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The Mitchell Starc-led pace attack is otherwise short on experience but there’s a strong Indian middle order in place

Sreshth Shah18-Mar-2024Where Kolkata Knight Riders finished last seasonWith six wins and eight losses, KKR finished seventh. They were four points away from being in the fray for the playoffs.Knight Riders squad for IPL 2024Shreyas Iyer (capt), Andre Russell*, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)*, Sherfane Rutherford*, Phil Salt (wk)*, KS Bharat (wk), Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Sunil Narine*, Suyash Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman*, Dushmantha Chameera*, Sakib Hussain, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Mitchell Starc*, Chetan Sakariya*Overseas playersPlayer availability – Shreyas Iyer’s fitness a concernJason Roy (personal reasons) and his compatriot Gus Atkinson (workload management) have both pulled out. They have been replaced by Phil Salt, currently the world’s No. 2 T20I batter, and Dushmantha Chameera, respectively. However, Chameera recently suffered a quadriceps injury and is racing to get fit.There are also some concerns over Shreyas Iyer’s fitness. He did not field on the last two days of the Ranji Trophy final because of back spasms.What’s new with KKR this year?Between seasons, KKR announced Gautam Gambhir’s return to the franchise, this time as team mentor. He captained KKR to their only two IPL titles, in 2012 and 2014. He will work closely with head coach Chandrakant Pandit.At the auction table, there was another reunion as former KKR batter Manish Pandey returned to the franchise for INR 50 lakh. Other notable additions were Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sherfane Rutherford, Chetan Sakariya and Ramandeep Singh. But the most eye-catching pick was Mitchell Starc – for an all-time auction high of INR 24.75 crore – who will significantly bolster a relatively inexperienced fast-bowling group.Mitchell Starc will lead an otherwise inexperienced pace attack•Getty ImagesThe good – Indian core and spin attackShreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh make up a strong Indian core in batting, even if they lack the cumulative experience compared to some other teams. Hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batters Salt and Rahmanullah Gurbaz together at the top is an explosive prospect, and both are also in red-hot form.Rinku and Andre Russell also pose an intimidating challenge for bowlers in the death overs. Rinku struck at 148.71 and 149.52 in IPL 2022 and 2023, respectively, and enters this season with the fresh experience of being a capped Indian player.The spin trio of Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma will aim to add to their solid 2023 as a group, and with Mujeeb’s addition, that department is even stronger. With Gambhir’s preference for spin at home, the pitches could also turn more than usual, which also works well for their Indian batters, especially Shreyas and Nitish.The not-so-good – over-reliance on StarcKKR’s Indian fast-bowling group of Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana and Sakariya is exciting but inexperienced compared to other teams. That could have been one major reason why KKR have invested so heavily in Starc.They will also need to carefully manage the workloads of Russell and Starc, for whom the franchise have no like-for-like replacements. Both matchwinners have been a bit fragile over the years when it comes to injuries.Schedule insightsThey play only three games in the first leg of the season with long breaks between games. At the start, they play at home against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23 before flying to Bengaluru to face Royal Challengers Bangalore (March 29) and Visakhapatnam to take on Delhi Capitals (April 3).The big question

From appointing a strong captain to picking and nurturing a viable XI, the challenges facing the ECB are many, and it isn’t moving fast enough

Ian Chappell24-Apr-2022Failed England skipper Joe Root endured the unfortunate nickname “Craptain” at his home county Yorkshire. The England hierarchy should have taken more notice of that unedifying sobriquet.Root’s self-inflicted demise preceded the announcement that former Kent and England player Rob Key was taking over as managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board.The two events are linked, as the first announcement at least ensured Key wouldn’t be making a polarising decision as his initial task. However Key’s good fortune doesn’t alter the point that the ECB is not good at moving quickly to reverse an untenable decision. This is not a strong ECB trait; it never has been.Related

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England were going backwards under Root, and one of Key’s first jobs will be to improve that ingrained and negative attitude.The fact that we are still discussing Root’s resignation and his possible successor is proof of the ECB’s sluggishness in rectifying a poor decision. It was obvious early in Root’s reign that the captaincy and he weren’t a match.The choice of players to be a reasonable England captain is very limited and this is also an indictment of the ECB. There should be a few ready replacements available in the first XI.Before the announcement of Key’s appointment, there were a number of suggestions about who could take over if Root was deposed.Stuart Broad is an intelligent, well-spoken player, but he should not be a captaincy consideration. He’s now too old and maintains a conservative streak, especially when it comes to field placings for his own bowling.Jos Buttler is not a Test wicketkeeper; he has no obvious place in the first XI. It’s hard enough to win Tests against a good team when you are playing level at XI-a-side, never mind prevailing when you are asked to perform while short-handed – just ask Mike Brearley.There’s only one viable captaincy option in the best XI and that’s allrounder Ben Stokes. If he seriously isn’t interested in the job, then England are in big trouble.To question Stokes’ viability based purely on the inferior captaincy of previous star allrounders is indefensible. Stokes has the fire in his belly and the positive approach to be successful. However, that alone doesn’t guarantee success.Whoever accepts the appointment, his initial job will be to make a poorly performing England side better. That is a captain’s job – to improve any team’s results.This shouldn’t be hard, as England have some good, underperforming batters. It was also a trend under Root that England suffered great misfortune with their genuinely fast bowlers, especially Jofra Archer.Nonetheless batters Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence possess a lot of skill but need encouragement to display it regularly. The same applies to offspinner Dom Bess, and to have not given an opportunity to the capable legspinner Matt Parkinson is nonsensical.If Stokes does accept the job, he may be the beneficiary of Parkinson’s evolution if he provides a strong voice at the selection table. And while he’s at it, he could overcome the fast-bowling shortage by encouraging Jamie Overton in his endeavours. There’s no doubt Overton has suffered from multiple injuries, but his genuine pace, even at under-age level, has been poorly handled on the county circuit.English cricket has a distorted affection for correct technique. If Stokes is appointed and then can redirect this trait into more positive encouragement of talented players, he will have done his country a huge favour. If chosen, Stokes shouldn’t be awarded a vote at the selection table – it’s not desirable – but if he presents a good argument, that will be sufficient.Key faces many demanding tasks ahead and he’ll need to maintain his “I have a mind of my own” attitude in the face of ECB ineptitude. However his first job – appointing a viable England captain and then supporting him fully – will be a really important task.

The Yankees no longer have the best record in baseball or the lead in the AL East.  

They are the better team tonight, but will they play like it?

I’ll be backing the Blue Jays as home underdogs tonight for plus-money. Here’s why. 

MLB Best Bets TodayToronto Blue Jays ML (+100) at DraftKings

I’m not making this pick because the Yankees got shelled by the Jays last night or because they have lost eight of their last 10.

I’m making this pick because of how poorly the Yankees play vs. left-handed pitching.  Just last week, we saw the New York Mets sweep the Yankees in no small part because they pushed back Luis Severino and instead started lefties David Peterson and Sean Manaea (apologies to Grimace, who probably wants the credit).

Though the Yankees are first overall in OPS when facing right-handed pitching (.779), they are 15th vs. lefties (.707).  The Yankees are slugging just .337 (18th) and batting just .235 (21st) when facing southpaws.

The Blue Jays will be starting lefty Yusei Kikuchi tonight at home. Kikuchi has an ERA of 4.00 this season with an xERA of 3.89, according to Statcast. 

Kikuchi has struggled in his last two starts, but this could be the matchup that gets him back on track. When Kikuchi faced the Yankees in April, he allowed just one run on four hits while striking out nine.  Aaron Judge is hitting just .179 career vs. Kikuchi. 

Marcus Stroman gets the start for the Yankees on the road. Stroman’s max exit velocity allowed is in the bottom 2% of the league, and his xERA is 4.40, according to Statcast. Look for Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. to remain hot at the dish tonight. 

With an impressive average of 6.67 runs per game across the last three, the Blue Jays have been on a scoring spree. In contrast, the Yankees have managed only 3.33 runs per game. 

I love a home underdog. Give me the plus-money payout for the Jays to log the win. 

The opener is one of a crop of young batters who will feature in the two-day pink-ball game

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2025Sam Konstas has been named in the Prime Minister’s XI to face an England team in Canberra at the end of November in a two-day day-night fixture with the side including some of the best young batting talent in Australia.Ollie Peake, Campbell Kellaway and Hugh Weibgen will also feature alongside Nathan McSweeney who played three Tests against India last season. The side will be captained by the experienced Peter Handscomb and also includes former Test quick Peter Siddle.It was the corresponding fixture last season that helped propel Konstas into the Test side when he flayed 107 off 97 against India in what became a one-day game due to rain.Konstas has lost his Test place for the start of the Ashes after struggling in West Indies then making 161 runs at 20.12 in four rounds of the Sheffield Shield.Kellaway, meanwhile, has been one of the standout batters in the early stages of the season with 317 runs at 39.62 opening for Victoria, recently facing down a rapid spell from Mitchell Starc at the SCG.His state coach, Chris Rogers, earmarked him as one of the frontrunners to replace Usman Khawaja when his career ends.”It’s proven once again he could be the successor to Khawaja. He’s going to do fantastic things in his career,” Rogers, said. “I spoke to Campbell about it after and he wouldn’t have faced that challenge throughout his career.”But if he’s going to go on and play international cricket then he will have to face things like that, where tall, fast bowlers are kind of aiming at his front shoulder.”So that’s something that he’s going to have to work on, the positions he gets into. But to come out and get 50 and line the ball up so well against Starc and Hazlewood, I thought that was a real tick.”Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “This team showcases the depth of talent in our domestic cricket system, and I’m particularly excited to see some of our emerging stars earn this opportunity.”I am also looking forward to the Ashes commencing in Perth from 21 November, it’s the oldest rivalry in world cricket – Australia and England in an Ashes Series always means something extra.”The PM’s XI match takes place on November 29 and 30 between the first and second Tests.Prime Minister’s XI squad vs England
Peter Handscomb (capt), Benji Floros, Campbell Kellaway, Campbell Thompson, Charlie Anderson, Doug Warren, Hugh Weibgen, Joel Curtis, Nathan McSweeney, Oliver Peake, Peter Siddle, Sam Konstas, Sam Skelly

Sri Lanka fought hard through cameos from Samarawickrama, Theekshana and then Hasaranga but had a tall ask and fell six runs short

Madushka Balasuriya11-Nov-2025Pakistan withstood a valiant all-round display from Wanindu Hasaranga to come away with a six-run victory in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, and with it take a 1-0 lead in the three match series.Chasing 300 to win, a target that would have constituted the second-highest successful chase in Rawalpindi, Sri Lanka were set up well courtesy an 80-run opening stand, but then lost wickets in clusters through the middle overs to fall behind the required rate. A few stands through the middle overs still provided Sri Lanka the control they might have been looking for but none of their batters were able to capitalise on their starts.It meant Hasaranga was left batting with the tail during a 52-ball 59 to take the chase into the final overs, but with 21 needed from 10 he too would fall. Even then, two boundaries from Maheesh Theekshana in the final over gave Sri Lanka hope of an unlikely heist, but Hussain Talat held his nerve with the ball.This though was a hard-fought win set up by Salman Agha’s second ODI century, which helped Pakistan recover from a sluggish start to pose a competitive target. It was then brought home by what was an eventually stellar display from Pakistan’s bowlers, but not one without some significant blemishes – the innings saw 26 wides and two dropped catches.Igniting the game was fiery spell from Haris Rauf, who ended with figures of 4 for 61. Rauf’s intervention came at a point when Sri Lanka were coasting along with Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara, on ODI debut, in the midst of an 85-run opening stand off just 70 deliveries.Babar Azam and Haris Rauf celebrate a wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesDuring that period, Sri Lanka were rollicking along – though much of that early brisk scoring was of Pakistan’s own doing. Of the 26 wides across the Sri Lankan innings, roughly 70% came inside the opening powerplay. That provided Sri Lanka’s chase the impetus it needed, shortly after which both Nissanka and Mishara also began to find their range.At that point it was hard to look past a comfortable Sri Lankan chase, but all that changed when Mishara spliced an attempted flat-batted slap straight to mid-off of Rauf. This triggered the first of two mini-collapses in the innings, as Kusal Mendis chopped on the very next delivery, before Nissanka edged behind in Haris’ next over. From 85 for 0, Sri Lanka had stumbled to 90 for 3.But even at that point, with Sri Lanka playing seven specialist batters, the chase seemed well in hand. A view reinforced by the 57-run stand between Charith Asalanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama that followed.Coming off 80 deliveries, it wasn’t a particularly rapid stand, but it helped Sri Lanka regain some of the control that had been lost by the sudden burst of wickets. It was also a partnership which had minimal risk-taking, and as such it took a moment of utter brilliance to bring it to an end.After Sadeera had edged one through a vacant slip region and swung and missed at another, Shaheen Shah Afridi swiftly installed Babar Azam at slip. And Babar was immediately in action as he sprung to his right and plucked an edge off Sadeera the very next delivery. It was a moment of outrageous skill that brought those in attendance at an increasingly raucous Rawalpindi stadium to their feet.That though was the appetiser for what was to follow. The arrival of Janith Liyanage instilled some urgency to Sri Lanka’s proceedings, as he and Asalanka put on a stand of 36 off 31 balls. While Asalanka, who had earlier in the day seemed to have incurred what looked to be a hamstring niggle, was struggling for fluency, Liyanage was rotating strike with ease.During this period it seemed like Sri Lanka had at last found the blueprint for victory: rotate strike, take the game deep, don’t panic. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, that final memo seemed to have passed them by.Asalanka’s brain fade was the catalyst for the next mini collapse, as he charged out to Mohammed Nawaz, only to be left all at sea as Mohammed Rizwan whipped off the bails. Liyanage fell shortly after, as Naseem redeemed himself for his earlier profligacy by seaming one back in to knock back off stump. Kamindu Mendis then ended up chopping on an attempted pull after one had kept low from the excellent Faheem Ashraf.Just like that Sri Lanka were 210 for 7, with Hasaranga the only recognised batter at the crease. Hasaranga’s last ODI fifty had come back in November 2022, but here he batted with clear purpose. Intent on taking the came deep, he was unafraid to give strike to Dushmantha Chameera and then Maheesh Theekshana, as he mixed in the odd boundary to keep the required rate from going beyond a relatively manageable 10 an over.But with boundaries the need of the hour, heading into the penultimate over, Hasaranga could only muscle a just-below-waist-high full toss to Babar at long-on – a catch not as spectacular as his first, but arguably more important. From then on, Pakistan could breathe a little easier, while Sri Lanka were left to ponder what might have been.After Pakistan were asked to bat first, they lost early wickets but a century from Agha and a maiden ODI fifty from Talat helped revive their flagging innings to 299 for 5. The pair came together at 95 for 4 in the 24th over, but by the time their 138-run partnership came to an end, they had taken Pakistan to 233 for 5 in the 44th over.Wanindu Hasaranga sparkled with both ball and bat•AFP/Getty ImagesAgha then turned on the afterburners alongside Nawaz, as Pakistan managed 104 runs off the last 10 overs to set Sri Lanka 300. Agha brought up his second ODI ton with a gentle dab behind point for a single off his 83rd delivery, but the ball prior to that highlighted the confidence with which he was batting – sweeping an attempted Chameera yorker for four.Prior to Agha and Talat’s stand, however, Sri Lanka had choked the Pakistan innings for large parts. Miserly opening spells from Asitha Fernando and Chameera ensured just 28 runs were scored inside the opening powerplay, and while just one wicket fell during that period the introduction of Hasaranga saw wickets fall at a canter. He ended up with figures of 3 for 54, with Asitha and Theekshana the only other wicket-takers for Sri Lanka.Hasaranga might have had another to close out the over after he had Talat rapped on the knee-roll only for the umpire to turn down the appeal. Ball-tracking showed it would have crashed into leg stump, but Sri Lanka had burnt both their reviews early on – both for lbw appeals where the ball pitched outside leg.That proved to be a sliding doors moment of sorts as Pakistan’s fortunes gradually began to shift, and it was also some much-needed luck for Talat, in particular, whose place in the side had come under increasing scrutiny of late – his six innings in ODIs leading up to this game had seen him manage 107 runs with a high score of 41.But with Pakistan in need of resuscitation, he and Agha set about rebuilding. The plan was clear at this point: keep wickets intact for the final overs and then launch. And in this instance, the execution was perfect. Sri Lanka, who might have regretted their decision to not go with a genuine fifth bowling option, were left requiring Janith Liyanage to bowl eight overs of his part-time seam after Charith Asalanka was taken for 18 in his two solitary overs.Liyanage, to his credit, gave away 48 runs, though with Sri Lanka in the ascendancy at the halfway point of the innings, their need to get through their fifth bowler quota allowed Talat and Agha to settle in nicely.And while Talat was unable to see the innings to its close, Agha ensured he remained unbeaten to get his side to a competitive total – one that proved just about enough in the end.

Mhatre’s 65 gave India A a strong start, but they slumped from 90 for no loss to 234 all out to concede a 75-run first-innings lead

Shashank Kishore31-Oct-2025Prenelan Subrayen is, in every sense, a marathon man. How else does one describe a cricketer whose spirit refuses to be dimmed, even after the repeated heartbreak of being reported for a suspect action? Each time he has been forced to rebuild, he has returned with more fire, more resolve, more love for his craft than before.At 32, Subrayen’s career is just two Tests old. Earlier this month in Pakistan, he played the first Test in Lahore, and made way when Keshav Maharaj returned from injury for the second Test in Rawalpindi. Then, last week, he learned of his non-selection for the India tour.Related

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But in his first outing since that disappointment, Subrayen reminded everyone of his qualities. On Friday in Bengaluru, he wheeled away tirelessly, bowling 22 overs unchanged to rip through the heart of India A’s batting order and restore South Africa A’s advantage by stumps on Day 2 of the first unofficial Test. From 90 for no loss, India slumped to 234 all out as Subrayen picked up 5 for 61. Having pocketed a 75-run first-innings lead, South Africa A ended the day 30 for no loss.Subrayen’s five scalps included some noted names. He deceived Ayush Mhatre in flight as he advanced, forcing him to chip to midwicket for 65, the highest score of the India A innings. Devdutt Padikkal mistimed a lofted hit to mid-off as he stepped out, and Rajat Patidar was bowled through the gate attempting to drive against the turn.Subrayen employed as many as four catchers around the bat at most times. Tanush Kotian, who has bailed Mumbai out of tough situations time and again, was out jabbing to one of them, short leg, and Khaleel Ahmed mistimed a slog to long-on to give Subrayen his 13th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.While Subrayen did the bulk of the damage, others had moments to remember too. Okuhle Cele is likely replay his ball to dismiss Rishabh Pant over and over.Midway through the second session, when Pant walked out to bat for the first time since returning from his broken foot, there was a sense of anticipation around the ground among the handful present. He charged down the pitch first ball, and swung hell for leather, only to connect with thin air.Cele then bowled short at Pant, attempting to target his ribcage, not wanting to give him any room to drive or slash. And on 17, the tactic found its reward, Pant jabbing to Zubayr Hamza in the slips while attempting to fend one away.The only India A batter to make an impression with the bat was young Mhatre. He fearlessly drove on the up, played a few delightful straight drives, and took on spin from get-go. All of this brought him a 46-ball half-century. He was eventually out for 65, his knock containing 10 fours.B Sai Sudharsan, his opening partner, was edgy for much of his 94-ball stay. Early on, an attempt to pinch a single to mid-off nearly had him run out on 2; he was saved by a full-stretch dive at the non-striker’s end. Sudharsan alternated between denying himself outside off and poking at deliveries that left him. Eventually, Tshepo Moreki worked him over with an away-going delivery that he nicked behind for 32.This was when Subrayen stepped up and began his marathon spell, which has now put South Africa A firmly in the driver’s seat with two full days remaining.

Seamers run through Warwickshire to pave way before County Championship trophy presentation

ECB Reporters Network26-Sep-2025

Nottinghamshire 374 (Hameed 122, Verreynne 83, Patterson-White 70) and 20 for 0 beat Warwickshire 258 (Mousley 74, Hutton 4-46) and 133 (Hain 42, Abbas 3-18, Hutton 3-30, Pennington 3-52) by ten wicketsA day after collecting enough bonus points to put themselves out of reach of Surrey, newly-crowned Rothesay County Champions Nottinghamshire finished their season in style by completing a 10-wicket victory over Warwickshire with a day to spare.With a first-innings lead of 116 giving their potent seam attack ample licence to attack in conditions still making batting difficult, Nottinghamshire dismissed Warwickshire for 133 in 54 overs.Brett Hutton finished with 3 for 30. Mohammad Abbas, in what may or may not be his last appearance for the county, took 3 for 18 to total 32 in nine matches, with Dillon Pennington lifting his tally to 28 with 3 for 52.It left Nottinghamshire needing just 18 runs to complete the victory, which they achieved in just 22 deliveries at 3.30pm, time enough for Ben Slater to score the 15 runs he needed to total 1000 for the season before Haseeb Hameed won the match with a glorious cover drive off Nathan Gilchrist for four.Nottinghamshire were docked a point for slow bowling-rate but it mattered not one bit to a large gathering of supporters who stayed on for the trophy presentation – staged in front of the Hound Road stand with the pavilion currently hidden behind sheets and scaffolding.Hameed’s team win the title with 224 points and seven victories under their belts. The skipper led the way with the bat, totalling 1258 runs.Six Nottinghamshire bowlers took 26 wickets or more in the course of the season but none more than Hutton, leading wicket-taker with 38, seven of them in this match.It is a contrast with the 2010 season – the last time Nottinghamshire claimed the Championship pennant – when 109 wickets were shared between Andre Adams (68) and Paul Franks – now assistant head coach at Trent Bridge – who took 41.As it happens, another member of the 2010 team, Alex Hales, was on the ground to receive an award to mark his 18 years with Nottinghamshire. Hales, who last played first-class cricket in 2017, cut his ties with the club after the 2024 season, having scored more than 14,500 runs in their colours across all formats.Having been on the ropes overnight, three down for seven in their second innings and still 109 behind, a Warwickshire side with only a slim chance of improving on fourth place in the Division One table might have been been rolled over even more rapidly under a cloudy sky on the third morning.Nottinghamshire had been eager to start their full-blown Championship celebrations a day early after making sure of the title on Thursday.As it was, Will Young was Warwickshire’s only casualty before lunch, falling into what looked like a trap laid by his former county as he clipped a ball from Abbas straight into the hands of Lyndon James at square leg.Zen Malik took four boundaries in a single over against Pennington but rode his luck at other times, edging the same bowler between second and third slips before surviving a difficult caught-and-bowled chance to James on 16. Warwickshire were 79 for 4 at the first break.There seemed a case for tossing Liam Patterson-White the ball to add some variety to Warwickshire’s diet but the left-arm spinner remained stationed in the slip cordon as Hameed kept faith with his seamers, justifiably as it turned out.There was still something in the pitch, as Sam Hain discovered four overs into the afternoon, caught behind off a ball from James that left him enough to take the edge. It felt like the key wicket for Nottinghamshire and one well deserved by allrounder James for a consistently testing spell.Yet it was Pennington who hastened Warwickshire’s demise in short order, taking three wickets in five balls in his 12th over of the innings.He dismissed Malik leg before with a ball the batter could do little about and had Ed Barnard caught behind from a lifting delivery that took the glove before benefitting from some good fortune as Michael Booth looked to have kept out his first ball before it rolled into the stumps, as a consequence of which Warwickshire were eight down and still 12 behind.They managed to get their noses narrowly in front before Hutton finished them off, still finding movement to pin Tazeem Ali leg before and bowl Gilchrist, who shouldered arms to a ball that swung away and then jagged back to bowl him – handing the stage to Slater and Hameed to finish the job.

Giuliano Simeone has spoken candidly about life under his father, Diego Simeone, revealing how he balances the weight of a famous surname with the responsibility of earning his place at Atletico Madrid. With the club preparing a new long-term contract after his breakout season, the 22-year-old reflects on his journey from Calderon ball boy to first-team contributor, and the expectations that come with both roles.

Giuliano Simeone's relentless push to be an Atleti

Simeone’s story with Atletico began long before he stepped onto the pitch as a professional. As a long-haired eight-year-old, he served as a ball boy at their former stadium, but his path to the first team required a long diversion. 

After years n River Plate’s youth academy, he was finally snapped up by the Atletico youth academy while his father was building a solid reputation as coach of the senior team, but it took spells on loan to Real Zaragoza and Deportivo Alaves to lay the foundation for his breakthrough in the capital. 

The 2024-25 campaign finally opened the door: his first senior goal, his first Champions League moment, and his growing influence in his father's demanding system.

AdvertisementAFP"At Cerro, he's the coach. Outside of training, he's my dad"

For years, Simeone has lived with a familiar accusation: that every opportunity he receives is because he is Diego Simeone’s son. Every debut, every promotion, every appearance has come with someone claiming he is “only there because of his father.” The criticism follows him everywhere, from the youth system to La Liga, and he knows it will never fully disappear.

Asked directly about the nepotism narrative in an interview on , he delivered a clear response: "I've said it many times, I think we have a coach-player relationship where we both have a lot of respect. When we go into training at Cerro del Espino, when we cross those gates, he's the coach and I'm a player. And the player always does what the coach says. Outside of training, obviously he's my dad and he loves me a lot, like any father, and we have a different relationship. Outside of training, we talk a lot about football. We have a WhatsApp group with my brothers, and they send us videos of their plays, highlights, and we discuss them. Everyone gives their opinion. We're all big football fans in the family, of course."

The 22-year-old added: "I was told that a lot when I was very young. When we played matches at 12 years old: 'You play because you're your father's son.' At first, you kind of get used to it, but then it becomes a habit, and you know you play because you love it and you give it your all. I don't know if I kept quiet or silenced them, I swear I try to isolate myself from what's said, I focus on myself, on growing and improving."

Simeone battle odds to become Atleti's first-team player

Simeone describes his biggest transformation in recent years as a physical one, an evolution forged inside Atletico's famously demanding training environment. The club’s conditioning standards reshaped him, making him stronger, quicker, and far better suited to the defensive intensity that defines his father’s footballing philosophy. Working daily alongside top-level teammates pushed his technique to a higher level.

He reviews every match the following morning, once the adrenaline has faded and his judgment is clear, as he looks to improve on an important aspect of his game: "Technically, my striking, my finishing… There are many aspects or facets of the game that help you raise your level. I always watch all my matches. But not with my dad, please, there are already enough videos at the Cerro, no, no, no… (laughs). I watch myself quite a bit because I like it and I think it's a way to learn and improve. Before, as soon as I got home, I'd put on the match and wouldn't sleep. Now I do it better and watch it the next day. Sometimes I say: 'What a great match I played!' And then I watch it and say: 'Does this really seem like a great match to you, Giuliano?'"

His rise has not been smooth, but it has been steady. Giuliano scored three goals across two seasons with Atletico B, then proved himself in the physically demanding Segunda Division with Zaragoza, scoring nine goals and playing a leading role in their attack. His momentum was halted by a serious injury during his loan at Alaves, a moment that forced him into long months of rehabilitation and mental resilience. But he returned to Atletico stronger and soon delivered his first La Liga and Champions League goals.

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AFPAtletico eye contract extension talks with Giuliano

Los Colchoneros are finalising an extension that will keep Giuliano at the club until 2030, accompanied by a salary correction that aligns with his new role. Until now, he was among the lowest earners in the first-team squad which is typical for academy graduates—but his increased importance has made the renewal a priority. Giuliano says he dreams of a career like Koke’s.

"I'm very happy to be at Atlético. Very happy, I hope to be here for many years. I hope to have a career like Koke's. I would love to be here for many years," he says.

The New York Mets clinched a playoff spot with an 8–7 win over the Atlanta Braves in the first game of a crucial doubleheader on Monday afternoon.

The win didn't come easily for the Mets, though. New York was down 3–0 entering the eighth inning, but then scored six runs in the inning to take the lead. The Braves answered with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to go up 7–6.

The Mets' season survived thanks to Francisco Lindor, who in the ninth inning launched a two-run home run that would eventually seal the win for the Mets. He was understandably excited after the game.

"It's been a lot, it's been hard. It's been an uphill fight since the beginning of the year, we never quit. We're definitely going to enjoy this one," Lindor said. "I really wanted this one, but not for myself. … We wanted it for everybody."

As Lindor was speaking in his interview, the crowd chanted "MVP!" repeatedly for him.

The Mets and Braves play a second game on Monday afternoon to determine what seed New York will be. With just the one win, the Mets will sit in the sixth spot, but if they win the second game, they will move up to the fifth spot in the wild card.