LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun (ANI Photo)

LUCKNOW: Lucknow Super Giants have been feeling the heat in IPL this season. With just two wins from six games, LSG are just a spot above bottom-placed Kolkata Knight Riders in the points table. However, LSG’s bowling coach Bharat Arun doesn’t seem to be too concerned about their below par show and is hopeful of the team bouncing back in matches ahead. Excerpts from an interview Your team conceded more than 250 runs against Punjab Kings. What exactly went wrong for LSG? I will not read too much into that one game. Our bowling unit has done really well in the previous matches. Sometimes a game like that can happen. At certain stages, even the choice of balls may not have been ideal. But there is no major cause for concern because our bowlers are good enough to make a strong comeback. You would have seen in the earlier games that our bowlers executed our plans very well. These things can happen. Sport is also about failure and, more importantly, how strongly you respond to it. That defines the kind of sportsman you are. Did the lack of early wickets put too much pressure in the middle overs? We did get an early wicket, but after that their batters played very well. In the Powerplay, our choice of balls was not great, and that is something we can improve on. If you are bowling badly, that is a bigger problem. But if the issue is about making the right choices, that can certainly be corrected in the coming matches. You have not been able to capitalise on the home advantage. Are the conditions not suiting your attack? No, I don’t think that is the case. If you look at it, our bowling has been reasonably good at home. It is more a case of our batting being one good match away from really clicking. Even in the Punjab game, despite the loss, the positive was that our batters got close to 200. That is encouraging for us, and I’m sure the batting group would have taken confidence from that effort. How are you managing the overseas vs Indian bowler balance? Our bowling attack is predominantly Indian. In fact, apart from Anrich Nortje, who was injured and has gone back, we haven’t really had an overseas presence in the bowling group. But this is a very exciting Indian bowling unit, and we have a lot of belief in them. Which phase of the innings concerns you most right now: powerplay, middle overs, or death? I can’t reveal exactly what the data says right now, but we are aware of the areas we need to address. We have already reshuffled the bowling roles, and barring one game, it has worked quite well. So it is not a major concern for us at this stage. If the same PBKS batting lineup came at you tomorrow, what would you do differently from ball one? We would definitely work things out differently, but that is something you will see if and when we play them again.

San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama was ruled out of Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers after he was placed in concussion protocol.

Wembanyama was out of sorts after hitting the court face first in the second quarter. The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year this season was fouled by Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, and Wembanyama was unable to brace his fall, as his jaw hit the hardwood and play stopped midway through the quarter.

After staying down on the court for some time, Wembanyama sat up in a seated position as coach Mitch Johnson called timeout to check on his big man.

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Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs holds his head after falling to the court during the first half of Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trailblazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on April 21, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Despite seeming dazed at first, Wembanyama was able to stand and ran into the tunnel to get further evaluation in the locker room. However, the Spurs announced that he wouldn’t return to the game due to protocol.

The Spurs, who won Game 1 of the First Round series, are looking to further their advantage in the best-of-seven matchup with the Blazers. But doing so without Wembanyama, who led the team with 35 points in the Game 1 victory, isn’t ideal for the Spurs.

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But it’s hard not to look ahead for the team and fan base alike. Being in concussion protocol means having to hit all checkpoints in recovery before making a return to the court.

San Antonio is set to play in Portland for the first time in this series on Friday night, with a 10:30 p.m. tip-off for Game 3. Luckily for Wembanyama and the Spurs, that gives him some days to potentially check those boxes needed to play.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reacts beside guard Dylan Harper after falling to the ground during the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on April 21, 2026. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)

This is the Spurs’ first trip to the playoffs since 2019, and Wembanyama, an MVP finalist, played a large role in helping the team achieve regular-season success, enough so to earn the No. 2 overall seed in the Western Conference with a 62-20 record.

Wembanyama was also just named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, marking the first time anyone has been a unanimous winner as well as being the youngest to ever win the prestigious award.

The 7-foot-4 Frenchman earned all 100 first-place votes, while Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren finished with 76 second-place votes. Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson finished in third place when the ballots were tallied.

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs holds his head after falling during the first half of Game Two against the Portland Trailblazers in the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on April 21, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

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Former Detroit Piston Ben Wallace came closest to a unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in 2001–02, falling just four votes short in a 120-person panel.

Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-high 3.1 blocks this season.

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A new rule from FIFA requiring women to be included on coaching staff in women’s competitions is being welcomed, but coaches say it must lead to real opportunities, not just a formality.

Under the rule, teams must have at least one female coach on staff, along with female officials and medical personnel on the bench. The aim is to increase representation, but many coaches believe more can be done.

As Chicago Stars assistant Mariana Cabral put it, “Gender does not determine the competence of a person… but because men are so overly represented in this situation, we need to help the women get into these positions.”

There is agreement that the rule could help open doors, especially at the international level, but concerns remain about how it will be applied. Some fear it could lead to teams simply filling positions to meet requirements rather than giving women meaningful roles.

“What matters most is it should not just be about making a rule, but about giving someone a real chance to work,” said Serbia head coach Lidija Stojkanovic.

Another issue raised is access. Coaching courses remain limited and expensive, making it harder for women to progress. Even with growing interest, spaces on top-level coaching licences are still oversubscribed, creating a bottleneck.

Former coach developer Manisha Tailor pointed out that change will not come from rules alone, saying there also needs to be clarity on how those opportunities are created and supported.

For many, the rule is a step forward, but only if it leads to real development and long-term change, not just a box being ticked.