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Is ‘Vice-Captain’ Pandya Really A Certainty For T20 World Cup 2024?

Danijones7 months ago08 mins

Hardik Pandya’s possible inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad has sparked debate among cricket experts and fans of late. The 30-year-old has been a major talking point during the first three weeks of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Ever since Pandya was announced as Mumbai Indians’ new captain in place of India’s all-format skipper Rohit Sharma ahead of IPL 2024, the controversial decision has received widespread disappointment from fans. MI’s newly-appointed captain has been booed heavily at various stadiums, including at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad as well at Mumbai’s home ground – the Wankhede Stadium. Furthermore, MI started their IPL 2024 campaign with three consecutive losses under Hardik’s leadership although the five-time IPL winners have bounced back with back-to-back wins in their next two games. Fitness and finishing ability concerns Apart from Hardik’s captaincy, his all-round form and finishing ability have been under scanner in the ongoing IPL. Indian cricket team’s limited-overs vice-captain, Hardik has scored 129 runs in five matches for MI this season. The hard-hitting batter showed glimpses of regaining form after he slammed an unbeaten 21 runs off just six balls against Royals Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to help MI chase down 197 in just 15.3 overs at the Wankhede on Thursday. Additionally, there have been questions about Hardik’s fitness for ICC’s marquee T20 tournament. The Indian all-rounder has endured his fair share of fitness concerns over the years and has cut down on his workload with the ball to get the best out of him from an all-round perspective. The Gujarat-born cricketer has bowled just eight overs in five matches in IPL 2024, picking just a solitary wicket at an economy of 11.13. Hardik recently made a comeback in IPL 2024 after he was ruled out of ICC ODI World Cup 2023 having sustained an ankle injury against Bangladesh in October. The Rohit Sharma-led India, of course, will need a fully-fit Hardik at the T20 World Cup 2024 to be held in the West Indies and the United States. In-form Shivam Dube could pip Hardik Pandya While Hardik’s all-round capabilities provide Team India great balance in the T20 format, if he’s not fully fit then the likes of Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh could be better picks as finishers in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad. Former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has voiced support for Shivam Dube’s inclusion in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad. “Shivam Dube for his striking ability against spinners, Surya for being the best T20 international batter and Rinku Singh for his exceptional finishing ability. It will be great if India finds a way to have these 3 in the 11 in the T20 WC. With Virat and Rohit, this will leave a spot for just a keeper batsman. Interesting to see how it pans out,” Prasad posted on X (formerly Twitter). Chennai Super Kings’ Shivam Dube has been in impressive form in IPL 2024. Batting in the middle-order, Dube has amassed 176 runs in five matches at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 160. He has hit 10 fours and 13 sixes so far. Apart from Prasad, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has stated that Dube must be included in India’s T20 World Cup squad. “Good to watch@IamShivamDube clearing the field with ease!! I feel he has to be in the World Cup squad. Has got the skill to be the #gamechanger,” Yuvraj wrote on X. Earlier, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin urged India to pick Dube in the T20 World Cup squad after his brilliant performances against Afghanistan in a three-match series in January. “Hardik Pandya is an indispensable member of the Indian team. However, with Shivam Dube’s emergence, especially in conditions similar to CSK in the West Indies, he becomes a spin-hitting monster,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “I can proudly call him a ‘Yuvraj Singh lite’ package. There are so many facets of Yuvraj Singh that I see in his game – the downswing, the height, and the reach. I’m not saying he’s exactly like Yuvraj Singh, but he reminds me a lot of him. The beauty here is that he hits spin straight down the ground,” Ashwin added. With Hardik facing strong competition from Shivam Dube, he will need to prove his fitness as well as impress the selectors with his all-round game in the remaining games for MI before the squad is finalised. The Indian cricket team’s 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup is likely to be announced in the last week of April and vice-captain Hardik’s spot still remains uncertain as of now. While a return to form and maintaining his fitness will most likely see Hardik make the cut for the T20 World Cup, judging by the all-rounder’s recent form when batting in death overs as well as his fitness issues, it’s safe to say that the 30-year-old’s inclusion in the squad is certainly not a given. Topics mentioned in this article

Hardik Pandya: ‘If he is not bowling, does Hardik Pandya make the T20 World Cup squad?’ | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has sparked debate over the inclusion of India all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in June. Bhogle’s comments come in light of Pandya’s recent struggles with fitness and his limited bowling contribution in the IPL 2024 season.Pandya, who captains the Mumbai Indians in this year’s IPL, made a comeback to cricket after a five-month hiatus due to an ankle injury sustained during the ODI World Cup last year.While Pandya initially bowled a few overs in his return matches, his bowling workload has been sporadic, raising doubts over his ability to contribute as an all-rounder.Bhogle pointed out Pandya’s waning power-hitting skills and questioned whether he still merits a place in the T20 World Cup squad solely as a batsman if he is unable to bowl consistently.“If Hardik is not bowling, does Hardik make the T20 World Cup squad?” Bhogle questioned, while speaking on Cricbuzz. “Is he among the top six batters in India if he is not bowling? I’m not totally convinced of that because if he is not bowling and he is not finishing as powerfully, he needs to bat up, where all the competition is.”Bhogle emphasized the importance of Pandya’s all-round abilities in balancing India’s playing XI, particularly in the absence of regular bowling options among the top-order batsmen. Pandya’s ability to bowl four overs provides a crucial additional bowling option for the team and ensures the presence of at least two all-rounders, with Ravindra Jadeja also in contention.However, with Pandya’s fitness and bowling form under scrutiny, his selection for the T20 World Cup could hinge on his ability to regain full fitness and contribute effectively with both bat and ball.

“CSK Will Be Responsible If Dube Is Not Selected For T20 WC”: Ex-India Star’s Brutal Warning

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary has backed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Shivam Dube for a place in the T20 World Cup squad, ahead of Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya. Tiwary questioned Hardik’s role as a bowler so far this season in IPL, with the MI captain bowling only one over in the last three matches. The former Bengal captain feels if Hardik wants to seal his place in the squad for the T20 World Cup, then he’ll have to prove his bowling credentials. Read here: IPL 2024 Points Table Tiwary also highlighted that Hardik has been a tad bit expensive for MI with the bowl, conceding over 11 runs per over. “If he wants to play in the Indian T20 World Cup team as an all-rounder, he has to bowl. Look at his economy rate. It’s almost 11. He is not performing this season,” Tiwary said during a discussion on Cricbuzz. Tiwary also asserted that if Dube fails to make the T20 World Cup squad, his IPL franchise will be responsible for his exclusion as CSK have been using him as an impact sub so far this season. “With this form, Hardik won’t be picked in the T20 World Cup. See, Agarkar is a strong character and hence can take those bold decisions. And if Dube is not picked in the T20 World Cup, CSK will be responsible for it, because they are not allowing him to bowl. I have been saying this for a long time, if you want a replacement for Hardik, get Dube ready,” he added. Tiwary labelled Dube as a “clever” bowler, pointing out his exploits in the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier this year. “At one time we also had Venkatesh Iyer. Suddenly, both of them stopped bowling. We should be looking at the bigger goal. We are talking about the World Cup here and India haven’t been able to lift that trophy for a long time. So we have to plan for that ahead of time. Now Hardik is not in form and if you pick Dube in the squad, how much he can perform as a bowler is not known. But as far as I know, Dube is a clever bowler. Remember that T20I series at home against Afghanistan,” he further explained. Topics mentioned in this article

IPL 2024: MI-CSK renew high-octane rivalry under new skippers | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

MUMBAI: When you see top corporate bigwigs, cricket officials and even players struggle to get tickets, you know that it’s here-the El Clasico of the IPL.On Sunday night, two of the most decorated clubs of the IPL, with five titles each, will resume their famed rivalry when the Mumbai Indians face off against the Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEWhat adds allure is the fact that this could be the last IPL outing for MS Dhoni at a venue where he lifted the ODI World Cup trophy in 2011.Since the ‘Impact Player’ rule came into existence, the 42-year-old has hardly come out to bat, unless needed. Going by the trend in IPL 2024, the Wankhede crowd is likely to cheer vociferously for him even if he pulls off a catch or stumping or makes a fleeting appearance with the bat.Having undergone a contrasting transition in leadership-MI are now led by Hardik Pandya while CSK are captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad-both the teams have blown hot and cold so far.MI lost their first three games before bouncing back with wins at home against Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. CSK started off with wins against RCB and Gujarat Titans at home, but stumbled to two defeats on the road and then recovered by beating Kolkata Knight Riders at home. Of late, CSK have had the wood on MI, beating them four times in their last five encounters. Ironically, CSK will bank on the four Mumbai aces in their pack-inform Shivam Dube, Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande. Each of these four must know the Wankhede track like the back of their hand, with three of them-Rahane, Thakur and Deshpande being a part of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy winning side last month.When MI and CSK met at the Wankhede last year, Rahane had smashed a breathtaking 27-ball 61 to star in CSK’s seven-wicket win.The match will also pit two contenders for the allrounder’s position in Team India for the T20 World Cup in June. With 176 runs in five games @44.00 and a strike rate of 160, Dube, playing in the role of an Impact Player, is CSK’s top run-getter.Having smashed 13 sixes so far, the 30-year-old has won the heart of someone he’s often compared with, India’s 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh, who feels that the Mumbaikar must surely be a part of India’s T20 WC squad. As if being booed by his home crowd wasn’t enough, Dube’s sizzling performances has put pressure on Pandya (84 runs in five matches @32.25 & 1-89 in eight overs) to raise his game too. Struggling to find his groove while batting too low down the order, Pandya showed signs of finding his mojo during his six-ball 21 not out cameo against RCB on Thursday.With their rest of the bowling floundering, MI will once again rely heavily on the magic of Jasprit Bumrah, who took a match-winning haul of five for 21 against RCB, to bail them out against a strong CSK batting line-up.Where this battle could be decided is how MI’s rampaging batting line-up, currently looking destructive at full strength with the return of Suryakumar Yadav, tackles CSK’s top-class spinners Ravindra Jadeja (3-18 in four overs in the last match) and Maheesh Theekshana.

IPL 2024 , MI vs CSK: MS Dhoni set for potential Wankhede Stadium farewell

Danijones7 months ago07 mins

There will be a sea of yellow at the Wankhede Stadium when MI host CSK in the first and only El Clasico of IPL 2024 league stage on Sunday. It might turn out to be a momentous occasion at the iconic venue as MS Dhoni is set to likely walk out for one last time at the Wankhede Stadium as a professional cricketer. CSK and MI only meet once in the league stage of IPL 2024 and the playoffs and the final have also not been scheduled in Mumbai. The man, who oversaw one of the most glorious chapters of Indian cricket history when he hit the World Cup-winning six on April 2, 2011, has enjoyed incredible support nationwide over the last two seasons even as speculation about his IPL future has been rife. And Mumbai will roar for the former India captain for probably one last time in what promises to be a blockbuster contest on Sunday, April 14. Memories must have gushed back when MS Dhoni was spotted posing with the World Cup 2011 trophy on the eve of the IPL 2024 match. As the former India captain walked out for training, he made sure he got a glimpse of the World Cup trophy at the BCCI headquarters at the Wankhede Stadium. Dhoni was even seen presumably adjusting the position of the trophy on the trophy cabinet in his own inimitable style. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule Dhoni has played 13 matches for India at the Wankhede Stadium, the most by any player from the country. And the one that stands out is the big World Cup final 13 years ago. Promoting himself to No. 4, one of his many masterstrokes as captain, Dhoni hit a match-winning 91 off 79 balls in a sensational partnership with Gautam Gambhir to help India chase down 275 against Sri Lanka. And he finished it with that iconic six. Dhoni has seats named after him as the Mumbai Cricket Association, in 2023, immortalised the part of the Wankhede Stadium where his winning six landed on that fateful evening. In the IPL, Dhoni has played 27 matches at the Wankhede Stadium, hitting 392 runs with a fifty. He has hit 17 sixes at the iconic venue and has struck at 116.37 for the Super Kings. LAST DANCE AT WANKHEDE? MS Dhoni might be calm and composed on the outside, but the CSK superstar will have trouble handling his emotions if he gets an opportunity to walk out to the middle at the Wankhede Stadium with the bat on Sunday. Regardless, the decibel levels are going to go through the roof whenever he is spotted before, during and after the IPL 2024 contest.\ MS Dhoni has not yet opened up about his future in the IPL. Even when he spoke after lifting the trophy last year, the 42-year-old said he would want to return to play the IPL for “at least one more season” as a return gift to his fans. However, there are enough suggestions that IPL 2024 might be his last as a player in the league. The 5-time champion handover of captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad on the eve of their opening match in Chennai, hinting at the start of a transition period. Also, the vintage long hair does hint at an imminent big call from the superstar cricketer. Dhoni has looked fitter and leaner when compared to last year. The wicketkeeper-batter underwent surgery to treat a long-standing knee issue after having managed throughout last season. Dhoni has been nearly flawless with the gloves. Dhoni has gotten opportunities to bat only thrice in the season and he took fans down memory lane during his whirlwind knock of 37 off 16 balls in Visakhapatnam. CSK fans cheered even when the team lost as they were thrilled at the sight of Dhoni smashing them into the stands. Will it be MS Dhoni’s Last Dance at the Wankhede on Sunday? If yes, not many will complain if there’s another promotion in the batting order. There’s a lot to look forward to in the clash of the 5-time champions. Published On: Apr 14, 2024

Preity Zinta goes from elation to heartbreak as Hetmyer clobbers 6, 2, 6 to crush PBKS hopes in last-over thriller | Cricket

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

Celebrations had begun among the Punjab Kings spectators at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, in Chandigarh, with franchise co-owner Preity Zinta, who was present at the venue, leading the proceedings. The Bollywood actress was elated as stand-in skipper Sam Curran picked two wickets in his penultimate over of the match to send Rajasthan Royals seven down before the start of the final over. However, Zinta’s celebrations were cut short in a span of just five deliveries as Shimron Hetmyer clobbered two sixes in three balls to crush PBKS’ hopes in the thriller. Preity Zinta’s reaction changes in a span of five deliveries as PBKS lose thriller against RR Rajasthan were always the firm favourites in the run chase despite Ashutosh Sharma, who came in as an Impact Player at No. 8, smashing 31 off just 16 balls to take the team’s total close to 150. In response, the visitors never lost a wicket in the powerplay, but managed only 38 runs in that phase with Tanush Kotian, primarily a tailender who was promoted as an opener, visibly struggling with the bat. Unlock exclusive access to the story of India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Rajasthan managed to get the asking rate under check after Kotian’s dismissal in the ninth over before Kagiso Rabada picked two quick wickets to help Punjab fight back valiantly. Rajasthan was never allowed to settle in therafter as wickets kept tumbling at both ends, leaving the table-toppers with 33 to chase in the last 16 balls, with five wickets in hand. Hetmyer and Rovman Powell then smashed 18 runs in four balls to reduce the equation to 12 off 10 before Curran struck in the 19th over with two wickets, leaving Zinta ecstatic. And she looked confident that her team would claim a third win in the ongoing season as Arshdeep Singh geared up for the final over against Hetmyer. The left-armer raised Zinta’s hopes after bowling two back-to-back yorkers for no run, but the celebrations ended after Hetmyer shimmied down the track to clobber the half-volley for a flat six over long-on. A fumble from Curran in the deep, handed Hetmyer to sneak two runs on the next ball before the West Indies batter whipped the high full toss over fine leg for a six in the penultimate ball of the over to get RR past the finish line. Zinta was left tensed before that last ball was bowled and later heartbroken as PBKS incurred their fourth loss in the ongoing season, which left them eighth in the points table. “The wicket was slightly slow, but we didn’t start well with the bat and didn’t finish well in the end. It was a good effort from the lower order, getting (close) to 150 was excellent, the bowling was good, we kept them down, unfortunately another close loss. We stuck to our plans, bowled and fielded well, but I’m confident we’ll bounce back in the next game,” Curran said after the match.

Rajasthan consolidate top spot on points table after hard-fought win over Punjab Kings – India TV

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

Image Source : AP Rajasthan Royals. Rajasthan Royals (RR) have consolidated their place at the top of the points table after a hard-fought win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh on Saturday (April 13). Having elected to field first, Rajasthan’s bowling attack applied unrelenting pressure on Punjab’s batting line-up and it paid dividends for them. Rajasthan were able to get breakthroughs at regular intervals and that never allowed the hosts to fly away with the run rate at any stage. Some decent contributions by Jitesh Sharma (29 off 24 balls), Liam Livingstone (21 off 14 balls) and Ashutosh Sharma (31 off 16 balls) helped Punjab post a respectable 147 on the board. While all the Rajasthan bowlers chipped in with handy contributions, left-arm orthodox bowler Keshav Maharaj was the pick of all the bowlers. The South African bagged two wickets and gave away just 23 runs in four overs. In reply, Rajasthan got off to a decent start as Tanush Kotian and Yashasvi Jaiswal put together a 50-run stand before Kotian departed in the ninth over. Jaiswal was the next batter to be dismissed. The southpaw perished after scoring 39 off 28 balls and Rajasthan’s chase got derailed a bit after he fell. The visitors got reduced from 82/2 to 136/6 in 18.3 overs but Shimron Hetmyer didn’t let the game slip out of Rajasthan’s hands. Hetmyer scored 27 off 10 balls and remained unbeaten right till the end to take Rajasthan over the line by three wickets to spare. IPL 2024 Points Table Ranking Teams Matches Wins Losses Points NRR (Net run rate) 1. Rajasthan Royals 6 5 1 10 0.767 2. Kolkata Knight Riders 4 3 1 6 1.528 3. Lucknow Super Giants 4 3 1 6 0.775 4. Chennai Super Kings 5 3 2 6 0.666 5. Sunrisers Hyderabad 5 3 2 6 0.344 6. Gujarat Titans 6 3 3 6 -0.637 7. Mumbai Indians 5 2 3 4 -0.073 8. Punjab Kings 6 2 4 4 -0.218 9. Delhi Capitals 6 2 4 4 -0.975 10. Royal Challengers Bengaluru 6 1 5 2 -1.124

The Hindu Morning Digest – April 14, 2024

Danijones7 months ago06 mins

An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel on April 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: Reuters Israel closes airspace as Iran launches drones in first-ever full-scale military assault Iran launched drones toward Israel late Saturday, the Israeli military announced, and Iran’s state-run media reported that dozens had been fired. Iran had been threatening to attack Israel since an airstrike last week killed two Iranian generals in Syria. CBI books officials of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure, Steel Ministry on corruption charge The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an alleged case of corruption against Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL), eight officials of NMDC Limited and NMDC Iron and Steel Plant (NISP) Limited, and two officials of MECON Limited, which come under the Ministry of Steel, in connection with a work contract worth over ₹314.57 crore. Iran-Israel tensions cloud plans for thousands of Indian workers recruited for Israeli construction sites War clouds between Iran and Israel have cast a shadow over the future of more than 5,000 Indians who have been recruited for construction work in Israel, even as experts questioned the government for allowing the recruitment at this time. Two killed in Manipur ahead of Amit Shah’s visit After a lull of about two months, violence erupted in Manipur on Saturday when two men were killed at the boundary of Kangpokpi-Imphal East districts. The incident comes days ahead of the proposed election related visit of Home Minister Amit Shah to the State on April 15. This will be Mr. Shah’s first visit to Manipur after he last visited the State on May 29, 2023, in the aftermath of the ethnic violence that erupted on May 3 the same year. Jagan suffers minor injury caused by a stone thrown at him Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy sustained a minor injury above his left eyebrow when a miscreant pelted a stone at him during his Memantha Siddham bus yatraat Singh Nagar here on Saturday evening. Government directs e-commerce firms to remove Bournvita, other drinks from ‘health drinks’ category The government has asked all the e-commerce companies to remove drinks and beverages, including Bournvita, from the health drinks category from their portals. On April 2, food safety standards regulator FSSAI directed all e-commerce food business operators (FBOs) to ensure appropriate categorisation of food products being sold on their websites. Lok Sabha election | Congress clears candidates for 16 seats in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha The Congress announced names for candidates in 16 Lok Sabha constituencies across four States. The notable names include former Union Minister Manish Tewari’s name from Chandigarh seat shifting him from Anandpur Sahib which he won in 2019 election. The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case | NIA gets custody of accused for 10 days The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has secured a 10-day custody of the two terror accused arrested from near Kolkata in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case. The arrested Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa, 30, the alleged key conspirator, and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, 30, the alleged bomber at the restaurant, both hailing from Tirthahalli, Shivamogga district, were brought to the city on Saturday from Kolkata on a transit remand. Working on pilot, cabin crew concerns on new pay: Vistara CEO As Vistara moves closer to its merger with Air India, its CEO informed employees that the non-flying staff would be informed of their new role in the combined airline entity between May and June even as the airline is working on feedback and concerns raised by pilots and cabin crew on the new salary structure. PBKS vs RR | Hetmyer cameo powers Royals past Punjab Kings After Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 39 (28b, 4×4), Shimron Hetmyer (27 n.o., 10b, 1×4, 3×6) held his nerve to help Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by three wickets in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh international cricket stadium on Saturday.

Gautam Gambhir: KKR vs LSG: Gautam Gambhir goes from planning Lucknow Super Giants’ rise to plotting their doom | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

KOLKATA: Gautam Gambhir finds himself in a situation that makes him grin. He had mentored Lucknow Super Giants till last season with a fair amount of success, a period which included three wins over Kolkata Knight Riders. On Sunday, he will be there in the KKR dugout, hoping to mentor the purple brigade to their first win over LSG.IPL 2024: POINTS TABLE | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAPIs the boot on the other foot now? “Just a new day,” Gambhir quipped on match eve.”I might know them well, but they know me pretty well too. In fact everyone knows each other quite well and plans accordingly. It doesn’t make a difference (that I am on the other side now). I had planned for KKR while I had been with LSG and now I am planning on behalf of KKR. It’s not as if I’m going to plan something different for them. Eventually, the team that plays better wins, and not the team that plans better.” Gambhir perhaps knows KKR better than anyone else, having led the team to two IPL titles. There are players like Sunil Narine, whom Gambhir had groomed during his stint at KKR and who are flourishing now. “He (Narine) was very happy to see me back. We have spent so much time together. Sometimes relationships are more about the emotion which you carry for each other than the time spent. Happy to see him doing well.”Gambhir remains as aggressive as ever and will not count Mayank Yadav’s absence as a relief. “We would always want our opponents to play with their best team,” he said. Neither is he worried that Mitchell Starc might buckle under pressure. “I know what impact he can have,” he said.

IPL 2024 | Matheesha Pathirana could miss MI clash, close to match fitness: CSK coach Fleming

Danijones7 months ago08 mins

Ahead of his side’s Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming hinted that pacer Matheesha Pathirana could miss the highly-anticipated game, though his injury is not as bad. MI and CSK will battle in a high-stakes ‘El Clasico’ of the IPL at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. CSK is in the third spot, with three wins and two losses, giving them six points. They had registered a win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their last game. On the other hand, MI is also picking up momentum, winning two games after three losses and are placed at the seventh spot. They had hammered Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their previous game. Both sides have faced off on 36 occasions, with CSK ending victorious at 16 games and MI taking another 20 games. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Stephen said about Pathirana, who missed games against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), “It (Pathirana’s niggle) was not as bad as what we had thought, so we are very hopeful that if not tomorrow, then very close. We know the importance of him in games like this, but we will make sure he is 100 per cent in this form,” Fleming told reporters ahead of the game. The coach was also all praises for the new skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who he said is “cut from the same cloth” as Dhoni. “There is no difference (between Gaikwad and Dhoni). He is as cool as it gets. I know the last captain was pretty cool. But this guy is cut from the same cloth, so that is rubbed through.” Fleming called Gaikwad rubbished all the talks around Gaikwad’s “slow” strike rate, saying that they need to be put into context. “He is such an impressive young man around his game and what he needs to do. He has been, I think, unfairly put into a bracket where he has been called slow. But you have to have context to some of these stats. We know that it is a bit of a Bollywood movie, sometimes getting these things up onto the screen. But he is fine. He is playing conditions well. The last game (CSK vs KKR) was a great example of how a leader plays, and there is class as well. I have absolutely no doubt about Ruturaj,” Fleming added. In five matches, Gaikwad has scored 155 runs in IPL 2024 at an average of 38.75 and a strike rate of 117.42. He has scored just one half-century, with the best score of 67*. Fleming said that though batting has evolved in the IPL over the year, there needs to be something that helps bowlers as well. “Batting, in particular, has evolved at a huge rate of knots, the last five years in particular. So now you are seeing some unbelievable skill. The challenge of the IPL, from a skill point of view, is how the bowlers can even the game up a little bit,” said Fleming. “The two bouncers (rule) is one, and maybe we need to keep looking at other ways to do that,” he added. Fleming said that his team looks forward to this highly-anticipated fixture, which has turned into a fine rivalry due to the team’s success over the years. Both sides have won five IPL titles each and it has over the years become the most star-studded and anticipated match over the years. “We love it. We look forward to this fixture. Over the years it has developed into a really competitive rivalry, and it is based on two good teams playing successful brands of cricket,” said Fleming. “Not by design, but more through results, it has worked out to a couple of successful franchises that have had opportunities to push ahead of the others. But look, in saying that every time you play a team these days, it feels like a massive rivalry or a massive game. So we try to keep things reasonably simple and part of the process of this game is to keep emotions down and just enjoy the occasion for what it is,” concluded Fleming. Squads Chennai Super Kings: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni(w), Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mustafizur Rahman, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Moeen Ali, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary, Devon Conway, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prashant Solanki, Simarjeet Singh, RS Hangargekar, Matheesha Pathirana, Aravelly Avanish Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Tilak Varma, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Shreyas Gopal, Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee, Akash Madhwal, Dewald Brevis, Naman Dhir, Nehal Wadhera, Harvik Desai, Piyush Chawla, Kwena Maphaka, Shams Mulani, Luke Wood, Arjun Tendulkar, Kumar Kartikeya, Shivalik Sharma, Nuwan Thushara, Anshul Kamboj.