Wirtz, Schick star for Leverkusen in rout of Freiburg and keep pressure on Bayern

DUBAI: KL Rahul was hailed Monday as India’s Champions Trophy unsung hero, having twice kept a cool head under pressure to see his team to victory in tense semifinal and finals.

Captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with 76 to lead India to a four-wicket final win over New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday, following Virat Kohli’s 84 to anchor India’s semifinal chase against Australia.

Both won Player of the Match awards for their respective knocks, but after they had departed it had been No. 6 Rahul, almost under the radar, who had kept calm to guide India across the finish line.

He was unbeaten on 34 in the final as India chased down 252, just a few days after his 42 not out took India past Australia’s 264 in the last four of the 50-over competition.

Rohit was full of praise for Rahul’s composure at the sharp end of the nerve-shredding chases.

“Look, when we discussed KL’s batting position, that is one thing we discussed quite deeply about how calm he is when he is batting,” Rohit said after guiding India to a third Champions Trophy crown.

“I’m very, very happy with how he ... batted in the pressure situation, both in the semifinals and this game.

“With KL being there, we know that he’s got that mind where he keeps himself calm and keeps the dressing room also very calm.”

While Rohit and Kohli grabbed the headlines, a softly spoken and smiling Rahul, 32, was quietly enjoying his first win in an ICC championship.

“ICC victories are not so easy to get and it’s my first one, so I’m over the moon,” Rahul said.

“It’s been a complete team effort, all 11-12 players have stood up and their chance and opportunity has come and it’s one of the biggest reasons why we have ended up winning the tournament.”

An elegant batsman, Rahul started off as an opener for India in white-ball cricket.

But a loss of form and intense media scrutiny forced him to reinvent his batting.

He dropped down to No. 6 recently as he edged out Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.

“What I have been taught by my coaches from an early age is that cricket’s a team game and whatever the team requires of you, you need to be able to do that,” said Rahul, who sports a trademark beard and a man bun on his tattooed, athletic frame.

“It requires a lot of preparation, lot of work outside the field. I just watch and learn from the batsmen I like at four, five, six.”

Rahul started his cricketing journey as a wicketkeeper-batsman but had given up the gloves in domestic cricket.

It was not until an injury to Pant against Australia in 2020 that he again stood behind the stumps.

“I kept wickets in the series, played at No. 5 and performed well,” said Rahul.

“From then on the captain and team management thought I could do that role.”

LONDON: Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has blasted some of his troubled club’s stars as “not good enough” and “probably overpaid.”
Ratcliffe has endured a dismal start to his reign at Old Trafford since taking charge of footballing operations in February last year.
The British billionaire named Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Antony as the chief causes of his frustration.
Sancho and Antony are currently on loan at Chelsea and Real Betis respectively after underachieving with United.
In reference to United still paying instalments of transfer fees on several out-of-form players, Ratcliffe, who shares ownership of United with the US-based Glazer family, told the BBC: “If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn’t buy, we’re buying Antony, we’re buying Casemiro, we’re buying Onana, we’re buying Hojlund, we’re buying Sancho.
“These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out.
“For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea and we pay half his wages, we’re paying £17 million to buy him in the summer.”
Asked if he was suggesting those players were not good enough for United, Ratcliffe said: “Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mold the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time.”
After United finished eighth in the Premier League last season and won the FA Cup, Ratcliffe and his United advisers opted to stick with boss Erik ten Hag despite their poor form for much of the campaign.
The Dutchman was subsequently sacked in October and replaced by Ruben Amorim after United endured another wretched run.
INEOS chairman Ratcliffe has accepted the decision to keep Ten Hag was a mistake.
He applied the same verdict to his decision to hire Dan Ashworth as sporting director, a role he left in December after just five months.
“I agree the Erik ten Tag and Dan Ashworth decisions were errors,” the 72-year-old said.
“I think there were some mitigating circumstances, but ultimately they were errors. I accept that and I apologize for that.”
Despite United’s struggles since Amorim took charge, leaving them 14th in the Premier League, Ratcliffe insisted he would keep faith with the former Sporting Lisbon boss.
“If I actually look at the squad which is available to Ruben, I think he is doing a really good job to be honest,” he said.
“I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do. He’s an excellent manager and I think he will be there for a long time.”