Browsing: Latest

The New York Jets are 0-7 and, understandably, are fielding calls for one of their most talented players.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that teams have called about running back Breece Hall ahead of the November 4 trade deadline.

Hall has been one of the most promising young tailbacks in the league since arriving in 2022 but the team’s offense has failed him.

Through seven games in 2025, he has tallied 99 carries for 448 yards. He has added 19 receptions for 164 yards. He has been shut out of the end zone to this point in the season.

Despite his strongest start since that rookie season, which was cut short due to injury, Hall has not helped a Jets offense that, at times, has appeared inept. Finding a trade partner, who could benefit from an explosive back would help New York accumulate draft capital, though it would also be an admission to failure and a major rebuild moving forward.

The team has also received calls for defensive end Jermaine Johnson, a highly skilled rusher whom many teams would gladly have on their team.

In the case of Hall, a team that could benefit from an upgrade at the running back position, like the Cincinnati Bengals as they look to stay alive in the postseason conversation, would be a fit.

The Los Angeles Chargers, who have lost several starting backs, including Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton, would be another quality landing spot for him.

Prediction: Hall ends up in Los Angeles in return for a second or third-round pick

Source link

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is expected to miss this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills after suffering a high-ankle sprain during Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, according to Tom Pelissero fo NFL Network.

Young left the game late in the third quarter after appearing to get stepped on while he was being sacked. Andy Dalton replaced him at quarterback.

Young was 15-of-25 for 138 yards and a touchdown before exiting the contest, taking one sack. He also rushed for 10 yards.

It’s been an up-and-down season for Young, who had three interceptions in the team’s first two games (both losses) but has a 7-to-2 touchdown-to-interception since.

In turn, the Panthers have turned an 0-2 start into a 4-3 record after Sunday’s 13-6 win. The Panthers won all of five games last season.

The story of the 2024 season was Young’s rough start and subsequent benching, though he was reinstated as the starter after Andy Dalton was injured in a car accident. Young was much better after returning, leading the team to a 4-6 record down the stretch after a 1-7 start.

Whether the 2023 No. 1 overall pick has proven he’s truly a franchise quarterback—or worth the price of two first-round picks and wideout DJ Moore that the Panthers dealt to move up to that selection—remains to be seen. But by the end of last year and into this season, he at least was trending in a better direction after a rough start to his career.

With Young reportedly expected to miss the game against the Bills, Dalton would return to starting duties. He was 4-of-7 for 60 yards in relief duty on Sunday.

Source link

The Miami Dolphins reportedly were hoping to avoid making major changes during the 2025 season, but Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns could be the last straw for head coach Mike McDaniel.

During Monday’s episode of SportsCenter, ESPN’s Adam Schefter explained that the Dolphins’ patient approach likely changed after the team fell to 1-6 with an abysmal 31-6 loss against a Browns squad that was starting rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

“I can tell you that the organization had been planning, and I emphasize the word planning, not to make any changes and didn’t want to do anything. Now, we’ll see whether they stick to that or whether one of the worst losses in franchise history, and I think I can call it that safely, would change their plans,” Schefter said.

McDaniel was already on the hot seat entering the 2025 season, but the team’s regression this year could signify the end of his tenure in Miami. The play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been particularly concerning, as he threw for just 100 yards and three interceptions in Sunday’s loss before being benched for rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Schefter added that it appears to be an inevitability that McDaniel will be out of a job, but the only question is when will the franchise make that decision.

“Look, I think everybody knows the pressure that the organization is under. I think everybody knows that there are going to be changes that come to the organization,” he said. “The question is how soon do they come and does ownership decide to make any sort of change today? After the game yesterday, the plan was no. But I would say last week the Titans also were not planning any changes and then they wound up firing their head coach on Monday. And sometimes owners want certain things done.”

Still, Schefter noted that Miami’s philosophy has been patience, so there’s a chance that McDaniel gets to finish the season. He will focus on preparing the team for next Sunday’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, but another loss would surely exasperate things further.

“Again, their thinking all along has been to be patient and to wait before making any changes,” Schefter said.

Source link

Does anyone have it better than Tommy Fleetwood right now? One of the most likable golfers on Earth has suddenly turned into a world-beater, winning tournaments and piling up Ryder Cup victories.

On Sunday he added another trophy to his case, wining the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi, India. It’s Fleetwood’s eighth career DP World Tour title and adds to the success of his last couple of months.

In August, he won the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup title — including the $10 million bonus — to ease the sting of a series of close calls and finally kick the label as the best player to never have won on the PGA Tour. A month later he earned a team-high four points at the Ryder Cup, helping Europe win a rare road game.

“I think everybody needs something to push them or to motivate them,” Fleetwood said Sunday. “I apply myself in trying to achieve the best possible at all times, and there’s plenty of times where things haven’t gone my way, but the last two tournaments I’ve been in contention I’ve won, so maybe things are starting to even out a little bit.”

This week he was among a group of stars — including Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Viktor Hovland — playing the DP World Tour stop in India. Fleetwood held the 36-hole lead but trailed Keita Nakajima by two entering the final round.

Playing in the final pairing on Sunday, however, Fleetwood had extra motivation to pick up a victory — his son, Frankie, wanted to celebrate with him on the 18th green.

“We were playing golf last week. I mean, to be honest, he never shuts up, so there’s always something coming out of his mouth, and he just happened to say randomly, he said, ‘You know what you’ve never done?’ He said, ‘You’ve never won a tournament and I’ve been able to run on to the 18th green,’” Fleetwood said. “He just said it as a passing comment. I didn’t really say anything. I don’t think I said anything back to him, but I wrote it down when I got back, and I had it in my mind. I know that there’s events to come while we’re playing at home, and obviously I’m lucky that my family get to travel with me quite a lot. But it was something that I had wrote down. It was kind of this quote, it was: You have never won and I’ve run onto the green. That was the quote that was there, and that was something that would drive me.”

On Sunday, Fleetwood birdied four in a row from Nos. 7-10 to take a two-stroke lead over Nakajima, who managed just one birdie on the front nine. When Fleetwood stepped to the par-5 18th tee his lead was still two. He parred to shoot seven-under 65, finish 22 under and win by two.

Earlier in the week, the broadcast showed Frankie following his dad and mimicking his shots. On Sunday, Frankie was waiting by the 18th green.

“There’s going to be many more times where I hopefully get the chance to do that,” Fleetwood said. “But that was like all day today, had in my mind could I put myself in a position where I can actually make that moment happen. It’s just one of those little things it means a lot to me. It means so much to me. That was really cool. That’s what I wanted to do all day.”

Fleetwood’s eighth DP World Tour win also extends his season. He was not yet eligible for the two DP World Tour playoff events in November, but his win Sunday vaulted him from 94th to 25th in the Race to Dubai, making him eligible for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

“I’ve had such a great year, but there was a couple of things that disappointed me, and my run on the DP World Tour was one of those things,” Fleetwood said. “Just not being where I want to be in terms of the Order of Merit and things and how I’ve played when I have played this tour, that was something that was bothering me. This means a lot, this win.”

Key events

Show key events only

Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature

Frank Lampardâ€s Coventry, to give them their legal name, are flying. The thought of them back in the top division is rather stirring to those of a certain age.

Share

Fair points made here from the comments section below.

“Postecoglou could be the least effective Premier League manager everâ€
Well looking at the stats that may be true, but the damage was done before AP turned-up at Forest. The problem at Forest is
the players shattered morale, last season those same players proved they could beat anyone. For me the problem at Forest is a overbearing interfering owner who rewarded those players who gave everything last season and who missed CL football by a single point in their first PL season by sacking their inspirational manager Nuno Espírito Santo in the most humiliating way possible. People talk about managers, tactics, playerâ€s effort and abilities but once a teams morale is broken, any manager will tell you, itâ€s extremely difficult repairing it especially when the person who broke it is still there every week crushing it even further.

Share

Getafe v Real Madrid is Sundayâ€s late game in La Liga, a local derby. Sid Lowe spoke to Abu Kamara, once of Hull.

Share

A couple of important pieces on talent development.

Share

Letâ€s look ahead to Liverpool v Manchester United, where Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah are due a performance. Jonathan Wilson previews the game.

Share

Saturdayâ€s match reports are here.

Share

Letâ€s hope Jack Wilshere lasts a bit longer at Luton, though he had a tough start on Saturday.

Share

Our reaction to that Postecoglou news.

Share

Preamble

Good morning, football. Saturday was a red letter day in Premier League history, Ange Postecoglou biting the dust in record time. Things move pretty fast at Nottingham Forest so we await news of Evangelos Maranakis†next move.

Weâ€ll also build up to Tottenham v Aston Villa, the 2pm kick-off, and Liverpool v Manchester United at 4.30pm.

Join us. And do let us know your thoughts and plans. Perhaps fears in the case of Forest fans.

Share

Updated at 03.06 EDT

Source link

World number 11 Holger Rune became the latest high-profile tennis player to have his season ended prematurely after suffering an injury at the Nordic Open in Stockholm.

The Danish 22-year-old, set to return to the top 10 after reaching the semi-finals at the ATP 250 event, was forced to retire when leading Frenchman Ugo Humbert by a set.

His mother, Aneke Rune, later told Danish newspaper BT that she had been informed by medical staff that her son’s injury was “very bad”.

She said: “They are completely sure that it is a torn Achilles tendon, so it’s of course very bad. Holger is, of course, completely devastated.

“They say they can see it with the naked eye.”

Rune, nursing a hamstring issue coming into the match, appeared instantly aware of the severity of his injury and was emotional as he received treatment after hobbling to his chair.

He had pulled up in pain after jumping to hit a ball at the back of the court, with the game level at 40-40 on Humbert’s serve and Rune leading 6-4 2-2.

Humbert said: “It was not the way I wanted to win. I’m super disappointed for Holger, I hope he is going to be OK.

“I wish him a speedy recovery. It was a great match, he was playing a little bit better than me, but I’m really sorry for Holger.”

Source link

• Tim Bontemps

  Close

  Tim Bontemps

  ESPN Senior Writer

  Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.

• Brian Windhorst

  Close

  Brian Windhorst

  ESPN Senior Writer

  • ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010
  • Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
  • Author of two books

Oct 17, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

This is peak extension season in the NBA.

Or, as one agent told ESPN this week: “The torture chamber.”

The deadline for extensions for most eligible players is Monday at 6 p.m. ET. At this point, it’s commonplace for there to be pessimism about deals getting done. But compromises — and deals, along with them — do happen regularly.

That said, even by normal standards, there is a lot of pessimism right now.

Here’s why: There’s the continued adaptation to the apron system, which has caused teams to be even more careful about long-term spending. And then there’s also a star-studded free agent class in the summer of 2027, when Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, Anthony Davis and others could all be available to sign with any team.

The deals that do — and don’t — happen over the next few days set the stage for future negotiations, and they’ll signal what free agency could look like next summer.

So here’s a look at several of those situations, including an extension that, surprisingly, still isn’t done involving a future inner-circle Hall of Famer who changed teams this summer.

Will Kevin Durant extension talks have liftoff in Houston?

Tim Bontemps: The Rockets, under general manager Rafael Stone, have done an excellent job of managing their salary structure — and that will no doubt play a role in how Durant’s contract situation plays out, but also rookie scale extension candidate Tari Eason’s.

With Fred VanVleet now likely to opt into his $25 million deal for next season after tearing his ACL last month, the Rockets have roughly $70 million to get both Durant and Eason signed and remain under the dreaded second luxury tax apron — which will allow Houston to continue adding to a roster it hopes is good enough to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.

If these negotiations were as simple as, “Give Kevin all the possible money” — like the Jimmy Butler III extension with the Golden State Warriors was after his acquisition via trade in February — the deal probably would have been done already. As a result, the expectation from rival teams is that Houston is trying to get deals done with both players and stay below the second apron next summer.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

Brian Windhorst: First off, the Butler extension with Golden State happened before the trade. It wasn’t until the Warriors raised their monetary offer that Butler acquiesced on his position that he didn’t want to go to the Warriors. An improved offer at the 11th hour, though it came without a player option, got the trade done.

As for Durant, who himself blocked a trade to the Warriors last winter, he and business partner/agent Rich Kleiman have been optimistic there will be a deal done eventually with the Rockets. As Tim implied, it is clear the Rockets are not offering Durant the two-year, $120 million max he is eligible for, otherwise the deal would be done. Durant has said on the record he sees himself staying in Houston.

There is clearly some haggling going on beneath the max, and the number could very well be predicated on what happens with Eason as the Rockets manage the apron. There probably isn’t drama here, but it is worth pointing out Durant probably doesn’t fear unrestricted free agency either.

The present and future balancing act for the Miami Heat

Windhorst: Tyler Herro is coming off an All-Star season and is definitely interested in extending with the Heat, but there haven’t been substantive talks to his point and a deal is doubtful, sources say.

In a vacuum, Herro is the player the Heat probably should be most interested in extending, and Herro saw former All-Star Bam Adebayo get a large extension last year. But it doesn’t appear to be in the offing.

As for two other extension candidates, recently acquired Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins, long-term deals are also unlikely. Powell, whom the LA Clippers traded to Miami in part because they were dodging their own extension issue with him, could get a short deal, if anything. Wiggins, for his part, has a player option for $30 million in 2026-27, and while it’s possible the Heat might hope to negotiate a different number, they also might not.

And Tim about to tell you why …

Bontemps:The answer to what will happen with Miami’s top extension candidates can be found in the extension that Miami did sign at the start of training camp with forward Nikola Jovic, the No. 27 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. That four-year pact worth a little over $60 million starts out at $16.2 million in 2026-27, before dipping to $14.9 million in 2027-28 and then going back up again.

And why did Miami do that? Because, sources say, the Heat — like many other teams around the league — are planning for that aforementioned 2027 free agent class.

Will Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Mitchell and Davis all hit unrestricted free agency that summer? It’s unlikely. Whether they do or not, several other star names could join them, including Stephen Curry, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kawhi Leonard, Trae Young, Zach LaVine, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

Play Fantasy Basketball this season

• Sign up and play for free!
• Fantasy draft guide: rankings, mock drafts, more
• Ultimate Draft Board: Best picks for every round
• Sleepers, breakouts and busts
• “Do Draft” list | “Do Not Draft” list

The fact that Paul George is the only All-Star to change teams via free agency in recent years is a sign this path is far less fruitful than it has been in the past (and look at how things have gone for Philadelphia since landing George last summer). And with the new extension rules that have made it more lucrative to re-sign with current teams, plenty of those players could be off the board by the time free agency arrives that summer.

But Miami will always be a destination for players. And, by maintaining flexibility for the 2027 offseason, the Heat are giving themselves the ability to retool their roster around Adebayo, and attempt to return to title contention. So while that doesn’t necessarily preclude a deal getting done with Herro or Powell, it’s hard to see Miami passing on its cap space until it knows it has a good reason to.

When a team signing a good contract makes it hard to get an extension done …

Windhorst: There is a 0.0% chance Austin Reaves signs a contract extension — and a 99.9% chance he opts out of his $14.8 million player option for next season. We could say “sources say” here because we did check on it, but it’s also a no-brainer.

Reaves has one of the best value contracts in the NBA because of contract extension rules. Players can get only 140% of their current salary in an extension, which means Reaves is up for a deal worth roughly $89 million over four years, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. His market will be much higher. The Lakers have his full rights and are favorites to re-sign him, but everyone understands why he’s not signing now.

While we’re here, let’s also address Bulls’ guard Coby White, who will not be extending now either. White will earn $12.8 million this season and has outperformed his deal. Like Reaves, he is limited to how much he can sign for now. His extension number is capped at around $18 million if he were to re-sign in Chicago now. His market is also certain to be higher.

With iconic stories, hit Originals and live sports, there’s something for everyone on Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Get all three for a price you’ll love.

Bontemps: There obviously has been an inordinate amount of attention paid to the upcoming free agency of LeBron James. But it might be even more interesting to see what happens with Reaves when he hits free agency next summer. If Reaves waits, he could get an annual salary starting at more than $40 million next season, after making less than that much combined over the first three seasons of his current deal.

The 6-foot-5 guard has been a huge success story since joining the Lakers as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He has steadily improved, averaging career-bests of 20.2 points and 5.8 assists last season while shooting 37.7% from 3-point range on more than seven attempts per game.

There were 10 players who qualified for the scoring title who averaged at least 20, 5 and shot 37% from the field: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Darius Garland, Damian Lillard, Jamal Murray, Jokic, Curry, James and Herro.

Not bad company for a guy who will be an unrestricted free agent at 28, and therefore will have plenty of suitors.

Ditto for White, for all the reasons Brian said. Even after the Bulls got Josh Giddey’s four-year, $100 million deal done earlier this summer, they still have roughly $75 million in cap space available next summer, per Bobby Marks, to both keep White and retool the roster around him, Giddey and the team’s past two lottery picks, forwards Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue.

A busy offseason could lead to a busy in-season in Atlanta

Windhorst:There is mutual interest between the Hawks and Kristaps Porzingis in extending his deal, sources said. But with Porzingis’ injury history and a radical change in circumstance following the offseason trade that brought him from Boston — and after Porzingis spent much of the summer in Europe playing for the Latvian national team — and both sides are comfortable seeing how the season progresses.

Unlike some others, Porzingis isn’t facing a Monday deadline to extend. With one season at $30.7 million left on his deal, he can extend any time between now and June 30.

The same timeline goes for franchise player Trae Young, whose situation is more intriguing. Unlike Porzingis, whose contract is up after the season, Young has a $49 million player option for next season that he’d prefer not to pick up and instead replace with a lucrative new deal.

In a different era, a multitime All-Star coming off his first max contract could expect to have his contract extended again at the max. But in the apron era and with the Hawks having to invest in younger players, Young is a bit of a tweener.

He’s a star but he’s not a superstar, and a new max contract at 30% of the salary cap would be superstar money. We probably will see this situation more often over the next few years with this class of sub-superstar players looking for their second max deal.

All of ESPN. All in one place.

Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

Bontemps: The Hawks are also negotiating with reigning Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels, who does face the Monday extension deadline to extend his rookie contract.

Last fall, the Hawks got such a deal done at the buzzer with Jalen Johnson, a five-year, $150 million deal that, moving forward, looks like a very good piece of business for Atlanta.

For the much discussed, failed “two timelines” approach in Golden State, a similar situation is developing in Atlanta. The Hawks are excited about their young core of Johnson, Daniels, last year’s No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, rookie Asa Newell and potentially a very high pick coming in next year’s draft via the New Orleans Pelicans.

But Young and Porzingis are the two best players on the current roster, and fit extremely well with the young players the Hawks have around them. Because of how the Hawks have managed their books over the past year, there’s a world in which the Hawks could get a Daniels deal done, figure out deals for Young and Porzingis next summer, and stay below the aprons.

That could give the Hawks the opportunity to do the thing every team in the league is trying to do and what few teams other than the Oklahoma City Thunder have successfully done under the new CBA: develop, and keep, depth on the roster.

An update on the expensive balancing act in New York

Windhorst: The Knicks have had some discussions about extending center Mitchell Robinson, sources say, but there hasn’t yet been traction toward a deal. Robinson is in the last year of a contract that pays him $13 million this season.

Towns has three years left on his deal, including this season, though 2027-28 is a $61 million player option. He has expressed a desire to stay in New York long term, but there’s no urgency from either side to get a new deal done.

Bontemps: One of a few reasons why the Knicks would be unlikely to do an extension with either Towns or Robinson is because they’re already playing a complicated game of limbo with the second apron.

Does that mean some sort of blockbuster trade is inevitable? Not at all. But the Knicks have repeatedly shown under team president Leon Rose that they are going to maintain as much roster flexibility as possible. Even the extension they did sign this summer, with Mikal Bridges, allows him to be traded before the trade deadline on Feb. 5, if the Knicks choose to.

play

0:44

Charles Barkley: If the 76ers are healthy, they can win the East

Charles Barkley joins “The Rich Eisen Show” and explains why the 76ers can win the Eastern Conference this season.

And then there’s the guy who extended last year …

Bontemps: Yes, Joel Embiid participated in Sunday’s open-to-the-public scrimmage and could make his preseason debut in the Philadelphia 76ers’ final exhibition game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. But we learned long ago it is foolish to plan much in 76ers’ land beyond the next 24 hours.

That being said, Embiid playing in the scrimmage Sunday was a pleasant surprise, and falls in line with the general contours of how this preseason has played out for him and the 76ers: with Embiid regularly participating in practice, and seemingly building toward playing in next week’s season opener in Boston.

That’s a far cry from how his season began last fall, when Embiid signed a four-year, $240 million extension with Philadelphia only to then go through a disastrous campaign that ended with knee surgery in February.

Windhorst: The 76ers operate in a different world than much of the rest of the league. They’re so scarred from injury setbacks and so cognizant of the venom from fans that, as a defense mechanism, they’ve learned to make no promises and lower expectations.

That being said, Embiid is doing far more now than he was a year ago at this time. And while he hasn’t begun to practice fully yet, George’s participation level has also taken meaningful steps forward since training camp began.

More immediately, though, they are over-the-moon excited about the potential of rookie VJ Edgecombe.

Bontemps: To Brian’s point, it’s remarkable how different expectations are surrounding Embiid, George and the 76ers now compared to just a year ago. Then, the talk was about it being a “championship-or-bust” season, and how it was finally going to be the breakthrough season Embiid, the 76ers and Philadelphia had been waiting over a decade to witness.

But after the calamitous way last season played out, there are virtually no expectations this season. The league’s GMs, by a wide margin, voted Philadelphia as the league’s hardest team to project. Embiid being relatively healthy, and the 76ers returning to the playoffs, would be seen as at least somewhat of a success in the wake of how poorly the past 12 months have gone.

All of that is why rival scouts and executives are eager for Embiid in live action, to see whether he looks anything like the player he was before last season, or the one who struggled through those 19 games a year ago.

Source link

Players of India (in blue) and Singapore vie for the ball during their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier football match, in Goa. (PTI Photo) India’s men’s senior national football team has dropped to 136th place in the latest FIFA World Rankings, marking their lowest position since November 2016.The team’s new ranking coincides with their elimination from both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifications.India’s football journey has seen significant changes in recent times. After achieving success in the 2023 Intercontinental Cup, SAFF Championship, and Tri-Nation Series, the team’s performance has declined considerably.Their promising period, which had helped them reach the top 100 rankings, was followed by a disappointing AFC Asian Cup campaign in Qatar. The team failed to score any goals and suffered three consecutive defeats in the group stage.The national team’s leadership has undergone multiple changes, with three different head coaches in less than two years. Igor Å timac was replaced by Manolo Márquez, who was later succeeded by Khalid Jamil.Under Jamil’s leadership, the team showed some tactical improvements during the CAFA Nations Cup friendly tournament. However, their competitive match results have remained unsatisfactory.The team’s most recent competitive victory was against Kuwait in November 2023, with a score of 1-0.In the global rankings, Spain maintains its position at the top, followed by Argentina and France in second and third places respectively. The top eight positions are completed by England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Belgium.Germany has moved up two positions to 10th place after winning their qualifying matches against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. Croatia has moved down to 11th position following their draw with the Czech Republic.The rankings will play a crucial role in determining the seedings for the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup draw scheduled for December 5. The United States, Canada, and Mexico, as co-hosts, will be placed in the top-seed pot along with the nine highest-ranked direct qualifiers, likely including Germany.

Source link

A fusion of Test cricketâ€s strategy and T20â€s pace, the new Test Twenty format promises 80 overs of action and a new pathway for young global talent.

Cricket has seen a steady evolution — from traditional five-day Tests to the fast-paced T20s, The Hundred, and T10. Now, the sport welcomes a new entrant: Test Twenty, officially unveiled on Thursday.

Blending the patience of Test cricket with the excitement of limited-overs play, Test Twenty keeps both traditional and modern audiences in mind. Each match features 80 overs in a single day, divided into four innings, with each team batting twice, mirroring the structure of a conventional Test match.

According to the organizers, “Each team bats twice, reviving the art of building an innings while keeping the format short, dynamic, and broadcast-friendly.â€

Matches can end in a win, loss, tie, or draw, maintaining the spirit of longer formats within a compact framework.

Aimed at discovering future stars

The innovation comes from The Fourth Format, the organization leading the initiative. Their goal is more than entertainment — they aim to build a global cricketing ecosystem that identifies and nurtures young talent between 13 and 19 years of age.

To achieve this, the project incorporates cutting-edge technology such as AI-driven scouting systems and motion sensors in bats and balls to collect performance data and enhance player development.

Gaurav Bahirvani, CEO of The Fourth Format and Executive Chairman of the One One Six Network, explained, “Weâ€re not just creating another cricket tournament; weâ€re building a global ecosystem to discover and develop future cricketing talent. Think of this as the NCAA equivalent for world cricket.â€

He added that the projectâ€s long-term goal is to provide equal opportunities regardless of gender, background, or geography.

From season two, the movement expands further to include women cricketers, ensuring inclusivity and equality at the heart of cricket’s next era.

Legends back the vision

Several cricketing greats have voiced their support for the Test Twenty initiative, including Sir Clive Lloyd, AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh, who participated in the virtual launch event.

AB de Villiers praised the balance between creativity and discipline that the new format brings, “Test Twenty gives players the freedom to express themselves while also teaching them how to survive across two innings — the best of both worlds.â€

Matthew Hayden, one of the driving forces behind the project, highlighted its developmental value, “The youth are the future. This format tests both mental and physical endurance while keeping the excitement alive. Itâ€s a modern approach to identifying and grooming talent.â€

Building bridges with cricket boards

While Test Twenty introduces a fresh concept, its creators emphasize collaboration, not competition, with existing cricket boards.

Bahirvani and Hayden underlined that their goal is to support and enhance grassroots cricket through data-driven methods and partnerships.

Hayden remarked, “In Australia, we once had a national academy that produced world-class cricketers. A system like Test Twenty can fill that gap by identifying young talent through a structured, technology-based approach.â€

Bahirvani added, “Everyone deserves more than two chances. Test Twenty is about giving every young cricketer a fair opportunity to grow. We are happy to share technology and scouting tools with organizations like the BCCI and county boards in the UK.â€

When and where will Test Twenty begin?

The inaugural edition of the Junior Test Twenty Championship (JTTC) is scheduled to begin in January 2026, with India hosting the first tournaments.

The competition will feature six franchises — three based in India and three representing Dubai, London, and a U.S. city.

Each franchise will field a 16-player squad, consisting of eight Indian and eight international players, creating a 96-player draft pool. An additional 204 players will form a Wildcard Pool for mid-season selections.

The champions of the first edition will be crowned Junior Test Twenty Champions, receiving a symbolic crown representing cricketâ€s future generation.

Rules and format

Test Twenty introduces a series of refined rules to enhance strategy and excitement:

Powerplay: One per match (4 overs), tactical decision-making required.

Follow-On: Enforced if the second batting team trails by 75+ runs after first innings.

Early Collapse Clause: Extra overs added to opponent if a team is bowled out within 10 overs.

Bowling Allocation: Max five bowlers, 8 overs each, distributed across innings strategically.

Wides and No-Balls: T20 penalties, plus cumulative penalties for repeated mistakes.

Conditional Draw: Team batting second can opt for a draw with fewer than 5 wickets down.

Tie & Super Session: Aggregate tie resolved with one-over eliminator; if still tied, boundary count decides winner.

These adjustments encourage tactical risk-taking, precision, and strategic play while remaining easy for fans to follow.

The bigger picture

In essence, Test Twenty is not just another format — it is a forward-looking project aimed at bridging the gap between grassroots development and professional cricket.

By combining tradition, innovation, and inclusivity, it seeks to reshape how the world identifies and nurtures cricketing talent — one 80-over day at a time.

Source link

Tottenham Hotspur are the latest club to express interest in signing Rangers and Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin. (TeamTalk), external

Danny Rohl wants former Rangers left-back Lee Wallace on his coaching staff if he is given the Ibrox hot seat. (Glasgow Times), external

Ex-Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday says former Ibrox forward Josh Windass has praised Rohl for his coaching abilities at Sheffield Wednesday. (Open Goal podcast via Scottish Sun), external

Alex McLeish – who signed Kevin Muscat for the Light Blues in 2002 – has backed his bid to become Rangers boss. (Scottish Sun), external

US-based chairman Andrew Cavenagh may decide Rangers cannot afford to delay naming a permanent boss and install Rohl before the weekend game against Dundee United. (Scottish Sun), external

Muscat and Neil McCann – who could fill in for the Australian while he becomes available – first thrashed out an agreement about how they would work together at Rangers two years ago. (Daily Record), external

Rangers have spoken to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Bo Svensson as candidates to replace Russell Martin, with the latter dropping out over the weekend. (Scottish Sun), external

If Rohl does end up getting the job, he will be on the back foot from day one and, as sporting director Kevin Thelwell’s pick, is unlikely to be afforded trust or goodwill from Rangers fans. (Daily Record), external

Thelwell’s role at Rangers is under the spotlight despite the departure of the man he appointed, Russell Martin. (The Herald), external

Former Ayr boss Lee Bullen saw plenty of Rangers target Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday side as a pundit and was impressed that “while he initially had one plan, he seemed able to adapt”. (Scottish Sun), external

Derek McInnes has pledged his commitment to Hearts and brushed off speculation about the Rangers job. (The Scotsman), external

Source link