 Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals coach Rahul Dravid watches as players warm up ahead of the IPL 2025 match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Photo: IANS/Biplab Banerjee) New Delhi, 18-09-2025 (IANS) Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Saturday announced that head coach Rahul Dravid has stepped down from his role with the franchise ahead of IPL 2026 season. In September last year, Dravid was formally announced as RR’s new head coach on a multi-year contract, after ending his three-year stint with the Indian team with the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup triumph. In its statement, RR said that as part of a recent structural review, the franchise had offered Dravid a broader role, but the former India captain and head coach has opted not to take up the position. “Rahul has been central to the Royals’ journey over many years. His leadership has influenced a generation of players, built strong values within the squad, and left an indelible mark on the culture of the franchise. The Rajasthan Royals, its players, and millions of fans worldwide extend heartfelt thanks to Rahul for his remarkable service to the franchise,” the franchise said in its statement. Dravid had captained RR in IPL 2012 and 2013, before being their team mentor in 2014 and 2015 seasons. His return to the RR set-up ahead of IPL 2025 had raised expectations for the franchise to win their second IPL title after winning the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008. But RR finished at a disappointing ninth spot with just four wins in 14 league stage matches. Regular skipper Sanju Samson played only nine matches due to a side strain, with Riyan Parag being the stand-in captain when the wicketkeeper-batter was unavailable. Now, as things stand, Dravid’s return to the RR set-up lasted less than a year, as the franchise aims to build for the 2026 IPL. IANS understands that Dravid’s exit from RR comes on the back of murmurs of differences and unrest in the set-up during the IPL 2025.It would be interesting to see what Dravid’s next move will be in the cricketing ecosystem. From an RR perspective, it remains to be seen if Samson will continue to be in the set-up, especially after multiple reports emerged in July of him expressing a desire to be released into auction or going to another franchise in a trade deal. Rahul Dravid steps down as Rajasthan Royals’ head coach ahead of IPL 2026 | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
IPL 2025: Meeting with CM, Bus parade, celebration at Chinnaswamy headline RCB’s victory celebrations (2025-06-04T11:47:00+05:30)
 Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli celebrates with former cricketers Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers while posing with the winner’s trophy after RCB’s victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final match against Punjab Kings, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Photo: IANS) New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) After finally winning their first IPL title with a six-run win over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are now all set to embark on a jam-packed day of celebrations when they touch down in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon. As per a statement issued by the franchise, celebratory events organized to mark the occasion of RCB winning their first-ever IPL title will begin once they arrive at the HAL Airport at 1:30pm, after departing from Ahmedabad at 10am. The side will also meet Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha from 4-5pm. Post the visit to the Chief Minister, RCB’s highly awaited victory parade will begin at approximately 5pm from Vidhana Soudha to M Chinnaswamy Stadium through an open-top bus, which will also see the public in Bengaluru be a part of it on their way to the franchise’s home venue. After this, the celebratory event with fans to celebrate IPL 2025 triumph is slated to begin at M Chinnaswamy Stadium from 6pm onwards. Before Tuesday’s unforgettable championship win, a moment which will be etched in the memories of all RCB fans across the world, the franchise had ended up on the losing side in all three of its previous finals. But at the Narendra Modi Stadium on the night of June 3, talismanic batter Virat Kohli top-scored with 43 off 35 balls as RCB posted an imposing 190/9. In defence of it, RCB’s brilliant bowlers, led by Krunal Pandya’s match-winning spell of 2-17 in four overs, restricted Punjab Kings to 184/7. It meant RCB and Kohli, sporting a number 18 jersey, finally got their hands on the elusive trophy, with more than 91,000 red jersey wearing fans in the stadium along with the side’s loyal supporters in Bengaluru and worldwide kickstarted the noisy long-awaited celebrations of the franchise winning the IPL in its 18th year. .webp) Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli celebrates with his wife Anushka Sharma after RCB’s victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final match against Punjab Kings, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Photo: IANS)A moment stamped in history: Anushka hugs hubby Virat as his RCB registers maiden IPL win A million emotions were running amuck at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as the IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted the trophy for the first time in 18 years of the tournament. Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma embraced her husband, the senior RCB player, and modern batting legend Virat Kohli as jitters in the stadium stretched from the pitch to the last row in the stands. After breaking down on field, Virat ran over to his wife, as he hugged her with tears streaming down his face. When it all kicked in, the emotions erupted for him akin to Italy's Mount Etna volcano. Anushka hugged and congratulated her husband. The shutters of the cameras stationed at the stadium went all gun-blazing to capture the moment between the couple, a moment that will put its signature along the dotted line of the history of India's pop-culture, in years to come. For Virat, the moment came a few weeks after he announced his retirement from Test cricket. One can only imagine the sense of accomplishment that must be running through Kohli's mind at the moment. Over the years, RCB has cultivated a loyal fanbase that has stood by the team, game after game, and season after season. With the maiden win coming after almost two decades, it has paid off enormously for them. Incidentally, Anushka and IPL share the debut year. While the first season of IPL took place in the summer of 2008, Anushka made her debut roughly six months later with 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' opposite Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, whose Kolkata Knight Riders were the defending champions of IPL 2025. Earlier this year in March, team India won the Champions Trophy with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli forming the backbone of the team. It was India's third title win, and Virat's second title win as a part of the team after its 2013 edition. Nearly a year ago, India, again with Virat and Rohit as senior players, won the ICC T20 World Cup in Barbados as the team snatched the victory from the jaws of South Africa. While Virat has been rocking it out on the field, Anushka has been on a sabbatical with her last on-screen appearance being in 2022 in 'Qala', where she was seen in a cameo appearance, and a full-fledged role back in 2018 release 'Zero'. The actress was set to make her return on the silver screen with 'Chakda 'Xpress', based on India's lead pacer Jhulan Goswami. However, the future of the film seems bleak, as there are no reports of its release in theatres.  Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli celebrates with the trophy after his team’s victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final match against Punjab Kings, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Photo: IANS/Biplab Banerjee)Vijay Mallya leads wave of reactions as RCB end IPL title drought The long wait is finally over—and no one felt the emotions more than Vijay Mallya, the first owner of the Bengaluru franchise. As Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their maiden IPL trophy after 18 years of heartbreak and hope, the former RCB owner led the wave of congratulatory messages that poured in from across the cricketing world. “RCB are IPL Champions finally after 18 years,” Mallya posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Superb campaign right through the 2025 tournament. A well-balanced team Playing Bold with outstanding coaching and support staff. Many congratulations! Ee sala cup namde!!” It was a moment that brought together generations of RCB fans and stakeholders, past and present. And the rest of the IPL fraternity stood in unison to applaud the team’s hard-earned glory. Mumbai Indians, five-time champions, hailed the effort: “Congratulations to the NEW #TATAIPL Champions, @RCBTweets. A strong & memorable campaign.” Sunrisers Hyderabad, who themselves have tasted title success in the past, acknowledged RCB’s tenacity: “Congratulations on an outstanding season and a well-earned title, @RCBTweets.” Chennai Super Kings, RCB’s fiercest rivals, also put rivalry aside to share in the moment: “Congratulations, @RCBTweets! #IPL2025Final #WhistlePodu .” The message that perhaps captured the emotions of millions of fans came from Kolkata Knight Riders: “EE SALA CUP NIMDE, CONGRATULATIONS.” Even Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and Lucknow Super Giants joined in, sharing stories, memes, and emotional posts celebrating the end of the title curse. While the cricketing fraternity celebrated RCB’s victory, the occasion held deeply personal significance for Virat Kohli. As the team held on to win by six runs against Punjab Kings in a nerve-wracking final, Kohli dropped to his knees in tears. It was a fitting image of loyalty rewarded—after 18 years, three heartbreak losses in finals, and countless sacrifices, the talismanic batter had finally tasted IPL glory. The journey to the title was far from smooth. RCB lost early wickets in the final, but vital partnerships—particularly between Kohli and Mayank Agarwal—ensured a fighting total of 190. Their bowlers, led by Krunal Pandya’s clutch spell of 2/17 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s nerveless death bowling, brought the cup home. Despite a valiant 61* off 30 balls from Punjab’s Shashank Singh, RCB held their nerve. The final over drama only made the triumph sweeter. The title win united past legends, rival franchises, and fans from across the globe in celebration. After years of taunts, memes, and near-misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are no longer titleless. The script has flipped, the wait is over, and the roar of “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” now echoes in reality, not just hope.  Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Krunal Pandya celebrates with his wife and children while posing with the winner’s trophy after the team’s victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final match against Punjab Kings, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Photo: IANS)Tears, triumph & tight hugs: Kohli embraces Anushka, ABD, Gayle after RCB's maiden IPL win After 18 seasons filled with heartbreaks, near misses, and unwavering belief, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally etched their name in IPL history, clinching their maiden Indian Premier League title. The franchise edged out Punjab Kings by six runs in a thrilling IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, sending fans into wild celebration—and leaving Virat Kohli in tears. At the heart of RCB’s long-awaited triumph stood Kohli, the soul of the team since its inception in 2008. Though his 35-ball 43 anchored RCB's innings, it was the post-match scenes that truly defined the night. The moment the final ball was hit and victory sealed, Kohli collapsed to the ground, overcome with emotion. Moments later, he was enveloped in tight, tearful hugs—first by his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, and then by his former teammate and close friend, AB de Villiers, who had flown in to witness the historic moment. "What ABD has done for the franchise is tremendous, told him 'this win is as much yours as it is ours. I want you to celebrate with us'. He's been the POTM most times in the franchise despite being retired for four years. Tells you the impact he's had on the league, team and me. He deserves to be on the podium, lifting the cup." The trio’s embrace was more than just celebration—it was a culmination of years of dedication, heartbreak, and resilience. De Villiers, who retired in 2021, had stood beside Kohli through RCB’s toughest phases. Watching the team lift the trophy brought a deeply personal sense of closure. “It’s not just a title. It’s 18 years of belief, of commitment, of giving everything,” Kohli reflected after the match. With the weight of history finally lifted, RCB and Kohli now have the fairytale ending they had been chasing for nearly two decades—surrounded by those who mattered most. The wait is over. The dream is real. The cup is home. IPL 2025 IPL 2025: Meeting with CM, Open-top bus parade, celebration at Chinnaswamy headline RCB’s victory celebrations | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
‘Not saying I’m done, but can’t confirm I am coming back’: MSD to take time to decide his IPL future (2025-05-29T11:53:00+05:30)
 Ahmedabad: Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni greets Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill after the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Photo: IANS/Siddharaj Solanki) Ahmedabad, May 25 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni has refused to confirm or deny whether he will continue to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and said he will fix his future after taking a break. The wicket-keeper batter signed off his brief return to captaincy by leading CSK to a massive 83-run victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. Though CSK signed off with a dominant victory in their final league match, former India captain Dhoni was a far cry from his former self during IPL 2025. He scored 196 runs across 14 matches at an average of 24.50. His strike rate of 135.17 speaks volumes given he was batting at a strike rate of 220.55 the previous season. Dhoni claimed he has the ‘luxury of time’ to think about his future and make a decision in the coming months. If it indeed was his last game, fans will be disappointed he did not get a chance to bat despite being geared up in his usual batting attire. He did not get a chance to make an impact on the scoreboard. “I have 4-5 months to decide, there's no hurry. Need to keep the body fit. You have to be at your best. If cricketers start retiring for their performance, some of them will retire at 22. Will go back to Ranchi and enjoy a few bike rides. I am not saying I am done, nor saying I am coming back. I have the luxury of time. Will think about it and then decide,” said Dhoni in the post-match chat. It was certainly a season to forget for the five-time champions as they were subjected to their first ever bottom-placed finish in the points table. With only four wins on the board, CSK will certainly look to continue from the last game and get back to their usual self in 2026.“When we started the season, the four games were in Chennai. We decided to bat second, but I felt the wicket was good for batting in the first innings. I was worried about the batting department. We can put runs on the board, but a few holes to fill. Ruturaj doesn't need to worry about too many things next season. You feel old. I sit in the last seat, and he sits next to me. He (Siddharth) is exactly 25 years younger than I, and that makes me feel I am old,” he added. ‘Not saying I’m done, but can’t confirm I am coming back’: MSD to take time to decide his IPL future | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Left shell-shocked at the sudden announcement of Kohli's Test retirement, says R Sridhar (2025-05-19T11:32:00+05:30)
 New Delhi, (IANS) R Sridhar, the former India men’s team fielding coach, said he was left shell-shocked over Virat Kohli suddenly announcing his retirement from Test cricket. Sridhar added that he was fortunate to have been in the national set-up when Kohli was India’s Test captain from 2015 to 2021, and eventually became the country’s most successful captain in the longer format. In an Instagram post on Monday, Kohli announced that he will be retiring from Tests with immediate effect, ending a 14-year career worth 9,230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85, including hitting 30 hundreds and 31 fifties with a highest score of 254 not out. "Who can forget that famous quote which he said at the Lords, ‘Let's give them 60 hours of hell’. I am shell-shocked at the sudden announcement of Test retirement by Virat Kohli to be very honest. "I've been very fortunate to be there entirely throughout his captaincy tenure, and what I saw was nothing but passion, persistence, the will to win, the honesty and the fearlessness with which he took Indian cricket forward,” said Sridhar in a video posted on Coaching Beyond’s Instagram account on Wednesday. Under Kohli’s leadership, India’s record was 40 wins and 17 defeats in 68 matches, and included the side’s first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018/19. After the 2-1 series defeat in South Africa, Kohli stepped down as the Test skipper in early 2022. In the last few years, Kohli had struggled to make consistent runs in Tests, as seen from him making only 190 runs in nine innings of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, which India lost 3-1. Sridhar, currently leading a ten-day fielding camp for the Sri Lanka national teams in Colombo, further said Kohli's retirement from the format is a huge loss for the side, who have a five-match tour of England coming up from June 20. "About his captaincy, I think his intensity, his aggression and his ability to use fast bowlers to great effect. Since he took over the captaincy in 2015, I'm very grateful that I was witnessing it from close quarters. The way he changed the culture with fitness and fielding, the way he changed the culture – going with five bowlers and the batters taking a lot of responsibility – and he did it himself time and again."Thereafter, India has never looked back as a Test-playing nation. Learning what the young cricketers had while he was there in the change room is something that cannot be substituted with anything. So I think it's a huge loss for Indian cricket with him not being around. I am shocked. I hope his legacy lives on forever,” he concluded. Left shell-shocked at the sudden announcement of Kohli's Test retirement, says R Sridhar | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Preity Zinta celebrates young talents of her IPL team, calls them the ‘base of Punjab Power’ (2025-05-09T12:02:00+05:30)
|
Mumbai, (IANS) Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, who is known for 'Dil Chahta Hai', 'Koi... Mil Gaya', 'Lakshya', 'Veer-Zaara' and others, is celebrating young talents from her IPL team, Priyansh and Prabhsimran Singh. On Sunday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared two pictures. The first picture features the actress with sporting talents. The second picture of the cricketers opening the innings for Punjab Kings. She also penned a note in the caption as she shared how even the rain in the last match couldn’t dampen their spirits. She wrote, “Last night rain played spoilt sport, but not enough to dampen the spirits of our two young explosive openers. Prabhsimran has been with us from the start when he was a teenager & this is Priyansh’s first IPL! I’m so proud to see both of them play fearlessly & with maturity complimenting each other & becoming the base of Punjab Power”. Earlier, the actress had hit back at Indian National Congress' Kerala unit accusing them of cooking lies and putting them out in the public domain. INC Kerala had written on X, formerly Twitter, "She gave her social media accounts to BJP and got 18 Cr written off and the bank collapsed last week. Depositors are on the streets for their money". The actress shot back at the political party without mincing her words as she accused them of propagating "false news". She wrote, "No I operate my social media accounts myself and shame on you for promoting FAKE NEWS! No one wrote off anything or any loan for me. I'm shocked that a political party or their representative is promoting fake news & indulging in vile gossip & click baits using my name & images"."For the record a loan was taken and FULLY PAID BACK - over 10 years ago. Hope this clarifies and helps so there are no misunderstandings in the future (sic)", she added. Preity Zinta celebrates young talents of her IPL team, calls them the ‘base of Punjab Power’ | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
IPL 2025: If I'm not wicketkeeping, I'm useless on the field, says Dhoni (2025-03-31T12:58:00+05:30)
|
Chennai: Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni stumps Mumbai Indians' captain Suryakumar Yadav during the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: IANS/Kushal Doshi) New Delhi, Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni said that he would feel "useless" on the field if he is not doing the behind-the-stumps duty, as he reads the game well while doing wicketkeeping. The 43-year-old continues to don the wicketkeeping gloves for the CSK as the franchise has shown immense faith in the veteran. Dhoni has been associated with CSK since the inception of the IPL, barring two seasons when the team was banned from the tournament, and led the side to five titles and 10 finals. "If I'm not wicketkeeping, I think I'm useless on the field because that's where I read the game in the best possible manner. It's a challenge, and that's what makes it interesting. Last few years, I don't know whether it is 2 or 5 years, my franchise will be like you play till you want to play. Even if I'm on the chair, they will be like, don't worry you play. I want to enjoy cricket, so one year at a time," Dhoni said in a video posted by Star Sports on X. Dhoni stepped down from the CSK captaincy role last season, with Ruturaj Gaikwad taking the reins. In the IPL 2025 season, CSK started their campaign with a comfortable win over Mumbai Indians at Chepauk on Sunday. Despite not being the captain of the side, Dhoni is actively seen adjusting the field and guiding Gaikwad on the ground. After the match against Mumbai, Dhoni lauded Gaikwad's leadership skills and said the youngster takes most of the decisions on the field. "After IPL last year, I almost immediately told him, ‘90% you will lead next season, so start preparing yourself mentally’. Before the start of the tournament, I also told him, ‘If I give you advice, it doesn’t mean you have to follow it. I will try to stay away as much as possible'," Dhoni said on JioHotstar show "The MS Dhoni Experience". "During the season, a lot of people speculated that I was making the decisions in the background. But the fact is, he was making 99 per cent of the decisions. The most important calls - bowling changes, field placements - were all his. I was just helping him out. He did a brilliant job of handling the players," he added. Dhoni has so far played 265 games and scored 5,243 runs with 24 half-centuries to his name.CSK will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their second match of the season at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. IPL 2025: If I'm not wicketkeeping, I'm useless on the field, says Dhoni | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
IPL 2025: Ricky Ponting appointed as Punjab Kings head coach (2024-09-24T12:23:00+05:30)
 New Delhi, (IANS): Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has officially been appointed as the new head coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the next four seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In July, Ponting’s seven-year term with the Delhi Capitals ended after the franchise failed to enter IPL 2024 playoffs. He now becomes the sixth head coach in seven seasons for the PBKS, who finished ninth in the 2024 IPL season and chose to part ways with head coach Trevor Bayliss. "I am grateful to Punjab Kings for presenting me with the opportunity to be the new Head Coach. I am excited to take up the new challenge. I had great conversations with the owners and the management about the way forward and was truly elated to see the alignment of our visions for the team. "We all want to repay the fans who have stayed with the franchise over the years and we promise that they will see a much different Punjab Kings going forward," said Ponting in a statement issued by the franchise on Thursday. Under the Australian’s leadership, Delhi Capitals had reached the playoffs in three seasons - 2019, 2020 and 2021, while becoming known for his insightful coaching skills, nurturing youngsters and forming a good relationship with captain Rishabh Pant. In 2020, DC had reached their first-ever IPL final, where they finished runners-up to Mumbai Indians. On the other hand, PBKS have not qualified for the IPL playoffs since 2014, when they finished runners-up to Kolkata Knight Riders. Ponting had stints in the IPL with KKR and Mumbai Indians as a player till 2013. He was the with Mumbai Indians in an advisory role in 2014, before becoming their head coach in 2015, where they won the championship, and 2016 seasons. Recently, he was head coach during Washington Freedom's title-winning campaign in the 2024 season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA. Ponting also serves as the head of strategy for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL since 2021. His first assignment as PBKS head coach would be to finalise the team strategy for the IPL 2025 mega auction, to be held later this year, especially with the retention rules yet to be officially known. "We are delighted to have Ricky on to guide and build our team for the next 4 seasons. His experience is crucial to help us develop a squad to deliver on-field success. His insights from his international coaching stints and as a television pundit would be vital in identifying talent ahead of the mega auction this year. His ability to develop cricketing and leadership skills will play a crucial role in our success," said Satish Menon, the franchise CEO. IPL 2025: Ricky Ponting appointed as Punjab Kings head coach | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Rahul Dravid set to become Rajasthan Royals head coach: Report (2024-09-20T12:44:00+05:30)
 New Delhi, (IANS): Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid is all set to become Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach ahead of IPL 2025. Dravid’s tenure as India men’s head coach came to an end after the side won 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup win at Barbados in June this year. According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, Dravid recently signed a deal with the 2008 IPL-winning franchise and had initial conversations on player retentions ahead of the upcoming mega auction. Dravid had previously led the franchise in IPL 2012 and 2013 seasons after moving there in 2011. After his playing days ended, Dravid then served as the side’s mentor in 2014 and 2015 IPL seasons, before taking the same role with the Delhi Capitals till he became the National Cricket Academy (NCA) director in 2019. Dravid also has a good and long understanding with current RR captain, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who came through the ranks at the franchise and in the Indian team set-up under him. The report also said RR are also likely to sign former India cricketer Vikram Rathour as one of the assistant coaches to Dravid. Rathour, who also served as a former India selector, was a part of Dravid’s coaching staff at NCA before he became India’s batting coach in 2019. So far, Kumar Sangakkara, the franchise’s director of cricket since 2021, had been the de-facto head coach. Despite the potential signing of Dravid, the report claimed Sangakkara will continue with their franchise and look after their teams in other leagues - Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Barbados Royals in the CPL.RR’s next best finish after winning IPL 2008 was a runners-up position in 2022 when they came second best to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. After finishing at fifth place in IPL 2023 despite a bright start to the season, RR managed to enter the playoffs in IPL 2024, before bowing out of the competition in Qualifier 2. Rahul Dravid set to become Rajasthan Royals head coach: Report | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
IPL 2024: KKR outplay SRH to win final by eight wickets, clinch third title (2024-05-27T12:05:00+05:30)
 Chennai : Kolkata Knight Riders players celebrate after winning the IPL 2024 final match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26, 2024. (Photo: IANS) Chennai, May 26 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in all departments to clinch their third IPL championship with a comprehensive eight-wicket win in a relatively one-sided IPL 2024 title clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. KKR’s bowlers, led by stellar spells from Andre Russell (3-19), Mitchell Starc (2-14) & Harshit Rana (2-24), bowled out SRH for just 113, the lowest total in an IPL final. In reply, the batters, led by Venkatesh Iyer’s 52 not out off 26 balls, chased down the total in just 10.3 overs to make it the second time the side won an IPL title in Chennai. Chasing 114, KKR lost Sunil Narine cheaply when he went too early in his flick off Pat Cummins and thick leading edge was caught by deep mid-wicket, after hitting a pulled six. Venkatesh launched a counter-attack by dancing down the pitch to smack Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two successive sixes, after glancing him for a four to take 20 runs off the third over. From the other end, Rahmanullah Gurbaz brought out his cut and loft to take two fours, followed by outside edges giving him two more boundaries. Venkatesh cut and pulled fiercely off T Natrajan for consecutive fours, before flicking and swiping handsomely to take six and four respectively off the left-arm pacer, as KKR reached 72/1 at the end of power-play, also the highest total in a six-over phase of the IPL finals. Gurbaz took over by sweeping Shahbaz Ahmed for six and lofting the left-arm spinner for another maximum, happening on the either side of pulling Jaydev Unadkat for four. But Shahbaz had the last laugh by trapping a sweeping Gurbaz lbw. Shreyas Iyer opened his account by reverse-sweeping Shahbaz for four, followed by Venkatesh getting his fifty in 24 balls and he fittingly finished off the chase with a single to clinch third IPL title for KKR. It also the first time Shreyas becomes an IPL winning captain on his second attempt, after being excluded from the Test team and BCCI central contracts earlier this year. Brief Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 113 in 18.3 overs (Pat Cummins 24, Aiden Markram 20; Andre Russell 3-19, Mitchell Starc 2-14) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 114/2 in 10.3 overs (Venkatesh Iyer 52 not out, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 39; Pat Cummins 1-18, Shahbaz Ahmed 1-22) by eight wickets.IPL 2024: KKR outplay SRH to win final by eight wickets, clinch third title | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
IPL 2024: As a batter, I know I didn't live up to the standard, says Rohit Sharma (2024-05-24T11:57:00+05:30)
 Mumbai, (IANS) India skipper Rohit Sharma admitted he could not live up to the batting standards expected from him in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 for Mumbai Indians, adding that despite his poor outing, his focus was to be in the right zone and work to iron out his flaws. Rohit, who was replaced by Hardik Pandya as MI’s skipper ahead of the 2024 season, ended his tournament with a stunning 38-ball 68. Overall, Rohit amassed 417 runs in 14 innings at an average of 32.08 and a strike-rate of 150, including a century and fifty. "As a batter, I know I didn't live up to the standard. But, after playing for all these years, I know that if I overthink, I won't play well. All I try is to stay in a good mindset, in the right zone, keep practicing, and improve on all the flaws in my game. That's all I kept doing,” Rohit told JioCinema. MI had a below-par time in IPL 2024, ending with an 18-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, to conclude their season at the bottom of the points table. “Our season didn't go according to plan. We blame ourselves for this because we made too many mistakes during the season. We lost many games that we should have won, but that's the nature of the IPL. You get a few chances and when those chances come, you must grab them," added Rohit. His next assignment will be to captain India in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. India will play their only warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1, before opening their campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the 34,000-seat modular Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Rohit also revealed that the majority of the Men’s T20 World Cup squad was decided before the IPL 2024 began. "We thought a lot about the team we ultimately selected for the World Cup. The spinners, seamers, batters, and keepers, we knew before the IPL who we would take to the World Cup.” “The IPL performances for everyone can be up and down, so we didn't focus too much on that. We needed to see the performances of certain players, but it was important for us to give everyone the clarity they needed.” “Everyone going into the IPL needed clarity of whether they would participate in the team and what their role would be so they could practice and play accordingly. All of these indicators we had shared with 70% of the team before the IPL," he concluded.IPL 2024: As a batter, I know I didn't live up to the standard, says Rohit Sharma | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com: |
IPL 2024: RR end winless streak with four-wicket win over RCB; to meet SRH in Qualifier 2 (ld) (2024-05-23T12:02:00+05:30)
 Ahmedabad: Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag is bowled out during the IPL 2024 eliminator match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (Photo: IANS/Siddharaj Solanki) Ahmedabad, May 22 (IANS): Rajasthan Royals went up and down in their chase of 173 but finally managed to end their five-match winless streak with a four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2024 Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. With the result, RR have ended RCB's dream comeback run and six-game winning after being at the bottom of the points table to now set up a clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 at Chennai. The winner of the Qualifier 2 clash at Chennai will face Kolkata Knight Riders in the final on Sunday. After Avesh Khan (3-44) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-19) starred in a disciplined bowling effort to restrict RCB to 172/8, Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 45, followed by Riyan Parag (36), Shimron Hetmyer (26) and Rovman Powell (16 not out) propelled RR to complete the chase in 19 overs. Chasing 173, Jaiswal survived on five when Cameron Green dropped a difficult chance at first slip. After that, Jaiswal hit three fours off the next four balls against Yash Dayal, before he and Tom Kohler-Cadmore took three boundaries collectively off Mohammed Siraj. Kohler-Cadmore earned a reprieve when Glenn Maxwell shelled a simple catch in the deep and went on to take two fours off Dayal. But the batter fell to Lockie Ferguson in the last over of Power-play when his off-stump was rattled by a slower yorker. Jaiswal and Sanju Samson collectively took three boundaries off Swapnil Singh, but the former fell when his attempt to scoop took a glove edge behind against Green. In the next over, Samson stepped out against Karn Sharma and missed a wide ball to be stumped easily. There was more cheer for RCB as Virat Kohli executed a superb throw from the deep after running to his left from deep square leg and had a casual Dhruv Jurel run-out. Hetmyer began to calm RR’s nerves with a six over wide long-on off Green before Parag hit a lovely inside-out six over cover and backed away to ramp a short ball over the third-man boundary for four more, as 17 runs came off the 16th over. Hetmyer drove and slashed Dayal for two fours, as the equation for RR became 19 off 18 balls. But Parag fell for 36 off 26 balls after he missed a big heave off Siraj and saw his middle stump being uprooted. Three balls later, Hetmyer went for a flick, but the leading edge was caught by cover running back and clinging on for a superb catch, as RCB brought a twist in the tale. With 13 runs needed off 12 balls, Powell toe-ended a square drive and edged in the third-man region to collect consecutive fours off Ferguson. Powell finished off the chase with a gentle loft down the ground to ensure RR have a shot at entering the final, while RCB were left heartbroken. Previously, on a red soil pitch, Trent Boult (1/16) built pressure with a tidy opening spell, before Ashwin bowled a delightful spell to ensure RCB weren’t let off the hook. Avesh then bounced back from giving 30 runs in his first two overs by conceding only 14 runs in his last two overs and taking three wickets as RR gave away just 47 runs in the last five overs. Electing to bowl first, Boult kept things tight when he found early swing and denied Kohli as well as du Plessis room to hit boundaries. Kohli began the early fightback by picking a four off Sandeep Sharma before du Plessis closed the second over by thumping a six down the ground. Kohli hooked Avesh for six before du Plessis scooped and smashed him for two fours. Boult was rewarded for his perseverance when du Plessis miscued to deep mid-wicket, where Powell dived forward to complete a superb low catch. Kohli slapped and whipped Sandeep for two boundaries in the last over of power-play, but his attempt to slog-sweep Yuzvendra Chahal through the short square boundary resulted in him picking out deep mid-wicket to perfection. Green muscled Chahal for six and four respectively, before Rajat Patidar was dropped on five by Jurel at long-on off Ashwin. The duo would take a four each off Avesh before Ashwin bounced back by removing the duo in the 13th over. While Green miscued off a carrom ball to a backtracking cover, Maxwell holed out to long-on to fall for a golden duck. Patidar broke the shackles by striking three quick boundaries, before miscuing one to mid-off against Avesh. Dinesh Karthik survived a contentious LBW call on review off Avesh but didn’t produce any heroics as he miscued a good short ball from the pacer to cover. Mahipal Lomror hit four boundaries in his 17-ball 32 before slicing to deep point to become Avesh’s third scalp of the match, followed by Karn slicing to sweeper cover on the last ball off Sandeep, as 172 wasn’t enough for RCB to continue their dream run. Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 172/8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 34, Virat Kohli 33; Avesh Khan 3-44, Ravichandran Ashwin 2-19) lost to Rajasthan Royals 174/6 in 19 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 45, Riyan Parag 36; Mohammed Siraj 2-33, Karn Sharma 1-19) by four wicketsIPL 2024: RR end winless streak with four-wicket win over RCB; to meet SRH in Qualifier 2 (ld) | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
IPL 2024: Abhishek, Klaasen power SRH to four-wicket win over Punjab (2024-05-20T13:21:00+05:30)
 Hyderabad: Players of Sunrisers Hyderabad' and Punjab Kings' greet eachother after the IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, in Hyderabad,Sunday, May 19, 2024.(IANS/Suresh Kumar) Hyderabad, May 19 (IANS) A scintillating half-century by opener Abhishek Sharma guided Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a comfortable four-wicket win over Punjab Kings PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Sunday. SRH finished their league stage campaign with 17 points in 14 matches and is currently placed at second spot in the points table. However, the final standings will be decided after the conclusion of the second match between table toppers Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. Chasing 215 on their home ground, Hyderabad suffered an early blow as they lost opener Travis Head (0) on the first ball of the innings -- Arshdeep Singh clinching the wicket for Punjab in the power-play. Rahul Tripathi came in to bat at No. 3 and joined Abhishek in the middle. The duo kept the scoring rate high, firing boundaries at regular intervals. In no time, SRH crossed the 50-run mark and went on in cruise mode before Harshal Patel gave PBKS a slight respite with the wicket of Tripathi in the fifth over. He was dismissed for 33 runs which included four fours and two sixes. Nitish Reddy walked out to bat and kept the momentum going as SRH posted their third-highest power-play total after finishing 84-2 in six overs. Meanwhile, Abhishek slammed his third fifty of the season, off 21 balls. He scored 66 runs in 28 balls including six sixes and five fours before losing his wicket to Shashank Singh in the 11th over. During his knock, he also created history by becoming the first Indian batter to smash 39 sixes in an IPL season. Previously, Virat Kohli held the record with 38 maximums in the 2016 edition of the tournament. Nitish and Heinrich Klaasen continued the onslaught as SRH controlled the pace of the match throughout their innings. Reddy played a 37-run knock while Klaasen scored 42 off 26 runs to keep them ahead in the chase. Despite losing Shabaz Ahmed (3) and Klaasen (42) in the death overs, the win was a cakewalk for the home franchise. In the end, Abdul Samad (11*) and Sanvir Singh (6*) remained unbeaten as Hyderabad chased the target with five balls to spare. For Hyderabad, Arshdeep and Harshal bagged two scalps apiece. Earlier, Prabhsimran Singh's half-century coupled with Rilee Rossouw's 49 powered Punjab Kings to 214/5. Playing his second game of the season, the left-handed opener Atharva Taide along with partner Prabhsimran gave PBKS a blazing start. The duo set the foundation for Punjab's total by unleashing carnage in the power-play. The openers scored at the rate of over 10 runs per over to make the most of the field restriction. After six overs, Punjab were 61 for no loss. Pacer T. Natrajan finally broke the partnership in the 10th over as Taide hit the ball into the hands of Sanvir Singh at point. Rilee Rossouw joined Prabhsimran in the middle and carried the momentum forward in the middle overs. Meanwhile, the latter also completed his second half-century of the season. The batters steered Punjab to the 150-run mark and stitched a 54-run partnership for the second wicket before Prabhsimran departed after scoring a 45-ball 71 studded with seven fours and four sixes. This time, Sri Lanka spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth did the job for the home team. The in-form Shashank Singh (2) failed to make his final game of the season memorable as his stay at the crease only lasted for four balls following a mix-up with Rossouw between the wickets in the 16th over. Meanwhile, SRH skipper Pat Cummins trapped Rossouw on a slow full-toss in the 18th over and left Punjab without a set-batter for the final overs. The South African batter played a knock of 49 runs off 24 balls including four sixes and three fours. Ashutosh Sharma (2) lost his wicket cheaply to Natrajan in pursuit of scoring at a brisk pace. In the end, stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma's cameo of 14-ball 26 not out, laced with two sixes and as many fours, enabled them to touch the 200-run mark in the final over of the innings. For Hyderabad, Natrajan bagged two wickets while Cummins and Viyaskanth claimed one scalp each. Brief scores: Punjab Kings 214/5 in 20 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 71, Rilee Rossouw 49; T. Natrajan 2-33, Pat Cummins 1-36) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 215/6 in 19.1 overs (Abhishek Sharma 66, Heinrich Klaasen 42; Arshdeep Singh 2-37) by four wickets.IPL 2024: Abhishek, Klaasen power SRH to four-wicket win over Punjab | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com: |
IPL 2024: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma shine as SRH thrash LSG by ten wickets (2024-05-09T11:04:00+05:30)
 Hyderabad, May 8 (IANS) Travis Head hammered 30 balls 89 and Abhishek Sharma slammed 75 off 38 as Sunrisers Hyderabad thrashed Lucknow Super Giants by ten wickets and chased down the target of 166 runs in just 9.4 overs overs at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, here on Wednesday. Abhishek and Travis completely destroyed the LSG bowling attack. SRH in this season of IPL have scored with an economy of 11.37 in the power play overs, and yet again reached 100 under six overs only. LSG opened their bowling with Krishnappa Gowtham and Yash Thakur expectedly, but SRH got off to a flyer. Travis hits Gowtham for 22 runs followed by Abhishek taking four fours off Thakur. The hitting never stopped even after the fifties, as both batters were on a destructive mode to help SRH chase down the target in less than 10 overs. Head smashed a half-century and this time in just 16 balls. It was some astonishing hitting from Head, who was just picking his spots and sending them there no matter where the ball is pitched, no matter the pace. One of the incredible was a back-foot off-drive off Ravi Bishnoi for a huge six over long-off. Then there was a swat down the wicket straight of mid-off off Naveen-ul-Haq. He was 58 off 18 now, and went past 500 for the tournament, and also had hit the most fours in this IPL. SRH were 87 for 0 in five overs. That was four times what LSG were at this point. In all T20 cricket, only seven times have 100 or more been scored in the powerplay, SRH have the top two scores, both in this year of IPL. It seemed slow by comparison, but Abhishek Sharma reached his fifty in 19 balls with a straight six off Ayush Badoni as SRH reached 120 for 0 in 6.3 overs. As many as 14 sixes and 16 fours were hit in the chase which meant every second ball reached the boundary. Earlier, Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the way with figures of 4-0-12-2, conceding only in denominations of one, completely shutting down the LSG top order, which scored just 66 in the first 11.2 overs. The unbeaten 99-run stand between Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran guided LSG to a respectable total. Brief score:Lucknow Super Giants 165 for 4 in 20 overs (Ayush Badoni 55 not out, Nicholas Pooran 48 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-12, Pat Cummins 1-47) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad 167 for 0 in 9.4 overs (Travis Head 89 not out, Abhishek Sharma 75) by ten wickets IPL 2024: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma shine as SRH thrash LSG by ten wickets | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
IPL 2024: 'It's only a matter of time before Rohit finds his form again', believes Clarke (2024-05-08T10:55:00+05:30)
 New Delhi, May 7 (IANS) Former Australia cricketer Michael Clarke shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma’s form in the IPL 2024 and opined that it’s only a matter of one inning that he will find his form again. Rohit started well in this season of IPL and scored 297 in his first seven innings but only managed to score 34 in his next five innings, overall in 12 innings he scored 330 runs with a mere average of 30. The only consolation inning that came from the Indian skipper bat was a century against Chennai Super Kings (105 off 63 balls) that too in a losing cause. It was his second century in the history of IPL that came after more than 12 years. "With someone like Rohit, it's only a matter of time before he finds his form again. How many times do you see that exact ball go for six though? It happened to SKY. The exact same ball, exact same shot, except these went for six, Rohit gets out. Rohit, being the wise judge of his own performances, will undoubtedly be disappointed, especially considering his strong start," said Clarke on Star Sports. However, Clarke also believed that it might be a feeling of fatigue for Rohit and advocated for a break. "In my view, he might be feeling a bit fatigued as well. A break to freshen up could do wonders for him, but as the Indian captain and a key player for Mumbai Indians, you're not getting a break. So he's going to have to find form. He doesn't seem to be struggling with his timing; it's just a matter of getting out."Clarke also backed Rohit for the T20 World Cup, leading the Indian side and asked him to focus on his game rather than the result. "Hopefully, he stresses less and focuses on his game because he's too talented to keep missing out. He's at his best when he's timing the ball, rather than trying to force it. He's a great player, and I have no doubt he'll bounce back soon. Let's just hope it's not at the World Cup again (said jokingly)," Clarke concluded.IPL 2024: 'It's only a matter of time before Rohit finds his form again', believes Clarke | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |