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IPL 2021: Anil Kumble excited to have good foreign bowlers in PKBS set-up

The Director of Cricket Operations at Punjab Kings, Anil Kumble is pleased with the fact that the newly named franchise has managed to make some value additions in the bowling department. During the player’s auction held in February earlier this year, Punjab Kings bagged the services of Australian speedsters Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith. Punjab Kings start their IPL 14 campaign against the Rajasthan Royals on Monday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Anil Kumble expressed his eagerness to start off with a win under their belt which would set them in nice rhythm through the course of the tournament. "Rajasthan Royals are a very good side, they have really some big hitters in their team, we need to be aware of that. Obviously, we want to start with a win, last year we came real close to win the first game but this time around we want to cross that line. " Kumble said. Stressing on the importance of the pace battery he further added, "The important aspect for us was to get foreign firepower in the bowling department and I am really glad that we have got Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith backing Chris Jordon. I am really happy with the options we have." Meanwhile, Kumble also stated that they have added a mental conditioning coach to look after the welfare of the players. Life in the bio-bubble is never easy. The players are always confined to hotel rooms and lobbies and are not allowed to roam outside. Hence it is important for a mental conditioning coach to take care of the players. "It's been really good, the last couple of weeks. It feels as though just the extension of Dubai, it does not feel like that I have been away from the team for that long. So overall we have had really good intense sessions over the last two weeks. We had some simulations done, match simulation scenarios, and practiced really hard. We have also included a mental conditioning coach who is coming into the squad. I think that is important," said Kumble. Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) are yet to win an IPL trophy to date. Their best performance came in 2014 when they qualified for the final for the first and the only time only to lose against the eventual champions Kolkata Knight Riders. Last year, Punjab finished at 6th place despite playing some terrific cricket especially mid-way through the season.

Had a chat with Anil Kumble about what the team is looking for from me: Jhye Richardson

Punjab Kings’ new recruit Jhye Richardson is ready to take up the challenge of bowling in death overs for the side. He further added that the pacer had a chat with coach Anil Kumble as to what he and the team are expecting from him and Riley Meredith. "Really, really excited. Obviously I have plenty of time to think about it here in quarantine, here in Mumbai. Had a couple of chats with Anil Kumble, our coach about what Punjab Kings have needed over the last couple of years and what they have looked for in Riley and myself,” Richardson told India Today. Richardson said that Kumble had explained to him about his role. The team is looking for someone who can assist Mohammed Shami in the fast bowling department. "He said that we needed someone to assist Mohammed Shami upfront with the new ball and the death overs as well,” he said. The seamer was one of the costliest buys in the IPL. He was snapped for a sum of Rs 14 Cr by the Punjab Kings while the franchise bought Riley Meredith for Rs 8 Cr. Apart from this, uncapped Shahrukh Khan who has been making his name in the domestic circuit was one of the new entries in the Punjab-based franchise’s line up. The aggressive batsman was bought for Rs 5.25 Cr. Moises Henriques (Rs 4.2 Cr), Dawid Malan (Rs 1.5 Cr) and Fabian Allen (Rs 75 lakhs) were some of the other players who were picked by the Punjab Kings in the mini auctions held in Chennai in February. Punjab Kings will begin their IPL 2021 campaign on Monday against Rajasthan Royals. The Kings have never lifted the IPL trophy and with some new players in the line up they would be seeking some positive results in this edition.

IPL 2021: COVID setback behind him, Devdutt Padikkal looks to continue stupendous run

Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal is raring to go and is hoping to make a mark in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The southpaw suffered a huge setback when he contracted COVID but he is now completely fit and ready to take part in the tournament. With the setback behind him, Padikkal is hopeful of replicating his stupendous form from the domestic circuit. The stylish left-handed batsman contracted the virus on 22nd March but has completely recovered now and has already started his practice session with RCB teammates. "COVID was a setback. I wish that it didn't happen but that's something I couldn't control...I had to accept the way it was and just make sure that I kept myself fit so that when I come back I can be ready for the game," he said in a video posted by the RCB Twitter handle. "Right now I am completely fine, most importantly I am able to move around well, I am able to react to balls and that's the most important part...in IPL you always have to be ready, you always have to be 100 per cent in every situation. Unless you are 100 per cent, you can't really push yourself,” Padikkal added. Padikkal was in exceptional form during the previous edition of the competition. Playing his first season as an IPL player, Padikkal finished as RCB’s leading run-getter with 473 runs in 15 matches which included five classy half-centuries. He continued his rich vein of form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he scored 218 runs in 6 matches. It wasn’t the end as Padikkal finished the Vijay Hazare Trophy as the second-highest run-scorer just behind Prithvi Shaw. "...last IPL was amazing for me. It was such a great experience and exposure for me, the opportunities I got and the fact that I was able to contribute to the side is all that matters in the end. "Mushtaq Ali was decent, not up to what I was expecting and in Vijay Hazare I was just looking to get back into my rhythm and focus on what I am doing and really improve my game every time I went out to bat. "It was really great to have the runs behind me, so coming into IPL, I know that I am confident," Padikkal said. After missing the opening encounter against the defending champions Mumbai Indias, Padikkal in all likelihood will take part in his side’s second game against the Kolkata Knight Riders slated to be played on 18th April. The southpaw is gearing up to open with Virat Kohli once he is presented with the opportunity. In the absence of Padikkal, it was Washington Sundar who opened the batting with Kohli against MI. "Definitely, it's something new...I am definitely looking forward to that," he said. Besides a certain Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, RCB also boasts of some power-packed performers in their ranks. Glenn Maxwell who was bought at a hefty sum in the auctions looked in sublime touch during the opening match and his form will be crucial to RCB’s chances as the tournament progresses. Padikkal is hoping to learn and pick their brains. "...batting with them (seniors) just takes pressure of you. They are so good at what they do and they just make your job easier, know exactly what to do in every situation. So, it's important that I just make sure I am learning as much as possible," he said. The second wave of COVID-19 has forced the organisers to conduct the tournament behind closed doors. Padikkal is hopeful of the fact that the situation will improve and the fans can come back to the stadiums. "It's definitely better with the fans because the energy they bring to the ground is something unimaginable. It would have been better with the fans in the ground and hopefully sooner than later it will happen."

I have fulfilled my dream: Avesh Khan on picking up MS Dhoni's wicket

Delhi Capitals fast bowler Avesh Khan has expressed his delight after picking up MS Dhoni’s priced wicket during the first match between the two sides in Mumbai. Avesh cleaned up Dhoni to dismiss the former India captain for a second-ball duck. “Mahi bhai’s wicket is my dream wicket. I’ve fulfilled that dream and I’m very happy about it. It’s also that he hasn’t played cricket in a while, he hasn’t been playing matches, so our plan was to initially maintain pressure on him, and I got the wicket because of the pressure,” said Avesh said in a video shared by Delhi Capitals. DC had a positive start to the campaign after winning the match by 7 wickets against CSK as they chased down a tricky total of 189. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan began the proceedings in a brilliant fashion as the two put 138 for the first wicket. Shaw continued his aggressive batting style that he has been doing for quite a long time and scored a 38-ball 72. Dhawan held the other end well and notched up 85 off 54 balls during the course as DC went over the line with more than an over to spare. Earlier, CSK who were batting first lost a couple of early wickets but Suresh Raina and Moeen Ali resisted well to get the side back on track. Raina who was making a comeback to the IPL in this match after he had opted out of the previous edition scored a half-century. A late surge from Sam Curran helped CSK put 188/7 in 20 overs. Curran scored a quick-fire 15-ball 34. CSK will now take on Punjab Kings on April 16 in Mumbai while DC will lock horns with Rajasthan Royals at the same venue on April 15.