Chittagong Kings captain Mohammad Mithun praised his opposite number Mehidy Hasan Miraz after the latter called back Tom O’Connell, who had been dismissed timed out during their BPL match against Khulna Tigers in Dhaka on Tuesday.O’Connell, the Australian legspinner, walked out to bat after the allocated three minutes were up during Chittagong’s chase of 204. Mehidy, the fielding captain, went to the umpire along with several of his team-mates to ask about the delay.The umpires, Raveendra Wimalasiri and Tanvir Ahmed, adjudged O’Connell to be out. As O’Connell started to trudge back to the dugout, Mehidy called him back.Related
Mithun accepted that the dismissal was legitimate, and said that O’Connell had been taken by surprise as the wickets fell quickly, and he didn’t have enough time to get ready despite batting at No. 7.”I personally feel Miraz did a fantastic job,” Mithun said. “He showed that he has a big heart. It is within the rules for the fielding side to appeal. Credit to Miraz for letting [O’Connell] return to the crease.”The batter shouldn’t be late to the crease, particularly in a T20. He was a little late in getting ready. Probably he was a little relaxed when he was getting ready, maybe he didn’t realise that we would lose wickets so quickly. That’s what made him late. Nothing else.”O’Connell’s turn to bat came when Pakistani batter Haider Ali fell for a second-ball duck. Chittagong were 56 for 5 in the seventh over at that stage. After the timed-out drama, however, O’Connell himself fell for a golden duck, caught at short midwicket where Mehidy took the simple catch off Mohammad Nawaz’s bowling.Khulna went on to beat Chittagong by 37 runs.
Chelsea have enjoyed yet another busy summer transfer window under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, with many more deals expected to be done before the transfer deadline on September 1.
This is both in terms of incomings and outgoings, as UEFA are putting pressure on Chelsea to register a positive transfer balance by next month, or face an inability to register new signings for the Champions League.
UEFA fined Chelsea in July for being in breach of FFP, so this was agreed as part of the settlement.
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Chelsea are looking to close a few more deals before the end of the summer transfer window.
ByAngus Sinclair Aug 12, 2025
Since this agreement with UEFA, Chelsea have raised nearly £220 million in permanent transfer sales, which nearly balances out their near-£277 million spent on incoming players this month.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu have all departed Stamford Bridge, with a few more expected to follow.
Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are among the high-profile names who appear set to leave Chelsea before the transfer deadline, which will also free up room for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons and Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho to come in.
Chelsea have been in talks to sign both Simons and Garnacho since last week (Sky Sports), with Enzo Maresca potentially set to be backed with a stunning double which could be worth around £100 million.
The duo are determined to join Maresca, according to credible reports, with Garnacho setting his sights on Chelsea as his “only” preferred destination (David Ornstein).
Simons, meanwhile, is waiting patiently for Leipzig and Chelsea to agree a fee after shaking hands on personal terms with the Blues (Florian Plettenberg).
Interestingly, Chelsea are also still in the market for a new goalkeeper, according to RMC Sport.
Chelsea make approach to sign PSG outcast Gianluigi Donnarumma
As per the French news outlet, £211,000-per-week PSG outcast Gianluigi Donnarumma is on their radar as an alternative to Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen.
The Italy number one won’t sign a new deal with PSG, as widely reported, and he’s since been axed from Luis Enrique’s squad for their looming UEFA Super Cup clash against Tottenham.
This has seemingly alerted Cobham chiefs to an opportunity, with Chelsea making an inquiry over signing Donnarumma alongside Man United.
The 26-year-old is still very young in his goalkeeping years, but already possesses a wealth of top-level know-how- making 412 appearances across his spells at the Parc des Princes and AC Milan.
Donnarumma boasts four Ligue 1 titles, a Champions League winner’s medal, three Goalkeeper of the Season awards and a Euro 2020 triumph with Italy among his many honours, and you could make a serious case that he’s exactly the type of experienced figurehead that Maresca is missing.
Given his deal expires in less than a year and could leave PSG for just £26 million, this deal almost seems like a no-brainer.
Former Bangladesh coach says the allegations against him are premeditated
Mohammad Isam18-Oct-2024
Chandika Hathurusinghe was sacked for alleged misconduct•AFP/Getty Images
Sacked Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe has accused BCB president Faruque Ahmed of making “premeditated” allegations against him – of assaulting a player and breaching his terms of employment. The BCB had on Thursday removed Hathurusinghe as coach of the national men’s team citing those reasons, and appointed Phil Simmons until the Champions Trophy in 2025.”These allegations appear to me to be premeditated,” Hathurusinghe said in a statement sent to ESPNcricinfo. “On the first day of the new president’s term, he made a public statement expressing his desire to remove the head coach, which he acknowledged might involve financial repercussions for the BCB.”Additionally, I was shocked to receive a ‘show cause notice’ just four hours before the appointment of another head coach, despite the notice stating that I had 48 hours to prove my innocence. This sequence of events raises serious questions about the motives behind these actions.”Related
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BCB terminates Hathurusinghe's contract as Bangladesh coach
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The BCB had suspended Hathurusinghe on October 15 for allegedly assaulting a player during the 2023 ODI World Cup and for taking more time off than was permitted in his contract. The board formally terminated his contract on October 17.Hathurusinghe said the player in question had not reported the incident to the Bangladesh team manager at the time, and that the alleged incident came to light only when a YouTuber “orchestrated the narrative”.”I cannot allow this presumption [to go] unchallenged without responding,” Hathurusinghe wrote. “I believe it is essential to clarify the facts as I see them surrounding these accusations and present my side of the story. Firstly, the alleged incident purportedly occurred in the players’ dugout or dressing room, a location that is under constant surveillance during World Cup matches…”Furthermore, if the incident was as serious as claimed, it is perplexing that the player involved did not report the incident to the team manager or any authority immediately following the alleged event. If a complaint was made, I wonder why I was not questioned or approached for my side of the story at that time. It raises the question as to why the narrative was orchestrated months later by an individual on YouTube?”The BCB’s second allegation against Hathurusinghe was taking excessive time off. ESPNcricinfo has learned that he reportedly took 112 days off in 2023 and 59 in 2024, when his contract allowed him only 45 days of leave in a year. Hathurusinghe said he had been granted leave by BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury and the cricket operations committee chairman Jalal Yunus.”I have consistently sought and received approval from both the CEO and the chairman of cricket operations whenever I have taken personal leave,” he said. “At no time did the BCB tell me that they were unhappy with my leave situation, but conversely, every time I asked for leave, it was granted by BCB. At no time did I go on leave without their authorisation.”When the new board members alleged that I had taken excessive leave, they did not account for public holidays, such as Eid, nor the Fridays which may have occurred during my leave. Nor did they give credit for when I did not take allowed time off during public holidays. As I understand it, according to Bangladesh labour law, I am entitled to ‘time in lieu’ for work done on Fridays. Additionally, as a BCB employee, I am entitled to leave on Fridays and a half-day off on Thursdays.”Hathurusinghe: I was advised to leave Bangladesh on security groundsHathurusinghe said he had left Bangladesh for reasons of security, and questioned the BCB’s treatment of its employees and the motivation of the new board administration, which was put in place following the overthrow of the Bangladesh government in August.”Given the circumstances, I was advised to leave Bangladesh on security grounds,” Hathurusinghe said. “The combination of these allegations, the swift appointment of a new head coach, and the apparent lack of due process raises significant concerns about the motivation of the new management and the treatment of employees within the BCB.”I am committed to defending my reputation and will cooperate fully with any investigation into these matters. In the end truth will prevail, and I can continue to contribute positively to the sport I love.”This was Hathurusinghe’s second stint as Bangladesh coach. He was appointed in 2014 and stayed for three years before resigning in October 2017. He returned in February 2023 and was sacked with five months left in his two-year term.
Glasgow Rangers continued their preparations for the 2025/26 campaign with a behind-closed-doors friendly clash at St. George’s Park on Saturday.
The Light Blues were held to a 1-1 draw, as Danilo scored the only goal for the Ibrox side.
There is still plenty of work left to be done before Rangers face their Champions League qualifiers later this month, not least on the transfer front.
Sheffield Wednesday winger Djeidi Gassama looks set to be the next player through the door. When asked about the forward’s arrival, Russell Martin said: “We’re waiting on their end to be sorted but we fully expect Gass to be our player hopefully fairly, very, very soon. We need to try and strengthen as many areas as possible.”
The 21-year-old attacker, who predominantly plays on the left flank, appears to be on the verge of joining the likes of Thelo Aasgaard, Nasser Djiga, Joe Rothwell, Emmanuel Fernandez, Max Aarons, and Lyall Cameron at Ibrox.
What Djeidi Gassama could bring to Rangers
Gassama is far from the finished article and supporters should not expect him to immediately be an incredible talent who is going to produce 20 goals and assists in his first season.
At the age of 21, he has plenty left to learn and plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that the winger will be a long-term signing for the Gers on a permanent deal from the Owls.
Djeidi Gassama
However, that does not mean that Gassama will not be a useful player for Martin to call upon at Ibrox next season, because he produced a decent amount of quality in the final third in the Championship last season.
In the 2024/25 campaign, the French dynamo scored seven goals and provided one assist in 43 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday, who were not competing for promotion from the division.
xG
5.92
Top 16%
Goals
7
Top 14%
Shots on target
23
Top 14%
Chances created
38
Top 23%
xA
2.54
Top 32%
Assists
1
Bottom 27%
Touches in the opposition box
153
Top 6%
As you can see in the table above, he ranked well among his positional peers as a goalscorer and was unfortunate to only have one assist, as his teammates let him down with wasteful finishing.
These statistics suggest that he could be an exciting player for supporters to watch as a winger who constantly gets himself into high-quality goalscoring positions by taking plenty of touches in the opposition’s box.
Gassama will not be the only winger to arrive at Ibrox this summer, though, and the Light Blues are reportedly eyeing a forward who is even better than the Owls sensation.
Rangers battling to sign Premier League forward
According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are one of the teams eyeing up a deal to sign Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers have joined the race to land the left-footed forward, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Sheffield United.
Transfer Focus
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It states that Wolves are looking to reinvest some of the cash that they brought in from the sale of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, and they have identified the Eagles youngster as a target.
The Scottish Sun reveals that Rangers, who are now battling the Old Gold for the winger, would like to bring the 22-year-old star to Ibrox on a season-long loan, as they are not prepared to pay the £10m asking price for a permanent move.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Wolves will stump up the £10m required to sign Rak-Sakyi, which means that the Gers are still in the race at this moment in time.
Why Rak-Sakyi is even better than Gassama
The English forward would be an even better signing for Rangers next season than Gassama with the immediate future in mind, as he could hit the ground running as a star for the Light Blues in the coming months.
Rak-Sakyi, who was hailed as “wonderful” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, only started 22 games in the Championship for Sheffield United last term, but racked up seven goals, 3.48 xA, and two assists for the promotion-chasing Blades.
Despite his limited game time, the right-sided winger showed that he can make a big impact in front of goal, which suggests that he could thrive at Ibrox as a regular starter under Martin if he arrives in Glasgow this summer.
The £10m-rated star, who delivered 15 goals and nine assists for Charlton in the 2022/23 campaign, could offer more in the final third than Gassama at the start of next season, as he heavily outperformed the Sheffield Wednesday man in the Championship when on the pitch.
xG
0.18
0.32
Goals
0.21
0.36
xA
0.08
0.18
Assists
0.03
0.10
Chances created
1.14
1.51
Dribbles completed
1.99
2.44
Touches in the opposition box
4.60
7.69
As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi outperformed the French whiz as a scorer, a creator, and as a dribbler in the second tier of English football, in terms of what he offered per 90.
These statistics suggest that the left-footed star is more likely to offer consistent quality in front of goal as a scorer and a creator of goals for Rangers if given regular game time than Gassama is next season, given their respective performances at the same level last term.
Therefore, Rak-Sakyi could be a terrific signing for Rangers to immediately add goals and assists to the team on the right flank ahead of the Champions League qualifiers later this month.
Bad news for Souttar at Ibrox: Rangers plotting move to sign "great leader"
Having already made six summer signings, plenty more are forecast to follow at Rangers, so will they secure a deal to sign a “great leader”?
ByBen Gray Jul 13, 2025
It is now down to the Gers, though, to convince Palace to send the winger to Ibrox on loan for the season, despite interest from Wolves in a permanent deal for the young attacker.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have now made direct contact over a deal for an “amazing” defender, who could be tempted by a move to Molineux this summer, according to a report.
Summer rebuild needed at Molineux
The departures of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha have left Vitor Pereira with work to do in the summer transfer market, but Steve Bull believes his former club could be capable of taking major strides next season.
Bull said: “Pereira had to pick up the pieces last season from Gary O’Neil and he guided us to safety.
“I am not sure he wants to do that this year. I think he wants to sell himself and get us at least in the top half of the table this season.”
Achieving a top-half finish after losing Ait-Nouri and Cunha would be a major achievement for Pereira, which would be sure to attract the attention of some top clubs, but a summer rebuild will be needed in order to make that goal a reality.
Wolves make first approach to sign £34m Club World Cup goalscorer
He’s been in excellent form at the Club World Cup.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025
One of the main reasons the Old Gold were drawn into a relegation battle last season was their very poor defensive record, shipping 69 goals in the Premier League, the highest number of any club outside the relegation zone.
As such, it is little wonder Wolves are looking at bringing in a new centre-back, and they have now held direct talks with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Igor Julio, according to El Diario Vasco (via Sport Witness).
Indeed, the Old Gold have called Igor over a potential move to Molineux, which could be of great appeal, given that Pereira’s squad is full of Brazilian and Portuguese players.
However, the Brazilian is currently prioritising a move to Real Sociedad, as he is keen to seal a move away from England this summer, and believes the La Liga side could be a good fit.
Julio could be "amazing" signing for Wolves
Wolves will be hoping the defender’s head can be turned, despite the interest from Sociedad, as he impressed considerably for Brighton last season, being singled out for praise by manager Fabian Hürzeler.
Hürzeler said: “He played now a good game against Newcastle. And I wasn’t surprised by this because I see him every training session and he’s an amazing professional player.
“He always wants to give the best. He always wants to be the best version of himself and that’s very impressive.”
The 27-year-old, who signed for Brighton for €17m (£15m) in 2023, also ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks per 90 over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs, and the 88th percentile for his pass-completion rate.
Having proven himself in the Premier League, Igor could be exactly the type of signing to help Wolves kick on and push for a top-half finish, but the interest from Real Sociedad could pose a major problem.
Continuing their search for a new manager, the 49ers and Rangers have now reportedly added another name to their shortlist alongside Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti.
Rangers' manager shortlist shrinking
The Gers have been considering their options ever since deciding to part ways with Philippe Clement and even handed Barry Ferguson the interim role to buy themselves some time for the rest of the season. With the season now over, however, those at Ibrox have a decision to make between a number of reported candidates.
One name that can at least be ruled out is Ferguson. Although the interim boss showed some promise in European action, his Ibrox record was always unlikely to be enough for the permanent job.
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Nonetheless, he admitted the honour of taking charge if only for a short spell, saying in a recent statement: “I’ve already lived the dream as a player and as captain of Rangers, and to do so as head coach in these last three months has been an enormous honour.
“There have been some ups and downs, but I have loved this experience and given it my all throughout. The backing I have received has been phenomenal. I said, no matter how this period panned out, I would always remain a committed supporter of the club, and I look forward to remaining a Rangers ambassador. I wish whomever becomes the new manager every success in the job.”
Narrowing Rangers’ shortlist down to just a few names, the Gers must get their next decision right. According to reports, it’s Steven Gerrard who is the favourite to become the next Rangers manager and arrive for his second stint in charge.
The former Aston Villa manager recently left Saudi Arabia after a difficult spell in charge of Al Ettifaq, but could be given an instant opportunity to get back to familiarities at Ibrox. Meanwhile, Davide Ancelotti – son of Carlo Ancelotti – has also been heavily linked with what would be his first managerial job away from his father.
There’s every chance that it could be neither of those options, however, with another name now reportedly added to the shortlist.
Rangers add Gattuso to list of candidates
According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Rangers have now also identified Gennaro Gattuso as a managerial option alongside Gerrard and Ancelotti. The Italian is well known around Ibrox thanks to his spell at the club from 1997 to 1998 and could now make his return away from the pitch and in the dugout at the home of the Scottish giants.
Gennaro Gattuso during his time with Marseille.
Whilst Gattuso’s playing career was undeniably iconic – Gerrard himself admitted the Italian’s style “really angered” him in their 2005 Champions League final meeting – his managerial career hasn’t quite hit the same heights.
Often implementing a 4-2-3-1 system, the longest that the Italian has lasted at a club is two years, with spells at Napoli, Valencia and AC Milan all ending fairly unsuccessfully. Now at Hajduk Split until at least 2026, Rangers would also face the problem of getting Gattuso out of his current role.
On their list nonetheless, Gattuso could be an interesting name to watch if neither Gerrard nor Ancelotti take the Rangers job in the coming months.
It’s been a tale of two halves for Everton this season.
The mood was dour when Sean Dyche’s side dragged themselves to the Premier League campaign’s midpoint, 16th after successive losses against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, their 15-goal haul better only than Southampton, a team that have since failed to pull themselves from the pit of the division, utterly miserable throughout.
A different trajectory for David Moyes’ Everton, though. The Scottish manager replaced Dyche shortly after those aforementioned defeats and has now sealed a 13th-place finish, far more optimism, far more fluency, and a new sense of hope that simply wasn’t there during the Farhad Moshiri era.
Everton manager DavidMoyes
However, Dyche left the club in a somewhat stable fashion. No doubt, he needed to go, but defensive foundations had been laid and solidified, and one or two positive additions were welcomed last summer – namely, the £15m signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille.
Moyes will also thank his lucky stars for Jarrad Branthwaite, who has grown into his role as one of the country’s most talented defenders over the past few years.
Jarrad Branthwaite is Everton's biggest star
A formidable presence, Branthwaite might only be 22 years old, but he’s shaped into one of the most powerful and precise centre-backs in the Premier League.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
Described as an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, Branthwaite has continued to prove himself Everton’s defender par excellence, more athletic and accurate than James Tarkowski and with an underrated technical side too.
Dyche and Moyes’ tactical approaches preclude fluid ball playing with the regularity that Branthwaite perhaps wants (he will be frustrated at having been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad), but interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United make a telling comment on the high regard he is held in by possession-focused outfits.
Jarrad Branthwaite in the Premier League
Stats (* per game)
23/24
24/25
Matches (starts)
35 (35)
30 (28)
Goals
3
0
Assists
0
1
Clean sheets
12
8
Touches*
52.2
51.9
Pass completion
80%
83%
Ball recoveries*
5.2
3.1
Tackles + interceptions*
3.3
2.1
Clearances*
4.5
6.3
Duels (won)*
5.3 (68%)
3.9 (63%)
Data via Sofascore
As you can see above, he’s maintained a brilliant level across the past two campaigns, and it’s no surprise he was absent through injury during the 2024/25 season’s opening, when Dyche’s Toffees were at their nadir.
But would you believe it, he hasn’t actually been Everton’s best defender this season. Moyes will thank his stars for Branthwaite and Ndiaye and so on, but Jake O’Brien may well have been the most astute signing of them all.
Why Jake O'Brien has been even better than Branthwaite
When analysing the role O’Brien has played for Everton this season, it becomes clear that he’s been an instrumental part of the club’s success in steering away from relegation danger and erecting a framework for a promising new era under the wing of The Friedkin Group.
Jake O'Brien celebrates for Everton
Everton signed the Republic of Ireland international from Lyon last summer for a £17m fee, but he failed to make more than a smattering of appearances for Dyche, playing two cameos in the Premier League before Moyes’ first match in January against Aston Villa.
Since coming off the bench at Goodison Park on that day, the 24-year-old has started 16 top-flight fixtures, principally at right-back, missing just one game due to injury.
He’s scored crucial goals in 1-1 draws against Brentford and West Ham United and has kept four clean sheets, winning 55% of his duels and averaging 4.3 clearances per game, as per Sofascore. He hasn’t made a single error.
Typically a central defender, O’Brien’s emergence on the right has been something of a masterstroke from Moyes, with Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman, who have a combined age of 75, both approaching the end of their contracts and lacking the powerful physicality and mobility of this rising star, whose defensive roots actually align with Moyes’ vision too.
Hailed “an absolute revelation” for the Merseysiders by TNT Sports commentator Adam Virgo, O’Brien has indeed proved his positional dynamism, his roundedness and his willingness to provide his services in any way Moyes sees best fit, and to a high standard at that.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 13% of Premier League full-backs this season for goals scored, the top 2% for clearances, the top 5% for aerial battles won, and the top 7% for long passes completed.
Everton's Jake O'Brien
That final metric, his ranged distribution, is an interesting one. The 6 foot 6 O’Brien might be perfunctorily categorised as a hulking defender, good in the air and solid against onrushing forwards, but lacking on the technical side.
However, this simply isn’t the case. His crisp forward passing opens up a dimension for Moyes, who is rooted in his pragmatic style but open to advanced tinkering, creating a layered style that has worked a treat for Everton as they prepare to transition to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Jake O'Brien
It’s probably fair to say that Everton would have been in a spot of bother, had Moyes failed to: a) recognise O’Brien’s potential as a moonlighter at right-back or b) find he had the Irishman in his squad to begin with.
O’Brien has been brilliant, adding a defensive dimension that has kept Coleman and Young on the back burner. With Nathan Patterson unreliable on the fitness and, consequently, form fronts, his performances have maybe even been instrumental.
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With Abdoulaye Doucouré set to leave Everton after Sunday’s visit to Newcastle, does David Moyes already have a ready-made replacement?
These players, and some others, will be looking to impress at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, especially with the IPL auction and T20 World Cup coming up
Shashank Kishore25-Nov-2025
Prithvi Shaw
After losing his spot in the Mumbai team and going unsold in IPL 2025 following concerns over form, fitness and discipline, Shaw has rebooted his career in Maharashtra. The move has given him a fresh start, and he has responded with an impressive return to red-ball cricket – 470 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 92.33 in the Ranji Trophy. With the white-ball leg of the season beginning, Shaw is also in contention to lead Maharashtra once Ruturaj Gaikwad links up with the India ODI squad for the South Africa series. A natural powerplay aggressor, Shaw will be eyeing big runs and hoping to make a strong statement to IPL teams about what he could bring to the table in 2026.Riyan Parag is among the candidates who could captain Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026•BCCI
Riyan Parag
Parag stepped in as Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain during Sanju Samson’s injury-enforced absence in IPL 2025, but his own form failed to reach the heights of the previous season. With Samson now moving to Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Parag has a chance to reassert himself, both as a performer and as a leader, when he turns out for Assam. He hasn’t been close to an India call-up for nearly a year after a shoulder injury. His form in the recent India A series against South Africa A too was lukewarm, making this an important stretch to rebuild momentum. There’s also the Royals’ long-term captaincy to stake a claim for, with the franchise having backed him heavily since 2018.Venkatesh Iyer was released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the IPL 2026 auction•Associated Press
Venkatesh Iyer
A headline-grabbing INR 23.75 crore signing, Iyer was at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2025 with major expectations around him, only to be released a year on after a disappointing 2025 campaign. Appointed vice-captain, he managed just 142 runs in seven innings with a single half-century and wasn’t used with the ball, largely because of the Impact-Player rule. With that restriction not applicable at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Iyer now has a chance to reset. He’ll likely return to the top of the order for Madhya Pradesh and take on key overs for them as they look to go one better than last year’s runners-up finish. For Iyer, this is a crucial window to remind IPL teams why he commanded such a high price just a year ago.Akash Deep is still a work in progress in T20 cricket•BCCI
Akash Deep
Picked for INR 8.25 crore by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of IPL 2025, Akash Deep endured a frustrating season. Family reasons forced him to be a non-starter when the season began. Then, when he returned, he picked up a niggle. And by the time he started, he seemed woefully undercooked, and went at 12.8 an over across the six games he played for three measly wickets. For someone who has climbed the ranks quickly, Akash Deep is still far from being an established IPL, or T20, player, having started with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as a net bowler and then playing a handful of games across 2023-24. But Indian fast bowlers often command top billing at IPL auctions because of the flexibility they offer with regards to team balance. Which is why a good Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy could make Akash Deep an in-demand quick when the auction comes around.Ravi Bishnoi could be in demand during the IPL 2026 auction•BCCI
Ravi Bishnoi
Picked as an uncapped player for INR 4 crore by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022, Bishnoi has seen his stocks plummet sharply over the past year. The return of Varun Chakravarthy and the rise of Washington Sundar, who lends depth as an allrounder, has meant Bishnoi has slipped in the pecking order as far as the national team goes. His IPL fortunes have nosedived too; in the last two seasons, he’s managed all of 19 wickets across 25 matches. Having been released, he’ll hope to put in performances of note for Gujarat to once again be back in the reckoning not just among IPL teams but also the national team.Umran Malik is back to bowling at full tilt•KKR Knight Club
Umran Malik
He burst on to the scene at IPL 2022 hitting 156.9kph on the speed gun for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but the journey since has been anything but smooth. Malik’s fitness, form and attitude have all been under the scanner, forcing him to spend more time on the sidelines and in rehab than on the cricket pitch. He missed the entire 2024-25 domestic season and the IPL that followed with bouts of injury (hip and hamstring) and illness, but has since returned and has been bowling full-tilt and has even taken part in training camps under Abhishek Nayar. Importantly, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where Nayar is now head coach, have retained Malik for the upcoming season. After playing just one Ranji game in the first leg, Malik now has a chance to show IPL teams why he’ll be an asset.
She isn’t a natural six-hitter, but against Mumbai Indians, she manipulated the field to finish with eight fours and three sixes in a knock of 69*
Vishal Dikshit06-Mar-20245:43
Rodrigues: I’ve learnt from Kohli how to hit sixes while hitting in the gaps
Jemimah Rodrigues is not a big six hitter. She is not burly, and she doesn’t demolish the ball into the stands. You lob her a full toss, and chances are she will deftly place it into the gap for four. If power-hitting doesn’t come naturally to her, how did she smoke three sixes and several one-bounce fours during a match-winning 69 off 33 balls against a Mumbai Indians line-up packed with international bowlers?The pitch which Delhi Capitals and Mumbai were playing on at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was fresh and largely helping the batters when they went for their shots. The big difference compared to the Bengaluru tracks, where the first half of this WPL was played, was the lack of bounce which turned out to be a blessing for Rodrigues, who is not tall like some of her team-mates, as she could get under the ball more easily.The ground also had skewed square boundaries – 46 metres on one and 63 on the other. Her technique, though comprehensive and compact, was going to need some form of innovation to find the ropes regularly.Related
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Soon after Meg Lanning’s 53 from 38 deliveries chaperoned the team to 114 for 3 in 13 overs, the onus was on Rodrigues to probably hold one end and leave the job of hitting those big sixes to Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen. After all, Rodrigues’ T20 strike rate was only 118; and at one stage, she was on a boundary-less 13 off 14 balls, and Capitals on 123 for 3 with five overs to go.When Shabnim Ismail bowled a slow cutter at just 88.9kph, Rodrigues went down on a knee and slog-swept to the wide long-on boundary – the longer boundary in that over – for a one-bounce four. Trying to stay one step ahead of the experienced Ismail, Rodrigues made room two balls later for the quicker ball on middle, and carved it over the two point fielders for another one-bounce four.”I knew coming into the WPL you need all sorts of shots, and I can’t stick to [certain shots] and say, ‘I’m this kind of a player’,” Rodrigues said after the game.With the shorter boundary on her leg side next over, Rodrigues went out of her crease on the off side to make Pooja Vastrakar’s short ball race away to the square-leg boundary. The keeper soon came up, and when Vastrakar went wide outside off, Rodrigues scythed it to the deep-third boundary for another one-bounce four.The manipulation of the field continued in the 18th over when Rodrigues first swept a four behind square off Saika Ishaque, and then manufactured room to slash another one-bounce four to the backward-point boundary.
“That’s something I’ve learnt from Virat Kohli; he does that really well… The way he goes about [his game], he runs well between the wickets, [and] he has intent while batting. Even if he hits sixes, he hits it in the gaps”Jemimah Rodrigues on trying to hit the ball in the gaps
She saved the best for the last two overs. After starting the 19th with a four and a six, she shuffled a long way to the off side, and when Nat Sciver-Brunt pitched it short, Rodrigues smashed it for six to the short leg-side boundary and left the opposition captain in a double tea-pot stance. Rodrigues was not only maneuvering the ball in the gaps, but she was also hitting them for sixes en route to a 27-ball fifty.”For me I need to put a little more effort than the others to hit those sixes,” she said. “But I rely a lot on my timing and my bat swing. I think today it came off really well, and for me, even if you see my sixes, I don’t try to hit sixes, I try to hit the ball in the gap. If it’s hit too well, it goes for a six.”That’s something I’ve learnt from Virat Kohli; he does that really well. I really look up to him because we have similar [batting] positions in the Indian team. The way he goes about [his game], he runs well between the wickets, [and] he has intent while batting. Even if he hits sixes, he hits it in the gaps. So if he hits it well, it’s either two runs, four or a six. That’s what I try and imply in my game too.”And Rodrigues was doing that so well against Mumbai on Tuesday that they were caught off guard. When Hayley Matthews came around the wicket for the last over with protection on the leg-side boundary, Rodrigues made the ball sail high over the longest part of the ground – wide long-on – for her third six before finding another boundary to finish unbeaten on 69.Jemimah Rodrigues hit her maiden WPL half-century•BCCI”I never imagined that it would be a 33-ball 69*,” she said. “One thing really good about my game today was [that] from the first ball I had the intent. Even though I didn’t go bang, bang, bang from the first ball, but in my stride the way I was timing the ball, I think that intent was very important for me. It gets me going and gets my feet in good positions.”The last time she had hit three sixes in a T20 was in two domestic games in the 2021-22 season, but on the big stage and televised matches, it last happened in a T20I against Sri Lanka in 2018. On Tuesday, it was just the fourth occasion in her T20 career of 201 innings that she had struck three sixes in an innings.”I need to keep improving with the game,” she said. “Working on power-hitting was not just now or just before the WPL; it’s been a long process from so many years, and going out there and hitting those sixes time and time again [was great].”Rodrigues knew she was never a big six-hitter, and trying to become someone she wasn’t was not going to take her anywhere. When her close friend Smriti Mandhana sent her a message after the previous game to say, “you just be a Jemimah Rodrigues, and you’ll be fine”, is when it hit home for Rodrigues, and she made it count in her first home game.
Does he have a short-ball weakness, or is his issue more specific?
Hemant Brar10-Jun-20222:09
Jaffer: Shreyas Iyer needs to find more attacking shots against pacers
At first glance, it appears as if it’s a left-hand batter playing a falling hook, a la Roy Fredericks. But a closer look reveals it to be Shreyas Iyer, a right-hand batter, his limbs all contorted as he tries to deal with a short ball from Marco Jansen during IPL 2022.Fast bowlers around the world know Iyer doesn’t fancy the short ball. During the IPL, he was out to short-pitched deliveries on four occasions. On another, Umran Malik peppered him with the short stuff before shattering his stumps with a yorker.On Thursday, in the first T20I against South Africa in Delhi, Iyer raced to 24 off eight balls, smashing three sixes off Tabraiz Shamsi in the process. In all, he looted 23 runs off ten balls against the spinners. But when the fast bowlers came on, he could manage only 13 off 17 balls. As per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, out of those 17, nine were pitched short of a good length, and Iyer scored eight runs off those nine balls.And while South Africa’s quicks bowled nine short-of-good-length balls to Iyer, they didn’t bowl a single ball in the “short” category; a pattern that suggests they were looking to bowl what are commonly known as “hard lengths” rather than bounce him out. There’s a certain amount of subjectivity to this data, but if this was South Africa’s plan, they had a reason for it. More on this later.As a result of Iyer’s slowdown against pace, his innings, which began in fifth gear, ended with a strike rate of 133.33 (36 runs off 27 balls). It was the slowest innings by any Indian batter other than Dinesh Karthik, who faced only two balls, in the match.”I think when Shreyas gets stuck [against fast bowlers], he moves around the crease a lot,” Wasim Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo’s show T20 Time:Out. “He goes outside leg stump and wants to access the off side. Otherwise, you don’t see him hitting a lot of boundaries or sixes off fast bowlers. He did take down the Shamsi threat but I think looking at the future, he needs to develop some of the shots where he is dominating against fast bowlers because he is batting in the top four; he is not somebody who is going to come at the back end.”I think he does need to improve his game, especially the boundary hitting against fast bowlers. If you look at the way he batted, that innings probably could have been a little bit better if those 10-15 runs would have come, if he had hit a couple of boundaries [off the fast bowlers].”Shreyas Iyer took Tabraiz Shamsi apart but struggled to break free against South Africa’s quicks•Associated PressDale Steyn, who was in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s dugout as their fast-bowling coach when Jansen had Iyer in a tangle, agreed with his co-analyst’s assessment. “It’s something he has to work on, just finding areas where he can score more boundaries off the seamers,” Steyn said. “I have seen him getting into some pretty strange positions when it comes to speed, especially this past IPL. Knowing that the World Cup is going to be in Australia at the back end of this year, he will have to combat that – facing a lot more seamers than spinners.”Iyer’s case is an interesting one. If you look at his T20 numbers in isolation, he fares better against fast bowlers than spinners. Since January 2021, he averages 41.75 against pace while striking at 135.77. Against spin, those numbers drop to 35.77 and 130.89.However, when you compare him to other batters around the world, you realise there is scope for improvement. Since January 2021, where ball-by-ball data is available, 75 batters have faced 400 or more balls of pace in T20 cricket. When arranged by strike rate, Iyer appears in the bottom half, in 46th position.If you zoom in further, you can pinpoint Iyer’s specific weakness. While the outright short ball can get him out (he only averages 19.00 against that length), he scores quickly against it, as a strike rate of 180.95 suggests. Against the short-of-good-length ball, however, he averages 97.50 but only strikes at 118.18. It has, in short, been a reliable defensive length against Iyer. Among the 78 batters who’ve faced at least 100 short-of-good-length balls from fast bowlers since the start of 2021, his strike rate puts him in 48th place.Go even deeper, limiting the line of these short-of-good-length balls to “at stumps”, and you have almost zeroed in on Iyer’s problem – he really struggles when fast bowlers aim at his body without giving him much room, with his strike rate dropping to 109.09. His counter to this mode of attack, often, is to back away, clear his front leg, and aim to hit through the off side. He tried one such shot against Kagiso Rabada on Thursday and was successful in clearing mid-off. But it’s unclear whether it’s a sustainable approach. Moreover, fast bowlers like it when they see batters moving to the leg side and exposing their stumps.In the current series, Iyer will most likely continue batting at No. 3, where he can be the anchor or aggressor depending on the match situation. But once Virat Kohli returns, and if India still want Iyer in the XI, he will have to bat at No. 4 or lower. In that scenario, he may not have the luxury of going at a middling strike rate against pace.