s difficult to pick just one. I can certainly look back and say probably a Chris Gayle, someone who is larger than life. The way he came across as a player! What he brought to RCB and the way he sorts of changed the whole powerplay and the power he brought to batting."

Gayle started his IPL career with the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but his fortunates changed when he was picked by the RCB camp in 2011. He went on to win the Orange Cap -- awarded to a player with most runs in a season -- in the 2011 and 2012 editions and became a regular in their line-up. In 2018, the swashbuckling batter joined the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), now known as the Punjab Kings (PBKS). During his run for the Punjab franchise, Kumble served as the head coach.

The left-handed batter scored a total of 4,965 runs in his IPL career, featuring in as many as 142 matches at a strike rate of 148.96. He remains the eighth-highest run-getter&nbsp;to date and has most centuries (six) under his belt in the tournament as well.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on March 31 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT).

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition will start on March 31 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT). Over the years, IPL has become a huge brand in the cricketing fraternity and every season is keenly awaited. Since the tournament's inception, players such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, David Warner, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Brendon McCullum, etc. have played a big role in popularising the cash-rich league and making it the best T20 tournament across the globe. Recently, former Indian spinner Anil Kumble, who led the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to the IPL 2009 final, named Universe Boss Gayle as IPL's undisputed Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T) Also Read: Will IPL 2023 be MS Dhoni's final season? MI skipper Rohit Sharma shares his take Kumble while speaking on Jio Cinema said, "There are plenty of them; it’s difficult to pick just one. I can certainly look back and say probably a Chris Gayle, someone who is larger than life. The way he came across as a player! What he brought to RCB and the way he sorts of changed the whole powerplay and the power he brought to batting." Gayle started his IPL career with the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but his fortunates changed when he was picked by the RCB camp in 2011. He went on to win the Orange Cap -- awarded to a player with most runs in a season -- in the 2011 and 2012 editions and became a regular in their line-up. In 2018, the swashbuckling batter joined the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), now known as the Punjab Kings (PBKS). During his run for the Punjab franchise, Kumble served as the head coach. The left-handed batter scored a total of 4,965 runs in his IPL career, featuring in as many as 142 matches at a strike rate of 148.96. He remains the eighth-highest run-getter to date and has most centuries (six) under his belt in the tournament as well. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Not Virat, Dhoni, Raina or De Villiers! Anil Kumble names THIS superstar as undisputed G.O.A.T. of IPL

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain only one of the three teams, from the initial eight franchises, to have not won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to date. The RCB franchise have come close to winning the title on three occasions, reaching the final in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but have never tasted success as yet. Over the years, the fan-following has just grown for the RCB camp who have had some big marquee players such as Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, etc.

The trio of Kohli, ABD and Gayle have entertained fans over the years. Recently, the former South African captain De Villiers recalled the first impression he had of Kohli to which Gayle gave an epic reply. During a conversation with Universe Boss Gayle, in the video posted by RCB on their YouTube channel, De Villiers said, "Oh my goodness...I have had this question before and I had given this answer before as well. I think he was quite cocky and arrogant when I met him the first time. With that hairstyle and he had bit of a strut going..."

To this, the West Indies legend Gayle burst out laughing and asked, “Flamboyant, was he?”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-shameful-pakistan-fan-trolls-own-player-on-eating-habits-during-loss-in-afghanistan-t20is-576531">Watch: SHAMEFUL! Pakistan fan trolls own player on eating habits during loss in Afghanistan T20Is</a>

ABD replied, “Yes absolutely. But the minute I got to know him a bit better and watched him play I mean I've got as much respect for him but I got to know him better as a human being. I think he had a barrier around him when I met him the first time and that barrier opened up and I got to know the person. I didn't not like him but you know what I'm saying. He's a top person now but first impression was ufff...he's got to come down to earth a bit.”

Over the years, the camaraderie between Gayle, Kohli and ABD have mesmerised RCB fans. The trio were seen together during an event where the new jersey of the Bengaluru franchise was unveiled for the upcoming IPL 2023 edition. RCB will open their campaign versus five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 02 at their home ground M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bengaluru.

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The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain only one of the three teams, from the initial eight franchises, to have not won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to date.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain only one of the three teams, from the initial eight franchises, to have not won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to date. The RCB franchise have come close to winning the title on three occasions, reaching the final in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but have never tasted success as yet. Over the years, the fan-following has just grown for the RCB camp who have had some big marquee players such as Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, etc. The trio of Kohli, ABD and Gayle have entertained fans over the years. Recently, the former South African captain De Villiers recalled the first impression he had of Kohli to which Gayle gave an epic reply. During a conversation with Universe Boss Gayle, in the video posted by RCB on their YouTube channel, De Villiers said, "Oh my goodness...I have had this question before and I had given this answer before as well. I think he was quite cocky and arrogant when I met him the first time. With that hairstyle and he had bit of a strut going..." To this, the West Indies legend Gayle burst out laughing and asked, “Flamboyant, was he?” Also Read: Watch: SHAMEFUL! Pakistan fan trolls own player on eating habits during loss in Afghanistan T20Is ABD replied, “Yes absolutely. But the minute I got to know him a bit better and watched him play I mean I've got as much respect for him but I got to know him better as a human being. I think he had a barrier around him when I met him the first time and that barrier opened up and I got to know the person. I didn't not like him but you know what I'm saying. He's a top person now but first impression was ufff...he's got to come down to earth a bit.” Over the years, the camaraderie between Gayle, Kohli and ABD have mesmerised RCB fans. The trio were seen together during an event where the new jersey of the Bengaluru franchise was unveiled for the upcoming IPL 2023 edition. RCB will open their campaign versus five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 02 at their home ground M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bengaluru. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'He was cocky, arrogant': Ex-RCB star De Villiers shares first impression of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle reacts

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) is all ready to begin in a week and the teams are finishing up with their strategies and tactics for the upcoming season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), however, have received some unfortunate news which could hamper their plans for the upcoming season.

As per the reports by media outlet ESPNCricinfo, RCB may not have service of Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood and Indian batsman Rajat Patidar for&nbsp;the first&nbsp;few matches.

The report says that Hazlewood, who is still recovering from &nbsp;Achilles tendonitis, is under a cloud of doubt. The 32-year-old pacer didn't take part in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar trophy because of the same injury. Hazlewood had also missed the three-match ODI series as well after the conclusion of Test series. Notably, Hazlewood was bought by the RCB for a whopping sum of INR 7.75 crore in the mega-auction last year.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-delhi-capitals-coach-ricky-ponting-picks-this-indian-batter-to-have-a-breakout-season-575793">IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting picks THIS Indian batter to have a breakout season</a>

Rajat Patidar, on the other hand, is recovering from a heel injury and may miss the first half of the IPL, as per the report. The batsman is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) where he has been advised to rest for the next three weeks before a MRI scan determines his participation in the IPL.

Patidar rose to prominence after scoring a century for RCB last season in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. He subsequently earned a call up from the national team. The batsman, however, got injured before joining the RCB camp and would need a clearance from the NCA to participate in the league.

Bangalore is one of the most popular IPL teams but hasn't been able to win a single title in 15 seasons of the league despite having&nbsp;some of the biggest names with them over the years. The most notable cricketers who are or have been associated with RCB over the years are former Indian skipper Virat Kohli, South African AB de Villiers, and West Indian batsman Chris Gayle to name a few.

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The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) is all ready to begin in a week and the teams are finishing up with their strategies and tactics for the upcoming season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), however, have received some unfortunate news which could hamper their plans for the upcoming season.

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) is all ready to begin in a week and the teams are finishing up with their strategies and tactics for the upcoming season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), however, have received some unfortunate news which could hamper their plans for the upcoming season. As per the reports by media outlet ESPNCricinfo, RCB may not have service of Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood and Indian batsman Rajat Patidar for the first few matches. The report says that Hazlewood, who is still recovering from Achilles tendonitis, is under a cloud of doubt. The 32-year-old pacer didn't take part in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar trophy because of the same injury. Hazlewood had also missed the three-match ODI series as well after the conclusion of Test series. Notably, Hazlewood was bought by the RCB for a whopping sum of INR 7.75 crore in the mega-auction last year. Also Read: IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting picks THIS Indian batter to have a breakout season Rajat Patidar, on the other hand, is recovering from a heel injury and may miss the first half of the IPL, as per the report. The batsman is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) where he has been advised to rest for the next three weeks before a MRI scan determines his participation in the IPL. Patidar rose to prominence after scoring a century for RCB last season in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. He subsequently earned a call up from the national team. The batsman, however, got injured before joining the RCB camp and would need a clearance from the NCA to participate in the league. Bangalore is one of the most popular IPL teams but hasn't been able to win a single title in 15 seasons of the league despite having some of the biggest names with them over the years. The most notable cricketers who are or have been associated with RCB over the years are former Indian skipper Virat Kohli, South African AB de Villiers, and West Indian batsman Chris Gayle to name a few. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Two key RCB players' participation under doubt due to injury - Report

Top T20 batter in the world, Chris Gayle, has showered praises on his former IPL teammate Virat Kohli saying he loves his passion for the game but has also claimed that he is better than his Indian counterpart in dancing. Ahead of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League that starts in less than a week, Gayle revealed batting alongside Virat was fantastic and that Kohli needs to get credit for his performances over the years.

"Batting with Virat was just fantastic. I like the passion he has for the game. I like his passion and his work ethic, it's fantastic. You have to give him credit for that, and he wants to show it with his performances," Gayle said as quoted in TOI.

Gayle joined Virat at RCB in 2011, and till the time both played together, they accounted for ten plus century-stand partnerships – an IPL record in itself.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shubman-gill-over-me-on-current-form-says-out-of-favour-india-opener-as-50-over-world-cup-looms-575877">Shubman Gill over me on current form, says out-of-favour India opener as 50-over World Cup looms</a>

Speaking on having a good understanding with the former India captain, Gayle said both complimented each other well. And while he is remembered to be scoring most runs via boundaries during all partnerships, the Windies star player admitted he contributed in those twos and threes and was among the quickest between the wickets.

"We had a good understanding with each other. We complemented each other well. Sometimes people might say 'Chris didn't run between the wickets'. "I bat with Virat, and I ran between the wickets, so I don't want anyone to use this as an alibi to say we don't run between the wickets. We have over nine (ten) 100-run partnerships, check how many times how many twos and threes we took. I was the quickest one between the wickets. Don't get it twisted," Gayle added.

An entertainer on-and-off the field, Gayle is regarded as the live wire. Sharing his dressing room experiences with Virat Kohli, Gayle said while Kohli knew some dance moves, he will still fall second in a competition with Chris irrespective of the dance form being an Indian or Caribbean.

"Sharing a dressing room with Virat and the other guys, once I am there, I am always jovial and having a lot of fun, dancing and everything like that. I'd show them a few moves and realise Virat's got the skills. He can move, you know. But if it's an Indian dance, Chris Gayle will win, if it's a Caribbean dance, Chris Gayle will win," the former Windies captain added.

Meanwhile, Gayle last featured in IPL for Punjab Kings in 2021.

In 142 games, IPL games played since the beginning, Gayle scored 4965 runs at an average of over 39 and a strike-rate of 148.96.

Top T20 batter in the world, Chris Gayle, has showered praises on his former IPL teammate Virat Kohli saying he loves his passion for the game but has also claimed that he is better than his Indian counterpart in dancing.

Top T20 batter in the world, Chris Gayle, has showered praises on his former IPL teammate Virat Kohli saying he loves his passion for the game but has also claimed that he is better than his Indian counterpart in dancing. Ahead of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League that starts in less than a week, Gayle revealed batting alongside Virat was fantastic and that Kohli needs to get credit for his performances over the years. "Batting with Virat was just fantastic. I like the passion he has for the game. I like his passion and his work ethic, it's fantastic. You have to give him credit for that, and he wants to show it with his performances," Gayle said as quoted in TOI. Gayle joined Virat at RCB in 2011, and till the time both played together, they accounted for ten plus century-stand partnerships – an IPL record in itself. ALSO READ: Shubman Gill over me on current form, says out-of-favour India opener as 50-over World Cup looms Speaking on having a good understanding with the former India captain, Gayle said both complimented each other well. And while he is remembered to be scoring most runs via boundaries during all partnerships, the Windies star player admitted he contributed in those twos and threes and was among the quickest between the wickets. "We had a good understanding with each other. We complemented each other well. Sometimes people might say 'Chris didn't run between the wickets'. "I bat with Virat, and I ran between the wickets, so I don't want anyone to use this as an alibi to say we don't run between the wickets. We have over nine (ten) 100-run partnerships, check how many times how many twos and threes we took. I was the quickest one between the wickets. Don't get it twisted," Gayle added. An entertainer on-and-off the field, Gayle is regarded as the live wire. Sharing his dressing room experiences with Virat Kohli, Gayle said while Kohli knew some dance moves, he will still fall second in a competition with Chris irrespective of the dance form being an Indian or Caribbean. "Sharing a dressing room with Virat and the other guys, once I am there, I am always jovial and having a lot of fun, dancing and everything like that. I'd show them a few moves and realise Virat's got the skills. He can move, you know. But if it's an Indian dance, Chris Gayle will win, if it's a Caribbean dance, Chris Gayle will win," the former Windies captain added. Meanwhile, Gayle last featured in IPL for Punjab Kings in 2021. In 142 games, IPL games played since the beginning, Gayle scored 4965 runs at an average of over 39 and a strike-rate of 148.96.

'Virat Kohli has got skills but I am better than him in...,' reveals Chris Gayle ahead of IPL 2023

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman Virat Kohli, in a video shared by the RCB twitter handle, has said that he's back to playing the way he does a week before the season gets underway.

The batsman spoke at length about that time he stepped away from the game and rediscovered himself. Kohli also said that staying away from the game helped him to get back without pressure.

"It was just about rediscovering the love for the game. That could happen when I stepped away from what was happening on the field for so long. I was trying to find ways when I was exhausted. I needed to connect with myself as a human first, not judge myself constantly or keep myself under scrutiny all the time. Staying away from the game helped me. That helped me rediscover my excitement and love for the game. When I came back, everything was an opportunity; there was no pressure," said Kohli in the video.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/sports/shubman-gill-over-me-on-current-form-says-out-of-favour-india-opener-as-50-over-world-cup-looms-575877">Shubman Gill over me on current form, says out-of-favour India opener as 50-over World Cup looms</a>

"The results followed. I was able to play well in T20Is, ODIs, and recently in the Test series as well. I’m back to playing the way I do; there’s still a lot of room to get to my best, which hopefully happens in the IPL if I get to the level I really want to play at. That would help the team," he added.

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“I think I’m back to playing the way I do, but there’s a lot of room to get to my best, which hopefully happens during the IPL” - Virat Kohli talks about returning to Bengaluru and Chinnaswamy, on Bold Diaries.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AERCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ನಮ್ಮRCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2023</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/IJvTf8W1jt">pic.twitter.com/IJvTf8W1jt</a>
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Kohli, who has been associated with the RCB since inception, ended his century drought in the Test matches, scoring his 28 Test hundred in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar series. He also scored a fifty in the three-match ODI series as well and scored a century in T20Is last year, indicating that he's fully back in the form.

In IPL, Kohli is the highest run scorer with 6,624 runs to his name in 223 matches at an average of 36.20.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman Virat Kohli, in a video shared by the RCB twitter handle, has said that he's back to playing the way he does a week before the season gets underway.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman Virat Kohli, in a video shared by the RCB twitter handle, has said that he's back to playing the way he does a week before the season gets underway. The batsman spoke at length about that time he stepped away from the game and rediscovered himself. Kohli also said that staying away from the game helped him to get back without pressure. "It was just about rediscovering the love for the game. That could happen when I stepped away from what was happening on the field for so long. I was trying to find ways when I was exhausted. I needed to connect with myself as a human first, not judge myself constantly or keep myself under scrutiny all the time. Staying away from the game helped me. That helped me rediscover my excitement and love for the game. When I came back, everything was an opportunity; there was no pressure," said Kohli in the video. Also Read: Shubman Gill over me on current form, says out-of-favour India opener as 50-over World Cup looms "The results followed. I was able to play well in T20Is, ODIs, and recently in the Test series as well. I’m back to playing the way I do; there’s still a lot of room to get to my best, which hopefully happens in the IPL if I get to the level I really want to play at. That would help the team," he added. “I think I’m back to playing the way I do, but there’s a lot of room to get to my best, which hopefully happens during the IPL” - Virat Kohli talks about returning to Bengaluru and Chinnaswamy, on Bold Diaries.#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/IJvTf8W1jt — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 23, 2023 × Kohli, who has been associated with the RCB since inception, ended his century drought in the Test matches, scoring his 28 Test hundred in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar series. He also scored a fifty in the three-match ODI series as well and scored a century in T20Is last year, indicating that he's fully back in the form. In IPL, Kohli is the highest run scorer with 6,624 runs to his name in 223 matches at an average of 36.20. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: I'm back, says Virat Kohli ahead of upcoming season

The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set for a major overhaul after the latest change in rule. The IPL 2023 season all set for kick-off on Friday, March 31 will see a new rule that will see the teams name their Playing XI after the toss has taken place. The move was in contemplation for a long time and will now be part of the men’s setup, having previously been in use at the recently concluded SA20 in South Africa.

<h3>Change in rule for latest season</h3>

"Currently the captains have to exchange the teams before the toss," a note, seen by ESPNcricinfo, read.

"This has been changed to exchange of teams immediately post the toss, to enable teams to choose the best XI depending on whether they are batting or bowling first. It will also assist the teams to plan for the impact player,” the note further added.

The new rule change is supposed to reduce the impact of toss with teams now having the luxury to name a Playing XI more adaptable to the role. If a certain team is tasked to bowl second, that is later in the day in dew conditions, and then the team line-up could be tweaked accordingly. While the toss will still play an important role in the overall outcome of the match, the new rule could deliver the flexibility needed for the teams after taking the playing conditions into context.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-is-a-proper-statement-r-ashwin-lauds-hardik-pandya-for-his-remark-on-test-return-during-wtc-final-574660">This is a proper statement: R Ashwin lauds Hardik Pandya for his remark on Test return during WTC final</a></h3>

<h3>Other changes to the IPL playing conditions</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Over-rate penalty of only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle for every over not completed in the allocated time.</li>
	<li>Unfair movement of the wicketkeeper will result in a dead ball and five penalty runs.</li>
	<li>Unfair movement by a fielder will result in a dead ball and five penalty runs.</li>
</ul>

The latest season will also see a few more rule changes with over-rate penalties and unfair movement of wicketkeepers resulting in five-run penalties and dead-ball. The latter rule applies to the unfair movement of the fielder as well.

The new season of the IPL will see 10 teams in action as they try to clinch glory with Gujarat Titans being the defending champions. They will kick start the season against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, March 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmadabad.

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The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set for a major overhaul after the latest change in rule. The IPL 2023 season all set for kick-off on Friday, March 31 will see a new rule that will see the teams name their Playing XI after the toss has taken place.

The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set for a major overhaul after the latest change in rule. The IPL 2023 season all set for kick-off on Friday, March 31 will see a new rule that will see the teams name their Playing XI after the toss has taken place. The move was in contemplation for a long time and will now be part of the men’s setup, having previously been in use at the recently concluded SA20 in South Africa. Change in rule for latest season "Currently the captains have to exchange the teams before the toss," a note, seen by ESPNcricinfo, read. "This has been changed to exchange of teams immediately post the toss, to enable teams to choose the best XI depending on whether they are batting or bowling first. It will also assist the teams to plan for the impact player,” the note further added. The new rule change is supposed to reduce the impact of toss with teams now having the luxury to name a Playing XI more adaptable to the role. If a certain team is tasked to bowl second, that is later in the day in dew conditions, and then the team line-up could be tweaked accordingly. While the toss will still play an important role in the overall outcome of the match, the new rule could deliver the flexibility needed for the teams after taking the playing conditions into context. ALSO READ | This is a proper statement: R Ashwin lauds Hardik Pandya for his remark on Test return during WTC final Other changes to the IPL playing conditions Over-rate penalty of only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle for every over not completed in the allocated time. Unfair movement of the wicketkeeper will result in a dead ball and five penalty runs. Unfair movement by a fielder will result in a dead ball and five penalty runs. The latest season will also see a few more rule changes with over-rate penalties and unfair movement of wicketkeepers resulting in five-run penalties and dead-ball. The latter rule applies to the unfair movement of the fielder as well. The new season of the IPL will see 10 teams in action as they try to clinch glory with Gujarat Titans being the defending champions. They will kick start the season against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, March 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmadabad. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Teams to name Playing XI after toss as franchises gear up for upcoming season

Mumbai Indians dropped curtains on Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) miserable Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign after they won by four wickets on Tuesday, March 21. The win for Mumbai means that they have kept their hopes alive for a direct spot in the final of the WPL while they await on Delhi Capitals’ result later in the day. Asked to chase 126, MI won the contest with 21 balls to spare as Amelia Kerr led the charge.

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Amelia Kerr finishes the job for <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> as they seal a 4️⃣-wicket win over <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCB</a> in their final game of the league stage 👏👏 
 
Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/BQoiFCRPhD">https://t.co/BQoiFCRPhD</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAWPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAWPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvMI</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZpYP4JyTjU">pic.twitter.com/ZpYP4JyTjU</a>
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) <a href="https://twitter.com/wplt20/status/1638168363221544961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h3>Mumbai keep direct finals hope alive</h3>

Coming into the match Mumbai needed to win the contest to make the final of the inaugural edition of the WPL while RCB were already knocked out after a poor start to the campaign. MI’s opening pair of Hayley Matthews (24) and Yastika Bhatia (30) put together a stand of 53 runs for the first wicket and set the tone.

However, MI then lost wickets at regular intervals and paved the way back for RCB into the contest. However, Amelia Kerr’s unbeaten knock of 31 runs and Pooja Vastrakar’s valuable 19 made sure they got near the target and kept their hopes alive for a direct place in the final of the WPL 2023.

For RCB, Kanika Ahuja scalped two wickets while the rest of the bowlers had a day to forget at the office and the entire campaign.

<h3>RCB make poor start</h3>

After being put to bat first by Mumbai Indians, RCB were dealt a heavy blow after in-form Sophie Devine, who scored a match-winning 99 of 36 balls against Gujarat Giants in their last game, was run out for a duck by Humaira Kazi and Yastika Bhatia. RCB was 1/1 in 0.3 overs. After that, the duo of Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry started to rebuild the innings. Mandhana hit some good shots. Perry played the anchor role, allowing Smriti to play with freedom.

At the end of the six overs of the powerplay, RCB were at 32/1, with Perry (7*) and Mandhana (24*) unbeaten at the crease.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ab-de-villiers-the-fastest-runner-between-wickets-followed-by-ms-dhoni-rcb-star-virat-kohli-574311">AB de Villiers the fastest runner between wickets followed by MS Dhoni: RCB star Virat Kohli</a></h3>

Immediately after the powerplay, Amelia Kerr struck, dismissing Mandhana for 24, which came off 25 balls. RCB were reduced to 33/2. RCB crossed the 50-run mark in 9.4 overs.

Halfway through the innings, RCB were at 56/2, with Perry (20*) and Heather Knight (11*) unbeaten at the crease.

Amelia was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/22 in her four overs. Nat Sciver (2/24) and Wong (2/26) took two wickets each. Saika got one wicket.

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Mumbai Indians dropped curtains on Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) miserable Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign after they won by four wickets on Tuesday, March 21.

Mumbai Indians dropped curtains on Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) miserable Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign after they won by four wickets on Tuesday, March 21. The win for Mumbai means that they have kept their hopes alive for a direct spot in the final of the WPL while they await on Delhi Capitals’ result later in the day. Asked to chase 126, MI won the contest with 21 balls to spare as Amelia Kerr led the charge. Amelia Kerr finishes the job for @mipaltan as they seal a 4️⃣-wicket win over #RCB in their final game of the league stage 👏👏 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BQoiFCRPhD#TATAWPL | #RCBvMI pic.twitter.com/ZpYP4JyTjU — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 21, 2023 × Mumbai keep direct finals hope alive Coming into the match Mumbai needed to win the contest to make the final of the inaugural edition of the WPL while RCB were already knocked out after a poor start to the campaign. MI’s opening pair of Hayley Matthews (24) and Yastika Bhatia (30) put together a stand of 53 runs for the first wicket and set the tone. However, MI then lost wickets at regular intervals and paved the way back for RCB into the contest. However, Amelia Kerr’s unbeaten knock of 31 runs and Pooja Vastrakar’s valuable 19 made sure they got near the target and kept their hopes alive for a direct place in the final of the WPL 2023. For RCB, Kanika Ahuja scalped two wickets while the rest of the bowlers had a day to forget at the office and the entire campaign. RCB make poor start After being put to bat first by Mumbai Indians, RCB were dealt a heavy blow after in-form Sophie Devine, who scored a match-winning 99 of 36 balls against Gujarat Giants in their last game, was run out for a duck by Humaira Kazi and Yastika Bhatia. RCB was 1/1 in 0.3 overs. After that, the duo of Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry started to rebuild the innings. Mandhana hit some good shots. Perry played the anchor role, allowing Smriti to play with freedom. At the end of the six overs of the powerplay, RCB were at 32/1, with Perry (7*) and Mandhana (24*) unbeaten at the crease. ALSO READ | AB de Villiers the fastest runner between wickets followed by MS Dhoni: RCB star Virat Kohli Immediately after the powerplay, Amelia Kerr struck, dismissing Mandhana for 24, which came off 25 balls. RCB were reduced to 33/2. RCB crossed the 50-run mark in 9.4 overs. Halfway through the innings, RCB were at 56/2, with Perry (20*) and Heather Knight (11*) unbeaten at the crease. Amelia was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/22 in her four overs. Nat Sciver (2/24) and Wong (2/26) took two wickets each. Saika got one wicket. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WPL 2023: MI condemn RCB to 6th defeat of season; await DC's result to secure direct final berth

Virat Kohli is regarded as a modern-day great and will easily sign off as one of the legends of the gentlemen's game. Kohli recently slammed his first-ever Test century since late 2019 and 75th ton overall; second most after Sachin Tendulkar (100 centuries in total). While Kohli has the knack to adapt in every format, much credit for his success also goes to him being extremely fit.

Kohli has raised the fitness standards in Indian cricket. He is known to be a calculative batter, especially in white-ball formats, and one who thrives in finding the gaps and keeping the scoreboard ticking with some quick runs between the wickets. Recently, the former Indian captain revealed the fastest runner between wickets.

Kohli has had memorable partnerships with many, with MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers topping the list. The reason why he has enjoyed&nbsp;so much success batting alongside Dhoni and ABD is because they run hard between wickets. Thus, Kohli named the former South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) superstar de Villiers as the fastest runner between wickets, followed by Dhoni.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-that-ive-only-venkatesh-prasad-opens-up-on-his-criticism-of-kl-rahul-on-twitter-574286">'Not that I've only....': Venkatesh Prasad opens up on his criticism of KL Rahul on Twitte</a>r

"AB de Villiers has been by far the fastest I've run with between wickets. The only other guy I had so much co- ordination and understanding with was MS Dhoni. Now I don't know about the speeds, but him and MS I did not have to even call. We hardly called for runs," Kohli said on&nbsp;the latest edition of the 360 Show,&nbsp;hosted by De Villiers on his YouTube channel. Meanwhile, ABD mentioned his former teammate Faf du Plessis as the fastest between wickets.

<section>
Kohli also opened up on ending his Test-century drought in the India-Australia Ahmedabad Test, where he slammed a majestic 186 in the drawn encounter.&nbsp;

"Playing Test cricket and scoring hundred in red ball is the most special feeling for me. The hundred in Ahmedabad has given me the calmness, got that old feeling back," the star Indian batter added.
</section>

Virat Kohli is regarded as a modern-day great and will easily sign off as one of the legends of the gentlemen's game. Kohli recently slammed his first-ever Test century since late 2019 and 75th ton overall; second most after Sachin Tendulkar (100 centuries in total).

Virat Kohli is regarded as a modern-day great and will easily sign off as one of the legends of the gentlemen's game. Kohli recently slammed his first-ever Test century since late 2019 and 75th ton overall; second most after Sachin Tendulkar (100 centuries in total). While Kohli has the knack to adapt in every format, much credit for his success also goes to him being extremely fit. Kohli has raised the fitness standards in Indian cricket. He is known to be a calculative batter, especially in white-ball formats, and one who thrives in finding the gaps and keeping the scoreboard ticking with some quick runs between the wickets. Recently, the former Indian captain revealed the fastest runner between wickets. Kohli has had memorable partnerships with many, with MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers topping the list. The reason why he has enjoyed so much success batting alongside Dhoni and ABD is because they run hard between wickets. Thus, Kohli named the former South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) superstar de Villiers as the fastest runner between wickets, followed by Dhoni. Also Read: 'Not that I've only....': Venkatesh Prasad opens up on his criticism of KL Rahul on Twitter "AB de Villiers has been by far the fastest I've run with between wickets. The only other guy I had so much co- ordination and understanding with was MS Dhoni. Now I don't know about the speeds, but him and MS I did not have to even call. We hardly called for runs," Kohli said on the latest edition of the 360 Show, hosted by De Villiers on his YouTube channel. Meanwhile, ABD mentioned his former teammate Faf du Plessis as the fastest between wickets. Kohli also opened up on ending his Test-century drought in the India-Australia Ahmedabad Test, where he slammed a majestic 186 in the drawn encounter. "Playing Test cricket and scoring hundred in red ball is the most special feeling for me. The hundred in Ahmedabad has given me the calmness, got that old feeling back," the star Indian batter added.

AB de Villiers the fastest runner between wickets followed by MS Dhoni: RCB star Virat Kohli

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. Over the years, IPL has become a big success as it allows fans to see Indian players compete with one another and also share as well as rub shoulders with some uncapped and big international cricketers.

The IPL started in 2008 and has become a huge brand nationwide. But before IPL became a revelation, the&nbsp;Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) used to conduct the Challengers Trophy. It was a tournament that began in 1993-94 and was held till&nbsp;the 2013-14 season (not played in 2002-03), every October before the Ranji Trophy with an aim to give young and domestic players&nbsp;a chance to showcase their skills while playing with, and against, the senior&nbsp;Team India players.&nbsp;

During the 2006 edition of the Challengers Trophy, India's famed trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly -- in the last phase of their respective careers -- were divided among two teams. The then national captains&nbsp;Dravid and Tendulkar were part of the India Blues whereas Ganguly was in Mohammed Kaif-led India Greens. Venugopal Rao led the India Reds with Dravid leading India Blues.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wouldnt-have-applied-if-virat-kohli-had-not-approached-me-sehwag-recalls-being-offered-india-coach-job-574147">Wouldn’t have applied if Virat Kohli had not approached me: Sehwag recalls being offered India coach job</a>

In&nbsp;the second game of the&nbsp;competition, Dravid-led India Blues squared off with India Greens.&nbsp;Here's a throwback video of when Ganguly bowled to Dravid and Tendulkar:

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Talking about the contest, Dravid-led India Blues thrashed India Greens by a whopping 266-run margin courtesy of Tendulkar's 139 and half-centuries from Dravid, MS Dhoni, and Irfan Pathan. Chasing 382, India Greens fell for 115 with Parthiv Patel (43) and Ganguly (24) being the top run-getters. The tournament was held in Chennai, which eventually saw India Blues and India Reds share the trophy after a rain-abandoned finale.

When IPL kicked off, Dravid went on to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) whereas Ganguly represented the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and&nbsp;now-defunct Pune Warriors (PWI). Meanwhile, Tendulkar was part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) and&nbsp;remains their team mentor while Ganguly has rejoined Delhi Capitals (DC) as the Director of Cricket Operations for IPL 2023. Dravid isn't part of the IPL at present as he is India's head coach.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. Over the years, IPL has become a big success as it allows fans to see Indian players compete with one another and also share as well as rub shoulders with some uncapped and big international cricketers.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. Over the years, IPL has become a big success as it allows fans to see Indian players compete with one another and also share as well as rub shoulders with some uncapped and big international cricketers. The IPL started in 2008 and has become a huge brand nationwide. But before IPL became a revelation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) used to conduct the Challengers Trophy. It was a tournament that began in 1993-94 and was held till the 2013-14 season (not played in 2002-03), every October before the Ranji Trophy with an aim to give young and domestic players a chance to showcase their skills while playing with, and against, the senior Team India players. During the 2006 edition of the Challengers Trophy, India's famed trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly -- in the last phase of their respective careers -- were divided among two teams. The then national captains Dravid and Tendulkar were part of the India Blues whereas Ganguly was in Mohammed Kaif-led India Greens. Venugopal Rao led the India Reds with Dravid leading India Blues. Also read: Wouldn’t have applied if Virat Kohli had not approached me: Sehwag recalls being offered India coach job In the second game of the competition, Dravid-led India Blues squared off with India Greens. Here's a throwback video of when Ganguly bowled to Dravid and Tendulkar: × Talking about the contest, Dravid-led India Blues thrashed India Greens by a whopping 266-run margin courtesy of Tendulkar's 139 and half-centuries from Dravid, MS Dhoni, and Irfan Pathan. Chasing 382, India Greens fell for 115 with Parthiv Patel (43) and Ganguly (24) being the top run-getters. The tournament was held in Chennai, which eventually saw India Blues and India Reds share the trophy after a rain-abandoned finale. When IPL kicked off, Dravid went on to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) whereas Ganguly represented the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and now-defunct Pune Warriors (PWI). Meanwhile, Tendulkar was part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) and remains their team mentor while Ganguly has rejoined Delhi Capitals (DC) as the Director of Cricket Operations for IPL 2023. Dravid isn't part of the IPL at present as he is India's head coach.

Throwback: Before IPL became a thing! When Ganguly bowled to teammates Tendulkar, Dravid - Watch

Royal Challengers Bangalore Women's (RCB-W) Sophie Devine played an inning to remember as she bulldozed her way to a 36-ball 99 against Gujarat Giants Women (GG-W) to help RCB win their second match on the trot in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023.

Thanks to Devine's onslaught, RCB chased down a decent total of 189 runs in mere 15.3 overs and eights wickets left. Although, Sophie got out one short of what would have been the first WPL century, her innings was enough for the entire RCB dugout to bow to her.

In a video making rounds on twitter, RCB players and staff can be seen giving standing ovation to Devine and bowing down to her as she walks back after wreaking havoc on the Giants. Have a look at the video here:

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— . (@KohliStyx) <a href="https://twitter.com/KohliStyx/status/1637134171436118016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In second over of the chase particularly, Sophie went all guns blazing as she hit five boundaries back-to-back including three fours and two sixes to take 24 runs of the overs. Have a look at the video here:

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BOOM 💥 
 
6️⃣4️⃣4️⃣6️⃣4️⃣<a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> have crossed FIFTY in the fourth over 🔥🔥 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/uTxwwRnRxl">https://t.co/uTxwwRnRxl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAWPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAWPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvGG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvGG</a> <a href="https://t.co/8B18NN4TRI">pic.twitter.com/8B18NN4TRI</a>
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) <a href="https://twitter.com/wplt20/status/1637124261583388678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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RCB were off to a flyer after Devine and skipper Mandhana added 125 runs for the first wicket in under 10 overs before Sneh Rana sent Smriti back on 37. Devine was next to fall on a team score of 157 but Heather Knight and Ellyse Perry ensured RCB reach home without any further loss of wickets.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-2nd-odi-rain-likely-to-play-spoilsport-during-second-contest-in-visakhapatnam-reports-573448">IND vs AUS 2nd ODI: Rain likely to play spoilsport during second contest in Visakhapatnam - Reports</a>

Earlier, Laura Wolvaardt (68 off 42) and Ashleigh Gardner (41 off 26) helped Gujarat reach 188 in their 20 overs for the loss of just four wickets. Sophie Devine also took one wicket out of those four before inflicting misery on Giants bowlers.

It was the fifth loss for the Giants as they now sit at the bottom of the table with four points in seven matches. While RCB are too at the same point, better net run-rate has helped them stay in contention of the playoffs.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore Women's (RCB-W) Sophie Devine played an inning to remember as she bulldozed her way to a 36-ball 99 against Gujarat Giants Women (GG-W) to help RCB win their second match on the trot in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Women's (RCB-W) Sophie Devine played an inning to remember as she bulldozed her way to a 36-ball 99 against Gujarat Giants Women (GG-W) to help RCB win their second match on the trot in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023. Thanks to Devine's onslaught, RCB chased down a decent total of 189 runs in mere 15.3 overs and eights wickets left. Although, Sophie got out one short of what would have been the first WPL century, her innings was enough for the entire RCB dugout to bow to her. In a video making rounds on twitter, RCB players and staff can be seen giving standing ovation to Devine and bowing down to her as she walks back after wreaking havoc on the Giants. Have a look at the video here: pic.twitter.com/oHIZ44MXDH — . (@KohliStyx) March 18, 2023 × In second over of the chase particularly, Sophie went all guns blazing as she hit five boundaries back-to-back including three fours and two sixes to take 24 runs of the overs. Have a look at the video here: BOOM 💥 6️⃣4️⃣4️⃣6️⃣4️⃣@RCBTweets have crossed FIFTY in the fourth over 🔥🔥 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/uTxwwRnRxl#TATAWPL | #RCBvGG pic.twitter.com/8B18NN4TRI — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 18, 2023 × RCB were off to a flyer after Devine and skipper Mandhana added 125 runs for the first wicket in under 10 overs before Sneh Rana sent Smriti back on 37. Devine was next to fall on a team score of 157 but Heather Knight and Ellyse Perry ensured RCB reach home without any further loss of wickets. Also Read: IND vs AUS 2nd ODI: Rain likely to play spoilsport during second contest in Visakhapatnam - Reports Earlier, Laura Wolvaardt (68 off 42) and Ashleigh Gardner (41 off 26) helped Gujarat reach 188 in their 20 overs for the loss of just four wickets. Sophie Devine also took one wicket out of those four before inflicting misery on Giants bowlers. It was the fifth loss for the Giants as they now sit at the bottom of the table with four points in seven matches. While RCB are too at the same point, better net run-rate has helped them stay in contention of the playoffs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WPL 2023: Sophie Devine's 36-ball 99 against Gujarat Giants makes RCB-W dugout bow to her | Watch

Sophie Devine’s superb knock helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) keep their playoff hopes alive as they beat Gujarat Giants by&nbsp;eights wickets in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Asked to chase 189 runs, Devine’s display could have seen her script history and become the first player to score a ton in the WPL; however she was dismissed for 99.&nbsp;The win for RCB also guaranteed them a chance of playing for something going into the final matchday against Mumbai on Tuesday.

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Unbelievable 🙁 
 
99 off just 36 deliveries! Take a bow 👏👏 
 
Sophie Devine departs just one run short of the 100-run mark! 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/uTxwwRnRxl">https://t.co/uTxwwRnRxl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAWPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAWPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvGG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvGG</a> <a href="https://t.co/WqlZjOZsIk">pic.twitter.com/WqlZjOZsIk</a>
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) <a href="https://twitter.com/wplt20/status/1637134624974581760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h3>Devine leads from front</h3>

Chasing 189, Devine and Smriti Mandhana (37 off 31) made a good start as they stitched together an opening partnership of 125 runs with the former contributing a chunk of those. While Mandhana departed in the 10th over, it was Ellyse Perry who helped Devine take RCB home. There was no real contribution from the bowlers for Gujarat as they were left stranded and clueless in the must-win match.

Earlier, top knocks from opener Laura Wolvaardt and all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner helped Gujarat Giants reach a total of 188/4 in the 20 overs. Electing to bat first, Gujarat Giants did not have a very good start as they lost opener Sophia Dunkley for 16 off 10 balls after a Sophie Devine delivery crashed into her leg stump. GG was 27/1 in 2.4 overs. Following this, the pair of Laura Wolvaardt and Sabbhineni Meghana started to rebuild the innings.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravi-shastri-picks-a-new-face-to-keep-wickets-in-wtc-final-against-australia-573318">Ravi Shastri picks a new face to keep wickets in WTC final against Australia</a></h3>

They helped GG move through the remainder of powerplay without any damage. At the end of the powerplay in six overs, GG was 45/1, with Sabbhineni Meghana (6) and Laura Wolvaardt (22) unbeaten.

Gujarat will now conclude their league stage campaign on Monday, March 20 when they take on UP Warriorz at the Brabourne Stadium while RCB will close their campaign on Tuesday. RCB will take on Mumbai Indians at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy with the latter already through to the playoffs.

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Sophie Devine’s superb knock helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) keep their playoff hopes alive as they beat Gujarat Giants by eights wickets in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Sophie Devine’s superb knock helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) keep their playoff hopes alive as they beat Gujarat Giants by eights wickets in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Asked to chase 189 runs, Devine’s display could have seen her script history and become the first player to score a ton in the WPL; however she was dismissed for 99. The win for RCB also guaranteed them a chance of playing for something going into the final matchday against Mumbai on Tuesday. Unbelievable 🙁 99 off just 36 deliveries! Take a bow 👏👏 Sophie Devine departs just one run short of the 100-run mark! Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/uTxwwRnRxl#TATAWPL | #RCBvGG pic.twitter.com/WqlZjOZsIk — Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 18, 2023 × Devine leads from front Chasing 189, Devine and Smriti Mandhana (37 off 31) made a good start as they stitched together an opening partnership of 125 runs with the former contributing a chunk of those. While Mandhana departed in the 10th over, it was Ellyse Perry who helped Devine take RCB home. There was no real contribution from the bowlers for Gujarat as they were left stranded and clueless in the must-win match. Earlier, top knocks from opener Laura Wolvaardt and all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner helped Gujarat Giants reach a total of 188/4 in the 20 overs. Electing to bat first, Gujarat Giants did not have a very good start as they lost opener Sophia Dunkley for 16 off 10 balls after a Sophie Devine delivery crashed into her leg stump. GG was 27/1 in 2.4 overs. Following this, the pair of Laura Wolvaardt and Sabbhineni Meghana started to rebuild the innings. ALSO READ | Ravi Shastri picks a new face to keep wickets in WTC final against Australia They helped GG move through the remainder of powerplay without any damage. At the end of the powerplay in six overs, GG was 45/1, with Sabbhineni Meghana (6) and Laura Wolvaardt (22) unbeaten. Gujarat will now conclude their league stage campaign on Monday, March 20 when they take on UP Warriorz at the Brabourne Stadium while RCB will close their campaign on Tuesday. RCB will take on Mumbai Indians at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy with the latter already through to the playoffs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WPL 2023: RCB keep playoff hopes alive after Sophie Devine's match-winning knock despite missing out on ton

In a relief to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp ahead of IPL 2023, the franchise has announced New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell as a replacement for injured Will Jacks. Jacks, who got picked by the RCB in the December auction for INR 3.2 crores (US$ 390,000 approximately at the time), suffered a muscle injury during England’s recent tour of Bangladesh, and was forced to pull out of what could have been his first IPL season.

Bracewell, whose base price was one crore, got picked at the same price by the RCB - the BCCI confirmed in a statement;&nbsp;meaning another Kiwi all-rounder Rachin Ravindra will replace Bracewell in New Zealand squad for Sri Lanka ODIs, which will begin after the Test series.

Meanwhile, New Zealand head coach, Gary Stead, said he is happy for Bracewell, given this is also a World Cup year and that getting the IPL exposure will only work in his favour.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-sl-kane-williamson-enters-elite-list-with-6th-test-double-ton-equal-sehwag-pontings-record-573217">NZ vs SL: Kane Williamson enters elite list with 6th Test double ton, equals Sehwag, Ponting’s record</a>

"Michael's been a key contributor to our white-ball teams since making his debut last year. It's exciting he'll get a chance to take up the learning opportunities the IPL provides - particularly as a spin bowling all-rounder. With a World Cup in India this year it's great to have players getting more experience in those conditions," Gary Stead said as quoted by the ESPNcricinfo.

A handy customer with both bat and ball, Bracewell, 32, left an impression following his majestic 145-run knock in the first ODI against India in Hyderabad early this year. In addition to playing seven Tests, 19 ODIs and 16 T20Is for New Zealand, the left-handed batter has good numbers to back his case in the T20 format – where he has 2284 runs at a strike rate of 133.48 and 40 wickets with an economy rate of 6.52 to his name.

Michael Bracewell will join the likes of captain Faf Du Plessis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell, among others, as part of the overseas lot in RCB for IPL 2023. New Zealand’s Finn Allen will also be present with Michael at Royal Challengers Bangalore.

RCB will open their IPL 2023 campaign against Mumbai Indians on April 2nd.

In a relief to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp ahead of IPL 2023, the franchise has announced New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell as a replacement for injured Will Jacks.

In a relief to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp ahead of IPL 2023, the franchise has announced New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell as a replacement for injured Will Jacks. Jacks, who got picked by the RCB in the December auction for INR 3.2 crores (US$ 390,000 approximately at the time), suffered a muscle injury during England’s recent tour of Bangladesh, and was forced to pull out of what could have been his first IPL season. Bracewell, whose base price was one crore, got picked at the same price by the RCB - the BCCI confirmed in a statement; meaning another Kiwi all-rounder Rachin Ravindra will replace Bracewell in New Zealand squad for Sri Lanka ODIs, which will begin after the Test series. Meanwhile, New Zealand head coach, Gary Stead, said he is happy for Bracewell, given this is also a World Cup year and that getting the IPL exposure will only work in his favour. ALSO READ: NZ vs SL: Kane Williamson enters elite list with 6th Test double ton, equals Sehwag, Ponting’s record "Michael's been a key contributor to our white-ball teams since making his debut last year. It's exciting he'll get a chance to take up the learning opportunities the IPL provides - particularly as a spin bowling all-rounder. With a World Cup in India this year it's great to have players getting more experience in those conditions," Gary Stead said as quoted by the ESPNcricinfo. A handy customer with both bat and ball, Bracewell, 32, left an impression following his majestic 145-run knock in the first ODI against India in Hyderabad early this year. In addition to playing seven Tests, 19 ODIs and 16 T20Is for New Zealand, the left-handed batter has good numbers to back his case in the T20 format – where he has 2284 runs at a strike rate of 133.48 and 40 wickets with an economy rate of 6.52 to his name. Michael Bracewell will join the likes of captain Faf Du Plessis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell, among others, as part of the overseas lot in RCB for IPL 2023. New Zealand’s Finn Allen will also be present with Michael at Royal Challengers Bangalore. RCB will open their IPL 2023 campaign against Mumbai Indians on April 2nd.

IPL 2023: Michael Bracewell roped in by Royal Challengers Bangalore as replacement for injured Will Jacks

Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had a winless run in their first five games in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 before they beat Uttar Pradesh Warriorz (UPW) by five wickets on Wednesday (March 15). While Mandhana &amp; Co. remain alive in the race to enter the playoffs, they only have a slim chance. Nonetheless, they will be much relieved having earned their maiden win in WPL 2023.&nbsp;

Ahead of their clash versus UPW, the RCB camp's mood was uplifted by Indian star Virat Kohli. Kohli, who represents the RCB in IPL, is in Mumbai -- where WPL is being held -- to take part in Hardik Pandya-led India's first ODI versus Australia, on March 17. Thus, he took some time out of his schedule and gave a pep talk to the Mandhana-led RCB.&nbsp;

In a video shared by the RCB’s official Twitter handle, on Thursday (March 16), Virat shared some words of wisdom and said, "I’ve been playing IPL for 15 years. And I haven’t won it yet. But that doesn’t stop me from being excited every year. That’s all I can do. That’s the effort I can put into every game and every tournament that I play. If we win, great. If we don’t, then I am not going to go to my grave thinking that if only I had won an IPL, I would be a happy man. It doesn’t happen like that. So always think about the opportunity that you have rather than how bad it is right now."

He added, "There is always a flip side to it, and it could always be worse than this. And the fact that we haven’t won the IPL, but I still feel that we have the best fans in the world. Only because we were always committed to every game that we played for RCB. That has been the most special thing for our fans. There’s no guarantee of giving you a cup every year, but there’s a guarantee of giving your 110% every year, and that’s all you can strive to do."

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Virat Kohli’s pep talk to the RCB Women’s Team 
 
King came. He spoke. He inspired. He’d be proud watching the girls play the way they did last night. Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a>'s pre-match chat in the team room on Bold Diaries.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AERCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ನಮ್ಮRCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WPL2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WPL2023</a> <a href="https://t.co/fz1rxZnID2">pic.twitter.com/fz1rxZnID2</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1636207660419940354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ms-dhonis-no-look-big-hit-at-the-csk-nets-goes-viral-ahead-of-ipl-2023-572299">WATCH: MS Dhoni's NO-LOOK big hit at the CSK nets goes viral ahead of IPL 2023</a>

Kohli's talk motivated the entire bunch as Mandhana-led RCB defeated UPW on Wednesday evening in a low-scoring game at the&nbsp;Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. Opting to bowl first, Bengaluru dismissed UPW for 135 in 19.3 overs with&nbsp;Ellyse Perry (3 for 16), Sophie Devine (2 for 23) and Asha Shobana (2 for 27) shining with the ball. For UP, Grace Harris top-scored with a 32-ball 46 before RCB rode on Kanika Ahuja's 30-ball 46 and Richa Ghosh's 32-ball 31* to win by five wickets with two overs to spare.

RCB remain alive to end in the top three (although they can, at maximum, only settle for the third position) and enter the knockouts. They need to win their remaining two games and also hope for other results to favour them.

Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had a winless run in their first five games in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 before they beat Uttar Pradesh Warriorz (UPW) by five wickets on Wednesday (March 15).

Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had a winless run in their first five games in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 before they beat Uttar Pradesh Warriorz (UPW) by five wickets on Wednesday (March 15). While Mandhana & Co. remain alive in the race to enter the playoffs, they only have a slim chance. Nonetheless, they will be much relieved having earned their maiden win in WPL 2023. Ahead of their clash versus UPW, the RCB camp's mood was uplifted by Indian star Virat Kohli. Kohli, who represents the RCB in IPL, is in Mumbai -- where WPL is being held -- to take part in Hardik Pandya-led India's first ODI versus Australia, on March 17. Thus, he took some time out of his schedule and gave a pep talk to the Mandhana-led RCB. In a video shared by the RCB’s official Twitter handle, on Thursday (March 16), Virat shared some words of wisdom and said, "I’ve been playing IPL for 15 years. And I haven’t won it yet. But that doesn’t stop me from being excited every year. That’s all I can do. That’s the effort I can put into every game and every tournament that I play. If we win, great. If we don’t, then I am not going to go to my grave thinking that if only I had won an IPL, I would be a happy man. It doesn’t happen like that. So always think about the opportunity that you have rather than how bad it is right now." He added, "There is always a flip side to it, and it could always be worse than this. And the fact that we haven’t won the IPL, but I still feel that we have the best fans in the world. Only because we were always committed to every game that we played for RCB. That has been the most special thing for our fans. There’s no guarantee of giving you a cup every year, but there’s a guarantee of giving your 110% every year, and that’s all you can strive to do." Virat Kohli’s pep talk to the RCB Women’s Team King came. He spoke. He inspired. He’d be proud watching the girls play the way they did last night. Watch @imVkohli's pre-match chat in the team room on Bold Diaries.#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #WPL2023 pic.twitter.com/fz1rxZnID2 — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 16, 2023 × Also Read: WATCH: MS Dhoni's NO-LOOK big hit at the CSK nets goes viral ahead of IPL 2023 Kohli's talk motivated the entire bunch as Mandhana-led RCB defeated UPW on Wednesday evening in a low-scoring game at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. Opting to bowl first, Bengaluru dismissed UPW for 135 in 19.3 overs with Ellyse Perry (3 for 16), Sophie Devine (2 for 23) and Asha Shobana (2 for 27) shining with the ball. For UP, Grace Harris top-scored with a 32-ball 46 before RCB rode on Kanika Ahuja's 30-ball 46 and Richa Ghosh's 32-ball 31* to win by five wickets with two overs to spare. RCB remain alive to end in the top three (although they can, at maximum, only settle for the third position) and enter the knockouts. They need to win their remaining two games and also hope for other results to favour them.

WPL 2023: Virat Kohli's pep talk with Smriti Mandhana's RCB goes viral ahead of their first win - Watch

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered a huge blow ahead of IPL 2023 as their latest recruit Will Jack was forced to pull out due to a muscle injury. The English all-rounder got injured during the second ODI against Bangladesh recently. Following the results of the scans and consultation with a specialist, it is noted that Wills will miss what was supposed to be his first IPL.

RCB, who purchased Wills for 3.2 crores (£320,000) at December’s auction, are believed to be in touch with New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell as his potential replacement option. Yet to play in the IPL much like Wills, Bracewell remained unsold at the IPL auction at a base price of 1 crore.

Meanwhile, it further comes a blow to Wills, who aimed to get acclimatised to the Indian conditions in his bid to push for a case in the team for the upcoming 50-over World Cup. Fighting for a spot in the XI alongside Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali, Wills impressed one and all with his all-around show during the maiden edition of SA20.

Playing for Pretoria Capitals, the right-handed Jacks was the sixth-highest run-scorer with 270 runs in just seven matches. Not only did he have the highest strike rate (201.49) among all players, he had also hit the most sixes (19). His highest score of 92 off 46 balls came against SunRisers Eastern Cape.&nbsp;

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE -

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On the other hand, Bracewell’s appointment as Wills’ replacement could come as a bonus for RCB after what the Kiwi all-rounder achieved on his maiden white-ball tour to India early this year. Come off a good season with bat and ball, the left-handed Bracewell smoked the Indian bowlers to all parts of the ground during the first One-Dayer in Hyderabad, hitting 140 off 78 balls. That one-of-a-kind knock from the young New Zealander made him a superstar overnight.

Royal Challengers Bangalore will face Mumbai Indians in their first match on April 2nd at Wankhede.&nbsp;

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered a huge blow ahead of IPL 2023 as their latest recruit Will Jack was forced to pull out due to a muscle injury. The English all-rounder got injured during the second ODI against Bangladesh recently.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered a huge blow ahead of IPL 2023 as their latest recruit Will Jack was forced to pull out due to a muscle injury. The English all-rounder got injured during the second ODI against Bangladesh recently. Following the results of the scans and consultation with a specialist, it is noted that Wills will miss what was supposed to be his first IPL. RCB, who purchased Wills for 3.2 crores (£320,000) at December’s auction, are believed to be in touch with New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell as his potential replacement option. Yet to play in the IPL much like Wills, Bracewell remained unsold at the IPL auction at a base price of 1 crore. Meanwhile, it further comes a blow to Wills, who aimed to get acclimatised to the Indian conditions in his bid to push for a case in the team for the upcoming 50-over World Cup. Fighting for a spot in the XI alongside Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali, Wills impressed one and all with his all-around show during the maiden edition of SA20. Playing for Pretoria Capitals, the right-handed Jacks was the sixth-highest run-scorer with 270 runs in just seven matches. Not only did he have the highest strike rate (201.49) among all players, he had also hit the most sixes (19). His highest score of 92 off 46 balls came against SunRisers Eastern Cape. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE - × On the other hand, Bracewell’s appointment as Wills’ replacement could come as a bonus for RCB after what the Kiwi all-rounder achieved on his maiden white-ball tour to India early this year. Come off a good season with bat and ball, the left-handed Bracewell smoked the Indian bowlers to all parts of the ground during the first One-Dayer in Hyderabad, hitting 140 off 78 balls. That one-of-a-kind knock from the young New Zealander made him a superstar overnight. Royal Challengers Bangalore will face Mumbai Indians in their first match on April 2nd at Wankhede.

IPL 2023: RCB suffer big blow as overseas all-rounder forced to pull out due to muscle injury

The inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 edition has become a big hit. It has gained mileage as it proceeds towards the business end of the tournament. So far, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians (MI) have been on a roll, very much like their men's counterpart in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and remain at the top of the points table with as many as five wins on the trot.&nbsp;

On Tuesday (March 14), MI defeated Gujarat Giants (GG) by 55 runs to confirm&nbsp;a spot in the playoffs. Thus, they became the first side to do so in WPL history. Apart from them, Meg Lanning-led Delhi Capitals (DC) have also performed well with four wins from five games. UP Warriorz Women (UPW) have two victories and an equal number of losses whereas GG have managed only a solitary triumph from five encounters. Nonetheless, the Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain at the bottom and are the only winless side.

After five games, Mandhana &amp; Co. have failed to get off the mark in the points table. To add to their woes, they have suffered&nbsp;big defeats in as many as four fixtures. Thus, their Net Run Rate (NRR) is also a dismal&nbsp;-2.109. Given their current form, they are very much likely to miss the playoffs race but are not out of contention just yet. RCB remain alive mathematically but need a quick turnaround to progress ahead.

WPL 2023 Updated Points Table after MI vs GG clash on March 14 -

<img alt="WPL 2023 Updates Points Table" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ef82ed1b-e677-43a3-a233-656768b220b4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WPL%20PT.jpg" />

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wpl-2023-points-table-check-updated-points-table-and-live-streaming-details-for-womens-premier-league-2023-571863">WPL 2023 Points Table: Check updated points table and live streaming details for Women's Premier League 2023</a>

EXPLAINED: How RCB can still end up in the top 3

To the surprise of many, RCB still has a slim chance. While they cannot finish in the top two, they still have a chance to enter the knockouts as the third-best side.&nbsp;

Mandhana &amp; Co. need to topple their opposition&nbsp;in their remaining&nbsp;three games. Not only this, but RCB also need some favour from other teams. The Bengaluru franchise needs to hope&nbsp;UPW lose all of its remaining games. In addition, they need to pray that GG does not&nbsp;emerge on top in more than one&nbsp;game solely&nbsp;due to RCB's poor NRR.

As of now, it looks highly likely that MI and DC will end at the top two with UPW holding onto the third spot. However, anything can still happen if RCB and GG come to the party. It is to be noted that the team who finishes at the top will directly enter the final. Meanwhile, an Eliminator will be held between the second-ranked and third-positioned sides.

RCB's last outing and the road ahead

RCB face UPW in their next outing, on Wednesday evening (March 15) at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. The last time both sides faced each other saw the UP franchise demolish RCB by ten wickets. Mandhana &amp; Co. batted first and only managed 138 all-out, which was chased down by UP with ten wickets and seven overs in hand.

RCB go into this match after a last-over loss&nbsp;versus the DC unit, on Monday (March 13), where the latter won by&nbsp;six wickets while chasing 151.

A confident DC unit won the toss and opted to bowl first at the&nbsp;Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. Mandhana fell early for RCB as her poor form continued. She has only managed scores of 35, 23, 18, 4, and 8 so far in the five-team competition. Ellyse Perry's 67 and Richa Ghosh's 16-ball 37 not out propelled the team to 150 for 4. However, it was just a par score.

Meanwhile, DC&nbsp;were&nbsp;made to work hard in their run-chase. Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen (15-ball 29 not out) stood tall to take their side home. Jonassen returned as the Player-of-the-Match for her rapid knock and whereas her teammate Shikha Pandey (3 for 239) also played a vital role in the victory.

At the post-match presentation, Smriti said, "Really good effort by our bowlers to take it till the 20th over. Definitely a lot of improvements but a lot of things to work on still. The partnership got us into the game, they both batted brilliantly. They used their experience to get us to a defendable total. Not the best of the starts, including my batting. The first 14 overs really hurt us, even 10-15 runs more would have helped. Towards the fag-end of the tournament, the wickets are going to get slower. Even in the last game, spinners got the ball to turn and pace-off and slower balls were working."

After the game versus UPW, RCB will face two more games to play; against GG and MI respectively.

Will Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and the likes fire on all cylinders with time running for RCB? Only time will tell...

Complete RCB squad for WPL 2023

Smriti Mandhana 
Sophie Devine&nbsp; 
Ellyse Perry 
Renuka Singh&nbsp; 
Richa Ghosh&nbsp; 
Erin Burns 
Asha Shobhana&nbsp; 
Heather Knight&nbsp; 
Heather Knight&nbsp; 
Dane van Niekerk 
Preeti Bose,&nbsp; 
Poonam Khemnar 
Komal Janjad 
Megan Schutt 
Sahana Pawar 
Disha Kasat&nbsp; 
Indrani Roy 
Shreyanka Patil&nbsp; 
Kanika Ahuja&nbsp;

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The inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 edition has become a big hit. It has gained mileage as it proceeds towards the business end of the tournament. So far, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians (MI) have been on a roll, very much like their men's counterpart in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and remain at the top of the points table with as many as five wins on the trot.

The inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 edition has become a big hit. It has gained mileage as it proceeds towards the business end of the tournament. So far, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians (MI) have been on a roll, very much like their men's counterpart in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and remain at the top of the points table with as many as five wins on the trot. On Tuesday (March 14), MI defeated Gujarat Giants (GG) by 55 runs to confirm a spot in the playoffs. Thus, they became the first side to do so in WPL history. Apart from them, Meg Lanning-led Delhi Capitals (DC) have also performed well with four wins from five games. UP Warriorz Women (UPW) have two victories and an equal number of losses whereas GG have managed only a solitary triumph from five encounters. Nonetheless, the Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) remain at the bottom and are the only winless side. After five games, Mandhana & Co. have failed to get off the mark in the points table. To add to their woes, they have suffered big defeats in as many as four fixtures. Thus, their Net Run Rate (NRR) is also a dismal -2.109. Given their current form, they are very much likely to miss the playoffs race but are not out of contention just yet. RCB remain alive mathematically but need a quick turnaround to progress ahead. WPL 2023 Updated Points Table after MI vs GG clash on March 14 - Also read: WPL 2023 Points Table: Check updated points table and live streaming details for Women's Premier League 2023 EXPLAINED: How RCB can still end up in the top 3 To the surprise of many, RCB still has a slim chance. While they cannot finish in the top two, they still have a chance to enter the knockouts as the third-best side. Mandhana & Co. need to topple their opposition in their remaining three games. Not only this, but RCB also need some favour from other teams. The Bengaluru franchise needs to hope UPW lose all of its remaining games. In addition, they need to pray that GG does not emerge on top in more than one game solely due to RCB's poor NRR. As of now, it looks highly likely that MI and DC will end at the top two with UPW holding onto the third spot. However, anything can still happen if RCB and GG come to the party. It is to be noted that the team who finishes at the top will directly enter the final. Meanwhile, an Eliminator will be held between the second-ranked and third-positioned sides. RCB's last outing and the road ahead RCB face UPW in their next outing, on Wednesday evening (March 15) at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. The last time both sides faced each other saw the UP franchise demolish RCB by ten wickets. Mandhana & Co. batted first and only managed 138 all-out, which was chased down by UP with ten wickets and seven overs in hand. RCB go into this match after a last-over loss versus the DC unit, on Monday (March 13), where the latter won by six wickets while chasing 151. A confident DC unit won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. Mandhana fell early for RCB as her poor form continued. She has only managed scores of 35, 23, 18, 4, and 8 so far in the five-team competition. Ellyse Perry's 67 and Richa Ghosh's 16-ball 37 not out propelled the team to 150 for 4. However, it was just a par score. Meanwhile, DC were made to work hard in their run-chase. Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen (15-ball 29 not out) stood tall to take their side home. Jonassen returned as the Player-of-the-Match for her rapid knock and whereas her teammate Shikha Pandey (3 for 239) also played a vital role in the victory. At the post-match presentation, Smriti said, "Really good effort by our bowlers to take it till the 20th over. Definitely a lot of improvements but a lot of things to work on still. The partnership got us into the game, they both batted brilliantly. They used their experience to get us to a defendable total. Not the best of the starts, including my batting. The first 14 overs really hurt us, even 10-15 runs more would have helped. Towards the fag-end of the tournament, the wickets are going to get slower. Even in the last game, spinners got the ball to turn and pace-off and slower balls were working." After the game versus UPW, RCB will face two more games to play; against GG and MI respectively. Will Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and the likes fire on all cylinders with time running for RCB? Only time will tell... Complete RCB squad for WPL 2023 Smriti Mandhana Sophie Devine Ellyse Perry Renuka Singh Richa Ghosh Erin Burns Asha Shobhana Heather Knight Heather Knight Dane van Niekerk Preeti Bose, Poonam Khemnar Komal Janjad Megan Schutt Sahana Pawar Disha Kasat Indrani Roy Shreyanka Patil Kanika Ahuja ×

WPL 2023: EXPLAINED! How Smriti Mandhana's RCB can still qualify for playoffs after five successive defeats