Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly did not mince words when asked for his reaction on the uncertainty surrounding Mitchell Starc 's availability for the start of IPL 2026. Delhi Capitals said at the press conference that they are waiting for a green signal from Cricket Australia. And this is what Dada said while in Delhi for a brand endorsement for Jakson, "It hurts... because when quality players don't come in at the last minute, it shakes the balance of the team." Starc is set to miss the opening phase of the season as Cricket Australia carefully manages his workload ahead of a packed 2026-27 calendar. The timing could not be worse as franchises build their squads and strategies around marquee overseas players. Ganguly, speaking on the broader issue of player availability in franchise cricket, said the impact of such late withdrawals is far greater in the IPL than in international cricket. "It hurts because I've always said making an India...
Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan shared a heartfelt post for Andre Russell after the latter announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday. After 12 seasons as a player in 'purple and gold', Russell confirmed that he will join KKR's support staff as the franchise's new "Power Coach" for the 2026 season. He will also continue playing in T20 leagues around the world and will remain part of the other Knight Riders teams globally. Taking to social media after Russell's announcement, Shah Rukh Khan hailed the franchise legend for his contributions to KKR, adding that 'any other jersey would indeed look weird on him'. "Thank you for the wonderful memories, Andre. Our Knight in shining armour!!! Your contribution to @KKRiders is one for the books... and here's to another chapter in your fantastic journey as a sportsman... The power coach - passing down the wisdom, the muscle a...