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Neither fuel price hikes nor six-hitting fatigue can stop IPL fans

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By K.R. Nayar Strange, truly strange, are the debates that the Indian Premier League (IPL) throws up. One suggestion wondered whether the remaining IPL matches should be played without spectators—to conserve fuel. Another claimed that, thanks to the rush of 200-plus scores, spectators are now suffering from something called ‘sixer’ fatigue. Packed stadiums for IPL in every match Both can be laughed off, but there are many who believe that these are serious matters. With fuel prices going up, some believe that it is foolish to keep spending on fuel, especially to watch cricket matches. Traffic swells during every match, resulting in a huge consumption of fuel. The sixer fatigue is because in many of these matches an average of close to 30 sixes have been hit, and some spectators are bored to see bowlers look helpless. In a country where IPL matches have turned out to be the biggest entertainment, stopping spectators to conserve fuel seems impossible. Thankfully, a suggestion t...
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Have we seen the last of Dhoni as a player in Chennai Super Kings’ attire?

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  By K.R. Nayar Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) failed to make it to the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. This is a huge disappointment for a team that has a large fan following. Their crushing defeat to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 89 runs on May 21, 2026, in Ahmedabad, resulted in CSK becoming the third team to be eliminated from this edition. More than the sorrow of the poor show by the team, for which they have always whistled to win, it was the pain of not being able to watch Mahendra Singh Dhoni, their greatest hero, whom they address as Thala (leader), in action this season . So have we seen the last of Dhoni? This is a question going around for nearly a decade, but he has silenced everyone by turning up for CSK, fit and agile, with an unyielding spirit. This season, at 44 and barely two months away from turning 45, Dhoni needed a bit of luck to stand beside him. Unfortunately, a calf strain, followed by a thumb injury, kept him away from the sta...
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a kid out of control

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By K.R. Nayar  What is a kid gone out of control called? Are they called disruptive because they disrupt people and activities around them, turn order into chaos and calmly walk away from the mess? Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a kid out of control. He upsets bowlers, unsettles the opponent captain’s plans, and destroys their hopes of winning the match. He smashed 93 runs off 38 balls, with seven boundaries and ten sixes, ensuring a seven-wicket win for Rajasthan Royals (RR) over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 19, 2026, refusing to calm down and continuously annoying the bowlers.  Every trait of a delightfully uncontrollable kid was on full display in that match. The sad part for the bowlers was that even an effort to tire him by forcing him to take runs through singles and doubles failed. Out of his 93 runs, 88 came from hits to the boundaries or over them. This meant it was the fielders who were getting tired, running frequently to the boundary. He did not even run as much ...
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Punjab Kings’ six consecutive defeats sparks theories beyond cricket

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By K.R. Nayar Defeats are tough to swallow, and when it is six consecutive defeats, it becomes even tougher. Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) six consecutive defeats, after reigning at the top of the table like kings for weeks, has become the talk of the tournament. Interestingly, reasons beyond cricket are being attributed to it.  After they crashed to their fifth consecutive defeat on May 14, 2026, against Mumbai Indians (MI), some said that it was owing to an earlier PBKS social media tweet. When PBKS lost their sixth match in a row, going down to Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 17, 2026, it was even attributed to a curse. Why is it that reasons beyond cricket have emerged in this case? It seems strange that PBKS, who were at the top and unbeatable in the first seven matches, thereafter lost six in a row! What is it that has lead them to such a steep fall? Now it looks like the team has developed a habit of losing matches, though, like the statutory warning on a cigarette pack...
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When bowlers turn philanthropists in the IPL like Kamboj’s 63-run charity spell

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By K.R. Nayar  During the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) match on May 15, 2026, in Lucknow, CSK’s bowler Anshul Kamboj was hit for 63 runs in 2.4 overs. He has earned the dubious record of being the bowler who has given away the maximum runs while representing CSK. Fortunately, he did not become the bowler who has conceded the most runs in the IPL, as that record remains with Jofra Archer, who, while representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2025 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), was hit for 76 runs in four overs. Why do bowlers become so expensive and unable to control the free flow of runs from their overs? It is not that the bowlers who are hit are inexperienced or have no clue on how to prevent the flow of runs. Second on the list of bowlers to have conceded the maximum runs is SRH’s Mohammed Shami, who in 2025 was hit for 75 runs in four overs. For Kamboj to give away 63 runs in less than three overs would have made Chennai fans wonder whether he is a ...
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Kohli’s art of singles and his antidote for pressure

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By K.R. Nayar  Virat Kohli is known by many nicknames, but the most popular one is King Kohli. For a team that has the name “Royal,” it should have a king, and that is Kohli. When a king rules with devotion, it is bound to flourish, and that is what happened in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 13, 2026, in Raipur. When Kohli cracked a match-winning century to propel defending champions RCB to the top of the table, many addressed him as the Chase Master. When Kohli dominates bowlers, fans rise in chorus to hail their King. When he pursues a target, he transforms into the Chase Master. Bestowing him with a title is easy, but to score runs to be addressed in such a manner, especially after two ducks in the previous innings, is tough. Despite being the highest run-getter in the history of the IPL with over 9000 runs, when he played a delivery from KKR’s Saurabh Dubey to square leg for a single, he punched the air in celebration fo...
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What’s behind the child labour FIR attempt against Rajasthan Royals to “protect” Sooryavanshi?

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By K.R. Nayar  It was amusing to learn that a Karnataka-based activist had threatened to file a complaint seeking an FIR against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise for "child labour". The reason given was that a 15-year-old cricketer, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, playing in a high-pressure commercial league like the IPL, violates child labour laws, and that the minor should instead be focusing on his studies. It is not clear whether the activist did this for publicity or fame just to portray himself as a man who stood up to “rescue” Suryavanshi. Every Indian has the right to file a complaint. At the same time, there are these myopic thinking individuals like this activist who are actually a threat to talented and successful teenagers. They find reasons to create roadblocks to brilliance. Many believe teenagers must be focusing only on academics. Their travel must be limited to classrooms, tuition centres, and examination halls, with no detours allowed for dreams. It is like...
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