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Gritty exorcised some demons after Flyers eliminated the Penguins
IPL 2026 | 'Jasprit Bumrah hasn't been up to mark, but he has still been ... ': Kieron Pollard's blunt take on star pacer's form
Bumrah once again went wicketless and was taken for 54 runs in four overs by Sunrisers Hyderabad during their six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
After MI posted a massive 243/5, powered by Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 123, SRH responded in style, chasing down the target with 249/4 in 18.4 overs.
“When a cricketer is not doing well, we look at every single aspect as to why he's not doing well and there is no difference to Jasprit Bumrah,” Pollard told reporters when asked about several factors around Bumrah’s bowling in this IPL, including a dip in pace.
“He has done this for years. As a human being, you're entitled as well to make mistakes, not have a good day, not have a good season, not have a good couple months. I just feel that we need to sometimes remember the good things that he has done."
“Yes, we try to live in the present and he hasn't been up to mark, but he has still been a No. 1 bowler for Mumbai Indians and India over a period of time. I just feel that sometimes we can cut some slack to us cricketers sometimes because, we are unfortunate to always be in the public eye so when we do bad, it's always been highlighted.”
Pollard believes giving Bumrah some leeway could help him bounce back stronger.
“I know he's going to bounce back with greater heights and take wickets and we all, again, (are) going to be singing Bumrah-Bumrah not only for Mumbai Indians, but (also) for India."
Pollard also admitted that Mumbai Indians have struggled to put together a complete performance this season but rejected the idea that the team is already out of contention.
“We haven't been able to string a complete game of cricket together as a team. It has not been as consistent as we would have hoped,” he said.
“We have accepted that (but) we have not accepted defeat. When I said defeat, I didn't want the headlines to be that Mumbai Indians now are defeated because mathematically and from a points’ perspective, we are still much in the tournament.
The former MI all-rounder avoided dwelling on the batting-friendly nature of the Wankhede pitches, stressing that both teams play under the same conditions.
“There's no point in harping on the type of wickets and all of that. Two teams are going to play on the surface, and it all boils down to who plays the better cricket,” he said.
“But what I can safely say, in the dressing room and (with) the spirits of the guys, they are willing and wanting to fight. These things happen. You could have been worst off. But at the end of it, we're still playing a game of cricket and there are a lot of other things more serious in life as well. So it is what it is,” Pollard added.
Bears rookie Sam Roush eager to learn from Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet
One of their more intriguing picks of the Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class was tight end Sam Roush out of Stanford, their third-round selection that turned some heads given the loaded tight end room the team already had in place.
Already having last year's top-10 pick Colston Loveland and veteran Cole Kmet in their tight end room, the Bears opted to bring in another player at the position during a time in which they had other areas of need on the roster.
Regardless of team needs, Roush was praised for his ability to block just about any one at the tight end position, and could add another element to the Bears offense, helping opening up the run game even more this season. Roush understands head coach Ben Johnson's usage of multi-tight end sets and what that means for him as a rookie on the field.
"Chicago, we're top five in 12 and 13 personnel usage," Roush said. "And, obviously, it's an extremely talented tight end room and that's something that's going to get talked about. But, I'm going to come in and I'm going to compete, iron sharpens iron, going to make the room better. I'm really excited to learn from those guys."
Roush was one of several players who tested highly in his RAS measurements, showcasing the high level group of athletes that Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles focused on bringing in. While it wasn't a weakness on their roster, the tight end group got quite a bit stronger with the selection of Roush, who knows what offense he's coming into and what the Bears are expecting from him.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears rookie Sam Roush eager to learn from Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet
Honda Chief Sets Realistic Expectations for Aston Martin at Miami GP
Orihara admitted Aston Martin’s 2026 season has been marred by vibration problems that have cost drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll points. Despite a five‑week spring break and further static testing in Sakura, the team is not expecting big jumps in power unit performance at Miami.
Spalletti personally calls Bernardo Silva over possible Juventus switch from Man City – report
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has personally called Bernardo Silva, hoping to persuade the Manchester City captain to move to Turin at the end of the season.
Spalletti in direct contact with Bernardo Silva over a possible Juventus move
Juventus coach Spalletti has reportedly reached out to Bernardo Silva over a potential move to the Allianz Stadium in the summer.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 16: Bernardo Silva of Manchester City in action during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at Molineux on August 16, 2025 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Negotiations between the Old Lady and the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, have been ongoing for weeks as Bernardo Silva’s contract with Manchester City expires at the end of the season, making him available for a free transfer in June.
According to the report, Spalletti has made a further step forward by personally contacting the Manchester City captain, who is also believed to be on the agenda of many other European clubs, including Benfica and Barcelona.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 19: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, reacts prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Allianz Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Gazzetta previously reported that Juventus had already offered Bernardo Silva a three-year contract worth €7m per season and that the Portugal international would only pick his next club at the end of the campaign, which sees his Manchester City side involved in the race for the Premier League title.