IPL 2026: Mitchell Starc set to return for Delhi Capitals, likely to be available for DC vs RR Mitchell Starc has been cleared by Cricket Australia to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the pacer expected to be available for Delhi Capitals’ match against Rajasthan Royals on May 1.The left-arm quick had been sidelined since January due to elbow and shoulder niggles. He played a key role across all five Ashes Tests, earning the Player of the Series honour, before featuring in five Big Bash League games for Sydney Sixers later that month.“Starc is expected to build up his workloads on the ground in India and is on track to make his debut for the 2026 season in Delhi’s May 1 match against Rajasthan Royals,” Cricket.com.au reported.The 36-year-old’s absence from the early phase of the IPL had sparked debate over the commitment of overseas players, prompting Starc to address the issue on social media and clarify what he termed “heavily misinformed opinions”.“Despite the opinions and views of certain individuals with their platforms in and through the Indian media, I’m currently rehabbing and managing an injury in my shoulder and elbow of which I didn’t know the extent of during the Australian summer,” Starc had posted on Instagram.“These individuals have made some strong statements around involvement in the IPL and provided heavily misinformed opinions of players, preached them as facts, and claim to know my body better than me,” the post read.Starc led Delhi Capitals’ pace attack last season, claiming 14 wickets in 11 matches. The franchise currently sits fifth in the points table with three wins and as many losses from six games.(With inputs from PTI)Published on Apr 23, 2026 #IPL #Mitchell #Starc #set #return #Delhi #Capitals

India, on Thursday, officially appointed decorated Frenchman Frederic Soyez as the chief coach of the national junior men’s hockey team, replacing two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh.

Sreejesh, a former star goalkeeper, was removed from his role just after 17 months, following the expiry of his contract, after guiding India to a bronze medal finish at last year’s FIH Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai.

In a strongly-worded social media post, Sreejesh vented out his frustration, saying his tenure was brought to an end despite winning five medals in as many tournaments during his stint, but Hockey India argued that the decision was taken considering the long-term vision of building a sustainable high-performance ecosystem aligned with India’s ambitions for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.

One of the most accomplished coaches in European hockey, Soyez brings over three decades of elite coaching experience, including 15 years as an international player for France and over 15 years as a head coach at the highest level.

Soyez, who enjoyed an illustrious playing career with France from 1995 to 2010, earning 196 international caps and scoring an impressive 195 goals for the team, coached the national men’s hockey teams of both France and Spain.

He has coaching experience at three Olympic Games, having guided Spain at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics before leading France at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

During his tenure with Spain, he guided the team to a silver medal at the 2019 European Championships, while also steering it to quarterfinal finishes at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.

A proven developer of young talent, Soyez coached France to a historic silver medal at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup in Delhi in 2013 and most recently guided the French U-18 men’s team to a silver medal at the 2025 European Championships.

He additionally served as the High-Performance Director of the French Hockey Federation from 2021 to 2024, overseeing the country’s broader high-performance and athlete development structure.

His coaching resume also includes participation in two FIH Men’s Hockey World Cups (2018, 2023) and six European Championships (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023), underlining his extensive experience at the elite international level.

At the domestic level, Soyez guided Lille MHC to French Indoor and Outdoor Championship titles in 2012, along with EuroHockey Trophy Indoor and Outdoor titles in the same year.

Widely regarded for his expertise in high-performance systems, athlete development, and penalty corner strategy, Soyez has consistently built teams with strong tactical structure and competitive consistency across all levels.

Hockey India’s long-term strategy also places significant emphasis on developing Indian coaches alongside international experts.

To ensure knowledge transfer and continuity, Indian coaches have been integrated across the senior, junior, and sub-junior national camps, with designated Indian coaches working closely alongside the respective head coaches at every level.

Welcoming Soyez to Indian hockey, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, “We warmly welcome Frederic Soyez to the Hockey India family. Frederic comes with outstanding international credentials, having coached at multiple Olympic Games, World Cups, and European Championships, while also successfully developing young talent and high-performance systems.

“We believe his experience and skill set will greatly benefit Indian hockey as we continue to work towards a bigger long-term vision for the 2036 Olympics. Our focus is not only on immediate results but also on building a deep talent pool and a coaching structure that remains aligned from sub-junior to senior level. By integrating Indian coaches, alongside international experts in every national camp across all levels, we are ensuring continuity in coaching philosophy, player development, and tactical understanding.

“This collaborative approach will also play a vital role in strengthening the capabilities of Indian coaches and creating a more self-sustaining high-performance ecosystem for the future,” he added.

Published on May 14, 2026

#Frederic #Soyez #replaces #Sreejesh #coach #Indian #junior #mens #hockey #team">

Frederic Soyez replaces PR Sreejesh as coach of Indian junior men’s hockey team India, on Thursday, officially appointed decorated Frenchman Frederic Soyez as the chief coach of the national junior men’s hockey team, replacing two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh.Sreejesh, a former star goalkeeper, was removed from his role just after 17 months, following the expiry of his contract, after guiding India to a bronze medal finish at last year’s FIH Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai.In a strongly-worded social media post, Sreejesh vented out his frustration, saying his tenure was brought to an end despite winning five medals in as many tournaments during his stint, but Hockey India argued that the decision was taken considering the long-term vision of building a sustainable high-performance ecosystem aligned with India’s ambitions for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.One of the most accomplished coaches in European hockey, Soyez brings over three decades of elite coaching experience, including 15 years as an international player for France and over 15 years as a head coach at the highest level.Soyez, who enjoyed an illustrious playing career with France from 1995 to 2010, earning 196 international caps and scoring an impressive 195 goals for the team, coached the national men’s hockey teams of both France and Spain.He has coaching experience at three Olympic Games, having guided Spain at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics before leading France at the Paris 2024 Olympics.During his tenure with Spain, he guided the team to a silver medal at the 2019 European Championships, while also steering it to quarterfinal finishes at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.A proven developer of young talent, Soyez coached France to a historic silver medal at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup in Delhi in 2013 and most recently guided the French U-18 men’s team to a silver medal at the 2025 European Championships.He additionally served as the High-Performance Director of the French Hockey Federation from 2021 to 2024, overseeing the country’s broader high-performance and athlete development structure.His coaching resume also includes participation in two FIH Men’s Hockey World Cups (2018, 2023) and six European Championships (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023), underlining his extensive experience at the elite international level.At the domestic level, Soyez guided Lille MHC to French Indoor and Outdoor Championship titles in 2012, along with EuroHockey Trophy Indoor and Outdoor titles in the same year.Widely regarded for his expertise in high-performance systems, athlete development, and penalty corner strategy, Soyez has consistently built teams with strong tactical structure and competitive consistency across all levels.Hockey India’s long-term strategy also places significant emphasis on developing Indian coaches alongside international experts.To ensure knowledge transfer and continuity, Indian coaches have been integrated across the senior, junior, and sub-junior national camps, with designated Indian coaches working closely alongside the respective head coaches at every level.Welcoming Soyez to Indian hockey, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, “We warmly welcome Frederic Soyez to the Hockey India family. Frederic comes with outstanding international credentials, having coached at multiple Olympic Games, World Cups, and European Championships, while also successfully developing young talent and high-performance systems.“We believe his experience and skill set will greatly benefit Indian hockey as we continue to work towards a bigger long-term vision for the 2036 Olympics. Our focus is not only on immediate results but also on building a deep talent pool and a coaching structure that remains aligned from sub-junior to senior level. By integrating Indian coaches, alongside international experts in every national camp across all levels, we are ensuring continuity in coaching philosophy, player development, and tactical understanding.“This collaborative approach will also play a vital role in strengthening the capabilities of Indian coaches and creating a more self-sustaining high-performance ecosystem for the future,” he added.Published on May 14, 2026 #Frederic #Soyez #replaces #Sreejesh #coach #Indian #junior #mens #hockey #team

mwasimuddin125 0

India, on Thursday, officially appointed decorated Frenchman Frederic Soyez as the chief coach of the national junior men’s hockey team, replacing two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh.
Sreejesh, a former star goalkeeper, was removed from his role just after 17 months, following the expiry of his contract, after guiding India to a bronze medal finish at last year’s FIH Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai.
In a strongly-worded social media post, Sreejesh vented out his frustration, saying his tenure was brought to an end despite winning five medals in as many tournaments during his stint, but Hockey India argued that the decision was taken considering the long-term vision of building a sustainable high-performance ecosystem aligned with India’s ambitions for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.
One of the most accomplished coaches in European hockey, Soyez brings over three decades of elite coaching experience, including 15 years as an international player for France and over 15 years as a head coach at the highest level.
Soyez, who enjoyed an illustrious playing career with France from 1995 to 2010, earning 196 international caps and scoring an impressive 195 goals for the team, coached the national men’s hockey teams of both France and Spain.
He has coaching experience at three Olympic Games, having guided Spain at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics before leading France at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
During his tenure with Spain, he guided the team to a silver medal at the 2019 European Championships, while also steering it to quarterfinal finishes at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.
A proven developer of young talent, Soyez coached France to a historic silver medal at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup in Delhi in 2013 and most recently guided the French U-18 men’s team to a silver medal at the 2025 European Championships.
He additionally served as the High-Performance Director of the French Hockey Federation from 2021 to 2024, overseeing the country’s broader high-performance and athlete development structure.
His coaching resume also includes participation in two FIH Men’s Hockey World Cups (2018, 2023) and six European Championships (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023), underlining his extensive experience at the elite international level.
At the domestic level, Soyez guided Lille MHC to French Indoor and Outdoor Championship titles in 2012, along with EuroHockey Trophy Indoor and Outdoor titles in the same year.
Widely regarded for his expertise in high-performance systems, athlete development, and penalty corner strategy, Soyez has consistently built teams with strong tactical structure and competitive consistency across all levels.
Hockey India’s long-term strategy also places significant emphasis on developing Indian coaches alongside international experts.
To ensure knowledge transfer and continuity, Indian coaches have been integrated across the senior, junior, and sub-junior national camps, with designated Indian coaches working closely alongside the respective head coaches at every level.
Welcoming Soyez to Indian hockey, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, “We warmly welcome Frederic Soyez to the Hockey India family. Frederic comes with outstanding international credentials, having coached at multiple Olympic Games, World Cups, and European Championships, while also successfully developing young talent and high-performance systems.
“We believe his experience and skill set will greatly benefit Indian hockey as we continue to work towards a bigger long-term vision for the 2036 Olympics. Our focus is not only on immediate results but also on building a deep talent pool and a coaching structure that remains aligned from sub-junior to senior level. By integrating Indian coaches, alongside international experts in every national camp across all levels, we are ensuring continuity in coaching philosophy, player development, and tactical understanding.
“This collaborative approach will also play a vital role in strengthening the capabilities of Indian coaches and creating a more self-sustaining high-performance ecosystem for the future,” he added.
Published on May 14, 2026

#Frederic #Soyez #replaces #Sreejesh #coach #Indian #junior #mens #hockey #team">Frederic Soyez replaces PR Sreejesh as coach of Indian junior men’s hockey team