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Deadspin | Casey Schmitt powers Giants’ comeback win over Marlins  Apr 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Casey Schmitt (10) slides safely home on an RBI double by Rafael Devers during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images   Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second consecutive day, Landen Roupp ran his personal winning streak to four games and the San Francisco Giants closed out a winning homestand with a 6-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.  Jung Hoo Lee had four hits, including a triple, and scored twice for the Giants, who rebounded from a 9-4 loss on Friday to win a second straight series and complete a 4-2 week at Oracle Park.  Roupp (5-1) served up a three-run homer to Graham Pauley, his first of the season, in the second inning before taking a two-hitter and 6-3 lead two outs into the eighth. Erik Miller finished up from there, retiring all four batters he faced to pick up his second save.  Roupp walked two and struck out six in the longest outing of his three-year career.  A throwing error on Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez allowed the Giants to get on the board in the third and RBI hits by Rafael Devers and Drew Gilbert drew the hosts even at 3-3 in the sixth before Schmitt’s difference-making blast in the seventh.  Lee set the stage for Schmitt’s heroics with a leadoff single off Miami’s third pitcher, Andrew Nardi (1-1), after which Matt Chapman drew a walk.   Luis Arraez sacrificed the baserunners to second and third, and with Devers moving on-deck, the Marlins elected to pitch to Schmitt, who launched his fourth homer of the year over the barrier in left-center field for a 6-3 lead.  Schmitt, who also walked, scored twice and Gilbert had two hits for the Giants, who have gone 7-3 since a 6-12 start. Lee’s four hits were half of San Francisco’s total.  The Marlins managed just two hits, both coming in the three-run second. Liam Hicks followed Xavier Edwards’ walk with a single, after which both jogged home on Pauley’s home run.  Miami starter Max Meyer was pulled after five innings, having limited the Giants to just one run, which was unearned. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Casey #Schmitt #powers #Giants #comeback #win #Marlins

Deadspin | Casey Schmitt powers Giants’ comeback win over Marlins
Deadspin | Casey Schmitt powers Giants’ comeback win over Marlins  Apr 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Casey Schmitt (10) slides safely home on an RBI double by Rafael Devers during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images   Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second consecutive day, Landen Roupp ran his personal winning streak to four games and the San Francisco Giants closed out a winning homestand with a 6-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.  Jung Hoo Lee had four hits, including a triple, and scored twice for the Giants, who rebounded from a 9-4 loss on Friday to win a second straight series and complete a 4-2 week at Oracle Park.  Roupp (5-1) served up a three-run homer to Graham Pauley, his first of the season, in the second inning before taking a two-hitter and 6-3 lead two outs into the eighth. Erik Miller finished up from there, retiring all four batters he faced to pick up his second save.  Roupp walked two and struck out six in the longest outing of his three-year career.  A throwing error on Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez allowed the Giants to get on the board in the third and RBI hits by Rafael Devers and Drew Gilbert drew the hosts even at 3-3 in the sixth before Schmitt’s difference-making blast in the seventh.  Lee set the stage for Schmitt’s heroics with a leadoff single off Miami’s third pitcher, Andrew Nardi (1-1), after which Matt Chapman drew a walk.   Luis Arraez sacrificed the baserunners to second and third, and with Devers moving on-deck, the Marlins elected to pitch to Schmitt, who launched his fourth homer of the year over the barrier in left-center field for a 6-3 lead.  Schmitt, who also walked, scored twice and Gilbert had two hits for the Giants, who have gone 7-3 since a 6-12 start. Lee’s four hits were half of San Francisco’s total.  The Marlins managed just two hits, both coming in the three-run second. Liam Hicks followed Xavier Edwards’ walk with a single, after which both jogged home on Pauley’s home run.  Miami starter Max Meyer was pulled after five innings, having limited the Giants to just one run, which was unearned. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Casey #Schmitt #powers #Giants #comeback #win #MarlinsApr 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Casey Schmitt (10) slides safely home on an RBI double by Rafael Devers during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second consecutive day, Landen Roupp ran his personal winning streak to four games and the San Francisco Giants closed out a winning homestand with a 6-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.

Jung Hoo Lee had four hits, including a triple, and scored twice for the Giants, who rebounded from a 9-4 loss on Friday to win a second straight series and complete a 4-2 week at Oracle Park.

Roupp (5-1) served up a three-run homer to Graham Pauley, his first of the season, in the second inning before taking a two-hitter and 6-3 lead two outs into the eighth. Erik Miller finished up from there, retiring all four batters he faced to pick up his second save.

Roupp walked two and struck out six in the longest outing of his three-year career.

A throwing error on Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez allowed the Giants to get on the board in the third and RBI hits by Rafael Devers and Drew Gilbert drew the hosts even at 3-3 in the sixth before Schmitt’s difference-making blast in the seventh.


Lee set the stage for Schmitt’s heroics with a leadoff single off Miami’s third pitcher, Andrew Nardi (1-1), after which Matt Chapman drew a walk.

Luis Arraez sacrificed the baserunners to second and third, and with Devers moving on-deck, the Marlins elected to pitch to Schmitt, who launched his fourth homer of the year over the barrier in left-center field for a 6-3 lead.

Schmitt, who also walked, scored twice and Gilbert had two hits for the Giants, who have gone 7-3 since a 6-12 start. Lee’s four hits were half of San Francisco’s total.

The Marlins managed just two hits, both coming in the three-run second. Liam Hicks followed Xavier Edwards’ walk with a single, after which both jogged home on Pauley’s home run.

Miami starter Max Meyer was pulled after five innings, having limited the Giants to just one run, which was unearned. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Casey #Schmitt #powers #Giants #comeback #win #Marlins

Apr 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Casey Schmitt (10) slides safely home on an RBI double by Rafael Devers during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second consecutive day, Landen Roupp ran his personal winning streak to four games and the San Francisco Giants closed out a winning homestand with a 6-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.

Jung Hoo Lee had four hits, including a triple, and scored twice for the Giants, who rebounded from a 9-4 loss on Friday to win a second straight series and complete a 4-2 week at Oracle Park.

Roupp (5-1) served up a three-run homer to Graham Pauley, his first of the season, in the second inning before taking a two-hitter and 6-3 lead two outs into the eighth. Erik Miller finished up from there, retiring all four batters he faced to pick up his second save.

Roupp walked two and struck out six in the longest outing of his three-year career.

A throwing error on Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez allowed the Giants to get on the board in the third and RBI hits by Rafael Devers and Drew Gilbert drew the hosts even at 3-3 in the sixth before Schmitt’s difference-making blast in the seventh.

Lee set the stage for Schmitt’s heroics with a leadoff single off Miami’s third pitcher, Andrew Nardi (1-1), after which Matt Chapman drew a walk.

Luis Arraez sacrificed the baserunners to second and third, and with Devers moving on-deck, the Marlins elected to pitch to Schmitt, who launched his fourth homer of the year over the barrier in left-center field for a 6-3 lead.

Schmitt, who also walked, scored twice and Gilbert had two hits for the Giants, who have gone 7-3 since a 6-12 start. Lee’s four hits were half of San Francisco’s total.

The Marlins managed just two hits, both coming in the three-run second. Liam Hicks followed Xavier Edwards’ walk with a single, after which both jogged home on Pauley’s home run.

Miami starter Max Meyer was pulled after five innings, having limited the Giants to just one run, which was unearned. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five.

–Field Level Media

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Nelly Korda officially number one in the world again <div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">There is a new number one in the world.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Nelly Korda won the Chevron Championship on Sunday, her second Chevron title in three years, and now officially has three major championships. While her career continues to become more and more decorated her 2026 season specifically is one to be impressed by as she has yet to finish worse than second at any point.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Nelly’s play has taken her to a place she knows well. On Monday she officially took the top spot within the Rolex Rankings, her first appearance atop the list since August of last year before Jenno Thitikul took the spot.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This marks Nelly’s seventh time sitting atop the Rolex Rankings and collectively she has spent 109 weeks in the position across her career. The record for longest time spent at number one, since the inception of the Rolex Rankings, belongs to Jin Young Ko with 163 weeks. Nelly has tied Yani Tseng for the fourth-most weeks at number one, though.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It is Nelly Korda’s world right now and everyone is just living in it. We will see what else she has in store for 2026 soon enough.</p></div> #Nelly #Korda #officially #number #world

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India must find way forward after South Africa T20I series drubbing: Harmanpreet Kaur <div id="content-body-70913576" itemprop="articleBody"><p>India needs to regroup and find a way forward after its disappointing 1-4 series loss to South Africa ahead of the T20 World Cup, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said.</p><p>India produced another below-par batting display while chasing a modest 156, falling short by 23 runs to cap a one-sided series defeat.</p><p>The loss, coming barely two months before the T20 World Cup in England, will be a significant setback.</p><p>“Need to sit together as a group and think how to move forward. Disappointing for us, lots of positives and learnings for us,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation.</p><p>India had a poor start in the PowerPlay, losing Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues inside the first four overs, and never really recovered as South Africa kept striking at regular intervals.</p><p>“We did well in patches today. In batting, the Powerplay was something that cost us. Didn’t get too many runs and lost two wickets. It’s disappointing, need to keep working hard.”</p><p>For South Africa, skipper Laura Wolvaardt once again led from the front with an unbeaten 92 off 56 balls, anchoring the innings despite wickets falling at regular intervals.</p><p>Wolvaardt finished the five-match series with 330 runs and has been in the form of her life, registering six fifty-plus scores in her last seven international innings.</p><p>“We’ve had massive improvements in all departments in the last couple of months though. It’s been a very good season for that,” she said after being presented with the player-of-the-series award.</p><p>On the conditions, Wolvaardt said it was a challenging surface.</p><p>“It was a bit of a tough wicket today, but the PowerPlay was awesome. I liked how aggressive we’ve been in the PowerPlay. We thought it might be a flat wicket, but we weren’t surprised it was low and slow. Batting first was the right choice. There’s always things to look at and improve, the catching being one,” she added.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 27, 2026</p></div> #India #find #South #Africa #T20I #series #drubbing #Harmanpreet #Kaur

Deadspin | Phillies eager to end awful April on high note vs. Giants  Apr 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) walks off the field after lining out to San Francisco Giants left fielder Harrison Bader (9) in the to pot the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images   April will go down as a month that manager Rob Thomson and the Philadelphia Phillies would prefer to forget.  With 11 losses in their last 12 games and only nine victories on the season, the Phillies are desperate for a win Tuesday when they host the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game set.  Philadelphia enters the week with a 9-19 record, matching the New York Mets for the worst mark in baseball. The Phillies’ run differential (-54) is by far the worst in the sport, putting Thomson on the hot seat if things don’t turn around quickly.  “Well, that’s natural, right?” Thomson said of his job security. “It’s normal. And I’ve never worried about that in my entire career. … I don’t have time to think about it.”  The Phillies snapped a 10-game losing streak Saturday with an 8-5 extra-inning victory over the Atlanta Braves. But the momentum didn’t last long, as they fell behind early in Sunday’s 6-2 series-finale loss.  Aaron Nola allowed three runs in the first inning and three more in the second, and the Phillies’ bats managed only one hit (a single) in six innings against Chris Sale.  “It’s not like the record is going to change overnight,” said designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, whose two-run homer in the eighth accounted for the Phillies’ offense on the day. “It’s going to be a continuous grind, and we’re ready for that. We know that there’s a long road ahead.”  The Phillies’ attempted path to recovery will begin Tuesday with Jesus Luzardo (1-3, 6.91 ERA) on the mound. The left-hander has labored through the first month of the season, although he was able to limit the damage in his most recent outing.  Despite allowing five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs last Tuesday, Luzardo gave up just one run in an eventual 7-4 defeat. Still, he expects more of himself after signing a five-year, 5 million contract extension in the offseason.   “It’s very frustrating,” Luzardo said. “As a whole, we don’t feel like we’re doing the job that we need to do. … I think there’s been times that a lot of us think that we can pick up the slack, me included.”  Luzardo, who is 2-1 with a 5.23 ERA in six career starts against San Francisco, will be facing a team that has turned things around following a slow start of its own.  The Giants have won seven of their last 10 games after beginning the season 6-12. They have won three series in a row — against the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins.  In Sunday’s 6-3 triumph over Miami, San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second straight game.  “That’s what we’re here for: to drive in runs and be productive,” said Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, who walked and scored in the decisive seventh inning. “But we are a team, and Casey’s hot right now.”  Landen Roupp allowed just two hits and three runs over 7 2/3 innings — a performance that Tyler Mahle (1-3, 5.26) would love to copy in Tuesday’s contest.  Mahle is coming off a sparkling effort in last Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Dodgers, as he gave up just three hits and two walks over seven innings.  In four lifetime starts against Philadelphia, Mahle is 1-1 with a 2.41 ERA. He held the Phillies to three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings April 8 in San Francisco, helping the Giants take two of three in that series.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Phillies #eager #awful #April #high #note #GiantsApr 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) walks off the field after lining out to San Francisco Giants left fielder Harrison Bader (9) in the to pot the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images

April will go down as a month that manager Rob Thomson and the Philadelphia Phillies would prefer to forget.

With 11 losses in their last 12 games and only nine victories on the season, the Phillies are desperate for a win Tuesday when they host the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game set.

Philadelphia enters the week with a 9-19 record, matching the New York Mets for the worst mark in baseball. The Phillies’ run differential (-54) is by far the worst in the sport, putting Thomson on the hot seat if things don’t turn around quickly.

“Well, that’s natural, right?” Thomson said of his job security. “It’s normal. And I’ve never worried about that in my entire career. … I don’t have time to think about it.”

The Phillies snapped a 10-game losing streak Saturday with an 8-5 extra-inning victory over the Atlanta Braves. But the momentum didn’t last long, as they fell behind early in Sunday’s 6-2 series-finale loss.

Aaron Nola allowed three runs in the first inning and three more in the second, and the Phillies’ bats managed only one hit (a single) in six innings against Chris Sale.

“It’s not like the record is going to change overnight,” said designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, whose two-run homer in the eighth accounted for the Phillies’ offense on the day. “It’s going to be a continuous grind, and we’re ready for that. We know that there’s a long road ahead.”

The Phillies’ attempted path to recovery will begin Tuesday with Jesus Luzardo (1-3, 6.91 ERA) on the mound. The left-hander has labored through the first month of the season, although he was able to limit the damage in his most recent outing.


Despite allowing five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs last Tuesday, Luzardo gave up just one run in an eventual 7-4 defeat. Still, he expects more of himself after signing a five-year, $135 million contract extension in the offseason.

“It’s very frustrating,” Luzardo said. “As a whole, we don’t feel like we’re doing the job that we need to do. … I think there’s been times that a lot of us think that we can pick up the slack, me included.”

Luzardo, who is 2-1 with a 5.23 ERA in six career starts against San Francisco, will be facing a team that has turned things around following a slow start of its own.

The Giants have won seven of their last 10 games after beginning the season 6-12. They have won three series in a row — against the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins.

In Sunday’s 6-3 triumph over Miami, San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second straight game.

“That’s what we’re here for: to drive in runs and be productive,” said Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, who walked and scored in the decisive seventh inning. “But we are a team, and Casey’s hot right now.”

Landen Roupp allowed just two hits and three runs over 7 2/3 innings — a performance that Tyler Mahle (1-3, 5.26) would love to copy in Tuesday’s contest.

Mahle is coming off a sparkling effort in last Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Dodgers, as he gave up just three hits and two walks over seven innings.

In four lifetime starts against Philadelphia, Mahle is 1-1 with a 2.41 ERA. He held the Phillies to three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings April 8 in San Francisco, helping the Giants take two of three in that series.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Phillies #eager #awful #April #high #note #Giants">Deadspin | Phillies eager to end awful April on high note vs. Giants  Apr 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) walks off the field after lining out to San Francisco Giants left fielder Harrison Bader (9) in the to pot the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images   April will go down as a month that manager Rob Thomson and the Philadelphia Phillies would prefer to forget.  With 11 losses in their last 12 games and only nine victories on the season, the Phillies are desperate for a win Tuesday when they host the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game set.  Philadelphia enters the week with a 9-19 record, matching the New York Mets for the worst mark in baseball. The Phillies’ run differential (-54) is by far the worst in the sport, putting Thomson on the hot seat if things don’t turn around quickly.  “Well, that’s natural, right?” Thomson said of his job security. “It’s normal. And I’ve never worried about that in my entire career. … I don’t have time to think about it.”  The Phillies snapped a 10-game losing streak Saturday with an 8-5 extra-inning victory over the Atlanta Braves. But the momentum didn’t last long, as they fell behind early in Sunday’s 6-2 series-finale loss.  Aaron Nola allowed three runs in the first inning and three more in the second, and the Phillies’ bats managed only one hit (a single) in six innings against Chris Sale.  “It’s not like the record is going to change overnight,” said designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, whose two-run homer in the eighth accounted for the Phillies’ offense on the day. “It’s going to be a continuous grind, and we’re ready for that. We know that there’s a long road ahead.”  The Phillies’ attempted path to recovery will begin Tuesday with Jesus Luzardo (1-3, 6.91 ERA) on the mound. The left-hander has labored through the first month of the season, although he was able to limit the damage in his most recent outing.  Despite allowing five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs last Tuesday, Luzardo gave up just one run in an eventual 7-4 defeat. Still, he expects more of himself after signing a five-year, 5 million contract extension in the offseason.   “It’s very frustrating,” Luzardo said. “As a whole, we don’t feel like we’re doing the job that we need to do. … I think there’s been times that a lot of us think that we can pick up the slack, me included.”  Luzardo, who is 2-1 with a 5.23 ERA in six career starts against San Francisco, will be facing a team that has turned things around following a slow start of its own.  The Giants have won seven of their last 10 games after beginning the season 6-12. They have won three series in a row — against the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins.  In Sunday’s 6-3 triumph over Miami, San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second straight game.  “That’s what we’re here for: to drive in runs and be productive,” said Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, who walked and scored in the decisive seventh inning. “But we are a team, and Casey’s hot right now.”  Landen Roupp allowed just two hits and three runs over 7 2/3 innings — a performance that Tyler Mahle (1-3, 5.26) would love to copy in Tuesday’s contest.  Mahle is coming off a sparkling effort in last Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Dodgers, as he gave up just three hits and two walks over seven innings.  In four lifetime starts against Philadelphia, Mahle is 1-1 with a 2.41 ERA. He held the Phillies to three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings April 8 in San Francisco, helping the Giants take two of three in that series.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Phillies #eager #awful #April #high #note #Giants

Being an Indian Premier League (IPL) captain is a tough job, and Riyan Parag has done a terrific job in his first year as Rajasthan Royals skipper to cope with the pressure, fast bowler Sandeep Sharma said on Monday ahead of a clash against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

“For a first-time captain, it’s a tough role, and he’s doing a very good job,” Sandeep said.

The experienced fast bowler also noted that Parag doesn’t have the luxury of leaning on senior pros like Sanju Samson did with Jos Buttler and Ravichandran Ashwin when they were at Rajasthan Royals.

“Riyan doesn’t have that same level of experience around him, but that can actually help him grow faster. He’ll learn a lot this season and come back as a much-improved captain in the future,” Sandeep said.

This year’s IPL has seen massive scores, often pushing bowlers out of the game, but Sandeep remains optimistic. “Hitting ability has improved massively over the last four or five years, especially with younger players coming in with a different range. I think the next lot of bowlers will also bring something new, and experienced bowlers will have to keep evolving. Even today, if you execute your plans well – whether it’s yorkers, slower balls or targeting a batter’s weakness – you can succeed,” he added.

Room for improvement

According to Punjab’s assistant coach Brad Haddin, the bowler’s role is to find ways to slow the scoring even as modern batters continue to push the limits.

“From a coach’s point of view, you’re constantly trying to find ways to slow the game down – whether that’s through wickets or forcing batters into areas you want them to hit. Sometimes, you execute a perfect ball, and it still ends up in the stands. That’s just the power of the modern-day batter,” Haddin said.

At the halfway mark, Punjab is the only unbeaten team, with six wins and one no result. Asked how the side is avoiding complacency, Haddin said the focus remains on improvement.

“We’re lucky with this group. You watch them train: they all turn up, they know their roles, and they’re always trying to get better. That’s what we’ve enjoyed most as coaches – their appetite to improve,” he said.

“The job’s not done. We’re halfway through the tournament, and it’s about playing your best cricket at the back end. There’s still a lot of room for improvement with bat, ball, and in the field. That’s what we’re most pleased with – yes, we’re playing good cricket, but there are still areas we can get better in,” Haddin added.

The Australian also confirmed that fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, who joined the Punjab Kings squad late, will be available for selection against the Royals.

Published on Apr 27, 2026

#IPL #firsttime #captain #Riyan #Parag #good #job #RRs #Sandeep #Sharma">IPL 2026: ‘For a first-time captain, Riyan Parag is doing a very good job,’ says RR’s Sandeep Sharma  Being an Indian Premier League (IPL) captain is a tough job, and Riyan Parag has done a terrific job in his first year as Rajasthan Royals skipper to cope with the pressure, fast bowler Sandeep Sharma said on Monday ahead of a clash against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.“For a first-time captain, it’s a tough role, and he’s doing a very good job,” Sandeep said.The experienced fast bowler also noted that Parag doesn’t have the luxury of leaning on senior pros like Sanju Samson did with Jos Buttler and Ravichandran Ashwin when they were at Rajasthan Royals.“Riyan doesn’t have that same level of experience around him, but that can actually help him grow faster. He’ll learn a lot this season and come back as a much-improved captain in the future,” Sandeep said.This year’s IPL has seen massive scores, often pushing bowlers out of the game, but Sandeep remains optimistic. “Hitting ability has improved massively over the last four or five years, especially with younger players coming in with a different range. I think the next lot of bowlers will also bring something new, and experienced bowlers will have to keep evolving. Even today, if you execute your plans well – whether it’s yorkers, slower balls or targeting a batter’s weakness – you can succeed,” he added.Room for improvementAccording to Punjab’s assistant coach Brad Haddin, the bowler’s role is to find ways to slow the scoring even as modern batters continue to push the limits.“From a coach’s point of view, you’re constantly trying to find ways to slow the game down – whether that’s through wickets or forcing batters into areas you want them to hit. Sometimes, you execute a perfect ball, and it still ends up in the stands. That’s just the power of the modern-day batter,” Haddin said.At the halfway mark, Punjab is the only unbeaten team, with six wins and one no result. Asked how the side is avoiding complacency, Haddin said the focus remains on improvement.“We’re lucky with this group. You watch them train: they all turn up, they know their roles, and they’re always trying to get better. That’s what we’ve enjoyed most as coaches – their appetite to improve,” he said.“The job’s not done. We’re halfway through the tournament, and it’s about playing your best cricket at the back end. There’s still a lot of room for improvement with bat, ball, and in the field. That’s what we’re most pleased with – yes, we’re playing good cricket, but there are still areas we can get better in,” Haddin added.The Australian also confirmed that fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, who joined the Punjab Kings squad late, will be available for selection against the Royals.Published on Apr 27, 2026  #IPL #firsttime #captain #Riyan #Parag #good #job #RRs #Sandeep #Sharma

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