English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Cricket news

IPL 2022: Virat Kohli motivates out-of-form Ruturaj Gaikwad but who will motivate former RCB captain

IPL 2021, Gaikwad was the Orange Cap holder with a total of 635 runs, however, he has not been in a promising form this year. In 5 matches of IPL 2022, Gaikwad has been able to concede only 35 runs. While Kohli has aggregated 106 runs in 4 innings. His highest was 48 against Mumbai on Saturday.

Published

on

Kohli-Gaikwad

Cricket fans on Tuesday witnessed a heartfelt moment between the two out-of-form batters Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad after the Chennai Super Kings registered their first in IPL 2022 against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Dr DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

After the match ended in CSK’s favour, the former RCB and team India skipper Virat Kohli was interacting and motivating CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was the Orange Cap holder last year.

IPL 2021, Gaikwad was the Orange Cap holder with a total of 635 runs, however, he has not been in a promising form this year. In 5 matches of IPL 2022, Gaikwad has been able to concede only 35 runs.

The moment soon garnered a lot of praise on social media, as everyone was left flattered by Kohli’s gesture that he had shown with Ruturaj Gaikwad. Tweeple were praising Kohli’s act of motivating a young cricketer but the question is who will motivate the former RCB skipper who has not scored a half-century in IPL 2022.

Last year in IPL 2021, Virat Kohli had also been seen motivating Mumbai Indians player Ishan Kishan, who was also struggling like Ruturaj Gaikwad struggling this year. The video of the heartfelt moment in which Kishan was seen teary had gone viral.

In IPL 2022, Kohli has aggregated 106 runs at an average of 35.33 in 4 innings in IPL 2022 so far. His highest was 48 against Mumbai on Saturday.

Kohli had dismissed LBW by Dewald Brewis on his first ball and the batter was angry at the decision of the on-field umpire.

The RCB batter Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) as he has 6,389 runs to his credit.

After leading RCB in 140 IPL matches in nearly 10 seasons, Kohli had stepped down from the captaincy at the end of the last season. South Africa star batter Faf du Plessis took over the reins from Kohli.

So far in IPL 2022, the RCB has won 3 matches and lost 1 and the franchise is currently placed 5th on the points table.

Continue Reading

Cricket news

Bowlers may hold the key in high-stakes IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala

Although the media build-up centers on the batting heavyweight clash between Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala is set to be decided by the bowling consistency of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Siraj.

Published

on

Flat pitches, towering sixes, and relentless run-scoring have defined the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 so far. However, when Gujarat Titans (GT) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lock horns in Qualifier 1 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala, the contest could ultimately hinge on the bowlers.

The HPCA Stadium has proved to be unforgiving for bowlers due to its short boundaries. A teaser of what could unfold was evident during recent net sessions, where Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Tim David regularly launched monstrous hits out of the stadium. In the three matches played at this venue this season, teams crossed the 200-run mark five times, with the lowest score being 199/8. An average of nearly 25 maximums per match has been hit here, promising another potential run-fest.

Moving past the Kohli vs Gill narrative

While media attention focuses on the iconic battle between the ‘King’ Virat Kohli and the ‘Prince’ Shubman Gill—hailed as the heir to Indian cricket’s batting legacy—the true deciding factor might lie elsewhere. Both batters look in pristine touch. Gill occupies the second spot in the Orange Cap race with 616 runs from 13 matches, trailing behind his opening partner Sai Sudharsan. Meanwhile, Kohli has bounced back from a brief mid-tournament slump by smashing a sparkling century, taking his tally to 557 runs this season.

Despite the incredible batting firepower on display, the bowling units are expected to dictate which team blinks last. Media interactions with team managements highlighted that consistency and self-belief within the respective bowling departments have been the defining traits of both squads this season.

Powerplay battles to decide the finalist

For RCB, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads the charge alongside Kagiso Rabada for GT, with both spearheads locked as the joint-highest wicket-takers across the two sides at 24 wickets each. Bhuvneshwar holds a slight edge due to a superior economy rate. Close behind them is GT’s Mohammed Siraj, who has taken 17 wickets so far. With supporting acts like Josh Hazlewood, Jason Holder, Prasidh Krishna, Rasikh Salam Dar, and spinners Rashid Khan and Krunal Pandya in the mix, the match promises an intriguing tactical battle.

Gujarat Titans’ assistant coach Vijay Dahiya acknowledged that negotiating Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the powerplay will be a massive task, but reminded that GT possesses equal firepower in Siraj and Rabada. “If you talk about the powerplay, our numbers are among the best in this tournament,” Dahiya stated.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar echoed similar views, placing immense faith in his bowling attack to stop GT’s prolific opening duo of Gill and Sudharsan. “Our strength is bowling. The way we bowl in the powerplay will be very crucial. We’ll look for early wickets and that is what we have done throughout the tournament,” Patidar remarked.

In a tournament dominated by towering batting displays, the team whose bowling unit holds its nerve under the Dharamsala lights will seal a direct spot in the IPL final.

Continue Reading

Cricket news

IPL 2026 playoff race heats up as Sunrisers Hyderabad lead qualification odds at 75%

Sunrisers Hyderabad lead the IPL 2026 playoff race with the highest qualification probability, while Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings remain locked in a close contest for the final spot.

Published

on

SRH

The IPL 2026 playoff race has intensified further, with the latest qualification projections showing a clear edge for Sunrisers Hyderabad, while the battle for the final knockout spot remains wide open among multiple contenders.

According to updated playoff probability estimates following recent matches, Sunrisers Hyderabad hold the strongest position among all teams still in contention, with a 75% chance of qualifying for the top four. Their consistent performances have kept them comfortably ahead in the mid-table scramble.

At the same time, the race behind them has become increasingly tight, with several teams separated only by small percentage margins and net run rate factors beginning to play a decisive role.

CSK, RR and PBKS in close fight for fourth spot

The most competitive battle is currently for the fourth playoff position, where three major franchises remain in contention.

Chennai Super Kings are placed at around 35.5% qualification probability, keeping their campaign alive but under pressure after inconsistent results in recent matches.

Close behind them are Rajasthan Royals, who continue to hover in a similar range with nearly identical chances, making every remaining fixture crucial for their campaign.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have seen their prospects weaken further, slipping to around 31% despite still being in the playoff mix. Their position in the points table remains vulnerable as they struggle to build momentum in the final stretch of the league stage.

Other contenders and overall standings

Elsewhere, teams like Gujarat Titans continue to maintain a strong hold on qualification scenarios with a high probability of finishing in the top four, despite occasional setbacks.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have already secured qualification status, strengthening their position at the top end of the table.

The mid-table remains highly competitive, while Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders continue to fight mathematically but face tougher paths due to lower probabilities and net run rate challenges.

What the numbers mean going forward

With only a few league matches remaining, the playoff cutoff is expected to settle around the 16-point mark, making every remaining fixture critical. Net run rate is also likely to become a key deciding factor if multiple teams finish on similar points.

Sunrisers Hyderabad remain in the strongest position, while the battle between Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings is expected to go down to the final set of league matches.

Continue Reading

Cricket news

IPL 2026 playoff race tightens as RCB and CSK feature in key qualification projections

RCB and CSK feature in updated IPL 2026 playoff qualification projections, with Bengaluru at 92.6% and Chennai at 41.7% as the race tightens.

Published

on

The IPL 2026 playoff race is intensifying as teams move deeper into the league stage, with qualification scenarios highlighting a closely contested battle for the top four spots.

According to recent playoff probability projections reported in media coverage, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) currently hold a strong position with a 92.6% chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Their consistent performances have placed them among the leading contenders for a top-four finish.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK), meanwhile, remain in the mix but face a more challenging path ahead. Their qualification probability stands at 41.7%, meaning the five-time champions will need strong results in their remaining fixtures to stay in contention.

The updated projections underline how competitive the tournament has become, with small changes in form significantly impacting playoff chances at this stage of the league.

While only select team probabilities have been highlighted in the available data, the overall playoff race remains open, with several teams still competing for the remaining qualification spots as the league phase progresses.

The coming matches are expected to play a decisive role in shaping the final top four standings for IPL 2026.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com