Venkatesh Prasad reiterates his commitment to bringing big-ticket cricket back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru

Shashank Kishore08-Dec-2025Venkatesh Prasad, the former India seamer, has been elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Sujith Somasunder, who played two ODIs in 1996 and was until recently head of education at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, is the vice-president.Prasad, who received unanimous backing from former colleagues Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath among others, defeated his rival KN Shanth Kumar by a 749-558 margin. Flanked by his team members, Prasad reiterated his commitment to work with the state government to restore “Chinnaswamy’s lost glory”.”First and foremost, this is a victory for the sport of cricket,” Prasad said. “Secondly, this is a victory for all the members who wanted a change, all the people who wanted international cricket to come back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.”Related

Probe panel deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large-scale events

The venue hasn’t hosted a big-ticket game since a stampede outside the premises claimed 11 lives during a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory party on June 4. Since then, the KSCA has been a no-go for cricket in Bengaluru, with the BCCI preferring to host the Duleep Trophy and ‘A’ series between India and South Africa at the Centre of Excellence.The M Chinnaswamy Stadium was scheduled to host five women’s ODI World Cup games, including the final. But they had to be moved out after the previous KSCA dispensation, which was operating without a treasurer and secretary, who had resigned on moral grounds after the stampede, failed to obtain the necessary clearances from the state government.KSCA subsequently ran into trouble with the state’s electricity suppliers over fire-safety compliances, which led to power supply to the venue being cut-off. Power has since been restored after a fire-safety audit that said KSCA was in compliance with regulations.Prasad has now instructed his team to study the other possible changes they can implement by studying the findings of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, appointed by the Karnataka government in the aftermath of the stampede.DK Shivakumar casts his vote at the KSCA elections•PTI In its report in July, the commission had stated that the stadium’s “design and structure” were inherently “unsuitable and unsafe” for mass gatherings. It warned that continuing to hold high-attendance events at the venue would pose “unacceptable risks to public safety, urban mobility, and emergency preparedness”.On Sunday, Karnataka’s deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, a KSCA life-member and among the early voters, vowed to bring the IPL back to the Chinnaswamy.”I’m a cricket lover,” he said. We will ensure that the accident in Karnataka does not happen again and hold cricket events at Chinnaswamy Stadium in a manner that upholds the honour of Bengaluru. We will not shift the IPL elsewhere and will continue to hold it here at Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka, which we will retain.”Prasad joins a small group of former India players currently in cricket administration. Recently, Mithun Mahnas, the former Delhi captain and a cricket administrator in Jammu & Kashmir, was elected BCCI president, while Sourav Ganguly, Prasad’s former India colleague and captain, was unanimously elected as president of Cricket Association of Bengal. Saurabh Tiwary and Shahbaz Nadeem, who also had brief India careers along with a strong body of work in domestic cricket, have entered cricket administration in Jharkhand in positions of authority.

Ben Stokes is willing to accept criticism of England’s performance in the first Test as “rubbish” but feels labelling his side “arrogant” is a step too far.Australia’s victory in Perth has seen the tourists come under heavy fire, after succumbing to defeat inside two days. Despite holding a strong position on day two – 105 in front, with nine second innings wickets in hand – England capitulated, losing 9 for 99 through questionable shot selection, before Travis Head completed the rout for an eight-wicket victory.With an 11-day gap between the end of the first and the start of the second Test at The Gabba next Thursday, there has been ample space for postmortems, particularly in the Australian media. Publications and pundits have lined up to take shots at not just England’s approach in the match, but around it, too. Mitchell Johnson was the latest former Australian cricketer to seek his pound of flesh with his column on Friday. Such critiques have also come from the UK.Related

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A lack of an intense warm-up ahead of the series, with a three-day match against the Lions at Lilac Hill, has been followed by a decision for all but three unused squad members to miss the Prime Ministers’ XI match in Canberra this weekend – a two-day pink-ball fixture ahead of Brisbane’s day-night Test. Factor in paparazzi shots of the team playing golf and an unflattering picture has been painted of an unserious team not committing wholly to one of the most anticipated Ashes tours in recent history.Stokes, however, was keen to set the record straight in England’s first official media engagement since the end of the Perth Test. Prior to an additional training session at Allan Border Field on Saturday morning – the first of five ahead of the second Test – England’s Test captain ceded they must wear what comes their way, but stressed not all of it was valid.”Look, you can call us rubbish, call us whatever you want,” Stokes said. “We didn’t have the Test match that we wanted to. We were great in passages of that game… but I think arrogant might be a little bit too far.”But that’s okay. We’ll take the rough with the smooth. I’d rather words like ‘rubbish’, but ‘arrogant’, I’m not so sure about that.”Ben Stokes speaks to the media as England resume training•Getty Images

Stokes also defended England’s decision not to send more of their first-string to join the Lions for the PM’s XI match, which starts on Saturday afternoon. Only Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts are at Manuka Oval, with the remainder of the Ashes squad in situ in Brisbane since Wednesday.It left Lions captain Tom Haines in the uncomfortable position of fielding questions from local media on Friday at the captain’s press conferences, asking if England had disrespected the match – and by association – prime minister Anthony Albanese.”I do understand it,” said Stokes of the blowback to shunning the fixture. “We have a pink-ball match coming up in Brisbane, and we have an opportunity to play some pink-ball cricket. When you look at it just like that, I don’t want to say it makes sense, but I totally understand it [that view].”But there’s obviously a lot more to it than just that. There’s where it is, in Canberra, which is a different state from Brisbane. The conditions are going to be completely different to what we are going to have coming up.”You take all the factors into consideration, the pros and cons, whatever it may be. We then discuss that and decide what we think is the best preparation. We have a few more days off than we planned after that Test. We had to go away and ask how we use these next few days wisely in order to be prepared for what it will be like in Brisbane.”We schedule everything as if the Test match is going to go five days. It didn’t go five days, so we had three days planned of training, and that obviously had to change. That’s why now we have a longer build-up for this pink-ball game.”Saturday’s session lasted close to three hours before rain arrived in Brisbane. The week has been punctuated by thunderstorms, with more expected in the next few days that could hamper both team’s preparations and the Test itself although the forecast does become more settled.Pink ball in hand: Jofra Archer prepares for the day-night Test•Getty Images

Regardless of the weather, Australia will be seen as the dominant force coming into next week. They boast an impressive 13 wins from 14 in day-night Tests, suffering their first defeat against West Indies at the Gabba in 2024. Mitchell Starc, fresh from 10 wickets in the first Test, is the standout with the pink ball, with 81 dismissals at an average of 17.08.With the odds stacked against England, Stokes issued a rallying cry to his team – and supporters – as he seeks to right the wrongs of Perth.”We did some amazing things in that Test match,” he said. “The way we bowled in the first innings, and we were [effectively] 100 for 1, and put a score on the board that we felt was definitely defendable. We all know, and have looked back on it, that there were moments in that game where we could have been a lot better to help us gain even more of an advantage.”The important thing we need to do as a team and individuals is learn from it. We have identified those moments, spoken about them as a group, that’s what we need to do. In terms of execution, could we have been better at executing what we want to do, definitely. But again, we have a mindset of playing the game which is looking to put the opposition under pressure, but also absorbing pressure.”Sometimes when you go out there and make a decision, it doesn’t always pay off, or work the way you want it to. That’s the key for the rest of this tour, staying true to the beliefs of how we play our cricket. But also we do know we could have been a lot better in certain ways.”We know that there’ll be a lot of disappointed fans in England after that first defeat. But it’s a five-game series, we’ve got four games to go, we’ve lost the first one – we’re absolutely desperate to come home with that goal from before we even started the series, which is to win the Ashes.”

Barcelona legend Gerard Pique has singled out Marcus Rashford as the biggest surprise in La Liga so far this season following his move from Manchester United, though the former defender admitted that Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is currently operating "on another level" compared to the rest of the competition. The Frenchman has made a blistering start to the campaign in Spain, averaging a goal a game for Xabi Alonso's team.

Mbappe and Rashford in fine form this season

The current La Liga campaign has been defined by a fascinating battle between established superstars and fresh faces looking to make their mark. While Kylian Mbappe is now firmly entrenched as the face of Madrid following his move in 2024, the arrival of Rashford in Catalonia this summer has added a new dynamic to the title race.

The England international joined Hansi Flick's side on a season-long loan from Manchester United in July, looking to revitalise a career that had stalled at Old Trafford. His impact has been immediate, with his pace and direct running providing Barcelona with a different dimension in attack as well as six goals – two in La Liga and four in the Champions League. It is a transformation that has caught the eye of Pique, who knows exactly what it takes to succeed in Catalonia.

Speaking in an interview with , the former Barcelona captain was asked to identify the players who have impressed him most this term. Pique wasted no time in highlighting the English forward's seamless adaptation to Spanish football.

AdvertisementAFPBarcelona legend hails English forward

Asked who has surprised him most this season, Pique picked the 28-year-old Englishman, saying: "Rashford. I think he had a very good start, now let's see how he continues. He scored two goals in the match against Newcastle, he has contributed and helped a lot since the beginning."

However, despite his allegiance to the Blaugrana, Pique could not ignore the elephant in the room. When discussing the absolute elite performers in the league, he conceded that Real Madrid's number nine sits alone at the top of the mountain. After all, the Frenchman won the league's top scorer prize on his debut season and has followed that up with a whopping 16 goals in as many La Liga games this term, despite Madrid struggling for consistency and falling behind Barcelona in the top-flight. He has also netted an incredible nine in just five Champions League matches.

"Also Mbappe, he is on another level and not just in goals, but also in how he looks," Pique admitted. "I think he is sharper than ever."

The former defender also tipped his cap to rivals Atletico Madrid, noting the contributions of their Argentine contingent. "Looking at other teams, in Atletico you have Giuliano Simeone, who is doing very well, Julian [Alvarez], who is a differential player," he added. "I think in La Liga there has not been any big surprise and that everything is being quite expected."

Rashford's Spanish renaissance

Pique’s comments validate what has been a rejuvenating few months for Rashford. There were significant doubts over whether the 28-year-old could adapt to the technical demands of La Liga, but he has answered his critics emphatically. Pique highlighted his pivotal Champions League performance earlier against Newcastle, in which he scored twice to seal a 2-1 win. He has also provided six assists in the domestic competition and a further one in Europe.

For a player who looked lost at United under Ruben Amorim, Rashford has found a new lease of life under Flick. His versatility across the front line has been crucial for Barcelona, allowing them to rotate Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski without a drop in quality.

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Getty Images SportMbappe the benchmark

While Rashford has been a pleasant surprise, Mbappe has been an inevitability. Now fully settled in his second season in Madrid, the Frenchman has evolved into the complete leader of the Los Blancos attack.

Pique’s observation that he looks "sharper than ever" is a frightening prospect for defences across Europe. Having already lifted the Champions League in his debut season, Mbappe appears determined to chase down individual records this term. His dominance is such that even the staunchest Barcelona icons are forced to acknowledge his supremacy.

For Rashford, the challenge is now consistency. As Pique noted, "let's see how he continues." With reports suggesting Barcelona have a purchase option in the region of €30 million for next summer, the Englishman is effectively playing for his long-term future. A strong second half of the season could seal a permanent exit from Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Mbappe and Real Madrid face a defining week with a Champions League clash against Manchester City. With the team suffering from a defensive injury crisis, the onus will once again be on their French superstar to provide the "differential" quality Pique so admires.

The U.S. men's national team has learned their World Cup group as Mauricio Pochettino's side was paired with Paraguay, Australia and a yet-to-be-determined European foe to start next summer's tournament. The USMNT's fourth opponent will be either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo, who will face off in March's playoff.

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  Group stage opponents: Austrailia, Paraguay and TBD

  The U.S. were handed a fortunate draw with their Pot 2 team as they were matched up with a familiar opponent: Australia, who are ranked 26th in the world. That matchup comes on the heels of an October friendly that saw the U.S. defeat Australia, 2-1, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

  From Pot 3, the U.S. were given another familiar opponent: Paraguay, the 39th-ranked team. Like Australia, the U.S. played Paraguay in the fall, defeating the South American side, 2-1, in Philadelphia.

  And then finally, from Pot 4, after navigating some conditions, the USMNT were finally paired with one of the winners of the European Playoff C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo. 

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  Must-watch TV: Australia

  The USMNT's battle with Australia will be a fun one, largely because will no doubt show up. With the game being played in Seattle, Australia's fans should have a presence, as the West Coast is easier to travel to. 

  There's also some added juice from the fall, when the U.S. saw star Christian Pulisic injured after a series of hard fouls from Australia in their friendly match in Colorado. 

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  Dangerous matchup: Paraguay

  The game against Paraguay will be dangerous – and, if last month’s clash is any indication, perhaps quite literally. The two teams squared up just before the final whistle after a tense match, and you wouldn’t expect anything less once the World Cup starts.

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  Key opposition player: Arda Guler or Miguel Almiron

  This will surely depend on who gets in as that Pot 4 team. Should Turkey qualify, the U.S. would face off with their world-class young stars: Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz. Should Turkey not advance, the main man to stop would be Paraguay's Miguel Almiron, a familiar face for fans of Major League Soccer as he stars for Atlanta United. 

The Cincinnati Reds have added rotation help as they desperately try to stay afloat in the playoff race.

The Reds are acquiring pitcher Zack Littell from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to a Wednesday night report from ESPN's Jeff Passan. Per Passan, the deal is a three-teamer; the Los Angeles Dodgers will get pitcher Paul Gervase, catcher Ben Rortvedt and pitcher Adam Serwinowski, while the Rays will get catcher Hunter Feduccia and pitcher Brian Van Belle.

Littell, 29, joins the Reds after eight years split between four teams. After years spent shuttling between the bullpen and rotation, the Burlington, N.C., native found a niche starting for Tampa Bay over the past two years.

In 2024, he went 8-10 with a 3.63 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 156 1/3 innings. In 2025, he has again pitched to a respectable ERA (3.72) and leads the majors with just 1.2 walks per nine innings, but also carries one significant blot on his Baseball Reference page—an MLB-high 26 home runs allowed.

Cincinnati is currently the only team within five or fewer games of the San Diego Padres, who hold the National League's last wild-card spot. The Reds are three back after both teams won Wednesday.

The Rays, on the other hand, are in the midst of a 2-8 stretch and trail the Seattle Mariners by 3.5 games for the last American League berth.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. had a pretty disappointing outing in his Home Run Derby debut.

The New York Yankees star only ended up hitting three total home runs during his three-minute period and was eliminated in the first round. He swung 37 times, but only crushed three of those pitches out of Truist Park. His three homers traveled 463 feet, 409 feet and 400 feet, and he wasn't able to hit one out during the bonus round.

Chisholm's outing caused him to instantly be eliminated from advancing in the Derby. All of the other seven participants hit at least 15 home runs in the first round.

Here's a summary of Chisholm's hits, via Home Run Report.

Chisholm's three home runs hit from 37 swings were the fewest in the first round since 2014, according to Jayson Stark. It's important to remember the format was different then, too.

It doesn't seem like Chisholm took the advice from his Yankees teammate and 2017 HR Derby winner Aaron Judge in regards to having fun and pretending to just take batting practice. Judge was there on the field watching Chisholm, and he was there to console him right after his round.

A match-winning century sparked extraordinary scenes in March, capping a surge that propelled Jason Sangha back towards national reckoning

Deivarayan Muthu01-Sep-2025It has been five months since Jason Sangha guided South Australia to the Sheffield Shield title and sent the Karen Rolton Oval into euphoria. But his memories of the win and the celebrations, including the iconic ground invasion, are still so fresh that he was reliving it with Queensland’s Angus Lovell during dinner in Chennai, which is approximately 5000 miles away from Adelaide.Last month, Sangha was part of a group of 12 Australians who had spent in time Chennai and trained at the MRF academy, where they also played a three-day game against former Ranji Trophy champions Saurashtra.”We were talking about the win the other night and talking about how that [revelry] just wouldn’t happen at any other state,” Sangha recalls. “You know, there’s so much passion with the people from South Australia. They love their cricket, they love their AFL, but they love the cricket when the cricket season is on.Related

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“It’s the same in the AFL. Like, when the two AFL teams are playing really well, there’s a really good buzz around the city. And when South Australian cricket is doing well, or if Travis Head or Alex Carey are playing well, there’s a really big buzz around the city for cricket. If I go back home, there’s still people talking about the Shield final and we’re trying to focus on it for next season.”Sangha is gearing up for the season with his new-found ability to bat for long and score big. After chalking up six fifty-plus scores, including three centuries in 12 innings in the 2024-25 Shield, he made a career-best 202 not out off 379 balls in his most recent first-class fixture for Australia A against Sri Lanka A in Darwin in July. Sangha puts his stellar run down to taking emotions out of his game and thinking clearly.”I’m just a lot more level-headed than I probably would have been,” he says. “Whether I’m playing club cricket, if I’m playing state cricket, A-team cricket, even over here [in Chennai], I just want to keep having those good habits, keep being consistent with how I train, how I play, rather than sort of being checked in and checked out or being really intense and then dropping off and not batting for a while.”So it’s just having a more of a level-headed approach, being more consistent, and look, if that leads to higher honours, that’s great. But at the same time, if I’m scoring runs in every game that I’m playing and I’m putting my best foot forward, then I can live with the result.”Jason Sangha’s career has been revived by his move to South Australia•Getty ImagesSangha has certainly strengthened his Test credentials with his recent double-hundred against Sri Lanka A but doesn’t want to look too far ahead.”Yeah, I mean, every kid’s dream is to obviously play for Australia,” Sangha says. “That’s the pinnacle of how good you are as a cricketer – to play for Australia. And no doubt I’d love to do it as well. But I think I’m just really content with where my game is at right now. I’ve probably been trying to sort of figure out a method to have some sort of consistency.”Having batted on different surfaces in Chennai, including red and black soils, Sangha hopes to tap into that experience when he returns to the subcontinent. With some players set to come back to India for an A tour later this year and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to follow in 2027, this trip to Chennai was particularly significant for the Australia hopefuls such as Sangha himself.