Mumbai Indians got a huge relief as Cricbuzz confirmed, England pacer Jofra Archer will be available for the entire duration of IPL 2023. Both ECB & IPL officials have confirmed that the 27-year-old will be able to play the full IPL. Jasprit Bumrah is already out of the whole IPL 2023 season. This will be a huge boost for them as Jofra Archer can be an asset for any team. He is a full package-loaded player, any team would want him to buy.
Archer's workload will be monitored and managed by the franchise in consultation with the ECB. The England fast bowler missed out on 18 months of cricket in 2021 & 2022 due to injury. He returned to competitive cricket with MI Cape Town in the SA20 in January. Everyone knows the ability of Archer in terms of wicket-taking and all. Jofra Archer has been influential for England whenever he played for and it will be an interesting sight when he will represent the bowling unit of Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023 season.
Jofra Archer made his IPL debut in 2018 against Mumbai Indians for Rajasthan Royals. Royals bagged him for a whopping Rs 7.20 crore. He missed a few initial matches due to an injury. Archer made an instant impact in his maiden IPL season with a tally of 15 wickets.
Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has suddenly returned to India, citing a family emergency as the reason. A BCCI source has given this information to news agency PTI.
The source said that Gambhir had to return to take care of his mother, who has been admitted to a hospital in New Delhi due to health complications. The Shubman Gill-led Indian Test team is in England to play a five-match IND vs ENG series, starting June 20 in Leeds.
In Gambhir's absence, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate will oversee the team during the four-day intra-squad match between India and India A starting from Friday. He will be assisted by other coaching staff like bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Shitanshu Kotak. If all goes well at home, Gambhir is expected to return to England within a week.
Indian team would like to test its preparations
The Indian team will play intra-squad matches to finalise its preparations ahead of the IND vs ENG five-match Test series. India A played two unofficial Test matches against England Lions and the batsmen showed their prowess in them. Such matches are important for the preparation of the team before any series. India has opted to play this match in an empty stadium so that the opposing team does not get a clue of their strategy.
All eyes will be on Kuldeep-Jadeja
In this match, the performance of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja will be watched and an interesting competition is expected between these two to make a place in the final eleven of the Indian Test team.
India's bowling coach Morne Morkel had said on Wednesday that the match is crucial for India's preparation as it is difficult to develop the ability to bowl and field 90 overs in a day through normal practice sessions. This match will give the Indian team management a good opportunity to assess its players, especially the bowlers, in match situations.
This will help ensure that the bowlers, be it spinners or pacers, are in the required rhythm in the actual match. Gambhir will have to do some brainstorming to pick the only specialist spinner for Headingley.
Jadeja has a good batting record abroad but if India has to take 20 wickets then Kuldeep's role will become important. Kuldeep can prove to be a good partner of fast bowler Jaspreet Bumrah in the conditions here. Jadeja vs Kuldeep is the biggest puzzle for the playing XI that the team management will have to solve.
Eyes will be on fast bowlers as well
Similarly, this match will give the team management and captain Shubman Gill a chance to see which ball works better in these conditions - Akash Deep's full length or Prasidh Krishna's back of the length. Bumrah, who will be playing a red ball match after six months, will get a chance to bowl multiple spells and test his fitness. He has played only IPL since returning from a lower back injury.
Mitchell Starc surpassed Mohammed Shami to became the leading wicket taker in ICC finals. So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.
Australia's star fast bowler Mitchell Starc added a big achievement to his name on Wednesday by becoming the bowler to take the most wickets in ICC tournament finals. Starc achieved this feat by taking two wickets on the first day of the World Test Championship 2025 final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing his fifth ICC final, has taken 11 wickets so far and is expected to increase it.
With this, Starc also broke the record of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami as soon as he took the second wicket. This record was earlier in the name of Shami, who had taken 10 wickets in four ICC finals.
So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.
Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals
6. Glenn McGrath | 8 Wickets
The former legendary Australia pacer Glenn McGrath featured in a total of 5 ICC finals for the Baggy Greens and took 8 Wickets for his team. McGrath was one of Australiaās most important players for several years and he always stepped-up big time in finals of major tournaments.
McGrath was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2002 edition of the ICC tournament with 8 wickets in 3 matches after Muttaih Muralidharan who has claimed 10 wickets in as many games.
5. Kyle Jamieson | 8 Wickets
New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson also took 8 Wickets in the ICC tournament finals after appearing in 3 innings. In the 2019ā2021 World Test Championship Final, Jamieson was named as the man of the match, after taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
4. Ravindra Jadeja | 8 Wickets
Ravindra Jadeja comes fourth on this list. Jadejaās evolution from a utility player to a match-winner is reflected in his 8 ICC final appearances. In his 8 finals, Jadeja dismissed 8 players in ICC tournament finals.
His all-round prowess was key to Indiaās Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, where he was the leading wicket-taker. He has since played vital roles in T20 World Cup finals and two successive WTC finals (2021, 2023), as well as the 2025 Champions Trophy.
3. Trent Boult | 8 Wickets
New Zealand's veteran pacer Trent Boult is true to the 'big-match player' tag with 8 wickets in his 4 ICC Finals. Boult played a massive role in the Kiwis' success in ICC tournaments and gave brilliant bowling performances in the finals as well.
Boult was also the joint leading wicket taker at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In 2018, he became the third bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in ODIs.
2. Mohammed Shami | 10 Wickets
India's star bowler Mohammed Shami now comes second in this list. In four ICC finals, Shami has taken 10 wickets at an average of 38.90, an economy rate of 3.95 and best bowling figures of 4/76 in the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand.
Shami is also the leading wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in ODI World Cups and also led all bowlers in the 2023 edition with 24 wickets in seven outings. He continued his magical run in ICC events with a five-wicket haul in his maiden Champions Trophy game (ongoing contest against Bangladesh).
Australia's pace ace Mitchell Starc has became the highest wicket-taker in ICC tournament finals. The left-arm quick achieved the milestone during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing in his fifth ICC final, has now taken 11 wickets across tournament deciders.
The milestone came in style as Starc struck early in South Africa's second innings, cleaning up Aiden Markram for a duck. He followed it up with the dismissal of Ryan Rickelton for 16, ending Day 1 with figures of 2/10 in a fiery spell.
He also became the joint second-highest wicket taker in ICC knockout games. He is sharing the spot with former Aussie legend Glenn McGrath and Mohammed Shami, who each have taken 22 wickets. The top spot is with former Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 23 wickets.
Till now, 11 Indian cricketers have been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Former Indian captain and legend MS Dhoni became the latest Indian to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame list.
Along with MS Dhoni, Aussie great Matthew Hayden, South African legend Hashim Amla, former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Kiwi leader Daniel Vettori, and former Pakistan captain Sana Mir and English legend Sarah Taylor were also inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame 2025.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) lost to Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB) by 6 runs in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025). With this, PBKS' dream of winning the first title remained unfulfilled. At the same time, PBKS' veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal once again failed to win the trophy.
So, let's know about those selected players who played 3 IPL finals and their team lost in all of them.
Players who lost all IPL finals
3. Mohit Sharma | 3 IPL Finals
Delhi Capitals' Mohit Sharma is another IPL star to have lost the final thrice. Mohit was part of CSK's squad from 2013-2015, where the five-time winners suffered defeats against Mumbai Indians in both the finals. It is worth noting that Sharma was part of both the finals.
Mohit's third try to win an IPL trophy was in 2023 with Gujarat Titans against his former team Chennai Super Kings, but suffered a heartbreaking defeat, as he also bowled the last over of the match and conceded 10 runs in the final two balls.
2. Rahul Tripathi | 3 IPL Finals
Rahul Tripathi is another star to have lost three finals with three different teams. Rahul has played for several IPL franchises in his career and played his first final in 2017 when he represented Rising Pune Supergiants. Tripathi got another shot at the trophy in 2021 with KKR, but lost to Chennai Super Kings.
The right-hand batter then moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad from KKR and reached the finals in 2024, but suffered a heartbreak against his former team Kolkata Knight Riders.
1. Yuzvendra Chahal | 3 IPL Finals
Yuzvendra Chahal is yet to win an IPL trophy and the right-arm leg-spinner came close thrice, but fell short on all three occasions. The first time Chahal played an IPL final was in 2016 with RCB, where the defending champions suffered a heartbreak against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Chahal's second exposure to IPL final was in 2022 when he moved to Rajasthan Royals and locked horns against Gujarat Titans. The fate didn't favour Chahal as Gujarat won the trophy in their maiden season.
The recently concluded IPL final between RCB and PBKS was the third time Chahal tried his luck to win an IPL trophy, but couldn't cross the line as his side fell short by six runs.
From emerging star to captain fantastic: Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey
From his debut as an emerging star to his elevation as a fantastic captain, Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey has been phenomenal. Explore his influence and achivements in this tournament, along with the key moments that shaped his IPL career.
Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey is a compelling story of growth, dedication, and leadership. From stepping into the grand stage as a promising young batsman to eventually shouldering the responsibility of captaincy and winning the trophy, he has finally earned the love and respect he deserved from all the cricket fans.
Explore this journey with us and relive those battles he fought to evolve from an emerging star to captain fantastic!
Iyer's IPL debut and initial impact (2015-2017) | Delhi Capitals
Shreyas Iyer playing for DC in his debut season in IPL 2015. Image | CC
Shreyas Iyer made his IPL debut at the age of 20 years and 6 months in 2015 season. His journey began with a bang when he was acquired by Delhi Capitals for ā¹2.6 crore, which made headlines as he became the highest earning uncapped player in the tournament.
His auction bid spotlight on him and he responded with a sensational debut, scoring 439 runs at an average of 33.76 in that season. He also won the IPL emerging player for the season award in 2015.
Iyer became DC's favourite and was retained for seven years in a row.
Youngest captain for DC and early leadership (2018)
Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2020. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The 2018 season was a significant turning point in Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey. At the age of 23 years and 142 days, he was given the captaincy, which made him the youngest captain for DC franchise and the fourth-youngest in any IPL side in history.
Iyer smashed a match-winning knock of 93* runs off 40 balls against KKR in his captaincy debut. In the 8 matches he captained, DC won 4 out of them, showing a 50% winning rate.
Leading from the front: The Delhi Capitals Era (2019-2022)
Shreyas Iyer posing with the IPL trophy in 2020. Image | NDTV
Iyer continued as a captain, leading the franchise into a new, more successful era from 2019 onwards. He led the team into the playoffs for the first time in seven years, finishing third in the league stage in IPL 2019.
He also had a strong season with the bat, scoring 463 runs.
Under his strong leadership, Delhi Capitals reached their maiden IPL final in the history of the tournament in IPL 2020. While the team lost to Mumbai Indians in the finals, Iyer's captaincy was highly praised.
He scored 65* runs off 50 balls in the final match.
Iyer's stats for DC (2015-2021)
Throughout his captaincy tenure (2018-2020), Iyer consistently contributed with the bat. His best season with the bat was in IPL 2020, when he scored 519 runs in 17 matches.
He was succeeded by Rishabh Pant as the captain in IPL 2021 season.
Season
Matches
Runs
Highest
SR
50s
2015
14
439
83
128.36
4
2016
6
30
19
69.76
0
2017
12
338
96
139.09
2
2018
14
411
93*
132.58
4
2019
16
463
67
119.94
3
2020
17
519
88*
123.27
3
2021
8
175
47*
102.33
0
He scored a total of 2375 runs in 87 matches for Delhi Capitals.
A new chapter: KKR and the title glory (2022-2024)
Shreyas Iyer's poolside pose with the IPL trophy won in 2024. Image | India Today
Shreyas Iyer entered the 2022 mega auction and was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for ā¹12.25 crore, and was immediately appointed as the new captain.
His first year with KKR concluded with a 7th position finish in the points table, and him scoring 401 runs in 14 matches total.
Missing a season (2023)
Iyer was ruled out entirely of IPL 2023 due to his back injury and Nitish Rana stepped in as the captain for KKR during his absence. He eventually recovered and made a grand comeback in the next season.
The Champion season: Leading KKR to their 3rd IPL title
The 2024 IPL season under Iyer's captaincy was nothing short of a fairy tale for KKR, and they got the ending they deserved. They dominated the game throughout the tournament and finished at the top of the points table.
Things even accelerated in the playoffs, where KKR delivered stunning team performances. They finally clinched the IPL title by defeating SRH by 8 wickets in the Final.
Shreyas Iyer speaking at the press conference before the final match of IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
The reigning champion, KKR, made a big decision to not retain Shreyas Iyer ahead he mega auction, which left the fans shocked. However, Punjab Kings acquired him for ā¹26.75 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in IPL history.
He was appointed as the captain and consistently proved how he was worth every penny!
Punjab Kings often struggled for consistency in their earlier seasons, and Shreyas completely changed the narrative for them this year. He started this season for the franchise with a selfless 97*, sacrificing his maiden IPL century, and led the team to 9 wins out of 14 matches.
Under his captaincy, the team not only qualified for the playoffs after 11 years, but also finished at the top of the table in league stage.
Leading PBKS to a historic Final
After breaking the 11-year drought of qualifying for playoffs, the team also reached their first final since 2014. Shreyas Iyer single-handedly made this possible with his match-winning knock of 87* off 41 balls in the Qualifier 2. He also became the captain with most 50+ scores in IPL playoffs.
Punjab put up an extremely tough fight for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final, ultimately losing by just 6 runs. Iyer's impact was undeniable for PBKS, who made this season a memorable one for them.
He also became the first captain to lead 3 different teams to the IPL Finals (DC in 2020, KKR in 2024, and PBKS in 2025).
Shreyas Iyer was the highest-scorer for PBKS in 2025 and finished 6th in the Orange Cap leaderboard. He also smashed 39 sixes in this season, which overall the second-highest.
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