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  Arjun Tendulkar was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants ahead of IPL 2026. Image :X Soon after Arjun Tendulkar was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), social media went after him. Arjun was trolled, as is the norm these days, and some people went on to accuse him of nepotism. Frankly, Arjun wasn’t involved in the decision-making. Yes, he is a Tendulkar, but that is not something he can do anything about. He is a normal, hard-working cricketer like many others who have played domestic cricket and enrolled themselves in the IPL auction. If a franchise picked him, it is his good fortune. But there is no way he was involved in the decision-making. And if LSG picked him for brand building, I think it was a very prudent call, for the IPL is a business and every brand is entitled to leverage opportunities that come its way. Arjun, needless to say, will forever have to carry the burden of his surname. He will always be compared with his legendary father and be accused of nepotism....

Shreyas Iyer_LSG vs PBKS (PC: BCCI) Punjab Kings (PBKS) registered a seven-wicket victory in a must-win clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on Saturday to keep themselves alive in the IPL 2026 playoff race. With this win, PBKS finally returned to winning ways after six consecutive losses, and now, with 15 points, they are still in contention for the final playoff spot. Skipper Shreyas Iyer led from the front, registering his maiden IPL century (unbeaten 101 off 51) and guiding his team to victory as they chased down the 197-run target with two overs to spare. Apart from Shreyas, Prabhsimran Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal were among the key performers. Now, PBKS will keep a close eye on the upcoming Mumbai Indians (MI) versus Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) matches on Sunday in Mumbai and Kolkata, respectively. They need those results to go in their favour to seal a playoff berth. Pant fails, but Inglis, Badoni and Samad fight...

Sakib Hussain at IPL 2026 (PC: BCCI/IPL) If there is a practical exam for the following question paper, then which team might be perched at the top of the podium — name the IPL side that aces the test for using slower deliveries? The answer could very well be Sunrisers Hyderabad. From Sakib Hussain, Eshan Malinga, Pat Cummins to old warhorses like Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat, they have the arsenal in this department of the game. In fact, in the SRH-Royal Challengers Bengaluru game, when Virat Kohli was dismissed by Sakib’s off-cutter, an interesting stat sprang up on the screen — the franchise’s pacers have taken more wickets (18) with slower deliveries than any other team in this IPL. And their expertise in using change-ups serves as the essence of some of their wins in home conditions in Hyderabad. On the given day, it was Sakib who perhaps was the pick of the seamers while ushering in those change-ups. There could be a combination of factors behind his success. ...

  Risshabh Pant (PC: Debasis Sen) The big story coming out of the selection committee meeting was Rishabh Pant. And let me add a caveat at the outset: whatever I write, some trolls will brand it as PR! Only, it will be pro bono PR for Pant, because neither he nor anyone else, for that matter, would ever dare offer me a penny for my pieces. It is the new social media playbook – whatever you write is labelled PR. I am concerned for Pant. That he has talent is well known. But it does seem he is frustrated and not thinking clearly. To use expletives during the presentation comes from a sense of frustration, and it has started to show. Losing the red-ball vice-captaincy must have hurt him, and this is when he needs to be backed, not castigated. Ishan Kishan was in a similar mental predicament a couple of years ago. Out of the Indian team and with nothing going right for him, he fought his way back with strong domestic performances and has now cemented his place in the Indian T20 tea...

Sunrisers Hyderabad (PC: IPL/BCCI) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) produced a dominant batting display against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to register a commanding 55-run victory in their final league-stage clash in Hyderabad on Friday. With this win SRH will head into the eliminators with momentum and confidence. Whereas RCB will take on GT in Qualifier 1 on May 26. SRH batters dominate with commanding display After the early wicket of Travis Head (26), the wicketkeeper-batter duo Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen stitched together a blistering 113-run partnership to keep the pressure on RCB’s bowlers. Klaasen played a fluent knock of 51 runs off 24 balls, including two boundaries and five maximums at a strike rate of 212.50. Kishan complemented him perfectly as he hammered 79 runs off 46 deliveries. His knock was laced with eight boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 171.73to cross the 250 -r un mark. Before that, Abhishek Sharma had set the tone early with an explosive ...

Anukul roped in as like-to-like replacement of Dubey. (PC: IPL) Uncapped all-rounder Anukul Roy has been drafted in as a replacement for Harsh Dubey in the India A squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. The BCCI confirmed the change in the squad on Thursday. On Tuesday, the All-India Senior Men’s Selection Committee announced the squads for the one-off Test and three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at home. Dubey earned his maiden call-up and found a place in both squads. As the tri-series will clash with the Afghanistan Test and ODI series, Dubey has been replaced. “The Men’s Selection Committee has added Anukul Roy to the India A squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. He replaces Harsh Dubey, who has received his maiden call-up to India’s Test and ODI squads for the upcoming IDFC First Bank home series against Afghanistan. “The tri-series will feature Sri Lanka A, India A and Afghanistan A, and will be played in Dambulla from June 9 to June 21, 2026,...