Actors Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda celebrated their one-month anniversary on March 26 in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. The couple was welcomed to the set of their film Ranabaali with a harathi (aarti), and they also visited a temple before that. A protective Vijay was seen holding Rashmika close as they almost got mobbed at the temple.
Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda celebrated their 1 month anniversary at an Anantapur temple.
Vijay Deverakonda holds Rashmika Mandanna close as they almost get mobbed
A video posted by an Anantapur Instagram page shows Vijay dressed in a simple cream kurta and Rashmika in a simple blue suit set. The couple was all smiles as they waved to fans and received flowers. Later, Vijay was seen holding Rashmika close, her hand clutched at his waist as the crowd thickened. Their security could be seen holding people back as the couple were blessed by priests.
Vijay also stood behind Rashmika and held her close as they walked out of the temple after receiving blessings at the Hanuman temple. One video shows a massive crowd jostling to get close to the couple, while their security keeps them at a distance. Vijay even looked worried for a brief moment as they almost got mobbed while heading to their car. The crowd kept trying to touch them as Vijay shielded Rashmika until she got into the car.
Welcomed to Ranabaali set with harathi
After visiting the temple, Rashmika and Vijay went to the Ranabaali sets to resume filming, looking unperturbed after almost being mobbed. They were welcomed with a traditional harathi with women dotting the couple’s foreheads with kumkum afterwards. Rashmika also briefly looked up at Vijay and smiled, a moment captured by a paparazzo.
Ranabaali is a historical action-drama directed by Rahul Sankrityan of Shyam Singha Roy-fame. Set between 1854 and 1878, the film focuses on resistance against colonial rule and the Great Indian Famine. Vijay plays the titular role while Rashmika plays his wife, Jayamma, in the film. Arnold Vosloo of The Mummy-fame plays the antagonist. It is produced by Mythri Movie Makers and T-Series.
Upcoming work
Ranabaali is Vijay and Rashmika’s third film, following Geetha Govindam (2018) and Dear Comrade (2019), and their first after their wedding. The film will be released in theatres on September 11. Apart from this, Rashmika has Cocktail 2 in Hindi and Mysaa in Telugu lined up, while Vijay has Rowdy Janardhana in Telugu. Vijay and Rashmika got engaged in October last year and married in Udaipur in February.
Mumbai Indians team owner Nita Ambani had arrived to meet the team prior to Sunday`s Indian Premier League (IPL) season opener against the three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Ambani had a positive conversation with the team`s star batsman, Rohit Sharma, praising his recent improvement in fitness.
Mrs. Nita Ambani met the squad during training ahead of the start of TATA IPL 2026! 💙 pic.twitter.com/r2Gy9NaDOc
In the video posted on MI`s official X handle, Nita was heard saying, “My god, Rohit, I did not recognise you! You look like a young boy”. In response, Rohit replied with just a smile.
Rohit worked hard to maintain his physical fitness after retiring from Test cricket in May of last year in order to fulfil his aim of competing in the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup. The Hitman, who will turn 39 next month, will be hoping to finally win the elusive trophy and leave on a high note after the 2027 World Cup, which will take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Rohit Sharma has impressed everyone with his fitness regime. The likes of Brendon McCullum and Trent Boult have praised the former Indian captain, who looks back to hit his best physical shape in years. MI will hope that a fit Rohit Sharma can guide them to a record sixth IPL title.
Rohit Sharma`s IPL record
Despite being the second-highest run scorer in IPL history, Rohit Sharma is yet to set the IPL on fire. The opener has scored 7,046 runs over the course of his career with two centuries and 47 half-centuries; however, he is yet to perform at his best in recent years.
The last time Rohit Sharma had a 450-plus runs season was in 2016. His best season with the bat was in 2013, when he scored 538 runs in 19 innings on the way to MI`s maiden IPL triumph.
Rohit has only had three seasons with 400 runs or more since 2016. With just one century and eighteen fifties, he has scored 3,172 runs in 129 innings at an average of 26.00 during the last nine seasons.
With four fifties and a top score of 81, he scored 418 runs in 15 innings last season at an average of 29.86 and a strike rate of 149.29.
Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone dined at Mumbai’s Chowpatty dosa spot with his dad amid Dhurandhar 2’s blockbuster run. Restaurant selfie shows happy couple; fans love their vibe. Aditya Dhar’s spy sequel has Ranveer rising as Hamza. Deepika eyes King with SRK, Atlee film with Allu Arjun.
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh visited a dosa restaurant at Chowpatty in Mumbai. Ranveer’s father, Jagjit Singh Bhavnani, joined the couple as they stepped out during the huge box-office success of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’.Dhurandhar 2 Movie Review
Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone selfie
The eatery posted an Instagram selfie featuring the couple and staff. Ranveer snapped the picture, smiling in his black T-shirt and white cap. The ‘Dhurandhar’ actor slung a bag over his shoulder, wore dark shades, and exuded cool vibes. Deepika stood smiling next to him in a black tee, hair neatly bunched up, clutching sunglasses and a beige bag while throwing up a peace sign.
Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone fan reactions
Interestingly, Jagjit, Ranveer’s father, stood behind the couple, beaming at the lens. The restaurant paired the image with the caption, “Something and all is happening pt.2.” One fan commented, “Wow! After a long time saw them together.” Another added, “They look so happy and good together. Unnecessarily, she was getting trolled. She is with him throughout.”
Ranveer Singh in ‘Dhurandhar 2’
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy action thriller ‘Dhurandhar 2’ arrived in theaters on March 19. The initial chapter follows Ranveer Singh as an undercover Indian spy who penetrates Karachi’s crime rings and political elite in Pakistan to dismantle a terror outfit aimed at India. In the follow-up, Ranveer’s role as Hamza Ali Mazari climbs the Karachi underworld ladder. It uncovers his backstory as Jaskirat Singh Rangi. The cast also includes Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi.
Deepika Padukone next films
On the other hand, Deepika’s most recent role was in 2024’s ‘Singham Again’. Up next, she is teaming up with Shah Rukh Khan in ‘King’, slated for December 2026. Siddharth Anand directs this action-packed thriller with a powerhouse cast: Suhana Khan, Rani Mukerji, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Abhay Verma, Abhishek Bachchan, Arshad Warsi, and Jaideep Ahlawat. Plus, she’s currently shooting Atlee’s massive project opposite Allu Arjun, tentatively called ‘AA22XA6’.
IPL 2026 is set for a blockbuster start this weekend, with the champion teams and star players kicking off the season in front of fans across the world. Here is the schedule for the opening weekend, along with match details and venues.RCB vs SRH: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru- March 28 (Saturday)Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the match starting 7:30 PM IST. The two sides last met at this venue in 2024, when SRH posted a record-breaking highest total of IPL 287/3. The match ended in SRH’s favor and also witnessed the highest aggregate in IPL history, with a combined 549 runs scored. At the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB and SRH have a competitive head-to-head record, with RCB holding an advantage with 5 wins in 8 matches, while SRH has secured 3 wins.RCB’s predicted playing XII: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shephard, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma (Impact Player) SRH’s predicted playing XII: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (C), Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Liam Livingston, Aniket Verma, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Eshan Malinga, Jaydev Unadkat Impact – Zeeshan AnsariMI vs KKR: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – March 29 (Sunday)Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will face five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, with the match starting 7:30 PM IST. The last time these two teams met in Mumbai, MI registered a dominant eight-wicket win on March 31, 2025. Debutant Ashwani Kumar starred with figures of 4/24 to bowl KKR out for 116, after which Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 62 off 41 balls helped MI chase down the target with 43 balls to spare, securing their first win of the 2025 season. Mumbai Indians (MI) dominate Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Wankhede Stadium, holding a 10-2 head-to-head record over 12 matches. MI’s predicted playing XII:Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock (WK), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Will Jacks, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Shardul Thakur (IMP)KKR’s predicted playing XII: Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Cameron Green, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Blessing Muzarabani, Umran Malik (Imp)
Los Angeles, Hollywood star Ryan Gosling will headline the next feature film from “Everything Everywhere All at Once” directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
Ryan Gosling to lead new film for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ directors
Universal Pictures has set the untitled sci-fi action comedy for November 19, 2027, release with production set to begin in Los Angeles this summer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The casting deal closed just days after Gosling’s latest blockbuster, Amazon MGM’s “Project Hail Mary”, surpassed box office expectations, grossing USD 100 million in North America and USD 155 million worldwide.
Plot details remain under wraps, though Kwan offered some details of the story during an interview with Collider on the sidelines of the South By Southwest festival.
“Fun sci-fi, action comedy with a big heart. Very existential. All those things that you would hope that one of our movies would be,” he said.
He added the film would reckon with a “complex” world, saying the duo’s desire to “reconcile all those things and put them into one movie” had extended their timeline.
The film is the follow-up to “Everything Everywhere All at Once”, the 2022 critical and commercial phenomenon that earned over USD 100 million at the box office and won seven Oscars including best picture, best director, best actor for Michelle Yeoh and best original screenplay.
Kwan and Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, made their feature debut with 2016’s “Swiss Army Man”, a fantasy comedy starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe.
The film marks Gosling’s second major 2027 release, alongside “Star Wars: Starfighter”, director Shawn Levy’s spinoff in which the actor is also set to appear.
They will produce the movie along with their longtime producing partner Jonathan Wang through Playgrounds banner, which operates under an overall deal with Universal. PTI
RB
RB
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Monaco`s bid for a Champions League spot next season could be boosted by the return of midfielder Paul Pogba. The former France star recently returned to light training following a lengthy injury layoff due to a persistent left calf problem, and on Thursday he scored in a friendly match against Premier League team Brentford.
The 2018 World Cup winner Pogba joined Monaco on a two-year contract last summer but has played only about 30 minutes since making his debut at the end of November.
Monaco is sixth in Ligue 1 with seven rounds remaining. The top three qualify directly for next season`s Champions League and the team finishing fourth goes through qualifying.
Coach Sebastien Pocognoli has turned Monaco`s fortunes around and his side is on a six-game winning run and just three points behind third-place Marseille. Monaco hosts Marseille on April 5, after the international break.
Former star Pogba scored in the World Cup final win over Croatia eight years ago, when he was considered among the best midfielders in the world.
He also dealt with thigh and ankle problems since joining Monaco, after more than two years out of the game in a career derailed by injuries, off-field problems and a doping ban.
He previously played for Juventus and Manchester United. In 2016, Pogba became the then-most expensive soccer player in history when he returned to United from Juventus for a fee of 105 million euros (then $116 million)
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
Comedian and actor Kapil Sharma marked the auspicious occasion of Ashtami during the Chaitra Navratri festival with traditional rituals at his residence on Thursday.
Continuing his long-standing family tradition, the actor hosted Kanya Pujan and shared moments from the ceremony with his fans on social media.
Kapil posted a video on his Instagram story capturing glimpses of the rituals, accompanied by the caption, “JAI MATA DI.”
As part of Kanya Pujan, young girls, revered as manifestations of Goddess Durga, were welcomed into his home. Kapil was seen serving them traditional bhog, tying the red thread as part of the puja, and seeking their blessings. His wife, Ginni Chatrath, also joined in the celebrations.
The comedian has consistently observed Navratri over the years. In 2020, he shared a heartwarming moment when his daughter Anayra took part in her first Kanya Pujan, dressed in a traditional lehenga-choli.
On the professional front, Kapil Sharma was last seen in the film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2. Following its theatrical release, the film is currently streaming on JioHotstar.
Directed by Anukalp Goswami, the comedy drama features Kapil in a central role, supported by a cast including Ayesha Khan, Parul Gulati, Tridha Choudhary, Manjot Singh, and Warina Hussain.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 to boost their bid to reach a men’s World Cup for the first time since 2014, as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Poland, Turkiye, Kosovo, the Czech Republic and Denmark also won their European playoff semifinals.
Four-time champions Italy, who lost out in the playoffs for the 2018 and 2022 editions, travel to Bosnia on Tuesday for the final, knowing a win will send them to June and July’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Sandro Tonali blasted in superbly from the edge of the box in the second half of a nervous one-off semifinal in Bergamo on Thursday before Moise Kean made the game safe.
“We made life a bit difficult for ourselves, but in the second half we found our rhythm,” Italy coach and 2006 champion Gennaro Gattuso said. “Now we’re going to play this final. We know it’s difficult. The tension we feel will be felt by our opponents, too.”
Bosnia overcame Wales on penalties in Cardiff following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Daniel James used his pace to score early in the second period for the hosts, and Karl Darlow then made a wonder save from an Ermedin Demirovic header. Edin Dzeko, 40, levelled late on in normal time.
Darlow saved again from Demirovic in the shootout, but Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams both missed.
Kosovo have never reached a World Cup, but are through to Tuesday’s playoff final at home to Turkiye after winning a wild game in Slovakia 4-3.
The Kosovans twice wiped out a deficit, and Kreshnik Hajrizi’s goal on 72 minutes proved the difference.
Ferdi Kadioglu’s second-half goal put Turkiye through after a tight 1-0 home win over Romania.
Kadioglu calmly netted on 53 minutes after Arda Guler’s magical assist at Besiktas’s stadium in Istanbul.
Romania’s 80-year-old coach Mircea Lucescu, who counts Turkiye among his former jobs, was left to rue Nicolae Stanciu hitting the post as the Tricolours missed the World Cup for the seventh straight edition.
Turkiye, third in 2002, have not reached a men’s World Cup since.
Viktor Gykeres bagged a hat-trick in Sweden’s 3-1 win over Ukraine in Valencia. Ukraine have not played at home since the Russian full-scale invasion more than four years ago, and miss out on another World Cup.
Graham Potter’s Swedes next take on Poland, who came from behind to defeat Albania 2-1 in Warsaw.
Arbr Hoxha pounced 42 minutes after Jan Bednarek’s mistake as Albania dreamed of moving closer to a first World Cup appearance. But record Poland scorer Robert Lewandowski equalised, and Piotr Zielinski won it in style with a goal from distance.
Gustav Isaksen scored twice in two minutes to help Denmark thump North Macedonia 4-0 and set up a meeting away to the Czech Republic, who needed penalties to get past Ireland in Prague.
Troy Parrott, the hero as the Irish made the playoffs at the end of November’s group stage, netted the opener from the spot, and an own goal summed up the poor Czech defence.
But the hosts pulled one back through Patrik Schick’s penalty and Ladislav Krejci’s late header to make it 2-2, prompted by a cagey extra time, with the Czechs prevailing in a shootout.
This year’s tournament, in North America in June and July, will feature an expanded 48 teams, meaning more nations have a chance to qualify.
Twelve European countries have already gotten through by winning their groups. The playoffs are made up of second-placed teams and sides who did well in the previous Nations League.
Bolivia beat Suriname, Jamaica edge New Caledonia to reach playoff finals
In FIFA’s intercontinental playoff games on Thursday, Bolivia rallied to beat Suriname 2-1 to qualify for the final qualifying playoff against Iraq.
Liam Van Gelderen put Suriname ahead in the 48th minute, but Moises Paniagua tied the score at the 72nd, and Miguel Terceros had the winning goal on a penalty kick in the 79th minute for the Bolivians, who are aiming for their second World Cup appearance.
The Bolivians have only previously played in the 1994 World Cup in the US. Suriname were looking to qualify for the first time.
Bolivia will play Iraq next Tuesday in Monterrey, with the winner qualifying for Group I with France, Norway and Senegal.
Elsewhere on Thursday, a first-half goal by Wrexham striker Bailey Cadamarteri gave Jamaica a 1-0 victory over New Caledonia and a place in the international playoff final against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Reggae Boyz have only one World Cup appearance, at France in 1998. New Caledonia, from Oceania, saw their chance to advance to a first World Cup end.
Jamaica will face DRC next Tuesday at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara. DRC qualified for the playoff by defeating Nigeria in an African playoff.
The winner in Guadalajara will play in Group K in the tournament along with Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.
In a content landscape dominated by high-stakes thrillers and edge-of-your-seat action, Netflix’s Maamla Legal HaiSeason 2 walks into the courtroom with a completely different brief — to make you laugh. With its signature blend of satire, warmth, and everyday absurdity, the series has carved a space for itself as a feel-good escape that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet leaves a lasting impression.
Ravi Kishan talks about the importance of comedy
When asked about the importance of such comedies today, Ravi Kishan reflects on the role laughter plays in balancing the viewing experience, especially in a time when audiences are constantly consuming heavy and intense content.
Ravi Kishan shares, “I’ve often heard he who laughs, lasts…. Humour and comedy are quintessential, and comedies have been at the forefront of entertainment. A horror or an action film in India feels incomplete without a comedic punchline. A show like ours ensures that everyone`s mental `mammle` is healthy and stable in a time where we have realised that mental wellbeing is of utmost importance. A comedy strengthens bonds as we present relatable situations and characters, which makes our audiences feel valued and understood. Shows like Maamla don`t just entertain viewers, they remind us to find humour in life’s little moments and offer an escape from our own hardships.”
Whether it’s the chaos of the courtroom or the camaraderie between its characters, Maamla Legal Hai proves that sometimes, the best stories are the ones that let you sit back, unwind, and simply enjoy the ride.
About Maamla Legal Hai
Produced by Posham Pa Pictures, the series is helmed by showrunner Sameer Saxena, with Rahul Pandey as the director. Based on the world and characters created by Saurabh Khanna and Kunal Anejal, this new season is written by Syed Shadan, Mohak Aneja and Tatsat Pandey, with Kunal leading the team.
With its signature blend of satire, heart, and full-on courtroom comedy, Maamla Legal Hai Season 2 promises another paisa-vasool (bang for the buck) ride where every objection sparks laughter and every verdict comes with a twist.
Adding fresh sparkle to this courtroom are Kusha Kapila and Dinesh Lal Yadav, who blend seamlessly with returning favourites Ravi Kishan, Nidhi Bisht, Naila Grewal, Anant Joshi and Anjum Batra, Naila Grewal, Anant Joshi and Anjum Batra.
Step into the chaos and catch all the maamle in Maamla Legal Hai Season 2, streaming April 3, only on Netflix.
When you go by the exact meaning of it, people say it is a narrative journey in which a character experiences significant personal growth, leading to a transformation. Over the years, we have seen many instances in the IPL, where players have gone on to get themselves up from a slumber to achieve greatness once again.
Over the years, the stories of Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, David Miller and Mohammed Siraj have often come to everyone’s minds. They have all had a period during their careers where they fell off before reinventing themselves and coming back into the limelight. Some may say that is the beauty of cricket and IPL in general.
The IPL 2026 season is building up to be one of the biggest seasons in recent memory, with a lot of interesting stories around players already coming to the limelight. Among them, there are a few players who will be looking to redeem themselves this season. For some of them, it is all about finding the form that made them one of the sought-after players in the competition. For others, it is all about making a comeback and showing that they truly belong on the big stage.
IPL 2026: 5 POTENTIAL REDEMPTION STORIES
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant’s cricketing journey has been nothing short of spectacular. After a near-death experience in late 2022, the Indian wicketkeeper fought for his career and made a spectacular return to cricket. IPL 2024 acted as a launch pad for his return, where he scored 446 runs in 13 matches at an average of 40.55.
So when he was bought for Rs. 27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants in the 2025 auction, normally everyone expected him to carry on the form and become a regular in India’s T20I side. But what followed was a downfall that no one could really understand.
Pant scored just 269 runs in 14 matches with an average of 24.45. The stats look better thanks to the hundred he scored in LSG’s final game against RCB.
A repeat isn’t something the LSG skipper can afford to have and the preparation for the new season has been measured, yet fully covered. He started off the preps with a few training sessions under Yuvraj Singh, something that has changed the games of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill in recent times. Irfan Pathan revealed that more than the technical aspects, Yuvraj was working with the wicketkeeper to improve the mental side of his game.
Pant looks leaner and fitter and hungry for runs, if the LSG training sessions are anything to go by. Now with the full backing of the LSG owners and management, this could be the season where Pant may make the IPL stage his own and put himself into contention for a return to the Indian white-ball team.
Prithvi Shaw
“If I don’t think about a comeback, then what’s the point? That’s why I am playing. Who doesn’t want to play for India? You have to be there, and I am working towards that.”
These were the words of Prithvi Shaw as he geared up to feature on the IPL stage once again. The story of Shaw is one that everyone knows by now. Labelled as the next big thing in Indian cricket, guided the U-19 team to a World Cup title and was a vital cog for Delhi Capitals for many seasons.
But then, everything started to take a turn for the worse. His off-field issues started to take centre stage and it seemingly started to have an effect on his game. The runs dried up and his last two seasons have seen him score 304 runs in 16 matches.
All of this led to his release from DC and he wasn’t bought by anyone during the IPL 2025 auction. A year on the sidelines was said to be something that was needed for Shaw to get back on his feet again and it seems to have worked well.
537 runs in seven matches in his first season for Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy made heads turn and it seemingly convinced Delhi to trust in him once again. Following the withdrawal of Ben Duckett from the competition, there is a chance Shaw will get his chance to make a return if things do go according to his plan.
Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan actually announced himself on the IPL stage first in 2015 as a young player for RCB. Many might remember this when Virat Kohli was blown away by one of his knocks that he decided to bow down before the batter from Mumbai.
But since then, Sarfaraz has failed to make it to double-digits in terms of appearances in each of the seasons he has played. The last time he was part of the IPL was back in 2023. Since then, no one was ready to back him in the IPL, despite him being a run machine on the domestic circuit.
When it seemed like all hope was lost, CSK decided to rope in the Mumbai batter and he has since gone from strength to strength.
During the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26, Sarfaraz scored 329 runs in seven matches with a hundred to his name and a strike-rate of 203.08. The strike rate was more or less the same during VHT as well. Now it seems like Sarfaraz is ready to deliver once again and he will be trying to pull it off in CSK colours.
Yuzvendra Chahal
When it comes to the IPL, Yuzvendra Chahal has always been a consistent performer. With 221 wickets from 174 matches, the leg-spinner has been a match-winner for the teams he has represented in the league so far.
Yet, the 2025 season wasn’t one that went according to plans. Battling poor form and injuries, Chahal’s performance dipped, picking up 16 wickets in 14 matches with an economy-rate of 9.55.
That pushed him away from talks of a return to the Indian team and now Chahal is ready to redeem himself. The leg-spinner said that he was aiming to make himself a role model for younger players and decided to give up on alcohol. He has stayed clean for the past six months, all in a bid to be ready for the IPL.
With Punjab Kings falling at the last hurdle in 2025, Chahal’s form could be the deciding factor in them finally breaking the curse and becoming IPL champions.
Venkatesh Iyer
The pressure of price tag in the IPL is real and Venkatesh Iyer maybe the perfect example of it.
Bought by KKR for Rs. 23.75 crore in IPL 2025 auction, many things were expected from the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder. KKR made him their vice-captain but the performances never arrived.
With just 142 runs in 11 matches, Venkatesh found himself to be one of the names released before the 2026 auction. Once again Kolkata wanted him back but it was RCB who got him in the end.
The defending IPL champions were vying for his signature in 2025 as well and it seems like Andy Flower and the team management was keen on the lanky southpaw and bringing him into the side. While there are no guarantees of a starting spot for him, he could be the perfect player to have in the middle-order for Bengaluru.
With his MP teammate Rajat Patidar captaining the side, expect Venkatesh to create a major impact if he gets the opportunity for RCB on the field.
