IPL 2022 | RR vs RCB | Watch : Riyan Parag and Harshal Patel get involved in a heated altercation

Shahid Afridi launches MSL for ex-cricketers and athletes

Bangladesh Pacer Abu Jayed alleges politics in selection

Upon not finding any specific reason for his exclusion from the Bangladesh side ahead of their tour of Sri Lanka, fast bowler Abu Jayed Rahi suspects internal politics due to personal dislike towards him. Jayed is confident that the coach, captain, and the selectors do not have any reservations against him, but some player(s) in the team may be keen to disfavour him. However, he added that his initial assumption that the team probably wanted to go without pacers was put to rest when he saw Shohidul Islam's inclusion into the squad. The Sylhet cricketer was the leader of Bangladesh's pace battery until they toured New Zealand earlier this year when he was left out of the playing eleven in both the Tests, despite maintaining picked four wickets in the warm-up match. He also expressed his disappointment at being left out of the playing eleven in South Africa. Jayed claimed that there was no communication made to him from the board or the team management regarding the decision to drop him downright from the team for the Sri Lanka Tour. "I don't think the coach, captain or the selectors have a problem with me. I think someone in the team doesn't like me. I don't think there could be other reasons. If Shohidul [Islam] was not picked, I would've thought that there was no need for pacers here," Jayed was quoted by the Daily Star. The Fortune Barisal cricketer expressed his utter disappointment and despondency, calling his dropping a cruel and sudden decision that nobody even discussed with him and adding that he has no active contracts, neither with the BCB nor in domestic cricket. Further, Jayed accused the BCB of blemishing his career and taking away his only source of income by leaving him out of any central or domestic contracts. He said he was part of the team that toured South Africa for the series after rehabilitating post getting injured in the BPL and was subsequently dropped without reason. Also, the 28-year old paceman questioned the board's basis for dropping him without even seeing his performance. Shortly after returning from a 30-day tour of New Zealand, he went into rehabilitation and didn't get to play in South Africa. The selectors, however, have chosen not to respond to Jayed's allegations and accusations so far.

IPL 2022 | I still believe in the team: Shreyas Iyer backs KKR to make a turnaround

On the bowling front, KKR have fared reasonably well, but the poor form of Varun Chakravarthy has somewhat spiked the worries. Although the 'Purple Army' is down, Shreyas Iyer backed the players to lead a solid turnaround, as they did last year.

Harshal Patel opens up on Virat, AB, Maxwell, praising his deceptive slower delivery

​Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bowler Harshal Patel gave his career a new lease of life last year as he managed to claim as many as 32 scalps in 15 games of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021; the highest in that season. While Harshal has many tricks up his sleeves to disguise the batters, his repertoire of slower deliveries is an effective weapon, especially in T20 cricket. Before 2021, the 31-year-old found it tough to survive in the cricketing world. But as the Gujarat-born worked upon his strength, RCB handed him an INR 10.75 crore deal in the IPL 2022 mega auction since he emerged as the star performer of the franchise in the previous season. On a YouTube show, 'Breakfast with Champions', Harshal narrated an incident when Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers were pleasantly surprised by his slower deliveries. "AB (de Villiers), Virat and Maxi (Maxwell) have stated that (it is impossible to catch his slower ball out of hand). So I bowled a few slower balls to Maxi, and he comes out of the nets and says, 'mate, no way they are hitting this.' When people like him, Virat or AB say that, you think, 'if they are not seeing it out of the hand, who else can?' Huge confidence booster," Harshal told host Gaurav Kapur. While Patel's performance remains hidden from no one, he shared a backstory that not many would know. The Haryana captain shared that he mastered the difficult art by seeking guidance from Zaheer Khan. "If I have to look at someone who legitimised slower ball, [it] was Zaheer Khan in the 2011 World Cup. The way he got people out with those knuckleballs was unbelievable to watch. I got my education in T20 bowling from him. I started with RCB in 2012, and he used to come up to me every single ball and tell me what I need to bowl," he added. Meanwhile, the IPL 2021 Purple Cap winner has taken nine wickets in seven matches so far in the ongoing season of the TATA IPL. RCB is currently placed at the fifth place, with 10 points in eight games.