Few occasions in modern cricket evoke as much pure sentiment as MS Dhoni walking out in Chennai Super Kings yellow in the Indian Premier League. For the fans, the team combinations and matchups aren’t as relevant as seeing Dhoni on the pitch. Following recent discussions on his future, former India cricketers Zaheer Khan and Murali Kartik shared unique insights into why the legendary skipper might surprise everyone yet again by extending his playing career to come out to play for CSK another season.

Predicting Dhoni’s next move has always been one of cricket’s most fascinating mysteries. Kartik highlighted that trying to guess what the veteran keeper-batsman will do is nearly impossible because of how tightly he guards his plans.

“The one thing which you know for a fact with MSD is you don’t know what he’s going to do,” Kartik said during a chat on Cricbuzz. “I’ve always said he never allows the left hand to know what his right hand is thinking, so we could be sitting here and talk till the cows come home and not figure out what MSD is thinking.”

Despite Dhoni navigating his mid-40s, a strong sense remains that his journey with CSK is not quite finished.

“A part of me felt, what, he’s 43, 44? 44 years. So he might play and maybe just surprise everyone. So next year could be another surprise,” Kartik added.

This unpredictability is exactly why standard cricketing logic does not apply to him. “People of CSK, of Chennai, any CSK supporter for that matter, would want him in those yellows all the time, whether he does anything or nothing. It’s immaterial. It’s an emotion, and certain logics don’t go well with emotions. It’s just an emotion.”

A key factor supporting Dhoni’s continuation is his strategic approach to helping CSK navigate the mega-auction landscape. In a brilliant exploitation of the tournament rules, Kartik said that the multi-time ICC trophy-winning captain willingly allowed himself to be registered as an uncapped player.

There is an obvious, fascinating irony in seeing Dhoni play for CSK as an “uncapped” player. However, this move highlights his team-first mentality. Kartik believes this tactical approach makes the upcoming season vital. It gives Dhoni the perfect buffer to evaluate his physical fitness over the off-season, mentor the next generation, and hand over a perfectly balanced squad before the next major cycle shifts.

“Isn’t it an irony for a guy who has won so many ICC titles, which means he’s got so many feathers in lots of caps, when he was chosen, he was chosen as an uncapped player? All of us who played for India, suddenly after a while because you have not played for a while, uncapped.”

However, this move highlights his team-first mentality. Zaheer felt that Dhoni viewed the rule purely as a tool to give CSK a financial and tactical advantage:

“When it comes to the big auction, and I think the kind of direction which CSK has gone in, which is investing heavily in youngsters when you’re retaining them, you have two slots of uncapped players. This year CSK, maybe in the beginning of the cycle, they used MSD as an uncapped option, isn’t it? So if they find someone who is going to take the franchise forward, then MS himself, like how he decided that, okay, he’s going to be an uncapped player, use that for his advantage, for the franchise’s advantage, so he will look at it that way.”

By sliding into that slot, Dhoni freed up crucial retention resources for management to focus on building a squad for the future. Zaheer believes this calculated approach makes the upcoming season vital for a smooth transition:

“If you have that kind of approach, then the next year becomes important for him to come back and then take that call once it comes to the big auction. If you ask him, he’s going to say that, ‘Okay, I’ll see how the off-season goes,’ which every year he’s been doing, isn’t it?”

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TNT Tropang 5G coach Chot Reyes during a game vs Meralco Bolts in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–TNT has set its sights on former Marquese Chriss and a familiar name in Darius Days as potential replacements to Bol Bol for the remainder of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.

Team manager Jojo Lastimosa is hoping that either of them could arrive in time for Sunday’s Game 3 of the Tropang 5G’s semifinal series with the Meralco Bolts after Bol sustained a partial tear on his Achilles.

Lastimosa confirmed that Bol is done for the rest of the conference, and he immediately scrambled to find a replacement, especially with the series all even at 1-1.

“The first option is a bigger guy (Chriss), and our second option is our standby import for the third conference (Days),” Lastimosa said after TNT’s 87-76 defeat on Friday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Days is being groomed as the team’s reinforcement for the season-ending Governors’ Cup, which starts in July, though TNT is already familiar with the 26-year-old, having played for the team in preseason games in 2024 before bringing back Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Chriss, meanwhile, is the more established name after playing 292 NBA games for the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks from 2016 to 2022.

“He’s the first guy that we’re looking at,” Lastimosa said of the 6-foot-9 Chriss, who is coming off a stint in China for Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin.

There will be some drawbacks before one of them can suit up for TNT for Sunday, as the team needs to complete some paperwork and inform the league of the change before Saturday’s 12 noon deadline.

Jet lag and familiarity with coach Chot Reyes’ system are also concerns.

“We can follow-up the GAB requirements if it’s an emergency situation.” Lastimosa said. “And they also have to fly in quickly. Darius is in Florida and Marquese is in the West Coast, so if they leave right away, they’ll probably be here by Sunday morning.”

Bol got hurt with 2:38 left in the first quarter and had to be carried by teammates and staff to the locker room. He was later rushed to the hospital for an MRI.

But TNT was already fearing the worst before Bol left the arena.

“He’s ruled out. He’s done,” Lastimos said of Bol’s status.

GIO Stadium will play host to Thursday’s
Round 12 NRL game between Canberra Raiders and
Dolphins. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Canberra Raiders heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Canberra Raiders vs.
Dolphins
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday May 21, 2026 at 7:50 pm

Where: GIO Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Canberra Raiders vs Dolphins Odds

Canberra Raiders vs Dolphins Preview

Canberra returns from the bye looking to reignite its season when it hosts an undermanned Dolphins outfit at GIO Stadium on Thursday night. The Raiders have lost three of their past four matches, including a disappointing defeat to Penrith in their most recent appearance, leaving Ricky Stuart’s side chasing consistency heading into an important stretch of home fixtures. Canberra will lose key forwards Hudson Young and Ethan Strange to Origin duties, but the return of Xavier Savage and Zac Hosking adds some much-needed spark and experience. The Dolphins, meanwhile, arrive full of confidence after climbing into the top eight with three straight wins, highlighted by an impressive victory over South Sydney. However, Kristian Woolf’s side has been heavily disrupted by Origin selections and injuries, with several first-choice stars unavailable. These sides produced entertaining contests last season, splitting two high-scoring meetings in an evenly matched rivalry.

The Los Angeles Angels have the worst record in the majors and they are run by the worst owner in baseball in Arte Moreno.

They also have the longest current playoff drought, which means even the Pittsburgh Pirates have been part of the postseason fun since the Angels last were involved in 2014. The last playoff victory? Try 2009.

The Angels gave out one of the worst contracts in baseball history by signing third baseman Anthony Rendon to a seven-year, $245 million deal in 2020 and he played in just 257 games for the club. They made another horrific decision by not dealing Shohei Ohtani prior to the 2023 trading deadline.

Not trading a huge talent heading out the door to free agency for a bushel of prospects set the stage for the team’s poor 17-34 record this season. The Angels have been outscored by 69 runs, the largest differential in the majors.

Los Angeles has dropped 89 or more games in each of the past seasons. The Angels have no future and no present to go with their very unproductive recent past that includes 10 straight losing seasons.

Fans have noticed as they broke out “Sell the Team” chants at Moreno this week.

Angel Stadium once had “Kids in the Outfield” but it’s now home to men who can’t play.

It’s also largely empty and very quiet – unless fans of the visiting team flock to the ballpark.

It was very loud last August when Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a tiebreaking homer in the top of the ninth inning to help the Chicago Cubs notch a 3-2 victory. Cubs fans were everywhere and it was like Wrigleyville near the Chicago dugout.

Of course, late August is a time when there’s no reason for the locals to head to Anaheim with the playoffs out of sight. Playoffs is Fantasyland.

And it will be the same thing this summer with the Angels regularly sinking under first-year manager Kurt Suzuki and possibly saying good-bye to sixth-year general manager Perry Minasian after the season if not earlier.

The Angels have dropped nine of their last 10 games heading into Friday’s home contest against the Texas Rangers.

The victory during that stretch was of the amazing variety.

The Angels were being no-hit entering the ninth inning by Oakland Athletics right-hander J.T. Ginn on Monday night. Adam Frazier broke up the no-no with a single and Zach Neto followed by delivering a walk-off, two-run homer.

The celebration was intense and crazy but at least nobody broke their leg like Kendrys Morales did in 2010 after his walk-off grand slam to beat the Seattle Mariners.

This time, it’s just broken spirits. The victory snapped a six-game slide but momentum didn’t follow.

The Angels allowed 14 runs on Tuesday and then lost in extra innings on Wednesday and Thursday. Frazier, the second baseman, couldn’t get the ball out of his glove Thursday on a no-doubt inning-ending, double-play ball and that allowed the A’s to take the lead.

Frazier is one of several Angels who should be shipped by the trading deadline. Others include third baseman Yoan Moncada, outfielders Josh Lowe and Jorge Soler, catcher Travis d’Arnaud, left-handed starters Yusei Kikuchi and Reid Detmers and right-hander reliever Kirby Yates.

The Angels ought to revisit discussions with face of the franchise Mike Trout, who turns 35 in August, and see if he’s ready to go. It’s certainly a slippery slope for an 11-time All-Star in his 16th season with the organization.

But the team’s last winning season came in 2015 when Trout was the undisputed best player in baseball.

Trout no longer resembles that version of himself. He won three American League MVP awards, finished second four times and finished fourth once in the eight-season period from 2012-19.

Midway through this decade, he’s just another guy who plays outfield. He’s no longer a difference-maker and is highly injury prone. The 130 games he played in last season are the most this decade.

Trout is batting .233 with 12 homers and 25 RBIs in 50 games this season.

Basically, the Angels need a full-on facelift. This isn’t an easy fix – that opportunity was there in 2023 and the club failed to act.

And this is the big mess that’s left.

TNT Tropang 5G’s Jordan Heading during a game vs Meralco Bolts in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Jordan Heading said TNT’s locals will need to take on a bigger role following the injury to import Bol Bol in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.

After TNT absorbed an 87-76 loss to Meralco in Game 2 at Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, Heading told the Inquirer that the team’s immediate priority is helping TNT’s incoming import adjust quickly.

“Us locals definitely have to step up our leadership in terms of introducing whoever our new guy would be in our system,” he said. “We’ll try to help him feel at home as soon as possible, we’ll take the lead in making sure that he’s good to go.”

EXTRA HEARTBREAKING 💔

Jordan Heading talks about losing Bol Bol due to a partial achilles tear when TNT was already building good chemistry with its import. #PBA50 | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/VdpZ2iFlWo

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) May 22, 2026

Bol was ruled out for the remainder of the conference after suffering a partial Achilles tear in the first quarter.

As of writing, TNT is choosing between former NBA players Darius Days and Marquese Chriss as possible replacements.

Whether TNT picks Days or Chriss, Heading said the locals will do their part in helping the new import adjust to coach Chot Reyes’ system.

Heading also admitted that Bol’s injury was especially painful because TNT had already started building strong chemistry with him at the right time.

“Our chemistry has been really good with Bol, it became something we wanted it to be at the time that it mattered,” he said. “It’s extra heartbreaking with how well we’ve been gelling lately and how things have been going.”

TNT will play things by ear before Sunday for Game 3 at the same venue.

Pep Guardiola conducted his final pre-match press conference as Manchester City manager on Friday.

Pep Guardiola will miss Manchester, and Manchester will miss Pep Guardiola. Well, the blue half will anyway.

As the manager conducted his final pre-match press conference after deciding to call time on his glorious decade in charge at the Etihad, he was a man at peace. The time is right to depart, the energy levels are dwindling, the beach is calling.

He will take time out of football, he will relax, go on holiday and play golf. But make no mistake, Manchester will always be a part of him.

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Guardiola has fallen in love with the city, he even said he would miss the Manchester rain. He’s eschewed erstwhile football haunts in Cheshire and lived in the city centre since his arrival.

His wife and daughter were watching Ariana Grande when the Manchester Arena attack happened, he felt the city’s remarkable resilience, its power, and its community.

It was perhaps fitting that Guardiola spoke to the media on the ninth anniversary of the attack. “When you live 10 years you are not just at the Etihad or the CFA. You live in this city.”

The 55-year-old’s voice caught when he discussed the honour of having the new North Stand named after him and the pride he will feel having the Guardiola name forever part of the club. His dad, Valenti, 94, is coming to watch the Villa game on Sunday.

“It’s an incredible honour to have his name in this beautiful place,” said the Blues boss. “I’m speechless, no words. What can I say? Khaldoon called me this morning and said the club made that decision. I like to feel that my vibe or my energy will be there forever, I said okay good energy for the team.”

Energy is one of the factors that has prompted his decision to depart. It’s been a while in the making but Guardiola is sure the time is right.

“I feel I will not have the energy that is required every three days to fight for titles, being in front of the players. I know myself I have that energy now but I feel I will not have that. It’s 10 years.”

It is 10 years, but what a 10 years. The like we won’t see again.

Virat Kohli and Rasikh Salam Dar (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Rasikh Salam Dar’s celebration said it all after he sent Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Travis Head’s stumps cartwheeling during their IPL 2026 clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday.After being hammered for three consecutive boundaries by Head, Rasikh responded with a brilliant yorker that shattered the left-hander’s stumps. The young pacer then gestured with his right hand near his ear, seemingly asking the crowd to raise the noise once again after silencing them with the crucial breakthrough.The cameras also panned towards Virat Kohli, who was visibly pumped up and celebrated Head’s dismissal even more aggressively than the bowler himself.Head departed after scoring 26 off 16 balls, an innings laced with five boundaries.Earlier, SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first against RCB.Returning to the playing XI after missing the previous game due to concussion, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar replaced the injured Jacob Bethell, while SRH retained the same combination.RCB are the defending champions, having beaten Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final. In IPL 2026, they also became the first team to qualify for the playoffs.SRH vs RCB – Playing XIs:Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, R Smaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (capt), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib HussainImpact substitutes: Aniket Verma, Praful Hinge, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal PatelRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma, Josh HazlewoodImpact substitutes: Tim David, Kanishk Chouhan, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh, Jordan Cox.