IPL 17: Brand-New Starts

The Indian Premier League (IPL) kicks off tomorrow, and there will be plenty of interesting subplots to follow with regards to the endless rumors about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s retirement, Virat Kohli’s 16-year drought, the second opportunity life has given Rishabh Pant, and Rohit Sharma’s World Cup suffering.

Known for pulling off the unexpected, Dhoni gave up his captaincy of the Chennai Super Kings the night before the IPL matchup with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, transferring the leadership to Ruturaj Gaikwad, a guy he had trained for the position.

“We have put a lot of effort into developing leaders. We have not been as active since MS Dhoni. But we have benefited greatly from having faith in the children. I’ve previously discussed leadership and captaincy with young people like Rutu. He has a fantastic chance to guide the group, according to CSK coach Stephen Fleming’s statement today.

Pant of the Delhi Capitals, who just recovered from a near-fatal injury, will be itching to prove to the world that he still has the ability to knock those one-handed sixes with style.

Even without the captain’s position, Rohit would be the last to reveal his wounds behind his trademark carefree Mumbaikar demeanor as he enjoys his nightly dates at the Wankhede. Still, the partisan audience would anticipate his signature pull shots.

Hardik Pandya must win in the dressing room as well as the games played on the field, according to the other captains. Seniors who feel they have missed their chance to take the lead will have damaged egos. They could be challenging to deal with.

Kohli, on the other hand, would be chasing that elusive gem in his crown. He freely acknowledges that he has been waiting for a major championship, and whether the RCB men are able to follow in the footsteps of the women this season will be largely determined by his own intense style of play.

At least ten to twelve other players are also competing for eight spots on the aircraft that leaves for New York at the end of May in preparation for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean, with a larger prize up for grabs.

It might all happen in the four minutes it takes to deliver one over—there will be incredible comebacks by some, a few new stars will emerge, and of course, the typical rags-to-riches tales.

Over the season, there will be a great deal of pressure placed on overseas players like Mitchell Starc of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Pat Cummins of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who made a lot of money during the auction.

Each yorker that becomes a full toss or every six they give up at the end will remind the two of wages that exceed Rs 20 crore. “I believe our combination is excellent. We have a few more seasoned individuals, such as Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar). Aiden Markram was captain last year, obviously. However, we have some great new talent. I can’t wait to watch men like Umran Malik and Abhishek Sharma. Thus, Cummins said, “I think fans should be really excited for the upcoming season.” — PTI

Will CSK’s new leadership bring about a decline in luck?

Chennai: In addition to welcoming the IPL 2024, tomorrow’s high-stakes game between cross-city rivals Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will also mark a new era for the reigning champions as legendary skipper MS Dhoni will give the leadership over to Ruturaj Gaikwad.

It seems that Dhoni made the unexpected decision to retire one day before the new season began in order to ensure a seamless transition. Dhoni is set to retire at the conclusion of current season.

But as they try to reach a rarefied zone, CSK and RCB will need to find some early answers to some important problems outside the emotional maelstrom.

Having won five titles already, CSK will move into a league that has never been occupied by a club.

However, RCB, who just won their first trophy in the Women’s Premier League, will be excited to add an IPL championship to their collection.

Under Dhoni, whose IPL career has come to an end, CSK has been the IPL’s beacon of success. Age hasn’t affected his cricketing acumen one bit, but as a batter, his reflexes have definitely aged.