×
Deepti’s form is a concern but she will bounce back: India head coach Muzumdar  Indian women’s team head coach Amol Muzumdar has backed veteran all-rounder Deepti Sharma to come good but admitted that her prolonged lean patch in national colours is a bit of a “concern”.Indian team under Harmanpreet Kaur has already lost the five-match WT20I series against South Africa after losing three games on trot but what has been a concern is Deepti’s poor returns with the ball as she has remained wicketless so far.In the third WT20I match where Proteas Women chased down 192 with just a wicket down, Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus took Deepti to the cleaners taking 46 runs from her 3.3 overs.In fact Deepti’s contribution for India in last 10 games, across formats, is a meagre 51 runs seven wickets.ALSO READ | India’s two-year unbeaten streak ends as Wolvaardt-led South Africa clinches series 3-0“Look, I don’t want to beat around the bush, I just want to say that yeah, it’s a bit of a concern as far as Deepti is concerned,” Muzumdar said ahead of the fourth game of the series on Saturday.But at the same time, Muzumdar is confident that Deepti has talent and skill to make a superb comeback.“For all champion players are, form is, you know, temporary, class is permanent, it’s a cliche, but it applies to all the players, and she’s a class player, there’s no doubt about it, we have seen it in the World Cup, in bigger tournaments, in pressure situations, she has stood up for India,” Muzumdar came to her defence.“I think it’s just a matter of time when she hits a form, and I and the entire country would be hoping it starts from tomorrow. She’s been a marquee player for a long time, and she has shouldered that responsibility in the middle-order, I mean, she’s one of the pillars of Indian women’s cricket at the moment,” he added.With not much time left for the T20 World Cup which will be held in England in June, Muzumdar wants the bowling unit to give a far better account of itself, especially during PowerPlay overs as the returns have been minimal in this series. “If you look at the series from the Indian perspective, I think our main concern would be wickets in the Powerplay. We have had a real good chat about it.“That’s one of the concerns of this tour that has propped up, but I’m sure we are, the bowlers and everyone is capable enough to come up with goods, you know, in the future games,” said the head coach.Published on Apr 24, 2026  #Deeptis #form #concern #bounce #India #coach #Muzumdar

Deepti’s form is a concern but she will bounce back: India head coach Muzumdar

Indian women’s team head coach Amol Muzumdar has backed veteran all-rounder Deepti Sharma to come good but admitted that her prolonged lean patch in national colours is a bit of a “concern”.

Indian team under Harmanpreet Kaur has already lost the five-match WT20I series against South Africa after losing three games on trot but what has been a concern is Deepti’s poor returns with the ball as she has remained wicketless so far.

In the third WT20I match where Proteas Women chased down 192 with just a wicket down, Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus took Deepti to the cleaners taking 46 runs from her 3.3 overs.

In fact Deepti’s contribution for India in last 10 games, across formats, is a meagre 51 runs seven wickets.

ALSO READ | India’s two-year unbeaten streak ends as Wolvaardt-led South Africa clinches series 3-0

“Look, I don’t want to beat around the bush, I just want to say that yeah, it’s a bit of a concern as far as Deepti is concerned,” Muzumdar said ahead of the fourth game of the series on Saturday.

But at the same time, Muzumdar is confident that Deepti has talent and skill to make a superb comeback.

“For all champion players are, form is, you know, temporary, class is permanent, it’s a cliche, but it applies to all the players, and she’s a class player, there’s no doubt about it, we have seen it in the World Cup, in bigger tournaments, in pressure situations, she has stood up for India,” Muzumdar came to her defence.

“I think it’s just a matter of time when she hits a form, and I and the entire country would be hoping it starts from tomorrow. She’s been a marquee player for a long time, and she has shouldered that responsibility in the middle-order, I mean, she’s one of the pillars of Indian women’s cricket at the moment,” he added.

With not much time left for the T20 World Cup which will be held in England in June, Muzumdar wants the bowling unit to give a far better account of itself, especially during PowerPlay overs as the returns have been minimal in this series. “If you look at the series from the Indian perspective, I think our main concern would be wickets in the Powerplay. We have had a real good chat about it.

“That’s one of the concerns of this tour that has propped up, but I’m sure we are, the bowlers and everyone is capable enough to come up with goods, you know, in the future games,” said the head coach.

Published on Apr 24, 2026

#Deeptis #form #concern #bounce #India #coach #Muzumdar

Indian women’s team head coach Amol Muzumdar has backed veteran all-rounder Deepti Sharma to come good but admitted that her prolonged lean patch in national colours is a bit of a “concern”.

Indian team under Harmanpreet Kaur has already lost the five-match WT20I series against South Africa after losing three games on trot but what has been a concern is Deepti’s poor returns with the ball as she has remained wicketless so far.

In the third WT20I match where Proteas Women chased down 192 with just a wicket down, Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus took Deepti to the cleaners taking 46 runs from her 3.3 overs.

In fact Deepti’s contribution for India in last 10 games, across formats, is a meagre 51 runs seven wickets.

ALSO READ | India’s two-year unbeaten streak ends as Wolvaardt-led South Africa clinches series 3-0

“Look, I don’t want to beat around the bush, I just want to say that yeah, it’s a bit of a concern as far as Deepti is concerned,” Muzumdar said ahead of the fourth game of the series on Saturday.

But at the same time, Muzumdar is confident that Deepti has talent and skill to make a superb comeback.

“For all champion players are, form is, you know, temporary, class is permanent, it’s a cliche, but it applies to all the players, and she’s a class player, there’s no doubt about it, we have seen it in the World Cup, in bigger tournaments, in pressure situations, she has stood up for India,” Muzumdar came to her defence.

“I think it’s just a matter of time when she hits a form, and I and the entire country would be hoping it starts from tomorrow. She’s been a marquee player for a long time, and she has shouldered that responsibility in the middle-order, I mean, she’s one of the pillars of Indian women’s cricket at the moment,” he added.

With not much time left for the T20 World Cup which will be held in England in June, Muzumdar wants the bowling unit to give a far better account of itself, especially during PowerPlay overs as the returns have been minimal in this series. “If you look at the series from the Indian perspective, I think our main concern would be wickets in the Powerplay. We have had a real good chat about it.

“That’s one of the concerns of this tour that has propped up, but I’m sure we are, the bowlers and everyone is capable enough to come up with goods, you know, in the future games,” said the head coach.

Published on Apr 24, 2026

Source link
#Deeptis #form #concern #bounce #India #coach #Muzumdar

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making  When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.  #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8  Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky BhaskerTiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026  #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

Post Comment