Watch: WPL Hangover! Shastri Calls Gujarat Giants, Not Titans At IPL Toss

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 began with a glittering opening ceremony in Ahmedabad on Friday. Stars like Rashmika Mandanna, Tamannaah Bhatia, Arijit Singh were the star performers. After the starry performance, it was time for a blockbuster match between four-time champions Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Gujarat Titans. Ahead of the game between the MS Dhoni-led CSK and the Hardik Pandya-led GT, former Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri was present at the toss as a commentator. By mistake, Shastri called the Hardik Pandya-led team as Gujarat Giants and not Gujarat Titans. Gujarat Giants is a team in the Women's Premier League.   

"Time for the coin to go up for the first time in IPL 2023. Hardik Pandya - Gujarat Giants, Mahendra Singh Dhoni - Chennai Super Kings," Ravi Shastri said as commented at the toss between the two champion teams. Pandya was all smiles as Shastri said the wrong team's name. 

WPL Hangover! Shastri Calls Gujarat Giants, Not Gujarat Titans At Toss

Toss Update@gujarat_titans win the toss and opt to field first against @ChennaiIPL at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad

Follow the match https://t.co/61QLtsnj3J#TATAIPL | #GTvCSK pic.twitter.com/F2KNPMuHTy

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 31, 2023

Talking about the match, CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off 50 balls as Chennai Super Kings posted a challenging 178 for seven against defending champions Gujarat Titans. Gaikwad regaled the near capacity crowd here with with his sublime strokeplay. It was a display of effortless hitting from Gaikwad, who relied on his lofted drives over extra cover and crisp pull shots to collect as many as eight sixes.

Apart from Gaikwad, the only other batter who put the Titans under pressure was Moeen Ali who came up with a 17-ball 23. Ali's flat six off Mohammad Shami on a free-hit ball was the highlight of his cameo. 

With PTI inputs 

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KKR Predicted XI vs PBKS, IPL 2023: Will In-Form Gurbaz Get His Chance?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kick off their campaign against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 2 of the Indian Premier League on Saturday at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. With captain Shreyas Iyer out for the tournament due to a back injury, stand-in skipper Nitish Rana will have a point or two to prove as he looks to take his team to the playoffs against all odds. While the job won't be an easy one, head coach Chandrakant Pandit's presence could be beneficial for the franchise.

Ahead of their first game of the season, here's what we think could be KKR's playing XI against PBKS:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz: After being drafted to the team from Gujarat Titans, the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter will look to get opportunities this time around. Despite hardly played last season, Gurbaz can help KKR in sorting out their top-order issues.

Venkatesh Iyer: Keeping in mind the left-right combination, Venkatesh is likely to open the innings, alongside Gurbaz. After enjoying a breakthrough season in 2021, which saw him break into the Indian side, Venkatesh failed to fire on cylinders last season.

Nitish Rana: He is likely to occupy the no.3 spot, having played a lot of cricket in that very position. Named captain for the season, Rana will have an added responsibility to anchor KKR's innings. His form will be crucial for the two-time champions.

Narayan Jagadeesan: Bought for the sum of Rs 90 lakh, Jagadeesan will look to impress the management and cement his place in the team. Jagadeesan has done well in TNPL and recently owned the world record for highest List A score (277).

Andre Russell: Having been with the franchise for nearly a decade, Russell has seen a lot of ups and downs. After his struggles in 2020 and 2021, Russell regained his magic touch last season, scoring 335 runs and taking 17 wickets. His form could decide KKR's fate this season.

Rinku Singh: After struggling with form initially, Rinku Singh set the stage on fire with his performance during the latter stages of the tournament. The management is likely to keep him the playing XI, as he can also be handy with the ball.

Sunil Narine: The West Indian was the most economical bowler in the tournament last season, conceding just 5.57 runs per over. However, he would look to improve on his tallly of nine wickets from last season.

Shardul Thakur: Traded to KKR from Delhi Capitals, Shardul was one of the top performers with 15 wickets in 14 outings last season. However, his economy rate can be a concern. He is likely to be one of the first names in the team due to his wicket-taking ability and ability to contribute with the bat down the order.

Tim Southee: The veteran pacer will spearhead KKR's bowling unit, and is likely to get the nod in the team ahead of compatriot Lockie Ferguson. Southee played 9 games last season, taking 14 wickets.

Umesh Yadav: He is likely to share the new ball with Southee, having bagged 16 wickets in 12 games last season. He was also economical last season, conceding just 7.06 runs per over.

Varun Chakravarthy: With just six wickets to his name, Varun Chakravarthy had a difficult IPL 2022. However, the management is likely to retain him in the playing XI.

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PBKS Predicted XI vs KKR, IPL 2023: Which Pair Will Open The Innings?

Under the leadership of new captain Shikhar Dhawan, Punjab Kings are all set to begin their campaign for the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday. Led by the veteran opening batter Dhawan, the Kings will be guided by World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss, as they eye their maiden IPL title. PBKS will also keep high hopes from England all-rounder Sam Curran, who became the costliest buy with a sum of Rs 18.50 crore at IPL auctions 2023.

The team will miss the service of star pacer Kagiso Rabada in the first game as he is on national duty. In his absence, Arshdeep Singh will have more responsibilities on his shoulders. However, PBKS are likely to rope in Nathan Ellis in the playing XI to fill the void of Rabada.

PBKS will also be missing Liam Livingstone in their first game and this might see their new recruit Sikandar Raza getting a chance to feature in the playing XI. He was bought for Rs 50 lakh at IPL auctions 2023.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shahrukh Khan and Jitesh Sharma are the star batters at the middle-order of PBKS.

The team had finished at the sixth spot last season and it would definitely hope for an improved show this season. Inconsistency has hurt Punjab badly over the years and Bayliss will have to find a way to optimise the performance of a squad that looks formidable on paper. Punjab finished sixth in the past four seasons and reached their only final in 2014.

Punjab Kings Predicted XI vs Kolkata Knight Riders:

Shikhar Dhawan(c), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar

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Arijit Singh Touches MS Dhoni's Feet Before IPL Game. Pic Breaks Internet

MS Dhoni is one of the most-loved cricketers in the world and star singer Arijit Singh is also a fan of the veteran wicket-keeper batsman. The duo shared a heartwarming moment during the opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday and the picture has already gone viral. In the picture doing the rounds, Arijit could be seen touching Dhoni's feet as the two of them met after the performances. Arijit thrilled the fans with his hit songs during the opening ceremony and he was joined by actresses Rashmika Mandanna and Tamannah Bhatia. 

Arijit Singh touched MS Dhoni's feet during IPL 2023 opening ceremony. pic.twitter.com/8DeX3mRb9N

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 31, 2023

Shubman Gill eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad's high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings. 

Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off 50 balls before Titans pulled things back in the middle overs to limit Chennai Super Kings to 178 for seven after opting to bowl first in front of a near capacity crowd. 

Arijit Singh touched Dhoni's feet .

Oh man ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sjoP8mIoWx

— MAHIYANK ™ (@Mahiyank_78) March 31, 2023

In the form of his life over the past three months, Gill played some jaw-dropping strokes in his 63 off 36 balls to set up a fine win for the home team. Titans got home in 19.2 overs. 

Gill's opening partner Wriddhiman Saha showed he has still got it as he smashed a couple of sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball 25 that got the Titans going in the run chase. 

Gill's best shot of the innings was the back foot punch off CSK's impact player Tushar Deshpande and he followed with a pick up shot over midwicket. Titans' impact player Sai Sudharsan, who was used in place of an injured Kane Williamson, contributed with 22 off 17 balls. 

When Gill departed, Titans needed 41 off the last five overs but CSK managed to take the game down to the wire. 

It needed a cameo from Rashid Khan (10 not out off 3) to settled the nerves in the Titans dressing room. 

(With PTI inputs)

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Shubman Sizzles As Gujarat Titans Begin IPL Title Defence In Style

Shubman Gill eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad's high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener in Ahmedabad on Friday. Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off 50 balls before Titans pulled things back in the middle overs to limit Chennai Super Kings to 178 for seven after opting to bowl first in front of a near capacity crowd at the world's largest cricket stadium. In the form of his life over the past three months, Gill played some jaw-dropping strokes in his 63 off 36 balls to set up a fine win for the home team. Titans got home in 19.2 overs.

Gill's opening partner Wriddhiman Saha showed he has still got it as he smashed a couple of sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball 25 that got the Titans going in the run chase.

Gill's best shot of the innings was the back foot punch off CSK's impact player Tushar Deshpande and he followed with a pick up shot over midwicket. Titans' impact player Sai Sudharsan, who was used in place of an injured Kane Williamson, contributed with 22 off 17 balls.

When Gill departed, Titans needed 41 off the last five overs but CSK managed to take the game down to the wire.

It needed a cameo from Rashid Khan (10 not out off 3) to settled the nerves in the Titans dressing room.

Earlier, it was a display of effortless hitting from Gaikwad, who relied on his lofted drives over extra cover and crisp pull shots to collect as many as nine sixes.

Apart from Gaikwad, the only other batter who put the Titans under pressure was Moeen Ali who came up with a 17-ball 23. Ali's flat six off Mohammad Shami on a free-hit ball was the highlight of his cameo.

Gaikwad pulled IPL debutant Joshua Little on his very first ball to set the tone of his innings. That over went for 15 runs and with Shami conceding 17 runs in the following over, CSK got the momentum they were looking for.

Titans' trump card Rashid Khan was introduced in the powerplay and as he often does, he got the wicket that his team was looking for by getting the dangerous looking Ali caught behind.

Rashid's second over saw him getting rid of England Test captain Ben Stokes, who too was caught by wicketkeeper Saha, leaving CSK at 70 for three.

However, the fall of wickets did not make Gaikwad change his game as he kept getting the boundaries. He welcomed Alzarri Joseph into the attack by smashing him for three sixes in the eighth over.

Titans did well to stem the flow of runs in the middle overs and got the wicket of Ambati Rayudu.

Shivam Dube struggled to find the big hits and that put pressure on Gaikwad who was caught in the deep in the 17th over and missed out on a deserving hundred.

Skipper M S Dhoni came out to bat at number eight but still managed to make an impact as he pulled Little for a six before flicking him for a four in the final over, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Williamson injured his knee while fielding at the boundary and limped off the field.

The last five overs yielded 45 runs for CSK.

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GT Predicted XI vs CSK, IPL 2023: Will Kane Williamson Make His Debut?

After defying all odds to lift the Indian Premier League (IPL) title in their maiden season last year, Gujarat Titans look to kick off their title defense in style when they go up against the Chennai Super Kings in the opening game of IPL 2023. Captain Hardik Pandya led the team by example with his all-round performances last season. His form will be key once again, while in-form Shubman Gill's presence at the top of the order will be pivotal too. David Miller, who played a crucial role with the bat in the middle-order last season, will miss the opener due to international commitments. GT roped in Kane Williamson during the IPL auction and it will be interesting to see how many games he will have under his belt.

Here's what we think could be Gujarat Titans' playing XI for the IPL 2023 opener against CSK:

Shubman Gill: Fresh from scoring a double hunred for India recently, Shubman Gill will look to improve on the 483 runs he scored last season. 

Matthew Wade: The veteran Australian stumper could get a nod in at the top of the order, especially when Wriddhiman Saha has not played many games since the conclusion of last season.

Kane Williamson: With the burden of captaincy not anymore on his shoulders, Williamson will look to adapt to a new role. He is likely to make his debut due to the absence of Miller, who will be in action for South Africa against the Netherlands.

Hardik Pandya: Captain fantastic Pandya is likely to drop one slot down the order to push Williamson up the order. He will occupy Miller's role for the time being and look to accelerate the innings.

Sai Sudarshan: The 21-year-old played five games last season and impressed everyone with his mature decision making. He scored 145 runs last season, averaging just over 36.

Rahul Tewatia: In Rahul Tewatia, GT have another power-hitter who can accelerate the innings as per the situation. He can also be handy customer with the ball.

Rashid Khan: One of the most dangerous bowlers in the T20 circuit, Rashid Khan will be motivated after leading Afghanistan to a series win over Pakistan last week. Not to forget his credentials as a power-hitter down the order.

Sai Kishore: Known for his bowling skills, Kishore was pretty handy with the bat last season. He played five matches and took six wickets. The management is likely to back him for the opener against CSK.

Alzarri Joseph: The lanky West Indian pacer took 13 wickets in the 12 games he played last season. He is likely to get a nod in the team, ahead of compatriot Odean Smith.

Mohammed Shami: The veteran pacer will spearhead GT's bowling once again this season. In 93 IPL matches so far, Shami has picked up 99 wickets. His form will be key for GT once again.

Yash Dayal: The 25-year-old will bolster GT's pace battery, having claimed 11 wickets last season. He is expected to keep his place in the team.

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MS Dhoni Closes In On Giant Milestone As CSK Take On GT In IPL 2023 Opener

One of the greatest cricketers the game has produced, MS Dhoni is all set to achieve a new milestone as the Chennai Super Kings take on defending champions Gujarat Titans on the first day of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Dhoni, who has featured in every single IPL since since the T20 league's inception in 2008, is closing in on a huge milestone that would see him become only the 7th player in the tournament's history to score 5000 or more runs.

Dhoni, at present, has 4978 runs to his name in the T20 league, having represented two franchises -- Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants. If he scores 22 more runs in the IPL 2023 opener against Gujarat Titans, he will cross the 5000-run mark in the franchise league.

The list is led by Royal Challengers Bangalore stalwart Virat Kohli who has 6624 runs to his name in 223 matches. He is followed by Shikhar Dhawan, David Warner, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, and AB de Villiers.

Top scoring batters in IPL history:

Rank	Player	Matches	Highest	Average	Strike rate	100s	50s	Runs
1	Virat Kohli	223	113	36.20	129.15	5	44	6624
2	Shikhar Dhawan	206	106*	35.08	126.35	2	47	6244
3	David Warner	162	126	42.01	140.69	4	54	5881
4	Rohit Sharma	227	109*	30.30	129.89	1	40	5879
5	Suresh Raina	205	100*	32.52	136.76	1	39	5528
6	AB de Villiers	184	133*	39.70	151.68	3	40	5162
7	MS Dhoni	234	84*	39.20	135.20	0	24	4978
8	Chris Gayle	142	175*	39.72	148.96	6	31	4965
9	Robin Uthappa	205	88	27.51	130.35	0	27	4952
10	Dinesh Karthik	229	97*	26.85	132.65	0	19	4376

There, however, remains a little concern over Dhoni's fitness ahead of the opener against Gujarat. The wicket-keeper batter is said to be carrying a minor injury, although, the franchise's CEO doesn't think that will rule him out of the Gujarat Titans clash.

At the age of 41, Dhoni is understandably not at the peak of his powers. But, he continues to lead the Chennai Super Kings, a franchise that is known to get the best out of its veteran players. Having 'bulked up' ahead of the 16th edition of the league, Dhoni is expected to play a huge role for CSK in what could be his last season in the T20 league.

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Josh Hazlewood Likely To Miss First 7 Games For RCB: Report

Set to miss at least first leg of the IPL due to an Achilles (heel) problem, Royal Challengers Bangalore's Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood would reach India by April 14 but would take another week to be match-fit. While Hazlewood will miss at least seven IPL games, his Australian teammate Glenn Maxwell is doubtful for RCB's opening match against Mumbai Indians on April 2 in Bengaluru as he is yet to fully regain strength post leg fracture. "Everything is ticking along according to plan, so I'll be heading over on the 14th (of April) depending on how the next two weeks go," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by The Age.

"I probably won't be quite ready to go right then, but (after) another week in India to touch things up skills wise I should be ready to go hopefully." Hazlewood, who had to opt out of Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, is hoping to get ready for the Ashes via the IPL.

"You don't need a lot of workload for T20. It's more just ticking off those boxes of getting up to speed and pushing back in the run-up. I'm probably only going to need to do one or two sessions at full pace and then I'm probably good to play.

"T20 is a lot different to Test and even one-day cricket. You only need 20 balls at full pace and that's pretty close to a game, which is a good thing," he said.

The 32-year-old pacer, however, is still awaiting a medical clearance from Cricket Australia before departing for India.

"It's a niggly one, the Achilles tendon. It's a slow process but it thrives on a bit of work, and I'd have to be bowling to prepare for the Ashes, so it may as well be in a game of cricket," Hazlewood said.

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Watch: What To Expect From Drone Show At IPL 2023 Opening Ceremony

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 is set to kick off with a grand opening ceremony on Friday at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. While the cricketing focus is on the match between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Gujarat Titans, the curtain-raiser event is also going to be mesmerising, considering a drone show will be conducted, together with some celebrity performances. Ahead of the opening ceremony, a video emerged on social media, showing a glimpse of the drone show that will be held on Friday.

As per reports, around 1,500 drones will be used at the opening ceremony, creating a unique light show that has not been seen in the IPL before. The drones will form different shapes in the sky, one of them being the IPL trophy. The rehearsals for the drone show have reportedly been going on for a couple of days. Here's a glimpse:

This is simply magnificent - the drone show tonight will be mesmerizing. pic.twitter.com/43XmTMNczd

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 31, 2023

As far as the cricketing contests go, the 2023 edition of the IPL will start with the mouth-watering clash of star-studded defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) and four-time champions Chennai Super Kings.

The match will be a battle between two generations of Indian cricket. At one side will be CSK skipper MS Dhoni, who took Indian cricket to new heights of success in late 2000s to early 2010s by clinching the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup (2007), ICC Cricket World Cup (2011) and ICC Champions Trophy (2013) and became the only skipper to win these three major titles. Dhoni replicated this success in IPL, leading the team to the title on four occasions. On the other side is GT skipper Hardik Pandya, who was pushed into superstardom after leading GT to the title in their debut season. Pandya has also led India to some wins at the international level in the shorter format and is making a case for himself as a future white-ball skipper.

Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans will be facing a huge weight of expectations after clinching the title in their debut season. To prove that their title win was not a fluke, they would have to start this season well against the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings.

With ANI inputs

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IPL 2023: Michael Vaughan Makes Bold Title Prediction, Snubs CSK And MI

With the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) around the corner, the excitement among fans has been growing with each passing day. Gujarat Titans (GT) will kick off their title defense on Friday when they take on four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. GT lifted the title in their first season in the tournament after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final last year. Ahead of the start of the new season, former England captain Michael Vaughan has issued a bold statement regarding the winner of IPL 2023.

Vaughan has backed the Sanju Samson-led RR, who were beaten in the final last year, to go all the way this time around.

"Can't wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the @cricbuzz team .. I thinks it's going to be @rajasthanroyals year .. they will be lifting the trophy in late May," Vaughan tweeted.

Can't wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the @cricbuzz team .. I thinks it's going to be @rajasthanroyals year .. they will be lifting the trophy in late May .. #OnOn #IPL2023

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 29, 2023

RR have not won the IPL since its inaugural edition, when the legendary Shane Warne had guided them to the title.

After losing the final to Gujarat Titans last season, RR will start their IPL 2023 campaign on April 2, in Hyderabad against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

At the auction last year, RR acquired the services of West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder (Rs 5.75 crore), while also going for Australia's Adam Zampa (Rs 1.5 crore).

England batter Joe Root will also play his first-ever IPL season, having been bought at his base price of Rs 2 crore.

RR Full Squad:

Players bought in IPL 2023 auction: Jason Holder (Rs 5.75 crore), Donovan Ferreira (Rs 50 lakh), Kunal Rathore (Rs 20 lakh), Adam Zampa (Rs 1.5 crore), KM Asif (Rs 30 lakh), Murugan Ashwin (Rs 20 lakh), Abdul PA (Rs 20 lakh), Akash Vashisht (Rs 20 lakh), Joe Root (INR 2 crore)

Retained players: Sanju Samson (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna (Replaced by Sandeep Sharma), Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa.
 

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New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI Live Score Updates

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Odi Live Updates: Keeping an eye at securing automatic qualification for the World Cup, Sri Lanka will look to win the third ODI against New Zealand and hope for some other results to go in their favour. Their hopes took a major blow on Tuesday when heavy rain and gusting winds forced the second ODI against New Zealand to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. Having also lost the first ODI in the three-match series, Sri Lanka are now ninth in the Super League table with 82 points, six points behind West Indies. (LIVE SCORECARD)

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IPL 2023: Rohit Sharma Ducks 'Rest' Bouncer, Puts MI Coach In Spotlight

'Workload management' is an important contributor to players' performances. With the gruelling 2-month-long Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season set to start on March 31, many are worried about the Indian players' workload, especially keeping the World Test Championship final against Australia in mind. Rohit Sharma, who is the captain of both the Indian team and Mumbai Indians, was asked about taking 'rest' from IPL during the course of the season. His didn't just dodge the bullet himself but put head coach Mark Boucher in the spotlight.

In an interaction for Mumbai Indians ahead of the start of the new season, Rohit was asked about sitting out from a few matches. 

He said: "I think Mark will give you an answer to that."

Boucher, who is the new MI head coach, said: "Do you want to rest? He is the captain," said, before adding "Hopefully, he (Rohit) gets into some good form and hopefully, he doesn't want to rest. We will adapt to whatever the situation is. If I can get the best out of him as a captain and as a player, if it means giving him some rest for that, then I'll do that. No problem."

PRESS CONFERENCE TIME!

Paltan, watch Captain RO & Head Coach Mark Boucher address the media & answer your questions!

Watch LIVE https://t.co/sVWqBEE6hA#OneFamily #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #IPL2023 #TATAIPL @ImRo45 @markb46 pic.twitter.com/dMHjdHgwY8

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 29, 2023

Rohit had touched upon the subject of rest earlier as well. Before the Indian players joined their respective franchises after the bilateral series against Australia.

"I told them to look after their bodies," he said.

"Lot of talk is given to workloads and all that kinds of stuff. T20 cricket, if you look at our schedule, there's a nice gap between games to sort of rest and recover and we can look after every player. I don't see workloads being a major issue for us throughout the IPL," Rohit explained.

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Virat Kohli Shares His Class 10th Marksheet. Don't Miss The Caption

Star India batter Virat Kohli on Thursday shared a photo of his Class 10th marksheet. Kohli, who ended his Test century drought in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is gearing up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. The 34-year-old will be part of Royal Challengers Bangalore's squad for the 16th straight season, having joined them as an 19-year-old in 2008. Taking to Koo, Kohli shared a photo of his Class 10th marksheet, with a quirky caption.

"It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character," Kohli posted.

Koo App

It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character. #LetThereBeSport

View attached media content

- Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) 30 Mar 2023

RCB will start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season with a match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at their home arena, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Last year, RCB qualified for playoffs and finished fourth in the competition after losing to Rajasthan Royals in qualifier 2 by seven wickets.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Squad strength: 25 players (overseas 8)

Players bought during IPL 2023 auction - Reece Topley (INR 1.9 crore), Himanshu Sharma (INR 20 lakh), Will Jacks (INR 3.2 crore), Manoj Bhandage (INR 20 lakh), Rajan Kumar (INR 70 lakh), Avinash Singh (INR 60 lakh).

Players retained - Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep.

(With ANI Inputs)

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Virat Kohli, Shah Rukh Khan Fans Clash On Twitter - Here's What Happened

Social media is a place where people are free to express their views. However, on occasions, incidents are seen where banter between a few people gets ugly. Such was the instance in two sets of fans on social media. The fans of Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan went loggerheads with each other on Twitter, arguing over who is better than the other. Comparisons between cricketers or two actors are often seen among fans on social media, but one between a cricketer and an actor was certainly new.

"Who is a bigger personality and achiever globally?" a Twitter user asked on March 28 through a poll on the micro-blogging website.

The options were: a) Shah Rukh Khan and b) Virat Kohli. This was the start of a crazy fan war on social media.

Who is a bigger personality and achiever globally ?

— Slog Sweep-189 (@SloggSweep) March 27, 2023

Fans highlighted random facts to draw inferences that would leave the neutrals scratching their heads. Here are some of them:

Highest liked tweet of Shah Rukh Khan is related to one and only Virat Kohli. These are the levels. pic.twitter.com/Ib0Lsw988E

— akshat (@ReignOfVirat) March 28, 2023

But believe me bro shah rukh khan has bigger fanbase than Virat Kohli pic.twitter.com/ufwD29lKHk

— Kevin (@imkevin149) March 29, 2023

Shah Rukh Khan Virat Kohli
Owner of Gets Owned by
5 Cricket Every Cricket
Teams Team pic.twitter.com/W2vkOqmN4S

— ?????? (@KnightOfEden_) March 28, 2023

Virat Kohli at Shah Rukh
Wankhede Khan at
Wankhede pic.twitter.com/ATRl2QUF22

— Sai Krishna (@SaiKingkohli) March 28, 2023

The owners of Shah Rukh Khan on field and off field

Global Star Virat kohli and Megastar Salman Khan pic.twitter.com/pqAScpvD82

— Vishal. (@SportyVishaI) March 27, 2023

Well, if the comparison between Virat Kohli and Shah Rukh Khan is about popularity then just this picture is enough to answer the question, he is the greatest of this generation and he will remain the greatest ! pic.twitter.com/zPut15rWEH

— Akshat (@AkshatOM10) March 27, 2023

Virat Kohli and Shah Rukh Khan both are pride of India, both represent our country globally! stop this childish fight!!!pic.twitter.com/xbsdycERge

— S. (@Sobuujj) March 27, 2023

The end result of the poll was Kohli getting 54.4% votes while Shah Rukh got 45.6%. But the end of the poll didn't mark the end of the debate on social media.

Recently, a video of Virat Kohli and his teammate Ravindra Jadeja doing the Pathaan dance had gone viral on social media. The two cricketers were spotted shaking their leg the "Jhoome Jo Pathaan" during the Test series against Australia. The clip gained such popularity that even Shah Rukh Khan took to Twitter and reacted.

The King Khan had written: "They are doing it better than me!! Will have to learn it from Virat And Jadeja!!!"

They are doing it better than me!! Will have to learn it from Virat And Jadeja!!! https://t.co/q1aCmZByDu

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) February 14, 2023

Fan wars on social media isn't a new thing. It wasn't the first time that such a thing happened. It wouldn't be the last either. However, it also needs to be understand where a line needs to be drawn in order to keep the debates and discussions healthy.

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Virat Kohli Has Sold Most Cars That He Owned. RCB Star's 'Mature' Reason

Starting from Sunday, when Royal Challengers Bangalore gets down to action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a match against the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli and whether he can fly gets his hands on the trophy. RCB is one of the four teams that has not won the IPL. Kohli, former RCB skipper, despite some terrific performances with the bat could not lead the team to the title. However, with a great from leading up to the franchise leagues, RCB fans can hope big things from the batting great. Ahead of the two month long tournament, Kohli had a fun interaction, a video of which has been uploaded on RCB's social media handles.  

"Is there any impulsive buys that you hardly use?" the presenter asked on RCB Bold Diaries. 

"Most of the cars I owned. They were all impulsive buys. I ended up hardly driving them or actually travelling in them. Beyond a point I felt that is is actually pointless. ended up selling most of them. Now we use what we absolutely need to. I think it is also part of growing up, becoming more aware and mature about things, that you don't feel like owning toys or stuff like that. For us it's about being practical and what's of use," Virat Kohli replied.

Behind the Scenes with Virat Kohli at RCB Team Photoshoot

Current playlist, new tattoo, trump cards and more... Know more about the personal side of @imVKohli, on Bold Diaries.#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/nCatZhgFAQ

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 29, 2023

"Speaking of GOATs, if Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer and you were on the same table, what do you think would the conversations would be about?" the presenter also asked Virat. 

"I'll just keep quiet and listen to both of them. To be honest, I don't have much to add to that conversation. It's all to soak in and listene to some of the greatest athletes in the history of sports,” Kohli said.

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Rashid Khan Overtakes Wanindu Hasaranga To Reclaim No. 1 T20I Bowler's Spot

Afghanistan's milestone victory against Pakistan echoed throughout the world of cricket. It was the first time Afghanistan had beaten Pakistan in a bilateral T20I series and star spinner Rashid Khan was the main beneficiary as he overtook Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga to again become the top ranked T20I bowler in the world once again. The right-arm bowler collected a wicket in each of the three matches against Pakistan in Sharjah, with his miserly economy rate in both of Afghanistan's victories during the first two games of the series being a standout.

Rashid's teammate Fazalhaq Farooqi was the standout pacer during the series with a total of five wickets and an economy rate of just 4.75 and the left-armer shot up an eye-catching 12 spots to third overall in the latest rankings update.

It means Afghanistan now have three players inside the top 10 of the T20I category for bowlers, with spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, part of the talented trio, at the eighth spot following his four wickets for the series against Pakistan.

While regular Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was rested for the series and he dropped one place to fourth in the T20I batter rankings, stand-in skipper Shadab Khan impressed and was duly rewarded on the latest rankings update.

Shadab improved eight spots to fourth on the T20I all-rounder rankings and jumped six places to 12th overall on the list for bowers, while teammate Mohammad Wasim shot up nine spots to 23rd in the same category.

West Indies' series victory over South Africa saw a host of their players jump up the T20I rankings list, with beanpole quick Alzarri Joseph improving 17 spots to 33rd overall for bowlers and teammate Johnson Charles jumping a whopping 92 places to 17th for batters.

South Africa duo Rilee Rossouw (up two spots to sixth) and Reeza Hendricks (up eight places to 12th) also made good ground on the T20I rankings for batters in what was a high-scoring and entertaining series.

There was some movement on the ODI charts this week too, following the completion of Australia's series away from home in India and Zimbabwe's series with the Netherlands.

Australia spinner Adam Zampa jumped three places to sixth overall on the list for ODI bowlers, while Zimbabwe veteran Sikandar Raza improved one spot to fifth in the all-rounder category.

India opener Shubman Gill rose to a career-high rating of 738 points in fifth place on the list for ODI batters, with skipper Rohit Sharma jumping one spot to eighth overall in the same category.

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Will Dhoni Retire After IPL 2023? Rohit Comes Up With Explosive Answer

The reports of MS Dhoni's possible retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been making headlines for quite some time. While Dhoni is busy practicing with Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2023, various experts have already said that he will not be playing in the competition after this year. In a recent interaction, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma weighed in on the issue and the star India opener said that Dhoni looks fit enough to play in the IPL for the next 2-3 seasons. 

"I've been hearing for the last 2-3 years that this is going to be MS Dhoni's last season. I think he is fit enough to play a few more seasons," Rohit said in MI's pre-season press conference. 

Recently, Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag said that Dhoni has mastered the role of a finisher, and nobody comes anywhere close to the former India captain. 

The 21-year-old from Guwahati, who will be playing his fifth IPL this year, added that while he is happy donning the role of a finisher, if given a choice, he would like to bat at No. 4 in the tournament. 

"If they (Royals) were to ask me where I want to bat, I would say No. 4. But, then, like always, I am open to bat wherever the team needs me and wherever they think I fit the best. It is a team game; whichever way the combinations match up, I am happy to contribute," Parag told PTI. 

"I have been doing the finishing role for the last three years now. There is just one name that comes to my mind which I also have said before, MS Dhoni. I do not think anyone else has mastered that art. Going into that role, I always look up to him, how he finishes games or how he takes the game deep," Parag added. 

(With PTI inputs) 

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Watch: Not Dhoni Or Kohli! Anil Kumble's 'Power' Pick For G.O.A.T Of IPL

Indian cricket team legend Anil Kumble is no stranger to the Indian Premier League. The spinner was a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team as a player and later, he also coached the Punjab Kings franchise. While he had the chance of watching hundreds of players – both domestic and international – perform at the competition, he picked West Indies star Chris Gayle as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) in IPL history. Kumble praised his destructive style of batting and how he could change any game. 

"There are plenty of them; it's difficult to pick just one. I can certainly look back and say probably Chris Gayle, someone who is larger than life. The way he came across as a player! What he brought to RCB and the way he sorts of changed the whole powerplay and the power he brought to batting," Kumble said during a Q&A session on JioCinema ahead of the new season of the IPL. 

Earlier, in an episode of 'My Time with Virat', available on Jio Cinema, Chris Gayle spoke about sharing the dressing room with Kohli, notching up numerous 100-run partnerships, and all the dance moves they perfected together. 

"Sharing a dressing room with Virat and the other guys, once I am there, I am always jovial and having a lot of fun, dancing and everything like that," said Gayle. 

"I'd show them a few moves and realise Virat's got the skills. He can move, you know. But if it's an Indian dance, Chris Gayle will win. if it's a Caribbean dance, Chris Gayle will win!" he added. 

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"Days Of Diesel Engines Are Over": Ex-India Star's Brutal Warning For CSK

Former Indian cricket team opener Aakash Chopra had a warning for Chennai Super Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener against Gujarat Titans. Ruturaj Gaikwad is a crucial member of the MS Dhoni-led side with many experts considering him the future caption of the franchise. However, Chopra was not impressed by his approach towards building the innings slowly and the ex-cricketer made it clear that he will have to “hit the ground running” in order to benefit his side more. 

“It is possible that Ruturaj Gaikwad hits the ground up and running. Right now, he starts slowly and picks pace as he builds the innings. But the days of diesel engines are over, we have EVs now. Ruturaj has to become an electric vehicle,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. 

Chopra was also not convinced by the inclusion of England international Ben Stokes in the CSK ranks as he believes that the all-rounder's style of play may not help the side. Stokes was bought for a massive Rs 16.25 crore, but the ex-India cricketer was left confused by the possible role of the England star. 

“As we saw in the World Cup as well, he likes to take his time in the middle. He plays better at no.3 as well, and in the IPL, his only century came when he batted up in the order. So, it's hard to understand what's happening there. Robin (Uthappa) isn't there anymore, so were they searching for his replacement?” the former India star explained while speaking about the CSK batting line-up. 

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RCB In IPL 2023: Preview, Strongest XI, Schedule - All You Need To Know

The 16th edition of Indian Premier League will kick-start from Friday with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on four-time winners Chennai Super Kings, at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With new season, Royal Challengers Bangalore will be in search of their first-ever title, as they take on Mumbai Indians in the opening match. The Faf du Plessis-led side had a decent outing in the previous season, where they won eight out of 14 matches. RCB entered the playoffs and defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 14 runs in the Eliminator. However, their happiness could not last long as they faced a seven-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 and lost another big opportunity of claiming the coveted trophy. 

The major strength of RCB in the previous season was their skipper du Plessis, who smashed a whopping total of 468 runs in 16 matches, laced with three half-centuries and a highest score of 96. Apart from him, Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga turned out to be the biggest positive for the Bengaluru-based franchise as he scalped 26 wickets, including a five-wicket haul and became the second-highest wickettaker of the season. 

As IPL 2023 has brought back the concept of home and away matches, the return of RCB to their home ground at M Chinnaswamy stadium will also be a big plus point for their former skipper Virat Kohli, who battled through his lean patch last year, and is currently in a lethal form. 

However, there are some injury concerns that can be a big issue for RCB. Some reports have predicted that young batter Rajat Patidar is likely to miss the first half of the season due to a heel injury. He is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and has been advised to take rest for three weeks following which an MRI scan will determine his participation in the second half of the league.

His absence could cause RCB to rethink on their batting combination. With Patidar in the mix, RCB Director of Cricket Mike Hesson had said after the IPL auction last year in December that Virat Kohli would continue opening with skipper Faf Du Plessis. The injury now means that Kohli could bat at number three, with either young New Zealand talent Finn Allen or uncapped Indian wicketkeeper-batter Anuj Rawat likely to serve Du Plessis as his opening partner.

Patidar's availability is not the only thing concerning RCB. There are doubts over pacer Josh Hazlewood's status for the tournament as he is currently recovering from Achilles tendonitis.

Full schedule: 

Match 1: April 2, 2023 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians, Bengaluru (7:30PM IST)

Match 2: April 6, 2023 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata (7:30PM IST)

Match 3: April 10, 2023 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants, Bengaluru (3:30PM IST)

Match 4: April 15, 2023 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals, Bengaluru (3:30PM IST)

Match 5: April 17, 2023 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings, Bengaluru (7:30PM IST)

Match 6: April 20, 2023 - Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mohali (3:30PM IST)

Match 7: April 23, 2023 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals, Bengaluru (3:30PM IST)

Match 8: April 26, 2023 - Royal Challengrs Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Bengaluru (7:30PM IST)

Match 9: May 1, 2023 - Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Lucknow (7:30PM IST)

Match 10: May 6, 2023 - Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi (7:30PM IST)

Match 11: May 9, 2023 - Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai (7:30PM IST)

Match 12: May 14, 2023 - Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Jaipur (3:30PM IST)

Match 13: May 18, 2023 - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Hyderabad (7:30PM IST)

Match 14: May 21, 2023 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Titans, Bengaluru (7:30PM IST)

Strongest XI:

Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik, Finn Allen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj

Full Squad: 

Faf du Plessis (c), Finn Allen, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Sonu Yadav, Manoj Bhandage, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Karn Sharma, David Willey (ENG), Avinash Singh, Rajan Kumar, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma.

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Sachin Tendulkar 2nd As Ex-Pak Star Picks 'Most Dangerous Indian Batsman'

Indian cricket team has had some extraordinary batters over the years. If one is to pick the name that sits atop the list, most would arguably go with Sachin Tendulkar. However, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has revealed that it wasn't Tendulkar the Pakistan cricket team most feared while playing against India during his time as an active cricketer. It was Virender Sehwag that the Pakistan team considered the 'most dangerous', with Tendulkar occupying the second spot in the list.

"Virender Sehwag was the most dangerous player. After that Sachin Tendulkar. Pakistan used to plan against Sehwag and Tendulkar. Our plan used to be like - if we get these two wickets - Sehwag and Tendulkar - we will win the match. In bowling, our batsmen used to plan against Zaheer Khan. Irfan Pathan was there too for some time. Harbhajan Singh was there. These were the big names who played big matches and performed for their country," Razzaq revealed in a chat with the Times of India.

Razzaq also picked Yuvraj Singh a player who was considered dangerous in the middle order by the Pakistan team. In terms of bowlers, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh were the names that Razzaq's team planned the most against.

"In the middle order, Yuvraj Singh was the one. Sehwag, Tendulkar, Yuvraj were the big big names. When we dismissed them, we used to say yes, we have taken big wickets today. These were the players Pakistan seriously planned against. The plan involved how and what to bowl, certain areas to bowl to them in, field setting, and trying different bowlers and deliveries against these batsmen. Similarly, our batsmen planned against bowlers like Zaheer, Harbhajan, and Irfan," he further said.

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Australia's Steve Smith To Debut As Commentator at Indian Premier League

Australia's Steve Smith will debut as a commentator at the upcoming Indian Premier League, the tournament's broadcaster said Tuesday, ending the mystery about his return to the event. The 16th edition of the cash-rich Twenty20 extravaganza begins Friday in Ahmedabad, with 10 teams and a host of global stars in attendance for the eight-week tournament. "Steve Smith has joined the expert panel for the marquee tournament. Smith will be making his broadcast debut with Star Sports, adding his invaluable insights and expertise to Star Sports' already impressive roster of panelists," the broadcaster said in a statement.

Smith, 33, announced his return to the tournament on Twitter on Monday, saying in a teaser video: "Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023."

That post sparked speculation he might return to the tournament as a player. The video drew considerable mirth on social media for Smith's robot-like performance in the 15-second clip, during which he didn't blink.

"DON'T blink if you're being held at gunpoint," one Twitter user quipped.

Another fan advised Smith, who recently led Australia in two Tests and three one-day internationals in India, to use his bat and not the microphone on his Indian return. Smith last played for the Delhi Capitals in the lucrative IPL in 2021 before he went unsold in the auction for the following season.

The star batsman kept himself out of this season's mini-auction in December but can be picked up as an injury replacement by any team.

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Watch: Batter Fumes, Throws Away Bat After Run-Out At Non-Striker's End

No matter how many times the International Cricket Council and the Marylebone Cricket Club labelled the 'non-striker run-out' as a legal form of dismissal, some still remain against it. In a domestic match in Australia, a non-striker became the victim of bowlers' awareness but what happened later was truly unexpected. In a match between Claremont and New Norfolk, the batter Jarrod Kaye was run-out at the non-striker's end as he left his crease before the bowler was to deliver the ball.

The decision was referred to the third umpire, who told the on-field umpires that the non-striker had to depart. Fuming over the decision, Kaye threw his bat and gloves away while returning to the pavillion, leading to some never-seen-before visuals on the field.

A Tasmanian cricketer was NOT happy after getting out via a Mankad and launched his bat, helmet and gloves into the air! pic.twitter.com/y64z4kwpE3

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) March 28, 2023

Coming out to bat first, New Norfolk put a total of 263 for 7 in 50 overs on the board. The team's deputy skipper Harry Booth (63) and Jason Rigby (67) scored half-centuries before Thomas Briscoe's unbeaten 22-ball 37 helped the team put a decent total on the board.

When it was Claremont's turn to bat, the entire team folded on a total of 214 runs. Jarrod Kaye (43) and Rick martin (70) were among the top scorers in the team. Kaye was visibly frustrated on being run-out at the non-striker's end, as he missed on what could've been at least a half-century.

In a recent development, MCC had made a few changes with the non-striker run-out dismissal.

"We acknowledge that while this Law has generally been understood well by players and umpires, there is ambiguity in the wording which could lead to confusion. MCC has therefore moved to change the wording of Law 38.3 to deliver better clarity.

"The current wording led some to think that if the non-striker left his/her ground before the expected moment of release, then the run out could happen at any moment, even after the bowler had gone through the bowling action. That was never the intention of this Law, nor the way it was ever interpreted by MCC," said the governing body in a statement.

"It is important to note that this does not change the way the Law should be interpreted-it has been interpreted that way for the past six years, without much misunderstanding. However, the intention is that this (change of wording) will make things clearer," added the statement.

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"If Kapil Dev Says...": Razzak Opens Up On Controversial Remarks On Hardik

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq can be called controversy's "favourite child". Razzaq stays in the limelight with his harsh comments on players and teams. The 43-year-old cricketer, who played his last match for Pakistan in 2013, invited a lot of criticism after he stated that the India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is nowhere near Kapil Dev. However, Razzaq has made headlines once again but this time he opened up on his statement regarding Pandya and claimed that his words were wrongly portrayed by the critics.

In a recent interview with the Times of India, Razzaq said, "My earlier statement on Hardik Pandya was taken the wrong way. I didn't mean it. As a cricketer, I just said there is scope for improvement in him (Pandya). I didn't comment on a player who is from India, England, or Australia. I just said things as a cricketer. If Kapil Dev says that he wants to give advice to Abdul Razzaq, I will take this statement positively."

“He can work on a couple of things which according to him are areas of improvement - in terms of foot movement, bat movement, and how to judge a delivery before it is bowled. That was what I meant earlier. That was just a statement as a former all-rounder. People took it the wrong way and criticised me as well,” he added.

Coming to Razzak, the former Pakistan all-rounder had earlier made a controversial remark on Jasprit Bumrah, when he stated that the senior India pacer is not even close to Shaheen Afridi. 

"Shaheen bahut accha hai, Bumrah toh uske paas bhi nahi aata (Shaheen is very good. Bumrah doesn't come near him)," Abdul Razzaq had told Paktv.tv.

Talking about Hardik, the India all-rounder is all set to lead Gujarat Titans in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League, where they will be opening their campaign against Chennai Super Kings in the season opener on Friday. 

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"That Is The Biggest Challenge": India Veteran's Honest Take On Suryakumar

India opener Shikhar Dhawan has defended Suryakumar Yadav after the latter's disappointing run in the recently concluded Test series against Australia by making the case that SKY has been extremely consistent when it comes to white-ball cricket. Suryakumar became the first Indian batsman to score three consecutive golden ducks in a three-match ODI series and that prompted extreme criticism from experts who asked the team management to look for another No 4 ahead of the World Cup.

In a recent interaction, Dhawan was asked about Suryakumar's situation, and he said that failures can occur in the course of one's career and backed the batter to bounce back strongly in the future. 

"Suryakumar Yadav has performed really well. He has consistently performed in the last couple of years. (He hasn't done well) in a couple of series, which is very natural. If we talk about the Test match, the wickets are very different in a Test; that is the biggest challenge. When we played in India, there were turning tracks prepared because India had to win games. Things are not easy for batters, no matter how big he is and that is where experience comes to use. So, in the case of a youngster, they will falter a couple of times before learning," Dhawan said in an interview with Sports Tak. 

Former India batter Yuvraj Singh has also given his vote of confidence to the under-fire Suryakumar, suggesting he will play a key role for India in ODI World Cup this year. 

"Every sports person goes thru ups & downs in their career! We've all experienced it at sum point. I believe @surya_14kumar is a key player for India & will play an imp role in the #WorldCup if given the opportunities. Let's back our players coz our Surya will rise again," Yuvraj tweeted. 

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DC In IPL 2023: Preview, Strongest XI, Schedule - All You Need To Know

The 16th season of the Indian Premier League is all set to kick off, but Delhi Capitals' hunt for a maiden title continues. The side was earlier known as Delhi Daredevils before the owners of the franchise decided to change its name to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2019. After that, the team has shown a noticeable improvement but the title keeps eluding them. They have played the final only once. It happened in the year 2020 when Mumbai Indians got better of them.

Comes another IPL season and DC will once again hope to win their first-ever title. However, this is definitely not an ideal start for the side. Their skipper Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the season as he continues to recover from a horrific car crash he met with in December last year. David Warner will be leading the side in Pant's absence.

Star opener Prithvi Shaw will again be a key batter for the side, while Mitchell Marsh will provide power to the middle order.

What would worry DC is the fact that Pant will also be missed behind the stumps and the side may consider Phil Salt to take that role, which occupies one of the four foreign slots in the team.

In the pace bowling attack, DC might feel a little weak and South Africa's star pacer Anrich Nortje will have a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders.

Full Schedule:

Match 1: April 01 - Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST)

Match 2: April 04 - Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans, Delhi (7:30 PM IST)

Match 3: April 08 - Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals, Guwahati (3:30 PM IST)

Match 4: April 11 - Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians, Delhi (7:30 PM IST)

Match 5: April 15 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals, Bengaluru (3:30 PM IST)

Match 6: April 20 - Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi (7:30 PM IST)

Match 7: April 24 - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals, Hyderabad (7:30 PM IST)

Match 8: April 29 - Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi (7:30 PM IST)

Match 9: May 02 - Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals, Ahmedabad (7:30 PM IST)

Match 10: May 06 - Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi (7:30 PM IST)

Match 11: May 10 - Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals, Chennai (7:30 PM IST)

Match 12: May 13 - Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings, Delhi (7:30 PM IST)

Match 13: May 17 - Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals, Dharamsala (7:30 PM IST)

Match 14: May 20 - Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings, Delhi (3:30 PM IST)

Strongest XI:

Prithvi Shaw, David Warner (captain), Mitchell Marsh, Phil Salt (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya and Khaleel Ahmed.

Full Squad:

David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal, Ishant Sharma, Phil Salt, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw.

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"Was Consistent, But There's This Young Guy...": Dhawan On Getting Dropped

Veteran opening batter Shikhar Dhawan has dropped down in the pecking order due to the rise of youngsters, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan, as far as the Indian team is concerned. Dhawan, who was a mainstay in the team for nearly seven years, was dropped from the side following a lean patch with the bat. Sharing his views on the sudden axing, Dhawan said that since he was only playing ODIs, Gill's heroics across formats were too good to be ignored.

The 37-year-old suggested that while he had the backing of head coach Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, Kishan's double hundred against Bangladesh in December last year made him realise that he could lose his spot in the Indian team.

"When Rohit took over the captaincy he along with Rahul Dravid backed me enough. They told me they wanted me to focus on my cricket and that my vision should be the next World Cup. 2022 was very good for me, I was consistent in ODIs. But there is this young guy who has been doing well in two formats, and when my form dipped in a series or two then they gave a chance to Shubman and he has lived up to their expectation. We are used to such situations. When Ishan Kishan slammed a double century against Bangladesh, then for a moment I thought I could be out of the team," Dhawan told AajTak in an interview.

Dhawan further suggested that players often get dropped from the team due to a lean patch, and his case isn't any different.

"This is not something new in cricket. Or this happened just with me, plenty others have met with same fate. There are times when you play well throughout the year and then your form drops for a month or two, sometimes that becomes bigger than your performance throughout the year. When a captain, coach and selector take a decision they put plenty of thoughts into it," he added.

Dhawan will now be seen in action during the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League, where he will the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

PBKS will open their campaign against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday, April 1.

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Cricketer Kedar Jadhav's Father Found After Going Missing From Pune Home

Cricketer Kedar Jadhav's father Mahadev Jadhav was found hours after he went missing from their Pune home on Monday, a police official said. As per Kedar Jadhav's complaint at Alankar police station, his 75-year-old father, who suffers from dementia, had left their Kothrud home for a morning walk and was last seen exiting the gate of the housing complex. Mahadev Jadhav was found in Mundhwa area, the official said. "His condition is fine and he has been reunited with his family," Senior Inspector Ajit Lakde of Mundhwa police station said.

Kedar Jadhav represented India in 73 One-Day Internationals and has been playing for the Maharashtra Ranji team since 2007.

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Akhtar's "Pathan And Bengalis" Remark On Pakistan's T20I Series Loss

Afghanistan secured a historic series triumph over Pakistan, beating Shadab Khan & Co. in the first and the second T20I series to take an unassailable 2-0 lead. Having sealed the fate of the series with one match to spare, Afghanistan drew plaudits from the entire cricketing fraternity. Even Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar said that he was 'very happy' by Afghanistan's win and backed them to do well at the forthcoming ODI World Cup which is to be held in India.

"I am very happy," Akhtar said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. "If Pathans and Bengalis channelise their energy, they can become the world's leading communities. Because both have extremism in them. If extremism can be channelised positively, with maturity, they can become the world's best. I am very happy that our Pathan brothers have won."

Akhtar held special praise for Afghanistan's spinners who have made a name for themselves with their 'mystery' bowling.

"Afghanistan is a formidable side. Their spinners are great. Mohammad Nabi bowled well. All their spinners are mysteries. With these mystery spinners, Afghanistan is going to be one of the best teams in the world cup to be held in India."

In the end, Akhtar also gave a message to Pakistan's captain for the series, Shadab Khan, backing him to bounce back in the third and final T20I.

"Make a strong comeback. Make sure you give tough competition to Afghanistan. It might seem difficult but Afghanistan have played some tough cricket. It's nice to see them win against Pakistan for first time - and it make me happy that they did it with playing matured cricket. Afghanistan needs good news all the time. I get a lot of phone calls from Afghanistan friends. I want to come to Kabul," he said.

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