For our next #RetroLive match, we rewind to April 18, 2008, when Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore kicked off the IPL Big Picture After months of hype, excitement, controversy and speculation the high-profile Indian Premier League kicks off in Bangalore with the Royal Challengers hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders. “Eight teams, without any players, only warriors” is the …

On this day in 2008, the IPL kicked off and a 26-year old Brendon McCullum lit up the opener with a breathtaking 73-ball 158 not out for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The ferocity of the assault was such that his score has been bettered only once – by another T20 superstar, Chris Gayle – in 11 seasons …

Moeen Ali, the England allrounder, has indicated that he is ready to return from his self-imposed Test exile as soon as the coronavirus outbreak allows. Ali has not played a Test since being dropped during last summer’s Ashes. He subsequently lost his Test central contract – receiving a white-ball only deal – and opted out of the tours to New …

Adil Rashid may have no current plans to put his name into Test contention, but he has backed his friend and fellow spinner, the “world-class” Moeen Ali, to make a successful return when England are able to resume international competition. After nine months out of the Test side, Ali has now described himself as “probably ready” to don whites again, …

Kolkata Knight Riders 222 for 3 (McCullum 158*) beat Bangalore Royal Challengers 82 (Agarkar 3-25) by 140 runs The opening ceremony was a spectacular affair, but what followed was even more breathtaking, as Brendon McCullum destroyed the home team in the inaugural match of the IPL. In what was a brutal one-man assault on Bangalore Royal Challengers, McCullum blasted an …

On the 12th anniversary of the first game in IPL history, MS Dhoni was named *the GOAT among captains by a panel of experts on Star Sports Cricket Connected. Dhoni, who has has captained Chennai Super Kings to three titles, pipped Rohit Sharma, who has led Mumbai Indians to a record four titles. Under Dhoni’s leadership, Super Kings have made …

The rise of Marnus Labuschagne into the prolific Test No. 3 who dominated the Australian home summer even surprised some who had seen him close at hand. In five Tests against Pakistan and New Zealand, Labuschagne scored 896 runs at 112.00 with four centuries including a maiden double at the SCG. It followed his dramatic return to the Test side …

Dav Whatmore, the 1996 World Cup winning coach with Sri Lanka, is set to continue working with less-fancied teams on the Indian domestic circuit. He was at the helm when Kerala entered their first-ever Ranji Trophy semi-finals in 2018-19, and now, after a three-year stint with them, he takes charge at Baroda as director of cricket. “I will, obviously, coach …

Fast bowlers may have to find different ways of shining the ball when cricket resumes after the Covid-19 pandemic if the risk of using saliva as a way of keeping one side of the ball shiny to help produce swing is deemed too great. Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood believes that the Test game would become very tough for bowlers …

Caribbean Premier League (CPL) organisers hope that the tournament can still take place as scheduled in September, but plans are being developed to stage it behind closed doors, without overseas players, or in a “social-distancing stadium” in Barbados if required. With the Caribbean in lockdown and attempts to stop the spread of covid-19 proving successful so far – the death …