Fans in attendance were greeted by a notably jovial Kohli and Rohit, both happy to sign autographs and take selfies

Tristan Lavalette16-Oct-20252:16

What to expect from Rohit, Kohli in this phase of their careers?

With Optus Stadium – a favourite site of his – providing a magnificent backdrop, Virat Kohli looked sharp in the Perth nets in his return to the India team after a lengthy break since the Champions Trophy.There was intrigue over who would take part in India’s optional training session on the first day of their limited-overs tour of Australia. Much to the delight of the sprinkling of fans outside the ground, Kohli and Rohit Sharma – the latter set to play without the captain’s armband and under Shubman Gill’s leadership – decided to dust off the cobwebs to mark their return to the national setup ahead of the first ODI against Australia on Sunday.Quicks Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh also took part, while KL Rahul was the only member of India’s Test team against West Indies to train. While most of the squad arrived in Perth in the early hours of Thursday, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj and the coaching staff were on a later flight.Related

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As always, all eyes were on Kohli who has not played since the IPL and is almost surely starting his final Australian tour. Kohli looked locked in as he went through catching drills with great intensity during India’s 20-minute session on the turf where just under a year ago he scored his final Test century.Kohli then spent 40 minutes in the nets and mostly faced back of a length bowling from Rana, Arshdeep and several local bowlers. There were a few uncomfortable moments, but Kohli looked generally at ease as he prepared for a likely lively surface in an ODI game set to be played amid damp conditions – a notable change from the sunshine that has greeted India in Perth.Kohli’s fluency impressed as he aimed to get himself inside the ball’s line with Rana, in particular, bowling with zip. Next to Kohli in the nets was his long-time teammate Rohit, who also has not played since the IPL and looked rusty to begin with. While the lovely sound of ball hitting the middle of Kohli’s bat reverberated, Rohit struggled with his timing and his footwork was sluggish. Like Kohli, he has not represented India since the Champions Trophy and is also only playing ODI cricket internationally.Virat Kohli’s final Test ton also came in Perth•Getty ImagesStaying in the nets a little longer than Kohli, Rohit started to grow in confidence as he thumped several blows into the netting. While Kohli and Rohit were getting in work, Rahul’s time in the nets was brief before trudging off alongside a few support staff.In a far cry from India’s Test preparation in Perth last November, where the WACA ground’s nets were completely covered by black shade cloth, there was a much more relaxed vibe to this training session.While fans were unable to watch their heroes last year – apart from a hardy few who climbed trees – those who attended this time around were greeted by a notably jovial Kohli and Rohit, who were both happy to sign autographs and take selfies.Kohli’s presence has notably heightened the build-up for this three-match ODI series, no doubt helping lift ticket sales with more than 50,000 fans expected at Optus Stadium.It kick-starts a massive Australian summer, with the Ashes starting in Perth on November 21. Apart from the peak summer period of December and January, it’s usually hard for cricket in Perth to compete with the obsessively followed Australian Football League (AFL) which continually eats into cricket season.But at least for this summer, there is a real sense of anticipation with India and, especially, England touring. However, there wasn’t much fanfare earlier in the day during Australia’s optional training session at Optus Stadium.Most of the squad took part, with quick Mitchell Starc a standout in the nets with his speed as he hustled the batters. It was generally a laid back atmosphere before the intensity of the big summer really kicks-in, with plenty of banter over golf evident between the Australian players.Former Test quick Jhye Richardson was an encouraging sight in the nets as he makes his way back following shoulder surgery earlier in the year. A return to the field is still a little way off for Richardson, who has endured a wretched injury run, but he looked in good physical condition although did not appear to bowl at top speed.India and Australia will have their main training sessions on Friday.

Ireland leave Bangladesh with a 2-0 Test series defeat but their 26-year-old allrounder has impressed with his batting ability

Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2025In the aftermath of their 217-run defeat to Bangladesh, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie was still proud of the fight put up by Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey and Jordan Neill on the fifth day in Dhaka.The visitors batted 59.3 overs on Sunday, holding Bangladesh up till almost the tea break, when Hasan Murad removed Hoey and Matthew Humphreys with successive deliveries. Nobody could remove Campher though. He made an unbeaten 71 having faced the greatest number of balls by an Ireland batter in the fourth innings of a Test match (259). Hoey was second on the list with 104.”[Curtis Campher] is someone that is hard to get out when he is in his bubble,” Balbirnie said. “He is very determined not to get out even when he is in the nets. He has such a strong defense, he showed that today.”Bangladesh were pushed to a little bit of an extreme, bowling 100 overs for the first time in the fourth innings at Shere Bangla National stadium. Campher played a big part in that.Related

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“If he puts his mind to it, he can do it,” Balbirnie said. “It is a shame that no one from the top and middle order could hang around for long enough. I think the batters showed fight today, to bat till just before tea on the fifth day. We were behind the game a lot. Bangladesh deserved to win the series 2-0.”Balbirnie also talked about Hoey and his recently-developed skillset as an allrounder: “I play with Gavin in club cricket in Dublin. I have known him since he was a kid. His dad was an Irish international in the 1990s. He was a legspinner as well. I think [Hoey] has only been bowling legspin since [Covid] lockdown, so it’s been five years. He was a seam bowler [earlier].Andy Balbirnie was candid about Ireland’s inability to bat for long periods•ECB/Getty Images

“So to have that skillset in this short time is really impressive. He will get better and better from experiences like this. We have to make sure that he gets enough overs under his belt. We need to have our spinners develop consistency so that we do well in these conditions.”Ireland had some hope of batting the day out and coming away with a draw. “[There were expectations] probably just before Murad took the two wickets,” Balbirnie said. “There was a small bit of excitement in the dressing room at that drinks break. Credit to the Bangladesh spinners. They don’t miss their line and length too often. They test batters a lot. The two wickets in two balls put an end to that [hope] pretty quickly. It was an enthralling day’s play. I think Curtis can be proud of his work today.”The fact that the Test match stretched to the fifth day was also a tribute to the type of pitch prepared for the encounter. “A lot of us had seen the West Indies ODI series. We were a bit nervous coming here,” Balbirnie said, referring to pitches that had, on one occasion, witnessed fifty overs of spin in the first innings. “When we arrived, we thought [the pitch] would break up quickly, but it held together. There was turn, but it wasn’t every ball. It was a good cricket wicket. I thought it was a pretty fair wicket. We had two good wickets over the two Tests.”Balbirnie was also candid about what Ireland hoped for from the series. “We had won three Tests in a row before coming here, so there was confidence in the group,” he said. “We had to manage our expectations. You are coming to places that have experienced cricketers.”We are trying to get that consistency. Our top-order didn’t fire for the last two games. Bangladesh’s top-order showed us how to do it – to bat for a long time and get big hundreds. [Their batting] was the big difference. We weren’t competitive against Bangladesh for longer periods. They showed their class over the nine days,” he said.

Tottenham have been given some encouragement over the prospect of signing a Brazil international as his agents work to find him a new club.

Tottenham targeting new attacker in January amid creativity issue

Thomas Frank faces mounting pressure at Tottenham just six months into his tenure, with serious questions surrounding the Dane’s future.

Spurs sit 11th in the table with just 19 points from 13 games, and their home record tells a catastrophic story.

With only one Premier League win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium all season, not to mention 10 home defeats this calendar year, they currently boast the joint-worst record in that regard in the club’s history.

Winless in five matches across all competitions, including losses to Arsenal, PSG and Fulham, their controversial 2-2 draw at Newcastle on Monday evening prevented a fourth straight defeat.

16. Burnley

2

1

4

7

-2

17. Nottingham Forest

2

1

4

7

-5

18. West Ham

2

0

5

6

-9

19. Tottenham

1

2

4

5

-1

20. Wolves

0

1

6

1

-11

Cristian Romero rescued Frank with a dramatic stoppage-time overhead kick. The Argentine scored twice at St James’ Park, his header and acrobatic finish earning a vital point, and his heroics seriously spared Frank’s blushes.

Dressing room unrest is reportedly growing, with reports suggesting players are confused by Frank’s constant tactical tinkering.

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The reliable journalist has some information.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025

Summer signing Xavi Simons symbolises Frank’s struggles. The £55 million playmaker has started just six league games, relegated to the bench for crucial fixtures despite Spurs’ creative drought, and former defender Ramon Vega has accused Frank of “changing his mind every two seconds.”

Frank apparently retains board backing until at least new year, but improvement must arrive quickly.

January reinforcements remain crucial, with FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa heavily linked alongside Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, who has a tantalising £65 million release clause in his contract which will be active next month.

If Spurs cannot win the race for Semenyo amid interest from Man City, then RB Leizpig’s Yan Diomande is believed to be an alternative, with Sky Switzerland’s Sacha Tavolieri reporting they’ve already held advanced discussions on the player’s side.

Tottenham given Rodrygo boost as agents work on Real Madrid exit

Now, according to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, the north Londoners have been given a boost in their pursuit of Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

It is believed that Tottenham have emerged among the Premier League clubs that Rodrygo would consider joining, with his representatives actively working to secure a January departure from the Bernabeu.

The Brazilian has seen his situation deteriorate dramatically since Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti over the summer, becoming the most high-profile casualty.

Only four of his 15 appearances this season have exceeded 45 minutes, with Rodrygo regularly deployed as an impact substitute and falling behind Arda Güler in the pecking order.

Intermediaries representing the 24-year-old are working diligently to identify potential destinations, with Arsenal and Liverpool already engaged in discussions.

Rodrygo himself has made clear he would welcome moves to Man City, Man United, Chelsea or Tottenham too, though currently only Arsenal, Liverpool, City and Spurs are actively monitoring his availability.

Real value him between £70-79 million, and the Spanish giants ideally want to retain Rodrygo until the summer, when Nico Paz’s expected return will likely accelerate his departure.

It isn’t an easy deal to do by any means, with Spurs potentially needing to break their transfer record whilst fending off elite competition from their rivals.

However, there is little doubt this would be a statement move by the Lewis family as they look to usher in a new era post-Daniel Levy.

Virgil van Dijk hasn’t been at his best for Liverpool this season, but he’s still Virgil van Dijk.

This is one of the best defenders of his generation, and though he turned 34 in June, the Netherlands and Anfield skipper renewed his £350k-per-week contract at Liverpool until 2027, and more stable defensive foundations would bring the Dutchman back to his usual imperious level.

A mini-revival in recent weeks has eased the pressure on Arne Slot’s shoulders, but there’s no question that the Reds need to sign a centre-back.

Liverpool's plans to sign a centre-back

FSG thought they had completed the perfect summer transfer window, but FSG thought wrong. So many things haven’t gone to plan for Liverpool this season, and the failure to sign an elite centre-half is chief among them.

Sporting director Richard Hughes did, in fairness, fork out £27m to bring Giovanni Leoni to Anfield. But the talented Italian, only 18, ruptured his ACL against Southampton on his debut, and we will not see him back on the grass for some time yet.

With Van Dijk getting on a bit and Ibrahima Konate having plummeted to the nadir of his career form, so many error-strewn and unconvincing performances, the Merseysiders surely need to sign a defender, with depth proving a massive issue for Slot.

According to TEAMtalk, that man might yet be Marc Guehi, who came within a whisker of joining Liverpool last summer, a deal falling through at the eleventh hour on deadline day.

Despite that, the central defender is still ‘hopeful’ of living out his childhood dream of playing for Liverpool, according to the report. He is said to be ‘very keen’ on a move to Anfield.

The England international has been immense this season, as he was last year, and while he is set to leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer at the end of the season, chairman Steve Parish would allow him to leave for a not-so-small fee of £35m in January.

Why Guehi could usurp Van Dijk as Liverpool captain

In short, stability and dynamism in defence, two areas in which the Reds have been decidedly lacking this season. Guehi is not only a “monster in defence”, as he has been described by Crystal Palace correspondent Bobby Manzi, but an intelligent, calculated player, instrumental in the build-up.

In the Premier League this season, there have been few better. Guehi has played 14 of the Eagles’ 15 fixtures, missing out once due to injury, and he has captained Oliver Glasner’s squad on each of those occasions.

Could we be looking at the man who will take the armband from Liverpool’s titanic captain? For sure, Guehi has what it takes to steal Konate’s starting berth from him, so far removed from the Frenchman’s abject performances.

Matches (starts)

14 (14)

15 (15)

Goals + assists

2 + 2

0 + 0

Clean sheets

6

2

Touches*

65.4

74.3

Accurate passes*

44.9 (86%)

54.7 (90%)

Chances created*

0.6

0.3

Recoveries*

4.0

2.7

Tackles + interceptions*

3.0

2.1

Clearances*

5.1

6.1

Duels (won)*

5.9 (67%)

6.3 (66%)

Errors

1

4

Guehi rarely makes a mistake. He is calm and composed, and composure and calmness have been in short supply across Liverpool’s backline this season.

Moreover, he would help fix Liverpool’s struggles in the build-up. Losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid was always going to force a rewiring of passing patterns, and Konate has been left exposed.

Guehi, however, ranks among the top 8% of Premier League defenders this season for progressive passes, the top 6% for shot-creating actions and the top 10% for tackles won per 90, as well as the top 8% for aerial duel success rate.

This is a complete defender at the top of their game, and with his prime years still in front of him, such an inspiring leader must be brought over to Anfield. Second time lucky? Liverpool could certainly do with a centre-back who has what it takes to grab the baton from Van Dijk.

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Liverpool could be edging closer to a marquee January move…

ByRobbie Walls 2 days ago

Further work required, particularly at senior leadership levels, according to Sport Structures report

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2025

The ECB has work to do, according to a new report on equity and inclusion, but has made progress•PA Images/Getty

A new independent assessment of cricket in England and Wales says that “genuine progress” has been made in the sport’s bid to address its long-standing issues of inclusion and equity – but adds that further work is needed in several areas, including at senior leadership level.The State of Equity in Cricket Report, published by Sport Structures, had been commissioned by the ECB as a follow-up to the damning 2023 report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), which found that racism, classism, sexism and elitism were “widespread” in the sport.That original report had concluded with 44 recommendations to the ECB, one of which was to publish a “full State of Equity Report every three years”. This latest document, 53 pages long, has been delivered a year ahead of schedule, with Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, stating that it was intended to “hold us to account” as cricket seeks to become the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales.”Cricket is not yet where it aspires to be, but the tone has changed,” Kate Percival, Sport Structures’ CEO, said in a statement. “Inclusion is now seen as central to the game’s health and future.”The report outlined several “notable areas of progress”, including improved access to talent pathways, and a doubling of the number of women’s and girl’s teams since 2021, backed up by significant increases in the number of professional women’s players and their pay.The establishment of a new independent Cricket Regulator, ring-fenced from the rest of the ECB, was also noted in the report, along with a £50 million investment in facilities since 2023, particularly in urban areas including two all-weather cricket domes in Bradford and Darwen.However, despite improved representation at board level – with female non-executives at 37% compared to 11% in 2019, and 18% ethnically diverse non-executives compared to 5% in 2019 – the report stated that “further action” was required at senior level, with a particular lack of Black representation.Dame Sarah Storey is the only female chair at a first-class county•Lancashire CCC

Dame Sarah Storey, who is currently interim chair at Lancashire, remains the only female chair at any of the 18 first-class counties, while the resignation of Essex chair Anu Mohindru – who was found to have lied on his CV – means the ethnic diversity among county chairs and chief executives remains at 6%.Coaching course data showed that more diversity is required in the Specialist programme which feeds the professional game, while Disability cricket requires “deeper integration” within county and club systems. The recreational game, meanwhile, requires further “capacity and expertise” to deal with discrimination issues, although a newly-formed Recreational Discipline Panel of independent experts is in place to hear the most serious and complex cases.”The State of Equity in Cricket Report holds us to account in relation to our ambitions to become the most inclusive team sport,” Gould said. “It shows us some areas of excellent work and progress, as well as where we need to go further.”The extensive work to open up the talent pathway to young people from every background is a great example of the changes that can be made when cricketing organisations join forces to break down barriers and deliver systemic change.”We know there is still a great deal of work to do, and a number of areas where more action is needed to address structural issues. We said from the start there could be no quick fix, but we committed to delivering meaningful and lasting change, and that will remain our absolute focus in the months and years ahead as we build on the progress we are setting out today.”

This is not the finest version of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United, but there’s no question that the Magpies have made a measure of headway after a tough summer transfer window and a tough start to the season.

It’s been a strange old season for the Premier League so far. Spoils are there for all, but there is also the threat of sunken expectations for many outfits across the division. We are approaching Christmas, and Newcastle are 12th in the standings, yet trail Crystal Palace in the top four by only four points.

Say what you will about United’s lack of eloquence on the field at times – they toiled through the opening half-hour against Burnley at the weekend, and came under the cosh late on against the ten-man relegation contenders – but there remains a spirit and resourcefulness about this team that few rivals can match.

However, improvements are needed, and no mistake, with Anthony Elanga in particular still yet to repay the faith invested in him this summer.

Elanga's start to life at Newcastle

Elanga enjoyed a bright cameo off the bench during Newcastle’s recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, but it was a case of one step forward and two steps back when he flattered to deceive from the opening whistle against Burnley.

The 24-year-old has yet to score for the Toon, having filled a long-running gap on ther right wing at St. James Park this summer when signing from Nottingham Forest for £55m.

Perhaps what’s most frustrating is that Elanga was profiled extensively ahead of the ultimate acquisition; indeed, Newcastle tried and failed to sign the pacy winger in 2024.

He is talented enough and has enough Premier League experience to turn things around, but this is becoming something of a problem for Howe’s side, who need his speed and creativity and fluency down the right flank.

Analyst Raj Chohan said the £100k-per-week talent has been “a massive overpay”, and on the basis of the evidence over the past few months, this may be on the money, as it were.

Matches (starts)

38 (31)

15 (6)

Goals

6

0

Assists

11

1

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.6)

0.5 (0.2)

Pass completion

78%

81%

Key passes*

1.3

0.5

Big chances created

9

1

Dribbles*

0.7

0.3

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

0.5

Duels (won)*

3.0 (45%)

1.7 (36%)

Sadly, Elanga wasn’t the addition the Magpies seem to have blundered on, with another making the Sweden international shine in comparison.

Newcastle "wasted their bag" on summer signing

Since Howe and PIF changed the narrative on Tyneside, Newcastle have been widely praised for their shrewd and calculated transfer business.

However, that reputation was knocked askew this summer, with Alexander Isak forcing his way over to Liverpool and a multitude of targets rejecting the Toon.

Howe did end up packaging his squad with a range of players, but Jacob Ramsey might be shaping into the worst of the lot, having arrived from Aston Villa for a £40m fee in August.

Like Elanga, Ramsey played from the opening whistle against the Clarets, and though Elanga left something to be desired, the former Villan star struggled to provide even a measure of his quality on an afternoon that demanded a big performance, such is the competitive nature of Howe’s squad.

The aforementioned Chohan remarked that Newcastle “wasted their bag” on the English playmaker this summer, who has already endured a continuation of the injury problems that had plagued him at Aston Villa, limiting him to just two starting appearances, the second of which may lead to a return to the bench, overshadowed by Joe Willock against a Burnley side who were afforded too much time and space.

Chronicle Live were quick to draw attention to Ramsey’s poor performance, branding the 24-year-old with a 5/10 match rating and criticising the needless concession of a late penalty which set up a nervy finish.

Minutes played

89′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

73

Shots (on target

1 (0)

Accurate passes

56/60 (93%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

8

Tackles

1/2

Duels won

4/5

He was tidy enough and resilient in defence, notably winning four of five contested duels against Burnley and showcasing his athleticism with eight ball recoveries, but Ramsey was purchased for his flair and initiative on the ball, and it was a fine representation of neither.

While there’s a sense at the club that Joelinton is winding down after a long and tireless career of service, there have been more than a few murmurs pertaining to Howe’s desire to bring Elliot Anderson back home, and a move such as that would only hinder Ramsey in his hopes of nailing down a starting berth, especially given that he is contesting with Willock already for minutes.

While both Elanga and Ramsey have what it takes to raise their level at St. James’ Park, Howe will be determined to kick on after a testing start to the season and match, maybe even eclipse, last season’s trophy-winning success, qualifying for the Champions League too.

The importance of achieving their goals mean that Newcastle can take no prisoners, and must be ruthless in upgrading the squad to a level that sits comfortably alongside the game’s heavyweights both in England and across Europe.

Given that technical director Ross Wilson has suggested that Newcastle have money to burn heading into 2026, should they decide that signings are needed, someone like Ramsey must be a bit concerned for his role in the outfit, having completed a start that has left much to be desired.

He's the next Bruno Guimaraes: Newcastle to launch move for £30m "monster"

Newcastle United could win themselves a future Bruno Guimaraes by making a move for this £30m ace.

ByKelan Sarson 3 days ago

Now a senior voice in a new dressing room, de Kock comes into the Proteas set-up with fresh perspectives

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2025Quinton de Kock had to walk away from his childhood dream of becoming an international cricketer to realise he hadn’t quite fulfilled as much of it as he wanted. And he did it quietly.After South Africa lost last year’s T20 World Cup final in heart-wrenching fashion by seven runs to India, de Kock, in his words, “disappeared”.He hadn’t retired from T20Is, hadn’t said any goodbyes, and simply wasn’t named in any of South Africa’s squads. Rob Walter, now the former white-ball coach, spent press conference after press conference saying he hadn’t spoken to de Kock and had no idea of his future plans until, eventually we stopped asking.Everyone – with good reason – assumed, de Kock was done. He popped up in T20 leagues as one spring came and went, but by the time another arrived, de Kock had spent enough time in the cold.Related

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“I missed the camaraderie and the whole thing of representing the Proteas,” de Kock said in his first media interaction post-comeback. “I’d played so much for the Proteas over the years that I kind of forgot about that feeling, as a kid that’s grown up to be a Proteas cricketer.”After having a bit of a break from the team, that childhood dream came back.”Many players say this kind of thing when they walk away: the achievements will blur into the background and it’s the friendships they’ll miss. Some keep them going at league level, and de Kock has, but not many return to make new connections. De Kock has decided that’s what he wants.”What I’ve really enjoyed is all the new faces,” he said. “There’s only a handful of the guys who are still here from when I left. Now I’m playing with a whole bunch of youngsters, new guys, new coaching staff, so it’s quite refreshing. I’m making some new friends now and there’s a new style within the team.”

“I’ve always been used to being one of the young guys in the team. So it’s a bit of a shell shock”Quinton de Kock

Those words may sound strange to those, like many of us, for whom de Kock is still the uber-talented 20-year-old who burst into South Africa’s squad in late 2012. But 13 years have passed, de Kock is 32 and is South Africa’s 10th most-capped international across all formats. Not much has changed about his public persona – he still “just doesn’t watch cricket,” – and didn’t say much about the women’s team making their first ODI World Cup final, but he’s no newbie. He is a senior and he intends to behave like one.De Kock’s second innings could see him play the 2026 T20 World Cup and the home ODI World Cup in 2027•Associated Press”Apart from trying to win games, I’m going to try to help youngsters grow in their careers. Obviously, I play a lot more international cricket than a couple of the guys on the team, so I’m just here to help them out where I can,” he said. “When I started, one of the big guys that I stuck close to, and is now one of my very good friends is Dale Steyn.”He taught me a couple of lessons along the way that really helped my career. A couple of the youngsters have been asking me questions and how to improve their game, so I’m happy to be here and help where I can, kind of like what Dale did for me. If I make an impact in their careers, it will be great. It’s very different, me coming back as one of the older guys. I’ve always been used to being one of the young guys in the team. So it’s a bit of a shell shock.”Equally, it will take some getting used to that de Kock, a former captain, is not guaranteed a place on reputation alone and he knows it. “I don’t think the door is completely open for me,” he said. “I still need to come here and score runs.”After only two matches, the comeback’s sample size is small but de Kock hasn’t had it all his way. He was out for 1 against Namibia earlier this month and made a good-looking 23 off 13 balls against Pakistan in the first T20I. Both times, he sliced the ball to fielders, which may indicate a little patience is required. De Kock’s time away, mostly spent as father to a young daughter, is likely to have taught him some. With the calendar head, he has more than enough matches to show it.De Kock has scored 24 runs in two T20I innings since his return•Getty ImagesSouth Africa play two more T20Is against Pakistan followed by three ODIs. Then, after two Tests in India (which won’t feature de Kock), they will play three ODIs and five T20Is in India in preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup. If de Kock is included in the India series, it would be a strong sign that he is being considered for the World Cup, but he isn’t thinking that way yet.South Africa are also co-hosts with Zimbabwe and Namibia for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Now that de Kock has reversed the ODI retirement he announced in 2023, he will also be eligible to play in that event.”When I spoke to Shukri [Conrad, head coach], I said I’d like to play for as long as I can, however long that’s going to be. Obviously, I’d like to play in a couple of World Cups in that timeline,” he said. “I said to him ‘Look, I’ve disappeared for a year or two but now I’m back to play for as long as I can. I’m still pretty fit. I feel fitter than ever at the moment. My body feels great, so I’m going to push it for as long as I can. I haven’t set a deadline or timeline.”

Pakistan’s senior batters made light work of chasing down the target of 289 set by Sri Lanka

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Nov-2025Babar Azam hit his first international century in more than two years, as Pakistan’s senior batters made light work of chasing down the target of 289. Sri Lanka’s middle order had dragged the total to 288 for 8 after they’d lost early wickets. But on a flat Rawalpindi track, they never looked like defending their score, particularly after their opening bowlers were wayward. Pakistan got home with 10 balls to spare, and eight wickets at their disposal. They have now won the series 2-0, with one match to play.Babar’s 102 not out off 119 – his 20th ODI ton – was not only significant for ending his international century drought (his last hundred had been in May 2023), but for equaling Saeed Anwar’s record for most ODI hundreds for Pakistan. He had two ultra productive regions – through cover and midwicket. Those areas brought him 61 of his runs, and six of his eight fours. He was never seriously tested in this innings, however. Sri Lanka had played one bowler too few, and their seamers were having an off day in any case. At no phase in the innings did the required rate threaten to get out of hand.Though that century is the big news, all four of Pakistan’s top order batters played important innings. Saim Ayub set the chase off rapidly with his 33 off 25 balls, before Fakhar Zaman’s 78 off 93 helped consolidate that start. Babar put on a 100-run stand with Zaman, before Mohammad Rizwan joined him at the crease for an unbeaten 112-run affair. Rizwan finished with 52 not out off 51 balls.Related

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Sri Lanka were poor in the first 20 overs of both innings. Having been put into bat, they were 90 for 3 in the 20th over, before that scoreline worsened to 98 for 4. Some spunk was shown by the likes of Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, and Wanindu Hasaranga, who all made scores between 37 and 54 – Liyanage the only Sri Lanka batter to make a half-century. Although Hasaranga put in another excellent batting effort to elevate Sri Lanka’s death overs performance, 289 always seemed eminently gettable.It felt even more gettable when Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers were wayward with the new ball. Asitha Fernando went at 10 an over in the powerplay. Pramod Madushan – playing his first international in 18 months, conceded 19 runs in his first two overs. After eight overs, during which Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka went to a Plan B that also didn’t work out, Pakistan were 73 for no loss.Saim Ayub made 33 off 25•AFP/Getty ImagesOn the kind of cold evening in which Sri Lanka’s fielders tend not to do well, the catching was even worse than the bowling. Asitha Fernando dropped Zaman on 21 in the seventh over – a simple chance at long off. Two overs later, Zaman was dropped again at long off, this time by Liyanage, who had to make some ground to get there. Zaman would be dropped again on 78, but would be dismissed the next ball.Babar too had a close call on 5, when he chipped one back to Madushan who couldn’t hold on in his follow-through. He was slow to start with, making 12 off his first 22 balls. But when he drove Madushan crisply down the ground for four in the 16th over, he began to find his rhythm, particularly against the seam bowlers. With even the experienced pairing of Dushmantha Chameera and Asitha Fernando struggling to bowl consistent lines, Pakistan’s batters found their progress fairly smooth.Sri Lanka’s top wicket-taker from Tuesday – Wanindu Hasaranga – also appeared to be struggling with a back complaint, and exited the field at least twice to receive treatment. With the seamers leaking so many runs, Pakistan’s batters could afford to see Hasaranga off safely.There were points in Zaman’s innings, particularly after he crossed 50, when he struggled to find boundaries. But even when Sri Lanka squeezed, they could never do so for long. Babar and Rizwan’s progress to the target was almost frictionless in the last 15 overs of the game.Earlier in the game, it had been legspinner Abrar Ahmed who imposed himself. Sri Lanka’s openers had begun brightly but lost Pathum Nissanka to a heedless third run, before Abrar had Kamil Mishara stumped. He also had Kusal Mendis pull him straight to short midwicket, and soon after trapped Asalanka in front of the stumps. He was Pakistan’s best bowler, with 3 for 41. Haris Rauf also finished with three wickets, taking two of those at the death.

Game 3 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays was a complete marathon. In some ways, it was two games in one. The game took 18 innings to reach its finale before Freddie Freeman finally ended it all with one swing of the bat. Eighteen innings is tied for the longest World Series game in MLB history.

That was far from the only World Series record fans were treated to Monday night (or Tuesday morning).

Let's take a look at every record that was broken:

Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked four times, the most in a single game in MLB postseason history. He also set the World Series record for the most times getting on base. Ohtani broke the record after his seventh time on base, and he ended up reaching a total of nine times. He also tied MLB's regular season record by reaching base nine times.

That's not all Ohtani achieved. He became the first player since 1906 to record four extra-base hits in a World Series game, having hit two home runs and two doubles before the Blue Jays opted out of pitching to him altogether.

The Dodgers and Blue Jays combined to strand 37 runners on base, the most ever in a postseason game. The two teams also used a total of 19 pitchers, nine for Toronto and 10 for L.A., which is the most in a playoff game in league history. Those pitchers combined to throw 609 pitches, which is—you guessed it—a World Series record.

Additionally, there were a total of 153 plate appearances across the 18-inning affair, also a record for the Fall Classic.

The game took a total of six hours and 39 minutes from start to finish, making it the second-longest World Series game in history behind Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, which spanned seven hours and 20 minutes.

Freeman's walk-off home run in the 18th inning made him the first player to ever hit multiple walk-off home runs in the World Series. He hit a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against the Yankees, and once again played hero for L.A. late into Game 3.

This game had a bit of everything. Clayton Kershaw made a 12th-inning relief appearance and worked his way out of a bases loaded jam. Ohtani wasn't retired at the plate a single time, though he was thrown out stealing second. Neither starting pitcher made it out of the fifth inning, and the bullpens, often considered the weakness of both teams, took the reins for more than 13 innings.

Game 3 was an instant classic, and after that gauntlet of showdown, the Blue Jays and Dodgers will try to rest up before they go again for Game 4 on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET.

TORONTO — When it was over, when after 162 regular-season games and another 15 in the playoffs and now two excruciating innings, the Dodgers won Game 7, 5–4, to repeat as World Series champions, the man who won the game raced to the mound to grab the man who saved it. 

It was Will Smith, the catcher, who launched the 11th-inning home run that stunned the sellout crowd of 44,713 at the Rogers Centre and gave the Dodgers their first lead of the night. But it was Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Game 6 starter who got eight outs in Game 7 on no days’ rest, who gave him the chance. Twenty-five hours after he threw 96 pitches in Game 6, an outing that followed back-to-back complete games, Yamamoto all but forced his way into the game and threw 34 devastating pitches. 

Manager Dave Roberts had tried not to use him at all, and then he tried to remove him after his second inning on Saturday. “Daijoubu,” Yamamoto said. 

“It’s unheard of,” said Roberts, who struggled to explain how Yamamoto could possibly have done this. “I think that there’s a mind component, there’s a delivery, which is a flawless delivery, and there’s just an unwavering will. I just haven’t seen it [elsewhere]. I really haven’t.”

So the manager let him go back out and close the door for a team that just kept propping it open. The Blue Jays were two outs away from ending a 32-year World Series drought when an unlikely hero emerged. In a game that featured Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., it was Dodgers glove-first second baseman Miguel Rojas, playing in his second game in three weeks, who lined a solo home run over the left field wall to tie the game. 

Each team loaded the bases with one out—the Blue Jays in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers in the top of the 10th—and failed to score. Smith, dragging himself around the field after catching all 72 innings of this epic World Series, dragged the Dodgers ahead. 

It almost wasn’t enough. Guerrero, the face of a franchise and the face of a nation, doubled to lead off the bottom of the 11th. Isiah Kiner-Falefa sacrificed him to third. Addison Barger worked a walk. But Yamamoto broke Alejandro Kirk’s bat with one of his signature splitters, and Betts, the shortstop snagged the easy chopper, stepped on second base and fired to first for the double play. The Dodgers, who became the first team since the 2000 Yankees to repeat, were on the field almost before the Blue Jays understood what had just happened to them. 

Smith tackled Yamamoto from behind. Their teammates raced in from the dugout and the bullpen to join them. They jumped up and down on exhausted legs and hugged one another with spent arms and screamed with hoarse throats.

Of course this World Series came down to extra innings in Game 7. It could not be contained by the laws of physics, the columns of scorebooks or even, at times, by the customs of human decency. At one point in Game 7, the only daylight between the teams came when the umpires pushed the players apart. Counting the 18-inning Game 3, this was the first Fall Classic that featured more than eight games’ worth of baseball. Only three of the games were truly close—Games 1, 2, 4 and 5 were decided by an average of five runs—but neither team ever seemed overmatched. 

Still this one was loopier than most. The Dodgers used all four of their World Series starting pitchers, two—Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow—on no days’ rest. The Blue Jays used three of theirs. The fourth, Kevin Gausman, said he would have been available had the game continued.

And for a while it appeared it might go forever. The Blue Jays never seemed to go away. Twice the Dodgers won in what should have been backbreaking fashion—the 18-inning Game 3, and then the wild double play to snuff out a rally in Game 6—but Toronto just kept fighting. It won Game 4, and it nearly won this one. 

Los Angeles’s roster boasts 44 All-Star Game appearances and 22 World Series rings. For the Blue Jays, those figures are 29 and three. The Dodgers’ record $328 million payroll has made some observers question whether they are ruining baseball. The Blue Jays were not interested in narratives, just in wins. 

Game 7 pitted two Hall of Famers against one another, one who had been preparing for this start all series and one who learned for sure he would get it after Game 6. 

When manager John Schneider told Max Scherzer he would start Game 3, Scherzer said, “O.K., so 3 and 7.” The assignment made him, at 41 years and 97 days, the oldest pitcher to start a winner-take-all World Series game. When Schneider walked by him after Game 6, which the Blue Jays lost on a brutal game-ending double play, he said, Scherzer looked “ready to kill somebody.” Schneider added, “So you trust him to be ready for this environment.”

The Dodgers trust Shohei Ohtani as well, although they were not sure what to expect from him. After Game 6, they reviewed their options. Glasnow, the Game 3 starter, had gotten the final three outs that night. Blake Snell, who started Games 1 and 5, would be on short rest; Yamamoto, who started Games 2 and 6, would be on even shorter rest. Despite playing 18 innings—and reaching base a postseason record nine times—in Game 3, then receiving IV fluids and pitching six innings 17 hours later in Game 4, Ohtani assured them that he was available on the mound for Game 6. (This is a man who, offered the chance to come out of Game 3 in the 11th due to leg cramps that had him hobbling around the bases, declined, and who, asked in the sixth inning of Game 4 how many more frames he could go, said three.) 

He might have been a more traditional option in relief. But there is nothing traditional about Ohtani. The Dodgers chose to start him largely because of the rule that allows him to remain in the game as the DH once he comes off the mound—but only if he starts the game. If he relieves, when he exits as a hitter, he exits as a pitcher. Between that regulation and the logistical nightmare of getting him to the bullpen to warm up in between at-bats, this pathway was the obvious choice. But Ohtani, still recovering from surgery to repair his left elbow, had only started on three days’ rest once in his career, and that came when rain cut the first outing to two innings and 30 pitches. 

“This is Game 7,” Roberts said. “There’s a lot of things that people haven’t done, and you’ve just got to trust your players and try to win a baseball game.”

Ohtani opened the game with a single, took second on a grounder to first and took third on a deep fly ball to center field. Betts grounded out to end the frame, which gave Ohtani two and a half minutes to dart into the dugout, remove his batting armor, grab his glove, huddle with pitching coach Mark Prior and bench coach Danny Lehman, and take the mound for his six warm-up pitches. Just under five minutes—and, it must be said, two and a half minutes after the rules stipulate—after he ran out Betts’s grounder, Ohtani threw ball one to George Springer. Springer, visibly wincing on every swing as he managed a right-side injury that cost him two games, singled but was retired on a strike-’im-out-throw-’im-out double play to end the inning. 

Ohtani caught a break in the second inning. His secondary command was spotty, so he had to lean on his fastball. He walked Bo Bichette to lead off the frame and allowed a single to Addison Barger. With two outs, Ernie Clement knocked a single to right field, but the hobbled Bichette had to hold at third. Andrés Giménez waved at an inside fastball to end the threat. 

Springer led off the next inning with another single. When Nathan Lukes bunted him over and he took third on a wild pitch, the Dodgers elected to walk Guerrero intentionally. That brought up Bichette. The first pitch he saw was a slider that slid right into the middle of the zone. As 44,713 roaring fans shook the Rogers Centre, Springer and Guerrero each raised their hands and jogged home. Bichette slowly limped after them. 

Bichette knew he would be a free agent after the World Series ended. He knew aggravating the injury could hurt his long-term earning potential. He did not care. “It’s the World Series,” he said. “So none of that stuff really matters.”

The homer ended Ohtani’s night on the mound after 2 ⅓ innings pitched. The Dodgers manufactured a run in the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the inning, 194-pound floppy-haired lefty Justin Wrobleski buzzed 5’ 11” shortstop Andrés Giménez with an inside fastball. On the next pitch, he hit him. The benches—and the bullpens—cleared. The umpires issued warnings. The Dodgers scored another run in the top of the sixth; the Blue Jays did the same in the bottom of the frame. With his sixth-inning single, Clement set a record with his 10th multi-hit game this postseason; with his eighth-inning double, he set a record with his 30th hit. 

To cap one of the finest offensive postseasons of all time—he had more hits this postseason (28) than swings and misses (25) and more homers (eight) than strikeouts (seven)—Guerrero dazzled with his glove. He made a diving stop and flipped to first in the first; snared a rope just beyond the foul line to end the fourth; and started a nifty double play to end the seventh. He roared after each one as if he’d hit the game-winning homer. 

Both pitching staffs were topsy-turvy after such a grind of a series. Snell got four outs. The Blue Jays threw Louis Varland, presumably pitching in long sleeves to keep his right arm attached to his body, who set a postseason record by appearing in his 15th game (Toronto played 18); Chris Bassitt, the starter turned relief ace; and Trey Yesavage, the 22-year-old pitching on two days’ rest after yet another postseason masterpiece in Game 5, who allowed a home run to Max Muncy in the eighth inning that brought the game within one. Then came Rojas, and then came Smith.

And most of all, then came Yamamoto, who was named World Series MVP. The Dodgers did not, as it turned out, ruin baseball. In fact, they gave us more of it.