Suspense On Dhoni, Rohit Ends As MI Captain Hardik Opts To Bat vs CSK

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bat first against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2026 game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Saturday. MI handed a debut cap to leg-spinner Raghu Sharma. Rohit Sharma, who is currently recovering after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the tournament, continues to stay on the sidelines. On the other hand, CSK's MS Dhoni, who is progressing in his recovery from a persistent calf injury, also misses out on the game.

"We're gonna bat first," said Mumbai Indians captain Hardik as the coin landed in his favour during the toss.

"Looks like a good track. The way we batted in the last game, we want to give another opportunity to our batters to score runs. We have to play our best cricket and see what happens. The mood has been good, it's been challenging. We have to fight. It's about playing for pride as well. Play good cricket overall. In 40 overs, we've lost game in 2-3 overs which were big moments. We have one debut - the leggie (Raghu Sharma) plays his first game and Krish comes back in for Ashwani," he added.

TOSS @mipaltan have won the toss and will bat first against @ChennaiIPL

Updates https://t.co/VVAjldiiC0#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #CSKvMI pic.twitter.com/Ad8xV5Adku

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 2, 2026

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said that the team also wanted to bat first on the Chepauk track.

"We were looking to bat first. The wicket looks good, little bit on the direr side, won't change much. A tough track to bat on, last game. Confidence-wise everyone is right up there. Stick to the process, do the process right and result will come. (Ramakrishna) Ghosh comes in for Gurjapneet Singh and Prashant Veer comes in for Akeal Hosein," said Gaikwad.

Both MI and CSK, the two most successful teams in IPL history, are struggling in the ongoing season.

MI and CSK have played eight matches each, winning two and three, respectively.

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Diamond Harbour "Lyari Of Bengal", Says BJP. Trinamool Hits Back

The BJP's description of Diamond Harbour, the Lok Sabha constituency of Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, as the "Lyari of Bengal" has earned a sharp clapback from the ruling party in the state. Accusing the BJP of attempts at "otherisation", the Trinamool Congress alleged that the party is treating the state with contempt and hatred.

Lyari, in Pakistan's Karachi, has entered the consciousness of the average Indian as a hotbed of crime syndicates, gang wars and espionage after its portrayal in the blockbuster movie 'Dhurandhar'.

The Falta Assembly seat in the Diamond Harbour area made headlines earlier this week after IPS officer and "encounter specialist" Ajay Pal Sharma, also known as 'Singham', warned  Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan and others of strict action if they engage in "mischief". Khan responded with a movie reference of his own, saying, "If he is Singham, I am Pushpa". 

The BJP also alleged on polling day on Wednesday that its election symbol was taped over on EVMs in several booths in the Falta constituency, preventing voters from casting their ballots in its favour. 

It was against this backdrop that a report on Friday quoted a BJP worker as saying that Diamond Harbour is the "Lyari of Bengal", citing its proximity to the Sunderbans and the Bangladesh border to claim that infiltration is rampant there. 

'New Low'

Lashing out at the BJP, the Trinamool Congress posted a screenshot of the article on X and alleged that this was proof of the party's "hostility" towards Bengal and its people crossing all limits. 

"First, they called us 'Bangladeshi' for speaking in our mother tongue Bengali. Then they labelled us 'Rohingyas' for eating fish. And now, the @BJP4India has sunk to a new low, openly equating Bengal with Pakistan," the Trinamool said. 

Accusing the BJP of "continuous otherisation" of Bengal, the Trinamool claimed the party was doing so because it had failed to find a foothold in the state. 

"A state that sacrificed the most blood for India's freedom is being treated with utter despise (sic), contempt and hatred... This is deep-seated hatred and cultural aggression against Bengal. Bengal will never accept this humiliation," it said. 

West Bengal, which has seen a bitterly fought contest between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, voted in two phases on April 23 and 29. Most exit polls have given the BJP an edge, predicting that the party's sustained efforts to oust the Trinamool will pay off, and it will form a government in the state for the first time. Counting will be held on Monday.  

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"Why Would I Tell You That?" Trump Evades Reporter's Question On Iran Strikes

Hours after Iran sent a fresh proposal for talks with the United States to end the war, President Donald Trump evaded a question on Friday about striking Iran again.

While Trump was speaking to reporters in Washington, a reporter asked him, "Are you considering new strikes on Iran?"

The Republican leader stepped back and said, "Why would I tell you that?" essentially ending the conversation.

Earlier, Trump had said that he was "not satisfied" with the new Iranian negotiating proposal. 

REPORTER: "Are you considering new strikes on Iran?"@POTUS: "Why would I tell you that?" pic.twitter.com/dABwCJU05h

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 1, 2026

"At this moment I'm not satisfied with what they're offering," Trump told reporters, laying blame for the stalled talks with Iran due to "tremendous discord" within its leadership.

He added that negotiations were ongoing but inconsistent. "They get close, and then a new group of people comes in," he said, pointing to shifting positions within Iran's leadership.

Asked why he was unsatisfied with the Iranian offer, Trump said, "They're asking for things that I can't agree." However, he gave no details.

"Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever -- or do we want to try and make a deal? I mean, those are the options," he said when asked about next steps, adding he would "prefer not" to take the first option "on a human basis".

In the meantime, Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off vast amounts of oil, gas and fertiliser from the world economy, while the US has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports.

Since the war began on February 28, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and more than 2,600 people in Lebanon, where new fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah broke out two days after the war started, according to authorities.

Additionally, 24 people have died in Israel and more than 20 in Gulf Arab states. Seventeen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members throughout the region have been killed.
 

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"Calm Down, He's 15": DC Star Slammed By Internet After Sooryavanshi Send-Off

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi suffered a rare failure in IPL 2026 on Friday, being dismissed for just 4 in Rajasthan Royals' (RR) game against Delhi Capitals (DC). DC's New Zealand speedster Kyle Jamieson delivered an excellent yorker to leave Sooryavanshi with no answer. Jamieson celebrated the wicket in an aggressive manner, clapping his hands fiercely in front of Sooryavanshi and giving the 15-year-old an explosive send-off. However, his reaction was met with mixed reaction on social media, with many criticising him for it.

The celebration of Kyle Jamieson after dismissing Vaibhav Suryavanshi. pic.twitter.com/s6Otq9Uu0X

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 1, 2026

Calm down Jamieson, he is just 15 y/o pic.twitter.com/RtvBMwBYXS

— Shivani (@meme_ki_diwani) May 1, 2026

Kyle Jamieson Celebration against 15 Years Old Kid

— Junaid Khan (@JunaidKhanation) May 1, 2026

Kyle Jamieson..relax..he is 15. Calm down with your send off. Speaks a lot about your fragile ego that a four from a kid rattled you.

— Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) May 1, 2026

Jamieosn bro Sending off a 15 year old child is not a good thing!

I can't believe you're from New Zealand.

— Shariq (@CricBhakt7380) May 1, 2026

RR vs DC, IPL 2026: 1st Innings Review

Riyan Parag vaporised multiple concerns surrounding him with a quality 90 as Rajasthan Royals posted a competitive 225 for six against Delhi Capitals in their IPL match here on Friday.

The Royals skipper, whose knock came off 50 balls, was struggling for runs so far this season and if his on-field troubles were not enough, Parag copped a 25 per cent fine handed by BCCI after getting caught in camera, vaping inside the dugout.

So, he had a lot to prove, and the right-hander did it in some style, notching up his first score above fifty in IPL 2026.

In fact, Parag were under serious pressure after the early departure of openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was yorked by Kyle Jamieson, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who offered a return catch to Mitchell Starc (3/40), who made his maiden appearance in this IPL.

After all, 12 for two is not exactly the position an out of form batter wants to be in, and the nerves were evident in his loose wafts against Starc.

But the confidence returned to him once he took apart Jamieson in the sixth over through a sequence of 6, 4, 6 — a pull over mid-wicket and a slice over slips.

The third shot was quite remarkable, an inside out carve over covers for a six as the Royals ended the Power Play at a satisfactory 56 for two.

Once the self-belief came back, it reflected in Parag's batting too, those fast hands and audacity resurfaced.

Those elements were on ample display in a tennis-like forehand six over covers off left-arm pacer T Natarajan.

Parag brought his fifty in 32 balls and added 102 runs for the third wicket with a composed Dhruv Jurel (42).

It helped RR to tide over early blues and push themselves towards a formidable total despite Jurel pulling Axar Patel straight to Tristan Stubbs in the deep.

But that barely deterred Parag as he, in the company of middle-order batters like Ravindra Jadeja (20), marched on.

There was a brief period of lull after Jurel's dismissal but Parag broke the lean phase with a hat-trick of boundaries off Jamieson, that included a stunning uppercut.

Parag and Jadeja milked 53 runs for the fourth wicket before the latter succumbed to Starc, whose first outing of the season lent some much-needed teeth to DC's attack.

The Australian quick also snapped the stay of Parag, whose attempt to loft him over covers ended in the hands of Axar.

RR still needed the cushion of a few more runs and Donovan Ferreira (47, 14 balls) gave them that with a little Tsunami, during which he even struck Starc for a four and a six in succession.

With PTI inputs

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