The Houston Astros beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Monday night. Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara gave up six earned runs on nine hits in seven innings. Despite these facts, MLB Network's still found an opportunity to run a "no-hitter alert" during Alcantara's outing.
The in-game look and graphic happened in the bottom of the 4th inning as host Greg Amsinger made the case that it was not too early to be talking about Alcantara's bid for a no-hitter.
"If you're sitting on your couch and rolling your eyes that we just ran that graphic," Amsinger said, taking aim at anyone who believes in jinxes. "A no-hitter alert? If you think that we're impacting Sandy Alcantara in Secaucus, New Jersey… Man, therapy's not that expensive."
Then as Amsinger continued saying, "Look, you think he's going to give up a hit," Alcantara proceeded to give up a hit.
Here's that moment:
Keep in mind this happened with zero outs in the 4th inning.
The panel immediately cracked up and Amsinger quickly changed his tune. "If you're sitting on your couch and you don't think we impact no-hitters, you don't know what the hell you're talking about."
Somehow it only got sillier from there. After retiring the first nine hitters of the game, the first four batters to walk to the plate in the fourth inning got a hit. The first out of the inning came on a fielder's choice that scored a run. By the time Yanier Diaz hit a two-run double, the Astros were up 5-0.
To be fair to Amsinger and , the no-hitter alert is not something that the show takes 100% seriously. Last summer ran a no-hitter alert before a game between the Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers. You may recall that Dodgers' starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto immediately gave up a home run to Jazz Chisholm on the very first pitch of the game to break it up, much to the delight of everyone.
Stats highlights from the high-scoring thriller between KKR and LSG at Eden Gardens
Sampath Bandarupalli08-Apr-20252:04
Does Nicholas Pooran have any weakness?
5 Consecutive wides bowled by Shardul Thakur in the 13th over of Kolkata Knight Riders’ chase at Eden Gardens. No bowler had done that before in the IPL. Four bowlers have bowled four wides in a row previously – Jasprit Bumrah (2015), Praveen Kumar (2017), Mohammed Siraj (2023) and Khaleel Ahmed (2024). Thakur also equalled the record for the longest over in the IPL (11 balls).15 Number of wides Lucknow Super Giants bowled against KKR, the most by a team in an IPL innings. Thakur bowled eight, the most by any bowler in an IPL match.1198 Number of balls Nicholas Pooran took to complete 2000 runs in the IPL – the second quickest behind Andre Russell (1120 balls).238 for 3 LSG’s total against KKR at Eden Gardens – their second highest in the IPL. It was also the second highest total against KKR in the IPL.Shardul Thakur bowled five wides in a row, a first in the IPL•Associated Press70.81 Win probability as per ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster for KKR in the chase after 12.5 overs, when they needed 77 runs with eight wickets in hand. It came down to 21.99 % at 16.1 overs after they lost five wickets for 23 runs in the space of 20 balls.87* Pooran’s score against KKR is the second highest in the IPL by any batter coming in after ten overs. Andre Russell’s 88 not out against CSK in 2018 is the highest.12.64 Combined economy of the pace bowlers in the KKR-LSG game, having gone for 316 runs in 25 overs. It is the fourth highest economy for fast bowlers in an IPL match, for a minimum of 150 balls bowled.
Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill said that defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season with a severe Achilles injury, a setback that also threatens his chances of representing the United States at next summer’s World Cup. Carter-Vickers has 19 USMNT caps and was in contention for a potential spot next summer.
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Celtic interim manager confirms injury
O'Neill delivered the disappointing news during his pre-match press conference ahead of Celtic's weekend fixture against St. Mirren, revealing that the 27-year-old center back faces a lengthy rehabilitation process following the injury sustained during Celtic's 2-1 Europa League victory over Sturm Graz last month.
"We will not see him," O'Neill said to reporters before Saturday's match at St. Mirren. "I think it might be April before he's even on grass. Funnily enough, I did ask him yesterday, did he think he would be ready for the World Cup? And he said he thought that would be very doubtful."
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Injury creates significant void for Celtic
The American defender had made 13 appearances across all competitions this season before his injury, bringing his total to 172 appearances since joining the club initially on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in September 2021.
How this impacts USMNT
The 27-year-old has earned only one cap for the USMNT since Mauricio Pochettino took over, but was on the roster for the team's October friendlies – showing he was in contention for a spot in the Argentine's three-man backline.
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What's next for Celtic?
Celtic will now be without its American center-back until at least April as he recovers. The club also has U.S. international Auston Trusty available, with the defender recently featuring for the national team in November. Celtic return to action on Thursday against Dutch side Feyenoord after a 1-0 win over St. Mirren on Saturday.
Roberto De Zerbi is now in the frame to replace Pep Guardiola, amid a new update on the Manchester City manager’s future at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola’s contract isn’t due to expire until the summer of 2027, having penned an extension last season, and Man City fans will no doubt be hoping he stays for the foreseeable future, given the unprecedented success he has brought to the blue side of Manchester.
Trophies Pep Guardiola has lifted at Manchester City
Number of times won
Premier League title
6
Champions League
1
UEFA Super Cup
1
Club World Cup
1
FA Cup
2
League Cup
4
Community Shield
3
However, Jurgen Klopp resigning as Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023-24 campaign due to fatigue displayed just how draining it is to be a Premier League manager for a sustained period of time, and there will come a point where City need to start seriously thinking about successors.
At the moment, the former Barcelona boss will be focusing on closing the gap to Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, while also attempting to win a second Champions League, but there has now been a new update on when he could leave the Blues.
Man City targeting De Zerbi amid Guardiola future update
According to reliable reporter Paul Hirst, in a report for The Times, an exit at the end of the 2026-27 campaign is on the cards as the 54-year-old has won everything there is to win since arriving at the Etihad Stadium back in 2016.
The three-time Champions League-winning manager is expected to see out his current contract, but Man City may then be faced with the difficult task of bringing in a successor, and De Zerbi is in the frame, as the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss has admirers within the club.
Guardiola is personally a fan of the Marseille manager, who has made a fantastic start to the 2025-26 campaign, with his side currently second in Ligue 1, just two points behind Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
Not only is the 46-year-old impressing in France, but he was also hailed by Statman Dave for the work he did during his first year as Brighton manager.
The Italian is well-known to favour a possession-based style of football, so he may not need to make wholesale changes at Man City, which is another bonus, alongside his experience in the Premier League.
The only concern will be that De Zerbi is yet to lift many major trophies, winning only the Ukrainian Super Cup with Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2021-22 season.
In truth, whoever replaces Pep will find it almost impossible to eclipse what the Spaniard has achieved at City, and supporters will be hoping he extends his stay beyond the end of next season.
Every current manager in the Premier League has been ranked
Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked
Every current Premier League boss ranked from best to worst.
The MLB All-Star break is almost here, which means we are already past the halfway point of baseball’s marathon regular season. And what a season it’s been. Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani continue to amaze. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is doing things no backstop has ever done. Tarik Skubal has separated himself as the best pitcher in baseball. As the woeful Colorado Rockies continue to trend towards the worst kind of MLB history, they—and a few other teams—parted ways with their manager during the first half. Oh, and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers have emerged as early World Series favorites.
Baseball’s biggest stars will take center stage at the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game on July 14 and 15, respectively, and that will be our focus here in another edition of Fact or Fiction.
Paul Skenes should be the National League’s starting pitcher for the second straight year
Verdict: Fiction
This is a tough one. The honor could realistically go to one of three guys: Skenes, Zack Wheeler or perhaps even longtime Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, an addition to the roster as a “Legend Pick,” if NL manager Dave Roberts is feeling particularly partisan.
But if we’re being realistic, this decision will come down to Skenes and Wheeler. And in many ways, it’s a toss-up. Skenes leads the NL in ERA. Wheeler, second in the NL in ERA, leads the league in strikeouts. Wheeler, as a result of playing for the better team in the Phillies, has racked up nine wins compared to Skenes’s four. But the margin between these pitchers is razor thin, as evidenced by their ERAs (Skenes: 1.94, Wheeler: 2.17) and WAR (Skenes: 4.8, Wheeler: 4.8).
I’m giving the slight edge to Wheeler. Since May 1, Wheeler has been the undisputed best pitcher in his league. He leads all NL starting pitchers in the following categories since that date: ERA, K-BB%, opponents’ batting average, WHIP and opponents’ barrel rate. To put it simply, he’s been unhittable.
Look no further than Wheeler’s most recent start, a complete game one-hitter in which he allowed one run and struck out 12 Cincinnati Reds. It put a bow on a convincing case for Wheeler to toe the rubber for the NL.
I’d typically be the first guy to advocate for Skenes to start again. Who want to see him face off against Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh back-to-back, depending on how American League manager Aaron Boone writes up the lineup card?
But the honor should go to Wheeler, not only for his success this season, but his overall body of work over the last several years. Plus, at 35 years old, this may realistically be the last shot he has at starting the All-Star Game.
Roberts should give Wheeler that shot. And if given the chance, Wheeler will be the first pitcher on the mound for the NL on July 15 at Truist Park, just a few miles away from where the Smyrna, Ga., native grew up.
Cal Raleigh will win the Home Run Derby
Verdict: Fact
I have, admittedly, been a bit doubtful of Raleigh’s ability to keep up his torrid pace in past iterations of Fact or Fiction. So consider this a mea culpa of sorts to the Big Dumper’s success.
Before I outline why I like Raleigh to win here, let me be clear about one thing. The field for the Derby is not fully set yet, so we don’t yet know exactly who will be opposing Raleigh aside from Ronald Acuna Jr., James Wood, Byron Buxton and Oneil Cruz.
That said, I like Raleigh to emerge here for several reasons. Aside from the fact that he’s been the best home-run hitter in baseball in the first half, he also leads all Derby contestants—regardless of who enters—in several statistics that are highly predictive of home runs. He owns a Derby-best .372 isolated power. He leads all of MLB in fly-ball rate. Raleigh trails only Cruz in barrel rate, essentially the number of baseballs he connects with that are hit at the ideal exit velocity and launch angle to leave the park. And lastly, Raleigh’s MLB-high average launch angle of 24.5 degrees is right near the typical sweet spot of 25 to 35 degrees for home runs.
His swing is also perfect for Truist Park, which features especially short dimensions to the corners. In fact, Truist Park’s 335-foot left field corner and 325-foot right field dimensions are extremely similar to those of Raleigh’s home park with the Mariners, T-Mobile Park, which is 331 feet to left and 327 feet to right.
That would seem to play right into the hands of Raleigh, who leads all Derby entrants with a 55.2% pull rate. This means that no one in the Derby will be better equipped to take advantage of the shortest parts of Truist Park than Raleigh, who will have the added benefit of batting from both sides of the plate, which he apparently intends to do.
Working against Raleigh is the fact that he’s a catcher—no backstop has ever won the Derby. But he’s already doing things no other catcher has ever done. Why not add another to the list?
Juan Soto is the biggest All-Star snub
Soto wasn’t selected for the All-Star Game despite leading the NL in on-base percentage. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Verdict: Fact
Another tough one, because there were, as always, plenty of snubs (it’s tough to please everyone!). There’s Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki, who leads MLB in RBIs. There’s Houston Astros southpaw Framber Valdez, who ranks among the top 20 starters in ERA, quality starts, innings pitched and WAR. And there’s Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, the NL leader in hits and one of the best defensive shortstops in the game.
But the biggest snub of them all is Juan Soto.
The first two months of Soto’s career in Queens were underwhelming, as he was on pace for the worst OPS of his career while simply looking… off, both in terms of his approach at the plate and his demeanor. Those days are long gone, though. After a torrid June and red-hot start to July, Soto ranks third in MLB in OBP and sixth in the NL in OPS.
Since May 1, Soto ranks first in walk rate, sixth in OPS, fourth in wRC+, and in the top five in average exit velocity, barrel rate and hard-hit rate. He’s been a terror to opposing pitchers.
Soto likely didn’t make it because of his lackluster start, as well as the Mets’ June swoon. But it’ll be unfortunate to play a game that supposedly features baseball’s biggest stars without Juan Soto on the field.
The Blue Jays will win the AL East
Verdict: Fiction
How about those Blue Jays? They’ve won nine games in a row entering Tuesday and recently swept the New York Yankees in a four-game series to overtake them for first place in the AL East. But this has been far from just a hot streak for Toronto.
Since May 25, the Blue Jays own the best record in baseball and have been powered by a mighty offense that has scored more runs than all but one team during that stretch of play.
So, to be clear, this is no fluke. But there are at least a couple of reasons why some healthy skepticism about the Blue Jays’ chances of winning the AL East is warranted.
Toronto currently has a plus-16 run differential, which is the worst of any current division leader in MLB. In fact, that plus-16 run differential is just the fourth-best in the AL East, behind the Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. The Blue Jays’ Pythagorean win/loss record is 47–44. The club’s actual record? 53–38. Could there be some regression to the mean incoming for the Blue Jays? It’s possible.
The other reason I’m a bit leery to anoint them atop the AL East right now is that the Blue Jays’ starting pitching is suspect. Toronto’s starters have compiled the sixth-worst ERA in the majors. Conversely, both the Rays and Yankees have better and more reliable starting pitching staffs. Perhaps the Blue Jays’ front office swings a deadline deal for a top-of-the-rotation starter. Maybe that tilts the race in their favor. But for now, if asked to bet on the Blue Jays or the field winning the AL East, I’ll take the field.
Manny Machado’s 2000th hit secured his Hall of Fame enshrinement
Verdict: Fiction
is a bit strong for my taste, but that’s the only thing holding me back from calling this a fact. Machado is on the statistical path to the Hall of Fame, and 2,000 hits was an important checkpoint.
Consider this. There are 19 third baseman in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Only 14 of them compiled at least 2,000 career hits. Machado, 33 and with eight years left on his San Diego Padres contract, already has 2,001 and counting. Of the five third basemen who have ever hit 400 or more career home runs, four are in the Hall. Machado, who currently has 357 career homers, will almost certainly surpass 400 and already ranks 10th at his position.
The remarkably durable Machado, who has nine times played 150 or more games in a season, could, with continued good health, realistically flirt with 3,000 hits and 500 career homers, numbers that would ensure a one-way ticket to the Hall. Even if he were to fall short of those landmark numbers—think 2,700 hits and 450 career homers—I still like Machado’s chances.
So, too, do the advanced metrics. In both WAR and JAWS (a metric that compares players to those already enshrined in the Hall of Fame using career WAR and seven-year peak WAR), Machado is already approaching Hall of Fame territory.
The numbers are working in Machado’s case. What isn’t is the fact that he’s never won an MVP, often considered a good prerequisite to the Hall, despite having four top-five finishes. There’s also a chance that Machado rubbed some of the baseball writers the wrong way with his views on hustling. He once rather infamously said that hustling was “not his cup of tea” after he came under fire for not running out a grounder during the 2018 National League Championship Series. Would 33-year-old Machado make the same comments? Who knows. However, it’s fair to wonder if that will be held against him, as some might view that attitude as not very becoming of a Hall of Fame player.
But it’ll be hard to keep Machado out if he reaches certain statistical milestones. And if he continues his remarkably consistent statistical compiling, it’ll be easy to envision him one day being enshrined.
There has been considerable discussion in recent weeks that the Premier League is now Arsenal’s to lose this season.
Now, while that might be true given Liverpool’s dire form and Manchester City’s unreliability, it also overlooks the problems the Gunners have had to deal with.
After all, while he’s got a much better squad this year, Mikel Arteta has had to deal with an absurd number of injuries and has been without club captain Martin Odegaard for most of the campaign.
Fortunately, one of his other star signings is stepping up and doing some of the things the Norwegian would do, and no, it’s not Eberechi Eze or Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal's solutions to Odegaard's injury
While losing your captain to injury after injury is never ideal, the one positive for Arsenal this season is that there have been and are multiple ways Arteta can address the problem of Odegaard being out.
For example, in recent league games, he has taken to playing Eze on the right-hand side of the midfield three, and while he’s clearly still getting used to the system and hasn’t hit the heights of last season, he has made an impact.
After all, it was his goal against his former side that earned the Gunners all three points on the weekend.
Wednesday night saw the manager start Nwaneri in that position, and once again, while it will take him time to really get up to speed, he opened the scoring with a lovely finish midway through the second half.
A less popular solution that was trialled several times earlier this year saw Mikel Merino come in for the Norwegian.
Yet, while it did work in some games, such as away to Athletic Bilbao, it somewhat stunted the team’s central creativity.
Finally, something that has not been tried yet this season, but could be if things become desperate, is to start Leandro Trossard in midfield, as his technical ability and two-footedness could see him do a job.
With that said, while several players could replace Odegaard at the moment, there is another who has started to emulate parts of his game this season.
The Arsenal star emulating Odegaard
When thinking of Arsenal players who could be described as emulating parts of Odegaard’s game this season, most will think of the aforementioned names like Eze and Nwaneri.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, there is another, far more surprising candidate who is now doing certain things the captain did last season: Declan Rice.
Yes, the all-action “world-class” midfielder, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, who initially joined the club as a leading six, is now starting to do things on a pitch that the former Real Madrid wonderkid was doing in 24/25.
At least this is according to DataMB, which, through using the numbers and a radar chart, has noticed some significant overlap in a number of key metrics.
These statistics include things like key and progressive passes, forward passes and even progressive carries.
Now, this is not to say that the two players are one and the same, as there are also clear differences between them, such as the Englishman’s physicality and willingness to chase down and win back the ball.
However, this does show that the former West Ham United captain is far more offensively useful than perhaps he gets credit for, although his output over the last couple of years was already showing this.
Rice’s Arsenal record
Appearances
117
Starts
106
Minutes
9352′
Goals
17
Assists
24
Goal Involvements per Match
0.35
Minutes per Goal Involvement
228.09′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Moreover, it does also highlight that at his core, Odegaard isn’t a ten, but an out-and-out central midfielder who thrives in a system in which he can drop a little deeper at times to collect the ball.
Ultimately, losing the captain has been a setback for Arsenal.
However, Arteta can rest easier this season knowing he has options to replace him on the bench and that Rice has become far more dangerous going forward.
Arsenal's "unplayable" duo now look like Arteta's new Saka & Smith Rowe
Arteta has hit the jackpot with the two Arsenal gems.
Lionel Messi’s late-night visit to the newly renovated Camp Nou has reignited talk of a fairy tale return, with Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia among those hoping to see the legend back in Blaugrana colours. The Inter Miami star shared an emotional post after walking on the pitch again, while Garcia and president Joan Laporta both spoke about the World Cup winner’s enduring bond with the club.
Messi’s emotional midnight return to Camp Nou
Messi sent shockwaves through Barcelona this week after making a surprise midnight visit to the newly renovated Camp Nou, stepping onto the pitch he once illuminated for nearly two decades. Currently on a break from MLS duties with Inter Miami, Messi took the opportunity to tour the ongoing stadium renovations and share a heartfelt message with Barcelona fans, his first since leaving the club in 2021.
The Argentine posted an emotional note on Instagram after the visit: “Last night I returned to a place I miss with my soul. A place where I was immensely happy, where you guys made me feel a thousand times the happiest person in the world. I hope one day I can come back, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to…”
Messi's message immediately sparked speculation about a possible loan return in 2026, although Barcelona officials were quick to dismiss the rumours. Still, for fans and players alike, his visit was a reminder of the unbreakable bond between the club and its greatest icon.
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‘I hope he can play with us’ – Joan Garcia on Messi and teammates
Speaking to , Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia revealed the dressing room’s surprise when Messi’s visit came to light and admitted that he, too, dreams of playing alongside the Argentine great.
“No one expected Messi to do that, it’s good what he did. We talked about it in the dressing room, but we didn’t give it much importance either,” Garcia said. “I hope he can come and play with us, but I don’t know how possible or realistic that is.”
The former Espanyol shot-stopper, who joined Barca in the summer, also took the chance to speak about his relationships with the team’s goalkeepers.
On Wojciech Szczesny, he said warmly: “He’s a star. He’s very funny, we laugh a lot with him. Those of us who speak Catalan are teaching him words.”
Garcia defended the Polish goalkeeper amid criticism for recent goals conceded: “That’s what Hansi asks of us, knowing that sometimes it won’t work out. He told me that’s how we play, and that it can happen.”
When asked about Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Garcia was equally composed: “With Ter, everything is fine. The relationship is normal, like with any other teammate. It wasn’t uncomfortable for me.”
Laporta rules out loan move but promises ‘beautiful tribute’ for Messi
Barca president Joan Laporta also addressed Messi’s visit during an interview with , dismissing rumours of a short-term loan return while reaffirming that the club is preparing a fitting tribute for their former captain.
“Out of respect for Messi, our players, and our members, it’s not the time to speculate with unrealistic scenarios,” Laporta said.
The president admitted he was unaware of Inter Miami star's visit but expressed delight at the gesture: “I didn’t know he was coming, but Camp Nou is his home. When they explained how it happened, I think it was a sweet little spur-of-the-moment decision; he’d just finished dinner and felt like coming with some friends. It’s only right that Leo receives the most beautiful tribute in the world.”
Laporta confirmed that the club are working on a dedicated tribute ceremony for Messi once the Camp Nou renovations are complete, with the new stadium expected to seat 105,000 fans.
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Joan Garcia’s comeback nears as Camp Nou debut looms
While the spotlight has been on Messi’s emotional return, Garcia himself is close to making his own comeback. The 24-year-old goalkeeper has been sidelined for several months following meniscus surgery, but is now expected to return after the international break. The upcoming La Liga clash against Athletic Club on November 22, after the international break could mark Garcia’s long-awaited debut at the renovated stadium – a moment he admits he’s been eagerly anticipating.
For now, though, even as Garcia looks forward to stepping back on the pitch, his thoughts reflect those of millions of Barcelona fans worldwide – the dream of seeing Messi back where it all began.
On a day when one of them ran through New Zealand, the other endured 14 overs of wicketless toil
Alagappan Muthu01-Nov-20241:31
Manjrekar: ‘This pitch was tailor-made for Jadeja’
Mumbai was really pretty for Diwali. The high-rises were all lit up. The roadside had pop-ups selling garlands. The sky had trouble holding onto the night. There was colour everywhere. Then the sun came up.Daryl Mitchell spent a little over three hours under it. On occasion, he tried to hide from it. At 1.28pm, with temperatures hitting 37C, he crumpled into a heap and toppled clean over onto his back. This was a small window where he could relax. Will Young had just been dismissed and there were precious seconds before the new man would make his way out to the middle. He wasn’t the only one in discomfort.R Ashwin had figured out what to do on this pitch. He needed to bowl straight. He did that. He needed to put revs. He did that. He needed to be quick. He did that. But the wickets just would not come. It was only the ninth time in 126 innings at home that he’s returned to the dressing room without any success. Even when he thought he had something, the umpire raising his finger to adjudge Mitchell lbw on the reverse sweep, Ashwin already knew there was bat on it.Related
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The funny thing is, he was bowling from the other end when New Zealand were made to part with four of the their top five. He was helping build the pressure that paid out at the other end because it was being manned by bowlers who were a little more naturally suited to bowling those 90kph darts.Ravindra Jadeja bagged his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. But even he seemed to have trouble operating at the pace that India seemed to have collectively decided upon. He offered a lot of easy drive balls after lunch, New Zealand scoring 24 off 34 deliveries in the full-length area, which was weird because, before lunch, 17 of Jadeja’s first 18 deliveries had been full, but had only led to nine runs. Before the break, he was better at bringing the batter forward and then stranding them there, denied the opportunity to really get to the pitch of the ball.ESPNcricinfo LtdAshwin created similar uncertainty, but as many boxes as he ticked, there was just one more that let the batter off the hook. In the 19th over, Rachin Ravindra faced an offbreak at 91kph. It drew him onto the front foot. It squared him up. All of this was good. But the menace in this ball was doused all too easily because it pitched just that little bit too close to the batter. Ravindra pressed down with his hands so that his mis-hit went straight to ground right by his own feet. This outcome was still an improvement from Ashwin’s first spell, where he was being played off the back foot.None of these things made him seem like a weak link. New Zealand still couldn’t relax while he was there at the top of his mark. His bowling led to 20 false shots, which was only seven fewer than the guy who ended up running through the opposition.”Sometimes it happens that you don’t even get a wicket on a turning track,” Jadeja said. He was speaking about himself here but the point he made applied to Ashwin too.”Sometimes it happens. Sometimes you don’t even need a lot of turn, a little turn is enough for the slip and keeper to come into play. Sometimes when the pitch is turning a lot, it becomes a matter of luck. I haven’t got a wicket on a lot of such pitches. I haven’t got a wicket in a lot of such matches. And sometimes it happens that I get a wicket with a little turn. That’s why I would say that it is important to have some luck.”Ravindra Jadeja acknowledges the cheers after his five-for•BCCIJadeja bowled unchanged in the middle session in the kind of heat that was trying to melt people’s faces off. The wicket of Young kicked off a period where his control of length, line and pace was as close to perfect as can be. No more easy drives. Forty-seven full-length deliveries from the 44th over onwards could only be converted to 13 runs and they came at the cost of two wickets.The Glenn Phillips dismissal highlighted the agony that Jadeja can put a batter through in conditions like these. He had walked in to bat after seeing Tom Blundell play for the straight ball – badly, he closed the face, suckered in by the angle Jadeja was creating from wide of the crease – and get bowled. That ball pitched outside leg stump and took out off stump.Phillips was bowled by the one that went straight on. It landed on the fuller side of a good length, which meant he had to go forward even though he knew he was never going to reach the ball on the half-volley, and it came at him at a speed of 94.3 kph. He played for the turn. There wasn’t any. And at that pace, he had no hope of coping with the natural variation.These were the kinds of wickets Ashwin was looking for too, but he was just missing his marks. When the pace was right, the length was not quite right, when the length was right, the pace was a touch off. That’s partly why, even though he was the first spinner that India turned to, the other two outbowled him just in terms of overs.0:57
Manjrekar: ‘Unfair to say Ashwin’s skills are waning after one series’
Could a line be drawn from Ashwin’s outcomes in this series – six wickets in five innings at an average of 51.33 – to India finally being beaten at home? His figures are startlingly similar to when the last time that happened, against England in 2012-13 – 14 wickets from eight innings at an average of 52.64.That seems way too simple.”Sometimes we lose a couple of matches. But it’s okay,” Jadeja said. “As a player, we [he and Ashwin] never had a discussion in the dressing room about who played badly. We lost two matches, but no one pointed out to each other that you played badly, he played badly. Okay, if we win, we all play together. If we lose the series, 15 people from each team still play together.”India didn’t get enough first-innings runs in Bengaluru and Pune. That’s why they’ve lost their fortress. Though Jadeja has a different theory. “I was afraid of this. I had personally thought that [as long as] I played in India, I didn’t want to lose a single series. But this happened. So, now I haven’t thought in my mind that I don’t want to do this. Whatever I think about, it happens suddenly.”That’s all gone now. It’s time to build again and Ashwin definitely remains a part of that process, though it isn’t often that a plan he puts together doesn’t come off, and it is even rarer that he gets outbowled by someone practicing the same discipline he does. Washington Sundar’s arrival has added an unexpected chapter to this story.
This comes after India forfeited two games, including the semi-final, against Pakistan due to strained political relations between the two countries
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2025The PCB has issued a “blanket ban” from future participation in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), citing “biased” conduct by the tournament organisers. This comes after India Champions forfeited two games, including the semi-final, against Pakistan Champions due to strained political relations between the two countries.The board also criticised WCL’s decision to award points to a forfeiting team – the teams shared points when India had refused to play Pakistan in the group match – saying it was “tainted with hypocrisy and bias”. The board also took issue with what it described as a selective use of the “peace through sport” narrative, accusing the organisers of allowing political considerations and commercial interests to interfere with the tournament. The statement comes after the PCB’s 79th board of governors meeting, held virtually under the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi.”The cancellation was not based on cricketing merit but on appeasing a specific nationalistic narrative,” the PCB said in a statement. “This sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.Related
India Champions pull out of WCL semi-final against Pakistan Champions
“However, we cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermines the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman’s game.”The WCL had issued an apology for “hurting sentiments” following India’s withdrawal.”The WCL’s apology for ‘hurting the sentiments’, whilst being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancellation was not based on cricketing merit, but rather on succumbing to a specific nationalistic narrative,” the statement further said. “This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.”While reaffirming their commitment to global cricket and healthy rivalries, the board said they would not permit their players to participate in tournaments that “undermine the spirit of the game.”
Less than two years after hoisting the World Series trophy, the Rangers and Bruce Bochy have "mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization," the team announced Monday. The Rangers also announced that they have offered Bochy a role in the front office in an advisory capacity.
The Rangers join the Giants and Twins as teams who parted ways with their managers on Monday after the conclusion of the 2025 regular season.
Bochy came out of retirement after the 2022 season to become the manager of the Rangers. In his first season with Texas in 2023, he led them to a 90-72 record and their franchise's first World Series victory. After the Rangers failed to make the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, they have decided to search for a new manager.
Bochy has been an MLB manager for 28 seasons with the Rangers, Padres and Giants. He's led every team he's managed to a World Series appearance, won four World Series, and has compiled a 2,252-2,266 (.498) career record.
Though offered a role in the Rangers' front office, the 70-year-old manager could be a contender for other vacancies, including the Giants, his old team. Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, who played under Bochy in San Francisco simply said Monday, "I don’t know what his status is yet. I haven’t heard, so I can’t speak to that.”