Sports

RCB batting coach Dinesh Karthik blames Chinnaswamy pitch for loss against DC


RCB’s Tim David, plays a shot, during the IPL 2025 match against s Delhi Captials  at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru on April 10, 2025.

RCB’s Tim David, plays a shot, during the IPL 2025 match against s Delhi Captials at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru on April 10, 2025.
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting coach Dinesh Karthik hinted that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch has not delivered what the team management desires.

Karthik’s explanation came after RCB succumbed to a second straight home defeat on Thursday (April 10, 2025). RCB batted first against Delhi Capitals on a sticky wicket, and finished on a sub-par 163 for seven.

In the first outing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, against Gujarat Titans, RCB similarly struggled and made 169 for eight when taking first strike. On both occasions, the chasing side had an easier time of it.

Asked if RCB would have preferred to have batting-friendly conditions, as seen at this venue in seasons past, Karthik said, “The way T20 cricket is, the more runs there are, the better it is for the broadcaster, the better it is for the fans. They all like to see boundaries.”

“In the first two games, we have asked for good pitches. But it’s turned out in this way where it’s been challenging to bat on for sure. So we try and do the best with whatever we get,” Karthik added.

When asked if the RCB team management will follow up with the curator, Karthik replied, “We will obviously have a chat with him, and we trust him to do his job.”

On the nature of the pitch, Karthik said, “This is not a pitch that’s helping the batters too much. It’s a challenging pitch. That has been the case in both the games that we have played. In the first game, there was dew. So it got a lot better to bat on the second innings.

Today, it was really hard. Then, unluckily for us, a little bit of rain came. And then you could see the difference in the pitch. The shots that they (DC) played definitely wasn’t possible in the first innings.”



Source link

Ruled Out CSK Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad Seen Playing Football In Viral Video. Internet Says: “Forcefully…”






Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of Indian Premier League 2025 due to an elbow injury. In his absence, it will be MS Dhoni, who will be leading the five-time champions in the ongoing season. This came as a big blow for CSK as Gaikwad had also been valuable for the team as a consistent and reliable batter. Gaikwad sustained the blow when he was hit by a short ball from England and Rajasthan Royals pacer Jofra Archer on March 30. After that he went on to play two games. “He got hit in Guwahati (vs RR). He’s been operating with an amount of pain. We got an X-ray, which was inconclusive, and we had an MRI, which revealed a fracture in his elbow, in the radial neck,” said CSK head coach Stephen Fleming while sharing the news.

While Gaikwad is already out of the tournament, a video of his playing football has gone viral on social media. NDTV could not verify whether the video has been shot recently or it is an old one.

In the surfaced clip, Gaikwad could be seen playing football during CSK training. The video saw many fans questioning the injury of the player.

“Forcefully dropped?” asked a fan. “Old video,” claimed another fan.

Watch it here:

While Gaikwad played through pain against Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, the CSK medical team could only get his MRI done after the swelling subsided.

“So we’re disappointed and feel for him. We appreciate the efforts that he’s gone to in terms of trying to play, but, he will be out of the tournament,” said Fleming.

The head coach also said that Gaikwad wanted to “continue” but the call to replace him had to be made.

While Gaikwad has easily been the best batter in the last five games, he has often been left frustrated by a floundering top order and below-par show by the middle order, where CSK haven’t been able to chase anything in excess of 180.

CSK doesn’t have too many options now apart from bringing back Rahul Tripathi in the top-three although he has looked terribly out of place so far.

Deepak Hooda, one of the seasoned CSK players, can come in the middle order.

CSK can also look at the untested Delhi boy Vansh Bedi to do some power hitting.

The Chennai team is entitled to a substitute player and it could be Mumbai teenager Ayush Mhatre filling in that slot. 

(With PTI Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article





Source link

Injured Ruturaj Gaikwad Ends Silence After MS Dhoni Replaces Him As CSK Captain






Five-time champions Chennai Super have released Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s statement on social media after the player got ruled out of Indian Premier League 2025. Notably, Gaikwad will miss the remainder of the season due to an elbow injury that he had suffered on March 30. While he played a couple of games despite that injury, it eventually forced him out of the tournament. As Gaikwad was the captain of CSK, his absence meant somebody had to take over the captaincy duties and the team went ahead with veteran skipper MS Dhoni, who led the franchise to record-equalling five titles.

Late Thursday, CSK uploaded a video of Gaikwad on social media in which he expressed his disappointment for missing out the season. He added that he hopes things change under the leadership of Dhoni.

“Hello everyone, Ruturaj this side. Really gutted to be missing future part of the IPL due to an unfortunate elbow injury. But, thank you for your support until now. Yes, we have been struggling a while, you know now that a young wicketkeeper leading the team, hopefully, things will change. I am gonna be there with the team, really support them,” Ruturaj said.

“Definitely would have loved to take this team out of this situation, but you know some things are not controllable. As I said, definitely looking forward to support the team from the dug-out and hopefully, we have a great season ahead. Thank you,” he added.

A beleaguered Chennai Super Kings will have their task cut out against Kolkata Knight Riders after losing regular skipper Gaikwad to injury, as they look to break a frustrating run of defeats in IPL 2025 on Friday.

CSK will hope Dhoni’s return at the helm brings them luck as the five-time winners try to overcome a string of defeats.

Heading into the critical game, in which a loss could spell more trouble for CSK, the home team is taking some solace from the batters’ impressive show in the last match against Punjab Kings, which they lost by 18 runs after being set a stiff target of 219 in Mullanpur.

CSK are now hoping for a change in fortune at Chepauk, which has so far this season not afforded them the advantage it has been know to give in the past, something that has also forced longtime coach Stephen Fleming to express his frustration after a massive loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru some days back.

(With PTI Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article





Source link

“Asked Curator For…”: RCB Mentor Dinesh Karthik Adds Fuel To IPL Pitch Controversy






The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises vs curator battle has now reached the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru. As the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered a 6-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals, the home franchise’s mentor Dinesh Karthik turned his attention towards the pitch curator, openly claiming that this is not the sort of pitch that his team wanted. Karthik, in the post-match press conference on Thursday, said that the curator was asked to prepare a ‘good wicket’ that would aid batters for the first two matches. However, that wasn’t the case.

Speaking to media after his team’s second successive home defeat, Karthik said that it was a tricky wicket that his side hadn’t expected as the instructions to the curator were clear on preparing a batting-friendly track.

“I think the way T20 cricket is, the more runs are there, the better it is for the broadcaster, the better it is for the fans. They all like to see boundaries,” Karthik said. “In the first two games, we have asked for good pitches. But it’s turned out in this way where it’s been challenging to bat on, for sure.

“Definitely, this is not a pitch that’s helping the batters too much. It’s a challenging pitch. That has been the case so far in both the games that we have played.”

Karthik also said that he is set to hold a chat with the curator about the nature of the pitches at home going forward.

“There’s been a wobble when people have tried to stay out there and fight it out as well. It’s been hard to, at times, rotate strike. And the big shot has been really hard as well. So we have tried to control it [the urge to keep hitting],” Karthik asserted. “But, at the end, it’s a T20. You have to play some shots and that has gotten the wicket of a few batters.

“We will obviously have a chat with the curator. We trust him to do his job, and we will try and do the best of what we can,” he further said.

Topics mentioned in this article



Source link

Sourav Ganguly Asked CSK To Appoint MS Dhoni Captain Before Injured Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Exit






Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes there is only one way MS Dhoni should feature in the IPL and that is as captain of Chennai Super Kings. For Ganguly, Dhoni is a “different beast” when he is leading the side. Ganguly made this remark just moments before CSK officially announced Dhoni’s return as captain for the remainder of IPL 2025 after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament with a hairline fracture on his elbow. Dhoni’s late-order batting position and fading form due to his knee trouble has been a talking point this season, sparking criticism from several quarters. But Ganguly made his stance crystal clear.

“But I just have one, and I know it’s a platform, I should not be saying this… If MS Dhoni has to play for CSK, he must be captain of CSK. Because MS Dhoni, the captain, is a different beast,” Ganguly said on the sidelines of an event here after his AI Digital Avatar was launched by Ikonz.

Dhoni’s return to CSK captaincy comes at a critical phase of their campaign, with the five-time champions reeling from four consecutive defeats. This will also mark Dhoni’s first match as skipper since leading CSK to their record-equalling fifth title in 2023.

“MS Dhoni can still get sixes. We saw that in the other game. Obviously, he’s 43-year-old. We don’t expect to see the MS Dhoni what I saw in 2005. That’s quite natural. But I think he’s still got the power to clear and hit.” “And I think with all his experience, all what he’s achieved, he understands the game as good as anybody and will do what is right for CSK,” he added.

Ganguly was also quizzed about Kolkata Knight Riders’ home woes at Eden Gardens, where they have lost two out of three games, including a dramatic four-run defeat against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday.

“Please ask Ajinkya Rahane. He’ll be able to answer that (what’s wrong with KKR at home). They were cruising in the last game and should have won that game with an over to spare.

“They’ve got some fabulous players. Rahane himself is in very good form. My only worry is I see Rinku Singh too much lower down the order.” “It’s still early days. I’m sure they’ve got the opportunity to turn it around,” he added.

The lack of ‘home advantage’ in IPL this year with franchises reportedly not getting pitches to their liking has also become a heated topic of discussion.

Asked whether he supports home advantage in the IPL, Ganguly gave a measured response.

“Yeah, why not? It depends on how it goes. I know why you’re asking, but I don’t want to comment on that.” Looking ahead to cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Ganguly welcomed the move, calling it a golden opportunity for Indian cricket.

“I think it will be a great opportunity for all the cricketers to win a medal, to win an Olympic medal. India is very strong, so I am sure it will be an opportunity for India to win an Olympic gold in the years to come.

“Cricket in the Olympics is, it will make young players dream of an Olympic medal, the gold, silver or bronze,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Topics mentioned in this article



Source link

Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan says Rs 8.5 crore price tag ‘gives more freedom’ | Cricket News


Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan says Rs 8.5 crore price tag 'gives more freedom'
Sai Sudharsan (Getty Images)

MUMBAI: IPL 2025 is turning into a happy hunting ground for Tamil Nadu opener Sai Sudharsan. He is the second-highest run-getter of the season so far, with only Lucknow Super Giants’ Nicholas Pooran ahead of him.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Excerpts from an interview…
Opener or No. 3, which position suits you better?
Anybody would love to open the innings in T20s. You have a little bit more time. I’m enjoying opening in this format.
There are so many contenders for that slot in the Indian team. How does the intense competition make you feel?
India has great talent and there are quality openers and top-order batters. I focus on myself and try to improve so I can be a better batter. Whenever I get an opportunity to play for the country, I should be equipped for that.
Which batter or left-hander have you fashioned your game on?
I’ve been watching a lot of Murali Vijay (former India & Tamil Nadu opener) videos. I love the way he moved at the crease and the way he batted.
You are the fastest Indian to 1000 IPL runs. Next target?
The record for most runs in the IPL, I’d love to have that. But right now, it’s all about taking baby steps and going for wins.
You were bought for Rs 20 lakh in 2022 and retained before this IPL for Rs 8.5 cr. That’s a quantum leap. Does that motivate or unnerve you?
That’s a good question. I look at it differently. Now I’m in a different price bracket. It gives me more freedom because there is no fear or restriction from my point of view. It’s all about cricket from now on. It’s all about exploring and giving my best rather than thinking about what I will do to earn money.
You played for Surrey in 2023. Are you looking at a county contract this year too?
I’d love to play a few more county games. A county stint will definitely have a big impact on my batting. I was exposed to a lot of difficult fast bowling and swinging conditions when I played for Surrey.
How has it been playing alongside former England captain Jos Buttler?
It’s been exciting. The experience and knowledge that he brings reassures me out there. I get to learn a lot from him.


Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.





Source link

‘Mera ground hai ye’: KL Rahul makes a bold statement after his heroics against RCB | Cricket News


'Mera ground hai ye': KL Rahul makes a bold statement after his heroics against RCB
Delhi Capitals KL Rahul celebrates after hitting the winning run against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Screengrabs)

After hitting the winning run against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Delhi Capitals batter KL Rahul dug his bat into the ground like a sword, marked his territory, pointed to his badge and said “Ye mera ground hai (This is my ground).”
“This is my ground, my home, know this (ground) better than anyone else,” he said at the post-match presentation.
On Thursday night, KL Rahul scored a measured 93 not out to guide Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing a modest 164, Delhi Capitals stuttered at the start but Rahul’s composed knock from 53 balls with six sixes and seven fours did the job for his side.
Rahul’s innings was a prime example of risk management as he started at a slower tempo before shifting the gears seamlessly.
“It was a slightly tricky wicket but what helped me was being behind the stumps for 20 overs, watching how the wicket played. The ball sat in the wicket but it was consistent throughout, it was one-paced.
“I knew what my shots are, wanted to get off to a good start, and then assess it accordingly. It depends on the conditions and the ground and the dimensions. On a wicket like this, I knew what my pockets were.
“If I wanted to hit a big six, I knew what pockets to target, and keeping gave me a feeler for where other batters were dismissed and where they hit the sixes. Got lucky with the dropped catch.”
Rahul acknowledged it was a tricky pitch but he always experiment during the practice.
“Something I have always done with my preparation is that I always try to adapt to different wickets (even in practice).
“I experiment in practice, get out a couple of times but it gives me a fair idea of the areas I can target – where I can take singles, where I can hit sixes.
“I don’t keep batting for hours and hours and keep slogging. I do that sometimes but that is when I am not getting into a flow and rhythm. It is more about how I can master playing (on a particular pitch) and that becomes second-nature.”
Delhi Capitals are unbeaten in the tournament and are currently placed at top of the points table.


Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.





Source link

an excerpt from Lo Bir Sendra — A Hunter in the Burning Forest by Jaipal Singh


Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, looking at the wicket along with Jaipal Singh (near the stumps) before the start of the MPs trial cricket game at the National Stadium, Delhi on September 05, 1953.

Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, looking at the wicket along with Jaipal Singh (near the stumps) before the start of the MPs trial cricket game at the National Stadium, Delhi on September 05, 1953.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu archives

The Olympic winning hockey captain of the 1928 Amsterdam Games and a stalwart of the Adivasi movement organised several sporting events as a parliamentarian. In his memoir, Lo Bir Sendra: A Hunter in the Burning Forest, Jaipal Singh recalls setting up a cricket match for MPs. Jawaharlal Nehru, S. Radhakrishnan and a host of politicians took the field. The editors of the memoir note that it was written during a long sea voyage to Europe in 1969, a year before Singh’s death. It was first published by ‘Prabhat Khabar’ with a foreword by Stan Swamy, but soon went out of print. With its republication, a new generation of readers will learn of Singh’s life and times. An edited excerpt:

Jaipal Singh

Jaipal Singh
| Photo Credit:
PIB

There were also occasions when sporting events had to be organised for MPs. The first one I took charge of happened in September 1953, in the wake of the floods that besieged Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. I found there were enough cricketers in Parliament, some of them top class, like the maharaja of Dungarpur and Sardar Surjit Singh Majithia. The Parliamentary Sports Club was formed with Nehru as chairman, the president of the republic as patron, and I, manager. I appointed the maharajadhiraj of Darbhanga as treasurer. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur was a keen member of the executive committee.

I decided that there should be a match between the Prime Minister’s XI and the Vice-President’s (Dr. Radhakrishnan). The press took all this as a joke to ridicule the MPs. I arranged net practice and gave press communiques. Special blazers and caps with the parliamentary badge were also issued for the participating players. Even the Prime Minister had to pay for his blazer and cap.

Bata shoes for Gopalan

Characteristic ‘native’ problems cropped up. Kaka Gadgil, a Cabinet minister, insisted on playing in his dhoti. Gopalan, the communist leader, had never worn boots. Rajkumari Kaur and Begum Aizaz Rasul insisted on their inclusion. A deputation of Nehru’s admirers demanded he should not play. Although I had taken the decision without consulting anybody, Nehru wanted to play so I included him. No dhotis in cricket, I decided. I bought Bata shoes for Gopalan. I promised the women I would not leave them out if I couldn’t get twenty-two male players. I said they could even umpire.

The brochure was a big job. Anthony de Mello, fomer president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, took charge of this task. I got a letter of support from the Prime Minister, and this got ‘Tony’ hundreds of advertisements. We made nearly ₹50,000 on this one item. Tony, who was also honorary general secretary of the National Sports Club of India, organised a Parliament-like seating arrangement in the National Stadium Gallery for distinguished visitors, the Speaker’s guests, in the officers’ box and the President’s box. Seating also had to be arranged for the players. Lala Sir Sri Ram, a big businessman, undertook to lunch us. Beer, I got free from Dyer Meakin.

Printing the tickets was also a problem. In Delhi, and perhaps elsewhere, it quickly becomes a money-making business, with black markets emerging almost immediately after tickets are printed. Tony connected me with one of his many stooges. Twenty-five thousand one-rupee tickets were printed for the hoi polloi. Then, ten- and five-rupee tickets for the Bhavnagar Pavilion. I arranged for one row of thousand-rupee tickets just behind the teams. Every ticket sold out. Maharajas were keen to sit near the Prime Minister. I had no difficulty with the twenty-five thousand one-rupee tickets. I gave them to P.L. Mehta, the Delhi police chief, and got ₹25,000!

The President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, a great lover of sports, arrived by the front lane. I presented the two teams to him. Dr. Radhakrishnan put on the cricket cap for a change. The two captains had to go out to the field for the toss. Nehru, the Harrovian, inspected the pitch and Tony commentated on the ongoings. A gold sovereign donated by [Ramnath] Podar, the left-hand bowler, decided in Nehru’s favour. Majithia and M.K. Krishna thrashed the bowling. An Indian crowd is not interested in the finer points of cricket. They want boundaries. Majithia gave them the boundaries. The spectators weren’t really interested in cricket. They only wanted to see the national hero in action. I put him in with Gopalan, who had never played cricket in his life.

Shah Nawaz bowled to Nehru. The first ball he completely missed. The second narrowly contacted his bat and he scored two. The third ball whizzed past him and went to gully. He ran, Gopalan didn’t. When the ball was thrown back to the wicket keeper, Barrow, he would not stump Nehru and threw the ball to the boundary. I declared the innings.

Caught by Nehru

The maharaja of Dungarpur Maharawal Sir Lakshman Singh captained the Vice President’s XI. He opened the innings. General Maharaja Ajit Singh bowled from the NSCI end. Lakshman Singh hit the very first ball up into the air straight in my direction. It was an easy catch, but I dropped it. Keshav Malaviya came in third. He was a left-hander and was caught by Nehru. The crowd went rapturous with applause. For months, Nehru talked of the catch.

The women insisted on playing. Begum Aizaz Rasul had turned up in trousers. I disappointed them. Instead of playing, I asked them to sell the brochures. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and Renu Chakravarty brought in the most sales.

The match was broadcast by All-India Radio. The Speaker, Ananthasayanam Ayyangar, was introduced by the maharajkumar of Vizianagram, Vijay Ananda Gajapathi Raju, an old Test player. Nehru also spoke. I too had to make my comments. Hirendranath Chattopadhyay amused us all with his topical limericks. The umpires were General Rajendra Singhji and Anthony de Mello.

One incident annoyed me. The home minister, Dr. Kailash Nath Katju, turned up without a ticket. At the main gate the police didn’t dare stop his car. But when it approached the main stadium entrance, he wasn’t allowed in. A senior policeman rushed to me. I went down and told Dr. Katju he couldn’t possibly be let in without a ticket. His private secretary produced the money.

The Prime Minister threw a dinner for all the players, organisers and attending dignitaries. His catch was the talk of the evening. The whole event had a great effect on the political atmosphere. It brought together all political parties and a friendly atmosphere developed in both Houses of Parliament.

The cover artwork by Venkat Raman Singh Shyam is based on a photo of Jaipal Singh receiving an honour in Oklahoma when on a U.S. tour in 1959. Singh was presented with Native American headgear and made Honorary Pelichi (chief) of the Chickasaw Nation. In Jharkhand too, he is known as Marang Gomke, the Big Chief.

The cover artwork by Venkat Raman Singh Shyam is based on a photo of Jaipal Singh receiving an honour in Oklahoma when on a U.S. tour in 1959. Singh was presented with Native American headgear and made Honorary Pelichi (chief) of the Chickasaw Nation. In Jharkhand too, he is known as Marang Gomke, the Big Chief.
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: Navayana

Lo Bir Sendra — A Hunter in the Burning Forest; Jaipal Singh, Navayana, ₹399.

Excerpted with permission from Navayana.



Source link

IPL 2025: KL Rahul at ‘home’ bosses RCB at home to keep DC unbeaten | Cricket News


IPL 2025: KL Rahul at 'home' bosses RCB at home to keep DC unbeaten
KL Rahul (Photo: BCCI/IPL)

BENGALURU: After KL Rahul (93 not out; 53b; 7×4; 6×6) scored the winning runs for Delhi Capitals (DC) with a six, he sauntered to the adjoining pitch, drew a circle and thumped his bat on the ground. After all, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is his home turf, and Rahul simply owned the stage on Thursday night.
A flamboyant yet classic batter whose repertoire of strokes runs delightfully deep, Rahul in his backyard is a dangerous proposition, especially if he is dropped by the opposition even before he gets going, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) found out the hard way.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Report-gfx-4

Rahul, dropped by Rajat Patidar on five, turned match winner in Capitals’ six-wicket victory in a tricky chase of 164, ensuring DC cantered home with 13 balls to spare. Rahul oozed class and composure as he soaked in the pressure of losing early wickets to stitch together a match-winning 111-run (55 balls) fourth-wicket partnership with Tristan Stubbs (38; 23b; 4×4; 1×6).
Defending a modest total, RCB’s bowlers were on the money in the first half of DC’s chase. The new-ball pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/26) and Yash Dayal had the crowd on their feet with their swing and testing lengths, sending back openers Faf du Plessis (2), Jake Fraser -McGurk (7) and Abhishek Porel inside the Powerplay.

Report-gfx-1

At 58/4 in the ninth over, the visitors had their backs to the wall. Even as the cloudy Bengaluru skies threatened to open up, Rahul stepped on the accelerator in the 15th over, picking the seasoned Josh Hazlewood for a display of delectable drives and magnificent cover drives, as the over yielded 22 runs.
From there on, it was just a matter of formality as Rahul and Stubbs ensured a four-match winning streak for the Capitals.
SALT ASSAULT
There was an aura of invincibility around Phil Salt. The only person who could have stopped the explosive opener was the Englishman himself. All it took was a stumble on the turnaround and a communication lapse and the momentum tilted in DC’s favour.

Report-gfx-2

RCB raced to 61 off 23 deliveries with Salt contributing 37 (17b; 4×4; 3×6). Just when it seemed like the combination of Salt and Virat Kohli (22) had set the tone for a run feast, Salt, after a failed bid for a cheeky single, stumbled and then scrambled to make his crease even as Rahul — that man again — hit the stumps.
Salt’s dismissal snuffed the impetus as the RCB batting line-up mostly made guest appearances at the crease, crumbling around the lack of pace from spinners and poor shot selection. It took an unbeaten 20-ball 37 from Tim David to take RCB to 163/7, with 36 runs coming off the last two overs.

Report-gfx-3

Devdutt Padikkal’s stay at the crease was laboured and Mukesh Kumar ended it in quick time. The hosts ended the Powerplay with 64/2. The onus was on Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar (25) to resuscitate the innings, but Capitals unleashed leggie Nigam to render the boisterous crowd speechless.
Kohli, looking to drive, failed to control his shot and Starc rushed in from long-off to complete a brilliant catch. Axar Patel’s blend of spin and pace attack choked the RCB batters and ensured wickets at regular intervals. Kuldeep Yadav (2/17) and Nigam, with their googlies and flighted deliveries, were impressive


Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.





Source link

Liverpool Can Move Closer To The Title As Top Five Tension Mounts






Liverpool will look to bounce back from a rare defeat as the runaway Premier League leaders host West Ham on Sunday. Meanwhile Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are embroiled in a tense battle to qualify for the Champions League. Let’s take a look at three talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:

Liverpool not ‘complacent’

Having sucked any drama out of the title race weeks ago, Liverpool suffered a rare defeat against Fulham last weekend that sparked accusations the leaders are getting complacent.

Arne Slot’s side lost their 26-match unbeaten league run in an error-strewn 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage that bore little resemblance to the team that had marched relentlessly towards their first title since 2020.

But despite their second league defeat this season, Liverpool have an 11-point lead over second-placed Arsenal with just seven games left.

It would take an astonishing collapse for the Reds not to claim a record-equalling 20th English crown and Slot is convinced his players remain firmly focused on getting the job done as soon as possible.

“I think there is no reason for us to be complacent,” Slot said ahead of West Ham’s visit to Anfield.

“I think everyone that has seen our games knows that it takes us so much effort, so much hard work to win.

“The team that won the league in the last four seasons were already 3-0 up at half-time almost every single game they played. That is not the way for us.”

Top five race hots up

With five places in next season’s Champions League now available to English clubs, the race for those lucrative berths is set to go down to the wire.

Third-placed Nottingham Forest, who host Everton on Saturday, hope to reach Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 1980-81 and hold a five point lead over sixth-placed Manchester City.

Chelsea, in fourth place, are ahead of fifth-placed Newcastle only on goal difference, with the League Cup winners holding a game in hand that could prove crucial.

This weekend, Chelsea face struggling Ipswich, while Newcastle host Manchester United and seventh-placed Aston Villa — two points adrift of the top five — visit relegated Southampton.

City, who entertain Crystal Palace on Saturday, are a point behind Chelsea and Newcastle and arguably have the most to lose as they bid to salvage a wretched season with Champions League qualification.

Pep Guardiola’s side, who have won the Premier League six times in the last seven seasons, last failed to appear in the Champions League in 2010-11.

Leicester on the brink

Leicester’s dismal campaign looks destined to end in relegation and a loss at Brighton on Saturday would push them to the brink of returning to the second tier after one season.

Beaten 3-0 by Newcastle on Monday, the Foxes are the first side in English football’s top four divisions to lose eight successive home league games without scoring.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s second-bottom team have not netted at the King Power Stadium since December 8 against Brighton and have gone seven league games at home and away without scoring.

Van Nistelrooy is only the second manager in Premier League history to lose eight successive home games in the competition, after Daniel Farke with Norwich in 2021.

Mired in a woeful run of nine consecutive defeats in all competitions, Leicester will be 18 points adrift of safety with only six games left if they lose at Brighton and fourth-bottom Wolves beat Tottenham on Sunday.

Van Nistelrooy has no answers to Leicester’s plight, saying: “Trying different things, different structures, different players in different positions and the results are not there. That is the worrying thing.”

Fixtures

Saturday (1400 GMT unless stated)

Manchester City v Crystal Palace (1130), Brighton v Leicester, Nottingham Forest v Everton, Southampton v Aston Villa, Arsenal v Brentford (1630)

Sunday (1300 GMT unless stated)

Chelsea v Ipswich, Liverpool v West Ham, Wolves v Tottenham, Newcastle v Manchester United (1530)

Monday

Bournemouth v Fulham (1900 GMT)

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Topics mentioned in this article



Source link