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From missing the U-19 World Cup to starring for Karnataka, Smaran’s rise has been built on discipline, long levers, and belief

Shashank Kishore14-Aug-2025In March 2025, whispers of a new name began echoing through IPL scouting circles: R Smaran.Clips from his trials with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had gone viral within the inner sanctums of IPL talent scouts. Smaran wasn’t just clearing the ropes; he was launching spinners out of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.Smaran, 22, received excellent feedback from almost all the trials he attended, but quietly decided to craft his own routines over the next few weeks to make up for the disappointment of not featuring in the IPL.Batting sessions, gym work, and running throughout the day were topped up with pickleball in the evenings. He wanted to keep himself away from overthinking. And then, when he least expected it, his phone rang. Sunrisers Hyderabad came calling. They needed a replacement for the injured Adam Zampa.He was no legspinner, and nowhere close to a like-for-like replacement. But the intriguing signing was an indication he might be a long-term investment. But even before the doors could fully crack open, they slammed shut.Smaran tripped over the advertising hoardings while attempting a catch at training and injured himself. And just like that, his IPL season was over.

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On Tuesday, in just his second competitive outing since his season ended, Smaran smashed an unbeaten 55 off 22 balls for Gulbarga Mystics against defending champs Mysore Warriors in the KSCA Maharaja T20 Trophy.Fittingly, the left-handed batter hit a six, out of the ground and into the trees, to seal the win. There couldn’t have been a better start to what is going to be his second season as a professional cricketer.Smaran is tall, nearly six feet. The penchant to clear the ropes comes from having long levers that he uses to his advantage. But that is only one aspect of a game that he says is very much “work in progress.” In his short career already, he’s shown the ability to grind his way through. Smaran is strong square of the wicket, a by-product of his ability to pick lengths and play well off the back foot. He also prides himself on being an excellent player of spin, something a lot of former Karnataka players and talent scouts have vouched for.”Right from the beginning, I’ve had the ability to clear fences,” Smaran tells ESPNcricinfo. “But I think there’s still a fine line between formats, where in order to be really good at all three formats, you still have to learn to curb your game.”But I think in T20, especially with the wickets being the way it is – really good to bat on – and the size of the grounds in India also not being the greatest when it comes to T20. I think it just comes naturally to me. I wouldn’t say [I’m] a six-hitter, but I back myself to hit sixes on the balls that are loose to me.R Smaran scored 516 runs in ten innings in the last Ranji Trophy season•R Smaran/KSCA”But growing up, the red ball was always a priority. Even now, my main goal is to represent India in Tests. And I think T20 will come as a by-product of that.”Smaran’s 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season started poorly. Five matches in, he hadn’t notched up a single half-century batting in the top five. When Ranji season hit a pause midway for the white-ball leg, the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s (SMAT), he wondered if he’d fluffed his chances.Smaran sat out the first game, but was later drafted into the XI for their second game against Tripura after the selectors decided to drop Manish Pandey. Smaran hit a half-century on debut – 57 off 31 – to help chase down 191.”That knock was a confidence booster, since I had a string of low scores,” he says. “Team-wise, SMAT wasn’t great for us, but it gave me the batting rhythm I needed and I was able to carry that forward into the Vijay Hazare Trophy.”That 50-over tournament was a game-changer for Smaran. Having endured the pressure of replacing Pandey, a senior player in the XI, he hit a superb 101 off 92 in the final against Vidarbha. He helped bail Karnataka out from 67 for 3 in wintry conditions as they posted 348. They ended up winning by 36 runs.Smaran finished as Karnataka’s second-highest run-getter, hitting 433 runs in seven innings at an average of 72.16 with two hundreds and two half-centuries.

“Growing up, the red ball was always a priority. Even now, my main goal is to represent India in Tests. And I think T20 will come as a by-product of that.”R Smaran

“My only goal was to win games for the team,” he says. “One game after another, we started winning. Slowly the belief came in that we can go all the way and win the championship. Once we won, it was surreal.”It’s on the back of this run that Smaran entered the second leg of the Ranji season, in January this year, under immense pressure to keep his spot. On a green top at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Smaran saw the Shubman Gill-led Punjab being bundled out for 55. And when he walked in to bat, conditions were far from easy. Smaran defied the odds and conditions to convert his maiden first-class century into a double ton.”That knock needed mental discipline because conditions were tough, particularly the first day,” he remembers. “It gave me the confidence that I had the ability to play a different style of cricket if required. I’m glad it came off.”Smaran ended the Ranji season with another century to boot against Haryana. Having started the season poorly, he accumulated 516 runs in ten innings at an average of 64.50.

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By 2019-20, Smaran had been a prolific run-getter for Karnataka Under-19s, and was shortlisted as part of a wider pool of targeted players the BCCI felt would form part of their mix for the Under-19 World Cup in 2022.But in early 2020, Smaran had a stress fracture on his right shin. He played through pain, but eventually he had to listen to his body. He was advised to take eight months off the game.Fortunately for Smaran, the injury came around Covid lockdowns. It meant he didn’t miss much competitive cricket, but the long layoff from injury led to weight gain that hampered his form upon return.Smaran couldn’t quite make the same impression as he pushed for an India Under-19 berth. He was left out of the Under-19 World Cup, and India went on to win the tournament under Yash Dhull’s captaincy.R Smaran smashed an unbeaten 55 off 22 in the KSCA Maharaja T20 trophy on Tuesday•Maharaja T20″It felt like the world had ended,” he says about not being selected for the Under-19 World Cup. “I didn’t look forward to anything for the next month. My coach Syed Zabiullah, he’s like family to me. He lifted me up and told me this isn’t the end and there’s lots to look forward to. The main goal should be representing Karnataka at the highest level.”Smaran had two prolific seasons after he fully regained his fitness, but found it hard to break into the Karnataka setup. Until a debut finally came late last year.”I’m glad that it happened last year,” he says. “So overall, I think a lot of credit goes to Syed sir for pushing me throughout during the off-season as well. And also me for putting that effort into training, gym and also hitting the nets.”Smaran’s journey is an ode to his dedication. It was particularly tough because he didn’t come from a family that had anything to do with sport. His father, a mechanical engineer, makes solar inverters. His mother, a housewife, wanted her son to also be an engineer.

I just lacked the confidence [when I started last season]. But now I feel that while I’m still not there, I’ve gotten a step better in terms of knowing my game well.”Smaran on his game

“But the way I progressed, even my mom now keeps asking me, when I’m going to do my Masters,” Smaran, who has a bachelor’s degree in commerce, laughs.”After I represented the state in age-groups, they were like, okay, you can pursue commerce now and pursue cricket,” he says. “I think there’s a lot of conflict between me and my parents (laughs), but I think they’ve really supported me throughout and they’ve let me pursue what I love. But yeah, lot of engineers in the family.”As he looks ahead, Smaran is focused on trying to tick another box. “To bring home the Ranji Trophy for Karnataka,” he says. It’s something they haven’t been able to achieve since 2014-15.”I just lacked the confidence [when he started last season]. But now I feel that while I’m still not there, I’ve gotten a step better in terms of knowing my game well. The main goal while batting is to win games for your team. Whichever team that is, and the rest will take care of itself.”

“There will be more miracles going forward,” Abhishek Sharma says of the India T20I team

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-2025India opener Abhishek Sharma is happy he took the stairs and not the elevator to the national team like some of his 2018 Under-19 World Cup team-mates – Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, for example – had, saying he wouldn’t have “learned some things” if that had been the case.”There have been ups and downs,” Abhishek said at the end of the Asia Cup, where he was the Player of the Tournament. “Some players get in easily. Some come in after some difficulty. But I feel this [domestic grind] was necessary. If I had made it quicker as a [national team] player, I wouldn’t have learned some things.”While Shaw was fast-tracked to the national team, making his Test debut in 2018 itself, Gill broke through in early 2019. For Abhishek, the turning point came only after the pandemic, in 2021, by which time he had refined his game. With Yuvraj Singh’s guidance, he transformed from a middle-order finisher and part-time left-arm spinner into an opener with an enhanced power-hitting game.Related

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Abhishek ended the Asia Cup as the top run-getter – 314 in seven innings, including a run of three straight half-centuries leading into the final. Pathum Nissanka was a distant second, with 261 runs.Abhishek’s robust powerplay approach, and his takedown of Shaheen Shah Afridi in successive games against Pakistan, earned him a lot of plaudits, which he attributed to the freedom given to him by the team management. This run of form more or less guarantees him a spot as India’s first-choice opener as they build towards their T20 World Cup title defence.”Since the time I have been in the [national] team, I have not felt is a pressure match. We prepared for every match in the same way,” he said. “Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] and GG [Gautam Gambhir] have given me confidence. When you want to play a high-risk game, failures do come. But the way they handled me, I am able to play like this because of that.”Abhishek stressed that the template of aggressive batting he had adopted was something the entire team had bought into, and would look to carry forward.”It is very important to get such support from the team,” he said. “We have been wanting to play this brand of cricket with intent from the start. Irrespective of the opposition, we will continue playing like this.”I’ve had more time to work on a few things. So I’ve worked a lot on those things. I feel this is the start for the team. There will be more miracles going forward.”

India are 1-0 down against South Africa, with only one day remaining of their two-Test series, and the best they can hope is for the scoreline to remain 1-0. Going into the fifth day in Guwahati, India are 27 for 2. They are chasing an all-but-impossible target of 549.A series loss against South Africa will be India’s second in their previous three home series. Last year, they suffered an unprecedented 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand, which ended a proud run of 17 straight home-series wins over a 12-year period.In this scenario, allrounder Ravindra Jadeja suggested that saving the Guwahati Test would be a “win-win situation” for India. Jadeja used the English phrase, and it must be noted that it isn’t his first language.”We will have to bat well, take it session by session,” Jadeja said. “If we don’t give a wicket in the first session, then there will obviously be pressure on the bowlers, that they need to bowl us out. For us, that will be the win-win situation – if we can bat out the full day tomorrow. For us, it’ll be as good as a winning situation.”Related

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This series has flipped the script on India’s previous home series against South Africa in 2019, which they won 3-0. Jadeja suggested South Africa hadn’t done too much differently between that tour and this one, other than winning tosses. India won all three tosses in 2019, and South Africa have won both this time.”I don’t find any difference from what we played against them in 2019,” Jadeja said. “I think they almost have the same squad. In cricket, I feel it’s all about timing. It starts from winning the toss. If we would have won the toss on this wicket, then we would have been in a good situation right now. But that’s part and parcel [of the game]. So, now, [it’s about] what comes next – that is, day five. We have to play good cricket and we have to trust our defence. That’s the key. If we play out day five, then, as I said, it’s a win-win situation for us.”Jadeja was an integral member of India’s teams through their 12-year winning run in home Test series. When asked how difficult it has been to go through India’s ongoing period of negative results at home, Jadeja said it was simply a challenge he and his team-mates had to accept.”See, it’s not difficult. In cricket, it’s always about the situation,” he said. “If you are 312-315 runs ahead in the game, then any batsman can come and play freely. They’re not thinking about spin or bounce, or how the wicket is. But when you’re 300 runs behind and you have to go out and play out a day, defend through it, and know you have a 550-run target, and you know the ball is turning and bouncing, that plays on the mind more.R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were crucial to India’s unbeaten 12-year run at home•BCCI

“We’ve also been [in winning situations]. Like, from 2012 to 2024, in 12 years we did not lose a series at home. In that time, we’ve handle these situations well. But the time was such that we won a lot of tosses and we scored big in the first innings. We’ve beaten oppositions by an innings. It has happened a lot of times.”The more you play cricket, the more new experiences you have. So as cricketers, me and the team, it is a challenge we accept. We will not deny it, and ask why we are having to play in this situation. If it has come, we as players have to take the positives and move on from it. Our attitude will be positive and it will help the team. All the individuals will look to give their 100%.”Whichever batter goes to bat tomorrow will look to give their best. But sometimes, even if you don’t succeed, you learn from [the situation] and know the mistakes you’ve made, and what you can improve on in such a situation again.”India have been in transition over the last year or so having lost a number of senior players. Jadeja felt going through a difficult time like this would help the young players in the team learn and grow,”Look, for the youngsters in the team, I think this is a learning phase. Their career is just starting. In international cricket, no matter what format you play, it’s not easy. No matter what format you play, it’s always a little challenging. So, in India, when a situation like this happens, and you play 3-4 youngsters in the team, it feels like the whole team is young and inexperienced. And that gets highlighted.”But when India wins in home conditions, people think it’s not a big deal. You have to win anyway. So people think that if you win a series in India, it’s not a big deal. But if you lose a series in India, it becomes a very big deal. But even the team that comes here and plays against is representing their country.”So that’s the beauty of cricket, there’s always a surprise. Something new happens year by year. So, for a youngster, it’s a learning phase. If they handle this situation well, they will become mature as players, and India’s future will be better.”

Opener adapts his game to go deep and delivers when it most matters

Alan Gardner14-Sep-2025Will Smeed was relieved to have finally produced the goods when it mattered for Somerset after his perfectly paced innings of 94 off 58 balls helped secure the club’s third T20 Blast title, and second in the last five years.Smeed had never previously scored a half-century in a T20 knockout match – a record that stretched back to his breakthrough season in 2021, and encompassed 13 innings for Somerset (five quarter-finals, five semi-finals and three finals), as well as one for Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred.He fell one hit away from becoming only the second player to score a century on Blast Finals Days – after Chris Lynn broke new ground for Hampshire in Saturday’s second semi-final – and the first to do so in the final of the competition. But he said he was happy to hand over to his captain, Lewis Gregory, whose ruthless five-ball onslaught sealed the game for Somerset with an over to spare.Related

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“To be honest, I just wanted to win the game. I was gutted about not getting us over the line, but Lewis did it, so now I couldn’t care less. I just wanted to make sure we won it. That was the main thing.”Asked if it was his best innings, Smeed said: “It’s the first time I’ve done it in a knockout game. So it’s nice to nice to get that under my belt, and hopefully can take that on going forward. But tonight I’m just gonna celebrate with my mates.”The innings was also evidence of Smeed’s efforts to “add a few more dimensions” to his game as an all-or-nothing power hitter opening the batting. He was 18 off 15 balls when losing opening partner, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and steadily increased his tempo through the chase, reaching a 35-ball fifty. His first and only six of the night came in the 17th over, from the 53rd ball he had faced.Lewis Gregory and Sean Dickson celebrate the moment of Somerset’s victory•Getty Images”We knew one of the top order had to take it deep, just the way the game panned out meant I had to take some more sensible options than I’m used to,” he said. “But it felt like you could hit fours if you hit gaps.”I think that’s been something I’ve tried to work on this year, is trying to add a few more dimensions to the game, as opposed to going gung-ho. TKC did it in the first game brilliantly [with 81 off 52 to set up victory over Lancashire], and I tried to take some learnings from that. We’ve got so much faith in guys down the order that if the rate does creep up, we can always get it back down. So yeah, it worked out today.”The absence of Tom Banton with England, which led to Kohler-Cadmore moving up from his usual berth at No. 3, “probably put a bit more responsibility on me,” Smeed said. “But we’ve not exactly got bad players filling in for him, we’ve got guns coming in. So yeah, it doesn’t change much in terms of the balance of the team or anything. I think that’s been our strength, everyone knows what the team needs from them, and they just go and try and do that.”In the middle alongside Gregory for the moment of victory was Sean Dickson, twice Somerset’s top-scorer when they prevailed on Finals Day in 2023 and the man who dragged them through the quarter-finals last weekend with a scintillating innings against Birmingham Bears. This was likely his last innings for the club, having agreed a move to Glamorgan after not being offered a new contract.”He’s been unbelievable for us. I think, probably the best number five in the country, and I think he shows that time and time again. So yeah, gutted to be losing hm, I’m not looking forward to playing against him next year. But yeah, he’s been so good for us, he brings that calm composure and the ability to execute under pressure, and he can smack any kind of bowler. So he’s a serious, serious player. We’re very grateful for what he’s done for the club over the last few years.”Smeed hailed Sean Dickson’s influence after his key role in the campaign•Getty ImagesHampshire, who were aiming for a record fourth T20 title, had appeared to be favourites after posting the joint-highest total in a Blast final on the back of Toby Albert’s 85 and a partnership of 97 off 59 balls with their captain, James Vince. They squeezed Somerset’s requirement up to 12.66 an over, with six overs left in the game, only for Smeed and Dickson reel it back in as dew descended and it became harder for bowlers to hold the ball.”They obviously got off to a flyer, but we bowled so well, like we have done in the last few games, through that middle period. At the halfway stage, we felt really in the game. We knew we’d have to bat well, but we felt in it. It was a great wicket and the outfield got quicker. So yeah, just absolutely buzzing to have won.”Both teams were playing at Finals Day for the 11th time – a joint-record – and while Somerset have the better record of reaching the final (this was their eighth), Hampshire had never previously been beaten with the trophy on the line.”They’re a great side. Every time we play them, it seems like a really close game, so I’m sure we’ll have lots of close games in the future. You’ve just got to look at their side, they’re full of good players. They know how to win, they know how to get to finals day, and it’s nice to get one over on them this time, but I’m sure they’re going to come back with a vengeance next year.”

One of Carrington’s most impressive players left media stunned as Manchester United’s U18s thrashed rivals Liverpool 7-0 in the U18 Premier League.

Man Utd's U18s thrash Liverpool

The present-day Man United side may not be firing on all cylinders, but their academy continues to produce some absolute gems. It’s been responsible for Marcus Rashford and, more recently, Kobbie Mainoo in recent years – not to mention Scott McTominay – and could have more young stars on the way.

The Red Devils’ U18s side even got some revenge for their first-team this weekend by thrashing Liverpool U18s 7-0 in ruthless fashion. Goals from Bendito Mantato, Louie Bradbury, Jim Thwaites, Samuel Lusale and a hat-trick from JJ Gabriel saw those at Carrington make a statement on Saturday afternoon.

Of course, the success of the academy has always been a priority for those at Old Trafford and Ruben Amorim recently ensured that he extended their record of having a homegrown gem in every matchday squad since 1937.

After handing Jack Fletcher a place on his bench against Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim told reporters: “It’s really important. I think again we are in the moment [where] if we are going to take some corners and succeed right away, it’s the wrong thing.

“There are some things especially in our club that we need to be bulletproof. It’s the way we behave, the way we feel the club and all these small things. We are not going to stop with the Academy players.”

It may not be too long before 15-year-old Gabriel gets the call to the first-team, either. The young forward left media stunned in an incredible display against Liverpool’s U18s.

JJ Gabriel "better than half" the Man Utd first-team, says reporter

Among those blown away by Gabriel was the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele, who went as far as claiming that Gabriel “looks better than half their first team” at Man United.

After netting a hat-trick, the teenage sensation has taken his total for the season to seven goals and one assist in nine appearances in the U18 Premier League.

It won’t be long before Gabriel is progressing through the ranks in Man United’s academy and he looks destined to make his mark on the first-team in years to come. If some believe he looks better than some of the current stars now, he may be a world-beater by the time he turns 18.

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The future is still bright at Old Trafford even if Amorim’s first-team are struggling for consistency. Like it has done so often in the past, Man United’s academy could yet provide the spark that the Red Devils need to return to Europe’s top table.

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Nawaz took 5 for 19 – including a hat-trick – as Afghanistan chose the most important day of the series to put in their worst performance

Danyal Rasool07-Sep-2025A remarkable five-wicket haul from Mohammad Nawaz – including a hat-trick – on a surface that gripped on a dewy Sharjah night helped Pakistan steamroll to the tri-series title, scything though Afghanistan for 66 and securing a 75-run win. The 141 Pakistan put up in a spasmodic display after electing to bat first appeared inadequate halfway through, but an astonishing spell either side of the powerplay saw Afghanistan lose five wickets for four runs. It asphyxiated the chase before it began, giving Pakistan a handy boost ahead of the start of the Asia Cup next week.No side has lost a match after batting first throughout this tournament, and Salman Agha made no secret that was the reason he opted to set a target at the toss. Pakistan ran into early trouble when Sahibzada Farhan’s quiet series whimpered out as he fell for a first-over duck. Pakistan rebuilt cautiously but with Afghanistan’s spinners assisted by the deck, never truly breaking free. Several batters fell after starts, and by the end of the stuttering innings, none had crossed 30.But it didn’t matter once the chase rolled around. Shaheen Shah Afridi dispensed with Rahmanullah Gurbaz early to trigger a phase where the runs were strangled. It created the perfect conditions for Nawaz to come in and wrench the game from Afghanistan’s hands. It included four wickets in six balls before rounding the spell off with Rashid Khan’s scalp in front of a now-silenced Afghan-majority crowd that saw their team choose the most important day of the series to turn in their worst performance.Nawaz the matchwinnerOnly one place to start. Three years ago, Babar Azam famously referred to Mohammad Nawaz as a matchwinner, and over the past couple of months, the left-arm spinner has begun to fit that characterisation. Thrown the ball in the fifth over, he was slightly fortunate with an lbw shout he positively squeezed out of the umpire under duress with the strength of his appeal, before following up Darwesh Rasooli’s dismissal with an edge that got rid of Azmatullah first ball.Mohammad Nawaz hit a couple of sixes in his 21-ball 25•ACC

On a hat-trick, a lovely bit of flight drew Ibrahim Zadran out of his crease and Mohammad Haris whipped off the bails to catch him out stranded. Three balls later, an already incredible spell veered into the surreal with a fourth wicket to reduce Afghanistan to 32 for 6, trapping Karin Janat in front when he miscued a sweep. That kind of day would almost inevitably conclude with a five-wicket haul on a day Nawaz credibly looked like he might take a wicket off any delivery he wanted.Rashid Khan’s takedownPakistan’s display with the bat was little more than ordinary, but perhaps a now-forgotten over late in the first innings stood out as an exception to the trend. With the innings petering out, their run rate was just a smidge over six after 16 overs and five wickets down, Rashid Khan entered the attack for his final over to try and burrow into the tail.Salman Ali Agha was enduring a torrid time, having scratched his way to 12 off his first 23 balls. But when Rashid darted one in, he launched it towards square leg, clearing the fence before doubling up two deliveries later. Rashid did come back off the penultimate to get rid of the Pakistan captain, but Faheem smashed his first ball for four to bleed him for 17 in the over. In a game where spin found so much assistance, Pakistan’s ability to take 38 off one of the world’s best spinners was particularly impressive.

A pair of wicketkeepers and a pair of allrounders feature in this list of emerging players

Deivarayan Muthu24-Oct-2025

Muhammad Abbas (Wellington)

A supremely talented right-hand batter and left-arm seamer, Muhammad Abbas enters the new domestic season after playing three ODIs for New Zealand earlier this year. He made an immediate impact on his international debut, against Pakistan, his country of birth, clattering a 24-ball fifty – the quickest on debut in ODI history – in Napier in March.During the winter, he travelled with the New Zealand A side to Bangladesh and South Africa, gaining exposure away from home. In the third unofficial ODI against South Africa A in Benoni, he picked up 1 for 38 in five overs and hit 66 off 70 balls. At 21, Abbas has the shots and gears to succeed in white-ball cricket and though batting is his stronger suit, he can also do a job with his left-arm seam. A big domestic season could potentially propel him into the BlackCaps’ first-choice white-ball side.Adithya Ashok trained at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai during the New Zealand winter•Super Kings Academy

Adithya Ashok (Auckland)

Auckland wristspinner Adithya Ashok has been identified as Ish Sodhi’s successor and he won his maiden New Zealand contract just before Gary Stead exited as head coach. Rob Walter, the new coach, has leaned on the experience of Sodhi in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year. This Ford Trophy and then the 20-overs Super Smash is Adithya’s chance to press his case for a place in New Zealand’s white-ball sides.Adithya built up a strong body of work during the winter, emerging as New Zealand A’s chief wicket-taker in both four-dayers and List A cricket in Bangladesh and South Africa. Between the two A tours, Adithya visited the Super Kings Academy in Chennai to hone his skills during a spin-centric camp.Curtis Heaphy in action in the Global Super League in Guyana•Global Super League via Getty Images

Curtis Heaphy (Central Districts)

A wicketkeeper-batter, Curtis Heaphy averages over 40 in first-class cricket and over 50 in List A cricket. The 22-year-old was the top run-getter in the 2024-25 Ford Trophy, with 502 runs in 11 innings at an average of 71.71 and a strike rate of 77.95. He then helped Central Districts win the 2024-25 Super Smash and broke into the New Zealand A side. Heaphy also contributed handsomely to CD’s first T20 win outside of New Zealand, scoring an unbeaten 50 off 38 balls against Big Bash League (BBL) champions Hobart Hurricanes in the Global Super League in spin-friendly Guyana. He went bigger in South Africa, making a career-best 190 in the second unofficial Test in Benoni. Heaphy could compete with Canterbury’s Mitch Hay for the emerging wicketkeeper’s slot.Max Chu is a 360-degree batter•Getty Images

Max Chu (Otago)

Another exciting wicketkeeper-batter, Max Chu, who represents Otago, has seen his white-ball stocks rise after hitting 230 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 155.40 in last season’s Super Smash. Chu, 25, can play funky shots behind the wicket, which perhaps put him in the ILT20 shortlist (though he didn’t get a gig there) and landed him a deal at the Canada Super60 earlier this month.Chu was New Zealand’s keeper in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup at home and was part of a batch that included Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra and Matt Fisher. This season presents him an opportunity to level up and join his mates in New Zealand’s senior team.Matt Boyle is rated highly by Canterbury coach Peter Fulton•Getty Images

Matt Boyle (Canterbury)

The younger brother of Jack, who will turn out for Otago in the upcoming season, and the son of Justin, who played for Canterbury and Wellington, Matt Boyle is also part of New Zealand’s young talent pool. A top-order batter, who can also pitch in with legspin, Boyle topped the Super Smash run charts last season and scored his maiden List A century during the 2024-25 Ford Trophy. He didn’t score a whole lot of runs on the winter A tours, but is rated highly by many in New Zealand cricket circles, including his Canterbury coach Peter Fulton.Simon Keene poses a threat to batters with his hooping outswinger•Getty Images

Simon Keene (Auckland)

After Zak Foulkes and Nathan Smith, Auckland’s Simon Keene, who turned 24 earlier this week, promises to be the next seam-bowling allrounder from New Zealand’s pathway system. Keene bagged a five-wicket haul on his Plunket Shield debut in 2022 and then showcased his ability to swing the white ball in last season’s Ford Trophy, when he razed Canterbury’s line-up with 5 for 29 in Mount Manganui. In addition to his hooping outswinger, Keene can also give it a good whack with the bat like he showed during his 35-ball 81 while opening the batting with Martin Guptill in the Super Smash, and more recently during his 77 off 58 balls from No.8 in a one-dayer for New Zealand A in Benoni.

Hardik hasn’t played any professional cricket since the Asia Cup in September, and will be hoping to prove his fitness ahead of the T20Is against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2025

Hardik Pandya will appear for Baroda in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s domestic T20 tournament, marking his first appearance in professional cricket since the end of September. National selector Pragyan Ojha is expected to be in attendance for the two games- against Punjab and Gujarat on December 2 and 4, respectively – to assess Hardik’s match fitness.Hardik’s last appearance was for India, at the Asia Cup, during their Super Fours match against Sri Lanka on September 26. He has been out of action since then owing to a left quadricep injury. He arrived at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, in Bengaluru, to begin his rehabilitation on October 15, and after a three-day break for Diwali, he has continued working with them on his fitness during the stretch from October 21 to November 29.He appears for Baroda at the SMAT with the BCCI selectors at the cusp of announcing the squad for the five-match T20I series against South Africa. ESPNcricinfo understands that the selectors are expected to name a squad for the series in the next couple of days. Hardik’s availability for Baroda, and whether he can appear for any further fixtures, will depend on if and when he is called up to join the India squad for preparation.Baroda lost their opening encounters against Bengal and Puducherry at the SMAT – by six wickets and 17 runs, respectively – but have bounced back to win against Himachal Pradesh.

Weston McKennie and Jonathan David are in different situations for their club and, with the World Cup around the corner, need to start playing their best soccer.

On Tuesday evening, two CONCACAF stars finally made the difference for Juventus in the Champions League. Their influence was overdue in a 3-2 win that flirted with embarrassment, but when Juve needed someone to steady the ship, first Weston McKennie and then Jonathan David delivered.

McKennie struck first, smashing home a 60th-minute equalizer against Bodo/Glimt. David followed with a stoppage-time winner that secured three points — and, frankly, spared Juve from dropping points in a game they had no business complicating. It was about time for both. McKennie remains an enigma in Turin: ever-present, yet often difficult to pinpoint in terms of tangible impact. David, meanwhile, chose a club with two established strikers and has spent the autumn trying to carve out space for himself. It’s only November, but both feel like they’re approaching a crossroads.

And in recent weeks, that has only gotten worse. Juve did what Italian clubs often do and fired their manager, Igor Tudor, after a poor start to the season. They then responded by hiring Luciano Spalletti, a coach of immaculate pedigree but seemingly a poor fit for the squad.

It is a puzzling situation for both. Spalletti has done little to indicate that he rates David. McKennie has been a regular, but far from the star he could perhaps be elsewhere. In short, the American and the Canadian are struggling – albeit in different ways. And at an unpredictable club quickly falling out of Serie A contention, something has to change.

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  Spalletti and what the new manager brings

  Spalletti should have made sense. In truth, he still might. This is a frighteningly early time to jump to any conclusions. But what Juventus have is a Serie A–proven manager who showed he can do a lot with a little when he won the league with Napoli in 2023. That team was propelled by Victor Osimhen and a young Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but it was also wonderfully balanced, with legs in midfield and solidity at the back. Spalletti’s sides can attack, but they can also defend.

  His time with the Italian national team was admittedly mixed. The talent pool had dried up, and he argued that he didn’t have the time to shape the squad before Euro 2024. Italy lost in the Round of 16, and he took responsibility:

  “We failed because of my team selection; it is never down to the players.”

  It was expected that he might leave after the exit, but instead stuck around for another year. He was let go for good in June after losing to Norway in Italy's first World Cup qualifying fixture. 

  When Juve appointed him, they hoped for the Napoli version of Spalletti. There could yet be some magic here.

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  Early results are mixed

  The early results have been somewhat mixed. Spalletti looks very much like a coach still figuring it out – tinkering with his personnel despite having a recognized system. There is, however, one major constraint to his game. Juve's squad has been assembled to play in some version of a 3-4-3. There will, in whatever tactical vision Spalletti ultimately holds, a base construction of three central defenders, wing backs and two central midfielders. 

  That's a problem. At Napoli, he used a 4-3-3 of sorts. For Italy, he tinkered but tended to favor a back four system. He has been given a squad, then, that doesn't quite fit his usual needs. That is not necessarily Spalletti's fault. Juventus have only had a director of football for five months. They are, structurally, a mess, and have appointed three managers in just over a year. He's not been given the best tools here. 

  He started his reign by beating Cremonese, 2-1. That was followed by three straight draws in which Juve scored just twice. On Tuesday evening, he had his first big win. The conceded first against last year's Europa League darlings Bodo/Glimt and mounted a second-half comeback to seal three vital points in the Champions League. 

  There have been some tactical innovations here. With too many central midfielders to get into his side – and a feeling that Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, and Teun Koopmeiners are all undroppable – Spalletti moved Koopmeiners into his back three, and tasked the midfielder with playing a crucial role in build-up play. That has certainly made his side more dynamic on the ball – yet the end product is yet to be seen. 

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  McKennie's value amid uncertainty

   What this means for McKennie, though, remains unclear. Every summer brings the same message: the American is no longer valued at Juve, a move is imminent, his time is up. And yet, somehow, he always works his way back into the fold. Sometimes out of necessity, but more often because of his quality. McKennie is a gifted, versatile footballer who should be more than a utility man, though a succession of managers have been reluctant to leave him out.

  Spalletti has treated him much the same way, using the Texas native as a right-sided player in various roles. McKennie has started all five of Spalletti’s games so far and has played all but five minutes. Three starts have come at right wing-back; two have come as either a winger or an advanced midfielder. And McKennie has been entirely agreeable. He does everything right without quite standing out. He hasn’t scored or assisted, but he’s a steady 7/10: winning more tackles than he loses, completing passes at a solid rate, and creating a couple of chances each game.

  Then, on Tuesday, he came alive. Juve were struggling and trailed Bodo/Glimt 1-0 at half-time. Lois Openda pulled one back early in the second half. And McKennie came up with the next crucial moment. His go-ahead goal wasn’t particularly pretty, but he timed his run perfectly and rose to meet a lofted ball. Juve went on to win 3-2.

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  David, who can barely get a kick

  And David also got in on the fun. It has been a frustrating few months for the former Lille man. He was linked with plenty of high-profile moves after scoring for fun in the French league. Arsenal and Liverpool were both reportedly in the mix. A few other big names were mentioned here and there. Juve, in truth, seemed an odd choice, especially given that they had Dusan Vlahovic up front. David needed to start, and it didn't seem like the club could offer him many minutes. 

  So far, those doubts have proven valid. Thus far, David has started five out of 11 Serie A games, registering one goal and one assist in league play. He was bright in the first month of the season, but Spalletti has been reluctant to use him. Davif hasn't started a domestic game under the new boss, and played just four minutes against Sporting CP in the Champions League on Nov. 4. 

  His underlying numbers, though, look pretty good. David is in the 90th percentile for shot-creating actions and 99th in pass completion percentage according to . His defensive numbers are as reliable as ever. These are small sample sizes, but the player is still very much there. 

  And he proved it in style Tuesday evening. Juve seemed set to kick on after McKennie's second goal. But the home side grabbed an equalizer in the 87th minute. A point wouldn't have been disastrous. Still, in these games, you need all three. David's goal was all instinct. Kenan Yildiz had a shot well parried, and David floated in, reacted first, and turned home. Whether that goal kicks off his Juve career in full remains to be seen, but it was a solid moment for a struggling player.  

Their bowling issues haven’t been spoken about quite as much as their batting woes, but they may have played just as big a role in the predicament they find themselves in

Karthik Krishnaswamy02-May-20253:03

Have SRH been the most disappointing team this season?

There are partnerships that go at more than two runs per ball, and there are partnerships that delight cricketing purists. Rarely do you get one that ticks both boxes.The 87-run stand between Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan in Friday’s game between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) was a rare example. It came off just 41 balls, and it included 13 fours and two sixes. All those boundaries came inside the powerplay, and they came off these shots, as per ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data: six pulls, three flicks, two cover drives, a straight drive, a steer, a dab and a cut.That the sixth-highest powerplay score of IPL 2025 (82 for no loss) came up without any slogs, scoops or reverse hits was remarkable, and the first instinct of the viewer might be to hail the quality of the batting. And that wouldn’t be wrong: Gill and Sai Sudharsan have both been in stellar ball-striking form throughout the season, and Friday’s partnership overflowed with silken timing and pinpoint placement.Related

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Gill, Buttler and Sai Sudharsan leave SRH on the brink of elimination

Watch those highlights again, though, and you’ll also see that so much of the timing and placement came off bad bowling from SRH. Mohammed Shami set the tone in the first over with a half-volley drifting onto Gill’s toes – duly flicked for six – and the errors in line and length kept coming, over after over.Shami gave Sai Sudharsan width and then overcompensated during a 20-run third over. Then SRH captain Pat Cummins came on and bowled three floaty half-volleys to Gill in the fourth, before Harshal Patel delivered a half-volley, a full-toss and a hip-high short ball angling down leg to Sai Sudharsan in the fifth.Cummins put an extraordinarily high number to the cost of SRH’s bad balls through the powerplay.”Our powerplay with the ball wasn’t too great,” he said on the broadcast. “I’m probably as guilty as anyone there. [We] probably let them get 20 or 30 extra just with some bad balls. Maybe hang on to one or two catches throughout the middle, again I’m guilty there, and maybe chasing 200 looks a bit more realistic.” As it happened, SRH had to chase 225.Cummins was then asked about the challenge of bowling to Sai Sudharsan and Gill, who now sit first and fourth in the Orange Cap standings.2:36

Chopra: If Shami struggles, his England ticket will be in doubt

“They’re class batters,” Cummins said. “They don’t do anything outlandish. If you bowl bad balls they just put it away, and we probably dished up too many bad balls. They’re quality, they know this venue well, so yeah, we just weren’t quite at our best.”Gill and Sai Sudharsan are hugely gifted batters, but they are throwbacks of a sort. They score quicker than the kind of batter who would have been called an anchor five years ago, but they are still more reluctant than many other IPL opening pairs to relinquish control in the search for accelerated boundary-hitting.On Friday, the perfect storm of finely tuned batting rhythm, excellent batting conditions and ordinary bowling gave them the best of both worlds: 15 boundaries within the powerplay as well as a control percentage of nearly 92. At one point, Sai Sudharsan was batting with a strike rate of 244 and a control percentage of 100.Of the 12 powerplays this season that have ended with 75-plus scores, GT’s on Friday was the only one with a 90-plus control percentage.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}}))}();