Latest news with #Ishant
NDTV
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Watch: Gujarat Titans Players Recommend What To Eat In Delhi
With the Indian Premier League in full swing, every cricket fan in India is glued to their screens. But today (May 18) is extra special as Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, are all set to face off against Delhi Capitals, captained by Axar Patel. The match will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Ahead of the big game, a fun video was shared on the official Instagram handle of Gujarat Titans. It shows the players boarding a flight to Delhi. But before takeoff, someone behind the camera throws in a delicious question: 'What is one thing you would recommend to eat in Delhi?' Let's take a look at what the players had to say! Ishant Sharma didn't hesitate and said, chole bhature. Ashish Nehra, the coach, went for golgappe, and couldn't resist teasing Ishant by saying, ' Akele ja raha hai chole bhature khane, hume leke bhi nahi jaa raha. [Going to eat chole bhature alone, not even taking me along.]' Sai Kishore agreed with Ishant and picked chole bhature too. Rehmatullah Gurbaz recommended the flavourful palak patta chaat. Mahipal Lomror joined the chole bhature club with his own nod to the popular dish. Anuj Rawat opted for the classic Delhi street food – chole kulche. Mohammed Siraj leaned more towards the meaty side and recommended nalli nihari and biryani. Cricketer Shahrukh Khan (not the actor!) said, 'One restaurant that I would recommend to everybody is Bukhara in ITC.' Skipper Shubman Gill also joined the Bukhara fan club, saying, 'One dish that I would recommend to eat in Delhi is the dal from Bukhara restaurant.' Washington Sundar picked a comforting classic – kadhi chawal. Sai Sudharsan echoed the same and picked Bukhara's dal as the best dish in the capital. Karim Janat said the tandoori raan at Karim's is a must-try. He also mentioned the ice golas near India Gate, which he thinks are really good. Gurnoor Brar added his voice to the chole bhature fanfare as well. Kagiso Rabada also gave a shoutout to Bukhara as a must-visit food spot. Rashid Khan couldn't pick just one place – he recommended both Karim's and Bukhara as the best food stops in Delhi. 'Admin's food plans are fully sorted in Delhi, thanks to our Titans!' read the text attached to the post. Watch the full video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans)
India Today
18-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
GT's Ishant Sharma looks past playoffs in DC clash: Every game important
Gujarat Titans pacer Ishant Sharma has insisted that neither he nor his team are solely focused on their upcoming clash against Delhi Capitals on May 18. While a win will guarantee GT a place in the IPL 2025 playoffs, Ishant stressed the importance of targeting all remaining league fixtures with equal intensity to ensure a top-two finish — a position that provides an added advantage in the playoff sitting second on the points table with 16 points from 11 matches, the Shubman Gill-led side have shown consistent form throughout the season, unlike DC, whose campaign has dipped in the second half. Speaking in the Star Sports Press Room, Ishant stated that finishing in the top two remains their key objective."I would say it's not just one game that's important — every game matters. Especially in a tournament like this, where you have to work really hard to earn those two points. We've had matches where the outcome was decided in the final over, or a single situation — like a key wicket — changed everything. So I wouldn't say only this match is crucial. In the league phase, every single game carries weight, particularly if you're not finishing in the top two," Ishant Sharma told India Today via Star Sports Press can't approach it thinking, 'We'll make it to the qualifier and then take it easy,' because if you do that, you might end up finishing third or fourth. That's not how we operate as a team. We don't get complacent. We play every game with full intensity. If you leave the field thinking you could have done more, that means you didn't give your 100%. We always want to walk off knowing we gave it our all," he remaining matches after the DC game include home fixtures against Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings. Securing a top-two spot would allow GT a safety net via Qualifier 2 should they falter in Qualifier upcoming match at Arun Jaitley Stadium holds special significance for Ishant, who returns to his original home ground in New Delhi. With pacers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj also in red-hot form, GT's pace attack will be looking to exploit DC's volatile batting unit — a line-up that, despite inconsistency, still possesses the ability to change games in a short 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! IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
News18
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
'For Us, He Is Cheeku...': Virat Kohli's Delhi Teammate Leaves Heartfelt Message
Last Updated: Ishant Sharma reminisces about his childhood friendship with Virat Kohli, revealing that despite the latter's superstar status, he remains 'Cheeku' to him. Star India pacer Ishant Sharma has said that Virat Kohli is a childhood friend of his, and while he is a superstar to the world, he is 'Cheeku' to him, as he reminisced about their good old days of playing together for Delhi and eventually for the Indian national team. Ishant, who is currently playing for the Gujarat Titans, said that Kohli will always be Cheeku to those who grew up with him, reflecting on the friendship that dates back to their days in Delhi cricket. Ishant, who played beside Kohli from the U-17 level through to the senior level India side, said that the latter's public image of a superstar contrasts with the person he has known since childhood. 'I think Virat Kohli (the star) is for outside people. I can't see him like that because we played in the U-17s. He is a childhood friend of mine. When we were in the U-19s, we used to count how much money we had," Ishant said while speaking on the Star Sports Press Room. 'We used to eat food. When we used to go to the U-19s, we used to save our TAs and take them with us. So, Virat Kohli is different for everyone. He is different for me. Imagine your brother has reached such heights," Ishant added. The veteran Indian pacer recalled his and Kohli's days in the under-19 setup, where they shared rooms, budgeted meals and saved travel allowances. Ishant said that their bond remained despite Kohli's stardom, in contrast to a few other cricketers who have claimed the opposite. 'Everyone is thinking that he is great. But you will see that at the end of the day, he is a human being. At the end of the day, you have spent a lot of time with him. You know him in and out," Ishant said. 'I have never felt that he is Virat Kohli. For us, he is Cheeku. We have always seen it like this. He has also seen me like this. We are sleeping together and sharing a room. When our India debut came, the name of the team came…he kicked me and said, Your name has come," Ishant added. First Published: May 18, 2025, 08:26 IST
NDTV
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"Virat Kohli Counted Money, Ate Food...": Ex-Teammate Reveals RCB Star's Huge Transformation
India pacer Ishant Sharma said on Saturday that Virat Kohli will always be 'Cheeku' to those who grew up with him, reflecting on the friendship that dates back to their early days in Delhi cricket. Ishant, who played alongside Kohli from the under-17 level through to the senior India team, said the former captain's public image of a super star contrasts with the person he has known since childhood. "I think Virat Kohli (the star) is for outside people. I can't see him like that because we played in the U-17s. He is a childhood friend to me," Ishant, who bagged 434 wickets in 105 Tests, said on Star Sports Press Room on the eve of Gujarat Titans' match against Delhi Capitals. The 36-year-old recalled their days in the under-19 setup, where they shared rooms, budgeted meals, and saved travel allowances. "When we were in the U-19s, we used to count how much money we had. We used to eat food. When we used to go to the U-19s, we used to save our TAs and take them with us. So, Virat Kohli is different for everyone. He is different for me," he said. Ishant said their bond remained brotherly despite Kohli's stardom. "Imagine, your brother has reached such heights. Everyone is thinking that he is great. But you will see that at the end of the day, he is a human being. At the end of the day, you have spent a lot of time with him. You know him in and out. You know where he has come from, how he is and how he is not." The two were seen embracing on the field ahead of a recent IPL match, with photos of the moment widely shared online. Ishant said their interactions rarely involve talks about cricket but it's all about humour and banter. "When we meet, we never talk about how we played so many Test matches. We never talk about it. We talk about funny jokes. This is happening, that is happening, look at this, look at that. Funny jokes," he said. "I have never felt that he is Virat Kohli. For us, he is Cheeku. We have always seen it like this. He has also seen me like this. We are sleeping together and sharing a room." Both players made their international debuts in the late 2000s, with Sharma breaking into the national team just before Kohli. He recalled the moment Kohli informed him of his first India call-up. "When our India debut came, the name of the team kicked me and said, your name has come. He said, will you really play for India? I said, brother, let me sleep," said Ishant.
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ishant Sharma tweaked training routine to fire 140+ kph bursts in IPL 2025: ‘Pace was never a problem, but…'
Ishant Sharma's bowling has been one of the unexpected sub‑plots of IPL 2025. Drafted by Gujarat Titans primarily for his ability to mentor a young pace battery led by Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kagiso Rabada, the 36‑year‑old has grabbed particular spotlight in his own right. In each of his appearances so far, the veteran has ripped in at 140 km/h and above consistently, matching the younger tearaways ball for ball. The commentators, on multiple occasions, have marvelled on‑air at Ishant's speeds, and social media timelines were filled with fans raving about Ishant's 140+ kph deliveries almost every time the pacer took the field for the Titans. What stands out is the consistency. These are not one‑off bursts; over spell after spell, Ishant has sat comfortably in the plus‑140s, showing what a mid‑thirties fast bowler can produce in a tournament as unforgiving as the IPL. For a Titans side chasing a top‑two finish, his ability to deliver genuine heat at the top and in the middle overs has added a new dimension to their attack, complementing Siraj and Prasidh, as well as Rabada, who joined the squad ahead of the resumption. So, how has Ishant rediscovered this extra yard? We put the question directly to Ishant, and interestingly, the India veteran doesn't feel it's a recent development. 'Last year, too, I was bowling 140+, but this year, I think they just hyped it too much,' Ishant told Hindustan Times in the Star Sports Press Room with Gujarat Titans around the race to the play-offs. 'I did train a lot. I changed my training with regard to how I can make a similar impact, and how much strain I can put on my body while training. I changed my training a little bit in the past 2-3 years. I think this season, it's showing the results and I am able to do it more consistently,' said the pacer. Ishant insisted that more than the pace, it's the variation that he had to work on. He believes the bowlers need to ensure they enter every IPL season with a new stock delivery and that they need to be capable of surprising the batters. 'I feel pace was never a problem for me. I know if I'm running well, I will bowl quick. It's all about how you develop your skills according to the situation,' said Ishant. 'We see today that the most important thing is what new can you bring to the table. Everyone watches videos; everyone knows you have the slower ball or the knuckleball. Every year, you have to come up with a new stock delivery. You need to surprise the batter. So, the variation becomes really important in this format.' Virat Kohli's Test retirement last week stunned the cricketing world, as he closed the chapter on an illustrious career spanning 123 matches, 9,230 runs, and 30 centuries at an average of 46.85. The decision came as a surprise to many, especially considering Kohli's renowned fitness levels. Ishant, who had been Kohli's teammate since his U17 days, admitted he was taken aback by Kohli's choice to step away from the format at what many considered still his prime. 'I think he is mature. He knows what he is doing. I didn't really talk to him after he took retirement. But everyone knows as long as you are playing, it is important to be as normal as you can be. And that is why I have friendship with Virat. We have never tried to put anything on our head,' Ishant said. 'He knows what he wants in life and he must have talked to someone. That's why he made such a big decision. Yes, I was surprised. Because he could have played for at least 2-3 years more. He could have played till 40.' Ishant further praised Kohli's dedication to fitness, which he believes is the key to longevity in cricket. 'And right now, the kind of routine he follows and everything... I am not talking about numbers that he should have scored 10,000. That is a different thing. Talk about fitness first. If you fit, you can score 10,000. You can take 500 wickets. You can play as long as you want. But his fitness is the answer even at 36.' Catch Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings at 3:30 PM, followed by Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans at 7:30 PM tomorrow, May 18, as teams race to the TATA IPL play-offs — live and exclusive on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network
