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Hardik Pandya will appear for Baroda in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s domestic T20 tournament, marking his first appearance in professional cricket since the end of September. National selector Pragyan Ojha is expected to be in attendance for the two games- against Punjab and Gujarat on December 2 and 4, respectively – to assess Hardik’s match fitness.Hardik’s last appearance was for India, at the Asia Cup, during their Super Fours match against Sri Lanka on September 26. He has been out of action since then owing to a left quadricep injury. He arrived at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, in Bengaluru, to begin his rehabilitation on October 15, and after a three-day break for Diwali, he has continued working with them on his fitness during the stretch from October 21 to November 29.He appears for Baroda at the SMAT with the BCCI selectors at the cusp of announcing the squad for the five-match T20I series against South Africa. ESPNcricinfo understands that the selectors are expected to name a squad for the series in the next couple of days. Hardik’s availability for Baroda, and whether he can appear for any further fixtures, will depend on if and when he is called up to join the India squad for preparation.Baroda lost their opening encounters against Bengal and Puducherry at the SMAT – by six wickets and 17 runs, respectively – but have bounced back to win against Himachal Pradesh.

There has now been a new update on Manchester United’s interest in AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, with details of his release clause emerging ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo has been one of the breakout stars of the Premier League this season, with Bournemouth teammate Lewis Cook praising the forward for the improvements he’s made to his game, saying: “He’s got a lot better at running back and helping out the team too. He’s a powerful lad and has all the ability in the world. Hopefully he can continue to show that.”

Naturally, given the level of his performances, the 25-year-old has started to attract interest from elsewhere, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and United being named as potential suitors.

It was previously thought that it may take around £80m to prise the former Bristol City man away from Bournemouth, but there has now been a new update on his future, which suggests a deal could be done for a more reasonable price.

Man Utd line up Semenyo move amid £65m release clause

According to a report from United In Focus, Man United are now considering a January move for Semenyo, whose £65m release clause will become active in January, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey providing a further update.

Bailey said: “Manchester United have been chasing Antoine Semenyo since the summer; they have maintained that interest since. I am told they were fully aware of the clause when he signed his new deal, after known about its validity for January and beyond.

“United like Semenyo, and whilst unlikely, he is an option that would be considered for January. Whilst Semenyo does have a clause, £65m in one hit is a big ask for any club.”

Despite being cheaper than initially expected, £65m would be a huge outlay, but it could be worth INEOS breaking the bank to sign the Ghanaian, who would become one of Man United’s top ten most expensive signings of all time.

Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie recently lauded his teammate as “scary good”, having already racked up nine goal contributions in the Premier League, although he would’ve been frustrated not to add to his tally against Aston Villa last time out, being denied from the penalty spot by Emiliano Martinez.

Still, there have been some very encouraging signs from the London-born forward, with perhaps his best performance coming in the Cherries’ 3-1 win against Fulham, picking up a brace and an assist, which resulted in a 9.5 SofaScore match rating.

Having struggled recruitment-wise in recent years, Man United may have finally found a winning formula, bringing in proven Premier League stars Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in the summer, and Semenyo would be a similar type of signing.

Man Utd preparing British-record bid for £200m superstar The new Ronaldo: Man Utd preparing British-record bid for £200m superstar

Manchester United are looking to make further attacking investments after this summer’s spending.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

Sunderland are believed to have contacted Real Madrid over the potential signing of one Spanish ace, as they look to seal an audacious piece of business.

It has been a dream start to life back in the Premier League for the Black Cats, with Regis Le Bris defying all expectations and silencing those who predicted them to be relegated straight back to the Championship this season.

New signings have excelled for Sunderland, helping them sit fourth in the table, but Le Bris will know that his side cannot afford to rest on their laurels, potentially even eyeing further new additions in the January transfer window.

They have been linked with plenty of players of late, with Barcelona star Fermin Lopez emerging as a stunning option, in a possible transfer record move to the Stadium of Light. Talks are believed to have opened regarding a mammoth £70m transfer.

It looks as though Lopez isn’t the only big-name target for Sunderland in La Liga, however, with another hugely gifted Spanish player now being mentioned as a target, too.

Sunderland make contact over Gonzalo Garcia signing

According to a report from Spain, Sunderland are in the mix to sign Gonzalo Garcia from Madrid, having made contact with the Spanish giants over a move to the Stadium of Light.

Fellow Premier League sides Aston Villa and Wolves are also mentioned in the update, with all three clubs willing to offer £17.6m for his services.

The fact that Garcia is a rumoured target for Sunderland sums up the incredible strides they have made under Le Bris, with the idea of signing a Real Madrid player unthinkable in the past.

The Black Cats are a genuinely enticing project currently, though, and the 21-year-old may well love the idea of a move there, having only managed one league start this season.

Garcia has scored five goals for Madrid, though, which is no mean feat in a team littered with world-class players, and scout Jacek Kulig has called him “incredible” in the recent past.

He has also represented Spain across three age groups, including the Under-21s, so there is so much for Sunderland to admire about him, not least the fact that most of his career is still ahead of him.

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Garcia’s versatility could also appeal to Le Bris, with the Spaniard a centre forward by trade, but also capable of excelling on either the left or right flank.

Talks open: Sunderland willing to make record £70m offer for Barcelona star

Tottenham Hotspur are a club still in transition after Thomas Frank’s appointment in the summer, with the full extent of his system yet to be witnessed by the supporters.

The Dane was appointed on a three-year contract after Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal, with the 52-year-old only able to win five of his first 11 Premier League outings.

He’s only managed one league triumph on home soil to date, with such an issue needing to be addressed if the Lilywhites are to have any hope of finishing within the top four.

However, some of the players currently in his first-team squad have also done themselves no favours, leading to criticism of the manager for his team selection at times.

As a result, numerous players could be pushed closer to the exit door, potentially creating the additional funds needed to help build on the activity in the summer transfer window.

The Spurs players who could depart during the January window

Yves Bissouma is a player who has constantly been touted with a move away from Spurs in recent times – even before Frank took the reins back in the summer.

The Malian appeared to have burnt his bridges early on with the new boss, after being left out of the UEFA Super Cup final due to various disciplinary problems.

He’s failed to make a single appearance since Frank’s arrival, also struggling with injuries – which makes him an almost certainty to depart the Lilywhites in the winter.

Brennan Johnson is another player who could be pushed closer to the exit door in North London, something which may come as a surprise six months ago after netting the winner in the Europa League.

The Welshman has since lost his starting role in 2025/26, with Mohammed Kudus subsequently becoming the manager’s number one choice off the right-hand side.

He’s struggled to win his place back in the starting eleven of late, even being sent off in the Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen – further highlighting his lack of positive impact under the new boss.

The Spurs player who Conte was “very happy” to sign

Antonio Conte’s tenure in charge of Spurs was a memorable one for all the wrong reasons, with the Italian unable to get the best out of the crop of players at his disposal in North London.

The Italian spent just under 18 months at the helm in North London, but was unable to secure any silverware and often became known for his inability to succeed in the role.

The 56-year-old even produced a remarkable rant after the clash with Southampton in May 2023, massively digging out the quality of players and criticising their lack of quality.

It ultimately spelt the end of his time in charge of the Lilywhites, leaving the club after achieving a 53% record – but without any silverware to show for his efforts.

However, he was handed key funds to make changes he desired, as seen by the £60m move to sign Brazilian striker Richarlison from Everton in the summer of 2022.

The Italian was extremely pleased with such a move at the time, even stating that he was “very happy” to land the frontman to help bolster the options within the final third.

However, three years on from his transfer to join the Lilywhites, the 28-year-old has struggled to make himself a fan-favourite and has often struggled to produce the goods.

Frank has continued to show faith in the forward during the early stages of 2025/26, but it’s so far been to no avail – especially when delving into his stats from the ongoing season.

He may have scored four times in his 12 Premier League appearances to date, but the fanbase have grown frustrated with his lack of clinical edge – often missing more chances than he’s scored.

Games played

11

Goals scored

4

Pass accuracy

63%

Dribble success

50%

Aerials won

42%

Big chances missed

5

Fouls committed

1.5

Touches per 90

31

Richarlison has also been alien at the top end in numerous matches, as seen against Bodo Glimt in September, where he only registered a total of 10 touches in his 90-minute performance.

At present, he only has 18 months left on his current deal at the club, which could see them run the risk of losing him for nothing if they refuse to sell him in January.

However, the Brazilian certainly hasn’t done enough to warrant a new deal, nor has he been clinical enough to maintain the backing of Frank in the centre-forward role.

Given the circumstances, the hierarchy desperately need to offload Richarlison in January and invest the money wisely in a new talisman to help the Dane in his quest for success at the club.

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Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge move in January for yet another big-money attacker.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Over the summer, Ange Postecoglou was relieved of his duties as manager of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

He had promised supporters that season three is always the best. Alas, Spurs fans swiftly saw him exit the club, replaced by Thomas Frank.

While Postecoglou had guided the Lilywhites to the Europa League, thus engineering plenty of credit in the bank, they did ultimately finish 17th in the Premier League.

A major trophy was won but their league form was inexcusable. The same could now be said of Spurs under Frank.

Things started off rosy but they have unravelled in recent months. It’s all beginning to become rather Ange, isn’t it? The lack of ability to create goal-scoring opportunities and play attractive football is not rubbing off well on supporters.

Spurs could replace Frank already

As of 30th November 2025, the Dane has only been in charge of Spurs for 171 days. Yet, after a matter of months, Frank is already feeling the heat.

A week ago, the north Londoners put in a drab performance against rivals Arsenal, conceding four in the process. A few days later, while they did look more threatening in attack, they shipped five against European champions PSG.

A defeat against two of the continent’s very best is hardly a surprise, but their 2-1 loss to Fulham only rubbed further salt in the wounds.

This has been a terrible week for Tottenham and it’s hardly a surprise that Fabio Paratici and Co have been told to earmark possible replacements.

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According to reports in Spain, one name to have emerged on the club’s shortlist is former Barcelona player and manager, Xavi.

While the Spaniard is also on the radar of Manchester United, it’s thought that the Spurs board are considering making a change in the dugout if things have not improved by the end of December. In that eventuality, they will look to speak with Xavi about the job.

It’s stated that Spurs and United see Xavi as ‘an ideal coach to lead a new phase’, largely thanks to the fact that he has ‘modern ideas’ and ‘believes in young players’.

Why Xavi would be perfect for Spurs

Spurs have been there and done it before with a big-name manager. Antonio Conte’s spell ended in tears, as did Jose Mourinho’s. He steered them to a League Cup final at Wembley but was remarkably sacked on the eve of that big game.

As a result, caution must be heeded here. Is Xavi really the best port of call? Fears that another Conte or Mourinho situation could play out are understandable.

Yet, the fact of the matter is that Spurs have tried everything now. The relatively untested route of Postecoglou did end with a trophy but his spell was incredibly topsy-turvy. They’ve also been there and done it with a Premier League-proven manager. Nuno Santo ended poorly and the Frank regime is hardly going well, is it?

It’s rather sad. Frank is a nice man. He’s likeable. The first few months saw something of a revival too. Postecoglou’s defence was a total mess but the former Brentford manager had sorted that out.

Across Tottenham’s first seven games under Frank’s stewardship, they kept five clean sheets. There was better organisation and defensively they were far more resolute. Job done, right? The biggest problem under Ange was fixed. Think again.

The honeymoon period is now over. Spurs have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions. Across that time, they have shipped 15 goals. It’s far from ideal.

Wins

5

1

Draws

1

1

Defeats

1

5

Goals scored

14

11

Goals conceded

3

15

Data excludes European Super Cup

So, why would Xavi represent an upgrade? Well, in the words of Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, the former midfielder is “the best manager in the world.”

Whether or not you agree with that sentiment, the experience he boasts is extraordinary. As a player, he won the World Cup, two European Championships, eight LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues.

As a manager, he navigated Barca through choppy waters. Under financial pressure, the Spanish giants still won LaLiga and while they did spend big on the likes of Raphinha and Ferran Torres, a lot of the work done in the transfer market was bringing in players on a free transfer.

Xavi was also the boss who gave a certain Lamine Yamal his debut aged 15. He also handed a first-team debut to Fermin Lopez, now a regular in the Barca team and to centre-half Pau Cubarsi.

Speaking about the Spanish manager’s philosophy, Arsene Wenger once said: “Personally, I like Xavi, and I give him credit for having the courage to bring these young players on board. That’s the difficult thing. He believed in them and gave them a chance to play. It’s true that he didn’t win the league last season, but he did win it the season before that. So I think he did a good job.”

The fact of the matter is that the Spaniard trusts young players and this couldn’t be more perfect for a Spurs squad boasting some of the finest young talent around. Take the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Luka Vuskovic and Luca Williams-Barnett as prime examples. The 45-year-old could be game-changing for players like that.

Born and bred in La Masia, it’s hardly a surprise that Xavi also favours attractive and possession-based football. Frank, on the other hand, does not.

Sure, Spurs were more organised during the opening months of the Frank regime but as manager of Tottenham, the fans expect to see exciting football too.

While the Londoners have enjoyed 53.8% of the ball this season, the sixth-best tally in the division, they have struggled big time with their creativity. Their 9.5 shots per game is the third-lowest tally in the entire Premier League. Only Wolves and Burnley are below them. Remarkably, they are also registering no through balls per game. No other team is worse in that regard.

As a consequence, they sit 16th in the league for expected goals, with a record of 14.33 xG.

To put some of those numbers into context, when Xavi won the league with Barca in 2022/23, they enjoyed the most possession in the league (64.8%), and had the second highest volume of shots per game (15.1).

While Xavi had a better team in his armoury, he is clearly a better tactical coach and the fact that he’s won some of football’s biggest honours puts him on a pedestal far above Frank.

He’s played under the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, he’s certainly been able to learn a thing or two. Spurs would certainly be better off should they seal the remarkable capture of Xavi heading into 2026.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025

One year should be more than enough time to transmit your ideas to your squad and mould them to your way of playing. But Ruben Amorim's first anniversary as Manchester United coach against Everton felt like being back at square one, his players still no closer to working out how to beat mid-table Premier League opponents, even when playing against 10 men for more than 77 minutes.

Amorim was typically transparent and frank in his post-match assessment, laying out his frustration at his players for not getting up for the game and wanting to take advantage of Liverpool and Manchester City's defeats, ultimately admitting that Everton deserved to win. He was even envious of the Toffees' in-fighting which led to Idrissa Gueye being sent off for confronting Michael Keane as it showed that they cared, in contrast to the apathy his team seemed to embody. "I hope my players when they lose the ball, they fight each other,” he said.

He stopped short of properly criticising the players, stressing it was his responsibility "to explain to the players how to play in every situation of the game". But it was his rigid system that was really to blame for holding the team back when they needed to adapt to the dramatic change in circumstances brought about by Gueye's farcical red card and then Everton taking the lead, giving them license to sit in a low block for the rest of the game.

The game was a picture perfect example of why Amorim is doomed to fail unless he changes course and strays from his fixed 3-4-3 formation.

(C)Getty ImagesSystem exposed

It is one thing to have a fixed formation to work with on a day-to-day basis, and quite another to stick with it when there is a huge shift in dynamic caused by an early red card. United had benefitted from an early sending off for their opponents earlier this season when Robert Sanchez was dismissed in the fifth minute of Chelsea's visit to Old Trafford. The Red Devils responded to that incident by going for the jugular, although they were also helped by Enzo Maresca hauling off three attacking players soon after.

David Moyes, by contrast, made no changes after the red card, although he had been forced to replace the injured Seamus Coleman with Jake O'Brien a few minutes earlier. And yet despite being a man down in midfield, they managed to stifle United's threat in the middle of the park, with neither Casemiro nor Bruno Fernandes attempting a tackle in the first half. 

With the midfield blocked off, United tried to cause damage out wide and it was there that the limits of Amorim's system, especially with the personnel he has, were exposed. Patrick Dorgu couldn't create any danger down the left flank while Noussair Mazraoui only made one promising attacking move in the first half.

AdvertisementGettyWeak wing backs

Amorim's solution at half-time was to bring on Mason Mount and take off Mazraoui, who was at least getting forward, so that Amad Diallo could revert to his usual position of right-wing-back and make the most of his blossoming partnership with Bryan Mbeumo. United's left side remained blunt, though, and the coach eventually took off Dorgu. 

Amorim already had a seasoned attacking left-back on the pitch in Luke Shaw but rather than put the former England international in the position he has played all his life, he brought on the right-footed Diogo Dalot, who was ill-equipped to go round the outside. His only option was to go inside into midfield, where Everton were most comfortable.

It was a reminder of how United also struggled to break down Nottingham Forest earlier in the month with Dalot on the left flank, leading Jamie Carragher to say the Portuguese "can't beat a man, he's not going to play a clever pass, he's not going to get a cross in". In the end, United's best opportunity in the second half against Everton came when Shaw put a cross in for Joshua Zirkzee, whose header was denied by a fine save from Jordan Pickford.

Zirkzee's two headers in the second half were United's best efforts but they also smacked of desperation. Everton's defenders James Tarkowski and Keane were happy to deal with crosses all night, and United failed to ask enough questions of them with the ball on the floor. 

Getty 'Shaw not a centre-back'

"United were so pedestrian and so negative having gone to 10 men. You've got to flood forward, but they kept this three at the back," said a perplexed Gary Neville on . "Luke Shaw ambled forward. Luke Shaw is not a centre-back, Luke Shaw is a left-back who can go forward, and go forward well, and actually has a good left foot. 

"So you be the one who dominates and goes forward. He's just playing passes sideways, I thought Shaw was so disappointing. Bringing Dalot on that side and blocking that side off, Dorgu was having a tough night but putting Dalot on meant he was having to turn back on his right foot and play around. Dalot is not a left winger, he's finding himself as a left winger."

The Shaw situation summed up the problems with Amorim's system in a game like this. Here is a player who used to thrive on bombing forward and when that was what he needed to do, he stayed within the lane Amorim had drawn for him as centre-back.

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Getty Images SportNo plan against 10 men

Shaw wasn't the only one that didn't know what to do. "You have to adapt to the circumstances within the game," added Neville. "It looked like they hadn't planned how to play against 10 men. It's pretty damn obvious isn't it? You shift the ball quicker, you shift it from side to side, you switch play, you stretch the pitch and make it as big as possible, you make sure you literally run the other team ragged."

United were missing two key forwards in Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, who they signed for a combined £136m ($178m). Amorim refused to use their absences as an excuse and he will have to get more accustomed to key players going missing when the Christmas fixture pile-up begins in December, and when Mazraoui, Amad and Mbeumo go off to the African Nations Cup. Amad and Mbeumo were the only players who could be proud of their performances against Everton and they will be huge losses. 

Every coach has to cope without key players, but most of them have the flexibility to tweak their system to suit the personnel they have at any given moment. That's where Amorim differs and it's now looking like a case of adapting or falling on his sword. The Portuguese has repeatedly said that he is more prepared to do the latter.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca and BlueCo are gearing up for what could be an intriguing January transfer window, as one player reportedly eyes the Stamford Bridge exit door.

The west Londoners could be genuine Premier League title contenders, and their 3-0 statement win over Barcelona in midweek absolutely supports that theory.

Chelsea’s triumphant Champions League victory against the La Liga champions was the perfect way to prepare for their blockbuster face-off at home to Arsenal, and victory would see them close the gap to just three points.

However, a few players may not be along for the ride this season.

Chelsea are reportedly preparing for potential departures in January, as several current squad members seek routes out of London.

Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi remain the most problematic situations. Both players have been completely frozen out by Maresca, training separately from the first team in what has been dubbed the club’s “bomb squad.”

Sterling, who earns £325,000-per-week, and Disasi have been denied access to standard first-team facilities this term and will be desperate for January moves to resurrect their careers.

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Sterling’s substantial wages and Disasi’s apparent lack of suitors complicate matters significantly, but Maresca has confirmed that the latter has actually been assisting young players and helping with the ‘second team’.

There is also the matter of second-string goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

Jorgensen has emerged as the highest-profile exit candidate among active squad members. The Danish goalkeeper is reportedly considering a January departure after finding himself firmly behind Robert Sanchez in the pecking order.

Jorgensen wants regular playing time to secure his spot in Denmark’s 2026 World Cup squad, with national team bosses making clear he needs consistent minutes.

However, Chelsea are reluctant to sanction a loan, and any departure would need to be permanent.

Filip Jorgensen wants to leave Chelsea as clubs make contact

That is according to journalist Simon Phillips, who reports via his Substack that Jorgensen wants to leave Chelsea and clubs are now starting to make contact.

The 23-year-old, who’s started just one Premier League game, one Champions League and two Carabao Cup matches, finds himself stuck behind Sanchez and a move could be the best solution for all parties.

Promising young shot-stopper Mike Penders is also due back from his loan at Strasbourg in 2026, acting as a ready-made replacement for Jorgensen, and there are reports that Chelsea have reopened talks with AC Milan’s Mike Maignan.

If the latter were to arrive, Jorgensen’s game time would be even more limited, so it is hard to envisage a future where the Dane is playing regularly enough in a Blues shirt.

In today's baseball, throwing in the upper 90s is much more commonplace than it was even just a decade ago. Bullpens are stacked with fireballers and starters don't throw nearly as many innings as they used to, so there's no need to hold back on the mound.

Add in better training programs, breakthroughs in surgeries and recovery and new nutrition habits and it's no surprise that pitchers are throwing harder than ever.

That's not to say that there weren't incredibly powerful hurlers throughout the years. Nolan Ryan was clocked at 100 mph but was subject the old standard of radar tracking (at home plate). Many believe that if Ryan was clocked using today's standard (about 10 feet before home plate), his fastest pitches would come in somewhere around 108 mph.

And of course Randy Johnson exploded a bird while on the mound. We're not entirely sure how fast that ball was moving, but Johnson and his Diamondbacks catcher at the time (Rod Barajas) estimated it was around 100 mph.

Bob Feller participated in an early speed test where he threw a baseball against a racing motorcycle going 86 mph. Feller didn't release the ball until the motorcycle was already 10 feet or so ahead of him, but his pitch still crossed the finish line first. Early estimates suggested that ball was going over 100 mph. No wonder they called him 'Rapid Robert.'

Then there's Roger Clemens, who earned the nickname "The Rocket" for his 98 mph heater. Clemens maintained his high velocity well into his late 30s and won seven Cy Young awards.

However, these players were anomalies. Not the norm. Go back to just 2007 and you'll see a stark contrast on the mound. For example, in that 2007 season, the fastest average fastball speed was 97.6 mph (it belonged to Jonathan Broxton).

In 2025, Broxton and his 97.6 mph heater would be tied for 28th in MLB. Eight different pitchers currently average at least 99 mph on their fastballs. Three of them (Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran and Seth Halvorsen) average more than 100 mph.

So let's take a look back at the fastest pitches in MLB history, or perhaps more accurately, the fastest pitches of the statcast era.

The Fastest Pitches Ever Thrown in MLB History

Aroldis Chapman: Bringing the Heat Since 2010

Nicknamed the "Cuban Missile," Chapman made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 31, 2010. Just one month later, on Sept. 24, 2010, he threw the fastest recorded pitch in MLB history: a 105.8 mph fastball.

Since then, he's thrown nothing but gas for the Reds, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Red Sox. Chapman is an eight-time All-Star, a two-time World Series winner and a Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year award winner.

And he doesn't appear to be slowing down (or losing any velocity) with age. Despite now being 37-years-old, Chapman still routinely throws 100+ mph and is currently the Red Sox's closer.

How Pitch Velocity Is Measured

In the 1940s, there were some efforts to clock pitch speed, mainly due to Feller's incredible fastball. His motorcycle-radar test was a pioneering effort at the time, but it doesn't really hold up today.

This is because the ball speed was measured by timing the ball as it hit a barrier 60 feet away, but this severely underreported velocity as the ball will lose anywhere between five and 10% of its speed from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand to when it crosses the plate.

By the 1970s, radar guns were pretty commonplace in baseball. They provided much more consistent readings of speed, but it all depended on where the ball was being tracked. More often than not, it was at home plate, where the pitch was at its slowest.

MLB implemented PITCHf/x in all ballparks by 2008, which used triangulation to track both pitch speed and break. At this point, all pitch speeds were normalized to the 50-foot release point as well, making all of them comparable.

Now, MLB uses Statcast. Statcast uses Doppler radar and Hawk-Eye to track pitches' speed, exit velocity, spin rate and more.

Every pitch is now measured at release, making Chapman's 105.8 mph pitch truly the fastest verified throw in MLB history.

A number of players at the Vidarbha vs Rest of India Irani Cup will want to put up big performances keeping in mind the remainder of the first-class – and Test match – season

Himanshu Agrawal30-Sep-2025Akash Deep’s comebackAkash Deep, the right-arm quick, was last in action in the Oval Test against England, which finished in early August. After that, he was advised rest to recover from an injury and missed the season-opening Duleep Trophy.He is one of four quicks in RoI’s squad for the Irani Cup and is the most experienced of the lot. He had a good tour of England, where he picked up 13 wickets in three Tests, including a match-winning ten-wicket haul in the Edgbaston Test. The half-century from No. 4 in the final Test in England, which India also won, proved some ability with the bat as well.Akash Deep wasn’t picked in India’s squad for the two Tests against West Indies starting on October 2, where the focus is expected to be on spin. However, India are scheduled to play a total of four home Tests this season, and they will be watchful of Jasprit Bumrah’s workload during this time.A noteworthy performance for RoI could put Akash Deep back in the Test XI sooner rather than later. The key, one assumes, is his fitness.Ishan Kishan hasn’t played a Test match since July 2023•Getty ImagesAnother red-ball chance for Ishan KishanIshan Kishan was omitted from the BCCI’s list of centrally contracted players last year, but was included this year. This suggests he’s still in the team management’s plan, even though he last played a Test – his second – in July 2023. In June, Kishan played two County Championship matches for Nottinghamshire and scored 77 and 87 in his two innings. Like Akash Deep, Kishan was also selected in the East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy, but missed out owing to a minor injury he suffered during his county stint.Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan has leapfrogged Kishan in the wicketkeeper-batter’s race for the national side – Jagadeesan was named as the back-up to Dhruv Jurel for the Tests against West Indies – so the Irani Cup provides Kishan with a chance to remind the national selectors of his potential in the longest format.At 30, Abhimanyu Easwaran’s international career might remain a non-starter•Hindustan Times via Getty ImagesCan Abhimanyu Easwaran stay in the race?The opening batter was part of India’s Test squad in England but, like in the past, a debut eluded Abhimanyu Easwaran. Just before India announced their squad to face West Indies, former India quick Varun Aaron, while speaking to ESPNcricinfo, had said, “India have to give Abhimanyu a chance at some stage”. But Abhimanyu was dropped instead, and finds himself one level below again.And there might not be much space for him to squeeze in anyway for the foreseeable future, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul locked in at the top and B Sai Sudharsan at one drop.Abhimanyu got two half-centuries in four innings for India A against England Lions in May-June, and scored 44 against Australia A in the first unofficial Test earlier this month. For someone still looking to make the step up, those aren’t fantastic numbers, so the Irani Cup is a massive tournament for Abhimanyu who, at 30, might be running out of time.Ruturaj Gaikwad returned to competitive cricket with a bang at the Duleep Trophy•PTI Ruturaj Gaikwad’s return after injuryAn elbow injury cut Ruturaj Gaikwad’s IPL 2025 short and a “personal issue at home” forced him to pull out of a County deal with Yorkshire. Gaikwad returned to action only earlier this month – and with a bang. Playing for West Zone against Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, Gaikwad slammed 184 at a strike rate of 89 after going out to bat at 10 for 2.Gaikwad had a relatively quiet domestic first-class season in 2024-25, averaging 36.93 in 16 innings across the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, Ranji Trophy and India A’s tour of Australia. That included six single-digit scores, three of which came against Australia A. Gaikwad’s dominant knock to kickstart this domestic season not only confirms that he’s in good touch, but will also help him gain confidence for the rest of the season.Yash Rathod and Danish Malewar played their part in Central Zone’s Duleep Trophy win•PTI Can Yash Rathod keep the good work going?Yash Rathod, the 25-year-old Vidarbha batter, has continued his rise through the ranks in domestic cricket. Nineteen of his 21 first-class matches have come since the 2023-24 season, a time during which he has cemented his place in Vidarbha’s middle order. Rathod averages 58.83 in this period, and enters the Irani Cup on the back of 374 runs in five innings at 124.67 in the Duleep Trophy. He passed fifty three times in those five innings, and hit a career-best 194 against South Zone in the final.Rathod said “it was quite disappointing” to miss out on a double hundred, but has his eyes firmly set on what’s coming: “I also obviously want to play IPL, but my immediate goal is to prepare myself for Irani Trophy as that is also a big stage. If I perform there, I will get closer to my India A dream. Yes, I want to play for India, but to reach there, India A is my first step.”This domestic season, Rathod will have to take on extra responsibility after Karun Nair switched back to Karnataka. But given his last two seasons, he will back himself to pull it off, as will Vidarbha.Watch out for Danish MalewarAnother of Vidarbha’s young batters in good form, Danish Malewar started the season on a high by smashing his maiden first-class double-century against North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy. He has clocked 1135 runs in 12 matches in first-class cricket, averaging 56.75. Malewar has passed fifty 11 times in 20 innings, which is a sign of his consistency.Malewar looks up to his senior team-mate Rathod – he believes they have “a similar batting style” – and with 352, even got nearly as many runs as Rathod in the Duleep Trophy. Malewar will turn 22 next week, and given his bright start, looks like a long-term bet for Vidarbha.How will the game play out?The VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur, has traditionally had a slow and low surface. Last domestic season, it hosted three first-class games, two of which were drawn. Not even three innings could be completed in either of those two matches, as the pitch seemed to have little help for bowlers.Vidarbha have packed their 16-member squad for Irani Cup with four spin-bowling options, both frontline and all-round, so expect a spin-friendly pitch from the hosts, who last won the Irani Cup in 2018-19. In the end, though, it could come down to the first-innings lead, so expect both teams to bat long and bat deep.

Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli picked up five wickets between them, but couldn’t stop India A from hunting 412 down

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2025KL Rahul, who had retired when on 74 on the third evening, returned to the middle on the fourth morning at the fall of nightwatcher Manav Suthar’s wicket. Rahul batted till the job for his team was completed, ending unbeaten on 176 as India A hunted down 412 to beat Australia A by five wickets and take the two-match unofficial Test series 1-0 after the first match was drawn.By Rahul’s side when he walked out was B Sai Sudharsan, past the half-century mark at that stage, and then, Dhruv Jurel. Rahul and Sai Sudharsan added 78 runs in the morning, with Rahul first and then his partner getting to a century. Once Sai Sudharsan fell for 100, Rahul and Jurel added 115 in quick time as their stand required just under 19 overs.Those partnerships, between members of the senior India Test side, was too much to handle for the Australians, whose bowling attack boasted the experience of just eight Tests between them – seven for Todd Murphy, and one for Cooper Connolly. Murphy lived up to his status, adding the wicket of Suthar to the two he had on the third evening – N Jagadeesan and Devdutt Padikkal, both part of India’s Test squad for the games against West Indies next month. Corey Rocchiccioli, tipped to make the Test team in the not-too-distant future, removed Sai Sudharsan and Jurel.Corey Rocchiccioli picked up the wickets of B Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel•Tanuj/ Ekana Cricket Stadium

But those were the rare lapses on the part of the Indian batters, who started the day on 169 for 2, still 243 runs behind the target, with eight wickets in hand. Sai Sudharsan did the early scoring, not allowing Australia A from snatching the initiative away, and once Rahul came in, it became one-way traffic. After Sai Sudharsan became Rocchiccioli’s first victim, Jurel walked out and got going immediately. Rahul, though, was slower only in comparison. Jurel hit five fours and three sixes in his knock of 56 in 66 balls, going at a strike rate of 84.85, before falling with India A just 30 runs away from the target.Rahul, already past 150 by then, finished the job in the company of Nitish Kumar Reddy, hitting 16 fours and four sixes in his 210-ball innings. He finished with a strike rate of 83.81, underscoring the dominance of the Indian batters when the game was in the balance after a below-par show in the first innings. Reddy, meanwhile, hit three boundaries, and scored 16* at better than a run a ball.Australia were left to rue missed opportunities after they failed to defend 411. “I think that at the start of the day, anytime you’re defending over 400 in these conditions, you’re pretty confident that you can apply enough pressure,” Murphy said after the end of the game. “I think we stuck at it really well. We did create a lot of chances and probably just off the back of our homework, we let ourselves down a little bit by not taking them.”But I thought we applied ourselves pretty well out there. It was a tough grind. Rahul and Sudharsan batted really well, but I thought we stuck at it pretty well and it’s rid of a couple of missed opportunities.”Murphy also said that adapting to the Indian conditions was difficult. “I think the biggest challenge for us was probably dealing with the heat and the humidity,” he said. “Bloody, tough work and even personally just trying to figure out different ways to hold the ball when your hands were slippery with so much sweat. It was a big challenge for me and I think of fronting up day in, day out and still trying to put really good performances on the board.”The action between India A and Australia A now moves from Lucknow to Kanpur, in roughly the same part of India, for the three-match one-day series, with the first game to be played on September 30.