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IPL 2026: Skipper Hardik Pandya resumes training, eyes return for 'Paltan' again

The Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2026 match on Tuesday at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. Ahead of the match, MI's regular skipper Hardik Pandya has returned to the training session, which have boosted the hopes of his availability. Earlier, he missed the previous match due to illness. In his absence, Suryakumar Yadav led MI in the match against Delhi Capitals (DC), which they lost by six wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The visitors had made a couple of changes in that match, bringing in Deepak Chahar and Corbin Bosch, while Trent Boult was left out to maintain the overseas player balance. However, Hardik appeared to be in good rhythm during the training session on Sunday night. He was seen hitting yorkers, bowling drills, and hitting the lines with serious pace. Watch your toes! 🫣 pic.twitter.com/7bq1Y2c7oQ — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 6, 2026 During the session, he mentioned to team physiotherapist Nitin Patel that he had been working extensively on his yorkers since the T20 World Cup earlier this year, believing that mastering them makes other deliveries easier to execute. With the bat, the Gujarat-born cricketer was timing the ball well under the watchful eyes of batting coach Kieron Pollard. It will be interesting to see if the star all-rounder manages to deliver a big show tonight against the Royals. A Hardik classic, straight from the edit room 🎬 pic.twitter.com/uhDc8bpZVS — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 6, 2026 IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals: Full Squads Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Izhar, Raghu Sharma. Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi and Sandeep Sharma. (With ANI Inputs)

07 April,2026 12:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Paras Mhambrey. Pic/AFP

IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians' bowling coach Paras Mhambrey heaps praise on Bumrah

The Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2026 match on Tuesday at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. Ahead of the clash, MI's bowling coach Paras Mhambrey heaped praise on lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah by saying that every individual should pick up the pacer's work ethic. "One value that every individual and bowler should pick up from Boom (Bumrah) is clearly his work ethic. The way he goes about it in the nets, tick marking everything that he has worked on and will be using during the game. But, in the last few years with the Indian team...he has grown into a phenomenal bowler and even more so as an individual, which has been amazing," he said. So far in the tournament, the "Paltan" has played two matches and secured only one victory in their opening encounter against KKR, while losing to DC in the second, so they will be looking to make a comeback in their third match against RR. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals (RR) under the leadership of newly appointed captain Riyan Parag have managed to secure two wins in as many matches. With two wins, the Royals are placed in second spot on the points table, whereas the "Paltan" has slipped to the sixth position. Ahead of the match, the match-up between RR's swashbuckling opening batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and MI's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be one to watch out for in Guwahati. Also, Mumbai's skipper Hardik Pandya is falling short of 66 runs to complete 2,000 runs for the franchise. IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals: Full Squads Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Izhar, Raghu Sharma. Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi and Sandeep Sharma. (With ANI Inputs)

07 April,2026 11:27 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Virat Kohli. Pic/PTI; (right) Picture Courtesy/Virat Kohli's Instagram account

Virat Kohli praises 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge', calls it a ‘cinematic experience’

Team India stalwart Virat Kohli heaped praise on the latest Bollywood film 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' by saying that he has never seen a "cinematic experience" like it in India. The cricketer shared a story on his official social media handle and lauded director Aditya Dhar by calling him a genius. His strong endorsement has quickly added to the growing anticipation surrounding the project. Picture Courtesy/Virat Kohli's Instagram account Kohli gave a special mention to lead actor Ranveer Singh. Considering the performance in the movie, the right-handed batsman stated that Ranveer has attained a different level. Highlighting the film’s emotional depth and gripping narrative, Kohli said it evoked “every kind of emotion” and kept him fully engaged throughout its nearly four-hour runtime. “I didn’t flinch once,” he noted, underscoring the film’s ability to hold attention despite its length. "This is truly overwhelming coming from such an exceptional talent like you. Thank you so much, Anushka. It only pushes us to aim higher, to tell stories with honesty, heart, and purpose, and to keep striving to create something that truly moves people," director Dhar replied to the Instagram story. Currently, Kohli is busy representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). So far, having played two matches, the team under the leadership of Rajat Patidar has registered as many victories. In the first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the 37-year-old cricketer played an unbeaten knock of 69 runs off just 38 deliveries, laced with five boundaries and the same number of maximums. Later in the clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the right-handed batsman scored 28 runs in 18 balls, including two boundaries and a maximum. The Challengers are all set to lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 10 at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals: Full Squads Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Phil Salt (WK), Rajat Patidar (C), Nuwan Thushara, Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Devdutt Padikkal, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Salam, Jordan Cox, Jacob Bethell, Vicky Ostwal, Mangesh Yadav, Suyash Sharma, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal. Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi and Sandeep Sharma. (With IANS Inputs)

07 April,2026 11:26 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Eden Gardens (Pic: BCCI)

IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings match abandoned due to rain

The highly anticipated clash between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings has been abandoned due to rain. The two teams were facing off at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.After winning the toss, Ajinkya Rahane elected to bat first despite the cloud cover. His KKR team got off to a poor start, losing Finn Allen and Cameron Green in the early stage of the innings.Xavier Bartlett was the star of the show for PBKS, taking both wickets in his opening spell of 2/9. Bartlett swung the ball and got the outside edge of both batters, and the keeper completed a comfortable catch.When rain halted the match, KKR were at 25 runs for the loss of 2 wickets after 3.4 overs. Rahane's decision to choose to bat first with the possibility of rain was surprising.Speaking at the toss, the KKR skipper Rahane said that the wicket looked good to score runs and put the opposition under pressure. However, the KKR top order struggled against the pace and swing early on in the innings. 'We are going to bat first. Looks like a good wicket, a little bit of the drier side, but it's a very good wicket and slightly less covering of grass as well. It's all about having that belief and confidence. It's about winning those small moments." Ajinkya Rahane said after winning the toss.PBKS skipper was happy to bowl first, largely due to the cloud cover, and admitted that he was confident of chasing on this ground."I was supposed to bowl as well. So kind of happy with the decision he took." Shreyas Iyer said. KKR get their first point of the season No result in the game meant that KKR opened their account in the points table. After losing their first 2 matches, Ajinkya Rahane's team got the first point of the season. Meanwhile, PBKS remain unbeaten in the IPL this season, having won their opening two matches. The Punjab-based franchise moved to the top of the table at 5 points from 3 matches. PBKS will face the Sunrisers Hyderabad next, while KKR will go against the Lucknow Super Giants.

07 April,2026 10:39 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
CSK players during their match against RCB at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on Sunday. Pics/IPL

IPL 2026 | 'The real turning point was Tim David in that last part...': Fleming

Tim David unleashed a monstrous six-hitting clinic at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday night, burying a hapless Chennai Super Kings under an avalanche of runs as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their second straight win of IPL 2026. The Australian, who walked in with 35 deliveries left, smoked a remarkable eight sixes on his way to a 25-ball 70 not out, on the back of which RCB amassed 97 in the last five overs to post a season-high 250-3. Never in the hunt, CSK were bowled out for 207, conceding a 43-run loss, their third defeat in a row. Stephen Fleming “Very pleased — it does not always happen that way,” a chuffed David, the Player of the Match, said. “The skipper [Rajat Patidar] was smoking it, and I just took some balls off him — it was super fun. I do not change my game much, but I have confidence from all the prep I do. I have been in the IPL for a few years. With that prep, you don’t put pressure on yourself to perform.” One of David’s sixes was a 106-metre pull off Jamie Overton that sailed out of the stadium. “I was just looking at the ball,” Patidar remarked, his awe still evident. Patidar himself made an unbeaten 48 off 19 as he and David put on 99 for the fourth wicket in just six overs. “He is a specialist, one of the best finishers I have seen.” RCB’s Tim David during his unbeaten 70 off 25 balls on Sunday After enduring another disappointing night, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming put things in perspective. “The real turning point was Tim David in that last part, the acceleration through the last five overs,” the former New Zealand captain pointed out. “210 or 220 would have been in our grasp, but we just got a little bit shell-shocked [by the David onslaught] and that flowed through into the early parts of our batting,” he added. Put in by skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, RCB built a base through openers Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, and Devdutt Padikkal overcame a sluggish start to conjure 50 off 29. “I wish I could hit anywhere close to what he hits like,” the left-handed No. 3 said about David. 70*No. of runs scored by Tim David on Sunday — his highest in the IPL 16.97Run-rate during the fourth-wicket stand between Rajat Patidar and Tim David (99* in 5.5 overs) — the highest for a non-opening stand in the IPL FourConsecutive wins for RCB against CSK 19No. of sixes smashed by RCB on Sunday — the most by any team against CSK in the IPL  14No. of batters to hit at least one six in a RCB vs CSK game — the most in an IPL match

07 April,2026 10:01 AM IST | Bengaluru | R Kaushik
RR opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

‘Vaibhav will thrive on this big opportunity’: Childhood coach Manish Ojha

Rajasthan Royals’s (RR) teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, has impressed everyone with his fearless batting approach so far, but his biggest test could be against Mumbai Indians’s India pacer Jasprit Bumrah in Guwahati today. Sooryavanshi has not yet faced Bumrah in the IPL and that makes this clash even more interesting. RR did face MI at last year’s IPL, but Sooryavanshi was dismissed by pacer Deepak Chahar in the very first over. MI pacer Jasprit Bumrah The left-handed big hitter has been in impeccable form across the last two years, since he broke into the big league. He hammered an 80-ball 175 to help India beat England by 100 runs in the U-19 World Cup final at Harare last February.  In nine IPL games so far, Vaibhav has scored 335 runs at an impressive strike rate of 213.38. At this IPL, he has scored a 17-ball 52 to help RR outclass Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets at Guwahati last week and followed it up with a 18-ball 31 in his team’s six-run win over Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Saturday. However, today’s encounter vs MI could be Sooryavanshi’s biggest test. And his childhood coach Manish Ojha could not agree more. “Bumrah has vast experience in every format of the game. He has an awkward but extremely effective bowling action. He has great speed and can bowl accurately and with good variations too. All this will make it a huge challenge for Vaibhav,” Ojha told mid-day over the phone from Patna on Monday. Manish Ojha However, that does not mean his ward will back down, insisted Ojha. “If Vaibhav can maintain his shape, his game and intent against the highly matured Bumrah, then I will consider it a very big achievement for Vaibhav. Getting runs against Bumrah will be huge for Vaibhav. If he performs here, he will have proved that he can score runs not just against other bowlers, but also against the world’s best, Bumrah. I believe Vaibhav will give his 100 per cent effort and thrive on this opportunity,” Ojha said. Speaking of his ward’s approach for this big clash, Ojha said: “Vaibhav is a mature cricketer now and makes his own decisions. I believe a batsman has to live in the present. Out there, he has to decide whether to strike the ball, if it’s there to be hit, or give respect to a good delivery. So, it will all be purely his decisions about what he wants to do while facing Bumrah,” Ojha signed off.  237.14Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s strike-rate in two IPL matches this season; the RR opener has smashed 83 runs off 35 balls ZeroNo. of IPL matches MI have played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, compared to seven by RR ZeroNo. of wickets claimed by Jasprit Bumrah in two IPL matches this season

07 April,2026 09:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Ruturaj Gaikwad. Pic/PTI

IPL 2026: CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad blames himself for the loss against RCB

An emotionally distraught Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t have much explanation to offer after a third straight defeat as he took the blame on himself. CSK lost to RCB by 43 after Tim David wreaked havoc and the visiting team’s top order was blown away quickly by Jacob Duffy. “If I would have contributed more, maybe it could have been different. It (the loss) was definitely on me today,” he said. “We still had the game in our hands till the 13-14th over [of the bowling innings], but let momentum slip after it,” he added. 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

07 April,2026 09:33 AM IST | Bengaluru | PTI
Sanju Samson

IPL 2026 | 'He's desperate for some runs...': Stephen Fleming on Sanju Samson

Head coach Stephen Fleming downplayed Sanju Samson's underwhelming run in IPL 2026, saying the wicketkeeper batter is "going through the process of connecting" with Chennai Super Kings and he is "desperate" to score runs and contribute to the team's success. Samson, who joined the Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals amid much hype ahead of IPL 2026, has so far managed 6, 7, 9 in first three matches. "It's difficult when you've been at a franchise (RR) for some time and even though he probably feels pretty comfortable there's still an element of belonging and he's going through the process of connecting with this team," said Fleming in the post-match press conference. Samson's modest outings at the top has robbed CSK of the desired quick beginning in this IPL, but Fleming said the Kerala man is "desperate" to find his rhythm. "The team (CSK) has got five or six changes. So, it's not like it's a set team. There's a little bit of work to be done off the field that we're doing just to make the bonds a bit tighter but he's fine. He's fitted in really well. "He's desperate for some runs and to contribute along with the senior players. We saw with his World Cup (campaign) what can happen and when a batter gets on a run he is one guy that can be very dangerous. So, there'll be nothing but support and confidence given from us to Sanju as he forges his path in yellow," he added. Fleming said they needed to be patient with young CSK players such as Ayush Mhatre to find their consistency, who, he said, will form the core of Chennai in the years to come. Mhatre shone with a fifty in the previous game against Punjab Kings but got out for 1 against Bengaluru. "Yeah, it's a good balance, isn't it? You can see the talent but you are also going to accept that there are going to be mistakes. There's some huge talent and going forward it's going to be a really good core of Indian players, batters in particular. "But you're going to get a little bit of inconsistency from some of the young players but you're also going to get some brilliance. He's got a pretty good mentor there with Mike Hussey who is a pretty good batting coach and understanding of the game. "So, it's trying to marry that skill with a bit of game sense and that does take time but we'll be trying to get as much of that into these young players as possible but without stifling their natural ability," he detailed. The former New Zealand skipper said a combination of Tim David's power-hitting and CSK bowlers' failure to execute their plans consigned the five-time champions to their third straight defeat in IPL 2026. "The real turning point was Tim David in that last part, the acceleration through the last sort of five overs. If you look at the score, we were ahead of them up to about five overs to go and then they just went like a rocket, and that's really where the game was lost for us." David made a rollicking 70 off 25 balls to power RCB to a massive 250 for three, but the CSK bowlers too erred in their lines and lengths at death. "It was a tough night, we did some good things early on and then unfortunately just lost our shape in the backend the last four to five overs. "If we'd just been able to hold our nerve and execute a bit better, a 210, 220 would have been in our grasp but we just got a little bit shell-shocked and that flowed through into the early parts of our batting as well," he added. 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

07 April,2026 09:30 AM IST | Bengaluru | PTI
PBKS (Pic: ANI)

IPL 2026: Sairaj Bahutule praises Punjab Kings' team environment

Punjab Kings, who finished second in the previous season, have maintained their momentum into the IPL 2026 with two straight victories. Their spin bowling coach, Sairaj Bahutule, believes that a positive dressing-room environment is crucial to their early success.Bahutule emphasised the team's solid internal culture and methodical approach in an interview with ANI. "Since last year itself, the environment has been fabulous, and we're just moving ahead slowly and steadily into the tournament," he stated.Reflecting on the Impact Player rule, Bahutule was happy with its introduction. The former Indian player looked at the positive side of the rule as 12 players get a chance to show their skills. "It's been there for a few years now, and an extra player gets the opportunity to express his skills, and yes, the opportunity to play an all-rounder in the game is always lacking, but for other top-line bowlers or top-line batters, that opportunity to come and showcase his skills is always there. 12 players play instead of 11, which I think is a positive aspect," he said."Ponting, Hopes and Haddin are fabulous coaches. I am enjoying working under Ricky. I obviously had the pleasure of playing against him in test matches, but as a coach, he's brilliant. He understands and gives you the space. James Hopes is the fast-bowling coach; he is also very supportive, and Brad Haddin also gets his experience," he added. Bahutule hails Cooper Connolly's impact on the team Cooper Connolly, a 22-year-old Australian all-rounder, has been one of Punjab's most impressive players thus far. He made his IPL debut against the Gujarat Titans with a game-winning 72 and then went on to score a vital 36 against the Chennai Super Kings.Bahutule has credited Ponting's faith in Connolly during the auction. The PBKS franchise has backed the Aussie star since the start of the season. "Ricky came up with his name during the auction, and I think he believed in him as a player. He believed in his ability as well as an all-rounder, and he has shown his potential in these two games, and I think as a young kid, he's excited to be in India and perform and show the world what a good player he is. I'm sure he has a great future ahead of him for Australia," he said.(With ANI Input)

06 April,2026 09:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Eden Gardens (Pic: BCCI)

IPL 2026: KKR vs PBKS; Rain interrupts play in Kolkata

The rain has stopped play in Kolkata during the Kolkata Knight Riders' match against the Punjab Kings. The hosts were reeling at 25 for the loss of 2 wickets after 3.4 overs when rain halted the play.Finn Allen and Cameron Green both departed early for KKR. Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ajinkya Rahane are still at the crease.Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and decided to bat first. The KKR skipper made two changes to the team, with both Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine injured for this game.'We are going to bat first. Looks like a good wicket, a little bit of the drier side, but it's a very good wicket and slightly less covering of grass as well. It's all about having that belief and confidence. It's about winning those small moments. We are confident. Two changes, forced. Varun Chakaravarthy got injured taking the catch in the last game, and Narine isn't playing. Powell and Saini are in." Ajinkya Rahane said.PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer was happy to bowl first with cloudy skies aroundnd. The Indian star batter was pleased with his team's unbeaten start to the season so far and hoped that it would continue."I was supposed to bowl as well. So kind of happy with the decision he took. Our (Shreyas and Ponting) chemistry blossomed from our Delhi Capitals days. He gives freedom to all the youngsters, and he is an inspiration himself. Same team for us." Iyer said.PBKS have started the season well with two wins in the first two matches. Meanwhile, KKR have lost both of their opening fixtures so far. PBKS will start as the favourites to make it three wins out of three after a brilliant start to the season. Confirmed Playing XI for both teams: Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Navdeep Saini, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik TyagiPunjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Updates to follow

06 April,2026 08:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane (Pic: BCCI)

IPL 2026: KKR win toss, elect to bat first against PBKS

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bat first against Punjab Kings (PBKS). The two teams are facing off at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. PBKS started the season well with two wins in the first two matches. Meanwhile, KKR have lost both of their opening fixtures so far. After winning the toss, Ajinkya Rahane elected to bat first. The KKR skipper made two changes to the team, with both Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine injured for this game. "We are going to bat first. Looks like a good wicket, a little bit on the drier side, but it's a very good wicket and with slightly less covering of grass as well. It's all about having that belief and confidence. It's about winning those small moments. We are confident. Two changes, forced. Varun Chakaravarthy got injured taking the catch in the last game, and Narine isn't playing. Powell and Saini are in," Ajinkya Rahane said. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer was happy to bowl first with cloudy skies around. The Indian star batter was pleased with his team's unbeaten start to the season so far and hoped that it would continue. "I was supposed to bowl as well. So, kind of happy with the decision he took. Our (Shreyas and Ponting) chemistry blossomed from our Delhi Capitals days. He gives freedom to all the youngsters, and he is an inspiration himself. Same team for us," Iyer said. KKR are still looking for their first win of the season after two defeats in a row. PBKS will start as the favourites to make it three wins out of three after a brilliant start to the season. KKR's former skipper Shreyas Iyer, now in Punjab’s red, will be keen to make an impact against his former team. Confirmed Playing XI for both teams: Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Navdeep Saini, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik TyagiPunjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

06 April,2026 07:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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