After a miserable IPL 2020 season, which saw Chennai Super Kings in 7th place on the IPL points table, CSK achieved a magical turnaround in IPL 2021 to be crowned champions after the final against the Kolkata Knight Riders on October 15, 2021.
With Rohit Sharma nursing a finger injury and Shikhar Dhawan struggling with his form, India discard Robin Uthappa is eager to earn the opening slot in the national team with some good performances in the upcoming season, which ends with 2015 World Cup.
'It's still a bit nerve-wracking when you're bowling at M S Dhoni, and there's not one red shirt in the crowd, only yellow shirts chanting his name.'
A look at how India have fared in their World Cup opening games.
Although CSK lost the important wickets of Dube, Rayudu and Jadeja in the middle overs and MI debutant Riley Meredith and Bumrah keeping a lid on the scoring in the 16th and 17th overs, it was the crucial 33 run partnership between Pretorius and Dhoni that eventually sealed the deal with a last ball four off the bat of hero MSD!
India have decided to leave out injured S Sreesanth and pacer Zaheer Khan from the playing XI.
The Karnataka right-hander smashed an entertaining 87 off just 47 balls balls and was ably supported by skipper Gautam Gambhir, who made 62 off 46 deliveries, as two-time champions KRR thrashed Pune by seven wickets.
In the end, the fact that RCB score 193 and lost by a 23 run margin shows how crucial Theekshana's breakthroughs were in the grander scheme of things.
Terming Kolkata Knight Riders as a 'good chasing side', captain Gautam Gambhir says they back themselves to chase down any target.
A look at the various batting records in the IPL over the years.
Sreesanth bowled in full flow and finished with figures of 1-29.
Images from the Indian Premier League final between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Dubai, on Friday.
Check out what the players had to say on Chennai Super Kings' fourth IPL title.
The best-case scenario for RR would be Kings XI Punjab losing their last match and Sunrisers Hyderabad winning no more than one in their last two outings.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have failed to live up to expectations in the IPL so far and are placed sixth and seventh respectively on the points table in the eight-team competition.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings, in Dubai, on Thursday.
Jofra Archer, who smashed 27 from eights, helped Royals hammer 30 runs off the final over to finish on a massive 216 for seven in their 20 overs.
'In auction economics, it is very difficult to retain everybody. We were aware of it...we will lose somebody. We will also get somebody in their place. Now, we have to get the best out of what we have.'
Manoj Tiwary and Robin Uthappa have been named India 'A' captains of the four-day and one-day squads respectively, which will leave for a month-long tour of Australia.
In an IPL match in 2010 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru, Ravichandran Ashwin was taken to the cleaners by Robin Uthappa and Mark Boucher. He had two bad games and was subsequently dropped from the squad. "It felt like a hard slap," says Ashwin.
'I still believe that things can go my way and I probably can be a part of a World Cup-winning team and play an integral role in that as well. Those dreams are still alive and I think I'll keep playing cricket till that is alive'
'The senior players made me feel very comfortable. It was my debut, but it didn't feel like I was playing for the first time.'
Check out the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League.
Robin Uthappa has come out as a completely changed batsman this season and the Karnataka opener attributes his consistent scores on "staying true to his skills" just like India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
KKR will head to the game with the belief that the side can win from any situation, which they have demonstrated time and again.
Robin Uthappa, on Saturday, said he's relishing his new-found role at number three as he guided Kolkata Knight Riders to a 17-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League match in Kolkata.
Karnataka opening batsman Robin Uthappa has expressed hope of getting a 'proper run' in international cricket to justify his talent. "Next time when I get to play for the country, hopefully, I will get a proper run at international level, score runs and justify my talent," Uthappa told PTI after the launch of 'My Country Run 2016' here. In spite of giving superlative performances in the domestic matches, Uthappa has not found favours with the selectors.
On a roll after back-to-back wins, the vintage Chennai Super Kings would look to extend their winning run when they clash with struggling Kolkata Knight Riders in their next IPL match in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Hussey said CSK had a very balanced squad, adding the new recruits Moeen Ali, K Gowtham and Robin Uthappa were 'excellent additions'.
CSK will be eliminated if they lose to Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
Domestic giants Mumbai crashed out of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after suffering their third straight defeat
Images from Wednesday's IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, in Dubai.
Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham said bowlers love playing under captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni because he knows their strength and how to get the best out of them.
Punjab Kings are placed eighth while Chennai Super Kings occupy the penultimate slot in the 10-team IPL points table.
Ahead of Saturday's event, here's a lowdown of ready references for the auction.
When was the last time we saw an IPL top 50 table without the names of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, M S Dhoni, and with Rishabh Pant getting almost the last empty seat? ask Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji as they list the 50 Most Valuable Players after the first 29 IPL 2022 games.
Former India batsman Robin Uthappa highlighted the significance of an India-Pakistan clash during a World Cup.
The top five includes Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav; both reminding the Indian selectors that they can still be formidable magicians.
Cummins revealed he had put pressure on himself at the start of the tournament and exuded confidence that he has improved as the megaevent progressed.
With an emphatic seven-wicket win Rajasthan ended Kings XI Punjab's five-match winning run in the IPL.
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