Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has backed Suryakumar Yadav to do well despite his struggles in IPL 2026. Ahead of the crucial clash against Chennai Super Kings, the coach made it clear that the team will continue to rely on its senior batsman to return to form.

Suryakumar’s recent fall has been in the headlines Because MI wants to make a change in their season. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Jayawardene addressed concerns over his form.

“I mean, he won the World Cup as captain and was player of the tournament last year. So what else can you say? We have chatted about him. If you look at his batting in the nets, he practices like anyone else. Even in the matches, he is hitting the ball well. But the way he has got out at times has been unfortunate. Sometimes he hits a shot and gets caught on the boundary line, and sometimes He only faced a few good balls,” Jayawardene said.

“We just keep encouraging him. If you look at Surya, he has had three or four great years, not just last season, but he has had three or four great years. Players are human, and sometimes they go through phases where things don’t go their way. He understands that, and he will come back with a smile and play the way he knows best,” he said.

MI need a strong performance in the clash with CSK, who are ninth in the table with just two wins from eight matches. With the tournament entering the decisive stage, the team will hope their experienced players step up.

How has been Suryakumar Yadav’s form? IPL 2026?

Suryakumar’s figures this season highlight the concern.

In eight innings, he has scored 162 runs at an average of 20.25 and a strike rate of 140.87, which is below his usual standards in the middle overs. The bigger issue is the lack of impressive innings, his last six scores being 6, 33, 0, 15, 36 and 5.

“We just keep encouraging him. If you look at Surya, he has had three or four great years, not just last season, but he has had three or four great years. Players are human, and sometimes they go through phases where things don’t go their way. He understands that and he will come back with a smile and play the way he knows best,” Jayawardene said.

His recent outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad summed up this trend. Following a strong start from Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar could manage just 5 runs from 5 balls before being dismissed by Ishan Malinga, missing the chance for MI to push towards an even bigger total.

Could Suryakumar Yadav step up for MI vs CSK?

The match against Chennai Super Kings has now become even more important for both MI and Suryakumar.

MI had lost the last meeting in Chepauk, and with their campaign in decline, they need a turnaround quickly. A player of Suryakumar’s quality remains central to that plan, especially in the middle overs where MI lack consistency.

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World No. 1 Jannik Sinner continued his incredible form after qualifying for the Madrid Open final. On Friday, May 1, the Italian star defeated Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 to book his place in the championship match. Sinner also became the youngest player to reach the finals of all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.

Sinner broke the record of the great Novak Djokovic, who set the record in 2012. He became the third man in history to reach the finals of the first four Masters 1000 events in a season, following Roger Federer in 2006 and Rafael Nadal in 2011.

Also read: Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from French Open after failing to recover from wrist injury

By winning 27 consecutive matches, Sinner now has the fourth longest winning streak in Masters events. He is not far behind Djokovic, who has a record of 31 consecutive wins in his name.

Youngest player to play in the finals of all 9 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments

• Jannik Sinner – 24 years and 256 days (Madrid Open 2026)
• Novak Djokovic – 25 years and 139 days (Shanghai Masters 2012)
• Rafael Nadal – 27 years and 69 days (Cincinnati Masters 2013)
• Roger Federer – 30 years and 91 days (Paris Masters 2011)

Jannik Sinner keeps moving forward

In the semi-finals against the Phils, Sinner once again demonstrated his ability to direct rallies with early ball strikes and accurate returns. The straight sets victory extended his extraordinary 2026 form, during which he has already captured multiple Masters 1000 titles and enjoyed a season-long winning streak.

His performances in Madrid have also been notable for his mental resilience, especially in moments of pressure where he has consistently broken serve at crucial junctures.

“I tried to be the best aggressive. I felt very comfortable on the return. In the second set she started to serve better so it was more difficult. I’m very happy with the general performance today. I’m trying to play my best possible tennis at the moment. Today was a very good day in the office. But I knew before the match, she is one of the best players in the world at the moment,” Sinner said after the match.

“I’m very happy that I played against him. It means a lot to me. He’s very good for tennis, for the game. I’m really happy with today’s performance,” Sinner said.

In the final, Sinner will face the winner of the other semi-final between Alexander Zverev and Alexander Blox.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Mitchell Starc (Agency Images)

New Delhi: There is going to be a tremendous competition in the IPL 2026 match to be held on Friday. Mitchell Starc Making his season debut for Delhi Capitals, teenage sensation Vaibhav set for an exciting contest against Suryavanshi when they faced off against Rajasthan Royals In Jaipur.rr captain Riyan Parag They won the toss and elected to bat first at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, with the condition of the surface being cited as an important factor.“We are going to bat first. I think it is not a normal Jaipur wicket. It is a bit dry; we saw yesterday and the pitch was a bit fast the other day. So hopefully it will slow down a bit in the back end, so we are batting first. (On the win against Punjab Kings) I think the middle order and the lower order finished it the way they did and the openers got off to a really great start as usual. But chasing 220 as a collective team effort is always helpful. Everyone is moving forward. That has been the motto, as I was saying, we are not playing proper and complete cricket for 40 overs. Hopefully we can reduce this as the tournament gets towards the business end. One more show today and we can rest for a few days. Bishnoi is back and Shubham is in the main team,” said Parag.

Stark returns as DC changes ring

However, the big headlines came from the DC camp, with Starc finally adding firepower to their fast bowling attack this season. His duel with Suryavanshi at the top is expected to set the tone soon.DC Captain Akshar Patel Three changes have been confirmed in the XI as the team looks to make changes in the tight race for the playoffs.“Starc is playing, Chameera is not playing. Pathum is playing, which means David Miller is sitting out. Ashok Sharma is there, so there are three changes. We have three changes, the wicket looks good and we are happy chasing the target. It is important to get back to the basics. For things to change you need to stay in the present, focus on positivity. Attitude and body language are very important,” said Akshar.With both teams making changes and maintaining consistency, the importance of this encounter has increased even more. But the early exchanges promise the biggest thrills – Starc moving with pace and precision, and Suryavanshi ready to launch a counterattack to define the contest.

RR vs DC Playing XI:

Delhi Capitals XI: KL Rahul (w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan.Rajasthan Royals XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ryan Parag (captain), Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubham Dubey, Joffra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Nandre Berger, Brijesh Sharma.

Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Heinrich Klaasen came into limelight when a video of him warning a fan against filming his family went viral on social media. The South African cricketer was clearly irked in the clip and was seen firmly asking the man to stop recording and respect his privacy before the situation escalated further.

Klaasen, who is known to be extremely protective of his personal space and family time, Have recently retired from international cricket A commitment to prioritize life away from the game after his retirement from the international arena.

In the widely circulated video, Klassen can be heard for the first time giving an explicit warning: “Listen to me very carefully. Don’t do that, okay. I told you, no, please go away. Thank you very much, but don’t take photos.”

He then raises his voice even higher while the fan continues to record with the camera pointed downwards, “If I turn around and you take a picture of me and my family, I promise you we’ll be on the floor. Okay, just turn around and walk away, please.”

As the conversation continues and the fan walks away from her with his camera still on, Klassen reiterates her stance more firmly, saying, “Oh, listen to me very carefully. Stop it. Okay. I told you no photos. This is my family. Okay. So put your camera away.”

Player privacy under scrutiny?

The incident has sparked strong reactions onlineKlaasen’s fans and followers are coming out in support of her over the non-consensual filming of her and her family. He criticized the fan following in the country for people forgetting the concept of boundaries and privacy – especially when athletes are spending private time with their families.

The video is spreading across platforms, reigniting discussions about players’ privacy, the increasing presence of cameras in public places and the fine line between fan enthusiasm and intrusion into personal lives.

Meanwhile, Klaasen has continued to wreak havoc on the bowlers in the ongoing Indian Premier League season, scoring 414 runs at an average of 59.14 in nine innings. While his strike rate has come under scrutiny, Klaasen is not worried about it as he is helping his team climb up the points table. He is currently striking at 157.41, second only to teammate Abhishek Sharma in the Orange Cap list.

He will next be in action when SRH host Kolkata Knight Riders at the Uppal Stadium on Sunday, May 3.

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Bumrah’s worst average in IPL 2026: What’s behind the rare dip? (Image: X)

Jasprit Bumrah He is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in the world today, but it is surprising to see that his average in this IPL season is the worst at the moment. Bumrah did not get any wicket in his first five matches and he took his first wicket in the sixth match against Gujarat Titans, dismissing Sai Sudarshan on the very first ball he bowled in that game.Before this match, Bumrah was struggling and could not get any wicket. Mumbai Indians‘First five matches against Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings. His wicket of Sudarshan, who was dismissed for a golden duck, helped lay the foundation for Mumbai Indians’ victory as Gujarat Titans suffered a heavy 99-run defeat.Bumrah has historically dominated some of the greatest T20 batsmen. He had never hit sixes to players like Travis Head and Sanju Samson, but during this difficult phase in IPL 2026, both of them managed to hit sixes on them. Young talented Vaibhav Suryavanshi also supported him by hitting two sixes in the same over. This highlights the difficult phase Bumrah is going through at the moment.Bumrah’s current IPL bowling average is 132, which is the worst average of his T20 career. Compared to other bowlers who have bowled 30 or more overs this season, his average is almost double that, which places him among the worst performers for Mumbai Indians. This dip in form could be one of the reasons why Mumbai Indians have struggled to maintain momentum.Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, it was only the second time in IPL history that Mumbai Indians failed to defend a score of 200 or more, and the first time at the Wankhede Stadium. In that match, Bumrah gave away 54 runs in his four overs, including sixes from Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Salil Arora. It is rare to see Bumrah hitting so many sixes, especially in situations when his team trusts him the most.

What is behind Jasprit Bumrah’s struggle?

Bumrah enters IPL 2026 after an intense and hectic international schedule, which included the Asia Cup, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, series against Australia and South Africa and a challenging five-match Test series in England. During the England tour alone, despite a long-standing back problem, he bowled 119 overs in three matches.Cricket experts have pointed to several possible reasons for his decline in form. Some believe that Bumrah may not have got enough rest after playing international cricket continuously, while others believe that he has struggled to regain his normal rhythm and length.Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth made his assessment clear after Bumrah’s outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad:“Bumrah is not finding that zip at all. Not a single ball is looking dangerous. Maybe he is tired, so I am not blaming him. But he is clearly not at his best. He is working hard but looks very normal. His statement shows that Bumrah might be tired after the packed schedule.Ravichandran Ashwin, on the other hand, highlighted the mental aspect of the game. While Bumrah was wicketless in the first five matches, Ashwin suggested that external narratives and pressure may have affected his rhythm.“I still think Bumrah bowled really well in the first two matches, but then the team started losing. Then this story also started that Bumrah is not getting wickets. This was probably going on in his mind,” Ashwin said, adding that Bumrah’s best is still to come.Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif also said that Bumrah’s body may not be fully supporting him at the moment and a short break can help him regain peak fitness.During this time, Kieron PollardThe batting coach of Mumbai Indians did not pay much attention to the concerns regarding Bumrah’s form. He stressed that the fast bowler is human and it is natural to fall down occasionally, urging people to remember his great contribution to the team over the years.Take a look at the bowling averages, their averages and economy rates among players who have bowled 30 or more overs this season:-

In contrast, during IPL 2025, Bumrah led the Mumbai Indians bowling attack in a stellar season, taking 18 wickets in 12 matches. Despite missing the first four games due to a back injury, he bounced back strongly and produced what many analysts considered to be his most economical season, maintaining an economy rate of 6.68, the best among bowlers taking more than 10 wickets in the league.Before the IPL, Bumrah was a key figure in the India national cricket team’s successful title defense at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. He finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in 8 matches. His campaign peaked in the final on March 8, 2026, where he was named player of the match for his excellent figures of 4/15 against the New Zealand national cricket team. Earlier, in the match against England at Wankhede Stadium, he achieved the feat of 500 international wickets by dismissing Harry Brook on the very first ball.

Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar believes that contributing to the team’s success is more important than chasing individual achievements at this stage of his career. His recent performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the ongoing Indian Premier League have taken him to the top of the wicket charts this season.

The experienced fast bowler has been RCB’s most reliable player with the ball. He gave another strong performance for his team by taking 3 wickets for 28 runs. Defeat by four wickets from Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium On Thursday night, April 30. Despite the defeat, Bhuvneshwar’s disciplined magic continued in a relatively low-scoring encounter.

GT vs RCB: highlighted | Achievement:

Speaking after the match, Bhuvneshwar acknowledged earning the Purple Cap, but made it clear that personal accolades are no longer his primary focus. “It’s good that I got the Purple Cap. But I think I’ve come out of the stage where I want to achieve something individually,” he told reporters after the game. “Of course, I still want to achieve things, but now it’s more about the team. I’m not young anymore. When you’re young, you naturally aim for those awards, and they come when you perform well.”

The 36-year-old has taken 17 wickets in nine innings this season at an impressive average of 15.53. His performance helped him overtake Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Ishan Malinga, who previously held the Purple Cap with 15 wickets.

Bhuvneshwar further emphasized that while individual recognition seems beneficial, his mindset has shifted towards contributing to collective goals. “When you work for the team’s success and also get individual rewards, it feels good. But honestly, I am just trying to give my best. I am gaining confidence from the management and that is what matters most,” he said.

During his 325th T20 appearance, Bhuvneshwar also achieved a significant career milestone. He became the first Indian fast bowler and second Indian overall to reach 350 wickets in T20 cricket. He now has 352 wickets at an average of 24.51, including five four-wicket hauls and five five-wicket hauls, with his best performance being 5/4. Among Indians, only Yuzvendra Chahal has more T20 wickets, with 391 wickets in 337 matches.

RCB is currently at second place in the points table With 12 points, trail Punjab Kings, who have a game in hand. Their next match will be against Lucknow Super Giants on May 7 at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.

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tune in

Virat Kohli and umpire (Image Credit: X)

New Delhi: A dramatic moment unfolded between Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Narendra Modi Stadium during IPL 2026. Virat Kohli He appeared to be losing his temper and was seen having an animated conversation with the on-field umpire.The incident occurred in the eighth over of RCB’s innings when Jason Holder completed a catch off the bowling of Arshad Khan to dismiss Rajat Patidar.Patidar, who was batting on 19, attempted a pull shot to accelerate the scoring. Holder reacted quickly, diving forward to complete a low catch, while Kagiso Rabada was also on the ball, resulting in a collision between the two fielders.Replays of the out could not be determined whether the ball had touched the ground or not. Despite the uncertainty, the third umpire upheld the on-field decision after review and declared Patidar out. The call at a crucial stage of the innings left Kohli and the RCB dugout unhappy.Kohli, who was in the dugout at the time, looked disappointed and was questioning the decision. The veteran batsman, who had earlier scored 28 runs in 13 balls, was later seen near the boundary rope engaged in a lengthy discussion with the umpire.The match eventually ended with Gujarat Titans winning by four wickets over RCB.Gujarat Titans had earlier bowled out the defending champions for 155 in 19.2 overs and ended at 158/6, chasing the target in 15.5 overs. Captain Shubman Gill (43 off 18) and Jos Buttler (39 off 19) led the way, while Rahul Tewatia (27* off 17) ensured a successful finish.With this win, RCB moved to second place on the table with 12 points, while Gujarat Titans moved to fifth place, adding two valuable points to take their points tally to 10.

Kumar Sangakkara admitted that Rajasthan Royals had to go through a period of discomfort after two off-field controversies involving senior members of the franchise had attracted the attention of the IPL Governing Council and BCCI ahead of the clash against Delhi Capitals in Jaipur.

Stand-in captain involved in latest incident Riyan Parag, who was caught on camera using an e-cigarette In the team dugout during Rajasthan’s recent match against Punjab Kings. This footage quickly spread on social media and led to IPL Parag was fined 20 percent of his match fee for violating the league’s code of conduct. No suspension was imposed.

he came a few days later Rajasthan team manager Romi Bhinder was also fined by the IPL Governing Council. Bhinder was seen using his phone inside the team dugout during a match, and teenage batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi was sitting next to him. The IPL fined Bhinder Rs 1 lakh for the violation, but did not ban him again.

Now that Rajasthan is facing increasing scrutiny over repeated disciplinary lapses, Sangakkara admitted that the incidents have not had a good impact on the franchise and said that both the matters have already been addressed internally and by the authorities.

A reminder for Rajasthan Royals

“Such controversies are not positive for the team and all I can say is that both the issues have been addressed by the BCCI and the franchise,” Sangakkara was quoted as saying by Sportstar on the eve of Rajasthan’s meeting with Delhi Capitals.

“It’s a reminder to the players that they have to maintain the team culture.”

Sangakkara made it clear that the Royals are keen to focus on cricket as they prepare for an important home match in Jaipur. Rajasthan remains in the race for the playoffs and cannot afford any more distractions at the crucial stage of the season.

The Royals coach also reflected on the change in momentum from their previous outing and pointed to the importance of small but decisive contributions in shaping the results.

“His short innings changed the momentum in our direction,” Sangakkara said. “He brought the momentum back in our favour.”

Sangakkara is also hopeful that the conditions in Jaipur will present a more solid surface, with Rajasthan preparing for a high-quality encounter against a Delhi team still looking for its rhythm.

“And it looks like it’s another good pitch out there,” he said. “We expect nothing less than the best from DC.”

Now the challenge for Rajasthan is simple. The Royals will have to ensure that their performances rather than disciplinary lapses remain the talking point as the tournament enters the decisive phase.

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tune in

Shubman Gill (Photo Courtesy: IPL)

New Delhi: Captain Shubman Gill It was best summed up after Gujarat Titans’ clinical chase – sometimes, momentum finds you. And on Thursday night in Ahmedabad, it certainly happened.Leading from the front, Gill played a decisive role in Gujarat Titans’ four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore, later admitting that an early stroke of luck laid the foundation for his match-defining innings.“It feels very satisfying. It’s great to restrict a team like them to 155 runs on a wicket like this,” Gill, who scored 43 runs off just 18 balls, said after the win. “I was a bit lucky on the first ball and then I thought today was my day. I was in my position and confident about bowling.”After initial relief, Gill created the atmosphereThat “lucky” moment has already arrived Bhuvneshwar Kumar When an inside edge went for four, but Gill countered it in style. He changed gears quickly and put RCB under pressure by adopting an aggressive approach in the powerplay.Reflecting on his mindset during the chase, he said, “The energy was very high after the second over. I just felt like I was in the zone.”Gill’s aggressive intent, combined with pace contributions jos buttler and late abstinence Rahul TewatiaThis ensured that GT remained ahead despite a slight middle-order wobble.“Tewatia is a very important player for us. That was one of the conversations we had in the timeout. He made some good runs and everybody got hits in the middle,” Gill said.Patidar acknowledges Gill’s influenceOn the other hand, RCB captain Rajat Patidar admitted that Gill’s powerplay attack proved to be decisive.“Obviously, the score was not good enough on this track,” admitted Patidar. “But the way Shubman played, especially in the powerplay, he put us under pressure and took the game away.”Despite scoring just 155 runs, RCB managed to stretch the contest much longer than expected, which Patidar considered a positive.He said, “I think the way we bowled and extended it to 15-16 overs is a positive sign. There was good grass there which helped the fast bowlers.Lessons for RCB from GT’s move forwardPatidar also pointed to key areas for improvement. He said, “We gave away a lot of wickets in the middle and due to this we were on the back foot.”Earlier, GT bowlers had laid the foundation by bowling out RCB for 155 runs with disciplined bowling coupled with fast fielding.However, in the end, the night belonged to Gill – a mixture of luck, timing and possession. As he himself said, once that initial moment suited him, everything else just followed.