Sports news
#Indian #sports #wrap #April #Dhoni #Pandya #Bumrah #stars #invest #eCricket #gaming #app">Indian sports wrap, April 24: Dhoni, Pandya, Bumrah and other stars invest in ‘eCricket’ gaming app CRICKET
Dhoni, Pandya, Bumrah and other stars invest in ‘eCricket’ gaming app
M.S. Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, along with Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Tilak Varma and Sai Sudharsan, have come on board as investors in ‘eCricket’, a AAA title from India with global ambitions, slated for release on mobile in 2026.
With cricket commanding a global audience estimated to be over 2.5 billion, LightFury—the publisher of eCricket—aims to address a significant gap in the sports gaming category by delivering a technically advanced, competitive, and live-service-driven cricket gaming franchise from India.
The 100-strong studio combines creative vision with technical innovation to create globally competitive games.
“I’ve seen a lot of cricket games over the years, and there’s always been something missing. When LightFury showed me what they were working on, I felt they were trying to close that gap. It’s a big undertaking, building something like this out of India for a global audience,” Dhoni was quoted in a release.
Founded in 2024 by Karan Shroff, Anurag Banerjee, and Tina Balachandran, LightFury Games is an India-based AAA-focused game-tech studio dedicated to building high-quality, cutting-edge gaming experiences. The leadership team has worked on more than 40 AAA titles.
Hardik Pandya said, “Cricket is pressure, skill, and entertainment all at once. Fans want to feel that energy. What excites me about eCricket is that it is not trying to make cricket smaller for gaming. It is trying to make gaming rise to the scale of cricket.”
Earlier this year, LightFury Games also announced securing a global player roster licence of over 600 professional cricketers, featuring stars like Chris Gayle, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Kane Williamson, Pat Cummins, Jos Buttler, Travis Head, and Andre Russell—marking one of the largest rosters in cricket gaming.
– PTI
GOLF
Shubhankar and Yuvraj have slow starts in China
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Sandhu endured slow starts at the Volvo China Open in Shanghai, finishing T-48 and 153rd respectively after the opening round.
Sharma, who won on his home tour in India a week earlier, carded 1-under 70 to be placed at T-48 while Sandhu carded 9-over 80 to be placed 153rd on the standings.
– PTI
SQUASH
Abhay Singh enters maiden PSA Gold-level quarters in Zurich
India’s Abhay Singh stunned Egyptian world No 13 Aly Abou Eleinen to enter his maiden PSA Gold-level event quarterfinals at the Grasshopper Cup squash in Zurich.
World No 24 Abhay trailed 5-8 in the opening game before recovering to beat the seventh seed 12-10, 11-9 in the second round.
Singh had beaten Eleinen earlier this month at the El Gouna Open in Egypt.
“I stuck to my game plan. Still a few things I can work on. We will go back to the drawing board tonight,” said Singh, who will meet Egyptian world No 4 Karim Gawad next.
In the opening round, Singh beat Swiss David Bernet 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, while compatriot Ramit Tandon lost to Egypt’s Fares Dessouky 6-11, 9-11.
– Team Sportstar
Published on Apr 24, 2026
CRICKETDhoni, Pandya, Bumrah and other stars invest in ‘eCricket’ gaming appM.S. Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik…
The M.S. Dhoni frenzy, building steadily with each passing season, has reached a near-fever pitch this year. Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will the former captain finally step onto the field?
Ahead of the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team’s official Instagram account only heightened the anticipation, teasing Dhoni’s arrival in the City of Pearls. Yet, at Friday’s training session, the 44-year-old kept things low-key, alternating between light jogging and a casual game of foot-volley alongside Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz Khan, and a few others.
Head coach Stephen Fleming remained predictably tight-lipped, offering little beyond the standard line that Dhoni was “progressing well” in his recovery. But just when it seemed like another day of speculation would drift by unanswered, a late twist reignited belief.
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field? | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field? | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
As the squad wrapped up and disappeared into the depths of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Dhoni emerged once more – this time fully padded up, bat in hand. Facing a handful of side-arm throwdowns, he unleashed a flurry of towering hits, punctuated by his signature helicopter shot.
Word spread instantly. By match day, the buzz around the stadium wasn’t about if Dhoni would play, but how much he would feature.
ALSO READ | Contrasting fortunes converge as Punjab Kings hosts Lucknow Super Giants
And then, just as quickly, the excitement evaporated. At the toss, Dhoni’s name was nowhere to be found – not even among the impact substitutes.
Back to square one. Back to the waiting game. And once again, the question lingers: when will he finally return? Or maybe more importantly, will he?
Published on Apr 18, 2026
Sports news
#SRH #CSK #IPL #Wont #great #Dhoni #waiting #game #continues">SRH vs CSK, IPL 2026: Will he? Won’t he? The great MS Dhoni waiting game continues
The M.S. Dhoni frenzy, building steadily with each passing season, has reached a near-fever pitch this year. Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will the former captain finally step onto the field?
Ahead of the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team’s official Instagram account only heightened the anticipation, teasing Dhoni’s arrival in the City of Pearls. Yet, at Friday’s training session, the 44-year-old kept things low-key, alternating between light jogging and a casual game of foot-volley alongside Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz Khan, and a few others.
Head coach Stephen Fleming remained predictably tight-lipped, offering little beyond the standard line that Dhoni was “progressing well” in his recovery. But just when it seemed like another day of speculation would drift by unanswered, a late twist reignited belief.
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field?
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field?
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL
As the squad wrapped up and disappeared into the depths of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Dhoni emerged once more – this time fully padded up, bat in hand. Facing a handful of side-arm throwdowns, he unleashed a flurry of towering hits, punctuated by his signature helicopter shot.
Word spread instantly. By match day, the buzz around the stadium wasn’t about if Dhoni would play, but how much he would feature.
ALSO READ | Contrasting fortunes converge as Punjab Kings hosts Lucknow Super Giants
And then, just as quickly, the excitement evaporated. At the toss, Dhoni’s name was nowhere to be found – not even among the impact substitutes.
Back to square one. Back to the waiting game. And once again, the question lingers: when will he finally return? Or maybe more importantly, will he?
Published on Apr 18, 2026
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field? | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field? | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
The M.S. Dhoni frenzy, building steadily with each passing season, has reached a near-fever pitch this year. Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will the former captain finally step onto the field?
Ahead of the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team’s official Instagram account only heightened the anticipation, teasing Dhoni’s arrival in the City of Pearls. Yet, at Friday’s training session, the 44-year-old kept things low-key, alternating between light jogging and a casual game of foot-volley alongside Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz Khan, and a few others.
Head coach Stephen Fleming remained predictably tight-lipped, offering little beyond the standard line that Dhoni was “progressing well” in his recovery. But just when it seemed like another day of speculation would drift by unanswered, a late twist reignited belief.
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field? | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will Dhoni finally step onto the field? | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
As the squad wrapped up and disappeared into the depths of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Dhoni emerged once more – this time fully padded up, bat in hand. Facing a handful of side-arm throwdowns, he unleashed a flurry of towering hits, punctuated by his signature helicopter shot.
Word spread instantly. By match day, the buzz around the stadium wasn’t about if Dhoni would play, but how much he would feature.
ALSO READ | Contrasting fortunes converge as Punjab Kings hosts Lucknow Super Giants
And then, just as quickly, the excitement evaporated. At the toss, Dhoni’s name was nowhere to be found – not even among the impact substitutes.
Back to square one. Back to the waiting game. And once again, the question lingers: when will he finally return? Or maybe more importantly, will he?
Published on Apr 18, 2026
The M.S. Dhoni frenzy, building steadily with each passing season, has reached a near-fever pitch…
Sports news
#IPL #CSK #Sacrifice #Bowler #Fit #Dhoni">IPL 2026: Will CSK Sacrifice a Bowler to Fit Dhoni In?
After an underwhelming start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has steadied itself, registering back-to-back wins for the first time since 2024.
That upturn has coincided with a sense of continuity. The clash against Kolkata Knight Riders marked the first time this season that CSK fielded an unchanged playing XII, retaining the same combination that faced Delhi Capitals in the previous game. Four pacers and two frontline spinners, with West Indian Akeal Hosein slotted in as the Impact Player, has given the five-time champion balance.
But that balance may not last.
The imminent return of former skipper M.S. Dhoni, currently recovering from a calf strain and expected to be available for the April 18 fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad, complicates the equation.
One option is to deploy Dhoni as an Impact Player. That, however, would likely come at the cost of a pacer, potentially Gurjapneet Singh. The knock-on effect is significant: Shivam Dube, who has bowled just 42 balls in the IPL since 2022, would effectively become the sixth bowling option.
Since 2024, Dhoni has largely operated in the lower order, batting at No. 7 or 8 with a clear brief to maximise the death overs. In that season, he scored 161 runs in 14 matches, striking at over 220 with an average of 53.67.
But the following season, when he briefly resumed captaincy in Gaikwad’s absence, saw a sharp drop. Both his strike rate and average nearly halved, exposing the risks of relying on him beyond a narrowly defined finishing role.
If Dhoni is to return as an Impact Player, that role clarity becomes crucial. He cannot drift into a situational hitter; he has to be a designated finisher.
The alternative is more direct: bring Dhoni into the XI at the expense of either Dube or Sarfaraz Khan.
On current form, Sarfaraz (122 runs @182) makes the stronger case. He has outscored Dube (102 runs @154) this season while maintaining a better strike rate. But the decision is not purely statistical. Dube’s ability to counter spin offers flexibility, especially against teams that stack their attack with slow bowlers.
Dhoni, meanwhile, has shown vulnerability against spin in recent years. Since 2020, he has averaged 25.6 with a strike rate of 95.88 against it; numbers that sit at odds with the demands of a modern finisher. Opposition teams have increasingly responded by holding back an over or two of spin specifically for his arrival, further narrowing his scoring windows late in the innings.
Which leaves CSK with a familiar dilemma, dressed in a new context. Does it preserve a functioning combination or disrupt it for a specialist role that may no longer be as reliable?
Published on Apr 15, 2026
After an underwhelming start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has steadied itself, registering back-to-back wins for the first time since 2024.
That upturn has coincided with a sense of continuity. The clash against Kolkata Knight Riders marked the first time this season that CSK fielded an unchanged playing XII, retaining the same combination that faced Delhi Capitals in the previous game. Four pacers and two frontline spinners, with West Indian Akeal Hosein slotted in as the Impact Player, has given the five-time champion balance.
But that balance may not last.
The imminent return of former skipper M.S. Dhoni, currently recovering from a calf strain and expected to be available for the April 18 fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad, complicates the equation.
One option is to deploy Dhoni as an Impact Player. That, however, would likely come at the cost of a pacer, potentially Gurjapneet Singh. The knock-on effect is significant: Shivam Dube, who has bowled just 42 balls in the IPL since 2022, would effectively become the sixth bowling option.
Since 2024, Dhoni has largely operated in the lower order, batting at No. 7 or 8 with a clear brief to maximise the death overs. In that season, he scored 161 runs in 14 matches, striking at over 220 with an average of 53.67.
But the following season, when he briefly resumed captaincy in Gaikwad’s absence, saw a sharp drop. Both his strike rate and average nearly halved, exposing the risks of relying on him beyond a narrowly defined finishing role.
If Dhoni is to return as an Impact Player, that role clarity becomes crucial. He cannot drift into a situational hitter; he has to be a designated finisher.
The alternative is more direct: bring Dhoni into the XI at the expense of either Dube or Sarfaraz Khan.
On current form, Sarfaraz (122 runs @182) makes the stronger case. He has outscored Dube (102 runs @154) this season while maintaining a better strike rate. But the decision is not purely statistical. Dube’s ability to counter spin offers flexibility, especially against teams that stack their attack with slow bowlers.
Dhoni, meanwhile, has shown vulnerability against spin in recent years. Since 2020, he has averaged 25.6 with a strike rate of 95.88 against it; numbers that sit at odds with the demands of a modern finisher. Opposition teams have increasingly responded by holding back an over or two of spin specifically for his arrival, further narrowing his scoring windows late in the innings.
Which leaves CSK with a familiar dilemma, dressed in a new context. Does it preserve a functioning combination or disrupt it for a specialist role that may no longer be as reliable?
Published on Apr 15, 2026
After an underwhelming start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Chennai Super Kings…
