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Pat Cummins highlights importance of experience in bowling lineup before CSK tie

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins stressed on the importance of experience in a bowling lineup, noting that the presence of seasoned campaigners like T. Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Jaydev Unadkat in last year’s squad offered him a solid platform to build on. "Last year, everyone talked about the runs, but there was a lot of experience in that bowling line-up, which, as a captain, I know how important that is. Last year, it was T. Natarajan, Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), and JD (Jaydev Unadkat), the kind of guys I could lean on. This year, it's pretty much the same, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Shami, Jaydev Unadkat again," Pat Cummins said while speaking exclusively on JioHotstar's special series 'Gen Gold'. "I feel keeping a cool head when the batters are scoring runs and the ball's flying around is really important. Maintaining that confidence throughout a season comes with experience, so I feel like we're well-placed," added the 31-year-old pacer. Also Read: IPL 2025: How Virat Kohli’s bat has done the talking in ongoing edition Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will host the IPL 2025 clash against SRH at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Ahead of the match, both teams are in a similar scenario with six defeats and just two wins. In their rivalry, CSK is leading the charts with 15 wins out of 21 matches against SRH. On the other hand, Sunrisers have won all five matches at Chepauk. CSK and SRH, both teams, faced defeats against the same team, Mumbai Indians (MI), in their respective previous clashes. Ahead of the game, Ishan Kishan's performance will be under scrutiny. The left-hander is yet to deliver a big knock after his first match's heroics. Additionally, Hyderabad will look to promote their premier batsman Heinrich Klaasen up the order. While, CSK will expect their young duo, Shaik Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre, to come good in the match. The clash promises to be a run fest for the spectators as it includes the likes of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube. (With ANI Inputs)

25 April,2025 05:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Danish Kaneria, Indian Army personnel in J&K after Pahalgam terror attack (Pic: AFP)

Ex-Pakistan spinner condemns 'freedom fighters' label for Pahalgam terrorists

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria strongly rebuked Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar for describing the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack as 'freedom fighters', calling it 'an open admission of state-sponsored terrorism'. Kaneria, 44, had earlier condemned Pakistan’s political leadership for its stance on terrorism and had earlier accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of 'sheltering and nurturing terrorists', while lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for delivering a rare speech in English to convey a powerful message against terrorism. The Pahalgam massacre, which resulted in 26 deaths and several injuries, stands as one of the most devastating terror attacks in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. In the aftermath of the tragedy, security forces initiated widespread search operations on Wednesday to hunt down those responsible. Heightened security measures have been observed across the region, with visuals revealing deserted streets in what is usually a lively tourist destination. While the incident drew widespread international condemnation, Dar’s controversial characterisation of the attackers ignited further outrage. “When the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan calls terrorists ‘freedom fighters,’ it's not just a disgrace, it's an open admission of state-sponsored terrorism,” Kaneria wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). When the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan calls terrorists “freedom fighters,” it’s not just a disgrace — it’s an open admission of state-sponsored terrorism. pic.twitter.com/QlS1UDzq20 — Danish Kaneria (@DanishKaneria61) April 24, 2025 In a separate incident, Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra addressed the criticism he has faced for inviting Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem to participate in the upcoming Neeraj Chopra Classic. Clarifying the timeline of the invitation, Chopra emphasised that it had been extended prior to the Pahalgam terror incident and was simply an invite 'from one athlete to another'. pic.twitter.com/yMsX8ggnLA — Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) April 25, 2025 Chopra, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and silver at the Paris Games, expressed his dismay over the backlash and personal attacks. “There has been so much talk about my decision to invite Arshad Nadeem to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, and most of it has been hate and abuse. They haven't even left my family out of it,” he stated in a heartfelt message on X. He also added that it 'hurts' to see his integrity, and that of his family, questioned.

25 April,2025 05:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Bangar (Pic: File Pic)

IPL 2025: Sanjay Bangar predicts the winner from CSK-SRH clash

Former Team India cricketer Sanjay Bangar feels the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will come victorious in the IPL 2025 match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). "I believe CSK will win against SRH. CSK's spin strength, backed by MSD, will be key, and they'll ensure there's assistance for the spinners. The team is evolving, moving away from its earlier pattern with more focus on youngsters. SRH, on the other hand, has been inconsistent," Sanjay Bangar said on JioHotstar's 'Match Centre Live'. The MA Chidambaram Stadium will host the IPL 2025 bottom-of-the-table clash between CSK and SRH. Both teams are facing a similar scenario with two victories and six defeats out of the eight matches. Also Read: CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Predicted playing XIs, head-to-head, injuries and more In the rivalry between these teams, CSK is enjoying the lead with 15 wins out of 21 games. On the other hand, out of six wins, Hyderabad has won five of their games at Chepauk. Ahead of the match, Chennai will expect youngsters Ayush Mhatre and Shaik Rasheed to deliver performances. From SRH's perspective, the side might look to promote their premier batsman Heinrich Klaasen up the order. CSK and SRH have suffered their previous defeats against the same team, the Mumbai Indians (MI). Chennai Super Kings Squad: Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Ayush Mhatre, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni(w/c), Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana, Ravichandran Ashwin, Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Sam Curran, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Gopal, Devon Conway, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Dewald Brevis, Andre Siddarth C, Vansh Bedi. Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins(c), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, Eshan Malinga, Abhinav Manohar, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Sachin Baby, Wiaan Mulder, Kamindu Mendis, Atharva Taide, Simarjeet Singh, Smaran Ravichandran. (With ANI Inputs)

25 April,2025 03:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ayush Mhatre (Pic: X/@ChennaiIPL)

CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Predicted playing XIs, head-to-head, injuries and more

After back-to-back defeats, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will now take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2025 match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. With both teams suffering six losses, the IPL 2025 campaign for them is nothing but over. CSK has found a few rising stars in the form of Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, but the side is falling short in registering victories in their matches. The dugout will have high expectations from the young duo ahead of the SRH match. Over the past two years, SRH, which emerged as a batting powerhouse, has seemed to be in off-colour this season. Ishan Kishan, who joined the team this season, has been a flop performer, post the first match in which he smashed a century. Also Read: IPL 2025 | "Hardik leads from the front and is a good communicator": Trent Boult CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Injuries and unavailability Ahead of the game, no injuries have been reported from either team. CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Head-to-head records So far, out of 21 encounters between CSK and SRH, Chennai has the upper hand with 15 victories, whereas Hyderabad has a poor record with just six wins to its name. CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Predicted XI Chennai Super Kings: Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Ayush Mhatre, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni (c, wk), Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana. Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, Eshan Malinga.  CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Full Squads Chennai Super Kings: Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Ayush Mhatre, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni(w/c), Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana, Ravichandran Ashwin, Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Sam Curran, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Gopal, Devon Conway, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Dewald Brevis, Andre Siddarth C, Vansh Bedi. Sunrisers Hyderabad: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Chahar, Smaran Ravichandran, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Aniket Verma, Wiaan Mulder.

25 April,2025 03:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Heinrich Klaasen (Pic: X/@SunRisers)

CSK vs SRH: Where to watch, squads, pitch report, weather, live streaming

The IPL 2025 is set to witness the match number 43, which will be played between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The match will commence at 7.30 pm at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Both teams will enter the clash on the back of six losses and just two victories. With the IPL 2025 campaign coming to but end for both teams, the sides will look to end it on a positive note. Ahead of the match, it will be interesting to see whether the swashbuckling duo, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, showcase their old versions. The Hyderabad dugout might also look to move their premier batsman Heinrich Klaasen up the batting order. Ishan Kishan's performance will be under scrutiny with the left-hander struggling to score runs after smashing a century in the initial game. Also Read: IPL 2025 | "Hardik leads from the front and is a good communicator": Trent Boult CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Where to watch The CSK vs SRH match will be telecast on Star Sports Network on TV, with livestreaming available on Jio Hotstar from 7:30 PM IST onwards. CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Full Squads Chennai Super Kings: Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Ayush Mhatre, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni(w/c), Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana, Ravichandran Ashwin, Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Sam Curran, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Gopal, Devon Conway, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Dewald Brevis, Andre Siddarth C, Vansh Bedi. Sunrisers Hyderabad: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Chahar, Smaran Ravichandran, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Aniket Verma, Wiaan Mulder. CSK vs SRH, IPL 2025: Pitch and weather report As of today, Chennai's weather reads to be at 33 degrees Celsius. Over the years, the MA Chidambaram Stadium was known for its spin-friendly pitch, but this season, it has started favouring the batsmen, making it easy to play their strokes.

25 April,2025 03:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sandeep Sharma (Pic: X/@sandeep25a)

"When we have to accelerate, the batsman is getting out": Sandeep Sharma

In the IPL 2025, Rajasthan Royals (RR) pacer Sandeep Sharma said that the side is not playing badly; they are not able to capitalise on key moments, when it comes to crucial catches or accelerating in chases. "I won't say it's going wrong, but obviously, the crunch moments of the match, whether it's 6 or we're defending, we're not able to catch them. And in the T20 game, every team has those moments, so it's very important to catch them. And this year it's happening that a crucial catch is being missed, or in chasing, when we have to accelerate, the batsman is getting out at the same time," Sandeep Sharma said in the post-match presentation. The pacer yet again highlighted that losing wickets when the situation demands acceleration has been the concern with Rajasthan. Also Read: IPL 2025 | "Hardik leads from the front and is a good communicator": Trent Boult "And that's our biggest concern, whenever it's time to accelerate in batting, our wickets are being lost. I'm saying it again, we're crumbling in the crunch moments, and we're not able to win those moments," he added.Sandeep Sharma himself managed to claim two wickets by conceding 45 runs in his four-over spell. An outstanding effort from RCB pacers Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal in the death overs helped the side secure victory by 11 runs against RR. With this victory, the Rajat Patidar-led RCB also ended their losing streak at their home venue, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Stalwart Virat Kohli accumulated 70 runs, followed by Devdutt Padikkal's knock of 50 runs helped Bengaluru post a total of 205 runs for the loss of five wickets. RCB is on the third spot on the IPL 2025 points table, with six wins and three losses, giving them 12 points. RR is in eighth spot with two wins and seven losses. They have suffered their fifth successive loss. (With ANI Inputs)

25 April,2025 03:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic: iplt20/BCCI

RCB's Virat-Padikkal emerge as most prolific batting pair of IPL 2025

With another high-scoring, calculated partnership against Rajasthan Royals, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru pair of Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal outshone some of the most prolific pairs of the ongoing IPL 2025 to become the duo with most runs as partners this season. During the clash against Rajasthan Royals, Kohli and Paddikal added 95 runs in 51 balls for the second wicket, reaching a total of 426 runs as a pair. Their partnership played a crucial role in RCB posting 205/5 in their 20 overs. They have outdone the Gujarat Titans pair of England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan (352 runs) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pair of Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran (303 runs) as the most prolific pair of IPL 2025, as per CricViz. Before this match against RR, Virat-Paddikal had partnerships of 20 runs (against Kolkata Knight Riders), 31 runs (against Chennai Super Kings), 91 runs (against Mumbai Indians), three runs (against Delhi Capitals), 83 runs (against Rajasthan Royals), 103 runs against Punjab Kings. It is quite stunning given how up-and-down of a start Padikkal had to his season, which he later picked up with some valuable, counter-attacking knocks. In eight matches so far, Padikkal has scored 230 runs at an average of 32.85 and a strike rate of 156.46, with two half-centuries and the best score of 61. The veteran Virat has climbed to the second spot in the Orange Cap race with his half-century against RR at home, with 392 runs in nine matches at an average of 65.33, a strike rate of 144.11, with five half-centuries. His best score is 73*. Coming to the match, RR opted to bowl first after winning the toss. A 61-run stand between Phil Salt (26 in 23 balls, with four boundaries) and Virat kickstarted things off for RCB. Later, a 95-run stand followed between Virat, who made 70 in 42 balls, with eight fours and two sixes and Padikkal (50 in 27 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes). Despite some quick wickets later, cameos from Tim David (23* in 15 balls, with two fours and a six) and Jitesh Sharma (20* in 10 balls, with four boundaries) powered RCB to 205/5 in 20 overs. Sandeep Sharma (2/45) was the top bowler for RR, while Jofra Archer also delivered an impressive four-over spell of 1/33. (With ANI inputs)

25 April,2025 01:00 PM IST | Bengaluru | mid-day online correspondent
Mumbai Indians pacer Trent Boult (third from right) celebrates with his teammates after dismissing Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Travis Head at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, on Wednesday. Pics/AFP, AP, PTI

IPL 2025 | "Hardik leads from the front and is a good communicator": Trent Boult

The mood is upbeat in the Mumbai Indians bowlers’ camp after setting up a dominant seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their own backyard at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Wednesday. MI’s New Zealand left-arm pacer Trent Boult (4-26) perfectly complemented Deepak Chahar (2-12) as they dismantled SRH’s feared top order, restricting them to just 143-8 in 20 overs. Thereafter, MI opener Rohit Sharma (46-ball 70) and middle-order big-hitter Suryakumar Yadav (40 not out) wrapped it up for MI in style. Also Read: IPL 2025 | "Ayush got depressed when he found...": Ayush Mhatre's coach, Prashant Shetty SRH’s Travis Head walks back after being dismissed for a duck on Wednesday “It was nice to contribute to a good win in a big game. To keep a quality side down in their home conditions was most satisfying. Deepak did a great job,” said Boult, 35, adding that he’d prefer bowling all four overs at one stretch rather than split it up into spells. “I would love to bowl four in a row and swing it around, but it doesn’t always happen. You have to be ready to bowl in whatever stage you’re asked,” said the Player of the Match. ‘We expected a high-scoring game’ Speaking of the wicket, Boult said he expected a run fest. “It was a good wicket, a wicket that Sunrisers knew very well. We expected a high-scoring match after looking at the surface. There wasn’t much grass on it. It was a dry wicket, but the new ball stood up a bit for both teams in the Powerplay and we managed to put pressure and take some catches. They had put up big scores [previously], but I think they played a little differently today. They lost four wickets in the Powerplay,” said Boult. The veteran pacer also heaped praise on opener Rohit and skipper Hardik Pandya. “Rohit will play a huge role in the remaining part of the season. It’s funny how cricket changes. And Hardik leads from the front and is a good communicator. He’s one of my favourite Indian cricketers and I’ve had a good chance to play under him.” Vettori not losing hope Meanwhile, SRH coach Daniel Vettori is hoping they can somehow lift themselves in their remaining matches. “The IPL has been going for a long time and there are a lot of teams who have found themselves in this situation [ninth on the points table after six defeats in eight matches]. And there are a few teams who have been able to resurrect their seasons. You look back to RCB last year after a difficult start. So, if we can take some inspiration, it’s from a team like them,” said Vettori, also citing the example of the Mumbai Indians, who have been known to start the IPL poorly, but finish well. “We just haven’t been able to put up a collective performance, bar the two games that we won. So we’re going to have to improve dramatically in all three facets,” added Vettori. 

25 April,2025 08:10 AM IST | Hyderabad | N Jagannath Das
Coach Prashant Shetty (left) with Ayush Mhatre and his father Yogesh (right) at the Kalpavriksha Cricket Academy in Bandra

IPL 2025 | "Ayush got depressed when he found...": Ayush Mhatre's coach, Shetty

Chennai Super Kings’ Mumbai teenager Ayush Mhatre, 17, impressed one and all with his impressive IPL debut, where he scored a 15-ball 32 against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. However, not many know that the youngster, who scored a massive 504 runs in just nine first-class games last season, including two centuries, and has 458 runs under his belt from seven List A matches, was extremely dejected around this time last year. Also Read: IPL 2025: Virat Kohli’s 42-ball 70 helps RCB post 205-5 against RR Chennai Super Kings batter Ayush Mhatre plays a pull shot against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Pic/Satej Shinde Prashant Shetty, Mhatre’s coach at Kalpavriksha Academy in Bandra, told mid-day on Tuesday that his ward almost went into depression when he was not called to be a part of the India U-19 camp at the National Cricket Academy last April. “Ayush got depressed when he found his name missing from the list of 30 players selected for the India U-19 camp at NCA [National Cricket Academy in Bangalore] around April-May last year. He was very eager to play for India U-19, but had a few low scores and so didn’t make that list. He was upset. He felt that all his effort over the years – he used to travel from his home in Virar all the way to Bandra to train daily at my academy – was not bearing fruit. His confidence took a massive hit. I had to sit him down and convince him that more opportunities would come,” Shetty revealed. After a few weeks of discussions and a lot of coaxing, the teenager was convinced that he must keep doing the hard yards. “At that time, he wasn’t hitting the ball well, so we started working on his back lift. He became very committed and wouldn’t miss a single practice session. And when he began to get his shots away again, he got his confidence back. Mercurial journey He had this hunger to do well and finally, when he got a fifty in his first match of the Thimmaiah Memorial KSCA Trophy last September, I knew that he’d start consistently scoring again. Ayush’s journey across the last one year has been nothing short of mercurial. After the Thimmaiah Trophy, he got a chance to play in the Irani Cup which was followed by the Ranji Trophy. He then played the Vijay Hazare Trophy after which he represented India at the U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai last December and now he’s at the IPL. I’m glad he grabbed his chances with both hands,” added Shetty. That U-19 disappointment made Mhatre mentally stronger. “I think he’s very strong mentally now and is never under pressure. Even after performing well, he never gets too excited. His temperament has improved and this has helped him perform well at different stages across the last few months. I guarantee you he will remain grounded in future too,” said Shetty.  Interestingly, Mhatre, who made his first-class debut against the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Rest of India in the Irani Cup game in Lucknow last October, replaced the same player in the IPL when the CSK skipper suffered an elbow injury.   Happy to meet idol Rohit Shetty admitted that even he didn’t expect such a dashing IPL debut from his ward. “I expected him to play well, but never thought he would play in such attacking fashion in his debut game at the IPL which is such a big stage. We spoke after that [Sunday] match. Ayush was delighted. However, he was happier that he got a chance to speak to his idol Rohit Sharma after the game,” concluded Shetty, who also groomed Prithvi Shaw, who led India to victory the 2018 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand and made his Test debut against West Indies, scoring 134 at Rajkot in 2018. Mhatre will be playing his second IPL game for CSK against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Friday, and Shetty has a message for him. “After early success, there may be failure but it’s important to know how to make a comeback after a setback. That determines whether or not you will be a successful cricketer for a longer period.” 

25 April,2025 08:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (R) plays a shot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pic/AFP

IPL 2025: Virat Kohli’s 42-ball 70 helps RCB post 205-5 against RR

A much better surface for batting and reasonable chunks of luck is perhaps just the combination Royal Challengers Bengaluru needed in their bid to register their first win of IPL 2025 at their home base, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Rajat Patidar lost a fourth straight toss at this venue but once RCB were put in by Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag, things panned out quite nicely. Parag himself put down Phil Salt (on one) at mid-off, in the second over of the game from Fazalhaq Farooqi, while Tushar Deshpande, who had a Thursday night to forget, dropped Devdutt Padikkal when the rangy left-hander was on 36. Also Read: Vardy to leave Leicester with ‘lifetime of memories’ after 13 years These chances apart, RCB benefitted immensely from a slew of outside edges, with Virat Kohli making the most of his good fortune on his way to his fifth half-century of the season and the first at the Chinnaswamy. RR were well below par with the ball for the most part, with the notable exception of the fiery but exceptionally unfortunate Jofra Archer and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, and less than impressive in the field. All this meant the hosts crossed 200 for the first time this season at home, posting 205-5.  At the time of going to press, RR were 72-2 after six overs. Earlier, if Salt and Kohli had laid the base with their 61-run alliance on which Kohli and Padikkal built superbly by putting on 95 for the second, then the final touches were applied by the muscular Tim David and the innovative Jitesh Sharma. The two came together after a mid-innings wobble of three for seven that threatened to undo the earlier good work, but used contrasting means piecing together 42 for the fifth wicket in just 19 deliveries, largely responsible for 122 runs coming in the last 10 overs as RR again showed why they came into this contest with just two wins from eight outings. Either side of his edgy routine, Kohli did play numerous handsome strokes, but the real hero was Padikkal, who fused left-handed elegance with raw power to a nicety on his way to a half-century off just 26 deliveries.

25 April,2025 07:57 AM IST | Bangalore | R Kaushik
Piyush Chawla

"Middle-order batsmen not getting a chance to bat, is a great sign for any team"

Following MI’s fourth consecutive win in IPL-18, former India spinner Piyush Chawla said the five-time champions know how to make a comeback and take the lead in the tournament. Also Read: IPL 2025: Struggling CSK to face SRH at Chepauk Hardik Pandya-led side outclassed SRH by seven wickets at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday. With the win, MI have climbed to third spot in the points table to stage a strong comeback following their dismal start in the cash-rich league.  “They are on a roll at the moment. The kind of cricket they are playing, all the games they’ve won recently have been convincing victories. They haven’t really had to struggle. The bowlers are doing their job, the batters are doing wonders with the bat, and the middle order isn’t even getting a chance to bat. That’s a great sign for any team. This is why we always say MI are a team that knows how to make a comeback and take the lead,” Chawla told JioHotstar. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

25 April,2025 07:45 AM IST | New Delhi | IANS
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