No one can really tell what happens when players, athletes and other people involved in the industry will do when they are off the field. Anything can take place. Recent actions have illustrated this point. These come from the world of cricket, football and wrestling.
In Australia, Aussie opener, Usman Khawaja, made a remark in regard to the 1st Test against England that made the national board asking for an explanation. He has been highly critical of the decision to award the pitch for the first Test in Perth a rating of "very good."
In comments made at lunch for his foundation - a charity which helps support children from diverse, rural and low socio-economic backgrounds - Khawaja asked: "19 wickets on the first day, about 20 people got hit – that's a great wicket, that seems real fair?"
"The same thing happened last year, that day one wicket. Steve Smith is by far the best cricketer I've played with. He's missing the middle of his bat by a long way, and he does not miss the middle of the bat. You can't really predict up and down; your hands can't catch up."
"The same thing happened last year in the Indian Test, it's just that day one wicket, the ball just does not react. Steve Smith's by far the best cricketer I've ever played with and he's missing the middle of his bat by a long way - he does not miss the middle of his bat. He's getting hit in the elbow, he's getting hit."
"You can't really predict up and down. Up and down is the hardest - sideways is a little bit easier but up and down your hands can't catch up. So day one wicket at [Perth] is a piece of s***, I'm happy to say that. It has been last year, it was this year."
"They do get better. Day two, day three and then day four, they start to crack up."
Cricket Australia (CA) officials will meet with Usman Khawaja this week and ask the opener to explain himself over criticism of the Perth pitch, as they weigh up whether to sanction him for labelling it a, "piece of s***."
Khawaja raised eyebrows on Friday when he hit out at the surface for the first Test, just a day after the ICC handed it the highest possible rating of "very good."
CA hierarchy are believed to be privately disappointed in Khawaja’s comments. While mindful of Khawaja’s focus on the second Gabba Test, a day-night affair which begins on Thursday, CA plan to seek an explanation from Khawaja at some point before deciding if any sanction is necessary.
The Perth Test was the shortest in Australia in 93 years and the second shortest of all time in the country; with just 847 balls bowled in the entire match.
CA this week praised the wicket, with chief of cricket, James Allsopp, saying the ICC's rating had justified head office's view the pitch provided "a fair balance between bat and ball."
The rating also shone a light on England's poor batting, which was labelled "brainless" by the likes of former England opener, Geoffrey Boycott, after they faced just 68.3 overs across two innings'. Khawaja was adamant the Perth pitch was still not good enough, with his main issue being variable bounce.
"Whenever we play at Perth, it's one of the few places we win the toss, bat first, hoping that we can bat again maybe at the end of day two and into day three."
Khawaja's talk with officials comes with pressure on his spot at the top of the order, with concerns over both his fitness and form in Perth. Back spasms meant he was unable to open for Australia in either innings in Perth, allowing for Travis Head to score a match-winning century in the fourth-innings chase.
As of this writing, Khawaja has been ruled out of the 2nd Test as he has failed to recover from the spasms. Either Josh Inglis or Beau Webster will replace him. Travis Head is likely to open the batting.
Staying in Australia, a past opener has been punished for his recent transgressions. Former Australian cricket star, Michael Slater, has been removed from the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame and had his life membership revoked, after domestic violence offences.
As reported by Fox Cricket earlier this year, Slater’s status was to be reviewed by the state body following a series of incidents.
They included pleading guilty to seven charges for a series of domestic violence offences that related to a woman in the Noosa region between December 2023 and March 2024, including two counts of choking, stalking, assault and burglary; for which he received a suspended four-year prison sentence. As per reports in the Australian media, at least five women in the New South Wales state have taken out protection orders against Slater since 2016.
On Monday night, Slater was voted out by members and delegates at a Cricket NSW ordinary general meeting, according to Nine papers.
Slater could lose more honours in the coming days. An oval named after Slater in Wagga Wagga city in NSW could also be renamed. His name on the signboard for the Oval has been covered up by the locals in protest.
Slater had made a written submission arguing he should keep his life membership.
One of the stars of the 'invincible' Australian team under Steve Waugh, Slater scored over 5 000 runs for the national side in 74 Tests. He also played 42 ODIs in an international career spanning from 1993-2001.
After a successful cricketing career, Slater went on to become a popular broadcaster, working in home series and ICC World Cups.
Heading to India and all isn't sunshine and rainbows in the Indian cricket camp.
Indian cricket is never short of drama, rumours and controversies. The biggest headline-making news at the start of the new week is that there’s a complete breakdown in the relationship between legendary batters, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Reportedly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is worried about the worsening dressing room environment during the ODIs and could soon hold a meeting to address the issues.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma aren't on good terms with head coach, Gautam Gambhir, since the two returned for the three-match ODI series against South Africa. The focus is on the future of the top two Indian stars and whether they will be persisted with until the ODI World Cup in 2027. Both are in top shape as far as fitness and form are concerned. Rohit was the Player of the Series in the three-match ODI series against Australia. In the series opener against the Proteas, Sharma scored 57, while Kohli amassed 135; which was his 52nd in the ODI format.
According to reports, the two senior players aren't pleased with the functioning of the coach Gambhir, and their bond has turned frosty. There would be a meeting between the BCCI officials, Gambhir and chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, in the near future.
As per NDTV, Agarkar was supposed to meet Kohli before the second ODI in Raipur. However, the plan was changed as the situation wasn't good. The BCCI, instead, sent another selector, Pragyan Ojha, as a mediator. The videos of Kohli having an intense chat with Ojha at the airport are doing the rounds on social media.
Ojha also had a word with Rohit, with Gambhir sitting alongside. Kohli wasn't a part of the conversation. The recent activities have made fans curious about what is happening in the ODI set-up. The future of Rohit and Virat and their limited interaction with Gambhir is a cause of concern.
Gambhir doesn’t like superstar culture and his emphasis is on a team-first philosophy. Furthermore, India are struggling under Gambhir in Test cricket, with two home Test series defeats in 12 months.
Speculations grew after Virat Kohli was spotted walking towards the dressing room after India's win in the first ODI against South Africa. Upon allegedly spotting Gautam Gambhir, Kohli took out his phone and kept looking at it as he walked past the coach without exchanging any words.
Some fans, on the other hand, junked this theory and instead referred to a side hug between the two at the end of the game. Gambhir was also seen excitedly celebrating Kohli's 52nd ODI century during the match.
Dainik Jagran has cited a source to reveal that the relationship between the coach and the two senior players has soured.
"The relations between Gautam Gambhir and senior players, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma aren’t as good as they should be, and there could be a meeting regarding the future of the two players. This could take place either in Raipur or Visakhapatnam – venues for the second and third ODIs," Jagran quoted its source as saying.
Another incident that has triggered further speculations is a viral video of an animated chat between Gambhir and Sharma. The serious looks on their faces have left the fans guessing about the tensions within the Indian squad.
Many fans are of the opinion that Gambhir was the one who nudged Kohli and Rohit to retire from Test cricket.
The latest twist is that BCCI may not be interested in holding a review in the near future regarding the team’s performance in Tests, as per Abhishek Tripathi of Dainik Jagran. Even if they hold a meeting, it won't be after the ODI series but the T20Is against South Africa, which end on 19 December.
That’s not all. The next BCCI meeting could be centred around the poor dressing environment during the ODIs. As per Dainik Jagran, the dressing room environment during the Tests and T20Is is very good but poor during the ODIs as the relationship between coach Gambhir and veteran batters Rohit and Kohli is, "not as good as what it should be," according to a BCCI source.
A BCCI meeting regarding the future of Kohli and Rohit in ODIs can take place soon, maybe after the second ODI in Raipur or the final game in Vishakhapatnam.
With the 2027 World Cup still quite far off, the two senior players have to constantly prove their worth in every ODI match they play henceforth. Both Gambhir as well as chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, have remained non-committal about including Kohli and Sharma in their plans for the 2027 World Cup.
Kohli and Sharma have also been asked to play in the Vijay Hazare trophy in order to remain in contention for selection in India's ODI squad. As per a TOI report, both players will consider playing in the domestic tournament for one last dance at the grand stage.
The two legends have helped India win their last two outings in ODIs, including the nine-wicket triumph against Australia at Sydney. However, Australia did end up winning the series 2-1.
Meanwhile, the Men in Blue won the first contest by 17 runs in Ranchi and Kohli was named the Player of the Match. All eyes will be on Gambhir, Kohli and Sharma in the second game.
Heading to England and football, Tottenham manager, Thomas Frank, has come under fire for his comments post the Fulham defeat this past weekend.
The walls already look to be closing in on Thomas Frank at Tottenham Hotspur and now his dressing room is showing signs of turning against him, according to The Sun.
The pressure has been building on the Dane in the wake of Spurs' 2-1 defeat against Fulham last weekend, with his side having won just once at home in the Premier League all season - against Burnley in their curtain raiser.
After taking just 18 points from their first 13 games, Spurs are 12th in the table, and supporters have openly vented their frustration. Indeed, there was a tense flashpoint on Saturday when goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, was booed after his mistake resulted in Fulham's second goal, leading Frank to declare that those who had jeered, "can't be true fans."
Tottenham are back in action against Newcastle on Tuesday evening and before the game, a report emerged claiming that players have become frustrated with Frank's tactics. There is said to be particular annoyance at Frank's habit of changing tactics or throwing them out altogether; close to games. This also includes the roles players are given, with the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) one example of a last-minute change.
Frank has even been accused of altering his plans close to kick-off, leaving his side confused about their responsibilities. The Sun have claimed that "some players" are enjoying working under Frank but there are concerns he could lose the support of the bulk of his dressing room if results don't improve in the near future.
In the wake of the defeat against Fulham, the former Brentford boss insisted he retains the support of the club's hierarchy but recent statistics are damning and he is now under pressure to salvage Spurs' campaign.
There are no signs that this will be a job-defining run of games for Frank but a home defeat to Brentford, currently above Spurs in the table, could be catastrophic for him on a personal note. At a time when there is a clear disconnect between the fans and players, Frank can ill afford yet another league defeat at home.
Their away form in the league prior to the Arsenal defeat was excellent, including victory at Man City and demolitions at Everton and West Ham. However, that north London derby loss feeling just won't go away. It was damaging.
The supporters will argue that they travel up and down the country filling away ends like they will at Newcastle on Tuesday night and give the players as much support as possible.
Frank, it seems, is coming to the realisation that the media spotlight is an entirely different proposition in his new job. A few defeats at Brentford could fly under the radar but anything he says in a press conference becomes headline news at Spurs.
Frank found this out when he said those who booed goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, after his calamitous error in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Fulham were not "true Tottenham fans," an intervention that has not landed particularly well.
It has been said that Frank only took issue with the boos during the match, a point which he feels was lost in the aftermath of the game and he appreciates fans being disengaged at difficult times.
Like Frank, the squad have no issue with fans expressing their views at half-time and full-time, but there was a sense of disappointment around the reaction to Vicario's error which led to Harry Wilson's goal.
The Spurs players addressed fans' booing after last month's derby defeat to Chelsea at home in their post-match debrief, part of their routine after every game, irrespective of the result.
Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence storming off the field and ignoring Frank rather than applauding the home fans made headlines that weekend. Since then, players have been walking off together back to the changing room to project their unity.
Ultimately, everyone at Spurs wants the same thing and work is going on to address these difficulties.
Despite the poor recent results, Frank is confident Spurs' board will stand by him in the long term.
Tottenham have won just one of their last seven games across all competitions, including batterings at the hands of arch rivals Arsenal in the Premier League and PSG in the Champions League.
West Ham midfielder, Lucas Paqueta, says his "ridiculous behaviour" that resulted in a red card in the 2-0 defeat by Liverpool was a "reflection of everything I've had to endure." On Sunday, Paqueta was shown two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent by referee, Darren England, for arguing over a decision to award a foul against his team with six minutes left to play.
After the match, Paqueta commented on X in response to a post quoting commentary from former Hammers goalkeeper and Sky Sports summariser, Rob Green, which branded the red card "ridiculous behaviour."
"It's ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation," Paqueta said, while also apologising to his team-mates and the club's supporters.
"Perhaps this ridiculous behaviour is just a reflection of everything I've had to endure and, it seems, have to continue enduring! I'm sorry if I'm not perfect."
The incident comes after Paqueta spent two years under an FA investigation into spot-fixing allegations, accused of deliberately getting booked for betting purposes, before being cleared of all charges in July.
The 28-year-old was only returning from a one-match suspension on Sunday after accumulating five yellow cards in the league - having sat out the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth last weekend.
West Ham manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, refused to speak about Paqueta's red card in the immediate aftermath of the game, wanting to seek clarity from the player first before commenting.
Nuno said: "I want to speak to him first and try to understand. It's unfair to make a comment without speaking to him. "It's hard to play with one man less against Liverpool."
In another post on X, Paqueta then apologised to West Ham for his conduct. He said: "I understand that now I have to come across as the villain, it's hard to live with everything that was caused in my life and in my psyche! I'll keep trying to ensure they don't affect me even more. This doesn't justify my expulsion and that's why I apologize to the fans and my teammates!"
Finally, Paul Heyman has made headlines after being seen shoving a young fan following WWE Survivor Series: WarGames.
Paul Heyman’s faction at Survivor Series featured: Logan Paul, Drew McIntyre, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed and Brock Lesnar, who teamed to defeat CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns,and The Usos in the main event WarGames match.
Heyman’s team won after a masked attacker reportedly revealed to be Austin Theory took out CM Punk with a curb stomp, allowing Bron Breakker to hit the match-ending spear. After the show ended, Heyman became the center of attention again for his actions with a young fan.
The TikTok video shows the WWE manager leaving with Logan Paul while security escorted them. A young fan suddenly slipped past security and grabbed Heyman. Staying in character as a heel, Heyman reacted instantly and shoved the fan back behind the security line.
The TikTok garnered more than 400 000 views and the footage circulated on other platforms including X, where one repost received more than 1 million views
It looked like a natural reaction since the fan touched him without permission. Still, Heyman’s actions have still drawn attention for pushing a young fan. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that WWE sources said Heyman didn’t get any real heat for the shove. Instead, security faced more backlash for letting the fan get close to him.
Reactions across platforms were mixed, with some criticizing Heyman for his reaction and others either praising it or arguing that he had to stay in-character during the interaction. Still others focused instead on the security detail with the pair for failing to come between the young fan and the WWE manager.
"Looks like a child wanted to greet him, even if he wanted to stay in character," one person wrote on X. "All he could do was give him a few seconds instead of that rude shove."
On TikTok, one user argued that people only got "upset" because the fan was a child, writing, "respect personal space."
"That was a kid man [that’s] not cool," a different TikTok user wrote, while another said, "That was a bit much Paul."
These incidents are just crazy. Comments should be made that in no way disrespects the national board; win or lose. You can't expect to escape that kind of behaviour without some form of retaliation.
I think the decision regarding Michael Slater is correct. One can't expect to have honours they have received to stick when you've done terrible things. It sets a bad image for the places that the honours are named. I would ignore the request to keep his membership.
It seems that things are crumbling down in Indian cricket. Fans of, "Ro-Ko" won't appreciate the treatment that the stars are believed to be treated to. I believe everything should be done to ensure that they stick around for at least until the 2027 World Cup.
Football is a harsh business to be apart of. Everything can change in a blink of an eye. It's vital that they maintain a good behavioural record and ensure that everything goes well without angering people and fans.
I am totally up for personal space. If someone were to invade that space spontaneously, I would probably do the same. I can't blame or criticise Paul Heyman.