Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

'Not close to winning': IPL giants Chennai and Mumbai slump again

'Not close to winning': IPL giants Chennai and Mumbai slump again

IPL big guns Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings fell to their fourth loss of the season on Saturday to raise fears of an early exit from the Twenty20 tournament.

Holders Chennai and Mumbai have nine IPL title between them but reputation took a beating when they were outplayed by Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore respectively.


Suryakumar Yadav lifted Mumbai from 79-6 to 151-6 but the total barely tested Faf du Plessis' Bangalore who achieved their target with nine balls and seven wickets to spare in Pune.

Up and coming Indian talent Anuj Rawat hit 66 and put on 80 runs with Virat Kohli (48) to guide the team, who hunt for their maiden Indian Premier League title, to their third win in four games.

Five-time champions Mumbai remain winless so far along with Chennai and skipper Rohit Sharma said it's high time the team stands up.

"I have always spoken of collective performance both from bat and ball, that seems to be missing at the moment," said Rohit. "Once that comes through, I think we should be good."

Mumbai's director of cricket Zaheer Khan said, "It's a long season, so we have to keeps things tight, keep things together.

"There are still 11 league matches to go, so we got to get on a roll. It's just the matter of first win."

Mumbai started strongly with an opening stand of 50 between Rohit and Ishan Kishan -- both scored 26 -- before pace bowler Harshal Patel and Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga rattled the batting.

But Suryakumar, who hit five fours and six sixes in his 37-ball knock, kept up the fight till the finish as he raised his 50 in a 23-run 19th over from Mohammed Siraj.

Harshal ended with figures of 2-23 and Hasaranga also took two wickets including the big-hitting Kieron Pollard, for nought, with his leg spin.

- 'Nobody saw that coming' -

In reply, Bangalore lost Du Plessis for 16 but Rawat, a left-handed batter, took the attack to the opposition as he hit sixes in his 47-ball blitz before being run out.

Kohli fell two short of his fifty after being trapped lbw off South African leg-spinner Dewald Brevis but looked unhappy with his dismissal after his umpire review was turned down.

In the first match of the day, Kane Williamson's Hyderabad hammered Chennai, four-time IPL champions, by eight wickets as they chased down a target of 155 with 14 balls to spare.

Chennai coach Stephen Fleming said the team, now led by Ravindra Jadeja after Mahendra Singh Dhoni stepped down ahead of the season, needs more belief to get back to winning ways.

"Probably each facet (of the game) is a concern, if not at one stage then altogether," Fleming told reporters.

"We are not winning any games. Not being close to winning any games, you get a bit of self-doubt, and the players get a little bit niggly.

"So we just got to work through that pretty quickly and try to find some rhythm and get back in the tournament."

Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted, "Two great teams at the #TATAIPL today. Neither really competed today. Had their moments at best, but were never likely to win. 0-4 now for both. Nobody saw that coming."

Chennai have dropped to the bottom of the 10-team IPL table with Mumbai just above on ninth.

More For You

Rishabh-Pant-ton-Getty

Pant, who scored 134 in the first innings, reached a 130-ball century in India’s second innings, hitting 13 fours and two sixes. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Pant makes history with twin centuries, England eye record chase on final day

RISHABH PANT became the first India batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test against England on day four at Headingley, but England responded strongly to leave the series opener finely poised going into the final day.

England will resume on Tuesday at 21-0, needing 350 more runs to reach a target of 371, with all ten wickets in hand as they aim for a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah acknowledges the fans as he leaves the field with the team following the England innings during Day Three of the 1st Test at Headingley on June 22. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty images

ENG vs IND: Bumrah takes five, Brook falls for 99 as Test hangs in balance

JASPRIT BUMRAH claimed five wickets and Harry Brook was dismissed for 99 on his home ground as the first Test between England and India at Headingley remained evenly poised at the end of day three.

England were all out for 465 in reply to India’s first-innings 471. India ended the day on 90-2, stretching their lead to 96, with KL Rahul unbeaten on 47 and Shubman Gill, who scored a century in the first innings in his debut match as India captain, not out on six.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ollie Pope

Ollie Pope celebrates his century on day two of the first Test match between England and India at Headingley cricket ground in Leeds on June 21, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

ENG vs INDIA 1st Test: Pope hits century as Bumrah takes three on day two

OLLIE POPE scored a fighting century as England responded to India’s 471, despite Jasprit Bumrah’s three-wicket haul and Rishabh Pant’s quick hundred on the second day of the first Test at Headingley on Saturday.

England were 209-3 at stumps, trailing by 262 runs, with Pope unbeaten on 100 after being dropped on 60.

Keep ReadingShow less
India vs England: Gill and Jaiswal centuries put India in control

India's Shubman Gill celebrates after reaching his century Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

India vs England: Gill and Jaiswal centuries put India in control

CENTURIES from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill, his first as skipper, fired India to a commanding position in their series opener against England, closing day one of the first test on an imposing 359-3 on Friday (20).

Despite the clear, humid Headingley conditions seemingly favouring the batting side, England chose to bowl first, knowing each of the previous six Leeds tests had been won by the side bowling first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shubman Gill

Gill carved a niche for himself in the state’s cricketing history

Getty Images

Shubman Gill begins his Test captaincy as India face England in Leeds

Shubman Gill has become the first cricketer from Punjab to lead India in Test cricket, marking a historic milestone in his career. The 25-year-old was appointed as India’s Test captain on 24 May 2025 and officially led the team for the first time on 20 June in the opening match of the series against England at Headingley, Leeds.

Gill is the 37th player to captain India in the five-day format since the country’s debut in Test cricket in 1932. While players like Lala Amarnath, born in Kapurthala, Punjab, captained India in earlier years, he represented Southern Punjab in domestic cricket, a team based in what is now Pakistan. This makes Gill the first player from the Indian state of Punjab to take on the role in Test cricket.

Keep ReadingShow less