Mumbai (Maharashtra), India, April 1 (ANI): The current title holders,
Kolkata Knight Riders
(
KKR
) endured an eight-wicket defeat against
Mumbai Indians
At the Wankhede Stadium during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.

Ramandeep Singh
‘S fast-scoring innings of 22 runs from 12 deliveries along with Angkrich Raghuvanshi’s contribution of 26 runs from 16 balls and Andre Russell’s two wickets were the standout moments for
KKR
as the hosts
MI
pursued the objective of scoring 117.

Facing the defeat without flinching,
KKR
all-rounder
Ramandeep Singh
he offered an candid evaluation during the post-game press briefing.

Even the strongest teams can fall apart at any time. This undoubtedly provides an opening for those further down the ranks, yet we faced bad luck tonight. Moving forward in the competition, we will strive to avoid finding ourselves in a comparable predicament.
Ramandeep Singh
as cited by the
KKR
press release

He likewise provided insights into supporting the team’s bold strategy at batting, while stressing that they could gain valuable lessons from this outing.

“Each member of the team has our full support as they rely on their inherent instincts. While this approach may not always succeed, we believe in trusting our players so they can deliver their best efforts and embrace their offensive inclinations,” Ramandeep clarified.

“We recognize that collaborations are crucial, but if Angkrich and Rinku’s aggressive strategy had proven successful, they would deserve praise for their play. However, sometimes things just don’t go as planned. Every match offers valuable lessons,” the batsman commented.

When considering the situation at the Wankhede Stadium, Ramandeep believed that the coin flip had a considerable impact on the result.

“It was an excellent toss to win for
MI
They had an edge since the new ball continued to seam in the second innings, and the spinners extracted considerable turn. Thus, there were opportunities for the bowlers. Nonetheless, we cannot use this as a justification. It is essential for us to adapt to all conditions,” he stated.

“The pitch today required settling in before attempting to hit sixes. Usually, this isn’t the norm, but today was somewhat different,” the player stated.

Kolkata Knight Riders
will look forward to bouncing back when they face the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens on April 3. (ANI)

By Vivek Prabhakar Singh

On Sunday, Indian fast-bowling legend Umesh Yadav commented on the removal of the saliva ban in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He mentioned that this change would be beneficial for bowlers in one-day games, particularly when using a brand-new ball. This statement was made from Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, as reported by ANI on March 30.

Umesh attended an AstroLawn event in Greater Noida.

Regarding the saliva ban, Umesh commented, “It could have an impact on white-ball cricket. However, it may vary depending on circumstances, as some evening games see the ball become damp from dew, making saliva irrelevant then. Yet when the ball is fresh, spit can be quite significant… Therefore, I believe this return is a positive move. It will greatly benefit fast bowlers.”

Regarding Jasprit Bumrah, the leading fast bowler for India, Umesh stated that he is presently the finest cricketer of this era, entirely due to his “dedication, training, and strategic mindset.”

“When you possess such talent, it’s crucial to display it effectively. Since Bumrah joined us, and as he has developed over time, he has consistently aimed to improve himself. This dedication is what places him at this elite level today. His success stems from his relentless efforts, rigorous training, and strategic mindset. Ever since he began participating in the IPL and collaborated with Lasith Malinga, his Yorkers became even more formidable. In just a brief period, he absorbed numerous lessons which helped elevate him to become the finest fast bowler of our era,” explained Umesh regarding his colleague.

Regarding the concern that T20 matches have turned overly favorable for batsmen, Umesh stated that this format will inherently favor batters since the ball doesn’t wear down significantly and rarely exhibits reverse swing.

“Short-format games like T20 have consistently favored batsmen. During these matches, the ball rarely swings or reverses after just 20 overs. Additionally, with only limited overs played, the cricket balls aren’t subjected to enough wear and tear to alter play significantly. White balls tend to behave similarly throughout the innings without much movement off the pitch. Poor performance can lead to conceding many runs quickly in such formats. However, precise execution along with accurate lines and lengths usually yields positive outcomes. A total of 280 might indicate subpar bowling efforts rather than exceptional batting alone. This format will likely continue being dominated by bat-wielding players. Teams participating in leagues like the IPL aim primarily at scoring high totals,” explained Umesh.

Regarding MS Dhoni batting at number nine during a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) home game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Umesh stated, “The decision rests with either the team or Dhoni personally. They determine his spot.” (ANI)

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), India, March 30 (ANI): On Sunday, during the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Pat Cummins, who captains the Sunrisers Hyderabad, won the coin toss and decided to bat first against the Delhi Capitals.

The Delhi Capitals began their campaign with an exciting match against the Lucknow Super Giants. Ashutosh Sharma’s outstanding performance helped them secure a close one-wicket victory.

In contrast, the Sunrisers have maintained their aggressive style of play with the bat. They started their campaign strong with a convincing win over the Rajasthan Royals, but they struggled at home when facing LSG.

Following their victory in the coin toss, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s skipper Pat Cummins stated, “We’ll choose to bat first. It usually gets quite warm during these evening matches. Last year we managed to post some really substantial totals (during this season). We didn’t particularly mind batting second or opening; we simply needed an improvement after our previous performance. Despite falling short of expectations recently, the team remains optimistic. Zeeshan will join us.”

During the coin toss, Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel stated, “We might have chosen to bat too. Our aim is to keep their score down. We’ve had one match at this venue so far; we’re refining our strategies. As a bowling group, we must show courage. We do have specific plans in mind. There’s just one adjustment: Sameer Rizvi won’t play, but KL Rahul will.”

The playing eleven for Sunrisers Hyderabad includes: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wicket-keeper), Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (captain), Zeeshan Ansari, Harshal Patel, and Mohammed Shami.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Substitute Players: Sachin Baby, Eshan Malinga, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Zampa, Wiaan Mulder

Delhi Capitals (Starting Eleven): Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wicket-keeper), KL Rahul, Axar Patel (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar

Delhi Capitals Sign Newcomers: Karun Nair, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Donovan Ferreira, Tripuraneni Vijay. (ANI)