Thursday, July 09
The BCCI has announced the schedule and venues for the IPL 2025 playoffs. New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh will host Qualifier 1 on May 29 and the Eliminator on May 30. Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium will then host Qualifier 2 on June 1 and the final on June 3.
Rishabh Pant's struggles continued as Lucknow Super Giants were eliminated from IPL 2025 playoff contention after a loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Pant's poor form, scoring only 7 runs, has drawn criticism. However, Yograj Singh believes Pant's technical flaws are easily fixable, while Pant attributes the team's struggles to injuries of key bowlers.
During the IPL 2025 match between LSG and SRH, a heated exchange erupted between Digvesh Rathi and Abhishek Sharma after Rathi dismissed Sharma. Sharma, visibly upset by Rathi's celebration, was caught on camera uttering threats. This incident overshadowed impressive performances from Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran for LSG, as well as Sharma's explosive innings for SRH.
Rishabh Pant conceded that Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) IPL 2025 playoff hopes were dashed due to their inability to compensate for key bowlers' injuries. LSG's bowling unit struggled throughout the season, impacting their performance. Despite batting strength, they couldn't maintain momentum in the second half, while young spinner Digvesh Rathi's emergence was a positive takeaway.
Yuki Bhambri, now India's No. 1 doubles player, is navigating a challenging clay court season leading up to Roland Garros. Despite inconsistent partnerships and early exits in recent tournaments, Bhambri remains focused on improving his performance and aiming for success at the upcoming Grand Slam events. He also acknowledges Rohan Bopanna's significant contribution to Indian tennis.
Yograj Singh voices apprehension over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's potential Test retirements, emphasizing the necessity of their experience for the upcoming series against England. He urges them to reconsider, highlighting the importance of national pride and fan emotions. Yograj also calls on the BCCI to support players during tough times, referencing past instances of abrupt player dismissals.
Young Ayush Mhatre of Chennai Super Kings recently shared an inspiring moment with cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, who advised him to simply "play your game and just be yourself." The 17-year-old, who joined CSK as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad, has impressed with 163 runs in five matches, including a notable 94 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Sanju Samson spoke about MS Dhoni's impact. He recalled the electrifying atmosphere when Dhoni batted in Chennai. Samson admitted the 'Dhoni effect' transcends venues. CSK prepares for their final match against RR. Stephen Fleming remained tight-lipped about Dhoni’s future. The season has been underwhelming for CSK. Rajasthan Royals have faced missed opportunities. Samson’s words remind everyone of Dhoni's magical presence.
Preity Zinta, co-owner of Punjab Kings, has condemned a fabricated image circulating online that falsely depicts her hugging Rajasthan Royals' young player, Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Zinta refuted the morphed image as fake news, expressing surprise that news channels were also using it. The actual video shows a brief greeting and handshake between Zinta and Suryavanshi.
