Former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule joins as specialist spin-bowling coach after his IPL 2026 stint with Punjab Kings, per Times of India. He starts with the Afghanistan series in June under head coach Gautam Gambhir — and brings plenty of coaching miles from domestic and IPL circuits.

Gambhir wanted someone dedicated to sharpening the national spinners after recent series exposed weaknesses, so Bahutule steps away from PBKS, where he'd guided their spin group all season. His pick fills the gap in specialist help for players like Kuldeep Yadav and the rest.

India's spinners need work in white-ball and Tests before the big tours ahead. Bahutule's history with young talent should lift the wrist-spinners and finger-spinners alike.

Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by eight wickets at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. Finn Allen scored an unbeaten 100 off 47 balls with five fours and ten sixes to chase 143 in 14.2 overs. Cameron Green added 33 not out off 27 balls after DC made 142 for eight with Pathum Nissanka's 50 off 29 top-scoring.

KKR restricted DC through spin as Sunil Narine took one for 17 and Varun Chakravarthy claimed wickets in the collapse from 74 for one. Anukul Roy took two for 31, Vaibhav Arora one for 29, and Kartik Tyagi two for 25 for KKR. Axar Patel returned one for 27 for DC.

The win gives KKR four victories from ten games for nine points as they chase playoff spots. DC lost their second straight after an eight-wicket defeat to CSK. Allen earned player of the match for his fourth IPL hundred.

David Miller's frustrated. Delhi Capitals benched him for their last two games to fit in Pathum Nissanka and Mitchell Starc — a squad-balance call that stings when you're fighting for the playoffs. DC sit seventh, six losses in ten matches, needing to win all four remaining games just to sniff the knockouts. The franchise's logic: versatility over form. It hasn't worked. Four losses in five games, and their most recent — a home loss to Chennai at Arun Jaitley where they managed only 155 for 7 — shows the cost. Miller gets the frustration. He also knows IPL teams make these calls. That doesn't make it easier to watch from the bench. Next up is Kolkata Knight Riders, and DC can't afford another slip. Axar Patel's carrying the bowling attack, but Kuldeep Yadav's been leaking runs. That's one thing going right. Miller's absence is less about him and more about what it says: DC are gambling on squad depth over in-form batsmen in a survival fight. With four games left and a must-win mentality kicking in, that's a gamble getting harder to justify.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia sent an eight-page letter to IPL franchises with strict guidelines on security and conduct. The document warns of honey-trap risks and bans unauthorised hotel access without team manager approval. Surprise checks will verify compliance during IPL 2026.

NDTV Sports noted that breaches trigger disciplinary actions like player suspensions or fines. Teams must brief players on protocols and maintain detailed logs of movements and visitors. Vaping faces outright prohibition alongside other behavior rules.

The directive addresses recent protocol lapses and aims to protect players from external threats. Franchises received copies for immediate implementation across remaining matches. BCCI emphasized legal consequences for repeated violations to safeguard league integrity.

Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by 77 runs at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday. GT posted 229 for four with Shubman Gill's 84 off 44 balls and Sai Sudharsan's 55 in a 118-run opening stand. Rashid Khan took 4 for 33 to bowl RR out for 152 in 16.3 overs, per ESPNcricinfo.

Jason Holder claimed 3 for 12, Kagiso Rabada took 2 for 33, and Mohammed Siraj got 1 for 55. Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 36 off 16 and Ravindra Jadeja made 38 off 25 for RR. GT earned their fourth straight win for 14 points and second place on the table.

RR captain Yashasvi Jaiswal opted to bowl first after losing to DC at home. Jofra Archer bowled an 11-ball over for 18 runs, per ESPNcricinfo analysts. GT raised playoff chances to 72.52 percent, while RR held 80.31 percent despite the slump.

Heinrich Klaasen leads IPL 2026 run-scorers for Sunrisers Hyderabad with a strike rate above 157, and he's done it entirely from the middle order. No opening slot, no century yet — just a calm read of the game and a bat speed that's kept SRH from folding in tight moments.

He complements SRH's aggressive top order by building innings steadily then accelerating through the middle overs. Klaasen's 475 runs sit ahead of Abhishek Sharma's tally, and SRH hold first place with 14 points after recent wins.

What's shifted is the role itself. Teams now hunt for players who adapt to phases instead of locking into fixed positions — and overseas keepers especially have become the template. Klaasen's consistency is what SRH lean on when the scoreboard tightens.

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said we can't have fans at the receiving end when explaining the IPL final's shift from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad. He spoke up amid KSCA-state fights over ticket allocations and new laws cutting fan access. The call puts spectator experience first, even with RCB as defending champions.

KSCA wanted 10,000 extra tickets on top of their 15 percent quota for members, clubs, MLAs, and officials. BCCI shifted Qualifier 1 to Dharamsala, Qualifier 2 and Eliminator to New Chandigarh, and the final to Ahmedabad. They're even planning an ICC meeting there to test the setup.

RCB loses its home edge for the title shot, but BCCI's putting fans over franchise perks. State pressures have messed up past events, forcing this move — and it lays bare the tug-of-war between BCCI control and local power plays.

Australia rested Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood from white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh. The decision prioritizes T20 World Cup preparation over the bilateral ODIs and T20Is starting May 30. Mitchell Marsh takes captaincy for the nine matches across both series.

Young players Ollie Peake, Liam Scott and Joel Davies earn uncapped call-ups to fill the pace gaps. Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis missed T20 selections amid IPL workloads, per earlier reports. Selectors cite workload management as the key factor for senior absences.

Marsh led recent white-ball teams and now handles subcontinental challenges without the top pacers. Past tours used similar rests to test depth successfully. The tours provide opportunities for debutants in spin-friendly conditions before major events.

Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 235 for 4 to beat Punjab Kings by 33 runs in IPL 2026 and move to the top of the points table at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. Heinrich Klaasen scored 69 off 43 balls and Ishan Kishan made 55 off 32 balls in the innings, which benefited from PBKS fielding errors. Abhishek Sharma hit 35 off 13 balls with four sixes to reach 300 T20 sixes in India, entering an elite club.

Punjab Kings reached 202 for 7 with Cooper Connolly unbeaten on 107 off 59 balls, but Pat Cummins took 2 for 34 to seal the win. Klaasen leads IPL 2026 run-scoring without opening or hitting a century, posting a strike rate above 157 as a middle-order stabiliser and accelerator. His calm decision-making and bat speed complement SRH's aggressive top order and prevent collapses in volatile T20 conditions.

SRH coach Daniel Vettori indicated that Nitish Kumar Reddy will likely return from illness for future games, praising his all-round balance after Reddy took 1 for 11 in this match. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer's rebuild project at the franchise suffered a blow following their recent loss to Gujarat Titans. The result positions SRH ahead of Punjab Kings, who sit on 13 points.

Shreyas Iyer scans the PBKS huddle after another loss. Selectors eye him for India's T20I captaincy. Suryakumar Yadav's lean patch—183 runs in nine IPL innings at 20.33 average—prompts the shift. Wrist trouble lingers. Packed schedule to 2028 World Cup demands reliability.

India reverses leader-protection trend. Past captains batted poorly yet retained armband—Ganguly through 2003 slump, Dhoni post-2012 dips. Form now dictates, as with Rohit Sharma's 2024 exit. Iyer's IPL success across KKR and PBKS weighs heavy—led title win, rebuilds Punjab. SKY's MVP last year fades against current returns. Wrist scans confirm no quick fix.

Captaincy returns to batting merit. Iyer slots back into T20I setup. Schedule crams bilateral tours, Olympics prep. Selectors prioritise runs over reputation—data shows captains average 15% higher in wins. SKY steps aside quietly. Iyer waits in Mullanpur dugout. Leadership changes mid-IPL echo past transitions. Form rules again.

Sanju Samson scored an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls to guide Chennai Super Kings to an eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026. CSK chased 156 in 17.3 overs after DC posted 155 for seven on an improving pitch. Samson prioritised the team win over a personal century despite his desire for the milestone.

Sunil Gavaskar praised Samson's maturity for accelerating after settling in and playing for the team. Samson now has 402 runs in 10 matches this season including two tons. His knock featured controlled aggression that secured the chase with Kartik Sharma unbeaten on 41. Spinners restricted DC's middle order effectively during the defence.

Samson's shift from flamboyant strokeplayer to reliable finisher shows clear evolution in his IPL role with CSK. He settled early before exploding in the middle overs much like his recent tons but chose victory over individual glory this time. The performance bolsters CSK's top-six push amid MS Dhoni's ongoing knee injury absence. Samson fills the leadership void with consistent run-scoring under pressure.

A US-based consortium has filed legal claims against Rajasthan Royals after their $1. 65 billion ownership deal collapsed. The group accused the franchise of delays and incomplete documentation that allowed existing owner Manoj Badale to stay in control, according to News18. The dispute lands in court as IPL franchise valuations keep climbing. Reports had tied the consortium to Lakshmi Mittal and Adar Poonawalla acquiring the team at a 75 percent and 25 percent split, with sister franchises Paarl Royals and Barbados Royals included — pending Q3 2026 approvals. But the US claim now overrides those prior agreements. DC chased down 226 after RR posted 225 for 6. The team fielded young Vaibhav Suryavanshi, but the off-field fight has already become bigger than what happens on the pitch.

Varun Chakravarthy claimed three for 36 and Sunil Narine took two for 31 to restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to 165 all out in 19 overs at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Kolkata Knight Riders chased the target with seven wickets and 10 balls remaining reaching 169 for three in 18.2 overs. Ajinkya Rahane scored 43 off 36 balls and Angkrish Raghuvanshi made 59 off 47 balls in an 84-run stand. Travis Head top-scored for SRH with 61 off 28 balls before the collapse from 105 for one. The win marked KKR's third straight victory in IPL 2026.

Varun took 10 wickets across his last four games after early season struggles with injury and form. He varied pace effectively and used angles to trouble SRH batsmen on a tricky pitch per ESPNcricinfo. SRH coach Daniel Vettori pointed to key wickets lost at crucial stages while Ambati Rayudu called SRH complacent after the loss. KKR spinners controlled the middle overs preventing any SRH recovery.

SRH won their previous match by six wickets against Mumbai Indians but showed fragility against spin here. KKR tied their prior game against LSG in a Super Over win. Varun's resurgence bolsters KKR's spin attack alongside Narine providing balance in their recent run.

Mumbai Indians beat Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets at Wankhede Stadium. MI chased 229 in 18.4 overs with Ryan Rickelton scoring 83 off 32 balls and Rohit Sharma hitting 84 off 44. The left-right pair added 143 runs for a key partnership per ESPNcricinfo.

Rickelton tops MI charts with 380 runs in eight games at a strike rate of 190.95 per Times of India. Rohit returned from injury to anchor the chase against LSG's 228 for 5. Their century stand provided stability in MI's fading campaign.

MI sit ninth with slim playoff hopes after Hardik Pandya missed games with back spasms. Rickelton-Rohit combo stands as the team's lone bright spot this season. Experience and handedness aid their middle-order rescues per Times of India.

Gujarat Titans won by four wickets against Punjab Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium. They chased 164 with one ball left. Sai Sudharsan scored 57 off 41 balls. Washington Sundar finished 40 not out off 23. Jason Holder took 4 for 24 to earn Player of the Match. GT claimed their third straight win. They level points with PBKS now.

Punjab Kings made 163 for 9. Suryansh Shedge hit 57 not out off 29 balls. They recovered from 47 for 5. Marcus Stoinis added 40 off 31. But GT's bowlers struck back. Mohammed Siraj took 2 for 28. Kagiso Rabada got 2 for 22. Rashid Khan picked 1 for 32. Sudharsan broke Chris Gayle's record for most IPL runs after 50 matches. He reached 2178. Fastest to 2000 runs in 47 innings since his 2022 debut. PBKS lost their second game in a row.

GT builds around players like Sudharsan. He provides steady starts every chase. Holder adds control with good lengths. This setup differs from teams chasing big overseas names. Homegrown talent brings stability. Imports bring risk in auctions. GT's three wins show the approach works. Playoff hopes revive. PBKS stay top with 13 points but slip. Squad philosophy matters more in IPL's churn.

Australian keeper-batter Josh Inglis flew into Mumbai to link up with Lucknow Super Giants before their May 4 clash against Mumbai Indians. LSG snapped him up for INR 8.6 crore at auction after Punjab Kings released him over personal reasons — he steps in for Matthew Breetzke, who headed home for family issues. Inglis brings 278 IPL runs at over 162 strike rate, and he's handled Jasprit Bumrah well before.

LSG have just two wins from eight and four points, stuck near the bottom with MI. They lost their last one to KKR in a super over after both sides made 155. Now Inglis is here to fire up the middle order and shore up the keeping as they chase playoffs. MI sit on four points too after dropping games to CSK and SRH, while LSG need to hit 16-17 points from their remaining matches to have a shot, based on past trends.

LSG shelled out big on Inglis's experience for a late run — his past work against MI's quicks makes this a pointed roll of the dice.

Bowlers in IPL 2026 succeed with good length deliveries between six and eight metres from the stumps. Top wicket-takers Anshul Kamboj, Kagiso Rabada, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar use these Test-match style lengths, especially in powerplays, for better averages and economies than fuller or shorter balls. ESPNcricinfo data shows this approach yields superior results across phases.

Anshul Kamboj leads the Purple Cap race with 17 wickets, including ten in death overs for Chennai Super Kings. He employs around-the-wicket angles and yorkers after CSK's Project Kamboj training shifted him from new-ball duties. Kamboj took two for 47 at an economy of 11.75 against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday.

Cricbuzz reported Kamboj's rise offers CSK a rare Indian fast-bowling asset with McGrath-inspired yorkers and Dhoni's backing. Kagiso Rabada holds 18 wickets ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kamboj on 17. This trend counters high-scoring narratives by prioritising skill over raw pace on varied pitches.

Punjab Kings pacer Lockie Ferguson says bowlers need to adapt for IPL 2026's high-scoring games. Flat pitches and the Impact Player rule beef up batting lineups, turning 200-plus totals routine — like that 265 chase the other day.

Family commitments held him back early, but now he's gunning to restrict pars 10-15 runs lower. The rule hands teams deeper batting resources for true surfaces, so bowlers have to shift from dominating to containing.

PBKS lead with 13 points after solid runs, though death overs still bite. It's all about variations on dead pitches, defending smarter pars under pressure.