Dubai, 24 September 2021:The Delhi Capitals, who defeated the Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in their first match of the second half of the VIVO IPL 2021 season on Wednesday, will look to continue their winning streak when they take on Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Delhi Capitals’ fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who was the Player of the Match in the game against SRH, expressed during a virtual conference on Friday that the Rajasthan Royals will pose a good challenge to the Delhi franchise.

“We’ll have to quickly assess the conditions in Abu Dhabi and see what we need to do. It’s not going to be an easy game and the heat will be a major factor as well. Hopefully, we can just control our skills and focus on what we need to do. It’s going to be a very good challenge for us and I am really looking forward to it,” said the 27-year-old.

When asked about his experience of working with Head Coach Ricky Ponting, Nortje said, “It’s great having Ricky Ponting in our camp. I love his chats and he breaks things down very nicely and makes everything easy to understand. He’s quite clear on what he wants. I am trying to learn as much as possible from him. We enjoy working with him and hopefully, we can grow as a unit with him.”

Nortje, who recorded the top eight fastest deliveries of the IPL 2021 season in only one match with the fastest being 151.71 km/h, expressed that he doesn’t search for high speed on the field, “I don’t think about bowling speeds on the field but I do think about it when I am doing my strength training. High speed is not something I search for on the field. I just try to hit the right lengths while bowling during a game.” 

When asked if he has shared some tricks of the trade with young fast bowler Avesh Khan, the South African said, “Some of us have been looking at how Avesh is landing his yorkers and how he has been going about things. He has been so good for us. It was especially nice to see him land his yorkers in the first half of the season in India. It’s been so nice to see him progress as a bowler. All in all, he has got a lot of skill and I think he has got a bright future ahead of him.” 

Dubai, 21 September 2021:The Delhi Capitals, who put up a brilliant performance in the first half of the VIVO IPL 2021 season, registering 6 wins in 8 matches, will look to continue their momentum when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their first match of the second half of the IPL 2021 season at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Wednesday. Speaking ahead of the match during a virtual media conference on Tuesday, Delhi Capitals’ Captain  Rishabh Pant expressed that the Delhi Capitals are looking to take it one match at a time.

“Our performance in the first half of the tournament will certainly count for us as we have started well in the tournament. However, we are going to take one match at a time, focus on our processes and let’s see how it goes. My biggest learning from MS Dhoni is that one should keep focussing on the process and the results will follow. This is one of the biggest mantras which I have been following for a long time,” said the wicketkeeper-batsman.

The Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting added that he’s confident about his team getting the job done against SRH, “The IPL is such an even tournament that anyone on any given day can beat any team. We’ve got great respect for Sunrisers Hyderabad. They have got world-class players in David Warner, Kane Williamson and Rashid Khan, who is probably their key player. They always try and keep the game really close and really tight. But having said that, we have prepared really well and have done everything we can for the game. I am pretty confident that our boys can get the job done tomorrow.”

When asked about what he has learned about captaincy after taking over the reins this season, Pant said, “I have learned from Ricky that as a Captain need to treat everyone equally in the team. If you respect each and everyone in the team, then the entire team gives everything they have for you and they also stand by you in every situation. I try and keep the environment light. Anyone in the team can discuss anything with me or Ricky. We have a good combination of youth and experience in our team.”

Ponting added that Pant has matured tremendously in the last couple of IPL seasons, “Rishabh’s level of maturity in the last couple of seasons has just gone through the roof. When I first joined the Delhi Capitals camp, Rishabh was just starting to burst onto the scene. I made a pretty big call during the Australian summer last year when Rishabh finally made his way back to the Test team that we are going to see the unearthing of someone that could be a star Test match player for India for a long time. And what he has done since then on the international stage has been nothing short of sensational and I could see that coming. He’s done a terrific job as Captain of Delhi Capitals so far as well.”

Dubai (UAE), 17 September 2021: Some extraordinary performances in the last couple of years have seen South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi’s stock rise, and being the number one ranked bowler in the world in T20Is, the 31-year-old is certainly at the peak of his career. The left-arm leg spinner has joined the Rajasthan Royals for the remainder of the IPL 2021 season and reckons his team can challenge for the trophy.

“I think whether the team is at the first spot or the fifth, the position at the halfway mark doesn’t really count. It’s what you do in the second half that matters. So, I think we’re in a good position right now and we’ve got half a tournament to play, so it depends on how we play the rest of the games. The mood in the camp looks really nice so I don’t see any reason why we can’t go on to win the competition,” stated Shamsi, who is currently in quarantine having arrived from Sri Lanka earlier this week.

The Johannesburg-based spinner added that he will aim to add to the Royals’ team environment. He said, “I’m really looking forward to the experience with a new team. What’s really, really exciting is just the vibe that I’ve picked up, from not just the players but also the management. The overall feeling in the Rajasthan camp is amazing – I’ve played for a few teams around the world, but I haven’t experienced something like this before.”

“I’m generally someone who tries to bring a very positive vibe to the team environment – whether it’s speaking to other bowlers, players, or just cracking a joke or two in the changing room to lighten up the mood. I’m a big believer in ‘a happy team is a team that performs better’. So that is something I try to do with my national team as well, and I will try to bring that here as well,” added Shamsi, who has 40 wickets in 30 ODIs and 49 wickets in 42 T20Is to his name for South Africa.

Typically, you would expect the World No. 1 bowler to be in huge demand but it hasn’t been the case in the IPL, and the experienced bowler admits it did affect him. He elaborated, “In the past when I was younger, it (not getting picked) did affect me a little bit. But as you grow older, you realize there are bigger things in life. You understand that there are certain things you can’t control, and I was certainly in that space. I feel like I just have to do my work, and if a team feels I can benefit them with my services, they would pick me like Rajasthan has, and I‘m going to try my best to make sure that we win the competition.”

Acknowledging that he has been following the Royals for a few seasons now, Shamsi added that he likes to watch cricket to learn more about what other players do. “I’m actually somebody who likes watching all the games I can. I like to watch other players and see how they play, and try to pick up on one or two things – stuff that I can implement in my game – which other spinners are doing well, and also study the batsman a bit. And obviously Chris Morris and David Miller have been with RR for quite a bit, so I’ve always ended up watching a game or two whenever my schedule has permitted,” expressed the South African.

Adding that he’s excited about bowling against the best batsmen in the world, Shamsi said that the definition of a good spell has evolved. “With reference to the conditions in UAE and the short boundaries in Sharjah, I think it is a challenge. But it also means that you have an opportunity to get wickets. Sometimes on grounds like that, a spell which goes for 35-40 runs can be a match-winning spell, whereas in other games, a spell of 3 or 4 wickets can change a game. So, I think it’s not just about taking wickets,” said Shamsi who had picked up 3 wickets in 4 IPL matches in 2016.

A fan of Royals’ IPL-winning captain Shane Warne, Shamsi added that he’s had the opportunity to speak to the Australian legend a few times about his bowling. “Shane was of course a legendary leg spinner, and he was always a go-to man for any spinner. From him, I have learned to keep things simple and to be able to remember that we’re all different and that cricket becomes as complicated as you make it in your head.”

Signing off by revealing that he’s already lined up some new celebrations in partnership with fellow RR player Riyan Parag, Shamsi said that the celebrations help him “switch on and off between the game, similar to what batsmen are able to do between deliveries.” The left-arm leg spinner also had a message for the Royals’ fans – “They should be ready to celebrate a trophy win – that’s our goal and that’s not going to change. We are definitely going to try our best to bring the trophy back to the Royals.”

Dubai, 15 September 2021:Delhi Capitals’ Assistant Coach Mohammad Kaif, who has joined the pre-season camp in Dubai recently, expressed that the first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second half of the VIVO IPL 2021 season will be very crucial for the Delhi franchise. 

Kaif said that the first match will set the tone for the rest of the tournament, “There has been a big break after the first half of the IPL, but we are fortunate that most of the players have been playing international cricket regularly. We have a well-balanced side as there are players with international cricket experience and domestic players, who have been putting in good performances. The first match is going to be crucial for us. Our performance in the first match will set the momentum for us.”

The Assistant Coach added that the roles of some of the players in the Delhi Capitals team may change because of the change in venue from India to UAE.

“We played well in India and now we have to carry forward our performance here in the UAE. The roles for some of the players compared to the first half of the IPL may change because the conditions are different here. We have to start afresh in the second half of the tournament. We are looking to get used to the conditions here in the next few days and also play a couple of practice matches,” said the 40-year-old.

While speaking about Shreyas Iyer’s comeback to the Delhi Capitals side, Kaif said that the batsman’s return is the biggest plus for the team, “There are not many changes to the squad as compared to the first half of the tournament, however the biggest plus for us is that Shreyas Iyer is back in the squad. He is a fantastic player and he’s been playing well for us in the last couple of seasons. We are looking forward to seeing him play this season.”

The Delhi Capitals are set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 September 2021, when the VIVO IPL 2021 season resumes.

National, 15 September 2021: Having produced some consistent batting blitz in recent times, New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips was snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals for the remainder of IPL 2021 season, and even though he smashed his way to 254 runs in the CPL, the right-handed batter could not help the Barbados Royals secure a semi-final berth, meaning he had time to speak to us from St Kitts before he joins his other Royals family in the UAE.

Starting off by disclosing how he ended up signing for the Royals, Phillips said, “At first, I knew there were other players ahead of me, and then with players dropping out, this opportunity came about. There were a couple of other teams who wanted me, but the fact that I was playing for the Barbados Royals already, made sense for me to go with the Rajasthan Royals. I felt it was the right decision to stay with the same franchise.”

“After I joined, Sanju Samson had sent a text welcoming me to the Royals so that was good to see. I had subsequent chats with Sangakkara but that was more of a general catch up because I’ve played with him before at the (Jamaica) Tallawahs,” added the 24-year-old.

A born athlete who has “played every sport under the sun,” Phillips also added that he “will be happy to fit in wherever the team needs” him to. He continued, “Whether it’s opening, in the middle order, bowling, keeping wickets or wherever in the field, I’ll just do whatever the team needs for me to do.”

Commenting on what the Royals’ fans can expect from him, the hard-hitting batter said, “I feel like I have the ability to control the pace of the game depending on what the situation is like regardless of the position I’m batting at. So, if you lose wickets, I feel like I have the batsmanship to be able to take the game deep and then accelerate at the end. Having power in my game does allow me to take it deep till the end and catch up. I can give the team a fast start as well, but also play the longer innings.”

The Auckland-based cricketer also had a message for the Royals’ fans, “If I get an opportunity, I’ll try to do the best that I can. I’m someone who will put the team first every single time and hopefully give the people some entertainment.”

Reflecting on what’s ahead for the Rajasthan Royals this season, he stated, “From the perspective of our position on the table, being in the fifth spot is a nice little position at the moment because couple of wins from here and we’ll be well on our way to qualifying.”

An individual who likes to keep to himself, Phillips also said that he thinks the conditions in the UAE will be better than what he experienced during the CPL. “I’ve played in the UAE before and I think from a pitch and turn perspective, I would probably say that the Caribbean pitches are slower and turn more. I’m actually relishing coming over to the UAE as the pitches will be a bit quicker compared to what I’ve been playing on currently, so that will be a nice change.”

Even though he was announced as a replacement for Jos Buttler, Phillips reckons that he’s “a completely different player” to the Englishman. “The team has brought me in to do whatever role they need me to play, so it’s not really like I’m filling in Jos’ shoes, I’m probably filling in my own shoes and looking to create a legacy of my own rather than being a replacement.”

Throwing light on his excitement of playing in the IPL, Phillips expressed his desire to experience the tournament in India sometime in the future. “I’m really looking forward to being a part of a new team and just getting amongst so many experienced players and talking to them and trying to pick their brains. It would be awesome to be part of that full IPL atmosphere in India, but with the IPL taking place in the UAE – it’s the next best thing – and it’s my first IPL season so I’m not going to complain and will take whatever I can get,” expressed Phillips who also agreed that the “conditions in the UAE will help in preparing for the T20 World Cup.”

Asked if he idolizes anyone, Phillips said he likes picking up little things from various players and coaches that he meets but has never tried to copy anyone. “It was nice to pick Daniel Vettori’s brains to take my bowling a little bit further. But from a batting perspective, I pretty much just wing it as I go, and take little bits and pieces from everyone and try to find the solutions to the situations that I’m up against. I think that allows me to look at other players and be objective and take things that they do that work, as opposed to just looking at one person completely,” gushed Phillips, who is a true all-rounder due to his unique ability of being able to bat, bowl, keep wickets and field.

Terming his recent experience with the Barbados Royals as “fantastic”, Phillips said that he believes “the team will win the competition for the third time soon because of the cohesion and team spirit that the unit showed even during the hard times,” as he signed off.

Dubai, 12 September 2021:Delhi Capitals’ batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who is currently the highest run-getter in the VIVO IPL 2021 season with 380 runs in 8 matches, expressed that he is very excited to play the remainder of the season, which will be played in the UAE later this month, “It’s great to be back. There’s a great environment within the team. All the boys are working very hard and I am looking forward to the IPL season. I am very excited to play the upcoming matches.”

Dhawan, who has scored 3 fifties in the IPL 2021 season so far, said that it’s important for the team to start performing well from the first match itself, “It’s very important to start on a high note. We need to do well from the first match itself and therefore we are working very hard for our first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. We have to bring our hard work into effect during matches and produce great results.”

The 35-year-old added that the Delhi Capitals squad is even more stronger for the second half of the season with batsman Shreyas Iyer returning to the side.

“We were in a certain flow in the first half of the season and then that flow was broken once the tournament was suspended. So we have to rebuild our energy and get back on the flow we were in. The good thing is that our team is well balanced and Shreyas Iyer is back in the side as well, so our team is even stronger now,” said Dhawan.

When asked about getting acclimatized to the conditions in the UAE, the opening batsman said, “We’ll beat the heat as well. It takes some time to get used to the humidity here since we were indoors for a while. But we’ve been doing this for so many years so we’ll definitely beat the heat.”

The Delhi Capitals are set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 September 2021, when the VIVO IPL 2021 season resumes.

Dubai (UAE), 12 September 2021: A bond that is deeper than cricket, Rajasthan Royals’ stylish batter Manan Vohra and young sensation Mayank Markande aren’t just teammates on the field, but they also happen to be really close friends off it. The two end up having honest discussions about various things and topics, and Saturday evening witnessed a similar scenario when the two Punjab-based cricketers were in conversation ahead of the remainder of IPL 2021 season.

Speaking from their hotel in Dubai, Manan started the conversation by calling Mayank “a very lazy character”. He elaborated, “I have to always push him to go the extra mile in terms of everything, even if it’s training. He’s the kind of character who likes to go easy on things, but I’m always the one telling him to go that extra mile because I know he’s got immense talent and if he improves his work ethics, he will be a definite player for the Indian team for a long time.”

But Mayank, on the other hand, was quick to respond to the claim. “I’m not lazy, I’m like a normal person like everyone else but I think he (Manan) is extraordinary – I think even extraordinary is also an understatement for him (laughs). So, if you don’t reach his level, then he says I’m lazy, but on a serious note, I really appreciate him showing so much faith in me.”

Talking about Rajasthan Royals’ ambitions and realistic goals for the season, the duo was on the same page for a change, with 28-year-old Manan saying, “As a group, we are all looking to win the trophy. It has been a long time since the franchise has won it, and the best thing is that everyone in our group believes that the team has the potential to make a mark once again. So, we’re aiming for the cup but will be mindful of taking it game by game.” To which, Mayank added, “Our spinners had done a great job in the UAE last year, so I feel we’re back to utilizing our strengths well. We feel really confident going into this phase.”

Summing up his own stint in the first phase of season, Manan stated, “I think my personal experience was good because I had been waiting for this opportunity for two years. I was a little disappointed because I felt I couldn’t capitalize on the starts that I got; however, it means that I had a lot of learnings from those outings and have prepared well for the second leg.”

Meanwhile commenting on not being able to find a spot in the Royals’ team during the first phase, Mayank said he’s “happy to wait for his opportunities and understands that the conditions in India weren’t favouring the spinners too much” but knows that his “chance will come”.

With the second wave of COVID-19 taking India by storm earlier this year, Manan also stated that the period was tough for him too due to a personal loss. “The first two weeks (after IPL) were rough when I went back home because I lost my grandfather to whom I was extremely close, but you have to be strong. I was able to cope up with that, but his memories and teachings are very precious to me and will stay with me forever,” said an emotional Manan.

Meanwhile Mayank, who had started playing IPL at the age of just 20, spoke about how he has transformed into a much more matured bowler now. “When I first started playing IPL, I didn’t have much experience. But when I play now, I feel I’ve matured both as a player and as a person. I think I’m mentally tough now and know how to deal with pressure, and bowl in challenging situations,” said the 23-year-old who had picked up 15 wickets in his debut IPL season in 2018.

Referring to the short boundaries in Sharjah, the youngster also added, “I believe a good ball is a good ball on any ground regardless of how small the boundaries are. It’s cliché but bowling at the right line and length is key at any ground and that’s what we learned last season in the UAE as well. Therefore, we’re hoping our learnings will help us this season.”

Having played one T20I for the Indian team, Mayank added that he “dreams of making a comeback to the Indian team by performing well in the domestic circuit, and then consistently play for the nation at the highest level.”

Whereas, U-19 World Cup winner Manan also added how he intends to use the upcoming season to make a case to the selectors. “Every player on the circuit has the same dream, and so do I. I definitely want to play for the Indian team. I think the upcoming domestic season again gives me a chance to get noticed. I’m playing for Chandigarh now and will be leading them, so I’m confident of taking my team to the latter stages of competitions through good performances, which will help me in making a case,” expressed the right-handed batter who has 1054 runs in 53 IPL matches at a strike-rate of over 130.

Dubai (UAE), 09 September 2021: Sri Lankan legend and Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara arrived in the UAE earlier this week and is looking forward to resuming the season with a confident Royals squad who are placed fifth in the IPL points table.

Speaking from his hotel room, where he’s under quarantine with his family, Kumar said, “The first phase of the season had both positives and negatives for our team. It was a bit of a mixed bag with some injuries and pull-outs, but those are very understandable situations where you must support the players. After that, we were left in a different place to where we had envisioned ourselves after a great Auction earlier this year. But I was glad to see other players stepping up and filling in the roles that were required of them and playing to their own strengths to help the team.”

Summing up the first phase of the season, Kumar said he was happy to see the character shown by his side to deal with hindrances. “We started off with a great game against Kings, then we beat Delhi and finished the phase with probably our best all-round performance which came against SRH. It was a good way to finish the phase but was tough on the players because they had worked so hard to be in that position. However, the guys showed a lot of character, patience, and understanding in that environment where it was quite a tough period with what was happening in India and around the world due to COVID. I think it was a great test for everyone involved with the franchise, and I was very impressed with all the players and the management because they all had tough jobs, but their focus was immense,” said the 43-year-old.

Having stayed in touch with players during the off-season, Kumar says “it was good to see lots of feedback from the players.” “I expect them to always challenge the plans we set for them and question as to why they’re doing something, or if they have a better alternative. I think that’s the real way we can challenge each other as coaches and players to get better. And I’m genuinely very happy to note that our players are excelling at that. I really love the energy and the attitude of all the players at the Royals, especially the younger Indian guys, who are all very keen to learn and very confident in their abilities,” he added.

Commenting on what he expects from his team as they aim to make it to the playoffs, Kumar said, “What I want to see from them is their best efforts – competing as hard and for as long as possible to create opportunities to take games by the scruff of their neck and win them – that’s the real key. If one player can win us the odd game here and there, different players become those match-winners in different games, and that’s really what you’re looking for in terms of formulating a side winning.”

Sending messages of support and best wishes to players who have had to pull out, Kumar added, “Jos Buttler has of course had a new addition to his family and we congratulate him and the family. We really miss those guys because they’ve been brilliant due to what they bring to the franchise, not just on the field but also off it. With Ben (Stokes), we understand the situation and realize the importance of this period in his life and continue to provide all the support and love he needs.”

“Jofra Archer has had a huge miss in terms of cricket with his injury, and we would really like him to get better. He’s brilliant to watch when he’s playing not just for RR, but generally in world cricket. I think world cricket needs Jofra Archer back because he’s been such a great performer and athlete,” added the Lankan great.

Talking about the squad for the remainder of the tournament, and referring to Jaydev Unadkat as ‘a great example of hard work and determination’, Kumar added, “Earlier this year, I was particularly impressed with JD (Jaydev Unadkat), because we all know that he has gone through some difficult phases in his career but I think he really stepped up during the first phase of IPL 2021. His bowling was outstanding, and that just goes to show that you can come back from a setback and start doing well if you put in the work. I know we have a really good squad again which gives us the chance of going with various combinations. I’m also really excited to see what our younger players can bring to the table.”
Praising the leadership of young captain Sanju Samson, Kumar said, “I really think Sanju Samson does well when he’s Sanju Samson. He’s a very impressive cricketer and a very bright young man. He’s got a balanced head on his shoulders, and I like the way he keeps everything very simple, clear and direct. His captaincy was very impressive given he had to take over at a tough time without a full-strength squad. So we’ll keep talking to him and supporting him to make sure he’s excelling in his game and is going to be an excellent captain for the franchise.”

Dubai, 08 September 2021:Delhi Capitals’ leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who has taken the second-most wickets (166) in the history of the Indian Premier League, has been trying to get used to the conditions in the UAE during the pre-season camp in Dubai ahead of the second half of the VIVO IPL 2021. Mishra, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 just before the IPL was suspended in May 2021, spoke about how he re-built his fitness post recovery from the illness.

“After the IPL was suspended in May, I focussed on my recovery from Covid-19. According to the advice given to me by the doctors, I improved my fitness slowly and steadily. It was difficult for me during the recovery phase, but I am happy that I am here for the second half of the season. I trained on my own and didn’t go close to anybody after recovery. I got some gym equipment such as treadmill and set them up at my home as well because I didn’t want to train in a public gym,” said Mishra.

The JSW and GMR co-owned franchise Delhi Capitals had a fantastic run in the first half of the tournament, recording 6 wins in 8 matches. However, Mishra expressed that all teams will have to start afresh when the season resumes this month, “We are at the top of the table right now, but we have to start afresh. We have to set our strategies again. I think every team has an equal chance of doing well now since we are all re-starting the tournament. We are playing the second half of the IPL in a different country, so we have to devise our strategies according to the conditions here in the UAE.”

The Leg-spinner added that the Delhi Capitals will try to build on the momentum they had in the first half of the season.

“We have been doing well in the last two seasons and the performances have come because of a collective effort. From coaches to selectors to players, everyone should be credited for Delhi Capitals’ progress as a team in the last few years. We will try to build on our momentum from the first half of the IPL 2021 season and take one match at a time once the season resumes,” said the 38-year-old.

The Delhi Capitals are set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 September 2021, when the VIVO IPL 2021 season resumes.  

Dubai (UAE), 08 September 2021: Ahead of an important phase of the Indian Premier League, two of our Karnataka-based players took out time to express their thoughts on the upcoming season and what’s in store for them. All-rounder Shreyas Gopal and leg spinner KC Cariappa have not had much competitive cricket under their belts in recent months but are all geared up to take their Rajasthan Royals side to the playoffs in the UAE.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Shreyas said, “I think there are two ways of looking at the break in the IPL season. For people who weren’t doing all that well including myself, I think it was a chance to put on the thinking cap and see what modifications and improvements could be made. Whereas, for people who had been doing well, the first two teams in the table for that instance, it puts a break on them and they’ll now have to restart, so puts everyone on level pegging.”

Meanwhile, for 27-year-old Cariappa, the season has come as a chance at redemption, after he had been away from cricket for a while. “It was a very depressing period for me when I was not part of the Karnataka team earlier this year. I did well last year in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but after that, things became bad for me,” said the leg spinner.

“I was just roaming around in Bengaluru and my fitness had taken a toll, but that is when Zubin (Bharucha) sir called me to ask to come for the IPL trials. I was shocked that someone is asking me to come for trials because I was lost almost for one year and weighed around 95kgs then. However, I went for it and bowled well,” added Cariappa.

“Zubin sir then called me and said, ‘I’ve been following you since 2015, but what is wrong with you? What is wrong with your fitness? We like your bowling but you have to get your fitness right.’ And that was the moment when I found the motivation again, and I worked really hard to get back into shape. So I’m really thankful to him and to the Rajasthan Royals franchise for showing faith in me. I feel that I’m back on my feet because of them and now it’s time to repay that faith on the field,” expressed an emotional Cariappa.

Shreyas, on the other hand, has been consistently featuring both in the IPL and in the domestic circuit, and wants to keep everything simple. “I think it’s more about the kind of mind space I’ve been in – the way I’m bowling, batting, fielding, and also how I’m feeling. I want to keep my work ethic high, but also realize that it’s going to be a long season with bubble life again, so I want to be present in the now, and remain simple with my process.”

The 28-year-old had played all 14 matches for the Royals in the 2020 season which was held in the UAE, and the all-rounder is again looking at using his experience in the gulf nation. “We played last year around the same time, so we have been witness to the conditions at all three places. We know the strengths in terms of length of the boundaries, etc. And as the tournament progresses, the pitches get a bit slower and are good batting wickets at the start. So we’ll be backing ourselves to do really well in these conditions and execute our plans,” stated Gopal who has 48 wickets in 47 IPL matches.

Calling the upcoming season as one of the most crucial of his life, Cariappa said that he will use his opportunities to make a case for the Indian team. “I have been training really consistently during the off season, and it (the upcoming season) is very important because I’ve been waiting for a big opportunity for a long time, and every year I’ve been getting only a few matches, and sometimes they go well, sometimes they go bad. But if I get an opportunity again, I just want to do well and, in my head, I tell myself that I should be in the Indian team – I feel every cricketer aspires to play for his country and so do I.”

Lastly, adding that two fellow Karnataka and India legends have inspired him, Shreyas Gopal added, “My favourite batter was always Rahul Dravid, and bowler was Anil Kumble. I tried imitating Anil sir’s action during childhood, and a part of it is still there in my action I think. When I first met him during my Mumbai (Indians) days, he told me about the importance of having a fierce body language, mindset, and then let the skill set take over. I think ever since I’ve tried having that burn and desire in me, and I’m always willing to bowl the hard overs, and be there for the team in those tough situations. Meanwhile, Rahul sir is a lot calmer, but if you look into his eyes, he’s a fierce competitor as well,” signed off Gopal.

IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals today announced the signing of South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi, the world no. 1 ranked T20I bowler who will be joining the Royals squad for the remainder of IPL 2021 to be held in the UAE from 19th September 2021. The left-arm leg spinner from Johannesburg, is the second replacement player for the franchise. 

31-year-old Shamsi represents The Titans in South Africa’s domestic cricket, and made his international debut for South Africa during a bilateral T20I series against England in 2017. The left-arm leg spinner has since picked up 45 wickets in 39 T20Is, along with 32 wickets in 27 ODIs for his nation. In the IPL, Shamsi has played 4 matches in which he picked up 3 wickets for Royals Challengers Bangalore, who had recruited him as a replacement player during the 2016 season.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals would also like to share that Andrew Tye won’t be available for the remainder of the IPL season. “It is with great regret that I have to pull out of the remainder of the IPL 2021 with the Rajasthan Royals. It has been a long year for me which has kept me away from home for a lengthy period, and the disappointment of not making it to the World Cup squad has added to the dismay. Therefore, keeping my best interests in mind, I had to make this tough decision of staying at home and preparing myself mentally and physically for next year’s T20 World Cup. I am gutted that I won’t be able to rejoin the Royals family this year, but like all the fans out there, I will be cheering the team on”, added Tye.

New Delhi, 14 December 2019: With the IPL getting into auction mode, Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting met members of the management to discuss the team’s potential targets for the upcoming season. “We’ve had several discussions over the last few months, and have put in a lot of time and effort to make sure that we’re well prepared,” Ponting said. “You can do all the planning in the world, but at the auction table, the unpredictable always happens.”

“There’s going to be a lot of focus and attention on fast bowlers, overseas ones in particular,” the former Australian captain said. “Pat Cummins could go for big money, as could Chris Woakes. All-rounders are always interesting in my opinion. Players like Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh, Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme could all be big picks.” “Going into the auction you have to be very specific about the kind of players you need,” he said. “For instance, we’ve got three openers, so we don’t need to look for one. You need to identify the problem areas in your starting eleven, and essentially plug the gaps.”

Ponting also spoke about the 2019 IPL season which was a stellar one for Delhi, with the franchise finishing third eventually in the competition. “The semi-final loss against Chennai was disappointing of course. But we played some great cricket, and even now, about 7-8 months after the tournament, I feel like there were times when we were the best team in the competition. I just remember how much fun everybody had. It was a totally different environment than most other IPLs that I have been a part of. The idea is to recreate that atmosphere and culture with our new and existing bunch of players.”

On the addition of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane to the side, Ponting said, “They are the kind of players who are likely to do well on the Kotla wicket, and of course, bring tremendous experience with them.” Delhi Capitals will go into the 19^th December auction in Kolkata with a purse of INR 27.85 crore and 11 available slots, including five overseas players.