IPL kicks off with Rohit-Kohli duel

Chennai, April 8

Rohit Sharma has a legacy to defend, Virat Kohli would be looking to create one while Mahendra Singh Dhoni seems ready to pull off a fresh trick when the Indian Premier League starts here today, cooped up in a bio-bubble as a raging pandemic wreaks fresh havoc.

Two editions of IPL within a space of five months isn’t an ideal situation for all the stakeholders. But for the fans, exhausted by the second wave of Covid-19, watching towering sixes, toe-crushing yorker and new talents unearthed will be a welcome diversion in the next seven weeks.

The opening encounter will be between defending champions Mumbai Indians and under-achievers Royal Challengers Bangalore here and the big-hitters on both sides will ensure that necessary fireworks will be there even if fans are absent from the stands thanks to the pandemic. The virus has cast its shadow on the league in the build-up stage with some positive cases among both players and support staff. But with a strict bio-bubble in place for the games, the BCCI would be hoping for a smooth run just like the previous edition in the UAE. If one looks at the bigger picture, the 14th edition of IPL assumes greater significance as it is being held in a T20 World Cup year and that too in the sub-continent. — PTI

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