IPL Dispatch: MLAs Find 'Compromise' Ahead Of RCB Vs SRH Opener; Ashwin Makes 'Doosra' Choice

Another Indian Premier League (IPL) season is almost upon us. Days of anticipation have shrunk to hours, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) prepare to lock horns with SunRisers Hyderabad on Saturday (March 28, 2026).

For the first time in the tournament's 18-plus-year history, the focus is as much on the venue as the players. The famed M Chinnaswamy Stadium has hosted tens of big games before, but the context is different this time. The tragic loss of 11 lives in a stampede amid RCB's victory parade has called into question safety standards, and the stadium has been cleared to host the match after much back and forth.

The build-up thus is suitably sombre, with no opening ceremony planned before the action gets underway. Once the first ball is bowled, the spotlight would shift firmly to the cricket, hopefully.

With that, here is a stroll through some of the other big talking points around IPL 2026 in the past 24 hours.

No NOC For Thushara

RCB's seam-bowling arsenal appears to have been further depleted with Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Thushara ruled out for at least the Saturday opener, according to an ESPNcricinfo report. Thushara failed to clear a mandatory fitness test conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket, which led to the board denying a no-objection certificate (NOC) to him, the report stated.

Thushara was expected to play a vital role for the Bengaluru-based franchise in the death overs. There already is uncertainty around prime Australian medium-pacer Josh Hazlewood’s availability, and left-armer Yash Dayal has been declared unavailable for the whole season amid legal charges relating to sexual assault.

Ashwin In New Avatar

Forever known as the 'thinking cricketer', Ravichandran Ashwin has time and again taken opponents, viewers and even teammates by surprise with his innovative tactics. Now retired, the Indian spin maestro and Chennai Super Kings legend has again embarked on a seemingly unconventional journey by opting to do Hindi commentary, instead of English or Tamil, at JioStar’s studios for IPL 2026.

Ashwin, reputed for his astute analysis, will bring his insights to live action for the first time. He will be joined by fellow India stalwarts Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble, among others. In English, the host broadcaster's expert panel will be bolstered by the likes of AB de Villiers, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Michael Clarke, Eoin Morgan, Aaron Finch, Dale Steyn, and Kevin Pietersen.

Karnataka MLAs To Get Two Tickets Each

Hours after Karnataka legislative assembly speaker UT Khader sought four VIP tickets for every MLA at Chinnaswamy Stadium during IPL matches, state deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar announced that the lawmakers would get two tickets each for the tournament opener, in a compromise of sorts.

Shivakumar stated the decision after speaking with Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president Venkatesh Prasad, who also met chief minister Siddaramaiah earlier in the day. “For the first match, they (lawmakers) will get two tickets each. For the remaining matches, we’ll discuss later,” Shivakumar said.

MLAs across party lines had earlier alleged that they were treated with "disrespect" by the KSCA, which manages the venue. Many, including Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka, claimed they were given just one ticket and were not provided proper seating facilities during matches. Some members also demanded a separate lounge for legislators at the stadium.

Quote Of The Day

Given Virat Kohli's prolific ways in the league, the start of every IPL season is marked with predictions on the RCB mainstay's form. Kohli was RCB's leading run-getter in 2025, amassing 657 runs when the franchise claimed its maiden trophy, and head coach Andy Flower did not hold back in his bullish assessment by saying that Kohli looked "at the peak of his powers".

Flower said at the pre-match press conference: "I've been watching really closely (Kohli batting at nets), he looks on top of his game, he looks super fit. I was watching him do shuttles the other day, he looks light on his feet, very fit, very lean, very hungry.

"He's always been very hungry and determined and I think that mental and emotional space that he's in, where he's very comfortable with himself as a person, but he's also very hungry to drive himself as a professional sportsperson."

Elsewhere...

While IPL kicks off on Saturday, the Pakistan Super League's 2026 edition commenced on Thursday and generated controversy straightaway. During the opening match between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen, the ball seemed to acquire a pinkish hue in the first innings, and the colour became more noticeable with time and more overs.

Videos of the 'pink ball' started circulating left right and centre and online users speculated that the maroon colour of the Kingsmen's kit was perhaps rubbing off on the ball. To top it all, the franchise later tweeted: "Congratulations to the opposition on winning their first pink-ball game."