KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane and GT skipper Shubman Gill (Pic credit: IPL)

NEW DELHI: Winless and under mounting pressure, Kolkata Knight Riders made a bold call at the toss, bringing in Tim Seifert for Finn Allen as they elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans in their Indian Premier League match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.With four defeats to start their IPL 2026 campaign, KKR are desperate to turn things around, and skipper Ajinkya Rahane made it clear that the team is looking to reset its approach.IPL 2026: GT vs KKR Live Score

Seifert comes in as KKR shuffle XI

The biggest talking point ahead of the game was KKR’s change at the top, with Seifert replacing Allen in the playing XI. The move signals a shift in strategy as the franchise looks for a spark in their faltering batting unit.“Just one change. Tim Seifert comes in place of Finn Allen,” Rahane confirmed at the toss, underlining the importance of fresh energy in a struggling lineup.KKR have tried multiple combinations in both batting first and chasing scenarios this season, but results have not followed. The inclusion of Seifert is seen as an attempt to stabilise the top order while adding experience and composure.

‘Play fearless cricket’: Rahane’s message

Rahane explained the decision to bat first, emphasising freedom and intent as the core philosophy.“We just want our batters to play freely, with freedom. The kind of tournament we’ve had so far, we’ve tried everything. I thought giving that freedom to the batters and then defending the total would be a good approach,” he said.He also stressed the importance of mindset over data. “Sometimes you don’t have to depend too much on stats. It’s about what you feel as a team. We just want to turn it around.”Backing his players despite the poor run, Rahane added, “It’s about staying confident, backing each other in tough times. We have good characters. T20 is about momentum — winning small moments. Today, we just want to play fearless cricket.”

GT stick to winning formula

Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill admitted he would have preferred to bowl first, citing possible dew later in the evening.“Honestly, we would have bowled first. As the weather gets hotter, there might be some dew,” Gill said, while also pointing to a middle-order collapse in their previous outing.“It’s about doing the simple things consistently. Don’t complicate it too much,” he added, confirming that GT are unchanged for the clash.With GT eyeing a top-four push and KKR chasing their first win, the stakes couldn’t be higher as Rahane’s men look to justify their bold call and new combination.GT vs KKR Playing XIs:

GT vs KKR Impact Subs:Kolkata Knight Riders: Varun Chakaravarthy, Finn Allen, Tejasvi Dahiya, Navdeep Saini, Manish PandeyGujarat Titans: Jason Holder, Shahrukh Khan, Manav Suthar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Anuj Rawat

Arjun Tendulkar with wife Saaniya Chandhok and sister Sara Tendulkar (Image credit: X)

NEW DELHI: After a home defeat to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026, Lucknow Super Giants will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday. LSG are currently placed sixth on the table, with two wins and two losses from four matches.In their previous outing, Lucknow Super Giants managed 164/8 in 20 overs against Gujarat Titans. Chasing 165, Gujarat Titans cruised to 165/3 in 18.4 overs, sealing a comfortable win at the Ekana Stadium on Sunday.Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who did not feature in the playing XI against Gujarat Titans, was spotted at the airport with his LSG teammates. He was seen alongside his sister Sara Tendulkar and wife Saaniya Chandhok.Sara and Saaniya had earlier been present in the stands in Lucknow, cheering for LSG during their clash against Gujarat Titans.Arjun tied the knot with Saaniya in a grand ceremony in Mumbai on March 5, 2026. He is part of the Lucknow Super Giants squad this season, having been bought for Rs 30 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction.LSG captain Rishabh Pant admitted that his side fell short with the bat in the loss to Gujarat Titans.“See, definitely not enough runs. There’s nothing. From the fact that they bowled well. I think in a wicket like this, a score like 170 to 180 is a really good score. But, you know, the wicket kept on falling, and they put enough pressure on us to get those wickets going,” Pant said.He added that although LSG had their chances, they failed to capitalise on crucial moments.“There were opportunities in the game. We just couldn’t grab it enough,” he said.Pant, however, backed his batting unit, stressing that it is still early in the tournament and there is no need to panic. He expressed confidence in the experienced players to step up in the coming matches.“See, definitely it’s a great lineup. But the tournament has just started here, you know. We’re not putting pressure on players because, especially the senior guys, they know what to do,” he said.

Rajat Patidar (Pic credit: IPL)

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar produced a breathtaking assault at the Wankhede Stadium, scripting history by equalling a long-standing Indian Premier League record during a high-octane clash against Mumbai Indians on Sunday.Patidar smashed a stunning 53 off just 20 balls, reaching his half-century in just 17 deliveries — matching the record set by Adam Gilchrist back in 2009 for the fastest fifty by a captain in IPL history. The Deccan Chargers legend had achieved the feat against Delhi in Centurion, and 17 years later, Patidar joined him at the top in emphatic fashion.Record-equalling blitz stuns MIWalking in during the middle overs, Patidar wasted no time in shifting gears. He announced his arrival with a hat-trick of sixes off Mayank Markande and continued his onslaught against Shardul Thakur, turning the tide firmly in RCB’s favour.In a matter of overs, Patidar raced to 34 off just nine balls, dismantling both spin and pace with ease. He brought up his fifty with four boundaries and five towering sixes, equalling Gilchrist’s iconic record before eventually falling to Mitchell Santner.The knock not only matched a historic benchmark but also placed Patidar among elite company in IPL history, underlining his evolution into one of the most destructive leaders in the format.

Fastest fifties by a captain in IPL history

Records fall amid RCB carnagePatidar’s fireworks came in the backdrop of a dominant batting display. Virat Kohli (50) and Phil Salt (78) had already laid a solid platform with a 120-run opening stand, setting the tone for the carnage that followed.RCB eventually posted a mammoth 240/4, with Tim David adding the finishing touches with an unbeaten cameo.Patidar’s 17-ball fifty also places him among the fastest ever for RCB, just behind the 14-ball effort by Romario Shepherd in 2025, and level with Chris Gayle’s iconic knock in 2013.

Fastest fifty for RCB in IPL

While the all-time IPL record for the fastest fifty remains with Yashasvi Jaiswal (13 balls), and Yuvraj Singh holds the Indian record in T20s (12 balls), Patidar’s innings stands out for its context — a captain leading from the front under pressure.Fresh off leading RCB to their maiden IPL title in 2025, Patidar has continued his aggressive approach in the new season. His fearless batting and clarity of intent were evident once again as he tore into MI’s bowling attack without hesitation.

Mumbai Indians’ Hardik Pandya during a practice session ahead of the IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and David Miller

NEW DELHI: Batting in a chase is widely regarded as one of the toughest tasks in cricket, and those who excel under pressure are often counted among the best in the world. One of the first names that comes to mind when discussing chases is none other than ‘chasemaster’ Virat Kohli. The Indian talisman has won many matches single-handedly while chasing and amassed a mountain of runs.The Indian Premier League is no exception, as Kohli leads the tally for most runs in chases in the league, with 4027 runs from 125 innings. That is just under 50% of his record 8758 IPL runs. However, in terms of best average while chasing, Kohli does not even feature in the top five among the 231 batters who have batted at least 10 times in chases. In fact, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star sits 10th with an average of 41.51.David Miller, who has been in the spotlight since Wednesday night after his refusal to take a single off the penultimate ball led to Delhi Capitals losing by one run to Gujarat Titans, tops this elite list. Despite that costly moment, Miller’s reputation as a finisher remains intact, and his numbers underline his dominance in chases.Miller has scored 1,816 runs in 67 innings at an impressive average of 49.08, with a strike rate of 142.54, including 12 fifties and a century.His DC teammate KL Rahul, whose 92 off 52 went in vain against Gujarat Titans, is second on the list with an average of 47.92 from 66 innings. Rahul has accumulated 2,636 runs in those chases at a strike rate of 138.22, including 25 half-centuries.Kohli’s RCB teammate Phil Salt is third with an average of 46.92, albeit from just 16 innings. He has scored 657 runs at a stunning strike rate of 178.04, including eight fifties.Former Mumbai Indians batter Lendl Simmons follows with an average of 46.22, having scored 416 runs from 11 innings, including one century and three fifties.Sai Sudharsan rounds off the top five with a chasing average of 45.40 from 22 innings, scoring 908 runs at a strike rate of 141.43, including one hundred and five fifties.

Best batting average while chasing in IPL

(Note – Batters who batted at least 10 times in IPL chases)

Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Suryavansh in action against Mumbai Indians at the Barsapara ACA Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Tuesday 07, April 2026.
| Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: The buzz around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi refuses to die down — and now, a fresh talking point has gripped the cricketing world: could the teenage sensation one day don the Mumbai Indians colours?A single social media post from former India cricketer Jatin Paranjape has ignited the chatter, hinting that the 15-year-old prodigy might be destined for the IPL’s most successful talent factory. “Vaibhav Suryavanshi will play against his future team tonight,” Paranjape wrote ahead of Rajasthan Royals’ clash with Mumbai Indians — and the internet hasn’t stopped speculating since.A prodigy rewriting recordsSooryavanshi’s rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. Bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore in 2024, the youngster exploded onto the scene in IPL 2025, becoming the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket with a stunning 101 off 38 balls against Gujarat Titans. His 35-ball hundred was the second-fastest in IPL history.He finished his debut season with 252 runs in just seven games at a staggering strike rate of 206.55.ALSO READ: Sooryavanshi: How RR’s talent spotter unearthed Bihar’s boy wonderIf there were doubts about a dip in form in his second season, Sooryavanshi has silenced them emphatically. In IPL 2026, he has already amassed 122 runs in three matches at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 248.97.A 17-ball 52 against CSK, followed by 31 off 18 against GT and a blistering 39 off 14 against MI, has ensured Rajasthan Royals remain unbeaten and perched atop the table.MI’s legacy of spotting gemsThe speculation linking Sooryavanshi to Mumbai Indians is not without context. The franchise has built a reputation for identifying and nurturing Indian talent early.Jasprit Bumrah (2013), Hardik Pandya (2015), Krunal Pandya (2016), Suryakumar Yadav (2012), Ishan Kishan (2018) and Tilak Varma (2022) all passed through the MI system before becoming mainstays at the highest level.Given that legacy, it’s no surprise that fans and experts alike are imagining Sooryavanshi as the next name on that illustrious list.Fearless against the very bestThe hype only intensified after Sooryavanshi took on Jasprit Bumrah in Guwahati. Facing the premier pacer for the first time, the teenager launched him for a six over long-on off his very first ball, and repeated the feat moments later with a stunning pull shot.His 39 off 14 balls set the tone for RR’s 27-run win, leaving even opposition skipper Hardik Pandya in awe.“Amazing to see the way he bats, the kind of fearlessness he has, the kind of shots he has,” Pandya said.At the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal could only admire the onslaught.“The way he has been playing is tremendous,” said the opener. “He’s working so hard… it motivates me as well. I just tell him to play freely.”Jaiswal added that the youngster needs no guidance. “He understands the game very well. He’s capable to do it himself.”

BENGALURU: The southern derby between RCB and CSK has long been one of the IPL’s marquee contests. Of the 35 meetings between the two sides, CSK have won 21 but the narrative shifted last season when RCB, en route their maiden title, completed a double over the five-time champions, a commanding 50-run win in Chennai followed by a thrilling two-run victory at home.The shift in results has mirrored a change in fortunes. RCB, rebuilt around performance and analytics, finally broke their title drought while CSK, in a transitional phase, have exited in the league stage in each of the past two seasons.On Sunday, the two sides meet again at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium under contrasting circumstances. RCB come into the contest on the back of an emphatic win over SRH in their opener while the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK arrive with two defeats in a row, including a five-wicket loss to SRH at home on Friday.There is also a gap in preparation. RCB have had a week to recover and regroup. CSK will take the field less than 48 hours after their previous outing.