Newcastle eyeing "generational" prodigy who's "already" ahead of Dowman and Ngumoha

Newcastle United are now reportedly keeping close tabs on a “generational” star who could be ready to complete a big move to the Premier League in 2026.

Howe heaps praise on "relentless" Newcastle in Fulham victory

Following a routine victory over Benfica in the Champions League, Newcastle were once again made to work for a result in the Premier League.

The Magpies, who had won just twice in eight league games in the build-up, desperately needed to find a way past Fulham on Saturday and did just that courtesy of Bruno Guimaraes’ last-gasp winner.

Having his say on the much-needed win, Eddie Howe told reporters: “It was end-to-end. I thought it was a really attacking performance from both teams; both teams were going for the win. We’re delighted to get it ourselves.

“I thought it was a really good last 20 minutes from us; we were relentless in our pursuit to try and win. Eventually, one of those chances fell for us. Those points are so precious, but you also carry forward the belief that you can win in any situation, even when it doesn’t look like you will.”

That said, celebrations from the weekend can’t last very long. Newcastle’s focus must instantly turn towards facing Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. In search of defending their crown, the Magpies must find a way past an in-form side searching for more silverware, themselves.

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Given how important the Carabao Cup was to Newcastle’s season last time out, it will be interesting to see whether Howe chooses to rest players or field his strongest side in the competition. There’s no doubt that, with European football to balance with domestic duties, he must get things right.

Of course, adding another piece of silverware after last season would be no bad thing and it would certainly go a long way towards attracting the next generation of stars.

Newcastle keeping tabs on "generational" Monga

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Newcastle are now keeping tabs on Jeremy Monga as the Leicester City star continues to enjoy an impressive rise.

Still just 16 years old, Monga has already made more first-team appearances than Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha and is one of the most sought-after young players in English football.

It would represent a major coup if Newcastle managed to sign Monga ahead of Manchester City and they could even land a bargain deal for what would, in many ways, be their own version of Arsenal’s Dowman.

Leicester are unable to tie their teenage sensation down to a senior contract until he turns 17 next June, which means he could leave for a compensation fee rather than what would be a hefty transfer fee.

Everton now ready to compete in race to sign “physical” La Liga star in £35m deal

Everton are now reportedly racing to sign a La Liga star ahead of both Leeds United and Juventus in the January transfer window.

Everton join race to sign Conor Gallagher

La Liga seems to be where it’s at for Everton ahead of the January transfer window, with reports now claiming that they’ve joined the race to sign Conor Gallagher.

The Ateltico Madrid midfielder has put the Premier League on high alert as he looks to leave the Spanish club this winter, and Everton could yet secure his signature.

A move for the England international would highlight the progress that the Toffees have made since moving into the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Currently sat 10th, David Moyes’ side are just three points off Chelsea in fourth and there’s every chance that they could push for a shock European place if their current form continues.

It’s worth noting that Gallagher’s not the only one on Friedkin’s radar ahead of January, either. The Toffees are in search of reinforcements across the pitch, perhaps starting with their frontline.

Whilst Thierno Barry is beginning to show glimpses of his quality, he remains without a goal after securing a £27m move from Villarreal in the summer. As such, Everton have reportedly set their sights on signing Franculino Dju ahead of Bayern Munuch.

Then comes the task of adding to Moyes’ backline and that has reportedly seen club chiefs turn their focus towards welcoming impressive Real Betis centre-back Natan.

Everton join race to sign Natan

As reported in Spain, Everton are now ready to compete in the race to sign Natan against both Leeds United and Juventus. The Real Betis defender has impressed in La Liga this season and is set to cost any potential suitor around €40m (£35m) in the January transfer window.

Dubbed a “physical” centre-back by Como scout Ben Mattinson, the South American has already played in Italy with Napoli and Spain with Real Betis. Now, a Premier League move could be calling, as Everton and Leeds do battle for his signature.

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Standing at 6’2, the 24-year-old would certainly fit the part at Everton, who have a number of aerial dominators in Moyes’ backline as it is. There’s every chance that Natan would receive the game time that he’s after, too, given that Jarrad Branthwaite continues to struggle with injuries.

If the Toffees are to push into the European places this season then further investment will be the key. Whether it’s Natan, Gallagher or Dju in January, Friedkin would be wise to repeat their summer work and add quality in depth to Moyes’ side this winter.

Everton eyeing up move to sign former-Liverpool star who's been "fantastic"

Spurs star now won’t be seen again in 2025 after frustrating injury blow

Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways on Saturday, marking their first victory in the Premier League since the final weekend of October.

It was a win that lifted huge pressure off the shoulders of Thomas Frank, who, despite being in the dugout for a matter of months, was already facing questions and scrutiny about his job.

It’s another big week for Spurs who face Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday evening before coming up against Nottingham Forest next Sunday.

Heading into those games, Frank has received some positive and negative injury news.

The latest injury news out of Spurs

French forward Randal Kolo Muani has started to find his feet in Spurs colours in recent weeks, notably bagging against PSG in the Champions League.

However, he was withdrawn during the weekend’s win over Brentford and was spotted limping as he left the stadium.

Fortunately, he trained on Monday and looks set to play a part in Europe this midweek.

For James Maddison, things continue to look tough. The attacking midfielder featured on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football for their coverage of Wolves vs Manchester United and he may have to get used to off-field duties for now.

There is no specific time frame,” Frank began. “It will be a long time unfortunately before he [Maddison] is available.”

Spurs star will now miss the rest of 2025

While there is more positivity about Spurs heading into this week’s run of fixtures, there has been bad news on the injury front for Italian full-back Destiny Udogie.

The young defender has attracted criticism in recent weeks for his displays but missed the win against Frank’s former employers due to injury.

Speaking about the problem, the manager said: “Destiny picked up a hamstring injury at the end of the Newcastle game, so he’s out until January unfortunately.”

Ahead of their clash with Slavia Prague, a late call will be made on Brennan Johnson’s fitness but Yves Bissouma is set to miss out once again after his latest off-field controversy.

The Mali midfielder has not been seen in Spurs colours under Frank after he was dropped from the UEFA Super Cup squad for persistent lateness.

To make matters worse for Bissouma, a report at the weekend showed footage of the Spurs man allegedly inhaling nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas.

Commenting on the matter this week Frank said: “It’s an internal matter that we are dealing with at the moment and when we have dealt with that, then I will comment on it.”

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Man Utd in contact and lead race to sign attacking talent likened to Neymar

Manchester United are keen to strengthen their attacking ranks under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to raid South America for a bristling talent dubbed the next Neymar Jr.

Man Utd prepare to address squad issues in mid-season window

The Red Devils find themselves in the middle of the Premier League pack heading into a hectic run of fixtures between now and the New Year, which will offer Amorim some insight regarding where he needs to add steel to help his side continue their recent improvement.

Ultimately, setbacks are part of football, and Monday’s defeat against Everton will sting for the Manchester United support, especially given the difficulty their side had in breaking down the low block David Moyes deployed at Old Trafford.

Delivering an honest assessment of what needs to change going forward, Matthijs De Ligt urged his teammates to bounce back against Crystal Palace on Sunday and show improved urgency in South London.

He stated: “Overall, just a really bad performance. The next game, obviously, is really important now. We have to bounce back from this performance. We had some good performances over the last couple of weeks, and now we had a bad one.

“Now, it’s for us to come back, to stay together and to make clear what has to be better. We lacked maybe the urgency to score the goals, to create the chances – and then you know against a team like Everton, who drop back and are really strong in the air, it’s going to be quite difficult. That basically sums up the night.”

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Wolverhampton Wanderers pair Andre and Joao Gomes have been identified by Manchester United as January targets. Casemiro’s potential contract expiry has led Amorim down the path of searching for a midfielder, and it is clear he is making inroads on that front.

Conversely, the Red Devils are now said to be leading the race for a talent who could become one of South America’s brightest stars in the next few years.

Man Utd leading race to sign Santos star Robinho Jr

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd are leading the race to sign Santos prodigy Robinho Jr, and they have made contact with his entourage over bringing the 17-year-old winger to Old Trafford.

Compared to Neymar by peers in his homeland, he is a recognisable name as the son of former Manchester City and Real Madrid star Robinho, and he may be allowed to leave his current club due to their financial situation.

Robinho Jr’s statistics at Santos

Appearances

13

Goals

0

Assists

1

Santos are unlikely to let the winger go for a modest fee, albeit Manchester United have been tracking his progress for months and see a unique opportunity to develop his talent in England.

This is something that the Brazilian giants are willing to seriously evaluate as they look to bring funds into the club, especially given they are at risk of relegation, potentially creating a scenario where everyone is a winner.

الأهلي يتأهل لمواجهة الاتحاد في نهائي دوري المرتبط لكرة السلة بعد الفوز على سبورتنج

ضمن الأهلي تأهله رسميًا إلى الدور النهائي لبطولة دوري المرتبط لكرة السلة، بعد فوز فريق الناشئين تحت 18 عامًا على سبورتنج بنتيجة 49-43 في إياب الدور نصف النهائي.

وكان الأهلي قد فاز في لقائي الذهاب على مستوى الرجال والناشئين، قبل أن يتفوق في مباراة الإياب بمنافسات الصغار، ليحسم تأهله إلى الدور النهائي دون الحاجة إلى نتيجة مواجهة الكبار.

طالع.. الأهلي يفوز على سبورتنج في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري المرتبط لكرة السلة

وبهذا أصبح رصيد الأهلي 6 نقاط، مقابل 3 نقاط لـ سبورتنج، حيث يحصل الفائز على نقطتين، بينما ينال المهزوم نقطة واحدة.

ومن المقرر أن يضرب الأهلي موعدًا مع الاتحاد السكندري في الدور النهائي لدوري المرتبط.

وتأهل الاتحاد السكندري إلى نهائي البطولة، عقب فوزه على جاره سموحة بنتيجة 3-1 في مجموع لقاءات الدور نصف النهائي على مستوى الرجال والمرتبط.

يذكر أن منافسات الدور نصف النهائي لدوري المرتبط أقيمت على صالة برج العرب الرئيسية بالإسكندرية.

Steven Kwan's Controversial Diving Catch Sparked Debate Among MLB Fans

Steven Kwan made a spectacular diving catch in center field to preserve the Cleveland Guardians' scoreless tie against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS. Only, not everyone was convinced he actually made the catch.

After a line drive off the bat of Wenceel Perez went out to center field, Kwan pursued the baseball and dove forward in order to make the play. Kwan managed to get his glove in between the ball and the grass while making a stunning diving catch for the final out of the inning. Some felt that he actually trapped the ball, however.

It's incredibly difficult to determine on the replay whether or not the ball touches the grass before entering Kwan's mitt. Even the announcers were at a loss, clearly unable to decipher whether it was a catch or a trap. Replay review ultimately determined that it was a catch, which ended the inning and preserved the scoreless tie.

The Tigers left two runners on as a result of Kwan's diving play, though there were many fans who felt that it should've been a base hit for Detroit.

'We'll definitely miss him' – Xabi Alonso surprised by Dani Carvajal injury as Real Madrid boss tells captain they're 'waiting on him' to return

Xabi Alonso addressed the latest injury to Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal, with the setback set to rule the full-back out for the rest of the year. The Madrid head coach stated that "it was a surprise to receive that call from the doctor" the morning after he oversaw his side's dramatic 2-1 win over arch-rivals El Clasico. This is already the second time Carvajal has suffered an injury this season.

  • Carvajal suffers another injury

    Carvajal marked his return to the field during the 2-1 win over arch-rivals Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, coming on as a substitute for the final 20 minutes of the encounter. While he helped Real Madrid maintain their slender one-goal lead over the defending La Liga champions, his display will be remembered for his verbal exchange with fellow Spain team-mate and Barca teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. 

    On Monday, the night after Madrid broke their four-game losing streak against the Catalans, the club posted a shocking medical statement regarding Carvajal after reports that he felt discomfort following the Clasico. “Following tests carried out on our captain Dani Carvajal by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a loose joint in his right knee. Carvajal will undergo arthroscopy," the statement read. 

    The captain underwent successful arthroscopic surgery but has been ruled out of action until January 2026. It will be another test of mental endurance for Carvajal, who spent the majority of the 2024-25 action on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate injury. The Clasico also marked his first appearance since the muscle injury he suffered during the derby against Atletico Madrid in September, which saw him miss five games. 

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    Alonso waiting for Carvajal for the second half of the season

    Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Alonso said: "Carva played 20 minutes, he did very well, he competed… and on Monday morning it was a surprise to receive that call from the doctor. We'll definitely miss him. And since it seemed we'd be counting on him… We think [he will be sidelined for] seven or eight weeks. We're waiting for him."

  • Trent Alexander-Arnold's return couldn't have come at a better time

    Alonso will be concerned about not having the services of Carvajal. The 33-year-old is a serial winner and a true leader, a player who brings valuable experience as well as defensive solidity to the table. His absence will surely hamper the head coach's plans to an extent, as he was believed to be counting on Carvajal for the big occasions. 

    He will, however, be relieved about Trent Alexander-Arnold making a faster recovery than expected initially. The English international suffered an unfortunate hamstring injury on his Champions League debut for Madrid against Marseille in September, needing to be taken off within the first five minutes of the game. Since then, he has missed seven games due to the setback and remained an unused substitute in the defeat of Barca last weekend – his first call-up to the matchday squad since recovering.

    The upcoming fixtures also offer a prime opportunity for the 27-year-old right-back to cement his place as a regular in Alonso’s starting lineup. He is expected to feature against Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, and if all goes well, Alexander-Arnold could earn a starting spot against his former club Liverpool when Los Blancos visit Anfield in the Champions League next week. The England international has made just five appearances this season, totalling only 151 minutes. A consistent run in the starting XI could help him rediscover his form and build valuable momentum heading into the second half of the 2025–26 campaign.

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    Alonso dealing with other injury issues

    Alonso’s project in the Spanish capital has got off to a flying start. Barring the 5-2 derby blemish against city rivals Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano, Real Madrid have been nearly flawless. The team has shown renewed defensive solidity, while the attack, spearheaded by the unstoppable Kylian Mbappe, is clicking well and delivering in key moments, even if it hasn’t yet reached full throttle. Madrid have won 12 of their 13 matches this season, with their triumph over Barcelona finally breaking the club free from its big-game curse.

    However, injuries remain an uncontrollable factor, and one that could define how far Madrid go this season. They are currently missing the services of centre-back duo Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, who are set to be unavailable for at least another month. The injury to Carvajal was also the 47th such instance of a defender getting injured in the past two seasons. 

    Fede Valverde has chipped in as a makeshift right-back in the absence of both Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold, and he has stepped up admirably. He, too, seemed to have been exhausted by the end of the Clasico, asking to be subbed off due to fatigue. The Uruguayan, one of the Madrid's cornerstones, hasn't been afforded enough rest. If he gets injured, the depth in midfield will be too thin. Even though rotation has been the name of the game for Alonso and his coaching staff, they will have to be extra careful in the coming weeks. The fitness condition key personnel could make or break Madrid's season.

Charlie Allison tons up again to steady Essex

Important stands with Matt Critchley and Simon Harmer prevent Hampshire taking control with ball

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 22-Jun-2025Charlie Allison made it back-to-back centuries as he steered Essex into a commanding position on the first day of the Rothesay County Championship match against Hampshire at Chelmsford.Before his 140 against Surrey last month, Allison’s highest first-class score was 28. But the 20-year-old right-hander followed up his Oval heroics with 101 when the Championship resumed after its break for the Vitality Blast.He was the senior partner in a 107-run seventh-wicket stand with Simon Harmer, 16 years older, that carried Essex towards 292 for 8 at the close after they chose to bat. He also put on 66 for the fifth wicket with Matt Critchley, whose 71 came from 104 balls and included nine fours and a six.Kyle Abbott took his season’s tally to 35 wickets with three Essex scalps, but Hampshire let slip their morning advantage as a blustery, overcast day gave way to bright evening sunshine.Initially, it looked as if Essex’s travails of late – one win across both formats this summer – were being lain bare on a green wicket that gave encouragement to Hampshire’s seam attack. By midday Essex had lost three of their top four. Paul Walter mistimed a flick off his legs low to a diving square leg, Dean Elgar was beaten for pace by James Fuller and Jordan Cox ducked into a short ball from Eddie Jack and spliced the ball high to third slip.The premature departures did not preclude Essex handing county caps to the latter pair during the lunch interval. Former captain Graham Gooch handed one to Elgar while Cox received his from Jason Gallian, previously his cricket master at Felsted School, now chairman of the cricket committee.Back in the middle, Critchley was putting behind him his struggles with the bat in the Vitality Blast. He contributed 38 of the 53-run fourth-wicket stand with Tom Westley that included a six over long leg off Liam Dawson and a well-timed sweep for four, also off the England white-ball spinner.Westley was more circumspect, though the four fours in his 77-ball 28 were venomous in their execution and included one from his first ball through midwicket off Abbott and an imperious pull against Fuller. However, he departed lbw to one from Abbott that might otherwise have just clipped the top of the stumps.Under gathering grey clouds, Critchley reached his half-century from 84 balls amid a flurry of boundaries, the milestone four pulled through midwicket off Felix Organ. Another time he went in tiptoes to late-cut Jack to the third-man rope.Allison kept pace with Critchley and he launched Dawson effortlessly over extra cover for a six that brought up the fifty partnership in 13 overs. Later he hit another straight over the same bowler’s head. However, the stand was worth 66 when the wily Dawson had Critchley playing over a shorter-pitched delivery that looked as if it might have missed leg stump.Abbott had figures of 3 for 12 from 13 overs when he had Michael Pepper edging to the wicketkeeper. But that just brought together Allison and Harmer for a patient partnership that steadied Essex and ultimately gave them a measure of control.Harmer brought up the hundred partnership in 33 overs when he swatted Jack to the midwicket boundary. But with Allison on 99, he turned the ball to square leg, the pair hesitated and Harmer sacrificed his wicket as Jack’s throw went to the bowler’s end.Allison duly reached his century from 188 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, but one run later he dragged on to Organ and was bowled off the last ball of the day.

Unchanged PBKS opt to bat; DC hand IPL debut to Madhav Tiwari

Toss: Punjab Kings opt to bat vs Delhi Capitals
Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bat first in Dharamsala against Delhi Capitals (DC), in IPL 2025, with plenty at stake for both sides. He wanted to bat since the ground would be wet at the start of the game. The toss took place 75 minutes late at 8.15pm with a drizzle welcoming both teams.While Punjab Kings opted for the same batting XI for the fixture, DC made one change with legspinner Vipraj Nigam being left out for Madhav Tiwari. Tiwari is a 21-year-old allrounder who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm medium pace for Madhya Pradesh.The other change was Sameer Rizvi replacing Karun Nair. Nair’s had a forgettable time in the six games following his 89 against Mumbai Indians (MI).”The team is in high spirits and everyone is stepping up at the right time,” Shreyas said. “On top of the world to be honest, the way things are panning out.”Axar Patel said DC would’ve liked to field first since chasing with some rain around could be advantageous.”We’ve spoken about how we’ve been in a competitive position despite playing some poor games,” Axar said. “We’ve been speaking about the positives.”PBKS would have their playoff spot secured with a victory. Delhi Capitals need wins in all three remaining games to be assured of qualification, although they could still qualify if they go down tonight.Delhi Capitals bowling-first XI: Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul (wk), Abishek Porel, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, T NatarajanDC bench: Ashutosh Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mukesh Kumar, Vipraj Nigam, Tripurna VijayPunjab Kings batting-first XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep SinghPBKS bench: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Pravin Dubey, Yash Thakur

'Do I have to come and hit every ball?' – Kishan's thoughts on being bought by SRH

Kishan says the team was going for the record, after his unbeaten 106 got them to within two runs of the all-time highest IPL total

Shashank Kishore23-Mar-20252:46

Rapid fire: Are Kishan and SRH a perfect match?

Ishan Kishan said he picked up the phone quite soon after being bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for INR 11.25 crore (USD 1.34 million approx.) at the IPL 2025 mega auction. He wanted to know what it would be like to play for the IPL’s most explosive batting side.”I straightaway called Abhishek [Sharma] and asked, ‘what are you guys expecting, do I have to come and hit each and every ball?’ He was like, ‘on point, yeah, that is your job, you come here and you hit each and every ball, you just enjoy in this team.’ And that is the best part.Related

Kishan's 106* ensures SRH ease to win in 286 plays 242

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“I could actually see, and I could actually feel it before we played this game,” Kishan said after his 106 not out off 47 set up SRH’s win against Rajasthan Royals. “It’s not that I got a hundred and I’m talking about it. But yeah, when I got here, the message was very clear. ‘If the ball is there, just go for it, have your fun, have your moment’ and that’s how I think we’re going to play the tournament. Even if we are in a very good phase, we would do the same thing each and every time.”Kishan’s century off 45 balls was the third-fastest by a Sunrisers batter after Travis Head (41 balls) and David Warner (43). His partnerships with Travis Head (85 off 38 balls) and Nitish Reddy (72 off 29 balls) helped Sunrisers post 286, two short of being the all-time record for the highest total in the IPL, which would have broken Sunrisers’ own record. They now have four of the top-five highest scores in the league’s history.”Someone came in the middle with a water bottle and said we need to cross this total [their record of 287],” Kishan said. “I was like, I did not know if there was a target set or something, but yeah, when you don’t achieve the goal, it’s something like you want to do it again. We did not do it today, so it’s good to have that target goal for us coming back. Some days [when] we get a good start, batters are set, we will try and definitely get a record total.”Ishan Kishan slammed what was his first IPL hundred•BCCI

Kishan came into the IPL on the back of middling form in domestic cricket. His record in IPL 2024 wasn’t outstanding either – a solitary half-century in 14 innings for 320 runs. At Sunrisers, he was to play at No. 3, a slight deviation from his role as an opener at MI. Asked about the role change, Kishan said he got clarity from the captain and coach.”They keep it very simple, to be very honest,” Kishan said “Like Pat [Cummins], he keeps it very simple, he knows if the player likes to attack from the beginning, he just backs it up. It’s not like if you go in there and get out trying to hit, it adds up any pressure. That’s the best part for any youngster.”If you watched Aniket Verma playing his first game, at that moment he was not thinking about coming back not out. He just went for each and every ball, so that is the sort of confidence when you get from your support staff, or I would say captain, it makes a huge difference. And that is what something every player is looking up to, so I would say it helped us a lot.”Kishan’s roaring start at SRH comes after a tricky year for him. Last year at this time, just prior to the IPL, he had been stripped of his BCCI central contract for seemingly not prioritising domestic cricket. Asked how that affected him, Kishan said: “Whatever the situation was, I think I was never a person who was thinking about those bad moments. I was very much in the present, like what’s needed. Yeah, I need to perform, I need to do good for me, whatever I’ll do, it will help me end of the day. So I just planned to get all the negative thoughts out and just think about what’s ahead, like IPL was coming up.”So, yeah, I was just doing my hard work and, like I said to my loved ones, it was more about my family, the fans who were always there, the ones who are here supporting me today. Like I said, my brother was there. So it was just for them. Coming to SRH, playing in Hyderabad, the first game, setting up a good total for the team, so all together it was a very happy moment for me.”

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