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West Ham are lining up a €40m (£34m) bid for Sassuolo and Italy striker Gianluca Scamacca.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, who took to Twitter to share news of the Hammers’ interest in the forward and other potential deals at the London Stadium.

He tweeted: “West Ham bid of €40m + add-ons for Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca under consideration. PSG bid €35m + add-ons – but are now close to signing Hugo Ekitike. Broja still a WHU target. If deals get agreed with both, final decision rests with David Moyes.”

It would be a great signing

Although the reported fee is quite high, finding an ample alternative to the seemingly irreplaceable Michail Antonio – still West Ham’s only senior striker – would be priceless in Moyes’ eyes.

This 23-year-old, who enjoyed something of a breakout season in 2021/22, could be the answer.

The Italian bagged an impressive 16 goals across 36 league appearances last term, and this reliability not only in front of goal but actually being on the pitch will be a welcome addition due to Antonio’s chequered injury history.

This consistency led to a deserved 7.03 SofaScore rating for the campaign, and his performances helped Sassuolo to a comfortable mid-table finish. In fact, this rating was second only to Domenico Berardi amongst his team-mates.

Although Scamacca’s hulking 6 foot 4 frame makes him a huge aerial threat, he is renowned for an incredibly deft touch and ability to link up the play despite this size. He fits the bill as the perfect Antonio alternative, and his goalscoring prowess only boosts this claim.

Former Italy under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio dubbed the striker “very strong”, adding that the Sassuolo marksman “can become a very high-level centre-forward”.

Di Biagio went on to laud the 23-year-old’s ability on the ball, as well as his physical presence, saying: “He has the technique of a 1.75 m tall player and the physicality of a 1.95 m tall player, like him… and then he is complete: right foot, left, head, he attacks from deep, but also plays on the edge for his teammates.”

This prospective move could prove to be a huge coup for West Ham and could provide them with the perfect heir to Antonio for years to come.

AND in other news: Newman eyeing West Ham deal for “frightening” £35m “leader”, he’d be Moyes’ own Robertson

West Bromwich Albion failed in their first attempt to get back into the Premier League last season.

With 46 games played, the Baggies ended up winning 18, drawing 13 and losing 15, ultimately leaving them in 10th place with 67 points, 23 fewer than league winners Fulham.

One positive factor for the Midlands club throughout the campaign was Karlan Grant, who ended the season with more goal contributions (24) than any other West Brom player.

Having relied on the 24-year-old to be their main attacking threat last season, the summer transfer window could give Steve Bruce the chance to bring in the club’s next version of Grant and help share the goalscoring load at the Hawthorns.

Last month, the Baggies were said to have Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer on their transfer radar for the summer.

As a product of Villa’s youth system, the 20-year-old has made 59 appearances for the club across their senior and youth sides, scoring 23 goals in the process.

During his loan spell in the Championship with Preston North End last season, the youngster found the net seven times in 20 league appearances.

This shows that the attacker certainly has an eye for goal and now has the experience of playing in the second division.

In fact, as well as being described as “clinical” by journalist Tom Barclay, Archer has also been labelled as a “goal machine” by Villa journalist Ashley Preece.

In addition to this, with an average of 2.3 shots per game during his time at Deepdale, this isn’t too far away from the 2.5 shots per game that Grant averaged throughout the entire campaign at West Brom, further highlighting the attacking similarities between the two.

His clear goalscoring credentials could make the £5.4m-rated starlet an ideal signing for West Brom this summer, either on a permanent or loan deal.

Moving forward, with Steven Gerrard’s side having the likes of Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins in their squad, regular senior game time at Villa could be rather difficult for the youngster to get next season.

This, then, could allow the Baggies to swoop in and take the youngster off their Midlands rival’s hands this summer and increase their chances of getting back to the Premier League at the same time.

AND in other news: Joe Masi drops behind-the-scenes transfer claim that West Brom supporters will love

According to reliable journalist John Percy, Steve Cooper is now close to agreeing a new contract at Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Hughton’s departure

The 42-year-old first arrived at the City Ground in September 2021 when he took the place of the departing Chris Hughton, whose time came to an abrupt end following a disappointing run of results.

The Welshman initially agreed on a two-year deal when he first put pen to paper, keeping him in the Midlands until next summer, but after leading the club back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years, the hierarchy are unsurprisingly keen to retain his services.

The Latest: Cooper in talks over new contract

Taking to Twitter, the reliable Percy confirmed that Cooper is ‘close’ to signing a fresh deal after holding ‘talks’ with the Forest owner. He wrote:

“Steve Cooper is close to signing a new contract at #nffc. Cooper currently in Piraeus with owner Evangelos Marinakis to discuss transfer plans & talks over a long-term deal are progressing nicely. Huge boost for the club ahead of the Premier League season.”

The Verdict: Massive

When Hughton was sacked, many fans wanted Chris Wilder to be the new man in charge, and it’s fair to say those supporters will be delighted to be proved wrong.

The former Swansea coach took charge of 45 games during his first season in charge, of which he won 27, drew 11 and lost just seven, via Transfermarkt, and with form like that, it’s no wonder that he guided his team to a top-four finish.

Marinakis definitely hit the jackpot when he appointed Cooper, and it’s wonderful to see that he is now set to be rewarded for all of his fantastic efforts ahead of an exciting new era for Forest.

In other news… a reliable journalist has delivered his verdict on the news that Forest have been linked with a move for Tottenham defender Joe Rodon.

Aston Villa have been strongly linked with a move for Calvin Bassey, and with Matt Targett securing his future with Newcastle United, there is an opportunity for Steven Gerrard to strengthen the team’s defence.

What’s the latest?

According to the Birmingham Mail, Villa are now prioritising the signing of defensive reinforcements during the summer transfer window, with the left-hand side an area of concern for the club.

As per the report, Rangers’ Calvin Bassey has been identified as a top target for the Villa manager, with the view that he would provide backup across the defence.

Bassey could be “outstanding” for Gerrard

Villa didn’t have the best end to their Premier League campaign in 2021/22, with no wins from their last four games and 19 defeats overall. Gerrard will be looking to improve upon that ahead of next season to ensure that his side can progress from their 14th-placed finish this time around.

Bassey would certainly add depth and could even be a massive upgrade for the defence at Villa Park if he can emulate the performances and deliver the talent that he has displayed at Rangers.

The £25m-valued Villa target, who was dubbed “astonishing” by Owen Hargreaves after last month’s Europa League final, has been a dominant force for the Gers this season, deployed as both a left-back and a centre-back during his 50 appearances in all competitions as he proved his versatility in positioning.

As per SofaScore, in 29 Scottish Premiership appearances, the Nigerian delivered three assists, created one big chance and made 1.5 tackles and 1.2 clearances per game. He won the majority of his duels (63%) and also completed the majority of his dribbles (52%).

Bassey is no stranger to Gerrard, as 22-year-old was given his Rangers debut at left-back under the current Villa boss, who has lavished praise on the player in the past.

Speaking in a press conference following one of Bassey’s performances in the Europa League, the former Rangers boss claimed (via Inside Futbol): “I thought he [Bassey] was outstanding, coming into a game of that level with so little experience. We are all proud of him and with time we believe we can develop him even further.”

If Gerrard can tempt the defender to Villa Park this summer, he will have the opportunity to develop and deploy Bassey’s talents in his team once again to help the Midlanders climb the Premier League table and enjoy a better finish next season.

AND in other news: Romano reveals Villa have “opened talks” for 18y/o starlet, Gerrard surely buzzing

Glasgow Rangers journalist Jonny McFarlane has been left stunned by some news that he has now seen coming out of Ibrox.

The Lowdown: cinch revelation

As shared by McFarlane on Twitter, the print edition of The Times have reported that concern over the future of Cinch’s five-year partnership with Scottish football were eased by the Teddy Bears’ Glasgow arch-rivals winning the title.

There were fears that the company would tear up their contract should Rangers have been victorious again, as the club have maintained that they cannot comply with the car dealers because they already have a contract with chairman Douglas Park’s used-car dealing firm.

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Cinch were left furious when white tape was placed over their logo during interviews with both Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the players in a win away to Motherwell in April.

Most of the Scottish clubs are dependent on the income they get from sponsors, notably Cinch, and some have even ‘discussed acting against’ the Light Blues, according to one director.

The Latest: McFarlane stunned

Taking to Twitter, McFarlane of The Rangers Review was left stunned by the news, claiming that some of the quotes from SPFL sources were ‘remarkable’.

He tweeted: “Remarkable quotes buried in this story from The Times. SPFL source saying some clubs pushed for class action law suit against Rangers over cinch deal and that a title win would have been a “stress point”.”

The Verdict: Worrying

Of course, the Gers may not be as affected financially as some of the other sides in the Scottish pyramid, given their progress in the Scottish Cup and Europa League, but the money would start to add up if Cinch were to cancel their five-year partnership.

Therefore, they need to try and come up with a compromise as soon as possible, not just for their sake but to also help out the other Scottish clubs.

Nonetheless, this seems like a story which will drag on through the summer, as Cinch contemplate whether to keep sponsoring Scottish football for next season.

In other news, find out who RFC are now set to offer a ‘massive’ new deal to here!

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira should make a move to bring Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to the club, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the former England international suggested that the Manchester United man would be welcomed back at Selhurst Park, should he opt to secure a return to south London this summer.

Asked about the player potentially linking back up with the Eagles, Palmer said that: “I think they would (welcome Wan-Bissaka back). I mean, he was a fan’s favourite when he was there. We’ll have to wait and see what Ten Hag thinks about him as a football player.

“He’s a good defender, Wan-Bissaka, but he’s pretty short on dealing with the football coming out, and I’m assuming that at Manchester United, with the way that they will want to play under Ten Hag, the full-back positions will be crucial. So, it may be that Wan-Bissaka goes back to Crystal Palace, he’s still a young player, and learns more about his craft under Patrick Vieira.”

This follows recent reports that suggested that Palace are considering a move to re-sign the full-back, although there has been an inclination that he may wish to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford next term.

Welcome return

Vieira and co may have to wait and see what incoming United boss Erik ten Hag makes of the player, although should they be able to do a deal it would no doubt represent a sensible piece of business.

Having sold him on for a club-record fee of £50m in 2019, the right-back is likely to return for a much-reduced fee – amid suggestions he could be worth less than half of that original price – while a loan deal has also been mooted.

The Red Devils’ hastiness to let him go may be a marker of his struggles over the past few seasons, although that’s perhaps as much of a reflection of the overall turmoil surrounding the Theatre of Dreams than the man himself, with the Englishman not the only player to have suffered a real dip in performances.

It would seem that there is still a quality defender in there somewhere, with the £27m-rated man – who has been dubbed “top class” by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – once described as the “best one-on-one defender for a full-back in the world” by pundit Jamie Carragher.

That assessment may have been made in his early stint at Carrington, although it shows the high regard he was held in following his original exit from Palace, notably averaging 3.7 tackles, 2.4 interceptions and 3.7 clearances per 90 during his final Premier League season at his former club during the 2018/19 campaign.

Equally, at still just 24, there is plenty of time left for the £83k-per-week warrior to recapture his form and finally realise his early potential, with Vieira potentially the right man to aid that progression having improved a number of youthful stars so far this term.

Most importantly, a new addition on the right side of defence is also needed, with both Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne both into their thirties, and with young Nathan Ferguson struggling for fitness since his move from West Bromwich Albion two years ago.

It may prove to be something of a shock move, although Palace must secure a deal for the United man’s return.

IN other news, “Agreement close…”: Ornstein drops huge CPFC update that supporters will love

Three things hurt India considerably in the three-match spin-fest at the Premadasa: their luck at the toss, their execution of the sweep, and their resource deployment

Sidharth Monga09-Aug-2024India have just lost an ODI series in what can objectively be termed pretty extreme conditions. In no bilateral ODI series of three matches or fewer have so many wickets fallen to spin: 43 out of 54, which also includes three run-outs, leaving just eight for the quicks. Only once has more spin been employed in a three-match ODI series, back in 1997-98 when Zimbabwe toured Sri Lanka.ESPNcricinfo LtdHaving not won an ODI series against India since 1997, having lost the T20Is 3-0, Sri Lanka took a calculated risk. They were missing a handful of their first-choice quicks because of injuries, and did what they needed to do to make the ODIs competitive. They prepared pitches that would offer appreciable turn and natural variation to spin bowlers, and enjoyed a bit of luck in winning all three tosses and getting the best of batting conditions.At any other venue, batting first in a day-night game is fraught with danger because dew can handicap spinners in the evening, but this is where the R Premedasa Stadium’s history is worth knowing. There was a time not long ago when it used to be impossible to chase in day-night matches at this venue, dew or no dew. The stadium was built in low-lying marshy land, and the underlying moisture would come up to the surface of the pitch in the evening, giving fast bowlers a significant advantage.Related

• Rohit: India 'need to seriously look at' their batting against spin

• Is this for real? Sri Lanka's rare glory leaves India shaken

• Rohit: 'We didn't play enough sweeps'

• India find allrounders but face plenty of questions

In the decade before the 2011 World Cup, 32 of the 45 day-night matches at the Premadasa were won by sides winning the toss. Before that World Cup, though, the playing surface was raised by three-and-a-half feet, and it did the trick. Sri Lanka chased successfully in their quarter-final and semi-final. The relevance of this history lesson now is that if you make a dry track, you need not worry about it getting better to bat on with the evening moisture or dew playing a significant role.Sri Lanka got their strategy right, had the rub of the green, and bowled superbly despite India getting off to three quick starts, thanks almost exclusively to Rohit Sharma, and defeated a side that had gone unbeaten through last year’s World Cup before the final, and one that had been dominating Sri Lanka in recent years.ESPNcricinfo LtdWe don’t have the HawkEye data to back it up, but the commentators suggested that it turned more and more as the matches progressed, and it does bear out in the batters’ output against spin. However, there seems to have been a clear difference between the sides in terms of approach. Sri Lanka seemed to be more conservative against spin while India looked to attack them more. It gave India a slightly better scoring rate but hurt them significantly with the wickets lost.In his analysis of his team’s batting, Rohit made an interesting point. He said India didn’t play the sweep shot as often or as well as Sri Lanka did. His observation was spot-on on both counts. Not only did Sri Lanka employ the various varieties of sweep more often, they also fared much better when they did. There is a good reason why India didn’t try it as often: they a lost a wicket on every fifth attempt.ESPNcricinfo LtdIf played well, the sweep brings more than just the immediate runs scored. It makes the fielding captain defend more areas of the field, opening up spaces elsewhere. That is particularly true if you play the reverse-sweep well. The threat of the reverse-sweep can force captains to deploy a deep point and open up the extra-cover region. It also messes with the spinners’ length.Historically, India haven’t been the greatest of sweepers. Improving on all kinds of sweep was the endeavour when Rahul Dravid and Rohit led the side. As with all things, there is a delicate balance: you improve on this new shot but don’t disregard your traditional strength, which is to get to the pitch of the ball or go right back. That India weren’t excellent on that front in this series is something that will concern them, especially Virat Kohli, who was twice caught on the front foot without getting anywhere close to the ball, giving him little chance to recover against the ball that didn’t turn.ESPNcricinfo LtdThese numbers don’t automatically make India a poor team against spin. Over the same period since 2019, India have the best average against spin in ODIs and only England and South Africa have scored quicker than them. Nor do those numbers necessarily make them the best batting unit against spin. It probably suggests that when there is appreciable assistance for spinners, India perhaps don’t do enough to force the opposition bowlers out of their comfort zones. This is something Rohit has said India will continue to work on.The one other thing that stood about India’s series loss was their less-than-optimal use of bowling resources. Even that possibly came down to their obsession with keeping a seam-bowling allrounder ready should Hardik Pandya not be available. That is possibly why they persisted with Shivam Dube through the series when the conditions called for a spin-bowling allrounder in Riyan Parag. Sri Lanka’s spinners, then, not only fared better but also bowled a lot more than India’s: 81.1% of their team’s overs to India’s 65.3. Some of this might have been down to there being more assistance for spinners in the second innings but the make-up of India’s XI perhaps also had something to do with their willingness to pay a short-term price for what they believe is a long-term pursuit.

The Nagpur Test against Australia was the most recent example of India’s lower-order scoring invaluable runs to win the game

Karthik Krishnaswamy13-Feb-20232:58

Chopra: Jadeja currently the best Test allrounder in the world

For two-thirds of the second day of the Nagpur Test, Australia seemed to channel the spirit of India’s bowlers from the Bengaluru Test of 2017.In Bengaluru, India had been bowled out for 189 on day one and by stumps had slipped further, by allowing Australia to get away to a strong start. Then they had regrouped and turned in a bowling display of remarkable discipline to begin the process that culminated in one of India’s greatest-ever comeback wins.In Nagpur, Australia were bowled out for 177 on day one, and by stumps had bowled loosely and let India’s top order get away to a quick start. Then they regrouped at the start of day two, tightened their lines and lengths, and chipped away at the wickets.Related

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• Kohli an uneasy fit at slip as India search for Rahane's replacement

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• Will Starc play in Delhi? Boland happy to make it tough for the selectors

In Bengaluru, India reduced Australia to 269 for 7. In Nagpur, Australia did even better, reducing India to 240 for 7.At this point, the trajectories of the two Test matches, so tightly entwined this far, decided to go their separate ways. In Bengaluru, India bowled Australia out for 276. In Nagpur, Australia ran into Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.If this were a videogame, India had keyed in their cheat code.Jadeja and Axar put on 88. In home Tests since the start of 2021, it was India’s 11th partnership of 50 or more for the seventh wicket or below. Axar and Mohammed Shami would then go on to make it 12, adding 52 for the ninth wicket.In this time, no other team has had nearly as many 50-plus lower-order stands at home as India, with England and Pakistan a distant second with eight each. Four of India’s 12 50-plus lower-order stands, meanwhile, have gone on to breach the century mark. Only one other team, Sri Lanka, has had as many as two.Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja added 88 for the eighth wicket in Nagpur•BCCIThe most remarkable thing about India’s lower-order interventions in home Tests is how frequent they’ve been. The 50-plus stands have come at the rate of nearly one every four partnerships; New Zealand are next best, with one in 7.33 partnerships adding 50 or more.It’s always been a facet of home advantage in Test cricket that the lower orders of home teams tend to perform better than those of the visiting team. Lower-order batters tend not to have all-weather techniques, and they are likelier as a result to contribute with runs and stickability in familiar conditions. At home, moreover, they face bowling attacks who are less suited to the conditions than the home attack.Over their decade of dominance at home, India have almost always had strong lower orders. Jadeja, R Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha, for instance, were heavy contributors to their four series wins in the 13-Test 2016-17 season. Australia will remember Saha’s century in Ranchi, where he and Cheteshwar Pujara turned a situation of parity into one of overwhelming Indian dominance, and the Saha-Jadeja partnership in Dharamsala that put India’s noses ahead in a tense struggle for the first-innings spoils.Since the start of the home Test series against England in early 2021, however, India’s lower order has gone to another level in home Tests. Jadeja sat out that series with an injury, but Axar made his debut, and Washington Sundar, who had made two key lower-order contributions in his debut Test just before this series, at the Gabba, also featured.India profited from five 50-plus lower-order stands in that series, and four of them stretched to 80 or beyond. Washington and Ashwin were involved in three each, and Axar in one, an eighth-wicket century stand in Ahmedabad.Axar’s lethal bowling in that series turned him into a near-certain pick in home Tests. With Axar joining Jadeja and Ashwin, India now had three frontline spinners who were also genuine allrounders in home conditions, with one of them, Jadeja, a genuine allrounder anywhere in the world.This meant India could pick all three in nearly every home Test without worrying about their batting, and still play two fast bowlers.R Ashwin has five Test hundreds•BCCISince the start of 2021, India’s spin-bowling allrounders have terrific records at home. Washington and Jadeja average over 60 – they’ve played only three and four home Tests in this period, respectively – Axar 31.22, and Ashwin 28.38.This has made winning in India, already the hardest task for away teams in Test cricket, even harder.As Nagpur showed, lower-order contributions have knock-on effects that go beyond just runs added. From seven down, India added 160 runs to their total, and extended their innings by 56.2 overs.All those extra overs of wear and tear meant Australia batted on a more challenging pitch than they would have if they’d run through India’s lower order quickly. All those extra overs in the field meant Australia’s batters played on a more challenging pitch with tired legs and tired minds.Over the course of a four-Test series, all those extra overs bowled are extra workloads for bowlers to recover from. Australia played a four-man attack in Nagpur, and they may have to do so again in Delhi if Cameron Green isn’t fully fit to perform his all-round duties.All the lower-order contributions have had another effect too – they’ve moved the spotlight away from India’s top-order issues. Since the start of 2021, both Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have home averages in the 20s, and have looked far less assured against spin than they did in their pomp. KL Rahul’s only played one Test in this period, but he’s facing scrutiny over his form too. Their two most consistent middle-order contributors in home conditions in recent months, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, both missed the Nagpur Test with injury. Pant is out for the entire series, and possibly the rest of the year too, and it isn’t yet certain if Iyer will return to play in Delhi.This piece could have been talking about all that. But it isn’t, because India have a cheat code in home Tests.

He’s happy being a spinner who doesn’t spin the ball and he’s ferocious when he gets a chance to bat

Alagappan Muthu04-Oct-20202:15

Moody: Can’t win by scoring just 19 boundaries in Sharjah

David Warner is set. It has taken him a while to get here. But finally, he is hitting a cricket ball so hard you wince watching it all happen.Imagine what it would take to beat him. To confound him to such an extent that he is bent over at the crease, held up by his bat, all of his power made totally redundant.This was a wide yorker of the finest quality. It had pace. It was accurate. And, best of all, it was the last thing the batsman expected… because it was bowled by a spinner.Krunal Pandya punched the air with a real sense of purpose. He had given away only nine runs in the over, the 15th of the innings, and he had taken a wicket, leaving the Sunrisers with an improbable task: 70 to win off only 30 balls – 12 of which would be shot out of the cannon that Jasprit Bumrah calls a right hand.Mumbai owed a lot of their victory on Sunday to Krunal. In fact, according to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, he had the greatest influence on the outcome of the match among his team-mates. In simple terms, his efforts mattered more than any other Mumbai player’s, and remember this iis a line-up that features T20 royalty.Krunal Pandya’s all-round show helped Mumbai Indians to their third win of IPL 2020•ESPNcricinfo LtdKrunal began his spell in the powerplay, where only two fielders are allowed on the boundary, which in Sharjah is barely 70m. He also had to deal with bowling into the hitting arc of the left-handed Warner. All of this points to a high degree of difficulty that the bowler has to negotiate and Krunal did beautifully. Dude hit four boundaries off four balls, but gave away only three in 24.And he’ll have to finish his full quota more often than not because there is no other option. Mumbai – or even India for that matter – can’t afford to rush Hardik Pandya into bowling after his back injury. The international players will be off on their tour of Australia immediately after the IPL. They can’t afford to go without their premier allrounder again.So Krunal is adapting to his new role. He only wobbles the ball now because he knows his pace (often exceeding 100kph) and his accuracy are his best bets to making a batsman hit where he wants. Krunal is so invested in this that he even experimented with a round-arm action to mess with Warner’s bat-swing. Anything to gain an edge.Krunal Pandya slammed two sixes and two fours in his four-ball innings•BCCIKrunal’s bowling showcased intelligence and clarity of thought. But there is a bit of anarchy in it as well. He’s happy being a spinner who doesn’t actually spin the ball. There was anarchy in his batting as well. Pure, pulse-pounding anarchy.In most of Mumbai’s matches, shots of their dugout late in the innings would reveal him in full gear and with a fearsome expression. He wanted in. He was ready to take on the world’s best death bowlers and put them into the stands. He had extra incentive to do that in Sharjah.Siddharth Kaul had just mercilessly yorked his little brother Hardik. You don’t mess with family like that. And so, big brother took strike, in his crease, his knees bent, his body in a crouch and set to spring on anything loose. Like a length ball. Krunal made it disappear over long-on. The strike was so pure that even cameraman lost track of the ball. This routine continued as Mumbai shot from 187 to 208 in the space of four balls – 6, 4, 4, 6.No batsman who has got to face at least two balls after having walked into bat in the 20th over in the IPL, has struck at a higher rate than Krunal’s 500 (FIVE HUNDRED!). Suddenly it wasn’t so clear which of the Mumbai siblings was the biggest six hitter. The question had to be put to Krunal at the press conference and, with a giant smile on his face, which then turned to out and out laughter, he simply said. “I’ll say [both] Pandyas are the biggest six-hitters.”IPL, you’ve been warned.

He last played for the team 21 years ago, but former Boston Red Sox pitcher-turned-TBS analyst Pedro Martinez remains a prominent voice in the team's sprawling media landscape.

When Martinez weighed in on the Red Sox's still-stunning trade of designated hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, Boston's fans took notice. The Hall of Fame pitcher mounted a fierce defense of Devers amid recent reporting that painted a picture of a divided Red Sox organization.

"I was shocked (when I heard about the deal), because if you try to sell to me, knowing Raffy Devers, that Raffy is a bad teammate or he's not a team player, you're lying," Martinez said. "You're gonna tell me he's a bad influence in the clubhouse? He's not."

The Devers trade has embarrassed Boston's front office amid an up-and-down year (and decade). The Red Sox traded Devers despite what has become an 8-2 record in their last 10 games, and the team has made the playoffs once since winning the 2018 World Series.

"The thing they mishandled from the get-go… this should've been in the hands of baseball people, not front-office people," Martinez said. "Not leaking it to the media. Not having a back-and-forth with the media, and (manager) Alex (Cora), and (president) Sam Kennedy, and (general manager Craig) Breslow."