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#Tom #Banton #ruled #IPL #Gujarat #Titans #signs #Connor #Esterhuizen #replacement">Tom Banton ruled out of IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans signs Connor Esterhuizen as replacement Gujarat Titans has signed Connor Esterhuizen as the replacement of Tom Banton for IPL 2026, the franchise announced on Friday.
Esterhuizen, a wicketkeeper-batter from South Africa, will join the Titans at his base price of Rs. 75 lakhs.
Banton was ruled out of the season due to a finger injury. He didn’t feature in any of the four games GT has played so far.
The 24-year-old recently made his international debut against New Zealand in the five-match T20I series in February. He made an impressive start, winning two Player of the Match awards and was also named Player of the Series, helping his team clinch the series 3-2 after being 2-1 down.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
Gujarat Titans has signed Connor Esterhuizen as the replacement of Tom Banton for IPL 2026,…
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#Deadspin #Seeking #7th #straight #win #Rays #send #Nick #Martinez #Pirates">Deadspin | Seeking 7th straight win, Rays send Nick Martinez vs. Pirates
Apr 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) throws to the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images In a battle of teams off to strong starts, the Tampa Bay Rays will carry a six-game winning streak into the opener of an interleague three-game set against the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
Veteran right-hander Nick Martinez (0-0, 2.16 ERA) will try to extend the Rays’ winning surge to seven in a row when they face the improved Pirates and rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.86).
The Rays rallied with three runs in the ninth inning on Thursday to complete their first three-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox since 2019. This feat came on the heels of Tampa Bay’s first home sweep of the New York Yankees since 2018.
The Rays have been finding different ways to produce runs in clutch situations. In Thursday’s win, Junior Caminero tied the game in the ninth with a home run before Tampa Bay loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit by pitch, then scored two runs on consecutive walks drawn by Hunter Feduccia and Taylor Walls.
“That’s baseball right there,” right fielder Ryan Vilade said Thursday morning. “Get ’em over, get ’em in. Jonny DeLuca with the big pump (Wednesday) night. But he can also drop one down. So, it’s like, ‘How do you defend it?’ It’s tough. It’s been fun.”
Martinez is 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA against the Pirates in nine appearances (four starts). His solid start to the season has also been a factor in keeping the Rays in position to win consistently.
Martinez threw 4 2/3 innings last Saturday against the Yankees, allowing one run on five hits and three walks while striking out four.
He’ll try to shut down a Pirates lineup performing much better than a year ago, when it finished at or near the bottom of the majors in most offensive categories.
However, some of Pittsburgh’s most promising talent is still experiencing growing pains as rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin has during his first taste of the majors. Griffin’s throwing error on what could have been a key inning-ending double play in Thursday’s 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals led to three costly runs.
“I was just trying to make a play for Braxton,” Griffin said. “Fielded it, thought I had a chance to get second, turn and throw, my back leg got stuck under his. At that point, I just tried to hold onto it. It kinda slipped out of my hand and three runs scored. That’s on me. I’ll keep working on that.”
Yet Griffin showed signs of his high ceiling with a run-scoring triple two innings later and when he beat a throw to first in the ninth during the Pirates’ comeback to send the game to extra innings.
Chandler is another rookie experiencing ups and downs in his second season after pitching 31 1/3 innings last year. Chandler’s most recent start last Sunday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field was his longest this season.
He went 5 1/3 innings and struck out four, but ran into some trouble, allowing three runs on three hits, including a pair of home runs, and two walks in a game the Cubs won 7-6 in 11 innings after the Pirates let a 5-0 edge slip away.
Chandler will face the Rays for the first time.
–Field Level Media
Apr 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) throws to the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images In a battle of teams off to strong starts, the Tampa Bay Rays will carry a six-game winning streak into the opener of an interleague three-game set against the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
Veteran right-hander Nick Martinez (0-0, 2.16 ERA) will try to extend the Rays’ winning surge to seven in a row when they face the improved Pirates and rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.86).
The Rays rallied with three runs in the ninth inning on Thursday to complete their first three-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox since 2019. This feat came on the heels of Tampa Bay’s first home sweep of the New York Yankees since 2018.
The Rays have been finding different ways to produce runs in clutch situations. In Thursday’s win, Junior Caminero tied the game in the ninth with a home run before Tampa Bay loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit by pitch, then scored two runs on consecutive walks drawn by Hunter Feduccia and Taylor Walls.
“That’s baseball right there,” right fielder Ryan Vilade said Thursday morning. “Get ’em over, get ’em in. Jonny DeLuca with the big pump (Wednesday) night. But he can also drop one down. So, it’s like, ‘How do you defend it?’ It’s tough. It’s been fun.”
Martinez is 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA against the Pirates in nine appearances (four starts). His solid start to the season has also been a factor in keeping the Rays in position to win consistently.
Martinez threw 4 2/3 innings last Saturday against the Yankees, allowing one run on five hits and three walks while striking out four.
He’ll try to shut down a Pirates lineup performing much better than a year ago, when it finished at or near the bottom of the majors in most offensive categories.
However, some of Pittsburgh’s most promising talent is still experiencing growing pains as rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin has during his first taste of the majors. Griffin’s throwing error on what could have been a key inning-ending double play in Thursday’s 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals led to three costly runs.
“I was just trying to make a play for Braxton,” Griffin said. “Fielded it, thought I had a chance to get second, turn and throw, my back leg got stuck under his. At that point, I just tried to hold onto it. It kinda slipped out of my hand and three runs scored. That’s on me. I’ll keep working on that.”
Yet Griffin showed signs of his high ceiling with a run-scoring triple two innings later and when he beat a throw to first in the ninth during the Pirates’ comeback to send the game to extra innings.
Chandler is another rookie experiencing ups and downs in his second season after pitching 31 1/3 innings last year. Chandler’s most recent start last Sunday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field was his longest this season.
He went 5 1/3 innings and struck out four, but ran into some trouble, allowing three runs on three hits, including a pair of home runs, and two walks in a game the Cubs won 7-6 in 11 innings after the Pirates let a 5-0 edge slip away.
Chandler will face the Rays for the first time.
–Field Level Media
Apr 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) throws to the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images In a battle of teams off to strong starts, the Tampa Bay Rays will carry a six-game winning streak into the opener of an interleague three-game set against the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
Veteran right-hander Nick Martinez (0-0, 2.16 ERA) will try to extend the Rays’ winning surge to seven in a row when they face the improved Pirates and rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.86).
The Rays rallied with three runs in the ninth inning on Thursday to complete their first three-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox since 2019. This feat came on the heels of Tampa Bay’s first home sweep of the New York Yankees since 2018.
The Rays have been finding different ways to produce runs in clutch situations. In Thursday’s win, Junior Caminero tied the game in the ninth with a home run before Tampa Bay loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit by pitch, then scored two runs on consecutive walks drawn by Hunter Feduccia and Taylor Walls.
“That’s baseball right there,” right fielder Ryan Vilade said Thursday morning. “Get ’em over, get ’em in. Jonny DeLuca with the big pump (Wednesday) night. But he can also drop one down. So, it’s like, ‘How do you defend it?’ It’s tough. It’s been fun.”
Martinez is 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA against the Pirates in nine appearances (four starts). His solid start to the season has also been a factor in keeping the Rays in position to win consistently.
Martinez threw 4 2/3 innings last Saturday against the Yankees, allowing one run on five hits and three walks while striking out four.
He’ll try to shut down a Pirates lineup performing much better than a year ago, when it finished at or near the bottom of the majors in most offensive categories.
However, some of Pittsburgh’s most promising talent is still experiencing growing pains as rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin has during his first taste of the majors. Griffin’s throwing error on what could have been a key inning-ending double play in Thursday’s 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals led to three costly runs.
“I was just trying to make a play for Braxton,” Griffin said. “Fielded it, thought I had a chance to get second, turn and throw, my back leg got stuck under his. At that point, I just tried to hold onto it. It kinda slipped out of my hand and three runs scored. That’s on me. I’ll keep working on that.”
Yet Griffin showed signs of his high ceiling with a run-scoring triple two innings later and when he beat a throw to first in the ninth during the Pirates’ comeback to send the game to extra innings.
Chandler is another rookie experiencing ups and downs in his second season after pitching 31 1/3 innings last year. Chandler’s most recent start last Sunday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field was his longest this season.
He went 5 1/3 innings and struck out four, but ran into some trouble, allowing three runs on three hits, including a pair of home runs, and two walks in a game the Cubs won 7-6 in 11 innings after the Pirates let a 5-0 edge slip away.
Chandler will face the Rays for the first time.
–Field Level Media
Apr 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) throws…
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#IPL #Rajasthan #Royals #manager #Bhinder #fined #lakh #warned #BCCIs #ACSU #dugout #phone">IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals manager Bhinder fined Rs 1 lakh, warned by BCCI’s ACSU over dugout phone use
Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder has been fined Rs 1 lakh and given a warning by the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) for using a mobile phone inside the dugout during his team’s Indian Premier League match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati last week.
“The BCCI ACSU was not satisfied with the Bhinder’s response (to the showcause notice). As it is his first breach, so under the protocols, he has been fined an amount (of Rs 1 lakh) and also handed a warning, clearly mentioning that he needs to be more careful in the future,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Sportstar.
The decision came after the BCCI issued a show-cause notice to Bhinder to explain his position. “The rules are set clearly for all the stakeholders, including the players and the staff, and we hope this incident will be taken as a deterrent by everyone,” Saikia added.
Footage of the incident, showing Bhinder on his phone with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi seated beside him, quickly went viral on social media, prompting the ACSU to take cognisance.
READ | Living on the edge—The risk and reward of the wide yorker
According to the IPL’s official guidelines under the PMOA protocol, no one is allowed to use mobile phones in the dugout area. Only the team managers and media managers can use their devices, but even they are restricted to inside the dressing room, not the dugout.
Ahead of every season, the IPL conducts mandatory briefings for team captains and managers, taking them through the PMOA framework and anti-corruption protocols.
Bhinder, a long-serving figure with Rajasthan Royals, has been part of that system for years. During the franchise’s suspension between 2016 and 2018, he also worked with Rising Pune Supergiant as team manager before returning to his old franchise in 2018.
The Royals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder has been fined Rs 1 lakh and given a warning by the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) for using a mobile phone inside the dugout during his team’s Indian Premier League match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati last week.
“The BCCI ACSU was not satisfied with the Bhinder’s response (to the showcause notice). As it is his first breach, so under the protocols, he has been fined an amount (of Rs 1 lakh) and also handed a warning, clearly mentioning that he needs to be more careful in the future,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Sportstar.
The decision came after the BCCI issued a show-cause notice to Bhinder to explain his position. “The rules are set clearly for all the stakeholders, including the players and the staff, and we hope this incident will be taken as a deterrent by everyone,” Saikia added.
Footage of the incident, showing Bhinder on his phone with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi seated beside him, quickly went viral on social media, prompting the ACSU to take cognisance.
READ | Living on the edge—The risk and reward of the wide yorker
According to the IPL’s official guidelines under the PMOA protocol, no one is allowed to use mobile phones in the dugout area. Only the team managers and media managers can use their devices, but even they are restricted to inside the dressing room, not the dugout.
Ahead of every season, the IPL conducts mandatory briefings for team captains and managers, taking them through the PMOA framework and anti-corruption protocols.
Bhinder, a long-serving figure with Rajasthan Royals, has been part of that system for years. During the franchise’s suspension between 2016 and 2018, he also worked with Rising Pune Supergiant as team manager before returning to his old franchise in 2018.
The Royals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder has been fined Rs 1 lakh and given a warning…
