Chelsea reached the FA Cup semi-finals in style with a convincing 7-0 win over Port Vale, easing the pressure on manager Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea were in control from the start against the League One side, with six different players scoring and an own goal from Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel adding to the tally.
The hosts were already 3-0 up at half-time. Jorrel Hato opened the scoring early on, before Joao Pedro added a second. Lawrence-Gabriel then turned the ball into his own net just before the break.
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Chelsea continued their dominance in the second half. Tosin Adarabioyo made it four with a powerful header, while Andrey Santos, Willian Estevao, and Alejandro Garnacho all got on the scoresheet to complete the rout.
It had been a difficult period for Rosenior, with his team losing four matches in a row before this game. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez was also absent after being suspended by the club following comments about wanting to live in Madrid.
Chelsea made a perfect start, scoring after just over a minute when Hato finished from a corner. Pedro doubled the lead midway through the first half after good work on the wing, and the third goal came late in the half after a save led to the ball going in off Lawrence-Gabriel.
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There was no let-up after the break, as Chelsea kept attacking and added more goals to seal an easy victory and a place in the semi-finals.
2 min read Last Updated : Mar 28 2026 | 3:38 PM IST
Players held small backpacks as Iran’s national soccer team used a match against Nigeria on Friday to honor the victims of a deadly missile strike on an elementary school.
More than 165 people were killed, most of them children, when a Feb. 28 strike, likely launched by the U.S., hit the school in southern Iran. Neither the United States nor Israel has accepted responsibility for the attack, which has come under staunch criticism from the United Nations and human rights groups. The U.S. military is investigating and has said it would never target civilians.
During the national anthem Friday, the Iranian team honored the memory of the slain children by placing small pink and purple school backpacks in front of them.
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Video of the ceremony also showed the players wearing black armbands in remembrance of those killed since the war began.
The match was played in Antalya, southern Turkey. Nigeria won 2-1 in a game that was a World Cup tuneup for Iran, ahead of the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Islamic Republic’s team is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in June in the U.S. The Iranian ambassador in Mexico City has said the country asked FIFA to move those three games to Mexico after U.S. President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending, citing safety concerns.
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Iranian government and soccer officials have said they do not want to boycott the World Cup but that it is not possible for the national team to go to the U.S. because of military attacks on Iran by Israel and U.S.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has dampened Iran’s attempts to move its matches, saying global soccer’s governing body wants the tournament “to go ahead as scheduled.”
Separately on Friday, Iran’s judiciary threatened to seize the property of soccer player Sardar Azmoun, two semiofficial news agencies said. The announcement follows threats from Iran’s hard-liner judicial chief that authorities planned to seize the assets of celebrities viewed as critical of the government.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
INDIANAPOLIS — Monday night’s national title game between Michigan and UConn will be the consummate clash of an unstoppable team meeting an immovable program.
The No. 1 seed Wolverines solidified themselves as the preeminent force of the 2025-26 season with their 91-73 bludgeoning of Arizona on Saturday night.
But for their ruthless tear through the NCAA Tournament — and through the entire season — to be remembered for the wholesale dominance which has defined it, the Wolverines will need to whack the boss.
Since 1999, UConn has hoisted six title banners under three different coaches. The No. 2 seed Huskies offered a reminder of their championship DNA during Saturday’s 71-62 win over Illinois, which long predates Michigan’s rise under second-year coach Dusty May.
From an analytics perspective, slaying Arizona marked a bigger achievement for Michigan than a potential win over UConn. From a psychological perspective, beating the Huskies would mean far more.
UConn might be entering Monday night’s title game ranked No. 9 at KenPom, No. 9 at Torvik and No. 7 at EvanMiya.com (Michigan tops the chart for each).
But the game will be played on the court and not on a spreadsheet, and UConn is a veteran of these battles in a way that Michigan is not.
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“I don’t think anybody is going to count UConn out,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said after his team became Michigan’s latest victim. “So that’s why when everybody was saying this is the national championship game; it’s not the national championship game. Monday night is the national championship game, and you have to fight to get there.”
As Huskies coach Dan Hurley said before his team spoiled Illinois’ first Final Four trip since 2005, “we don’t hang banners for Final Fours at UConn.”
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Michigan does hang banners for Final Fours. Otherwise, the Crisler Center would look a little barren with only the 1989 national championship banner adorning the rafters.
The eye test says Michigan — a team that led a previously dominant Arizona squad by as much as 30 in the second half on Saturday night — will control the Huskies.
It just might. Beating Michigan will take the most legendary performance of an already heroic tear through the NCAA Tournament for Huskies big man and former Wolverines center Tarris Reed. It will take more iconic March shot-making from freshman phenom Braylon Mullins and more gutsy play from hobbled guards Silas Demary Jr. and Solomon Ball. It will take every bit of Alex Karaban’s program-defining leadership.
All of Hurley’s schematic brilliance will need to be harnessed.
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That’s just what UConn does, though. When the lights shine brightest, it rises the highest. It was the story of the Huskies’ unexpected run to the 2023 title as a No. 4 seed. It defined their 2014 title run as a No. 7 seed.
In fact, just two of UConn’s six championship banners were hung by a team that earned a No. 1 seed. Eliminating UConn will require Michigan to accomplish something that no team has ever accomplished before: beating UConn in the national championship game.
The Huskies are 6-0 all-time in national title games. Michigan is 1-6.
Past will meet present Monday night to create a potentially unforgettable title game bout. History is on UConn’s side, and it’s not for nothing. The Huskies can enter standing on the shoulders of past champions, including those of Hurley, his staff and those of Karaban. They already have rings for each ring finger.
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But achieving the dynastic status that UConn is so tantalizingly close to reaching will require summiting the same type of mountain that its 1999 team climbed by upsetting a historically great Duke team for the program’s first-ever crown.
That was the only time in its six championship runs that UConn defeated KenPom’s top-rated team in the season’s final game. Duke was led by five future top-15 NBA Draft picks, while the Huskies countered with Richard Hamilton, who led the way with 27 points.
Michigan likely does not have five future top-15 picks on its roster, but its 36-3 record and +39.72 KenPom net rating put it in the same realm as the 1999 Duke team, which was 37-1 entering the title game and finished with a +43.01 net rating even after losing to UConn in the championship game.
The towering trio of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara combine with a group of flame-throwing guards to make the Wolverines a seemingly inevitable champion.
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Michigan owns more 90-plus point games in this NCAA Tournament than any team in the event’s history. The Wolverines were already the only team in Big Dance history to score 90-plus points and win four games by double-digits. Arizona became their fifth such victim.
The Wolverines own a plus-108 point differential in the NCAA Tournament vs. a plus-41 mark for UConn. That’s tied for the largest gap in any national title matchup since 1963.
A Michigan team that looked a bit unmotivated during the Big Ten Tournament has been firing at a historical clip since hitting the NCAA Tournament stage.
Michigan’s machine-like dominance and UConn’s proud past make the national championship game exactly what a national championship game matchup should be: a mandate to do something of true championship caliber.
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UConn has to beat the best team in college basketball. Michigan has to beat the best program in college basketball.
Maria Jose Marin’s only Augusta National error came long after she pulled away from the best field in women’s amateur golf on Saturday.
The Arkansas star, who won the NCAA individual title last summer, tapped in a two-inch par putt on the 18th hole to cement her Augusta National Women’s Amateur title and immediately ran to find her family. There’s no running at Augusta National, but in Marin’s case, they’ll make an exception after she went 65-69 at Champions Retreat and capped it off with a 68 at Augusta National to beat Stanford’s Andrea Revuelta by four.
“When that last putt sank in, I just thought to myself, well, I made it,” Marin said after her win. “All of my hard work has paid off, and I’m just extremely proud of myself.”
Marin and her parents had discussed the night before that, if she won, they would be right off the 18th green so that she could embrace them after her moment of glory. Maria Jose Marin ran and immediately embraced her father, mother, and 10-year-old brother with the Augusta National crowd still serenading its newest champion.
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Her father, who caddied for her at last year’s ANWA, stepped off the bag so that his daughter could find someone to help her navigate the pressure that comes with trying to become a champion at this place. It was a selfless decision that was a catalyst for the historic moment that Maria Jose Marin conjured on Saturday.
“He said, you need someone that knows. I love you with all my heart, but you need someone that knows how to handle a tournament of this level. I think it was one of the most beautiful decisions that he could have ever made because he was totally selfless. He was like, I know that you need someone else, but I’m going to be there supporting you.”
But Maria Jose Marin’s emotional coronation didn’t end there. In fact, it was just the start.
Because Maria Jose Marin didn’t get to the winner’s circle at Augusta National by herself. She has an entire extended family trying to will her to the place where her dreams reside. And they were all there at Augusta National to usher her into history.
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After celebrating with her parents, Marin made her way up the rope line and was mobbed by Arkansas coach Shauna Taylor, her teammates Reagan Zibilski and Sara Brentcheneff and Arkansas alum and ANWA runner-up Maria Fassi.
“Walking up 18, I pictured it in my mind,” Marin said in Butler Cabin. “What was the moment going to be like? Having Maria there, she inspired me so, so much. When she played with Jennifer Kupcho [at the 2019 ANWA], that was truly inspiring for me. And to get it done in front of them, it’s great.”
“It’s everything I dreamed of.”
Marin started the day one shot back of 17-year-old Asterisk Talley. She birdied the par-5 second but gave it right back with a bogey at the third. Marin closed the front nine with birdies at 5, 7 and 9, but Talley was showing no signs of flinching behind her.
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Marin parred 10 and 11 to stay one behind Talley and then arrived at the par-3 12th facing a defining shot. “Golden Bell” has doomed numerous would-be champions over the years. It’s a place where dreams go to die if you don’t have the proper club and a committed stroke.
Marin checked the wind and sent her ball into the Amen Corner air. But her shot hung in the air and landed short of the green, starting back to trickle towards Rae’s Creek. There have been countless moments in Masters history where a shot just like Marin’s ends up in a watery grave. But Marin’s ball somehow stopped rolling and hung up on the ridge. She went on to save par, and when Talley made a quadruple-bogey 7 at the 12th behind her, she suddenly had a three-shot lead.
“When my ball stayed there — I think it’s a miracle that my ball stayed there,” Marin said. “I just kind of have to make par and walk away out of here because this just happens once.
“The ball staying on that ridge on 12. I’ve never seen a ball stay there, and I think it was just God holding the ball there, like, don’t move. This is happening for something.”
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A birdie at the 13th gave her a four-shot lead, and once she birdied the par-3 16th, all that was left was for Maria Jose Marin to walk to her destiny and become the first Colombian champion in Augusta National history.
It was a win that she will carry with her for the rest of her life, and one that she hopes inspires the next generation of Latin American girls to draw themselves into the stars.
“I can just say dream big,” Marin said. “Never give up on your dreams. I would never, ever think that I was going to be right here right now, but it’s just because of all of my hard work and my perseverance and the love that I have for the game.”
That’s the rare gift of the ANWA. It’s a championship that allows the top women’s amateurs in the game to dream of something that, until 2019, wasn’t a possibility, and puts them in a position to boost the next generation on their shoulders — that a win for you can be a win for someone else down the line.
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And in Maria Jose Marin’s case, an Augusta National victory can be one for all who helped you get to the place your heart always wanted.
“Just extremely proud of myself and all of the hard work and the ability that I had out there to overcome all the pressure because winning in this place,” Marin said. “I don’t think there’s ever going to be a feeling to describe it. It’s just magical.
“This is the temple of golf, and just getting this win, it’s amazing for me.”
This weekend in London, Derek Chisora became just the second man to lose to Deontay Wilder and hear the final bell.
The veteran heavyweight clash was suitably chaotic and entertaining, with both the Brit and the American having success in spurts. It was Wilder who scored the only two knockdowns in the fight, but he was also deducted a point for what referee Mark Bates deemed a push through the ropes.
Both men showed impressive chins, and Chisora, though he hit the canvas, appeared to go down as much through exhaustion as from being hurt. Wilder, however, claimed post-fight that he saw his opponent was in trouble and chose to have mercy, putting less into his shots and targeting the body.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Chisora said Wilder’s power does indeed matched the hype.
“Good 12 rounds. He can hit … Yeah [the power was as good as expected]. He loads it up though. He’s got tell signs before he chucks. But, when he gets you, he can hit.”
“Wilder’s got power for the first three rounds, then after he fades away. I’m not gonna take that away from him. He has got power.”
Asked if anything surprised him about the former WBC heavyweight champion, Chisora said:
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“He likes to hold a lot. I thought he was good on the inside but he’s not. I know what I did. I love Deontay, but I know he broke two things – his hand and his rib.”
During Black Caviar’s remarkable run, veteran Peter Moody rarely got teary, but post Sheza Alibi’s breathtaking win in the Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick, emotions overflowed for the trainer.
From a position near the rear among 16 starters, the favourite at $1.90 confronted a tough ask swinging for home, only to devour rivals rapidly and bolt in by 4¼ lengths over Autumn Boy ($10).
Moody, who honed his skills at Randwick under T J Smith and cared for Lygon Arms, the 1988 Doncaster champ, described the success as deeply meaningful.
“I remember my time with T J and that’s why it’s always special. Randwick was always home to me,” Moody said.
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“I’ve been blessed to train one of the greatest we have ever seen, but this filly is just amazing. I’m not saying she is Black Caviar, but how good.
“She is just a special, special horse. Crikey. Where’s the ceiling? You don’t know.”
The Doncaster Mile now counts Sheza Alibi as its first three-year-old filly winner since Sunline in 1999, positioning her among the top prospects.
Autumn Glow, unbeaten mare, sidestepped for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but Moody expects their paths to cross later.
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“I’m happy Autumn Glow wasn’t here, I can tell you that,” Moody said.
“She’s a superstar and we saw her strut her stuff here earlier in the day.
“The day will probably come – let’s hope it does for Australian racing – where they meet.”
Snapped up online for $10,000 after a Rockhampton maiden debut loss, Sheza Alibi has triumphed in seven of 10 races.
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Moody observed her unremarkable physique hides vast talent.
“She is so nondescript. She doesn’t stand out in the yard. She doesn’t stand out at home in training. She is just a tradesman, she’s got a great hip, a big deep girth and a hell of a lot of ability,” he said.
Jockey Jamie Melham, adding to his Doncaster Mile tally with Cascadian in 2021, was overwhelmed by her ride.
“I’ve sat on some very special horses before, but I don’t think any come close to the feel she just gave me then,” Melham said.
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“What a horse. I trialled her the other day and she gave me a nice feel, but with blinkers on today, Jesus Christ. I’ve never sat on a horse that has given me goosebumps like that before.”
With attendance surpassing 15,000, Sheza Alibi mastered the field, Autumn Boy second gallantly, and Militarize ($41) from Chris Waller third by 1¼ lengths to the placegetter.
Discover leading betting sites offering racing odds for Doncaster Mile stars.
Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell (8) reacts after shutting down a fake punt attempt by Troy, delivering a momentum play Sept. 6, 2025, during a matchup at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. The defensive stop halted the trick play and energized the Tigers sideline. Mandatory Credit: Alex Martin-Greenville News
Weekly, we track our versions of the “Nopedy Nopes” in the Minnesota Vikings’ orbit, usually items that are flatly wrong, just really bizarre, or didn’t work out as everyone thought.
Three popular Vikings ideas get a closer look, and each faces real pushback.
This time, it’s mainly about the draft and free agency, as the regular season is about five months away.
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A Few Popular Vikings Talking Points Need More Scrutiny
The Vikings’ Nopedy Nopes segment for the first weekend in April.
Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell stands on the practice field following drills, taking in instruction and recovery time Mar 5, 2025, at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex in Clemson, South Carolina. The young defender continued developing technique and consistency as part of Clemson’s spring preparation cycle. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
The Nopedy Nope: Avieon Terrell could be the Vikings’ draft pick at No. 18.
Terrell’s Round 1 draft stock is in jeopardy.
The Clemson Insider’s Gavin Oliver wrote Monday, “After not participating in Clemson’s Pro Day on March 12, former Tiger cornerback Avieon Terrell held a private pro day at Clemson on Monday morning, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Unfortunately for Terrell, his workout for NFL teams was not injury-free. Schefter reported that Terrell aggravated his hamstring injury on the first run of his private pro day.”
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“It’s a setback for Terrell, who has been frequently projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is set to take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Terrell as the third-best cornerback in this year’s draft class. Terrell did not run the 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, but did impress during on-field drills there.”
Terrell didn’t participate at the NFL Combine. He wasn’t at Clemson’s Pro Day. And he got hurt on the first play of his private Pro Day.
That sound you hear is Terrell’s draft stock falling to Round 2.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on Terrell as a bonafide CB option for Minnesota at pick No. 18.
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The Nopedy Nope: Minnesota could draft OT Spencer Fano and convert him to center.
While most of the world mock-drafts Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman to the Vikings, Bleacher Report flipped the script this week. It nominated Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano for the purple team, recommending an immediate conversion to center.
BR’s Scouting Report explained the pick: “The Minnesota Vikings have an opportunity to land the class’s best offensive tackle prospect and then move him to center. While the approach may come across like a poor use of resources, the type of versatility that Utah’s potentially brings will help the entire offense, while simultaneously upgrading a unit that will be vital as Minnesota attempts to find its long-term solution at quarterback.”
Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano participates in on-field drills during the NFL Scouting Combine, showcasing strength and movement skills Mar 1, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Evaluators observed his technique and athletic profile as he worked through positional testing in front of league personnel. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Brandon Thorn at BR chimed in, “Minnesota has a hole at center following Ryan Kelly’s retirement, while right tackle Brian O’Neill is set to hit free agency after the 2026 season. Fano’s profile is reminiscent of current Packers right tackle Zach Tom coming out of Wake Forest.”
“While rumors of Tom sliding inside to center never materialized, Fano’s would in this scenario. Minnesota is set at the other four spots for the upcoming season. Still, Fano’s athletic ability is an instant weapon within Kevin O’Connell’s designed run game and offers a potential long-term option at right tackle if O’Neill is not retained.”
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Drafting a center in Round 1 is usually a little silly — they can be found in Rounds 2 through 7 — and picking one to convert to center might take cake.
What are we doing here?
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on the Vikings working out patchwork offensive line solutions when they have a clean slate at No. 18. Unbelievable.
The Nopedy Nope: K.J. Osborn is an option for the Vikings’ WR3 in 2026.
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One week ago, Osborn hopped on a show, declaring his desire to rejoin the team that drafted him six years ago.
Talking to the Caps Off podcast, Osborn told the show, “You can’t help but look at Minnesota. With Kyler Murray going back. Jalen Nailor, I’m so happy for him. Speedy, congrats bro, my guy, he just got 3 years for $35 million from the Raiders. So that spot WR3 is back open. Just looking around. But home is where the heart is. So, we’ll see.”
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn secures a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, completing a scoring play against Detroit Sep 25, 2022, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The catch helped extend Minnesota’s lead late in the game, highlighting Osborn’s role as a reliable target. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
A few days later, Osborn signed with the Tennessee Titans, where he’ll compete for an active roster spot in July and August.
The Vikings, meanwhile, have these WR3 options left in free agency:
Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has praised the “grit” shown by his side in grinding out a 28-24 win over Ospreys in Saturday’s European Challenge Cup last-16 tie at a windswept Affidea Stadium in Belfast.
Cormac Izuchukwu, David McCann, Jacob Stockdale and Nick Timoney all scored tries as the Irish province defied the difficult conditions to book a quarter-final against French side La Rochelle in Belfast on Friday.
The Welsh side led 17-14 at half-time but with the wind in their favour after the break, Murphy’s team battled back to claim victory.
The hosts survived a scare in the dying minutes when Kieran Hardy’s potential match-winning try was ruled out because of a forward pass in the build-up after consultation with the Television Match Official [TMO].
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“A little bit of relief definitely. It never was going to be easy and the conditions obviously made it very difficult,” said Murphy after the game.
“We created quite a few opportunities in the first half but didn’t quite pick the right pass.
“That put us under a little bit of pressure and we conceded a couple of early scores to them and defensively we were just a little bit off but we are in the last eight, we’ve got work to do and we’ve got a week’s prep now to lead into La Rochelle which will be really exciting.”
The Ulster head coach added that some handling errors were inevitable given the weather conditions, which he described as the worst he had witnessed for a game during his tenure.
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“We showed a nice bit of grit, we stuck at it and we got over the line.
“Created the opportunities, didn’t take them, so next week we’ve got to work on our skills in training and make sure we take them next time,” he reflected.
Murphy says the prospect of taking on Ronan O’Gara’s team next week is an exciting one.
“It’s a massive game for us, it’s at home. I know they have had a tough enough season but they’re one of the top teams in Europe and when they come to town it’s really exciting.
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“We’ll brush ourselves down, we’ll review really hard on Monday and get back to work and make sure we turn up a little bit more polished, a little bit more tidy in and around our decision making.
“If we can do that we can cause any team a threat so we’re excited about what’s ahead.”
Nikola Jokic outshone fellow Most Valuable Player contender Victor Wembanyama with a game-high 40 points as the Denver Nuggets ended the San Antonio Spurs’ 11-match winning streak.
Serb Jokic, a three-time winner of the NBA’s MVP award, starred as Denver recorded their eighth straight win with a 136-134 triumph in overtime.
Wembanyama led San Antonio with 34 points but the Frenchman’s team squandered a 107-96 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Both players are among the leading names to claim this season’s coveted individual award, given to the best performer during the regular season, and were full of praise for the other after the match.
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Jokic said of Wembanyama to ESPN: “I think the first time I played against him, I told you guys he’s going to change the league. He’s going to change basketball.
“I still think that. And I think he has an opportunity, a chance to be the most unique basketball player to ever play the game.”
Reflecting on defeat, Wembanyama said: “I think it was an amazing game. One of the most fun games. I wish we could have closed it out.
“It was a real test against a team that’s playing for something right now. They’ve got the best offensive player in the world.”
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Both teams have already clinched a place in the post-season play-offs, which begin on 18 April.
But while San Antonio are assured of a top-two seeding in the Western Conference – they trail reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder – Denver’s final placing within the top six is still to be decided.
The Thunder can move closer to a third straight Western Conference title against the Utah Jazz on Sunday, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seeks back-to-back MVP crowns.
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic could be out of MVP contention after the NBA’s leading scorer was ruled out for the rest of the regular season with a hamstring injury on Friday.
Former Chennai Super Kings batter Ambati Rayudu has backed Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag, stating that the young captain has already earned the trust and respect of his teammates early in his leadership stint.Rajasthan edged past Gujarat Titans by six runs in a tense encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium on April 4. After posting 210/6, RR managed to restrict Gujarat to 204/8, sealing a narrow but impressive win.
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Shashank Singh on Punjab’s strong start, Priyansh’s growth & team mentality | IPL 2026
Speaking during a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Rayudu highlighted how Parag has settled into the role and how the squad appears to be responding positively to his leadership.“He is doing a fantastic job and I am sure the coaching staff are giving him all the freedom. I can easily see the RR group having great respect for him. That is great to watch. When you have a young captain, the biggest challenge is to command that respect. I can see a lot of respect for him in the squad. They look to be enjoying themselves, which is a great sign.”Parag was handed the captaincy ahead of IPL 2026 after Sanju Samson moved to CSK. The 24-year-old had already gained some leadership exposure last season, stepping in as stand-in captain during Samson’s injury phase.Former Australia captain Aaron Finch also weighed in, pointing out a key factor that has helped Parag ease into the role. He noted that the absence of a dominant senior figure in the dressing room has worked in the young skipper’s favour.“What is also important in that regard when you have got a young captain – there is not an overshadowing figure who has missed that opportunity to lead the side. Often there can be a resentment there towards the person who has got the job. He has got a team of young superstars. He can almost guide them through the next phase of their career and forge a generation of seriously good players for RR.”Under Parag’s leadership this season, Rajasthan have made a strong start, winning both of their matches so far. While his individual returns with the bat have been modest — 14* off 11 against CSK and 8 against GT — he has contributed with the ball as well, picking up the wicket of Kumar Kushagra in the latter game.With early results going his way and strong backing from former players, Parag’s captaincy stint has begun on a promising note, both in terms of results and dressing-room dynamics.
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