After Bhuvneshwar, Shami Backed To Make India Comeback: "Deserves That"

Can Mohammed Shami emulate Bhuvneshwar Kumar to make an India comeback? The question has been ringing across the country's cricketing landscape since Bhuvneshwar's return to India squad after a four-year hiatus, for the away T20I series against New Zealand. But the situation is far too complex once the layer of hope is peeled off. There was a huge outcry to call the Bhuvneshwar back once he grabbed 45 wickets from 30 IPL matches in 2025 and 2026 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But Shami has largely remained a forgotten figure in the last two seasons of IPL, taking just 18 wickets from 22 matches at an average economy rate of 10.

In theory, Bhuvneshwar, who bowls at a gentle pace on flat decks, has less chance than Shami to succeed in T20s.

However, the Meerut pacer tides over the lack of pace with his ability to prodigiously swing the new ball in the Power Play, and endless variations -- from an accurate yorker to a befuddling slow bouncer -- in the death overs.

RCB assistant coach Omkar Salvi decoded Bhuvneshwar's success.

"First of all, I'd like to congratulate Bhuvneshwar on his comeback to the Indian T20 team. It's great to see him back in the national team, and it reflects the consistency and hard work he has put in over the last couple of years.

"One of his biggest strengths is the clarity he has about his game. He knows what works for him and keeps things simple. He has continued to adapt to the demands of T20 cricket, whether it's creating chances with the new ball or using his variations in the later stages of an innings," Salvi told PTI.

The stats further validate Salvi's words.

Across IPL 2025 and 2026, Bhuvneshwar has mainly operated between overs 1 to 6 and 16 to 20.

They are, perhaps, the toughest phases to bowl in the ultra-abridged version.

But Bhuvneshwar has taken 25 wickets in the power play across the two seasons, and 18 wickets in the last five-over segment in the same period, way ahead of bowlers such as Josh Hazlewood, Jofra Archer and Mohammed Siraj.

Beyond the numbers, Bhuvneshwar also mentors young RCB bowlers like Rasikh Salam, Suyansh Sharma, Mangesh Yadav and Abhinandan Singh.

Even a modern day star like Hazlewood has tapped in on Bhuvneshwar's wisdom to excel in Indian conditions. Salvi underlined the significance of that role.

"He has been a huge help to our younger fast bowlers at RCB with his experience. He is approachable and always willing to share his knowledge, whether it's about reading conditions, planning against batters or handling pressure.

"Importantly, he encourages the youngsters to understand and back their own strengths, which makes him a very valuable presence in the group," said Salvi.

It's precisely the position the Indian management expects Bhuvneshwar to assume in New Zealand in the absence of a rested Jasprit Bumrah.

But don't count out Shami merely because of his inferior outings in the IPL.

The Bengal pacer excelled in domestic cricket once he returned from a long injury lay-off in late 2024.

But he bloomed in the 2025-26 season across formats. Shami took 37 wickets from seven matches to play a crucial role in Bengal advancing to the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy.

He has 15 scalps from seven Vijay Hazare matches and 16 wickets from seven Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games, indicating the increasing sharpness of his craft.

Shami opened the 2026-27 season also on a promising note, taking seven wickets in East Zone's Duleep Trophy victory after 14 years.

Shami did not deny the flicker of hope inside of him.

"There are plenty of reasons to stay motivated if you look for them. At this level, if you aren't self-motivated, your approach is wrong.

"No matter what stage you're playing at, your eyes must always be set on the next level," Shami had said after the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai.

Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla, whose relationship with Shami goes back to age-group cricket, backed Shami's sentiments.

"Shami is playing for Bengal this season. He's bowling like a youngster. I hope that he will again play for India and end his career playing for India. He is one of the greatest fast bowlers ever world cricket produced. He deserves that," Shukla told PTI.

But what prompts Shami to do the domestic grind even when a return to the national team remains a faint hope?

"He still wants to play for India. But other than that, how many bowlers have you seen maintaining this level of commitment to the state? I have seen him from a time when he was just a net bowler. He made Bengal debut under my captaincy.

"He has developed into a great player and a great human being. He keeps motivating everyone in the dressing room, and he is our brother, and I am sure he will be doing well this season and go on to play for India again," said Shukla, who represented Bengal and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Maybe, another fairytale is loading!

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Klay Thompson Opens Up About Giannis Antetokounmpo's Meaningful Gesture

Klay Thompson and Giannis Antetokounmpo are now Miami Heat teammates, but their connection started years before they shared a locker room. Thompson still remembers a moment from 2022 when Antetokounmpo showed him support after a big game. Thompson had just returned from a long injury layoff and scored 38 points against Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks. What happened after the game stayed with him. Antetokounmpo walked across the court to congratulate Thompson, even though Milwaukee had lost. Speaking to The Athletic, Thompson said that small gesture changed how he viewed the two-time MVP. Now, with both players in Miami, Thompson says being Antetokounmpo's teammate feels special.

Klay Thompson Remembers Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2022 Gesture

For Thompson, the 2022 game was about much more than his 38 points. He had spent a long time away from the court because of injuries and was still trying to feel like himself again. Antetokounmpo's reaction gave him a boost at a time when he needed it.

“This is a testament to his humility,” Thompson said, describing the incident to The Athletic. “(That game) made me feel like I could be a great player again. After the game, he walked from the opposing bench all the way down to our bench just to tell me how happy he was for me.”

Thompson then explained why the moment stayed with him.

“I don't want to get emotional, but that meant a lot to me,” he continued. “To be one of the 75 best players ever and not to be bitter in a moment where your team loses, and I have a great game and to just give me those props, that made me look at him in a different light.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo finds ‘Heat Culture' With Klay Thompson

The two now have a chance to build something together in Miami. Antetokounmpo arrived from Milwaukee in July, while Thompson joined the Heat in August. NBA.com confirmed Thompson's two-year deal is worth about $11.5 million.

Thompson is clearly happy about the reunion. “So now, to be his teammate is just awesome,” he said in his interview with The Athletic.

Antetokounmpo has also spoken positively about his new surroundings. He described Miami's approach in simple terms: “Communication. Hard work. Competition. Being direct,” he said, explaining Heat Culture to The Athletic. “The expectations that I have for you, make sure you do your job. It's real. It's very real. Guys are playing hard, playing fast in practice. It's real.”

For Antetokounmpo, that environment has brought back a feeling he had been looking for. “It gives me goosebumps. It's almost like being alive again,” he said.

The Heat now have two players who already understand what it takes to win at the highest level, but their connection goes beyond basketball. Thompson remembers what Antetokounmpo did for him when they were opponents. Now, they get to push each other as teammates.

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"Ask for Forgiveness": Rio Explodes At Jorge Over Ronaldo Treatment

Former England and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand launched a scathing attack on Portugal boss Jorge Jesus, accusing him of mistreating legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo and saying that he must "ask for forgiveness". The Al Nassr star left the national team camp early after a breakdown in communication during the UEFA Nations League, with the 41-year-old's role under Jorge, who was also part of Al Nassr's trophy-winning set-up with Cristiano, coming under question. Tensions reached their peak when Portugal played Norway. Ahead of the match, Cristiano was instructed to warm up with the expectation of featuring later in the contest. However, Jorge eventually decided against bringing him on, leaving the legendary striker frustrated on the bench.

While Jorge claimed that Cristiano was left out for tactical reasons, it only added to the growing rift between the once-close coach-player pair.

Ferdinand, Cristiano's teammate at Manchester United from 2003 to 2009, jumped to the legend's defence, saying on his 'Rio Presents' podcast, as quoted by Goal.com: "Cristiano Ronaldo was put in a very bad situation and was treated in an inappropriate way. He has an enormous history in football. Jorge Jesus did not deal with Ronaldo well and chose to treat him in that way, but I cannot find any explanation for it. This manager thinks he is Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola."

"I do not know why he puts himself among the great managers. I cannot find an explanation for it. He should have shown Cristiano Ronaldo the respect he deserved," he added.

Ferdinand argued that the fallout between Cristiano and Jorge was rooted in poor management and a failure to give the superstar a clearly defined role. He said it had created an environment of uncertainty that mirrored previous struggles within the team's dressing room during major tournaments.

"The coach must come and ask for forgiveness... otherwise he will end up being fired. He must come out and say: 'Listen, I misjudged this situation'," he added.

Despite the debate surrounding Cristiano's age and where he fits into the modern game, Ferdinand feels that the veteran still has a lot to offer his country, and the challenge is to find the balance between the player's ego and the team's needs.

"I believe he still has a role to play. The question is whether it will be as a starter, as an important substitute in some games, or even if he will start in some and come on in others. This is what needs to be discussed, and then it will just be a matter of respecting the agreements made. These coaches are paid to manage a team, but they are also paid to manage people," Ferdinand signed off.

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Gemini AI Paywall: Google Restricts Free Users To Flash-Lite Model From October 9

Google is reworking which Gemini models are available on each of its plans. Starting October 9, users on the free tier and the AI Plus plan will lose access to some models, while AI Pro subscribers are set to gain a feature that was previously exclusive to the top tier. The company also appears to be working on new reasoning controls for the Gemini app.

What Changes for Free and AI Plus Users

According to an updated Google support document, people without a Google AI subscription will be left with only Flash-Lite from October 9. Flash and Pro will no longer be part of the free plan.

AI Plus, which costs $4.99 (roughly Rs 500) a month, will keep Flash-Lite and Flash but drop the Pro model. Google said affected AI Plus users will get an email telling them when their accounts will switch over.

AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers keep all three models: Flash-Lite, Flash and Pro.

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Why Usage Limits Matter More Now

The changes come after Google started measuring Gemini usage earlier this year based on how much computing power each request requires. This means that heavier requests, such as tricky questions, long back-and-forth chats or the more advanced models, draw down a user's quota more quickly.

Deep Think Arrives on AI Pro

Until now, Deep Think was available only to AI Ultra subscribers. It is now coming to the AI Pro plan, priced at $19.99 (roughly Rs 1,900) a month. AI Ultra users, on either the $99.99 (roughly Rs 9,600) or $199.99 (roughly Rs 19,300) monthly plan, will still have it. Deep Think tackles complex tasks using parallel reasoning and works only with the Pro model.

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New Thinking Levels May Be On The Way

Gemini could let users pick from Low, Medium and High thinking settings to decide how much effort the chatbot puts into a response. Choosing a higher level could use up more of a user's allowance. Right now, the Gemini app has an Extended Thinking option for harder problems. Google AI Studio and Antigravity already give users comparable controls.

Gemini 4 Argon Testing Continues

Google is also preparing to roll out Gemini 4 Argon more widely. The model is currently being tested by trusted cybersecurity professionals under the company's Fairwind programme. AI Ultra subscribers and paying API customers will get access at a later stage. It's still unclear whether Argon will sit within the Pro tier or in a separate, higher tier.

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