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Gujarat Titans enjoyed a record-breaking night against Sunrisers Hyderabad, as the team produced an impressive all-round display to win the match by 38 runs. GT’s top three, also closed in to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic nine-year old IPL record.
GT have enjoyed a memorable IPL season, having won seven out of their ten matches till now. Shubman Gill and Co. have been one of the most consistent batting sides this season. Their recent match against SRH was the fifth instance this season where all three of Gujarat Titans’ top-order batsmen, including Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler, each scored more than 30 runs in the same innings.
All three of GT’s top-order batters occupy a space among the season’s highest run-getters. The IPL 2025 Orange Cap list is currently headed by Sai Sudharsan, who has displayed remarkable consistency by scoring 504 runs in 10 matches this season, at an average of 50.40. Third on the list is Jos Buttler, who has scored 470 runs, at an average of 78.33, while Gill is fourth, with 465 runs at an average of 51.67.
GT TOP 3 IN TOP 4 RUN-SCORER OF THE TOURNAMENT ☠️ pic.twitter.com/u86UzwZBAv
— Boldfit (@Boldfit_India) May 2, 2025
The trio of Gill, Sudharsan and Buttler, has scored 1,439 runs in just 10 matches this season. They are just 448 runs short of breaking Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s impressive nine-year-old record. Back in 2016, the RCB top-three, comprising Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle scored a record 1,887 runs in a single season, marking the highest-ever runs tally by the top order batters of any IPL franchise.
Looks like GT's Top 3 is gonna break record of RCB's Top 3 of 2016
— Ben Hilfenhaus (@BenHilfenNOT) May 2, 2025
They are currently 448 runs short#GTvSRH pic.twitter.com/29Z9h0hNq2
Individually, Kohli ended the 2016 IPL season with a career-best IPL tally of 973 runs, de Villiers with 687 runs, and Gayle with 227 runs. Additionally, the 2025 season for Gujarat Titans, might also be the first instance of three players in the same team, scoring 500+ runs in a single season. Meanwhile, as an opening partnership, Gill and Sudharsan have amassed over 850 runs, at an average of 77.8.
Most 50+ Opening Partnership in IPL 2025:
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) April 22, 2025
4 – GT
4 – LSG
3 – RR
3 – RCB
2 – CSK
2 – SRH
1 – DC
1 – MI
1 – PBKS
0 – KKR
Associated Press pic.twitter.com/eO1x1I3VPE
Against SRH recently, GT also broke several other records. Sai Sudharsan became the second fastest player to accumulate 2000 runs in T20s, while Jos Buttler etched his name in history books, by becoming only the fifth overseas player to cross the 4000-run mark in the IPL. Not just batting, the Ashish Nehra-coached side has excelled in bowling, with Prasidh Krishna occupying the top-spot on the Purple Cap list.
⚡Orange Cap Holder -Sai Sudharsan
— The Sports Feed (@thesports_feed) May 2, 2025
⚡Purple Cap Holder -Prasidh Krishna#GTvsSRH #GTvSRH #SRHvsGT #SRHvGT #CSKvsRCB #CSKvRCB#ShubmanGill #HIT3 pic.twitter.com/KlNeGsMeys
Prasidh Krishna has scalped an impressive 19 wickets in just ten outings this season, bowling at an average of 15.37. The 29-year-old is followed by Mohammed Siraj, who has taken 14 wickets, and spinner R. Sai Kishore, who has 12 wickets to his name.
Ravi Shastri calls for GT’s Sai Saudharsan to be included in India’s Test squad for the upcoming tour to England
Former India coach-turner commentator Ravi Shastri advocated in favor of Gujarat Titans’ opener Sai Sudharsan, to be included in India’s Test squad for the upcoming England tour. The Men in Blue will be travelling to England for a five-match Test series, later this year.
Sai Sudharsan has been fiery in the IPL this season, having scored 504 runs in ten matches at an average of 50.40. His impressive display prompted Ravi Shastri to state that the left-hander could be given a place in India’s Test side for the England tour, citing his technical prowess suitable for the harsh English conditions. He also noted that Sai Sudharsan experience of playing County cricket, would come handful.
I see this young man, Sai Sudharsan, for all formats of the game… Being a left-hander, knowing English conditions, and just his technique, the way he plays, I think he’ll be top of the list for me.
Ravi Shastri on B. Sai Sudharsan (H/T India Today)
Sai Sudharsan has already made his debut for the Indian national side, featuring in three ODIs and one T20I. The 23-year-old has scored 127 runs in his three ODI appearances, at a decent average of 63.5 and a strike rate of 89.44.
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Green Bay Packers: Luke Musgrave’s Wife’s Stunned Reaction to Jordan Love’s Wife’s Personal Post
The Green Bay Packers are about to kick off their 2025 NFL regular season, so it feels like a good time for some of the players to look back at some of the key moments and experiences they’ve had in the offseason. For quarterback Jordan Love and tight end Luke Musgrave, the 2025 NFL offseason will always be one that they’ll cherish — and not just because of anything that’s football-related. Love and Musgrave both got married to their respective longtime girlfriends in the offseason. The signal-caller tied the knot with Ronika Stone in June, while Musgrave and Madi Weisner exchanged vows in July. Ronika Stone’s wedding lookback gets Green Bay tight end’s wife’s reactions Mrs. Love recently shared a post on Instagram that shows a series of snapshots from her wedding with the Packers’ signal caller. “Every detail was SPECTACULAR ,” Ronika wrote as a caption for the post. She clearly is still awed by how her wedding looked that day, with several beautiful flower arrangements adorning the special day. Ronika’s post drew plenty of comments, including one from Mrs. Musgrave, who wrote “UNREAL.” It’s great to see Packers players’ wives showing support for each other just as Love and Musgrave do on the field. For Musgrave, he is looking to have a big rebound in 2025 after only appearing in seven games and coming up with 45 receiving yards with zero touchdowns and only a couple of first downs on seven receptions and 10 targets. The Packers, who will play the Seattle Seahawks at home this Saturday for both teams’ 2025 NFL preseason finale, will face the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field in Week 1 of the 2025 regular season.
Chicago Bears Get Bad News On Preseason Darling After Preseason Finale Vs. Chiefs
The Chicago Bears’ promising preseason came to an abrupt halt with concerning news about one of their brightest young stars. Austin Booker, the second-year edge rusher who had been making a compelling case for an expanded role in the 2025 defense, will likely miss the start of the regular season with a knee injury that has derailed what was shaping up to be a breakout campaign. Head coach Ben Johnson’s assessment after Friday’s preseason finale was sobering for Bears fans who had watched Booker dominate opposing offensive lines throughout the summer. “A few weeks” is how Johnson characterized the expected recovery timeline, a phrase that carries significant weight as the regular season looms just days away. Chicago Bears Austin Booker Injury Booker’s injury represents more than just the loss of depth—it’s the temporary halt of one of the most encouraging development stories in Chicago. The 2024 fifth-round pick had transformed from a raw project into a legitimate pass-rushing threat, leading the entire NFL with four sacks during the preseason while adding eight tackles, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble in just two games. This dramatic improvement didn’t happen overnight. The Bears understood they were taking a calculated gamble when they traded back into the fifth round to select Booker, viewing him as a long-term investment who would need time to harness his explosive athleticism. His rookie season reflected those growing pains—1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss on 283 defensive snaps showed flashes but little consistency. The 2025 preseason revealed a player who had clearly spent his offseason addressing those developmental gaps. Booker began utilizing his length more effectively, improved his hand technique, and showed better understanding of how to convert speed to power around the edge. The statistical explosion was merely the surface manifestation of deeper technical improvements. Perfect System, Perfect Timing Booker’s emergence coincided perfectly with Dennis Allen’s arrival as defensive coordinator. Allen’s aggressive scheme emphasizes the kind of relentless pass rush that plays directly to Booker’s natural strengths—speed, length, and motor. Where the previous defensive system may have asked him to drop into coverage or play more conservatively, Allen’s approach encourages the kind of attacking mentality that allows Booker to maximize his physical gifts. The scheme fit became evident during the preseason, where Booker consistently found himself in one-on-one situations with overwhelmed tackles. His four sacks weren’t just products of superior athleticism but demonstrated improved technique in converting pressure into production. The forced fumble against Buffalo particularly showcased his developing football instincts and ability to affect plays beyond just getting to the quarterback. Even slotted as the No. 3 pass rusher behind established veterans Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, Booker had positioned himself for significant playing time in Allen’s rotation-heavy approach. The defensive coordinator’s history suggests he would have found creative ways to get Booker on the field in obvious passing situations, potentially creating the perfect environment for a breakout season. The Ripple Effect on Depth Booker’s absence creates a cascading effect throughout Chicago’s defensive planning. The Bears had been counting on his development to provide quality depth behind their starting edge rushers, but his injury forces them to reconsider both their immediate roster construction and long-term defensive strategy. The timing couldn’t be worse from a roster management perspective. With final cuts looming, the Bears must now decide whether to carry additional depth at the position to account for Booker’s absence or risk being thin at edge rusher early in the season. Players like Dominique Robinson, Daniel Hardy, and Tanoh Kpassagnon suddenly find their roster odds improved by circumstances beyond their control. Robinson brings the most upside among the trio, with his combination of size and athleticism offering similar traits to what makes Booker intriguing. Hardy’s value as a special teams contributor could prove decisive in final roster deliberations, while Kpassagnon’s familiarity with Allen’s system from their New Orleans days provides immediate schematic comfort. The Chicago Bears may be forced to keep five defensive ends on their initial 53-man roster—an unusual allocation that speaks to both their lack of proven depth and uncertainty about Booker’s return timeline. This roster construction would limit flexibility elsewhere but ensures adequate coverage during what could be an extended absence. Adjusting the Game Plan Allen’s defensive philosophy emphasizes depth and rotation, particularly in pass-rushing situations. Booker’s injury doesn’t just remove a player—it eliminates a specific skill set that the coordinator had likely planned to deploy in various packages throughout the season. The defensive coordinator will need to adjust his rotation patterns and potentially modify certain pressure concepts that were designed around Booker’s unique combination of speed and length. This could mean more responsibility for established players like Sweat and Odeyingbo, or creative use of hybrid players who can provide pass rush from unexpected angles. Allen’s experience with similar situations in New Orleans suggests he’ll find ways to manufacture pressure despite the personnel loss. However, the absence of Booker’s developmental trajectory represents a longer-term concern about the defense’s ability to generate consistent pressure throughout the season. The Injury Reserve Decision The Bears face a crucial decision regarding Booker’s immediate roster status. Placing him on injured reserve with a designation to return would guarantee his absence for at least four games while freeing up a roster spot for immediate depth. However, this approach assumes his recovery will require the full timeline Johnson indicated. If the injury is on the shorter end of the “few weeks” spectrum, keeping Booker on the active roster might allow for a quicker return while maintaining roster flexibility. This decision will likely depend on medical evaluations over the weekend and the team’s confidence in their current depth. The financial implications are minimal given Booker’s rookie contract status, making this purely a football decision about optimizing both short-term competitiveness and long-term development. Looking Beyond the Immediate Impact While Booker’s injury represents a short-term setback, his preseason performance provides genuine optimism about the Bears’ future pass-rushing capabilities. His development curve suggests that once healthy, he could become a legitimate contributor in Allen’s system and potentially develop into a cornerstone of the defense. The injury also serves as a reminder of how quickly circumstances can change in the NFL. Booker went from roster bubble candidate to key contributor to injured reserve candidate in the span of a few weeks, highlighting both the opportunities and precarious nature of professional football careers. The Path Forward For the Bears, Booker’s absence creates both immediate challenges and future opportunities. The coaching staff must find ways to generate pass rush without one of their most promising young players while continuing to develop the depth that will be needed throughout the season. Allen’s track record suggests he’ll find creative solutions to maintain defensive effectiveness despite the personnel loss. However, the true test will come when Chicago faces high-powered offenses early in the season with a potentially thinner pass-rushing rotation than originally planned. Booker’s injury story isn’t finished—it’s simply paused. When he returns, whether that’s in a few weeks or after a stint on injured reserve, he’ll likely pick up where he left off in his development. The foundation he built during the preseason suggests that his breakout season may be delayed rather than derailed. For now, the Bears must navigate the early season without one of their most encouraging defensive developments, while Booker focuses on the rehabilitation that will determine when his promising trajectory can resume.
Justin Verlander needs to listen to Father Time despite desire to keep pitching
San Francisco Giants pitcher Justin Verlander had another rough outing on Thursday. The future Hall of Famer allowed seven runs on seven hits and a walk over his 4.1 innings, striking out four as the Padres defeated the Giants 8-4. His outing ended a streak where Verlander had allowed one or fewer runs in four of his previous five outings. The 42-year-old Verlander has been inconsistent at best this season, posting a 4.64 ERA and a 1.437 WHIP over his 110.2 innings, striking out 99 batters with 37 walks. This follows an injury-plagued 2024 campaign where Verlander posted 5.48 ERA and a 1.384 WHIP in 90.1 innings. Verlander, meanwhile, insists that he is not done. John Shea of the San Francisco Standard reported that Verlander wants to pitch in 2026. That desire does have a caveat — if Verlander suffers a significant injury, he said he is not interested in a lengthy rehab process to get back on the mound. "The ball’s rolling in the right direction, and I would like to continue pitching. You never know. It’s a fickle game too, but I think the stuff is still there," Verlander said. Verlander had been a workhorse earlier in his career, pitching at least 180 innings in all but one season from 2006 through 2019. He came back from Tommy John surgery that cost him most of 2020 and all of the 2021 season, winning the AL Cy Young award with a major league-leading 1.75 ERA and a 0.829 WHIP over his 175 innings, striking out 185 batters with 25 walks in his age 39 season in 2022. Verlander is a nine-time All-Star, won three Cy Young awards and was named the 2011 AL MVP and the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year. Those innings have taken their toll on Verlander. He has battled injuries over the past few years and has been below replacement level since the start of 2024. While he may want to return in 2026, his body and performance are telling a different story.
Why Blue Jays’ contender status may ride on Shane Bieber
Three weeks after the Toronto Blue Jays acquired him from the Cleveland Guardians at the MLB trade deadline, Shane Bieber made his long-awaited return to the mound on Friday. A durable arm throughout the first six years of his professional career, Bieber hasn't pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. Once the ace of Cleveland's rotation, Bieber will now be tasked with helping a title-hopeful Toronto squad to championship glory. It's hard to predict whether the 30-year-old is capable of returning to the Cy Young-caliber pitcher he was from 2020 to 2022. But with how the Jays' rotation has performed this season, the franchise will have to hope he gets close to that level. Toronto's rotation certainly isn't lacking in big names. With Bieber now in the fold, the Blue Jays are filled to the brim with accomplished pitchers. Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios are all former All-Stars. Meanwhile, Max Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer. Outside of the 41-year-old Scherzer, though, Toronto's star-studded rotation hasn't lived up to expectations. Gausman has failed to replicate his first season with the Jays, when he posted a 3.16 ERA and led the league with 237 strikeouts. He hasn't been the ace the Jays need in 2025, currently possessing a 3.78 ERA as his strikeout numbers continue to drop. Bassitt, too, has been unable to reclaim his 2023 form, when he led the AL in wins and served as a reliable mid-rotation starter. He's been unable to keep his ERA under four and currently leads all pitchers in hits allowed. Berrios has suffered the worst drop-off in 2025 after posting a respectable 3.60 ERA in 2024. While never a star, the Jays have to be disheartened by Berrios' 4.00 ERA after back-to-back solid campaigns. With 2022 Cy Young candidate Alek Manoah still struggling to find his footing in the pitch-clock era, though, it appears this is the five starting arms Toronto will have for its stretch run. The Blue Jays have bounced back admirably after a disappointing 74-88 season in 2024. But Toronto's current 74-54 record is largely thanks to the team's top-tier offense. If Toronto manages to claim its first World Series title since 1993, it will be thanks to the pitching staff finally matching the power of its offense. Whether the rotation can rise to the occasion remains to be seen, but Bieber’s upcoming start against the Miami Marlins could offer an early hint.
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