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ESPNcricinfo has learned that the franchise has not yet given him a definitive answer

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Aug-2025

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has told the franchise he wants to be released ahead of the upcoming auction for IPL 2026. ESPNcricinfo learned that Samson informed the RR management of his intention immediately after IPL 2025 ended.RR, which had its 2025 season review meetings in June, has not yet given Samson a definitive answer and the option of convincing him to stay with the team is still open. The franchise’s lead owner Manoj Badale offered no comment when asked about the development. The final decision will be taken by him in coordination with RR head coach Rahul Dravid.If RR decide to release Samson, they could either trade him to another franchise or send him into the auction. As per the IPL contract, the final say in such cases lies with the franchise. As far as a trade is concerned, it could be a player swap or an all-cash deal.Samson, 30, first played for RR for three seasons from IPL 2013 to 2015, and then rejoined them in 2018 after two years at Delhi Daredevils. He was appointed captain in 2021 and, in 2022, led RR to the IPL final for the first time since they won the inaugural edition in 2008. However, two of their key players – Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal, who won the Orange and Purple caps in 2022 – were released ahead of the 2025 mega auction.Related

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Head coach Dravid parts ways with Rajasthan Royals after just one season

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Samson returns to Kerala cricket with record KCL signing

Samson was one of six players retained by RR ahead of last year’s mega auction; his price was INR 18 crore ($2.14 million approx. then). The other players retained were Yashasvi Jaiswal, Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Sandeep Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer. Samson played only nine of RR’s 14 matches in IPL 2025 due to a side strain, with Riyan Parag standing in as captain.They finished ninth with just four wins.ESPNcricinfo learned that Samson is currently at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for a routine training programme designed for a targeted pool of players shortlisted by the national selectors. He will likely be picked for the Asia Cup which starts in the UAE from September 9. Before that Samson will play a few matches in the Kerala Cricket League where he was recently picked by Kochi Blue Tigers for INR 26.8 lakh, making him the most expensive player in the tournament.RR have another two months to make a decision on Samson before the IPL’s retention deadline in November.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has left the door open to a potential future move to Liverpool, admitting that while he is focused on his current role, "you never know what can happen" in football, amid intense speculation linking him with a return to Anfield. The coach's response comes amid claims he is in danger of being sacked, while questions have been asked of Arne Slot's future at the Merseyside club.

Alonso and Slot under pressure

The former Reds midfielder has found himself at the centre of a managerial merry-go-round rumour mill. While Slot is currently feeling the heat at Liverpool due to his side languishing in 10th place in the Premier League despite significant summer investment, Alonso is navigating his own storm at the Santiago Bernabeu. Following a chaotic 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, the Spaniard is facing a defining week, with a Champions League clash against Manchester City looming.

However, despite the immediate pressure in the Spanish capital, questions about a potential switch to the Premier League have persisted. Alonso reportedly turned down the chance to replace Jurgen Klopp in order to stay at Bayer Leverkusen, before eventually taking the Madrid job in the summer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMadrid boss addresses his future

When asked directly about the possibility of managing in England, specifically regarding a return to his former club Liverpool, Alonso offered a tantalising response that stopped short of a full denial.

"For sure, it's something to consider with the English clubs, with my former club," Alonso admitted. "But for now, this is the place that I want to be, and in the future, you never know what can happen."

Slot's situation grew even worse as the coach finds himself in a dressing room rift involving talisman Mohamed Salah, who sensationally criticised the Dutchman after their 3-3 draw against Leeds at the weekend. Alonso remained diplomatic, however, when asked about the situation.

"Those are decisions they have made at Liverpool. No doubt we're missing a lot of details. So it's not for me to give an opinion on that," he said.

Two giants in crisis

The comments come at a fascinating juncture for both clubs. Liverpool's title defence has crumbled spectacularly, leaving Slot on the brink. The Dutchman's relationship with Salah has fractured, with the Egyptian forward omitted from the squad to face Inter this week.

Meanwhile, at Madrid, Alonso is fighting to keep his own tenure on track. The defeat to Celta has left Los Blancos trailing leaders Barcelona by four points, and reports suggest a heavy defeat to Manchester City could be fatal for his prospects.

"The next one is the best one. I think I know myself, and the fans know Manchester City very well from facing them many times in recent years, but I see it as an opportunity more than anything," Alonso said.

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Alonso also touched upon his own player management challenges, drawing a parallel between the Salah situation and his handling of Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian forward reacted poorly to being substituted against Barcelona earlier in the season, a flashpoint that Alonso insisted he would not handle differently in hindsight.

"I would not change anything," he noted, reinforcing his stance on discipline – a trait that German legend Lothar Matthaus recently highlighted as a potential point of friction with Madrid's creative stars.

"It’s not about changing, it’s about adapting. I knew pretty much what it was, that’s why Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world. You need to adapt to it, to learn from it. After you have to perform, you have to have that interaction with the players. Some days are good, some days are not so good. But from every game, we take steps, and we are in this position now, and we have to face it with good energy, positivity, that’s the only way to turn it around."

This season is shaping up very nicely for Chelsea indeed.

On the domestic front, Enzo Maresca’s side managed to keep Arsenal within touching distance by holding them to a 1-1 draw on Sunday despite Moises Caicedo being sent off in the first half.

Then, in the Champions League, their thumping 3-0 win against Barcelona last week has stood them in good stead to qualify for the next round.

Moreover, and especially in that game, Estevao has started to really show what he is capable of, so fans should be excited about reports linking Chelsea to another star winger who has been compared to the Brazilian.

Chelsea target an Estevao-type winger

Even though there were pretty high expectations for Estevao coming into this season, few would have predicted him to have started as well as he has.

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For example, in the Premier League, he provided an assist on his first start against West Ham United and then scored the winner against Liverpool.

In the Champions League, he has been even better, racking up three goals in five appearances, of which only three have been starts.

So, with how well he has been performing, it’s less surprising to hear that the club are now interested in a player who has been compared to him: Harvey Barnes.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are said to be incredibly keen on the Englishman.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the Blues have already submitted an offer of around €60m for the player, which is about £53m.

However, there are two problems: Manchester United have made the same offer, and the Toon do not want to sell.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Barnes’ ability and output, one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he has been compared to Estevao.

How Barnes compares to Estevao

Now, while they are both wingers plying their trade for huge clubs in the toughest league in the world, fans might find it hard to see why Barnes would be comparable to Estevao.

After all, last season he didn’t do all that much for Newcastle, and so far this season the Brazilian has been a breath of fresh air for the Blues.

However, while he is not getting as much attention as he perhaps should, the English “menace,” as dubbed by journalist Mikey Stafford, has been on fire for the Toon this year.

For example, in 20 appearances across all competitions, totalling 996 minutes, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.22 games, or every 110.66 minutes.

Moreover, his close control and technical ability are far better than most think, as his sensational goal against Brentford demonstrates.

Finally, FBref also lists the Blues’ Brazilian gem as the eighth-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the former Leicester City star in the Champions League this season.

The best way to understand how that conclusion was reached is to look at some of the underlying metrics where the pair ranks closely.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.73

0.70

Progressive Carries

5.17

5.59

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.34

0.29

Shot-Creating Actions

3.44

3.79

Goals per Shot on Target

These include things like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shot-creating actions, crosses into the penalty area, progressive carries and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while they certainly have their differences, Barnes is showing shades of Estevao in his game this season and on top of that, has rediscovered his goalscoring ability.

Therefore, so long as the price does not get ridiculous, Chelsea should do what they can to sign him once the window opens.

Chelsea star who saved Caicedo is their "most underappreciated player"

The underrated Chelsea ace made sure Caicedo’s red card didn’t cost Enzo Maresca’s men against Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 30, 2025

Cole Campbell has formally requested to leave Borussia Dortmund during the January transfer window, according to Sky Sports Deutschland journalist Florian Plettenberg. The 19-year-old American winger is seeking a move in order to find regular first-team playing time and continue his development. Campbell featured for the U.S's U20 side and has made five senior appearances for BVB.

Desire for more playing time.

Plettenberg reported that Campbell has officially submitted his transfer request to Borussia Dortmund's management, citing concerns about his pathway to meaningful minutes with the senior squad. The U.S. youth international has struggled to break into Niko Kovac's plans this season despite showing promise in limited appearances last campaign.

Campbell's representatives have communicated that a winter move would best serve his development.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMultiple European clubs express interest

According to Plettenberg’s report, several European clubs have expressed interest in Campbell. Belgian sides Club Brugge and Anderlecht are among the potential destinations. Danish club FC Midtjylland is also reported to be monitoring the situation, while German second-division team SV Elversberg has been identified as another option.

Transfer saga follows summer standoff

Campbell's transfer request comes just months after Borussia Dortmund rejected a $4.6 million (€4 million) offer from VfB Stuttgart for the American winger. Reports from German outlet Bild indicated that Dortmund was holding out for approximately $9.3 million (€8 million) for Campbell during the summer window, despite the player having already agreed to personal terms with Stuttgart. This standoff ultimately prevented Campbell from securing a move.

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Getty Images SportWhat's next for Dortmund?

Dortmund have a rematch with Leverkusen, the side they beat 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, in the German Cup on Dec. 2. 

There isn’t a whole lot of buzz around Dubai and Sharjah just yet, but seldom has the field looked so even ahead of a major women’s tournament

Shashank Kishore01-Oct-202415:17

Runorder: Can Australia be stopped at the Women’s T20 World Cup?

“What happens in Dubai Sports City stays in…….” doesn’t quite have the same appeal as “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, does it?That unmistakable sentiment rings out loud around this township, because nothing that happens here, except when the men’s teams of India and Pakistan occasionally meet, causes ripples of excitement around town.The robust Dubai metro hasn’t yet spread its wings this far, so is it even in Dubai, they ask. Jokes aside, there’s an unusual sense of calm around the venues.If you’re expecting fanfare and hoopla around the stadiums as a marker of the buzz around the Women’s T20 World Cup, you may need to temper your expectations. The ICC certainly has.Related

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An example of that is simply how affordable the tickets are; they start at AED 5 (USD 1.36 approx) for regular seating, while the premium seats start at AED 350 (USD 95 approx). The same area for a men’s India-Pakistan game at the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup cost upwards of AED 6000 (USD 1600 approx).Getting your hands on tickets may have meant hours of queuing up virtually, staying connected through every possible device you own, only to be told your payment failed because the server crashed, before you find the friendly neighbor posting an Instagram story of how a friend’s uncle’s colleague helped arranging passes.For the record, while the hospitality tickets for India-Pakistan on October 6 in Dubai have been sold out, general seating is available in plenty, as are tickets for most other big games.India have been training with balls soaked in soap solution to try and prepare for dew•ICC/Getty ImagesWhile the last-minute shift of venue from Bangladesh wasn’t ideal, and is among the reasons for the low-key build-up, there couldn’t have been a better alternative than the plug-and-play possibilities the UAE offers.Yes, it won’t quite match the pulse of a sellout Sylhet crowd dancing to the beats of (the theme song of the last Women’s T20 World Cup Bangladesh hosted in 2014), but it could yet produce compelling cricket because all the teams are about to embrace the unknown.And this perhaps, entirely by chance, could be the ICC’s cheat code to unlocking the closest-ever women’s tournament in recent memory, because no team can claim to have mastered the conditions. Picture this: none of the competing teams have ever played at the Dubai International Stadium.Acclimatising to the heat and humidity isn’t unusual for professionals anymore; what is a slight deviation from the norm is the lengths teams are going to in their preparation.England have camped in Abu Dhabi for over two weeks, training at different times of the day, including the dead of the afternoon, to tune their bodies, coming from nippy weather back home. Pakistan have played in 40-degree heat in Multan against South Africa and have continued from where they left off. Scotland and West Indies scheduled unofficial games to get used to the heat factor, long before the warm-ups.Given the advantage chasing sides are likely to have in Dubai, teams batting first may need to go hard from ball one•ICC/Getty ImagesIndia have had unusually long fielding drills to get used to the low, ‘ring of fire’ lights around the stadium. On their first training day upon arrival, the local organisers were taken aback by a rather strange request. “Lots of soap water, please” was the message. To wet the ball. They could have used plain water, but India wanted the slippery effect of soap to help their spinners simulate bowling in dewy conditions.History suggests dew could be a massive factor. In the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup, all 10 night games in Dubai were won by the chasing team. So, teams are trying to go hard from the first ball, to be able to give their bowlers, to quote MS Dhoni’s famous term, “par-plus scores.” Jemimah Rodrigues has certainly bought into that mindset. Shafali Varma, Chamari Athapaththu, Alyssa Healy and Deandra Dottin probably know no other way.And the exact opposite of what Dubai offers is likely to spring up in Sharjah. The South African men being spun out by Afghanistan on slow burners could have just been a teaser of what could follow at this tournament. It could bring out a different facet of T20 bating.The tournament as a whole has grown, as has the following, as a result of this transformation of skills in the women’s game. This has led to a massive spike in interest which wasn’t there even 10 years ago, because only the knockout games were deemed important enough to televise.The group-stage fixtures were a distant second cousin to the men’s tournament happening in parallel at A-list centers. But six years since opening up the experiment of a standalone tournament, the sport grew exponentially that March day in 2020 – raging pandemic notwithstanding – when 86,174 spectators played a massive part in spurring a revolution.Four years on, the women’s game has grown even bigger, with a greater number of dangerous teams, and endless possibilities await in what could yet be the closest-ever Women’s T20 World Cup.

Major League Baseball's trade deadline can certainly cause some hard feelings, but it can result in heartwarming reunions once in a while, too.

Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Eugenio Suárez is one of the most popular names surrounding this year's deadline, which is slated for July 31. With 36 home runs on the season, there's no shortage of suitors for his services. And according to a new report, he could be reunited with the team he spent the majority of his career with.

Per 's C. Trent Rosecrans, the D-Backs and Cincinnati Reds have mutual interest in a deal that would return Suárez to Cincinnati, where he has spent seven of his 12 big-league seasons. According to Rosecrans, the D-Backs are "at least interested in kicking the tires" on righthander Chase Petty, who made his MLB debut with the Reds this season but has spent most of the year in Triple-A Louisville.

The Reds dealt Suárez to the Seattle Mariners in 2022, where he spent two seasons before he was traded to Arizona following the '23 season. The Mariners are another team that could be interested in a reunion with Suárez, as well as the Detroit Tigers, where he began his career.

MLB insider Jon Heyman recently reported the Mariners have inquired with the D-Backs on a Suárez deal, along with the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs. The 12-year veteran is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. He was tied for the most homers across the National League heading into Wednesday before Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani smacked his 37th long ball of the year. Suárez currently has the most RBIs in the MLB this season with 86.

Now, there's just more than a week left to see whether he will find a new home to finish out the season.

Martin O’Neill may reportedly have taken charge of his last game as Celtic’s interim manager, according to a significant new update that has emerged.

O’Neill is such a popular figure at Parkhead, with the 73-year-old bringing positivity back to the club after a frustrating end to Brendan Rodgers’ time in charge.

The Northern Irishman has addressed his future at Celtic in recent days, still pinching himself at making a return, but admitting he doesn’t know what the next step is.

“I have to go back down to London again, I’m going to go into a darkened room and come out on Thursday and think ‘has this really happened?’ So I should imagine at some stage or another during the course of the next week, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be Saturday or Sunday of next week, that somebody will let me know what’s happening.

“No, I genuinely don’t know. But if they make an announcement in, let’s say, in the next week or something about a new manager, I will take this fortnight and I was nearly going to say rather morbidly, to my grave, but hang about. Well you never know, but it’s been fantastic.”

O’Neill will ultimately know that he isn’t the long-term answer for Celtic, with his appointment only a short-term fix, and now a new update has emerged regarding his future.

O'Neill may be replaced at Celtic during international break

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, O’Neill’s spell in charge of Celtic could reach its conclusion during the current international break.

A new “development” took place last weekend, with Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy now one of the leading contenders to come in at Parkhead alongside Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen. It is stated that top target Nancy is now “available” and ready to join the Hoops straight away after his current club were knocked out of the MLS playoffs.

As mentioned, O’Neill won’t be expecting to get the Celtic job permanently, despite some good results in charge, but if he has managed his last game for the club, he will depart as popular as ever.

Shock Celtic manager frontrunner receives backing from Parkhead higher-up

The Bhoys may well now have found their preferred choice to succeed Martin O’Neill.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 11, 2025

Ultimately, the Hoops have to make the right appointment to take the club in the right direction, and if they feel they have found the correct choice during the international break, an immediate change is needed.

Nancy looks to be an interesting option currently, having won 109 out of 209 matches in management in North America, but the one main risk is that he hasn’t proven himself in Europe, unlike Knutsen with Bodo/Glimt.

Approach imminent: Manager with 209 wins to 70 losses excited by Celtic

Manchester City have now identified a “top-level midfielder” as a priority target, joining a number of Europe’s top clubs in the race for his signature.

Man City set sights on Yaya Toure-esque midfielder

Despite his well-documented fallout with Pep Guardiola, Yaya Toure is undoubtedly a Man City legend, winning three Premier League titles, three EFL Cups and one FA Cup during his time at the Etihad Stadium.

The Ivorian, who is now working as Saudi Arabia’s assistant manager, posed a threat going forward throughout his time in England, scoring a whopping 20 goals during the 2013-14 Premier League season, while also amassing nine assists.

Since then, City’s style of play has changed, with Guardiola’s side reliant on Erling Haaland to provide the majority of their goals, and the Norwegian certainly hasn’t disappointed so far this season, averaging 1.05 goals per 90 in the Premier League, having found the back of the net 15 times.

However, Man City have now joined the race for an up-and-coming central midfielder with shades of Toure, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states they have identified Trabzonspor’s Christ Inao Oulai as a priority target.

Bayern Munich and Manchester United are also rivalling City for the 19-year-old’s signature, with all three clubs identifying him as one of their key teenage targets in Europe.

In his hometown of Yopougon in the Ivory Coast, the teenager is known as ‘Le Petit Yaya’, while City view him as a long-term partner for Rodri in midfield, and believe he could replace the Spaniard on a long-term basis.

Pep's a big fan: Man City leading race for "superstar" and ready to bid £65m+

City have moved into pole position in the race for a new defender, with a bid now being prepared.

ByDominic Lund 3 days ago

It could be difficult to get a deal over the line, however, with Trabzonspor unwilling to sanction a departure in January, and looking to receive £35m.

Christ Inao Oulai already a "top-level midfielder"

Former Premier League midfielder Michael Essien is a keen admirer of the Trabzonspor star, saying: “He’s a top-level midfielder, and he’s only 19 years old. I hope to see him one day wearing the Chelsea jersey.”

The two-time Ivory Coast international has emerged as a key player for the Turkish side this season, displaying his attacking prowess by chipping in with one goal and two assists in eight Super Lig matches.

Bernardo Silva’s future at Man City is up in the air, given that his contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and it has been suggested that Guardiola is willing to let the Portugal international move on.

As such, it could be a savvy move to bring in a central midfielder with attacking qualities in January or the summer, and Inao Oulai is exhibiting very promising signs in the Super Lig.

Stars, who entered the match placed second on the ladder, will now wait nervously on other results

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2025

10 overs Melbourne Stars suffered a costly WBBL loss just before finals as Sydney Thunder captain Phoebe Litchfield dominated a rain-affected encounter. Unable to reach the finals, Thunder destroyed the title-contending Stars by nine wickets in their last game of the tournament at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.Due to persistent rain, the match was shortened to ten overs a side as the Stars managed just 66 for 6 after being sent in to bat. Litchfield and fellow Australia young gun Georgia Voll made light work of the DLS-revised target of 76, securing the winning runs with 17 balls to spare.With just 11 runs needed and rain starting to fall again, Litchfield attempted one big shot too many and was out to Annabel Sutherland for a destructive 37 from 23 balls. Voll was untroubled by losing her opening partner, making an unbeaten 33 from 18 balls.Fellow big-hitter Laura Harris smashed the winning runs with a reverse ramp for four. Voll also chimed in with 2 for 13 to be named player of the match.The defeat is bound to have serious ramifications for the Stars, who entered the match placed second on the ladder. Hobart Hurricanes are locked in to host the final on December 13 as minor premiers, but the other three spots in the four remain up for grabs.Stars will wait nervously on other results, with Perth Scorchers hosting the winless Brisbane Heat on Saturday night. If the Scorchers, as expected, win, they will jump ahead of Stars into second.In the last game before finals, Sydney Sixers can also overtake Stars if they beat Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.Thunder will finish the tournament in seventh, winning four of their 10 games.

He has taken his time to come up the ranks, but at 28, Patil might be hitting his peak as a white-ball allrounder

Deivarayan Muthu03-Sep-2025He has the potential to become the next big white-ball allrounder from Mumbai after Shivam Dube and Suryansh Shedge. Like his better-known team-mates, he can launch mighty sixes from the middle order and also bowl handy seam-ups. His all-round skills earned him three Player-of-the-Match awards in six games and eventually the Player-of-the-Tournament award from Rohit Sharma at the T20 Mumbai league earlier this year. Meet 28-year-old Sairaj Patil, who is now on the radar of IPL teams as well.In the 2025 T20 Mumbai league, Patil scored 233 runs in six innings at a strike rate of over 150 to go with seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.35 for Eagle Thane Strikers. Despite state-run leagues mushrooming across India, allrounders who can clear the boundary and also bowl are still rare, which is why Patil has piqued the interest of scouts ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.Patil has been bossing the local and corporate tournaments in Mumbai for a while, but the recent success in the relaunched state league was proof that he could do the job at a higher level.Related

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“Yeah, I had a great Mumbai T20 league and I am grateful for everything,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament in Chennai. “I had prepped very well before the start of the tournament and I was dominating Mumbai cricket for the last two years and I was part of the Mumbai white-ball squad for [the 50-over] Vijay Hazare [Trophy] and Syed Mushtaq Ali [T20 tournament], but I was not getting chances.”So the past two seasons I was sitting outside… but by sitting outside I got to learn a lot of things. I built up a lot of patience, perseverance, and the grit to do well in every game I get and while I was playing in Mumbai cricket, I had the hunger to score in each and every game and dominate in all groups.”The most striking aspect of Patil’s T20 game is his six-hitting prowess – he smashed a chart-topping 16 in six innings in the T20 Mumbai league. He can even hit sixes off yorkers and low full tosses, thanks to his ability to play the helicopter shot. He said that his six-hitting wasn’t natural and put it down to hours of training and range-hitting with his childhood coach Bharat Chambre.”I hit 500-1000 balls a day along with my coach and so it has helped me now,” Patil said. “I didn’t have much power and strength when I was a kid but I’ve built it up with good coaching, diet and training. Even now, when I go to my practice sessions, I try and hit around 50-200 sixes and I try to get better every day.”With the ball, Patil is capable of hitting hard lengths at 130kph and also has some slower cutters in his repertoire. He has been working closely with former Mumbai and India bowlers Dhawal Kulkarni and Sairaj Bahutule to add to his variations and skills.

“Yeah, when you play in a country like India, everyone aspires to play the IPL and eventually for the country. So, like everyone else, I would like to be part of any of the franchises and showcase my talent in the tournaments”Sairaj Patil

“I’ve been bowling at 130-132 [kph] and Dhawal Kulkarni and Sairaj Bahutule have been my bowling mentors,” Patil said. “I enjoy contributing with both ball and bat. In the Mumbai T20 League, we had a tight schedule. It was quite difficult to manage the [bowling] load, but thanks to my trainers and S&Cs [strength and conditioning coaches] for managing me well.”Patil cherishes his all-round effort – 61 off 37 from No. 4 followed by four wickets – against SoBo Mumbai Falcons – at the Wankhede Stadium in June. Having come in to bat at 10 for 2, Patil watched Strikers slip further to 10 for 3, but he counterattacked with a boundary-laden fifty. He then fired with the ball too, the highlight being his dismissal of Shreyas Iyer with a 98kph cutter in his team’s successful defence of 151.”The game against SoBo Mumbai Falcons was special because we were three down [early],” Patil recalled. “I did dominate with the bat and it was special to get Shreyas’ wicket. So to score and take wickets in the pressure situation, I felt it was a turning point.”Patil, who hails from Palghar, where his father Bipin runs a club called Palghar Dahanu Taluka Sports Association, which has provided the platform for the likes of Shardul Thakur, Hardik Tamore and Sylvester D’Souza, idolises Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes, and has been bouncing ideas off Mumbai team-mates that have enjoyed success at the top level.”I share a good camaraderie with Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] , Shardul and Shreyas. Sarfaraz [Khan] and Prithvi [Shaw] are also my good friends and I learn from them. So they share a lot of insights on how I should go about with the game and how I can develop more to do better in the coming matches.”Sairaj Patil was named Player of the Tournament in the latest edition of the T20 Mumbai league•T20 Mumbai LeagueIt may not be too long before Patil joins some of those big names in the IPL. He had a stint with Mumbai Indians during their tour of the UK in 2022 and has been part of camps of quite a few franchises since, including Delhi Capitals’ most recently.”Yeah, when you play in a country like India, everyone aspires to play the IPL and eventually for the country,” he said. “So, like everyone else, I would like to be part of any of the franchises and showcase my talent in the tournaments.”Patil had been impressive with his big-hitting in the second season of the T20 Mumbai league in 2019 and now, with more experience and exposure, he believes that he is better equipped to deal with pressure.”Yes, experience comes as you play more and more games,” Patil said. “In 2019, when we [North Mumbai Panthers] won the T20 Mumbai league, I was the top six-hitter, but this year I did exceptionally well. From the previous experiences I had the motivation to become the best with bat and ball. I did that this season, so I am glad. I want to do the same things in all formats – whether it be red ball, whether it be white ball, and replicate it wherever I play.”While Patil is a work in progress in red-ball cricket – he is yet to make his Ranji Trophy debut – he has turned himself into an attractive T20 package, and though not exactly young, could yet have a career at the higher levels.