Explore Business Standard
Cricket News
Delhi Capitals have won their first two games without Mitchell Starc but bowling coach Munaf Patel wants his pace spearhead to link up with the squad at the earliest as there is "no bigger bowler than him in the IPL". With what Starc brings to the table, former India pacer Munaf said the Australian can only be compared to Jasprit Bumrah. Starc is yet to get the NOC from Cricket Australia and is nursing a shoulder injury. Speaking to reporters ahead of the game against Gujarat Titans, Munaf said he is asking about Starc's arrival on a daily basis. "We have won two games so it has not been felt," Munai said on a lighter note. "If we don't do well, it depends. He is one of the best in the world. There is no bigger bowler in the IPL than Starc. Bumrah is the only one I can think of. He has so much experience, he swings at 140kmph plus with the new ball. I follow up with the team every day. Cricket Australia will update us. We need him as our main bowler," said Munaf. At DC, Munaf is
Royal Challengers Bengaluru mentor Dinesh Karthik believes it will be difficult to keep Devdutt Padikkal out of the Indian team for long, given the manner in which he is batting in the IPL following stellar domestic performances. Padikkal starred in RCB's big win against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, scoring a blistering 50 off 29 balls. Asked about Padikkal's composed knock at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Karthik, who is also RCB's batting coach, highlighted his composure during a tough initial phase before opening up. "The first thing that stands out is his determination. On a pitch like this, when runs don't come easily at the start, many batters try to force a big shot and end up giving their wicket away. Devdutt showed great courage to stay patient when the going was tough," Karthik told Star Sports. "Once he got that first boundary, you could see him switch gears. He's playing proper cricketing shots and hitting the ball with distance. If he continues batting like this, it will
A few years back, Najafgarh-based Railway Protection Force's ASI Ram Niwas Yadav was extremely worried about the future of his youngest son Prince, who was only interested in bowling yorkers at tennis ball tournaments. However, the youngster was unruffled and told his father straight up, "Papa aap mera chinta karna chhod dijiye. Main apne se kuch kar loonga (Dad stop worrying about me. I would manage something on my own)." Cut to 2026 and the seemingly nonchalant boy has managed to come good on the promise. The Lucknow Super Giants swing sensation has already breached the defences of experienced India internationals such as Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan in successive IPL games. "Any father would be worried about the future of his kids and so was I. Till the age of 18, he had not even bowled once with the leather ball. I literally forced him to appear for the Delhi Police's Constables' Exam and he was fit enough to clear the physical round. "But he wasn't well prepared for written tes
India opener Sanju Samson and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah were on Monday named among the nominees for the ICC Player of the Month award for March following their success at the T20 World Cup. South Africa batter Connor Esterhuizen completes the shortlist following an outstanding debut T20I series in New Zealand that saw one of the best statistics after five games by anyone from his country. Samson's sizzling form towards the end of the T20 World Cup, which earned him the player of the Tournament award, puts him in the fray alongside Bumrah, who was adjudged the player of the match in the final. Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games and helped India retain the title. He struck 97 not out against the West Indies in what was a virtual quarter-final in Kolkata and followed it with knocks of 89 in the semi-final against England in Mumbai and the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. In the same set of matches,
Delhi Capitals pacer Kyle Jamieson on Monday joined a growing chorus of players criticising the IPL's controversial Impact Player rule, saying it "takes a lot of the skill out of the game. Several current and former cricketers have voiced concerns over the rule, which allows teams to substitute a player from a list of five at any point during a match. While some argue it hampers the development of all-rounders, others feel it has tilted the balance in favour of batters as teams can now attack throughout 20 overs with the cushion of having an extra willow wielder at number eight. "Personally, I'm not a fan of it. I think it takes a lot of the skill out of the game," Jamieson said in a select media interaction ahead Delhi Capitals game against Gujarat Titans. "I think if you can bat 9 or 10, you don't have to have the same sort of batsmanship that you probably once had to have," he added. Introduced in 2023, the rule is set to remain in place until 2027. Jamieson stressed that the
Head coach Stephen Fleming downplayed Sanju Samson's underwhelming run in IPL 2026, saying the wicketkeeper batter is "going through the process of connecting" with Chennai Super Kings and he is "desperate" to score runs and contribute to the team's success. Samson, who joined the Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals amid much hype ahead of IPL 2026, has so far managed 6, 7, 9 in first three matches. "It's difficult when you've been at a franchise (RR) for some time and even though he probably feels pretty comfortable there's still an element of belonging and he's going through the process of connecting with this team," said Fleming in the post-match press conference. Samson's modest outings at the top has robbed CSK of the desired quick beginning in this IPL, but Fleming said the Kerala man is "desperate" to find his rhythm. "The team (CSK) has got five or six changes. So, it's not like it's a set team. There's a little bit of work to be done off the field that we're doing just to ma