The symbolism was striking. During India’s main training session ahead of the first ODI against Australia, Virat Kohli was having a typically intense hit with Rohit Sharma to his left in the next net at Optus Stadium.Shortly after, India’s last two Test and ODI skippers were joined in the nets by their successor Shubman Gill, who started preparation ahead of his ODI captaincy debut as a new era begins.Having set such a commanding tone launching his Test captaincy against England, where he finished as the highest run-scorer with 754 runs at an average of 75.40, Gill has suddenly become the face of Indian cricket.Although his predecessors, especially Kohli, still hog most of the attention publicly as gleaned by a strong Perth media presence and smattering of fans around Optus Stadium following their every move.Related

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It could be viewed as an awkward balancing act amid a transition for this India team after Kohli and Rohit dominated the leadership over the past decade, a particularly fruitful period across formats.But their presence will undoubtedly deflect some spotlight off Gill, who can ease into the role with the support of his sage team-mates as India make their first steps towards the 2027 World Cup.”This is a great experience for Shubman too. Rohit are here and Shubman is doing the captaincy. It will help in Shubman’s growth as a captain. It’s good if young and experienced play together.”While typically steely in the nets, Kohli has been notably jovial during the first couple of days of the Australian white-ball tour.After his 40-minute net session on Friday, Kohli clearly enjoyed himself bantering with several team-mates leading to much laughter all around. India’s training sessions have had a relaxed vibe around them, perhaps a sign of things to come in this new era.But much focus of this three-match ODI series will be on the performances of Rohit and Kohli, almost certainly their farewell on Australian soil, at the top of the order.Shubman Gill won his first Test series at home as captain•BCCI

“If you look at their form, the way the two of them have prepared – they trained at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and also played practice games – I think they are ready performance-wise,” Axar said.”They look in good touch in the training sessions. And if you talk about their physical fitness, of course everyone has passed their fitness tests, I think they are ready to go.”The series is a chance for Gill, 26, to start moulding a XI in a bid to put his stamp on the ODI team. Axar, 31, looms as an intriguing player, whose versatility makes him so appealing in the shorter formats.Having been picked ahead of Ravindra Jadeja for this tour, there will be pressure on Axar who is set to bat at No.5 and will be India’s leading allrounder with Hardik Pandya on the sidelines due to injury.”I am very confident about this series,” Axar, who last played in Australia during the 2022 T20 World Cup, said. “In the Asia Cup, I did well with bat and ball. I am ready for the challenge.”If you look at my growth – I came here in 2015 for the first time during the World Cup – I have been with the Indian team regularly in recent years.”I know what I have to do. The team relies on me now – ‘it’s Axar, he can get us the results’. If you perform continuously, you get the confidence too.”I am more confident now and I know and I can do my bit to win games for my team.”

New York Mets star Juan Soto crushed another home run Wednesday night and the best moment from that blast came courtesy of a young fan in the right field stands who made a heck of a catch that left everyone around him in awe.

Soto smashed a two-run bomb (his fifth homer in his last five games) in the bottom of the third that traveled 400 feet. The ball sailed over the Mets' bullpen and then was hauled in by a young kid who reached over the railing and caught it with his glove like it was no big deal.

The catch was awesome. The celebration might have been even better:

Here's another look at the home run:

Safe to say that kid will never forget that moment.

A relatively routine infield batted ball became the source of much confusion and debate on Wednesday night in a game between the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers.

Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford hit the ball, which was picked up off a chop by Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck. Houck fired the ball over to first, but his throw was off target, toward the home plate side of the bag and low. First baseman Romy Gonzalez fumbled the catch and stood in the way of the bag as he corralled it. Meantime, Langford ran down the line but missed the bag, jumping over Gonzalez along the way to avoid a potentially dangerous collision.

The play was reviewed, and the safe call was confirmed. Fans, in response to an MLB social media post on the call, were completely split:

At first glance, it looks simple. Gonzalez fumbles the ball, and therefore, Langford should be safe. But further, slower angles show that Langford, as he jumped around Gonzalez, failed to touch the bag. Before Langford was able to return to first base after overrunning it, Gonzalez picked up the ball and stepped on the bag. A logical person may assume that means Langford is legally out.

Umpires reviewed the play, and the on-field call of safe was confirmed. No explanation was given on the public address system. Boston manager Alex Cora came out to dispute after the review and appeared to leave satisfied with what the umpires told him.

The Red Sox did not appeal the safe call in real time. Such an action could have prompted a change from "safe" to "out" on the field. Appeals are an inherent part of the game and are frequently referenced in the MLB rulebook for "missed base" situations.

Another possible interpretation is that González was interfering Langford's path to first base. Section 5.05(b)(3) of the 2025 MLB rulebook says a runner shall be safe if, "the catcher or any fielder interferes with him," and specifically says, "if the batter-runner missed first base… he shall be considered as having reached the base," if interfered with. He certainly impedes the first base path as he reaches to grab the errant throw.

So, in all, not an easy or straightforward call to make or review. And while Sox fans may not like the outcome, it does appear to be grounded in rulebook logic, assuming one agrees that Gonzalez committed interference.

Interestingly, an almost identical play happened a few years back, then benefiting the Red Sox.

Jamie Carragher took aim at one Liverpool star, who was “really poor” against Sunderland, as Arne Slot’s side endured another mixed evening at Anfield.

Liverpool struggle at Anfield yet again

After victory over West Ham United last weekend, Liverpool looked to their game against Sunderland as an ideal chance to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League and stop the rot. The Black Cats had different ideas, however, and soon reminded the Reds why they find themselves in the position they’re in.

In many ways, Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected effort summed up Liverpool’s recent fortunes. With the Premier League champions entering the game off the back of two Anfield losses, the last thing they needed was for Virgil van Dijk’s block to find the back of Alisson Becker’s net.

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One positive for Liverpool in recent weeks has been the form of Florian Wirtz, though, and at long last the German made his mark in the Premier League. His effort went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, but there’s no doubt that one of the summer’s most expensive signings stepped up to get his side level.

It was far from a vintage display from the champions, but they’ll at least be relieved to avoid another defeat. Following victory at West Ham, Slot’s side should see the Leeds United game this weekend as the opportunity to turn the narrative to two wins from three games in the same week.

That said, whether Alexander Isak plays a part this weekend remains to be seen. The Swede didn’t follow up from last weekend’s first Premier League goal for the club and had just 15 touches, much to Carragher’s frustration.

Jamie Carragher slams "really poor" Alexander Isak

Watching on from commentary, Carragher slammed Isak as “really poor” and said that the forward has no “excuses” for his disappointing form at this stage of the campaign.

After smashing their transfer record to welcome the £280,000-a-week star, Liverpool were in dreamland in the summer. Alas, that dream has quickly turned into a nightmare for all involved.

Isak has gone from strike to strike-less at times. Liverpool sit eighth and their attack has never seemed so toothless under Slot. With Hugo Ekitke also struggling to find the back of the net in recent weeks, there’s no doubt that the Reds have an attacking problem on their hands.

It doesn’t get any easier, either. On paper, a trip to a newly promoted side should be a routine affair, but Liverpool will be squaring off against a Leeds side who just defeated Chelsea.

Before then, Slot simply has to find a way to get Isak more involved. With just 15 touches, the Swede was always likely to struggle.

Liverpool open talks this week to sign "monster" Real Madrid target

Thomas Frank needs consistency at Tottenham Hotspur, having blown hot and cold in the months since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout.

Postecoglou won the Europa League last season, but he was dismissed from his duties – some would call it Daniel Levy’s final act – and a new era has been ushered in, with Frank making a series of signings and reworking the Spurs set-up.

Room for one more? The Londoners’ attacking efforts have left something to be desired this season, and with so much on the line this term, ENIC Group have a dream of signing Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth during the January transfer window.

The latest on Spurs' interest in Semenyo

Bournemouth supposedly rejected an offer from Tottenham for Semenyo’s signature during the off-season. But the Lilywhites are back in the running, ready to contest Liverpool and Manchester City for the Ghana winger’s services, with his £65m release clause going live in January.

It’s going to be difficult, luring the 25-year-old to north London next month. While all the pointers suggest Semenyo will leave the Vitality Stadium, he has a range of elite outfits to pick from, and Liverpool and City often get their way in the transfer market.

But Tottenham do need a talismanic force on the left flank. After all, Heung-min Son left for Los Angeles after lifting the Europa League trophy, and his presence and influence have been keenly missed.

Patience, though, is so often a virtue in football, and while Spurs don’t have a frontline firing on all cylinders right now, Frank leads a number of players who could become real stars down the line.

And there’s one in particular who has fired himself into form over the past week, with his market value a reflection of just how talented he is.

The Spurs star who's overtaken Semenyo

This summer, Tottenham completed a series of signings, and when we look back on that window, we might view Xavi Simons as being the pick of the bunch. The Netherlands star, 21 years old, moved from RB Leipzig for about £51m in August, having been pursued by Chelsea.

He hadn’t hit the ground running this season – far from it – but Simons is starting to grow into his skin, and his silky, combative style of play suggests he could have been perfect for the Mauricio Pochettino era.

Yes, Simons’ natural playmaking qualities make him a tailor-made fit for that thrilling chapter of the previous decade. He has been flagged for a lack of physicality amid early-season struggles, but Simons is beginning to put those to rest, settling into life in London.

This is a show-stopper of a midfielder, boasting something special, something different to his teammates. When Frank gets his squad playing to his tune from a creative vantage, you can bet that Simons will be smack-bang in the middle of the success.

Already he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for passes attempted and ball recoveries, as well as the top 3% for ball recoveries per 90 (data via FBref).

And he’s beginning to showcase an aptitude for the defensive side of the game, working hard in recovery and getting stuck in when against the ball.

Minutes played

90′

90′

Goals

1

1

Assists

1

0

Touches

60

70

Shots (on target)

4 (2)

3 (1)

Accurate passes

36/43 (84%)

35/41 (85%)

Chances created

1

0

Dribbles

0/0

1/4

Recoveries

7

2

Tackles won

0/1

1/2

Ground duels won

4/7

6/16

Hailed by statistician Statman Dave for his ability to create “magic” on the ball, Simons suffered a tough start to his Tottenham career, but he has shown flashes of elite quality throughout the campaign, and now, with two goals from as many games, there’s a sense that the Dutchman could be about to kick on.

Could we be set to return to the halycon days of Poch’s reign? Tottenham didn’t win a trophy then, but the football was good, envied, and Simons looks like he could be an architect of such a revival of creativity and sharpness in the final third.

He has just started to earn some recognition, having already proven himself on the financial front, with CIES Football Observatory suggesting his value has already skyrocketed to £95m since his summer move, above Semenyo’s maximum market value of £67m.

Semenyo would be a terrific addition, and there’s no question that offensive signings will be made in 2026, but Tottenham fans must remember that their club have signed one of the most exciting playmakers in the business, and after seeing his market value skyrocket, he’s only going to keep getting better.

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Leeds United have now made contact over signing a midfield star who’s been likened to Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, according to recent reports.

Daniel Farke Leeds "preparing" for January window

There’s no rest for the wicked and Leeds’ clash against Liverpool at Elland Road represents another tough test for Daniel Farke’s side, who have already squared off against Manchester City and Chelsea this week.

On paper, the visit of the reigning champions should be a daunting task, but Liverpool’s crown has been snatched this season and the Reds find themselves in the middle of a disastrous defence. Leeds, meanwhile, just ran Man City close and swept past Chelsea in shocking fashion. Those at Elland Road couldn’t be facing Liverpool at a better time.

Victory over Slot’s side could take the Whites five points clear of the dropzone if results go their way in a crucial step towards survival as the festive fixtures arrive thick and fast.

Meanwhile, as things progress on the pitch, the 49ers are already “planning” ahead for the January transfer window, according to Farke. The Leeds boss told reporters earlier this week: “I have not one second to think about what could happen, it also depends on injuries and how the players deliver in these upcoming games.

“I spoke in the summer about what he might have liked to sign and this has not gone away, in the background we are preparing but now is not the time to speak about it.”

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On that front, names such as Nilson Angulo have emerged as reported targets. The impressive winger has been dubbed one of Europe’s standout wingers this season and would certainly inject some added spark to Farke’s frontline.

The same can be said for Jens Hjerto-Dahl. The midfielder has been likened to fellow Norway star Odegaard and now finds himself on the radar of those at Elland Road.

Leeds make contact over signing Jens Hjerto-Dahl

As reported by TeamTalk, Leeds have now made contact to sign Hjerto-Dahl in 2026, but face competition from Rangers, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Tromso midfielder has built up an impressive reputation in Norway for his ability as a goalscoring box-crasher – scoring five goals in 35 games in all competitions this season – and could now get the chance to do that in the Premier League.

Described as “powerful” by scout Kai Watson, Hjerto-Dahl was likened to Odegaard when he was linked with a move to Brighton earlier this month and Leeds should go all out to land his signature.

The towering star certainly fits the physical profile of what’s needed in the Premier League these days, but it remains to be seen if clubs act as early as January.

Farke must unleash "wonderkid" who'd be perfect for Nmecha's new Leeds role

تحدث لويس دي لافوينتي، المدير الفني لمنتخب إسبانيا الأول لكرة القدم عن قرعة كأس العالم 2026 والتي أقيمت أمس، الجمعة.

وتستضيف كلًا من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك نهائيات النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم والتي ستنطلق في الفترة بين 11 يونيو و19 يوليو.

وتعتبر تلك هي النسخة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم، بعد استحداث نظامها، حيث سيشارك فيها 48 منتخبًا، سيتم تقسيمهم على 12 مجموعة، ويتأهل متصدر ووصيف كل مجموعة إلى دور الـ32، بالإضافة إلى أفضل 8 منتخبات في مركز ثالث.

ووقع المنتخب الإسباني في مجموعة ليست سهلة أبدًا إذ يتواجد منتخب السعودية، الرأس الأخضر وأوروجواي.

وقال دي لافوينتي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا”: “تقييم القرعة؟ إنها مباريات معقدة وصعبة للغاية ولكل منها تفاصيلها، إنها بطولة عالمية بمشاركة 48 فريقًا، وعندما اطلعت على المجموعات، قلت إن المدربين الآخرين، كما أكدت عند حديثي معهم، كانوا يفكرون في صعوبة كل مجموعة، أتفق معهم في أن هذه مباريات صعبة للغاية”.

اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي: نسخة 2026 من كأس العالم مختلفة.. ومواجهة هذا المنتخب الأصعب

وأضاف: “إسبانيا المرشح الأول للقب؟ هذا يعتبر اعترافًا بتطور كرة القدم الإسبانية ومستواها الكبير وعلينا أن نُقر بذلك لكنه لا يضمن لنا شيئًا وهذا الثناء لن يضعفنا، بل على العكس تمامًا، تقع على عاتقنا مسؤولية كبيرة، نريد أن نحقق إنجازًا مهمًا في كأس العالم هذه وهذا يعني تقديم أداء جيد في دور المجموعات والمضي قدمًا لأن المباريات تزداد تعقيدًا وصعوبة”.

وعن الملاعب أكمل: “أكثر ما يقلقني هو طول المسافات بين المباريات، سنرى غدًا كيف ستُقام المباريات ثم سنُقيم الوضع لكن ما يقلقنا أكثر هو ألا نضطر للسفر كثيرًا وقضاء كل ثلاثة أو أربعة أيام نقطع كيلومترات طويلة”.

وأردف: “من المهم دائمًا إنهاء المجموعة في المركز الأول نظرًا لما يحدث لاحقًا، التقيت بـ سكالوني وتحدثنا عن إمكانية مواجهة بعضنا البعض في حال تعثر أحدنا، قد ننهي المجموعة في المركز الأول والأرجنتين في المركز الثاني أو العكس، ما يمكننا التحكم به هو أداؤنا وهو السعي لإنهاء المجموعة في المركز الأول، ثم في الأدوار الإقصائية، الفوز ثم الفوز، هذا هو الشيء الوحيد الذي يمكننا التحكم فيه”.

وأتم حول انتهاء دور المجموعات ضد أوروجواي: “علينا أن نسعى للفوز بالمباراتين السابقتين، الرأس الأخضر يشارك لأول مرة، والسعودية فازت على الأرجنتين في كأس العالم الأخيرة، الأمر صعب للغاية، سنرى ما سيحدث في المباريات السابقة لنرى كيف سنتعامل مع المباراة الأخيرة ضد أوروجواي لكن بالنسبة لي، المباريات الثلاث صعبة بنفس القدر”.

Eddie Howe didn’t name a weakened Newcastle United side against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday in the Champions League, despite the Tyne-Wear Derby looming large.

Indeed, the 48-year-old went full strength, as he picked the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Anthony Gordon, even as his team’s tense showdown with Sunderland comes onto the overloaded fixture list on Sunday.

Going all out with his team selection didn’t mean a convincing win was forthcoming, though, as Newcastle’s frailties away from St James’ Park reared their ugly head once more in a 2-2 draw at the BayArena.

Unfortunately, many of Howe’s top performers throughout the season struggled in Leverkusen, as an 88th-minute equaliser from Alejandro Grimaldo proved to be a sickening end to a night that was meant to boost the Toon’s confidence, before travelling to the Black Cats.

Newcastle's worst performers vs Leverkusen

It was a well-worked move that saw the Spanish defender slot home past Aaron Ramsdale, but the lax marking of the full-back will have angered Howe at the full-time whistle, as Tonali looked nowhere near his energetic best once more.

The Italian just casually jogged about the pitch when the move was being orchestrated, with the ex-AC Milan man also falling victim to a sluggish display on the ball when giving up possession eight times.

As journalist Luke Edwards put it at the close of the 2-2 draw, he’s meant to “bring control” to contests late on, but looked haphazard on the flip side.

Moreover, Howe could now be second-guessing whether Malick Thiaw should start what will surely be a heated contest at the Stadium of Light, with the clumsy German fortunate not to receive a red card when bringing down Patrick Schick early into the first half, just before he could fire a shot at Ramsdale’s net.

Thankfully, the 24-year-old evaded the referee’s wrath, with the hope that he can get back to his rock-solid best on Wearside, having further come up short uncharacteristically on three of his eight duels away from St James’ Park.

Guimaraes was also left red-faced during the clash when he unfortunately put an own-goal past an unsuspecting Ramsdale, but he did more than enough at BayArena to keep his first-team spot, as seen in him notching up a hefty five key passes, as per Sofascore.

The same, however, can’t be said for one of his declining teammates…

The Newcastle star who must now be axed

Hailed as an “unbelievably frustrating” night from a Toon persuasion by Sky Sports’ Andy Sixsmith, it will be intriguing to see what changes Howe makes to his starting XI now for the demanding Tyne-Wear face-off to come.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Joelinton dropping out feels like an obvious alteration, as the underperforming number seven limped off with a clear injury issue on the hour mark.

To make matters worse for the waning Brazilian, his replacement, Lewis Miley, scored within 14 minutes of his introduction into the lively game, leading one content creator to state that the young Englishman has now “claimed his starting space.”

Minutes played

60

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

33

Shots

1

Accurate passes

20/23 (87%)

Key passes

0

Total duels won

2/9

Even if the lethargic South American didn’t have his injury issue to contend with, he would likely be fearful of the axe when looking at his poor numbers from the Leverkusen score draw in more detail, as the 29-year-old, who used to be known for his verve and determination centrally, ended up only winning two of his nine duels on the night.

On top of that, he also very much fell victim to fading in and out of the match, having come off at the hour mark with only 33 touches accumulated, unlike his midfield partners in Guimaraes and Tonali, who amassed a weighty 121 touches between them.

Even Ramsdale in between the sticks would tally up more touches, ending the 2-2 affair with a slightly higher 39.

Having lost his spark in the Premier League this season, too, with zero goals or assists next to his name from 13 league outings, it does feel like a straightforward swap to bring in Miley for some freshness against Sunderland, as the homegrown prodigy licks his lips at the prospect of facing the Toon’s fiercest rivals.

Dropping Joelinton is unlikely to be the only tweak at the Stadium of Light, as Howe does everything in his power to pick the strongest XI that hands his team the bragging rights on Sunday.

As bad as Tonali: £75k-p/w star had his worst game in a Newcastle shirt

This Newcastle star struggled in their 2-2 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen

ByJoe Nuttall 4 days ago

MatériaMais Notícias

O Fluminense saiu do Maracanã derrotado por 2 a 1 na semifinal da Copa do Brasil e sentiu falta de Agustín Canobbio. Suspenso no jogo de ida, o uruguaio fez falta no que hoje é a principal engrenagem do modelo de Zubeldía: a intensidade e as transições rápidas. E foi exatamente nesse ponto que o Vasco encontrou espaço para crescer, virar o jogo e levar vantagem para domingo.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

O primeiro tempo do Fluminense foi competitivo, mas a etapa final expôs a queda física e a dificuldade em sustentar o ritmo sem o camisa 17. Thiago Silva resumiu o problema com clareza:

— Paramos de jogar. Eles pressionaram, encaixaram, e a gente não conseguiu sair da marcação. Nem a bola em profundidade que foi falada a gente fez.

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A declaração do capitão não é isolada. O próprio Zubeldía admitiu que o time não conseguiu responder depois do intervalo:

— Fizemos melhor o primeiro tempo, eles melhor no segundo. O resultado se decidiu no minuto 93, mas a série está aberta.

Fluminense sentiu ausência de Canobbio

Sem Canobbio, o Flu perdeu agressividade na recomposição e capacidade de esticar o campo quando recuperava a bola. O substituto natural para abrir o corredor foi Soteldo, que vive boa fase técnica, mas não oferece o mesmo volume de pressão, retomada e profundidade defensiva.

A diferença de intensidade ficou mais evidente pela construção do calendário. O Vasco poupou quase todo o time titular no último jogo do Brasileiro. Enquanto isso, o Fluminense lutou até o fim para garantir vaga direta na Libertadores e correu forte na vitória sobre o Bahia. O desgaste acumulado apareceu justamente no setor em que o Flu menos pode perder energia.

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Agora, para o jogo decisivo, o cenário muda. O Fluminense terá o mesmo período de descanso que o rival e conta com o retorno de Canobbio, peça que entrega exatamente o que faltou no Maracanã: energia, força e intensidade durante todo a partida.

O gol sofrido aos 49 expôs falhas de atenção, mas o problema estrutural que sustentou a virada foi a queda física, característica mais marcante do uruguaio. O Fluminense foi ferido onde mais sente falta dele.

Com 90 minutos restantes, mando tricolor e seu jogador mais intenso de volta, Zubeldía terá a possibilidade de reconstruir a identidade que fez o time reagir na temporada. E é por essa via que o Flu tenta reverter a semifinal.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFluminenseVasco

Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Spencer Johnson are also being released by the franchise

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025

Venkatesh Iyer, who made a name for himself and was elevated to the national team following a strong IPL debut season in 2021 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), is among the players being released by the three-time champions.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Iyer, who was bought for a record INR 23.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction by KKR, who used a right-to-match card to get him, is part of a lengthy list of high-profile names who are not being retained by the franchise.The other high-profile players being let go are the South African duo of Anrich Nortje (bought for INR 6.5 crore) and Quinton de Kock (INR 3.6 crore), Australian quick Spencer Johnson (INR 2.8 crore), Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 2 crore) and England allrounder Moeen Ali (INR 2 crore).Related

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The uncapped Indian pair of Luvnith Sisodia and Chetan Sakariya, who had replaced the injured Umran Malik last season, are also being released.After making a big impression in his debut IPL season – which came after he had starred for Madhya Pradesh in the domestic limited-overs tournaments in 2020-21 – Iyer had a quiet IPL 2022, but was again a star for KKR in IPL 2023, when he scored 404 runs, including a century, to average 28.86 at a strike rate of 145.85 for the season.A key part of the team, he has even led the side on occasion and, last year, was talked about as a possible captain before Ajinkya Rahane was handed the reins. As it happened, Iyer scored just 142 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 139.22.KKR, who won the IPL in 2024, finished near the bottom of the table the following season. Among the players to perform poorly was de Kock (152 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 129.91), while the likes of Nortje, Johnson, Gurbaz and Moeen didn’t get too many opportunities for one reason or another and weren’t too impressive when fielded.