Former Indian cricket player Gautam Gambir has expressed his regret for not utilizing Suryakumar Yadav’s potential during his 10 years tenure as captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He added that the team never managed to use Suryakumar Yadav to his potential.

He further reasoned that Suryakumar Yadav played down the order in several matches because he could play only one player at no. 3, and as a captain, he had to think about the other players in the playing XI. The former KKR captain recalled that Yadav was always willing to contribute to the squad, whether he was benched or played at No. 6 or 7.

Gautam Gambhir said that Suryakumar Yadav, who currently plays for Mumbai Indians in IPL, can perform best accross all formats and is a key player when it comes to ODI. He asserted that the Mumbai Indians player can be dangerous in the ODI format as well. The KKR coach hoped that Yadav will not make himself a one-format player, and keep working hard.

Suryakumar Yadav started his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in 2011 and played a crucial role in winning the trophy that year. In 2014, he was moved to KKR for 4 years where he played under Gautam Gambhir’s captaincy. Featuring as a lower middle-order batter in KKR, Suryakumar Yadav showcased his batting prowess, accumulating 608 runs in 54 matches. In 2018, Suryakumar was again bought by Mumbai Indians where he bats at No 3.

Reacting to Gautam Ghambir’s regret for not utilising Suryakumar Yadav to his potential, social media users shared old posts from 2015 in which Gambir appreciated the entire KKR team but especially praised Suryakumar Yadav and asked fans to give him the nickname SKY.

Some X, formerly Twitter users also shared pictures of Gambhir and Suryakumar when they were teammates and played for KKR. They also posted runs scored by Suryakumar Yadav in T20 matches and praised his captaincy in T20 matches against Australia in the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma and Vice-captain Hardik Pandya.

Delhi Capitals defeated the Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2024 match on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Ishant Sharma took 3 important wickets after a brilliant batting show from Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs as Delhi Capitals kept their IPL 2024 playoff dreams alive with a 19-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants.

Porel and Stubbs helped Delhi Capitals reach a big total of 208/4 and although Nicholas Pooran and Arshad Khan hit half-centuries, the Lucknow Super Giants could only manage 189/9. The Delhi Capitals will now have to depend on other results in order to qualify for the playoffs while the Lucknow Super Giants still have a game in hand but their Net Run Rate can prove to be a big problem for them.

Ishant Sharma was awarded the player of the match. After receiving the award Sharma said during the last few games he had been trying to bowl a knuckle ball.  He recalled that he had dismissed Virat Kohli in the last game against RCB and now he got the wicket of KL Rahul. He said he did not think much and he takes it as it comes every day.

He said that his body is alright and thanked his physio Patrick. He said he had some injuries and after the defeats, he was positive and there was belief that he would comeback well. He further added that when one wins close games then he gets confidence to take the momentum forward.

Delhi Capital captain Rishabh Pant was very happy with his team’s performance and said Pooran was giving them a hard time. He said they had certain plans and the total was good enough. He said the DC bowlers kept on bowling good balls. He said he started the season with a lot of hopes. He said there were many injuries but his team is still in contention for the playoffs. Personally he felt it was fantastic to come back.

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has blamed the packed IPL schedule for India’s lack of readiness for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Harbhajan Singh spoke to a daily in an effort to take the message to the Indian cricket board.

As the IPL 2024 season reaches its climax with the final scheduled for May 26, concerns loom over the Indian cricket team’s preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UA and the Caribbean. Team India finds itself in a unique situation as the end of the IPL leaves little time for a full-fledged training camp before the T20 World Cup kicks off on June 2. India hasn’t won an ICC trophy since 2013, leading to great pressure on the team to put up a good show in the tournament.

Meanwhile, defending champion England’s players have opted out of the IPL playoffs to focus on T20 World Cup preparations. England is set to play in a four-match T20I series against Pakistan, prioritizing match practice over IPL commitments. This means IPL enthusiasts will miss out on witnessing key players like Phil Salt and Josh Buttler and many more in playoffs.

While the England and Wales Cricket Board has prioritised national team preparations over franchise cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has yet to convene a training camp for the Indian squad. It is in this light that Harbhajan Singh’s concerns on the IPL schedule assume significance. The England team’s decision can prove to be a template for future ICC tournaments. Harbhajan also suggested the Indian team utilize the limited preparation time effectively. He emphasized the importance of collective practice matches against top teams like England and Australia, especially in conditions similar to those expected during the T20 World Cup.

As the countdown to the T20 World Cup begins, the spotlight remains on the Indian cricket team as they strive to reclaim their place at the summit of international cricket.