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Cricket, IPL

“CSK please get MS Dhoni up the order,” Brett Lee and Shane Watson make appeal to Ruturaj Gaikwad

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“CSK please get MS Dhoni up the order,” Brett Lee and Shane Watson make appeal to Ruturaj Gaikwad Chennai Super Kings faced their first defeat of the season, as they were beaten by Delhi Capitals on Sunday. Chasing a steep target of 192 runs, the reigning champions eventually fell short by 20 runs. However, there were some positives for the visiting team to take from this defeat. MS Dhoni came out to bat for the first time this season, and not for a moment it looked as if he was batting after almost a year. The former CSK skipper smashed an unbeaten knock of 37 runs off just 16 deliveries, with three maximums and four boundaries to his name. However, it proved to be too late for the Men in Yellow, as the match had already slipped out by then. MS Dhoni came out to bat at number eight, which has led the likes of Brett Lee and Shane Watson urge Ruturaj Gaikwad to send the veteran higher up the order. “He was on tonight, he was not rusty. I do want more from him in terms of batting. Get yourself up the order. He is outstanding, his brain is still nice and sharp, CSK please get MS Dhoni up the order,” said Lee. “That’s as good a shot I have ever seen him play,” Shane Watson heaps praise on MS Dhoni Shane Watson has heaped praise on his former CSK teammate MS Dhoni, and echoed Brett Lee’s sentiments. The former Aussie all-rounder believes that MS Dhoni should be batting higher up the order, as his skill and experience could really benefit his side. MS Dhoni was striking the ball clean on Sunday, and he probably looked the most comfortable CSK batter out there in middle. Ravindra Jadeja just could not get going on the other end, and barring the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell, the batters just could not put on a good show. “With MS Dhoni in this type of form – this is exactly what you want from him. His power and the skill he has got under pressure when the bowlers are really scrambling to execute, his ability to win a game out of nowhere we have seen so many times through his career. Some of his shots he played tonight, that’s as good a shot I have ever seen him play. The one over cover is one of the harder shots to play, but he is still doing it,” Shane Watson said. Also Read: “Have you seen this happen in any other country,” Ravi Ashwin defends Hardik Pandya amidst growing criticism

Jannik Sinner
Tennis

“The main goal is Roland Garros,” Jannik Sinner determined to put clay court struggles to bed this season

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“The main goal is Roland Garros,” Jannik Sinner determined to put clay court struggles to bed this season Jannik Sinner has had an incredible start to the 2024 season, as he claimed the Miami Open title on Sunday. The Italian won his third title of the season, and moved to number two in the ATP Rankings ahead of the clay court season. Jannik Sinner completely humbled Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets in the final in Miami to end a dominant week. The 2024 Australian Open champion reached the finals of the same tournament last year, however, he was defeated by Daniil Medvedev in the finals. The first half of the hard court season has come to a conclusion, as the clay court season takes over the tour for the next couple of months. Jannik Sinner has already set his sights on the French Open, as he believes that he has often struggled to perform on clay courts. “Now the clay season is coming, so usually I struggle there. So let’s see what I can do this year. Then we see, no? You don’t have so much time to adapt, because Monaco, I guess we start to practice Thursday the first time. So not even one week to get used to the clay,” Sinner said in the post match conference. “Rome (Masters) is a really important tournament for me” : Jannik Sinner Jannik Sinner stated that the Rome Masters is a really important tournament for him, given that he plays in front of his home crowd. The Italian Open takes place just a couple of weeks before the French Open, as it is the last of the three Masters tournament played on clay courts. “For sure, the main goal is Roland Garros, yes, but trying to work slowly into this tournament and trying to play it in the best possible way. Before I have Rome, for me, especially is a really, really important tournament. You know, playing with the home crowd, it’s always amazing,” Sinner said. Jannik Sinner was in lethal form over the course of the hard court season, losing just one match in three months. His only defeat came against Carlos Alcaraz at the Indian Wells Masters. It will be interesting to see if this form carried forward into the all-important clay court season, commencing next week in Monte Carlo. Also Read: Grigor Dimitrov has no regret of playing in the same era as Federer, Nadal and Djokovic: “How often you say I played in an era against the best players?”

Mikel Arteta
Football

“If you can’t win it, make sure we draw it,” Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal did ‘really well’ against the best team in the world

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“If you can’t win it, make sure we draw it,” Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal did ‘really well’ against the best team in the world The two title protagonists Arsenal and Manchester City played out a draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. This means that Liverpool have climbed to the top of the table, after their 2-1 victory over Brighton at Anfield. Manchester City dominated the possession for almost the entirety of the match, however, just could not create much in front of goal. Mikel Arteta’s men defended quite well, as they rarely had a lapse in concentration. Mikel Arteta was delighted with the defensive performance, as Arsenal left Etihad with a point to show for. The Gunners have taken four points off Manchester City this season, and kept two clean sheets against the reigning champions. “Huge – it’s extremely difficult to do that but that tells you the commitment of every player, the discipline that they showed and how they compete. One thing is to play a football match and the other is to compete [in] it. Against this team, we did that today really, really well,” said Arteta on keeping two clean sheets against Manchester City in the post-match press conference. “We still have much more to come,” Arsenal’s brilliant start to the year continues Mikel Arteta stated that the team prepared to win the match against the reigning champions, and leave Manchester with all three points. However, the hosts dominated the match, and the plan switched to go back home with a point. The Gunners are now undefeated in their last nine Premier League games, winning eight consecutive matches before their stalemate with Manchester City. I don’t know. “You want to win the game, we prepared to win it. If you can’t win it, make sure we draw it, and we did that. Eleven months ago we were here and the story was very different, and you have to continue to make steps as a team and try to improve and today we have done that. We still have much more to come,” Mikel Arteta on the title race. Arsenal sit second in the Premier League with 65 points, whereas, Liverpool lead the three-way title race with 67 points. Manchester City have 64 points in their tally, with nine games remaining. The Gunners will now host Luton Town in the midweek, before they travel to Brighton over the weekend. Also Read: “He’s the best coach in the world by a mile,” Mikel Arteta lavishes praise on Pep Guardiola ahead of crunch title clash

Max Verstappen
Formula 1

Guenther Steiner makes huge Max Verstappen statement : “If Max goes somewhere I guess he’d go to Mercedes”

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Guenther Steiner makes huge Max Verstappen statement : “If Max goes somewhere I guess he’d go to Mercedes” Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari at the end of the current season has shaken up the driver pairings for the next season. This means that Carlos Sainz is still without a seat for the 2025 F1 season, and his form suggests that he is likely to have an offer sooner rather than later. Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner believes that Max Verstappen would move to Mercedes if he wants to switch teams. The three-time champion has the longest contract in the F1 history, as he has signed to race with Red Bull till 2028. However, there are certain clauses in the Dutchman’s contract which would allow him to exit Red Bull earlier than 2028. In this case, Guenther Steiner believes his next destination could be the Silver Arrows. “It could be Mercedes which obviously they have got a free seat because Lewis is going to Ferrari. I mean Aston Martin as well, it’s a possibility. I think if Max goes somewhere I guess he’d go to Mercedes,” said Steiner in an interview to Sky Sports. What are the chances of Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull at the end of the 2024 F1 season? At the start of the current season, there seemed to be quite a bit unrest at Red Bull given the saga involving Christian Horner. Moreover, disagreements between Jos Verstappen and Christian Horner only added fuel to the fire, as reports suggested that Max Verstappen could well be on his way out. However, things have seemed to settle down now, as the Dutchman is almost assured of continuing with the reigning champions for the next season. Max Verstappen had a great start to the season, scoring two victories in Bahrain and Jeddah. However, he hit a slump at the Albert Park, as he had to retire his car in the opening laps which brought an early end to his Australian GP. Ferrari secured an important 1-2 finish, which brings them right back in the Constructors race. Also Read: “He is making the right decision,” Guenther Steiner backs Lewis Hamilton to win eighth title at Ferrari

Grigor Dimitrov
Tennis

Grigor Dimitrov has no regret of playing in the same era as Federer, Nadal and Djokovic: “How often you say I played in an era against the best players?”

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Grigor Dimitrov has no regret of playing in the same era as Federer, Nadal and Djokovic: “How often you say I played in an era against the best players?” Grigor Dimitrov’s dream run at the 2024 Miami Open continued just a little further, as he booked a place in the finals. The Bulgarian overcame Alexander Zverev in a close three-set battle to setup a final showdown with the inform Jannik Sinner. The Big Three players- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have more or less dominated almost all major tournaments in the past two decades. After booking his place in the finals, Grigor Dimitrov was asked if he regrets being a part of the same era as the Big Three. The Bulgarian replied that he absolutely no regrets whatsoever, and he feels lucky to have competed against some of the greatest names in the game. Grigor Dimitrov burst into the scene in 2009, as his playing style was likened to Roger Federer in the initial days of his career. “Totally the opposite, actually. Totally the opposite. Very lucky,” Dimitrov on asked about playing in the same era as the Big Three. “How often you say I played in an era against the best players and you have beaten them all? It’s great. I’m sorry, but I can live with that. You know, all that, the titles and all this, yeah, it’s great. But the journey, the ride, it was, for me personally, not having these guys around, it’s a little sad,” he added. “That was one of the most irrelevant comparisons in my eyes” : Grigor Dimitrov on being compared to Roger Federer Grigor Dimitrov believes that his comparisons with Roger Federer was one of the most irrelevant comparison. The Bulgarian stated that this should be taken as a lesson for each and every budding tennis player who should not have the burden of being compared to a legend. “That should be a lesson for every young player who comes into the game. No one should carry such a burden upon his name. I’ll tell you that much. That was one of the most irrelevant comparisons in my eyes, in my view and I think in everybody’s. And what I am the happiest with is that I made a name for myself,” he added. Grigor Dimitrov will have his task cut out against Jannik Sinner, who seeks his third title of the season in Miami. The Italian has lost just one match this season, and also claimed his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open earlier this year. Also Read: “He made a lot of mistakes,” Jannik Sinner thrashes Daniil Medvedev to reach third Miami Open finals

Hardik Pandya
Cricket, IPL

“Have you seen this happen in any other country,” Ravi Ashwin defends Hardik Pandya amidst growing criticism

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“Have you seen this happen in any other country,” Ravi Ashwin defends Hardik Pandya amidst growing criticism Hardik Pandya has been receiving the stick from the fans over the past couple of months. This has only worsened after the start of the 2024 IPL season, which saw him replacing Rohit Sharma as the skipper of the Mumbai Indians. The Indian all-rounder has been booed in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, and he is expected to receive a hostile welcome at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. Ravi Ashwin has come out in defense of his Indian teammate, and stated that it is the responsibility of the fans to stop booing the Mumbai Indians skipper. Ravi Ashwin stated that the likes of Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly have all played under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, who in turn has played Virat Kohli’s captaincy. Hence, he sees nothing wrong in Hardik Pandya leading a Mumbai side stacked with senior players. “I don’t understand. If you don’t like a player and boo a player, why should a team come out to issue a clarification? We act like this has not happened before. (Sourav) Ganguly played under Sachin (Tendulkar) and vice versa. These two have both played under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. These three have played under Anil Kumble and all of them have played under Dhoni. When they were under Dhoni, these players were cricket jambhavans (giants). Dhoni too played under Virat,” Ravichandran Ashwin was quoted by Sportstar. Ravi Ashwin defends Hardik Pandya amidst captaincy saga Ravi Ashwin stated that it is not the responsibility of the players or the teams to come out, and issue an statement. The Indian spinner recollected that such instances have happened in the past, and appealed to the fans to stop waging a war between two Indian star cricketers. “Have you seen this happen in any other country? Have you seen Joe Root and Zak Crawley fans fight? Or have you seen Joe Root and Jos Buttler fans fight? It’s crazy. Have you seen Steve Smith and Pat Cummins fans fight in Australia?,” he added. To further compound Hardik Pandya’s misery, Mumbai Indians have gotten off to a poor start yet again in the 17th edition of the IPL. The five-time champions have lost both their opening matches. The MI skipper had an opportunity to take his side past the finishing line in both the matches, however, he failed to do so against both Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Also Read: “Captain can’t bat with the batting strike rate of 120,” Irfan Pathan calls out Hardik Pandya for lack of intent in record chase

Mikel Arteta
Football

“He’s the best coach in the world by a mile,” Mikel Arteta lavishes praise on Pep Guardiola ahead of crunch title clash

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“He’s the best coach in the world by a mile,” Mikel Arteta lavishes praise on Pep Guardiola ahead of crunch title clash Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta showered words of praise on Pep Guardiola, hailing him as the best coach in the world. Arsenal and Manchester City will lock horns against each other at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, in what could play a major role in deciding the fate of the Premier League title. The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are separated by just one point with 10 games to be played. Such are the fine margins this season that neither team can afford to lose the fixture on Sunday. The Gunners have failed to win in the home of the reigning champions since 2015, as they were defeated by Manchester City 4-1 last season. “My admiration and what I feel for him certainly hasn’t changed. In my opinion he’s the best coach in the world by a mile and he’s one of the nicest people that I’ve met in football. Certainly he’s one of the ones that I’ve had the most fun and laughter working with. That’s going to stay there forever,” said Arteta in the pre-match press conference. Pep Guardiola confirms start duo out of Arsenal clash Pep Guardiola has confirmed that both Kyle Walker and John Stones will miss the key clash on Sunday. The Spaniard also stated that Kyle Walker’s recovery process would take a longer time than his teammate. Meanwhile for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta hinted that the trio of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes could feature against City. Mikel Arteta was also very pleased with the attitude of his players, as they all wanted to train after coming back from the International break. He stated that the Gunners have made some huge progress over the past couple of seasons, and now it is time for them to get the better of Manchester City and Liverpool. “We have done a lot to be in the position that we are, but we need to go day by day, train well, prepare every match. We’ve done a lot to be where we are now we have to embrace that position and go for it,” said Arteta. “You have to make strong steps to be there and I think we’ve done big ones in recent seasons. We’re getting much closer and now it’s how we close that gap and try to be better than them,” he added.

Jannik Sinner
Tennis

“He made a lot of mistakes,” Jannik Sinner thrashes Daniil Medvedev to reach third Miami Open finals

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“He made a lot of mistakes,” Jannik Sinner thrashes Daniil Medvedev to reach third Miami Open finals Jannik Sinner completely outplayed Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the 2024 Miami Open. The Italian claimed a straight sets victory, dropping just three games to reach his third Miami Open final in four years. The 22-year-old was delighted with his performance, and admitted that he did not expect Daniil Medvedev to make so many errors. Jannik Sinner has had a dream start to the 2024 season, reaching the finals of three of the four tournaments he has competed in. The 2024 Australian Open champion gave absolutely no chance to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final clash on Friday, as he dictated the play from the baseline. “I felt great on court today. Usually the more you go on in a tournament, the more comfortable I feel. I’m very happy with this performance,” said Sinner in the post-match interview. A victory in the finals will move him one spot higher in the ATP rankings to the second spot just before the clay court season gets underway next week. Jannik Sinner hopes to claim the Miami Open title on his third attempt Jannik Sinner stated that Daniil Medvedev made a lot more mistakes than his usual self in the semi-final clash. The Italian saved a couple of break points in both the sets, which he felt were very crucial in determining the result of the match. “He made a lot of mistakes, which he usually doesn’t make. I just took the chance. I was expecting a really tough match. If he breaks me in the first set or in the second set, it’s already very different,” he added. Jannik Sinner has been defeated in the finals of the Miami Open on two occasions in 2021 and 2023. In 2021, he was defeated by Hubert Hurkacz, who claimed his first Masters title. Meanwhile, last year, he was defeated in straight sets by Daniil Medvedev. However, Jannik Sinner believes that he can handle pressure much better now, and hopes to claim his third title of the season on Sunday. “I remember the night before my [first] final [in 2021], I couldn’t sleep. I was sweating during the night. Now I handle the situation much, much better. I’m just excited and happy to be back. Hopefully I can play some good tennis Sunday,” said Sinner. Also Read: “The drama is still there, the fight is still there,” Andy Roddick praises Andy Murray after Miami Open defeat

Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1

“He is making the right decision,” Guenther Steiner backs Lewis Hamilton to win eighth title at Ferrari

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“He is making the right decision,” Guenther Steiner backs Lewis Hamilton to win eighth title at Ferrari Lewis Hamilton sent shockwaves through the F1 community, when he decided to switch to Ferrari at the end of the current season. The seven-time F1 champion will join the Italian giants in 2025, after spending almost over a decade with Mercedes. Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has backed Lewis Hamilton’s decision, and believes that it is the right thing to do at this stage in his career. He understands that the Briton is in the final stages of his career, and he would certainly want to explore before he hangs up his helmet. “It looks like he is making the right decision. He did it when he left McLaren to go to Mercedes, so maybe he got this one right as well,” said Steiner. “But I think for him it’s more about the new challenge. He has been at the team for 11 years, won six championships, good relationships there. I think it’s just the last step of his career he wants a new challenge. And obviously, your last challenge being Ferrari, it’s a nice thing to have the opportunity to do,” he added. Guenther Steiner does not rule out an eighth title for Lewis Hamilton Guenther Steiner has also not ruled out an eighth title for Lewis Hamilton. The former Haas boss stated that the regulations are slated to be altered in 2026, and if Ferrari are able to build a good car, Lewis Hamilton could well end his career with an eighth F1 title. “I think nothing is impossible. In 2026 there are completely new regulations engine and chassis wise, so the cars are being redone then. And if he gets a little bit luck and is in the right place, if Ferrari produces a good car, it could be possible that he gets his eighth championship“, Steiner continued. Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire at the 2024 Australian GP, as he described his start to the season as the worst he has ever encountered. The Briton finished seventh in the season opener in Bahrain, and ninth in Jeddah, before his DNF in Melbourne. Also Read: “Nobody expected a result like this,” Fred Vasseur makes honest admission after Carlos Sainz’s Australian GP victory

Hardik Pandya Mumbai Indians
Cricket, IPL

“Captain can’t bat with the batting strike rate of 120,” Irfan Pathan calls out Hardik Pandya for lack of intent in record chase

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“Captain can’t bat with the batting strike rate of 120,” Irfan Pathan calls out Hardik Pandya for lack of intent in record chase Irfan Pathan has certainly not held back in calling out Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya. In Sunday’s loss to Gujarat Titans, the former Indian all-rounder was not very impressed by Hardik Pandya’s decision to bat so lower down in the order. In their second consecutive loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Irfan Pathan called out the MI skipper for lacking intent in a record breaking chase. Sunrisers Hyderabad registered the highest ever total in an IPL innings, scoring 278 runs from their 20 overs. Mumbai Indians put on a valiant display, scoring 246 runs, falling short by just 31 runs. Whilst every MI batter had their strike rates over 200 or just near about, Hardik Pandya struggled to get going. The Indian all-rounder managed to score 24 runs off 20 deliveries, batting at a strike rate of just 120. After starting off with a six and a boundary, Hardik Pandya just could not find the fence. “If the whole team is playing with the strike of 200, Captain can’t bat with the batting strike rate of 120,” Irfan Pathan wrote on X. Mumbai Indians suffer second consecutive defeat Mumbai Indians have not had the best start to their IPL campaign. However, they are no strangers to a slow start, as they have almost always managed to turn around their fortunes in the second half of the tournament. Tilak Varma impressed with the bat against Hyderabad, scoring 64 runs off just 34 deliveries. Naman Dhir looked elegant out in the middle, scoring 30 off just 14 balls, hitting two maximums. The likes of Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma got off to an absolute flyer, scoring 50 runs in the first three overs. However, MI lost both their openers in consecutive overs, and it was always difficult to keep up with the required rate. In some positive news for the five-time champions, Mumbai Indians will now play four consecutive home games. This could be a great opportunity for Mumbai to register a couple of consecutive wins. On paper, they certainly look like a champion side, and a force to reckon with. Also Read: “They missed the trick upfront by not bowling Jasprit Bumrah” : Heinrich Klassen points out a strategy blunder by Hardik Pandya

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