IPL 2021: Kiran More set to join MI bio-bubble having recovered fully from COVID-19

IPL 2021: Stephen Fleming credits batsmen for putting up competitive totals

Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming feels that the addition of a few new players and the change of attitude has helped them recover from a disastrous IPL campaign last year and win three of their first four matches of the 14th edition of the tournament. Fleming feels the addition of players like Moeen Ali has augured well with the Yellow brigade as they have managed to turn things around this year. Meanwhile, he also said that despite the addition of new enigmatic players, the main difference has been in their mindset. Chennai Super Kings didn’t manage to qualify for the playoffs the previous year for the very first time in IPL history. However, they have started this year’s campaign with a bang. Having lost the opening match against the Delhi Capitals, CSK has won their next three matches and currently occupy the top position in the points table. "I think we've added some players that made a difference already, but the attitude is probably the number one thing, so real mind shift." "It's probably both of those things, just making sure that we have a lot of batting that you can play a high-risk game and that gives confidence to the players to play a certain way. We felt we were a little bit thin last year to play a high-risk game. So we had to really swivel around and change more attitude than anything in this year," Fleming said at the post-match media interaction. The batsmen have been in great form this season. After a few poor outings, Ruturaj Gaikwad also bounced back to form with a brilliant knock against the Kolkata Knight Riders. On the other hand, Faf du Plessis looked in sublime touch and finished on 95. Important contributions by Moeen Ali and MS Dhoni eventually propelled them to a huge score of 220. Fleming credited the batsmen for helping them register big totals. "Winning three out of four probably exceeded the expectations. We felt maybe three out of five or if we got a couple would be good," Fleming said. "We're very proud of the way the batting, in particular, is standing up that's two 190s and two 220s So, we're playing well in that department and that's by design which is good." Before the match, Fleming had made it clear that they will persist with Gaikwad who showed his credentials in the last three matches in 2020 slamming three half-centuries. After a few poor outings this season, Gaikwad finally roared back to form with a mighty fine knock of 64 of just 42 deliveries. Speaking on Gaikwad, Fleming said, "We told him to just keep playing, we rate him very highly. I know there's a bit of pressure on him from the outside, but inside the camp, there was absolutely no doubt that what he's capable of.” "Naturally, you want the player to get into the tournament and relax and do well. He's such a stylish player and trains well, he's got talent oozing out of him. There was some pressure there but the mental aspect of getting a good performance will do him a lot of good," he added.

Sikandar Raza suffers bone marrow infection; long recovery process to follow

Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza won’t be seen in action for an indefinite period after he was diagnosed with an infection in his bone marrow. He had suspected it to be cancerous at one stage but after the surgery on 2nd April to remove the tumour, Raza has been cleared of any serious illness. However, it might take him several weeks to get back to normal. The recovery period won’t be easy but given the toughness of Raza, he should sail through the process. Raza is currently at home is undergoing cycles of meditation and injections. Raza revealed that he first felt severe pain in his right arm during the series against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi last month. He was part of the Playing XI in both Tests and three T20Is. The series ended on 20th March and Raza returned to Harare to see a specialist. Tests revealed that it was much more serious than regular muscle pain. "I had pain in my right arm during the Abu Dhabi Tests," Raza told ESPNcricinfo. "We treated like it was muscular pain initially but the pain kept getting worse. I remember staying up all night, unable to sleep despite having sleeping pills. That's how I played the Test matches. "After coming home, the ultrasound showed that the muscles are all fine. The MRI showed that I had a foreign or alien substance on my bone marrow. Seeing this the surgeon told me that this substance could make my shoulder bone so weak that I could fracture it by just throwing a ball. He suggested that I do a biopsy right away. I wanted to wait till the Pakistan series but he insisted otherwise. He said that due to the deformity seen in my bicep bone, they were suspecting cancer." Raza decided to go for surgery instantaneously and it was only on Tuesday evening that he found out that he had an infection in his bone marrow. "I went under the knife within the next 48 hours. They opened up my bicep by drilling the bone. They created a hole to take out some puss and red substance." "All of this was sent it for a biopsy, and it came back as negative. There was a type of infection but only last night the bone biopsy report ruled out cancer," he said. Raza further added that it will take him a long time to recover fully and he will definitely miss playing against Pakistan in the ongoing series. "I have been ruled out indefinitely. There's no set date for my return. Of course, this not being cancerous has suddenly fast-tracked some of it." "After the lab professor studies my MRI, I will apparently be on medication and jab for the next six months. We want to treat it aggressively so that I don't get the infection again. I am very sure that I have three to five more weeks of doing nothing if everything goes smoothly,” Raza said. Meanwhile, Raza also expressed his regard towards the Zimbabwe Cricket officials and thanked them. It included chairman Tavenga Mukuhlani, managing director Givemore Makoni and team physio Trevor Wamble for taking his special care. "Allah was very kind. He gave me a lot of strength but people like our physio Trevor Wambe helped me through this. He was by my side in Abu Dhabi, giving me a lot of time. When we got back to Zimbabwe, he ran around with me with the scans and tests." Raza spoke about the help that he got. "When ZC found out what the doctors suggesting seeing my MRI, Givemore Makoni, the MD, and chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani got very worried. They were very supportive, even contacting other boards and telling me that they would send me anywhere else for better treatment." Raza further added. "My family, friends and team-mates were also very supportive. Alhamdullilah when the report came last night, it put me and my family at ease. There were tears of joy in my family," he said.

IPL 2021: T Natarajan unable to go for scans due to quarantine rules

The rise of Thangarasu Natarajan at the highest level has been quite phenomenal. However, it has been a lingering knee injury that hasn’t allowed the left-arm pacer to settle into the Sunrisers Hyderabad outfit especially in this edition. Despite his troublesome knee, he hasn’t left the bio-bubble to have a scan yet. If he leaves the bubble then he will need to quarantine for atleast seven days to re-enter the team’s bubble. As Natarajan missed his second game of the tournament against the Punjab Kings, SRH skipper David Warner said that Natarajan has got a sore knee and the physios and the trainers are trying their level best to analyse by looking at it. However, he also added that Natarajan has to go for scans at some point or the other. "He obviously has got a sore knee," Warner said at the post-match press conference. "Given the circumstances in these bubbles, if he goes and gets a scan, he obviously has to sit out for seven days; he has to go back into quarantine. We are just monitoring at the moment. The physios are doing their best to analyse from a face point of view. But he obviously has to go and have a scan at some point." Khaleel Ahmed was brought into the XI to replace Khaleel Ahmed and the left-arm pacer had an impressive outing. He bagged 1/24 in his four overs spell against the Mumbai Indians while picking 3 wickets for just 21 runs against the Punjab Kings. The knee trouble had kept him out of the first three T20I’s against England as well. He played in the final encounter bagging a wicket for 39 runs and also played the final ODI in Pune bagging a wicket and conceding 79 runs in his 10 overs spell. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad will be missing Natarjan’s services who has emerged as a great bowler in the death. He made his national debut across formats in Australia not long ago and will look to return to the team at the earliest. SRH managed to win their first match of IPL 2021 when they defeated Punjab Kings quite convincingly by 9 wickets in the 14th match of the competition.

IPL 2021: Eoin Morgan fined for slow over rate during match against CSK

Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan has been docked his match fees after the World Cup-winning skipper maintained a slow over-rate in the 15th game of the tournament. Morgan has been fined INR 12 lakh for slow over-rate. Meanwhile, it must be noted that it was the first offence from the two-time champions this season under the new IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to a minimum over-rate offences. As per the new IPL guidelines laid down by the IPL governing council the captain of the team having bowled lesser overs during a stipulated period of time will be fined INR 12 lakh for the first instance. If the team is charged for the second time, the fine is doubled (INR 24 lakh). Meanwhile, every other member of the franchise is fined 25 per cent of the match fees of INR 6 lakh which is lesser among the two. If a team fails to bowl their quota of overs in the stipulated time for the third time in the season, the captain has to pay a fee of INR 30 and will be suspended for a match. Meanwhile, the rest of the members of the playing XI will be levied with a fine of INR 12 lakh or 50 per cent of match fees whichever is lesser. Coming back to the match, it was a thriller of a contest with CSK piping past KKR by 18 runs. Chasing a mammoth target of 221, the Gold and the Purple brigade needed to get off to a flying start but wickets kept falling at regular intervals and out of nowhere they were tottering at 31/5. The match looked done and dusted before Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik shared a 81 runs stand and brought KKR back into the game. After Russell’s and Karthik’s dismissal in quick succession, it seemed a mere formality for CSK to finish things off. However, Pat Cummins who is no mug with the bat suddenly changed the complexion of the game by smashing Sam Curran for 30 runs in the 16th over. KKR were back in the game but in the end, the loss of wickets proved to be vital as they were bowled out in the final over. A heartbreak for KKR but CSK was overjoyed to get out of a corner. Courtesy the victory, CSK go atop the points table with a better Net run-rate than the Royal Challengers Bangalore.