Grimsby Town have signed midfielder Cian Doyle on a two-year contract from Bray Wanderers.
Doyle has joined for an undisclosed fee from the League of Ireland First Division side for whom he has played 53 league games, scoring five times.
"Cian is a bright, energetic and young midfielder who we feel has a high ceiling," said Grimsby head coach David Artell.
The 21-year-old is the Mariners' fifth signing of the summer as they try to improve on last year's seventh place in League Two.

#league #year #bray

An English Premier League side had to change its pre-season plans thanks to Donald Trump and other world leaders.
With the 2026 World Cup now over, attention has turned back towards club football, with the MLS campaign already ongoing and leagues around Europe set to kick off in August.
Ahead of the new season, most teams are now in the middle of pre-season tours, but Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion had to change their plans thanks to Donald Trump and others damaging some pitches earlier this summer.
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The 52nd G7 Summit took place from June 15 to June 17 in Evian-les-Bains, a commune in Eastern France

#premier #change #plans

Detroit Tigers fans who paid good money to be at Comerica Park on Monday night has reason to be upset. Their hometown team allowed the visiting Baltimore Orioles to score a bunch of early runs, which eventually sealed a third consecutive defeat for A.J. Hinch's team. Time is slipping away for the Tigers to make a run at the American League Central crown or, failing that, an American League wild card spot. And oh yeah, the latest stumbles might be just enough to convince the front office to send Tarik Skubal out of town at the trade deadline.
But all those frowns turned upside-down thanks to one uninvited guest who caused all types of chaos on the playing surface.
As hope began dwindling for the Tigers in the seventh inning, a squirrel made its way onto the diamond. It did not possess any type of healthy fear and therefore got really close to players and explored **** es that could have put it right in the center of the action. Orioles third base coach Buck Britton certainly did not help when he decided to feed the uninvited guest.
Eventually, everyone had enough of the squirrel and the decision was made to remove it from the premises.
That task proved easier on paper than in practice.

#american

If you've ever wanted to listen to Sean Strickland speak for four hours, today is your lucky day. The UFC middleweight champion just sat down with Shawn Ryan and the two talked for over 240 minutes on a variety of different topics. That's over an hour longer than Christopher Nolan's Odyssey!
That film is based on Homer's epic poem and cover's Odysseus' 20 year journey from Ithica to Troy and back. But we have to say, 'complicated man' Sean Strickland's 35 year journey from abused child to two-time UFC champion may give The Odyssey a run for its money. There's too much to go into in one simple article, but the interview covers Sean's many mental issues, troubled youth, how he fell in with a neo-nazi gang in prison, and other really dark stuff.
"If I was drinking, I'd be dead or I'd be in prison," Strickland said. "That's what drinking does, it lowers your inhibition. And so now you're just like, 'Oh, I'm down to do anything.' I mean, I can't even own a revolver. I have one little .22 revolver that I don't f–k with because every time I pick it up, I can't stop thinking about killing myself."
"When I was younger, dude, I had this girl save my life," he added. "I had this .38, I'm just f–king spinning it. And I'm just talking to this girl named Jackie. [You] saved my life, Jackie, thank you. I'm spinning it. I put a round in it. I'm just talking to her and I'm hyperfixating on playing Russian roulette. Still to this day it gives me f–king chills."
"I was like, 'We should do it.' And she's like, 'Sean, no. Don't do it.' And I was like, 'No, what are the odds? Like, one in six? One in six. That's good odds. I'd take those odds.' Right? So I f–king put the gun to my head, and I'm sitting there … I'm working myself up to it. 'F–king do it. I'm f–king goona do it. You f–king ******* .' I'm having a conversation with her, I have every bit of adrenaline and dopamine just being f–king saturated in my brain right now and I f–king love it."

#like #sean #ODYSSEY

West Bromwich Albion have signed French right-back Nolan Galves on a four-year contract from Ligue 2 side Rodez AF.
The 23-year-old moves to The Hawthorns for an undisclosed fee and becomes the club's fifth senior summer signing following forward Jimmy-Jay Morgan, defender Conor Townsend, goalkeeper Matt Ingram and striker Barney Stewart.
Galves helped Rodez reach the second-tier play-offs in France last season, where they lost on penalties to Saint-Etienne. He made 36 appearances in all competitions, with eight **** ists.
His contract will keep him with the Baggies until the summer of 2030.
All done deals in July 2026

#west

The LeBron James free agency cycle lasted a little less than a full month. Right before the pandemonium began, he informed the Los Angeles Lakers of his desire to play for a new team. Since then, rumors have continued to circulate about where the four-time MVP could end up.
Finally, the decision was announced on July 24, 2026. Joining his fourth franchise, he was going to the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, a veteran insider has gotten the inside scoop on how his new team found out about the decision.
With teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Golden State Warriors also in the hunt, there were a ton of options at James' disposal. With almost all of those organizations making major moves, the four-time NBA champion had a lot to ***** s.
Ultimately, though, the allure of playing alongside one of his favorite young players, Tyrese Maxey, alongside the complete roster the 76ers sported after trading for Jaylen Brown was enough to sway his decision.
However, Marc Stein on his Substack confirmed that the decision wasn't made in haste. Instead, James made up his mind just hours before it was revealed to the world at large.

#james #decision #four #right

The Rams were among the favorites for Super Bowl LXIII before they traded for Myles Garrett in June and acquiring the defensive player of the year has only pushed expectations for the coming season higher in Los Angeles.
Head coach Sean McVay acknowledged those expectations at the start of training camp while noting that "there's a lot of stuff in the midst of the journey that we don't control." McVay wants the Rams to prioritize the things they do control when it comes to preparing for the season and quarterback Matthew Stafford was in a similar frame of mind when he spoke to reporters on Monday.
Stafford said he wants the team to focus on improving their baseline level of play rather than thinking about how high they can climb if everything falls into place.
"We can't help but make each other better, [but] pieces of paper and names on a roster, those don't win football games," Stafford said, via Greg Beacham of the ******* ociated Press. "Teams and players and groups do. . . . Sean said it the other night, we've got potentially a high ceiling, right? We've got great players that have done a lot in this league. What can we do to continue to raise our floor, so if I'm off a little bit, we can still go find a way to win a football game? If our defense is off a little bit, we can still find a way to go win a football game. Continuing to raise that floor is something that's going to be a huge part of our journey this season."
There are a number of ways that a talented team can get thrown off track over the course of an NFL season. The work that Stafford and the Rams do now can't eliminate all of them, but anything they can do to pare that number down will help them weather the inevitable curveballs that come their way over the next few months.

#mcvay

Big news in the sports world this week as LeBron James finally made his decision about where he is going to play next year, and as you know he decided on the Philadelphia 76ers. So, what does that mean for his sports card and collectibles market?
Shrug emoji.
His cards were already starting to go up-up-up over the last few weeks or so in anticipation of not only his latest decision but in response to the massive Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant card market boom that has happened in the last few months. It seemed only right that the nostalgia and fomo would carry into the LeBron market.
And while many of his flagship Topps rookie cards are in the thousands of dollars, there are still some fun LeBron collectibles on the market that I think are worth grabbing and holding for the long run.
The Campioni di Futuro (mini) rookie card is maybe my all-time favorite. It's odd, it's adorable and it's under $100 for a raw. There's also numbered and different color variations, and while it may not bring you generational wealth, it certainly remains relatively rare for a LeBron rookie.

#market

As well as Yan Diomande and Rodri, Real Madrid have not yet ruled out the possible signing of another central defender. Ibrahima Konate has also been brought in as a free agent, but head coach Jose Mourinho wants to have another option at his disposal in time for the 2026-27 season starting in a few weeks' time.
Earlier in the summer, Nico Schlotterbeck had been Real Madrid's leading target, but after he picked up an ankle injury while on duty with Germany at the 2026 World Cup, club officials have pivoted to Alessandro Bastoni. Mourinho is also a big fan of the Inter Milan and Italy star, who could soon be set to make the move to the Bernabeu.
As per MD, Inter have agreed a deal to sign former Manchester City defender John Stones, and the expectation is this will open the door for Bastoni to move to Real Madrid later this summer, should an approach be made.
Real Madrid want to go for Bastoni, although they are clear that any new defender cannot be signed until someone leaves. Mourinho has already informed Raul Asencio that he is not in his plans for the new season, so he would be the prime candidate to leave, which would open the door for Bastoni to move to the Bernabeu.
Asencio has some interest in his services, but right now, there is no indication from the player himself that he wants to leave. Thus, Real Madrid may have a problem doing the necessary business to bring in Bastoni, which would be frustrating for Mourinho in his efforts to build the perfect squad ahead of the first season of his second spell as manager. For now, it simply remains to be seen how the situation plays out with both defenders.

#mourinho #bernabeu

WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Magpies this morning.
It has been reported that Newcastle United have paid an undisclosed fee to Liverpool to secure the player's services.
The 27-year-old joined Liverpool from West Ham United in summer 2021. Kiernan went on to make 76 appearances for The Reds in all competitions in which she scored 23 goals. The forward was a Barclays WSL2 ******* le-winner with Liverpool in 2021/2022.
On the international stage, Kiernan has been capped by the Republic of Ireland on 44 occasions while she has scored four goals for her country.
After joining Newcastle United, Kiernan said "I'm really excited. I'm looking forward to a fresh start and meeting the fans. It was a dream of mine to come and play professionally and to go to a club like Newcastle, it really felt right when the contact came in.

#newcastle #Liverpool #kiernan #full

NHL trade rumors surrounding Kirill Marchenko intensified last week, but his agent has since poured cold water on reports linking the Columbus Blue Jackets forward to the Montreal Canadiens. The rumors gained traction after reports suggested Columbus was close to completing a blockbuster deal.
RG.org reported that Marchenko was "essentially between two teams" and that trade discussions were progressing. A source close to the winger said, "The parties are now negotiating the terms of the trade."
The speculation grew after an NHL ****** yst posted on X that the Canadiens were working on a complex three-team trade involving Columbus. The ****** yst added, "Montreal obviously has strong interest in Marchenko, but not just him."
MORE: Canadiens could get another shot at Kirill Marchenko, says NHL ****** yst
Marchenko's agent, Dan Milstein, wasted little time responding. "Go back to your vacation, man the mystery forward is doing more work than your 'sources' right now," Milstein wrote on X, dismissing the report with a playful jab.

#marchenko

Chennai: As India look to usher in a new generation of fast bowlers, Australian great Glenn McGrath believes Prasidh Krishna has all the ingredients to become Jasprit ****** rah's long-term pace partner.

The legendary fast bowler, who is the director of coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, has closely followed Prasidh's rise and feels the tall Karnataka seamer has transformed his potential into performances.

"I'm a big fan of Prasidh," McGrath said. "If he gets his length right, he's got everything going for him."

"He has really matured. He's tall, bowls in good areas, generates bounce and has genuine pace. Occasionally he's a little short, but apart from that, I think he's the whole package. He's really developed and put his potential into performance," he said.

India have handed opportunities to several young quicks during the recent tours of the UK and Zimbabwe as they prepare for a demanding cycle of white-ball cricket, with the ODI and T20 World Cups to be played in South Africa and Australia-New Zealand respectively. It means India will need a strong pace attack firing on all cylinders, and McGrath believes the transition phase they are going through will not be easy.

"You've got ****** rah, who's a class bowler, and Mohammed Shami, who's world-class as well. Mohammed Siraj has been around for a long time too. You can't just expect to pick up straight where you left off. It's always going to be a transitional period," he said, referring to the Australian team, which will also go through a similar phase.

"Other than Pat ****** mins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, hardly anybody gets a chance... So it's not going to be easy for Australia either."

McGrath also pointed out that ****** rah's unconventional action demands careful workload management.

"The way he powers through those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most bowlers. It'll be interesting to see how he manages himself," McGrath said.

While India appear keen to fast-track younger bowlers, McGrath insisted experienced pacers still have an important role to play.

"It's always good to have experience there. Young bowlers learn by playing alongside senior guys. I was fortunate to watch Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. That's where you really learn. I'd always pick an experienced team over a potential team," he said.

On whether veterans such as Shami or Bhuvneshwar ****** ar could still mount a comeback, McGrath said the decision rested on their bodies, motivation and the selectors.

"If they're prepared to put the work in and their body allows it, then why not? As fast bowlers get older, the work only gets tougher. Ultimately, it's up to them and the selectors."

McGrath also called for a rethink in the way fast bowlers are rehabilitated after injuries, arguing that modern systems often "wrap bowlers in cotton wool" instead of making them physically stronger.
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"The best way is to get stronger. Even when you're in

Juventus have played the first 180 minutes of a very busy summer friendly schedule. (If only the summer mercato was as busy as the team will be over the next couple of weeks, right? I'll let you decide that for yourself.) And because of a handful of players having staggered returns from their respective post-World Cup breaks and now a few other players having to deal with preseason ailments, Juve manager Luciano Spalletti has had to fill the void with the limited number of in-house options he has.
Or, as we saw over the weekend against Standard Liège, with academy players who might normally only see minutes late in friendlies as the senior players build up their stamina. Spalletti rolled out a starting lineup on Saturday that was full of primavera and Next Gen players — a good opportunity for those same teenagers but also a sign of where this team currently is as players work their way back into the squad.
Some of those youngsters, in no particular order, to appear — and even make a start — in Juventus' first two friendlies of the summer have been:
Adin Ličina
Augusto Owusu

#summer

Good morning BBN!
Football season is quickly approaching as we are a little under six weeks away from kickoff at Kroger Field, but that has not stopped the news on the Basketball side of things.
With so much more positive mojo around the Kentucky Wildcats the last several months, that excitement hit another gear on Monday as the team released the dates for their conference schedule.
Although we already knew their opponents, we get a closer look at how it lays out. A few highlights include a trip to Norman to start SEC play and a tough trip to Gainesville to end the regular season.
Right in the middle of January and the start of February, the Cats hit a stretch that includes trips to Texas and Ole Miss, while welcoming Alabama and Tennessee to Rupp Arena.

#season

The regional administrative authority in Madrid has withdrawn Spanish top-flight club Rayo Vallecano's right to use the Vallecas stadium in order to begin urgent renovation work. This comes just under two weeks before the start of the season, even though the inadequate conditions have long been known.
"There is no way to guarantee that nothing can happen," explained the Regional Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Mariano de Paco.
The immediate consequence is that Rayo will not be able to start the season in its own stadium. The authority gives no exact details, but ***** umes that the renovation work will take "months" and plans to begin "as early as tomorrow."
The regional government is making this decision to "ensure people's safety" and says the work will address possible problems related to fire safety or sanitation. "We will act with the utmost urgency and try to make it happen in the shortest possible time," the minister announced.
Rayo Vallecano uses the municipal stadium under a right-of-use agreement; it is not owned by this year's Conference League finalist.

#work #right #begin

Among the many talented youngsters Real Madrid have in their ranks, one is undoubtedly Franco Mastantuono.
The 18-year-old Argentine youngster was signed last summer, and he faded away after a bright start to the season under Xabi Alonso.
This summer, Los Blancos have appointed Jose Mourinho and also reached an agreement to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig, making it very difficult for Mastantuono to have a prominent role here.
Now, according to Mario Cortegana of The Athletic, the teenager's immediate future at Real Madrid is set to become clearer this week, with the club set to meet with the player's camp.
Real Madrid will hold talks with Mastantuono's agents in the coming days as they evaluate whether the Argentine remains with the first team or heads out on loan for the 2026-27 season.

#real #madrid #mastantuono #argentine

The Cincinnati Bengals have a good problem most teams would take. They have two young corners worthy of re-signing for a second contract.
DJ Turner (a second-round pick in the 2023 draft) and Dax Hill (a first-round selection from the 2022 draft) are both quality starters. Especially Turner, who has received the underrated tag pretty frequently this offseason.
However, it is still a problem when you need to re-sign them. The Bengals have been spending quite a bit, and while they could re-sign both players. The team would be left without the wiggle room it usually would like to have.
We've seen players like Trey Hendrickson, Jessie Bates, and Ja'Marr Chase all skip out on portions of training camp while entering the last years of their respective contracts. The Bengals aren't expecting that this time around.
"When you draft guys like that that come in and find roles and elevate their game and elevate the people around them. Those are guys you want to be around," Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin said of the cornerback duo. "And I'm not going to make any predictions about future contracts. We have everyone signed up right now, which is really good. It's a good feeling. I think everyone is locked in on the season, and we'll see what the future holds. But right now, our focus is winning and winning now."

#draft #problem

West Ham have turned down a bid for reported Brentford target, right-back El-Hadji Malick Diouf, and want the 21-year-old to help them return to the Premier League. (Football Insider)
The Hammers are also interested in a move for Coventry City's USA international striker Haji Wright and Senegal international forward Habib Diallo, 31, of French club Metz. (Football Insider)
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.
[BBC]

#Football

La Familia advanced to the Alumni Bracket championship after knocking off Boeheim's Army on Sunday afternoon, but would have to wait until Monday night to figure out who their next opponent would be. Now, we officially know who La Familia will face off against, and it's an old friend that UK has a ton of history with: The Kansas Jayhawks (JHX Hoops).
JHX Hoops took down the defending champs from Wichita State, also known as the AfterShocks, on Monday night, 64-59, with a big-time 3-pointer as the dagger by former Wooden Award winner Frank Mason III.
Zeke Mayo (Kansas 2024-25), who transferred in from South Dakota State, where he had quite the collegiate career before making his way to Lawrence. In the game versus the AfterShocks on Monday, he led JHX Hoops in scoring with 25 of his own.
Kentucky and Kansas have a ton of history in college basketball, facing off a grand total of 36 times, with the Cats coming out victorious in 24 of those games. So now it's only right that the two face off in another level of basketball in The Basketball Tournament.
Wednesday's matchup will decide which TBT team will be the champion of the Alumni bracket and ultimately face off against the Non-Alumni bracket champion for $2 million.

#aftershocks

West Brom have agreed a deal to sign French right-back Nolan Galves, 23, from Ligue 2 side Rodez. (Sacha Tavolieri)
The Baggies and QPR are in a race to sign Oxford United's 22-year-old Northern Ireland defender Brodie Spencer. (FootballLeagueWorld)
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.
[BBC]

#french #rodez #tavolieri

Brody Malone will miss next week's Xfinity U.S. Championships as he is taking this season off to rest and recover, a rep for the two-time Olympian said.
"He'll be back in competition next season as he begins preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games," the rep said in an email.
Malone, the U.S. all-around champion in 2021, 2022 and 2024, still plans to be in attendance at nationals in Phoenix to cheer on his teammates, including fellow 2024 Olympic bronze medalists Frederick Richard and Stephen Nedoroscik.
Asher Hong, another 2024 Olympian, was not on the list of registered gymnasts as of Monday. Athletes have until Friday to sign up.
Last October, Malone won his second world ***** le on high bar, two and a half years after severely injuring his right knee on a high bar dismount fall.

#malone #season #brody

When it comes to starting jobs, the Cincinnati Bengals don't have many major roster battles of note to start training camp.
That's the byproduct of a strong roster that received some major additions at the problem areas like defensive tackle, removing any doubt about who starts where.
Except for one spot on the roster, apparently.
Let special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons tell it, there's a starting-job battle between kick returners Charlie Jones and Ke'Shawn Williams.
"I think Ke'Shawn did a good job in the limited opportunities he had last year," Simmons said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "Obviously, it's no big secret that Charlie has been productive when he's been on the field. We just need him to stay on the field longer. I think Ke'Shawn has earned every opportunity to put himself right in the thick of the competition."

#roster #simmons #starting #think

Grimsby Town have signed midfielder Cian Doyle on a two-year contract from Bray Wanderers.
Doyle has joined for an undisclosed fee from the League of Ireland First Division side for whom he has played 53 league games, scoring five times.
"Cian is a bright, energetic and young midfielder who we feel has a high ceiling," said Grimsby head coach David Artell.
The 21-year-old is the Mariners' fifth signing of the summer as they try to improve on last year's seventh place in League Two.

#midfielder #year #bray #ireland

Varun Sharma, founder and CEO of NEUVIOR, reflects on the necessitates of the recently forged India-UK pharma trade deal.
The India UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement became operational on 15 July. That is good news for businesses in both countries. It is also the moment to stop treating tariff reduction as a synonym for market access, especially in pharmaceuticals, medical technology and digital health.
Medicines and devices do not move from factory to patient through one gate. They move through at least five. A product must qualify for the tariff preference under the rules of origin. It must have the right approval in the destination market. Its manufacturing and quality evidence must withstand inspection. It must meet the terms of any public procurement. Its people, systems and data must be able to operate lawfully across borders.
The agreement changes some of these gates. It does not collapse them.
The Indian schedule places 198 of 226 pharmaceutical tariff lines in immediate staging, four already at zero, with the rest phased over five or ten years. Medical technology receives a more mixed pattern of phased elimination and partial reduction. These preferences matter, but only for products that satisfy the product specific origin rule.

#trade #market #technology #move

Covenant Health Park will return to form as a baseball diamond, with the Knoxville Smokies back in town for their July 28-Aug. 2 series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos after two weeks away.
The playoff-bound Smokies − still first place in the Southern League North − went 3-6 on their road trip following the MLB All-Star break.
The Smokies have been missing catcher Owen Ayers, who was promoted after Knoxville's last homestand to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs alongside the Southern League Pitcher of the Month for June, Jace Beck. Ayers is now the Cubs' No. 3 prospect, according to the MLB Pipeline's updated top prospects list.
Right-handed pitcher Luis Gomez-Martinez highlighted the Smokies' 3-3 split with the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Activated from the 60-day injured list July 17, Martinez-Gomez struck out a career-best 12 batters in the Smokies' win July 24. He didn't walk a batter in six innings and gave up just one earned run.
Get tickets to see the Knoxville Smokies play

#league #pitcher

The bears may not be going anywhere on semiconductor stocks.
Quick insight: The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) — which counts Nvidia (NVDA), Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), and Broadcom (AVGO) as its top three holdings — has begun to form a head-and-shoulders stock pattern, according to Yahoo Finance AlphaSpace chart ****** ysis (below).
The left shoulder took shape starting in mid-May, with the head forming in late June, and now the right shoulder has emerged. The pattern will be official if the ETF falls below the May 19 closing low of $543.
The head-and-shoulders pattern is widely considered bearish, as it suggests that buyers are gradually losing control of the market for a particular stock or ETF.
During the formation of the left shoulder and head, buyers can still push prices to new highs. But the inability to push higher on the right shoulder suggests that buyer demand is beginning to weaken.

#shoulder #pattern #Stock #suggests

Liverpool's search for attacking reinforcements continues to dominate the transfer conversation, yet not every reported target has generated universal excitement. During the latest Media Matters podcast for Anfield Index, host Dave Davis was joined by Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele, with much of the discussion centred on Liverpool's pursuit of attacking options and whether Chelsea winger Pedro Neto represents the right fit.
While Bradley Barcola remains Liverpool's priority, the conversation also examined reports linking the Reds with Chelsea's Portugal international. Steele's verdict was measured and refreshingly direct.
Dave Davis referenced reports from Steele's Daily Mail colleague Kieran Gill, noting that Liverpool and Manchester City had both been credited with interest in Chelsea forward Pedro Neto. Davis pointed out that Chelsea "wouldn't allow the winger to leave cheap", especially in a market where the values attached to players such as Bradley Barcola and Yan Diomande have continued to rise.
Steele confirmed the rumours have been circulating for some time.
"He is one of these names that keeps coming round and round."

#davis #daily #mail #barcola

Abhishek Sharma's struggles in T20Is have come under renewed focus following another disappointing series against Zimbabwe, with former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth calling on the selectors to make a difficult decision if the opener's poor run continues.

The left-handed batter endured a forgettable three-match series, failing to register a double-digit score. His recent numbers have also become a concern, with Abhishek unable to cross 20 in each of his last six T20I innings. Since India's T20 World Cup triumph, he has managed just one half-century, putting his place in the side under the scanner as competition for the opening spot continues to grow.

The debate has intensified further after Sanju Samson, India's Player of the Tournament during the T20 World Cup-winning campaign, was left out of the Zimbabwe series despite his impressive performances. With several opening options available, Abhishek's extended lean spell has only added to the pressure on the ICC's former top-ranked T20I batter.

Reacting to the opener's dip in form, Srikkanth said rival teams have worked out a way to contain Abhishek and believes the selection panel may soon have to make a bold call. He also expressed confidence that Samson would return to the Indian setup.

"Abhishek Sharma has been sorted out (by opponents) in international cricket, right from the World Cup. I think a tough call has to be taken against him now. I feel Sanju will get his chance again now. He will receive a call back 100%. The selectors will have to take a tough call," he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

While Abhishek's form emerged as a talking point, India also found plenty to celebrate through the return of Mayank Yadav. The fast bowler made his comeback after a lengthy injury break, featuring in his first international match since October 2024.

Mayank made an immediate impact by claiming two wickets in the opening T20I before ending the series with a three-wicket haul in the final game. Bowling with genuine pace throughout the tour, he consistently troubled Zimbabwe's batting line-up and looked close to his best.

Srikkanth was delighted to see the pacer complete all three matches without any fitness concerns and urged the team management to continue investing in young talent.
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"It was good to see Mayank Yadav playing all three games. So happy for him. Look at how consistent this boy was. The Indian future is very good. You have to back the right youngsters. I don't mind Ashok Sharma either," he said.

#three #World

After Santiago Castro, Roma intends to make two more signings to raise the level of the attacking line available to Gasperini.
The Grugliasco-born coach was clear in his press conference: "Right now, as wingers, we have Soulé and Dybala. And that's it. So I expect two players in that position."
The dream remains Nusa, one of the most sought-after prospects at Trigoria, but the gap with Leipzig, who also sold Diomande to Real Madrid for more than €100 million, remains wide.
The deal is an uphill battle, which is why D'Amico is currently exploring alternatives that are currently top secret. Enquiries are also underway for Ezzalzouli and Schade.
In recent days, Roma has made inquiries about Ezzalzouli and Schade to improve their attack. As Il Tempo reports, both have fallen through due to their elevated costs.

#gasperini

Medicare Advantage enrollees get one 12-month trial right to return to Original Medicare and buy a guaranteed-issue Medigap policy without medical underwriting.
The trial window closes 63 days after year one ends, and missing it can permanently expose beneficiaries to unlimited 20% outpatient coinsurance with no cap.
The MA Open Enrollment Period, which runs from January through March, lets you leave Advantage but does not guarantee Medigap access, leaving post-year-one switchers vulnerable to health underwriting.
Two retirees, same $1 million, same 4% rule, buy one finished with $1.4 million, the other hit $0 in 12 years. Our free reader guide explains the flaw that separated them, and the income-first method built to avoid it.
A 66-year-old retiree signs up for a zero-premium Medicare Advantage plan the month she turns 65. Fourteen months in, her orthopedist drops the network, her prior authorization for an MRI is denied twice, and she wants back on Original Medicare with a Medigap policy. She calls a broker. The broker asks when she first enrolled. Then he tells her the escape hatch closed 60 days ago.

#medicare