Two wheelchair-bound women of indomitable spirit — one with spinal cord injury after a fall from a tree and another an amputee above knee after a bus accident in childhood — are aiming something no Indian has ever done in sport, winning a medal for the country in the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Minakshi Jadhav of Maharashtra and Ritu Chanu of Manipur are among the Indian quartet competing in the 3×3 wheelchair basketball event in the Glasgow Games beginning on Thursday. The other two members are Reena Gupta from Maharashtra and Laxmi Rayannavar from Karnataka.
The 3×3 wheelchair basketball event, which was introduced in the 2022 CWG in Birmingham, has three players on the field at a particular time. One player is used as substitute during the match which has a duration of 10 minutes.
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The Indian team qualified for the CWG through the 2025 IWBF (International Wheelchair Basketball Federation) Asia-Oceania Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.
“I was a normal girl at a village in Maharashtra. But in 2012, when I was 23 years old, I fell down from a tree and injured my spinal cord. I initially didn’t know that I got spinal cord injury but later I didn’t have any sensation from my navel,” said Minakshi, the captain of the team.
“Only upper body strength was there. After some time, my injury got worse. I had to struggle in the ICU for some time.”
Minakshi left her village at Satara district and went to Mumbai to join a rehabilitation centre in Mumbai to undergo therapy. She also completed her graduation from Mumbai University.
“In 2017, I competed in my first Nationals in Hyderabad. It was very hard work. I had to manage the wheelchair. I had to do a lot of things.”
The journey to the rehabilitation centre in Mumbai proved to be a blessing for Minakshi as she met wheelchair players, including former India players, and coaches there, and she was initiated to the sport.
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“I got to know about sports after meeting all of them. The social workers at the rehabilitation centre were themselves sportspersons. I had the support of many people. The rehabilitation centre itself helped me a lot. They helped me in sponsorship. Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WBFI) is also there. They supported me when in need.”
The Indian Wheelchair Basketball team was formed in due course.
“We used to play 5×5. We got a chance to play 3×3 for the first time. We will prove it by winning a medal in Glasgow. That is our target, to make the country proud.”
For Ritu Chanu, hailing from Irengbam village at Nambol in Bishnupur district of Manipur, life changed abruptly when she was seven years old due to a freak accident. She was hit by a bus coming in reverse gear.
“I was just six or seven years of age at that time,” said Chanu, who uses a clutch as her right leg has been amputated above knee.
“I have competed in three Nationals and also in the qualifying event in Thailand last year,” said Chanu, who trains at the Khuman Lampak sports complex in Imphal.
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Despite her financial struggles, Chanu has completed her graduation and does weaving at her home in Manipur.
Asked about the financial support to pursue her sport, Chanu said, “I do weaving at home and earn a bit. I also get support from the state government. Besides, my elder sister is also there to support me.”
Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WBFI) President Varun Ahlawat said the team has trained well in Gwalior and hoping to win a medal in Glasgow.
“This is the first time we are qualifying for the CWG and we are aiming to win a medal in the first attempt,” he said.
WBFI vice-president Ulhas KS is accompanying the athletes to Glasgow as team leader.
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Eight teams have been divided into two groups of four each. Each team in a group will play three matches in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each of the two groups will qualify for the semifinals.
The 3×3 wheelchair basketball events begin on July 24.
In July, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, and I are all releasing our Fantasy Football Tiers for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end. To try to make mine a little bit different, my tiers are based almost exclusively on my 2026 projections. I say almost, because at running back, once you get to the backup running backs, their value becomes less about their projection and more about their upside if the guy in front of them suffers an injury. There are a couple of other tweaks, but for the most part I will tell you below where these guys project and when I would draft them. Let’s jump right in.
Jamey and I broke down our running back tiers with Adam Aizer on Fantasy Football Today; check it out:
Gibbs and Robinson are the only backs I have projected for more than 20.5 PPR Fantasy points per game. These are arguably the two best running backs in football and the top two consensus picks in our rankings. They are both supremely talented, projected for workhorse roles, and entering their prime. There is not much more you can ask for out of an RB1. Gibbs gets the slight edge for RB1 because of the quality of their offenses, but barring injury, I would expect these two to be battling for the number one overall pick for the next three seasons.
McCaffrey and Taylor are two points clear of RB5 in my projections and almost close enough to Gibbs and Robinson to be in the same tier. But they don’t feel quite as insulated, which is why they’re in Tier 2. McCaffrey has age and workload concerns, and wasn’t near the same back in the running game last year. Taylor is touchdown dependent and may have contract concerns resurfacing in training camp. McCaffrey is RB3 in full PPR leagues, but if catches count for less than a full point, I actually prefer Taylor. All three of us have both of these backs in our top seven in full PPR leagues.
Achane and Cook are the last two running backs that I have ranked in Round 1, with projections between 17 and 18 PPR FPPG. But their profiles are quite a bit different. Cook has scored 32 touchdowns over the last two seasons and led the NFL in rushing last season. Achane thrives on receptions (145 over the last two seasons) and efficiency (league-best 5.7 yards per carry) in 2026. Cook is the better floor play at the end of Round 1, but Achane has more upside. The question is how to solve the seeming conflict between Malik Willis‘ low running back target rate and the fact that the Dolphins don’t have anyone else to throw to.
This is the point where the rankings and the projections diverge. Henry, Barkley, and Jacobs all project as clear RB1s between 16 and 17 FPPG in Fantasy Football but all have enormous question marks that cause me to rank them lower than their projection. For Henry, it’s Father Time’s undefeated record, and the fact that Henry lost his All-Pro center and fullback in the offseason. For Jacobs, it’s off-field concerns that remain unresolved as training camp opens. For Barkley, it’s his lackluster 2025. For now, Barkley and Henry should be drafted at the two-three turn, but Jacobs will be in Round 4 for me until we find out whether he’ll be facing a suspension. If Jacobs is cleared, he may be the safest of the group.
This group all projects for 15 FPPG, but Williams is the only back in the tier that has past production to justify that projection. We expect Hampton and Jeanty to benefit from new offensive coordinators and better offensive line play; in fact, many project them as top 10 backs already. I am not quite there but I would agree they have the most upside in the tier. Walker is the biggest wild card. The opportunity to be a feature back is there; what remains in question is whether the Chiefs will employ him in the passing game and how many short-yardage TDs he scores. Historically, that has been Patrick Mahomes‘ area of the field. I am the highest on Hall relative to consensus, though I don’t think anyone doubts he has the talent. The offensive line in New York should be good; we just need his role in the passing game to return.
The Tier 6 backs project between 12.5 and 13.5 FPPG but the young guys have far more upside than that. Skattebo and Judkins are progressing well off devastating lower leg injuries; they should be ready for camp but how effective they will be remains to be seen. Most people are ranking Love higher than this, and I do too. But it is hard to project that for him on a bad offense that also plans to use Tyler Allgeier and James Conner. Love had great passing game chops, but shares the field with target hog Trey McBride, and running back targets are often negatively correlated with tight end targets. Still, I don’t blame you if FOMO causes you to reach into early Round 3 due to Love’s talent.
We have reached the borderline RB2/flex range of the projections. These guys are projected between 11 and 12 FPPG, though there is certainly more upside than that. If someone wins a clear RB1 role in New England, Pittsburgh, or Denver, then my projection will be way too low for that guy. Price is another guy who could earn a much larger role early in the season but I am worried Zach Charbonnet comes back at the worst time for Fantasy managers and squashes Price’s upside.
This group is projected for nine to 10 FPPG, but some of what I said about the last group is certainly true here. That is particularly true for the Carolina backs. I think most people have Hubbard at least one tier ahead of Brooks, but if Brooks is truly healthy, I actually think he’ll take the lead role in Carolina. He has more juice, better pedigree, and the Panthers have been salivating to use him in the passing game. These guys are best viewed as flexes with RB2 upside, but in a best-case scenario I could see Brooks challenging for RB1 status. If he pops early in camp, he’ll be featured in every training camp risers article.
We have reached the running backs that are exclusively backup running backs, though some may object to a few of the names above being called exclusively backups. That’s what separates them from the backs in Tier 10: I do think there is a chance these guys are deep flexes even when the starters are healthy. Marks, Tracy, and Spears should all have a role on passing downs and Corum should be sharing series with Williams like he was in the second half of 2025. Rodriguez? Well, he’s the most mysterious. He played in college for Liam Coen and he’s probably more of a professional running back than Tuten. My current expectation is that Rodriguez and Tuten split early downs in Tuten’s favor while LeQuint Allen handles the majority of third downs and two-minute drills. What Tuten managers have to hope is that Rodriguez doesn’t steal short-yardage touchdowns.
Charbonnet is the one guy that sticks out from this group. I think he’ll be the best running back in Seattle once he’s healthy, but that could be December. All reports have been positive so far, but his injury happened very late in the year. If you have multiple IR spots in your league, then you can consider Charbonnet as early as Round 10. If you have zero IR spots and short benches, then I am not sure you’ll be able to justify holding him until he’s ready to play. Everyone else in this tier probably needs an injury to be Fantasy relevant.
Want a “most likely to skyrocket in camp” name? It’s Marshawn Lloyd. He’s finally healthy and Jacobs has legal troubles. If Lloyd stays healthy and Jacobs’ troubles get worse, Lloyd could jump five tiers. But even if Jacobs isn’t suspended, a healthy Lloyd should be drafted much earlier than he currently is. I’m just being a little bit cautious because I would like to see him make it through a month of practice without any injuries.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell (ANI Photo)
England youngster Jacob Bethell has opened up about the unforgettable experience of opening the batting alongside Virat Kohli at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during his stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), describing the atmosphere as unlike anything he had experienced before.Bethell, who joined RCB after being signed in the 2025 IPL mega auction, shared the dressing room with Kohli during the franchise’s back-to-back title-winning campaigns in 2025 and 2026. Although the young all-rounder had a mixed season with the bat, he said the opportunity to walk out alongside one of the game’s modern greats remains a career highlight.
‘I remember being nervous’
Speaking on the Super Over podcast on YouTube, Bethell admitted he was overwhelmed by nerves before his first home appearance in Bengaluru.“That was crazy. I remember being really nervous before. It was only my first game in front of home fans. I was nervous to say the least. But as soon as I got onto the ground, I just felt a sense of excitement. I ran drinks for quite a lot of the competition. Looking at the atmosphere and wanting to get a piece of it,” Jacob Bethell said. “We were walking out to bat. I can only hear myself think… the place is bouncing, there is no gap in it. You feel like they are on top of you. Luckily enough, we managed to put on a few runs; I scored a few, he scored a few. I remember I hit my second ball for four and I have never heard a sound that loud,” he added.
‘Virat is very chilled off the field’
Bethell also shed light on Kohli’s personality away from the spotlight, saying the former RCB captain is far more relaxed than his fiery on-field persona suggests.“Away from cricket and off the field, he’s actually a very chilled individual. Great to talk to, great to spend time around. But it’s just that ability to then flip into that competitive nature in and around cricket or training, ” Bethell revealed Bethell’s IPL 2026 campaign yielded 163 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 140.52, but the England all-rounder has previously credited Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Dinesh Karthik in a video posted by RCB on their official handle for helping him improve his game, particularly against spin, during his time with the Bengaluru franchise.
Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson celebrates with teammates after a pivotal defensive play during a road victory in Seattle. Following an interception in the fourth quarter on Dec. 22, 2024, at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, Jackson led a celebration with several Vikings defenders as Minnesota closed out an important late-season win. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images.
The Vikings are moving into a pivotal season. At the risk of stating the obvious, the team’s players need to play better than last season. Some of that process means welcoming new guys while those who have been in town for a little while elevate their game.
In 2025, the Vikings finished off at a disappointing 9-8. Getting to that tepid, uninspiring final record meant stacking five wins to finish off the year, meaning the record showed 4-8 as the team was getting past the halfway mark. DC Brian Flores was largely responsible for the Vikings getting above .500 since his defense was so impressive. Minnesota has nevertheless put some players on notice, bringing in such robust competition that some returning talent needs to step up or get left behind.
The Vikings Put a Trio of Defenders on Notice
Player No. 1 — Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.
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Nov 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0) sneaks a peak into the backfield against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
In Ivan Pace, the Vikings boast a fly-forward, all-out-attack defender who makes his living due to being unusually aggressive. Sounds like a perfect fit for the Brian Flores defense.
At this stage, however, Pace is the LB4 in Minnesota. Most of his problems arise when he needs to drop into pass coverage but he struggled with tackles last season, too. He was an RFA moving into the offseason, being brought back for a $3,520,000 cap charge that could be totally wiped away with a cut or trade. Opting to bring Eric Wilson back while then drafting Jake Golday looks likely to make Pace’s job more modest moving into 2026.
Now, that’s not to say that he won’t earn a large job. However, Pace is no longer going to be a starter by default. Pace has seen his portion of the pie grow smaller since breaking out as a rookie in 2023. Only 25, Pace is a good player who is capable of reversing the trend.
Player No. 2 — Theo Jackson
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Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson (26) celebrates after recovering a fumble during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 14, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The turnover helped swing momentum early for the Vikings at home. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
Theo Jackson was on the ascent from 2022-2024 when he was a part-time defender and full-time special teams weapon. His debut season as a starter didn’t go particularly well, though.
Jackson returns as the S2 for the Vikings. Josh Metellus is going to start. There’s then a group that’s seeing Jackson compete alongside Jay Ward and Jakobe Thomas to form the safety twosome when a pair is required. Ward is capable of doing some really good things as a long, aggressive, and physical safety. Meanwhile, Thomas turned heads last season for a Miami team that went all the way to the college championship.
Another sneaky detail to note is the signing of James Pierre. The veteran is going to make it easier to roll with a trio of corners, a departure from last year when only Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers were leaned on for heavy snap totals. Expect a shift that goes 3CB/2S instead of 3S/2CB when Flores wants to go nickle.
What happens if Harrison Smith returns? The Vikings could further crowd things in the secondary if The Hitman goes for another season.
Player No. 3 — Levi Drake Rodriguez
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Vikings defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez celebrates with Bo Richter in 2024 after an impactful play. Mandatory Credit: Alli Rusco, Vikings.com
Best guess on this end of the internet is that Levi Drake Rodriguez is a starter in 2026. That’s no sure thing, though.
Most notably, there’s the presence of the hulking Caleb Banks. Fill-in GM Rob Brzezinski pulled off a shocking selection in the 2026 NFL Draft by opting for the injured but remarkably talented Banks at No. 18. Moreover, the addition of DT Domonique Orange — nicknamed “Big Citrus” due to his size and name — appears to further muddy the waters for who gets to start at defensive tackle.
Jalen Redmond is essentially locked into a starting position. Who gets to do the dirty work alongside the DT1 remains to be seen. Rodriguez offers excellent hustle and ruggedness, but he’s an undersized guy who was chosen by the Vikings in the 7th in 2024.
Can the 1st and/or the 3rd get past him on the depth chart? Rodriguez needs to continue ascending.
Jul 20, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
Jeff McNeil delivered a tiebreaking pinch-hit, two-run single during a three-run seventh inning and the Athletics’ bullpen made it stand up in a 5-2 victory over the host Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix on Monday night.
Tommy White went 4-for-5 with a run scored in his third major league game to help the Athletics win for just the third time in their past 18 games.
Jacob Wilson and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer both had a homer among their two hits. Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler also had two hits as the A’s racked up 15 overall.
Ketel Marte smacked a two-run homer for the Diamondbacks, who lost for just the second time in the past eight games. Geraldo Perdomo had two hits for Arizona.
Nolan Arenado ripped a double into the left field corner in the fifth inning for his 2,000th career hit.
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Arenado becomes the sixth active player in the 2,000-hit club. The others are Freddie Freeman, Jose Altuve, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt and Manny Machado.
Diamondbacks All-Star Corbin Carroll right elbow) sat out one day after being injured. The Athletics lost Kuroda-Grauer (testicular contusion) after hitting his first career home run and Colby Thomas (left wrist contusion) during the contest.
Luis Medina (2-1) gave up one hit and struck out two in two scoreless innings of relief for the A’s.
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Jose Suarez pitched a flawless eighth. Hogan Harris allowed a bloop single to Gabriel Moreno to start the ninth and walked Tyler Locklear with two outs before fanning Ryan Waldschmidt for his third strikeout of the inning to record his seventh save.
The game was tied at 2 in the seventh when the Athletics received singles from Shea Langeliers, Butler and White to load the bases with two outs against Kevin Ginkel (3-3).
McNeil followed with a two-run single to center to score Langeliers and Butler. With Henry Bolte at the plate, Ginkel unleashed a wild pitch to score White. McNeil was running on the play and stole second and continued to third due to the errant pitch.
Jeffrey Springs of the A’s gave up two runs and six hits over five innings. He struck out two and walked one as his winless stretch continued to 16 straight starts.
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Arizona Mitch Bratt gave up two runs and eight hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one in his third big league start.
Kuroda-Grauer hit the first pitch of the second inning from Bratt over the wall in left-center. It traveled 416 feet.
In the fifth, Wilson hit the inning’s first pitch 399 feet to left to make it 2-0.
Arizona tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as Jorge Barrosa led off with a double to left-center and Marte followed with a 402-foot homer inside the left field foul pole.
PHOENIX — Eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado reached 2,000 career hits when the Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman smacked a double to left field against the Athletics on Monday night.
The 35-year-old connected on a fastball from left-hander Jeffrey Springs in the fifth inning and received a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd at Chase Field. He is one of six active players with at least 2,000 hits, joining Freddie Freeman, Jose Altuve, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt and Manny Machado.
The 10-time Gold Glove winner is in his first year with the Diamondbacks and bounced back from a injury-filled 2025 season, with a .244 batting average, .739 OPS and 13 homers coming into Monday’s game.
Arenado played his first eight seasons in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies before spending the next five with the St. Louis Cardinals.
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One of the best third basemen of his generation, he has a .280 career batting average with 366 homers and 1,228 RBIs.
Indiana landed its first-ever 5-star recruit in 2027 WR Monsun Sales.
If Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers make this a trend, they will entrench themselves as a perennial national title contender.
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin and ‘Locked On Vols’ host Eric Cain discuss Tennessee’s 2026 season outlook.
Will the Vols insert themselves back into the College Football Playoff picture?
Washington State enters 2026 on its third football coach in the last three seasons.
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Will Kirby Moore and the Cougars be a surprise contender in the G6 ranks?
05:21 Curt Cignetti’s coaching dominance 10:57 Jim Knowles adapts defense strategy 14:23 Discussing upcoming Texas vs. Tennessee game 17:02 Discussing Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee matchup 19:47 Evaluating Tennessee’s upcoming games 23:06 Discussing Pullman’s tough schedule 28:34 Analyzing Washington State’s upcoming season 29:29 Exciting matchups for Washington State
While the attention on Adam Ramsay-Peaty has not wavered, the athlete himself is much changed.
It marks two years since the 31-year-old narrowly missed out on a third consecutive 100m breaststroke Olympic gold at Paris 2024, and while he will be back in the pool at a major championships this summer, his life looks completely different.
Now married and expecting a child due in early December with model Holly Ramsay-Peaty, daughter of Gordon Ramsey, the swimmer has also relocated to London for training and to be nearer the in-laws.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty married Holly in December (PA)
With those changes have come their own share of tabloid drama, but this matured version of Ramsay-Peaty would prefer to take any of the expectation that comes with being a big name and do the talking in the pool at Glasgow 2026.
“Pressure can be given to anyone, but it’s probably best in my hands because the more pressure I’m under, the better I perform,” he said.
“At the same time, you need a strategy for managing the noise and we probably haven’t done that as well as we could, but I’ll make sure the swimming does the talking.
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“We can’t control every variable in life, but I can stand behind the blocks and not really care about what people’s opinions are.
“Being at peace with a 100m or 50m breaststroke race is a beautiful place to be. Nothing else matters in that moment. That’s the beauty of sport. If you can find that state of mind, it’s an incredible place to be.
“That’s the Adam people should see – the racer. Everything else is my private life.”
The spotlight will shine brightly for different reasons when he travels up to Glasgow for the first championships since Paris 2024.
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Adam Peaty already has four Commonwealth Games gold medals (Getty)
And while it is not a new position for a man who has led British swimming’s efforts for the best part of a decade, his new outlook is also playing its part in shaping his role at a fourth Commonwealth Games.
“As one of the older athletes on the team, you’ve got a chance to share experiences, but you’ve also got a duty of care towards the younger swimmers,” he said.
“Not everyone is going to race how they want to. Some will swim out of their skin and others will have a few shockers. That’s just sport.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty remains the face of British swimming (Getty)
“Being a father has enabled me not just to sympathise because I’ve been through it, but to empathise if someone’s experience is different.
“The love and kindness I can show now is very different to the person I was from 2014 onwards.”
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Setting aside ego cannot be easy for one of the best athletes of a generation.
But at his first championships since, this new version of Ramsay-Peaty is ready to open the chapter on his end goal of LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty was denied by the barest of margins in the final of the men’s 100 metres breaststroke at the Paris Olympics (PA Wire)
“I want these Commonwealth Games to be a springboard and to come away confident in my ability to race the best in the world,” said the 31-year-old.
“Paris 2024 was bittersweet. I’d spent 18 months getting back after the breakdown and a difficult period in 2023. I was in a great place physically, but then I caught Covid just before the championships.
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“Now it’s about putting that right. Did ego play a part? Did complacency play a part in 2024? Potentially. But now it’s about bringing everything back down, focusing on the details and enhancing the performance.
“As an athlete, I see the sport completely differently now. I don’t see success as medals any more. That’s not defeatist, it’s probably the opposite.
The swimmer’s perspective has changed in recent years (PA Wire)
“Success for me is coming away from Glasgow knowing I’ve done absolutely everything I possibly could to finish as high as I can. If I look after the process, the outcome will take care of itself.”
But with six Olympic medals, eight world titles, 16 European titles and four Commonwealth Games titles, normal has never been Ramsay-Peaty’s playing field.
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And through a decade of success that has seen him break 14 world records, the Commonwealth Games continue to play a formative role in what comes next.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty is back at the Commonwealth Games 12 years after announcing his arrival as a force (Getty)
“If my career was a book, the Commonwealth Games would be very definitive chapters,” he explained.
“Now we’re towards the back of the book and I know that, so I want to make sure the book is written the way I want it.
“I’d like to get to Glasgow as a full-circle moment from my first one in 2014, when I beat Cameron van der Burgh, and see what we can come away with.”
Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33m is raised every week for good causes. It’s because of you that sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as our athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has lauded Rohit Sharma for his brilliant century against England in the third and final ODI at Lord’s, stating that the opener has ‘shut everyone up’ on speculations about his future in the 50-over format. Rohit made a sublime 138, the first ODI century hit by an Indian batter at Lord’s, and quashed speculations about the end of his journey in the 50-over setup. He shared stands of 147 and 113 with skipper Shubman Gill (77) and Virat Kohli (74), though it went in vain as India lost by 27 runs and suffered a 2-1 series defeat.
“He didn’t need to do so, but he shut up everybody, because when you get those kinds of rumours floating around, it’s sometimes irritating. When a player has done that much, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.
“If he has the desire to play and work hard at his game and he’s still enjoying it, I think he should be given the opportunity for as long as he wants. The day will come when he’ll feel that he’ll go, but when you have that kind of quality, you’re thinking of dropping him and then he produces something like this. First time ever, it was a special innings,” said Shastri on Sky Sports at the conclusion of the series.
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He also noted that while the top order fired, India’s bowling and fielding left a lot to be desired.
“Absolutely – these guys (Rohit and Virat) are converters. Once they get 40-50, they smell the coffee. They know how to make that big score now for India to stay in the hunt.
“They needed that 130-140 from someone. It came from Rohit, good support from Shubman and Virat kept them in the game. But 380 was always a little too much. A lot of food for thought for India, especially when it comes to fielding and the bowling department.”
Speaking about Kohli, who hit his first fifty in an international game at Lord’s, Shastri praised his sheer determination and the intangible value he brings to the squad.
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“He was looking to muscle the ball a little too much.
“It wasn’t easy once the ball got a little older, as we found out with the other batsmen, but then again that hunger, that desire, that passion for the sport, the energy he brings onto the ground and in the dressing room, there’s no substitute for that.”
Looking ahead, Shastri believes the team management must address the death-bowling concerns, pointing out that the absence of a seasoned campaigner like Jasprit Bumrah cost India dearly in the final overs against a rampant Jos Buttler.
“They will look back and know the areas where they’ve got to improve on. They will realize the importance of Jasprit Bumrah and they will want to give exposure to these youngsters.
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“They’ve given Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav and others chances. You’ve got to give them more exposure and then learn from experience. That’s what India lacked in those final overs when Jos Buttler took them apart. It was lack of experience. Someone like Bumrah there with three or four overs might have made all the difference.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Destanee Aiava lifts First Title after Retirement U-Turn
Destanee Aiava has completed a remarkable turnaround after winning her first professional title since returning to tennis and switching her sporting nationality from Australia to New Zealand.
The 26-year-old lifted the W15 Brisbane trophy without dropping a set, beating Australia’s Belle Thompson 6-2, 6-3 in the final to cap an impressive week.
The title comes just months after Aiava announced plans to retire, describing professional tennis as a “racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile” environment. At the time, she said the sport had become like a “toxic boyfriend” and intended to step away at the end of the season.
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However, she reversed that decision in March before announcing another major career move by choosing to represent New Zealand instead of Australia.
The Brisbane title marks her first since making the switch and comes during an emotional period away from the court. Aiava has spoken publicly about her father, Hassan, who remains in intensive care after suffering a fractured skull earlier this year.
After her victory, she reflected on the difficult circumstances.
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“At first I was texting dad updates hoping he’d be able to look through his phone and catch up on everything he missed.”
She added:
“It is very weird grieving someone who’s still alive, and coming to terms with the fact that people can just become memories and you’re just supposed to accept it.”
Sussex have announced that former Kent boss Matt Walker will take over as their new head coach for the 2027 season.
The 52-year-old will take charge on 1 November, succeeding Paul Farbrace, who is switching roles to become Sussex’s new Director of Cricket.
Walker spent eight seasons as head coach at Kent, guiding them to promotion to Division One in 2018, T20 Blast success in 2021 and the One-Day Cup in 2022.
He has also coached in the England men’s set-up and is currently batting coach at Warwickshire and assistant coach with MI London, formerly known as Oval Invincibles, in The Hundred.
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