SARCASTIC DRS GESTURE LANDS DHONI IN SOUP DURING PUNE TIE
Indies’ World T20-winning captain Sammy will give them added energy.
KXIP also have Eoin Morgan, Hashim Amla and Marcus Stoinis in their ranks, and KXIP may have a hard time choosing the four foreign players in the playing XI.
BEST PACE ATTACK
KXIP probably have the best Indian pace attack in this edition of IPL. Apart from Ishant, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan provide an exciting array of options for the team management.
But two areas where the team lags behind are senior Indian batsmen and spinners.
After Murali Vijay’s exit due to injury, Wriddhiman Saha is their only batsman who plays for the Indian team. In the spin department, Axar Patel is the only reputed name.
But then, IPL is a tournament where unknowns become heroes almost every day, and who knows, Saturday might bring another name to that list. Former India captain MS Dhoni has been reprimanded by match referee Manu Nayyar for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during Rising Pune Supergiants’ IPL 2017 opener against Mumbai Indians. Dhoni was seen showing the DRS sign at umpire S Ravi after he turned down an appeal for what looked like a plumb LBW on MI’s Kieron Pollard from an Imran Tahir delivery. The incident took place in the 15th over of the MI innings. MS Dhoni also felt the decision should have gone his team’s way and joined in the appeals as he jumped up and shouted the moment the ball appeared to strike Pollard’s pads. At this juncture, MS Dhoni sarcastically signalled for a DRS appeal to make it known to the umpire that he did not agree with the decision. “MS Dhoni admitted the Level 1 offence (Article 2.1.1) for conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game,” said statement. “For Level 1 breaches of the IPL Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” it added. The statement, however, did not mention the reason for reprimand. Replays showed that the ball hit Pollard’s pad first and was well in line to hit the stumps meaning Dhoni was right.