Chennai Super Kings will need to improve significantly in all departments of the game to trouble a potent Punjab Kings in their first home game of the Indian Premier League. It was a uninspiring start for CSK in their opener against Rajasthan Royals.
'Sanju Samson is the right guy to take over, and credit to Dhoni because he's hung around, waiting for the right person to come.'
Suryakumar Yadav's recent batting form has raised questions about his place in India's T20 plans, especially with the 2028 Olympics on the horizon and the emergence of young talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 38.
A recap of the action of the fifth week of IPL 2026.
Chennai Super Kings face injury concerns as Dewald Brevis is sidelined with a side strain and MS Dhoni continues to recover from a calf injury ahead of their IPL opener against Rajasthan Royals.
Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mahendra Singh Dhoni is set to play for Chennai Super Kings once again in IPL 2026, but former India cricketer Robin Uthappa believes this could be his final season in glitzy league.
CSK begin IPL 2026 without Dhoni and Raina for the first time ever, marking a historic shift as the franchise enters a new era under Ruturaj Gaikwad.
It is believed that captain Sanju Samson has asked Rajasthan Royals to trade him or release him into the auction, signalling an end to his long association with the franchise.
If starting with Jitesh Sharma in the last three T20s in Australia felt like an experiment, his selection over fellow wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson in the series opener against South Africa provided ample clarity over team management's thought process going in to the World Cup at home.
Ruturaj Gaikwad is yet to go past the 50-run mark in IPL 2026, with his best being a stratchy 28 against Punjab Kings in Chennai.
A toe injury suffered before the fourth T20I is set to keep Gill out of the final T20I here as India would want to take a cautious route, more so when there is a ready replacement for the top order slot in Sanju Samson.
Sunrisers Huderabad's Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck by Rajasthan Royals' Jofra Archer on Monday, his 7th duck in T20s this year.
CSK have not successfully chased a target of 190 or more since their memorable 2018 victory against RCB.
'I'm not sure how many games he will play. But his presence in the dressing room will help a lot.'
Kumar Sangakkara explains the decision to appoint Riyan Parag as captain of the Rajasthan Royals, highlighting his maturity and vision for the team.
Samson, Bumrah help India tide over England challenge to reach second successive T20 WC final
B Sai Sudharsan's magnificent century propelled Gujarat Titans to a competitive total against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match. His innings defied T20 conventions, proving runs can be made without aggressive hitting.
Dewald Brevis discusses his return to competitive cricket after injury, his confidence boost from CSK's win over KKR, and his admiration for teammate Ayush Mhatre.
Tim David, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal went ballistic with marauding knocks while bowlers came up with a clinical showing as Royal Challengers Bengaluru trounced Chennai Super Kings by 43 runs.
Chennai Super Kings' young wicketkeepers Urvil Patel and Kartik Sharma had the opportunity of their lifetime as they got to train under the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Dinesh Karthik believes Devdutt Padikkal's consistent performances in domestic cricket and the IPL will soon earn him a place in the Indian national team.
Rajasthan Royals unveiled their new jersey for the IPL 2026 season at an event in Jaipur on Wednesday, marking the start of a new campaign for the inaugural champions.
Abhishek Sharma has turned IPL 2026 into a statement season, bouncing back from a tough T20 World Cup to smash an unbeaten 135 against Delhi Capitals in Hyderabad.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Eshan Malinga shared five wickets between them as hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Chennai Super Kings by 10 runs in their IPL match on Saturday.
Many fans hadn't even bothered to change their Team India jerseys with which they watched the match. A few wanted to carry on the stadium atmosphere into the train singing songs like Chak De India and Vande Mataram. They played them so loudly and ensured no one got a wink of sleep. Of course, the main topic of discussion was Sanju Samson.
For the first time in the history of IPL, all 10 teams will be captained by Indian players this season.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the Rajasthan Royals' young talent, celebrated his 15th birthday by smashing the second-fastest fifty in the team's IPL history, leading them to a dominant victory over Chennai Super Kings.
Sanju Samson's unbeaten 97 steered India into the T20 World Cup semi-finals, but head coach Gautam Gambhir and Jasprit Bumrah credited Shivam Dube's two late boundaries for easing pressure in the tense chase against West Indies.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 29.
Jitesh Sharma, who has emerged as India's preferred wicketkeeper-batter in T20 format with less than two months left for the World Cup, has played down his 'competition' with Sanju Samson in the squad, saying it only brings out his "A-game" to the fore, strengthening the side.
When the script of the match was leading towards a sad ending for his team, Sanju Samson played that unhurried knock, exactly what was needed at that moment.
'Samson is most dangerous in the top three. That's where he wins you matches. He should be left there.'
here are the standout stats and records from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Ravindra Jadeja has rejoined Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026, marking a return to the franchise where he began his IPL career. He was seen interacting with young batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at the Royals' pre-season camp.
Rajasthan Royals likely to trade Sanju Samson for CSK all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran
As India put on a powerful batting display in the second semifinal of the T20 World Cup at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, several prominent faces from cricket and Bollywood watched the action from the stands.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured their second consecutive win in the IPL, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 32 runs. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad highlighted the team's improving dynamics and adaptability, while key performances from players like Noor Ahmad and Kartik Tyagi were also noted.
India's T20 World Cup winning captain Suryakumar Yadav discusses his decision to include Ishan Kishan in the team based on gut feeling along with Sanju Samson's impact with the bat.
'I can't come in and say, "I only can do the hero role." I need to be a villain. I need to be a joker. I need to play around".'
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