Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has confirmed that he will be opening the batting with the star wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson in the IPL 2026, starting March 28. There were doubts regarding the CSK opening pair with youngstar Ayush Mhatre in the mix; however, the captain has put rest to any doubts ahead of the start of the season.Gaikwad attended an all-captain meeting with the BCCI in Mumbai on Wednesday before attending the 'Captains Day' event. Ruturaj revealed the new batting tandem for the IPL 2026 when he responded, "Rutu and Sanju," to a question about the opening duo for the CSK.After being traded from the Rajasthan Royals, where he spent 11 seasons, Samson will play for the CSK for the first time. Samson was also the Player of the Tournament at the recently concluded T20 World Cup, where India defeated New Zealand to lift the trophy.The 31-year-old Samson is in fine form after making 321 runs in five innings at an average of above 80 and a strike rate of nearly 200. He has made 4704 runs in 177 IPL matches so far with the help of three tons and 26 half-centuries. Samson's inclusion will provide a big boost to the CSK batting that struggled last season.After a terrible start to the season, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team finished at the bottom of the points standings. However, they have assembled a formidable team in the mini-auction and are optimistic about winning a record sixth title this year.CSK will start their season on March 30 against the Rajasthan Royals at Guwahati. Chennai Super Kings full squad for IPL 2026: Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni, Mukesh Choudhary, Spencer Johnson, Noor Ahmad, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Sarfaraz Khan (Rs 75 lakh), Kartik Sharma (Rs 14.20 Cr), Prashant Veer (Rs 14.20 Cr), Matthew Short (Rs 1.50 Cr), Aman Khan (Rs 40 lakh), Zak Foulkes (Rs 75 lakh), Akeal Hosein (Rs 2 Cr), Rahul Chahar (INR 5.2 Cr), Matt Henry (Rs 2 Cr). (With ANI Input)
26 March,2026 01:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) owner Vijay Mallya congratulated the new owners of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise after the biggest deal in IPL history. RCB franchise has been sold for a massive Rs 166.6 billion (around Rs 16,660 crore) to a high-profile consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group, alongside The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone.Mallya shared a message on X, recalling his early investment and the journey of the team. He ended the message saying 'RCB will always remain a part of my DNA'. I would like to heartily congratulate the new owners of RCB. I wish them the very best and Godspeed with the most valuable IPL franchise. When I bought the franchise in 2008 for INR 450 crores, most people laughed at me and criticised my investment as a vanity project. Behind my… — Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) March 26, 2026 Sharing the tweet on X, Mallya wrote, "I would like to heartily congratulate the new owners of RCB. I wish them the very best and Godspeed with the most valuable IPL franchise. When I bought the franchise in 2008 for INR 450 crores, most people laughed at me and criticised my investment as a vanity project. Immensely gratifying to see my INR 450 crore investment grow to INR 16,500 crores. RCB will always remain a part of my DNA with indelible memories, including picking the young Virat Kohli, who is now amongst the best in the World. To all RCB fans who came on board during my stewardship and beyond, a grateful thank you, and please continue to support RCB, the Lion of Bengaluru. Namaskara." Mallya's Rs 450 crore investment in 2008 was widely criticised, with many considering it expensive, at a time when the IPL was still struggling. But the decision paid off; his team's choice to select a young Virat Kohli, who was captain of the India U19 World Cup at the time, has contributed significantly to the team's ongoing appeal throughout the world. Kohli's subsequent success and enormous fan base helped solidify the team's reputation as a fan favourite. The RCB Deal The Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been sold for a massive amount of around Rs 16,660 crore to a high-profile consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone.United Spirits Limited (USL) announced the deal, which entails the sale of a 100% equity investment in its wholly owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), which owns and runs RCB's IPL and Women's Premier League (WPL) franchises. (With ANI Input)
26 March,2026 11:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndian batter Rinku Singh thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his government for appointing him a Regional Sports Officer on Wednesday. X handle of Government of UP, shared a video in which the flamboyant left-hand batter thanked the Chief Minister and said, "I am deeply grateful from the bottom of my heart to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji for honouring me with a sum of Rs 3 crore and assigning me the responsibility of Regional Sports Officer." In the video, the 27-year-old batter also said that he couldn't meet the Chief Minister due to his commitments with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and is expecting to meet him after the conclusion of the IPL 2026, and also collect his appointment letter from him. उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार द्वारा मुझे ₹3 करोड़ की सम्मान राशि एवं क्षेत्रीय क्रीड़ा अधिकारी के रूप में दायित्व प्रदान करने के लिए मैं मुख्यमंत्री @myogiadityanath जी का हृदय से आभारी हूं।-रिंकू सिंहअंतरराष्ट्रीय क्रिकेटर pic.twitter.com/7BQCrNOhfI — Government of UP (@UPGovt) March 25, 2026 Rinku rose to stardom by smashing Gujarat Titans' Yash Dayal during the IPL 2023 for five successive sixes in the final over during a tense chase of 200-odd runs for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and since then, has become an Asian Games gold medal winner, Asia Cup winner and, most recently, the T20 World Cup winner with Men in Blue. He has helped the India men's team win several matches by playing the role of an explosive, six-hitting finisher down the order. In 45 T20Is, Rinku has made 665 runs at an average of 39.11 and a strike rate of 155.73. He also has three half-centuries in the shortest format. Rinku has also represented India in a couple of ODIs. He has three T20Is and an ODI wicket under his name. Rinku has also been named the vice-captain of KKR for the upcoming IPL 2026, taking on a new leadership role within the team. He will serve as the deputy to Ajinkya Rahane, stepping into the vice-captaincy role previously held by Venkatesh Iyer, who was acquired by defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 7 crore ahead of the season. Earlier on Wednesday, while speaking during the programme organised for the distribution of appointment letters and prize money to international medal-winning players on Wednesday, CM Yogi emphasised that Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country to give priority to athletes in government services. "UP is the first state in the country to give athletes priority in government service. So far, we have provided appointment letters to over 500 athletes for various police positions... For his performance in cricket and the Asian Games, Rinku Singh has been given an appointment letter as a Regional Sports Officer. He is already a part of a camp (KKR camp in the IPL), so he has gone there. Many other players have also got appointment letters here today," he 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
26 March,2026 10:48 AM IST | Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) | ANISunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins has stated that he is recovering from a back injury and hopes to play again in the middle of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). The Australian pacer is set to miss the opening few matches of the tournament due to a back problem.According to ESPNcricinfo, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Cummins stated on a Business of Sport podcast that he has started bowling in the nets again and is slowly increasing his workload as part of a systematic rehabilitation plan."I'm still recovering from a back injury, but it's good. I'm back bowling in the nets. The IPL is starting soon. I won't make the start of that, but it shouldn't be too long before I'm back out there playing," Cummins said.The fast bowler is optimistic about making a speedy return while acknowledging that he would miss the first part of the IPL. Cummins also admitted that, as part of a closely watched regimen intended to guarantee a safe return to competitive cricket, he is currently bowling every third day."We've mapped out a plan to get me right by [the] middle of the tournament, so hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, [I'll] play the back half plus the finals," Cummins added.Cummins played just one Test match against England during the Ashes series last year due to a back stress injury. The pacer also missed the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka but is aiming to come back on the field soon.In place of Cummins, the Hyderabad-based franchise has confirmed that India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will be the stand-in skipper for the 2026 season. The Sunrisers Hyderabad will start their season against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, on March 29. Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan, Salil Arora, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Ravichandran Smaran, Aniket Verma, Abhishek Sharma, Brydon Carse, Harsh Dubey, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, Shivang Kumar, Jack Edwards, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga, David Payne, Sakib Hussain, Onkar Tarmale, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, David Payne, and Pat Cummins (With ANI Input)
26 March,2026 10:45 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia and Delhi Capital pacer Mukesh Kumar has praised Axar Patel's leadership style, emphasising the all-rounder's composed manner and optimistic outlook as crucial elements in creating a positive atmosphere inside the team.Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, Mukesh told reporters that Axar is a player-friendly captain who encourages open communication and backs his teammates to express themselves on the field. He further added that Axae wants his players to play freely on the pitch."He is a very good person. He is always positive. I get to talk to him about field placement. He tells me to play freely," Mukesh Kumar said.Mukesh Kumar also revealed that he is working on expanding his bowling arsenal, focusing mainly on deliveries that could bring him success in the T20 format.Speaking about his preparation for the upcoming season of the IPL, Mukesh admitted he is focusing on delivering yorkers and wide yorkers, an important skill in modern-day cricket. He further added that he is trying to improve the consistency of length balls ahead of the IPL"Obviously, I am working on everything, along with the length ball, which is required in a T20. And if there is a yorker or a wide yorker, it is optional for every bowler. So everything is being worked on," Mukesh Kumar said.Delhi Capitals will begin their season campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1. Their next clash will be against the Mumbai Indians on April 4, followed by their matches against the Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings on April 8 and April 11, respectively. The Delhi Capitals have never won the IPL trophy. They reached the final in 2020 when they were beaten by the Mumbai Indians. Axar Patel-led team will be aiming to win their maiden title in 2026. Delhi Capitals squad for IPL 2026: Nitish Rana, Abishek Porel, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Sameer Rizvi, T Natarajan, Tripurana Vijay, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson.(With ANI Input)
26 March,2026 10:44 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRCB batting coach and mentor, Dinesh Karthik, has been impressed with Virat Kohli's attitude and intent after RCB's second intra-squad practice game ahead of the new season of IPL. Kohli scored a 19-ball 45 during the practice match as he prepares for the 19th edition of the IPL.Speaking after RCB's practice match on Wednesday, Karthik heaped praise on Kohli for his dominant performance in the warm-up matches. Karthik highlighted Kohli's drive to improve, positive intent and his energy that helps keep the team environment positive."Good game today. The class of Virat came through quite nicely up front, played some lovely shots. The greatness about Virat is every year he comes up with a certain plan, a certain intent. I feel this year he'll try and get even better. That tells a lot about the person that he is. He's always trying to push his boundaries. And also what he brings in terms of energy to the crowd, to the meetings. Those are all big things and that's a big part of Virat's personality as well," Karthik said in a video posted by RCB on social media.On Monday, RCB played their first intra-squad warm-up game. In the game, captain Rajat Patidar produced 74 runs of 25 balls, while wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma scored a 37-ball 81, and Kohli made a brief 12-ball 29-run cameo.Jitesh (81 in 37 balls), Tim David (36 in 14 balls), Iyer (30 in 16 balls), and Virat (29 in 12 balls) dominated the scorecard as the Venkatesh Iyer-led team batted first and scored 234/7. The opposing team, led by Krunal, scored 247 runs in their 20 overs, with notable performances from Rajat (74 in 25 balls), Padikkal (63 in 33 balls), and Krunal (58 in 33 balls).RCB will kickstart their IPL 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad at home in Bengaluru on March 28. Royal Challengers Bengaluru 2026 Squad: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Swapnil Singh, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Abhinandan Singh, Satvik Deswal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan. (With ANI Input)
26 March,2026 10:08 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentConnor Esterhuizen blasted a career-best 75 from 33 balls to propel South Africa to a 33-run win over New Zealand in the fifth Twenty20 on Wednesday and a 3-2 win in the five-match series. Esterhizen's second consecutive half century after his previous best of 57 in the fourth match on Sunday saw South Africa make 187-4 after being sent in.New Zealand managed only 154-8 in reply. Esterhuizen paced the second half of the South Africa innings after coming to the crease in the 11th over with total 76-2. He was dropped a place in the order Wednesday and batted behind Rubin Hermann who hit 39 from 31 balls to pick up the run-rate after a slow start. South Africa was only 43-1 after the power play and 76 at the midpoint of its innings. The last 10 overs produced 111 runs, thanks to Esterhuizen and Dian Forrester with whom he added 61 in just over four overs for the fourth wicket. "I think the nice thing was that I got to come in and play with some freedom because of the nice platform from the guys up top with wickets in hand," Esterhuizen said. "Early on the openers assessed it and said 160 was competitive. The more myself and (Forrester) was out there we said 170 was a good score and we got 187." Esterhuizen's innings included five fours and six sixes. He was dropped on 49 by Bevon Jacobs from the bowling of Zak Foulkes and made New Zealand pay, stretching his innings into the last over. In total the South Africa innings contained 15 fours and 10 sixes along with 47 dot balls. With wickets in hand South Africa added 52 runs from the last five overs, including five sixes. New Zealand's problems were compounded by poor catching, though Nick Kelly held a brilliant one-handed catch, the best of the series, to dismiss Hermann. The New Zealand run chase was also poorly executed and the home side found itself bogged down by accurate bowling, well supported by the field. Gerald Coetzee bowled quick at both ends of the innings and took 2-21 from four overs while Ottneil Baartman used variation and took 2-33. The spinner Prenelan Subrayen allowed only 22 runs from his four overs and captain Keshav Maharaj also tested the New Zealand batters. New Zealand was 46-2 after the power play and 65-3 after 10 overs when the run rate required was 12.3 per over. After 15 overs New Zealand was 116-4 and the required run rate had crept up to 14.4. New Zealand finally needed 47 from the last two overs. Jacobs was the best of the New Zealand batters, scoring 36 from 19. The match was the most high-scoring of the series. New Zealand was bowled out for 91 in the first match which South Africa won by seven wickets; South Africa was bowled out for 107 in the second match which New Zealand won by 68 runs and held to 136-9 in the third match which New Zealand won by eight wickets. South Africa restricted New Zealand to 145 in the fourth match which it won by 19 runs. 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
26 March,2026 09:00 AM IST | Christchurch | AP | PTIDavid Warner, the former Australian opener, has revealed that he worked really hard to keep himself motivated and fit after retiring from the Indian Premier League (IPL) two years ago, as he reaches Pakistan and gets ready to captain the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), a news report said on Wednesday. The 39-year-old Warner, who has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals in a stellar 15-season career in the IPL before joining the neighbouring League last year, quit international cricket a few years back. He had to endure some tough times because of poor form in IPL, lost his captaincy, and was not retained by his franchise. Warner, who led Sunrisers to their only IPL title in 2016, scored 6,565 runs in 184 matches, which places him fourth behind Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, and Rohit Sharma. Warner, who represented Australia in all three formats from 2009 to 2024, said he kept the fitness regime intact after leaving the IPL. “Post IPL, I had to keep myself motivated and fit, so I kept my fitness regime and followed a good diet, and here I am stronger and fitter than most of the players my age,” Warner told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net). This is the second year Warner will be playing in the PSL. He scored 368 runs in 11 PSL matches last year, leading Karachi Kings to the play-offs, where they lost to Islamabad United. According to the report, Warner hoped new inductees in the team would help them achieve better results. “We have quite a few exciting young players who will shine through to give us better results,” said Warner. Kings also have the services of Warner’s long-time mate, Adam Zampa, who arrived in Lahore on Wednesday. “We have selected a balanced squad from the auction, which has now become a norm in most of the Leagues,” said Warner, who has also represented Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers, St Lucia Stars, Winnipeg Hawks, Sylhet Sixers, Dubai Capitals, Seattle Orcas and London Spirit in franchise cricket. The 2020 PSL champions Karachi Kings face Quetta Gladiators in their first match on Friday. 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
26 March,2026 08:59 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSIndia and Mumbai Indians (MI) ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah reported to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for workload management ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, according to ESPNcricinfo. The report stated that the right-arm speedster is at BCCI's CoE to work on his strength and conditioning. According to ESPNcricinfo, it is understood that the plan for Bumrah at CoE has been planned by the BCCI medical team with the focus on India's white-ball tour of England in July. The speedster will join the five-time champions Mumbai ahead of their opening fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29. India will play five T20Is and three ODIs during their tour of England. The right-arm speedster played a crucial role in helping India defend their ICC Men's T20 World Cup at home, a record no team has achieved earlier. He scalped a four-wicket haul in the grand finale against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India won the one-sided final by 96 runs with Bumrah returning 4/15 in his four overs. Bumrah also won the Player of the Match award for his fantastic bowling effort. The 32-year-old was the joint-highest wicket taker in the T20 World Cup alongwith his teammate Varun Chakaravarthy. Bumrah scalped 14 wickets in eight matches at an average of 12.24, including one four-wicket haul. Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2026:Hardik Pandya (captain), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickleton, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Raghu Sharma, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Naman Dhir, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Allah Ghafanzar, Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, Mayank Markande, Shardul Thakur, Quinton de Kock, Danish Malewar, Mohammad Izhar, Atharva Ankolekar, Mayank Rawat. 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
26 March,2026 08:58 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIIndian men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir is enjoying a well-deserved vacation in Singapore with his family, including wife Natasha and daughters Aazeen, 11, and Anaiza, eight. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gautam Gambhir (@gautamgambhir55) Gambhir, 44, travelled to the Asian country after leading India to a historic victory in the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2026. India sealed the title with a commanding 96-run win over New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Gautam Gambhir with wife Natasha. Pics/Gambhir’s Instagram Gambhir chose a casual outfit during his trip and was seen smiling when clicked with his daughters. He also put Anaiza on his shoulders while walking on the streets. 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
26 March,2026 08:52 AM IST | Singapore | IANSRajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has invested Rs 2-crore in Proxgy, one of the country's fastest-growing innovation-led 'Make in India' product and technology companies. With this investment, Parag joins a growing league of cricketers backing Proxgy, including Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane. Proxgy has won the Graham Bell Award, CES Innovation Awards, European Product Design Awards, and NASSCOM's League of 10, among others. The company has also captured nationwide attention as one of the highest-funded startups. "What drew me to Proxgy was the balance they've achieved between innovation and execution," Parag stated in a release. "They're building products that stand out immediately, but what truly impressed me was the thinking behind them, especially the focus on safety and accessibility for blue-collar workers who operate in challenging environments every day. It's rare to see innovation so closely aligned with real, on-ground impact." 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
26 March,2026 08:50 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIADVERTISEMENT
-1774512135966_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Ruturaj Gaikwad (Pic: CSK)")
