IPL 2021: CSK batting coach Michael Hussey feels they have got all the bases covered

Three-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings will look to bounce back in the upcoming edition after a relatively under-par performance in the last edition and their batting coach Michael Hussey feels that the yellow brigade has got all their bases covered. For the first time in 13 years, CSK failed to reach the playoffs in the 2020 edition and despite winning their last 3 matches, they were the first team to get knocked out from the playoffs race.

“I feel we have a very balanced squad that has most bases covered and with depth in most areas. The guys are in really good spirits and have been preparing extremely well, he was quoted as saying by the CSK website.”

Hussey also feels the inclusion of experienced campaigners like Moeen Ali and Robin Uthappa will keep them in good stead. Moeen Ali had a good time with the ball in particular during the recently concluded India-England series and will look to make his presence felt whenever given an opportunity. Uthappa on the other hand has been treaded from Rajasthan Royals and will look to shine in the yellow jersey.

“I think they are all excellent additions. Moeen is an excellent all-rounder, Robin has a lot of experience and has been a quality performer in the past and Gowtham has some genuine talent that we can look to develop further,” Hussey said.

The three-time champions snapped up six players in the IPL mini auctions including the likes of Moeen Ali and Krishnappa Gowtham. Hussey feels that a good start to the tournament is key as it allows the team to relax and play the brand of cricket which they are known for.

“A good start would be nice because the players will then relax and hopefully play their best cricket with confidence, otherwise the pressure can build up on everyone involved,” the former Australia batsman said. Hussey said playing a block of matches would help the players settle and build confidence early in the tournament.

“I think playing a block of matches in Mumbai will help the players settle and build confidence early in the tournament,” he added. “The conditions at Wankhede are generally very good for both batsmen and bowlers, so hopefully we can start well and players can feel good about their games,” he said.

CSK are currently training at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai where they are slated to play their first 5 matches. The 14th edition of the tournament kicks off on 9th April with CSK slated to play their opening game against the Delhi Capitals the following day (April 10).

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IPL 2021: Jay Shah wants board members to be present for the inaugural game

Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jay Shah has invited the presidents and secretaries of all affiliated units of the board to witness the opening game of the upcoming IPL. The 14th edition of the tournament kickstarts on 9th April with the opening match slated to be played between the defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. As per reports in the ANI, Jay Shah has written a letter to the presidents and secretaries and express his delight at the league returning to India. The previous edition of the tournament was held in UAE in September-November last year. "It is that time of the year when the biggest T20 tournament in the world dominates our daily lives and cricket fever grips the nation. The Indian Premier League is upon us and I am delighted that IPL in 2021 is returning home to its rightful place. Circumstances forced us to shift the tournament to the UAE in 2020, but with your constant encouragement and support, we have managed to turn the tide in our favour. "All of you were clear in your views that a tournament of IPL's stature must happen in India and we must do everything possible to make it happen. The pandemic has not relented but we have evolved, innovated and found ways to negotiate the curve. As we now prepare for a grand return of the most popular tournament, I request your presence for the glittering opening game to be played in Chennai on 9th April between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore," he wrote. Meanwhile, Jay Shah also shed some light on the domestic calendar that was played in the country very recently with a vivid eye on the pandemic. The domestic calendar despite being brief was carried out successfully with the Syed Mushtaq Ali and the Vijay Hazare Trophy producing some excellent cricket. It was for the first time after 87 years that the Ranji Trophy was scraped from the calendar this year. “All our efforts were channelised towards staging the IPL in India. We first began by hosting the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, followed by the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Women's Senior One Day Trophy. The concept of bio-secure bubbles was new to all of us, but I must commend how each one of you contributed to making this a success. At no stage did we report any breaches and all of you deserve thorough credit. It was important to kickstart our domestic season and give our talented domestic cricketers an opportunity to return to the field. "The success of bio bubbles across different venues in India gave us the belief that we have what it takes to conduct the IPL too and this will also instil certainty for the T20 World Cup later in the year. We hosted England in a multi-format tour lasting over two months and Team India's performance has made us all proud. We witnessed some high-quality action between two top-ranked sides in the world. Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune the three venues made our cricketers and support staff feel at home," he added.

Yuzvendra Chahal-Dhanashree Verma share wedding film four months after marriage

Team India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and his wife Dhanashree Verma on Saturday released their wedding film on social media platforms. It was in December 2020 that Chahal and Dhanashree tied the knot in a private ceremony in Gurugram and had posted several pictures and videos on social media platforms but this was the first time they shared a snippet of their wedding film. “We are extremely happy to be sharing our beautiful moments with you guys. We really hope this video makes your day and leaves a smile on your faces. Marriage is a beautiful bond of beautiful souls coming together, all we got to say is that love each other, understand and respect each other. Life is truly beautiful. Love, Dhana & Yuzi,” Verma captioned while sharing the video. In the video, we can see different moments shared by the couple during the ceremony and how their families and friends react during the various rituals during the marriage ceremony. The background music makes the video more enjoyable for viewers. Meanwhile, Chahal also took to his Instagram handle and shared the video. “Our wedding film is finally out,” he wrote while tagging his wife Dhanashree Verma. “When two hilarious energetic people come together,” he added. Chahal has been an integral part of the Indian limited-overs set-up for quite a few years now and is the leader of the Royal Challengers Bangalore attack in the IPL. He is expected to play a vital role in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League.

Ricky Skerritt to start second innings as the CWI President

Ricky Skerritt and his deputy Kishore Shallow are set to continue their leadership roles in the West Indies Cricket Board. This will be the second term for the duo in leading the CWI. The news comes in after the rival pair of Anand Sanasie and Calvin Hope announced that they will be withdrawing from the contest. Hence Skerritt and Shallow were elected uncontested. The formal announcement regarding the same will likely be made on 11th April in the CWI annual general meeting which was postponed recently. The elections were originally slated to take place on 28th March but the date was pushed back due to the “lack of quorum” after representatives from the Guyana Cricket Board and the Barbados Cricket Association didn’t turn up. It was until March 29 that Sanasie was the GCB secretary while Hope is the vice-president. "Given the unfortunate circumstances leading up to and recent events in Guyana regarding the Guyana Cricket Board, together with the refusal by the leadership of CWI to uphold the highest standards, long-standing traditions and rules for governing the administration of West Indies cricket, we, having distanced ourselves from such action of CWI, have decided to withdraw our respective candidacies," Hope and Sanasie said in a public statement issued on Thursday. Meanwhile, Sanasie issued a separate public statement and stated why he decided to withdraw from the board. As per Sanasie, the CWI elections were being held “without critical requirements outlined” in the board’s constitution being “complied” with. Sanasie added that Skerrit had a clear "advantage" in the race for the position of president. "Prior to the GCB elections, Minister Ramson held Three (3) meetings with the CWI President and a select group of Directors, from which the GCB nominated Directors were excluded despite their objection on the one occasion when they were aware of the meeting. The actions of Minister Ramson, at all material times, were deeply partisan and prejudicial, in favour of those who seek control of the GCB for political and personal purposes, and clearly intended to give my opponent an advantage in the CWI Elections. The Minister's unpatriotic action supported and enabled my opponent to undermine my candidacy."

10 groundstaff, 6 Event Managers contract Covid, Hyderabad-Indore considered replacement for Mumbai

The Indian Premier League Governing Council is looking at different avenues for hosting the tournament as the Covid-19 cases rise in India, especially in Maharashtra. With Mumbai hosting the first leg, there are chances that the IPL GC might decide to shift the matches to Hyderabad as on April 2, the Maharashtra capital has recorded the highest ever spike in the Covid-19 cases for the last 12 months. With Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray saying, "Today, I am giving an indication for a complete lockdown, but not announcing it formally,” the Mumbai Cricket Association, Board of control for Cricket in India and IPL GC are all on their toes. "If things do not improve visibly in a couple of days and if no other solution is found, we will have to announce another lockdown like it is being done globally," Thackeray had added. ESPNCricinfo though reported that IPL franchises have no information regarding shifting of the venues as four sides Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab kings have assembled at different grounds in Mumbai and quarantined in exclusive accommodations. But with the number of cases piling up and India recording almost 90,000 ( 89,129) positive cases in a day with nearly half of them being reported from Maharashtra and Mumbai seeing the highest spike (8832) in a year, the going is gonna get tough from here on. Also, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu two other host states are among the five worst hit in India. Now that Axar Patel has tested positive and so have eight groundsmen at the Wankhede Stadium, the situation is looking grimmer than ever before.