Latest news with #OldBlighty
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Ronnie O'Sullivan quitting UK alongside actress Laila Rouass as he ‘can't go to shop without being asked for a selfie'
RONNIE O'SULLIVAN has upped sticks from the UK because he couldn't get a moment's peace when he stepped out of his front door. After being dumped out of the Snooker World Championship , O'Sullivan revealed his intention to leave the UK and move to the Middle East. 3 Ronnie O'Sullivan has upped sticks from the United Kingdom and moved to the UAE Credit: GETTU 3 One of the reasons 'The Rocket' has left Old Blighty is because he's sick and tired of being stopped for selfies Credit: GETTY 'The Rocket', fresh off his Dubai his permanent new home. A better quality of life is no doubt one of the reasons O'Sullivan is set to make the UAE his new home. But the ability to walk the streets without being hounded for a selfie is also one of the reasons he's decided to leave Old Blighty. His long-time manager Jason Francis told READ MORE ON RONNIE "You'll probably see him first in Shanghai. He's had a little break from the UK. 'You're talking about someone who can't go to the shop without being asked for a selfie, a photo. "Where he is, he's finding a life a little bit quieter at the moment. 'Ronnie's Ronnie. He'll decide when he wants to play and everyone knows he can come from nowhere to win a major tournament. Most read in Sport JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 'I'd rather not have the snooker, just a normal family' - Inside Ronnie O'Sullivan's troubled childhood RONNIE O'SULLIVAN has enjoyed an incredible career as snooker's biggest star. But the Rocket's turbulent past has led to struggles with mental health, addiction and yo-yo weight battles. O'Sullivan's parents ran a chain of sex shops in Essex and his father was jailed for 20 years for murder when he was just 16. In the Amazon documentary The Edge of Everything, the snooker icon admitted his dad going to prison had a profound effect. He said: "I didn't want to blame everything on that situation with my dad, but I was thinking, 'I'd rather not have the snooker. just a normal family'. Because… It was a dream, but looking back, it was a nightmare." Just a year later, Ronnie became the youngest ever UK Champion, seven days before his 18th birthday. Then at 19, in 1994, he became the youngest Masters champion. But he has already begun to binge on drink and drugs and, when his mum was sent to prison for tax evasion, in 1996, he struggled to cope with looking after his eight–year-old sister alone. Read more: 'You won't see Ronnie play a full schedule [this season] but I think you'll see him try and properly prepare for the tournaments he plays in. "He'll still be the sport's most commercial player in the short-term. Zhao Xintong's classy act towards Ronnie O'Sullivan revealed after knocking legend out of World Snooker Championship "Whether Zhao Xintong or [Judd] Trump can pick up that mantle now as we transition. "Ronnie will be 50 in December, people have to remember that. "They still expect him to turn up and win everything.' Reflecting on O'Sullivan's semi-final exit at the Crucible at the hands of Xintong, Francis said: "Absolutely incredible. 'He didn't even have a cue a few weeks before! But that's Ronnie for you. "He had one bad session [losing all eight frames in the second session]. 'I'm not saying he could have beaten Xintong – there was a feeling his name was on the trophy. "But apart from one bad session, he was still toe to toe with him. 'I think if he had beaten Xintong, him and Mark Williams would have been an incredible final. 3 Ronnie O'Sullivan recently reconciled with actress Laila Rouass Credit: GETTY "But it's great for snooker to have a Chinese world champion and it's for World Snooker to exploit that.' The Sun exclusively revealed O'Sullivan's reconciliation with Rouass, whom he was separated from for nine months. A source said: 'They have been back together for a while. The time apart gave them time to think about what they want and what is important to them — and that is being together. 'Ronnie is moving to the Middle East and Laila is going with him. "They've talked about living in Dubai, which is just a two-hour flight from where Ronnie has his snooker academy in Saudi Arabia. "He has spoken to people on his snooker circuit about the move and is excited about a clean break from the UK for him and Laila. 'They have had their issues in the past but Ronnie and Laila have worked through it and seem really happy again. 'The people who know them think they make a great couple and just want them to live a happy, quiet life.'
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Flashy workhorse Siraj and the head honcho's hat
Can Mohammed Siraj be the Scottie Pippen to Jasprit Bumrah's Michael Jordan? India will need him to during this English summer. If Shubman Gill's new-look Indian team has to go toe-to-toe against England, Siraj's performances have to be nothing short of top-notch. Of all the Indian pacers who have boarded the flight for this five-match Test series, Siraj is the second-most experienced (36 Tests) and has played the second-most number of Tests in England (six). The answer to who is first is not exactly a secret. Siraj's time with the Warwickshire County Cricket Club and his India-A exposure help him top the list of Indian speedsters with the most First Class wickets in England (46 scalps). Bumrah, with only India matches in the Old Blighty, has 38 wickets. It will not be an understatement to suggest that Siraj is in for a long shift in the next couple of months. Deputy Superintendent of Police Siraj's job description (strictly related to fast bowling duties here!) is expected to alternate between second-in-command and the head honcho as India will not have the services of pace ace Bumrah for at least two Tests (add most likely). Make no mistake, it is a challenge of the highest order. A quick scan of Siraj's stats with and without Bumrah alongside him reveals that the Hyderabad speedster is not averse to being the alpha. After all, he was entrusted with the lead role in just his first foray into Test cricket. A spate of injuries ahead of the fourth Test in India's 2020-21 Australia tour meant that Siraj, with all of two Tests under his belt, had to spearhead the extremely inexperienced Indian bowling attack. He aced the trial by fire with panache, notching up his first Test five-wicket haul to set up India's series triumph Down Under. What transpired in Brisbane in early January 2021 was an extraordinary tale of grit and determination from the young Indian brigade. Coach Gautam Gambhir will hope for an encore in England. A standing ovation as Mohammed Siraj picks up his maiden 5-wicket haul.#AUSvIND# — BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2021 Captain's delight Siraj — the flashy workhorse that he is — is a captain's delight. India's 37th Test skipper, Gill, is eagerly waiting to team up with Siraj and emulate their successful partnership in the Gujarat Titans colours. 'Siraj and I made our Test debuts together. We almost made our ODI debuts together, and we have played so many India-A matches together. So, having that bond with him and knowing what he is capable of helps,' Gill told Sky Sports. The skipper has every reason to be thrilled to have a potent weapon like Siraj in his arsenal, especially given how the pacer has shown unwavering commitment to Gill's predecessors. 'For 60 overs, they should feel like hell out there,' a fired-up Virat Kohli — granted that that was the former India captain's default setting — had ordered his soldiers ahead of the fourth innings at Lord's in 2021. Your wish is my command, said Siraj. Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali, in the middle of an alliance that went on for more than 15 overs, were looking comfortable. Siraj made sure the English batters felt uncomfortable from thereon. He nicked off Moeen and Sam Curran off consecutive balls and dished out a ripsnorter of a short ball at Ollie Robinson's chest, walked up straight at the batter and asserted he meant business. The drama at Lord's after Siraj dismissed Buttler still does the rounds on Instagram reels. Kohli gestured to his pacer to go for sharp bouncers aimed at No. 11 James Anderson's head. A pumped-up Siraj conveyed he was up for the task by repeating what his skipper signalled. A bustling Siraj shortly castled Anderson and sealed India's 151-run win at the Home of Cricket. A match-winning performance 🙌#OnThisDay in 2021, Mohammed Siraj took four wickets to seal a famous victory for India.# — Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 16, 2023 Siraj conjured up his career-best figures in a Test (eight for 126) and ensured his skipper's war cry will go into the annals of Indian cricket. Siraj again showcased his will to do whatever it takes for the team when Ben Stokes & Co. visited India in 2024. Captain Rohit Sharma had asked his bowlers to be ready for longer spells in a team meeting as R. Ashwin had to return to Chennai due to a family emergency midway through the Rajkot Test. Siraj obliged and returned his best figures at home (four for 84). 'In the morning, when we got to know that Ash bhai was not there, more responsibility fell on us. Rohit bhai told us that we will need to bowl long spells, and I love bowling long spells,' Siraj said after the third day's play. 'Since we were one bowler short, the remaining four bowlers had to bowl more. For a fast bowler in Test cricket, one cannot set up a batter in three or four overs. And we got success due to long spells,' he added. Interestingly, Siraj (5306 deliveries) and Bumrah (5381) have bowled almost the same number of balls in Test cricket since the former's debut on December 26, 2020. Hunting in packs Siraj is indeed keen on putting his hand up and leading the way when push comes to shove. However, he also understands the value of hunting in packs, especially when the guy bowling next to him is Bumrah. Cut back to India's 2023-24 tour of South Africa; Siraj did not have a good start to the two-match series. He struggled to find rhythm in the first Test in Centurion (24-1-91-2) in a match that saw India lose by an innings and 32 runs. It was as if the turn of the calendar flicked a switch in Siraj. He ripped through the Proteas line-up (bundled out for 55 in the first essay) and made sure India levelled the series 1-1 with a famous seven-wicket win in Cape Town. He thanked his partner in crime for the quick turnaround in fortunes. 'Whenever Jassi bhai shares a message, we understand which line and length is better on that wicket. I don't need to think too much once I get that message. I just need to be consistent and [I know] I will get success. I am very happy that Bumrah is at the other end [bowling with me],' Siraj said after producing his best figures in a Test innings (six for 15). Bumrah, while translating to the broadcaster what Siraj said in Hindi, added his own thoughts on their synergy. 'When we play together, he gets the message a little earlier because of our experience. 'We try to analyse the wicket a little quicker so that the communication goes in the bowling circuit on how the pitch is behaving. This is what we look to do,' Bumrah said. Game-changer Bumrah Siraj acknowledging Bumrah's genius is not a one-off occurrence. 'I'm only believe on Jassie bhai, because game-changer player he is only one guy, he is Jasprit Bumrah,' Siraj said after India's miracle win over South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. His English may be broken, but Siraj's genuine words filled with love and respect captured the raw emotions perfectly and resonated with one and all. There was no stopping Siraj's tears in Barbados then, and India will expect there is no stopping him with the Dukes ball in hand on English shores next.
NDTV
08-06-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Ricky Ponting's Blunt Message To 'Pundits' As BCCI Snub Jasprit Bumrah For Test Captaincy
India have taken the right decision by handing the reins of the Test team to Shubman Gill and now the youngster must given a long rope to prove his credentials, says Ricky Ponting, who is also confident that India can handle the ongoing transition phase better than other countries. India will be without stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, who all retired recently, and pacer Mohammed Shami when they begin their five-Test tour of England on June 20. While Kohli and Rohit retired from Tests last month, Ashwin had hung up his boots during the Australia tour last year and Shami was ruled out on fitness grounds for the tour of the Old Blighty. "I actually think it's the right move. I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple,' Ponting told The ICC Review. "Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's the right decision." "Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him (Gill) a good crack at it for a long period of time," he said. Ponting said it would be tough to replace players with experience but said India should be able to handle the transitional phase better than any other Test-playing side. "It's always very hard to replace players like that, (given) that have been around for so long that have played that much Test cricket. But if any country can do it and do it quickly, India can, because of the amount of young talent that they have," Ponting said. "I've seen it first hand for 10 years now around the IPL and we've seen the emergence of (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and these sort of guys that have come into international cricket with India and (have) done really well pretty much straight away.' "The skill side of it's one thing to replace and India will replace the skill side of it easily enough, but the experience is the big thing that's going to be missing for them.' He continued, 'Now even with a young captain with Shubman Gill, they'll still have some experience around with KL Rahul and Bumrah and these sort of guys. But if you look at a rebuilding sort of phase, India can cope with it better than most other teams.' Ponting, who coached Punjab Kings to the Indian Premier League final this year, said left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh should be named in the playing XI for the first Test at Headingley. "I would actually have him in their Test team at the start (of the England series). He's very skillful, he has played County cricket, he knows the conditions there and the Dukes Ball will help him in the UK as well,' he said. "To have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, will be something that if India don't do it then it'll be a bit of a surprise to me.' "As we know in England the ball still swings (be it) 30, 40 or 50 overs old. To have someone that's got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer, (it) is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour," he added. Listen to the latest songs, only on
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
India must give Shubman Gill a crack at Test captaincy for a long period of time: Ricky Ponting
India have taken the right decision by handing the reins of the Test team to Shubman Gill and now the youngster must given a long rope to prove his credentials, says Ricky Ponting , who is also confident that India can handle the ongoing transition phase better than other countries. India will be without stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, who all retired recently, and pacer Mohammed Shami when they begin their five-Test tour of England on June 20. While Kohli and Rohit retired from Tests last month, Ashwin had hung up his boots during the Australia tour last year and Shami was ruled out on fitness grounds for the tour of the Old Blighty. "I actually think it's the right move. I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple," Ponting told The ICC Review. "Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's the right decision." Live Events "Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him (Gill) a good crack at it for a long period of time," he said. Ponting said it would be tough to replace players with experience but said India should be able to handle the transitional phase better than any other Test-playing side. "It's always very hard to replace players like that, (given) that have been around for so long that have played that much Test cricket. But if any country can do it and do it quickly, India can, because of the amount of young talent that they have," Ponting said. "I've seen it first hand for 10 years now around the IPL and we've seen the emergence of (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and these sort of guys that have come into international cricket with India and (have) done really well pretty much straight away." "The skill side of it's one thing to replace and India will replace the skill side of it easily enough, but the experience is the big thing that's going to be missing for them." He continued, "Now even with a young captain with Shubman Gill, they'll still have some experience around with KL Rahul and Bumrah and these sort of guys. But if you look at a rebuilding sort of phase, India can cope with it better than most other teams." Ponting, who coached Punjab Kings to the Indian Premier League final this year, said left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh should be named in the playing XI for the first Test at Headingley. "I would actually have him in their Test team at the start (of the England series). He's very skillful, he has played County cricket, he knows the conditions there and the Dukes Ball will help him in the UK as well," he said. "To have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, will be something that if India don't do it then it'll be a bit of a surprise to me." "As we know in England the ball still swings (be it) 30, 40 or 50 overs old. To have someone that's got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer, (it) is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour," he added. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Testing times: on India's new Test Captain
In the cyclical nature of cricket, India is stepping into a new era in Tests. The appointment of Shubman Gill as captain in the game's longest format hints at a break from the past and new beginnings. At 25, Gill is part of the young turks within the squad, while K.L. Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah, at ages 33 and 31 respectively, remain the senior duo with previous captaincy stints. But in picking Gill as the leader, the selectors, especially chairman Ajit Agarkar, have loudly proclaimed that they are looking at the long road into the future, and not a short-term replacement. The retirements of regular skipper Rohit Sharma and talisman Virat Kohli in quick succession meant that big gaps had to be filled both in terms of leadership chutzpah and batting acumen. Gill, with all the high potential through which he stepped into the game at all levels, be it under-19, Punjab and later the national unit, seems a good fit. He is also leading Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League and is clued into the art of captaincy. Men younger than him have led India in the past, notably Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, and Gill, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy, will learn more on the job starting with the five Tests commencing in England in June. He will have the freedom and responsibility to shape the team he leads. Besides Rahul and Bumrah, Gill has to contend with other seniors, including Ravindra Jadeja, who, at 36, is closer to the finish line. It is what Mohammad Azharuddin dealt with while having Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, K. Srikkanth and Ravi Shastri in the ranks. M.S. Dhoni too had a similar task as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and Virender Sehwag reported to him. Gill has the respect of the dressing room, being marked for greatness as he climbed the rungs. With 1893 Test runs averaging 35.05, his numbers seem underwhelming but there is no mistaking his talent, and captaincy may well goad him to temper his glorious stroke play with some caution. Leadership caused a surge in Kohli's run-making ability, and the expectation is that Gill too may reap some benefits. India will also miss R. Ashwin when it embarks on the tour of the Old Blighty, and Gill has to helm this transition well. That hope is intrinsic to this unit is evident as Karun Nair makes a comeback after last turning up for India in 2017. He has been prolific in the domestic circuit besides doing well in county cricket over the previous few seasons, and the last bit should help him acclimatise to English conditions, faster.
