Brevis, Mhatre and Urvil have given a flagging team some positive vibes

Sreshth Shah07-May-20252:40

Moody: ‘Brevis could be one of CSK’s best signings of the decade’

Wins have been hard to come by for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) this season, and reversing a losing trend is rarely straightforward. But adversity often presents unexpected openings. In recent games, the inclusion of Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, and Dewald Brevis has reignited CSK’s batting firepower. The narrow two-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru hinted at a revival, and the emphatic win over Kolkata Knight Riders confirmed it.What makes the turnaround even more remarkable is that none of the trio were part of CSK’s original auction plans. All three were signed as injury replacements after April 15, yet they’ve leapfrogged several players from the 25-member post-auction squad to break into the playing XI. While the franchise had publicly backed its auction strategy in earlier press conferences, there’s since been an implicit acknowledgment that they fell short in identifying emerging talent early on. The initial blueprint – built around Devon Conway, Ravindra Jadeja, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, and the now-injured Ruturaj Gaikwad – failed to click. With playoff hopes extinguished, CSK have shifted their focus toward IPL 2026, though not without showing signs of finishing the current season on a high, if not a triumphant, note.Batting coach Michael Hussey shed light on the thinking behind introducing the new trio.”When it got to a stage where we were going to struggle to make the playoffs, there was an opportunity to maybe look at what our future looks like,” Hussey said after CSK’s third win of the season. “Yes, obviously, we’ve got those players that were picked in the auction, but this was an opportunity to do some scouting, to have a look at some younger talent that was coming through, to inject them into the games and get to see them in pressure situations and see if they can handle the pressure of IPL.”Related

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Each of the three newcomers has shown, in different ways, that they belong. Mhatre’s 94 against RCB was one of the finest IPL innings by a teenager. Brevis has brought electric energy in the field and backed it up with a blazing 22-ball half-century at Eden Gardens. Urvil, too, lit up his IPL debut with a dazzling 31 off just 11 balls. But beyond their individual numbers, Hussey credited them with lifting the overall mood of the squad.”They’ve had a positive impact on the team,” he said. “They’re highly motivated to do well. They’ve created energy around the group, because when you’re in this position, sometimes the energy of the players can just go downhill very quickly. But this injection of some youth has really invigorated everyone.”It’s not just their runs that have changed CSK’s fortunes, it’s the intent behind those runs. Ahead of the KKR match, CSK had the lowest powerplay run rate this season at 8.1. Their top-order had either batted too cautiously for the modern T20 game or struggled to play with freedom, often leaving the middle and lower-order with too much to make up, whether batting first or second.1:23

Moody: Urvil’s stability at the crease stood out

Against KKR, just like in the RCB game, CSK showed early aggression. Despite losing five wickets, they powered to 62 runs in the first six overs. Brevis then lit up the 11th over, taking down Vaibhav Arora for 30 runs with a sequence of 6, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4. That onslaught gave CSK the breathing room they needed. The experienced middle order did the rest, with Shivam Dube’s 45 off 40 and MS Dhoni’s 17 off 18 finishing the chase with calm authority.While Hussey admitted that the lack of intent in the powerplay had been a concern, he also pointed to the home conditions in Chennai as a contributing factor. Still, he acknowledged that this stretch might mark the beginning of a tactical transition for CSK.”I mean, we weren’t playing in Hyderabad, you know. We weren’t playing in Delhi where the ground is smaller and the pitch is better,” Hussey said. “But I agree with you, it has been an area that we were below par on, particularly in the early stages of the season. The injection of youth, they bring that, I guess, youthful exuberance, that freedom, that lack of fear.”So yeah, it’s an area that we’re putting a fair bit of time into is that sort of talent identification. Trying to find some gold nuggets, I guess, if you like. Hopefully it pays dividends in the future years to come. Transitions are always difficult to manage, especially in a competition like IPL.”Hussey reserved special praise for Mhatre, even though he was dismissed for a two-ball duck in Kolkata. In ESPNcricinfo’s studios, Tom Moody praised Urvil’s technique and went as far as to call Brevis a game-changing CSK signing for the next ten years.”Mhatre’s a special talent, but he’s also a special young man,” Hussey said. “He’s got a great support network around him with his coach back in Mumbai, his parents. So I feel as though he’s got a great foundation to hopefully have a very successful career, and hope it’s with CSK for a long time.””Brevis could be one of Chennai’s best signings of the decade. He is an exceptionally talented player and he’s just starting to realise his talent. The one blip he will have to overcome is his cricket smarts,” Moody said on Time:Out. “And the thing that stood out with Urvil was his stability in the crease. One of the key things to power-hitting is a stable base, and for a young man to come into his first game and stay true to that and to be able to execute like that tells me a hell of a lot that this guy has a future.”The batting flourish in the last two games has offered CSK enough positives to suggest that all is not lost, even if the points table says otherwise. IPL 2026 may still be a while away, but some clarity around key personnel for the future makes even these small victories feel significant.

Manchester United and Ruben Amorim have been handed a transfer boost, with a La Liga star now open to an Old Trafford move.

Man Utd midfield options heading into 2026

It feels as if Amorim’s midfield is the one area that may need the most work in 2026. The Man Utd boss has gone with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes more often than not this season, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte falling out of favour.

Mainoo has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, whereas Amorim criticised Ugarte in front of his Man Utd teammates following the Europa League final against Tottenham.

Casemiro is also out of contract in 2026, and it has been suggested that there is a real possibility he will leave for free at the end of the season.

This comes despite the fact Amorim wants to keep the Brazilian, however, INEOS are looking to cut the wage bill and could do just that with the £350,000-a-week top earner.

A number of midfielders have been linked with arriving in Manchester, and one name that won’t go away is Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher.

There was speculation over a deadline day move in the summer, but the English “machine” remained at the Wanda Metropolitano, where he has made just two La Liga starts in 2025/26 under Diego Simeone.

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It has been suggested that Amorim has already given the green light for Man Utd to bring Gallagher back to the Premier League in 2026, and another promising update has now emerged.

Gallagher open to Man Utd move

According to United in Focus and transfer expert Graeme Bailey, Gallagher “has become increasingly frustrated at Atletico” and appears to be open to the idea of moving to Man Utd to improve his chances of making the England squad.

On around £150,000-a-week in Spain, Gallagher has been compared to some impressive midfielders across Europe in 2025, including former Red Devils man Scott McTominay.

Midfielders similar to Conor Gallagher

Club

Gavi

Barcelona

Sandro Tonali

Newcastle

Scott McTominay

Napoli

Bruno Guimaraes

Newcastle

Boubacar Kamara

Aston Villa

Now, United and INEOS need to decide whether or not to firm up their interest in the Englishman, amid rumours of a £44m January offer being lined up.

Man Utd now leading Barcelona & Liverpool in race to sign "absolute beast"

Mohindru was recently disbarred over allegations that he had lied on his CV

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2025Essex chair, Anu Mohindru, has stepped down from his position in the wake of allegations that he lied on his professional CV.Mohindru, who was appointed chair in 2023, was disbarred by the Barristers’ Tribunal Service last week after a five-day hearing, at which he was ordered to pay £55,000 in costs. Claims that he “deliberately exaggerated his academic achievements and qualifications” when applying for work dated back to 2012-13.Essex announced that Jason Gallian, the former England batter who currently chairs the club’s cricket committee, would step up as interim chair of the board, with Vicky Ford acting as his deputy.Related

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“Essex County Cricket Club can confirm that club chair Anu Mohindru has stood down as a board member with immediate effect,” the club said in a statement. “He informed the board of his decision at a meeting on Sunday.”Following the meeting the board has decided that Jason Gallian will act as interim chair whilst Vicky Ford will assume the position of interim deputy chair.”Essex County Cricket Club would like to place on record its thanks to Anu for his leadership and significant contribution during his time as chair of the club.”Mohindru’s appointment came in the wake of John Faragher being forced to step down as chair in 2021 over allegations that he had made a racist comment during a board meeting – for which the club was fined £50,000 by the ECB.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that the north Londoners will soon benefit from a “very unpredictable” weapon that is set to add something new.

This weekend, Sunderland are next in line to try and break down Arsenal’s imperious defence, which hasn’t been breached since their dramatic 2-1 win away to Newcastle back in September.

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The Black Cats, led by their arguable player of the season so far in ex-Arsenal star Granit Xhaka, are no easy customers and have made one of the best starts by a newly-promoted side in Premier League history.

However, the numbers suggest Regis Le Bris’ side might have their work cut out for them at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Arsenal haven’t just kept eight clean sheets in a row across all competitions, but they also boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues and have marked themselves out as England’s set piece specialists in that time.

No other Premier League side has scored more goals from dead ball situations than Arsenal so far this season (12), with Arteta’s side bringing the dark acts back into fashion.

While Arsenal have been criticised by some for their perceived ‘boring’ style of play, especially from ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara, Arteta won’t be fussed in the slightest as his team sit pretty at the top of the table.

Arsenal’s water-tight backline and threat from set pieces are undoubtedly the two main reasons why they’re currently in pole position to win their first Premier League title in 22 years, but speaking ahead of their clash with Sunderland, Arteta revealed they’re about to have another weapon at their disposal.

Mikel Arteta says "very unpredictable" Gabriel Jesus will add something new to Arsenal

£265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United back in January after rupturing his ACL, and reports once claimed that the Brazilian might not be back in action until next year.

However, Jesus has now returned to training, so his comeback is nigh, as Arteta explains how “thrilled” he is by the news.

The 28-year-old has been repeatedly linked with a January exit following the arrival of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to return from injury in time for the North London derby at the end of November.

That being said, it appears Arteta still has big plans for Jesus at Arsenal, with the forward capable of playing out wide as well as at centre-forward.

It will be very interesting to see how the former Man City star fits into Arteta’s tactical set-up, especially once their full complement of attackers in Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke return from injury too.

Hasaranga took 2 for 25 upon his return from injury

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2025

They began their high-stakes contest against Sri Lanka miserably, slipping to 0 for 2 after Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera bowled back-to-back wicket maidens with the new ball. But Bangladesh went into the innings break with the match still alive in tricky batting conditions, thanks to an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 86 between Shamim Hossain and Jaker Ali.They came together at 53 for 5 in the tenth over, and walked off together at the end of the innings, unbeaten on 42 and 41 respectively. That both went at strike rates in the 120s, and both struggled to find the boundary for long stretches – including a barren spell of 21 balls – indicated both the excellence of Sri Lanka’s defensive bowling, particularly that of Chameera whose yorkers achieved a rare level of precision in overs 18 and 20, and the two-paced nature of this Abu Dhabi surface.Shamim hit the only six of the innings, a pick-up shot over midwicket off Matheesha Pathirana in the 19th over, and that shot and Pathirana’s figures – 0 for 42 in four overs – indicated that pace onto the bat was one quantity batters could feed off in these conditions.Sri Lanka’s other frontline bowlers were exceptional, however, with Thushara and Chameera finding swing with the new ball and mixing up their pace nicely with the old ball to finish with identical figures of 4-1-17-1. Wanindu Hasaranga, meanwhile, made a big impact in his comeback game, taking two wickets and nearly having another when a wrong’un burst through Jaker’s defences and brushed the off stump, only for the bails to stay put.That Bangladesh managed to set Sri Lanka a target of 140 was remarkable given how they began, with their left-handed openers Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon struggling to find the middle of the bat against the new ball and perishing when they tried to hit out, scoring a combined 0 off 10 between them. Litton Das helped them recover somewhat with a 26-ball 28 that included three fours in the sixth over when he went after Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka’s fifth bowler, but Bangladesh didn’t do their cause any good by losing Towhid Hridoy to a run-out when he attempted a risky third run.They could have lost Shamim in this manner too, when he was on 11 in the 13th over, but a superhero dive ensured he just about beat keeper Kusal Mendis’ between-the-legs flick onto the stumps.

Gary Stead can continue to work outside NZC too, like with Andhra in the Indian domestic circuit

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2025Gary Stead has rejoined New Zealand Cricket (NZC) as the high-performance coach, just over three months after he had stepped down as the national men’s head coach after a seven-year stint – he ended as the team’s most successful coach. His new role will be “supporting player and coach development, as well as high performance programmes”, an NZC statement said.”New Zealand cricket’s very much been at my heart for the past 30 odd years and to be able to keep contributing to the game I love is really special,” Stead said. “I’m still passionate about coaching and trying to help people learn and improve. If I can pass on some of my skills and experiences to the wider cricket network and in turn help the BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS win on the world stage – than that would be really satisfying.”I’m also appreciative of the opportunity to work outside of NZC to broaden my skills and experiences and hopefully I can bring what I learn back into our cricket environment.”Related

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One such opportunity is to work with the Andhra Cricket Association in India as the head coach of the men’s team, which will continue. Stead also provided interim coaching support to Otago Cricket over the winter pre-season and has been involved in a New Zealand Under-19 camp this month.”Gary’s knowledge and experiences in cricket is immense and the fact he’s still passionate and motivated to give back to the game in this country speaks volumes about his character,” NZC chief high-performance officer Daryl Gibson said. “His role, which is a commitment of three days a week on average over the year, will see him work across much of the high-performance network, allowing our national and domestic coaches, players and staff to tap into his expertise and IP.”Gary is also able to work outside of NZC, such as his recent part-time appointment to the Indian domestic side Andhra for their upcoming four-day competition, an experience which will allow him to further grow his knowledge and experience.”Stead’s highlights as the head coach of the men’s national team included winning the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) title in 2021 and sweeping India 3-0 in India in a Test series last year.Stead first joined NZC as a coach development manager (2004-2009), before becoming an assisted coach at the NZC Academy (2005-06), New Zealand Women’s head coach (2009-12), and Canterbury head coach and director of cricket (2012-18), before he joined the men’s senior team in 2018.

Palmeiras academy director Joao Paulo Sampaio has made a major remark about Brazilian defender Vitor Reis, who is currently playing in La Liga for Girona on loan from their sister club, Manchester City, who are monitoring his progress. According to Sampaio, Reis has the ability to shine in the coming years and establish himself as a vital player in the Brazilian national team.

Reis enjoying a perfect season at Girona

In January 2025, Manchester City landed one of Palmeiras' top young talents in the form of Reis. Just 19-years-old, the Brazilian did not enjoy much playing time under head coach Pep Guardiola, who mostly used him in the FA Cup. Accumulating four appearances since his switch from Brazil, Reis was loaned out to Girona at the start of this season. Girona fall under the same ownership as City, the City Football Group, and currently sit 18th in La Liga. 

AdvertisementAFPWhat did Sampaio say about Reis?

Among the U-20 players in La Liga, which includes Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid next-gen talent Franco Mastantuono, Reis is the one with the most playing time. Sampaio, who has worked with him at Palmeiras, knows the youngster well and has predicted that he will become a mainstay in the Selecao XI. "He will be Brazil’s centre-back for the next three or four World Cups. This kid is very different. Technically, physically, mentally, as a leader… he is one of the best in the Spanish league in terms of numbers," the director told ESPN Brazil (via Sport Witness).

Brazil currently have an experienced defensive third comprising Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos or even Eder Militao. However, among the upcoming talents, Reis is one to keep an eye on.

Reis' youth coach speaks on his leadership abilities

Reis was part of City's rebuild, and the Etihad-based club are minutely tracking his development in La Liga and might reintegrate him into the squad once his two-year loan stint comes to an end. However, when they signed him back in January, his youth coach at the R10 Academy, Roberto Custodia, heaped praise on the teenager. 

He said (via ESPN): "After I saw him play at centre-back for the under-9 side, he came to train with me. And there I saw that he could command, that he would organise those around him. You could see that he had a strong personality. Then he went to Palmeiras and won everything there at youth level. He's a very humble, down-to-earth guy."

Abel Ferreira, who is the head coach of Brazilian side Palmeiras, also spoke highly of the youngster. "He's been a pleasant surprise. Everyone should have the strength of will that this lad has. I congratulate him, because despite his age, he's a man of character," he said to ESPN. He further stated (via Manchester Evening News), "We sold Vitor because I spoke too much to the wrong people and that’s it. When you talk to directors of other clubs about your squad, people believe a lot of what you say. But he deserves it, he’s a kid with the whole package. That’s what makes players valued. It was with Vitor Reis, Danilo, Estevao, (Luis) Guilherme, Endrick."

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Getty Images SportReis to face Real Madrid soon

Girona will return to action on November 23, when they meet Real Betis on the road. Currently placed 18th in the standings, they will aim to secure a second consecutive victory of the season and boost their motivation before taking on Real Madrid a week later. Reis, who has so far been an integral part of Michel's system, is expected to start both games.

أعلن نادي برشلونة عبر موقعه الرسمي عن تجديد عقد أحد لاعبيه بعد تقديمه أداء متميزاً في بداية هذا الموسم تحت قيادة هانز فليك.

وتوصل برشلونة لاتفاق لتجديد عقد لاعبه إريك جارسيا مكافأة لما قدمه مع النادي، وكان خوان لابورتا قد أكد صحة التقارير حول ذلك أمس.

وأعلن نادي برشلونة منذ قليل، أن عقد إريك جارسيا الجديد مع برشلونة سيمتد حتى 30 يونيو 2031، وستتم مراسم التوقيع على العقد الجديد يوم الخميس القادم 11 ديسمبر.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ريال مدريد يستعد للتصعيد ضد برشلونة أمام فيفا

وقد أنهى برشلونة اتفاقه مع إريك جارسيا بعد أسابيع من المفاوضات بين ديكو المدير الرياضي وإيفان دي لا بينيا وكيل أعمال اللاعب.

ويعد إريك جارسيا هو اللاعب الوحيد الذي شارك في جميع مباريات هذا الموسم، وكان عقده القديم ينتهي في 2026 ومثل تجديده أولوية للمدرب الألماني هانز فليك والذي منحه ثقة كبيرة ولذلك أصبح مهماً لدى الإدارة الرياضية لبرشلونة، وسيحصل اللاعب على زيادة جديدة في راتبه.

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Nesta quarta-feira, a Câmara dos Vereadores do município do Rio de Janeiro irá realizar a primeira audiência pública referente ao projeto do Vasco de reformar São Januário. A audiência pública avaliará o potencial construtivo relativo ao projeto do clube, que, se aprovado, possibilitará ao clube arrecadar dinheiro para a reforma do estádio. O estádio de São Januário não foi repassado à SAF durante o processo de venda do futebol do Gigante da Colina.

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A reforma do novo estádio de São Januário tem planejamento para receber um público de 48 mil pessoas. No entanto, o projeto prevê a possibilidade de ajustes e mudanças feitas pelo Vasco, desde que sejam aprovados pela Prefeitura. O projeto de reforma foi desenvolvido pelo arquiteto Sérgio Dias, durante a gestão do presidente Alexandre Campello, e foi apresentado pelo Vasco em parceria com a WTorre.

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A audiência pública contará com a presença de Pedrinho, presidente do clube associativo, assim como de Jorge Luiz de Souza Arraes pela Secretaria Municipal de Coordenação Governamental, Thiago Ramos Dias, Subsecretário Executivo da Secretaria Municipal de Desenvolvimento Urbano e Econômico e o presidente da Comlurb, Flavio Lopes.

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A reforma de São Januário está orçada em R$ 506 milhões. O Vasco espera arrecadar R$ 500 milhões através da lei do potencial construtivo. O que se tem no projeto de lei é um valor que seja compatível com o que a Prefeitura está “dando” ao Vasco. Com isso, a obra se torna viável para o clube. O Vasco também pretende realizar a venda dos naming rights de São Januário para captar mais recursos e aumentar o orçamento da reforma do estádio.

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Astros fans will gladly take infielder Carlos Correa's performance through his first nine games back with the team—a .405/.476/.622 slashline with two home runs and six RBIs.

However, to Correa, his return to Houston has a deeper meaning. Asked by reporters Monday what his favorite part of being back with the Astros was, he provided a simple response.

"Playing with (second baseman, left fielder and designated hitter) Jose Altuve again," he said via Michael Shapiro of the .

The two infielders played together from 2015 to '21, where their journeys were bound for better or for worse. When Houston won its first World Series title in 2017, both were in the lineup; when the Astros' sign-stealing operation came to light in 2019, both took public image hits.

In 2022, Correa signed with the Twins—only for the reeling squad to trade him back to Houston on July 31 of this year.

Though both are in their 30's and playing several different positions, they have resumed their collective status as one of baseball's most visible infield tandems—and figure to get a huge ovation against the Red Sox Monday.