Shreyas Iyer to continue as Delhi Capitals captain, Steve Smith to play mentor | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals have declared that the team will to be captained by Shreyas Iyer even after the arrival of Steve Smith.
“We backed Shreyas when we promoted him to be the captain. Under him, the team came third in 2019 and reached the final in 2020. He is growing as a leader. I am sure the team will continue to do well under his leadership,” Capitals CEO Col. Vinod Bisht told TOI on Friday.
“Any of the seniors who come in, be it Rahane, Ashwin or Steve Smith, they have a lot of knowledge to impart to the young camp. We expect all the seniors will continue to do so including Steve Smith,” Bisht said as Capitals launched their new jersey.
The Delhi franchise has invested heavily in youth over the last five years. “We had a young team which has been groomed for the last 3-4 years. Now they have flowered. If the youngsters continue to do well, we will look to have them with the two new teams coming in next year,” Bisht added.
Bisht also mentioned that the focus in this year’s auction was to have well-rounded bowling attack since the venues were undecided. “There was a lot of uncertainty. Idea is to have a balanced squad.”

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Virat Kohli, Vikram Rathour throw their weight behind KL Rahul | Cricket News – Times of India

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When a flamboyant yet classic top order batsman hits a rough patch, it sparks consternation and despair along with some surprise and intrigue. KL Rahul has spawned all of that.
In the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League in the UAE, the Punjab Kings skipper scored 670 runs in 14 matches, which included a century and five half-centuries. It earned him the Orange cap for the highest run-getter.

The same batsman has managed a solitary run in three matches in the T20 series against England. That one run came in the opening fixture and just when one thought he couldn’t fare worse he produced a couple of noughts in the next two matches.
To say that his current form has come under scrutiny is perhaps an understatement, especially with India firming up the team for the T20 World Cup at home later this year.

The rustiness can be partially attributed to the fact that Rahul has not played competitive cricket since December last year and was benched for the Test series against England. The lack of match time has shown in his timing and selection of shots in the ongoing series.
Hard times may have befallen Rahul, but he can take heart from the fact that he has the backing of pastmasters and his team, skipper Virat Kohli in particular.

After India’s loss to England on Tuesday, Kohli came out in support of the Karnataka batsman, stressing on the numbers he has piled over the years.
“I was going through a lean patch two games ago. These things turn around very quickly. He’s been a champion player for us. If you look at his numbers in the last 2-3 years, they’re probably better than anyone else in T20 cricket,” said Kohli.

Emphasising that the team’s faith in Rahul is unbroken, Kohli added, “He’ll continue to be one of our main batsmen along with Rohit at the top of the order, so we don’t have any concerns there. We know once he starts playing positively and a few shots come off, then it’s a matter of 5-6 balls in this format and suddenly you’re back into that zone.”
Rahul exhibited that zone in the IPL, when he settled down in quick time after a prolonged pandemic-induced break.
Having averaged a little under 41 in 48 T20 appearances for the country, Rahul also found support in batting coach Vikram Rathour.
“In the past one year, KL has been our best batsman in the T20 format, averaging 40-plus and striking at 145. Three failures don’t change the fact that he may be the best in the format. He’s done really well for us and this is the time that the team has to support him and I’m sure he will come out of this lean phase,” stated Rathour.

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With Upstox on board, IPL 2021 revenue surges | Cricket News – Times of India

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MUMBAI: Digital brokerage firm Upstox, which has Ratan Tata among its primary investors, is now an official partner of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The three-year deal signed this month takes the T20 tournament’s sponsorship pool a few notches high compared to the 2020 edition.
With mobile phone manufacturer Vivo coming back on board, the IPL will rake in a hefty Rs 440 once again this year as compared to the Rs 222 crore they received through title sponsorship from Dream11 in what ended up being an “11th hour bargain”.
Now, with Upstox on board, the BCCI-IPL will earn approximately Rs 45 crore more this season with the three-year deal effectively totalling up to around Rs 145 crore.
TOI had reported on Upstox outbidding online-based investment platform Groww last month. The BCCI, by way of Vivo’s return and Upstox on board, will earn in excess of Rs 260 crore more this year compared to the previous one.
It is for the first time in 14 years that a brand in the stock and mutual fund sector has partnered with the T20 league. This year’s IPL is scheduled to begin on April 9 and conclude on May 30.
“We are thrilled to partner with the IPL. The tournament has paved a bold new direction to Indian cricket in the last decade. This is what sparks a natural connection between us,” Upstox CEO Ravi Kumar said.
Fantasy sports platform Dream11, e-education platform Unacademy and e-payment platform Cred are already on board the IPL as the other official partners along with Tata Motors, for now.
Upstox, for the record, is also learnt to have grabbed a three-year sponsorship deal with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and an announcement of the same is expected to be made soon.
The tournament, much of which is expected to be played without spectators at the stadium due to the rising Covid numbers and state-wise restrictions, will once again be an all-television and digital affair — thus throwing the ring open for e-business platforms to find advertising opportunities.
“If you look at the 2020 edition, e-education and fantasy sports platforms had hogged the advertising space. Expect more players in the e-business industry to make an attempt to grab this space this year,” say those tracking developments.

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BCCI keeps option of having crowd for IPL’s later stages open | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: With the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) deciding to hold the last three T20 Internationals against England behind closed doors in the wake of rising Covid-19 cases, it looks clear that whatever chances the Indian Premier League (IPL) had of attracting crowds in the later stages are dissipating fast. Even then, the BCCI is keeping its options open.
While the BCCI had said in an official statement on March 7 earlier that the tournament will be held behind closed doors to begin with, it had said a decision to allow crowds for the later stages would be taken later.
On Monday, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal reiterated to IANS that crowds will not attend IPL games but added that the BCCI has still kept the option of having crowds for the later stages of the tournament.

“The initial phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was without crowds only, it was already decided,” said Dhumal while speaking to IANS.
Asked if there are chances of any crowds in the later stages of the tournament, he said, “It will depend on the situation”, and said that the board is yet to take a final call thus keeping the option open.

The IPL games are going to be held at six venues and no team will play at home. The first phase of league games comprising 20 matches will be held in Chennai and Mumbai while the action for the next batch of league games 16 in number will be held in Ahmedabad and Delhi.
The league action will then move to Bengaluru and Kolkata for the last 20 league matches.
The playoffs will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The massive crowd in the T20 International series, especially in the second T20I, caused a bit of concern in the wake of a rise in Covid-19 cases.
“India is due to host the T20 World Cup later this year. There is a lot at stake. Anything untoward now, even if a few cases crop up, it can have an impact on the tournament. It can create some problems,” said an official in the know of things.
The Indian board had earlier said in statement, “The fixtures of the tournament have been mapped in a way that every team will travel only three times during the league stage, thus reducing commute and minimising risk. The VIVO IPL this year at home will be played behind closed doors to begin with and a call on allowing spectators will be taken at a later stage of the tournament.”

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Huge IPL bucks doesn’t mean the ball suddenly swings more: Pat Cummins | Cricket News – Times of India

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SYDNEY: Australian pace spearhead Pat Cummins feels being sold for big bucks in the IPL auction puts a different kind pressure on the players since a good performance can never be guaranteed.
The 27-year-old is one of the most expensive foreign players in the popular league. Kolkata Knight Riders had shelled out a whopping Rs 15.50 crore for him in the 2019 IPL players’ auction.
Chris Morris became the costliest foreign buy ever at this year’s auction when Rajasthan Royals bought the South African all-rounder for Rs 16.25 crore.
Cummins said a player is always under pressure to perform in professional cricket.
“Whenever you play professional cricket anywhere, there will be lots of pressure. If you are coming off a good game, there is pressure to do it again, if you are coming off a bad game, there is pressure to perform,” he told his IPL franchise KKR‘s official website.
“I guess the auction bring another kind of pressure. We just got to try and manage this. Just because you have gone for more money doesn’t mean, the ball suddenly swings more or the wicket is suddenly greener, or the boundaries are bigger.”
With KKR failing to qualify for the playoffs, Cummins ended the previous edition with 12 wickets from 14 games at an economy rate of 7.86.
“It’s the same playing field, so, I just try to concentrate on what I do well. I guess that’s what is going to bring about the best success for KKR while I’m here,” Cummins added.
Cummins, who was also a part of the franchise in 2014 when the league was played in India and the UAE, said he learnt a lot bowling in conditions different from Australia.
“I have amazing memories. My first experience of playing with players outside Australia, my first taste of the IPL. I watched quite a bit of it on TV and yeah I loved it.
“It’s hard bowling here in India or in the UAE. The wickets are different to the ones in Australia, the grounds are smaller. So, you got to learn and find different ways. We have had some amazing people around the team to learn from.
“I got the whole couple of months to spend with Jacques Kallis. Loved that experience, made me hungry for more,” he added.

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IPL 2021: MS Dhoni’s ‘bald’ avatar steals show as host broadcaster launches promo | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Former India captain and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni has donned a new bald avatar as the latest promo was released for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In a new promo launched by host broadcaster Star Sports, Dhoni sporting a bald look can be seen giving children a lesson on how greed is good if it brings continuous success.

As Dhoni is giving the lesson, a montage appears of Rohit Sharma holding the IPL 2020 title. In another promo, the former India skipper, portraying a leader of an army cadet, can be seen talking about a “Virat Khiladi” and he gives the lesson on how anger is good if it helps in gaining success.

Mumbai Indians have won the IPL five times while CSK has won the title on three occasions.
The IPL Governing Council has already announced the schedule for IPL 2021 to be held in India across six venues from April 9.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai in the tournament opener with the final slated to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on May 30 at Narendra Modi Stadium.



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Shreyas Iyer: India vs England: Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant looking to make instant impact | Cricket News – Times of India

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Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are 26 and 29 T20Is old respectively. They have spent their 20s playing the lead role for an evolving IPL franchise, Delhi Capitals. Now they are in the middle of a process of stabilizing an Indian batting line-up that has been overly dependent on its top three batsmen for the better part of the last half decade.
The batting from No. 4 onwards has kept the team management on the edge of its seat for a good three years now. All the experience that India boast of is largely limited to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan.
It may be flattering for Iyer and Pant that they have been identified to lend strength to this heavyweight top order, but they also realise the rope given to them may not last long enough.

In the T20 format, the heavyweights in the top three all adhere to the same template: ease into an innings and take off in the back half. This has been identified as the problem area now. Taking that much time to hit top gear is a recipe for potential disaster. Hence, the need for ‘explosive’ cricket.
Pant and Iyer have now been tasked to carry out this brand of cricket. Interestingly, in the IPL setup both Pant and Iyer have played more or less the same way as Rohit, Kohli, Rahul and Dhawan. But in the Indian setup, these young boys can barely afford to take as much time.
There’s Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan breathing down their necks. Pant and Iyer know they are critical to the team management’s plans. They have the dual role of building and consolidating the innings.

Here’s their chance to grow beyond just being IPL stars.
“I am under no sort of pressure to perform, I am playing freely, happily and enjoying my innings,” Iyer said after his 48-ball 67 on Friday night.
“I have been in this situation before, been there in IPL, it is not the first time. I knew I would get odd boundaries, and momentum changes if a partnership (gets going). So from that point of view, their bowlers bowled well. It was their day and kudos to them.”

(Iyer, right, and Pant are 29 and 26 T20Is old respectively – TOI Photo)
Iyer has rebuilt many innings with Pant in the IPL. But international cricket is a different prospect. Unlike IPL, you won’t get a couple of inexperienced bowlers to target. Naturally, India struggled to put on a competitive score against England.
“The team management does a lot of planning for these international games. They put us in various situations in practice and ask us to respond. It’s about executing the plans in the middle,” Iyer explained.
The plan is out there and there’s just four more games for Pant and Iyer to really cement their places for the T20 World Cup.

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Two new IPL teams to be auctioned in May | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) will be a 10-team affair from 2022 as the BCCI has decided to auction two new teams in the month of May during the final phase of upcoming edition.
The BCCI top brass including president Sourav Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah on Saturday had a meeting on execution of various policy decisions approved by the IPL Governing Council at the start of the year.
“The 10 team IPL will roll on from next year and the bidding process and finalisation of the new franchises will be completed by the month of May this year,” a senior BCCI source privy to the developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“Once the teams are finalised, they can start their operational work which takes considerable time,” the source added.
No Prithvi or Padikkal for ODIs
The Indian ODI team will be announced on Sunday but none of the senior players have opted for any rest for the time being.
“The team is expected to be announced tomorrow. Neither skipper Virat Kohli nor his deputy Rohit Sharma has opted for rest. There aren’t many surprises as we prepare for World T20,” the influential official informed.
He said that both Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal will have to wait for their chance.
“They have done exceedingly well but will have to wait for their turn,” he said.
Women’s team to tour NZ, Australia next year
After a disappointing 2020 when they didn’t have a single international tour, the Indian women’s team ahead of the 50-over World Cup will be touring Australia at the end of the year followed by a short preparatory series in New Zealand before the World Cup.
“Our women’s cricket is as important as our men’s game. We are playing a Test match in England, our first in 6 years and then we have twin tours followed by the World Cup. Our girls have a packed schedule,” the source added.
Vinoo Mankad U19 starts after board exams
The Vinoo Mankad U-19 trophy, the 50-over tournament which will act as a trial tournament for next year’s U19 World Cup will be held in May-June after the class 12 CBSE and state Board exams are completed.
“There are many boys who are in their Board year and we don’t want them to miss out on their exams. The tournament starts in May-June,” the official added.

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I was not expecting to be picked in IPL, so not really disappointed: Adil Rashid | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: England’s seasoned leg-spinner Adil Rashid on Saturday said he was not disappointed to miss out on an IPL contract as he was not expecting to be picked at the first place owing to the large number of tweakers in the league.
Despite his decent performances at the international level in recent years, Rashid has never drawn the attention of IPL franchises, and so was the case in the last auction.
“I wouldn’t say disappointing, obviously there are a lot of spinners out there, India also got their own local spinners, so I wasn’t really expecting my self to be picked,” Rashid said on the eve of the second T20 International against India here.
The 33-year-old added, “It would be nice to get these deals but like I said, with these tournaments, you put your name forward and and hope a teams picks you… that’s how it works with the IPL or any other competitions.”
England’s move to open the bowling with Rashid worked wonders for them in the first T20I as he not only started with a two-run over but came back to dismiss India captain Virat Kohli for a duck, which pushed the hosts on the back foot.
England won the match by eight wickets.
“Bowling with the new ball is new for me now (he did so a decade back for Yorkshire and in Australia), something I have been working on for past couple of days.
“Hope I can carry on with that regardless of the situation, whether it’s first six (overs), middle or back, I am always looking to develop and work hard.
“That’s something I have been doing in the nets, bowling to batsmen with the new ball, in case I am needed, I am really focussed on every part of the game.
Rashid has been concentrating on limited overs cricket since recovering from a shoulder injury. According to him, he is not yet ready for the rigours of Test cricket where one is required to bowl long spells.
“Test cricket or Ashes has not really crossed my mind. There is a world cup and there is a lot of cricket before that, let’s see how it goes. I am focussing on white ball cricket at the moment.”
Alongside hosts India, England will start this year’s T20 World Cup as one of the favourites.
“We fully believe in ourselves, we have to stick to our strengths, keep developing and keep working on our game, and we should stand a chance.”
England lead the five-match T20 series against India 1-0 and the second game is to be played here on Sunday.

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Kevin Pietersen wants England selectors and management to answer for Test series ‘debacle’ against India | Cricket News – Times of India

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RAIPUR: Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen has slammed the media for constant questioning of players on the rest and rotation policy adopted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
In the recently-concluded Test series against India, England’s rotation policy came under severe criticism and the side has been accused of not prioritising the four-match series which the visitors lost 1-3.
And with the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 knockout stages almost clashing with the New Zealand Test series for England, the visiting players are been constantly asked what will be their plans for the English summer.
Pietersen wants the same set of questions to be asked from the selectors and management and not from the young players.
“So the PLAYERS are now being quizzed by media everyday about IPL and playing early Test matches in England. First the youngster, Curran & now Jos,” Pietersen tweeted.

“The questions should be at Harrison, Giles & Smith! Not seen them front up to India debacle?! Leave the players out of this,” he added.
England is scheduled to play a two-match Test series against New Zealand, starting June 2 while the final of the IPL will be played on May 30.
Earlier this week, Sam Curran said there is still a long way to go before the Test series against the Black Caps but the all-rounder admitted that if Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fails to qualify for the playoffs in the upcoming IPL, he will likely be available for the New Zealand series.
While star batsman Jos Buttler on Tuesday said right now there is no “perfect answer” to the question of him playing the Test series against New Zealand or not.
India and England are gearing up for the white-ball series and will face each other in the first of the five T20Is on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.



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