In a recent IPL match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Harshal Patel found himself at the center of social media controversy after dismissing MS Dhoni for a golden duck.

Harshal Patel’s Dismissal of MS Dhoni

During the match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Harshal Patel executed a well-disguised slower ball that outsmarted MS Dhoni, resulting in the veteran cricketer’s dismissal on the very first delivery he faced.

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Social Media Backlash Against Harshal Patel

Following Dhoni’s dismissal, some fans of the former CSK skipper directed abuse towards Harshal Patel on various social media platforms. Patel’s recent Instagram post was flooded with negative comments, highlighting the extent of backlash he faced from Dhoni supporters.

Harshal Patel Didn’t Celebrate

Punjab Kings (PBKS) pacer Harshal Patel didn’t even celebrate Dhoni’s wicket. He revealed the heartwarming reason why he didn’t celebrate MS Dhoni’s wicket. “I have too much respect for him to celebrate if I get him off,” Harshal told the commentators when asked why he didn’t celebrate Dhoni’s dismissal.

Not the Real Cricket Fans!

This incident underscores a broader issue of online abuse in cricket fandom, where players often face criticism and trolling for their on-field performances. It raises questions about the behaviour of certain fans who engage in such negativity, mainly when directed towards players for executing their skills on the field.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) performed below average in most IPL seasons. Despite being a formidable team, PBKS have often fallen short due to inconsistency, preventing them from winning their first IPL title. During the tournament’s auction season, the management made several fascinating and tactical acquisitions to improve their bowling and middle-order batting attack. With a new home stadium and a steady aim, Punjab Kings hope to reverse the tables and win their first title. So, here are the top four players on the PBKS roster to watch. 

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan will aim to change the team’s fortunes in the competition with his leadership and hitting. With his extensive experience, explosive batting prowess, and leadership abilities, Dhawan can lead the Punjab Kings to their first IPL victory. His ability to score regularly at the top of the order and his intelligent leadership can give much-needed stability and direction for Punjab’s season.

Also, his ability to handle pressure and provide consistent results makes him an invaluable asset to the Punjab Kings in the IPL 2024. In his successful 217-match IPL career, he has scored 6616 runs, including 50 half-centuries and two centuries. 

Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma, the explosive wicketkeeper-batsman, adds firepower and aggression to Punjab’s middle order by scoring early runs and changing the game’s tempo. Recently, he has been appointed as the vice-captain of the arsenal.

Sharma’s ability to accelerate the run rate in the middle overs and fuel the innings makes him an essential asset in the team’s quest for success in IPL 2024, where his explosive batting might turn matches in Punjab Kings’ favour. In his IPL stint, he has made 543 runs in 26 games, with an impressive strike rate of over 160. 

See Also: IPL 2024: Top 4 Royal Challengers Bengaluru players to be in focus

Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel was the most expensive Indian buy in the IPL 2024 auction. The Punjab paid a high price for his services, indicating the franchise’s confidence in his ability and prospective impact on the club. 

Harshal’s ability to confuse hitters with slower deliveries and pace changes makes him an effective T20 bowler. His slower balls, frequently disguised as conventional deliveries, can catch batters by surprise, leading to wickets or limiting scoring. In his IPL stint, he has scalped a commendable 111 wickets in 92 outings, with an economy of 8.59.

Rilee Rossouw

Rilee Rossouw is a South African left-handed batter renowned for his aggressive approach and ability to score rapidly. Rossouw’s extensive expertise in T20 cricket adds firepower to the team’s top order. His aggressive attitude and ability to dominate bowlers make him a great addition to the batting order.

Rossouw, a free-striking left-handed batsman with subcontinental-style wrists, has the potential to make a significant contribution to PBKS’ middle-order batting. In his brief IPL career, he scored 262 runs in 14 games with a strike rate above 140.

Dinesh Karthik has explained why Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel didn’t get to play in the T20 World Cup and said that both men were aware of the team management’s decision. India exited the tournament during the semi-final stage after a crushing loss to England, with many saying that the team management missed a trick by not playing Chahal.

Harbhajan Singh was left scratching his head as to why India didn’t have a leg-spinner in the team and said with his credentials. He should be the first-choice spinner in the side. “I don’t know what are the reasons that a champion bowler (Yuzvendra Chahal) is not in the team. He must have done something to someone that he is not getting a game. With his credentials he should have been your first-choice spinner,” said Harbhajan. So, they were very aware and were preparing in such a way that when they get an opportunity, they would try and do their best. But there might be a chance that they ended up not playing,” said Karthik.

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Both Chahal and Harshal were made aware of the team’s decision at the beginning

Karthik, during an interaction with Cricbuzz as quoted by the ICC website, said that the players didn’t sulk. Get upset as they were told by the team management that they would get to play if the conditions were suitable. The wicketkeeper also said that Chahal and Patel were preparing themselves to be ready if they had gotten an opportunity. “They didn’t sulk or get upset once because they were very sure. At the start of the tournament, they were told that under these conditions, we would be playing you. Otherwise, it might be difficult.

“So, when that clarity is there from the coach and captain, it makes the job easier for the player. You just start looking inward and thinking, okay what do I do to start preparing better. That is what they were doing, and had they been given a chance, they would have given their best. This is a very high-intensity tournament. As mentioned, he played a lot of matches for India, and he knows the feeling of being dropped,” he added.

Despite failing to reach the final of the recently completed Asia Cup, India did not make unexpected changes to their squad. Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel returned after undergoing extensive rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy, while Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan fell out of contention.

Ahead of the tournament, India will also play Twenty20 Internationals against both South Africa and Australia at home – their last outings before they head for Australia. India’s top three – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli – often bat deep into the innings for their respective sides in the IPL. Despite India’s recent attempts at breaking the shackles in the Powerplay and Kohli’s probable return to form, India’s decision to persist with all three in Twenty20 cricket has come under scrutiny.

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Avesh and Bishnoi miss their tickets to Australia

India has traditionally seldom benched their stars once they picked them, and it is unlikely to change this time as well. Whether they will bat in the top three is something to be seen. Meanwhile, the selectors continue to ignore Sanju Samson. The top three and Suryakumar are fixed, Pant is a left-hander, Karthik can set off without notice, and Pandya can bowl four overs, which meant that Samson fell off the radar.

Like the top three, Pant has often struggled to cut loose before spending a few balls at the crease. No.5 is probably too low for someone like that, but India did back him – probably because in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, they do not have another left-hander who can break the monotone and take on spinners who move the ball away from right-handed batters in the middle overs. India may use Pant as a floater up the order. He does not have a great T20I strike rate, but in the IPL. Where he comes in earlier, he does explode once he gets his eyes in.

Despite Karthik’s rare ability to accelerate without getting his eye in, India preferred Pant ahead of Karthik for some matches of the Asia Cup. Leg-spin has been Karthik’s nemesis over the past couple of years, and India may pick one of the two based on the opposition.

Days after the Asia Cup debacle, Team India finds some respite as Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel are set to return for the T20 World Cup. Both didn’t feature in the Asian multi-nation tournament due to injuries. While Harshal suffered a side strain, Bumrah was out of action since July due to a back injury. The BCCI announced that the duo is under rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. But now, they seem to have regained fitness and are ready to make a comeback.

According to a Cricbuzz report, Bumrah and Harshal have bowled normally at the NCA recently and have finished their rehab. However, in order to accommodate them, two places are required to be vacated. The current Asia Cup squad initially had three spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi. Jadeja eventually got ruled out with a knee injury and was replaced by Axar Patel. Similarly, four pacers were named in the beginning.

Also Read: Shadab Khan Rising to the Occasion Silently in Asia Cup 2022

Bumrah, and Harshal are all set to come back in T20 Squad

The quartet included Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya. Later, Deepak Chahar replaced Avesh but the former’s inclusion came after India were knocked out of the tournament. In most likelihood, the axe would fall over Bishnoi and Avesh. But at the same time, Mohammad Shami is also in the fray whose non-selection for the Asia Cup invited criticism for the selectors from fans and experts.

Chetan Sharma and his team will have to look after the progress of Bumrah and Harshal in the upcoming home T20Is against South Africa and Australia at home before making the final decision. Meanwhile, Jadeja is completely out of reckoning as he recently underwent knee surgery. Axar could be an automatic selection but then again, the selectors will have to deal with Deepak Hooda. Also, a call has to be taken if India need two wicketkeepers for the tournament and if not, then who shall be in from Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik?

The Asia Cup returns to the true slam-bang Twenty20 avatar after six and half years. For obvious reasons, the tournament is of much significance to the five Asian teams – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. That will be part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be played in the Australia, from October 16. Attention though in the Continental tournament will be riveted on these five teams which will be joined by one of the teams from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kuwait that is part of the qualifier competition played in Muscat.

The tournament’s marquee match has always been between the giants and arch-rivals, India and Pakistan. After the opener between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Dubai International Stadium next Saturday (August 27). Rohit Sharma’s Team India will take on Babar Azam-led Pakistan on Sunday. The weekend match promises to be a blockbuster with India keen and eager to look for better fortunes at a venue where it was thumped by Pakistan in the league stage of last year’s T20 World Cup. With left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi nonplussing the India openers Rohit and KL Rahul.

Also read: Shaheen Afridi ruled out of Asia Cup with knee injury

Balancing without Bumrah is tough in Asia Cup, but we will find a way out-Sharma

Only 17 matches have been played in the T20 format in the Asia Cup and all action took place at Fatullah and at Mirpur where thirteen matches of the tournament were played. India won all five games against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the UAE before putting it against the home team.

The legion of cricket fans in these parts – in the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian gulf. Also among the diaspora across the world would look to witness high-octane matches between India and Pakistan. India will go into the tournament without its spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and seamer Harshal Patel. Both laid low by injuries of a nature that the BCCI’s press release was not specific about.

In the last six and half years, from the time he made his T20 debut against Australia in Melbourne. Bumrah has turned out in 58 internationals in the shortest format of the game, taking 69 wickets at 19.46 and at a strike rate of 18.07. Clearly, Rohit would miss his key bowler in the power play and also at the back end of the innings. Bumrah could be seen in the home white ball series against Australia and South Africa before the ICC event.

Royal Challengers Bangalore have had some of the best players in the World with the likes of Virat Kohli, Ab De Villiers, Chris Gayle and even Yuvraj Singh in the same squad at one point. Despite all their strength, the team has never won a trophy. A major factor over their defeats in the previous seasons could come down to how they used to treat their players. With big stars in Virat Kohli and Ab De Villiers for most of the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s IPL journey, it is sensible to build the line-up around these two players.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore though, seemed to have relied more on these players, and forgot about the rest of the line-up. This move led to issues such as lack of clarity among the players, before IPL 2020. Barring the duo, Chris Gayle when he was there, and Yuzvendra Chahal, none of the players were given a clear and stable role.

This season, the clarity in the side has been a lot better, which could be a huge factor behind their success. Despite Virat Kohli not at being at his best, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have managed to look threatening throughout, and have gone through a season without making too many changes to their line-up. They had to fight some adversities in between though, with Harshal Patel leaving the bubble for his sister’s death and Mohammad Siraj’s lack of form at one stage, but when they were with a full-strength side, the team has managed to look clear and cool.

In the first half of the season, the only area which lacked clarity was the opening slot, and that was more due to Virat Kohli’s form. With Kohli struggling to get starts, the Royal Challengers Bangalore made an adjustment for their biggest player, moving him up the order, and this allowed Rajat Patidar to get into the side. Even before this change, there was some incredible clarity in roles. Dinesh Karthik’s job as a finisher was as clear as ever, with him walking in only in the last seven overs, despite the number of wickets falling.

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With him walking in at a fixed place, Karthik found it easy to get into his role, and score at a quick place, which suits him well. Then there is Glenn Maxwell who is fixed at number four, and present to score at a quick rate again, in the middle-overs. Along with his batting, Maxwell has acted as a partnership breaker, coming into bowl in the middle-overs, and often bowling his quota with a handy number of wickets.

With Virat Kohli opening and Glenn Maxwell at number four, Rajat Patidar’s role has become easier. Incase of an early wicket, his job has mostly been to occupy the crease, and counter-attack with positive strokes, allowing Glenn Maxwell to come in to bat at a suitable situation in the middle-overs. The role has helped Patidar know what needs to be done, and in the eliminator his counter-attacking style worked well as he made a remarkable century.

There is Shabhaz Ahmed as well, who has been given a job of his own while batting lower down the order. While Dinesh Karthik has been in the spotlight for his finishing antics this season, Ahmed was the one accompanying him on most occasions, and he has been just as consistent with his aggressive batting in the last five overs. Unlike Karthik though, Ahmed has been given an additional role of walking in earlier than Karthik if wickets fell before the final overs, and this has led to Ahmed being a little more flexible in the batting line-up.

This sort of clarity with the bat has long been missing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, with batters often shuffling and being rotated in and out of the side, leading to the lack of stability. The bowling used to be just as bad, with bowlers changing in each game, but this season the bowling attack has looked solid.

In Hazlewood, Hasaranga and Harshal Patel, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have a trio that are clear with what they need to do. They have Hazlewood tying batters down with his good length deliveries, and with Hazlewood improving, he has been given more responsibilities in the death overs as well. Wanindu Hasaranga, a questionable buy ahead of the auction, has been consistent with his wickets in the middle overs and is right up there as a purple cap contender.

When Mohammad Siraj is around, he handles the new ball, and has done a great job upfront, despite being expensive in the latter stages. The Royal Challengers Bangalore have also managed to handle the fifth bowlers quota well with Ahmed and Maxwell sharing the duties.

The main asset to their side though has been Harshal Patel. Last season, with wickets in the death, Harshal Patel came into the light, and this season he is doing just as well. He is bowling at different stages this season, and is often used whenever Faf feels the game is slipping away. With incredible control and courage, Harshal Patel has emerged as a trump card, allowing the Royal Challengers Bangalore to rally around him, making it easier for other bowlers to coordinate with him.

Despite the lack of performances from seasoned match-winners such as Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis, the role clarity has allowed the Royal Challengers Bangalore to look beyond and find new superstars. Now, with a team full of capable match-winners, and only two games to win, they look like strong contenders ahead of the Qualifier 2.

The IPL Auction is around and the Auction fever begins with very little time left for the auction. With ten teams in the auction, and some talented players, along with seasoned stars getting into the auction, the IPL Auction promises to be a cracker. Considering it is a mega auction, players may not go as high as Morris did last season, but there will still be some strong buys, and here are a few players who could potentially finish with the highest paychecks.

David Warner

David Warner along with Ab De Villiers and Chris Gayle is the best overseas player in the IPL, and may also be a contender for the best player in IPL History. He has been around for a long time, and was the face of Sunrisers Hyderabad for the best part of seven years. However, a poor season for him along with injury and a fallout with the franchise sees David Warner back in the IPL Auction.

With new franchises, and franchises needing leaders, Warner`will be hot property. He is one of the best T20 Crickters in the World, and has an impeccable record as a leader in the IPL. His batting average is good, and Warner has the capability of defining games single-handedly. With a lot of assets, David Warner will be a big buy in the auction and he could well be the most expensive player in the IPL Auction for this season.

Ishan Kishan

Young, aggressive and a wicket-keeper, Ishan Kishan has a lot of positives. He was one of the best batters in Mumbai Indians over the last four seasons, and was a key six-hitter for them. With age on his side, and the demand for wicket-keepers Ishan Kishan could be seen as a long term option. His old franchise will be eyeing him as well, and his rate could go up as franchises look to make things tougher for Mumbai Indians.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer was a core member of the Delhi Capitals, and his leadership ended a decade of struggles as Delhi began a playoff run in 2019. He transformed the Delhi Capitals, but an injury saw him lose captaincy and now Shreyas Iyer is looking for a team to lead. He is a good leader, and a consistent batter, but issues with the short-ball may bite him slightly. Nevertheless, his captaincy is a massive asset, and Iyer have some high bids on him in the IPL Auction.

Harshal Patel

All-rounders generally have a fair demand in auctions and looking at the form of Harshal Patel along with his performance last season, franchises will have an eye on him. Last season turned out to be a breakthrough season for him as he finished with 32 wickets. He bowled a lot of overs in the death, and has a handy slower ball along with a good yorker. Last seasons performance helped Harshal Patel break into the national side, and the all-rounder is enjoying a dream run. Along with his death bowling, Patel is a decent batter, and can provide sides with handy contributions lower down the order.

Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur has been going through a dream run over the last two years. From the Gabba to the Oval, Shardul Thakur has helped India win many matches overseas. He is a handy all-rounder now as his batting has come into light with his consistent runs lower down the order, and his ability to break partnerships makes him a key strike-bowler. His all-round skills has made him an undroppable asset, and Shardul Thakur’s recent growth could leave him strongly placed to make a massive mark on the IPL Auctions. He will probably be among the most demanded players on the list, and could go home with a fat paycheck to compliment his recent growth.

After what can only be described as a whirlwind second leg of IPL 2021 for Kolkata Knight Riders’ Venkatesh Iyer, it was quite bizarre that the 26-year-old was asked to stay back as a net bowler for India’s T20 World cup campaign (though the net bowlers were eventually sent back) for Iyer had a stellar IPL with the bat scoring 370 runs at 41.11. Be that as it may post India’s T20 World Cup debacle, Iyer finds a place – deservedly at that – in the Indian squad for the New Zealand T20I series at home, alongside other IPL standouts – Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Avesh Khan.

With senior players rested, the new-look team under the leadership of Rohit Sharma will be looking to lift the team’s morale after they were knocked out of the Super 12 stage at the T20 World Cup. Amidst calls for a fresh approach and change in top management (Rahul Dravid will be replacing Ravi Shastri as the coach) inclusion of fresh faces does signal that India has pressed the reset button with an aim to do well in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.

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Harshal Patel – From IPL Purple Cap to India Cap

Harshal Patel won the Purple Cap in this season’s IPL and it is no mean feat for the 31-year-old Haryana cricketer who took quite a while to make a mark at the highest level. He made his IPL debut a long back (2012 for RCB), but it almost took him nine years to come to the party. As IPL began this year under the shadow of the pandemic in Chennai, he made an instant impact in the opening match against Mumbai Indians, picking up a five-for. This was the first such action against the might of MI which boasts of an excellent top order.

Umran Malik Fast-tracked to India A setup

Nortje dominated the list of fastest deliveries in IPL 2021 early on, then came Lockie Ferguson and in just three matches, 21-year-old right-arm pacer from Jammu and Kashmir Umran Malik turned the list around, and turned a few heads as well, clocking 152.95 kmph. In the three matches he played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Malik rushed the best of the batters, and even though he does not have much in terms of T20 experience, he has been picked for India A purely on the basis of the potential he showed during IPL. He has played eight T20s in his career so far where he impressed many with 11 wickets under his kitty at an economy rate of 8.53.

While, in the only List A match, he failed to make an impact where he leaked 98 runs and picked just one wicket. He also traveled with the Indian team in T20 World Cup as a net bowler. The youngster has risen through the ranks despite humble beginnings. His father owns a small fruit shop in Jammu’s Gujjar Nagar area. On his T20 debut, he picked up 3/24 against Railways which included the wicket of former India player Karn Sharma, who was beaten for sheer pace. He has taken six wickets in four games in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy though J&K finished last in Group C.

Chahal Returns, Chahar, Chakravarthy Out

Another talking point from the selection was the return of Yuzvendra Chahal to the T20I setup and the ousted of Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy. While Chahar finds a place in the India A squad, after playing just a lone match in the T20 World Cup, that too a dead rubber against Namibia, where he returned 0/30, Chakravarthy, the mystery spinner who was the talk of the town ahead of the T20 World Cup, has been completely ignored after a rather tame campaign in the UAE. The fact that Chahal should have been part of the T20 WC squad right from the start was always up for debate,