Hardik Pandya Age, Biography, career, stats, networth, Ranking & News

Cricket/Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021)/News

Rohit Sharma’s Quest Is To Win The 2023 World Cup

Published on September 22, 2021September 22, 2021

Rohit Sharma’s three double-hundreds in One-day cricket make him one of the most prominent limited-overs batsmen ever. Five IPL titles for Mumbai Indians make him one of T20’s finest captains. The limited-overs cricket alone has given him more than he could have ever wished for.

The white-ball sorcerer now understands, more than anything else, that red-ball Test magic alone instils cricketing glory. He knows that despite being the highest scorer at the 50-over 2019 World Cup with 648 runs and five centuries, the Indian team will be remembered for losing to New Zealand in the semifinals.

Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians created history as they won the IPL title for the fifth time, with Rohit winning it for the sixth time. , BCCI/IPL Twitter handle

Rohit Sharma’s Quest To Win 2023 World Cup Driving Him

A World Cup win, a Test match hundred, earning an opposition’s respect are the few things that count. Rohit Sharma will want to make the most between the present and October 2023 – when India hosts the 50-over World Cup. It’ll be 12 years to the 2011 ODI World Cup which was won by India where the lost opportunity of not making it to the squad pains him no end.

The opener has been working on a blueprint for quite a while now and there’s a larger plan to ensure India comes ahead of everything else over the next 24 months. Rohit Sharma rested in the first game between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday but it wasn’t a last-minute call because of any niggle.

He will time and again keep taking these short breaks when required and it’s part of that larger plan. Rohit Sharma though will play MI’s second game versus the Knight Riders on Thursday because it’s the tournament’s business end and he should make it count.

Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Instagram

Kieron Pollard captained the Mumbai Indians side in the absence of their regular skipper Rohit Sharma, who was given additional time off after returning from the England tour where he was on duty with the Indian team in their Test series against England. The duo of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya missed out on the match against CSK which was played in Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma Will Play Next Game Against KKR Confirms Coach Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene, Mumbai Indians head coach, after suffering a 20-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, said regular skipper Rohit Sharma will be available for the next game, which will be against Kolkata Knight Riders, who beat RCB in the 2nd game in the IPL 2021 UAE leg.

Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene (Photo| Mumbai Indians website)

Rohit Sharma, the MI regular skipper will be on the top of his confidence after his recent success against England in the Test series, where he smacked his first overseas century. In the 1st leg, Rohit Sharma was the team’s highest run-getter with 250 runs in 7 innings averaging 35.71.

He had scored 5480 runs in 207 IPL matches averaging 31.49 with 1 ton and 40 fifties. Rohit Sharma led the Mumbai Indians to a successful campaign in the 2020 season, which was their second consecutive title.

Cricket/Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021)/News

Rohit Sharma Should Be Fine To Play The Next IPL 2021 Game Vs KKR: Mahela Jayawardene:

Published on September 20, 2021September 20, 2021

Mahela Jayawardene, Mumbai Indians head coach, after suffering a 20-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, said regular skipper Rohit Sharma will be available for the next game, which will be against 7th placed Kolkata Knight Riders.

The duo of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya missed out on the match against CSK which was played in Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Mahela Jayawardene: Rohit Sharma Should Be Fine To Play The Next Game While Hardik Pandya Had A Niggle In Training Which Isn’t Serious

Kieron Pollard captained the Mumbai Indians side in the absence of their regular skipper Rohit Sharma, who was given additional time off after returning from the England tour where he was on duty with the Indian team in their Test series against England.

“Rohit was batting and doing his running after coming back from the UK; we felt he needed extra few days, so he should be fine to play the next game. Hardik was training, had a niggle, so (just) precaution and giving him extra days, nothing serious,” said Mahela Jayawardene during a virtual post-match conference.

For CSK, Dwayne Bravo scalped three wickets and Deepak Chahar took two to restrict MI to 136/8. Saurabh Tiwary was the top scorer for Mumbai Indians with his knock of 50 runs. With this win, Chennai Super Kings went to the top of the points table while Mumbai is now in danger of falling outside the top four.

“Well, I think the pitch was not doing much, to be honest, in the second innings, the wicket was pretty good. The odd one sat up a little bit. I agree we probably gave a couple of soft dismissals, we probably needed someone to take responsibility and bat through the innings, which we did not do. That was the difference with CSK with Ruturaj Gaikwad doing that for them,” said Mahela Jayawardene.

Chennai Super Kings won the match by 20 runs despite looking at one stage to be losing the match before Ruturaj Gaikwad came to their rescue.

Mahela Jayawardene: Mumbai Indians Disappointed With How They Handled The Situation Despite Reducing CSK To 24/4

Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 88 to bail CSK out of trouble batting first. The MS Dhoni-led outfit posted 156/6 in the allotted twenty overs after being 24 for four inside the powerplay. CSK was 24/4 at one stage and Ambati Rayudu was retired hard but the momentum was shifted after opener Ruturaj Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 88 off 58 balls which included 9 fours and 4 sixes.

Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo scored 26 and 23 before being dismissed while Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, and MS Dhoni couldn’t contribute even 5 runs each.

“Even though they (CSK) lost wickets, there was a set batsman (Gaikwad) who went till the end. We are disappointed with how we handled the situation,” the MI coach Mahela Jayawardene added.

Talking about Mumbai Indians’ batting, Mahela Jayawardene said: “We struggled in Chennai in the first half as we did not get used to the conditions. Here also, you know, it was not the easiest wicket, but probably needed some application. I put it down to game awareness and taking responsibility. The application out there is something we need to work on.”

Batting first in Dubai, Chennai was 24 for 4 at the end of the powerplay, with Ambati Rayudu additionally having retired hurt. But Ruturaj Gaikwad struck an unbeaten 88 off 58 balls, laced with nine fours and four sixes, to lift Super Kings to 156 for 6.

With Ravindra Jadeja (26 off 33), Ruturaj Gaikwad added 81 off 64 balls for the fifth wicket. That set the platform for some late-overs hitting, which Ruturaj Gaikwad and Dwayne Bravo (23 off 8) did with aplomb, Super Kings taking 58 off the last four overs. Mumbai Indians will next lock horns against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday.

Chennai Super Kings 156 for 6 (Gaikwad 88*, Jadeja 26, Milne 2-21) beat Mumbai Indians 136 for 8 (Tiwary 50*, Bravo 3-25, D Chahar 2-19) by 20 runs

Cricket/News

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India Squad, Schedule, Date, Time, And Venue

Published on September 18, 2021

ICC T20 World Cup 2021 will start from 17th October immediately after the conclusion of IPL’s UAE leg. Cricket experts and fans got filled with excitement after the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 to be staged in the UAE.

Notably, the marquee tournament is scheduled to begin on 17th October and the finals of the event will take place on 14th November in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Meanwhile, Team India will be entering the tournament as one of the favourites to win the Cup having won it only once previously in the inaugural 2007 edition.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021:- Representational image of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy | AFP / Jewel Samad — ICC T20 World Cup 2021:- Representational image of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy | AFP / Jewel Samad

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India Squad, Schedule, Date, Time, And Venue

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India Placed In Group B Alongside Pakistan, New Zealand, And Afghanistan

India is placed in the Group B of the tournament alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, nemesis New Zealand, and rising team Afghanistan. Virat Kohli will be leading India in the marquee event and they will be starting their campaign with the high-profile battle against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Pakistan has always struggled against India in the World Cups. Whether it is T20 World Cup or 50-over World Cup, India has remained victorious in all the games. Meanwhile, after facing arch-rivals, India will lock horns with New Zealand, and so far New Zealand has been the dominant side in the ICC events against India. New Zealand defeated India in the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2016 T20 World Cup, 2019 ODI World Cup, and 2021 WTC final.

India and Pakistan rarely play against each other but have a heated rivalry. (Photo by Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NURPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES — India and Pakistan rarely play against each other but have a heated rivalry. (Photo by Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Team India is one of the strongest sides in the upcoming T20 World Cup event. As they have covered each and every aspect of the team. From top-order batters to middle-order batters and from batting all-rounders to bowling all-rounders India has figured everything out.

The strong bench strength that India has is one of the biggest positives for India heading into the tournament. Also with the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League ( IPL) 2021 taking place just before the World Cup, the big names like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah are expected to take a good form in their bag. Meanwhile, legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni will be the mentor of the Indian team, he will provide much-needed experience to the team in the T20 World Cup 2021.

So far, India has won one T20 World Cup trophy, back in the inaugural edition of the World Cup in 2007 under MS Dhoni. Also, they were runner-ups in 2014, Moreover, they reached in semi-finals of the 2016 World Cup.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India’s Squad

Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd Shami.

Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.

Coming back to the squad, in a surprise move, Ravichandran Ashwin has been included in the team which will begin its campaign in the showpiece event against arch-rivals Pakistan. He had last played a T20I against West Indies in July 2017. Veteran former skipper MS Dhoni will be the mentor of the team. The likes of Krunal Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal didn’t find a place in the squad.

Ravichandran Ashwin of India. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India’s Complete Schedule

24th October 2021: India vs Pakistan, 7:30 PM, Dubai

31st October 2021 India vs New Zealand, 7:30 PM, Dubai

3rd November 2021 India vs Afghanistan, 7:30 PM, Abu Dhabi

5th November 2021 India vs B1, 7:30 PM, Dubai

8th November 2021 India vs A2, 7:30 PM Dubai

Royal Challengers Bangalore (Image Credit: Twitter)

Cricket/Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021)

IPL 2021: Top 5 Teams With The Biggest Win Margin In The League

Published on September 17, 2021

IPL 2021 is in its 14th edition. IPL is a T20 competition that was organized by the BCCI. Notably, the tournament was first held in the year 2008 and Rajasthan Royals (RR) won the tournament. Since then every year it is held and has become a fan-favourite tournament.

People of every age group enjoy the high octane and nail-biting encounters between the franchise teams. The cash-rich Indian T20 league is regarded as the World’s best T20 league ahead of CPL, PSL, LPL and it has witnessed some of the greatest cricket games of all time.

However, sometimes fans have also witnessed the dominance of one team which resulted in one-sided games. In this article, we will have a look at the most one-sided games played in the history of the tournament. However, our main focus will be on the victories based on the biggest run margin. Because in total 15 times, a team has won the game with 10 wickets in hand.

Top 5 IPL Teams With The Biggest Win Margin In The Tournament

5. Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 130 runs

On April 23, 31st match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore saw the most extraordinary, explosive, exceptional, and destructive innings in the history of T20 Cricket. Pune Warriors India was facing Royal Challengers Bangalore and they won the toss and elected to field first. The Universe Boss Chris Gayle opened the innings with Tillakaratne Dilshan and he literally demolished the PWI bowling unit.

Chris Gayle slammed 175 against Pune Warrior in 2013 | Photo Credit: PTI.

Almost half of Chris Gayle’s inning was filled with boundaries as the West Indies opener smashed 13 fours and 17 sixers. The Universe Boss was going berserk against every bowler.

Meanwhile, in the end, he finished his knock at unbeaten 175 off 66 deliveries at a massive strike rate of 265.15. With the help of his century, RCB posted 263/5 on the board. During the chase, PWI was unable to give a tough fight to the opposition and in 20 overs they scored 133 at the loss of 9 wickets.

Meanwhile, the Virat Kohli-led RCB won the game by a humongous margin of 130 runs. Chris Gayle had scored the highest individual score and RCB’s total was the highest to date.

4. Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 138 runs

Team Royal Challengers Bangalore was in the records again when they locked horns with Kings XI Punjab ( now Punjab Kings) in the 40th match of IPL 2015 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore on May 6. The George Bailey led Kings XI Punjab won the toss and elected to field first inviting RCB to bat.

Opener Chris Gayle had a sensational outing as he scored 117 runs from just 57 balls. Also, Skipper Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers scored 32 and 47 respectively. Meanwhile, RCB posted 226 runs on the board.

RCB teammates Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers (Image Credit: Twitter) — RCB teammates Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers (Image Credit: Twitter)

During the chase Kings XI, Punjab (now Punjab Kings) were bowled out at the score of 88 in the 14th over. Notably, Axar Patel made the biggest contribution from the Punjab side scoring 40 runs from 21 balls. Only Wriddhiman Saha and Axar Patel scored double-digit runs. Meanwhile, Sreenath Aravind and Mitchell Starc were able to bag 4 wickets each from team RCB.

3. Kolkata Knight Riders won by 140 runs

Yet another RCB involvement, in the biggest win margin columns came this time on the losing side. The match was the 1st game of the inaugural edition of IPL at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore on April 18, 2008.

Brendon McCullum scored 158 runs off 73 balls in IPL 2008 opener. | Photo Credit: BCCL

Royal Challengers Bangalore which was led by Rahul Dravid won the toss and they elected to field first. Meanwhile, KKR openers skipper Sourav Ganguly and Brendon McCullum opened for the first time in IPL. The openers had a 61 runs partnership and Sourav Ganguly was dismissed at 10.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum played a destructive knock of 158 off 73 balls to show the world what they are going to witness in the marquee Indian Premier League (IPL). His innings were filled with 10 fours and 13 maximums. Notably, he batted with a strike rate of 216.43. He helped KKR score 222/3. This was the only ton to date from a KKR batsman.

Meanwhile, during the chase RCB had a horrible run as all their main batters got out in single-digit scores. Only Praveen Kumar was able to score 18 runs and all the other players were dismissed under the score of 10 which resulted in RCB getting bowled out at 82 and losing the game by 140 runs. Ajit Agarkar-3, Ashok Dinda-2, and Sourav Ganguly-2 were amongst the wickets.

2. Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 144 runs

In the 44th match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016, Royal Challengers Bangalore faced off Gujrat Lions at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. The Virat Kohli-led side lost the toss and was invited to bat first. The start was not at all good for RCB as they lost the opener, Chris Gayle, in the 4th over and they were at 19-1 in 3.5 overs.

However, after that fans witnessed a batting master class by two of the greatest batsmen of the generation. Former Proteas batsman AB De Villiers and Indian masterclass batsman Virat Kohli. Both the batsmen brought in the storm and destroyed the opposite bowling unit.

AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli added 229 runs for the 2nd wicket which is the record of highest partnership in the IPL. The captain of RCB scored marvellous 109 runs off 55 deliveries including 5 fours and 8 six at a strike rate of 198.18. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli’s mate AB de Villiers scored exceptional 129 runs off 52 balls including 10 fours and 12 sixes at a strike rate of 248.07. Notably, RCB posted 248 runs on the board in that IPL game.

Meanwhile, during the chase Gujrat Lions despite having star batters were bowled out at 104 and RCB won the game by 144 runs. Notably, in that match, RCB used as many as 9 bowlers. Apart from Aaron Finch’s 37, the likes of power hitters Dwayne Smith-7, Brendon McCullum-11, Ravindra Jadeja-21, Dinesh Karthik-2, and Dwayne Bravo-1 failed with the bat.

1. Mumbai Indians won by 146 runs

Team Mumbai Indians is currently sitting at the top in terms of the biggest winning margin in the history of the tournament. The match was the 45th game of the IPL 2017 at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi. The Rohit Sharma-led team was facing the team Delhi Daredevils (Capitals).

Delhi Capitals won the toss and they invited Mumbai Indians to bat first. Meanwhile, The decision turned out to be a horrible one for the Zaheer Khan-led franchise. As Mumbai batters went berserk against the DC bowling unit.

West Indies powerhouse Kieron Pollard & Lendl Simmons smashed 63 and 66 runs. Also Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya batted with a 207.14 strike rate and MI finished the innings at 212/3.

During the chase, Mitchell McClenaghan dismissed Sanju Samson on the very first ball. Before the power play ended Delhi Capitals were reduced at 35-5 and soon they were bowled out at the score of 66 which resulted in Delhi Capitals setting the record of the biggest loss in the history of IPL by 146 runs.

The likes of Karun Nair (21), Corey Anderson (10), and Pat Cummins (10) were the only cricketers to score double-digit runs as the likes of heavyweights Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Marlon Samuels failing. Harbhajan Singh and Karn Sharma took 3 scalps apiece.

Cricket/Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021)

IPL 2021: CSK vs MI – MI’s Predicted XI For The 1st Match

Published on September 17, 2021September 17, 2021

IPL 2021 UAE leg will see Mumbai Indians will take on Chennai Super Kings in the opening game. The much-awaited encounter will take place on September 19 at Dubai International Stadium. Rohit Sharma-led defending champions Mumbai Indians hold the 4th spot currently in IPL 2021 points table with 8 points. Chennai Super Kings hold the 2nd spot with 10 points.

During MI vs CSK’s first encounter in IPL 2021, Mumbai Indians defeated Chennai Super Kings by 4 wickets. With Kieron Pollard’s spectacular unbeaten 87-run-knock, MI chased down the mammoth target of 219 runs in the match. The team will seek to defeat CSK once again in the UAE leg. Ahead of the high octane match, let’s take a look at Mumbai Indians’ playing XI for the first match against Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2021’s UAE leg.

Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians ©BCCI/IPL

IPL 2021: CSK vs MI- MI’s Predicted XI For The 1st Match

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma will lead Mumbai Indians in the first match of IPL 2021. The MI skipper will be on the top of his confidence after his recent success against England in the Test series, where he smacked his first overseas century. In the 1st leg, Rohit Sharma was the team’s highest run-getter with 250 runs in 7 innings averaging 35.71.

He had scored 5480 runs in 207 IPL matches averaging 31.49 with 1 ton and 40 fifties. Rohit Sharma led the Mumbai Indians to a successful campaign in the 2020 season, which was their second consecutive title.

Quinton de Kock

For the wicket-keeper’s role, Mumbai Indians will go with South African batsman Quinton de Kock. The Proteas batsman has been a spectacular batting form, which was visible during the recent Sri Lanka vs South Africa T20I series. In the first leg of IPL 2021, the left-handed batsman scored 155 runs in 6 matches at an average of 31. He also smacked one unbeaten half-century.

Quinton de Kock had a terrific 2020 season, scoring 503 runs including four half-centuries at the top. The left-hander also has a great understanding with his opening partner, Rohit Sharma, and his explosive hitting makes things easier for the MI skipper at the other end. His form and performance will be vital to MI’s fortune.

Suryakumar Yadav

Sunryakumar Yadav will be a great batsman for MI at the middle-order in the opening game. Yadav showed a magnificent batting performance during the Sri Lanka tour earlier in July. During the first leg, the right-handed batsman scored 173 runs in 7 innings at an average of 24.71. He also held a strike rate of 144+.

Asked to open the batting, Suryakumar Yadav excelled in his role and scored over 500 runs in 2018, including four fifties. In IPL 2019, he amassed 424 runs to be MI’s second-highest run-getter. He outperformed himself in the 2020 season scoring 480 runs at a strike rate of 145 and went on to make his T20 International debut later for India.

Ishan Kishan

Mumbai Indians might keep Quinton de Kock as the wicketkeeper in IPL 2021 opener against CSK. However, Ishan Kishan might also make it into the playing XI as a batsman. During the ODI series against Sri Lanka in July, Ishan Kishan smacked half-century on his ODI debut. In the first leg, he scored 73 runs in 5 matches averaging a below-par 14.6, and will certainly try to make amends in the UAE leg.

Bought for a whopping INR 5.5 crore, Ishan Kishan, who played 14 games in 2018, played seven in 2019, scoring just 101 runs with an average of 16.83. Ishan Kishan was the top run-getter for Mumbai Indians in the 2020 season, scoring 516 runs at an average of 57.33, and later went on to make his International T20 debut where he scored a fearless fifty.

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is another confirmed player for Mumbai Indians in the opening game of the IPL 2021 UAE leg. The younger Pandya largely failed to hit a big knock in the first leg. In 7 matches, he scored 52 runs in 6 innings averaging a pathetic 8.66. However, he is toiling hard in training and all set for a good performance in the UAE leg.

In the 12th edition of IPL 2019, he scored 400 runs and picked up 14 wickets, proving his versatility. After missing out on a lot of action owing to a back injury, Hardik Pandya made a phenomenal comeback in the 2020 season, playing the finisher role for the team and hammering the ball in the slog overs at a strike rate of 178.

Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard is another player who will be part of Mumbai Indians in the opening game of IPL 2021 against Chennai Super Kings. In the first leg, the West Indies all-rounder scored 168 runs in 7 matches at an average of 56 and strike rate of 171+. He also smacked a match-winning knock of 87 runs against CSK in the earlier encounter.

Kieron Pollard formed a critical part of the victorious MI squad in the 2020 season, smashing the ball at a strike rate of 191. He is loved by the Mumbai fans and big Trinidadian will look to set things straight again in the 14th season. After not bowling in 2018 and 2019, he picked 7 scalps in the last two editions.

Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya is another player who might make it to MI’s playing XI in the opening game. In the first leg, the left-handed batsman scored 100 runs in 7 innings at an average of 16.66. He also picked 3 wickets. On spin-friendly UAE grounds, Krunal Pandya might emerge as a crucial bowler for Mumbai Indians.

He hit the winning runs in the 2020 season that gave MI their fifth title. An important member of the side, Krunal Pandya will once again be required of playing the dual role of picking wickets with his left-arm spin and providing a boost to the middle order.

Rahul Chahar

Rahul Chahar will be part of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 opener against CSK. In the first leg, Rahul Chahar gave a magnificent bowling show, picking 11 wickets in 7 matches at an outstanding average of 18.36 and an economy of 7.21. He is the 4th highest wicket-taker in the tournament currently.

Mumbai Indians showed confidence in this skilful leg spinner and gave him 13 of the 16 matches they played in 2019. There is no dearth of talent in him and he surely proved that in the 2020 season scalping 15 wickets in as many matches, not letting the batsmen get away with his clever googlies.

Trent Boult

Trent Boult will be one of the pacers for MI in the opening game of the IPL 2021 UAE leg. The New Zealander bowled brilliantly in the first leg, picking 8 wickets in 7 games at an average of 27.87. He owns an economy rate of 8.46 so far and picked a three-wicket haul in one match.

Trent Boult was truly sensational in the 13^th edition of IPL 2020, sharing the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah. He picked up 25 scalps in only 15 appearances averaging only 18.28 and was the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2020.

Jasprit Bumrah

After his successful bowling show against England in the Test series, Jasprit Bumrah would be quite confident for IPL 2021 UAE leg. He is another player who will definitely play for MI in the opening game. In the first leg, the right-arm pacer scalped 6 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 32 and an economy of 7.11. In the previous season in IPL 2020, he picked 27 scalps in 15 games averaging an awesome 14.96, and was 2nd highest wicket-taker.

Marco Jansen

For the third pacer, Mumbai Indians might induct Marco Jansen into the playing XI. The uncapped Proteas player played 2 games in the first leg, picking 2 wickets at an economy of 7.50. He picked 2 wickets in one match but remained wicketless in the other. His bowling average in his debut IPL season was 22.5 before IPL 2021 got postponed for bio bubble breaches.

Other Options:-

Nathan Coulter Nile

The right-arm pacer picked five wickets in the seven games he played for the Mumbai Indians in the 2020 season. MI bought him again in the 2021 auctions for INR 5 cr. He remained wicketless in IPL 2021 playing only 1 game.

Jayant Yadav

Photo Credit – IPL

Although he featured in only 2 games in the 2020 season, the spinner Jayant Yadav made it count by getting an early breakthrough with the ball for MI in the finals of the 13^th edition. Although he has only played 14 IPL games, 31-year-old Jayant Yadav is a senior in the domestic circuit and has represented India in four Tests and one ODI. He has picked 7 scalps in 17 IPL games averaging 53 but with a decent economy of 6.74. He picked 1 scalp in IPL 2021.

Mumbai Indians Predicted XI:-

Rohit Sharma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile/Jayant Yadav/ Marco Jansen, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult

Cricket/News

Ian Chappell Backs Rohit Sharma To Take Up Vice-Captain’s Role

Published on September 12, 2021

Ian Chappell heaped praise on Virat Kohli’s Indian Test side and also backed Rohit Sharma to take up the vice-captain’s role from Ajinkya Rahane, who didn’t find a place in the Australian’s suggested XI.

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell hailed the Indian Test side for their all-around capabilities and “substantial depth” after they put up yet another outstanding show on an overseas tour under Virat Kohli.

Ian Chappell. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Ian Chappell: Undoubtedly India Is A Very Good Team Which Was Proved In Australia And England Tours

The England-India Test series saw the visitors outplay the hosts at Lord’s and The Oval to take an unbeatable 2-1 lead before the fifth and final match was called off in Manchester due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the visiting camp. India was clearly the superior side in the series despite England playing in their home conditions.

Each and every player who got a chance to play for India stood up for the team on one or more occasions to help them take the upper hand which is why the visitors were the favourites to win the series instead of hosts England. Ian Chappell, who has been vocal in his admiration for this Indian team, heaped praise on Virat Kohli’s side once again and also gave his opinion on what could be their best combination, according to him.

“There’s no doubt that India are a very good all-round team. They have conclusively proved it by winning consecutive series in Australia and now having had success in England, albeit Covid-affected, while they are virtually unbeatable at home.

“However, that isn’t to say they can’t improve. That’s how good teams remain at or near the top – by constantly searching for ways to be better,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.

Ian Chappell also urged the Indian selectors to fit in Ravichandran Ashwin and Hardik Pandya in the Test team’s middle order to further improve the balance.

“India’s best combination includes R Ashwin. He is a fine bowler under all conditions, as he proved in Australia, so India needs to find a way to fit him into the XI. In trying to find a balance between the right- and left-hand batters in the middle order at The Oval, they may have inadvertently stumbled on the solution – Ravindra Jadeja at No. 5. “

“The ideal player would be a fully fit Hardik Pandya, but they do have a second choice in Shardul Thakur. That is the great strength of this Indian side. They have substantial depth. Tweaking the Indian middle order to accommodate the skills of Ashwin should be a priority for the selectors. It’s a scary thought for the other Test sides that Virat Kohli’s highly successful team can be improved.”

Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence from the playing XI for the fourth Test was criticized by several experts. Cricket experts and fans were calling for Ravichandran Ashwin’s inclusion in the XI after India lost the third Test by an innings and 76 runs at Headingley but he was ignored for the fourth time on the ongoing tour.

Ian Chappell Backs Rohit Sharma To Take Up Vice Captain’s Role

Ian Chappell also backed Rohit Sharma to take up the vice-captain’s role from Ajinkya Rahane, who didn’t find a place in his suggested XI. Ajinkya Rahane has batted in seven innings in the 4 Tests and managed to score 109 runs at an average of 15.57. He was dismissed for an eight-ball duck in the second innings of the Oval Test. Earlier in the first innings, he scored just 14 off 47 deliveries.

“The only downside (of adding Ashwin and Pandya) would be the loss of Ajinkya Rahane’s tactical input and his slip fielding to the spinners. Nevertheless, Rohit Sharma is now an acclaimed captain and he’s capable of handling the vice-captaincy role,” Chappell said.

Rohit Sharma celebrates his century during the fourth Test against England. (Twitter/BCCI)

The Virat Kohli-led side marched to an emphatic 157-run win over England in the 4th Test to take a 2-1 lead in the ongoing five-match series. This was also India’s first win in Oval in 50 years. Rohit Sharma was the highest scorer of the match, amassing an outstanding 127 in the second innings.

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India Need To Find A Way To Tweak And Fit Ravichandran Ashwin Into The Playing XI: Ian Chappell

Published on September 12, 2021September 12, 2021

Ian Chappell, the legendary Australian cricketer feels the Indian selectors must prioritise finding a way to “tweak” the team’s middle order to accommodate the proven Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI. The former Australian captain contends that the veteran off-spinning all-rounder has proved himself as a “fine bowler in all conditions” and deserves a place in the team.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence from the playing XI for the fourth Test was criticized by several experts. Cricket experts and fans were calling for Ravichandran Ashwin’s inclusion in the XI after India lost the third Test by an innings and 76 runs at Headingley but he was ignored for the fourth time on the ongoing tour.

Ian Chappell: India’s Best Combination Includes Ravichandran Ashwin As India Need A Way To Fit Him Into The Playing XI

Ravichandran Ashwin’s non-selection raised a few eyebrows but the visitors managed to pull off a memorable win. Virat Kohli made the best use of Ravindra Jadeja in the 4th Test as he picked up 2 scalps each in both innings.

“India’s best combination includes R Ashwin. He is a fine bowler under all conditions, as he proved in Australia, so India need to find a way to fit him into the XI,” Ian Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.

“Tweaking the Indian middle order to accommodate the skills of Ashwin should be a priority for the selectors,” he added.

Ian Chappell said the Indian team has got “substantial depth”, something that makes them the formidable outfit that they are at the moment, adding that the thought that they can still improve is scary.

“There’s no doubt that India are a very good all-round team. They have conclusively proved it by winning consecutive series in Australia and now having had success in England, albeit Covid-affected, while they are virtually unbeatable at home. It’s a scary thought for the other Test sides that Virat Kohli’s highly successful team can be improved.”

The Indian team management preferred the left-arm spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja over Ravichandran Ashwin in the Test matches in England.

Ian Chappell: The Ideal Seam Bowling All Rounder Is Hardik Pandya And Shardul Thakur Is The 2nd Choice

The presence of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, and Rishabh Pant together will make for a very strong lower middle order, the Australian great said.

“In trying to find a balance between the right- and left-hand batters in the middle order at The Oval, they may have inadvertently stumbled on the solution — Ravindra Jadeja at No. 5. If Jadeja proves good enough to hold down that spot in the order, the other piece required to complete the puzzle is a seam-bowling all-rounder. The ideal player would be a fully fit Hardik Pandya, but they do have a second choice in Shardul Thakur.”

“A middle-order that reads Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Pandya, and Ashwin should provide the runs expected of that section. With three fast bowlers to follow, the batting is then supported by a versatile attack. That’s the advantage of having a strong, well-balanced attack — you don’t need huge scores to chase victory.”

That places could be interchanged is another advantage India enjoys in the middle order, Ian Chappell believed.

“The other good point about that middle order is that it’s interchangeable. Skill-wise, Pant is the best batter of that lot. He’s capable of restraint when the situation demands, so he could easily handle No. 5, especially when India bat first. However, if he’s had a long stint in the field, he could slide down the order to allow Jadeja to come in at five. Pandya also has the potential to handle No. 5, and given encouragement, he could fulfill the role,” said Ian Chappell.

Ian Chappell feels “another attribute of that trio is their powerful strokeplay.”

“The ability to accelerate the scoring rate is essential in Test cricket and those three are an ideal combination to take advantage of a good start to the innings. They are also a perfect fit for situations where the team is either chasing or setting a target,” said Ian Chappell.

Shardul Thakur has made an impressive start to his international career. In the Oval Test, he scored two vital fifties and also got the wickets of Joe Root and Rory Burns on the final day.

Hardik Pandya has decent returns in Test cricket – he has scored 532 runs in 11 Tests (18 innings) at an average of 31.29 at a strike rate of 73.88 with one hundred and four fifties and also picked 17 wickets at a bowling average of 31.05. But, Hardik Pandya has not played another Test for India since Southampton, 2018 after suffering lower back injuries which saw his bowling being restricted.

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Hardik Pandya Isn’t An Automatic Pick In India’s Squad For 2021 T20I World Cup: Reetinder Singh Sodhi

Published on September 8, 2021September 8, 2021

Reetinder Singh Sodhi believes Hardik Pandya is not an automatic pick in Team India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The T20 World Cup will be played from October 17 in the UAE and Oman. The Indian selectors are likely to choose the squad for the mega event on Wednesday.

The BCCI is all set to announce India’s squad for the T20 World Cup on Wednesday. While the selectors had already had a chat with skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri, they will have one more customary meeting on Wednesday morning to finalize the selection. Furthermore, India will also carry a few additional players as a COVID-19 contingency.

Hardik Pandya Image Source : GETTY — Hardik Pandya Image Source: GETTY

Reetinder Singh Sodhi: Hardik Pandya Didn’t Set The Stage On Fire In The Recent Sri Lanka Series So He Isn’t A Certainty In T20I WC Squad

During a discussion on India News, Reetinder Singh Sodhi opined that Hardik Pandya might not be a certain pick in India’s squad.

“I will stick my neck out, it is not certain that Hardik Pandya has sealed his spot. Hardik Pandya is a great potential and is called an all-rounder, but if you talk about the recent Sri Lanka series, he did not set the stage on fire.”

Reetinder Singh Sodhi. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

Hardik Pandya scored just 19 runs in the two innings he played in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. He picked up only two wickets in the three matches and was taken for an average of 6.92 runs per over. Even in the solitary T20I, he played on the tour, Hardik Pandya scored 10 runs at a strike rate of 83.33 and conceded 17 runs in the two overs he bowled.

After missing out on a lot of action owing to a back injury, Hardik Pandya made a phenomenal comeback in the IPL 2020 season, playing the finisher role for the team Mumbai Indians and hammering the ball in the slog overs at a strike rate of 178. But in IPL 2021, he disappointed scoring only 52 runs in 7 games averaging a pathetic 8.66. He didn’t bowl in the last two IPL editions.

Reetinder Singh Sodhi: Shardul Thakur Is Slightly Ahead Of Hardik Pandya At Present

Reetinder Singh Sodhi believes that Shardul Thakur has the edge over Hardik Pandya at the moment.

“My opinion is that if you compare Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur at this point in time, Shardul Thakur might be seen slightly ahead. I agree Shardul Thakur has done very well in Test cricket but he has the signs of showing exceptional play in T20s as well.”

The former India all-rounder added that Shardul Thakur can be extremely useful for the Virat Kohli-led side.

“The emergence of Shardul Thakur, he has come into consideration suddenly and people have started talking about him all of a sudden. He can be an asset, a player who has the ability to win the match both with bowling and batting.”

Reetinder Singh Sodhi signed off by reiterating that Shardul Thakur could be a viable alternative for Hardik Pandya.

“So if you have an option, there is Shardul Thakur, you can take him as well. Competition is very tight, we will have to see who the selectors pick.”

Shardul Thakur has certainly staked his claim for a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad with his excellent performances in England. While Hardik Pandya is almost a sure-shot pick, Shardul Thakur is likely to be in the selectors’ thoughts as he can provide much-needed depth in batting.

With the final date for submitting the squad list nearing, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team is expected to announce their 15-member squad soon. With Washington Sundar set to miss IPL due to an injury and World Cup in all probability, Ravichandran Ashwin may feature in the WC squad.

With wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul in the side, Ishan Kishan would have to miss out. There could be a toss-up between Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw for the 3rd opener’s slot.

Stuart Binny had a long session in the nets ahead of the game © AFP

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Stuart Binny Retires From 1st Class And Int’l Cricket

Published on August 30, 2021August 30, 2021

Stuart Binny, the all-rounder who holds the record of the best bowling figures in ODI format, on Monday announced his retirement from first-class and international cricket.

The 37-year-old Stuart Binny began his career with his state Karnataka and represented India in six Tests, 14 ODIs, and three Twenty20 Internationals.

Stuart Binny Decides To Retire From 1st Class And International Cricket

Stuart Binny, who has the experience of 95 first-class matches, played a few Tests with reasonable success under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“I would like to inform you that I have decided to retire from first-class and international cricket,” Binny, whose father Roger also represented India, said in a statement. “It has given me tremendous joy and pride to have represented my country at the highest international level.”

In his debut Test against England in July 2014, he scored 78 in the second innings and that remained his only half-century in six Tests. A 31-run over in a T20 game against the West Indies in Florida effectively ended his international career where Evin Lewis hit him for five sixes.

He played 6 Tests, 14 ODIs, and 3 T20Is scoring a total of 459 runs and picking up 24 wickets. Stuart Binny is best known as a player who punched above his weight and did his best even when his famous father Roger Binny relinquished his selection committee post due to a conflict of interest.

Stuart Binny’s figures remain the best by an Indian in ODI cricket | AFP

He played an integral role for Karnataka’s state as they won the Ranji Trophy – India’s premier first-class tournament – in 2013/14, scoring 443 runs at 43.22 and taking 14 wickets at 32.64 in the season. He also had a fine career in the IPL, playing for Mumbai Indians in 2010 before rising to prominence during his time with Rajasthan Royals from 2011 to 2015. Stuart Binny managed only 880 runs and 22 scalps in 95 IPL games.

On 17th July 2014, Stuart Binny achieved an incredible feat in ODI cricket with his magical spell of 6/4 in just 4.4 overs – which helped India to record a 47-run victory via the DLS Method over the Tigers in the second ODI of the three-match series on their Bangladesh tour.

Stuart Binny Held The Best Bowling Figures In ODI To Date

Stuart Binny’s 6/4 are still the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in ODI cricket, as he broke the previous record held by Anil Kumble who had taken 6/12 against the West Indies in the Hero Cup final in 1993. While he did not get many international runs under his belt, Stuart Binny’s 6/4 is still the best ODI bowling figure.

Once the conflict of interest became a catchphrase in Indian cricket, his father Roger Binny was forced to relinquish his selection committee post. With the emergence of Hardik Pandya as an explosive batting all-rounder, Stuart Binny’s chances of a national comeback dwindled and he played a season of first-class cricket in the North East.

Stuart Binny thanked the BCCI, his various teams, fellow players, and coaches for the role they played in his growth as a cricketer.

Stuart Binny, 37, represented India across 23 matches – six Tests, 14 ODIs, and three T20Is. His first-class career spanned nearly 17 years, and he played the bulk of those 95 matches for his home state Karnataka; his standout domestic season was in 2013-14 when he scored 443 runs at 43.22 and took 14 wickets at 32.64, playing a key role in Karnataka’s run to the Ranji Trophy title. Overall, he ended his first-class career with 4796 runs and 146 wickets.

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Hardik Pandya’s Body Too Weak To Take The Workload Of An All-rounder: Salman Butt

Published on August 23, 2021August 23, 2021

Salman Butt feels that Hardik Pandya’s body, in its present state, is too weak to shoulder the workload of an all-around player. According to the former Pakistan skipper, Salman Butt, the Indian cricketer is undoubtedly talented but will need to work extremely hard on building his physique.

Hardik Pandya has bowled sparingly since returning to international cricket following back surgery in 2019. He has even lost his place in the Test team due to his inability to bowl his medium pacers on a consistent basis.

Salman Butt: Hardik Pandya Needs Some Muscle In His Body But Skill Wise He Can Improve Himself But His Body Can’t Take Excess Workload

After missing out on a lot of action owing to a back injury, Hardik Pandya made a phenomenal comeback in the IPL 2020 season, playing the finisher role for the team and hammering the ball in the slog overs at a strike rate of 178. But in IPL 2021, he disappointed scoring only 52 runs in 7 games averaging a pathetic 8.66. He didn’t bowl in the last two IPL editions.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Salman Butt shared his views on Hardik Pandya and stated: “India had high hopes from Hardik Pandya, but he has been on a long layoff period. He looks very skilful when he bats. And when he was bowling before injury, he looked very effective with decent pace. But again, Hardik Pandya’s problem is that he is so slim, if there is extra load on his body, he will keep getting unfit.”

“He needs some muscle on his body. Skill-wise, he has a lot of capacity to become better and better. The way he bats and bowls… he has a very good bowling action. But again, his body cannot take the excess workload. That is what needs to be managed.”

Hardik Pandya, India’s premier seam-bowling all-rounder, has been dealing with his back injury issues, which have forced him to bowl less. He hasn’t played Test cricket since 2018 and he hasn’t been fit enough to bowl even short spells, let alone take the toll of a full day’s work.

He didn’t bowl a single ball in last season’s IPL, and in the first half of the IPL 2021 as well. But he is now gradually gaining fitness as the T20 World Cup nears. Being a pace-bowling all-rounder, it would be key for India that Hardik Pandya is able to provide his quota of 4 overs as that would give the desired balance to the eleven.

Salman Butt Doesn’t Know If There Is Any Issue With Hardik Pandya’s Physique

Salman Butt cited the examples of Kapil Dev and Imran Khan to explain why it is important to have a strong body structure to fulfill all-round duties.

The former Pakistan batter Salman Butt added: “If you compare Hardik Pandya with Kapil Dev or Imran Khan, they were far fitter than him. You can watch their YouTube videos. They were double in size, and had more muscle. I don’t know if there is any issue with Hardik Pandya’s physique. The physios and trainers must be definitely talking to him about it.”

Recently, National Cricket Academy (NCA) bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said that IPL 2021 would provide a decent idea of the extent to which Hardik Pandya can be utilized as a bowler, especially with the T20 World Cup coming up.

Speaking to IANS, Mhambrey said about the Mumbai Indians’ fast bowler: “Yes, the way I look at him, and the way I feel, I am sure he will bowl (in IPL). First step is the IPL. Maybe the franchise will decide how will they use him. That, kind of, will decide how it will be (a) preparatory ground for the World Cup.”

In the white-ball series in Sri Lanka last month, Hardik Pandya bowled 14 overs in three ODIs, picking up two wickets at an average of 48.5 and an economy rate of 6.92. He also sent down two overs in one T20I.

Against England in March, he had bowled 17 overs in the five T20 Internationals, picking three wickets and conceding runs at 6.94 an over which was the second-best on either side after Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He could complete his four-over quota in three of the five games. Hardik Pandya also bowled in the third and final ODI against England and was quite economical, conceding runs at 5.33 in nine overs.

Hardik Pandya

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