‘Make Test cricket priority’: Harbhajan Singh urges BCCI to make pitches that last five days Harbhajan Singh has urged the ICC and the BCCI to ensure that Test cricket is played on pitches that last the full five days. Expressing his disappointment over the recent trend of matches ending within a couple of days, the former India off-spinner reiterated that Test cricket remains the ‘best’ format as it truly challenges players.“I would make a strong recommendation that Test cricket should be the priority, because that is where you get the best cricket and the cricketers. In Test cricket, you get to see the best competition as it lasts for five days and every day, the challenge becomes different,” Harbhajan said on Friday during an event organised by the Legends Club to celebrate Sachin Tendulkar’s birthday.“Obviously, a lot of things happen on the pitch and accordingly, the people need to change their mindset and adopt to those conditions and come out as a winner. If I was part of any committee in the ICC or the BCCI, I would tell them that to save Test cricket, we must make sure that we play on better pitches, where the game last for five days and does not get over inside three days,” he added.Having represented India in 103 Tests and claimed 417 wickets, Harbhajan believes it is up to the game’s ambassadors to preserve its longest format.Also read | The garden of rebirth: Eden Gardens 2001 through the eyes of a reporter and photographer“If you look at the Ashes or some of the top Test series, it still attracts a lot of people to come over and watch the game. And we can do the same here in India,” Harbhajan said, adding: “Why are we finishing games in inside three days? We need to make sure we produce those kinds of pitches where everybody is in the game.”Back in 2024, India lost a Test series at home against New Zealand, and last year, too, it ended up losing the Test series against South Africa on rank-turners. “I think we are losing those matches because of the pitches, not because of the skill. We need points to reach the final circle of the World Test Championship, and how do we get points? Because of that result-oriented approach, we assumed that the opposition wouldn’t know how to play spin, and in the end, dug our own hole,” Harbhajan said.“It is not fault of the state associations that they produce such pitches, but they do so because that’s how the management wants them to be. The team management wants the match to be over in three days, and that’s why the skill is left out of the game.”On Jaiswal, SooryavanshiOver the last couple of years, several young talents – including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre – have made their presence felt in the IPL and T20s. And there have been talks that they should be fast-tracked to the national team. However, Harbhajan made it clear that they need to prove their mettle to be part of the Test squad.“They will have to make a place for themselves and of course, create enough buzz that they are good enough to be in the squad for Test cricket. If there is someone who is batting the best among them all is – Yashasvi Jaiswal, and we are not even talking about him much,” Harbhajan said.Lauding the young Jaiswal, Harbhajan added: “He has got the perfect mix of what is required in T20 and in Test cricket. He has got the mindset to leave the ball for a session and in the next session, he would start scoring runs. There are a very few with that sort of mindset and he has made a place for himself.Also read | Laxman and Dravid changed the fate of Indian cricket: Sadagoppan Ramesh recalls 2001 miracle at Eden Gardens“His story is also unbelievable; he has come through a lot of struggles and Mumbai Cricket Association gave him a chance and look at where he is now. He is hitting (Mitchell) Starc for a first-ball six.”“Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi and even Ishan Kishan have the same mindset to hit the ball, but at the same time, you need to understand that when the ball moves and conditions differ, you have to have a game where you need to defend the ball,” Harbhajan said, adding: “They will eventually learn, even through failures.“If a 15-year-old boy can hit the ball, he can also block. It is about the mindset, if you give him the chance he will adapt to that. But if you send him to England for a first tour where the ball will swing, it will not be a matter of intelligence. But if we want him to play Test cricket we will have to nurture him.”‘The art of spin bowling has gone out of the window’The seasoned tweaker also expressed his disappointment on spin bowling losing its sheen. “The art of spin bowling has gone out of the window. I rarely see people spinning the ball. Spinners are supposed to spin the ball and if you are not spinning the ball, you are making things easy for the batter,” Harbhajan said.“Whether you are playing T20 or Test cricket, if you are able to spin the ball and if you can get something out of the pitch, that is where your class comes into the picture. Otherwise, anyone can roll over their arm…”But he also insisted that those mastering the craft are still faring well. “Yuzvendra Chahal is doing it, no one can get hold of him. Yesterday (Thursday) Akeal (Hosein) and Noor (Ahmad) for Chennai Super Kings (in an IPL match against Mumbai Indians). I always talk about spinners having a big heart to bowl, we cannot bowl bouncers or yorkers and the only way we can get people out is by deceiving them in the air. And if they do not bowl slow (through the air), do not spin, how will a batter get out?” Harbhajan wondered.Also read | It changed the perception of a cricket fan towards Test cricket: Venkatapathy Raju on 2001 Eden Gardens Test“Wankhede is the place to bowl spin. The ball should make a half-a-moon shape through your hand and if it is not happening, then the ball will not bounce and that is what the batter is left wanting. People who are applying themselves, they are successful even in T20Is, but those who are not are only filling up the spots in Test cricket, they are just doing the job of containing and not taking wickets,” Harbhajan, who recently had sessions with the spinners at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, pointed.Mumbai over PunjabDuring a conversation with Ajinkya Naik, the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association, Harbhajan was asked whether he would want his son to play for Mumbai or for Punjab if he chose to pursue cricket.Harbhajan replied with a smile: “Since he’s born and raised in Mumbai, I will send him to play for Mumbai if he ever decides to take the sport. I will never push him.”Published on Apr 24, 2026 #Test #cricket #priority #Harbhajan #Singh #urges #BCCI #pitches #days

‘Make Test cricket priority’: Harbhajan Singh urges BCCI to make pitches that last five days
Harbhajan Singh has urged the ICC and the BCCI to ensure that Test cricket is played on pitches that last the full five days. Expressing his disappointment over the recent trend of matches ending within a couple of days, the former India off-spinner reiterated that Test cricket remains the ‘best’ format as it truly challenges players.
“I would make a strong recommendation that Test cricket should be the priority, because that is where you get the best cricket and the cricketers. In Test cricket, you get to see the best competition as it lasts for five days and every day, the challenge becomes different,” Harbhajan said on Friday during an event organised by the Legends Club to celebrate Sachin Tendulkar’s birthday.
“Obviously, a lot of things happen on the pitch and accordingly, the people need to change their mindset and adopt to those conditions and come out as a winner. If I was part of any committee in the ICC or the BCCI, I would tell them that to save Test cricket, we must make sure that we play on better pitches, where the game last for five days and does not get over inside three days,” he added.
Having represented India in 103 Tests and claimed 417 wickets, Harbhajan believes it is up to the game’s ambassadors to preserve its longest format.
Also read | The garden of rebirth: Eden Gardens 2001 through the eyes of a reporter and photographer
“If you look at the Ashes or some of the top Test series, it still attracts a lot of people to come over and watch the game. And we can do the same here in India,” Harbhajan said, adding: “Why are we finishing games in inside three days? We need to make sure we produce those kinds of pitches where everybody is in the game.”
Back in 2024, India lost a Test series at home against New Zealand, and last year, too, it ended up losing the Test series against South Africa on rank-turners. “I think we are losing those matches because of the pitches, not because of the skill. We need points to reach the final circle of the World Test Championship, and how do we get points? Because of that result-oriented approach, we assumed that the opposition wouldn’t know how to play spin, and in the end, dug our own hole,” Harbhajan said.
“It is not fault of the state associations that they produce such pitches, but they do so because that’s how the management wants them to be. The team management wants the match to be over in three days, and that’s why the skill is left out of the game.”
On Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi
Over the last couple of years, several young talents – including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre – have made their presence felt in the IPL and T20s. And there have been talks that they should be fast-tracked to the national team. However, Harbhajan made it clear that they need to prove their mettle to be part of the Test squad.
“They will have to make a place for themselves and of course, create enough buzz that they are good enough to be in the squad for Test cricket. If there is someone who is batting the best among them all is – Yashasvi Jaiswal, and we are not even talking about him much,” Harbhajan said.
Lauding the young Jaiswal, Harbhajan added: “He has got the perfect mix of what is required in T20 and in Test cricket. He has got the mindset to leave the ball for a session and in the next session, he would start scoring runs. There are a very few with that sort of mindset and he has made a place for himself.
Also read | Laxman and Dravid changed the fate of Indian cricket: Sadagoppan Ramesh recalls 2001 miracle at Eden Gardens
“His story is also unbelievable; he has come through a lot of struggles and Mumbai Cricket Association gave him a chance and look at where he is now. He is hitting (Mitchell) Starc for a first-ball six.”
“Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi and even Ishan Kishan have the same mindset to hit the ball, but at the same time, you need to understand that when the ball moves and conditions differ, you have to have a game where you need to defend the ball,” Harbhajan said, adding: “They will eventually learn, even through failures.
“If a 15-year-old boy can hit the ball, he can also block. It is about the mindset, if you give him the chance he will adapt to that. But if you send him to England for a first tour where the ball will swing, it will not be a matter of intelligence. But if we want him to play Test cricket we will have to nurture him.”
‘The art of spin bowling has gone out of the window’
The seasoned tweaker also expressed his disappointment on spin bowling losing its sheen. “The art of spin bowling has gone out of the window. I rarely see people spinning the ball. Spinners are supposed to spin the ball and if you are not spinning the ball, you are making things easy for the batter,” Harbhajan said.
“Whether you are playing T20 or Test cricket, if you are able to spin the ball and if you can get something out of the pitch, that is where your class comes into the picture. Otherwise, anyone can roll over their arm…”
But he also insisted that those mastering the craft are still faring well. “Yuzvendra Chahal is doing it, no one can get hold of him. Yesterday (Thursday) Akeal (Hosein) and Noor (Ahmad) for Chennai Super Kings (in an IPL match against Mumbai Indians). I always talk about spinners having a big heart to bowl, we cannot bowl bouncers or yorkers and the only way we can get people out is by deceiving them in the air. And if they do not bowl slow (through the air), do not spin, how will a batter get out?” Harbhajan wondered.
Also read | It changed the perception of a cricket fan towards Test cricket: Venkatapathy Raju on 2001 Eden Gardens Test
“Wankhede is the place to bowl spin. The ball should make a half-a-moon shape through your hand and if it is not happening, then the ball will not bounce and that is what the batter is left wanting. People who are applying themselves, they are successful even in T20Is, but those who are not are only filling up the spots in Test cricket, they are just doing the job of containing and not taking wickets,” Harbhajan, who recently had sessions with the spinners at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, pointed.
Mumbai over Punjab
During a conversation with Ajinkya Naik, the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association, Harbhajan was asked whether he would want his son to play for Mumbai or for Punjab if he chose to pursue cricket.
Harbhajan replied with a smile: “Since he’s born and raised in Mumbai, I will send him to play for Mumbai if he ever decides to take the sport. I will never push him.”
Published on Apr 24, 2026
#Test #cricket #priority #Harbhajan #Singh #urges #BCCI #pitches #days

Sports news BCCI, Harbhajan Singh, harbhajan singh bcci, harbhajan singh test cricket, harbhajan singh tests April 24, 2026

Harbhajan Singh has urged the ICC and the BCCI to ensure that Test cricket is played on pitches that last the full five days. Expressing his disappointment over the recent trend of matches ending within a couple of days, the former India off-spinner reiterated that Test cricket remains the ‘best’ format as it truly challenges players.

“I would make a strong recommendation that Test cricket should be the priority, because that is where you get the best cricket and the cricketers. In Test cricket, you get to see the best competition as it lasts for five days and every day, the challenge becomes different,” Harbhajan said on Friday during an event organised by the Legends Club to celebrate Sachin Tendulkar’s birthday.

“Obviously, a lot of things happen on the pitch and accordingly, the people need to change their mindset and adopt to those conditions and come out as a winner. If I was part of any committee in the ICC or the BCCI, I would tell them that to save Test cricket, we must make sure that we play on better pitches, where the game last for five days and does not get over inside three days,” he added.

Having represented India in 103 Tests and claimed 417 wickets, Harbhajan believes it is up to the game’s ambassadors to preserve its longest format.

Also read | The garden of rebirth: Eden Gardens 2001 through the eyes of a reporter and photographer

“If you look at the Ashes or some of the top Test series, it still attracts a lot of people to come over and watch the game. And we can do the same here in India,” Harbhajan said, adding: “Why are we finishing games in inside three days? We need to make sure we produce those kinds of pitches where everybody is in the game.”

Back in 2024, India lost a Test series at home against New Zealand, and last year, too, it ended up losing the Test series against South Africa on rank-turners. “I think we are losing those matches because of the pitches, not because of the skill. We need points to reach the final circle of the World Test Championship, and how do we get points? Because of that result-oriented approach, we assumed that the opposition wouldn’t know how to play spin, and in the end, dug our own hole,” Harbhajan said.

“It is not fault of the state associations that they produce such pitches, but they do so because that’s how the management wants them to be. The team management wants the match to be over in three days, and that’s why the skill is left out of the game.”

On Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi

Over the last couple of years, several young talents – including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre – have made their presence felt in the IPL and T20s. And there have been talks that they should be fast-tracked to the national team. However, Harbhajan made it clear that they need to prove their mettle to be part of the Test squad.

“They will have to make a place for themselves and of course, create enough buzz that they are good enough to be in the squad for Test cricket. If there is someone who is batting the best among them all is – Yashasvi Jaiswal, and we are not even talking about him much,” Harbhajan said.

Lauding the young Jaiswal, Harbhajan added: “He has got the perfect mix of what is required in T20 and in Test cricket. He has got the mindset to leave the ball for a session and in the next session, he would start scoring runs. There are a very few with that sort of mindset and he has made a place for himself.

Also read | Laxman and Dravid changed the fate of Indian cricket: Sadagoppan Ramesh recalls 2001 miracle at Eden Gardens

“His story is also unbelievable; he has come through a lot of struggles and Mumbai Cricket Association gave him a chance and look at where he is now. He is hitting (Mitchell) Starc for a first-ball six.”

“Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi and even Ishan Kishan have the same mindset to hit the ball, but at the same time, you need to understand that when the ball moves and conditions differ, you have to have a game where you need to defend the ball,” Harbhajan said, adding: “They will eventually learn, even through failures.

“If a 15-year-old boy can hit the ball, he can also block. It is about the mindset, if you give him the chance he will adapt to that. But if you send him to England for a first tour where the ball will swing, it will not be a matter of intelligence. But if we want him to play Test cricket we will have to nurture him.”

‘The art of spin bowling has gone out of the window’

The seasoned tweaker also expressed his disappointment on spin bowling losing its sheen. “The art of spin bowling has gone out of the window. I rarely see people spinning the ball. Spinners are supposed to spin the ball and if you are not spinning the ball, you are making things easy for the batter,” Harbhajan said.

“Whether you are playing T20 or Test cricket, if you are able to spin the ball and if you can get something out of the pitch, that is where your class comes into the picture. Otherwise, anyone can roll over their arm…”

But he also insisted that those mastering the craft are still faring well. “Yuzvendra Chahal is doing it, no one can get hold of him. Yesterday (Thursday) Akeal (Hosein) and Noor (Ahmad) for Chennai Super Kings (in an IPL match against Mumbai Indians). I always talk about spinners having a big heart to bowl, we cannot bowl bouncers or yorkers and the only way we can get people out is by deceiving them in the air. And if they do not bowl slow (through the air), do not spin, how will a batter get out?” Harbhajan wondered.

Also read | It changed the perception of a cricket fan towards Test cricket: Venkatapathy Raju on 2001 Eden Gardens Test

“Wankhede is the place to bowl spin. The ball should make a half-a-moon shape through your hand and if it is not happening, then the ball will not bounce and that is what the batter is left wanting. People who are applying themselves, they are successful even in T20Is, but those who are not are only filling up the spots in Test cricket, they are just doing the job of containing and not taking wickets,” Harbhajan, who recently had sessions with the spinners at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, pointed.

Mumbai over Punjab

During a conversation with Ajinkya Naik, the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association, Harbhajan was asked whether he would want his son to play for Mumbai or for Punjab if he chose to pursue cricket.

Harbhajan replied with a smile: “Since he’s born and raised in Mumbai, I will send him to play for Mumbai if he ever decides to take the sport. I will never push him.”

Published on Apr 24, 2026

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#Test #cricket #priority #Harbhajan #Singh #urges #BCCI #pitches #days

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Unpacking the Michael Controversy: Everything Michael Jackson’s Family Has Said About the Movie

Deadspin | Raiders draft new centerpiece QB Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, confident the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion just keeps winning. The 22-year-old becomes the centerpiece of a franchise rebuild following his own meteoric rise, culminating in the Hoosiers claiming a football national title for the first time in program history. Las Vegas went 3-14 last season and fired Pete Carroll as head coach, which prompted a change at quarterback under first-time head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders traded starter Geno Smith to the Jets and signed Kirk Cousins to bridge any potential gap for Mendoza to be deemed ready for the QB1 role. General manager John Spytek and Kubiak said their “perfect world” would allow for Mendoza to be worked into the starting role gradually. Considered a cerebral field general more than a physical freak or elite specimen at quarterback, Mendoza has already openly discussed the presence of a priceless sounding board in Las Vegas: minority franchise owner Tom Brady. He read the “TB12 Method” book before the NFL Scouting Combine in preparation for a potential interaction with Brady. That didn’t come until he took his official team visit to meet the team’s top brass. “Everything that he’s all about is something that I’ve always emulated as a football player,” Mendoza said in February. “And anything the coaching staff has as coaching points, like, ‘Hey Fernando, we need you to get better at this, this and that,’ I’m gonna be like, ‘Hey Tom, how do I get better at this, this and that?’ If I get selected by Mr. Spytek and the Raiders, if that does happen, it’d be a great opportunity.” Mendoza is the first No. 1 pick for the Raiders since drafting LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007. The Raiders haven’t won a postseason game since the 2002 playoffs and have earned only two trips (2016, 2021) since losing Super Bowl XXXVII to the Buccaneers. The Raiders also last won the AFC West division in 2002. All of the losses have placed the Raiders in position to stock the roster with blue-chip talent in the draft. Tight end Brock Bowers (13th pick, 2024) made a record-setting splash in his first season with 112 catches for 1,194 yards. Running back Ashton Jeanty (sixth overall pick, 2025) had 10 touchdowns last season despite being an easy target behind a ragtag offensive line. Spytek insists a 180 turn by the Raiders from 3-14 in 2025 won’t be about one player or position. Las Vegas entered Thursday with 10 total draft picks and was next slated to pick at No. 36 overall, the fourth pick in the second round on Friday. The Raiders have numerous position needs after averaging 14.2 points and allowing 25.4 points per game in 2025. The climb can be steep. As a team, the Raiders scored 40 fewer touchdowns (25) than the Rams. But the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots are living testaments to what a franchise-caliber quarterback can bring to a team. The Commanders selected Jayden Daniels in 2024 and advanced to the NFC Championship during his rookie season. New England was in the Super Bowl in February with Drake Maye, the quarterback drafted one spot after Daniels, playing at an MVP level in a rapid rebuild. Mendoza had 41 touchdown passes and six interceptions for Indiana last season, completing 72% of his passes to post a perfect 16-0 record not many outside the program saw coming. Indiana entered the season with the most losses in FBS history (715). Overlooked coming out of high school, Mendoza didn’t get recruited by Miami — the team Indiana beat in the national championship game — despite growing up about a mile from campus and leading Columbus High to a state title in 2019. He wound up at Cal and played for the Bears for two years before transferring to Indiana. “He had a lot of success last year,” Kubiak said of his early impressions of Mendoza. “He won a national championship, and that’s what you want. You want a winner.” Mendoza, dressed in a black suit and silver tie, witnessed the selection surrounded by friends and family rather than attending the draft in Pittsburgh, opting to make the occasion all about those responsible for helping him make the dream sequence a reality. He thanked his mom, Elsa Mendoza, for being his biggest supporter during the Heisman Trophy acceptance speech in December. Elsa Mendoza is battling multiple sclerosis and the Mendoza family was more comfortable sharing the moment in Miami. Mendoza revealed Thursday afternoon he was launching the Mendoza Family Fund — a charitable fund in partnership with the National MS Society — to raise money to fight MS. Mendoza announced he contributed a personal 0,000 donation. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Raiders #draft #centerpiece #Fernando #Mendoza

#Deadspin #Raiders #draft #centerpiece #Fernando #Mendoza">

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Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, confident the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion just keeps winning.

The 22-year-old becomes the centerpiece of a franchise rebuild following his own meteoric rise, culminating in the Hoosiers claiming a football national title for the first time in program history.

Las Vegas went 3-14 last season and fired Pete Carroll as head coach, which prompted a change at quarterback under first-time head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders traded starter Geno Smith to the Jets and signed Kirk Cousins to bridge any potential gap for Mendoza to be deemed ready for the QB1 role.

General manager John Spytek and Kubiak said their “perfect world” would allow for Mendoza to be worked into the starting role gradually. Considered a cerebral field general more than a physical freak or elite specimen at quarterback, Mendoza has already openly discussed the presence of a priceless sounding board in Las Vegas: minority franchise owner Tom Brady. He read the “TB12 Method” book before the NFL Scouting Combine in preparation for a potential interaction with Brady.

That didn’t come until he took his official team visit to meet the team’s top brass.

“Everything that he’s all about is something that I’ve always emulated as a football player,” Mendoza said in February. “And anything the coaching staff has as coaching points, like, ‘Hey Fernando, we need you to get better at this, this and that,’ I’m gonna be like, ‘Hey Tom, how do I get better at this, this and that?’ If I get selected by Mr. Spytek and the Raiders, if that does happen, it’d be a great opportunity.”

Mendoza is the first No. 1 pick for the Raiders since drafting LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007. The Raiders haven’t won a postseason game since the 2002 playoffs and have earned only two trips (2016, 2021) since losing Super Bowl XXXVII to the Buccaneers. The Raiders also last won the AFC West division in 2002.

All of the losses have placed the Raiders in position to stock the roster with blue-chip talent in the draft. Tight end Brock Bowers (13th pick, 2024) made a record-setting splash in his first season with 112 catches for 1,194 yards. Running back Ashton Jeanty (sixth overall pick, 2025) had 10 touchdowns last season despite being an easy target behind a ragtag offensive line.

Spytek insists a 180 turn by the Raiders from 3-14 in 2025 won’t be about one player or position. Las Vegas entered Thursday with 10 total draft picks and was next slated to pick at No. 36 overall, the fourth pick in the second round on Friday.

The Raiders have numerous position needs after averaging 14.2 points and allowing 25.4 points per game in 2025. The climb can be steep. As a team, the Raiders scored 40 fewer touchdowns (25) than the Rams. But the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots are living testaments to what a franchise-caliber quarterback can bring to a team.

The Commanders selected Jayden Daniels in 2024 and advanced to the NFC Championship during his rookie season. New England was in the Super Bowl in February with Drake Maye, the quarterback drafted one spot after Daniels, playing at an MVP level in a rapid rebuild.

Mendoza had 41 touchdown passes and six interceptions for Indiana last season, completing 72% of his passes to post a perfect 16-0 record not many outside the program saw coming. Indiana entered the season with the most losses in FBS history (715).

Overlooked coming out of high school, Mendoza didn’t get recruited by Miami — the team Indiana beat in the national championship game — despite growing up about a mile from campus and leading Columbus High to a state title in 2019. He wound up at Cal and played for the Bears for two years before transferring to Indiana.

“He had a lot of success last year,” Kubiak said of his early impressions of Mendoza. “He won a national championship, and that’s what you want. You want a winner.”

Mendoza, dressed in a black suit and silver tie, witnessed the selection surrounded by friends and family rather than attending the draft in Pittsburgh, opting to make the occasion all about those responsible for helping him make the dream sequence a reality. He thanked his mom, Elsa Mendoza, for being his biggest supporter during the Heisman Trophy acceptance speech in December. Elsa Mendoza is battling multiple sclerosis and the Mendoza family was more comfortable sharing the moment in Miami.

Mendoza revealed Thursday afternoon he was launching the Mendoza Family Fund — a charitable fund in partnership with the National MS Society — to raise money to fight MS. Mendoza announced he contributed a personal $500,000 donation.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Raiders #draft #centerpiece #Fernando #Mendoza">Deadspin | Raiders draft new centerpiece QB Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, confident the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion just keeps winning.

The 22-year-old becomes the centerpiece of a franchise rebuild following his own meteoric rise, culminating in the Hoosiers claiming a football national title for the first time in program history.

Las Vegas went 3-14 last season and fired Pete Carroll as head coach, which prompted a change at quarterback under first-time head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders traded starter Geno Smith to the Jets and signed Kirk Cousins to bridge any potential gap for Mendoza to be deemed ready for the QB1 role.

General manager John Spytek and Kubiak said their “perfect world” would allow for Mendoza to be worked into the starting role gradually. Considered a cerebral field general more than a physical freak or elite specimen at quarterback, Mendoza has already openly discussed the presence of a priceless sounding board in Las Vegas: minority franchise owner Tom Brady. He read the “TB12 Method” book before the NFL Scouting Combine in preparation for a potential interaction with Brady.

That didn’t come until he took his official team visit to meet the team’s top brass.

“Everything that he’s all about is something that I’ve always emulated as a football player,” Mendoza said in February. “And anything the coaching staff has as coaching points, like, ‘Hey Fernando, we need you to get better at this, this and that,’ I’m gonna be like, ‘Hey Tom, how do I get better at this, this and that?’ If I get selected by Mr. Spytek and the Raiders, if that does happen, it’d be a great opportunity.”

Mendoza is the first No. 1 pick for the Raiders since drafting LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007. The Raiders haven’t won a postseason game since the 2002 playoffs and have earned only two trips (2016, 2021) since losing Super Bowl XXXVII to the Buccaneers. The Raiders also last won the AFC West division in 2002.

All of the losses have placed the Raiders in position to stock the roster with blue-chip talent in the draft. Tight end Brock Bowers (13th pick, 2024) made a record-setting splash in his first season with 112 catches for 1,194 yards. Running back Ashton Jeanty (sixth overall pick, 2025) had 10 touchdowns last season despite being an easy target behind a ragtag offensive line.

Spytek insists a 180 turn by the Raiders from 3-14 in 2025 won’t be about one player or position. Las Vegas entered Thursday with 10 total draft picks and was next slated to pick at No. 36 overall, the fourth pick in the second round on Friday.

The Raiders have numerous position needs after averaging 14.2 points and allowing 25.4 points per game in 2025. The climb can be steep. As a team, the Raiders scored 40 fewer touchdowns (25) than the Rams. But the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots are living testaments to what a franchise-caliber quarterback can bring to a team.

The Commanders selected Jayden Daniels in 2024 and advanced to the NFC Championship during his rookie season. New England was in the Super Bowl in February with Drake Maye, the quarterback drafted one spot after Daniels, playing at an MVP level in a rapid rebuild.

Mendoza had 41 touchdown passes and six interceptions for Indiana last season, completing 72% of his passes to post a perfect 16-0 record not many outside the program saw coming. Indiana entered the season with the most losses in FBS history (715).

Overlooked coming out of high school, Mendoza didn’t get recruited by Miami — the team Indiana beat in the national championship game — despite growing up about a mile from campus and leading Columbus High to a state title in 2019. He wound up at Cal and played for the Bears for two years before transferring to Indiana.

“He had a lot of success last year,” Kubiak said of his early impressions of Mendoza. “He won a national championship, and that’s what you want. You want a winner.”

Mendoza, dressed in a black suit and silver tie, witnessed the selection surrounded by friends and family rather than attending the draft in Pittsburgh, opting to make the occasion all about those responsible for helping him make the dream sequence a reality. He thanked his mom, Elsa Mendoza, for being his biggest supporter during the Heisman Trophy acceptance speech in December. Elsa Mendoza is battling multiple sclerosis and the Mendoza family was more comfortable sharing the moment in Miami.

Mendoza revealed Thursday afternoon he was launching the Mendoza Family Fund — a charitable fund in partnership with the National MS Society — to raise money to fight MS. Mendoza announced he contributed a personal $500,000 donation.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Raiders #draft #centerpiece #Fernando #Mendoza

The Turkish government says Formula 1 is to return to the country next season for the first time since 2021, on a five-year agreement.

The government said the agreement was due to be announced on Friday at an event featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Erdogan said the deal would be for “at least five years”.

The Istanbul Park circuit first hosted F1 from 2005 through 2011, and next year’s race would be the first since Turkey returned to the calendar in 2020 and 2021 during disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Valtteri Bottas won the most recent race for Mercedes.

Hosting F1 would “demonstrate to the world that our country is the safe haven of its region,” Erdogan said.

The news comes after the Iran war caused widespread disruption to sports in the region and forced F1 to call off races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for this month.

That left a large gap in this year’s schedule. The Miami Grand Prix next week will be the first F1 race since the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29.

F1’s return to Istanbul had been widely expected since Domenicali said in February that it was a candidate to return.

He added venues like Istanbul Park and the Portimão circuit, which will host the returning Portuguese Grand Prix next year, show F1 is not focusing too much on street races in glamorous locations.

Those can be some of F1’s most lucrative events, like the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but are generally less popular with drivers than purpose-built race tracks.

“Turkey is not 100% confirmed. Stay tuned on Turkey, let me put it this way,” Domenicali said at the time. “This is also to answer to the people that were saying there were too many street races. The new ones that are coming are tracks, not street races.”

Published on Apr 24, 2026

#Turkish #government #Formula #returning #season #5year #deal">

Turkish government says Formula 1 is returning next season on 5-year deal The Turkish government says Formula 1 is to return to the country next season for the first time since 2021, on a five-year agreement.The government said the agreement was due to be announced on Friday at an event featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.Erdogan said the deal would be for “at least five years”.The Istanbul Park circuit first hosted F1 from 2005 through 2011, and next year’s race would be the first since Turkey returned to the calendar in 2020 and 2021 during disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Valtteri Bottas won the most recent race for Mercedes.Hosting F1 would “demonstrate to the world that our country is the safe haven of its region,” Erdogan said.The news comes after the Iran war caused widespread disruption to sports in the region and forced F1 to call off races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for this month.That left a large gap in this year’s schedule. The Miami Grand Prix next week will be the first F1 race since the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29.F1’s return to Istanbul had been widely expected since Domenicali said in February that it was a candidate to return.He added venues like Istanbul Park and the Portimão circuit, which will host the returning Portuguese Grand Prix next year, show F1 is not focusing too much on street races in glamorous locations.Those can be some of F1’s most lucrative events, like the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but are generally less popular with drivers than purpose-built race tracks.“Turkey is not 100% confirmed. Stay tuned on Turkey, let me put it this way,” Domenicali said at the time. “This is also to answer to the people that were saying there were too many street races. The new ones that are coming are tracks, not street races.”Published on Apr 24, 2026 #Turkish #government #Formula #returning #season #5year #deal

mwasimuddin125 0

The Turkish government says Formula 1 is to return to the country next season for the first time since 2021, on a five-year agreement.
The government said the agreement was due to be announced on Friday at an event featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Erdogan said the deal would be for “at least five years”.
The Istanbul Park circuit first hosted F1 from 2005 through 2011, and next year’s race would be the first since Turkey returned to the calendar in 2020 and 2021 during disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Valtteri Bottas won the most recent race for Mercedes.
Hosting F1 would “demonstrate to the world that our country is the safe haven of its region,” Erdogan said.
The news comes after the Iran war caused widespread disruption to sports in the region and forced F1 to call off races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for this month.
That left a large gap in this year’s schedule. The Miami Grand Prix next week will be the first F1 race since the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29.
F1’s return to Istanbul had been widely expected since Domenicali said in February that it was a candidate to return.
He added venues like Istanbul Park and the Portimão circuit, which will host the returning Portuguese Grand Prix next year, show F1 is not focusing too much on street races in glamorous locations.
Those can be some of F1’s most lucrative events, like the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but are generally less popular with drivers than purpose-built race tracks.
“Turkey is not 100% confirmed. Stay tuned on Turkey, let me put it this way,” Domenicali said at the time. “This is also to answer to the people that were saying there were too many street races. The new ones that are coming are tracks, not street races.”
Published on Apr 24, 2026

#Turkish #government #Formula #returning #season #5year #deal">Turkish government says Formula 1 is returning next season on 5-year deal

The Turkish government says Formula 1 is to return to the country next season for the first time since 2021, on a five-year agreement.

Erdogan said the deal would be for “at least five years”.

Hosting F1 would “demonstrate to the world that our country is the safe haven of its region,” Erdogan said.

The news comes after the Iran war caused widespread disruption to sports in the region and forced F1 to call off races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for this month.

That left a large gap in this year’s schedule. The Miami Grand Prix next week will be the first F1 race since the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29.

F1’s return to Istanbul had been widely expected since Domenicali said in February that it was a candidate to return.

He added venues like Istanbul Park and the Portimão circuit, which will host the returning Portuguese Grand Prix next year, show F1 is not focusing too much on street races in glamorous locations.

Those can be some of F1’s most lucrative events, like the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but are generally less popular with drivers than purpose-built race tracks.

Published on Apr 24, 2026

#Turkish #government #Formula #returning #season #5year #deal

Deadspin | Cody Bellinger’s pinch-hit 2-run single propels Yankees past Red Sox Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) hits a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images Cody Bellinger drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single to help the visiting New York Yankees extend their winning streak to six games by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-2 Thursday night. Bellinger singled against reliever Greg Weissert with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning. The hit, which drove in Jazz Chisholm and Trent Grisham, put the Yankees in front 3-2. Aaron Judge followed with an RBI single that scored Jose Caballero to give New York a 4-2 lead. Each of the three runs the Yankees scored in the seventh were charged to Danny Coulombe (0-1), who surrendered three hits in 2/3 of an inning. Cam Schlittler (3-1) held Boston to two runs on four hits in eight innings to earn the win. He struck out five and walked one. David Bednar pitched a clean ninth to collect his seventh save. The victory gave the Yankees a sweep of the three-game series. New York won 4-0 Tuesday and 4-1 Wednesday. Boston has not scored more than two runs in any of its last six losses. The Red Sox scored six runs in those six games. Carlos Narvaez homered for Boston. It was a solo home run off Schlittler in the fifth inning that broke a 1-1 tie. Payton Tolle, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, gave the Red Sox a strong start. Tolle struck out 11 in six innings and limited New York to one run on three hits. He walked one. Tolle, who was 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in Triple-A, struck out the first five batters he faced. Boston took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Trevor Story reached base on Amed Rosario’s throwing error, and scored on Marcelo Mayer’s double to center field. Chisholm’s home run made it 1-1 in the fifth. Chisholm (2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Caballero (2-for-4, 1 run) were the only players on either side to record multiple hits. The Yankees fanned 17 times, including four from Giancarlo Stanton and three from Judge. The Red Sox have lost five of their last six. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Cody #Bellingers #pinchhit #2run #single #propels #Yankees #Red #Sox

#Deadspin #Cody #Bellingers #pinchhit #2run #single #propels #Yankees #Red #Sox">

mwasimuddin125 0

Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) hits a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Cody Bellinger drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single to help the visiting New York Yankees extend their winning streak to six games by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-2 Thursday night.

Bellinger singled against reliever Greg Weissert with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning. The hit, which drove in Jazz Chisholm and Trent Grisham, put the Yankees in front 3-2.

Aaron Judge followed with an RBI single that scored Jose Caballero to give New York a 4-2 lead. Each of the three runs the Yankees scored in the seventh were charged to Danny Coulombe (0-1), who surrendered three hits in 2/3 of an inning.

Cam Schlittler (3-1) held Boston to two runs on four hits in eight innings to earn the win. He struck out five and walked one. David Bednar pitched a clean ninth to collect his seventh save.

The victory gave the Yankees a sweep of the three-game series. New York won 4-0 Tuesday and 4-1 Wednesday.

Boston has not scored more than two runs in any of its last six losses. The Red Sox scored six runs in those six games.

Carlos Narvaez homered for Boston. It was a solo home run off Schlittler in the fifth inning that broke a 1-1 tie.

Payton Tolle, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, gave the Red Sox a strong start. Tolle struck out 11 in six innings and limited New York to one run on three hits. He walked one.

Tolle, who was 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in Triple-A, struck out the first five batters he faced.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Trevor Story reached base on Amed Rosario’s throwing error, and scored on Marcelo Mayer’s double to center field.

Chisholm’s home run made it 1-1 in the fifth.

Chisholm (2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Caballero (2-for-4, 1 run) were the only players on either side to record multiple hits.

The Yankees fanned 17 times, including four from Giancarlo Stanton and three from Judge.

The Red Sox have lost five of their last six.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Cody #Bellingers #pinchhit #2run #single #propels #Yankees #Red #Sox">Deadspin | Cody Bellinger’s pinch-hit 2-run single propels Yankees past Red Sox

Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) hits a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Cody Bellinger drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single to help the visiting New York Yankees extend their winning streak to six games by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-2 Thursday night.

Bellinger singled against reliever Greg Weissert with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning. The hit, which drove in Jazz Chisholm and Trent Grisham, put the Yankees in front 3-2.

Aaron Judge followed with an RBI single that scored Jose Caballero to give New York a 4-2 lead. Each of the three runs the Yankees scored in the seventh were charged to Danny Coulombe (0-1), who surrendered three hits in 2/3 of an inning.

Cam Schlittler (3-1) held Boston to two runs on four hits in eight innings to earn the win. He struck out five and walked one. David Bednar pitched a clean ninth to collect his seventh save.

The victory gave the Yankees a sweep of the three-game series. New York won 4-0 Tuesday and 4-1 Wednesday.

Boston has not scored more than two runs in any of its last six losses. The Red Sox scored six runs in those six games.

Carlos Narvaez homered for Boston. It was a solo home run off Schlittler in the fifth inning that broke a 1-1 tie.

Payton Tolle, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, gave the Red Sox a strong start. Tolle struck out 11 in six innings and limited New York to one run on three hits. He walked one.

Tolle, who was 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in Triple-A, struck out the first five batters he faced.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Trevor Story reached base on Amed Rosario’s throwing error, and scored on Marcelo Mayer’s double to center field.

Chisholm’s home run made it 1-1 in the fifth.

Chisholm (2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Caballero (2-for-4, 1 run) were the only players on either side to record multiple hits.

The Yankees fanned 17 times, including four from Giancarlo Stanton and three from Judge.

The Red Sox have lost five of their last six.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Cody #Bellingers #pinchhit #2run #single #propels #Yankees #Red #Sox

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