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His execution of wide yorkers after coming in as Impact Player denied Gujarat Titans

Shashank Kishore31-Mar-2025Vijaykumar Vyshak didn’t know until 13 overs into the Gujarat Titans (GT) chase in Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) IPL 2025 opener that he would be summoned as an Impact Player. But when Arshdeep Singh suggested they bring in Vyshak, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer did what was needed.With 75 runs needed from 36 balls, Vyshak, having reviewed his plans with the support staff, tried to bowl wide yorkers to Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford, whose strike rates against those deliveries were “low”.”I didn’t know if I was going to be there,” Vyshak told ESPNcricinfo. “They [Iyer & Co] were also thinking of a spinner. And then I got to know I’ll be on for the 14th over. All along, I had been going through my plans – so when the opportunity came, I was ready to go.”Related

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As Vyshak came on, Arshdeep told him to “err on the wider side”. It was a change from their original plan of trying to mix his variations, including bowling a knuckleball that he is known to deliver effectively.”Initially, Plan A was to bowl slow bouncers,” Vyshak said. “But the wicket wasn’t two-paced. The ball wasn’t holding up. There was a lot of dew. Considering all that, the coaches said, ‘Let’s stick to the wide yorker’. It was a case of them planning and me executing.”Vyshak gave away just ten runs in his first two overs. By his third, after Buttler’s dismissal, GT needed 45 more from 12 deliveries. Despite Marco Jansen conceding 20 runs in two overs from the other end, Vyshak’s first two overs had already put GT on the back foot. So much so that even 18 runs from his third over – the 19th of the chase – left GT with an improbable 27 runs to get in the final over. PBKS eventually won by 11 runs, and it was a strong comeback for Vyshak, who had recovered from a quadricep injury that kept him out of the second half of the Ranji Trophy during the domestic season.The injury struck just as Vyshak, on the BCCI’s list of targeted fast bowlers, had broken into India’s T20I squad for the South Africa series in November.Vijaykumar Vyshak: “Until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets”•Punjab Kings”I always say this to myself that whatever I can do in my control, I will do that,” he said. “If you have to give your 100%, I’ll give my 110%. But injuries are not in your hands. I am someone who is really willing to give myself that extra push.”I don’t mind pushing extra yards in the practice session until I get what I’m doing, whether it is yorkers, whether it is length balls or slower ones. If I want to do something, I am just going to do it. And then, until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets. That is something that has helped me grow.”And then, for this sport, especially when you’re playing T20s, you’ve got to be mentally strong because some days you don’t nail your yorkers. But you’ve got to be mentally strong, and you’ve got to accept the fact that this is not happening. You’ve got to change; you’ve got to go to your Plan Bs. So that is something that I’ve been working on.”Vyshak is a strong advocate for “positive vibes” and “routines” to the extent that if he feels he did something different at training or during his pre-match routine that worked well, it’s likely he would have noted it down somewhere to be able to go back to later.”If the previous day – like match minus one, or minus two – if I did something that worked for me, I just want to write it down and then just go back to that and then do the same things again and again. So that has been helping me. So, hopefully, I can continue this and go on to achieve a lot more.””People used to tell me that I was a little healthy. I was like, ‘But I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter?'”•PTI Vyshak’s cricket perspective comes from a desire to make up for lost time. In 2017-18, weighing 110kg, he admitted feeling lost, and often faced criticism for his weight.”People used to tell me that I was a little healthy [heavy]. I was like, ‘but I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter’. It’s a funny story about how I really decided to transform. There’s this tradition of giving birthday bumps, and because I was too heavy, my friends just dropped me once. The next morning, I woke up thinking, ‘why am I like this? What am I doing?’ That is when I started my journey.”The fitness impetus was around the time Vyshak switched to fast bowling in his Under-19 days. Earlier, he was a top-order batter and captained Karnataka’s Under-16 team. He’s grateful for the guidance from former Karnataka batter Sudhindra Shinde and former India seamer Abhimanyu Mithun.”He [Shinde] has seen me as a young kid – as a fat kid,” Vyshak said. “He has really been supportive about my bowling, my mental strength, and my batting. So, if I’m feeling low, if I’m feeling anything, no matter what, I make sure that I talk to him because that is my comfort. We have a rapport that I can’t express in words. But every time I’m low, I call him, and by the end of the call, he will make sure I’m in a happy space.”During my Under-19s, he suggested to me to go to Bharat Arun sir. So when I was probably 20-21, my action was all over [the place]. He [Shinde] also helped me financially. He took care of my sessions in Chennai, [and] my stay – he helped me massively. In the last couple of years, I have worked with Mithun. He has helped me a lot with my run-up and my variations.”

“You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot”

Does Vyshak feel different today than when he started in the IPL two years ago with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)?”When I started off, I didn’t know what this platform was,” he said. “My emotions were so high. When I did well, I used to feel so good, and when I didn’t, I used to like just dip down.”And then, last couple of years, with [Mohammed] Siraj being there, I think he emphasised on being neutral. Whatever happens – whether you’re playing or not playing, winning or not winning – you have to be constant. That’s the biggest lesson for me. Matches come thick and fast – if you keep brooding over what has gone wrong, you’ll keep sinking further.”You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot. I can pretty much say I am a better bowler compared to what I was when I played the first game for RCB.”

In his capacity as a Fox Sports analyst, Alex Rodriguez had a front-row seat to the magical World Series that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays pushed to, and beyond, its limits. In the end it was the defending champions who were able to secure back-to-back titles by outlasting their Canadian hosts last Saturday night in a game that brought more eyeballs to baseball than any in the previous eight years. So he had plenty of time to take in the energy and atmosphere that only added to the drama fans at home were able to enjoy. And to compare it to all previous versions of the Fall Classic.

Asked by if we just watched the greatest World Series every played, Rodriguez explained why he believes so.

"Yes," he said. "Well, in my lifetime, I've never. You know, that's obviously very subjective, but in my lifetime, I've never seen a better one. It had all the elements of just the juiciest, most delicious, World Series."

Rodriguez is not alone in his assessment, as many have wondered if the sport just enjoyed a high-water mark that will be difficult, if not impossible to match. The way he processed the seven-game greatness, however, is unique. Seated next to David Ortiz, Derek Jeter and Kevin Burkhardt, the former player was able to witness all the ingredients that went into making things buzz.

"It had three S’s, right?" Rodriguez said. "It had, it had superstars, it had strategy and it had incredible storylines. And what's great about baseball."

Rodriguez also spoke about the episodic nature of a baseball playoff series as opposed to the immediacy and one-and-doneness of other sports.

"Super Bowl has one like Tom Cruise movie. Over 100 million people will watch. What's different and what I think more compelling about a seven-game World Series, which are very rare—we only had two prior to this one in the last eight years—is that is like a mini docuseries and there's seven episodes.

"And just like , if you watch all six now, you're invested. You're hooked. You're hooked in the characters, the storyline, the strategy. And then you must watch game seven. So it was just awesome. I'm so proud of the game."

The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in style Monday night, courtesy of a walk-off solo home run by Alec Burleson in the bottom of the ninth inning.

While it was a fun victory on a late summer night, a historically low number of fans were inside Busch Stadium to witness it.

The Cardinals are now just 65-67 on the season and it appears that they will miss the postseason for a third straight year. That lack of success might be the reason why only 17,675 fans were in attendance on Monday night. That number, according to the Derrick Goold, is the lowest in the stadium's history and the first time they have had under 20,000 people at a home game since the stadium was opened in 2006.

That's a tough look for a franchise that has won 11 World Series titles. But it's also a sign of the times for a club that has only won one two playoff series since 2014.

Lots of MLB fans roasted the Cardinals and their fans, who have been known to refer to themselves as the best in baseball.

The Cardinals will host the Pirates in the second game of their series Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m. ET.

Costa Rica’s World Cup hopes have taken a severe hit. A 1–0 loss to Haiti has left Miguel Herrera’s side on the brink in the CONCACAF qualifiers, with their direct path now hanging by a thread. Pressure around Herrera grew louder after the match as Los Ticos have a difficult path to next year's tournament.

AFPCosta Rica drop to third in Group C

Herrera’s team entered the match with a chance to seize control of the group, especially after Nicaragua stunned Honduras earlier in the day. Instead, slipped to third place, and their fate now depends on a combination of unlikely results.

Haiti struck the decisive blow just before halftime. Josué Casimir slipped a pass into the box for Ruben Providence, whose low cross found Frantzdy Pierrot for the opener. Keylor Navas immediately expressed his frustration, shouting toward a back line that reacted far too slowly. Despite pushing forward in the second half, Costa Rica never found the equalizer.

AdvertisementAFPLos Ticos must beat Honduras

The math is now unforgiving for Herrera. Costa Rica must defeat Honduras in San José next week and hope Haiti fail to beat Nicaragua. Anything less than a victory eliminates them entirely from direct qualification and could even shut the door on the playoff route.

AFPHerrera faces growing pressure

Pressure around Herrera grew louder after the match, including a tense exchange during his arrival to the postgame press conference. Asked whether he still believed he should lead the team for the decisive match, he didn’t hesitate.
“It’s not my decision. If we don’t qualify, then we’ll have to consider what comes next. I’m committed to this project.”

Herrera took full responsibility for the team’s poor return – one win, one loss, and three draws in the final round – but emphasized that decisions about his future lie with federation president Osael Maroto.

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AFPNavas and Costa Rica now need a miracle

Costa Rica will now carry their fading World Cup hopes into a must-win showdown against Honduras – the group leader, but one that also arrives under significant pressure after a 2–0 defeat on the road to Nicaragua.