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RCB vs MI: “Would love to see him being considered for the T20I side” – Ashwin on Bhuvneshwar

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar (PC: IPL/BCCI) Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar deserves a return to India’s T20I side after his brilliant performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the ongoing IPL season. Ashwin heaped praise on Bhuvneshwar after his match-winning spell against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Raipur on May 10. “Hashtag ‘BringBackBhuvi’ — I’d love to see him being considered for the T20I side,” Ashwin said on JioHotstar. “Tick with the new ball, able to complete the death overs nicely, and if you need a six under pressure, he’s hammering that as well in the toughest part of the ground. That was proper Test-match bowling after he realised there was something in the surface. He keeps testing you as an opening batter.” The 36-year-old has been one of the most consistent bowlers in the tournament. Bhuvneshwar has climbed to the top of the Purple Cap leaderboard with 21 wickets from 11 matches at an impressive economy rate of 7.46. H...
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IPL 2026 hit by Aussie pullouts as Green, Marsh & Ellis set to exit for national duty

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  Images :X A fresh selection twist is set to impact the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) as multiple Australian stars prepare to shift focus to national duty for the ODI series scheduled to take place in May and June. This could lead to franchises missing out on their contributions at a crucial stage of the tournament. Cameron Green is one such name expected to miss the final phase of the tournament for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after being named in Australia’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan, creating a potential void in both batting depth and balance. The situation extends beyond just one franchise. Mitchell Marsh, the reliable LSG opener who recently brought up a match-defining century, and Nathan Ellis are also set to leave their respective IPL sides as national duty takes precedence. However, there is some relief for franchises like Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals, as Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Sta...
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Mumbai Indians self destruct in IPL 2026

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  Image: BCCI/IPL Ashok Namboodiri Mumbai Indians are out of IPL 2026. They have been dismantled by the weight of their own contradictions. There is a difference between losing close games and becoming a team that no longer understands how to win them. Mumbai Indians’ two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede was not merely another last-over heartbreak in a season full of them. It was the perfect summary of why one of the most talent-rich squads in the competition has collapsed into irrelevance. Consider the nature of this defeat. MI had RCB at 72 for 5. Virat Kohli gone for a first-ball duck. Pressure everywhere. A surface slowing down. The opposition visibly wobbling. And yet, they still found a way to lose. Again. At some point, repeated collapses stop being accidents. They become culture. This is not a side short on resources. On paper, Mumbai Indians possess perhaps the most explosive collection of T20 cricketers in the league — Rohit Sharma, Suryaku...
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Guarding the IPL: Why the BCCI’s New Directives Were Long Overdue

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BCCI Much has already been said about the BCCI’s new diktats aimed at ensuring the IPL is not misused by unwanted elements, including honey traps. In all honesty, it was a long time coming. Things were gradually becoming a bit too much for the BCCI to allow and, frankly, the tournament was beginning to lose a bit of its sheen. The BCCI should also come down heavily on the all-encompassing presence of certain social media influencers. While a number of journalists have already commented on the issue, let me also say that by allowing social media influencers far too close to players and teams, a huge risk is being taken. All of a sudden, these people have unfiltered access. Journalists who have worked tirelessly for years do not enjoy the same access, yet some of these women are seen cosying up to players in the name of creating content. The truth is, such content is not needed. Neither the teams, nor the BCCI, nor the IPL requires it. The field of play and proximity to players and ma...
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Chetta, Chennai Super Kings and the Blueberry Goli Soda

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Chennai Super Kings ( PC- IPL) We settled into the New Kamatchi mess in Chengalpattu, known as the Gateway of Chennai. This is a typical military mess that serves the best of non-vegetarian cuisines, making finger licking good seem ordinary. As we settled in, Ananth and Solo – my friends – started scanning the menu and engaging with the steward to place the orders carefully. Should it be a mutton chukka or the fish that the chap is recommending? Or does one just stay with the safe chicken tikka? In the corner, the television flashed the images of the live IPL match, and I had one eye on that as well. I knew that my friends were not really avid followers of the Indian Premier League. Chennai Super Kings had beaten Delhi Capitals comprehensively the previous evening. As Burns joined us, Ananth asked “Chetta netru evvalavu kol atittar?” (How many runs did Chetta score yesterday?) …. Even as I took a few seconds to figure out what he was referring to, Solo instantly answ...
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IPL 2026 – RR and their over-dependancy on a few

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Image: BCCI/IPL Brilliance in sport is something that allows an athlete to touch a territory that would force even his/her teammates to wonder – how could you play such a shot? Or how could you sprint so fast? Brilliance is something that forces spectators to basically switch off their worries and watch an athlete’s gift-wrapped skills. While facing Gujarat Titans’ fast bowlers, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the wonderkid from Bihar, once again reached uncharted territory that left everyone gasping for breath. Perhaps Yashasvi Jaiswal, his batting partner, too would have been left in a state of daze. In his first over, Kagiso Rabada tried a short ball, but it was fractionally off line, and it was pulled with utter disdain. Mohammed Siraj attempted a yorker, but with an open stance and fast hands, the left-hand batter essayed an eye-popping wristy drive down the ground. It was nothing but willowy wizardry on display. That stance and Vaibhav’s unique bat-swing, where it goes...
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KKR Dare to Dream: Rahane’s Men Keeping Play-off Hopes Alive

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Team KKR. Image: BCCI/IPL Can KKR do the improbable and make the play-offs? That’s the question doing the rounds after four consecutive wins by the Ajinkya Rahane-led team. All of a sudden, things seem to be going right. The spinners, always their strength, seem to have found their mojo and KKR are controlling the middle overs extremely well. Varun Chakaravarthy is back in form, Sunil Narine is able to turn back the clock and Anukul Roy has started to pick up key wickets. Overall, the spinners have taken control of the bowling and the team is looking like a good enough unit. In batting, Finn Allen finally came good against Delhi, while Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi have both scored consistently. What KKR needed was the early blast at the start, and that’s exactly what happened with Allen against DC. Rinku Singh, who has won two games on his own, is holding the middle order together and, if Cameron Green and Rovman Powell can contribute consistently in the next few matches, the unth...
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