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Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has revealed that Hannah Hampton could miss the rest of 2025 with a quad injury, potentially ruling her out of the Lionesses upcoming friendlies against China and Ghana later this month. The renowned shot stopper missed Chelsea's 6-0 win over St. Polten in the Women's Champions League, after picking up the injury during the Blues 1-1 draw with Arsenal last Saturday.

Hampton to miss big games for both Chelsea and England

Bompastor confirmed that Hampton will miss the next few weeks of action at the very least, ruling her out of key fixtures for both club and country. The 24-year-old completed her side's draw with rivals Arsenal despite the ailment, but was ruled out of their midweek demolition of the Austrian champions. 

Chelsea travel to Liverpool tomorrow in the Women's Super League, before hosting Barcelona in the Women's Champions League on November 20. The inaugural winner of the Women's Yashin Trophy would have been a nailed on starter for Sarina Weigman's side in the upcoming international window as the European champions work towards the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. 

Hampton was also absent from England duty last month with an elbow injury. She was replaced by Manchester City keeper Khiara Keating, who conceded twice in the first 20 minutes of her debut against Brazil. The Lionesses eventually fell to a 2-1 defeat to the Selecao. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBompastor: Hampton will be out for a "few weeks"

In her pre-match press conference ahead of the Liverpool clash, Bompastor said: "Hannah won't be here. She picked up a quad injury.

"She will be out for a few weeks. We'll see if we see her before the end of the year but I'm not sure."

When the French manager was asked if that would rule the 24-year-old out of international duty, she simply replied: "It could be the case, yes."

Hampton injury presents an opportunity for Peng and Keating

Hampton's extended absence opens the door for Livia Peng to show her potential in the Chelsea goal. The Swiss stopper joined the Blues in the summer following an impressive two year spell with Werder Bremen. She was named to 's team of the season in 2024-25, as she kept seven clean sheets in 21 league games. The 23-year-old has cemented her spot as Switzerland's no. 1, starting all four of her country's during this summer's European Championship as the host nation was knocked out at the quarter final stage by eventual finalists Spain. She made her club debut in Chelsea's dominant win over St. Polten earlier this week. 

City's Keating will also have the opportunity to stake her claim to be Hampton's clear backup at the very least. The 21-year-old has gone from strength-to-strength since supplanting Ellie Roebuck as the City No.1 during the 2023-24 season. She would go on to win the WSL Golden Globe at the end of that campaign, making her the youngest player to pick up the award. Keating has been in impressive form again this term, keeping nine clean sheets in all competitions. 

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Getty Images SportInjury comes at challenging time for Hampton

After last season's resounding successes: winning the Euros, picking up the award for the best female goalkeeper in the game and winning the WSL for the second time, the start of the 2025/26 season has been a tough ride for Hampton. 

The protracted fallout from Mary Earps autobiography, in which the former Sports Personality of the Year accused her understudy of being "disruptive and unreliable" has been an unwelcome distraction. Hampton presumably would have hoped to move on from that saga by letting her play do the talking, especially with the Three Lions on her chest. While she has been in impressive form for her club, conceding just four goals in eight league appearances this term, missing her second international window in succession with injury, is a cruel blow. Hopefully, she can recover before the end of 2025. The league phase of Chelsea's Women's Champions League campaign concludes with ties against Roma and Wolfsburg in December. 

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O Botafogo tem uma sequência decisiva pela frente, mas a movimentação nos bastidores não para. O CEO, Thairo Arruda, está em Brasília para tratar de um dos temas que tem sido prioridade para o alvinegro: o aumento da força política nos bastidores para garantir a voz do clube em temas de interesse institucionais.

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Temas como a CP da Manipulação de Jogos e Apostas Esportivas, em curso no Senado, tem recebido atenção especial. Como representante de John Textor, o CEO tem marcado presença em reuniões com parlamentares para acompanhar o curso das investigações e prestar os esclarecimentos necessários. Outro tema que tem recebido especial atenção são os que envolvem as atualizações na Lei da SAF, também em tramitação no Congresso Nacional.

Como representante da Eagle Football e um dos responsáveis por convencer John Textor a investir no Brasil, Thairo é consultado pelos legisladores para contribuir no aperfeiçoamento do mecanismo. Embora o modelo das SAFs tenha se difundido, ainda são poucos os investidores estrangeiros a investir no futebol brasileiro.

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Nas costuras de temas de interesses institucionais em Brasília, o mandatário recebe a companhia do Vice-Presidente Executivo Jonas Marmello. O clube considera estratégico na função o conhecimento de Marmello por ser um especialista no tema da Lei da SAF.

Nesta semana, Thairo e Marmello tiveram agendas oficiais com os senadores Rogério Carvalho e Chico Rodrigues, com quem debateram ideias para a melhoria do futebol brasileiro. A dupla também se reuniu com Washington, o “Coração Valente”, Diretor da APFUT – Autoridade Pública de Governança do Futebol.

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BotafogoFutebol NacionalJohn Textor

NEW YORK — Shane Bieber looked around the other day and realized something shocking: Eight years into his career, with nearly 900 innings pitched and a Cy Young award on his mantle, he is a rookie compared to his fellow Blue Jays starting pitchers.

“He’s 30!” says his 41-year-old rotationmate Max Scherzer with a laugh. “He’s a young buck! We should make him wear a pink backpack.”

Indeed, in an era of flamethrowers who are too young to turn on the stove, Toronto’s rotation looks closer to retirement than to retiring hitters. Scherzer; Bieber; Chris Bassitt, 36; Kevin Gausman, 34; and José Berríos, 31, make up the only contingent in the majors with no one in his 20s. Their average age, 34.4, would outlast nearly five generations of blue jays.

Entering Thursday, the Blue Jays have received 103 starts from pitchers 31 or older, the most in the majors this season and on pace for the most by a division winner since at least 2019. The only current team with a similar number of gray hairs is the Rangers, who employ 37-year-old Jacob deGrom, 36-year-old Patrick Corbin and 36-year-old Merrill Kelly, with 35-year-old Nathan Eovaldi on the shelf with a strained rotator cuff—but 29-year-old Jacob Latz and 25-year-old Jack Leiter help keep them youthful. And yet the Jays’ 31-plus starters have a 4.18 ERA, right in line with league average.

Scherzer famously pitched for the 2019 Nationals, who got 65 starts from 31-plus-year-olds and called themselves . He says he does not look back at that nickname and chuckle at his naivete. “I was old in ’19!” he says. “When you're 36 in the game, that’s when you’re old. That’s when all the GMs start looking at you funny.” (Perhaps that was a senior moment: Scherzer was 34 in 2019.) That club won the World Series on the back of its horses. But most teams these days value young studs who can spin the ball for five and a third innings, then turn it over to a bullpen full of even younger studs who can spin it even harder.

Have the Blue Jays noticed that many of them are more suited for an old-folks’ home than home plate?

“Man, you’re so blunt,” says Gausman with a laugh. “I’ve definitely noticed we’re not young.”

Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz was substituted against Manchester City after another torrid performance from both the Germany international and his teammates.

Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager with a convincing win over an old rival as Manchester City overpowered Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday. Typically Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet, opening the scoring for a dominant City side at the Etihad Stadium with his 99th Premier League goal after missing an earlier penalty.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk had an equaliser controversially disallowed, but the champions were second best for much of a sodden afternoon and fell further behind to a deflected Nico Gonzalez strike before the break.

The outstanding Jeremy Doku, who tormented Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, added a sublime third on his 100th appearance for the club. Victory lifted City back up to second in the table and within four points of leaders Arsenal, and condemned Liverpool to yet more soul-searching.

Arne Slot’s side had emerged from a recent slump with impressive back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but the defeat was their fifth in six league games and left them eight points adrift of the Gunners. During the game, City fans made a point of criticising one particular Liverpool player as he was withdrawn from the match.

Liverpool signing Wirtz was a "waste of money"

Though they would spend more on Alexander Isak just weeks later, Liverpool broke the British transfer record when they signed Florian Wirtz for £116 million in the summer. Much has since been said about the German, who has struggled to swiftly adapt to English football.

Across all competitions, not including the Community Shield, Wirtz has racked up no goals and two assists in 14 games, hardly the return expected by a player who commanded such a transfer fee. Due to his form, questions have been asked about Wirtz’s position in the first team.

Against Man City, Wirtz’s Premier League struggles continued. The German was replaced by Federico Chiesa in the 83rd minute and as per Adam Bate of Sky Sports, was serenaded by the home support.

Florian Wirtz Against Manchester City

Minutes Played

83′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Key Passes

0

Shots on Target

0

Total Shots (Shots Blocked)

2 (2)

Accurate Passes in Opposition Half

11/16 (69%)

(All stats are from SofaScore)

Given the money spent across the summer, there is little excuse for Liverpool’s form throughout the 2025/26 season. Wirtz, however, similar to fellow new arrival Isak, has yet to showcase anything that represents the fee that was paid for him. The German midfielder is still, of course, in the infancy of his Liverpool career, but it is apparent that he needs to quickly find a vein of form on Merseyside.

Liverpool want another Newcastle star after Isak

تحدث قائد فريق ليفربول، فيرجيل فان دايك، لأول مرة عن أزمة النجم المصري محمد صلاح في النادي الإنجليزي، بسبب التصريحات النارية التي أدلى بها يوم السبت الماضي بسبب تهميشه من جانب المدرب آرني سلوت.

وغاب محمد صلاح عن مباراة ليفربول أمس ضد إنتر ميلان على ملعب “سان سيرو” في الجولة السادسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري، حيث حقق الريدز فوزًا بهدف دون رد.

وقال فان دايك عن محمد صلاح، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “الأمر صعب، لكنه وضع صعب جماعي نمر به جميعًا، الأمور تسير بين مو والنادي، هو ليس هنا اليوم، هذه هي الحقيقة، لا أعتقد أن شيئًا قد تغير في تركيزنا وعزيمتنا”.

وأضاف: “هل يجب على صلاح الاعتذار؟ لست أنا من يقرر ما إذا كان على شخص ما أن يعتذر، لقد كشف عن مشاعره خلال اليومين الماضيين، هذا أمر على النادي التعامل معه، وأنا أيضًا بالطبع، كان التركيز موجودًا، ولم يتغير شيء آخر، لقد تدرب أيضًا”.

وأفاد: “لا جدوى من قولي إن أحدهم خذل شخصًا آخر، هو لم يسافر بناءً على عواقب ما قاله، هذا كل ما في الأمر، تدرب أمس بشكل طبيعي تمامًا، لنرَ ما سيحدث عندما نعود يوم الجمعة”.

وأكد: “تركيزي منصبّ على الفريق، وفي هذه المرحلة، لا يزال محمد صلاح جزءًا من الفريق، سنرى ما سيحدث”.

وواصل: “الحقيقة أيضًا هي أن محمد صلاح سيذهب إلى كأس أمم إفريقيا قريبًا، أنا أعرفه منذ فترة طويلة، نحن أصدقاء جيدون ومررنا بفترات من النجاح والفشل، نتحدث، وهذه الأمور ستبقى خلف الأبواب كما ينبغي أن يكون الأمر، علينا أن نستعد ونواجه الضجيج الخارجي”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. روبرتسون يثير الشكوك حول صحة هدف ليفربول أمام إنتر ميلان.. ويصرّح: مستقبل محمد صلاح لا يخصني

وشدد: “الأهم هو أن نتحدث مع بعضنا البعض، علينا أن نتعافى ونعود إلى مواجهة برايتون فورًا، يجب أن نحتفل باللحظات الجميلة ونستمتع بها، وإلا فما فائدة الفوز؟ سنبيت هنا، وننام جيدًا ونتناول طعامًا جيدًا، نحاول ألا نبالغ في الفرح أو الحزن”.

وعن الفوز، قال: “إنه شعور رائع، خاصة في هذه الفترة التي نمر بها، حيث نسعى لتحقيق الثبات في الأداء والبناء عليه، نأمل أن تكون هذه الليلة من بين تلك العروض المميزة”.

واستكمل: “لطالما كانت المباراة صعبة، لقد تعاملنا معها بشكل جيد، كان من الممكن أن تنتهي بالتعادل السلبي، لكنها انتهت بشكل إيجابي لنا في النهاية، هذا لا يغير شيئًا، من الواضح أن هناك الكثير من الضجيج من العالم الخارجي، وهو أمر طبيعي عندما لا نؤدي بشكل جيد، إنه أمر مستحق أيضًا”.

وشدد: “نريد أن نتحسن، نريد أن نكون ثابتين في الأداء وأن نفوز بالمباريات، لا نفعل ذلك بالقدر الذي نرغب به، علينا أن نتكاتف ونكون متحدين كما كنا دائمًا، هذا ما يجسده ليفربول”.

وفيما يخص قرارات حكم الفيديو المساعد، قال: “كانت سريعة جدًا، لذلك لا أعرف إن كانت الكرة قد اصطدمت بذراعه بالفعل (هدف ليفربول الملغي من جانب كوناتي)، عندما يتخذ الحكم قرارًا كهذا، يجب أن يكون واضحًا وجليًا، لكنهم يبحثون عن شيء قد يكون موجودًا، لا أعتقد أن هذا جيد”.

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De virada, o Palmeiras venceu o Independiente del Valle por 3 a 2, pela terceira rodada da Libertadores. Kendry Páez e Hoyos abriram o placar para a equipe equatoriana, Endrick e Lázaro conduziram o empate do Verdão, e Luís Guilherme, nos acréscimos, decretou a virada da equipe de Abel Ferreira.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoTorcedores do Palmeiras detonam opção de Abel por medalhão: ‘Precisa ir para o banco’Fora de Campo24/04/2024PalmeirasAdministradora do estádio do Palmeiras se posiciona contra torcedor que cuspiu em TitePalmeiras24/04/2024PalmeirasKendry Páez ou Endrick? Palmeiras x Del Valle reserva duelo de joias pela LibertadoresPalmeiras24/04/2024

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Com o resultado, o Palmeiras chega ao sete pontos e lidera do Grupo F da Libertadores. A próxima partida do Verdão será o clássico Choque-Rei contra o São Paulo, na segunda-feira (29), pelo Brasileirão.

➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE 2 X 3 PALMEIRAS
3ª RODADA – FASE DE GRUPOS DA LIBERTADORES
🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 24 de abril de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
📍 Local: Estádio Banco Guayaquil, em Quito(EQU)

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GOLS: Kendry Páez e Hoyos / Endrick, Lázaro e Luís Guilherme

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES:

INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE (Técnico:Jorge Célico)
Moisés Ramírez; Landázuri, Carabajal, Richard Schunke e Roman Bucaran; Julio Ortiz, Kendry Páez e Cristian Zabala; Ibarra, Sornoza e Michael Hoyos.

PALMEIRAS (Técnico: Abel Ferreira)
Weverton, Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gómez, Luan e Piquerez; Aníbal Moreno, Richard Ríos e Raphael Veiga; Mayke, Endrick e Rony.

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LibertadoresPalmeiras

Arsenal have been handed another blow in their pursuit of the Premier League crown after star defender Gabriel hobbled off with an apparent groin issue for Brazil. The centre-back was playing on home soil at the Emirates, in an international friendly against Senegal. In the second half, he went down in some discomfort and was subsequently taken off, looking furious.

• Gabriel added to Arsenal injury list

  The Gunners already have a lengthy injury list, with the likes of Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli all missing in recent weeks. Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly returned to north London after picking up an injury while training with the Italian national team, he will miss their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Norway as a result. 

  Gabriel looks to be the latest player heading for the treatment table, which is terrible news for the north London club ahead of three crucial games after the international break.

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• Arsenal fans react to Gabriel injury

  The sight of their most valuable defender exiting the pitch during an international friendly in their ground inevitably drew fiery reactions from the Arsenal faithful son social media. 

  One non-plussed fan, Jadinho97, wrote on X: "Gabriel getting injured on international duty at the Emirates has sent my head to Mars."

  Edduizy posted: "Gabriel off injured for Brazil in yet another useless friendly." 

  Another X user, @sakamvent asked: "What is the point of international breaks?  Calafiori and Gabriel are now injured, just when we thought we would catch a bit of break with injuries they start to pile up again." 

  LongJeff called the incident, "horrific horrible news." 

  BiancaKG had a more selfish reaction when she posted: "Gabriel getting injured doesn't bode well for my FPL Team."

• Ever-present Gabriel the foundation of Arsenal's success

  The handwringing of angry Arsenal fans is understandable. Gabriel has played every minute of the Gunners' Premier League campaign so far this season, and has appeared in all four of their Champions League fixtures too. When Gabriel has featured this term, Arsenal have conceded just five times, while the Brazilian has also chipped in two goals of his own going forward.  

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• AFP
  

  Arsenal's upcoming fixtures — Gabriel out for north London derby?

  The suspected injury could not come at a worse time for Mikel Arteta's side. First up after the international break, the Gunners take on their north London rivals Tottenham on November 23. That hellacious affair is quickly followed by a marquee matchup against Harry Kane's Bayern Munich. The Bavarian giants are undefeated this term, winning sixteen straight games to kick off their 2025/26 term. A massive week for the title hopeful's season concludes with another London derby, this time against third-placed Chelsea away at Stamford Bridge. 

  With a lengthening injury list, no player will be more crucial to these tricky fixtures than the totemic Brazilian. Arsenal fans will be hoping against hope that Gabriel was taken off as a precaution, and that he can feature in this upcoming gauntlet of games. 

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was joined by Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Will Smith and Kiké Hernandez as guests on Tuesday night's where they were described as "still moist" from their World Series celebration. The quintet of champions answered some questions while remembering just how awesome that all was for Los Angeles fans—your typical late-night fare.

The highlight was Hernandez revealing that he was under the impression his team had lost the World Series after getting trucked by Andy Pages to end the ninth inning of Game 7.

Hernandez shared the story of how he processed the season-saving play after getting teed up by Roberts.

"Bases loaded ninth inning, ball drops we lose, right" he said. "I get a bad jump because the pitch almost bounced, he kind of put the bat on the ball. I broke half a step in and I'm running. And I'm thinking about my entire life as I'm following this ball and I felt like I ran a 400-meter dash and like as I'm finally about to catch the ball I'm like 'the only thing I've got to worry about is the wall, right?'"

Hernandez assured everyone he was in position to catch the ball before he was blindsided from Pages, who had just entered the game as a defensive replacement.

"Out of nowhere I feel like an NBA player because my teammate posterized me," he said. "I go down and in my head everything is quiet, which should have told me he caught it."

Hernandez said he didn't trust his instincts because he thought his brain was protecting him from heartbreak. And that he only found out the Dodgers had fresh life in extra innings after Pages came over to check on him.

It's an awesome story and an extra bit of lore for an already unbelievable World Series.

Some of the best performers from the TNPL, Mumbai T20 League, Baroda Premier League and more

Shashank Kishore and Deivarayan Muthu17-Jul-2025Tushar Raheja – TNPL
A dashing opener who can also keep wicket, Tushar Raheja has been the top run-getter across the past two TNPL seasons. From being a pace-hitter in the powerplay, Raheja has evolved into a more rounded batter. His game against spin has particularly evolved this season; his manner of taking down Varun Chakravarthy and R Ashwin in the competition is ample proof.Raheja may have deflected a question on his IPL prospects cheekily after leading Tiruppur Tamizhans to the title – he also topped the run charts with 488 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 185.55 – but he might not be too far away from breaking into the league.Related

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'Rocket Raheja' prepares for IPL and Ranji lift-off

Mukund: State T20 leagues play a vital part in India's ecosystem

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Akshat Raghuwanshi – Madhya Pradesh Premier League
“At 21, I haven’t seen a more talented player. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Big things are waiting for him in the future.” That’s state senior Venkatesh Iyer on top-order batter Raghuwanshi, who was the standout batter in the tournament even though he didn’t top the run charts.Scouts and coaches believe he could be the next Priyansh Arya-like IPL star. Raghuwanshi had everyone sit up and take notice of him when he smacked 105 off 45 balls against Bhopal Leopards. He hit 239 runs in four innings, striking at 177. Since being part of MP’s Ranji Trophy-winning campaign in 2022, Raghuwanshi’s career has hit a rough patch. But his recent white-ball performances provide hope for a brighter future.Krains Fuletra – Saurashtra Pro T20
Left-arm wristspinners are a rare breed, and at just 21, Fuletra’s combination of skill and temperament has got people in Saurashtra excited. First spotted by Jaydev Unadkat and brought in as a net bowler in Rajkot, Fuletra was fast-tracked into the Vijay Hazare Trophy squad during the 2024-25 season, and debuted against Karnataka. He was later part of Sunrisers Hyderabad as a net bowler at IPL 2025.More recently, he picked up 10 wickets in nine matches for Anmol Kings Halar in the Saurashtra Pro T20 League, where he earned the Emerging Player award. From being on the fringes of the state set-up just over a year ago, Fuletra has already broken into Saurashtra’s Under-23 squad. A call-up to the senior team across formats appears to be a matter of when, not if.Sairaj Patil was named Player of the Tournament in the T20 Mumbai League•T20 Mumbai LeagueSairaj Patil – T20 Mumbai League
A middle-order power-hitter who can also bowl seam-ups, Sairaj Patil’s all-round efforts culminated in him winning the Player-of-the-Tournament award from Rohit Sharma. Patil, 28, hit a chart-topping 16 sixes in six innings and picked up seven wickets in 15.3 overs in Eagle Thane Strikers’ run to the semi-finals.Indian allrounders who can strike big and also bowl are still rare, so Patil has a good chance of being picked in the IPL. He also has the experience of having played the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Mumbai.Atit Sheth – Baroda Premier League
Former India Under-19 star from the batch that produced Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson, Atit Sheth was a one-man wrecking crew in the inaugural Baroda Premier League, winning both the Orange and Purple caps.He has been a key player for Baroda in Ranji Trophy for close to a decade, but has never been picked in the IPL so far. Often deployed in the top order, Sheth delivered boundaries with the bat and breakthroughs with the ball in the Baroda Premier League. He can also float down the order, which may pique the interest of IPL franchises.Adil Ayub Tunda – Pondicherry Premier League
Standing at 6’5″, Adil Ayub Tunda is an imposing presence with the ability to generate steep bounce – a trait that sets him apart. In the death overs, his arsenal of wide yorkers and clever variations has earned praise from coaches and scouts alike.Born and raised in Jammu & Kashmir, Tunda has recently moved south in pursuit of greater opportunities and clearer direction. Six matches into the current season, he sits as the second-highest wicket-taker – a strong follow-up to his stellar 2024 campaign, where he claimed the Purple Cap with 21 wickets.

His story is a complex one, but there was much to admire about Pucovski with bat in hand

Alex Malcolm09-Apr-2025It was not a surprise when Will Pucovski said “I’m not going to be playing cricket again” in a Melbourne radio studio on Tuesday.Those words had been expected for a year. But the inevitability of them doesn’t make them any less sad.Twenty-seven-year-old’s with three first-class double centuries and an average of 45.19 aren’t supposed to retire from the game.Pucovski spoke of wanting to play 100 Tests. “Unfortunately, one Test is where it ends,” he said.Related

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Talented Will Pucovski's tough road to the baggy green: a timeline

Pucovski announces retirement from cricket due to concussion

It’s heartbreaking to think there is an alternative universe where Pucovski might have already played 41 Test matches without interruption after his debut against India at the SCG in January 2021.An alternative universe where he already has multiple Test centuries and is Australia’s incumbent opener, currently preparing for a stint in county cricket like the one he was set for last year with Leicestershire, ahead of the World Test Championship final.In that universe he would be a pivotal figure in Australia’s aging XI, with he and Cameron Green the two pillars of the next generation as a team full of over 30s hurtles towards transition.But in this universe, the sadness at what might have been is replaced by the grim reality that Pucovski’s retirement is a relief for all concerned.He is still suffering concussion symptoms over a year on from what is hopefully his last blow. He spoke of getting dizzy just looking at things from his left eye. Motion sickness from a train ride last Saturday caused a three-hour afternoon nap. Headaches and fatigue are a daily feature of his life now.An independent medical panel recommended he retire last year. The competitor in him went on a global search to find an alternative solution that might allow him to play again. But the risk of another blow is too great.Will Pucovski takes on the short ball•AFP via Getty ImagesThe number of blows is well into double figures and they even pre-date his cricket career. There were concussions in the field, in the nets, after tripping over while running between the wickets, while playing a game of warm-up soccer, on top of numerous blows facing high quality first-class bowling.Getting hit is an occupational hazard for a professional top-order batter. Even Steven Smith has been felled. But the best rarely get hit more than once or twice in a career. For Pucovski it was a yearly occurrence. He never played more than seven first-class games in a season across eight years as a professional.He also took numerous mental health breaks which he is certain are a side effect of his concussions. His family have noticed a change in him as a person.He knows it’s complicated and hard to understand. He noted that the confusion has been fuelled further by the fact there has been no consensus on how it all knits together amongst the many medical experts he has consulted.

Those who bowled to him at his best said there was an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. His intimidation as a batter wasn’t through powerful ball-striking, it was through the ease of his scoring ability against their best balls

All of that makes his case so complex. Unlike Australia Rules Football, which has made strides in navigating medical retirements due to concussion, Pucovski’s is a test case in cricket. It is hard to know what the game owes him, what his future earnings might have been worth. That is still being determined.There are no guarantees in cricket. Matt Renshaw was once a prodigy who made 184 in a Test for Australia as a 20-year-old. He has just turned 29 and looks a fair way off adding to his 14 Tests right now. Kurtis Patterson, who was selected ahead of Pucovski in January 2019, made an unbeaten century in his last Test innings aged 25. Now 31, he has not played a Test match since and has only this season fought his way back from the first-class wilderness having fallen out of love with the game.Cricket’s top earners are also three-format players. Pucovski played 50 professional matches without a single T20 appearance. He struck at 77.62 in his 14 List A games.But that’s part of what made him unique and potentially a great loss to Australia’s Test team. Growing up in arguably the first generation of Australian batters that developed on more short-form cricket than long-form at underage levels, Pucovski was cut from a different cloth. So many of his cohort have been plagued by hard hands and poor decision-making in first-class cricket. Pucovski was a throwback to a different era.Runs for fun: Will Pucovski so often looked at ease in the middle•Getty ImagesThose who saw him up close at first-class level speak about his exceptional decision-making and problem-solving ability. There was a softness to his play, an economy to his movements. People were in awe of the time he seemed to have.His first double-century in first-class cricket was extraordinary. On a WACA pitch where WA were bowled out for 208 and 251 and only four others in the match passed 42 and none of them batted in the top four, Pucovski peeled off 243 not out from 311 balls at No. 3.Those who bowled to him at his best said there was an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. His intimidation as a batter wasn’t through powerful ball-striking, it was through the ease of his scoring ability against their best balls.That was never more evident than in October 2020. There was precious little cricket being played anywhere due to Covid, but the Sheffield Shield was in a bubble in Adelaide.Pucovski grabbed the world’s attention with back-to-back double centuries against South Australia and Western Australia. His team-mates said he was in such rare form that he had asked them to fling balls at top pace in the nets from five metres infront of the bowling crease to make his practice more challenging.Will Pucovski punches one off the back foot•Getty ImagesHis Test debut only months later – although delayed by another blow to the helmet in a tour match – was also evidence of his gifts. He only struck four boundaries in a 110-ball 62 against an India attack comprising of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. What’s clear from rewatching the highlights in the aftermath of his retirement is how willing he was to let the ball come to him. He played late under his eyes, never once trying to over hit it. He was content just finding gaps and accumulating like he had so often at first-class level.It is a shame that player is now lost to cricket. But it is a positive that Pucovski the person won’t be lost to cricket. He spoke of a keenness to coach and will begin his journey with his beloved Melbourne Cricket Club as head coach next season. He also spoke of potentially getting involved in cricket administration at some point and has already shown his commentary capabilities in brief television stints in Australia.His cerebral nature, his openness to explore different ideas beyond the insularity elite cricket can often cultivate will make him an asset to the game in whatever he chooses to do.That he was grateful for one Test rather than bitter about being denied many more is a window into his character. There will be a future in cricket for Will Pucovski. Just not the one he might have hoped for.