March has arrived, and with it, the greatest sporting event on the planet … but also the inevitable commotion that will come with the college basketball coaching carousel. A minimum of 40 coaches currently employed now will no longer be at their schools by the end of this month. That’s an unavoidable reality.
And with a sport of 365 schools, the number could easily hit 50. It’s soared past that number in recent years, as the chaos machine that is the transfer portal (combined with myriad factors that fluctuate NIL budgets across the country) has upped the pressure on coaches and players alike. It’s led to an industry that lacks patience but, come this time of year, rebirths optimism for what could be.
As long as you’ve got the millions to pay off the coach and start anew.
Last March/April we had 14 high-major coaching changes, the same number as in 2024, and then a 15th flipped in 2025 when Bruce Pearl handed the job to his son, Steven, last October. I don’t think we’re hitting 14 power-conference openings in 2026, but double-digit changeover at the Power Five level might be inescapable. To get a wide view of what’s vulnerable to change, I’ve built out a list of programs whose coaches are in the crosshairs at this point.
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Some are much more likely to split than others, but all listed have at some point this season been the subject of significant speculation behind the scenes. Keep in mind, Kansas State is already open, therefore it’s not listed below.
Another plot point to acknowledge: At this stage, it sure doesn’t look like a top-20 job will come open in 2026. That’s a big change after the past five years worth of carousel cycles saw most of the big and/or blue blood programs undergo a switch.
There is no doubt here. Bobby Hurley is coaching out the string at Arizona State on the final year of his contract and will leave Tempe after 11 seasons. All told, Hurley is the second-best ASU coach in history both in terms of total wins and NCAA Tournament appearances (he made runs in 2018, 2019 and 2023). It’s time for a change, and agents in the industry have been bracing for the vacancy for essentially a year. The job might not be in the top half of power-conference programs, but even in spite of that, I get the sense this opening will attract some viable and interesting candidates due to having low-level expectations in a good location.
Earl Grant‘s time in Chestnut Hill is soon to be over after five seasons, four of them ending with a sub-.500 record. Boston College has been the black sheep of the ACC for 15-plus years; it’s in the wrong conference, and as a result, the program lost its juice long ago. It ranks among the five-or-so least desirable power-conference jobs out of the ~80 in the sport, but it can and will still draw someone on the upswing. Someone will believe they can be the hero and do something that hasn’t happened since 2009: coach the Eagles into the NCAA Tournament.
Thad Matta, a Butler alum, hasn’t been able to restore glory at Hinkle. BU has finished in the bottom third of the Big East ledger in all four of his seasons in Indianapolis. Matta just crossed the 500-win career mark a few games ago, a proper achievement for a coach whose best days will be linked to his time running Ohio State. Butler’s rapid 2010s ascent from Horizon League to Atlantic 10 to Big East was due to Brad Stevens running the program. News flash: He’s been gone 13 years, and Butler’s in need of some real juice just to be a factor in its own league, let alone being a national presence. I say it’s time to go find a fresh face and try and pounce while the Big East is down.
The Bearcats are still well outside the NCAA Tournament picture at this point under Wes Miller.
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There are some mixed signals at the moment over how firm the ground is under Wes Miller‘s feet in Cincinnati. The Bearcats haven’t been NCAA Tournament-good in any of Miller’s five seasons, a surprising development considering how robust and reliable Miller’s UNC Greensboro teams were in the final five seasons of his time there before getting the UC job in 2021. UC is 16-13 and still has a shot to make a run and win its way into the field, but it will take a home win over BYU on Tuesday for that to even become a possibility. It seems Miller’s chances at holding on seem a lot better now than they did a month ago, and the price (well north of $9 million if fired this month) might be a factor.
The noise surrounding this one has risen a lot in the past month, as the Yellow Jackets have dropped to the basement of the 18-team ACC. Damon Stoudamire is only in his third season, but the athletic director now (Ryan Alpert) is not the AD who hired Stoudamire in 2023. I think this one opens. GT has been outside of the KenPom top 100 in all three of Stoudamire’s seasons. It’s a lower-end ACC job in a really good location. How much can it compete in NIL in 2026? A resourceful hire is vital just to get Tech a shot at playing into the top half of the conference.
This one is all about the money. My sources indicate Matt McMahon is more likely than not to keep this job for one more season. And yet: at 15-14, if LSU were to lose its final two games of the regular season and be one-and-done in the SEC bracket, a change could be on the table. But it would be expensive. LSU just spent tens of millions to fire Brian Kelly and hire Lane Kiffin on the football side, in addition to the support given to Kim Mulkey in women’s hoops. Multiple sources said firing McMahon and hiring a new staff and bringing on NIL assurances would amount to at least $25 million more in resources for men’s basketball. That’s going to be tough to endure. If I’m McMahon, maybe I try and get ahead of it all and see if there’s a mid-major parachute to cling onto. Otherwise, he’ll be given minimal support if he’s back for a fifth season in Baton Rouge.
It’s gotten dire in Bluff City. The Memphis Tigers are 12-17 and enduring their worst season this century, worsened all the more by being a non-factor in the 10th-ranked league in college hoops. Penny Hardaway has lost a vast majority of the fan base in his eighth season — and yet we are just one year removed from Memphis earning a 5-seed and winning 29 games. Wild. Hardaway has taken his alma mater to the NCAAs three times but has just one Big Dance win. I won’t be surprised if he’s back, but there is a case to be made that, with two years left on Hardaway’s deal, the program needs a full-on reboot before lethargy seeps in any further.
Porter Moser‘s situation has been ripe for speculation for much of this season. It doesn’t sound like Oklahoma has quietly gone to the search-firm level behind the scenes just yet. The Sooners are 15-14 and set to miss the NCAAs for the fourth time in five seasons on Moser’s watch, but he’s also never been outright bad: OU’s worst KenPom finish is 54th, and the program has been among the worst in the SEC in NIL support in Moser’s time there. The school just hired a new AD after the legendary, decade-long tenure of Joe Castiglione. There’s minimal investment from fans at this point, and Moser probably will find footing this year or next at a solid mid-major job if he seeks an out. If he sticks on for one more season, it will be non-negotiable that OU needs to make the NCAAs in 2027.
Jeff Capel has had eight seasons to try and right the ship at Pitt, but it surely has to be time. New AD Alan Greene has already had soft contact with potential replacements, sources said, so I’m thinking a formal announcement should be coming in the not-too-distant future. Pitt is going to have to pay a steep price to force Capel off campus (more than $10 million), but at this point, the program is like a lot of ACC schools that need a rejuvenation to end the stagnation. The Panthers have one NCAA tourney appearance (as an 11-seed) in Capel’s time, and last made the second weekend of the Big Dance in 2009. The wheels are spinning in place.
Jeff Capel has had one NCAA Tournament-level team in his eight seasons with the Panters.
Frank Jansky / Getty Images
The industry has been expecting Providence to open for close to two months at this point. Now, Kim English has a team that has top-four talent (and is believed to have a top-four budget) in the Big East. Maybe everything coalesces in Manhattan next week at the Big East Tournament. The Friars (14-15) have won three in a row and need to rally, though. Shy of a huge run, the job is expected to come open after just three seasons for English. If that happens, he’s is going be paid handsomely in the years to come, as his buyout is humongous. The fan base is vocal and has not been shy about its feelings on the matter, which has led to heat on AD Steve Napolillo as well.
The Orange are in danger of falling entirely off the college basketball map after three unimportant seasons under Red Autry. Most everyone tasked with tracking the job market in college basketball expects this one to come open not just because SU again failed to meet program expectations, but a change in athletic director (with the hire to be determined before March 10, I’m told) sparking all more the reason to begin anew. Jim Boeheim’s name and legacy still loom large here, but it’s time to find a fresh face outside the Syracuse family in order to give the program a jolt, lest it risk becoming just another average power-conference team.
Bad this year, but unlikely to change
Tad Boyle is on the record: He’s not retiring. The Buffaloes are 16-13 and at least better than the 14-21 squad from a year ago. I’m not sure when his time will be up, but Boyle’s pretty determined to make sure his last season in Boulder isn’t a bad one. At least the Buffs to this point have avoided being in the bottom four in the 16-team Big 12.
Ed Cooley is not walking away, and Georgetown can’t afford to fire him this year. The Hoyas are going to finish under .500 for the fifth time in seven years, though, and the 2026-27 campaign will see Cooley as a top-five hot-seat candidate. This program cannot revive itself, and that’s a sad state of affairs.
Ducks coach Dana Altman told me over the weekend that he will not be retiring. Altman will turn 68 later this year. He’s overseeing a mess, as Oregon‘s 11-18 and headed toward its worst season since 2008-09 under Ernie Kent. Altman is also under no threat of being fired, so don’t expect Oregon to open, despite some curiosity on the agent side in recent weeks.
Steve Pikiell‘s agent negotiated one of the all-time one-sided contracts. Rutgers might dissolve as a university if it paid out the remainder of his contract: the school would be on the hook for more than $20 million. It doesn’t matter that 12-17 Rutgers has once again sunk into the dredges of high-major basketball; Pikiell will be back next season.
Lamont Paris has a significant buyout, and despite some behind-the-scenes snooping on potential candidates, I don’t think this one is coming open. The Gamecocks (12-17) will have back-to-back sub-.500 seasons, in addition to just 11 wins in Paris’ first year. Not unthinkable, but something drastic would need to force action here.
Steve Forbes might try looking for an escape route, but he doesn’t have to at Wake Forest. The school can’t afford his buyout, so unless someone else wants Forbes, he’ll pull off an uncommon achievement by making it to Year 7 at a high-major program without an NCAA Tournament appearance. Also, Forbes is trying to make chicken salad with one of the ACC’s lowest NIL budgets in men’s basketball.
As we brace for the postseason, keep in mind that there is almost always, every year, an unexpected job pop that tosses the cycle into different directions. In 2025, Kevin Willard leaving Maryland for Villanova was one such example — and Darian DeVries bailing on West Virginia after a single season for Indiana was another. In 2024, John Calipari’s stunning exit from Kentucky to Arkansas wound up creating a cascading domino effect. In 2023, Bob Huggins was fired after the season.
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That in mind, know there’s a decent-or-better chance at least one school not listed above (and it could be due to a retirement or something else) winds up coming open and altering the dynamics of this year’s carousel cycle. Stay tuned, because it’s going to get noisy next week.
Boxing fans remain hopeful that a rematch between Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia could be on the horizon, for what would now be a welterweight world title unification bout. Should that happen, two division conqueror Zab Judah forecasts a one-sided ‘destruction’.
Haney and Garcia remain as fierce rivals, following on from their controversial 2024 encounter, where Garcia missed weight and then tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, after handing Haney a first career defeat.
The result was overturned to a no-contest and fans continue to debate whether Garcia would have had the same overwhelming success in the fight, if not for his unfair advantages.
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Now, with Garcia joining Haney as a welterweight world champion last month, talk of a second meeting between the Californian duo is rife, for what would be one of the most high-profile events of the 2026 calendar.
Amid the speculation, Judah, who is the godfather of Haney, told MillCity Boxing that ‘The Dream’ will ‘destroy’ Garcia when the time is right.
“I know one thing, when the opportunity presents itself and Devin does make the decision that he wants to get back into the ring with Ryan Garcia, I can promise y’all, we are going to destroy him. I can promise you all.
“But, it has got to be up to Devin to say, ‘I am ready to do this’. Once he says that, it is over. Devin makes his own decisions, he knows what he wants.”
Michael Freedman joins others in scrutinising Randwick’s track rating before Apocalyptic takes on Tempted during the Surround Stakes.
The Group 1 filly triumph winner will start irrespective, but Freedman admits his belief would lessen if deterioration exceeds Friday’s soft 7 substantially.
“I’m looking forward to seeing her back there. I am just keeping an eye on the weather,” Freedman said.
“Anything in the soft range would be OK, but if we got into that heavy range it may change things a wee bit.
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“You probably can’t not run because she has never been on heavy. But I get the feeling she wouldn’t want it too wet.”
Last spring’s three-time Princess Series conqueror Apocalyptic resumed odds-on but trailed Savvy Hallie home second in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).
Freedman considered the run “good enough” in a race suited to leaders, with the three-year-old thriving in the interim.
Savvy Hallie and Tempted oppose again in the Surround Stakes (1400m), unverified at the trip.
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However, the trainer highlights strengths in both, aligning with punter preference for $1.60 market leader Tempted’s recent races.
“I know a few people have queried Tempted at 14 (1400 metres), but to my eye she looks like she’d run it out pretty solidly,” he said.
“She’s run second in an Everest and was obviously impressive first-up. She’s the one that’s got the really good from going into it.”
Unconvinced Apocalyptic relishes deep mud, Freedman trusts Manaal fully for the Guy Walter Stakes (1400m), boasting three wins from five on soft/heavy.
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Runner-up fresh in the Triscay Stakes (1200m), she rates prominently at Randwick weight-wise.
“She’s a terrific mare. She’s always thereabouts,” Freedman said.
“She has a slightly tougher draw than what she’s had the last few, but if we do get a bit of rain and the track is genuinely soft, it might offset that.”
“It was a pretty ordinary set up for him two weeks ago, unfortunately, and it doesn’t look much better for him this week if we don’t get a lot of scratchings,” Freedman said.
Punters should check the betting sites for Surround Stakes specials this weekend.
Chido Obi suffered a head injury at the beginning of Man Utd U21s’ 2-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Premier League 2.
21:10, 02 Mar 2026
Chido Obi was pictured by Manchester United’s photographer walking out at Leigh Sports Village to play for the Under-21s on Monday, but his face was buried into the turf around 90 seconds later.
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The start of the match was marred by Obi suffering a head injury. The youngster pressed the Chelsea goalkeeper from kick-off, but the clearance struck his head, and he required attention from the medical staff.
Obi received medical attention for around five minutes and he was applauded by fans as he stood to his feet. Lawrence asked whether he was ok as he went straight down the tunnel to the dressing room.
The Premier League and FA have rules on how to deal with head injuries, which outline clear ‘return to play’ guidelines for players who are suspected of having suffered a concussion. Those rules state that no player will be allowed to return to a competitive game for at least six days.
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After that, players are allowed to progress by a step every 24 hours. The steps are: No physical activity, light aerobic exercise, sport specific exercise, non-contact training drills, full contact training, and then return to play (after an all-clear from the club’s medical officer).
Obi will be assessed in the coming days, and he may face a nervous wait to see whether he passes the concussion protocols in time to feature in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals on March 18.
The 18-year-old dropped down to play for the Under-18s in the Youth Cup, the pinnacle of academy football, in the fourth round of the competition. Obi scored the match-winner, and he was on the scoresheet again as the U18s won against Oxford City to reach the quarter-finals.
Obi has predominantly played U21 football this season. The decision to play him in the Youth Cup has enhanced the U18s’ chances of winning the competition, so it will be a huge blow if he’s facing a spell on the sidelines due to the head injury he suffered at Leigh Sports Village.
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Michael Carrick attended alongside Steve Holland, Darren Fletcher and Jason Wilcox. Last month, Carrick was asked about his continued support for the youth system, and he recalled a memory of when a West Ham first-team coach travelled to watch him when he was a teenager in their academy.
Carrick added: “We want players to come through the system and try and get into the first-team, being around it. So, it’s important that me and the staff support that as much as we can.”
The 44-year-old has not attended academy games for good PR. Carrick genuinely cares about the youth system and has attended almost every U18/U21 fixture since his interim appointment.
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Carrick’s presence at youth matches demonstrates there is a pathway to the first-team, although his attendance appeared to be used as extra motivation for Chelsea on Monday night.
When Chelsea captain Shim Mheuka opened the scoring, he celebrated by knee sliding in front of where Carrick was sitting. The youngster looked up to the stands as if to say, ‘are you not entertained?’
Leo Cardoso celebrated in the same corner when he extended Chelsea’s advantage to 2-0 before half-time. Chelsea’s team was full of talented players who have trained with their first-team at Cobham, and they were a cut above for most of the game, despite heading into the fixture two points behind United.
It was hard not to shake the feeling that Obi’s substitution had a huge bearing on the game. The youngster is the academy’s talisman, and Chelsea sensed an opportunity when he was forced off.
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It was a shame that Obi was denied the opportunity to audition again in front of Carrick and his backroom staff. The Dane made seven appearances for the first-team last season, but he has only been included in a single matchday squad in the Premier League (Wolves on December 30) this term.
Carrick will have been made aware of Obi’s talent, though. The youngster enjoyed a freakish debut season at United after signing from Arsenal, and coaches believe the sky is the limit for him.
For now, Obi will have to be nursed back to full health after his head injury. It would be a huge blow for the U18s if he’s ruled out of the Youth Cup quarter-finals at Old Trafford later this month.
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Ihotu John Rebecca allegedly kidnapped along Benin Expressway
Reports have emerged alleging that Nigerian footballer Ihotu John Rebecca was kidnapped along the Benin Expressway, a route in Edo State, Nigeria that has long been associated with security concerns.
According to circulating information, the incident is said to have occurred over the weekend, with flyers showing the player in her number 33 jersey already spreading across social media. The situation has prompted concern among fans and members of the football community, who are calling for urgent action.
As of now, there has been no official confirmation from the police, the NWFL, or her clubregarding the alleged incident.
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The development comes amid growing frustration over safety on the highway, which has witnessed multiple reported kidnapping cases in recent times.
At the time of writing, the situation remains unverified, and updates are expected once official statements are released.
David Montgomery may not have wanted out of Detroit, but the Lions made it so on Monday in a deal with the Houston Texans.
The Lions are trading the veteran running back to the Texans in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, according to multiple reports.
This comes just hours after Montgomery responded to an ESPN report which stated he “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons with the franchise.
David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on Dec. 4, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.(Michael Owens/Getty Images)
“Damn, [D-Mo] told you that?” Montgomery posted on Sunday after the report came out saying the Lions would want a “decent Day 3 pick” in return for him.
In the end, though, a decent Day 3 pick is what the Lions got in return and then some from the Texans, a team that was looked to bolster its run game this offseason after a down year following the injury to Joe Mixon before the 2025 season even began.
Mixon is most likely to be released after a foot injury kept him out all of last season. Now, Montgomery and promising rookie Woody Marks are expected to share the backfield, though the former may see an elevated role compared to what was occurring in Detroit.
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Montgomery loved being a part of one of the most dynamic duos at running back in the league, but his other half, Jahmyr Gibbs, was slowly getting more of the workload. The explosive Alabama product is one of the best at his position in the NFL, and Montgomery was mainly being used in short-yardage situations or to spell Gibbs in 2025.
David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Known affectionately as “Sonic and Knuckles,” the duo will no longer share the same backfield, and “Sonic” was upset after posting a picture of the video game characters.
Gibbs has taken off since entering the NFL as the Lions’ first-round pick in 2023. He broke out with 1,412 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, which led the NFL, in 2024. Then, he followed it up with 1,223 yards and 13 rushing scores, with a career-high 616 receiving yards and five more scores through the air in 2025.
Montgomery had 716 rushing yards with eight rushing scores, while hauling in 24 of Jared Goff’s pass attempts his way for 192 yards. He totaled 2,506 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns across his three seasons with the franchise.
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David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions runs the ball during the second half of a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on Dec. 4, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.(Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Stefanos Tsitsipas has moved to clarify recent remarks about why he has not played regularly in South America.
After his earlier comments sparked debate, Tsitsipas addressed the situation directly.
“Over the last days, I’ve seen a lot of discussion around comments I made about scheduling tournaments and appearance fees, so I want to clarify things in a simple and honest way.”
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He stressed that his words were not meant as criticism.
“First of all, I truly enjoy playing in South America. The passion of the fans there is special and I have a lot of respect for the tournaments and the culture around tennis in that region. My comments were never a complaint and never meant as criticism.”
Tsitsipas explained that financial structure plays a role in how players build their schedules.
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“On the ATP Tour, players outside of prize money have very limited ways to support their careers financially. The reality is that ATP 250 and ATP 500 events are often the only opportunities where appearance fees exist.”
“Because of that, scheduling decisions are sometimes influenced by those factors. This is not unique to me. It is a standard model followed by many players, especially those competing at the top level.”
He added that his earlier remarks were simply an honest response to a question.
“I was simply answering a question about why my calendar sometimes looks the way it does. I was explaining something that is common knowledge inside professional tennis, not expressing negativity toward any country or tournament.”
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Tsitsipas ended by reaffirming his appreciation for playing globally.
“I have great appreciation for every place I compete in and I hope to play in many different regions of the world in the future as well.”
Manchester City are battling Arsenal for the Premier League title and have several key fixtures ahead
Manchester City still have work to do if they are to leapfrog Arsenal in the Premier League title race. City are five points behind the Gunners after the weekend’s results, with yet more matches to play in midweek.
Pep Guardiola’s side defeated Leeds United over the weekend, which temporarily closed the gap to two points before Arsenal’s win over Chelsea on Sunday saw their five-point advantage return.
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City will now prepare to face Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, with the game kicking off at the same time as Arsenal take on Brighton.
There are now just 10 fixtures left to play in the Premier League this season for City, and some of them are certainly standing out above the rest.
City may be expected to get all three points when they face West Ham later this month, but this game falls between two huge games in the Champions League.
Guardiola and Co. will take on Real Madrid in the last-16 of the Champions League, with the home and away legs being played either side of the clash against the Hammers.
While City would be forgiven for putting the majority of their focus on the double header against Madrid, they will need to be mindful of avoiding dropping points on their trip to the London Stadium.
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Crystal Palace (H) – TBA
City still have a game in hand over Arsenal – their home clash against Crystal Palace, which was originally due to be played the same weekend as the Carabao Cup final.
The new date for the fixture is yet to be announced, and when it does it could have a major impact on the schedule that City will face.
As a result, depending on whether the fixture falls, the clash against Palace could have ever greater significance.
Chelsea (A) – April 11
City vs Chelsea is often an entertaining fixture, but Guardiola will want this to be a successful one when they travel to Stamford Bridge next month.
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City were held to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in January when Chelsea had interim manager Calum McFarlane in charge for the game at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola will be hoping that City’s fortunes change for this game, especially with the title race expected to be entering its most defining weeks of the season.
Arsenal (H) – April 18
City’s clash against Arsenal next month could well be a title decider for both clubs, depending on how results go between now and April 18.
If City win their game in hand and results for both clubs remain the same by this point, a victory over Arsenal could see Guardiola and Co. climb to the top of the table.
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There are nine points up for grabs for City and Arsenal between now and when they meet at the Etihad Stadium next month, potentially more if the rearranged game against Palace is played before this fixture.
All City can do is keep winning games and hope that Arsenal drops points over the next few weeks. If the results continue, then the clash at the Etihad next month could truly be a title decider.
Aston Villa (H) – May 24
City will host Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the season at the end of May.
By this point, the title could be decided one way or another, but if not then this could be City’s most important match of the season.
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If the title is still undecided by the time kick-off arrives on May 24, then a victory for City go a long way to clinching the title for Guardiola’s team.
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Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma run between the wickets during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Zimbabwe, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. (PTI Photo)
Sanju Samson dropped to his knees and looked up at the sky in gratitude and relief, perhaps thanking the cricketing gods at the ‘Garden of Eden’ in Kolkata, after steering India to the T20 World Cup semifinals with a five-wicket win over West Indies in what was a virtual quarter-final for both teams.India captain Suryakumar Yadav doffed his cap in honour of Sanju, after the right-handed batter played a career-defining unbeaten 97 off 50 balls on Sunday.While Sanju’s 97 in Kolkata will be remembered, his short-lived but significant innings against Zimbabwe three days prior had brought momentum to India’s T20 World Cup campaign.In the five matches before Sanju returned to the playing XI against Zimbabwe, India won four but there were clear concerns in the batting, and everyone could see it.
Trouble in top-order
India played without Samson in four out of those five matches, and their highest opening partnership in those games was 8 runs. In the only match that Sanju played, against Namibia (when Abhishek was out due to illness), Samson and Ishan Kishan had an opening stand of 25 runs in 12 balls.Apart from Ishan’s knocks against Pakistan (77 off 40) and Namibia (61 off 24), India’s top four, including Surya and Tilak Varma, were also facing a strike-rate problem in those matches, as the table below shows.
Indian top-order batters’ strike-rate in the first 5 matches of T20 World Cup
USA
Namiba
Pakistan
Netherlands
South Africa
Ishan Kishan
125
254.16
192.5
257.14
0
Sanju Samson
DNP
275
DNP
DNP
DNP
Abhishek Sharma
0
DNP
0
0
125
Tilak Varma
156.25
119.04
104.16
114.81
50
Suryakumar Yadav
171.42
92.3
110.34
121.42
81.81
Openers not providing a good start, and the middle order struggling to score runs quickly, was a double trouble for defending champions India. This was largely due to India’s batters struggling against off-spin in the tournament.With six left-handers in the top eight, India essentially invited themself to be attacked by off-spinners. And oppositions’ Erasmus, Aghas, Ayubs, and Dutts obliged.During the group stage, India faced more off-spin than any other team — 102 deliveries. Among the 13 teams that faced at least six overs of off-spin, only Nepal (5.25) and Oman (5.42) scored at a slower rate than India’s 6.23 runs per over.India’s trouble against off-spin bowling was first exposed by Gerhard Erasmus, when the Namibian skipper took four wickets, three of them left-handers, in the group-stage match. Pakistan took the cue, and their captain, Salman Ali Agha, a part-time off-spinner, took the new ball and dismissed India’s opener Abhishek Sharma caught on duck at mid-on. The trend continued in India’s last group-stage match against the Netherlands as off-spinner Aryan Dutt came to bowl the first over. He first bowled Abhishek Sharma for another duck, his third in as many matches in the tournament by then, and then sent his partner Ishan Kishan back to the dugout in the fifth over.
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It is worth noting that Abhishek had not previously shown vulnerability against off-spin; in fact, he has a career strike rate of 171.1 against off-spinners in powerplay in T20Is. However, given the slow nature of the pitches in the tournament, as compared to the IPL and T20 bilaterals India played at home in the last two years, he seemed to be out of his comfort zone against them and fell to off-spin twice in the three group-stage matches.Meanwhile, Abhishek’s opening partner Ishan Kishan, does face trouble against the off-spinners. In all T20Is, Kishan has scored against off-spinners at a mere 76.9 strike rate in the first six overs. That hasn’t changed in the T20 World Cup, despite him being in the form of his life; the southpaw has scored at just 115.8 strike rate against off-spin in the powerplay, his lowest against all kinds of bowling.In comparison, Sanju Samson has a strike-rate of 188.2 against off-spinners in the powerplay in T20Is.
‘Matlab Abhishek ki jagah khilau?’
By the end of the group stage, it was clear that India’s two left-handed openers had a difficult match-up against off-spin.It was evident that South Africa will use their off-spin options if Ishan and Abhishek open the innings for India in their first Super 8 clash. India captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked in the pre-match press conference whether India would look to bring back right-handed Sanju Samson vs South Africa in the top order to counter the off-spin threat? To which he replied, “Matlab Abhishek ki jagah khilau? (Should I play him instead of Abhishek?)”, “matlab Tilak ki jagah khilau? (You mean in place of Tilak?).“Suryakumar Yadav was seen smiling sarcastically while replying to the journalist as if the suggestion was out of context.But the story repeated, as predicted, and South Africa captain Aiden Markram himself came to bowl with the new ball and dismissed opener Ishan Kishan for a duck. India lost the match by 76 runs, which left them in a do-or-die situation.
How fortunes changed for India?
India’s next Super 8 match was against Zimbabwe in Chennai, and in came Sanju Samson back in the playing XI. He opened the innings with Abhishek and provided India a brisk opening stand of 48 runs. More importantly, with Sanju as an opener, India succeeded in keeping the off-spinner away from the new ball. By the time Sanju was dismissed in the fourth over, India were 48, and Abhishek Sharma was set at the crease. Sanju scored 24 off 15 balls and fulfilled the task brilliantly that he was entrusted with, and was lauded by head coach Gautam Gambhir and support staff after his dismissal. Sanju’s presence did wonders for India in the match. Opener Abhishek Sharma, who had scored just 15 runs before that in the tournament, including three ducks, came back to form and scored a half-century. India scored 256 in the first innings and crushed Zimbabwe by 72 runs. India finally had a convincing win in the tournament, and a campaign that once seemed on the verge of derailment found its momentum. Sanju Samson had turned it around through his 15-ball 24-run knock.Against West Indies on Sunday, India chased down their highest-ever target (196) in Men’s T20 World Cup history, bettering their previous record of 173 against South Africa in 2014.Sanju Samson’s 97 in the chase was the second-highest score for India at the men’s T20 World Cup, behind only Suresh Raina’s 101 against South Africa in 2010. It was the highest for India in a chase at the T20 World Cup, bettering Virat Kohli’s 82 not out against Australia in 2016 and Pakistan in 2022.India captain Suryakumar Yadav, who just a few days ago questioned “kiski jagah khilau?”, bowed down to Samson in appreciation.The 97 in Kolkata will be remembered. It secured the semifinal spot and will sit high among India’s best T20 World Cup knocks. But it was Samson’s 15-ball 24 against Zimbabwe in Chennai that brought India’s T20 World Cup campaign to life, and they are now looking like the formidable side that they are, going into the semi-final.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has spoken out about the missile strikes in Dubai, where he has been living with his wife Kate and their children
The former Manchester United defender, 47, relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last August with his wife Kate, 34, and their children Shae, five, Cree, two, alongside Rio’s daughter Tia, 14.
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He’s among a growing number of high-profile figures who have chosen to make the Middle East their home, joining the likes of former boxer Amir Khan and Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan in settling in Dubai.
However, over recent days, Dubai has come under assault from Iran, leaving Ferdinand stranded and “frightened” for the safety of his wife and three youngsters.
“Been a different week for me, not going to lie,” Ferdinand revealed on the latest episode of Rio Ferdinand Presents. “Firstly, I’m in great condition this morning as the whole family did a workout. A bit like in Covid, the whole family is doing things we wouldn’t usually be doing together.
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“Home-schooling a bit today. It’s frightening when you hear missiles, planes and fighter jets – I don’t know what it is – going above us, and you’re hearing big bombs, and what that is we don’t know as we don’t know the details of what they are.
“It’s telling your kids what it is and helping them navigate through this moment, which is important especially as the dad of the house. You want to try and remain calm and keep everybody as calm as possible.
“I’ve got to be honest guys, it’s been a bit of a scary situation but at the same time weirdly enough I’ve felt very secure and looked after. My studio has become my bunker.
“We were advised to go into the basement on the first night of all the noise started and we were down here sleeping with duvets and stuff. We are utilising the space wisely.”
Meanwhile, former TOWIE star and TV personality Kate offered an update on the family’s circumstances and assured supporters they were unharmed following a “very scary night”.
She posted: “Thank you for all of your messages and sorry for the silence, I haven’t wanted to worry you all I just haven’t been able to find the words. We are safe.
“The government are doing an amazing job of keeping it that way and despite my nerves I feel we are in very safe hands. We are hoping for a calmer evening tonight, last night was very scary. Although Cree and Shae loved it as they couldn’t believe we all got a sleepover in the basement.
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“Thank you for all of your prayers, this whole experience is very eye-opening and I am praying for anyone affected. Lots of love to everyone.”
Rio’s other children, Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, remained in the United Kingdom rather than moving to Dubai with the rest of the family, as they continued pursuing their football careers back home.
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Timothy Bradley has urged an unbeaten former world champion, who boasts a 93% knockout-to-win ratio, to make a drastic lifestyle change and focus purely on his craft.
During his own career, the Hall of Famer was always known for displaying tremendous grit and determination, rarely allowing himself to rely on talent alone.
This was perhaps most apparent during his 12-round war with Ruslan Provodnikov in 2013, when Bradley overcame a series of torrid exchanges to emerge victorious.
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But while such a dogged mindset seemingly comes naturally to fighters like Bradley, there are others who lack the dedication required to perform consistently at the highest level.
This, to some extent, could be said for Gervonta Davis, whose career has largely been tarnished by his behaviour outside the ring.
It emerged in January that ‘Tank’ had been dealt a domestic violence charge, which followed allegations of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping in a lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend, Courtney Rossell.
As a result, many would prefer not to see Davis back in the ring, while Bradley has issued a plea for the 31-year-old to return to his training.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former two-weight world champion insisted that a fully-focused ‘Tank’ could dominate at the elite level.
“If you’re all-the-way focused – dialled in – you come back, you dedicate a year and a half to this game, you’ll turn this game upside down.
“Take that chance – take that risk – because, right now, you’re losing. An all-the-way focused ‘Tank’ can’t be f**ked with.”
Davis has not fought since his controversial draw with Lamont Roach in March 2025, back when he successfully defended his WBA world lightweight title.
Since then, the American has been stripped of his title, but is now the sanctioning body’s ‘champion in recess’ after being removed from his scheduled exhibition match with Jake Paul in November.
