Alastair Cook does not have one more T20 hundred than me anymore, jokes Jos Buttler

BREAKING | KL Rahul diagnosed with acute appendicitis, would go under the knife soon

Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul has been diagnosed with appendicitis after complaining of severe abdomen pain, the franchise informed through a press release ahead of the team’s clash against Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. The franchise further said that after the 29-year-old Karnataka born complained of the pain, he was taken to the team’s emergency room whereupon some tests it was revealed that he is suffering from acute appendicitis. For further tests and surgery, Rahul has been moved to a hospital. The Kings would face Capitals tonight at the Narendra Modi Stadium inAhedmadabad in what would be a high voltage Northern Derby clash. The services of Rahul would for sure be missed who scored a brilliant 95* and carries the orange cap for most runs in the tournament so far.

IPL 2021: I was a little surprised that so many of the Australians went over there says Mark Taylor

Former Australian skipper Mark Taylor is surprised to see so many of his Australian compatriots continuing their IPL duties as a player and a part of the management of their respective franchises. With the second wave of COVID-19 creating a ruckus all over India, three Australian cricketers including Andrew Tye, Liam Livingstone, Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson has pulled out of the tournament midway. However, there are fourteen Australian players present in the IPL at the moment along with coaches and commentators and Mark Taylor is surprised to see them continue their duties. He further added that with guys like Pat Cummins earning a huge amount from a single season it is hard for him to quit the tournament but for someone like Steve Smith who was bought at 2.2 crores he was surprised to see him continue. “I was a little surprised that so many of the Australians went over there. If you’re Pat Cummins, he’s on something around (Rs 15.5 crore), so that’s very hard to knock back for six weeks of playing cricket,” Taylor said during a discussion on ‘Channel 9′. “Steve Smith was an interesting one because his contract was about Australian dollars 350,000 (Rs 2.2 crore with Delhi Capitals), which is not to be sneezed at but for a guy like Steve Smith, it’s not as big a contract as it probably should have been. I was surprised he decided to go,” Taylor added. Australian opener Chris Lynn recently made a comment that the Australian Cricket Board should organise a chartered flight for all of his members to help them fly back after the tournament. He had also said that since the board takes some percent of their IPL salary it’s their duty to make sure that the players return home safe and secure. Taylor called the comment “very rich”. “I think Chris Lynn’s comments were very rich, absolutely,” Taylor said was quoted as saying on Sports Sunday. “The 10 per cent Cricket Australia does receive from a player’s contract over there surely has got something to do with actually providing the cricketer with some coaching, education along the way to become an IPL-worthy cricketer,” he further explained. While players like Zampa, Tye and Kane Richardson has returned home there are several Australian players and coaches still continuing their duties. Despite India going through tumultuous times, Taylor feels that the players and the coaches are feeling secure in the bio-bubble atleast for the moment. “Ponting is over there, Warner, Brett Lee there. Good mates of mine, Brad Haddin, Trevor Bayliss are coaching over there. I haven’t heard much from them apart from that, they’re there to see (out) the end of the tournament,” Taylor said. “A lot of the players have actually said they feel comfortable in the bubble they’re in; but what they would like once the tournament’s over… “I think the Australian players and coaches are hoping that they’ll get home ASAP. That is what they’re after at this stage,” Taylor signed off.

IPL 2021 | RR vs SRH: Jos Buttler posts highest individual score by an Englishman in IPL history

Jos Buttler brought up his maiden hundred in his IPL career and broke the chain of low scores in the ongoing edition of the tournament. He brought up his hundred in 56 balls with 10 fours and five sixes. He was not in a great vein of form coming into the contest against the Surisers Hyderabad and struggled to get going at the start. He was missing finding the gaps and also lacked fluency till the halfway stage of his innings. At the end of the 11th over, he was batting on a 33-ball 35 and it appeared that the Royals will struggle once again in absence of a big score from Buttler but the right-hander turned things around quickly. He smashed Sandeep Sharma for 17 runs in the 13th over and never looked back since that stage. He was extremely severe against the off-spinner Mohammad Nabi and put him over the fence for two fours and two sixes in the 15th over to approach his first hundred. His heroics with the bat after the first 30 balls ensured the Royals are in with the chance of posting a big score on the board against the Sunrisers in Delhi. The Royals need to win this contest to resurrect their journey in the 14th edition of the IPL.

Ipl 2021: Shikhar Dhawan confident of DC victory against Punjab

Delhi Capitals highest run-scorer this season, opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan believes that the team is moving in the right direction as it is not overly dependent upon any particular individual. “We have won five out of seven so we are in a great position and the good thing is that the entire team is performing,” he said in a video uploaded by the Delhi Capitals on their official Twitter account. “Be it batting or bowling, the team isn’t dependent on a single individual. There is always someone or the other taking responsibility on match day and that has made the team really strong,” added the 35-year-old. Talking about the team’s next assignment against Punjab in the Northern Derby at the Narendra Modi Stadium tonight, Dhawan, who has so far scored 311 runs in seven innings so far, believes that the Delhi team can overpower the Punjabis. “No opposition is a weak opposition in the IPL. So we have to make sure that every time we go on the field, we give our best and implement our plans,” said Dhawan before adding that Punjab are a good side and playing well. “We must respect that, but we are going to win another game I think,” said the southpaw.