BENGALURU: One of the last times members of the Royal Challenges Bengaluru were inside the famous old precinct, they had gathered to celebrate an enormous achievement. IPL champions. But on June 4, disaster had struck the cricket-loving city as 11 people lost their lives in a stampede just outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. After undertaking necessary developments to prevent such scenes from playing out again, the Stadium got the nod to host their beloved team this year as well.
Rest assured, it will be a carnival on March 28. But there will be a sombre moment or two, to reflect and remember but never forget. That, though, is in the future. Ten days from now. On Wednesday, there was a small but significant first step. The RCB contingent — both playing and non-playing — began their final pre-season camp before the 19th edition of the league begins there next Saturday.
Virat Kohli, who has called this Stadium his address for 70 days every year since 2008, was there. Being put through his paces, testing the acoustics of his bat. Some of the new players, including England's Jordan Cox, were also there, shadowing RCB's crown jewel. Freddie Wilde, the brains behind the franchise's number-crunching wing, was surveilling the early birds. Devdutt Padikkal, his bat full of domestic runs in the months gone by, was wearing the side's familiar red and gold. After nine months out, it was the first day back at school. But the headmaster was missing. Skipper Rajat Patidar, however, is expected to make his presence felt in the next day or so.
Kishan named SRH interim captain
Sunrisers Hyderabad has named India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan as interim captain for the early part of IPL 2026, with Abhishek Sharma as his deputy, while Pat Cummins recovers from his injury. Cummins has been sidelined with a stress injury on his lower back, which kept him away for a major part of the last Ashes series Down Under as well as the T20 World Cup. IPL 2016 winners SRH, however, did not specify the number of matches Cummins is set to miss.
Jansen to join PBKS late
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has approved the late arrival Marco Jansen. South Africa and West Indies players were stuck in India for more than a week after concluding their World Cup campaigns due to restricted operations of major airports like Dubai and Abu Dhabi amid the West Asia conflict. Jansen, a key member of the PBKS unit, will join the squad on March 26.
