GT vs CSK preview: Gujarat's top-two push meets MS Dhoni's possible IPL swansong
Chennai Super Kings are anchored firmly at the bottom of the table, certain to finish last for the first time in their Indian Premier League history. They have been at their poorest throughout the season. Yet, the buzz surrounding CSK's matches remains undiminished, with packed stands across India, all thanks to MS Dhoni.Yes, Dhoni is no longer the man who used to effortlessly deposit sixes into the stands. He may not even be the same captain with the 'Midas touch'. Yet, Dhoni, through his sheer presence, continues to draw crowds and captivate attention.advertisementWhen he arrived in Chennai for the pre-season camp in February wearing a customised T-shirt emblazoned with 'One Last Time' in Morse Code, many believed IPL 2025 would indeed be his final season.
Also Read: MS Dhoni's IPL future: CSK in dark over legend's call, says assistant coachHowever, with things going awry for both the Super Kings and their Thala, it remains uncertain whether Sunday's game in Ahmedabad will be Dhoni's swansong.' Incidentally, it is also the venue where CSK clinched their fifth IPL title two years ago - a match many felt should have been Dhoni's farewell to the IPL.Ever since CSK were knocked out of the playoff race this season, the question has relentlessly followed Dhoni and those representing the Super Kings at press conferences.Dhoni himself has addressed it on a couple of occasions. When asked by Danny Morrison at the toss, Dhoni tactfully dodged the question. On another occasion, he was more candid, stating he was in no rush to decide and would wait to see how his body held up over the next ten months before making any calls about his IPL future.advertisementDhoni's brand value remains untarnished. However, his on-field ability is clearly declining. With the bat, Dhoni has been more of a burden this year - scoring 196 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 135, a significant drop from his staggering strike rate of 220 in 2024. Despite undergoing surgery, his troublesome knee has been a persistent concern throughout the season.Dhoni has rarely overstayed his welcome. Yet, it now seems his presence in the playing XI might be hindering the Super Kings. On numerous occasions this season,' Dhoni has struggled to produce the typical late-game bursts that once defined him.Still, the CSK camp firmly believes Dhoni will know best when to call time on his IPL career. It would be a miracle if he returns for IPL 2026 and delivers better performances, especially with the bat.As CSK prepare to close their forgettable season against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Sunday, one thing seems almost certain: we may well be witnessing the last of 'Captain' Dhoni.Emotions aside, the contest at the Narendra Modi Stadium holds significant importance for Gujarat Titans, who desperately need a strong comeback after a heavy defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in their previous match.advertisementGujarat Titans currently sit atop the table with 18 points, and a victory will secure a top-two finish. However, a loss to CSK on Sunday could see them slip from those coveted positions - a bitter blow for one of the season's most consistent sides.GT vs CSK: HEAD-TO-HEADCSK have lost four games in seven meetings to Gujarat Titans. Incidentally, this is the first meeting between the two sides in IPL 2025. CSK, however, have won three of their last four matches against the former champions.GT vs CSK: TEAM NEWSThere are no reported injury issues in either of the camps. Gujarat Titans will be hoping to get the best out of Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada as their two overseas stars will not be available for the playoffs.Buttler, who has been a pillar at No. 3 for the Titans, will be hoping to make one big impact and ensure Gujarat seal a place in the top two, which offers them an extra shot at reaching the final.Gujarat might think about resting Rashid Khan, who has been off colour in this season. In their previous game against LSG, Rashid was taken to the cleaners by Mitchell Marsh. A breather before the playoffs might be a welcome change for the Afghanistan superstar.advertisementGT vs CSK: Predicted Playing XIsGT: Shubman Gill (ca;ptain), Sai Sudharshan, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed SirajImpact Player: Prasidh KrishnaCSK: Ayush Mhatre, Devon Conway, Urvil Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Anshul Kamboj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed.Impact Player: Matheesha PathiranaGT vs CSK: Top fantasy PicksGujarat: Shubman Gil, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Arshad Khan, Sherfane Rutherford.Chennai: Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj.Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Tune In
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First Post
37 minutes ago
- First Post
Sunil Gavaskar slams uncapped IPL crorepatis, wants BCCI to reward Ranji players better
Sunil Gavaskar has slammed IPL 2025's uncapped crorepatis who only turn up to play league cricket. He urged the BCCI to introduce slab-based Ranji Trophy payments and incentives to stop players from skipping domestic cricket before IPL. read more Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has shared his strong opinions about how some uncapped players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) are getting crores of rupees without proving themselves at the international stage. In his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar said that it is not always talent that helps these players earn big IPL contracts, adding that it's mostly just luck. Gavaskar slams uncapped IPL crorepatis Sunil Gavaskar did not mention any player by name but some of the young, uncapped crorepatis in IPL 2025 were Priyansh Arya (PBKS), Vaibhav Suryavanshi (RR), Nehal Wadhera (PBKS), Rasikh Dar (RCB), Naman Dhir (MI), Abdul Samad (LSG), Ashutosh Sharma (DC), Anshul Kamboj (CSK), Abhinav Manohar (SRH), Mahipal Lomror (GT), Arshad Khan (GT), Gurnoor Singh Brar (GT), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (KKR), Vaibhav Arora (KKR), Vijaykumar Vyshak (PBKS), Yash Thakur (PBKS), Harpreet Brar (PBKS), Shivam Dubey (RR). 'The argument that it is market forces is not really valid, for more often than not, it is sheer good fortune as some franchises want to take a punt with young talent. Have a look at the uncapped crorepatis throughout the IPL, and you will find that very few have gone on to do big things for India. It's their good luck that has made them the crores that they actually don't deserve,' Gavaskar wrote. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gavaskar also talked about how some domestic players avoid playing Ranji Trophy matches before the IPL, just to avoid getting injured. According to Gavaskar, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) must work to fix this issue by introducing a better payment system. 'The BCCI has increased match fees, which is good. But if they add a slab system where players who play more matches earn more, it will encourage them to play more Ranji games instead of skipping them,' Gavaskar said. Gavaskar also suggested that the BCCI should introduce better incentives for teams that make the knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy. According to Gavaskar, it will motivate players to play the crucial matches before the IPL. 'If BCCI increases match fees for teams that reach the knockout stages, that will be another great incentive. Players won't withdraw from the tournament fearing injury before the IPL. Money is not a problem for BCCI or its units, so I hope these ideas are considered before the next domestic season,' he added.
Deccan Herald
38 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Collective failure, selective action
On June 5, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the suspension of several police officers – from the City Police Commissioner down to the Inspector at the Cubbon Park station – in connection with the stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium which led to 11 deaths on Wednesday. This move may appear decisive, coming after public outrage and calls for deterrent action, but it is hasty and unjust. The suspensions were announced before a preliminary inquiry was conducted and without establishing prima facie a case of government's action is deeply unfair considering that the chaos around the celebratory events, organised in the heart of the city, was triggered elsewhere. It was the management of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) that made the original announcement of a victory parade and an event at the stadium – the State Government endorsed it. There was little room for the police to operate. The action is on the grounds of dereliction of duty, also citing the Commissioner's failure to refuse permission 'in writing'. But a technicality should not have been the basis of action announced within a day after the incident..A tragedy of bad judgement and broken government has also initiated action against the franchise management and the event organisers. However, punishing the officers without examining the decision-making chain – especially when professional advice was ignored – is both unjust and loss of 11 lives and injuries to more than 50 people had already left a bitter aftertaste on RCB's long-awaited title victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This was not only about a surging crowd of fans – this was primarily about serious administrative negligence. The decision to suspend the police officers without due process compounds this tragedy. Those very officers who worked to ensure the smooth conduct of the tournament are now being vilified for a failure that was not theirs. The suspensions also need to be viewed along with reports that senior police officials had suggested holding the event on Sunday, June 8, to allow adequate time for events of this magnitude requires detailed planning, beginning with a comprehensive security scheme: crowd estimates, personnel deployment, patrolling points, traffic management, emergency protocols, and crime prevention. Police teams need to be mobilised from across the city, or even the state. This requires travel time, extensive coordination, and clear process was not possible here. The city police were already fatigued, having managed the all-night fan revelry after the IPL final on June 3. The celebrations and the resultant traffic chaos had kept them on their feet till dawn. The next morning, they were called into action again, this time with no police personnel also had to operate in a high-security zone around the Vidhana Soudha. Managing simultaneous events at the Vidhana Soudha and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) premises demanded significant deployment and security protocols. Unfortunately, the police are already working with a skeletal force. The vacancies mean that they often struggle to meet day-to-day demands, let alone a crisis. Augmentation of force strength happens sporadically, and resources are always stretched thin..A problem of political establishment seemed eager to share the champion side's limelight. It was evident in the crowd present at the Vidhana Soudha. Considering that RCB is a privately owned entity with little organic connection to Karnataka, organising an event of this scale at the state's seat of governance was a case of serious is one of the most followed franchises in the league, with a strong fanbase that has stayed with the side through an 18-year-long wait for the first title. The team has emerged as a popular brand built on advertisements, celebrity campaigns, and marketing drives. Thousands of fans congregated at both the Vidhana Soudha and KSCA. For many, a glimpse of the team was enough. The 2-km stretch between the two locations was packed with a teeming, unregulated crowd. When you add free access, it's not hard to see why the stadium was suspension of the officers is a knee-jerk reaction that may shield the state government from scrutiny temporarily, but it also sends a dangerous message to the police force: even when you advise correctly and act within your limitations, you may still be blamed. This is sure to demoralise the police leadership and affect the morale of the entire force..(The writer is a former Director General and Inspector General of Police, Karnataka)
Hindustan Times
40 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Top cop's suspension over Bengaluru stampede draws flak from ex-officers, opposition
The Karnataka government's decision to suspend Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda following the June 4 stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has drawn sharp criticism from former police officers and opposition leaders, who described the move as hasty, unjust, and politically motivated. Dayananda, who held the city's top police post until June 5, was suspended on Thursday by the state home department for alleged lapses in managing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebrations. The stampede, which took place as crowds surged outside the stadium to attend the felicitation event organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), left 11 people dead and over 50 injured. According to the official suspension order, RCB's CEO formally notified the commissioner's office on June 3 about the parade scheduled for the following day. The government said Dayananda failed to respond in writing, nor did he take adequate steps to manage the expected turnout, despite having prior knowledge. ALSO READ | Lessons and questions from Bengaluru stampede tragedy that took 11 young lives But several former senior police officers have rallied in support of Dayananda, calling the action unjustified and politically expedient. 'It's an unfortunate incident of suspending a commissioner without preliminary inquiry and fact finding. Police were only a small part of this event. Suspension of the commissioner is not the right way to do it,' said former Bengaluru commissioner Megharikh. 'Why did they not do it in the beginning? Bigger stakeholders are there. We are upset as IPS and commissioners fraternity. Mistakes are bound to happen but reactions can't follow this way,' he added. Retired IPS officer Bhaskar Rao, another former commissioner, went further in his condemnation, accusing the state's leadership of using the police as scapegoat to deflect public anger. 'The suspension of Bengaluru City police commissioner is the darkest day in the history of Karnataka Police,' Rao wrote. 'Everyone in Karnataka knows that it is the uncontrollable deputy chief minister who orchestrated the death march and is the main culprit,' he said. Taking a dig at the government, he added: 'No chief minister has become as helpless, cowardly, nervous and panicky. The government has blood on its hands and now has lost its mind too. The government is now in disaster.' Similar concerns were echoed by former commissioner Jyothiprakash Mirji, who called the decision 'harsh' and questioned the selective action against police officers. 'I would like to say that this is an irresponsible government. The government should work with officials by taking them into confidence. The government should be ashamed. The chief secretary, home secretary and other secretaries are also responsible — why haven't they been suspended?' he said. ALSO READ | Complaint against Virat Kohli over stampede during RCB's celebration in Bengaluru Public support for Dayananda has grown online, with numerous social media users praising his professionalism, discipline, and clean record. An online petition calling for the revocation of the suspension has also gained traction. The opposition, too, has weighed in heavily. The BJP accused the Congress-led government of punishing officers to shield political mismanagement. 'For the first time in the history of Karnataka, cold-blooded murderers are punishing top police officers,' the party's state unit wrote on X. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka also questioned the motives behind the suspensions, citing an internal power struggle in the ruling party. 'DCM DK Shivakumar said that the police had warned of the danger in advance and that the police were not responsible. Now the CM Siddaramaiah has suddenly suspended several senior police officers, including the Bangalore Police Commissioner,' Ashoka wrote on X. 'Is the ongoing cold war and covert fistfight between CM Siddaramaiah and DCM D.K. Shivakumar the cause of this tragedy?' he added. ALSO READ | Top RCB official, 3 others held in Bengaluru stampede case sent to judicial custody Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party president BY Vijayendra told ANI that the police officers who have been suspended have been made scapegoats for the incident. 'Officers have been made scapegoats in the entire episode. The FIR that was registered yesterday clearly states that when permission was sought by RCB, KSCA, as well as DNA, it was rejected by the police department. Since the CM insisted on giving permission, permission was only given then. It was ultimately a failure on the part of the intelligence department, they could not assess that such a large number of people would gather. They could not assess the situation,' Vijayendra said. Union minister and senior Janata Dal (United) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Friday slammed the Karnataka government for the 'blunder' of suspending senior police officers following the stampede in Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy stadium, claiming that while the police had warned about any possible mishaps beforehand but the state government went against the advise to use the IPL trophy for their image. He claimed that after the incident occurred, the government blamed the police for its 'failure,' but a failure of the police also means a failure of the state government. 'Yesterday's decision taken by this government about the suspension of five senior police officers is another blunder made by this government. The entire fault lies with the government. To build their image by misusing this IPL trophy, both CM and DCM have taken their own decision, going against the advice of the police. After this incident occurred, the government blamed the police for this failure. Failure of the police also means the failure of the government only,' Kumaraswamy told reporters in New Delhi. Meanwhile, a head constable in Bengaluru staged a solo protest against the suspension of the city's police commissioner. Wearing his uniform and a black band, he marched from Vidhana Soudha to Raj Bhavan, holding a photograph of Dr BR Ambedkar.
