Kolkata Knight Riders received a boost ahead of their must-win clash against Rajasthan Royals as skipper Ajinkya Rahane showed promising signs of recovery
Rahane had, on May 2, said he would never give up on his "desire and hunger" to play for India again despite being out of reckoning for the past two years.
'Someone's not going to work doubly harder if he's getting Rs 20 plus crore or someone's not going to work less harder when he's getting one, two, three crore...'
Opener to continue playing in Mumbai Ranji team
The India skipper will be eyeing the great Don Bradman's 88-year-old record for most runs by a captain in a Test series.
Both captains showed grit and leadership under pressure, but with the business end of the season approaching, their fitness will be closely monitored.
'A format like this, you got to be switched on every time. This format is really tough, this IPL is really tough.'
'It's really important, if you can save 10-12 runs on the field it's great.'
Rahane lauded Gill's temperament under pressure, especially after India had lost the opening Test.
In India's previpus tours of England, Rahane and Pujara have amassed 864 and 870 runs in 16 Test matches, respectively.
'We have done everything in our power to help him take his game to the next level and become a star player.'
Pant also matched India's veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane, who was the last vice-captain to smash a century in each innings, doing so against South Africa in New Delhi, in 2015.
Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals lifted the T20 Mumbai league title, beating Shreyas Iyer-led SoBo Mumbai Falcons by five wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.
Despite having an impeccable domestic record and a decent start to his international career, he was not picked for the England tour as selectors preferred Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair over him.
The unexpected 10-day break has left both the RCB and the KKR with different goals to achieve and common challenges to hurdle over.
Caught in the heat of his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders's must-win match against Chennai Super Kings in Kolkata on Wednesday, Rahane was unaware of Rohit's retirement from Test cricket on the same day.
While KKR bowlers have shown steady improvement, Rahane admitted the batting group hasn't pulled its weight.
Morgan said KKR failed to forge partnerships in chase of 199 as they finished at an ordinary 159 for eight.
Kolkata Knight Riders will have little motivation left when they take on also ousted Sunrisers Hyderabad in an inconsequential IPL game in New Delhi on Sunday.
He's a champion bowler: Rahane hails Narine's game-changing spell
'The desire, the hunger, the fire is still there.'
Kolkata Knight Riders are on the brink of elimination from the Indian Premier League after losing to Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, but captain Ajinkya Rahane remains hopeful.
India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav was named the icon player for the Triumph Knights Mumbai NorthEast, while Shreyas Iyer went to SoBo Mumbai Falcons.
"He needs to score a bit more runs when it's seaming and swinging": Sourav Ganguly urges Shubman Gill to step up as captain, batter in testing English conditions
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rahane highlighted the failure to build partnerships and make the most of a good batting surface.
Members of the Indian cricket fraternity expressed deep sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families on Thursday after a London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.
With spinners playing a crucial role in dismantling CSK's batting, Rahane praised their performance while also shedding light on how KKR's strategy worked flawlessly on the night.
'This squad has shown it can go on a run. But it's going to take a lot of determination and belief to do that.'
KKR spinner Chakravarthy, who bagged two wickets, gestured to CSK's Dewald Brewis to leave the field after dismissing him for 52 in the IPL match in Kolkata on Wednesday.
'I believed I could change the game in the middle overs, and that self-belief made the difference today.'
He also highlighted the team's focus on playing good cricket and improving in areas like fielding.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday
Shreyas Iyer had led KKR to their first IPL title in a decade last year. However, on Saturday, he returns as captain of a rejuvenated Punjab Kings chasing a play-off spot.
With the emergence of their battery of fast bowlers, India have turned the tide at Lord's with two of their victories coming from their last three Tests -- in 2014 and 2021.
Former India captains Dilip Vengsarkar and Diana Edulji were conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).aments.
While it's a do-or-die game for KKR, who must win all their remaining three matches to stay in playoffs contention, the match will be more about celebrating Dhoni's legacy than the result.
Amazon will invest more than Rs 2,000 crore (about $233 million) in India in 2025 as it strengthens its logistics and safety standards, said the ecommerce company on Thursday.
Juhi Chawla added star power to the stands at Eden Gardens on May 4, passionately cheering for her team
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji check out who could be the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2025 before the final.
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