The 17-year-old made his maiden first-class century playing his third game, against Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy

Vishal Dikshit18-Oct-2024The Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) isn’t like the rest of Mumbai. In a city where poverty and opulence co-exist without any tangible borders, the BKC is an upmarket commercial hub embellished with offices of multinational companies, high rises adorned by modern-day reflective glass, five-star hotels, upscale restaurants and lavish offices of some of the top banks of the country. Against the backdrop of a metro, its chaos and congestion, this place feels as if it was planted there like a drop-in pitch.And in the middle of this swanky complex stood a 17-year-old boy on Friday who was a bit different to everybody that was around him too. He had been toiling in the scorching sun for close to four hours, sweating to earn each and every run for his team, getting his whites dirty, and physically proving his worth surrounded by people much older – some twice his age.Ayush Mhatre’s face still has a boyish roundness to it. It was hard to miss when he took his helmet off after scoring his maiden century in only his third first-class game and held his arms aloft facing the Mumbai dressing room.Mhatre is the latest from Mumbai’s production line that rolls out promising youngsters ever ready to step up when the first-choice players are unavailable. Two years ago, when the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan were away for national duty for the last couple of seasons, a 17-year-old Musheer Khan made his Ranji Trophy debut. And now when Musheer is out injured after a car accident last month, another 17-year-old has stepped in in his place, almost like he was packed and ready in a warehouse in BKC.Mhatre embodies the struggle of the average Mumbaikar. To chase his cricket dreams, he has had to travel nearly 80 kilometers one way by train from Virar (outside Mumbai) to Churchgate (next to Wankhede Stadium) to access the famed and cricket coaches. He was always supported by his parents to pursue this dream, and it was his (maternal grandfather) and then his (father’s younger brother) who chaperoned him on his journey into the city so he could have it all.Mhatre took the game up when he was five, but it was at 15 that he really began to think that the runs he was piling up in school and club cricket could be done professionally. His personal highest score stands at 254 not out, in a private tournament, and he “gained a lot of confidence” in playing the Kalpesh Koli Under-16 tournament in Mumbai. By December 2023, he had made it to Mumbai’s Under-23 squad for the CK Nayudu Trophy and was also named in MCA’s Under-19 team of the year for 2023-24.Ayush Mhatre is unbeaten on 127 against Maharashtra•PTI At the start of this season, still in Class XII, Mhatre had an inkling that a Mumbai call-up was coming. He was asked to take part in the red-ball KSCA Thimmappiah Tournament, which several players use to tune up for the start of a new Ranji season. There, he smashed 173 against Gujarat and 52 in the next game opposite Andhra. He also started prepping for the challenges fast bowling could throw at him in first-class cricket by batting against plastic balls on tiles with Prashant Shetty, who has coached many Mumbai players including Prithvi Shaw and Jemimah Rodrigues. Eventually, when the call came for the Irani Cup clash against Rest of India, after Musheer had met with an accident, Mhatre was mentally ready.”I was surprised, but there was no pressure, I was excited,” he said on Friday.Mhatre scored 19 and 14 against the likes of Mukesh Kumar and Yash Dayal, and as soon as the Ranji Trophy season started, he took no time to register his maiden first-class half-century against Baroda, top-scoring with 52 on a spicy surface in Mumbai’s first innings when only one other team-mate crossed 30.On Friday, batting on his home turf, after Maharashtra had been bowled out for just 126, Mhatre saw off the new ball while Shaw and Hardik Tamore fell cheaply, and he stitched useful partnerships with his captain Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer to power the score past 200.He reveres his Mumbai senior Rohit Sharma – also from the suburbs – for his trademark pulls and timing, and almost as a tribute to him, Mhatre pulled a short ball so handsomely towards the Bank of America building towering over the ground that the Mumbai dressing room erupted in applause. He seems comfortable off both the front and the back foot – the straight bat drives and the confident cuts showed as much. There was rarely a lull when he was at the crease, his strike rate hovering around 75 as he brought up a half-century off 63 balls and his century off 133 balls. Eighty of his 127 runs came on the off side.”The first hundred is always special,” he said after the day’s play. “I was confident which kept building in this innings.”Mhatre said Rahane coached him through a 99-run stand for the third wicket by setting “small targets of five runs at a time,” before he batted “calmly” with Iyer in an unbroken partnership of 97 as the field spread out and the baking sun made the pitch more batting friendly. Even at this nascent stage of his career, he understands he can’t get carried away even if he loves to attack.”I have to play with control, play according to what the situation demands, that’s what the team expects from me.”Mhatre has started with a bang, he has lived up to the promise he had shown in age-group cricket, and now he will want to stay true to the character of a promising Mumbai batter and really make it big.

Manchester United have now identified VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller as a target, as director of football Jason Wilcox has followed him for years.

Signing a new midfielder appears to be a top priority for Man United ahead of the January transfer window, having identified a range of targets in the middle of the park.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Morten Hjulmand

Sporting CP

£50m

Jobe Bellingham

Borussia Dortmund

£42m

Elliot Anderson

Nottingham Forest

£120m

Conor Gallagher

Atletico Madrid

£52m

Andrey Santos

Chelsea

£60m+

The desire to bring in a new option comes amid doubts surrounding Kobbie Mainoo’s future, with it being revealed earlier this month that the Englishman was at one stage close to sealing an exit, although there has seemingly been no progress since then.

Mainoo is not the only midfielder attracting attention either, with Manuel Ugarte catching the eye of Galatasaray, having been unable to dislodge Casemiro in the starting XI.

Two midfielders moving on would exacerbate the need for Ruben Amorim to bring in a new option considerably, and United have now identified a Bundesliga star as a target…

Man Utd now targeting Angelo Stiller

According to Fabrizio Romano, in a report for GiveMeSport, Stuttgart midfielder Stiller is one of the names on Man United’s list of targets, given that Wilcox has watched him for years, indicating the director of football is personally an admirer.

The 24-year-old is one of many targets in the middle of the park, with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba also named as an option, with Amorim making it clear that bringing in a new midfielder is a priority in 2026.

However, a move for the Stuttgart star may have to wait until next summer, rather than January, with a deal expected to amount to around £44m – £53m.

Lauded as “special” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, the German maestro has put in some top performances for Stuttgart over the past year, regularly showcasing his ability to create chances for his teammates.

Having averaged 0.30 assists per 90, the Munich-born midfielder ranks in the 98th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he also places in the same percentile for progressive passes, averaging 9.39 per 90 over the same time period.

The former Bayern Munich midfielder’s performances at club level have also earned him a call-up to his national side, having now picked up five caps for Germany, and his displays over the past year suggest he could be capable of collecting many more.

Man United have a plethora of options on the shortlist, with the likes of Gallagher and Anderson already proving themselves in the Premier League, which could give them the edge, but Stiller remains an exciting target nonetheless.

Man Utd hold key advantage in the race for Morten Hjulmand

Manchester United have been boosted by the news that key centre-back Lisandro Martinez has returned to full training after a long injury absence.

After a concerning start to the season, things really feel like they are falling into place for the Red Devils, following three wins in a row in the Premier League, including memorable victory away to rivals and champions Liverpool.

Ruben Amorim has overcome a hugely testing period and now feels like the right man to take United forward, and having as many players available as possible can only be a good thing, with one game a week this season and no European football helping in that respect.

One player who Amorim has had to do without for many months is Martinez, with the Argentina World Cup winner not featuring since damaging knee ligaments at the beginning of February, in a cruel blow for the defender.

The 27-year-old is arguably United’s strongest centre-back, so not having him available for such an extended period of time has been far from ideal, but ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, some great news has emerged regarding his fitness.

Martinez to return to Man Utd action in November

Taking to X on Thursday, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Martinez is now back in training for Manchester United, aiming for a return on the pitch in November.

This is fantastic news for anyone of a United persuasion, with Martinez’s tenacity, quality and winning mentality such a loss over the past eight months or so. It has also left Amorim delighted, with the manager saying: “It’s really good. He gives use that edge in every training session, that is also really good for us.”

The Argentine is a hugely popular figure at Old Trafford, playing with so much passion, and Casemiro has heaped praise on him as a character.

“Licha is on the final straight. He is a soldier who works so hard. He is always in the gym working hard. He is a machine that works so hard. He is one of those players that loves to work hard. It is a pleasure to have him here, he works so much. We arrived [today] at 9am and it is now 4pm and he continues working.”

Where Lisandro Martinez ranks among Man Utd's highest-earning players

It is clearly going to take Martinez some time to get back to his very best, given the severity of his injury, but assuming he makes a full recovery and returns as the player of old eventually, he can continue to be a huge player for United for years to come.

Man Utd now targeting Angelo Stiller as Jason Wilcox personal involvement revealed

Man United are looking to strengthen in the middle of the park, and Stiller has now emerged as a target.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 31, 2025

He is tailor-made to thrive in Amorim’s back three, bringing the ball out with quality and purpose, and he even has the characteristics to potentially be a future captain of the Red Devils if Bruno Fernandes moves on before him, endearing himself to the fans with his love for the club.

The Cubs franchise and fanbase was shaken on Monday when legendary player Ryne Sandberg died at the age of 65 from cancer.

The Cubs and MLB world alike have honored Sandberg in various ways this week. The Cubs are even introducing a No. 23 patch to their jerseys for the remainder of the 2025 season to memorialize "Ryno."

This isn't the only way the Cubs are honoring the late legend. On Saturday in their home game vs. the Orioles at Wrigley Field, all Cubs players will wear a Sandberg No. 23 jersey without their names on the back. The team will wear the iconic pullover blue jerseys that Sandberg used to wear during his time with the team in the 1980s.

Cubs executive Crane Kenney shared the news on 670 The Score on Thursday, also noting that the jerseys will be auctioned after the game and all the proceeds will be donated to cancer research. The organization plans to celebrate Sandberg's legacy and life all day on Saturday at Wrigley Field.

It will be an emotional day in Chicago on Saturday.

MatériaMais Notícias

De virada, o Atlético-MG derrotou o Cruzeiro por 3 a 1 e conquistou o título do Campeonato Mineiro, neste domingo (7). Após sair perdendo com gol de Matheus Vital, o Galo superou a raposa com Saravia, Hulk e Scarpa balançando as redes. Assista aos melhores momentos no vídeo acima.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

Atlético-MGCampeonato MineiroCruzeiro

After sacking Will Still, Southampton have now reportedly set their sights on hiring Stoke City manager Mark Robins, who scores well in their data-driven recruitment model.

The Saints have had a nightmare 18 months. Following relegation from the Premier League, which very nearly saw them break Derby County’s record-low points total, they turned to Still in an attempt to bounce straight back. Things didn’t quite go as planned, however, and the former Reims boss has now been relieved of his duties.

Releasing a statement after sacking Still, who won just two Championship games, technical director Johannes Spors said: “Will is a great person who gave everything to try and improve performances and results.

“Ultimately that process has taken longer than any of us would have liked. By making a change now we believe it gives us the best chance of turning things around this season and climbing back up the league table.”

Sitting as low as 21st in the Championship, the Saints can’t afford to get their next appointment wrong. Already, names like Russell Martin have been mentioned in a return that is likely to spark mixed reactions.

The former Saints boss was sacked by Rangers earlier this season following a dire spell in charge, but could yet get the chance to restore his damaged reputation at St Mary’s.

Frank Lampard has also been mentioned as a potential candidate following the work that he’s done at Coventry City. Alas, the Sky Blues currently sit top of the Championship and luring Lampard away at such a promising stage of his project would be no easy task.

Instead, another manager that Coventry fans know all too well could yet arrive to steer the Saints in the right direction.

Southampton now eyeing Mark Robins

According to talkSPORT, Southampton have also set their sights on Mark Robins. The Stoke City boss has scored well on their data-driven recruitment model as they look to hire the perfect next manager. Whether they can lure him away from Stoke is another question, however.

Having taken Coventry to the play-off final in the past, Robins has more than proved his ability to compete at the top of the second tier. And that has only continued at Stoke, who sit as high as third in the league after playing 13 games.

The fact that the 55-year-old turned Coventry into a side capable of reaching Wembley across a long-term project should make him a standout candidate for Southampton, who need a transformation themselves.

Unsurprisingly, Robins earned plenty of praise during his time at his former club. Former Coventry player Garry Thompson told reporters when the club sacked the veteran manager: “He got on with his job nice and quietly, he did a fantastic job.

“I’d be very surprised if he’s out of a job for another three or four months because he did such a good job at Coventry, a lot of clubs when they are looking for a manager will look towards Mark Robins.”

Southampton set sights on Russell Martin return

For seven innings of Thursday's game, the New York Yankees couldn't touch Seattle Mariners pitching. Mariners starter Bryan Woo tossed seven no-hit innings, then exited the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 5-1 lead after surrendering a sacrifice fly, entrusting the four-run margin to the Mariners' reliable bullpen. Only, this time, Mariners reliever Matt Brash, who has an ERA under 1.00, yielded a two-run home run to Giancarlo Stanton.

Then, something even stranger occurred. Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz, an All-Star for the second time this year, surrendered two earned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to blow the save. And in stark contrast to how they fared against Woo, the Yankees were all over Muñoz.

There was a good reason for that.

After the game, Mariners All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh admitted that Muñoz was tipping his pitches.

"He was tipping it every time at second base," Raleigh said, via . “Obviously, they weren’t making it very discreet, I guess is the word. It’s part of the game. It’s our job. We should have known about that going into the series. That made it really hard there at the end."

Mariners manager Dan Wilson disagreed, telling reporters he didn't "think" Muñoz was tipping his pitches. That could simply be Wilson putting on a public front in an attempt to dismiss what the Yankees had done, as broadcast replays clearly show that New York seemed to pick something up from the Mariners reliever. In particular, every time Muñoz threw a slider, Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, who was standing on second base, would wave an arm in the air to alert New York's batter.

Muñoz had tossed 8 1/3 scoreless innings entering Thursday's appearance. The Yankees went on to win on a walk-off sacrifice fly by reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge in the bottom of the 10th inning, completing a rare comeback that hadn't been seen in MLB in nearly 50 years.

As for the tipping pitches? Raleigh acknowledged it's something the Mariners are going to need to "figure out."

"Yeah, you try to do as much as you can without trying to distract him from what’s happening at the plate," Raleigh continued. "That’s something that we will have to figure out in the next couple of days for sure."

Seattle will next take on the Detroit Tigers in a three-game series before the All-Star break.

Thomas Frank issued a concerning injury update on Mohammed Kudus ahead of their Manchester United clash this weekend. The Ghanaian playmaker, who joined Spurs from West Ham United in a £55 million ($72.5m) summer move, has become one of the club’s most consistent performers this season. He has scored once and set up five goals across 15 appearances. But just as he seemed to gain momentum, disaster struck again.

• Spurs sweating on Kudus fitness

  Kudus picked up a knock during training last week, ruling him out of Tuesday’s emphatic 4-0 Champions League win over FC Copenhagen. Now, his participation against United is also uncertain. 

  Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Frank cut a cautious figure and said: "Kudus is touch and go for tomorrow, we’ll see."

  In Kudus' absence, Brennan Johnson, who started on the right flank in midweek, is expected to retain his spot. The Welshman impressed with his intensity against Copenhagen and should be a handful for United defenders. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Tottenham's injury list grows longer

  The north London side’s growing injury list continues to stretch the squad thin. Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison all remain long-term absentees, while Yves Bissouma and summer recruit Kota Takai are still awaiting their first minutes of the season. To make matters worse, promising youngster Lucas Bergvall will sit out the United game after suffering a concussion during last weekend’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. 

  Frank also offered an update on Dominic Solanke’s slow recovery. The striker has been limited to a total of 59 minutes this season. Solanke’s ankle problems have kept him sidelined since pre-season, and he even underwent a minor surgery on October 1. And while his rehabilitation is progressing, Frank insists the club won’t rush his return.

  "I think the international break will be the big decider, because we have two weeks there, to push with the next steps," said Frank.

  "It was clear that he was not ready before the international break, it’s more that we look after the international break, that’s what we’re aiming for. I think you always want to get it right, I think it’s important to get it right so he’s out there, can help the team, and we need him back." 

  However, he did offer some positive updates as well. 

  "The ones that have been out for a small spell, Cuti (Cristian Romero) and Destiny (Udogie), responded well, so fit and available," he said. 

• Amicable resolution with Van de Ven and Spence

  Frank has also had to manage an internal situation involving defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence. In the aftermath of the disappointing defeat to Chelsea, the Spurs head coach encouraged his players to perform a lap of appreciation for the fans. However, television cameras caught Van de Ven and Spence walking away, apparently ignoring the manager’s request. At the time, Frank refused to publicly criticise the pair, choosing instead to defuse the incident.

  "All the players are, of course, frustrated," he had said after the match. "They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that."

  He added, "I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem."

  However, the two players have apologised to the manager to reach an amicable solution.

  "Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday and just said they wanted to say sorry for the situation," he informed. "They didn't want it to look bad or any misconception that you can get in this beautiful media world. So there was no disrespect meant at all towards me or the team. They were just frustrated with the performance from us and the booing during the game."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images/GOAL
  

  A pivotal match for Spurs

  Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea was another frustrating afternoon for the fans, who voiced their displeasure at full-time. Saturday’s showdown against United now carries enormous weight for both sides. A win could reignite Tottenham’s momentum and strengthen their Champions League ambitions. They remain sixth in the Premier League table with 17 points from 10 games and are level with Manchester United but eight behind leaders Arsenal.

England made 125 runs and took two wickets in the morning session at Manchester

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes brought up his century on fourth morning•AFP via Getty Images

Ben Stokes added a century to the five-for he had already taken to cement his place among the greatest allrounders in Test cricket, and after all that he just had to sit back and watch as his bowling attack laid waste to India’s top-order. England had piled up 669, their fifth-highest total in this format. They kept India on the field for 157.1 overs and the fatigue that it caused was certainly on show. India, trailing by 311 runs, lost two wickets scoring any of their own.Stokes, who retired hurt on 66 with leg cramps, seemed back to his fighting best judging by the quick single he took in the very first over of play. Anshul Kamboj had hit the stumps direct at the bowlers end and Mohammed Siraj was so certain it was out that he had his forefinger raised to various corners of the ground. Replays showed a different picture and Stokes took to Siraj in the next over, dancing down the track and clattering him through cover for four.There were a few nervy moments as he approached his century, his first in 35 innings. A neat nudge off the hips brought it up. Stokes punched the air as he ran down the pitch and brought out the folded-finger salute – a tribute to his father Ged – while the trumpeter in the crowd added to the moment by belting out the Superman theme. Stokes joined Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis as the only three allrounders with 7000 Test runs and 200 Test wickets. He became the fifth captain to score a century and pick up a five-for.India were already showing signs of wear. They gave away overthrows. They spread the field for the No. 10. In situations like this, the 15 minutes they had to endure until lunch become extremely dicey and Chris Woakes made it impossible. He started around the wicket immediately to make sure the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiwal would not have easy leaves. The angle forced the mistake as he tried to flick one off middle stump only for the ball to seam extremely sharply off the pitch to take his leading edge through to Joe Root, who fumbled initially before gathering it on the second attempt. Sai Sudharsan showed the clearest signs of fatigue among the Indian players when he was faced with a harmless short and wide delivery. He tried to play at it. Eventually he realised he didn’t need to. In the end, he was caught at second slip leaving the ball.Shubman Gill walked out to face the hat-trick delivery, surrounded by five slips and a leg slip and his team yet to score. They managed one run during the three-over barrage.

Former Manchester United scout Piotr Sadowski has blasted the Red Devils for letting some top talents leave the club in recent years. The Red Devils have a proud history when it comes to developing young players and bringing them into the first team at Old Trafford, but Sadowski says some bad mistakes have been made and highlighted one player in particular who has been allowed to leave for a small fee.

The one that got away?

Manchester United waved goodbye to Alvaro Carreras in 2024, allowing the talented young left-back to join Benfica on a permanent deal after he seemingly failed to make the grade at Old Trafford. Fast forward a year, and Carreras has just been snapped up by La Liga giants Real Madrid for €50m (£43m/$58m) on a six-year deal. Manchester United have pocketed a significant chunk of the transfer fee but have been told they have made a "huge mistake" by selling the defender.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCarreras departure a 'huge mistake' by Man Utd

Former United scout Sadowski told "He came to Manchester United when he was probably 16 (in 2020). A very hard-working and ambitious boy, he learned the language quickly – I know because I met him personally. Initially, his career path was quite good. He was loaned to Preston, received good reviews, and (then) United gave up on him, selling him to Benfica for a small fee.

"Carreras is a truly top-class player. There's a good chance he'll become the best, or one of the best, left-backs in the world. He scored a beautiful goal recently against Valencia in La Liga. It was a huge mistake for United to let him go. Something is missing here and I think that something is United's lack of courage in investing in young players."

Amorim prefers 'ready-made players'

Kobbie Mainoo could be the next academy player to depart, with the midfielder out of favour under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford and linked with an exit. Amorim has already brought in a host of players, such as Patrick Dorgu, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, and Sadowski feels the United boss is not willing to trust in youth yet.

"Honestly, having recently worked at Blackburn Rovers and operating on a much lower transfer budget, I would have had no problem finding a few players of Dorgu's level for United, but for £25m, you could get four," he added.

"Now, United are wary of bringing in youngsters. Amorim was supposed to be the one to do this, but the results haven't been right, so he prefers to buy ready-made players."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesMan Utd's unbeaten run to continue?

Amorim has endured a difficult time at Manchester United so far but is currently on a five-match unbeaten run with the Red Devils. He'll be aiming to continue that form after the international break when domestic action resumes. The Red Devils return to action on Monday, November 24 at home to Everton.