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Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Gavaskar pinpoints what makes Hardik Pandya stand out as leader: 'When there has been misfield and a dropped catch...'
Mumbai Indians had a slow start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, winning just one match out of their first five fixtures. However, the five-time champions changed their fortunes around by winning their next six matches and the Hardik Pandya-led side are now favourites to reach the playoffs stage. Before the 18th edition of the T20 tournament got suspended due to the cross-border conflict between India and Pakistan, Mumbai Indians faced a minor blip as they lost a thriller against Gujarat Titans at the Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai Indians are currently in fourth place in the points table with 14 points from 12 matches. They have two fixtures left in the league stage: Delhi Capitals (May 21) and Punjab Kings (May 26). Ahead of the IPL 2025 resumption on Saturday, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar hailed Hardik's captaincy in the ongoing season. Sunil Gavaskar also alluded to the fact that Hardik Pandya has now gotten the Mumbai crowd behind him, which has led to the all-rounder's exceptional leadership performance. Last year, the crowd at the Wankhede Stadium booed Hardik after they did not take kindly to Rohit Sharma's stripping of the captaincy. However, with Hardik Pandya bowling the final over of the T20 World Cup final against South Africa and helping India break the ICC title drought, the crowd firmly got on the side of the 31-year-old. Who can forget the visual of the all-rounder walking out of the Mumbai airport with the trophy in his hand? "What we saw from last year to this year has been the fact that he also got the support of the crowd backing him. Last year, he would have been a little bit unsettled by the fact that the Mumbai crowd and the Mumbai supporters were not really backing him so much. But this year, they are all behind him. And they are all urging him to go on to win. They have got one game at home on the 21st," said Sunil Gavaskar while replying to a Hindustan Times query during the Star Sports Press Room session. "And that is where we will see how they come back. And the way they have come back, we are talking about his thinking and we are talking about how his calming influence is. That is because he has not shown any emotions on the field. When there has been a misfield, when there has been a drop catch, he has just turned on his back and he has gone back to his fielding position. A lot of times, when the captain has a little bit of gesticulations, then the fielder also gets a little bit nervous. But he hasn't done that. And so that's the reason why Mumbai have come back so well. They normally do that. And once again, this year, I am hoping, as a Mumbai Indians fan, that they will continue to go on to win," he added. Chennai Super Kings, who have won the IPL five times, are out of the playoff contention as the franchise is placed at the bottom of the standings. Quite contrary to their nature, the franchise has brought in several young replacement players, such as Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis. All of these young guns have performed exceptionally well, and hence, Raina feels the franchise needs to rethink their auction strategy and scout more youngsters. "This is a good question. Two weeks ago, they were out of the playoffs. If you look at Mhatre's batting. He did very well. But then the players who were playing in the middle overs, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, and Deepak Hooda, all three were playing together. Brevis and Mhatre have batted in a different style. As soon as these two youngsters came, the belief in the dressing room increased. You are making 200; you are making 210. I think you are absolutely spot on," said Raina while replying to another Hindustan Times query. "The results of the board exam have just come. But the big result will be three years. When will CSK win the sixth trophy from here? Because it is no longer an eight-team tournament, there are 10 teams. You will have to do proper homework here. You will have to invest in the youngsters. You have to invest in the 14-year-old, 17-year-old. You have to invest in the youngsters who are below 18 years of age. Then you will see the mutual investment increasing," he added. Midway through the IPL 2025 season, Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament due to a hairline fracture on his elbow, and MS Dhoni was then named as the stand-in captain. Former India captain Gavaskar feels that the results might not have come for CSK, but the franchise has shown a spark ever since the former India wicketkeeper-batter took over the reins. "He has always been somebody that everybody will look up to. So even if there is a captain on the field, when you know that there has been a captain who has got that record that MSD has, you tend to look at him, how he can help guide you to an improved performance to a better performance. So now that he is actually leading the side with the unfortunate injury to Ruturaj Gaikwad, you have seen that again," said Gavaskar. "That spark coming in. That spark where he is now. Sometimes as a captain, when you are done with the captaincy, you tend to take a little bit of a backseat. And you don't want to interfere and take away the leadership of the one who is the official captain. But now that he has got the captaincy band again you can see that CSK, they might not be winning, but their performances have just been a little more charged up than what we saw at the start," he added. The IPL 2025 season was suspended last week due to the rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. A ceasefire then paved the way for the organisers to announce the resumption date (May 17) for the remainder of the tournament. The final will now be played on June 3. However, with the tournament being pushed back by eight days, several overseas stars won't be there for the playoffs stage. However, Gavaskar feels all the ten teams are in the same boat and one should laud the overseas stars who have decided to come back as it shows their commitment towards the franchises. "I think this is a problem for every team. Because you don't know how many of their overseas players are going to come back. Most of the players will be coming back. I think it will only be the Australians and South Africans who are playing in the World Test Championship finals from June 11. They will probably be the ones who will be looking at the playoffs. But I think most of the others will at least come for the end of the league. And it is not going to be easy for all the teams," said Gavaskar. "It's a big, big concern. But this is an unfortunate situation. What we have to be very grateful for, what we are going to be very thankful for is that everybody who is coming back has shown that they are caring for their franchise. That's the biggest plus. All those who come show that they care for their franchise. Yes, the situation is tough. You've got a family back home to consider," he added.
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Charles Strouse, the Broadway composer of the musical ‘Annie,' dies at 96
NEW YORK (AP) — Three-time Tony Award-winner Charles Strouse, Broadway's industrious, master melody-maker who composed the music for such classic musical theater hits as 'Annie,' 'Bye Bye Birdie' and 'Applause,' died Thursday. He was 96. Strouse died at his home in New York City, his family said through the publicity agency Press Room. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Strouse wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as film scores and the song 'Those Were the Days,' the theme song for the sitcom 'All in the Family.' Strouse turned out such popular and catchy show tunes as 'Tomorrow,' the optimistic anthem from 'Annie,' and the equally cheerful 'Put on a Happy Face' from 'Bye Bye Birdie,' his first Broadway success. 'I work every day. Activity — it's a life force,' the New York-born composer said on the eve of his 80th birthday in 2008. 'When you enjoy doing what you're doing, which I do very much, I have something to get up for.' Deep into his 90s, he was visiting tours of his shows and meeting casts. Jenn Thompson, who appeared in the first 'Annie' as Pepper and directed a touring version of 'Annie' in 2024, recalls Strouse coming to auditions and shedding a tear when a young girl sang 'Tomorrow.' 'He was tearing up and he put his hand on mine,' she recalled. 'And he leaned in to me and very quietly said, 'That was you. That used to be you.' And I thought I would die. I thought my heart would drop out of my shoes.' The musical was based on the popular syndicated newspaper comic strip 'Little Orphan Annie,' drawn by the late Harold Gray of Kankakee, Illinois. It debuted in 1924 and was distributed by Tribune Media Services. Along with Strouse and the lyricist Martin Charnin, the comic was transformed into a musical by book writer Thomas Meehan, who died in 2017. 'Annie' had its Broadway debut in 1977. 'Applause' is well-earned for composer and 'Annie' creator Charles StrouseIn an interview with the Tribune in 2011, Strouse was asked if he had any idea at the time that the show would be such a hit. 'No,' he said. 'This was a piece about the Depression. It was dark. The girl was alone. Dickens flavored our writing of that show very much. In fact, I thought we were going to get hung in London for being too much like 'Oliver Twist.'' He added that the song 'Tomorrow' was written at the 11th hour, to add a few more seconds to facilitate a big scenic transition. That explains why the number is so short. 'I well remember the first night 'Tomorrow' was in the show,' Strouse said. 'It got all this applause. I thought everybody was clapping for the set change.' A touring production of 'Annie' played in Chicago for the holidays last November, as it has so many times before and as it surely will again.
India Gazette
08-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Sai Kishore eyes top-two finish as Gujarat Titans gear up for crucial IPL stretch
New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters its final leg, Gujarat Titans (GT) spinner R Sai Kishore emphasised the importance of finishing in the top two of the points table to gain a strategic advantage in the playoffs. 'A top-two finish is definitely in discussion -- not just now, but before as well,' Sai Kishore said on Star Sports Press Room. 'When you are qualifying, it's better to finish in the top two. No complacency should be there. IPL is one tournament where every team is good. All players are among the best in the world. You can't take any team lightly, whether they are in form or not -- any player can change the game on their given day. So, there is no talk of relaxing. But a top-two finish is definitely on the cards,' he added. The Titans have been in top form this season, sitting at the top of the table with 16 points, having won eight matches and lost only three. With three games left in the league stage, Gujarat will look to maintain consistency and secure a top-two finish, which offers a safety net in the playoffs. A top-two finish allows teams to compete in Qualifier 1, where a win guarantees a spot in the final. Even if they lose, they get another chance in Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator. Gujarat's remaining matches are against Delhi Capitals (DC), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) -- all formidable opponents in their own right. With the playoff race heating up, the Titans will aim to keep their momentum going and ensure they go into the knockout stages with maximum confidence and advantage. In GT's last match against Mumbai Indians (MI), the Titans won the toss and opted to bowl first. A 71-run stand between Will Jacks (53 in 35 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (35 in 24 balls, with five fours) was the highlight as wickets fell regularly, restricting MI to 155/8 in their 20 overs. Sai Kishore (2/34) was the pick of the bowlers for GT, while Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, and Gerald Coetzee took a wicket each. The run-chase was a rollercoaster ride for both teams. GT did lose Sai Sudharsan early, but a 72-run stand between skipper Shubman Gill (43 in 46 balls, with three fours and a six) and Jos Buttler (30 in 27 balls, with three fours and a six) marked their comeback in the game. In the 14th over, with GT 107/2, a rain break was taken with GT ahead as per the DLS Method. After the break, Jasprit Bumrah (2/19) and Trent Boult (2/22) brought MI back in the game, collapsing GT to 132/6 in 18 overs at the start of another rain break. This time, GT was behind. When the game finally resumed, the revised target was 147 runs with one more over left. Rahul Tewatia (11*) and Gerald Coetzee (12) single-handedly finished the job for GT, earning them a win by three wickets on a last-ball thriller. Gill was given the 'Player of the Match' award. (ANI)
Mint
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Rahul Dravid warns Vaibhav Suryavanshi after early IPL success: ‘He'll face ups and downs, need to keep working hard'
Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid spoke highly about Vaibhav Suryavanshi's 'fearlessness' but also sent a warning to the 14-year-old about the 'ups and downs' he will face in his career. Suryavanshi went into record books against Gujarat Titans as the youngest centurion in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) at 14 years and 32 days. That's not all. The teenager from Samastipur in Bihar, also became the youngest ever to score a T20 hundred in the world and the fastest (35) Indian to an IPL hundred, surpassing Yusuf Pathan's 37-ball ton in 2008. "Teams will get smarter against him, and he'll face ups and downs—that's the nature of T20 cricket. From our side, we're just encouraging him to play the way he enjoys—take the game on and express himself. Of course, he'll make mistakes and learn from them, but for now, we just want him to have fun and soak in the experience,' Dravid responded to a query during Star Sports Press Room on Wednesday. Stay updated on all the action from the IPL 2025. Check the IPL 2025 Schedule, track the latest IPL 2025 Points Table, and follow the top performers with the Orange Cap and Purple Cap. First Published: 30 Apr 2025, 09:29 PM IST
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Ashish Nehra's inputs proving invaluable: Prasidh Krishna
Gujarat Titans' Prasidh Krishna celebrates the wicket of Delhi Capitals KL Rahul Ahmedabad: In Gujarat Titans ' inaugural season in 2022, their bowling attack was led by Mohammad Shami, Hardik Pandya, Lockie Ferguson and co. Despite Ferguson's departure in 2023 and Mohit Sharma 's subsequent addition, the franchise came within one ball of defending the title. Currently positioned second after 46 matches in the IPL , their strategic focus on bowling at the mega-auction has proven successful, with Prasidh Krishna (16 wickets in 8 matches) and Mohammed Siraj (12 wickets in 8 matches) leading the charge. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! With Kagiso Rabada having returned home for personal reasons and leg spinner Rashid Khan 's reduced wicket-taking form, Prasidh has effectively managed crucial wickets across all phases of the game, effectively limiting opponents' scoring opportunities. This augurs well for the Titans as the tournament enters a crucial stage. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Distrito Federal: AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Aroun... Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Prasidh, on Sunday, was highlighting the role of GT head coach Ashish Nehra in his impact this IPL season. 'I was very clear about what I wanted to work on, made sure I put in the hours, and had the right conversations with Ashish Nehra. One thing that I've learned from him is about reading the conditions, the pitch, making sure you make the right decisions when you're at the top of the mark,' Poll Who do you think is the key bowler for Gujarat Titans this season? Rashid Khan Mohammad Shami Mohammed Siraj Prasidh Krishna Prasidh said in the JioHotstar Press Room for Race to Playoffs.. 'All of these things help you be more confident. And when you're confident, I think you would want to play as many games as possible and make sure you contribute to your team's victory,' he added, Against DC in Ahmedabad, Prasidh's full-length yorker dismissed KL Rahul during the visitors' high-scoring powerplay, effectively reducing their scoring rate. Today was one of our better bowling performances: Mo Bobat It's his personal favourite. 'KL Rahul's wicket was my favourite because I was kind of under the pressure. I was lucky that the ball swung very late and got somebody like KL Rahul,' he said, The reintroduction of the saliva rule has benefited bowlers. 'It has played a bit of a part because if you look at what the ball does with the saliva on it, even if it means that one out of the 120 balls tears in a little more, that means you get a wicket that's an extra dot ball,' he said. 'And if that happens at a crucial stage when the right batsman gets out, that means you slow down the run rate and you get the momentum back. So, it has a chain reaction kind of a thing. And it definitely helped the bowlers.'
