Cricket

Watch: ‘If a guy from Kerala has to cement his place in the Indian team…’ – Sanju Samson ahead of India comeback | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago06 mins

Sanju Samson‘s consistency has always kept him in contention to represent India, but stiff competition for places in the Indian batting line-up and Rishbah Pant being the first-choice wicketkeeper meant that Samson was in and out of the national squad. However, he has been given another opportunity, this time alongside Pant, to wear the India jersey with a recall to the T20 World Cup squad.IPL 2024: Results | Points Table Samson is currently leading Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing Indian Premier League season, and it’s his consistent performance in the league, both as a captain and as a batsman, that has earned him a recall ahead of KL Rahul. Speaking on Star Sports show ‘Captains Speak’, the 29-year-old Samson opened up on how he looks at his career graph and the change in approach he has adopted to enhance his chances of cementing a place in the Indian team.WATCH VIDEO “When you are playing cricket in the world’s best (cricket-playing) country, I think India is number one in the whole world (in terms of) the number of players who play and the number of talent we have and the competition we have, a guy from Kerala, if he has to come and cement his place in the national side, he has to do something special,” Samson said.He made his international debut in a T20I against Zimbabwe in July 2015 but played his first ODI only six years later in 2021. In nine years since wearing the India jersey for the first, Samson has played only 16 ODIs and 25 T20Is. In 14 ODI innings he has scored 510 runs with a century and three fifties, while in 22 T20I innings he has accummulated 374 runs with one fifty at a strike rate of 133.09.However, Samson has re-invented his game lately, which shows in his current IPL numbers. Under Samson’s captaincy, Rajasthan presently top the points table with a remarkable 8 wins in 9 matches. The skipper ranks 7th in the list of leading run-scorers of IPL 2024, accumulating 385 runs in 9 matches, including four half-centuries. He maintains an impressive strike rate of 161.08 and an average of 77.0. “I just always wanted to be special, always wanted to stand out the way I bat. I just wanted to create my own style of batting. No matter even if it’s the first ball, I want to go out there and hit a six,” said Samson. “So that’s the shift in the mindset, which I had. I just wanted to do something different, like why do we have to wait for 10 balls to hit a six? So I just walk in and if I feel like, I do that the first ball. That was the motive behind development of my power stroke.” The T20 World Cup, slated from June 2 to 29, will be jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA. India are set to kick off their campaign against Ireland on June 5 in New York.“I think I put in lots and lots of effort during the Covid time. A lot of people did help me. A lot of things go behind the scenes, which actually I only know and my close people know. So, very happy, things are coming on nice. The grind keeps on going. I am never satisfied. I just want to go on and keep on doing something spectacular for the side I play for,” said Samson. But before he wears the India jersey again at the T20 World Cup, Samson has a job to do for the Royals, who aim to win their second IPL trophy after lifting it in the inaugural edition of the league. Rajasthan are gearing up to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next IPL 2024 match on Thursday in Hyderabad.

PBKS have selection headache with England players leaving: Riley Rossouw

Danijones7 months ago01 mins

England players have been called back for T20 World Cup 2024 preparation. The PBKS side will be under huge pressure as the likes of Jonny Bairstow, stand-in captain Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone will leave the side after to join their national team. PBKS will have to a big selection headache in the upcoming days, feels batter Riley Rossuow.

IPL 2024: Sunrisers Hyderabad seek return to swashbuckling ways against Rajasthan Royals | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

HYDERABAD: Stung by back-to-back losses, Sunrisers Hyderabad will be keen to get back to winning ways against table-toppers Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.The 2016 champions went down to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 35 runs and suffered an embarrassing 78-run loss to Chennai Super Kings- chasing down 206 and 213, respectively.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEAs the race for the playoffs intensifies, the Pat Cummins-led side, who are now fifth in points table with 10 points, need to bring their ‘A’ game against the Royals.While setting up totals has been their strong suit, Sunrisers seem to come unstuck batting second. Cummins wants his team to polish their skills in that aspect. Opener Travis Head has not fired in the last two games and a big score from the Australian opener, who tops the batting charts for his side with 338 runs, will help SRH. Abhishek Sharma also needs to be consistency as a lot depends on the start these two provide. The fragile middle-order consisting of Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abdul Samad stood exposed in the last two games. The dip in Klaasen’s form (20, 7, 15 in last three outings) compounded their woes.T Natarajan (13 wickets) has been the pick of the bowlers but the rest have all gone over nine runs per over.In contrast, the Royals have been on a roll. With 16 points in their kitty, they are almost assured of a playoff spot. Captain Sanju Samson (385) has led from the front while Riyan Parag (332), Jos Buttler (319) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (249) have all struck form. Jaiswal, who struggled initially, slammed a century against Mumbai Indians, adding more firepower to the batting unit. Yuzvendra Chahal has been impressive with 13 scalps while Trent Boult and Sandeep Sharma have produced good results with the new ball.Royals are coming into this match with a seven-wicket win over LSG and a nine-wicket thrashing of MI and would like to extend their purple patch.

Srikkanth accuses BCCI of ‘favouritism’ in hot-headed rant over Ruturaj Gaikwad snub from T20 World Cup, namedrops Gill | Crickit

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s half-century on Wednesday saw him move to pole position in the IPL 2024 Orange Cap race, overtaking Virat Kohli. The Chennai Super Kings captain smacked 62 runs off 48 balls, packed with five fours and two sixes. He leads the Orange Cap race with 509 runs in 10 matches, at a strike rate of 146.68. He has also bagged a ton and four half-centuries. Shubman Gill has been named in the reserves list and Ruturaj Gaikwad has missed out totally.(PTI) Among Indian openers, he has more runs than Shubman Gill (320), Rohit Sharma (315) and Yashasvi Jaiswal. But it looks like your form in IPL doesn’t really count as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee decided to ignore Gaikwad for Rohit and Jaiswal in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Meanwhile, they named Gill in the reserves. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Speaking on his Youtube channel, India legend Krishnamachari Srikkanth lashed out at the BCCI for their questionable decision. He pointed out Gill’s poor form and also accused the selection committee of ‘favoritism’. “Shubman Gill is totally out of form, but why he’s selected in the team. There’s no doubt that Ruturaj Gaikwad deserves a place. He scored more than 500 runs in 17 innings. Also he scored a century against Australia. Shubman Gill is selectors’ delight. He gets chance even if he fails. He finds place even if he fails in Test, ODIs and T20s.There’s too much of favoritism in selection. The team selection is all about favoritism,” he said. Another notable exclusion has been KL Rahul, who was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter at the 2023 ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Shreyas Iyer has also missed out on a spot. Shivam Dube’s swashbuckling form with the bat this year has also seen him get selected for the tournament. Riyan Parag has been ignored, but his Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has been included in the squad. Gaikwad will be lamenting on missing out on a ticket to the ICC showpiece event. The opener has shown immense maturity after MS Dhoni handed over CSK’s captaincy to him on the eve of IPL 2024. CSK are currently fourth in the standings and will be hoping to qualify for the playoffs. IPL 2024 ABOUT THE AUTHOR At HT Sports Desk, passionate reporters work round the clock to provide detailed updates from the world of sports. Expect nuanced match reports, previews,reviews, technical analysis based on statistics, the latest social media trends, expert opinions on cricket, football, tennis, badminton, hockey,motorsports, wrestling, boxing, shooting, athletics and much more. …view detail News / Cricket News / Srikkanth accuses BCCI of ‘favouritism’ in hot-headed rant over Ruturaj Gaikwad snub from T20 World Cup, namedrops Gill

Punjab Kings join Mumbai Indians to register streak of dominance against Chennai Super Kings – India TV

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

Image Source : AP CSK vs PBKS. Punjab Kings (PBKS) displayed a clinical performance on Wednesday (May 1) to become only the second team in the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at their fortress in Chepauk after Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Electing to field first, Punjab were disciplined with the ball in hand and restricted the hosts to just 162 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Chasing an average total, Punjab lost Prabhsimran Singh early, however, the other batters didn’t lose sight of the target and helped the visitors reach there with 11 balls to spare. The win helped Punjab beat Chennai in five consecutive IPl games and they became only the second team in the history of the tournament to achieve the feat after Mumbai Indians. Punjab’s five-match unbeaten streak against CSK started on October 7, 2021, when they defeated Chennai in the 53rd game of that season by six wickets and seven overs to spare. Their second win of the streak came on April 3, 2022, as they restricted CSK to 126, in pursuit of 181 and won the clash by 54 runs. The third victory also came in the 2022 season when the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab beat Chennai by 11 runs in Mumbai. PBKS won their fourth consecutive game against CSK on April 30 in the latter’s den as they successfully chased down 201 to win a last-ball thriller. Now, the two teams will meet once again on May 5 (Sunday) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala in a battle of the bragging rights. The fixture in Dharamsala will be the first of the ongoing season at the venue and hence the two teams can expect a fresh wicket for the encounter. Punjab are still in contention for the playoffs whereas Chennai are fourth on the table with five wins and as many losses in 10 games.

‘Tu jaisa hai waisa hi rahiyo’: Rajasthan Royals family congratulates ‘Chintu bro’ for India comeback | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

If you have to pick one player who has never stopped knocking on the doors of BCCI selectors, it has to be Sanju Samson; and the 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has deservingly been rewarded with a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad.IPL 2024 STANDINGS: Points table | Orange Cap | Purple Cap The Rajasthan Royals captain, who has been leading the team by example in this IPL, has been picked in India’s squad as the second wicketkeeper-batsman besides Rishabh Pant, but both Samson and Pant have the batting credentials to be in the playing eleven as pure batsmen as well. Talking about Samson, under whom RR top the points table currently with a staggering 8 wins in 9 matches, the Kerala man sits at No. 7 on the list of top run-getters of IPL 2024 with 385 runs in 9 matches, including four half-centuries, at a strike rate of 161.08 and average of 77.0. Hailing his recall to India colours, RR posted a video on social media where Samson’s teammates are congratulating him for his T20 World Cup selection. “Congratulations my Chintu bro,” said RR leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who incidentally will also make his India comeback at the T20 World Cup. “Tu jaisa hai waisa hi rahiyo (stay the way you are). Enjoy this success. I want you to play for India for another 10 years, as well as for RR. Whatever you are doing, we are so proud of you.”Here’s what Samson’s other RR teammates had to say: The T20 World Cup is scheduled for June 2 to 29 and will be co-hosted by the West Indies and USA. India play their opening match against Ireland on June 5 in New York. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next match in IPL 2024 on Thursday in Hyderabad.

Yuzvendra Chahal Makes ‘Copyright Complaint’ Against PBKS Star, Writes To Elon Musk

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

India and Rajasthan Royals spinner Yuzvendra Chahal made a hilarious request to Elon Musk — a billionaire and owner of X, formerly Twitter — on Wednesday. Chahal asked Musk to put a copyright strike on Punjab Kings’ pacer Harshal Patel after the latter celebrated a catch during Chennai Super Kings game in a viral fashion. After completing the catch, Harshal celebrated in a manner that is associated to Chahal’s viral meme. Sharing the picture of Harshal’s celebration, Chahal wrote on X, “Dear @elonmusk paaji, Harshal bhai pe copyright lagana hai.” Dear @elonmusk paaji, Harshal bhai pe copyright lagana hai pic.twitter.com/CUAeZd6uNa — Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) May 1, 2024 The post of Chahal, who has been named in India’s T20 World Cup squad that was announced on April 30, went viral on social media. Talking about the celebration, Kagiso Rabada bowled a short ball outside off stump to Sameer Rizvi, who tried to play an upper cut on it. The ball could not get past the third man where Harshal put a well-timed slide to take the catch. Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 7 wickets at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Chasing a target of 163, PBKS reached home in 17.5 overs, thanks to Jonny Bairstow’s 46 off 30 and Rilee Rossouw’s 43 off 23. Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad (62 in 48) scored a fighting fifty to help CSK post 162 for 7 in 20 overs after getting an invitation to bat first. Rahul Chahar (2 for 16 in four overs) and Harpreet Brar (2 for 17 in four overs) were the pick of the bowlers for PBKS. Brar was later named the Player of the Match. “It was a good wicket to bowl on, and even Rahul (Chahar) bowled really well. I have been playing since 6 years, so my confidence has been pretty high. Now bowling to these legends of the game feels normal, I just bowl to my strengths. To be honest, I don’t think wickets, my aim is only to bowl lots of dot balls and dot balls create the wickets. When there is spin in the wicket, the bowlers confidence goes up and it is a bit helpful,” said Brar after the game. Topics mentioned in this article

Denied Single By MS Dhoni, CSK Star Daryl Mitchell Runs Double, Video Goes Viral. Watch

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Daryl Mitchell ended up ‘completing’ two runs despite MS Dhoni denying him a single during the IPL 2024 match against Punjab Kings in IPL 2024 on Wednesday. On the third ball of the final over, Dhoni slammed a delivery from Arshdeep Singh in the deep cover region and Mitchell instantly started running. However, Dhoni was not interested in taking the run and in a hilarious turn of events, Mitchell reached the other end and then ran back to the non-striker’s end before the fielder picked up the ball and threw it back. Dhoni made amends on the fifth ball of the over as he heaved Arshdeep over deep extra cover for a huge six but his action faced criticism from fans on social media, with some calling the act ‘selfish’. One Of funniest Moments today Thala Dhoni × Daryl Mitchell ROLF #ChennaiSuperKings #CSKvsPBKS #PBKSvsCSK pic.twitter.com/AtGQUirTZ2 — Srinivasan M (@sriniPopeye) May 1, 2024 Daryl, you have the best seat in the house! Relax #TATAIPL #CSKvPBKS #IPLonJioCinema #MSDhoni pic.twitter.com/NaM8jGqIUj — JioCinema (@JioCinema) May 1, 2024 Dhoni was eventually run-out in the match, losing his wicket for the first time this season as CSK put a total of 162/7 on the board. Punjab Kings had little trouble in chasing down the target, scoring 163 with more than 2 overs to spare. After a defeat, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad felt his side was “50-60 runs short” during the match and highlighted that pitch was not that great but improved in the second half. Punjab Kings with an all-rounded performance, clinched a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on Wednesday in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. After Lucknow Super Giants breached Chepauk, CSK’s fortress was breached for the second time in the ongoing season as CSK bowlers struggled to find their rhythm with dew majorly hindering them throughout the night. “Probably 50-60 runs short, the pitch wasn’t great when we batted, but it got better later on. With the impact rule as well, we were well short,” Gaikwad said in a post-match presentation. Talking about the toss, “I’ve practised the tosses (during the practice sessions), it’s not going well in the match, not sure what to do. To be truthful, I’m under pressure when I go to the middle (for the toss).” With ANI inputs Topics mentioned in this article

Rishabh Pant: Playing for India is not a destination, it’s a journey: Rishabh Pant | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant delved into the profound intricacies of ambition, dreams, and the perpetual journey of cricket, offering a glimpse into his remarkable resilience and unwavering determination.In a candid interview on Star Sports, Pant’s reflections on the evolution of dreams resonated deeply as he articulated, “You have some dreams which you have been seeing since childhood…Then there are some dreams which, as your life goes on, you have to give dreams to yourself.” This introspective perspective shed light on the transformative nature of aspirations, evolving from childhood fantasies to self-motivated milestones.Drawing from personal experience, Pant emphasized the necessity of setting new goals to sustain motivation and growth, stating, “As a kid I always thought I have to play for India… So I played for India, now what? You have to give yourself different dreams.” His words echoed the sentiment of continuous self-challenge and reinvention, crucial for navigating the complexities of life and sport.While acknowledging the significance of focusing on the process, Pant underscored the importance of establishing small, attainable targets in life to fuel motivation. “It is important to give yourself these small goals in life… So that we remain motivated. And this is a constant journey,” he remarked, highlighting the perpetual quest for personal and professional excellence.In a poignant analogy, Pant likened the cricketing journey to a dynamic progression rather than a static destination, asserting, “I feel cricket is not a destination. Playing for India is not a destination. It’s a journey.” His profound insight underscored the enduring commitment and continuous evolution inherent in the pursuit of sporting excellence. Pant’s introspective musings come against the backdrop of his remarkable resurgence in the cricketing arena, marked by his triumphant return to the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. This milestone follows a tumultuous period during which Pant faced a near-fatal car crash, resulting in a severe knee injury that threatened his career.Undeterred by adversity, Pant’s resilience and determination shone through as he staged a remarkable comeback to competitive cricket, dazzling fans with his explosive batting displays in the ongoing Indian Premier League. With 398 runs in 11 innings at a blistering strike rate of 158.56, Pant’s performances underscored his indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to excellence.

Daryl Mitchell runs two all by himself after MS Dhoni refuses for a single and keeps strike – India TV

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Image Source : BCCI/IPL Daryl Mitchell was at the other end for MS Dhoni to not give him a strike in the last over despite CSK not having a great score on the board Chennai Super Kings (CSK) came second for the second time in six matches at home in the ongoing edition of the IPL as Punjab Kings kept their hopes alive of a late push towards the playoffs with a 7-wicket win. Injuries, loss of form of players, lost tosses amidst heavy dew have not helped CSK’s cause and as skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad mentioned they had the worst of conditions while both batting and bowling and were easily 40 runs short. Punjab Kings chased the target beautifully, however, the fans couldn’t forget the double ran by Daryl Mitchell which earned him zero runs and almost got him out. Former CSK skipper MS Dhoni took charge in the final over bowled by Arshdeep Singh. Dhoni despite failing to middle a couple of balls, believed in his ability to get a few more runs for his side and poor Daryl Mitchell remained stuck to the non-striker’s end. The incident happened on the third ball of the final over when Dhoni hit a widish delivery from Arshdeep to the deep covers pocket and Mitchell started running as soon as his partner hit the ball. However, Dhoni denied the run and Mitchell was in his zone. He ran all the way towards the striker’s end, touched his bat in the popping crease and came back before almost getting run out. Dhoni scored seven runs off the last three balls before getting run out, as he was dismissed for the first time in the season. However, the fans couldn’t forget that moment and felt bad for Mitchell, who has been the most dependable batter for New Zealand across all formats and was coming off a fifty. Watch the video here: CSK ended up scoring 162, which wasn’t enough as Punjab Kings got through the chase without much discomfort. The two teams play each other again in a few days’ time in Dharamsala on Sunday, May 5.