Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stoked some flames among baseball fans last week when he admitted he's not sure whether Bryce Harper will ever become an "elite" player again.

Dombrowski's surprising comments gained steam across the Philadelphia sports world, even with some wondering whether that's an indication the franchise could look to move on from the eight-time All-Star. The Phillies president clarified his initial comments in a recent appearance on

"First of all, to me, Bryce Harper's one of the best players in the game of baseball," he said Thursday. "They asked me, 'What type of year do you think he had?' And I said, 'He had a very good year, I don't think he had an elite year.' And when I say that, when I think of Bryce Harper, it's a compliment, because the reality is there are eight, 10 players in the game of baseball every year, when they're not in the MVP consideration. … It's not an elite year for them.

"So the reality is, he's a great player, he's a future Hall of Famer. … Now I've been reading that, . That couldn't be farther from the truth. We love him, we think he's a great player, he's a very important part of our team. I've seen him have better years.”

The unsubstantiated rumors have hit Harper's ears, which caught him by surprise and left him downright disappointed.

“I have given my all to Philly from the start,” Harper said via Matt Gelb. “Now there is trade talk? I made every effort to avoid this. It’s all I heard in D.C. [with the Nationals]. I hated it. It makes me feel uncomfortable.”

Gelb reported in that Harper was hurt by Dombrowski's initial comments at his end of season press conference. The 14-year veteran slashed .261/.357/.487 with 27 homers and RBIs for the Phillies this season. His .844 OPS was his lowest since 2016 when he was still with the Nationals, while his .261 batting average was the lowest mark since his first season with Philadelphia in '19.

He missed most of June with a wrist injury, making 132 appearances in total on the year, which he mentioned led to the lower numbers compared to his high standard.

“All players get hurt,” Harper said to . “I hurt my wrist this year and missed a month. Of course I don’t have full-year numbers. It’s disappointing to hear me being questioned about my contribution to the team. Just really hurt by that notion because I love Philly so much.”

The 33-year-old star has six years left on the massive 13-year, $330 million deal he signed to join the Phillies in '19. There isn't an opt-out clause in his deal, which ties him to the franchise through the '31 season when he'll be 38 years old.

“I wanted these fans to know Philly is my home, so from the start, I made the commitment to stay here for the rest of my career,” he said. “No opt-out, even though I was advised otherwise. I trust [Phillies owner] John [Middleton].”

Harper clearly hopes to remain a Phillie for the foreseeable future. If anything else happens to bring his name into trade rumors, though, he certainly won't be happy.

If the Padres want to continue to contend in 2026, they'll have to do it without one of their staff aces.

San Diego pitcher Yu Darvish is out for '26 season after a procedure "to repair a torn flexor tendon and an internal brace in his elbow," according to a Tuesday afternoon report from Jeff Passan that accompanied a social-media post from Darvish himself.

"Last Wednesday I had surgery done by Dr. (Keith) Meister to repair my flexor tendon (and) have an internal brace attached to my UCL I will be working hard on my rehab to be able to throw a ball comfortably again," Darvish wrote in English, along with a similar statement in Japanese.

Darvish, 39, will enter his 14th Major League Baseball season in 2027.

In 2025, he debuted on July 7 due to persistent elbow inflammation. He went 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 72 innings, and started the deciding game of the Padres' wild-card series against the Cubs—losing that contest 3–1.

In 13 years with four teams, Darvish has made five All-Star teams—most recently during an 8-11 campaign in 2021. He has finished in the top 10 of the Cy Young voting on four occasions, and made five Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star appearances in Japan before coming to the United States.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das has said the current crop of players were “almost ready” for the 2026 T20 World Cup after an improved fielding performance in the 2-1 series win against Ireland.Bangladesh have played 30 T20Is in 2025, the most for them in a year. The victory against Ireland was their fifth in T20I series this year after consecutive wins against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Netherlands and Afghanistan. They had lost to Pakistan and UAE before that streak, and West Indies after.Against Ireland, Bangladesh bounced back from 0-1 down to win the second and third T20Is. On Tuesday, they won by eight wickets and 38 balls to spare after an emphatic all-round display.Related

• Tanzid, Rishad, Mustafizur lead Bangladesh to series win

“I wanted the team to win from pressure situations,” Litton said after the third T20I. “We couldn’t overcome the pressure in the first game but we fought back to win the series. There are many positive sides. We are not a good fielding unit, but we took some brilliant catches in this series. At least in the fielding department, we have shown improvement. After playing the most number of T20Is in a year, I think our players have become more mature.”The credit goes to all the players and coaching staff. Our team was ready since the Asia Cup. We have only used a certain number of players since then. I think we want these players to play their best cricket in the BPL, which we then expect them to replicate for the national team. I am not concerned about anyone’s performance, but about injuries. We will all pray that we remain safe in the next two months.”Litton said Bangladesh had experimented this year, to find their best combination for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February. For instance, Bangladesh used all their opener options in the top four in the third T20I against Ireland, while also mixing up their spinners and fast bowlers.”We have conducted a lot of experiments. We made certain changes that were risky – like Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman] didn’t bowl the last over today,” Litton said. “[Mohammad] Saifuddin bowled the last over. I wanted to see what a player will do after not playing two matches. I think we tried almost everything in every aspect of the team. This bunch of players are almost ready for the next World Cup.”Bangladesh, however, do not have a settled middle order, with at least one position still up for grabs. They tried Jaker Ali, Nurul Hasan and Shamim Hossain in each of the three matches, though Shamim didn’t get to bat in the third game.”I am not too concerned about it [the No. 6 position],” Litton said. “Not everyone will get runs in every series. You saw [Towhid] Hridoy doing well in this series. I want them to score runs in the BPL, and then bring that to the World Cup.”Litton also said he had to rotate between three spinners in the XI, which means one of his “match-winners” ends up on the bench.”Mahedi [Hasan], Rishad [Hossain] and Nasum [Ahmed] are my match-winners, so I have to take a tough call when I have to pick [only] two spinners in the XI,” he said. “Sometimes, my performer has to sit out. They have accepted my decisions. They are good team-mates. It will keep happening in the future, but of course we explain to them [why we didn’t pick any of them].”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared an update on Declan Rice and his condition heading into their crucial Premier League clash at Aston Villa this weekend.

Arsenal travel to Aston Villa as Arteta sweats over key men

Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime with Arteta sweating over the availability of multiple key players following Wednesday night’s hard-fought victory over Brentford.

Gabriel Magalhaes remains sidelined with a thigh problem that has kept him out of recent fixtures, while William Saliba continues battling what Arteta described as a “very bizarre” injury that forced him to miss the last two matches.

The Arsenal manager suggested Saliba’s absence would only last “a matter of days,” raising hopes he could return for this crucial early kickoff against Unai Emery’s resurgent side.

Cristhian Mosquera’s situation, though, presents greater concern.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

The summer signing landed awkwardly on his ankle after an aerial duel against Brentford and couldn’t continue past halftime, requiring further assessment this week.

Arteta admitted Mosquera’s ankle issue represents the most complex problem facing his medical staff, describing it as “more complicated” than the other defensive doubts ahead of Saturday’s encounter.

Leandro Trossard also remains doubtful after missing midweek with an unspecified muscular complaint.

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Like Saliba, the Belgian winger should return within days according to Arteta’s latest briefing, though his participation against Villa hangs in the balance until today’s final training session provides clearer answers.

Kai Havertz will miss out completely as he continues his recovery from a knee problem, with no return anticipated for weeks.

The German’s absence could force Arsenal to continue relying on Mikel Merino in an unfamiliar striking role, as Viktor Gyokeres steadily works his way back to full fitness after his own recent injury.

Merino has surprisingly flourished with 21 goals this calendar year for club and country, becoming Arsenal’s unlikely top scorer in the process.

Mikel Arteta shares Declan Rice injury twist out of Arsenal

The greatest concern, however, surrounds Rice after he limped off late against Brentford with a calf problem.

Interestingly, the midfielder confirmed to Sky Sports that he was fine and ready to go against Villa, as pointed out by Fabrizio Romano.

However, there has now been a twist to the tale.

When asked about the £240,000-per-week star’s condition, Arteta explained that Rice is in fact a doubt to play against Villa.

Much like Saliba and Trossard, the player will be subject to a late fitness test.

This contradicts what Rice told Sky, with Arteta seemingly taking a cautious approach when it comes to his star midfielder.

The former West Ham captain has become Arsenal’s most indispensable player this season, anchoring their midfield with relentless energy and robustness that nobody else in Arteta’s squad can replicate.

His ability to break up opposition attacks, control possession and cover defensive gaps has proven crucial to Arsenal’s title challenge, making him one of the first names on the team sheet every week.

Not having Rice available for one of their toughest games of the festive period would be an almighty blow, with Arteta hoping he can in fact take part in the Midlands.

There has now been a new update on Crystal Palace’s pursuit of a “true warrior”, with it being revealed a “good value” January deal is possible.

Palace on course to push for Europe

Palace remain in a strong position to push for European qualification, having taken 20 points from their opening 13 Premier League games this season, although they will be frustrated about Manchester United coming from behind to win at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

The Eagles fell to a 2-1 defeat against Ruben Amorim’s side, but they will have the opportunity to put things right tonight, when they travel to Turf Moor to take on an out-of-form Burnley side, who have lost their last four Premier League matches.

However, with the likes of Sunderland, Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion all in European contention after impressive starts to the campaign, it is getting congested at the top of the table, and Oliver Glasner’s side are now looking at new additions for the January window.

Last week, it was revealed that a concrete offer had been made for Bayern Munich’s Sacha Boey, who Glasner is a big fan of, according to a new update on their pursuit of the defender from TEAMtalk.

In an interview, journalist Dean Jones said: “Palace have been made aware that there could be a possibility for this one on a permanent deal and it actually could be a good value one. I’m told that is the preference at the moment.

“They [Bayern] don’t have much interest in letting him out on a loan. In the case of a loan offer they may well just hold on to him until the summer instead.

The journalist also went on to clarify that negotiations aren’t currently at an advanced stage, saying: “At this stage I think Palace are just feeling out the terms and understanding the player’s situation.”

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ByHenry Jackson Nov 25, 2025 "True warrior" Boey could be exciting addition for Palace

The right-back certainly caught the eye during his time with Galatasaray, having been hailed as a “true warrior” by members of the Turkish media, and he is very assured in possession of the ball, as displayed by his performance across some key metrics over the past year.

Sacha Boey’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

73.18 (97th percentile)

Pass completion %

90% (99th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.31 (95th percentile)

That said, the 25-year-old, who rakes in £80k-a-week should probably seek a move this winter, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably, being benched for the last three Bundesliga games.

With Palace competing in Europe this season, it would be a smart move to bring in additional strength in depth at right-back this January, and a long-term replacement for Daniel Munoz may be needed regardless, amid interest from Chelsea and Barcelona.

As such, Glasner’s side should make a move for Boey, and it is promising news that a deal could be possible for a reasonable price.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is stuck between a rock and a hard place after Mohamed Salah’s extraordinary outburst in the wake of the Reds’ 3-3 draw against Leeds United at Elland Road.

Having led 2-0 after the hour mark, Liverpool succumbed to recurrences of fragile defending and weak mentalities, and Salah’s comments were fuelled by frustration after sitting on the bench for the third successive game, this time not entering the field at all.

But the Egyptian attacker’s narrative-stealing invective has turned attention away from the latest woes from Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, the former making yet another mistake and the captain’s collapse in confidence and composure laid bare – barer – at the weekend.

Pundit Jamie Redknapp believes the centre-backs are “playing like they’ve never met each other before”, and it’s crucial that Slot finds a way to solve this problem that is threatening to swallow the Premier League champions whole.

Liverpool need to fix their defence

With Liverpool’s star defenders flattering to deceive, it’s only natural that FSG should consider signing a new man this winter. That botched bid for Marc Guehi at the end of the summer transfer window continues to look more detrimental for Slot and Liverpool’s season.

The need for a centre-back is great, but Liverpool’s midfield has been well below standard this season, and a robust and physical force might bear dividends in Slot’s plan to rekindle balance and make his side more compact, harder to play through.

As per Football Insider, Atalanta’s Ederson has been earmarked as the candidate, FSG having been informed they could strike a deal for the 26-year-old in January.

A bid worth £50m could do the trick. Liverpool have the facilities for such an offer, and it is one they must make to arrest this disastrous slump.

What Ederson would offer Liverpool

Slot is a man on the brink. What only months ago looked like the foundation of a dynasty could now collapse like a house of cards, with so many things having gone wrong at Anfield.

In isolation, Ryan Gravenberch hasn’t been poor this season, but he’s struggling to combine with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai and create a balanced and efficient central unit.

This is one of the many issues Slot has yet to find the answer for, and if he is to restore Liverpool’s equilibrium and get the centre-backs operating at their maximum once more, it might be a centre-midfielder who needs to be signed.

Ederson could be the perfect man for the job. Reporter Carlo Garganese described the Brazilian as a “machine” of a midfielder when Gian Piero Gasperini led Atalanta to the Europa League title, severing Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten run.

The South American enforcer packs a more powerful punch than any of Liverpool’s current midfield options, and he’s mobile and balanced in his midfield performance too, ranking among the top 8% of Serie A midfielders this season for pass completion, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 5% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

He is a combative, ground-covering midfielder, and his impetus on progressing play could see him provide the coating Liverpool’s defence needs to turn things around, helping cover Konate’s weakness in the build-up and providing legs to ensure Van Dijk, 34, can settle in his defensive berth.

Minutes played

90′

90′

Touches

62

83

Shots (on target)

1 (1)

1 (0)

Accurate passes

40/49 (82%)

57/62 (92%)

Chances created

0

0

Dribbles

0/0

0/0

Ball recoveries

4

1

Tackles won

1/2

0/0

Interceptions

0

1

Clearances

4

15

Duels won

7/10

12/14

Italian content creator Damiano Coccia has even claimed that Ederson is “the strongest defensive midfielder in the world”, so it’s clear to see why he would be such a brilliant addition for an Anfield side in disrepair.

Against Leeds, Van Dijk and Konate combined for an abject second-half display, and this is exactly the type of player who would stop the rot and bring Liverpool back into the ascendancy.

His athleticism and tough-tackling nature would help Van Dijk and Konate play their way back into form.

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Matheesha Pathirana, who last played at the Asia Cup this September, has been hampered by injuries in recent times

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025In a late move, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have decided to release Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana from their squad ahead of IPL 2026. ESPNcricinfo has learned that CSK have been deliberating their future with Pathirana, who they had bought ahead of IPL 2023 and retained before the 2025 mega auction for INR 13 crore.This emerged on Saturday – the IPL retention window closes at 3pm.With his slingy action and ability to find swing consistently at 140-plus clicks, Pathirana announced himself at IPL 2023, when CSK won the title, picking 19 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 8.01. Then captain MS Dhoni, though, had warned that Pathirana would need to be carefully managed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in order for him to have a long career. Dhoni’s words were not far off the mark – Pathirana has struggled with various injuries over the years.Related

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Pathirana, who last played at the Asia Cup this September, had a curtailed IPL 2024 owing to a hamstring injury and then left for home midway into the SA20, where he playes for Joburg Super Kings. In IPL 2025, he was under par, taking 13 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 10.13.CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming had said during the season that the franchise was concerned by Pathirana’s drop in impact, which he suspected had to do with the SLC tweaking the bowler’s release point which was causing him troubles.CSK have now decided to release Pathirana with a possibility of buying him back at the auction, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16.CSK had been the only team Pathirana has played for in the IPL, with his overall numbers in the three seasons being 47 wickets in 32 matches at an average of 21.61 and economy of 8.68.CSK are set to be among the few teams to go into the auction with a big purse, having also decided to release a host of players including the New Zealand pair of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. They have also traded Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals for Sanju Samson.

Antony was caught on camera taunting Sevilla supporters during Real Betis’ derby victory over their arch-rivals. The Brazil international was unable to play any part in said contest as he served a suspension. The former Manchester United winger did, however, make a point of winding up fans that were sat in his vicinity, with objects being thrown in his direction.

Why Antony missed Andalusian derby through suspension

Antony was restricted to a spectator role as Betis lined up against old adversaries at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. He took up a seat in an executive box after picking up a red card during a La Liga clash with Girona – with the South American having caught Joel Roca with a high boot.

While being prevented from taking to the field, the 25-year-old made a point of joining his team-mates at Sevilla’s home stadium. Antony was never going to let his presence go unnoticed, with the Samba star taking great delight in winding up opponents – on and off the field.

AdvertisementWatch Antony taunt Sevilla fans from box in the stands

Two goals, a red card & game delay: Eventful derby clash

He caused quite a stir when Sevilla fans spotted him in the crowd. As bottles and other missiles were thrust in Antony’s direction, he waved his arms around and bellowed back at his derby foes. Antony was never under any threat of being harmed as he was safely housed behind a box window.

Antony had the last laugh as Betis claimed a 2-0 victory over Sevilla, with Pablo Fornals and Sergi Altimira getting their goals. The hosts finished said contest with 10 men after winger Isaac Romero was dismissed for a reckless challenge on Betis defender Valentin Gomez.

He saw red with six minutes remaining, with angry home supporters throwing objects onto the field. Referee Jose Luis Mubuera Montero was forced to suspend the game, leading to players spending 15 minutes in the dressing rooms before play could resume.

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GettyMan Utd flop Antony is loving life with Real Betis

Antony will be delighted to have seen his side prevail without him, having registered six goals and three assists for Betis through 13 appearances this season. He has rediscovered a lost spark since initially moving to Spain in the January window of 2025.

A permanent transfer from Manchester United was completed over the summer, following a protracted chase, with a disappointing spell in English football being brought to a close. Antony managed just 12 goals for the Red Devils after joining them from Ajax for £85 million ($112m) in 2022.

The allrounder replaces Ellyse Perry as the club look to the future after just one finals appearance in six seasons

Tristan Lavalette07-Nov-2025Ashleigh Gardner will further her leadership development after taking the reins from Ellyse Perry as captain of Sydney Sixers, a WBBL franchise hoping to recapture their former standing.The transition signals a new era after Perry had captained Sixers since the inaugural season in 2015-16, yielding back-to-back titles in the second and third seasons of WBBL. But Sixers’ status as an on-field powerhouse has faded away having failed to qualify for the finals in five of the past six seasons.Related

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It is a major reset for Sixers under the fresh leadership of Gardner and new head coach Matthew Mott, the former coach of the Australia women’s team and England men’s white-ball sides.Gardner, 28, has been an integral part of the Sixers from the start, holding the club record for games (135) and wickets (102), while also sitting third for runs (2607). She has long been viewed as an Australia captain in the making, particularly impressing over the years in promoting Indigenous culture and history.Gardner should be in the mix to succeed Alyssa Healy, who confirmed the recent ODI World Cup would be her last in that format. Earlier this year, Gardner was the vice-captain on the T20I tour of New Zealand, where Tahlia McGrath captained in Healy’s absence.Her Sixers appointment follows being handed the captaincy of Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League and Trent Rockets in the Hundred.”I’m honoured to be appointed captain of the Sydney Sixers, a club I’ve proudly represented for my whole career,” Gardner said. “Over the past decade I’ve learned from some amazing leaders, including Pez [ Perry] and Midge [Healy] at the Sixers, and I can’t wait to lead the team.”Perry, 35, will remain at Sixers for at least the next three seasons. “It’s been an immense pleasure to have the opportunity to lead the Sixers over the last ten years,” she said.”Ash has offered so much to Sixers on-and-off the field and her strong interest in giving her best as a leader will be an exciting starting point for our team this season.”Healy will miss Sixers’ season-opener due to a minor thumb injury sustained in the World Cup semi-final. The injury will be monitored when she returns to training next week.Sixers start their campaign against Perth Scorchers on Sunday at the WACA.Meanwhile, Melbourne Renegades captain Sophie Molineux will miss the opening two matches as she manages a minor quad strain. Georgia Wareham will take the captaincy in her absence.

He has the bouncer, he swings the ball, he also has the slower ball in his artillery. Can he be the next big thing in Indian fast bowling?

Deivarayan Muthu28-Sep-2025Gurjapneet Singh is yet to play an IPL or List A game, and has played just five T20s, but has bolted into the India A squad for the upcoming unofficial ODI series against Australia A in Kanpur from September 30. Having made his Ranji Trophy debut for Tamil Nadu last October, the left-arm quick has since had a stint with the senior India side as a net bowler, earned his maiden IPL gig, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and entered the BCCI’s pool of targeted fast bowlers.Things have happened quickly for Gurjapneet in the past year, but he has taken a long and winding road to get to India A. Born in Ludhiana in Punjab and raised in Ambala in Haryana, he moved to Chennai when he was around 17. After toiling away in Chennai’s sapping heat in league cricket for around seven years, the step up has been swift.Most recently, the 26-year-old emerged as the highest wicket-taker among seamers in the Duleep Trophy, with ten strikes in two games at an average of 24.10, including two four-wicket hauls.Related

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At six feet four inches, he hits the deck and generates extra bounce. He also swings the ball both ways. India’s selectors and even IPL franchises have cast their nets wide for tall fast bowlers in the recent past. Prasidh Krishna has graduated to the Test team while Punjab’s Gurnoor Brar has now been fast-tracked into the India A set-up along with Gurjapneet. Jammu & Kashmir’s tall fast bowler Yudhvir Singh Charak has also made the India A squad though his List A and first-class averages are not flash.In his short career at the senior level, Gurjapneet has dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara on Ranji Trophy debut, and Virat Kohli, albeit at the Chepauk nets when he was a support bowler during India’s Test series against Bangladesh last year. He’s now preparing to front up to some international batters from Australia in the unofficial ODI series.”My rhythm has been good in the Duleep Trophy and [I] have also been working with Troy Cooley and others in Bengaluru,” Gurjapneet tells ESPNcricinfo. “They spoke to me about the bowling approach in days’ cricket and one day-cricket and [the] mindset. I’ve also been doing my rehab and gym. Right now, I’m not thinking too much about who the batsman is or how the situation [at India A] will be. It’s important to follow your process and habits and just keep doing that.””I started bowling in TNPL and I was getting better day by day,” Gurjapneet says. “I’m getting the rhythm again. I also played a few league matches in Chennai before the Duleep Trophy. I was ready for the Duleep Trophy and right now mentally and physically I can say I’m getting better.”Gurjapneet has also been working on his batting and showed improvement there during TNPL 2025 where he clattered ten boundaries in 33 balls, including six sixes. He then played out 81 balls for 29 runs from No. 9 for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final.”Whatever the coaches suggested to me, like I was working with Mike Hussey also at CSK,” Gurjapneet says. “I then batted in the TNPL and even in my first Duleep match against North, I scored something like 29. It’s about adding to your game and contributing with the bat too. Hussey gave me some points and I’m also trying to get better at batting.”With a whirlwind year now under his belt, Gurjapneet is now ready for the step up against the Australians in Kanpur.