SPORTS

Gujarat Titans star pacer Mohammed Shami shared a warm hug with Royal Challengers Bangalore star Virat Kohli after dismissing the batter in an IPL 2022 match on Saturday.

Kohli, who roared back to form, failed to convert his fifty into a bigger score as a Shami delivery made its way through, even as the batter tried to make room and play it through the cover. As Kohli was making his way back to the dugout, Shami put his arm around the batter's shoulder to appreciate his knock. Kohli made 58 off 53 balls before walking back to the dugout amid a standing ovation at the Wankhede Stadium.

Gujarat Titans extended their dominance at the top of the table with a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League on Saturday and inched closer towards clinching a playoff spot in their inception year.

India head coach Rahul Dravid returned to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on Friday as he interacted with cricketers from the North East and Plate Group. Dravid joined hands with current NCA head coach VVS Laxman as the legendary cricketers shared their insights with the young cricketers.

Notably, it was one of the first visits of Rahul Dravid to the NCA after quitting the role at the academy in Bengaluru after which he took over Ravi Shastri as the head coach of the senior national men's cricket team.

Dravid, who worked extensively on the up and coming cricketers as India U-19 coach and then as the NCA chief, spent about 45 minutes with the players who are honing their skills in the camp organised under the tutelage of world-class coaches including Ashes-winning bowling coach Troy Cooley, according to the Press Trust of India.

Kuldeep Yadav once again emerged as the standout player against his former franchise as Delhi Capitals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets in the Indian Premier League clash on Thursday evening. The spinner scalped four wickets in the three overs he bowled. Riding on his clinical performance, Delhi restricted Kolkata Knight Riders to 146/9 in 20 overs after inviting them to bat first. In response, Delhi Capitals started the run chase on a shaky note, losing Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh inside the first two overs. Shaw was dismissed by Umesh Yadav on 0, while Harshit Rana dismissed Marsh on 13 (7). Warner then built a solid 65-run stand with Lalit Yadav, before Umesh broke the partnership, dismissing Warner on 42.

It is no secret that IPL 2022 has seen Virat Kohli struggle to get runs consistently for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). In nine matches, Kohli had amassed just 128 runs at an average of 16 and strike rate of 119.62.

The out-of-form batter has even registered consecutive golden ducks in the tournament.

Meanwhile, if a report by Insidesport is to be believed, Kohli can soon lose his place in the Team India T20I squad as the national selectors as well as BCCI officials are very concerned about his form and they have started deliberating the RCB's T20 Future with the Indian team.

Notably, Team India are scheduled to play three-match T20I series against South Africa after the conclusion of the IPL 2022. However, given Kohli's current form, the selectors might drop him from the squad for the series.

Ravi Shastri would go down in the history books as one of the best coaches the Indian cricket team ever had. During his stint, India attained the number one ranking in Test cricket, dominated teams all over the world in their own backyard and reached new heights. 

His tenure as a full-time head coach started in 2017 after the ugly fallout between Virat Kohli and the then head coach Anil Kumble. 

However, the former India all-rounder had been around the leadership group since 2014.

In an interview with The Guardian, Shastri reminisced how his job changed overnight after seven missed calls by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).