Sports
Rookie RB Eyes Vikings as Draft Destination
The Minnesota Vikings have a full stable of running backs on the 2026 menu, with Jordan Mason, Aaron Jones, and Zavier Scott set to return once again. Meanwhile, the club could still add a rookie, and per Jadarian Price’s lips, he wouldn’t mind joining the purple team.
Minnesota’s RB plans may still include a Day 2 or Day 3 addition.
The Notre Dame tailback spoke with Kay Adams this week, and Minnesota is on his list.
Price’s Skill Set Fits Kevin O’Connell’s Offense
Fans would not be mad about Price as the running back of the future.
Price to Adams: Vikings Would Be Nice for Next Team
Price spoke with Adams, and naturally, the pair spoke about his future, as the draft is five weeks away.
Adams walked through possible destinations, and she asked about the Vikings. Price replied, “Minnesota, huh? That’d be nice. Kyler Murray, Texas boy — shout out to Texas. Justin Jefferson … the best receiver in the league.”
Of course, fans took that as a ringing endorsement, especially because Minnesota could be in the market for a rookie tailback. It hasn’t drafted a quality one since Dalvin Cook in 2017 and Alexander Mattison in 2019.
Where to Get Price in the Draft
Price is currently slated as a 2nd-Rounder in next month’s draft, with the Consensus Big Board listing him at No. 48 as of March 19th. Believe it or not, this is ideal for Minnesota, the club that currently possesses the 49th overall pick in Round 2. It’s the first time in four years that the Vikings haven’t traded their 2nd-Rounder before the draft.
If Minnesota has to wait on Price at No. 48, it will certainly have to sweat. Price is expected to be the second running back taken after his running back teammate, Jeremiyah Love, flies off the board in the Top 12 picks. RB-needy teams will circle Price as the next best thing after Love, so the likelihood of him tumbling to No. 49 will be a pressure cooker for Vikings fans on the second night of the draft — if Price falls that far at all.
Price’s Scouting Report
Price played second fiddle to Love at Notre Dame — go figure — but he banked 1,854 yards from scrimmage and 24 total touchdowns in three seasons, which included 41 games. He averaged 6.0 yards per attempt and is 5’11 and 205 pounds. Price logged a 4.49 forty at the Combine. He’s known for his smooth running style, vision, and breakaway ability. Fumbles may be a concern.
A fair historical comp is probably something between Tony Pollard and Javonte Williams.
NFL Draft Buzz on Price: “The Combine did Price no favors. His tape tells one story: a decisive, versatile weapon who presses holes with patience and punishes defenders who take bad angles. The measurables tell a slightly different one, that of a back who checked in lighter than expected and timed out in good-but-not-great territory at 4.49 in the forty.”
“The truth, as it usually does, probably sits somewhere in the middle. He is a talented back whose production benefited from a favorable situation, but whose instincts and contact balance are undeniably his own. His fit remains strongest in zone-heavy schemes that get backs to the perimeter and let them use their eyes.”
Some have suggested the Seattle Seahawks could reach for Price at the end of Round 1 with the 32nd pick after Kenneth Walker III’s free-agent departure to the Kansas City Chiefs.
TBD continued, “Price presses the edge, waits for his blockers to develop leverage, and then plants and gets vertical with a burst that looked faster on film than his Combine number suggested.”
“He is not a back you hand the ball 25 times a game, but in a world where the NFL is moving toward committee approaches and valuing backs who stress defenses as receivers, Price checks a lot of boxes. His ability to split out wide and run routes from the slot is real, not just a projection.”
Other RB Options
Suppose the Vikings don’t land either Notre Dame runner and are forced to examine another rookie. Before the end of Round 4, according to the mock draft community, these tailbacks should be available:
- Kaytron Allen (Penn State)
- Jonah Coleman (Washington)
- Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
- Nick Singleton (Penn State)
- Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)
Minnesota met with Johnson from Nebraska at the Combine and has also chatted with Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, who is expected to be picked in Round 5.
Price will turn 23 in October.
What is it like to host 200 women in a three-day, partner golf event, and then do it all again with a new group of 200 a week later?
In short: It’s a lot of work — with plenty of drama in between.
The behind-the-scenes action of the biggest women-only golf tournament in Arizona is the subject of a new, six-episode documentary that launched today on YouTube. “The Making of the Desert Classic” follows tournament founder Tori Totlis and her team as they prepare to stage the 5th annual Desert Classic at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz.
Want an inside look at the growth of women’s golf? Spend a day at the Desert Classic
;)
Episode 1 introduces viewers to Totlis and her mission: staging a fun yet still competitive multi-day tournament for recreational players. As a former tennis and softball player who didn’t start playing golf until her 20s, Totlis was immediately enamored with the tournament environments she experienced at country club events. Why couldn’t that same experience be offered at the recreational level? In 2022, Totlis decided to do just that, and leaned on her growing social media following to sell out a 200-player tournament in less than a week. The Desert Classic was born.
In addition to golf, Desert Classic participants enjoy a thoughtfully curated experience that includes on-site shopping, daily dress themes, guided pre-round stretching sessions, instructional clinics and nightly parties. The tournament proved so popular that Totlis added a second week with an identical itinerary in 2024, and that field sold out, too.
To celebrate the tournament’s fifth year, Totlis turned to a Phoenix-based all-female production crew from Good Vibe Studios to document the experience.
“When you’re hosting a big tournament like this, you really have to be on the whole time,” Totlis said. “I thought that this series would bring some insight as to what’s going on when we’re not interacting with the players, like how we’re getting through the day. It’s a marathon, it’s four days that are just nonstop 16-hour days, and our team really works 20 hours.
“So I just thought it would be interesting to see how much it really takes to throw this, but also at the same time, how much fun we have doing it,” she continued. “There’s a lot of YouTube series out there, but I just think that this tournament is unique. The age group is unique, with women flying in from all over the country. So I’m excited about it.”
The documentary’s six episodes will drop over the next two weeks, with two new episodes becoming available every Thursday. You can watch Episode 1 below, or visit Totlis’ YouTube page on Thursdays to view new episodes.
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Sports
Tyson Fury’s father John claims pair’s relationship is ‘completely destroyed’ in explosive interview
Tyson Fury’s father John Fury has claimed that their relationship is “completely destroyed”, with the 60-year-old also dismissing his son’s abilities in a recent interview.
Fury is set to box Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April, as the British heavyweight ends his fifth career retirement. Just one month ago, Fury’s father sat next to him on stage at a press conference for the fight – the same day he stormed around the venue shouting at ex-champion Carl Froch – but he will not be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the bout itself.
He said as much on Thursday in a bombshell interview with Playbook Boxing, powered by Betway, as he suggested the pair’s relationship was beyond saving.
“I think he’s past his best,” John said of his 37-year-old son, a former two-time world heavyweight champion. “I love my son, but there’s too many people patting him on the back and telling him he’s Tarzan, when he’s not Tarzan. He’s been gone, Tyson, since the Deontay Wilder fights.”
Fury climbed off the canvas twice to draw with Wilder in 2018, dominated the American in 2020, then was knocked down again before stopping him for a second time in 2021.
“Makhmudov, this is a problem,” John continued. “I’m the first one to say it, because all them out there, they don’t pay enough attention to details. It’s not what I’d have done.
“I’ve told him 20 times about it, but he’s got his people around him what he thinks are his friends again [sic], but [he’s] easily led. But that’s another matter.”
John further played down Tyson’s current skillset, referencing his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024 – Tyson’s most recent fights and the first defeats of his professional career.
While John said he believed Tyson should have been awarded a win in the first fight, he said of the rematch: “I think he let Usyk do it [win it] in the last round.
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“I watched the Usyk fight last night, power weren’t there. The moves was there, but after six or seven rounds he was fading quick […] There’s no two-phased attacks, there’s nothing, there’s no angles; when there is an angle, it’s laboured. The legs ain’t there.”
John also criticised Tyson’s team for the upcoming Makhmudov fight, saying: “B******s, the lot of it. Same squad, same bulls*** […] He can’t do the blood-and-guts training anymore, so he’s going through the motions with these idiots.
“If you can’t show your father respect when it matters, then just carry on. I don’t need you. He’s taken their word over mine, and that’s eaten me up more than I can explain.
“I felt like strangling Sugar[hill Steward, coach] after [the Usyk rematch]. I wanted him out of my corner. Going in there with a southpaw like that…”
Opening up on his relationship with Tyson specifically, John said: “My relationship with Tyson is destroyed. Boxing destroyed it completely. No, [it can’t be repaired]. It’s his own fault.”
Speaking on finances, John continued: “I’ll say it on camera: I’ve never taken £10 off him in my life, and I never will. I don’t want Tyson’s money, and I don’t need Tyson’s money.
“Whatever he’s got, good luck to him, but don’t forget who built his story when he was a kid. He didn’t build it himself, did he? Me, his father.”
John became particularly emotional at one point, saying: “I was 30 seconds away from asking for a break there. I haven’t really expressed these emotions before, but they’re strong and they’re there.”
The Independent has approached a representative of Tyson Fury for comment.
India women’s hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne is banking on a mix of overseas tours, competitive exposure and national camps to ready the side for the World Cup and Asian games this year.
The World Cup is scheduled to be held in Belgium and Netherlands in August, while the Asian Games will take place in Japan in September.
The Indian women’s team will compete in the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Auckland from June 15 to 21. They are also scheduled to tour the United States and Argentina, and play matches against Germany and the Netherlands.
“We have a tour to USA and Argentina, the Nations Cup in New Zealand, and practice matches in Germany. We will also play some matches in the Netherlands,” Marijne said in media release.
“These scheduled games combined with our camps set us up for a very good mix of matches and training to be ready for the World Cup and Asian Games.”
India have been placed in Pool D alongside England, China and South Africa.
China are the top-ranked side in the group at world No. 4, followed by England at No. 6, while India and South Africa are ranked ninth and 19th respectively.
“This is a very competitive and balanced pool. There are teams like England and China that bring different styles and a lot of experience, while South Africa is always unpredictable and dangerous on their day,” Marijne said.
“However, for us, it’s not about the draw – It’s about how we show up. At a World Cup, every match demands your best. We respect all opponents, but our focus is on playing our style of hockey with consistency and courage,” he added.
India finished runners-up in the recently concluded FIH World Cup qualifiers, going down to England in the final.
Despite falling short, there were positives, with India emerging as the second-highest scorers in the tournament with 11 goals, including six from penalty corners.
Having guided India to a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Marijne returned as head coach in January this year.
“We are building something long-term. We want to build a team that is resilient, adaptable, and fearless. Qualifying was the step, but we are aiming for much more. The first steps have been made in the right direction, but there is much more to go if we want to be successful.
The 2026 Valspar Championship continues on Friday, March 20, with the second round at Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Fla. You can find full Valspar Championship tee times for Friday’s second round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 2
At this week’s Valspar Championship, many eyes will be following Justin Thomas as he makes his way around the Copperhead Course.
The two-time major champion starred on the U.S. Ryder Cup team last fall, but after that he disappeared from the golf scene until recently. The reason? Thomas underwent serious back surgery that kept him off the course for months.
He finally returned a few weeks ago at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but it was a struggle for the popular American pro. He shot 79-79 to miss the cut. Many feared his results would get even worse at last week’s Players Championship. But the opposite happened.
Thomas came out of nowhere to contend at TPC Sawgrass, eventually settling for a T8-finish. Now Thomas is hoping to ride that momentum to his 17th career PGA Tour win at the Valspar.
Thomas will get Round 2 started on Friday at 8:13 a.m. ET alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Sam Ryder.
You can watch Friday’s second round of the 2026 Valspar Championship from 2-6 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting at 7:30 a.m. ET on Friday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 2 tee times and groupings for the Valspar Championship.
Hoping to wager on the Valspar Championship? Sign up for Fanatics Sportsbook with code “SUBPAR” to receive a special welcome offer.
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
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2026 Valspar Championship tee times for Friday: Round 2 (ET)
Tee No. 1
7:35 a.m. – Austin Eckroat, Doug Ghim, David Lipsky
7:46 a.m. – Rafael Campos, Seamus Power, Rasmus Højgaard
7:57 a.m. – Adam Svensson, Michael Kim, Bud Cauley
8:08 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Stephan Jaeger, Lucas Glover
8:19 a.m. – Adam Schenk, Kevin Yu, Webb Simpson
8:30 a.m. – Garrick Higgo, Taylor Pendrith, Ryo Hisatsune
8:41 a.m. – Brice Garnett, Dylan Wu, Mac Meissner
8:52 a.m. – Nick Dunlap, Rico Hoey, Chandler Blanchet
9:03 a.m. – Zecheng Dou, Jackson Suber, Neal Shipley
9:14 a.m. – Paul Peterson, Paul Waring, Blades Brown
9:25 a.m. – Patrick Fishburn, Isaiah Salinda, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
9:36 a.m. – Alejandro Tosti, Luke Clanton, Pontus Nyholm
12:30 p.m. – Emiliano Grillo, Charley Hoffman, Danny Willett
12:41 p.m. – Matt Wallace, Matti Schmid, S.H. Kim
12:52 p.m. – Mackenzie Hughes, Denny McCarthy, Austin Smotherman
1:03 p.m. – Viktor Hovland, Brooks Koepka, Corey Conners
1:14 p.m. – Xander Schauffele, Keegan Bradley, Patrick Cantlay
1:25 p.m. – Ricky Castillo, J.J. Spaun, Billy Horschel
1:36 p.m. – Andrew Novak, Karl Vilips, Sungjae Im
1:47 p.m. – Lee Hodges, Mark Hubbard, Henrik Norlander
1:58 p.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Tom Kim, Zac Blair
2:09 p.m. – Jesper Svensson, Zach Bauchou, Jeffrey Kang
2:20 p.m. – Kris Ventura, Kensei Hirata, Adrien Saddier
As it played out, all three of them had pro careers that were still remarkably productive at their 40-year marks. The same is true for an older generation of pros, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Billy Casper, Chi Chi Rodriguez among them. (You could go on and on from there.) You could create a similar list of younger players, including Fred Funk, Colin Montgomerie and Tom Lehman. And, younger yet, Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Stewart Cink, all in their early 50s, and Phil Mickelson and Furyk, both 55.
He’s worked with Tiger Woods for 27 years — and you’ve likely never heard of him
;)
They are the end of the line, LaFountain says. Rory McIlroy, 36, who withdrew from the Bay Hill event a couple of weeks ago with a tweaked back, is already saying there is no chance he’ll still be playing professional golf in his 50s. Tiger Woods, who is 50, has barely played since 2020. A career that goes on and on and on, in the Watson-Haas-Langer tradition, is not even an aspiration, per LaFountain. “They want to make it now,” LaFountain said. “They’re playing for so much money, and distance is so paramount, that they will swing as hard as they possibly can to make as much money in a short period of time as they possibly can, and be set up for the rest of their lives. The lure of making more now they compromise career length to make the money now.”
In 1995, the year before Woods turned pro, the total purse for the PGA Tour season was $66 million. Greg Norman was the leading money winner, earning $1.6 million. In 2025, the total purse was $565 million. Scottie Scheffler made $19.5 million, just on the course. Lee Hodges finished 94th on the money list and made $1.6 million. The mentality, LaFountain said, is make it while you can. That is, make as much as you can in the shortest time possible.
“That’s especially true for the players from overseas,” LaFountain said. “Their families are thousands of miles away, their friends, the lives they know best. It can be lonely, playing here. But [outside of a LIV invite] there’s nowhere else in the world they can make this kind of money. If they win, great. But if they don’t they’re still making great money.” The closer you are to the green after one shot, on every par-4 and par-5 hole you play, the more money you will make. That means swinging hard, the lower body winding up against the upper body.
Something has to give.
Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com
Here we go again with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The two-time NBA MVP and the Milwaukee Bucks are in disagreement about how to approach the end of the season, according to multiple reports. The Bucks would like to tank, which is easier to do if Antetokounmpo can’t return from his hyperextended left knee for the rest of the year, only he still wants to come back as soon as possible.
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Someone wanted us to know this, even though it does not look good for anybody. It is as if everyone else knows they are headed for a divorce at season’s end but them.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]
There is little room for the Bucks (28-40) to move in the standings. Only the Chicago Bulls (28-41) are within four games of them on either side. They will not win enough to catch the Charlotte Hornets (35-34) for 10th place in the Eastern Conference or lose enough to match the Memphis Grizzlies (24-44) for the NBA’s eighth-worst record.
Really, they are worried about out-tanking the Bulls. The Bucks hold the league’s 10th-worst record and a 13.9% chance at a top-four pick. But if they can out-lose Chicago, those odds improve to 20.3%. However, if the pick ends up higher than New Orleans, it conveys to the Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee would receive the Pelicans’ pick. It is very complicated. Know this: The Bucks will most likely pick ninth or 10th in the draft.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is hoping to return this season from a hyperextended knee injury. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
(Patrick McDermott via Getty Images)
There is, however, a slim chance both Atlanta and Milwaukee move into the top four.
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Are a few more ping-pong balls worth furthering a divide with Antetokounmpo, whose commitment to the organization has remained in question all season? Let him play, if it’s going to convince him to stay. But we’ve probably passed that point.
So, don’t play. That is what is best for the Bucks, after all.
Either way, it’s not that big a deal, until they made one of it and let us all in on the argument. Why can’t the Bucks see that it is not so bad if Antetokounmpo wants to play out the season? And why can’t Antetokounmpo see that it is better for them if he doesn’t? Because neither party is interested in meeting in the middle anymore.
They are operating in their own best interests now. It is best for Antetokounmpo if he plays, I guess, because then he can say, “I never quit on Milwaukee,” and we can say, “He’s the type of guy who just wants to compete,” even at the risk to his own health.
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It is best for the Bucks if he sits, for sure, because they are being outscored 9.5 points per 100 meaningful possessions when he is on the bench, according to Cleaning the Glass, and if that continues they just might pick ahead of Chicago. Milwaukee also does not risk Antetokounmpo’s trade value on his potential injury.
Either way, it is a silly argument to be having in public, partly because the Bucks could now be fined for so brazenly circumnavigating the NBA’s anti-tanking rules.
But mostly because nothing has changed. It always made more sense for the Bucks to trade Antetokounmpo in the offseason, when a number of potential suitors — the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers among them — can improve their offers.
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Yet, we’ve heard throughout the season every iota of Antetokounmpo’s uneasiness. We get it, man. It doesn’t make sense for you and the Bucks to be together anymore.
Let us know when the divorce is finalized. Otherwise, keep it down, Milwaukee.
Sports
‘Gukesh won title by chance’: Former World Chess Champion Karpov sparks controversy | Chess News
NEW DELHI: India’s young chess star D Gukesh has come under criticism from former world champion Anatoly Karpov, who claimed his title win was more down to luck than dominance. Gukesh had defeated Ding Liren to become the youngest world champion, but some voices, especially from Russia, have questioned the quality of that victory.
Criticism from former champions
“First of all, the Indian chess player became [champion] by chance, because he wasn’t supposed to win the match against the Chinese player [Ding Liren]. The Chinese player lost a game there that he shouldn’t have lost. Had he not, the Chinese player would have remained the world champion,” Karpov told a Russian outlet KP.RU. This isn’t the first time such criticism has surfaced. Former champion Vladimir Kramnik had earlier reacted strongly, writing, “No comment. Sad. End of chess as we know it.” He also criticised the quality of play during the match, saying, “Frankly, I am very disappointed by today’s game (Game 6). Even Game 5 was not extremely high level, but today it was really — for a professional — it was really weak play from both players. It’s a very disappointing level.”He added, “It’s such a strange game. Both players were making mistake after mistake, strategical mistakes. As if they don’t get the sense of the position. Maybe I’m old-school but it’s pretty basic! Of course, they’re both great players and great calculators. They calculate fantastically.“But I expect something a bit more from a world championship match, like ideas! Human play, human concepts! If I want to enjoy chess as just a game of calculation, I would rather watch a world championship of chess engines!”
Ding’s response
Amid the criticism of Gukesh, Ding himself has taken a calm approach after losing the title to Gukesh. “I quite enjoy my current situation. What I mean is, being a player with an inactive rating, who seldom participates in elite invitationals. I’m enjoying this rare moment of leisure,” he recently said in an interview.He added, “I keep up playing the occasional game online: it doesn’t require arduous pre-game preparation, just undivided concentration in the moment. The process itself is rewarding.”
Sports
Iran football chief vows to ‘boycott America, but not the World Cup’ amid bid to move matches to Mexico
Iran’s football federation president has reportedly declared the nation will “boycott America, but not the World Cup”, amid escalating doubts over their participation in the tournament.
The statement follows US and Israeli air strikes on Iran since late February, casting a shadow over the team’s scheduled group matches, which are all set to take place in the United States this summer.
Mehdi Taj, the head of Iran’s football federation, was quoted by the Fars news agency on Wednesday stating: “We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup.”
This echoed earlier remarks attributed to Mr Taj on Tuesday, posted on the Iranian embassy in Mexico’s X account, where he claimed to be “negotiating” with Fifa to relocate Iran’s fixtures to Mexico.
However, the Press Association understands that as of Thursday morning, Fifa had received no official communication from the Iranian federation regarding any relocation.
Fifa itself issued a statement on Tuesday, appearing to dismiss the possibility of moving games, affirming it anticipated all teams competing “as per the match schedule announced on December 6, 2025.”
Even if group stage matches were to be moved, potential issues would persist for subsequent knockout rounds.
For instance, if both Iran and the US were to finish second in their respective groups, they would be slated to meet in Dallas on 3 July.
Donald Trump commented last week that it would not be “appropriate” for Iran to play at the World Cup “for their life and safety.”
Despite the uncertainty, Mr Taj reportedly informed the Fars news agency on Wednesday that Iran intends to proceed with friendly matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica in Turkey later this month.
Iran have been placed in Group G at the World Cup and are due to play New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, with the first two matches slated for California and their final game scheduled for Seattle.
Rajasthan Royals could face a setback ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, with all-rounder Sam Curran likely to miss the tournament due to a suspected groin injury.According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, Curran, who joined Rajasthan Royals (RR) from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a trade that also involved Ravindra Jadeja moving the other way and Sanju Samson heading to CSK, is in doubt for the entire season.Curran had a difficult IPL 2025 season, scoring 114 runs and taking just one wicket as CSK finished at the bottom of the table. He was also part of England’s campaign in the recent T20 World Cup, where the team reached the semi-final before losing to eventual champions India.The 27-year-old has been part of the IPL since 2019, having represented Punjab Kings and CSK. He was part of the CSK side that won the title in 2021. Across six IPL seasons, Curran has scored 997 runs and taken 59 wickets. He also featured in the 2026 T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka, where England again reached the semi-finals.Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals have begun their preparations for the IPL 2026 season with a training camp in Jaipur. Players, including Ravindra Jadeja, were seen practising as the team worked on combinations ahead of the tournament.With the first phase of the schedule announced, the Riyan Parag-led side will open its campaign against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30.Rajasthan Royals will then face Gujarat Titans on April 4 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, followed by a match against Mumbai Indians on April 7. Their fourth game will be against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 10.
Sports
Rajasthan Royals’ Preparations Hit By Massive Injury As Sam Curran Ruled Out Of IPL 2026: Report
Sam Curran is set to miss the upcoming edition of the IPL.© AFP
Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder Sam Curran is set to miss the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to injury, according to reports. Curran, who was traded to RR from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) alongside Ravindra Jadeja in an exchange deal for Sanju Samson, struggled last season, scoring just 114 runs and taking one wicket as CSK finished at the bottom of the table for the first time. The player recently featured in the T20 World Cup, where England lost to eventual champions India in the final.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Curran is set to miss IPL 2026 with a “suspected groin issue.”
After a season to forget last year, the 27-year-old was hoping to start afresh at his new franchise. However, those hopes have hit a major hurdle with this latest injury setback.
Curran and Jadeja had joined RR via trade last year in November, with RR captain Samson joining CSK as part of the deal. Samson spent 11 seasons with Rajasthan Royals across two stints, emerging as their most-capped player and leading run-scorer.
Samson is in great form and is very likely to open the batting lineup alongside India’s U-19 World Cup-winning captain Ayush Mhatre to provide fiery starts for the franchise during the IPL season.
CSK are entering the new season with a young team. Adding Samson is sure to strengthen CSK. It’s well known that Samson has expressed his passion for the franchise and his wish to play for it.
Since the transfer deal was finalised, with Jadeja and Curran moving to Rajasthan Royals, and Samson to CSK, the fans of the Yellow Army have supported him wholeheartedly.
Samson is expected to hold a crucial position at the top of the batting order and could also assume wicketkeeping duties from MS Dhoni in one or two matches, should there be any injury issues with the 44-year-old veteran.
(With IANS Inputs)
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