No one would have imagined the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) to be occupying the last spot in IPL 2022 points table after their first seven games. The Mumbai franchise remains winless and have now endured the worst-ever start by a team in&nbsp;an IPL season following their three-wicket defeat to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 33, on Thursday evening (April 21).

Being asked to bat first, at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai, Rohit &amp; Co. managed only a modest 155 for 7, riding on Tilak Verma's 55* and cameos from Kieron Pollard-Jaydev Unadkat. CSK's Mukesh Choudhary's 3 for 19 rocked MI's top order and they eventually fell behind by three wickets despite a spirited fight in the second half. Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Dwaine Pretorius and MS Dhoni's finish propelled CSK to a thrilling win over MI as the latter remain winless in IPL 2022.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-consolidates-lead-with-most-last-ball-wins-in-ipl-history-after-mi-encounter-472985">CSK consolidates lead with most last-ball wins in IPL history after MI encounter</a>

Can MI still qualify for the playoffs after yet another defeat?

After the CSK loss, MI remain at the bottom.&nbsp;A team needs a minimum of 14 points to progress to the playoffs. However, it won't be enough this time around with two more teams being added in the playoffs race. While 16 points could be enough to move&nbsp;next round, 14 points can still&nbsp;be deemed enough provided the franchise's Net Run Rate (NRR) is healthy. With seven more games to go, MI can get to 14 points (maximum) but their NRR is far from&nbsp;good.

MI presently have an NRR of -0.892. Thu, they not only need wins but some&nbsp;big victories to bolster their NRR. While it's not officially all over for Mumbai, Rohit &amp; Co. have a herculean task to have any chance of progressing ahead. At present, there is&nbsp;only a mathematical possibility. However, it&nbsp;also seems to be improbable.

<img alt="IPL Points Table after MI-CSK clash" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="83475627-9a2c-48f4-b63d-c41a975b6245" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IPL%20PT.png" />

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-we-request-ms-dhoni-to-come-out-of-retirement-for-t20-wc-says-ex-india-pacer-after-csk-beat-mi-472935">Can we request MS Dhoni to come out of retirement for T20 WC, says ex-India pacer after CSK beat MI</a>

After the CSK defeat, Rohit said at the post-match presentation, "In the end, it was a great fight from us, we were in the game after not batting well, the bowlers kept us in, but in the end, you know how towering MSD can be and he took them home. It's hard to put a finger on anything, but we're not starting well in the match. If you lose quick wickets, you'll always be playing the catching game. But I thought we did well to keep them under pressure, we did so until the last over, but Pretorius and Dhoni took them home. We always back ourselves to do well, but as I said, we lost too many early wickets, we did make a good comeback with both bat and ball, but it wasn't enough in the end."

No one would have imagined the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) to be occupying the last spot in IPL 2022 points table after their first seven games.

No one would have imagined the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) to be occupying the last spot in IPL 2022 points table after their first seven games. The Mumbai franchise remains winless and have now endured the worst-ever start by a team in an IPL season following their three-wicket defeat to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 33, on Thursday evening (April 21). Being asked to bat first, at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai, Rohit & Co. managed only a modest 155 for 7, riding on Tilak Verma's 55* and cameos from Kieron Pollard-Jaydev Unadkat. CSK's Mukesh Choudhary's 3 for 19 rocked MI's top order and they eventually fell behind by three wickets despite a spirited fight in the second half. Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Dwaine Pretorius and MS Dhoni's finish propelled CSK to a thrilling win over MI as the latter remain winless in IPL 2022. ALSO READ | CSK consolidates lead with most last-ball wins in IPL history after MI encounter Can MI still qualify for the playoffs after yet another defeat? After the CSK loss, MI remain at the bottom. A team needs a minimum of 14 points to progress to the playoffs. However, it won't be enough this time around with two more teams being added in the playoffs race. While 16 points could be enough to move next round, 14 points can still be deemed enough provided the franchise's Net Run Rate (NRR) is healthy. With seven more games to go, MI can get to 14 points (maximum) but their NRR is far from good. MI presently have an NRR of -0.892. Thu, they not only need wins but some big victories to bolster their NRR. While it's not officially all over for Mumbai, Rohit & Co. have a herculean task to have any chance of progressing ahead. At present, there is only a mathematical possibility. However, it also seems to be improbable. ALSO READ | Can we request MS Dhoni to come out of retirement for T20 WC, says ex-India pacer after CSK beat MI After the CSK defeat, Rohit said at the post-match presentation, "In the end, it was a great fight from us, we were in the game after not batting well, the bowlers kept us in, but in the end, you know how towering MSD can be and he took them home. It's hard to put a finger on anything, but we're not starting well in the match. If you lose quick wickets, you'll always be playing the catching game. But I thought we did well to keep them under pressure, we did so until the last over, but Pretorius and Dhoni took them home. We always back ourselves to do well, but as I said, we lost too many early wickets, we did make a good comeback with both bat and ball, but it wasn't enough in the end."

IPL 2022: Can Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians still qualify for playoffs after seventh straight defeat?

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have their task cut out in a bid to stay alive in the playoffs race in IPL 2022 edition. The Ravindra Jadeja-led Yellow Army have not hit the ground running so far in the 15th season of the IPL, with only one win from six games.&nbsp;

The defending champions and four-time winners CSK got off the mark with a win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in what was their fifth encounter -- and were on top versus Gujarat Titans (GT), in defence of a competitive 171, before David Miller-Rashid Khan's blitz took Gujarat past the finish line. While Chennai's batting has been expressive, their bowling has continued to let them down in crunch situations. Given they are facing arch-rivals and five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI), who are the only team yet to get off the mark in IPL 2022, CSK will churn out their best XI to get the better of Mumbai on Thursday evening (April 21).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mi-vs-csk-ipl-2022-today-match-prediction-who-will-win-mumbai-indians-vs-chennai-super-kings-clash-472656">MI vs CSK, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash?</a>

Predicting CSK's XI versus MI

With Ruturaj Gaikwad finally getting some runs under his belt in the game versus Gujarat, Robin Uthappa and he will continue to don the opening slots. Moeen Ali will follow suit at No. 3 with Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni,&nbsp;skipper Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo to form the middle and lower order. Chris Jordan was highly-expensive versus Gujarat, returning with 3.5-0-58-0, and looks set to make way for South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius -- who should never have been dropped in the first place as per many experts.

Mukesh Choudhary and Maheesh Theekshana will continue to hold onto their respective spots and hope to strike with a few wickets in the powerplay overs, the nemesis of CSK this season.&nbsp;

CSK's predicted XI vs MI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (c), Dwayne Bravo, Dwaine Pretorius,&nbsp;Mukesh Choudhary,&nbsp;Mahesh Theekshana

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have their task cut out in a bid to stay alive in the playoffs race in IPL 2022 edition. The Ravindra Jadeja-led Yellow Army have not hit the ground running so far in the 15th season of the IPL, with only one win from six games.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have their task cut out in a bid to stay alive in the playoffs race in IPL 2022 edition. The Ravindra Jadeja-led Yellow Army have not hit the ground running so far in the 15th season of the IPL, with only one win from six games. The defending champions and four-time winners CSK got off the mark with a win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- in what was their fifth encounter -- and were on top versus Gujarat Titans (GT), in defence of a competitive 171, before David Miller-Rashid Khan's blitz took Gujarat past the finish line. While Chennai's batting has been expressive, their bowling has continued to let them down in crunch situations. Given they are facing arch-rivals and five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI), who are the only team yet to get off the mark in IPL 2022, CSK will churn out their best XI to get the better of Mumbai on Thursday evening (April 21). ALSO READ | MI vs CSK, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash? Predicting CSK's XI versus MI With Ruturaj Gaikwad finally getting some runs under his belt in the game versus Gujarat, Robin Uthappa and he will continue to don the opening slots. Moeen Ali will follow suit at No. 3 with Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, skipper Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo to form the middle and lower order. Chris Jordan was highly-expensive versus Gujarat, returning with 3.5-0-58-0, and looks set to make way for South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius -- who should never have been dropped in the first place as per many experts. Mukesh Choudhary and Maheesh Theekshana will continue to hold onto their respective spots and hope to strike with a few wickets in the powerplay overs, the nemesis of CSK this season. CSK's predicted XI vs MI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (c), Dwayne Bravo, Dwaine Pretorius, Mukesh Choudhary, Mahesh Theekshana

IPL 2022: Dwaine Pretorius for Chris Jordan? Predicting CSK's XI for marquee clash versus MI

Mumbai Indians (MI) star Suryakumar Yadav recently recalled how skipper Rohit Sharma kept pushing him and motivating him to keep going after his goals when he was not being considered for selection in the Indian team despite his stellar performances in the domestic circuit.

Suryakumar was notching up runs consistently in domestic cricket and in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a number of years. However, he earned the much-deserved recognition only after being roped in by Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of IPL 2018. Suryakumar became a vital cog in the middle order for MI and has since been one of the most consistent performers for the franchise.

He played an instrumental role in MI's title triumphs in the 2019 and 2020 seasons following which he earned his maiden India call up last year. Rewarded for his consistency with the bat, Suryakumar went on to don India's jersey for the first time in the home series against England and has since become a permanent member in the limited-overs sides.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-was-dead-scared-inside-suryakumar-yadav-recalls-epic-stare-off-with-virat-kohli-in-ipl-2020-472157">I was dead scared inside: Suryakumar Yadav recalls epic stare-off with Virat Kohli in IPL 2020</a>

Recalling the difficult phase before earning his maiden India call up last year, Suryakumar revealed how Rohit always had his back and kept telling him to keep knocking at the selectors' door. The Mumbai Indians skipper also advised the star batter to break the door with performances if it doesn't open.

"Rohit Sharma was always behind me - pushing me to work hard, he use to tell 'If you are scoring, score again in next game and then one after that also' - keep knocking that door of selection if it doesn't open, break it down," Suryakumar said on Gaurav Kapur's show Breakfast with Champions.

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Suryakumar has now played 14 T20Is and 7 ODIs for India amassing 351 and 267 runs in the two formats respectively. He was part of India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 last year and is expected to retain his spot in the team for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia this year.

The Mumbai Indians star is currently in action for his franchise in the ongoing IPL 2022 after making a comeback from injury and has done well so far in his first few matches. The stylish right-hander has so far notched up 200 runs in just four matches for his side but MI have failed to get their first win in the season having faced five defeats on the trot.

Mumbai Indians (MI) star Suryakumar Yadav recently recalled how skipper Rohit Sharma kept pushing him and motivating him to keep going after his goals when he was not being considered for selection in the Indian team despite his stellar performances in the domestic circuit.

Mumbai Indians (MI) star Suryakumar Yadav recently recalled how skipper Rohit Sharma kept pushing him and motivating him to keep going after his goals when he was not being considered for selection in the Indian team despite his stellar performances in the domestic circuit. Suryakumar was notching up runs consistently in domestic cricket and in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a number of years. However, he earned the much-deserved recognition only after being roped in by Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of IPL 2018. Suryakumar became a vital cog in the middle order for MI and has since been one of the most consistent performers for the franchise. He played an instrumental role in MI's title triumphs in the 2019 and 2020 seasons following which he earned his maiden India call up last year. Rewarded for his consistency with the bat, Suryakumar went on to don India's jersey for the first time in the home series against England and has since become a permanent member in the limited-overs sides. Also Read: I was dead scared inside: Suryakumar Yadav recalls epic stare-off with Virat Kohli in IPL 2020 Recalling the difficult phase before earning his maiden India call up last year, Suryakumar revealed how Rohit always had his back and kept telling him to keep knocking at the selectors' door. The Mumbai Indians skipper also advised the star batter to break the door with performances if it doesn't open. "Rohit Sharma was always behind me - pushing me to work hard, he use to tell 'If you are scoring, score again in next game and then one after that also' - keep knocking that door of selection if it doesn't open, break it down," Suryakumar said on Gaurav Kapur's show Breakfast with Champions. × Also Read: Watch - Shreyas Iyer loses cool at Venkatesh Iyer after latter denied a double to KKR skipper vs RR Suryakumar has now played 14 T20Is and 7 ODIs for India amassing 351 and 267 runs in the two formats respectively. He was part of India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 last year and is expected to retain his spot in the team for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia this year. The Mumbai Indians star is currently in action for his franchise in the ongoing IPL 2022 after making a comeback from injury and has done well so far in his first few matches. The stylish right-hander has so far notched up 200 runs in just four matches for his side but MI have failed to get their first win in the season having faced five defeats on the trot.

'Break the door if it doesn't open': Suryakumar Yadav recalls What Rohit Sharma told him before India call up

Suryakumar Yadav is now not only one of Mumbai Indians' (MI) most vital players, he has also become an indispensable part of Team India's white-ball sides. SKY had a turnaround ever since he moved back to the MI camp in IPL 2018. From IPL 2018-2020, he was among runs and finally got his chance to make an India debut in early 2021.

Since then, it has been no looking back for the highly-talented SKY. However, he had to see several rejections and also had an epic stare-off with Virat Kohli during MI's face-off versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2020's business end. With both sides squaring off once again in the league stage, on October 28 at Abu Dhabi, SKY's impressive 43-ball 79* propelled MI to an easy five-wicket win over RCB in pursuit of a modest 165.

During SKY's stay in the middle, he was toying with the RCB bowlers with ease and finding the gaps at regular intervals. In order to get into his skin and dent his concentration, senior pro and then RCB captain Kohli stormed towards SKY as the two had an intense stare-off in between overs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-virat-kohli-replace-anuj-rawat-on-top-rcbs-predicted-playing-xi-in-ipl-2022-clash-against-lsg-472116">Will Virat Kohli replace Anuj Rawat on top? RCB's predicted playing XI in IPL 2022 clash against LSG</a>

In an episode on Breakfast With Champions, SKY recalled the whole episode with then India captain Kohli while speaking with&nbsp;host Gaurav Kapur.

"He (Kohli) has a unique style, his energy is of a different level on the ground. That game was so important for both the teams. His sledging was on another level in that match. And I was focused that come what may, I have to win the match for the team, without speaking anything," the stylish right-handed batsman said.

"I was dead scared inside as he walked towards me, both of us were eating chewing gums. There was a voice from inside that was telling me - come what may, you don't have to utter a word, it's a matter of 10 seconds, the next over will begin. My bat fell that time, that helped me, I did not see him till the time the match was over. I was looking down and batting and we have not even discussed the incident ever outside the pitch," he added.

In IPL 2022, MI and RCB have locked horns with each other once so far. Faf du Plessis-led RCB thrashed Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai by seven wickets in chase of 152, despite SKY's belligerent 37-ball 68.

Suryakumar Yadav is now not only one of Mumbai Indians' (MI) most vital players, he has also become an indispensable part of Team India's white-ball sides. SKY had a turnaround ever since he moved back to the MI camp in IPL 2018.

Suryakumar Yadav is now not only one of Mumbai Indians' (MI) most vital players, he has also become an indispensable part of Team India's white-ball sides. SKY had a turnaround ever since he moved back to the MI camp in IPL 2018. From IPL 2018-2020, he was among runs and finally got his chance to make an India debut in early 2021. Since then, it has been no looking back for the highly-talented SKY. However, he had to see several rejections and also had an epic stare-off with Virat Kohli during MI's face-off versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2020's business end. With both sides squaring off once again in the league stage, on October 28 at Abu Dhabi, SKY's impressive 43-ball 79* propelled MI to an easy five-wicket win over RCB in pursuit of a modest 165. During SKY's stay in the middle, he was toying with the RCB bowlers with ease and finding the gaps at regular intervals. In order to get into his skin and dent his concentration, senior pro and then RCB captain Kohli stormed towards SKY as the two had an intense stare-off in between overs. ALSO READ | Will Virat Kohli replace Anuj Rawat on top? RCB's predicted playing XI in IPL 2022 clash against LSG In an episode on Breakfast With Champions, SKY recalled the whole episode with then India captain Kohli while speaking with host Gaurav Kapur. "He (Kohli) has a unique style, his energy is of a different level on the ground. That game was so important for both the teams. His sledging was on another level in that match. And I was focused that come what may, I have to win the match for the team, without speaking anything," the stylish right-handed batsman said. "I was dead scared inside as he walked towards me, both of us were eating chewing gums. There was a voice from inside that was telling me - come what may, you don't have to utter a word, it's a matter of 10 seconds, the next over will begin. My bat fell that time, that helped me, I did not see him till the time the match was over. I was looking down and batting and we have not even discussed the incident ever outside the pitch," he added. In IPL 2022, MI and RCB have locked horns with each other once so far. Faf du Plessis-led RCB thrashed Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai by seven wickets in chase of 152, despite SKY's belligerent 37-ball 68.

I was dead scared inside: Suryakumar Yadav recalls epic stare-off with Virat Kohli in IPL 2020

Skipper KL Rahul led from the front with a captain's knock as he powered Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a comfortable 18-run win against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday (April 16). Rahul notched up his first century of the season as he played a terrific knock of unbeaten 103 runs off 60 balls to help his side post a big total of 199 runs on the board.

Asked to bat first, Rahul finally managed to find his rhythm this season as he got LSG off to a flyer. The stylish right-hander combined with his opening partner Quinton de Kock (24) to add 52 runs for the first wicket before posting another brilliant stand of 66 runs for the second wicket with Manish Pandey who played a crucial knock of 38 runs.

Rahul stayed unbeaten till the end and took Lucknow Super Giants closer to the 200-run mark. His 60-ball 103 was laced with nine fours and five sixes as the LSG skipper bounced back in style after being dismissed for a duck in his side's last outing against Rajasthan Royals.

After posting a strong total on the board, Lucknow Super Giants bowlers were right on the money as they managed to restrict a struggling Mumbai Indians batting line-up on 181/9 in 20 overs.

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Skipper Rohit Sharma's lean patch continued as he was dismissed cheaply on 6 off 7 balls by Avesh Khan in the 3rd over of MI's run chase. Dewald Brevis then played some sensational stroked en route to his quickfire 31 off 13 balls and added 31 runs for the second wicket with Ishan Kishan before the duo was dismissed in quick succession.

Suryakumar Yadav was MI's biggest hope after the top-order faltered but he could only manage 37 off 27 balls and was well supported by Tilak Varma, who scored 25 off 14 balls to add 64 runs for the third wicket. However, MI's innings was derailed after the duo's dismissal as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals and fell short by 18 runs in the run chase.

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Avesh Khan continued his impressive run with the ball for Lucknow Super Giants and bowled an exceptional spell of 3/30 off his four overs. The likes of Jason Holder, Dushmantha Chameera, Ravi Bishnoi and Marcus Stoinis all picked up a wicket apiece as Mumbai Indians were handed their sixth defeat in a row.

Mumbai Indians are yet to bag their first win this season as they have now lost as many as six matches in a row and are virtually out of the race for the playoffs with ten teams in contention. This is the first time in IPL history that MI have lost six games in a row at the start of the season - which is the joint-most by any team. MI are the only team to remain winless in the competition so far.

Skipper KL Rahul led from the front with a captain's knock as he powered Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a comfortable 18-run win against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday (April 16).

Skipper KL Rahul led from the front with a captain's knock as he powered Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a comfortable 18-run win against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday (April 16). Rahul notched up his first century of the season as he played a terrific knock of unbeaten 103 runs off 60 balls to help his side post a big total of 199 runs on the board. Asked to bat first, Rahul finally managed to find his rhythm this season as he got LSG off to a flyer. The stylish right-hander combined with his opening partner Quinton de Kock (24) to add 52 runs for the first wicket before posting another brilliant stand of 66 runs for the second wicket with Manish Pandey who played a crucial knock of 38 runs. Rahul stayed unbeaten till the end and took Lucknow Super Giants closer to the 200-run mark. His 60-ball 103 was laced with nine fours and five sixes as the LSG skipper bounced back in style after being dismissed for a duck in his side's last outing against Rajasthan Royals. After posting a strong total on the board, Lucknow Super Giants bowlers were right on the money as they managed to restrict a struggling Mumbai Indians batting line-up on 181/9 in 20 overs. Also Read: KL Rahul slams stunning century against Mumbai Indians, becomes 3rd Indian to achieve elusive feat Skipper Rohit Sharma's lean patch continued as he was dismissed cheaply on 6 off 7 balls by Avesh Khan in the 3rd over of MI's run chase. Dewald Brevis then played some sensational stroked en route to his quickfire 31 off 13 balls and added 31 runs for the second wicket with Ishan Kishan before the duo was dismissed in quick succession. Suryakumar Yadav was MI's biggest hope after the top-order faltered but he could only manage 37 off 27 balls and was well supported by Tilak Varma, who scored 25 off 14 balls to add 64 runs for the third wicket. However, MI's innings was derailed after the duo's dismissal as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals and fell short by 18 runs in the run chase. Also Read: 'Even he can be dropped': Shoaib Akhtar raises concerns over Virat Kohli's form for RCB in IPL 2022 Avesh Khan continued his impressive run with the ball for Lucknow Super Giants and bowled an exceptional spell of 3/30 off his four overs. The likes of Jason Holder, Dushmantha Chameera, Ravi Bishnoi and Marcus Stoinis all picked up a wicket apiece as Mumbai Indians were handed their sixth defeat in a row. Mumbai Indians are yet to bag their first win this season as they have now lost as many as six matches in a row and are virtually out of the race for the playoffs with ten teams in contention. This is the first time in IPL history that MI have lost six games in a row at the start of the season - which is the joint-most by any team. MI are the only team to remain winless in the competition so far.

IPL 2022: Mumbai Indians slip to 6th straight defeat as KL Rahul powers Lucknow Super Giants to 18-run win

Mumbai Indians are no strangers to comebacks in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the five-time champions have recovered from a bad start multiple times to clinch the trophy in the past. MI actually have the distinction of not winning their first game of the season even once in 10 years.<o:p></o:p>

However, former Indian cricket tram all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that this time, they will find it difficult to repeat that feat as there is a ‘major headache’ in the side for skipper Rohit Sharma.

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"Mumbai Indians know how to make a comeback from situations like these. They've done it in the past, back in 2014 and 2015. In IPL 2015, they were in a similar situation and came from behind to lift the title, but that team was a little different," Pathan said on Cricket Live on Star Sports.<o:p></o:p>

"This year, MI doesn't have a bowler who can support Bumrah well. This is a major headache for the captain.<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai Indians have not lost a single game in their first four appearances this year but Pathan praised the duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma for their batting till now.

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"MI's batting still looks good as they have young Tilak Varma doing well, Suryakumar Yadav starred in his comeback game, and Ishan Kishan has been firing at the top. You hope Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard will also score runs as the tournament progresses but their bowling department looks weak, especially the pace attack," Pathan said.<o:p></o:p>

"Traditionally, the pitches in Maharashtra have suited fast bowlers and if the seamers do their job well, then Murugan Ashwin will also return with better figures," he added.<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai Indians are no strangers to comebacks in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the five-time champions have recovered from a bad start multiple times to clinch the trophy in the past.

Mumbai Indians are no strangers to comebacks in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the five-time champions have recovered from a bad start multiple times to clinch the trophy in the past. MI actually have the distinction of not winning their first game of the season even once in 10 years. However, former Indian cricket tram all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that this time, they will find it difficult to repeat that feat as there is a ‘major headache’ in the side for skipper Rohit Sharma. Also read | Delhi Capitals' Shardul Thakur completes incredible catch to dismiss KKR's Ajinkya Rahane - WATCH "Mumbai Indians know how to make a comeback from situations like these. They've done it in the past, back in 2014 and 2015. In IPL 2015, they were in a similar situation and came from behind to lift the title, but that team was a little different," Pathan said on Cricket Live on Star Sports. "This year, MI doesn't have a bowler who can support Bumrah well. This is a major headache for the captain. Mumbai Indians have not lost a single game in their first four appearances this year but Pathan praised the duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma for their batting till now. Also read | IPL 2022: Royal Challengers Bangalore share MCC law after Virat Kohli's controversial dismissal "MI's batting still looks good as they have young Tilak Varma doing well, Suryakumar Yadav starred in his comeback game, and Ishan Kishan has been firing at the top. You hope Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard will also score runs as the tournament progresses but their bowling department looks weak, especially the pace attack," Pathan said. "Traditionally, the pitches in Maharashtra have suited fast bowlers and if the seamers do their job well, then Murugan Ashwin will also return with better figures," he added.

IPL 2022: Former India all-rounder points out 'major headache' for struggling Mumbai Indians

Former Indian cricket team skipper Harbhajan Singh called Suryakumar Yadav the ‘Shahrukh Khan of Mumbai Indians and said that the right-hander is among the top 5 T20 batsmen in the world according to him. <o:p></o:p>

Yadav missed the first couple of games for MI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 due to injuries but made a brilliant return with a fifty against Kolkata Knight Riders.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-no-reason-why-kolkata-knight-riders-cannot-win-the-ipl-this-year-says-sam-billings-469688">Exclusive | No reason why KKR cannot win the IPL this year, says Sam Billings</a>

“Remember once he had gestured, 'Main hoon na (I'm still here)' like Shahrukh Khan used to say, so he is the Shahrukh Khan of this team. He comes during difficult situations and bats very well against spin and can go 360 against pacers. And he has so much of confidence in his batting that in situations where he takes 4-5 balls to get off the mark, he knows that he can make up for that later in the innings and he had showed that as well,” Harbhajan said in an interview with Sportskeeda.<o:p></o:p>

"I've seen him over the years, when he first came, he was a bit fat, but has lost a lot of weight in the past few years and worked a lot. And if I have to talk about top 5 players in the world, then in T20s, Suryakumar Yadav's name definitely makes the list, because he is that big a player," he added.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ravindra-jadeja-makes-150th-appearance-joins-ms-dhoni-and-suresh-raina-in-elite-list-469670" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Jadeja makes 150th appearance, joins Dhoni and Raina in elite list</a>

Mumbai Indians have struggling in the IPL 2022 till now with three defeats in as many matches for the five-time champions. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be aiming to register their first win in this year’s competition when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday.<o:p></o:p>

Former Indian cricket team skipper Harbhajan Singh called Suryakumar Yadav the ‘Shahrukh Khan of Mumbai Indians and said that the right-hander is among the top 5 T20 batsmen in the world according to him.

Former Indian cricket team skipper Harbhajan Singh called Suryakumar Yadav the ‘Shahrukh Khan of Mumbai Indians and said that the right-hander is among the top 5 T20 batsmen in the world according to him. Yadav missed the first couple of games for MI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 due to injuries but made a brilliant return with a fifty against Kolkata Knight Riders. Also read | Exclusive | No reason why KKR cannot win the IPL this year, says Sam Billings “Remember once he had gestured, 'Main hoon na (I'm still here)' like Shahrukh Khan used to say, so he is the Shahrukh Khan of this team. He comes during difficult situations and bats very well against spin and can go 360 against pacers. And he has so much of confidence in his batting that in situations where he takes 4-5 balls to get off the mark, he knows that he can make up for that later in the innings and he had showed that as well,” Harbhajan said in an interview with Sportskeeda. "I've seen him over the years, when he first came, he was a bit fat, but has lost a lot of weight in the past few years and worked a lot. And if I have to talk about top 5 players in the world, then in T20s, Suryakumar Yadav's name definitely makes the list, because he is that big a player," he added. Also read | IPL 2022: Jadeja makes 150th appearance, joins Dhoni and Raina in elite list Mumbai Indians have struggling in the IPL 2022 till now with three defeats in as many matches for the five-time champions. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be aiming to register their first win in this year’s competition when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday.

'Shahrukh Khan of Mumbai Indians': Harbhajan Singh showers high praise on Indian cricket team batsman

The five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) are in a spot of bother in IPL 2022. After their opening three games, the Mumbai Paltan remain winless and occupy the penultimate position in the points table. Facing two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), at MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 6), MI were expected to get off the mark courtesy their superior head-to-head record (22-7).&nbsp;

Talking about the match, KKR opted to bowl first after the coin toss. After a slow start, MI recovered courtesy Suryakumar Yadav's 36-ball 52, Tilak Verma's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22 not out to post 161-4. In reply, KKR were 67-3 at halfway stage and were soon reduced to 101-5 before Pat Cummins' 15-ball 56* (joint-fastest IPL fifty) and Venkatesh Iyer's 41-ball 50* took Kolkata past the finish line in the 16th over.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mi-not-ruthless-enough-mahela-jayawardene-breaks-silence-on-rohit-cos-winless-run-in-ipl-2022-469173">MI not ruthless enough: Mahela Jayawardene breaks silence on Rohit &amp; Co.'s winless run in IPL 2022</a>

Post the KKR thrashing, captain Rohit Sharma addressed his troops in the dressing room and gave a motivating speech. He stressed on 'hunger' and 'desperation' and said, "We seriously cannot be blaming individuals here. It’s all of us. We win together, we lose together. That is as simple as that for me. I think slight desperation is required from each one of us. That desperation is very, very, very important when we play, especially in this tournament. Because oppositions are different, they come up with different plans all the time. We just need to stay ahead of them. We just need to stay on top of them. And the only way we can do that is by having that slight hunger and that desperation on the field - with the bat, with the ball."

Here's the video:

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
𝕀𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 
 
Skipper’s message to the entire team 👊💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilKholKe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilKholKe</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvMI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://t.co/msWmXrUJD4">pic.twitter.com/msWmXrUJD4</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1512116995998638086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-how-kkrs-pat-cummins-trained-at-the-nets-ahead-of-his-joint-fastest-ipl-fifty-in-mi-tie-469139">Watch: How KKR's Pat Cummins trained at the nets ahead of his joint-fastest IPL fifty in MI tie</a>

<section>
Rohit-led MI will now face the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- who have two wins from three encounters -- on Saturday evening (April 09) at the same venue. They will be desperate to revamp and earn their first win of the 15th season.
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The five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) are in a spot of bother in IPL 2022. After their opening three games, the Mumbai Paltan remain winless and occupy the penultimate position in the points table.

The five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) are in a spot of bother in IPL 2022. After their opening three games, the Mumbai Paltan remain winless and occupy the penultimate position in the points table. Facing two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), at MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 6), MI were expected to get off the mark courtesy their superior head-to-head record (22-7). Talking about the match, KKR opted to bowl first after the coin toss. After a slow start, MI recovered courtesy Suryakumar Yadav's 36-ball 52, Tilak Verma's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22 not out to post 161-4. In reply, KKR were 67-3 at halfway stage and were soon reduced to 101-5 before Pat Cummins' 15-ball 56* (joint-fastest IPL fifty) and Venkatesh Iyer's 41-ball 50* took Kolkata past the finish line in the 16th over. ALSO READ | MI not ruthless enough: Mahela Jayawardene breaks silence on Rohit & Co.'s winless run in IPL 2022 Post the KKR thrashing, captain Rohit Sharma addressed his troops in the dressing room and gave a motivating speech. He stressed on 'hunger' and 'desperation' and said, "We seriously cannot be blaming individuals here. It’s all of us. We win together, we lose together. That is as simple as that for me. I think slight desperation is required from each one of us. That desperation is very, very, very important when we play, especially in this tournament. Because oppositions are different, they come up with different plans all the time. We just need to stay ahead of them. We just need to stay on top of them. And the only way we can do that is by having that slight hunger and that desperation on the field - with the bat, with the ball." Here's the video: 𝕀𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 Skipper’s message to the entire team 👊💙#OneFamily #DilKholKe #MumbaiIndians #KKRvMI @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/msWmXrUJD4 — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 7, 2022 × ALSO READ | Watch: How KKR's Pat Cummins trained at the nets ahead of his joint-fastest IPL fifty in MI tie Rohit-led MI will now face the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- who have two wins from three encounters -- on Saturday evening (April 09) at the same venue. They will be desperate to revamp and earn their first win of the 15th season.

WATCH: Rohit Sharma talks about 'hunger' and 'desperation' in MI dressing room after KKR loss

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06). Facing the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR outfit with no win after their first two games in the 15th season, MI had their back against the wall but ran into Pat Cummins' mouth-watering 15-ball 56* and Venkatesh Iyer's 41-ball 50 to lose their third game on the trot.

Opting to bowl first, Iyer &amp; Co. started off with a bang. Umesh Yadav, KKR's in-form pacer, started off sharply whereas debutant Rasikh Salam also kept it tight with the ball. As a result, captain Rohit Sharma fell for an uninspiring 12-ball 3. Ishan Kishan, who had two successive fifties so far, also failed to get going on a sticky wicket. He hung around for a bit before departing for a 21-ball 14. Dewald Brevis, baby AB de Villiers, looked good in his brief stay on his maiden appearance&nbsp;before returning for a good-looking 19-ball 29, at 152.63.

From thereon, MI's recovery took place as Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma led the counterattack. The duo stitched a vital 83-run fourth-wicket stand to rescue the Mumbai Paltan. SKY, playing his first-ever game of the&nbsp;season, looked in sublime form and upped the ante effortlessly. He returned with a stunning 36-ball 52, at 144.44, before Tilak's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22 not out propelled MI to 161-4&nbsp;in 20 overs.

In reply, KKR started slowly and steadily and were 67 for 3 at the halfway stage. While Venky Iyer held one end, he lost partners at regular intervals with plenty left to do. Murugan Ashwin and Tymal Mills struck regularly to keep MI in the hunt before they were blown away by&nbsp;Cummins' storm.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-suryakumar-lights-up-the-atmosphere-with-a-glorious-upper-cut-six-during-mi-vs-kkr-clash-watch-468913">IPL 2022: Suryakumar lights up the atmosphere with a glorious upper-cut six during MI vs KKR clash - WATCH</a>

Cummins came out to bat at No. 7 and took the game&nbsp;away from the opposition from the word go. Replacing Andre Russell in the middle, the Aussie all-rounder -- also playing his first game in this edition -- went berserk to slam the MI bowlers left, right and centre. He took on Jasprit Bumrah, Mills and slammed Daniel Sams for as many as 35 runs in the 16th over to finish off the proceedings in style. Before his 35-run over, Sams had figures of 1 for 15 in two overs.&nbsp;

Thus, Cummins' joint-fastest IPL fifty, coming at par with KL Rahul, ended the match in the 16th over to guide the two-time winners to a 5-wicket win.

With this, KKR top the points table whereas MI are at the penultimate position with three back-to-back defeats.

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06).

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06). Facing the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR outfit with no win after their first two games in the 15th season, MI had their back against the wall but ran into Pat Cummins' mouth-watering 15-ball 56* and Venkatesh Iyer's 41-ball 50 to lose their third game on the trot. Opting to bowl first, Iyer & Co. started off with a bang. Umesh Yadav, KKR's in-form pacer, started off sharply whereas debutant Rasikh Salam also kept it tight with the ball. As a result, captain Rohit Sharma fell for an uninspiring 12-ball 3. Ishan Kishan, who had two successive fifties so far, also failed to get going on a sticky wicket. He hung around for a bit before departing for a 21-ball 14. Dewald Brevis, baby AB de Villiers, looked good in his brief stay on his maiden appearance before returning for a good-looking 19-ball 29, at 152.63. From thereon, MI's recovery took place as Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma led the counterattack. The duo stitched a vital 83-run fourth-wicket stand to rescue the Mumbai Paltan. SKY, playing his first-ever game of the season, looked in sublime form and upped the ante effortlessly. He returned with a stunning 36-ball 52, at 144.44, before Tilak's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22 not out propelled MI to 161-4 in 20 overs. In reply, KKR started slowly and steadily and were 67 for 3 at the halfway stage. While Venky Iyer held one end, he lost partners at regular intervals with plenty left to do. Murugan Ashwin and Tymal Mills struck regularly to keep MI in the hunt before they were blown away by Cummins' storm. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Suryakumar lights up the atmosphere with a glorious upper-cut six during MI vs KKR clash - WATCH Cummins came out to bat at No. 7 and took the game away from the opposition from the word go. Replacing Andre Russell in the middle, the Aussie all-rounder -- also playing his first game in this edition -- went berserk to slam the MI bowlers left, right and centre. He took on Jasprit Bumrah, Mills and slammed Daniel Sams for as many as 35 runs in the 16th over to finish off the proceedings in style. Before his 35-run over, Sams had figures of 1 for 15 in two overs. Thus, Cummins' joint-fastest IPL fifty, coming at par with KL Rahul, ended the match in the 16th over to guide the two-time winners to a 5-wicket win. With this, KKR top the points table whereas MI are at the penultimate position with three back-to-back defeats.

IPL 2022: Pat Cummins slams joint-fastest fifty, Venkatesh Iyer shines as KKR thrash MI by 5 wickets

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition has Mumbai Indians (MI) up against Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the&nbsp;Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06). After opting to bowl first, KKR had MI on the back foot by reducing them to 55 for 3 in 11 overs.

Just then, Suryakumar Yadav joined forces with Tilak Verma, who came at No. 5, to slowly and steadily initiate the recovery process. SKY -- who is playing his first game of the 15th season -- looked in sublime form and launched an amazing counterattack as the innings progressed. In the last ball of the 13th over, bowled by KKR's in-form bowler Umesh Yadav, SKY produced a glorious and eye-catching upper-cut six, sending fans into a frenzy.

It was a short-pitched delivery, outside off-stump, as SKY read the length immediately, made room and launched the ball into the night sky for a maximum. The video of SKY's shot was shared by IPL's official Twitter handle:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/until-you-improve-we-cant-mi-opener-ishan-kishan-recalls-how-hardik-pandya-assisted-him-468883">'Until you improve, we can't...': MI opener Ishan Kishan recalls how Hardik Pandya assisted him</a>

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WATCH - SIX: Launched into the night sky by SKY. 
 
An amazing uppercut and the ball sails over for six! 
 
📽️📽️<a href="https://t.co/aoncJE5J7A">https://t.co/aoncJE5J7A</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvMI</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1511729861576265731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dinesh-karthik-ahead-of-rishabh-pant-shaun-pollock-makes-bold-claim-regarding-rcb-stars-t20-wc-chances-468903">Dinesh Karthik ahead of Rishabh Pant? Shaun Pollock makes bold claim regarding RCB star's T20 WC chances</a>

Courtesy Surya's 36-ball 52, featuring 5 fours and 2 sixes at a strike-rate of 144.44, Tilak's 38&nbsp;and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22*, MI posted a competitive 161-4 in their full quota of overs.

At the innings break, SKY told the broadcasters, "I think this is a good score on the board. The wicket is still sticky and I think our bowlers can exploit. We decided to go with the timeout after 13 overs, wanted to plan how we go about, and that's exactly what happened. I just wanted to spend some time in the middle, work the bowling around, play some 15-16 balls and then go after the bowling. 161 is a winning total, according to me. I didn't find any dew, it'll remain sticky and we're confident in defending it."

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition has Mumbai Indians (MI) up against Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06).

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition has Mumbai Indians (MI) up against Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06). After opting to bowl first, KKR had MI on the back foot by reducing them to 55 for 3 in 11 overs. Just then, Suryakumar Yadav joined forces with Tilak Verma, who came at No. 5, to slowly and steadily initiate the recovery process. SKY -- who is playing his first game of the 15th season -- looked in sublime form and launched an amazing counterattack as the innings progressed. In the last ball of the 13th over, bowled by KKR's in-form bowler Umesh Yadav, SKY produced a glorious and eye-catching upper-cut six, sending fans into a frenzy. It was a short-pitched delivery, outside off-stump, as SKY read the length immediately, made room and launched the ball into the night sky for a maximum. The video of SKY's shot was shared by IPL's official Twitter handle: ALSO READ | 'Until you improve, we can't...': MI opener Ishan Kishan recalls how Hardik Pandya assisted him WATCH - SIX: Launched into the night sky by SKY. An amazing uppercut and the ball sails over for six! 📽️📽️https://t.co/aoncJE5J7A #TATAIPL #KKRvMI — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022 × ALSO READ | Dinesh Karthik ahead of Rishabh Pant? Shaun Pollock makes bold claim regarding RCB star's T20 WC chances Courtesy Surya's 36-ball 52, featuring 5 fours and 2 sixes at a strike-rate of 144.44, Tilak's 38 and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22*, MI posted a competitive 161-4 in their full quota of overs. At the innings break, SKY told the broadcasters, "I think this is a good score on the board. The wicket is still sticky and I think our bowlers can exploit. We decided to go with the timeout after 13 overs, wanted to plan how we go about, and that's exactly what happened. I just wanted to spend some time in the middle, work the bowling around, play some 15-16 balls and then go after the bowling. 161 is a winning total, according to me. I didn't find any dew, it'll remain sticky and we're confident in defending it."

IPL 2022: Suryakumar lights up the atmosphere with a glorious upper-cut six during MI vs KKR clash - WATCH

Mumbai Indians are known to be slow starters in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they often stumble at the start of the season before finding their groove as the tournament progresses. However, this season has been different for the five-time champions, who have a squad that doesn't inspire much confidence to spark&nbsp;a&nbsp;turnaround.

Mumbai Indians have suffered back-to-back defeats in their first two matches of the ongoing IPL 2022 as their bowling woes have been left exposed while the batters are yet to fire as a unit. While young Ishan Kishan and Tilka Varma have been brilliant with the willow, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Tim David are yet to get going.

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah bounced back with an impressive show against Rajasthan Royals in their last game as he bagged a three-wicket haul after going for runs in the opener against Delhi Capitals, but the rest of the bowlers failed to impress once again. MI's bowling attack has not been the same post the departure of Trent Boult, who was roped in by RR at the mega auction this year.

The likes of Daniel Sams,&nbsp;Tymal Mills and Basil Thami have all been expensive and failed to make an impact. The bowlers will have to step up when Mumbai Indians take on Kolkata Knight Riders in their third game of the season at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-making-a-serious-case-for-india-captaincy-shoaib-akhtar-lauds-kkr-skipper-for-proving-his-worth-468818">Shreyas Iyer making a serious case for India captaincy:&nbsp;Akhtar lauds KKR skipper for proving his worth</a>

Mumbai Indians are also expected to have Suryakumar Yadav back in the playing XI for the first time this season. The star Indian batter has joined the rest of the squad after completing his quarantine and has recovered from his finger injury. His return is set to bolster MI's batting line-up which has been heavily dependent on Kishan and Varma so far this season.

Against an in-form KKR bowling lineup with Umesh Yadav on fire and Sunil Narine also doing well, Suryakumar's return will be a huge boost for Mumbai Indians. He has been one of the consistent run-getters for the franchise over the years and is expected to set the ball rolling quickly once again this season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kkr-vs-mi-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-kolkata-knight-riders-vs-mumbai-indians-match-468790">KKR vs MI, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians match?</a> 
&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians' predicted playing XI against KKR:

Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Daniel Sams, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills, Basil Thampi

Mumbai Indians are known to be slow starters in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they often stumble at the start of the season before finding their groove as the tournament progresses.

Mumbai Indians are known to be slow starters in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they often stumble at the start of the season before finding their groove as the tournament progresses. However, this season has been different for the five-time champions, who have a squad that doesn't inspire much confidence to spark a turnaround. Mumbai Indians have suffered back-to-back defeats in their first two matches of the ongoing IPL 2022 as their bowling woes have been left exposed while the batters are yet to fire as a unit. While young Ishan Kishan and Tilka Varma have been brilliant with the willow, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Tim David are yet to get going. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah bounced back with an impressive show against Rajasthan Royals in their last game as he bagged a three-wicket haul after going for runs in the opener against Delhi Capitals, but the rest of the bowlers failed to impress once again. MI's bowling attack has not been the same post the departure of Trent Boult, who was roped in by RR at the mega auction this year. The likes of Daniel Sams, Tymal Mills and Basil Thami have all been expensive and failed to make an impact. The bowlers will have to step up when Mumbai Indians take on Kolkata Knight Riders in their third game of the season at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Wednesday. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer making a serious case for India captaincy: Akhtar lauds KKR skipper for proving his worth Mumbai Indians are also expected to have Suryakumar Yadav back in the playing XI for the first time this season. The star Indian batter has joined the rest of the squad after completing his quarantine and has recovered from his finger injury. His return is set to bolster MI's batting line-up which has been heavily dependent on Kishan and Varma so far this season. Against an in-form KKR bowling lineup with Umesh Yadav on fire and Sunil Narine also doing well, Suryakumar's return will be a huge boost for Mumbai Indians. He has been one of the consistent run-getters for the franchise over the years and is expected to set the ball rolling quickly once again this season. Also Read: KKR vs MI, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians match? Mumbai Indians' predicted playing XI against KKR: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Daniel Sams, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills, Basil Thampi

IPL 2022: Suryakumar Yadav back? Mumbai Indians' predicted playing XI for KKR clash

Mumbai Indians slumped to a four-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a glaring absence in their middle order was talented India batsman Suryakumar Yadav.

Yadav missed the start of the tournament as he was undergoing rebab&nbsp;after suffering a hairline fracture and his absence was felt by his side in their previous encounter.

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However, former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who is currently the director of cricket operations for Mumbai Indians, confirmed that Yadav will be available for their next game against Gujarat Titans.<o:p></o:p>

"Suryakumar Yadav is a retained player and has been a key member of this side and we are all eagerly waiting for him to take the field. In terms of his availability for the next game, yes, he is," Zaheer said in the pre-match press conference on Friday according to a PTI report.

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Yadav has been a mainstay in the Mumbai Indians batting line-up for the last few years and his performances were vital in making them the most successful side in the tournament’s history.<o:p></o:p>

"To have that kind of flexibility is always an advantage for any team. Tactically, you will have that advantage and that's how we are also looking at it. So, there is a possibility, or depending on the position we are playing and the conditions we are playing in, we might opt for those kind of options. But at the moment, the discussions are pretty much to stick with whatever has been working for us and whatever a player can bring in, in terms of maximum impact," Zaheer was quoted as saying.<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai Indians slumped to a four-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a glaring absence in their middle order was talented India batsman Suryakumar Yadav.

Mumbai Indians slumped to a four-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a glaring absence in their middle order was talented India batsman Suryakumar Yadav. Yadav missed the start of the tournament as he was undergoing rebab after suffering a hairline fracture and his absence was felt by his side in their previous encounter. Also read | IPL 2022: Dhoni, Gambhir's interaction goes viral after CSK-LSG clash - WATCH However, former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who is currently the director of cricket operations for Mumbai Indians, confirmed that Yadav will be available for their next game against Gujarat Titans. "Suryakumar Yadav is a retained player and has been a key member of this side and we are all eagerly waiting for him to take the field. In terms of his availability for the next game, yes, he is," Zaheer said in the pre-match press conference on Friday according to a PTI report. Also read | IPL 2022: Dhoni becomes first wicketkeeper to reach impressive T20 milestone Yadav has been a mainstay in the Mumbai Indians batting line-up for the last few years and his performances were vital in making them the most successful side in the tournament’s history. "To have that kind of flexibility is always an advantage for any team. Tactically, you will have that advantage and that's how we are also looking at it. So, there is a possibility, or depending on the position we are playing and the conditions we are playing in, we might opt for those kind of options. But at the moment, the discussions are pretty much to stick with whatever has been working for us and whatever a player can bring in, in terms of maximum impact," Zaheer was quoted as saying.

IPL 2022: Zaheer Khan provides update on Suryakumar Yadav's availability for Mumbai Indians

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians got a boost in its middle-order when India batter Suryakumar Yadav joined the squad's bio-bubble after recovering from a finger injury and completing the mandatory quarantine period. 
 
Yadav on Wednesday participated in a strength and conditioning session with some other Mumbai Indians stars and will now be available for their match against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday (April 2) at the D.Y Patil Stadium here. 
 
Suryakumar had suffered a hairline fracture during a fielding attempt in the third and final T20I against the West Indies in Kolkata on February 20. He was undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy and has recently recovered from the injury. 
 
Suryakumar Yadav exited his mandatory quarantine and joined the team for the gym session in the company of his mates Kieron Pollard, Ishan Kishan and Jasprit Bumrah," the franchise informed in a statement on Thursday.

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The team underwent a strength and conditioning session on Wednesday under the watchful eyes of Paul Chapman. The session involved weight and fitness training, with the focus on working on core fitness and building strength, the statement said. 
 
In Yadav's absence, the Mumbai Indians'&nbsp;middle-order had struggled to build on the good start provided by openers Rohit Sharma (41) and Ishan Kishan (81), who raised 67 for the opening wicket in their four-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals. Mumbai Indians had posted a below-par 177/5 that Delhi chased in 18.2 overs. 
 
If Yadav returns to action against the Royals on Saturday, the pressure on Tilak Verma and Kieron Pollard in the middle order will be eased a bit.

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians got a boost in its middle-order when India batter Suryakumar Yadav joined the squad's bio-bubble after recovering from a finger injury and completing the mandatory quarantine period.

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians got a boost in its middle-order when India batter Suryakumar Yadav joined the squad's bio-bubble after recovering from a finger injury and completing the mandatory quarantine period. Yadav on Wednesday participated in a strength and conditioning session with some other Mumbai Indians stars and will now be available for their match against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday (April 2) at the D.Y Patil Stadium here. Suryakumar had suffered a hairline fracture during a fielding attempt in the third and final T20I against the West Indies in Kolkata on February 20. He was undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy and has recently recovered from the injury. Suryakumar Yadav exited his mandatory quarantine and joined the team for the gym session in the company of his mates Kieron Pollard, Ishan Kishan and Jasprit Bumrah," the franchise informed in a statement on Thursday. ALSO READ: IPL 2022: MS Dhoni on cusp of joining Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in T20 elite list The team underwent a strength and conditioning session on Wednesday under the watchful eyes of Paul Chapman. The session involved weight and fitness training, with the focus on working on core fitness and building strength, the statement said. In Yadav's absence, the Mumbai Indians' middle-order had struggled to build on the good start provided by openers Rohit Sharma (41) and Ishan Kishan (81), who raised 67 for the opening wicket in their four-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals. Mumbai Indians had posted a below-par 177/5 that Delhi chased in 18.2 overs. If Yadav returns to action against the Royals on Saturday, the pressure on Tilak Verma and Kieron Pollard in the middle order will be eased a bit.

IPL 2022: Big Boost for Mumbai Indians as Suryakumar Yadav returns from injury, to be available against RR

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will be the perfect opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav to cement his position in the national side. <o:p></o:p>

Yadav was retained by Mumbai Indians ahead of the auction and he has been an integral part of their squad in the recent years. "It has been a wonderful last couple of seasons for Suryakumar Yadav and IPL 2022 is a great opportunity for him to cement his place in the Indian team by performing well again this season," said Gavaskar on the Star Sports show, The Gameplan.

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Yadav will miss the first game for Mumbai Indians as he is recovering for an injury.<o:p></o:p>

"The Indian team for the T20 World Cup will to a great extent be decided on IPL performances. So, Yadav has got this great opportunity to enhance his chances to be picked in the squad that flies to Australia," he added while taking about Yadav’s chances of being a regular for Team India.<o:p></o:p>

Gavaskar also said that David Warner does not need to prove his worth to anyone and he believes that Warner will have a good season after joining Delhi Capitals for the price of INR 6.5 crore.

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"At this stage in Warner's career, he does not have to prove anything to anybody except himself. Last year was just one of those bad patches that every cricketer goes through, and he will contribute heavily with the bat for Delhi Capitals this time around," said the former India captain.<o:p></o:p>

Kolkata Knight Riders will face Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of IPL 2022 on March 26.<o:p></o:p>

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will be the perfect opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav to cement his position in the national side.

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will be the perfect opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav to cement his position in the national side. Yadav was retained by Mumbai Indians ahead of the auction and he has been an integral part of their squad in the recent years. "It has been a wonderful last couple of seasons for Suryakumar Yadav and IPL 2022 is a great opportunity for him to cement his place in the Indian team by performing well again this season," said Gavaskar on the Star Sports show, The Gameplan. Also read | From injuries to national team commitments - Player availability for IPL 2022 Yadav will miss the first game for Mumbai Indians as he is recovering for an injury. "The Indian team for the T20 World Cup will to a great extent be decided on IPL performances. So, Yadav has got this great opportunity to enhance his chances to be picked in the squad that flies to Australia," he added while taking about Yadav’s chances of being a regular for Team India. Gavaskar also said that David Warner does not need to prove his worth to anyone and he believes that Warner will have a good season after joining Delhi Capitals for the price of INR 6.5 crore. Also read | Pant needs to maintain his aggressive edge for DC, says Ponting "At this stage in Warner's career, he does not have to prove anything to anybody except himself. Last year was just one of those bad patches that every cricketer goes through, and he will contribute heavily with the bat for Delhi Capitals this time around," said the former India captain. Kolkata Knight Riders will face Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of IPL 2022 on March 26.

IPL 2022: Suryakumar Yadav can cement his spot in Team India, says Sunil Gavaskar

A lot of marquee players will be missing the start of the IPL 2022 edition. For the five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI), they have still not attained the services of Suryakumar Yadav as the swashbuckling right-hander remains at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru.

For the unversed, Surya&nbsp;suffered a hairline fracture on his thumb on February 22 during Team India's third and final T20I versus West Indies. Since then, he has been out of action and working hard at the NCA to regain full fitness. Ahead of the IPL 2022 season-opener, Rohit Sharma addressed the media at a press conference and spilled the beans on SKY's availability ahead of MI's opening game, versus Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) on March 27 at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

"Surya is at NCA at the moment, he is recovering well, he will be here soon. I can't give you his availability right now whether he will be available for the first game or not, but we are trying to get him here as soon as possible once we have the clearance from NCA," Rohit said at the press conference.

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SKY has been a vital cog in MI's franchise for the last few years. He was one of the four players who were retained by the franchise prior to the mega auction. Surya&nbsp;crossed the 400-run mark in three successive seasons, from IPL 2018-2020. In addition, he&nbsp;returned with&nbsp;317 runs in IPL 2021, at a strike rate of 143.43, to be MI's second-highest run-getter despite them missing the playoffs berth.

On his own workload, Rohit said, "I want to play all games, that’s why I am still here. I will play all games and try to make a difference in every game. If there is a concern, we will address it."&nbsp;

A lot of marquee players will be missing the start of the IPL 2022 edition. For the five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI), they have still not attained the services of Suryakumar Yadav as the swashbuckling right-hander remains at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru.

A lot of marquee players will be missing the start of the IPL 2022 edition. For the five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI), they have still not attained the services of Suryakumar Yadav as the swashbuckling right-hander remains at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru. For the unversed, Surya suffered a hairline fracture on his thumb on February 22 during Team India's third and final T20I versus West Indies. Since then, he has been out of action and working hard at the NCA to regain full fitness. Ahead of the IPL 2022 season-opener, Rohit Sharma addressed the media at a press conference and spilled the beans on SKY's availability ahead of MI's opening game, versus Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) on March 27 at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. "Surya is at NCA at the moment, he is recovering well, he will be here soon. I can't give you his availability right now whether he will be available for the first game or not, but we are trying to get him here as soon as possible once we have the clearance from NCA," Rohit said at the press conference. ALSO READ | IPL revenue to cross INR 10-billion mark for first time ever, confirms BCCI Secretary Jay Shah SKY has been a vital cog in MI's franchise for the last few years. He was one of the four players who were retained by the franchise prior to the mega auction. Surya crossed the 400-run mark in three successive seasons, from IPL 2018-2020. In addition, he returned with 317 runs in IPL 2021, at a strike rate of 143.43, to be MI's second-highest run-getter despite them missing the playoffs berth. On his own workload, Rohit said, "I want to play all games, that’s why I am still here. I will play all games and try to make a difference in every game. If there is a concern, we will address it."

IPL 2022: Rohit Sharma provides update on Suryakumar Yadav's availability for MI ahead of DC clash

Mumbai Indians (MI) have been handed a huge blow ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as star batter Suryakumar Yadav is unlikely to be available for their tournament opener against Delhi Capitals (DC). Mumbai Indians will take on Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals in their first game of the season on March 27.

Suryakumar had suffered a hairline fracture on his thumb while playing for India during the&nbsp;T20I series against West Indies. He is unlikely to recover from it fully to feature in Mumbai Indians' first game against Delhi Capitals and will have to sit out for the clash.

Suryakumar is one of the vital cogs in the Mumbai Indians batting line-up and had been retained by the five-time champions ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. He is one of the most important batters for the franchise along with skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard.

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Suryakumar is yet to join the Mumbai Indians squad which has started training in Mumbai and is currently undergoing his rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru.

"Surya is currently at the NCA doing his rehabilitation. He is well on his way to recovery but there is a possibility that his participation in the opening game will be a real touch and go affair," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI.

"So there could be a possibility that he might be advised by the board's medical team to not risk playing the opener," he added.

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After their opening game against Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians will have a five-day gap before their second game against Rajasthan Royals on April 2nd. The gap between the two games is likely to be enough for Suryakumar to become match fit and return to the playing XI in the second game.

Mumbai Indians (MI) have been handed a huge blow ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as star batter Suryakumar Yadav is unlikely to be available for their tournament opener against Delhi Capitals (DC).

Mumbai Indians (MI) have been handed a huge blow ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as star batter Suryakumar Yadav is unlikely to be available for their tournament opener against Delhi Capitals (DC). Mumbai Indians will take on Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals in their first game of the season on March 27. Suryakumar had suffered a hairline fracture on his thumb while playing for India during the T20I series against West Indies. He is unlikely to recover from it fully to feature in Mumbai Indians' first game against Delhi Capitals and will have to sit out for the clash. Suryakumar is one of the vital cogs in the Mumbai Indians batting line-up and had been retained by the five-time champions ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. He is one of the most important batters for the franchise along with skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard. Also Read: 'We'll see who goes to play IPL': PCB chief Ramiz Raja makes bold claim as hints at changes in PSL Suryakumar is yet to join the Mumbai Indians squad which has started training in Mumbai and is currently undergoing his rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru. "Surya is currently at the NCA doing his rehabilitation. He is well on his way to recovery but there is a possibility that his participation in the opening game will be a real touch and go affair," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI. "So there could be a possibility that he might be advised by the board's medical team to not risk playing the opener," he added. Also Read: 5 Indian players who can replace Deepak Chahar for CSK if he is ruled out of IPL 2022 After their opening game against Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians will have a five-day gap before their second game against Rajasthan Royals on April 2nd. The gap between the two games is likely to be enough for Suryakumar to become match fit and return to the playing XI in the second game.

Huge blow for Mumbai Indians! Suryakumar Yadav unlikely to feature in IPL 2022 opener against Delhi Capitals

From top earners to players with big pay cuts: BCCI's new central contracts list for 2021-22

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the new central contracts for the 2022-23 season. As per various reports, the former Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and No. 3 batter Cheteshwar Pujara are all set to be demoted by the Indian cricket board following their lean phase in the longest format. The duo have been dropped from the Test squad ahead of the home series versus Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 04 in Mohali.

On the other hand, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is also set to be demoted to the Grade C category in the new contracts. For the unversed, the 28-year-old all-rounder Hardik remains out of action from international cricket and last represented Team India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah are, meanwhile, retained in the top bracket, i.e. Grade A+ category.

Among other notable changes, the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Wriddhiman Saha are also set to face demotion. As per reports, Saha has been dropped to Grade C whereas Bhuvi also finds himself in the same category. Suryakumar Yadav marked his debut in the central contracts (Grade C) whereas the likes of Axar Patel, Md Siraj and Shreyas Iyer have moved up in the pay&nbsp;bracket.

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New BCCI annual contract list as per reports

Grade A+ (INR 70 million or INR 7 crore): Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.

Grade A (INR 50 million or INR 5 crore): Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant.

Grade B (INR 30 million or INR 3 crore): Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma.

Grade C (INR 10 million or INR 1 crore): Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha, Mayank Agarwal and Deepak Chahar.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the new central contracts for the 2022-23 season. As per various reports, the former Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and No.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the new central contracts for the 2022-23 season. As per various reports, the former Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and No. 3 batter Cheteshwar Pujara are all set to be demoted by the Indian cricket board following their lean phase in the longest format. The duo have been dropped from the Test squad ahead of the home series versus Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 04 in Mohali. On the other hand, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is also set to be demoted to the Grade C category in the new contracts. For the unversed, the 28-year-old all-rounder Hardik remains out of action from international cricket and last represented Team India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah are, meanwhile, retained in the top bracket, i.e. Grade A+ category. Among other notable changes, the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Wriddhiman Saha are also set to face demotion. As per reports, Saha has been dropped to Grade C whereas Bhuvi also finds himself in the same category. Suryakumar Yadav marked his debut in the central contracts (Grade C) whereas the likes of Axar Patel, Md Siraj and Shreyas Iyer have moved up in the pay bracket. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli set to play 100th Test: Reliving former Indian captain's impressive run in whites New BCCI annual contract list as per reports Grade A+ (INR 70 million or INR 7 crore): Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. Grade A (INR 50 million or INR 5 crore): Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant. Grade B (INR 30 million or INR 3 crore): Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma. Grade C (INR 10 million or INR 1 crore): Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha, Mayank Agarwal and Deepak Chahar.

BCCI's new central contracts: Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah top earners, Rahane, Pujara & Hardik demoted - Report

In what comes as a huge blow for the Indian team ahead of the start of the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka at home, star batter Suryakumar Yadav and pacer Deepak Chahar have been ruled out of action due to respective injuries. Chahar had picked up a injury while playing during the third and final T20I between India and West Indies on Sunday.

Chahar has injured his right quadriceps while Suryakumar has suffered a hairline fracture on his hand. Surykumar also sustained the injury during the third T20I against West Indies. Both the players will not be avialable for the three-match T20I sereis against Sri Lanka which gets underway from Thursday (February 24).

"Deepak sustained a right quadriceps injury during bowling while Suryakumar suffered a hairline fracture during a fielding attempt in the third and final T20I against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday. They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injuries," BCCI informed in an official statement.

While the board has not announced any official replacements for the two players, the likes of Avesh Khan, Harhsal Patel and Mohammed Siraj will comprise the pace attack along with the experienced duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.

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Bumrah, who had missed the recently-concluded three-match T20I series against West Indies, will be making his return to the team and will be spearheading India's pace attack. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be looking to continue their winning run having beaten New Zealand and West Indies in their last two T20I series.

Meanwhile, in the absence of Suryakumar, the likes of Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda can be slotted in the middle-order. The return of Ravindra Jadeja will further strengthen India's batting line-up while young all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer will be looking to continue his good form after impressing against West Indies.

India's T20 squad for Sri Lanka series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Avesh Khan.

In what comes as a huge blow for the Indian team ahead of the start of the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka at home, star batter Suryakumar Yadav and pacer Deepak Chahar have been ruled out of action due to respective injuries.

In what comes as a huge blow for the Indian team ahead of the start of the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka at home, star batter Suryakumar Yadav and pacer Deepak Chahar have been ruled out of action due to respective injuries. Chahar had picked up a injury while playing during the third and final T20I between India and West Indies on Sunday. Chahar has injured his right quadriceps while Suryakumar has suffered a hairline fracture on his hand. Surykumar also sustained the injury during the third T20I against West Indies. Both the players will not be avialable for the three-match T20I sereis against Sri Lanka which gets underway from Thursday (February 24). "Deepak sustained a right quadriceps injury during bowling while Suryakumar suffered a hairline fracture during a fielding attempt in the third and final T20I against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday. They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injuries," BCCI informed in an official statement. While the board has not announced any official replacements for the two players, the likes of Avesh Khan, Harhsal Patel and Mohammed Siraj will comprise the pace attack along with the experienced duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah. Also Read: Test axe to shocking threat from a journalist - The Wriddhiman Saha saga Bumrah, who had missed the recently-concluded three-match T20I series against West Indies, will be making his return to the team and will be spearheading India's pace attack. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be looking to continue their winning run having beaten New Zealand and West Indies in their last two T20I series. Meanwhile, in the absence of Suryakumar, the likes of Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda can be slotted in the middle-order. The return of Ravindra Jadeja will further strengthen India's batting line-up while young all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer will be looking to continue his good form after impressing against West Indies. India's T20 squad for Sri Lanka series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Avesh Khan.

Huge blow for India as Deepak Chahar, Suryakumar Yadav ruled out of T20I series against Sri Lanka

India demolished West Indies in the three T20Is&nbsp;at home. Taking an unassailable lead heading into the final encounter, Rohit Sharma-led Indian team were asked to bat first in the&nbsp;final T20I. After being at a tricky position, at 61-3, the Men in Blue posted a daunting 184-5 courtesy of an impressive 91-run fifth-wicket stand between Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer.

Both SKY and Iyer came together with the score reading 93-4 in 13.5 overs. The duo's stand flourished as the rest of the innings progressed with their strokeplay, taking India to a competitive score. In reply, Nicholas Pooran's 61 and cameos from Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell weren't enough for Kieron Pollard's West Indies; losing by 17 runs.

Following the series, SKY's stature continues to rise in Indian cricket. He has fulfilled various roles -- coming out to bat at different positions -- and looks pretty much in contention for the T20 World Cup squad, as per Little Master Sunil Gavaskar.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/going-to-be-a-big-challenge-dinesh-karthik-points-out-where-captain-rohit-sharma-will-be-tested-455140">Going to be a big challenge: Dinesh Karthik points out where captain Rohit Sharma will be tested</a>

Gavaskar told Star Sports, "I think he is pretty much making a case for inclusion (T20 World Cup team). In the first match, he and Venkatesh combined to take India home just when things were looking a bit difficult. Today as well. To bat like that when 4 wickets already fell that truly shows the sign that the team is making the right progress. Perfection is impossible. But to have guys who can raise their hand and step up when things are not going their way...don't forget, he is still a newcomer. So it is not like he is playing international cricket for a long time. Venkatesh too came in only a couple of months back."&nbsp;

“He can play at No.3 and help build an innings. Like what we saw in the first game and today the way he can finish it, he is an innings builder and also a finisher. What a great combination," pointed out the former opener.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/today-there-is-another-opportunity-venkatesh-iyer-reveals-motivating-words-from-likeable-suryakumar-yadav-455016">Today, there is another opportunity: Venkatesh Iyer reveals motivating words from 'likeable' Suryakumar Yadav</a>

SKY ended the series with scores of 34* (18) -- striking at 188.89 -- 8 (6)&nbsp;and 65 (31). Thus, he was adjudged&nbsp;the Player-of-the-Match as well as the Player-of-the-Series (he was also the highest run-getter in the ODI leg). At the post-match presentation after the T20Is, SKY said, "Just wanted to replicate what I did in the first game. Needed someone to stay there after Rohit got out and get the team to a defendable total. We had a long chat in the team meeting as to how we are going to react under immense pressure and it came out very well. I just try to keep things simple. Being a little harsh on yourself in the nets, don't hit every ball wildly and have some quality sessions. Excited for the next series."

India demolished West Indies in the three T20Is at home. Taking an unassailable lead heading into the final encounter, Rohit Sharma-led Indian team were asked to bat first in the final T20I.

India demolished West Indies in the three T20Is at home. Taking an unassailable lead heading into the final encounter, Rohit Sharma-led Indian team were asked to bat first in the final T20I. After being at a tricky position, at 61-3, the Men in Blue posted a daunting 184-5 courtesy of an impressive 91-run fifth-wicket stand between Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer. Both SKY and Iyer came together with the score reading 93-4 in 13.5 overs. The duo's stand flourished as the rest of the innings progressed with their strokeplay, taking India to a competitive score. In reply, Nicholas Pooran's 61 and cameos from Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell weren't enough for Kieron Pollard's West Indies; losing by 17 runs. Following the series, SKY's stature continues to rise in Indian cricket. He has fulfilled various roles -- coming out to bat at different positions -- and looks pretty much in contention for the T20 World Cup squad, as per Little Master Sunil Gavaskar. ALSO READ | Going to be a big challenge: Dinesh Karthik points out where captain Rohit Sharma will be tested Gavaskar told Star Sports, "I think he is pretty much making a case for inclusion (T20 World Cup team). In the first match, he and Venkatesh combined to take India home just when things were looking a bit difficult. Today as well. To bat like that when 4 wickets already fell that truly shows the sign that the team is making the right progress. Perfection is impossible. But to have guys who can raise their hand and step up when things are not going their way...don't forget, he is still a newcomer. So it is not like he is playing international cricket for a long time. Venkatesh too came in only a couple of months back." “He can play at No.3 and help build an innings. Like what we saw in the first game and today the way he can finish it, he is an innings builder and also a finisher. What a great combination," pointed out the former opener. ALSO READ | Today, there is another opportunity: Venkatesh Iyer reveals motivating words from 'likeable' Suryakumar Yadav SKY ended the series with scores of 34* (18) -- striking at 188.89 -- 8 (6) and 65 (31). Thus, he was adjudged the Player-of-the-Match as well as the Player-of-the-Series (he was also the highest run-getter in the ODI leg). At the post-match presentation after the T20Is, SKY said, "Just wanted to replicate what I did in the first game. Needed someone to stay there after Rohit got out and get the team to a defendable total. We had a long chat in the team meeting as to how we are going to react under immense pressure and it came out very well. I just try to keep things simple. Being a little harsh on yourself in the nets, don't hit every ball wildly and have some quality sessions. Excited for the next series."

He's making a case for inclusion for T20 World Cup: Sunil Gavaskar impressed with India's star batter

West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard lavished praise on Indian team star Suryakumar Yadav for his brilliant knock in the third and final T20I between the two sides at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday (February 20). Pollard called Suryakumar a world-class player and said every batter in the world can learn something from him.

Suryakumar top-scored for India with a brilliant knock of 65 runs off 31 balls laced with seven sixes and a four in the third T20I against West Indies on Sunday. He combined with Venkatesh Iyer (35) to bail India out of trouble with a 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Asked to bat first in the game, India got off to a poor start as they lost opener Ruturaj Gaikwad cheaply on 4 off 8 balls before Ishan Kishan (34) and Shreyas Iyer (25) added 53 runs for the second wicket. However, the duo departed in quick succession before skipper Rohit Sharma was also dismissed cheaply on 7 off 15 balls to leave India in a spot of bother at 93/4 inside 14 overs.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/today-there-is-another-opportunity-venkatesh-iyer-reveals-motivating-words-from-likeable-suryakumar-yadav-455016">Today, there is another opportunity: Iyer reveals motivating words from 'likeable' Suryakumar&nbsp;</a>

However, Suryakumar and Venkatesh steadied the ship for the hosts and staged a remarkable fightback to propel the team's total to 184/5 in 20 overs. Pollard, who shares the dressing room with Suryakumar at his IPL franchise Mumbai Indians, was all praise for the Indian batter after his heroics.

“Surya is a world-class player. I had the opportunity to play at Mumbai Indians with him since he first came in in 2011. Great to see he has grown a lot since then. He is doing great things for himself and India as a 360-degree player. All batters can take a page out of his book,” Pollard said during the virtual press conference after the match.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/venkatesh-iyer-is-ahead-of-hardik-pandya-in-race-for-a-spot-in-indias-t20-world-cup-squad-wasim-jaffer-455018">Venkatesh Iyer is ahead of Pandya in race for a spot in India's T20 World Cup squad: Wasim Jaffer</a>

While he was the top-scorer for India in the third and final T20I, Suryakumar also finished the three-match series as the highest run-getter for India with 107 runs at an average of over 53 and a strike rate close to 195. India won the third T20I against West Indies by 17 runs after successfully defending the&nbsp;total of 184 runs to complete a 3-0 series whitewash.

Earlier, Rohit &amp; Co. had also completed a 3-0 whitewash against West Indies in the three-match ODI series.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard lavished praise on Indian team star Suryakumar Yadav for his brilliant knock in the third and final T20I between the two sides at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday (February 20).

West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard lavished praise on Indian team star Suryakumar Yadav for his brilliant knock in the third and final T20I between the two sides at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday (February 20). Pollard called Suryakumar a world-class player and said every batter in the world can learn something from him. Suryakumar top-scored for India with a brilliant knock of 65 runs off 31 balls laced with seven sixes and a four in the third T20I against West Indies on Sunday. He combined with Venkatesh Iyer (35) to bail India out of trouble with a 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Asked to bat first in the game, India got off to a poor start as they lost opener Ruturaj Gaikwad cheaply on 4 off 8 balls before Ishan Kishan (34) and Shreyas Iyer (25) added 53 runs for the second wicket. However, the duo departed in quick succession before skipper Rohit Sharma was also dismissed cheaply on 7 off 15 balls to leave India in a spot of bother at 93/4 inside 14 overs. Also Read: Today, there is another opportunity: Iyer reveals motivating words from 'likeable' Suryakumar However, Suryakumar and Venkatesh steadied the ship for the hosts and staged a remarkable fightback to propel the team's total to 184/5 in 20 overs. Pollard, who shares the dressing room with Suryakumar at his IPL franchise Mumbai Indians, was all praise for the Indian batter after his heroics. “Surya is a world-class player. I had the opportunity to play at Mumbai Indians with him since he first came in in 2011. Great to see he has grown a lot since then. He is doing great things for himself and India as a 360-degree player. All batters can take a page out of his book,” Pollard said during the virtual press conference after the match. Also Read: Venkatesh Iyer is ahead of Pandya in race for a spot in India's T20 World Cup squad: Wasim Jaffer While he was the top-scorer for India in the third and final T20I, Suryakumar also finished the three-match series as the highest run-getter for India with 107 runs at an average of over 53 and a strike rate close to 195. India won the third T20I against West Indies by 17 runs after successfully defending the total of 184 runs to complete a 3-0 series whitewash. Earlier, Rohit & Co. had also completed a 3-0 whitewash against West Indies in the three-match ODI series.

'Suryakumar Yadav is world class': Kieron Pollard lauds Indian batter after brilliant knock vs West Indies

Rohit Sharma-led Team India beat West Indies by 17 runs to inflict a whitewash over the visitors in the just-concluded three T20Is. On Sunday evening (February 20), Rohit-led India were asked to bat first. While Ishan Kishan started off nicely, he slowed down as the innings progressed whereas Ruturaj Gaikwad and captain Rohit failed to get going.

Shreyas Iyer got a start, however, perished soon. At 91-4, Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer got together and had a job in hand. While it seemed 160 would have been difficult to cross, the duo put on an impressive 91-run fifth-wicket stand -- filled with strokeplay -- to take the score to 184-5 in 20 overs. SKY returned with a 31-ball 65 whereas Iyer remained unbeaten on 35* (19).

In reply, Nicholas Pooran's fifty and Romario Shepherd's cameo went in vain as the Kieron Pollard-led Windies failed to win a single game in the India tour. While the bowlers did an excellent job to finish the game,&nbsp;maximum credit goes to SKY-Iyer to have set it up beautifully for the home side.

Thus, Iyer reflected on the match-winning partnership with SKY and revealed how the latter's words motivated him when he came to the crease.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-hurt-by-wriddhiman-sahas-comments-he-deserved-honesty-and-clarity-about-his-position-rahul-dravid-454972">Not hurt by Wriddhiman Saha's comments, he deserved honesty and clarity about his position: Rahul Dravid</a>

Speaking on Star Sports, Iyer revealed what SKY told him to make him feel at ease as he came to the middle.&nbsp;"That's what you need, guys bouncing off each other. When I went out there, even Surya was relatively new to the crease. I still remember the first words he told me- 'Aaj ek aur opportunity hai'," Iyer said.

"So I think, when a senior player tells you that, it gives you a lot of confidence, you see pressure as a privilege. He is one of those guys who everyone likes in the dressing room, he has got great chemistry. It was wonderful batting with him, I was really enjoying his batting from the non-striker's end," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-creates-new-captaincy-record-as-india-complete-3-0-whitewash-aganst-west-indies-in-t20is-454965">Rohit Sharma creates new captaincy record as India complete 3-0 whitewash aganst West Indies in T20Is</a>

After the end of the WI series, India will now get only three days of rest. Rohit-led India will now gear upto face Sri Lanka, at home, in three T20Is and two Tests. The action begins with the T20I leg, starting on February 24.&nbsp;

Iyer will be eager to cash in on his form and further cement his place in the limited-overs setup during the SL series.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India beat West Indies by 17 runs to inflict a whitewash over the visitors in the just-concluded three T20Is. On Sunday evening (February 20), Rohit-led India were asked to bat first.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India beat West Indies by 17 runs to inflict a whitewash over the visitors in the just-concluded three T20Is. On Sunday evening (February 20), Rohit-led India were asked to bat first. While Ishan Kishan started off nicely, he slowed down as the innings progressed whereas Ruturaj Gaikwad and captain Rohit failed to get going. Shreyas Iyer got a start, however, perished soon. At 91-4, Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer got together and had a job in hand. While it seemed 160 would have been difficult to cross, the duo put on an impressive 91-run fifth-wicket stand -- filled with strokeplay -- to take the score to 184-5 in 20 overs. SKY returned with a 31-ball 65 whereas Iyer remained unbeaten on 35* (19). In reply, Nicholas Pooran's fifty and Romario Shepherd's cameo went in vain as the Kieron Pollard-led Windies failed to win a single game in the India tour. While the bowlers did an excellent job to finish the game, maximum credit goes to SKY-Iyer to have set it up beautifully for the home side. Thus, Iyer reflected on the match-winning partnership with SKY and revealed how the latter's words motivated him when he came to the crease. ALSO READ | Not hurt by Wriddhiman Saha's comments, he deserved honesty and clarity about his position: Rahul Dravid Speaking on Star Sports, Iyer revealed what SKY told him to make him feel at ease as he came to the middle. "That's what you need, guys bouncing off each other. When I went out there, even Surya was relatively new to the crease. I still remember the first words he told me- 'Aaj ek aur opportunity hai'," Iyer said. "So I think, when a senior player tells you that, it gives you a lot of confidence, you see pressure as a privilege. He is one of those guys who everyone likes in the dressing room, he has got great chemistry. It was wonderful batting with him, I was really enjoying his batting from the non-striker's end," he added. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma creates new captaincy record as India complete 3-0 whitewash aganst West Indies in T20Is After the end of the WI series, India will now get only three days of rest. Rohit-led India will now gear upto face Sri Lanka, at home, in three T20Is and two Tests. The action begins with the T20I leg, starting on February 24. Iyer will be eager to cash in on his form and further cement his place in the limited-overs setup during the SL series.

Today, there is another opportunity: Venkatesh Iyer reveals motivating words from 'likeable' Suryakumar Yadav

Indian seamers fired in unison after Suryakumar Yadav's belligerent fifty as the hosts coasted to a series-sweeping 17-run win over the West Indies in the third and final T20I here on Sunday. After Deepak Chahar limped off the field after failing to complete the third over due to a hamstring injury, Harshal Patel (3/22), Venkatesh Iyer (2/23 from 2.1 overs) and Shardul Thakur (2/33) performed their tasks impressively to defend India's 184/5.

Wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran continued his fine form slamming a third successive fifty (61 off 47 balls; 8x4, 1x6) but it was not enough as West Indies managed just 167 for nine. For Rohit, it was his third successive clean sweep as full-time skipper, having earlier defeated New Zealand (0-3) in T20Is and West Indies (0-3) in ODIs. The win also matched their 2020 record of nine successive victories on the trot.

For the West Indies, this was their third successive bilateral series defeats away from home -- 0-2 to New Zealand in 2020-21 and 0-3 to Pakistan 2021-22 -- as they capped a forgettable India sojourn losing six matches on the trot (including three in the ODI leg).

Though debutant pacer Avesh Khan (4-0-42-0) struggled with his line, Chahar made early inroads for India early on removing both the openers -- Kayle Mayers (6) and Shai Hope (8) -- in the space of 11 deliveries inside the powerplay.

Chahar swung the ball both ways and also smartly changed his pace to deceive the Windies openers and gave the first breakthrough in the fifth ball after India reviewed it successfully to dismiss Mayers.

In his next over, he took the outside edge of Hope with a peach of an outswinger and looked on fire before he sustained an injury and limped off the field without completing his over.

In absence of Chahar, Harshal stepped it up displaying his brilliant cricketing mind as he executed his slower ones to perfection to be the wrecker-in-chief.

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Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav unleashed his brute power on way to a 31-ball 65, and was well supported by all-rounder Venkatesh (35 not out off 19) as India posted a challenging 184 for five after being put in to bat.

Suryakumar smashed seven sixes and one boundary in an exceptional display of power-hitting before getting out for his career-best T20 score in the final delivery. Pace bowling all-rounder Venkatesh smashed four fours and two sixes at the other end as the duo put together 91 runs from 37 balls for the fourth wicket to help India recover from a mini middle-order collapse.

The rejigged Team India lost three wickets for 55 runs in the middle overs including that of skipper Rohit Sharma, who batted at number four, to be struggling at 98/4 in 15 overs.

Surya cruised to his fourth T20 fifty in just 27 balls with a massive inside-out six over covers off Romario Sheperd in the final over as India stepped up in style smashing 86 runs in the final five overs.

It was a new-look Indian batting order on display with Ishan Kishan opening the batting with Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Shreyas Iyer batted at No 3, and skipper Rohit dropped him down the order at No 4 in absence of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant who have been rested.

Having got a chance after making a debut in the Sri Lanka series in July last year, the Maharashtra 'run machine' Ruturaj impressed in his short stay at the crease and timed the ball to perfection before getting out while playing out of his comfort zone.

The most expensive buy at the IPL 2022 mega auction Ishan, who had two forgettable outings in the first two T20Is, started to fire against Shepherd with three boundaries in four balls in the fourth over.

Having put on a fifty-plus stand in just 32 balls, the duo of Shreyas and Ishan failed to convert their starts and got out in the space of seven balls.

The Windies spin duo of Hayden Walsh Junior (4-0-30-1) and Roston Chase (4-0-23-1) bowled brilliantly in the middle overs.&nbsp;

Indian seamers fired in unison after Suryakumar Yadav's belligerent fifty as the hosts coasted to a series-sweeping 17-run win over the West Indies in the third and final T20I here on Sunday.

Indian seamers fired in unison after Suryakumar Yadav's belligerent fifty as the hosts coasted to a series-sweeping 17-run win over the West Indies in the third and final T20I here on Sunday. After Deepak Chahar limped off the field after failing to complete the third over due to a hamstring injury, Harshal Patel (3/22), Venkatesh Iyer (2/23 from 2.1 overs) and Shardul Thakur (2/33) performed their tasks impressively to defend India's 184/5. Wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran continued his fine form slamming a third successive fifty (61 off 47 balls; 8x4, 1x6) but it was not enough as West Indies managed just 167 for nine. For Rohit, it was his third successive clean sweep as full-time skipper, having earlier defeated New Zealand (0-3) in T20Is and West Indies (0-3) in ODIs. The win also matched their 2020 record of nine successive victories on the trot. For the West Indies, this was their third successive bilateral series defeats away from home -- 0-2 to New Zealand in 2020-21 and 0-3 to Pakistan 2021-22 -- as they capped a forgettable India sojourn losing six matches on the trot (including three in the ODI leg). Though debutant pacer Avesh Khan (4-0-42-0) struggled with his line, Chahar made early inroads for India early on removing both the openers -- Kayle Mayers (6) and Shai Hope (8) -- in the space of 11 deliveries inside the powerplay. Chahar swung the ball both ways and also smartly changed his pace to deceive the Windies openers and gave the first breakthrough in the fifth ball after India reviewed it successfully to dismiss Mayers. In his next over, he took the outside edge of Hope with a peach of an outswinger and looked on fire before he sustained an injury and limped off the field without completing his over. In absence of Chahar, Harshal stepped it up displaying his brilliant cricketing mind as he executed his slower ones to perfection to be the wrecker-in-chief. Also Read: Break from bio-bubble a much-needed one for under-fire Virat Kohli Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav unleashed his brute power on way to a 31-ball 65, and was well supported by all-rounder Venkatesh (35 not out off 19) as India posted a challenging 184 for five after being put in to bat. Suryakumar smashed seven sixes and one boundary in an exceptional display of power-hitting before getting out for his career-best T20 score in the final delivery. Pace bowling all-rounder Venkatesh smashed four fours and two sixes at the other end as the duo put together 91 runs from 37 balls for the fourth wicket to help India recover from a mini middle-order collapse. The rejigged Team India lost three wickets for 55 runs in the middle overs including that of skipper Rohit Sharma, who batted at number four, to be struggling at 98/4 in 15 overs. Surya cruised to his fourth T20 fifty in just 27 balls with a massive inside-out six over covers off Romario Sheperd in the final over as India stepped up in style smashing 86 runs in the final five overs. It was a new-look Indian batting order on display with Ishan Kishan opening the batting with Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Shreyas Iyer batted at No 3, and skipper Rohit dropped him down the order at No 4 in absence of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant who have been rested. Having got a chance after making a debut in the Sri Lanka series in July last year, the Maharashtra 'run machine' Ruturaj impressed in his short stay at the crease and timed the ball to perfection before getting out while playing out of his comfort zone. The most expensive buy at the IPL 2022 mega auction Ishan, who had two forgettable outings in the first two T20Is, started to fire against Shepherd with three boundaries in four balls in the fourth over. Having put on a fifty-plus stand in just 32 balls, the duo of Shreyas and Ishan failed to convert their starts and got out in the space of seven balls. The Windies spin duo of Hayden Walsh Junior (4-0-30-1) and Roston Chase (4-0-23-1) bowled brilliantly in the middle overs.

Suryakumar Yadav, Harshal Patel impress as India thrash West Indies by 17 runs in 3rd T20I, clinch series 3-0

Ravi Bishnoi`s two-wicket haul was backed up by quality knocks by Rohit Sharma (40) and Suryakumar Yadav (34*) as India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series here at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

With this win, India has gained a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and the second T20I will now be played on Friday at the same venue. Chasing 158, India got off to a quickfire start as openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan put on 58 runs inside the first six overs.

The 64-run opening stand finally came to an end in the eighth over as Roston Chase got the better of Rohit (40). Chase got his second wicket in the 12th over as he dismissed Kishan (35) and India was reduced to 93/2, still needing 65 runs for the win.

In the next over, India was given a body blow as Fabien Allen had Virat Kohli (17) caught at the hands of skipper Kieron Pollard at long-off and this meant there were two new batters at the crease -- Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav.

Pant (8) failed with the bat as he was dismissed by Sheldon Cottrell and India was reduced to 114/4 in the 15th over. In the end, Suryakumar (34*) and Venkatesh Iyer (24*) ensured that India register a six-wicket win with seven balls to spare.

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Earlier, Nicholas Pooran starred with the bat as he played a knock of 61 runs to help West Indies post 157/7. Sent into bat, West Indies got off to a bad start as the visitors lost Brandon King (4) on the fifth ball of the innings. Kyle Mayers and Nicholas Pooran then scored briskly and after the end of powerplay overs, West Indies` score read 44/1.

The 47-run stand for the second wicket was cut short by Yuzvendra Chahal as he had Mayers (31) adjudged leg-before wicket in the seventh over.

Ravi Bishnoi got his maiden T20I wicket in the 11th over of the innings as he had Roston Chase (4) adjudged leg-before wicket. In the very same over, Bishnoi dismissed Rovman Powell (2) and the visitors were reduced to 74/4.

Nicholas Pooran kept on holding one end up and the visitors were looking for a big finish in the final overs.In the final four overs, West Indies managed to add 49 more runs to the total, and in the end, the team from the Caribbean posted a score of more than the 150-run mark.

Pooran was dismissed by Harshal Patel but it was not before the left-hander played a knock of 61. Kieron Pollard (24*) remained unbeaten for the visitors.Brief Scores: West Indies 157/7 (Nicholas Pooran 61, Kyle Mayers 31; Ravi Bishnoi 2-17) vs India 162/4 (Rohit Sharma 40, Ishan Kishan 35; Roston Chase 2-14)

Ravi Bishnoi`s two-wicket haul was backed up by quality knocks by Rohit Sharma (40) and Suryakumar Yadav (34*) as India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series here at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

Ravi Bishnoi`s two-wicket haul was backed up by quality knocks by Rohit Sharma (40) and Suryakumar Yadav (34*) as India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series here at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. With this win, India has gained a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and the second T20I will now be played on Friday at the same venue. Chasing 158, India got off to a quickfire start as openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan put on 58 runs inside the first six overs. The 64-run opening stand finally came to an end in the eighth over as Roston Chase got the better of Rohit (40). Chase got his second wicket in the 12th over as he dismissed Kishan (35) and India was reduced to 93/2, still needing 65 runs for the win. In the next over, India was given a body blow as Fabien Allen had Virat Kohli (17) caught at the hands of skipper Kieron Pollard at long-off and this meant there were two new batters at the crease -- Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav. Pant (8) failed with the bat as he was dismissed by Sheldon Cottrell and India was reduced to 114/4 in the 15th over. In the end, Suryakumar (34*) and Venkatesh Iyer (24*) ensured that India register a six-wicket win with seven balls to spare. Also Read: Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction Earlier, Nicholas Pooran starred with the bat as he played a knock of 61 runs to help West Indies post 157/7. Sent into bat, West Indies got off to a bad start as the visitors lost Brandon King (4) on the fifth ball of the innings. Kyle Mayers and Nicholas Pooran then scored briskly and after the end of powerplay overs, West Indies` score read 44/1. The 47-run stand for the second wicket was cut short by Yuzvendra Chahal as he had Mayers (31) adjudged leg-before wicket in the seventh over. Ravi Bishnoi got his maiden T20I wicket in the 11th over of the innings as he had Roston Chase (4) adjudged leg-before wicket. In the very same over, Bishnoi dismissed Rovman Powell (2) and the visitors were reduced to 74/4. Nicholas Pooran kept on holding one end up and the visitors were looking for a big finish in the final overs.In the final four overs, West Indies managed to add 49 more runs to the total, and in the end, the team from the Caribbean posted a score of more than the 150-run mark. Pooran was dismissed by Harshal Patel but it was not before the left-hander played a knock of 61. Kieron Pollard (24*) remained unbeaten for the visitors.Brief Scores: West Indies 157/7 (Nicholas Pooran 61, Kyle Mayers 31; Ravi Bishnoi 2-17) vs India 162/4 (Rohit Sharma 40, Ishan Kishan 35; Roston Chase 2-14)

Debutant Ravi Bishnoi, skipper Rohit Sharma star as India beat West Indies by 6 wickets in 1st T20I

Team India lost the three ODIs versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the African nation. After losing the three Tests 2-1, the KL Rahul-led Indian team were whitewashed in the ODIs, conceding the series finale by 4 runs at Newlands, Cape Town.

Opting to bowl first, Rahul-led India restricted the Proteas for 287 all-out in 49.5 overs. While India were kept in the run-chase courtesy Shikhar Dhawan-Virat Kohli's 98-run second-wicket stand, the visitors conceded the momentum with some quick wickets to be reduced to 156-4. Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav then stitched a promising 49-run fifth-wicket stand before the former's departure (26). Surya looked at his usual best, striking at over 120, before falling for a 32-ball 39 (with 4 fours and a six). From thereon, Deepak Chahar's fighting 34-ball 54 revived India's chase before they fell short by 4 runs.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pak-better-than-india-akhtar-makes-bold-claim-predicts-men-in-green-to-win-2022-t20-wc-face-off-447142">PAK better than India: Akhtar makes bold claim, predicts Men in Green to win 2022 T20 WC face-off</a>

Reflecting on India's series loss, veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik feels Surya is batting on a different planet altogether and should be given a long rope. To back his claims, SKY looked very confident in the middle in what was his first outing of the tour before failng to take his side home.

"Suryakumar Yadav is batting on a different planet altogether, the kind of shots, the kind of positions, and the execution put together. He made batting look way easier than it was in that situation. Give him a long run, I'm sure he will do wonders for India. But, he needs a long run, now every time he comes out, he is under pressure from the players above and below him. It is very hard to set fields for him," Karthik said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-gives-deadly-stare-to-rishabh-pant-after-he-throws-away-his-wicket-for-a-duck-in-3rd-odi-watch-447061">Virat Kohli gives deadly stare to Rishabh Pant after he throws away his wicket for a duck in 3rd ODI - WATCH</a>

Surya has made heads turn with his free-flowing approach and playing style in the limited chances given in white-ball formats. He will now shift his focus to the home series versus West Indies and Sri Lanka to cement his spot in the limited-overs line-up.

Team India lost the three ODIs versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the African nation. After losing the three Tests 2-1, the KL Rahul-led Indian team were whitewashed in the ODIs, conceding the series finale by 4 runs at Newlands, Cape Town.

Team India lost the three ODIs versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the African nation. After losing the three Tests 2-1, the KL Rahul-led Indian team were whitewashed in the ODIs, conceding the series finale by 4 runs at Newlands, Cape Town. Opting to bowl first, Rahul-led India restricted the Proteas for 287 all-out in 49.5 overs. While India were kept in the run-chase courtesy Shikhar Dhawan-Virat Kohli's 98-run second-wicket stand, the visitors conceded the momentum with some quick wickets to be reduced to 156-4. Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav then stitched a promising 49-run fifth-wicket stand before the former's departure (26). Surya looked at his usual best, striking at over 120, before falling for a 32-ball 39 (with 4 fours and a six). From thereon, Deepak Chahar's fighting 34-ball 54 revived India's chase before they fell short by 4 runs. ALSO READ | PAK better than India: Akhtar makes bold claim, predicts Men in Green to win 2022 T20 WC face-off Reflecting on India's series loss, veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik feels Surya is batting on a different planet altogether and should be given a long rope. To back his claims, SKY looked very confident in the middle in what was his first outing of the tour before failng to take his side home. "Suryakumar Yadav is batting on a different planet altogether, the kind of shots, the kind of positions, and the execution put together. He made batting look way easier than it was in that situation. Give him a long run, I'm sure he will do wonders for India. But, he needs a long run, now every time he comes out, he is under pressure from the players above and below him. It is very hard to set fields for him," Karthik said. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli gives deadly stare to Rishabh Pant after he throws away his wicket for a duck in 3rd ODI - WATCH Surya has made heads turn with his free-flowing approach and playing style in the limited chances given in white-ball formats. He will now shift his focus to the home series versus West Indies and Sri Lanka to cement his spot in the limited-overs line-up.

He's batting on a different planet: Dinesh Karthik backs Indian star, urges Team India to give him a long rope

Suryakumar Yadav has done the hardyards to represent Team India. Being groomed in the Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) setup, SKY returned to Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2018 and his career changed from thereon. From IPL 2018-2020, the right-hander was in stunning form for the Rohit Sharma-led MI line-up, amassing over 400 runs in each season.

Despite his IPL heroics, and also some good outings in the domestic circuit, the right-hander had to toil hard to break into the national side. During his rich form in IPL 2020, Team India's limited-overs squad was announced for the Australia tour. While many thought he would be included, SKY wasn't named in the squad. Recently, the MI batter opened up on his long wait to enter the Indian team.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-led-team-india-to-host-afghanistan-for-three-odis-before-ipl-2022-436892">Rohit Sharma-led Team India to host Afghanistan for three ODIs before IPL 2022</a>

The 31-year-old in a recent chat with cricket presenter Vikram Sathaye told,&nbsp;"Almost half the IPL was over (in 2020) before that match (against RCB) happened. I still remember, the Indian team (for the tour of Australia) was going to be announced. I had a good IPL 2019 and 2020 season, and I scored runs in domestic cricket as well," said the right-handed batter.

"I expected that I would get a call. It was not an arrogant thought like ‘yes, I am going to get a call’. But, back of the mind, there was this hope that the long wait would end. When I saw the squad, and my name was not in it, I was a little disappointed. From my side, I was trying to do everything. I took my wife to the beach for walks, and missed a few practice sessions, as I was thinking about that (not being selected) only,” he added.&nbsp;

He further stated, "One day, Mahela and Zak came up to me, and said that this was the perfect opportunity to prove myself as it was MI vs RCB. I said, ok, but back of the mind, I was lost and disappointed. I didn’t know what was happening even as the trainers and captain were speaking to me."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-hasnt-sent-any-formal-request-to-miss-sa-odis-reveals-bcci-official-436882">Virat Kohli hasn't sent any formal request to miss SA ODIs, reveals BCCI official</a>

SKY finally debuted for India during the England T20Is at home early this year. He made a mark in his first-ever appearance for the Men in Blue, opening his account in international cricket with a blazing six off Jofra Archer. He was also named the Player-of-the-Series in Shikhar Dhawan-led India's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka in mid-2021.&nbsp;

Despite an ordinary IPL 2021, SKY has been retained by the MI franchise for IPL 2022. Moreover, he will hope to continue piling up runs for Team India in their upcoming assignments in the shorter formats and cement his spot.

Suryakumar Yadav has done the hardyards to represent Team India. Being groomed in the Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) setup, SKY returned to Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2018 and his career changed from thereon.

Suryakumar Yadav has done the hardyards to represent Team India. Being groomed in the Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) setup, SKY returned to Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2018 and his career changed from thereon. From IPL 2018-2020, the right-hander was in stunning form for the Rohit Sharma-led MI line-up, amassing over 400 runs in each season. Despite his IPL heroics, and also some good outings in the domestic circuit, the right-hander had to toil hard to break into the national side. During his rich form in IPL 2020, Team India's limited-overs squad was announced for the Australia tour. While many thought he would be included, SKY wasn't named in the squad. Recently, the MI batter opened up on his long wait to enter the Indian team. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma-led Team India to host Afghanistan for three ODIs before IPL 2022 The 31-year-old in a recent chat with cricket presenter Vikram Sathaye told, "Almost half the IPL was over (in 2020) before that match (against RCB) happened. I still remember, the Indian team (for the tour of Australia) was going to be announced. I had a good IPL 2019 and 2020 season, and I scored runs in domestic cricket as well," said the right-handed batter. "I expected that I would get a call. It was not an arrogant thought like ‘yes, I am going to get a call’. But, back of the mind, there was this hope that the long wait would end. When I saw the squad, and my name was not in it, I was a little disappointed. From my side, I was trying to do everything. I took my wife to the beach for walks, and missed a few practice sessions, as I was thinking about that (not being selected) only,” he added. He further stated, "One day, Mahela and Zak came up to me, and said that this was the perfect opportunity to prove myself as it was MI vs RCB. I said, ok, but back of the mind, I was lost and disappointed. I didn’t know what was happening even as the trainers and captain were speaking to me." ALSO READ | Virat Kohli hasn't sent any formal request to miss SA ODIs, reveals BCCI official SKY finally debuted for India during the England T20Is at home early this year. He made a mark in his first-ever appearance for the Men in Blue, opening his account in international cricket with a blazing six off Jofra Archer. He was also named the Player-of-the-Series in Shikhar Dhawan-led India's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka in mid-2021. Despite an ordinary IPL 2021, SKY has been retained by the MI franchise for IPL 2022. Moreover, he will hope to continue piling up runs for Team India in their upcoming assignments in the shorter formats and cement his spot.

I was lost and disappointed: Suryakumar Yadav on late Team India call-up despite IPL heroics

Ahead of the mega auction in January for the Indian Premier League 2022, Mumbai Indians (MI) opted to retain four players - skipper Rohit Sharma, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard as the existing eight franchises were eligible to retain up to four players with a maximum of three Indians, two overseas players and two uncapped Indians.

On one hand, the five-time champions retained Rohit (INR 160 m), Jasprit Bumrah (INR 120m), Suryakumar Yadav (INR 80m) and Kieron Pollard (INR 60m), on the other hand, they released some big match-winning players, such as Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar, Quinton de Kock. &nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-which-side-be-the-richest-revealing-purse-of-8-existing-teams-before-mega-auction-433317">IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction</a>

Commenting on the retention scenario, the skipper said, "As you all know, it was going to be the toughest retention for Mumbai Indians this year. We have had solid players, absolutely gun players in our squad and to release them is absolutely heart-breaking."&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Rohit added, "They have done some amazing work for this franchise, created a lot of memories. So, to let them go was really tough."

"Four players including myself – hopefully, we can form a good core and create a solid team around us. The immediate goal is to form a solid team and that will start at the auction. We’ll keep an eye on who we can get in the auction, find the right spot for the right players," said Sharma.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unethical-if-kl-rahul-has-been-approached-by-another-franchise-punjab-kings-433366">'Unethical if KL Rahul has been approached by another franchise': Punjab Kings</a>

"So yeah, our scouts are doing a fantastic job, watching talents in and outside India. I have faith and belief in them. They have done an amazing job over the years finishing talent. Hopefully, we can find some players that can form a good core,"&nbsp;Rohit Sharma further added.&nbsp;

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> retention list is out! 
 
Comment below and let us know what do you make of it❓<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPLRetention?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPLRetention</a> <a href="https://t.co/rzAx6Myw3B">pic.twitter.com/rzAx6Myw3B</a>
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Ahead of the mega auction in January for the Indian Premier League 2022, Mumbai Indians (MI) opted to retain four players - skipper Rohit Sharma, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard as the existing eight franchises were eligible to retain up to four players with a maximum of three Indians, two overseas players and two uncapped Indians.

Ahead of the mega auction in January for the Indian Premier League 2022, Mumbai Indians (MI) opted to retain four players - skipper Rohit Sharma, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard as the existing eight franchises were eligible to retain up to four players with a maximum of three Indians, two overseas players and two uncapped Indians. On one hand, the five-time champions retained Rohit (INR 160 m), Jasprit Bumrah (INR 120m), Suryakumar Yadav (INR 80m) and Kieron Pollard (INR 60m), on the other hand, they released some big match-winning players, such as Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar, Quinton de Kock. IN PICS | IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction Commenting on the retention scenario, the skipper said, "As you all know, it was going to be the toughest retention for Mumbai Indians this year. We have had solid players, absolutely gun players in our squad and to release them is absolutely heart-breaking." Rohit added, "They have done some amazing work for this franchise, created a lot of memories. So, to let them go was really tough." "Four players including myself – hopefully, we can form a good core and create a solid team around us. The immediate goal is to form a solid team and that will start at the auction. We’ll keep an eye on who we can get in the auction, find the right spot for the right players," said Sharma. ALSO READ | 'Unethical if KL Rahul has been approached by another franchise': Punjab Kings "So yeah, our scouts are doing a fantastic job, watching talents in and outside India. I have faith and belief in them. They have done an amazing job over the years finishing talent. Hopefully, we can find some players that can form a good core," Rohit Sharma further added. The @mipaltan retention list is out! Comment below and let us know what do you make of it❓#VIVOIPLRetention pic.twitter.com/rzAx6Myw3B — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 30, 2021 ×

IPL 2022: Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma says to release 'gun players' was absolutely heart-breaking

The D-Day is finally here. The existing eight IPL franchises have released their set of retained players ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. In this regard, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) have also shared their list.&nbsp;

Skipper Rohit Sharma and pacer Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounder and vice-captain Kieron Pollard and No. 3 batter Suryakumar Yadav have been retained by the Men in Blue. Hence, some of the big names in their line-up such as&nbsp;Pandya brothers, Quinton de Kock, Trent Boult&nbsp;and Ishan Kishan have missed the cut; shocking many of their loyal fans worldwide.&nbsp;

Talking about Rohit and Bumrah, they remain their most important players. While Rohit has been their seasoned campaigner and led them to five titles, Bumrah has also made a resounding name for himself worldwide while playing for the franchise. He has been a regular for the MI line-up, with 130 wickets so far, and his retention isn't surprising. On the other hand, Pollard's association with the MI line-up started since the IPL 2010 edition and has been a vital cog of the franchise ever since. He has amassed&nbsp;3,268 in 178 matches for the MI franchise along with accounting for&nbsp;65 wickets.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-to-rohit-sharma-complete-list-of-reported-retentions-for-all-8-franchises-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-432931">MS Dhoni to Rohit Sharma: Complete list of reported retentions for all 8 franchises ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

Meanwhile, SKY has been one of their most consistent players since IPL 2018. Surya scored in excess of 400 runs from IPL 2018-2020 but had a ordinary season by his standards in IPL 14. Nonetheless, he has been backed by the MI team management.

For the unversed, MI now have 48 crores (480 million) left in their purse ahead of the mega auction in 2022.&nbsp; The franchise will now like to create a new core for themselves -- and also try to bring back some of their non-retained players -- for the upcoming seasons in&nbsp;the IPL 2022 auction.&nbsp;

The auction is reportedly scheduled to take place early in January, 2022.

The D-Day is finally here. The existing eight IPL franchises have released their set of retained players ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. In this regard, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) have also shared their list.

The D-Day is finally here. The existing eight IPL franchises have released their set of retained players ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. In this regard, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) have also shared their list. Skipper Rohit Sharma and pacer Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounder and vice-captain Kieron Pollard and No. 3 batter Suryakumar Yadav have been retained by the Men in Blue. Hence, some of the big names in their line-up such as Pandya brothers, Quinton de Kock, Trent Boult and Ishan Kishan have missed the cut; shocking many of their loyal fans worldwide. Talking about Rohit and Bumrah, they remain their most important players. While Rohit has been their seasoned campaigner and led them to five titles, Bumrah has also made a resounding name for himself worldwide while playing for the franchise. He has been a regular for the MI line-up, with 130 wickets so far, and his retention isn't surprising. On the other hand, Pollard's association with the MI line-up started since the IPL 2010 edition and has been a vital cog of the franchise ever since. He has amassed 3,268 in 178 matches for the MI franchise along with accounting for 65 wickets. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni to Rohit Sharma: Complete list of reported retentions for all 8 franchises ahead of IPL mega auction Meanwhile, SKY has been one of their most consistent players since IPL 2018. Surya scored in excess of 400 runs from IPL 2018-2020 but had a ordinary season by his standards in IPL 14. Nonetheless, he has been backed by the MI team management. For the unversed, MI now have 48 crores (480 million) left in their purse ahead of the mega auction in 2022. The franchise will now like to create a new core for themselves -- and also try to bring back some of their non-retained players -- for the upcoming seasons in the IPL 2022 auction. The auction is reportedly scheduled to take place early in January, 2022.

MI complete retention list: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard retained

Less than 48 hours are left for the deadline for the existing eight Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction. The eight teams can retain a maximum of only four players with no Right To Match (RTM) option available at the mega auction this time around. The deadline for retention is November 30.

While the old teams can retain four players each, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players. The existing franchises can retain a maximum of three Indian and two overseas players among their retentions while the new teams can pick not more than two Indian players as part of their three selections.

A number of major Indian players are likely to be released by their respective franchises due to the retention limits. Here we take a look at some of the top Indian players who might be released by the teams and will be heading into the auction table this year.

Top 5 Indian players who might get released by their respective franchise:

KL Rahul

Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul is all set to be released by the franchise as per multiple reports. While Punjab Kings would have liked to keep their biggest superstar, Rahul himself had expressed his desire to leave the side seeking a new challenge.&nbsp;

The vice-captain of the Indian T20 team has been one of the most consistent performers with the bat in the IPL over the years and is likely to be targeted by the two new teams for a leadership role. Rahul has 3272 runs to his name in 94 IPL matches at an average of over 47.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-mumbai-indians-rohit-sharma-led-side-keen-on-roping-in-indian-star-at-ipl-mega-auction-432331">Shreyas Iyer to Mumbai Indians? Rohit-led side keen on roping in Indian star at IPL mega auction</a>

Hardik Pandya&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to be released by his franchise, as per reports. With doubts over his bowling abilities, Hardik, who has struggled with injuries might join a new IPL team ahead of the mega auction. If he is not picked by any of the two new sides and heads into the auction pool, Hardik is likely to create a bidding war at the mega auction.

Hardik has played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success over the last few seasons and has 1476 runs and 42 wickets to his name in 92 games in the IPL.

Shreyas Iyer&nbsp;

The former Delhi Capitals captain is likely to join a new franchise ahead of the new season as he has reportedly expressed his desire to leave his current team. As per reports, Iyer wants a leadership role and with DC set to keep Rishabh Pant as captain, he has decided to part ways with the franchise.

Iyer led DC to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 season and was a consistent run-getter for the team. He has played 87 IPL matches so far with 2375 runs to his name at an average of 31.66.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-not-keen-to-be-csks-first-choice-retention-wants-higher-salary-for-other-players-report-432296">MS Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report</a>

Bhuvneshwar Kumar&nbsp;

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are reportedly looking to retain only two players ahead of the mega auction - captain Kane Williamson and ace spinner Rashid Khan. Senior Indian fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to be released by the franchise and is expected to trigger a bidding war at the mega auction.

A regular member of India's white-ball teams, Bhuvneshwar is one of the most experienced pacers in the tournament. He has played 132 IPL matches so far and has 142 wickets to his name at an economy of 7.30.

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL 2021 with 19 wickets in 14 matches for Punjab Kings. However, Punjab Kings are reportedly planning to retain none of the players from their current squad which might see Shami head to the auction table.

Shami will be one of te most sought-after Indian pacers at the mega auction and can fetch a decent contract. He has 79 wickets in 79 matches in his IPL career and has an economy of 8.62.

Less than 48 hours are left for the deadline for the existing eight Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction.

Less than 48 hours are left for the deadline for the existing eight Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction. The eight teams can retain a maximum of only four players with no Right To Match (RTM) option available at the mega auction this time around. The deadline for retention is November 30. While the old teams can retain four players each, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players. The existing franchises can retain a maximum of three Indian and two overseas players among their retentions while the new teams can pick not more than two Indian players as part of their three selections. A number of major Indian players are likely to be released by their respective franchises due to the retention limits. Here we take a look at some of the top Indian players who might be released by the teams and will be heading into the auction table this year. Top 5 Indian players who might get released by their respective franchise: KL Rahul Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul is all set to be released by the franchise as per multiple reports. While Punjab Kings would have liked to keep their biggest superstar, Rahul himself had expressed his desire to leave the side seeking a new challenge. The vice-captain of the Indian T20 team has been one of the most consistent performers with the bat in the IPL over the years and is likely to be targeted by the two new teams for a leadership role. Rahul has 3272 runs to his name in 94 IPL matches at an average of over 47. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer to Mumbai Indians? Rohit-led side keen on roping in Indian star at IPL mega auction Hardik Pandya Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to be released by his franchise, as per reports. With doubts over his bowling abilities, Hardik, who has struggled with injuries might join a new IPL team ahead of the mega auction. If he is not picked by any of the two new sides and heads into the auction pool, Hardik is likely to create a bidding war at the mega auction. Hardik has played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success over the last few seasons and has 1476 runs and 42 wickets to his name in 92 games in the IPL. Shreyas Iyer The former Delhi Capitals captain is likely to join a new franchise ahead of the new season as he has reportedly expressed his desire to leave his current team. As per reports, Iyer wants a leadership role and with DC set to keep Rishabh Pant as captain, he has decided to part ways with the franchise. Iyer led DC to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 season and was a consistent run-getter for the team. He has played 87 IPL matches so far with 2375 runs to his name at an average of 31.66. Also Read: MS Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report Bhuvneshwar Kumar Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are reportedly looking to retain only two players ahead of the mega auction - captain Kane Williamson and ace spinner Rashid Khan. Senior Indian fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to be released by the franchise and is expected to trigger a bidding war at the mega auction. A regular member of India's white-ball teams, Bhuvneshwar is one of the most experienced pacers in the tournament. He has played 132 IPL matches so far and has 142 wickets to his name at an economy of 7.30. Mohammed Shami Mohammed Shami was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL 2021 with 19 wickets in 14 matches for Punjab Kings. However, Punjab Kings are reportedly planning to retain none of the players from their current squad which might see Shami head to the auction table. Shami will be one of te most sought-after Indian pacers at the mega auction and can fetch a decent contract. He has 79 wickets in 79 matches in his IPL career and has an economy of 8.62.

From KL Rahul to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 Indian players who might not be retained by their IPL franchises

Mumbai Indians (MI) face one of the trickiest challenges as the deadline day for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions approaches. With one of the best squads at their disposal, the five-time champions will have to do intense brainstorming to select the four players they want to retain&nbsp;ahead of the mega auction. Each of the existing eight teams can retain a maximum of four players each.

The total purse allotted&nbsp;to all ten franchises will be Rs 90 (INR 900 million), out of which Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) will be deducted if a franchise decides to retain four players. MI are one of the teams who might consider utilising all four slots for retentions with an incredible amount of talent in their existing squad.

Former Mumbai Indians pacer Mitchell McClenaghan recently picked one player between the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya, who he feels the franchise should definitely retain. While captain Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be the first two retentions for MI, it remains to be seen who will take the other two slots.

Responding to a question from ESPN Cricinfo on Twitter, McClenaghan said MI should retain Hardik if they had the choice to keep only one player between Suryakumar, Ishan, Hardik and Krunal. "Clearly Hardik. It's not even a question - there is a severe lack of Indian all-rounders and finishers. No one on that level yet," McClenaghan, a four-time IPL winner with MI, wrote on Twitter.

<img alt="McClenaghan tweet." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dfd22f3d-18e9-4361-b271-51c825db832a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/McClenaghan%20tweet.png" />

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-think-ms-dhoni-will-play-full-season-ex-nz-bowler-makes-bold-prediction-on-csk-captains-ipl-future-432542">'Don't think&nbsp;Dhoni will play full season': Ex-NZ bowler makes bold prediction on CSK captain's IPL future</a>

However, as per reports, Hardik is unlikely to be retained by Mumbai Indians and is not on their list of priorities. West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard along with young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan are reportedly set to be retained by the Rohit Sharma-led side.

If released, Hardik might be roped in by one of the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow ahead of the mega auction. And if he goes into the auction pool, the Indian all-rounder is likely to trigger a bidding war among franchises.

&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians (MI) face one of the trickiest challenges as the deadline day for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions approaches. With one of the best squads at their disposal, the five-time champions will have to do intense brainstorming to select the four players they want to retain ahead of the mega auction.

Mumbai Indians (MI) face one of the trickiest challenges as the deadline day for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions approaches. With one of the best squads at their disposal, the five-time champions will have to do intense brainstorming to select the four players they want to retain ahead of the mega auction. Each of the existing eight teams can retain a maximum of four players each. The total purse allotted to all ten franchises will be Rs 90 (INR 900 million), out of which Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) will be deducted if a franchise decides to retain four players. MI are one of the teams who might consider utilising all four slots for retentions with an incredible amount of talent in their existing squad. Former Mumbai Indians pacer Mitchell McClenaghan recently picked one player between the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya, who he feels the franchise should definitely retain. While captain Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be the first two retentions for MI, it remains to be seen who will take the other two slots. Responding to a question from ESPN Cricinfo on Twitter, McClenaghan said MI should retain Hardik if they had the choice to keep only one player between Suryakumar, Ishan, Hardik and Krunal. "Clearly Hardik. It's not even a question - there is a severe lack of Indian all-rounders and finishers. No one on that level yet," McClenaghan, a four-time IPL winner with MI, wrote on Twitter. Also Read: 'Don't think Dhoni will play full season': Ex-NZ bowler makes bold prediction on CSK captain's IPL future However, as per reports, Hardik is unlikely to be retained by Mumbai Indians and is not on their list of priorities. West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard along with young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan are reportedly set to be retained by the Rohit Sharma-led side. If released, Hardik might be roped in by one of the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow ahead of the mega auction. And if he goes into the auction pool, the Indian all-rounder is likely to trigger a bidding war among franchises.

Ishan, Suryakumar, Hardik or Krunal? Former Mumbai Indians pacer picks one player franchise should retain

Axar Patel wreaked havoc on New Zealand batting line-up on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test between India and the Kiwis in Kanpur on Saturday. Axar picked up a five-wicket haul as India bundled out the Kiwis for 296 runs in their first innings to gain a crucial lead of 49 runs ahead of their second innings.

It was a brilliant spell from Axar, who spun a web around the New Zealand batting line-up and continuously troubled the Kiwi batters. Axar finished with brilliant figures of 5/62 in his 4 overs and was the pick of the bowlers for Team India in the series-opener at Kanpur.

Former India cricketer Wasi Jaffer, who is known for his witty tweets and hilarious memes on Twitter, took a dig at Axar and pointed out his 'only mistake' in the Test match after his sensational spell. Jaffer, who is known for entertaining cricket fans on Twitter with his funny side, posted a picture of the match ball which was gifted to Axar after his five-wicket haul and said the only mistake the left-arm spinner made was putting the wrong date on the ball.

&nbsp;"The only mistake Axar Patel made today was putting wrong date on the match ball. 27th November hai bapu @akshar2026 #INDvNZ," Jaffer wrote in a tweet.

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The only mistake Axar Patel made today was putting wrong date on the match ball. 27th November hai bapu <a href="https://twitter.com/akshar2026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@akshar2026</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/fJKGPHqIry">pic.twitter.com/fJKGPHqIry</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1464565464353308672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Axar was quick to respond to Jaffer's tweet and clarified that it was not him but his Indian teammate Suryakumar Yadav, who had put the wrong date on the match ball. Suryakumar also joined the banter on Twitter and reacted hilariously to Jaffer's idea of punishment for his mistake. The banter between the trio became the talk of town among cricket fans on Twitter.

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Ohh then what's the punishment for <a href="https://twitter.com/surya_14kumar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@surya_14kumar</a> ? Stand in front of The Wall? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/uofZNxUBRz">https://t.co/uofZNxUBRz</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1464602290245963778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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I do it everyday
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) <a href="https://twitter.com/surya_14kumar/status/1464614865775984641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pujara-equals-unwanted-record-rahane-fails-again-as-india-struggle-in-kanpur-test-against-new-zealand-432481">Pujara equals unwanted record, Rahane fails again as India struggle in Kanpur Test against NZ</a>

Resuming their innings from 129/0, New Zealand were blown away by Indian spinners on Day 3 of the Kanpur Test on Saturday as Axar and R Ashwin combined to pick up eight wickets between them. While Axar picked up a five-wicket haul, Ashwin finished with excellent figures of 3/82. New Zealand could only manage 296 runs in reply to India's first innings total of 345 runs and conceded a lead of 49 runs.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pujara-equals-unwanted-record-rahane-fails-again-as-india-struggle-in-kanpur-test-against-new-zealand-432481">Pujara equals unwanted record, Rahane fails again as India struggle in Kanpur Test against NZ</a>

However, India failed to capitalise on the lead as they slumped under pressure on Day 4 of the ongoing Test match. The likes of Ajinkya Rahane (4), Chesteshwar Pujara (22) and Ravindra Jadeja (0) failed to deliver as India were left reeling at 51/5 on the penultimate day of the Kanpur Test.

Axar Patel wreaked havoc on New Zealand batting line-up on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test between India and the Kiwis in Kanpur on Saturday. Axar picked up a five-wicket haul as India bundled out the Kiwis for 296 runs in their first innings to gain a crucial lead of 49 runs ahead of their second innings.

Axar Patel wreaked havoc on New Zealand batting line-up on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test between India and the Kiwis in Kanpur on Saturday. Axar picked up a five-wicket haul as India bundled out the Kiwis for 296 runs in their first innings to gain a crucial lead of 49 runs ahead of their second innings. It was a brilliant spell from Axar, who spun a web around the New Zealand batting line-up and continuously troubled the Kiwi batters. Axar finished with brilliant figures of 5/62 in his 4 overs and was the pick of the bowlers for Team India in the series-opener at Kanpur. Former India cricketer Wasi Jaffer, who is known for his witty tweets and hilarious memes on Twitter, took a dig at Axar and pointed out his 'only mistake' in the Test match after his sensational spell. Jaffer, who is known for entertaining cricket fans on Twitter with his funny side, posted a picture of the match ball which was gifted to Axar after his five-wicket haul and said the only mistake the left-arm spinner made was putting the wrong date on the ball. "The only mistake Axar Patel made today was putting wrong date on the match ball. 27th November hai bapu @akshar2026 #INDvNZ," Jaffer wrote in a tweet. The only mistake Axar Patel made today was putting wrong date on the match ball. 27th November hai bapu @akshar2026 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/fJKGPHqIry — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) November 27, 2021 × Axar was quick to respond to Jaffer's tweet and clarified that it was not him but his Indian teammate Suryakumar Yadav, who had put the wrong date on the match ball. Suryakumar also joined the banter on Twitter and reacted hilariously to Jaffer's idea of punishment for his mistake. The banter between the trio became the talk of town among cricket fans on Twitter. Ohh then what's the punishment for @surya_14kumar ? Stand in front of The Wall? #INDvNZ https://t.co/uofZNxUBRz — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) November 27, 2021 × I do it everyday — Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) November 27, 2021 × Also Read: Pujara equals unwanted record, Rahane fails again as India struggle in Kanpur Test against NZ Resuming their innings from 129/0, New Zealand were blown away by Indian spinners on Day 3 of the Kanpur Test on Saturday as Axar and R Ashwin combined to pick up eight wickets between them. While Axar picked up a five-wicket haul, Ashwin finished with excellent figures of 3/82. New Zealand could only manage 296 runs in reply to India's first innings total of 345 runs and conceded a lead of 49 runs. Also Read: Pujara equals unwanted record, Rahane fails again as India struggle in Kanpur Test against NZ However, India failed to capitalise on the lead as they slumped under pressure on Day 4 of the ongoing Test match. The likes of Ajinkya Rahane (4), Chesteshwar Pujara (22) and Ravindra Jadeja (0) failed to deliver as India were left reeling at 51/5 on the penultimate day of the Kanpur Test.

Wasim Jaffer takes a dig at Axar Patel over his 'only mistake' in 1st Test, Suryakumar Yadav responds

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