Sparta Prague midfielder Hugo Sochurek was included in the Czech Republic squad for the World Cup after he became the youngest player for the national team in a warmup game against Kosovo.

The Czechs won 2-1 and 17-year-old Sochurek came on as a substitute on Sunday. Immediately after the game, coach Miroslav Koubek cut his initial selection of 29 to the final 26.

FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha, Mlada Boleslav forward Christophe Kabongo and Viktoria Plzen midfielder Tomas Ladra didn’t make the final cut.

“Probably the worst moment of my coaching career,” said Koubek, the 74-year-old veteran.

In good news for the Czechs, attacking midfielder Adam Hlozek of Hoffenheim, who has recently recovered from long-term calf and foot injuries, returned to the squad to play his first game for the national team since June and scored a goal.

The 23-year-old has played 42 international games, scoring five times.

The team was scheduled to leave for the United States later Sunday to play one more warmup against Guatemala in New Jersey on June 4.

The team mainstays included Lyon midfielder Pavel Sulc, Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick and West Ham midfield Tomas Soucek.

Koubek also included two Slavia Prague players – forward Tomas Chory and defender David Doudera – who were suspended for disciplinary reasons by the club for the rest of the season and transfer-listed.

During the World Cup, the Czechs will be based in Mansfield, Texas.

They will open the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada against South Korea on June 11 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Their other Group A opponents are South Africa (Atlanta, June 18) and Mexico (Mexico City, June 25).

The Czechs qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2006.

Czech Republic: 
Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague).

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).

Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).

Forwards: Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).

• Germany 4-0 Finland (1-0)
• Goals: 1-0 Undav (34′), 2-0 Wirtz (48′), 3-0 Undav (57′), 4:0 Musiala (63′)
• Attendance: 25,122

A day before Germany depart for America, Julian Nagelsmann’s team comprehensively beat Finland in Mainz thanks to an outstanding performance by striker Deniz Undav. The Stuttgart forward scored twice and assisted one to help deliver the expected result.

“We can keep going like this,” Nagelsmann said afterwards. “One of our strengths is that we always look like we can score.”

There’s not a lot to make of these games. Less than two weeks out from a World Cup is not the time to experiment tactically, and most starters are rested. These games are almost always about players avoiding injury and squad players pushing to start.

A confidence-boosting win

Jamal Musiala scored, which will be a big boost to his and the team’s confidence after the Bayern Munich man’s long injury layoff.

Lennart Karl was exceptional, and were it not for the post he might have a goal to his name. The Bayern teenager is pushing to start, remarkably, and in terms of squad places has moved Leroy Sane further down the pecking order.

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Nathaniel Brown’s attacking efforts — defensively he was hardly called into action — made Nagelsmann feel vindicated about his choice as he, too, delivered enough food for thought when it comes to which left back will start.

But otherwise, how much of true value can be taken from such a victory against the 73rd best team in the world? A brief look at recent history suggests that a pinch of salt is required.

Ahead of Euro 2024 two years ago, Germany narrowly beat Greece in an unconvincing and unsettling performance. At the home Euros though, Germany looked the best they had in years and were unlucky in their quarterfinal defeat to Spain.

Two years before that, in preparation for the Qatar World Cup, they played a friendly in Oman that they edged 1-0 but struggled in the heat and humidity of the gulf. What followed was a disaster as they failed to get out of their group with Japan, Costa Rica and Spain.

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With all of that in mind, the win and performance in Mainz is great but it also doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of how Germany will fare in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Undav keeps delivering

If anything, Deniz Undav was once again the story.

For the striker who was publicly dismissed by Nagelsmann in March despite scoring the winner, a move that the head coach later apologized for, to deliver another match-winning performance certainly makes his case to start even stronger. Furthermore, his jovial manners makes him an invaluable member of the squad as he, in some ways, has replaced the jokes and smiles that Thomas Müller once brought this group.

“If you score two goals and provide an assist, you don’t play yourself out of the team,” said Nagelsmann afterwards. Kai Havertz remains the starter, and his goal in Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat further underlines his big-game prowess, but having Undav as an alternative off the bench is quickly beginning to look like a real boost to Germany’s chances.

And so Germany will head to the airport, destination Chicago, as they prepare for one last friendly against hosts the USA before they settle into their base camp in North Carolina. From the end of that friendly to their World Cup opener against Curacao in Houston are just eight days. Germany’s World Cup adventure is already up and running.

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Edited by: Chuck Penfold

Last year, most people didn’t have the Bears being the 2025 NFC North Champions, but here we are. Chicago used a weaker schedule to their advantage and seemed to run into their division opponents at just the right time.

After a second-half meltdown at home to the Vikings to open the season and a beatdown by the Lions the following week, they righted the ship and stayed mostly on the winning side. Although they weren’t exactly blowing teams out. They were doing enough to get by under the new leadership of Head Coach Ben Johnson.

Just like every team, they lost players to free agency and the salary cap. They will have to reload just the same, but it might be a heavy task with the players they lost this past year, who were major contributors.

Bears’ New Supporting Cast Raises the Stakes for 2026

The Bears have definitely been on an upward trajectory. If Caleb Williams continues his ascent, they could put players around him to make them a dangerous team for years to come.

Free Agency

The Bears have been aggressive in bringing in free agents over the last few years. With a young quarterback showing he could be a star in the NFL on a rookie contract, it becomes easier to retain him and bring in help.

For the most part, the contracts haven’t been out of control, and they have even traded for players in key positions that help a young QB succeed. When Ryan Poles was hired as GM, it was the same year that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was hired by the Vikings.

Both were up for the GM job in Minnesota, and at first, it looked like Poles was getting schooled and that Adofo Mensah was the right choice for Minnesota. Years later, Poles is the better GM, with Adofo Mensah fired from his job in Minnesota. Here’s their free agency run in 2026.

• Drew Dalman retired
• Garrett Bradbury traded 2026 2nd round pick to Patriots
• Linebacker Tremaine Edwards signed with Patriots
• Safety Jaquan Brisker Signed with Steelers.
• Safety Kevin Byard III Signed with Patriots.
• Safety/Cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson Signed with Bills.
• Cornerback Nahshon Wright Signed with Jets.
• Safety Jonathan Owens Signed with Colts.
• Defensive lineman Andrew Billings Signed with Cardinals.
• Tight End Durham Smythe Signed with Ravens.
• Receiver Devin Duvernay Signed with Cardinals.
• Receiver Olamide Zaccheaus Signed with Falcons.
• Offensive lineman Ryan Bates unrestricted free agent. 
• Receiver DJ Moore traded to Bills for 2026 2nd round pick
• Safety Coby Bryant signed
• Linebacker Devin Bush signed
• Defensive lineman Neville Gallimore signed
• Cornerback Cam Lewis signed
• Receiver Kalif Raymond signed
• Quarterback Case Keenum signed
• Offensive tackle Jedric Wills Jr. signed

The Bears had a pretty decent free agency when it comes to signing new players. Bryant is a great safety, and Devin Bush is a solid linebacker. Bringing in Raymond strengthens the receiver crew as he worked with the staff when they were in Detroit.

Case Keenum is a solid veteran signing for the young Williams to lean on (and to back up his trailer if necessary *wink). Garret Bradbury had to be traded for. This only happened after they got one year from Drew Dalman, whom they had signed to a three-year contract after a stellar career in Atlanta, when he suddenly retired. The problem I see here is who they lost in free agency.

Was it too much, or who did they lose? Sure, Durham Smythe might have had some key block or catch during the year, but he wasn’t showing up like most of these guys were. Edwards, Brisker, Byard, and Wright all started for the Bears’ defense that was pretty good last year. Dalman was a huge get last year that should have solidified their line for years to come.

Most of the team’s wins were close games that a stable defense could have helped keep close, taking pressure off the young quarterback. Those are all solid players who are gone and not easily replaced. Moore is an outstanding receiver, and Duvernay and Zacchaeus are good receivers who stepped up in some big situations last season. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III may become stars and are young, but that’s a lot of guys suddenly not there for Williams to have much trust in.

Draft

With the success they had last year, you would think this draft would have been about filling a few holes and adding a little for the future. However, look at everyone they let go, especially in the secondary.

How can a team that lost that many starters be expected to pick up where they left off? My one thought was that perhaps they are anticipating Williams’ big contract, which his representation will start talking about at the end of this season, and that he will go into the fourth year of his rookie contract if his growth and success continue. Here’s who they picked up in the draft.

• Round 1, Pick 25: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
• Round 2, Pick 57: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
• Round 3, Pick 69: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
• Round 3, Pick 89: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
• Round 4, Pick 124: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
• Round 5, Pick 166: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State
• Round 6, Pick 213: Jordan Van den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech

Thieneman fills a hole at the safety position right away, pairing him with Bryant. I don’t think Muhammed can jump right in at cornerback, and he and Lewis hold down a position that was highly discussed last year. Wright had a huge resurgence in Chicago after flaming out in Dallas and Minnesota, which didn’t give him a fair shake.

He parleyed that into a nice contract with the Jets. Jones will sit behind Bradbury until he’s ready. Bradbury was embattled in Minnesota as a 1st-round pick and also wrote a new narrative in New England. As only the Bears can do, they spent another draft pick on a tight end. Colston Loveland is an emerging star at the position, and Cole Kmet is no slouch. Roush might be an eventual replacement for Kmet when he gets too expensive or makes him expendable during training camp if he shines, but that’s a big ask of the rookie. He isn’t in a great spot to make an immediate impact.

The Bears’ draft wasn’t flashy enough to brag about, other than Thieneman, who could develop into a Harrison Smith-type player.

Overall

The Bears won the North … barely. Williams seems to be the real deal with a strong running back group behind him and two legit receivers and tight ends. Ben Johnson has now had a full year to implement his offense, which might get even more interesting. His schemes may be enough to propel the team past the players they lost. Those close games strengthen a young team and improve cohesion with a veteran team.

When you let all that veteran experience go on both sides of the ball and throw rookies in most spots, that’s a prescription for going backward. Even with the pieces they brought in, there are no guarantees. If Bradbury regresses and the defensive backfield doesn’t gel, or if Williams has a slump or gets injured, as most scrambling quarterbacks are known to do, there will be some angry Bears fans if those close wins turn into close losses.

They still are the team to beat in the North, but there is an opening for other teams to take advantage of. Their division opponents all boast strong defenses and players on both sides of the ball, making winning the division any easier this year. Similar to when the Lions lost Johnson to the Bears, the losses on Chicago’s roster may kill the momentum they built in 2025.

I’m a small-town boy with12 years in telecommunications and 13 years in radio but a lifetime as a Vikings … More about Tony Schultz

The United States secured an encouraging 3-2 victory over Senegal in a World Cup warm-up friendly on Sunday, with Christian Pulisic delivering a standout performance, scoring once and assisting another, before Folarin Balogun netted the decisive second-half winner.

Sergino Dest opened the scoring for the hosts just seven minutes in, converting a cross from Pulisic.

Pulisic then extended the lead in the 20th minute, demonstrating composure to finish from a tight angle after skillfully navigating past the goalkeeper.

This marked Pulisic’s first goal across all competitions since December and his first for the national team since November 2024. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino lauded the AC Milan winger’s first-half display.

“I think now we need to try to extend until 90 minutes. Happy for him also because after the long time, or few months, he scored again and this is important for our players,” Pochettino told reporters.

Senegal, however, pulled one back just before halftime when captain Sadio Mane capitalized on a swift counter-attack, finishing expertly after Habib Diarra’s through ball dissected the American defense.

Folarin Balogun saw an early second-half effort disallowed for offside, and moments later, Mane struck again, leveling the score in the 52nd minute after a defensive miscue.

Yet, the AS Monaco striker redeemed himself just past the hour mark, confidently meeting Tim Weah’s cross to restore the lead and secure the win for Pochettino’s squad.

The US, who are set to co-host the upcoming World Cup with Canada and Mexico, have one final warm-up fixture against Germany on Saturday before commencing their Group D campaign against Paraguay on June 12. Pochettino’s side will then go on to face Australia and Turkey in their group as they aim to qualify for the knockout rounds on home soil.

“It’s true that today is not an official game and doesn’t count (for) points but it’s important to get good feelings. We are still a little bit short in our preparation but I think we are going in a good direction,” Pochettino commented.

Senegal will kick off their Group I matches against France on June 16, followed by encounters with Iraq and Norway.

The dark clouds surrounding the broadcast future of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India have finally cleared, with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. on Monday securing an eight-year media rights agreement with FIFA.

The landmark deal gives Zee access to some of football’s biggest global events, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA World Cup 2030, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and several youth and futsal tournaments through 2034.

While the FIFA-Zee deal has been finalised, the exact valuation of the agreement is still unknown. However, as per earlier media reports, it is expected to be around $30-35 million.

FIFA World Cup 2026 headlines landmark deal

The biggest attraction of the agreement is the FIFA World Cup 2026, which kicks off on June 12 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Zee will bring football’s showpiece event to Indian audiences through its television channels and digital platform Zee5.

Rights portfolio extends till 2034

Apart from the men’s World Cup, Zee has acquired rights to a host of FIFA competitions across different categories. The package includes the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup from 2026 to 2030.

The broadcaster will also showcase every edition of the FIFA Men’s U-17 World Cup and FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup from 2026 to 2034. The agreement covers the FIFA Men’s U-20 World Cups in 2027, 2029, 2031 and 2033, along with the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cups in 2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 and 2034.

Additionally, Zee has secured rights for the FIFA Futsal Men’s World Cups in 2028 and 2032 and the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cups in 2029 and 2033. The package also includes FIFA documentary and original content for Indian audiences.

Zee strengthens sports ambitions

The agreement comes shortly after Zee launched four dedicated sports channels, underlining its intent to strengthen its presence in the sports broadcasting ecosystem.

Chief Executive Officer Punit Goenka indicated that football’s appeal across regions and demographics makes it a strong long-term investment. He suggested that Zee has focused on acquiring properties that combine immediate relevance with future growth potential and believes the FIFA partnership will help unlock greater value from the sport while supporting the company’s growth objectives.

The company expects the deal to strengthen its subscriber base across television and digital platforms while creating opportunities to attract new advertisers and audiences.

FIFA eyes growth in India

FIFA views India as a strategically important market due to its young population and growing interest in football. FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai suggested that Zee’s extensive broadcast reach and digital ecosystem would play a significant role in expanding the sport’s footprint across the country.

He indicated that the broadcaster’s understanding of local audiences and multi-platform capabilities would help bring FIFA competitions to fans across every region of India, further strengthening football’s presence in one of the world’s largest media markets.

Matches to be available across TV and digital platforms

All events covered under the agreement will be broadcast across Zee’s sports channels and streamed on Zee5. The company plans to offer viewers an immersive viewing experience across platforms, including coverage in multiple languages.

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan has warned teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi about the challenges the batter could face going forward in his career. The 15-year-old wonderkid stunned the cricket fraternity with his terrific style of batting in the Indian Premier League. In 16 matches, he scored 776 runs at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.31. Despite starting slowly in multiple innings, the swashbuckling batter managed to keep a high strike rate, that too on a consistent basis.

Sooryavanshi’s season ended as Rajasthan Royals lost the Qualifier 2 game to Gujarat Titans by seven wickets.

While the batter impressed one and all with his batting, Zaheer said that the opposition bowlers would continue trying new tactics to get the better of him and he has to counter all of that for a successful career.

“For someone to have this kind of a season with 700-plus runs being scored. You can’t just bat in one fashion. You know, at some stage teams are going to figure it out. They’re going to try different things, and same was the case with Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Even today, GT was trying different tactics. They were trying to contain him by having mid-off, forcing him to play over mid-on. You’ve seen SRH trying to set a different field, so all those challenges, all those questions are going to be asked by different teams at different times, and you’ve got to stay on top of it,” said Zaheer on Cricbuzz.

Sooryavanshi got off to a careful start against GT in Qualifier 2 as RR kept losing wickets from one end. The southpaw timed his innings beautifully and smashed 96 off 47 with the help of eight fours and seven sixes.

“And that’s what has happened today as well. It was another example of wickets falling at the other end; he was not really able to get going. But look at the strike rate at which he’s batting. Slowish innings compared to what he’s been doing. But still managed to score 96 at a 205 strike rate. That’s phenomenal. So, you know, he’s got different dimensions to his game. He can play the situation, and that’s the exciting part. Like I said, it’s just about understanding more and more and having that sustenance. You know, if he’s able to just stay on this track, the records and the numbers will happen in due course,” Zaheer added.

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Delhi vs Mumbai IPL 2026: Fans Flood Arun Jaitley Stadium for High-Voltage Clash

Moses Itauma is well on his way to a world title shot and could soon become universally recognised as the United Kingdom’s standout heavyweight. Now, Dillian Whyte has revealed whether he believes the 21-year-old could defeat two-time world champion Anthony Joshua after facing both men.

Whyte collided with Joshua in a memorable battle back in 2015, revisiting an amateur rivalry. Following a heated build-up, ‘AJ’ scored a dramatic knockout victory to claim the coveted British heavyweight title.

A decade later, a 37-year-old Whyte attempted to disrupt another rising star’s plans, but was quickly outclassed by young Itauma, who dispatched of ‘The Body Snatcher’ within two minutes of the opening round.

However, despite his first-round defeat to Itauma last time out, Whyte told iFL TV that he may still pick Joshua to come out on top if he were to take on the Kent-based phenomenon, but added that it all depends on how Joshua looks in his fight next month.

“My first answer would be no, [Itauma doesn’t beat Anthony Joshua], but I think we have to wait and see what AJ has left, how he is mentally, if he has recovered from the stuff that he has been through lately and how much ambition he has left to fight. 

“Obviously, he has made some changes. He has gone to Usyk trying to look for something different, so let’s see if that gels and if it works out for him, we will have to see. AJ, sometimes, he moves mad, one minute he is on it and one minute he is not, so let’s see.”

Joshua fights Albania’s Kristian Prenga on Saturday, July 25, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, seeking to tee up a long-awaited showdown with perennial rival Tyson Fury.

As for Itauma, he is set to return in August as his push to the top of the division continues. The frontruner remains Filip Hrgovic, assuming the Croatian is fit after his recent three-round blowout of Dave Allen.

Minnesota Vikings organized team activities (OTAs) are underway, and training camp will begin in two months. The franchise probably won’t sign or trade for too many new players, but it also has some burning questions to resolve.

Oddsmakers expect Minnesota to finish 8-9 or 9-8 and in last place in the NFC North; the Vikings have a long way to go in beating the odds.

Nevertheless, in the meantime, these are the burning questions facing the club, as the calendar turns to June.

Vikings Summer Checklist Starts with Smith, Banks, and Murray

1. Will Harrison Smith Return?

Smith’s situation has become somewhat of a mystery: no one knows what’s happening.

The Vikings and their fans treated Week 18 of 2025 as if it were his farewell, and that remains the last concrete indication from the 37-year-old safety. He hasn’t officially retired, nor has he re-signed with Minnesota.

If he chooses to return for Year No. 15, he would likely play a significant role in Brian Flores’ defense, potentially logging over 400 snaps. The strange part? June is a day away, and the Vikings are still uncertain about whether their longtime safety will return. It’s time for a verdict.

2. Will Caleb Banks Play Week 1?

Minnesota selected Banks with a 1st-Round pick after a series of draft classes that left the franchise yearning for more young talent. The 2022 and 2023 drafts produced insufficient long-term prospects aside from Jordan Addison, so Banks cannot become another cautionary tale.

His medical history added intrigue to the pick. Banks injured his foot during Florida’s 2025 training camp, played three games, declared for the draft, and then broke his foot at the NFL Combine in February. That injury, particularly for a large defensive lineman, led many draft analysts to drop him to Round 2.

The Vikings had a different perspective. They selected him in Round 1, where he was projected to go prior to the injury concerns.

Now, here’s the key point: if Banks is ready for training camp in late July, Minnesota’s gamble will appear much more reasonable. If he’s not ready for the regular season, the optics will be horrid.

3. Will the Vikings Sign Another OLB?

The Vikings could convert DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins to OLB and call it good. That may solve the OLB3 quandary. They could also groom rookie Jake Golday this summer for hybrid ILB-OLB duty, like Golday’s teammate Andrew Van Ginkel. Promoting Bo Richter or Tyler Batty for more playing time is an option, too.

If none of those move the needle, Minnesota must peek at the free-agent wire and decide if Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, or Leonard Floyd, for example. make sense for the budget.

Which route will they travel?

4. Who Gets Extensions?

These players’ agents can knock on the eventual new general manager’s office door this summer and request contract extensions:

• Jordan Addison (WR)
• Blake Brandel (C)
• Blake Cashman (ILB)
• Jordan Mason (RB)
• Brian O’Neill (RT)
• Isaiah Rodgers (CB)
• Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
• Jay Ward (S)

It’s a huge and eyebrow-raising list. O’Neill makes the most sense for an immediate extension; the deal he signed in 2021 is finally drawing to a close.

No matter how you dice it, though, the Vikings have about eight players who will want more money before too long.

5. Who Wins QB1?

The Vikings insist it’s a genuine quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. But sportsbooks suggest otherwise.

Minnesota signed Murray in March to a one-year, $1.3 million contract, a modest amount since Arizona is covering almost the entire bill. McCarthy started last season, but injuries and erratic play turned his first year as QB1 into a rollercoaster.

Pro Football Network‘s Abhimanyu Chaudhary noted on the battle this week, “As of now, Murray is widely viewed as the favorite to win the starting job. He brings the experience of 87 career regular-season starts, a proven track record as a dual-threat quarterback, and is also well-trained to give the right answers to the media. More importantly, he’s stepping into Kevin O’Connell’s offense, the same system that turned Sam Darnold into an MVP candidate before Darnold left and won Super Bowl 60 with Seattle.”

“With Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, and T.J. Hockenson surrounding him, Murray has the weapons to revive his career and potentially earn a lucrative long-term deal. McCarthy’s path forward is less certain because if Murray takes the starting job and performs well, the former Michigan standout will face a choice of either accepting a backup role and waiting for his opportunity in Minnesota or pursuing a trade to a franchise willing to give him a fresh start.”

Publicly, the front office and coaching staff are framing it as a legitimate competition. While that may be valid behind closed doors, the betting market presents a different narrative, giving Murray approximately a 90% chance of securing the starting job.

Overall, this situation will dominate the next three months for the Vikings.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their second IPL title on Sunday night, and once again, the trophy-hunting Virat Kohli rose tall on the night of the final. He remained unbeaten on 75 (42) after knocking off his fastest IPL half century, which also accounted for 91.76 impact points, him winning the player of the match. Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni and Jadeja have played across seasons. MS Dhoni features on that list for 18 of the 19 seasons. While most of these Indian greats have experienced crests and troughs, Virat Kohli has been relentless, a study in individual excellence, high-octane passion, and a late-career evolution into a self-described “trophy hunter”.

WHY KOHLI STANDS APART 

Virat Kohli has long been the benchmark for consistency in T20 cricket. Across 283 matches, he has piled up 9,336 runs while continually evolving his game. In 2026, he has taken his strike rate to 165.85 – higher than even his celebrated 2016 season. His longevity and output also put him comfortably ahead of contemporaries such as Rohit Sharma (7,329 runs) and MS Dhoni (5,439).

THE CHASEMASTER vs THE HITMAN

A comparison reveals a nuanced look at why Kohli is viewed differently from Rohit Sharma:

Consistency: Kohli’s 68 scores of 50+ dwarf the tallies of Rohit Sharma’s 49. He has 9 IPL 100s, Kohli has shown a far greater “appetite for big runs” than Sharma, who has batted for the Mumbai Indians in a similar timeframe.

Late Career Form: In the last 10 years, Kohli has had only two seasons of 300 runs… In 2024, he scored 741 and 675 in 2026. Rohit Sharma’s decline began around 2017, when he returned from a thigh injury and started batting at No. 4, repeatedly falling to leg-spin. 

THE YEARS AT THE PEAK

Both Kohli and Rohit enjoyed their peak in 2016, 10 seasons ago.

For Kohli, that remains the greatest individual campaign in T20 history, in which he scored leg spinners)… The 2016 season remains the benchmark for Kohli in the IPL. He smashed a record 973 runs, including four centuries, and almost single-handedly carried RCB to the final. What’s stood out since then is not just the peak, but the longevity. 

Nearly a decade later, Kohli continues to score heavily, maintaining a career average above 40 while adding nine IPL hundreds to his name. Few batters have managed to stay this productive for this long, and even fewer have done it while evolving their game.

Rohit Sharma’s best IPL years, by contrast, came when he had a settled role at the top of the order and the responsibility of captaincy. In 2016, he scored 489 runs at an average of 44.45 with five half-centuries, one of his most complete seasons with the bat.

TROPHY HUNTER MENTALITY

When Kohli roars, Wankhede soars. It is not just at the Chinnaswamy anymore. Like Sachin Tendulkar before him, Kohli carries a following that travels with him across India.

What has changed over the last few years is the way he talks about success. Earlier, the focus was on runs, records and carrying RCB’s batting. Now the conversation begins with trophies.

That shift was evident again in the final. Kohli’s unbeaten 75 in Ahmedabad came at a strike rate that would have been considered uncharacteristic of him a decade ago. He paced the innings aggressively from the start, finished unbeaten, and collected another Player of the Match award on the biggest night of the season.

For years, RCB were criticised for relying too heavily on Kohli and AB de Villiers. The franchise often produced extraordinary batting performances without the silverware to match. The second title does not erase that history, but it does strengthen Kohli’s argument that his career should be measured by more than numbers.

At 37, he is still scoring runs, still setting fitness standards and still demanding more from those around him. That may be the clearest reason he remains central to RCB’s plans.

THE NARRATIVE: Rohit Sharma’s IPL story has never been just about runs. Between 2013 and 2020, he led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles and established one of the most successful dynasties in franchise cricket. Add India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2024, and Sharma became synonymous with leadership success.

For years, that success afforded him a degree of patience that few players receive. Even when the runs weren’t flowing consistently, Mumbai Indians continued to back him because of what he brought as a captain. His tactical acumen and calm leadership helped build a champion team around match-winners such as Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard.

During those title-winning years, Sharma often played the stabilising role rather than being the side’s primary aggressor. The trophies kept coming, and discussions around his batting numbers were usually pushed into the background.

But the conversation has changed. Since stepping down as captain, Sharma’s performances have been judged almost exclusively on his returns with the bat. The leadership shield that once protected him from criticism is no longer there.

In a franchise known for making hard calls, questions that were once ignored are now being asked more frequently. Every lean patch attracts greater scrutiny, and every low score fuels debate about his future.

Former India batter and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar was among those who sensed the shift early. Speaking last year, Manjrekar said Sharma had reached a stage in his career where talent alone would not be enough. The challenge, he argued, was no longer about ability but about finding the motivation and intensity required to keep competing at the highest level.

For perhaps the first time in more than a decade, Rohit Sharma is being judged not as a captain, not as a leader, but simply as a batter. And that has made every innings matter more than ever.

During most of the Mumbai Indians’ 2026 campaign, he remained unfit, turned up for 9 of the 14 games, and scored 283 runs. Even though he has significantly improved his strike rate to 157, it was around 133 in 2016.

KOHLI’S FITNESS AS A FOUNDATION

One area where Kohli has clearly separated himself from his peers is fitness. Nearly two decades into his professional career, he remains among the quickest runners between the wickets and one of the fittest players in the league.

That physical foundation has allowed him to sustain a strike rate of nearly 166 this season while continuing to produce runs at a level few batters have matched over such a long period.

Rohit Sharma’s challenge has been different. Injuries and availability have increasingly become part of the discussion. He featured in only nine matches during Mumbai Indians’ 2026 campaign and finished with 283 runs. The intent remained aggressive, but his season was again interrupted by fitness concerns.

THE HEARTBEAT AND THE PLAYER’S CAPTAIN

The contrast between Kohli and Rohit has rarely been starker. Kohli is coming off another title, another Player of the Match performance in a final and another season that underlined his longevity. Nearly two decades into his career, he remains among the IPL’s most productive batters and one of its biggest attractions.

Rohit Sharma finds himself in a different place. The intent is still there, but consistency has become harder to find and fitness concerns have increasingly shaped his seasons. Since giving up the Mumbai Indians captaincy, his performances have been judged far more on runs than leadership.

There is little left for Rohit to prove in white-ball cricket. Five IPL titles as captain and a T20 World Cup with India place him among the most successful leaders of his generation. The debate now centres on his IPL career: whether there is one more significant contribution left in him, or whether his best years in the tournament are already behind him.

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