&w=3840&q=100)
MS Dhoni reveals CSK's plans for next IPL season, wants batters to play freely: 'Already started that process'
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has confirmed that the team's rebuilding process for IPL 2026 is already underway after a poor 2025 season. read more
New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday said the rebuilding process for next year has already begun for the team after a forgettable campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League.
CSK are struggling in the bottom of the points table after a wretched campaign in which they became the first team to be knocked out of the playoffs reckoning.
Dhoni, under whose captaincy the franchise has won five IPL titles in the past, had handed over leadership duties to Ruturaj Gaikwad before the start of 2024 season but was brought back to lead the side after an injury to the much younger skipper.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'I think we have already started that process,' Dhoni said at the toss for their penultimate match against Rajasthan Royals here.
'When it comes to our batting department, we want to express ourselves. That's what we did in the last few games. We want to move ahead with it.
More from First Cricket
Future of India-Pakistan cricketing relations expected to dominate Jay Shah's first ICC Annual Conference as Chairman
'Bowling, we have gone for some runs. Maybe we need one extra bowler who can bowl after the powerplay. We have done well in the last couple of games and we want to continue in the same way,' the talisman added.
CSK have just six points after 12 matches this season, a performance that is a far cry from their incredible exploits of the past when they often dominated the league.
Dhoni said the team got down to focus on planning for the future once their playoff hopes were over this season.
'One of the main things when we were out of the tournament was to get answers. It's about getting that combination right and getting that one player in the XI who you can target in the auction.
'At the start of the season, we struggled in the batting department. We have improved in it. It's about sealing your spot for the players going forward.' After the game against RR, CSK will end their campaign with a match against Gujarat Titans.
'When you are in pressure, you find yourself looking for options. In these games, you have the opportunity to express yourself and play your shots. What we have seen from the other teams is that you can play good cricketing shots and have a good strike rate,' said Dhoni.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Trampled over: on the RCB cup celebration, stampede in Bengaluru
In less than 24 hours, ecstasy turned into despair. Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title, secured on Tuesday night in Ahmedabad, triggered unabated joy and raucous celebrations in Bengaluru and the rest of Karnataka. However, by Wednesday evening, a thick shroud of grief hung over the southern metropolis as a ghastly stampede in and around RCB's home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, left 11 dead and more than 50 injured. The hallowed venue was hosting a felicitation event in honour of the victorious team while fans outside, desperate to get in, ended up as a heaving chaotic mass with many gasping for breath. Asphyxia was the primary cause of death besides injuries suffered in the stifling rush. Sport is often a tight pact between the performing athlete and the adoring fan; it triggers emotions, and in the case of the IPL, forges a connection between the franchise and a vast audience. RCB has always had a loyal fan base, and the IPL triumph was bound to attract followers running into lakhs, towards the Central Business District of M.G. Road, Brigade Road, Cubbon Road, Queens Road and KSCA Clubhouse Link Road. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah admitted that the crowd was beyond expectations. However, to use a massive gathering as an explanation for an avoidable accident, is unacceptable. The multitude of fans near the Vidhana Soudha, the State legislature, from Wednesday morning should have compelled the authorities to tighten crowd control protocols. RCB had proclaimed that there would be an open-bus parade, but the police clarified that it would not happen. With no access to the Vidhana Soudha where the Chief Minister felicitated the players, the frenzied gathering rushed towards the stadium for a glimpse of stars such as Virat Kohli. The rumours about the gates being open to the public, and the contradictory messages about entry by invitation only, exacerbated the crisis. As the venue was packed, gates were closed but fans tried to force their way in. Be it the Karnataka State Cricket Association's (KSCA) security or police personnel, staffing was inadequate and a fatal climax was inevitable. The State Government, the RCB management, the KSCA and the BCCI have expressed their condolences while some have indulged in finger-pointing. The Chief Minister has announced that the Bengaluru Police Commissioner and all officials responsible for the jurisdiction where the stadium is have been suspended, pending an inquiry. There will also be a judicial inquiry. However, the grim truth is that the fan, who drives the commerce of every sport, is the last priority for administrators. Clear communication, effective policing and proper advance notice for an event of this scale are all essential or else, such tragedies might recur periodically.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
28 minutes ago
- First Post
Bengaluru stampede: CM suspends police commissioner, orders arrest of RCB, KSCA, and event firm representatives
CM Siddaramaiah ordered the arrest of representatives from RCB, Karnataka State Cricket Association, and event management firm following the stampede that killed police officials, including Bengaluru commissioner, have also been suspended read more People rummage through footwear strewn outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium after a stampede caused by frenzied fans celebrating Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory in the Indian Premier League cricket tournament, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday. AP In a major development, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday suspended Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda and several other senior police officials in connection with the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people. He also ordered the arrest of representatives of the RCB team, the event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), hours after an FIR was registered against them under various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The state government's action came amidst an all-out attack by the BJP, which has demanded the resignations of Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivkumar, who accused it of playing 'dirty politics'. Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister also announced a one-man judicial probe, headed by Justice Michael D'Cunha, a retired High Court judge of Karnataka, into the tragic incident. 'We have told the commission to give the report in 30 days,' Siddaramaiah said. 'The cabinet has also decided to immediately suspend the Circle Police Inspector of the Cubbon Park Police station A K Girish and Assistant Commissioner of Police C BalaKRishna, Deputy Commissioner of Police of central division Shekhar H Tekkannavar, Additional Commissioner of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash, who is in charge of the stadium, and Commissioner of Police Bengaluru city Dayananda,' he added. The Chief Minister said he had instructed the DGP and IGP of the state to immediately arrest the representatives of RCB, DNA event managers, and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). According to an official notification, senior IPS officer Seemanth Kumar Singh, Additional Director General of Police, Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force, was 'transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders' as Additional Director General of Police and Bengaluru police commissioner. The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening outside the stadium, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team's first-ever IPL victory celebrations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The FIRs were registered following a complaint by a police inspector at Cubbon Park station, police said. Charges in the FIR included voluntarily causing hurt (section 115), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means (section 118), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty (section 121) and unlawful assembly (section 190) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Also on Thursday, Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha, who is heading the magisterial probe into the stampede, said notices will be issued to KSCA, RCB and others to join the inquiry while the Karnataka High Court, which took up the matter suo moto, directed the state government to file a status report into the tragic incident by June 10. Earlier in the day, Karnataka home minister Parameshwara announced that the government will formulate a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for mega events, meetings, and celebrations to prevent any untoward incidents. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, the families of those who died in the tragic incident on Wednesday remained inconsolable and blamed the authorities for the stampede. 'Why didn't they make proper arrangements? Go and see Mysore Palace Road – for political events, they arrange everything. For this celebration, they should have had proper planning. Intelligence should have been there,' said Shivakumar, the grieving father of 15-year-old Divyanshi. Relatives gathered at the home of the grieving family in Bengaluru's Yelahanka as the teen's body was taken for the last rites, a heartbreaking sight. The mortal remains of some of the victims, hailing from outside Bengaluru, were sent to their respective hometowns, including Siddapur in Uttara Kannada and Udumalaipettai in Tamil Nadu. Stepping up the attack against the Congress government in the state, BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra in New Delhi said,'This is clearly the failure of the state government. The state government will have to own its failure. The chief minister and the deputy chief minister will have to resign for the death of 11 innocent people and those who suffered injuries in the incident.' He also alleged that the 'mutual fight and rift' between the two led to the state 'government-manufactured stampede' and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to break his silence over the tragic incident. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar turned emotional while talking about the tragedy and said that Bengaluru has lost its image due to the incident. 'We are deeply hurt. The victims are our own family. The image of Karnataka, the image of Bengaluru…Yes, we take it (responsibility). We are not blaming others, though it has happened very unexpectedly,' he said. Reacting to allegations by the opposition that police had not permitted celebrations, he said, " I don't want to react to any of these BJP guys. I am only answerable to the people of Karnataka and the people of the country. All BJP persons are nonsense… They are also the masterminds of these dirty things." He also accused the opposition BJP and JD(S) of playing politics on dead bodies and said that the state government has taken full responsibility for the incident. The state government also submitted a status report to the high court, informing that the investigation into the stampede has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). A Special Investigation Team (SIT) within the CID will be formed to ensure a thorough and independent probe, it said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Hindu
30 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Shubman Gill on Test captaincy: Building a bond with the players very important
As he gears up for his maiden Test series as the captain of the Indian team, Shubman Gill knows that he has big shoes to fill in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who retired from the format recently. But the youngster is looking forward to the challenge. 'The pressure is there on every tour. These (Kohli and Rohit) were two big players who had won so many matches for India, so it is difficult to fill their shoes. But the pressure is no different, and we are all used to playing in pressure situations and are aware of how to win,' Gill said on Thursday, before flying out to England. Having led the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League over the last couple of seasons, Gill understands that clear communication with the players will be the key to success. 'I wouldn't say that there is a particular style that I would like to follow, but the more you play, the more experience you get. I like communicating with the players, making them feel secure and providing them that comfort. Building a bond with the players is very important, and if you are the captain of a team, you have to do this,' Gill said, adding: 'If your players feel very secure, then only they can give you their 100 per cent.' Getting the captaincy was an 'overwhelming' feeling for Gill and he even practiced with the Dukes ball to gear up for the series. However, he has yet to decide his batting position. 'We haven't really decided on the position yet. We have a tour match in London, so we still have time to decide on the batting order,' he said. The series will also see the return of Karun Nair, and head coach Gautam Gambhir admitted that if one performs well in domestic cricket, the doors of the national team are never shut. Asked whether Shreyas Iyer could be called up, the coach said, 'Anyone can be called if they are in good form.'
