Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has urged Shubman Gill to score runs without looking at the strike rate in the IPL. Ashwin further added that Gill will start the season 'really hungry' after being dropped from the Indian T20 squad for the World Cup.Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Ashwin said that Gill should build on his impressive record in Ahmedabad and 'plunder' runs without worrying about the strike rate."To dismiss him in Ahmedabad, he has become a bit like a don these days; it is quite difficult to get him out. So, I think Shubman Gill has nothing to worry about, and if I were him, I would be telling myself to go out and plunder runs once again. The best way to keep yourself in reckoning is by making a volume of runs. He will be the best batter for GT," said Ashwin on Ash ki Baat.Ashwin further added that scoring runs is 'like a hobby' for Gill. He encouraged the GT skipper to play his shots and pile on the runs."I have no doubt that Shubman will go about his batting business, just like last year. If Shubman keeps chasing strike rate and does not score runs, then GT will struggle big time. I hope he does not do that. He can score runs without chasing a high strike rate." Ashwin added. Ashwin wants Gill to aim for the Orange Cup Ravi Ashwin believes that Gill will be a contender for the Orange Cap after he was dropped from India's T20 WC squad. The former Indian spinner added that GT's top 3 need to fire if the 2022 champions are to enjoy another big season."In the top three of Gill, Sudharsan, and Buttler, Gill will come into the season really hungry. We will get another season where Gill chases the Orange Cap. It may also happen that he gets the Orange Cap, because he can and will do anything to get back into the T20I team," Ashwin said.Last season, Gill was the fourth-highest run-getter with 650 runs in 15 innings at an average of 55.00 and a strike rate of almost 156, with six fifties.(With ANI Input)
25 March,2026 02:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer RCB skipper Faf du Plessis believes Rishabh Pant should bat at number 3 for LSG in the upcoming IPL season. Du Plessis further added that the LSG captain needs to balance his risk against reward approach and maximise his impact with the bat.Pant played at No 4 last season, before shifting to lower down the order and even as an opener last season. The LSG skipper had a forgettable season before producing his best score of 118 not-out of 61 balls in the last league game."Maybe there is an opportunity for Pant to bat at number three. The numbers suggest that for him to be the best player he can be, number three looks good. I see him batting at number three for LSG this season with Nicholas Pooran sliding down to number four," said du Plessis, speaking on JioStar's 'IPL Today Live'.LSG brought Pant for a record 27 crore before the start of last season. However, his first season as a captain was poor as LSG finished seventh and Pant scored 269 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.45 with a strike rate just over 133.Du Plessis explained the difference between Pant's ability in Test cricket and compared it to his T20 approach."The talent that Pant has is tremendous. You look at him playing Test cricket, and you think, this guy has all the shots. When I look at his game, I feel he has too many options in his head. He feels like he can hit a six off every ball to any part of the ground.""But in T20 batting, you still need a method. You need a game plan for how you go about your business. With Pant, I feel he is always on the edge. When you watch him play, you feel he can get out at any time because it is almost frantic at times," du Plessis said. Lucknow Super Giants 2026 Squad: Rishabh Pant (c), Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Mukul Choudhary, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Naman Tiwari.(With PTI Input)
25 March,2026 01:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Indian Premier League has grown leaps and bounds over the last few years. The popularity of the tournament has spread all over the world as India has now become the powerhouse of World Cricket. In the ever changing dynamics of the IPL, only one thing remained constant: the fans. However, the IPL ticket chaos has once again shown that the franchises' priority remains elsewhere, and the Indian fans are being taken for granted again.Recently, two IPL giants, the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, both announced ticket sales for their home games. What should have been an exciting opportunity for fans to watch their team once again turned into a nightmare as fans scrambled in front of their screen, trying to book a ticket to watch their team, but to no avail.Well, not everyone can get a ticket, given the huge fanbase and high demand for the IPL matches, right? Well, you can. For more than double the price through a third-party website. Securing an IPL ticket requires a different currency. While the average fan keeps staring at the loading screen, the highest bidder can bypass the queue and secure the best seat by paying double the price on third-party resale sites.The tickets for the RCB home match went live at 4 pm on March 24 and were sold out in less than a minute. Similarly, MI tickets for their home matches were sold out in quick time. However, the tickets for all these matches are still available on third-party websites at exorbitant prices. The tickets for the MI vs KKR match can be found starting from Rs 6,500 on these websites and going as high as over Rs 50,000. For the MI against RCB match, the tickets are a bit more expensive given the high demand. The tickets for the MI-RCB match start at Rs 15,000 and go as high as Rs. 1 lakh for a ticket.Furthermore, you even have the option to book seats that are together, but of course at a higher rate. IPL teams have taken fans for granted with their lack of transparency The lack of transparency with ticket sales is quickly becoming a major issue for the fans. There is a glaring disconnect when official platforms show no availability, yet third-party sites immediately list hundreds of tickets at 5x to 10x the face value.There is a growing lack of trust between the franchise and its fans due to the current ticketing system. With more tickets still to be officially available for other matches, the chaos is set to continue during the IPL 2026.The irony is that the '12th man' of every team is feeling like an outsider trying to get into an invite-only event.
25 March,2026 12:02 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniRoyal Challengers Bengaluru's director of cricket, Mo Bobat, has backed Phil Salt to have a successful season at the IPL. The Englishman is currently out of form after a poor World Cup with England.Salt played a significant role in RCB's maiden IPL triumph, scoring 403 runs in 13 innings at an average of 33.58. However, the opener's form since then has been a concern as he only scored 130 runs in eight matches at an average of 16.25 at the recent T20 World Cup in India.Speaking to the media before the start of the IPL, Mo Bobat openly backed Salt and emphasised that Salt remains one of the top-ranked T20 batters in the world. Phil Salt is ranked at number four in the ICC Men's T20I rankings."Well, those aren't concerns for me. We've got a high-quality squad, and as we saw last year, our strongest team that we put out most of the time is full of predominantly guys who are playing or have played international cricket. So, these guys are seasoned professionals. They know what they're doing. Someone like Phil Salt is still ranked in one of the top T20 batters in the world," Mo Bobat said."I'm looking forward to watching him and Virat walk out to bat like they do. Couple of gladiators walking out, which is always exciting. And they'll be trying to put the opposition under pressure," he added. Phil Salt enjoys batting with Virat Kohli: Mo Bobat Mo Bobat said that Phil Salt enjoyed batting with Virat Kohli. The RCB's opening pair were at their best during last season, guiding the franchise to its first-ever IPL title."So there's enough depth of confidence there. He also really enjoys being with RCB. He enjoys the franchise. He enjoys his partnership with Virat. He works very well with the likes of Andy and DK. So they're doing some really good work right now. And I'm pretty sure we'll see at the start of the season Phil doing his thing," Mo Bobat said.Defending champions RCB will kick off their title defence against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.(With ANI Input)
25 March,2026 11:45 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentKolkata Knight Riders announced that the franchise will retire the No 12 jersey in honour of their former star all-rounder Andre Russell. Kolkata had been Russell's home since 2014, when the West Indian all-rounder joined the franchise from Delhi Daredevils (Now Capital).KKR's decision to retire Russell's jersey No was announced at the team's event before the start of the season. Russell was felicitated for his contribution towards the franchise during the Knights Unplugged 3.0 event. During the event, Rinku Singh was appointed as the vice captain of the team.Andre Russell announced his retirement from IPL on November 30 after a long saga of weather KKR will retain him before the auction or not. Eventually, the West Indian announced his IPL retirement and has since joined KKR's support staff as the franchise's new "Power Coach" for the 2026 season.During his IPL career, Russell became one of the icons of the tournament. The all-rounder's ability to win a match with both bat and ball propelled him as one of the all-time greats of the Indian Premier League.Russell played 140 games, scoring 2,651 runs, including 12 fifties and taking 123 wickets, with one five-wicket haul. He made his IPL debut in 2012 for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) before joining KKR in the 2014 auction.Russell guided KKR to two titles in 2014 and 2024. The West Indian also won the IPL MVP award twice during this run, in 2015 and 2019.KKR will start their campaign against the five-time champions, the Mumbai Indians (MI), on March 29 in Mumbai. Kolkata Knight Riders 2026 Squad: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh (vc), Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Manish Pandey, Rahul Tripathi, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Saurabh Dubey, Rovman Powell, Anukul Roy, Tim Seifert, Tejasvi Singh, Prashant Solanki, Daksh Kamra, Sarthak Ranjan, Blessing Muzarabani.Saurabh Dubey and Blessing Muzarabani joined as replacements for the injured Akash Deep and the unavailable Mustafizur Rahman. Harshit Rana is also sidelined for the season due to a knee injury, while Matheesha Pathirana is expected to join the squad in mid-April following a calf strain. (With ANI Input)
25 March,2026 10:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniBen Duckett has decided to pull out of his IPL 2026 stint with Delhi Capitals, and the England opener now faces a two-year ban from the league and auction as per the amended rules. Duckett was roped in by the Capitals for Rs 2 crore in last year's auction, but he now wants to spend time at home and play red-ball cricket, following a forgettable run in the Ashes and being on the sidelines for the recent T20 World Cup. "It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won't be coming," Duckett told Telegraph Sport. "I felt it was going to be a great opportunity when I put myself in the auction, and for a franchise like Delhi to pick me up was amazing. I was buzzing. It's the best competition in the world with the best players, and would have been an amazing experience," he added. As per the rules tweaked ahead of IPL 2025, overseas players who pull out of the league after being picked in the auction will face a two-year ban if they do not have a legitimate reason for doing so. The only exception, as per the IPL Governing Council, is for any injury or a medical condition which needs to be confirmed by the player's home board. "I don't know if I'm potentially saying goodbye to the IPL, having never played in it. With the age I am now (31), it might be tough for me, but I hope one day I'm able to represent Delhi. But I've thought a lot about this, and know it's the right decision for my career," Duckett said. The left-handed opener featured in all the five Ashes Tests but endured a poor run, scoring 202 runs in 10 outings at 20.20 without even a fifty. Duckett said, "I've made this decision on my own accord. I've spent a lot of time away from home in different places, and it felt like the best thing for me to do to be ready to play for England is to be here right now, at home, refreshing my mind and body. "We all have different journeys, but my journey into the Test team has come from County cricket. I know how valuable that is for me, scoring runs in the Championship and the confidence that gives me going into the rest of the summer." Duckett he did not want to rush back to England's Test season, beginning in June. "I could have gone to the IPL, spent time on the sidelines, then rushed back into the Test summer. I wouldn't have time to process the winter (Ashes), learn from mistakes, and go back to the drawing board with Notts," added Duckett, who will be working with Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores. On his part, Duckett apologised for the excessive drinking incident in Noosa during a mid-Ashes break. "I am sorry for that incident, it was not professional and shouldn't have happened. There is no hiding away from it," he said. "My expectations were more (runs) than what I managed (in Ashes), but facing Starc with the new ball at 90mph every innings, was extremely tough work. No one is more frustrated with how I went than me," Duckett said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 March,2026 09:02 AM IST | London | mid-day online correspondentThe world of cricket and Bollywood often tend to mix every now and then. This time India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has found himself in the ‘firing line’ of a hilarious Dhurandhar 2 barb directed towards him by none other than his wife Sanjana Ganesan. Ganesan, a sports broadcaster, Instagrammed a meme from the blockbuster film featuring the dialogue, “Ghar ki yaad nahi aayi tujhe, Jassi [Didn’t you think about your home, Jassi]?” Ganesan said that this dialogue was her reaction to “every time Jasprit thinks about planning a boys night.” Picture Courtesy/Sanjana Ganesan's Instagram account In the film, the dialogue is delivered during a tense moment by the character Pinda (Udaybir Sandhu) to his childhood friend Jaskirat (Ranveer Singh) after the former suddenly meets the protagonist, who is working as a spy, many years later in Pakistan. Bumrah and Ganesan tied the knot in 2021. The couple have a two-year-old son named Angad.
25 March,2026 08:53 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentCricket legend Sachin Tendulkar’s daughter Sara has joined the recent Instagram trend which claims that you can tell a lot about a woman’s character from her childhood photos. Sara Instagrammed a series of pictures from her childhood, with the caption: “A little late, but I guess divas are always late.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sara Tendulkar (@saratendulkar)
25 March,2026 08:50 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIPL franchise Rajasthan Royals is set to be sold to US-based Kal Somani-led consortium for USD 1.63 billion (approx Rs 15,290 crore), marking a colossal hike in valuation for the outfit which was the least expensive among the original eight teams of the glitzy T20 league. The Somani-led consortium includes Rob Walton from the Walmart family and Hamp family (Ford motor company). Somani is an Arizona-based tech entrepreneur who has founded IntraEdge (technology services and solutions), Truyo.Ai (data privacy rights and AI governance) and Academian (edtech services). The other contenders to buy the team, which won the inaugural trophy in 2008, were the Times Internet-led consortium, the Aditya Birla Group and the Mittal family led by ArcelorMittal CEO Aditya Mittal. The sale of Rajasthan Royals is subject to approval from the BCCI and will come into effect after the 2026 edition. British-Indian Manoj Badale held a 65 per cent stake in the franchise, which was originally sold for USD 67 million in 2008 to his company Emerging Media. "Kal is an existing investor in the franchise. The deal is subject to approval from the BCCI and will be signed soon. The price of USD 1.63 billion reflects how far the IPL has come as a brand," a well-placed source told PTI. "If you look at the sale of the latest IPL entrants Lucknow Super Giants, it is way more than that. It just shows remarkable growth of the league," shared another source drawing a comparison with sale of LSG to RPSG Group for little over Rs 7,000 crore back in 2021. "I expect the deal to be announced in the next four to five days," he added. Another major IPL franchise, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is also up for sale and the value of that deal is likely to cross USD 2 billion. Somani is a co-owner of the Motor City Golf Club, a Detroit-based golf team set to join Tomorrow's Golf League (TGL) in 2027, which has been co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in partnership with the PGA Tour. Somani is also said to be an early investor in the TGL. The 81-year-old Rob, who is the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, had served as the company's chairman from 1999 to 2015. In 2022, he led an ownership group consisting of his daughter Carrie Waltor Penner and her husband Greg Penner which brought the National Football League (NFL) team Denver Broncos for a record price of USD 4.65 billion. Walton also owns a 10 per cent stake in Major League Baseball team Arizona Diamonbacks. The Hamp family is led by Sheila Ford Hamp, who is the principal owner and chairperson of the NFL side Detroit Lions. She is related to both the Ford (Ford Motor Company) and the Firestone families (Firestone Tire and Rubber Company). "It's great news for the IPL, mind-blowing numbers," said Indian cricket great Sourav Ganguly, who has also served as BCCI President besides being involved in the IPL as a mentor. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 March,2026 08:35 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIA consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group (ABG) on Tuesday acquired 100 percent equity stake in IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a whopping USD 1.78 billion (approximately Rs 16,706 crore) from its current owner the United Spirits Limited. Other parties involved in the group are -- Blackstone's perpetual private equity strategy, BXPE, a firm of which Viral Patel is the CEO, Bolt Ventures, owned by American investor David Blitzer, and media conglomerate Times of India. "United Spirits Limited, pursuant to the meeting of its Board of Directors, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements for the sale of the 100 percent equity stake held in its wholly owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL) to a consortium," the USL said in a statement. "The consortium comprises Aditya Birla Group (ABG), The Times of India Group (Times), Bolt Ventures (Bolt), and Blackstone's perpetual private equity strategy, BXPE (Blackstone) for a total consideration of INR 166.6 bn in an all cash transaction," the statement added. The transaction includes RCB's men's and women's (WPL) teams. "RCSPL owns and operates Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchises that participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women's Premier League (WPL). "Upon completion of this transaction, the consortium will, through its ownership of RCSPL, acquire the rights to own and operate the IPL and WPL franchise," said the USL. The announcement also concluded the strategic review of RCSPL that was initiated by USL on November 5, 2025. The United Spirits Limited is a subsidiary of UK-Diageo, and they were keen to move away from RCB as the team was not central to their business plans. Commenting on the transaction, Praveen Someshwar, MD & CEO, USL, said: "This transaction marks an important milestone for USL as we sharpen focus on our core beverage alcohol business to unlock its true potential. RCB has grown into the most prominent and commercially successful franchise in the IPL and WPL. "We are excited for the future of RCB under the stewardship of the new owner. As Sports enters a new phase of growth in India & globally, we believe this is in the best interest of the franchise and our stakeholders." Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, said, "Over the past 2 decades, the IPL has morphed to become a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket creating enormous value for India. "RCB, as one of the most compelling franchises in modern sport, offers the Aditya Birla Group a distinctive platform to extend its legacy of institution-building into the arena of global sport." As per the sale agreement, Aryaman Vikram Birla, ABG's director, will be the chairman of RCB while Satyan Gajwani of Times of India will be his deputy. Aryaman Birla, said: "It is a privilege to come together in this partnership to shape the next phase of growth for RCB. This partnership brings together a deep understanding of sports, media and consumer businesses. "Together, we will continue to Play Bold -- on the pitch, in the community, and for the fans who make RCB what it is." Gajwani, Chairman, Times Internet Limited, said: "RCB is the reigning champion and the most popular brand in the IPL. We will build RCB into a global sporting institution, while remaining rooted in Bengaluru and Karnataka and its incredible fanbase." Blitzer hoped to build on RCB's recent success. "RCB has a world-class fanbase, and the IPL is one of the great growth stories in global sport. Having invested in clubs and leagues around the world, I believe the opportunity at RCB stands out. We look forward to working alongside our partners and the BCCI to build on the franchise's championship success," he said. Patel praised the RCB as one of the strongest sporting brands in the world. "We are excited to invest in RCB, building on Blackstone's long-standing commitment to India. RCB stands out as one of the most popular sports franchises in the world with a powerful brand, a loyal fan base, and multiple avenues for growth," he added. However, formalities such as ratification from the BCCI, IPL Governing Council, its WPL counterpart and the Competition Commission of India are still pending. Earlier, IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals was acquired by US-based Kal Somani-led consortium for USD 1.63 billion (approx Rs 15,290 crore), The Somani-led consortium includes Rob Walton from the Walmart family and Hamp family (Ford motor company). Somani is an Arizona-based tech entrepreneur who has founded IntraEdge (technology services and solutions), Truyo.Ai (data privacy rights and AI governance) and Academian (edtech services). The other contenders to buy the team, which won the inaugural trophy in 2008, were the Times Internet-led consortium, the Aditya Birla Group and the Mittal family led by ArcelorMittal CEO Aditya Mittal. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 March,2026 08:32 AM IST | Bengaluru | PTIGujarat Titans marked the beginning of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 journey with Shubharambh 2026, a landmark evening in Ahmedabad that brought together the full squad, franchise owners, partners, and fans. The evening reflected on the team’s five-year journey while setting a clear, forward-looking tone for the season ahead. Showcasing the unity, ambition, and Gujarat-first ethos that continues to define the franchise, the evening blended reflection, recognition, and cultural celebration, reinforcing the team’s deep-rooted connection with its fans and the state. The occasion served as a reminder of how the Titans have grown into one of the league’s most dynamic, consistent, and fan-driven franchises, both on and off the field. From building a strong legacy by lifting the title in their debut season to consistently delivering high-impact performances and cultivating one of the most engaged fan communities in the IPL, Gujarat Titans moved with a clear focus on culture, leadership, and long-term vision. The presence of Jinal Mehta, Director, Torrent Group and Chairman, Gujarat Titans, and Shaan Mehta, Director, Torrent Group and Director, Gujarat Titans, Chief Operating Officer Colonel Arvinder Singh, Head Coach Ashish Nehra, and Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki underscored a unified leadership and team environment. At its heart was a celebration of the squad’s collective journey, with a special moment recognising captain Shubman Gill within the broader narrative of consistency, growth, and ambition. Blending music, culture, and celebration, the evening, hosted by Mandira Bedi, captured the spirit of Gujarat through an energetic opening act and a theatrical squad unveiling led by Shubman Gill, bringing the entire team together on stage. Performances by Bhoomi Trivedi and Kinjal Dave added depth to the experience, with music, dance, and traditional elements reflecting the identity of the state and the community that defines the franchise. Gujarat Titans will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on March 31, before returning to Ahmedabad for their first home fixture on April 4 against Rajasthan Royals. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 March,2026 08:29 AM IST | Ahmedabad | IANSADVERTISEMENT
