Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming acknowledges there is "pressure" on New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell after his team lost again to Lucknow Super Giants.

Holders CSK had won four of their first six Indian Premier League matches this season, but consecutive losses to LSG in the space of five days have seen them slip to fifth in the standings.

Their latest IPL defeat on Tuesday came after CSK had left out Rachin Ravindra, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane opening the batting, with Mitchell coming in at number three.

While captain Gaikwad scored an impressive unbeaten 108, Rahane managed just one run and Mitchell fell for just 11 off 10 balls.

LSG then chased down their 211 target for victory with three balls left, inspired by a superb innings of 124 not out by Marcus Stoinis.

Mitchell was a major acquisition by CSK at the IPL auction, but so far he has managed just 146 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 123.72.

"There's a lot of pressure obviously," Fleming said when asked about Mitchell's poor form.

"Getting up the order is more comfortable for him. Me putting him down the order in the hitting role wasn't his best position. So, we've looked to rectify that and get him up the order where he has had his best performances internationally. 

"That might take a little bit of time, but the top three need to contribute the majority of runs.

"Ruturaj did that, so hopefully he can continue his form and the others can pick that up."

CSK are back in action at home against in-form Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday and Fleming accepts there is work to do, but takes comfort from the fact their defeats have not been comprehensive.

He added: "We are not firing on all cylinders by any means but we are in each game and we are asking teams to play well to beat us. 

"We just have to make sure we are good enough to win and we have been. Again [versus LSG] we created a chance, so it is not like we are down and out.

"But we know we could be stronger. We have just got to get a little bit better. It is a mixture of trying to find that [combination at the top of the order] and also form.

"We are a little bit uncomfortable with some areas, so we are trying to find not a quick fix, but the right combination where players are going to contribute for the back end of this tournament.

"We have had injuries, we have been a little bit unsettled, but the main thing is getting guys in key areas and in form."

IPL 2024 continues on Wednesday when Delhi Capitals face Gujarat Titans, with both teams sitting outside the playoff positions as things stand.

Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran showcased his batting prowess on Sunday with a spirited 32-ball 45 against Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League match, but his efforts ultimately ended in vain as his side succumbed to an eight-wicket defeat.

Despite Lucknow's loss, Pooran's aggressive innings stood out as he struck four sixes and two fours to provide a much-needed boost to his team's total. His performance, coming in at number six, helped Lucknow Super Giants post a competitive score of 161 for 7.

Kolkata Knight Riders' Mitchell Starc proved to be a significant obstacle for Lucknow, claiming three crucial wickets for 28 runs, including that of Pooran in the final over. Starc's exceptional bowling performance played a pivotal role in restricting Lucknow's run-scoring capabilities in the latter stages of the innings.

Starc got support from Sunil Narine, who failed with the bat, only making six, but bowled well, picking up 1-17 from his quota of overs. Andre Russell was expensive conceding 16 runs but also taking a wicket in the emphatic victory.

Lucknow's hopes were further dashed as Kolkata Knight Riders' Phil Salt dominated the chase with an unbeaten 89 off 47 balls, steering his team to victory with ease. Salt's aggressive batting display, combined with a composed innings of 38 not out from Shreyas Iyer, propelled Kolkata Knight Riders to their target with eight wickets in hand.

The Lucknow Super Giants recorded their first win of the 2024 Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) season with a 21-run victory over the Punjab Kings in Lucknow on Saturday.

The hosts first posted 199-8 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Quinton de Kock was the main scorer for the Super Giants with a 38-ball 54 at the top of the innings.

Nicholas Pooran, who captained the team in this game, hit three fours and three sixes on his way to 42 off just 21 balls while Krunal Pandya finished 43* off 22 balls including four fours and two sixes.

Sam Curran took 3-28 from his four overs for the Kings.

Punjab were then restricted to 178-5 from 20 overs in their reply despite a 50-ball 70 from Shikhar Dhawan and 42 from his opening partner, Jonny Bairstow.

Liam Livingstone also made 28* for the Kings as debutant Mayank Yadav ripped through the batting order with his impressive quick bowling on the way to figures of 3-27 from his four overs.

Mohsin Khan provided good support for Yadav with 2-34 from his four overs.

Full Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 199-8 from 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 54, Krunal Pandya 43*, Nicholas Pooran 42, Sam Curran 3-28, Arshdeep Singh 2-30)

Punjab Kings 178-5 from 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 70, Jonny Bairstow 42, Liam Livingstone 28*, Mayank Yadav 3-27, Mohsin Khan 2-34)

Lucknow Super Giants fell short of their target despite valiant efforts from Nicholas Pooran and KL Rahul, resulting in a 20-run defeat against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur in their Indian Premier League encounter on Sunday.

Despite Pooran's unbeaten 64 and Rahul's composed 58, Lucknow Super Giants were unable to chase down the imposing target of 194 set by Rajasthan Royals. Sanju Samson's brilliant innings of 82 not out from 52 balls laid the foundation for Rajasthan's victory, propelling them to a commanding total of 193 for 4.

Lucknow Super Giants faced an uphill battle early in their innings as they were reduced to 11 for 3 within the first four overs, courtesy of Trent Boult and Nandre Burger's fiery spells. However, Rahul and Pooran resurrected the innings with a fifth-wicket partnership of 85 runs from 52 balls, keeping their team in the hunt.

Despite their valiant efforts, Lucknow Super Giants found themselves needing 38 runs from the final two overs. Sandeep Sharma's tight bowling in the penultimate over restricted Pooran's big-hitting, leaving too much for Lucknow to achieve in the final over. Avesh Khan closed out the contest comfortably for Rajasthan Royals, sealing their victory.

Sanju Samson's exceptional knock for Rajasthan Royals was the standout performance of the match, anchoring their innings with a blend of finesse and power. His unbeaten 82 provided the necessary impetus for Rajasthan's formidable total, setting the stage for their bowlers to defend the target.

Despite the loss, KL Rahul's return from injury showcased his class and resilience, offering a glimmer of hope for Lucknow Super Giants. His innings of 58 played a crucial role in keeping his team's chase alive, but ultimately, they fell short of the target set by Rajasthan Royals.

Nicholas Pooran's unbeaten 64 was another highlight for Lucknow Super Giants, as he displayed his ability to accelerate the scoring rate under pressure. However, his efforts were in vain as Lucknow Super Giants succumbed to Rajasthan Royals' bowling attack.

West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph has joined Lucknow Super Giants as replacement for England quick Mark Wood. He will join Super Giants for INR 3 crore (US$ 362,000 approximately), an IPL statement on Saturday said.

According to ESPNCricinfo, the ECB pulled Wood, a centrally contracted player, out of IPL 2024 to manage his workload, with the T20 World Cup scheduled in June and England hosting West Indies and Sri Lanka for Tests in the home summer.

Recently, the ECB had prevented Jofra Archer from being a part of the IPL 2024 auction as it manages his comeback from injury leading up to the T20 World Cup.

Super Giants had signed Wood in the auction before the 2022 season for INR 7.50 crore. He, however, missed that season because of an elbow injury. In IPL 2023, Wood played four matches and picked up 11 wickets at an average of 11.82.

Joseph made his West Indies debut in the drawn series against Australia, dismissing Steven Smith with his first ball in Test cricket, in a game West Indies lost in Adelaide. He then became a worldwide phenomenon when he took a seven-wicket haul in the final innings despite an injured foot to give West Indies a dramatic eight-run win at the Gabba in the second Test. It was West Indies' first Test win in Australia since 1997.

Joseph had been signed by Dubai Capitals for the ongoing ILT20 season before West Indies' tour of Australia, but was subsequently ruled out because of the toe injury he suffered in the Brisbane Test when a Mitchell Starc yorker struck him. But his performance in Australia has since landed him a deal with Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL, which starts on February 17.

While Joseph has just played two T20 games in his professional career, and doesn't have a wicket to show yet, West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy has indicated that Joseph could find a berth in the T20 World Cup squad, saying the fast bowler has "created a good headache" for the selectors.

Apart from Joseph, the Super Giants' fast-bowling line-up has Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, David Willey, Shivam Mavi, Yash Thakur and Yudhvir Singh. They also have allrounders Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers and India's Under-19 World Cupper Arshin Kulkarni, who can give them quite a few overs. Though just two seasons old in the IPL, Super Giants have been one of the best-performing teams, making the playoffs and finishing third both in 2022 and 2023.

Nicholas Pooran once again played a starring role to help the Lucknow Super Giants beat the Kolkata Knight Riders by one run at Eden Gardens on Saturday and seal a playoff spot.

After KKR won the toss and elected to field first, LSG, propelled by an aggressive 58 from Pooran, posted 176-8 off their 20 overs.

Pooran’s knock came off just 30 balls and included four fours and five sixes. He was well supported by Quinton De Kock (28) and Prerak Mankad (27).

Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur and Vaibhav Arora all took two wickets, each, for the Knight Riders.

Then, despite a fighting 67* from Rinku Singh and 45 from Jason Roy, KKR finished their reply 175-7 off 20 overs, falling agonizingly short of the win.

Ravi Bishnoi led the way with the ball for Lucknow with 2-13 from his four overs while Yash Thakur also took a pair of wickets.

Nicholas Pooran and Prerak Mankad starred as the Lucknow Super Giants beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.

South African wicketkeeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen led the way with a 29-ball 47 as the Sunrisers posted 182-6 off their 20 overs after winning the toss. Opener Anmolpreet Singh (36) and captain Aiden Markram (28) also made good contributions against 2-24 from Krunal Pandya.

The successful Super Giants chase was then led by Mankad, who brought up his maiden IPL fifty on the way to a top-score of 64* off 45 balls including seven fours and two sixes.

He was joined in the end by Pooran who smashed the Sunrisers bowling to all parts on the way to a brutal 44* off just 13 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes in the process.

Australian Marcus Stoinis also contributed 40 as Lucknow reached 185-3 in 19.2 overs.

Lucknow are now fourth in the table with 13 points from 12 games.

Captain Faf Du Plessis and fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood starred for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in an 18-run win over the Lucknow Super Giants in their Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture in Lucknow on Monday.

Du Plessis made a top-score of 44 while Virat Kohli made 31 as RCB struggled to 126-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Afghan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq led the way with the ball for the hosts with 3-30 from his four overs while leg-spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra took a pair of wickets, each.

The Lucknow chase was made even more difficult when captain KL Rahul was forced off the field with a thigh injury.

In the end, the Super Giants were bowled out for a lowly 108 in 19.5 overs.

Hazlewood made his return to the RCB side with 2-15 from his three overs while Karn Sharma finished with 2-20 from four overs.

RCB are now fifth in the table with 10 points from nine games.

The preparations for the IPL 2023 are underway, and all ten franchises have completed their squads after buying their preferred players at the recently concluded IPL auction.

Sam Curran became the most expensive player in IPL’s history after Punjab Kings bought him for 18.50 crore. Meanwhile, Ben Stokes and Cameron Green also went big.

One surprising pick that went for big money was West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran. Lucknow Super Giants spent 16 crore (US$ 2 million) on the 27-year-old, which left many shocked.

Pooran has had his moments of fame in the IPL, but his overall stats are disappointing, which is why the fans felt that Pooran has been overpaid by the KL Rahul-led franchise.

In 47 matches in his IPL career, Pooran has scored just 912 runs, including four fifty-plus scores.

LSG’s global mentor, Gautam Gambhir, responded to the trolls and criticism for Pooran and justified the big spending on the Caribbean star.

Gambhir said that he does not judge a player by last year’s performance but looks at its impact on the game.

“I do not look at the last season. I look at a player’s ability and impact. Pooran can win us 2-3 matches, and with age on his side, we wanted him to build the team around him.”

Gambhir took an indirect dig on old-school players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who score fifty-plus runs but at an underwhelming strike rate.

“The tournament is not about scoring 500-600 runs in a season. It is about winning matches by scoring impactful runs.”

Former India players Sunil Gavaskar and RP Singh are among those critical of all-rounder Krunal Pandya kissing former West Indian skipper Kieron Pollard during Sunday’s India Premier League (IPL) encounter between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants.

So far this season, Mumbai, the many-time champions, have failed to gain any traction, losing all eight of the games played so far.  In Sunday’s loss, Pandya found himself at the centre of controversy after running to give Pollard a kiss on the head after dismissing the West Indian.

Despite it being generally known that the men are friends, Gavaskar believes the bowler went too far with his celebration and that his mockery could have provoked a negative reaction from the West Indian. 

“I know he is not going to like it, No! No! However good friends you are, that has to happen once the game is over. He is lucky that Pollard didn’t do anything,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.  Singh agreed, adding that the Lucknow player had gone too far.

“Nobody likes losing. When a player is not doing well, one should avoid such things. You don’t know what emotions he is going through. What if he (Pollard) had turned back and reacted. He was walking back disappointed at being unable to win matches and that reaction was definitely too much.”

Trinidadian all-rounder and former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo made history on Thursday when he became the leading wicket-taker in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) during the Chennai Super Kings match against the Lucknow Super Giants in Brabourne.

Bravo took 1-35 from his four overs, his 171^st IPL wicket to move one ahead of Sri Lankan great Lasith Malinga.

His 171 wickets have come in 153 matches.

Bravo has played in the IPL since its inaugural season in 2008 and has represented three franchises-the Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings.

The next highest West Indian on the list is Sunil Narine with 144 wickets in 136 matches.

At the time of publishing, Bravo’s Chennai Super Kings were trying to defend nine runs off the last over.

Attacking left-hander Nicholas Pooran was the most expensive West Indian purchase at the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction which began on Saturday.

Pooran went to the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise for 10.75 crore (USD 1.43 million).

The Sunrisers will be his third IPL franchise after previously representing the Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings.

Jason Holder, formerly of the Sunrisers, will be suiting up for the new Lucknow Super Giants after being snapped up for 8.5 crore (USD 1.16 million).

Dwayne Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer were the only other West Indians sold on day 1 to the Chennai Super Kings for 4.4 crore (USD 583,953.04) and the Rajasthan Royals for 8.5 crore, respectively.

Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and West Indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard were all retained by their respective franchises before the auction.

Indian left-hander Ishan Kishan had the honour of being the most expensive pick-up of this year’s auction after going to the Mumbai Indians for 15.25 crore (USD 2.03 million).

Day 2 of the auction takes place on Sunday.