New Delhi, March 25: In a boost for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), pacer Avesh Khan has been cleared by the BCCI to participate in IPL 2025.

Avesh, who had been nursing a right knee issue, received medical clearance from the BCCI’s medical team this week and will soon join the LSG squad, ESPNcricinfo reported on Tuesday.

Avesh has been out of action since late January, with his last India appearance dating back to a T20I in South Africa last November. He also missed Madhya Pradesh’s final league game in the Ranji Trophy due to discomfort in his right knee, which was linked to his domestic workload.

He underwent rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he reportedly completed one of his final fitness tests on Monday.

While the exact date of his arrival in the LSG camp remains unclear, he is expected to be available for their next game – an away fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 27. LSG will be looking to bounce back after suffering a defeat in their season opener against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

LSG have been grappling with multiple injury setbacks to their key Indian pacers. Mayank Yadav, already recovering from a lumbar stress injury, has now sustained a toe injury as well. Bengal speedster Akash Deep is still working his way back to full fitness following a back injury sustained during India’s Test tour of Australia. Additionally, left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan has been ruled out of IPL 2025 after failing to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear suffered last December. He has been replaced by Shardul Thakur in the squad.

After the loss against Delhi Capitals, LSG assistant coach Lance Klusener mentioned their lack of bowling reserve due to multiple injuries.

“At the moment, we don’t have a lot of reserves with the ball, so we’re going to have to just probably mix and match until we start getting players back,” Klusener said at the post-match media interaction.

“But that’s just the nature of it. We’re going to have to stand up and stand tall with the bat in Hyderabad (venue of their next game) as we saw in the first game. We’re looking forward to that, but as I said, it’s an opportunity for some youngsters as well, getting their first opportunity. I was really happy for Shardul Thakur – two wickets in the first over,” he added.

New Delhi, March 25: Legendary cricketer MS Dhoni has named Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium as his favourite stadium besides Chennai Super Kings (CSK) home venue Chepauk.

Dhoni led Men in Blue to its second ICC ODI World Cup title after a long wait of 28 years in 2011 at Wankhede. CSK, for which Dhoni has played since the inception of IPL in 2008 barring two seasons, and the MA Chidambaram Stadium, also known as Chepauk, in Chennai, have become more like a home for the wicketkeeper-batter.

“I wouldn’t say I have a second favourite because we get the same kind of reception almost everywhere. Mumbai, I have a soft corner because in 2007, when we won the T20 World Cup, we came back here and got a very warm reception. The 2011 final was also here, and there are a lot of memories, so it has a special place in my heart,” Dhoni said on JioHotstar’s “The MS Dhoni Experience”.

The 43-year-old said that it’s impossible to pick one stadium in India, but Chepauk is special because “with the whistle, they are very loud”. The former CSK skipper holds the record for hitting the most sixes in Chepauk. His tally stands at 74 in 70 matches. He has also scored 1,469 runs at a strike rate of 145.15, including 93 boundaries at the venue.

“Other than that, even if you’re playing in Bangalore, the crowd is amazing, they’re very loud, and all the noise stays inside the stadium. In Kolkata, big capacity crowd, the same is with Ahmedabad now. So, it becomes very difficult – who will you pick? Because they come with all their heart, they support the teams, they support cricket. Chepauk is special because with the whistle, they are very loud,” he added.

The wicketkeeper-batter further reacted to the immense love that he has received from fans in the IPL. He said fans showing their love is their way of saying thank you very much for whatever he has done.

“I have always said, it’s a big ‘thank you’ from the fans’ side. That’s what I believe. Whatever last few years I’m in and I will be playing, it’s a way of them saying, ‘Thank you very much for whatever you have done,’ and it’s amazing. Especially when you play a sport, what you want is the appreciation of the fans. And when it comes to cricket, India is the place to play.

“Being part of the Indian cricket team is one of the biggest things. I’m not playing international cricket, so IPL is the next best thing that can happen. Whenever you walk in, everybody is very excited, they’re waiting for you, they want you to do well – even at times when you’re playing against the team that they want to win, but they still want you to perform, contribute a bit, whatever it may be. It’s an amazing feeling,” said Dhoni.

Last year, when Dhoni came out to bat in the match against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Stadium, the sound level had touched 95 decibels; 10 minutes at this sound level can cause temporary hearing loss.

New Delhi, March 24: India legend MS Dhoni applauds the initiative of regional language commentary at the Indian Premier League (IPL) and revealed his appreciation for Bhojpuri commentary, calling it “energetic” and said it reminds him of old-school radio commentary.

Bhojpuri made its debut in the commentary feed during the IPL 2023 and took fans by storm. This year, the 18th season of the IPL is streaming live across 16 feeds, including 12 languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, Haryanvi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati and Punjabi on the digital streaming platform.

“I haven’t listened to regional language commentary much because when we watch live matches, replays are limited, and most of the commentary I hear is in English or Hindi. That helps us analyse the game better. Personally, I also like listening to what commentators say because most of them are former players. While I may be playing 17 games in a season, they cover hundreds of matches across different tournaments and countries. Their exposure to various situations and teams is immense.

“As players, we know our team’s strengths and weaknesses, but listening to commentary gives you an outsider’s perspective. It sparks new ideas – like ‘why don’t we try this approach?’ – which can then be evaluated based on intelligence and data to see if it fits within the team’s strategy.

“I haven’t heard a lot of regional commentary, but I know that Bihari (Bhojpuri) commentary is highly energetic. It reminds me of old-school radio commentary, where the commentators were very involved. I find that very interesting. Many people prefer to listen in their regional language – it’s their mother tongue, and they want to experience the game in that way. I would love to hear Haryanvi commentary because it’s quite unique,” Dhoni said on JisHotstar’s ‘The MS Dhoni Experience’.

Dhoni is playing in his 18th season in the tournament in 2025 and has so far played 265 games and scored 5,243 runs with 24 half-centuries to his name.