Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler (ANI Photo)

Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2026 final defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru featured several moments that attracted attention, but one of the biggest talking points came early in their innings when youngster Nishant Sindhu was promoted ahead of Jos Buttler.Now, the former England captain has revealed that the unexpected move was a tactical decision made by Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra.The Titans entered the final hoping to claim a second IPL title after defeating Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2. However, they ran into a dominant RCB side that had already beaten them in Qualifier 1 and once again found themselves second best on the biggest stage.Their chase for the trophy suffered an early setback when captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for 10 in the third over. With Gujarat needing stability, many expected Buttler to walk in at No. 3. Instead, Nishant Sindhu was sent to the crease in a move that surprised many observers.Speaking on the For The Love of Cricket Podcast, Buttler disclosed that he was preparing to bat before Nehra informed him of the change in plans.“When the first wicket went down, I got up to put my helmet on. But Ashish Nehra said, ‘You sit back down, we are going to send Nishant in at 3’. I did ask him after the game, and he just said it felt reactive at that point, and it was a good chance to get Nishant in the game as he’s a top-order batter,” Buttler said.The tactical call did not deliver the desired result. Sai Sudharsan fell soon after, increasing the pressure on the batting unit, while Nishant scored 20 before being dismissed in the eighth over. By the time Buttler eventually arrived at the crease, Gujarat were already struggling to build momentum.The England batter explained that the decision was partly influenced by Gujarat’s desire to give Nishant a bigger role after a season in which opportunities had often been limited.“He has been sometimes on that slippery slope where the team gets going, and he has ended up not batting or batting at 7. So it was a decision to get him in the game. He had batted ahead of me in another game against KKR. Right or wrong, it just didn’t work out for us,” he added.With wickets falling around him, Buttler attempted to guide the innings deep into the chase. However, he was unable to produce the acceleration Gujarat desperately needed, scoring 19 from 23 deliveries before being dismissed by Krunal Pandya.Looking back on his own contribution, Buttler admitted he was disappointed with the way his innings unfolded.“When I did bat, I wanted to take it deep as we had lost a few wickets. I just never got the boundaries and got done in by a good piece of bowling from a smart operator, Krunal Pandya. It’s disappointing when you go worse than a run-a-ball in an IPL final. It’s not a great look,” Buttler added.Gujarat eventually finished on 155, a total that never seriously threatened RCB. The defending champions completed a comfortable chase to secure a second consecutive IPL title, while the Titans were left reflecting on a final where several key decisions, including the promotion of Nishant Sindhu, failed to produce the outcome they had hoped for.

Picking a winner for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes seems simple. After all, Golden Tempo is coming off a win in the Kentucky Derby. In that race, he beat four rivals whom he will see again on Saturday. And the Beyer Speed Figure he earned in Louisville, Ky., five weeks ago is tied for the highest last-out speed figure of any horse in the Belmont.

If handicapping horses were only that simple.

In fact, Golden Tempo is a bad bet for the Belmont at Saratoga Race Course and is exactly the kind of horse that professional bettors salivate over fading. Instead, there are more intriguing options that offer better value in the final leg of the Triple Crown. Bet the Belmont at TwinSpires, where you can use the promo code CBSSPORTS to get $400 in bonus bets, double what’s available to the general public:

Why Golden Tempo is a must fade

There are two main reasons why the Derby winner is a play-against: pace and odds.

In the Kentucky Derby five weeks ago, Golden Tempo got a dream pace setup. In that 18-horse field, 10 horses entered having led or were within 1 3/4 lengths of the lead at the first call in their most recent start. The result was an incendiary pace meltdown in the Derby in which the top three finishers — Golden Tempo, Renegade and Ocelli — were last, fourth to last and second to last, respectively.

By contrast, the nine-horse Belmont Stakes field features a dearth of speed horses. The horse with the highest TimeformUS early pace figure (111), Powershift, has never set the pace in his three career starts. In fact, the nine horses in the Belmont have combined for 41 career starts, and only once has a horse set the pace (Ottinho in a maiden race on Dec. 31).

The projected slow early pace does not suit Golden Tempo, a dead closer who has been either last or next to last in all five of his career starts. To be fair, he has won races before with slow early paces, but those victories did not come against the quality of rivals he will see on Saturday.

In addition, the expected odds on Golden Tempo make him an unattractive play. After going off at 23-1 in the Kentucky Derby, he is listed at 9-2 on the morning line for the Belmont Stakes. And there’s a good chance that he will leave the starting gate shorter than that. Casual bettors love putting their money on popular storylines, and Cherie DeVaux becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winne — as well as the media blitz that followed the race — have made her and the horse overnight sensations.

Could Golden Tempo win the Belmont Stakes? Sure. But he’ll need another pace meltdown that he’s not likely to get, and Golden Tempo believers will get less than 20% of the payout that they got five weeks ago in Louisville. Bet or fade Golden Tempo with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS, which gives new users $400 in bonus bets, double the standard offer:

Get Menez’s full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine. Check out Michelle Yu’s full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine.

Revisiting the Kentucky Derby

With five of the nine horses in the Belmont Stakes coming out of the Kentucky Derby, handicapping the Belmont requires looking back at the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Golden Tempo (first by a neck)
He showed no speed early and raced last of the 18, started picking up steam around the far turn, swung out wide at the top of the stretch and outkicked Renegade down the lane, getting up just before the wire. Relative to the other horses in the field, Golden Tempo got a clean trip and an enormous pace setup. Without one of those, a very strong case can be made that he doesn’t win the blanket of roses.

Renegade (second by a neck)
His rough trip in the Kentucky Derby has been well documented. Leaving from the dreaded No. 1 post, Renegade was pointed to the right by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. out of the gate, got bumped and then knocked almost sideways in the first sixteenth of a mile. But the early trouble may have benefited him as it prevented him from getting dragged into the hot early pace. Like Golden Tempo, Renegade made his move around the far turn, swung out wide at the top of the stretch and rallied strongly down the lane, beaten only by Golden Tempo.

But because of Renegade’s well publicized trouble in the Derby, there is a possibility that he will be overbet in the Belmont Stakes.

Find Jody Demling’s full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine.

Chief Wallabee (fourth by 3 lengths)
He was just 3 3/4 lengths off the brutal three-quarter mile pace (1:10.90), and just as he was trying to split horses in the stretch, he was bumped, ending all chances of victory. To his credit, he kept running to finish just 3 lengths back of Golden Tempo.

He was the only horse to be in the first 10 early to finish in the top four. For comparison, the top three finisher — Golden Tempo, Renegade and Ocelli — were 18th, 16th and 15th, respectively, after three-quarters of a mile.

With a much more favorable pace scenario in the Belmont Stakes, Chief Wallabee figures to have a big chance on Saturday.

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Commandment (seventh by 5 1/4 lengths)
The first mile of his Derby was largely uneventful; he raced at the back of the first pack of horses, about 10 lengths off the early lead, enjoying a clean trip. The pace meltdown should’ve have set up perfectly for his late kick, but down the stretch he didn’t show the kick he had shown at Gulfstream Park. Perhaps he was too close to a hot pace or perhaps he was just not good enough.

Commandment apologists say that he was bumped by Ocelli in the stretch, but Commandment’s trouble down the lane has been overblown. By that time, he was already beaten.

Emerging Market (10th by 7 3/4 lengths)
Arguably only Golden Tempo got a cleaner trip than Emerging Market in the Kentucky Derby. He broke sharply, raced in sixth early and had a chance to pounce on the early leaders at the top of the stretch but didn’t kick in and faded to 10th, losing by almost 8 lengths.

Trainer Chad Brown later revealed that the horse lost the shoe on his left front foot in the first turn. Also, Brown said jockey Flavien Prat positioning Emerging Market that close to the early pace was a strategy agreed upon by jockey and trainer prior to the race, based on how the Churchill Downs track had been playing all week. Brown admitted that was a mistake in hindsight.

So there are excuses to explain his 10th place finish.

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Who to bet in the Belmont Stakes

In the end, my most likely winner in the Belmont Stakes is Chief Wallabee. I think he was too close to the hot pace in the Kentucky Derby and will appreciate the much more favorable fractions in the Belmont much better. 

But in horse racing, there’s an important distinction between the horse to beat and the horse to bet. Just because Chief Wallabee is my “top pick” doesn’t automatically make him the one to bet. His odds may not reflect fair value.

So for the Belmont Stakes, I created a fair odds line. These are the odds that I would need to bet each horse in the race to win. My fair odds on Chief Wallabee is 3-1, which is exactly what his morning-line odds are. However, if his live odds drop below 3-1, I’ll pivot to another horse.

That alternative could be Powershift. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Powershift is coming off a win on the Kentucky Derby day undercard, which earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure, the co-best highest last-race Beyer in the field.

Most importantly, he holds a key tactical edge over the rest of the field: He’s the projected lone speed horse in a race full of off-the-pace horses.

Terence Crawford walked away from the sport after a career-defining victory over Canelo Alvarez, leaving some observers believing that Alvarez is now past his best.

Now, ‘Bud’ has revealed why he believes the Mexican superstar opted not to hang up the gloves at the same time as him.

Whilst only 35-years-old, Alvarez’s 68 career fights make him a veteran, with both scars of battle and wear and tear becoming evident in recent performances, after a career that spanned over two decades; having debuted at the age of 15.

Upon returning to the 168lb division, following an unsuccessful bid for Dmitry Bivol’s light-heavyweight world title, Canelo scored six consecutive unanimous decision triumphs, receiving criticism for being unable to close the show despite his victories.

Against Crawford, those early warning signs were proven to be correct, as the American handed Alvarez a first career defeat as a super-middleweight, costing him his undisputed throne. 

However, though it was Canelo who looked to be the faded fighter, it was Crawford who sailed off into the sunset, content with retirement after a career-best win. Meanwhile, Alvarez is set for an immediate title challenge when he bids for Christian Mbilli’s WBC world title in September.

Speaking on a DAZN broadcast, Crawford explained why he believes Canelo has chosen to continue campaigning in the sport.

“Canelo won’t want to end his career on a loss like he did with me. So, I can see Canelo wanting to come back and prove himself and be back champion, do the things he wanted to do in the sport of boxing and then leave on his own terms.”

Mbilli vs Canelo takes place on Saturday, September 12, topping a ‘Mexico vs. The World’ themed bill in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ibrahima Konate has opened up about a year of profound personal loss, revealing the immense toll it took on his mental health and performance.

The France international, who is set to leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the month, endured a period of deep struggle following the death of his teammate Diogo Jota, which was tragically followed by the passing of his father, Hamady.

Konate directly addressed the stigma surrounding mental health in professional sport, stating: “There are low points, there’s depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there’s no need to be ashamed to say so.”

He challenged the common misconception that wealth negates mental health issues.

“It’s true that I’ve often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside didn’t understand because they were earning a lot of money. But no, that’s rubbish and you shouldn’t say that.”

He further elaborated on the insidious nature of depression, describing it as a deeply personal battle.

“Depression is personal; it’s deep inside you. When you’re depressed, it starts in the heart, goes up to the brain and takes over your whole body. For me, that’s what’s hard, and we need to talk about it.”

The defender recounted the devastating impact of the crash that claimed the lives of his teammate and neighbour, Jota, and his brother Andre Silva, just before pre-season training.

“It devastated me. I didn’t have any interest in anything else at that point,” Konate admitted.

Despite his grief, the demands of professional football meant a swift return to the pitch.

“You go back to football because you have no choice. We’re employees at a club that pays us every month, so we have duties. We had no choice but to go back on the field and play for him and his family – as well as ourselves. There’s no way of getting over it, but you learn to live with it.”

While the squad collectively mourned Jota, Konate was privately grappling with the severe illness of his father. His form visibly suffered, but the extent of his personal turmoil only became clear in January when his father, Hamady, died after a long illness.

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know whether I should go home and stop playing, because the team needed me too,” he explained.

He confessed to keeping his struggles to himself, a decision he now regrets.

“I didn’t know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself. And this is the advice I’d give to everyone: when you’re feeling down or something’s going on, you need to talk to those around you. It can help you and do you good. I didn’t talk about it and kept it to myself.”

The news of his father’s impending death came suddenly: “The doctors then told us he didn’t have long to live, but we didn’t know it would happen so quickly.”

During compassionate leave, Konate made the decision to return to the team, contacting then head coach Arne Slot to offer his services amidst a defensive injury crisis. He marked his emotional comeback with a goal against Newcastle at Anfield.

However, the centre-back acknowledged that he never truly felt a sense of recovery.

“There was never a moment when I felt like I was on the mend,” he revealed. “All of these tragic events happened so quickly and as soon as I felt like I was getting my head above water, something else happened.”

Despite the immense support from Liverpool fans, teammates, and his family, Konate recognised the need for personal resilience.

“I also had to learn how to get back on my feet on my own because the team needed me more than ever and I know that my father would have wanted me to get back.”

Brighton Women have confirmed that Sophie Baggaley, Libby Bance and Rosa Kafaji will leave the club this summer at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Baggaley and Bance will leave when their contracts expire later this month, while Kafaji will return to Arsenal after spending the season on loan with the Seagulls.

The departures mark the end of a chapter for three players who helped Brighton reach the Women’s FA Cup final for the first time in the club’s history.

Head coach Dario Vidosic thanked the trio for their contributions and professionalism during their time at the club.

“I would like to thank all three girls for their service to the club. During my time Sophie and Rosa have been great to work with and extremely professional both on and off the field.

“They helped the club reach its first Wembley final and should be proud of the part they played in that historic achievement.

“When I had the opportunity to work with Libby I found her attitude and professionalism first-class too. I wish them all every success for their future careers.”

Baggaley leaves Brighton after making 42 appearances since joining the club in 2023 and was voted Players’ Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season. The goalkeeper was recently rewarded with a call-up to the England senior squad ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Kafaji made 24 appearances during her loan spell from Arsenal, scoring twice and playing a key role in Brighton’s run to a historic FA Cup final.

Meanwhile, Bance departs after progressing through the club’s academy and making 27 senior appearances. The midfielder also gained valuable experience through loan spells with Rangers, Bristol City and Birmingham City.

Women’s and girls’ managing director Zoe Johnson also paid tribute to the departing players.

“It is always tough to part ways with players who have given so much to the badge. Each of these individuals has made a defining contribution during their time here.

“Sophie was central to our historic fifth-place finish in 2024/25, and alongside Rosa, played a massive role in taking us to our first-ever FA Cup final.

“Libby’s journey through the Albion academy is a testament to her incredible work ethic and professionalism. We are deeply grateful for their service and wish them every success moving forward.”

The NBA finals start on June 4 and the San Antonio Spurs, with its star player, Victor Wembanyama, are favoured to take the title. But as the 22-year-old Frenchman told reporters, it’s not a done deal yet against the Knicks – who haven’t won since 1973 but won 11 consecutive games in the playoffs this year.

Switzerland international Breel Embolo is currently stranded in his home country, awaiting clearance to travel to the United States after a last-minute Esta complication prevented him from joining his teammates for their pre-World Cup training camp.

The forward attended an appointment at the US Embassy in Bern on Wednesday to submit a visa application, the Swiss football federation confirmed.

Embolo was forced to miss the squad’s departure to California on Tuesday after his Esta travel authorisation was unexpectedly placed under further review just hours before the team boarded their flight to Los Angeles.

The issue stems from a legal case dating back to a 2018 altercation in Basel, which led to the Stade Rennais striker’s 2023 conviction for making multiple threats and a suspended fine. This verdict was later upheld on appeal and became legally binding earlier this year.

The Swiss federation stated that the embassy had assured them the application was being processed as a priority.

“The Embassy informed us that the application is being processed as a priority,” the federation said. “Breel and the team are now awaiting approval so that he can travel to San Diego and join the squad as soon as possible.”

They added that US authorities had specifically inquired whether any physical violence was involved in the case, clarifying: “This was not the case.”

According to the federation, all Esta applications, including Embolo’s, were initially approved before US authorities requested additional checks approximately two and a half hours prior to departure.

Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Lauren Bis commented on the broader context, telling Reuters: “The Trump administration is enforcing immigration laws.”

She further explained: “Under the Visa Waiver Program, all Esta applications are continuously vetted against law enforcement and security databases. Travelers must provide complete and truthful information, including all criminal history.

“Failure to disclose arrests or convictions constitutes misrepresentation and can lead to Esta denial, revocation, or a permanent bar from entering the United States. An approved Esta does not guarantee admission. Individuals ineligible for the VWP due to criminal convictions or misrepresentation must apply for a visa.”

A Swiss team spokesperson noted that Embolo had previously travelled to the United States with the national team in June 2025 for matches against Mexico and the United States without encountering any issues.

Switzerland are set to compete in World Cup Group B alongside co-hosts Canada, Bosnia, and Qatar, with their opening match against Qatar scheduled for June 13 in San Francisco.

File photo of Pat Cummins© X/Twitter

The 2026 World Cup is poised to be a monumental event for North American ground transportation, offering rail and bus operators a critical audition on soccer’s biggest stage.

With 104 matches spread across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and air travel increasingly fraught with rising costs, soaring gasoline prices, and frustratingly long airport security lines, these companies are gearing up to capture the attention of a vast new audience.

“We want you to be able to use our system seamlessly from the minute you decide to come to the World Cup, all the way into the games, and after that to get home,” stated Conan Cheung, chief operations officer for LA Metro, the public transportation authority serving the Los Angeles region.

For the Californian city, which will host eight matches including the U.S. opener, the event presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate to international visitors that it offers more than just congested freeways. It also aims to encourage more local Angelenos to utilize its expanding public transport network, Cheung added.

This ambition resonates with public transport advocates in the US and Canada, where shared transit infrastructure can be scarce and residents often prefer their cars.

Yonah Freemark, a principal research associate at the Washington-based Urban Institute, highlighted this opportunity: “Transit providers have an opportunity to provide service to a group of people who do not typically use transit on a day-to-day basis. Many of the World Cup fans coming from the US or Canada do not necessarily use transit services regularly.”

Freemark emphasized the high stakes for operators to deliver a positive experience for riders.

“They should be making sure that the services they provide are high quality and not too expensive, because the people who are riding them are going to form an impression of those transit agencies — and there’s a chance to really prove that they can provide a good service.”

However, ground operators face a tricky balancing act. Many contend with limited capacity, meaning potential customers might struggle to find space on match days. While the surge in airline costs offers a rare chance to draw travelers to rails and roads, these companies are also battling rising fuel expenses, which may necessitate passing some costs onto consumers.

This creates a dilemma, as Freemark noted: operators want to attract new customers without alienating the everyday commuters and regular users who depend on these services long after the final whistle.

FlixBus, alongside its sister brand Greyhound, boasts one of North America’s largest transportation networks. The company reports strong demand for bus travel between tournament cities, with some departures already sold out and others filling rapidly.

In preparation for the World Cup, FlixBus has made significant investments in new buses and cutting-edge technology, while also prioritizing on-time departures and arrivals.

“What is critical here is every Flix experience needs to be a happy one. That’s how we actually grow our business. And this is a great opportunity,” said Flix North America CEO Kai Boysan. “We will welcome all the new customers and we want them to see what a change we’ve done and what a great experience they’re going to have.”

Boysan suggested that travelers might favor buses over planes due to their typically more affordable and direct routes between city centers. “Airports are congested and the costs are rising. And clearly travelers are naturally looking for alternatives. And there we come into effect,” he explained.

Yet, not all ground transportation options are proving affordable. NJ Transit drew unwanted attention this year when it initially announced that the approximately 30-minute train ride from Manhattan to the New Jersey stadium, which will host eight matches including the July 19 final, would cost $150 for the round-trip. It’s a journey that typically costs less than $13.

NJ Transit says it needs to cover $48 million in extra costs for security, crowd control and other World Cup impacts.

After much outrage, NJ Transit reduced the fare to a still hefty $98, saying it had managed to find more advertising to cover its costs. Meanwhile, a shuttle bus on the same route has been chopped to $20 from the originally announced $80 as the host committee turned to local school buses to increase seats.

In Boston, round-trip rail tickets from the city center to the stadium used for seven World Cup matches will cost $80, compared to the usual $20 to $30. A bus ride will be $95.

US Senator Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, urged Fifa to intervene.

“Charging more than 11 times the normal fare for a train ride is a ripoff, plain and simple. Fifa is making billions from this World Cup,” Schumer stated after the original price for the New Jersey MetLife Stadium route was announced.

“Fifa should cover the ride, not stick New York fans with the bill.”

Fifa, however, responded that high transit fares would prompt fans to seek alternative travel methods, and that similar past events have not led to demands for organizations to provide travel impact funding.

In contrast, some local operators are maintaining standard pricing.

“Our regular fare is $1.75, so people will be able to pay that,” said LA Metro’s Cheung, confirming they would honor all existing discounts.

Philadelphia, hosting six matches, offers fans a $2.90 train ride to the match, with a complimentary return journey courtesy of sponsor Airbnb. US national rail carrier Amtrak is also preparing for inter-city fan travel.

“We are fully committed to running a world-class railroad … and ensuring our infrastructure is ready to accommodate new and returning guests,” said W. Kyle Anderson, director of communications for Amtrak.

With Europe’s top five leagues – France’s Ligue 1, Italy’s Serie A, the Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain and Germany’s Bundesliga – regarded as the best in the world, only Spain’s squad is made up exclusively of players from that quintet.

Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney and Galatasaray’s Leroy Sane have been selected by England and Germany, while France have included both Theo Hernandez and N’Golo Kante of Al-Hilal and Fenerbahce respectively.

Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium have a considerable number of players playing at a high level despite their size while outside of Europe, Argentina and Senegal have the most players playing in the top leagues.

None of Curacao, Iran, Iraq or Qatar’s squads played in Europe’s top five leagues this season, although Iraqi forward Ali Jasim is on the books of Serie A club Como but spent the season on loan at Saudi side Al-Najma.