The Dodgers' superstars showed up when it counted most.

Los Angeles entered this weekend's series against the Padres on a four-game losing streak and just 10-14 since the All-Star break. San Diego had risen to the top of the division, with a chance to extend its lead during the series.

Instead, the Dodgers stepped up and swept the Padres to reclaim the division lead. On Sunday, former MVPs Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, who have both dealt with slumps this season, rebounded from their woes to lead the Dodgers to their third victory of the series.

Freeman hit a three-run home run in the first inning to give the Dodgers an early lead. The Padres tied up the game by the top of the eighth inning, but Betts responded with a home run of his own to give the Dodgers the final 5–4 lead, and ultimately, the win.

Betts had not logged a hit during the series until that home run, and has been hitting a career-low .242 this season, but came through during the clutch against Padres All-Star closer Robert Suarez.

"It's about time I did something," Betts told Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA after the game. "It's been all year, I'm just glad I was able to help the team win. … It felt great. I really haven't been driving the ball, last couple of games have been a lot better, hopefully we can turn the corner."

"I think Mookie's been very good for a couple weeks now," Freeman said following the win. "Anything he can take with confidence-wise, that was huge. 2-0 fastball, and he was able to stay through it, backspin the ball and hit it over the fence in a big situation. … Mookie Betts is gonna be Mookie Betts, and no one here is worried about him. Good to see him get some results, he's been working hard."

Sunday's performance should provide an added boost of confidence for the veteran stars, but the Dodgers' division lead is far from secure. They will need the momentum to carry through to next weekend, when they play their final series of the regular season against San Diego. That series will take place on the road at Petco Park, and winning it could go a long way for the Dodgers to try to claim the National League West.

West Indies, however, have plenty of problems of their own, coming off a humiliating home series defeat to Australia

Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Oct-20259:01

Chopra: At home against West Indies ‘should be a relatively easier series for India in this WTC’

Big pictureEvery home season brings the same expectations from India, but this one also brings a set of new anxieties. They’re about to play their first home Test since 0-3, their first home Test under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, and their first home Test since the retirements of R Ashwin, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. An unusually green pitch in Ahmedabad adds another layer of anxiety, potentially magnifying the importance of the toss.India’s anxieties, of course, pale in comparison to those of their opponents: injuries to key fast bowlers, the loss of a T20I series to Nepal (albeit with a second-string team that has no overlap with their Test squad), the emergency review of the team’s Test-match performances that followed 27 all out in Kingston, and the existential questions around the team’s future in the World Test Championship. West Indies can’t turn anywhere without fear of getting punched in the face.But it could give them the license to throw a few punches of their own. Their captain Roston Chase put it simply on the eve of the Test match. “When you have nothing to lose, you can just go and play freely, because, I mean, everyone is expecting us to lose.”Related

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India's selection headache: Two slots, multiple contenders

Everyone expects West Indies to lose. Everyone expects India to win. Everyone always expects India to win at home. From the start of 2013 to roughly the same point last year, India kept meeting these expectations again and again and again.Until they didn’t. Until New Zealand visited and won in a manner that showed just how much skill and effort it had taken for India to create and sustain the illusion of invincibility over such a long period. You might be the best team in the world, but you have to keep going out and proving it again and again, each time against a set of highly skilled athletes throwing a new set of challenges at you.Man to man, in personnel terms, this Test in Ahmedabad looks like a mismatch. But it will begin with the scorecard reading 0 for 0, in conditions from which no one quite knows what to expect.Form guideIndia WDLWL (last five Tests, most recent first)
West Indies LLLWLIn the spotlightThe last time India went into a home Test without Ashwin was all the way back in November 2010. As good as their spin attack is even without him, India will only really know what his absence means when they actually deal with it. In this scenario, Ravindra Jadeja becomes even more important than he usually is, with ball, bat, and as a leader, and not just because he’s vice-captain for this series.There is grass on the Ahmedabad pitch, but West Indies do not have Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph. They do, however, have one of the world’s best young fast-bowling talents in Jayden Seales, whose 88 Test wickets so far have come at the hugely impressive average of 22.32. He’s quick, skillful, and bowls a fullish natural length that could bother India’s batters considerably if there’s any help available. If he gets on a roll, Seales has the potential to make the kind of impact that Suranga Lakmal did in Kolkata in 2017 or Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke did in Bengaluru last year.2:50

‘Nothing is pre-decided’ – Gill on Bumrah’s workload

Team newsIndia, as always, kept their selection cards close to their chest on the eve of the match, but Gill suggested they are considering playing a third seamer given the greenness of this red-soil pitch in Ahmedabad. Does this mean a third frontline quick in Prasidh Krishna, or does it mean the allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy? And what does it mean for the spin attack, and for Kuldeep Yadav?India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Nitish Kumar Reddy/Axar Patel/Devdutt Padikkal, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj.Jediah Blades, who replaced Alzarri Joseph in West Indies’ squad, had not yet joined his team-mates in Ahmedabad by Wednesday. This means Seales will be partnered in their pace attack by Anderson Phillip and/or the uncapped Johann Layne, as well as the allrounder Justin Greaves. Khary Pierre could also make his debut at 34, as one of two left-arm fingerspinners alongside Jomel Warrican.West Indies (possible): 1 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 2 Kevlon Anderson, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Brandon King, 5 Shai Hope (wk), 6 Roston Chase, 7 Justin Greaves, 8 Khary Pierre, 9 Jomel Warrican, 10 Anderson Phillip/Johann Layne, 11 Jayden Seales.Pitch and conditionsIndia begin this new home season on an unusually green pitch, with potentially 4-5mm of grass on it. Selections and toss decisions could come down to how much moisture it retains on the morning of the match. The teams will also keep a wary eye on the sky and the forecast, with Ahmedabad experiencing intermittent rain in the lead-up to the Test and with showers expected on day one.2:10

Chopra: ‘I hope India don’t prepare rank turners’ against West Indies

Stats and trivia Since winning by 243 runs in Mohali in December 1994, West Indies have played 10 Tests against India in India, drawing two of them and losing the other eight. Roston Chase, Shai Hope and Jomel Warrican are the only members of West Indies’ squad who were part of their previous Test series against India in India, in 2018. All three of them, as well as John Campbell, also returned to India a year later for a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Lucknow. Ravindra Jadeja is 114 runs away from becoming only the fourth player in Test history to achieve the double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets. Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Daniel Vettori are the three allrounders presently in that club. John Campbell is six runs away from the 1000 mark in Test cricket.Quotes”I’ve mostly played T20 here and I think it’s very different from playing a Test match, because obviously the wicket, over a period of five days, plays differently from a T20 match. The last Test match that we played here was on a black-soil [pitch]. We’re playing this one on red soil. So I’m also looking forward to seeing how the wicket is going to play over the next five days.”
“This is a new series, it’s a new day, so we just have to put everything behind [us] that has happened before, and just come out with the mentality that we’re looking to dominate, we’re looking to win, and just go out there and give your best, ask god for guidance, and stick together as a team. Obviously, we’re in India, we’re not going to have much support, so we have to stick together as a unit — coaching staff, players, management, we all have to support one another through the tough times and through the good times as well.”

Lyon, Abbott, Khawaja, Labuschagne and Carey all to feature in pivotal Shield round while Doggett and Webster miss again through injury

Alex Malcolm14-Oct-2025

Scott Boland has dismissed Sam Konstas four times in Shield cricket•Getty Images

Incumbent Australia Test opener Sam Konstas is set to face another stern examination from Scott Boland this week when New South Wales face Victoria at the Junction Oval with the selection of the Ashes first Test squad just three weeks away.Nathan Lyon has also been named for NSW despite a thought during the pre-season that he might miss the clash at the Junction. It’s understood he is keen for some more overs after bowling just 31.5 across two innings against Western Australia at the WACA ground last week.Australia A allrounders Jack Edwards and Will Sutherland will return to captain their respective states while Sean Abbott will play his first red-ball game of the season to push his case to be considered for the Ashes after being left out of Australia’s ODI squad. Australia A spinners Todd Murphy and Tanveer Sangha have also been named in their first Shield squads of the season.Related

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However, Josh Philippe is unavailable for the Blues after being called into Australia’s ODI squad to replace the injured Josh Inglis while Alex Carey has been sent to play for South Australia against Queensland as part of his Ashes preparation.Usman Khawaja has been named for Queensland while Marnus Labuschagne is expected to remain at No. 3 for Queensland with Angus Lovell set to open alongside Khawaja in place of Matt Renshaw who is away with Australia’s ODI team.South Australia will be without Brendan Doggett for a second straight Shield match due to his minor hamstring issue but he is expected to return for round three. Nathan McAndrew will return after missing the opening the Shield round following his five-wicket haul in the One-Day Cup match against Victoria.Elsewhere, Beau Webster will miss a second straight match for Tasmania due to the ankle injury he suffered at training prior to the opening round against Queensland, but he is expected to return for round three. WA will be without Cameron Green who is playing in Australia’s ODI team while Joel Paris is missing with a hamstring injury.Boland is set to back up for Victoria after bowling 35 overs in Victoria’s opening round win over South Australia in Adelaide. Konstas is coming off scores of 4 and 14 at the WACA in New South Wales win over Western Australia but Lyon said that those performances should be disregarded because of the pitch.”I wouldn’t look too much into that,” Lyon said on Monday. “It was a very naughty wicket. “It was wet, there were some big divots and it was quite challenging, even though I got 40 runs on it. There are [two] more games to play out before the Test side gets picked.”Konstas did make an enterprising 40 off 28 in the One-Day Cup match on a better WACA surface last Thursday. But Boland will be a significant test for the 20-year-old opener. He has dismissed Konstas four times in Shield cricket, the most of any first-class bowler Konstas has faced, including twice in their last meeting at the SCG in February when Konstas was bowled trying to paddle scoop off the 13th ball of the match.The return of Sutherland and Murphy alongside Boland and Fergus O’Neill will give Konstas a chance to make a statement against an attack with two Test and two Australia A bowlers in it.Meanwhile, Abbott has the chance to push his case to be next Test fast bowling option for the Ashes behind Boland. Victoria will add Harry Dixon back in from Australia A duty at the top of the order alongside Campbell Kellaway with Marcus Harris to remain at No. 3 ahead of in-form middle-order duo of Peter Handscomb and Oliver Peake.New South Wales squad: Jack Edwards (capt), Sean Abbott, Ollie Davies, Matt Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Blake Nikitaras, Kurtis Patterson, Will Salzmann, Tanveer Sangha, Charlie StoboVictoria squad: Will Sutherland (capt), Scott Boland, Harry Dixon, Marcus Harris, Sam Harper, Peter Handscomb, Campbell Kellaway, Blake Macdonald, David Moody, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Mitch PerrySouth Australia squad: Henry Hunt, Conor McInerney, Nathan McSweeney (capt), Jason Sangha, Alex Carey (wk), Jake Lehmann, Liam Scott, Nathan McAndrew, Wes Agar, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Buckingham, Hanno JacobsQueensland squad: Marnus Labuschagne (capt), Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Jack Sinfield, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Hugh Weibgen. Jack WildermuthWestern Australia squad: Sam Whiteman (capt), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Joel Curtis, Albert Esterhuysen, Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Liam Haskett, Matt Kelly, Corey RocchiccioliTasmania squad: Jordan Silk (capt), Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Nikhil Chaudhary, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Bradley Hope, Caleb Jewell, Riley Meredith, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald

Alastair Cook has urged England to keep faith with Ollie Pope at No. 3 for the Ashes, rather than taking a “gamble” on Jacob Bethell.England’s first-choice top seven has been unchanged for over a year, but Bethell’s emergence in New Zealand last November when Jamie Smith was on paternity leave put significant pressure on Pope’s position at No. 3. Pope responded with hundreds against Zimbabwe and India at the start of the 2025 summer, but only made one half-century in his next eight innings.Bethell made 6 and 5 in his only Test appearance of the summer, deputising for the injured Ben Stokes at The Oval, but scored half-centuries in each of his first three Tests last year. He will have the chance to push his case in six white-ball fixtures against New Zealand from Saturday, but Cook believes that sticking with Pope for the Ashes should be an “easy” decision.Related

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“I would bat Ollie Pope at No. 3,” Cook said on Tuesday, at the launch of TNT Sports’ Ashes coverage. “I think it’s quite an easy decision on this, actually. You’ve got someone who’s been part of this build-up for three or four years, he’s captained the side, he’s played some extraordinary innings for England and he’s a hundred-maker.”If you get rid of him now, I think that changes the whole dynamic of what they’ve built up over the last year, how settled they’ll feel for that top seven… If it doesn’t work out, do you then move back to somebody you just got rid of, confidence-wise? I think it’s easy to go the other way, and I think that would be the sensible thing.”Cook, who was player of the series when England last won the Ashes in Australia 15 years ago, described Bethell as an “incredibly talented player” but said that it would be a “big, big gamble” to pick him primarily on his performances against the white ball: “They’ve invested so much in people like Pope and Crawley that it’d be such a strange thing to change it now.”Brendon McCullum’s decision to replace Pope as vice-captain with Harry Brook has furthered the sense that England might move away from him. Rob Key, England’s managing director, denied last month that it formed part of an “elaborate scheme” to drop Pope, but said that a final decision would only be taken in the days leading up to the first Test in Perth on November 21.Jacob Bethell is waiting in the wings•Getty Images

Cook believes that the change in vice-captaincy will liberate Pope, rather than damaging his confidence or his standing in the England dressing-room. “I think that will just take the pressure off Ollie Pope,” he said. “I’m sure it will have hurt him, because any time you get taken off a leadership [position], it wouldn’t be ideal. But I don’t think it undermines him.”He also believes that Australia will be wary of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley’s opening partnership, and their ability to score at an unusually quick tempo. “Australia will be so respectful of Crawley and Duckett, and what they can do to impact the game,” Cook said.”Crawley is a different opening batter to what history says you need: a guy who is very inconsistent and averages 30 but, on his day, plays an innings which I don’t think anyone else in the world can play at the top of the order… Against bowling which suits him – he prefers the ball coming on at a good pace on good, true wickets – he is a real danger for Australia.”It has to line up well…. He’s not like this consistent machine who scores runs, but they’re definitely fearful of that, without a shadow of a doubt. Because an hour of Duckett and Crawley playing well, or an hour and a half on that first morning, England will build huge momentum and it starts the series well.”Watch live exclusive coverage of The Ashes on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Chelsea have opened talks with the representatives of a big-name player after their triumph over Barcelona in the Champions League, according to a fresh update on Wednesday morning.

Chelsea seal statement win over Barcelona on dream European night

Enzo Maresca’s side put in a scintillating performance at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, dismantling Barça 3-0 in a European encounter that underlined their credentials as genuine contenders for silverware this season.

Chelsea dominated from start to finish, displaying an intensity and quality that left the five-time European champions thoroughly outclassed.

The Blues flew out of the blocks with relentless energy, pressing Barcelona high and refusing to allow the Spanish side any time on the ball. Their attacking intent was evident throughout a pulsating first half that saw Chelsea create numerous opportunities, though they endured frustration as two goals were chalked off for offside and handball before finally breaking through.

The first goal arrived when Marc Cucurella’s dangerous cross deflected off Jules Koundé, giving Chelsea a deserved advantage after 27 minutes of intense pressure.

As good as Estevao: £60m star is on his way to becoming "a Chelsea legend"

Estevao was the star of the show as Chelsea beat Barcelona in the Champions League.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025

It got from bad to worse for Barça, with captain Ronald Araujo receiving a second yellow card for his reckless challenge on Cucurella near the touchline. The sending-off proved catastrophic for Hansi Flick’s side, allowing Chelsea to seize complete control after the restart.

The second half belonged to 18-year-old sensation Estevao, who produced a moment of individual brilliance that will be remembered for years in west London.

Collecting the ball wide on the right, the Brazilian winger embarked on a mesmeric dribble, gliding past Pau Cubarsí before cutting across Alejandro Balde and unleashing an unstoppable finish into the roof of the net. The stunning strike showcased his exceptional technical ability and composure, stealing the show in a much-anticipated head-to-head with Barcelona’s own teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal.

Liam Delap then rounded off a superb Chelsea display with his first Champions League goal for the club after initially seeing it chalked off, with Cucurella getting a lot of plaudits too for his exceptional display against Yamal.

Minutes

93′

Expected Assists

0.59

Tackles (Won)

5 (4)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

2

Blocked Shots

1

Recoveries

4

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (1)

Key Passes

1

Passes

55/63

Touches

97

It was a statement win for Chelsea, who now go into their mouth-watering Premier League tie against Arsenal this weekend in very high spirits.

Now, according to Sky Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, supporters could have more reason to get excited.

Chelsea reopen talks with Mike Maignan who's "very keen" to join

AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan has long been a target for Chelsea amid their hunt for an elite-level keeper, with his contract expiring at the end of this season and potentially up for grabs at zero cost.

As per Tavolieri, Chelsea have reignited negotiations with Maignan and his camp, as the French international edges closer to departing the San Siro.

BlueCo are seizing on a developing contract standoff that could see the 30-year-old leave Italy as a free agent next summer, with Maignan reportedly informing Milan that he will not sign a new deal despite the club offering improved terms that would double his current salary.

The France number one can begin formal discussions with foreign clubs from January onwards, positioning Chelsea favourably in the race for his signature.

Maresca apparently views the experienced shot-stopper as a potential solution to Chelsea’s ongoing goalkeeping concerns. While Robert Sanchez has featured regularly this season, Filip Jorgensen could leave in January, and neither have fully convinced Chelsea’s manager.

Maignan is also “very keen” on the idea of joining them, so this could be one to watch closely as we fast approach the winter window.

The former Lille star is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top shot-stoppers, with Liverpool’s Alisson describing him as a world-class keeper at a truly elite level.

Rangers have sacked chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell, with Sky Sports reporter Luke Shanley sharing an update live from Ibrox on Monday regarding the search for their replacements.

The pair have been the target of intense supporter unrest after a disastrous start to the season in which Gers won only one of their first eight league games and suffered seven consecutive European defeats following a much-maligned summer recruitment drive.

As bad as Aasgaard: Rangers must drop Ibrox dud who Rohl "needs more from"

Danny Rohl should drop this Rangers flop who was as bad as Thelo Aasgaard against Livingston.

ByDan Emery Nov 23, 2025

Thelwell’s short spell at Ibrox is largely defined by the decision to appoint Russell Martin, who proved to be Gers’ shortest-serving permanent manager in history when he was sacked in October after just 17 games in charge.

Although domestic form has improved since Danny Rohl replaced Martin as manager, the American owners have acted decisively after taking some time to assess the situation at Ibrox.

“Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell are leaving Rangers Football Club,” said chairman Andrew Cavenagh on Monday.

“Responsible change is measured and steady. Our first priority has been to improve the sporting performance, and that led to our decision to part ways with Russell Martin and bring in Danny Rohl. Danny has now started the process of improving the on-pitch performance, and that has given us the chance to focus on other parts of the club.

“Patrick and Kev are both skilled executives and have delivered a lot for the club in their time with it. We’ve now had six months since we became part of Rangers to assess the club’s needs as well as to get to know Patrick and Kev a bit more.

“Simply put, when we think about what we need in both CEO and sporting director today, it’s different than who we think Patrick and Kev are.

“We want people that align with the vision for the next chapter. I will not throw dirt on either of them. I think very highly of them both on personal and professional levels. It’s just the reality that the club needs different things today than it did six months ago.

“We’ve already started the hiring process and hope to have appointments soon, but we will prioritise quality and fit over speed.”

Fraser Thornton, the Gers’ director, will act as interim CEO, and Shanley shared a quick update on next steps live from Ibrox on Sky Sports News on Monday, revealing Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe will personally oversee the process.

It should be music to fans’ ears that the new men in charge at Ibrox are taking personal ownership of the hiring process. With arch-rivals Celtic’s board facing their own turmoil, the opportunity is there to snatch back the crown of Scottish football if the American duo can get their next appointments right.

Runners-up PBKS’ Indian core dominates ESPNcricinfo’s uncapped team of the season

Sreshth Shah05-Jun-2025 ‘Where talent meets opportunity’. The IPL 2025 season lived up to the tournament’s motto as India’s uncapped players grabbed the spotlight with their performances. Whether debutants making an impact or experienced players elevating their game, this season flexed India’s talent depth. Here’s ESPNcricinfo’s uncapped team of the tournament.1. Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals)A replacement for his captain Sanju Samson, the 14-year-old Suryavanshi started his IPL journey with a first-ball six, setting the tone for the fearless, aggressive batting that followed. The power Suryavanshi generated alongside some sweet timing was a standout. He finished the season with 18 fours, 24 sixes, and 252 runs, but his most impressive stat was his strike rate of 206.55, the highest of all batters who have faced at least 50 deliveries. His 101 in 35 balls against Gujarat Titans (GT) was the second-fastest in IPL history.2. Priyansh Arya (Punjab Kings)Minimal footwork, maximum impact, that was Arya in his debut IPL. Backed by head coach Ricky Ponting, Arya’s lofted shots and flicks off the body made him a lethal powerplay hitter. His 475 runs, the highest by an uncapped batter in a debut season (surpassing Devdutt Padikkal’s 473 in 2020), came at a strike rate of 179.24. His 43-ball 102 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was the third-fastest century by an Indian.Related

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3. Prabhsimran Singh (Punjab Kings)A retained player, Prabhsimran delivered on his promise with his best IPL season – 549 runs at a strike rate of 160.52. His crisp drives and ability to capitalise on loose deliveries made his partnership with Arya one of the stories of the season. His 48-ball 91 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and a 49-ball 83 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) masked PBKS’ middle-order woes. His aggressive approach to pace helped him become the highest run-scorer (1305) in IPL history for an uncapped Indian.4. Nehal Wadhera (Punjab Kings)Another uncapped gem for PBKS, Wadhera came from Mumbai Indians (MI) to his new team with a point to prove and turned himself into an adaptable player. With a tendency to hit straight or pummel short balls through midwicket, Wadhera hit a 37-ball 70 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) but his best performance came in Qualifier 2, where in a high-pressure scenario, he matched Shreyas Iyer shot-for-shot to help take down his old team with a 28-ball 49 in a high-octane chase.5. Shashank Singh (Punjab Kings)The 33-year-old, also retained by PBKS, was their finisher. With seven not outs in 14 innings, Shashank brought the fireworks with a 16-ball 44 against GT, 15-ball 33 against LSG, and 30-ball 59 against RR, all unbeaten performances. He was the highest scorer in the final with 61*, and it was another 350-run season for Shashank.Naman Dhir repaid MI’s faith in him with impressive performances as a finisher•AFP/Getty Images6. Naman Dhir (Mumbai Indians)MI used a right-to-match card on Dhir at the auction, and he showed why with his ability to race off the blocks. His 17-ball 38 against Delhi Capitals (DC) was the difference in a close game, and his 18-ball 37 in Qualifier 2 gave MI a promising score. The 11-ball 25 against LSG was another standout, while his eight-ball 24 against DC turned a below-par team total into a winning one. His highest score of the season came out of position, as he made 46 from No. 3 against LSG, while his season’s ball-per-boundary ratio was an astonishing 3.73.7. Vipraj Nigam (Delhi Capitals)A legbreak bowler with a big rip, Nigam was one of the season’s finds with with 11 wickets at an average of 32.36 for DC. Throw in his 142 runs at a strike rate of 179.74, and he was matching Axar Patel in utility. He silenced the Chinnaswamy by dismissing Virat Kohli in a spell of 2 for 18 in four overs on a ground notoriously difficult for spinners. Earlier, he had stifled CSK with 2 for 27 at Chepauk. With the bat, his ability to manufacture boundaries was on show when his 17-ball 39 helped beat LSG by one wicket, while his 19-ball 38 saved DC the blushes against KKR.Digvesh Rathi’s notebook celebration became a regular sight in IPL 2025•Associated Press8. Digvesh Rathi (Lucknow Super Giants)Pure cinema. That’s what Rathi turned out to be with his accurate wristspin, his “notebook” celebrations, and his desire to seek out a fight. Such was his form that by the end of the season, teams were looking to see out the man playing his debut IPL season. He finished with an economy of 7.59, the second-highest tally of wickets (14) for an uncapped bowler and the most for an uncapped spinner. He was also the lone bright spot among LSG’s bowlers.9. Suyash Sharma (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)A zippy googly that flattened Andre Russell’s stumps in the season opener set the tone for Suyash. He wasn’t always among the wickets, but his stump-to-stump bowling, alongside the variation in the dip of his deliveries, made him a tricky prospect. In eight of his games, he maintained an economy of under 8.50, while he saved his best for PBKS. His 2 for 26 against them early in the season contributed to a comfortable win, while his 3 for 17 in Qualifier 1 left RCB chasing only 102.10. Ashwani Kumar (Mumbai Indians)The left-arm seamer from Punjab made a late entry into MI’s XII. He struck with his first ball on IPL debut against KKR, dismissing Ajinkya Rahane, and finished the evening as the first Indian to take a four-wicket haul on IPL debut. His sharp yorkers and back-of-the-hand slower balls in the back-end of the innings made him a regular in the second half of the season, while his bowling average of 21.09 was the best among all uncapped bowlers. Such was Mumbai’s belief in Ashwani that Hardik Pandya trusted him to bowl the 19th over of Qualifier 2.11. Yash Dayal (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)RCB has immense faith in Dayal, one of only three retentions made by the eventual champions. That’s because of his knack for coming up trumps when the pressure is high. MS Dhoni witnessed that once again, when Dayal successfully held his nerve against CSK in the 20th over of the chase in their two-run win. With Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as his senior seamers, Dayal quietly did his job of producing wide and straight yorkers, often bowling in dewy conditions. In the final, he bowled ten dots in three overs to strangle PBKS.12. Vaibhav Arora (Kolkata Knight Riders)With 17 wickets it was another successful season for the tall, swinging bowler. He finished with the most wickets among uncapped bowlers despite playing only 12 games. His stellar head-to-head against left-hand batters was on show as he dismissed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Travis Head and Ishan Kishan in a spell of 3 for 24. He also held his cool against Rajasthan Royals to eke out a one-run victory at home by playing his part in a final-ball run-out. But his bowling in the death overs was exposed this season, finishing IPL 2025 with an economy of 10.11, among the worst in the season.

England’s conduct in the last hour of the Manchester Test came across as moral posturing, and it’s regrettable that it came on the watch of an otherwise great ambassador for the game

Sidharth Monga28-Jul-20251:19

Harmison: ‘A little bit farcical towards the end’

It’s weird what offends cricketers.They work with an opaque internal moral code of conduct. They can legit bully players in the name of sledging after singling out who they feel are “mentally weak”, but hell hath no fury like a batter scorned by a run-out backing up, which is well within the laws of the game. They can desperately appeal for wickets when they know the batter is not out but their side is out of reviews. They can bend the laws for every last bit of advantage and then take offence at someone running the clock out or getting treatment on the field. Or someone batting on for a well-earned milestone after having batted the best part of a day to save a Test and keep his team alive in a series.Ben Stokes is an elite competitor. The game of cricket is immensely richer for him. He leaves everything out on the field even if it means he is absent for his family between Tests. This was his 12th Player-of-the-Match award in Test cricket. Only 12 men have more. Not long ago, he and his team were gracious in victory, checking on a crestfallen Mohammed Siraj practically seconds after taking the last wicket at Lord’s.Related

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And here they were, going on and on about India not accepting their offer for a draw at the start of the mandatory overs.The teams had been at it for hours, days. At that stage, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja had withstood everything England could throw at them. They were 80 not out and 89 not out, respectively. Washington has previously run out of partners on 85 and 96 in Tests. This would be his maiden Test hundred.England went into this righteous fit the moment their offer for the draw was not accepted.There is no specific morally superior way of playing the game. The laws of the game clearly say you can’t consider a game over until the overs are bowled or both captains have agreed on ending the game prematurely.Just like England were right to offer the draw when they didn’t see another result possible, Shubman Gill, the India captain, was well within his rights to let his two rescuers go on and have a moment of personal glory on top of a gigantic effort in the absence of their best batter of the last five years, Rishabh Pant.3:12

‘Would they have walked off?’ – Gambhir on Stokes’ draw offer

The same dressing room stands up and applauds Joe Root, a great Test batter, when he gets to a hundred. They get twitchy when Root has to go to stumps unbeaten on 99.They can’t say with a straight face that personal milestones don’t matter. If they come at the expense of a team’s interests, it is that team’s problem. In this case, there was no such possibility. India would have had to live with it if they had lost wickets in pursuit of the milestones and left open a window for a daring England chase, but they were confident that couldn’t happen.The meltdown that ensued can happen in the heat of the moment. When you are at the absolute brink of physical endurance – like England were – the mind can get frayed. However, even after he had had an hour to think about his actions, Stokes still chose to virtue-signal. When asked if he would have pulled the plug on a young batter a few hits away from a maiden Test century after having batted through the day, Stokes said he couldn’t see how the extra ten runs made any difference to what Washington and Jadeja had already done.If this piece was about whataboutism, it would have pointed out the Wellington declaration, made soon after Root’s century to set New Zealand a target of 583, or the declaration with a 352-run lead against Ireland in 2023, made soon after Ollie Pope’s double-century.Those extra few runs were not making a difference to England’s team goals, but this is not about that at all.It is about not trying to impose your values on others.If this was done to gain some kind of competitive advantage, it would have still been fine. This, unfortunately, came across as moral posturing, which is highly avoidable, at all times. It is regrettable that it came on the watch of an otherwise great ambassador for the game.

Chelsea have built a squad full of brilliant players over the last few years, with the injured Cole Palmer being the jewel in their crown.

The former Manchester City prospect joined the club over two years ago and, since then, has been nothing short of world-class.

In 101 appearances, the Englishman has racked up a monstrous tally of 45 goals and 29 assists.

So, fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea to an international star who could be another Palmer-type signing for them.

Chelsea target their next Palmer

Even though the transfer window is still over a month away, Chelsea have already been linked with a host of potentially game-changing signings.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The likes of Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Atlético Madrid’s Julian Alvarez are just some of the names touted for a move to Stamford Bridge.

Yet, while they’re both incredible players, it would be hard to describe them as Palmer-like, which isn’t the case with Marcus Rashford.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are interested in signing the England international next summer.

The report has revealed that, while Barcelona are happy with how the 27-year-old is performing on loan this season and have a €30m buy option – £26m – they are also still considering whether he’d be worth the financial outlay, given the club’s position on that front.

Moreover, as the Spanish side have been deliberating on the matter, the report claims that the Blues have already been in contact with the player’s camp, and want to make him a key part of their attack next year.

It’s unclear how much Manchester United would charge the West Londoners, but given their desire to move him on, it could be in the region of his Transfermarkt valuation of €40m, or about £35m.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line, but given Rashford’s ability and form, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be another Palmer.

Why Rashford would be another Palmer

Now, while there certainly are some differences between the two players, such as their ages, there are still several reasons why Rashford could be another Palmer-type signing for Chelsea.

For example, and this is the most important of them all, while he has had a few down seasons since he broke onto the scene, the 28-year-old has also had more than a few in which he’s been practically unplayable.

In the 22/23 season, before the wheels well and truly fell off at Old Trafford, the Manchester-born monster racked up an utterly sensational tally of 30 goals and 12 assists in 56 games.

A couple of years before that, he scored 21 goals and provided 18 assists in 57 games, and his overall tally of 216 goal involvements in 426 games for the Red Devils is genuinely astounding.

Moreover, he is currently showing that he can reproduce such numbers in another league entirely: in 16 appearances for Barca, totalling 1134 minutes, he’s scored six goals and provided nine assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.06 games, or every 70.87 minutes.

Rashford’s 25/26
Appearances	16
Starts	13
Minutes	1134′
Goals	6
Assists	9
Goal Involvements per Match	0.93
Minutes per Goal Involvement	70.87′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, the dynamic attacker, whom content creator Neal Gardner dubbed one of “the best in the world”, is someone who could have a similar game-changing impact on Enzo Maresca’s side as Palmer has.

Furthermore, it would also be another instance of the West Londoners pouncing on an incredible English player no longer wanted by one of the Manchester clubs.

Finally, just like Pensioners’ talismanic number ten, the 68-capped international is almost certainly going to be heading to the World Cup with England in the summer and will likely play a key role for Thomas Tuchel.

Ultimately, while it might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, Chelsea should do what they can to sign Rashford in the summer, as he could be another Palmer.

Chelsea have signed an "alien of a talent" who could usurp Estevao & Palmer

The incredible talent could become a bigger star for Chelsea than Estevao and Palmer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 19, 2025

Arsenal beat German champions Bayern Munich 3-1 on a night to remember in Europe, and one Gunners star absolutely stole the show with his performance.

Mikel Arteta’s side were handed one of their toughest tests on paper tonight against a Bayern side who are still unbeaten in the Bundesliga and one of the favourites to win the Champions League, but they were no match for the Premier League frontrunners in north London.

Jurrien Timber

7.7

Bukayo Saka

7.4

Riccardo Calafiori

7.4

Lennart Karl

7.4

Declan Rice

7.3

via WhoScored

Bayern had also won all but one of their matches in all competitions this season heading into their trip to the Emirates, with Arsenal handing Vincent Kompany’s side their first defeat of 2025/2026.

Second-half goals from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli ended up firing Arsenal to victory in their heavyweight clash. Madueke, back after two months out with a knee injury, scored his first Gunners goal before fellow sub Martinelli pounced on a mistake from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to stretch Arsenal’s perfect record in the competition to five victories from five matches.

Earlier, Jurrien Timber had headed Arsenal into the lead and, with former Tottenham striker Harry Kane unable to add to the six goals he has scored at the Emirates, it was left to Bayern’s 17-year-old star Lennart Karl to grab the first goal Arsenal have conceded in the competition this season.

This glamour tie was arguably the least important of Premier League leaders Arsenal’s three matches this week, sandwiched between the 4-1 derby demolition of Spurs and Sunday’s trip to second-placed Chelsea.

Nevertheless, it is still one to revel in, and the result perhaps hands Arsenal the status of Europe’s best team right now.

While Timber, Madueke and Martinelli were the heroes on paper, it was a complete midfield performance by club-record signing Declan Rice, who absolutely bossed proceedings in the middle of the park with one of his best ever displays in red and white.

Ally McCoist hails 'out of this world' Declan Rice in Arsenal win

Covering the game for TNT Sports, commentator Ally McCoist repeatedly waxed lyrical about the England international — branding him Man of the Match for his “first class” outing against the Bavarians.

Rice was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as well on 60 minutes, with the former West Ham captain storming down the left only for veteran keeper Manuel Neuer to deny him just reward for his imperious showing.

McCoist called Rice “magnificent” and “out of this world” for the run, which just about summed up what was a possessed performance from one of Arsenal’s leaders.

Tonight was a massive statement from Arsenal, who not only showed they can cut it against Europe’s toughest opponents, but also sent a very clear message that they’ve got absolutely zero intention of letting up.

Next up, a fierce London derby awaits against Chelsea this weekend — a match which could send Arteta’s side nine points clear at the top of the table and cement their status as overwhelming title favourites.

Rice will be a massive part of that, and tonight shows just how vital he is in Arteta’s quest to end the club’s 22-year wait for a Premier League trophy.