“I came here to win and fight for the trophy”: Bengaluru FC head coac…

Bengaluru FC head coach Pep Munoz had only half a season to work with the team after taking charge midway through the previous campaign. This time, he has had a full pre-season to shape the squad according to his ideas. With several new signings, a number of promising academy players and established names such as Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Ryan Williams, Munoz believes Bengaluru have the squad and preparation to challenge for the top honours. sos-zagle.org.pl

In an exclusive interview, the Bengaluru FC coach spoke about the team’s pre-season, the decision to skip the Durand Cup, the new signings, the club’s young players, Chhetri’s role at 42, Ryan Williams’ versatility and his expectations for the upcoming ISL season.

Q: You joined Bengaluru FC midway through last season. This time, you have been with the team from the start of pre-season. How is the team shaping up?

Munoz: Last season was a short and unusual one in Indian football because of the delays and uncertainty around the preparations. Joining in the middle of the season also meant I did not have the benefit of a proper pre-season or enough time to understand the league and prepare the team.

This time, things are different. We have had a long pre-season, we have made some good signings, and we have the squad and facilities we need. I am very happy with the work we have done over these five weeks. The players are doing a fantastic job and we are well prepared.

Q: There have been several departures and arrivals. How do you assess the new-look squad?

Munoz: We are happy with the new additions. It is not simply about signing one or two players. We have a scouting team working on it, while also considering our budget and the current situation in Indian football.

Sometimes it is not easy to bring good profiles to this league, but we managed to do it. I believe our supporters will be happy with them.

Sandro Embalo is an experienced player in Indonesia and this part of the world. He is a good defender, comfortable with the ball and aggressive defensively. Borja gives us quality between the lines and can play as an attacking midfielder.

Manuel Iriondo is a proper number six. He is good in possession, safe on the ball, aggressive and capable of covering a lot of space. Mihailo is an experienced forward who has played in a tough league like Indonesia. He has played a lot of minutes there and is a very good finisher, with good link-up play and the ability to be clinical in front of goal.

Then we have Meno Koch, a right centre-back with a very good CV and experience in Europe. I am happy with the balance we have between the foreign and Indian players.

Q: Bengaluru have built a reputation for developing young players. Can we expect more academy graduates to feature this season?

Munoz: Definitely. I come from Barcelona, where we always look at young players coming through, and that was also something that attracted me to Bengaluru. The structure of the club, the academy, the BFC schools and the young teams are very good.

We already have some young players who were with the first team last season. During this pre-season, I also had the opportunity to work with five players from the B team. They have shown a good level, and some of them are continuing to train with us.

There are also some good players with the India U20 team. We have played friendly matches against them and there is a lot of talent there as well.

Q: Sunil Chhetri is now 42. What does he bring to Bengaluru FC at this stage of his career?

Munoz: Sunil is very important in the dressing room and in the group. We are lucky to have a player and a person like him. He is always an example. He is competitive in training and very professional in everything he does, both on and off the pitch.

For younger players who want to have a long career, he is a great example. They have to take care of themselves, look after their nutrition, prepare properly and understand the game. Sunil has done all of that throughout his career.

People focus on whether he can play 90 minutes or not, but for me that is not the most important thing. Obviously, it is not the Sunil Chhetri that was 10 years ago. He had more speed and different skills then, but now he has more experience. He understands the game better, his positioning and his movements on the pitch. He does not need to do too much to be useful to the team.

He is 42, but 42 is just a number. Of course, he is not an 18-year-old anymore, but he has experience that not many players in this league have.

Q: What about Gurpreet Singh Sandhu? How important is his presence behind the defence?

Munoz: I only had the chance to work with him for the last two months of last season, so that was difficult for everyone because the preparation was unusual.

But this pre-season, I have seen him come in in very good shape. He has a lot of confidence playing with his feet, which is important for our game model. We need to give him the ball and have him find the free man, and he is working well on that.

Q: Ryan Williams is now an Indian. How do you see his role in the team this season?

Munoz: I said it last season and I will say it again: for me, he was probably the best foreigner in the league last season in terms of how he plays. His one-on-ones, the way he makes decisions and his overall contribution were very good. His numbers were also not bad.

I am happy with him, and this season he is fit and ready. He is going to give us a lot.

I also think he can play in different positions, not just on the right. He can play as an attacking midfielder, behind the number nine and even as a number nine at times, depending on whether we play with one or two players there.

Q: Bengaluru FC did not participate in the Durand Cup this time. Does that make the preparation more difficult?

Munoz: The decision was mainly because we did not know when the league would start. Normally, once you know the league date, you can go six or seven weeks back and plan your pre-season properly, including friendly matches.

We have already played four friendly matches and are planning at least three more.

Q: Bengaluru have a huge fan base, which also brings pressure. What kind of football can supporters expect this season?

Munoz: Pressure is always there in football, but the most important pressure is the one we put on ourselves. I see the level of the players every day in training. They cannot drop that level; they can only improve it.

We have a very good squad and good preparation. I came here to win. My target is to win games and fight for the trophy.

Also Read: “When I first saw the news online about playing Brazil, I honestly thought it was a fake post” — Ryan Williams

The post “I came here to win and fight for the trophy”: Bengaluru FC head coach Pep Munoz appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

India will be among the favourites to retain their Asian Games cricket gold medal under captain Shreyas Iyer in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (September 19 to October 4), but former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the T20 format makes the competition unpredictable.

“With the kind of team that we have and the experience our boys have in T20 cricket, we should be pretty much a leading contender. But because it’s a T20 tournament, where the match can turn around in an over or so, it is difficult to say we are certain to win [Asian Games gold],” Gavaskar told mid-day during a select media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.

Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar identified Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Pakistan as India’s main challengers. “There are some very good teams there. Bangladesh have been playing good cricket recently. Sri Lanka are always a good T20 team. Afghanistan are around, and Pakistan too. These are the contenders. So, it’s not going to be easy. It’ll probably be one of the most riveting and competitive Asian Games cricket competitions,” he said.

India’s poor fielding during their recent UK tour was a major concern, and Gavaskar stressed the importance of being sharp in the field, particularly in T20 cricket. “Fielding is extremely important in all forms of the game, but possibly more so in T20 because sometimes the margin of victory or defeat is just a couple of runs. India will have to be at its very best,” he said.

Sunil Gavaskar added that Iyer’s captaincy would benefit from having a strong fielding unit. “The captain’s job becomes a lot easier if he doesn’t have to hide any fielders. The moment he has players who may be good with the bat or ball, but have to be hidden in the field, that is handicapping the team. That is something the Indian team will really have to look at,” he explained.

Iyer, who led India to a 2-0 series win over Zimbabwe last July, should not feel added pressure at the Asian Games, according to Gavaskar. “He’s very experienced as a captain. We’ve seen him when he was captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. He’s got the experience, so there shouldn’t be any further pressure on him for these Games,” Gavaskar said.

Sooryavanshi is very smart, we must be patient with him: SMG

Batting icon Sunil Gavaskar insists attacking India T20 opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a ‘very smart’ cricketer and we need to be more patient with him. “He’s [Sooryavanshi] only 15-years-old. So, he will, as he plays a lot more, get a lot more experience. I think he will use that experience because from whatever little interaction one has had with him, he looks like a very smart cricketer, somebody who learns fast. And we saw that [in the IPL] from 2025 to 2026. In 2025, he was predominantly a straight and an on-side hitter. In the 2026 IPL, he was hitting over long-off and extra cover, he was cutting the ball over deep cover, deep point for sixes. So, he had gone that one step higher. Therefore, with him, we need to be a little more patient,” said Gavaskar.

India vs Japan 2026 One-off T20I: Shreyas Iyer’s Team India will take on Japan in a historic first-ever T20I match against Japan – the hosts of Asian Games 2026 starting later this month. The T20 World Cup champions will take on Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming-led Japan team in a one-off T20I organized as warm-up of Asian Games at the Sano International Cricket Ground on September 22.

While India will field a star-studded line-up featuring 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, world No. 1 T20I batter Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, hosts Japan also announced their squad for this one-off fixture on Tuesday.

Kadowaki-Fleming, Japan’s all-time leading T20I run-scorer, will lead the side and will be joined by Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb – the other two members of the squad with more than 50 T20I appearances to their name. Japan have selected their squad with their Asian Games 2026 campaign in mind and have left out players who meet ICC eligibility requirements for T20Is but are not eligible under Asian Games regulations.

As a result of these rules, emerging spin-bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda-Nairn has been selected after impressing in domestic cricket. Veteran Tsuyoshi Takada also returns to the squad, having first represented Japan at the ICC East Asia-Pacific Twenty20 Championship back in 2013.

The squad includes Wataru Miyauchi and Makoto Taniyama, both products of Japanese schools that have cricket Bukatsu programmes. Taniyama, a leg-spinner who developed his bowling action after watching videos of Australia great Shane Warne, wears jersey number 23 in honour of his idol and is Japan’s leading wicket-taker across pathway and international cricket.

Charlie Hara-Hinze, who was part of Japan’s Under-19 World Cup side that defeated Tanzania, has also been included, while spinner Benjamin Ito-Davis returns after a hand injury ended his participation in Japan’s East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup 2028 Sub-Regional Qualifier campaign.

Japan finished second in that tournament and remain in contention for qualification for the T20 World Cup 2028 in Australia. They are level on points with Papua New Guinea but behind them on net run-rate despite beating the Barramundis in their final match.

The India game will be the first event under ‘Sport 75’, an initiative arising from an agreement reached during a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The initiative aims to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between the two countries through sport.

Japan will also face Hong Kong in two T20Is on September 19 and 20 before beginning their Asian Games 2026 campaign against Afghanistan on September 24 and Nepal on September 26. They will need to finish in the top two to advance to the quarter-finals.

Shreyas Iyer’s side have been given a ‘bye’ through to the quarterfinals and will open their campaign on September 28. Harmanpreet Kaur’s women cricket team will face hosts Japan in the Asian Games 2026 quarterfinal on September 18.

THE SQUAD IS HERE!

日本 が、スズキカップでインド と対戦する歴史的な一戦に臨むメンバーを発表しました。#japancricket #クリケット #india #JPNvIND #SuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/DtbkXKCmt0

— 一般社団法人 日本クリケット協会｜ JCA Japan Cricket Association (@CricketJapan) September 7, 2026

Here are all the details about India vs Japan one-off T20I match…

When will India vs Japan one-off T20I match take place?

The India vs Japan one-off T20I match will take place on Tuesday, September 22.

Where will India vs Japan one-off T20I match take place?

The India vs Japan one-off T20I match will take place at Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture in Japan.

What time will India vs Japan one-off T20I match begin?

The India vs Japan one-off T20I match will begin at 930am IST. The toss will take place at 9am IST.

How can I watch India vs Japan one-off T20I match LIVE on TV in India?

The India vs Japan one-off T20I match will be telecast LIVE on Star Sports network channels in India.

How can I watch India vs Japan one-off T20I match live streaming in India?

The India vs Japan one-off T20I match will be available for live streaming on FanCode website and app.

India vs Japan one-off T20I match Squads

India: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Japan: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore (wk), Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake

Former cricketer Kevin Pietersen is set to join England's white-ball teams as a Specialist Mentor.

Meanwhile, East Zone's skipper Ishan Kishan has smashed his maiden first class double century in the ongoing Duleep Trophy final against South Zone.

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For Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the biggest question in Shenzhen was not whether they could win the China Masters. It was whether their bodies could hold up.

After a difficult phase that included a disappointing World Championships campaign and a long injury break, the Indian men’s doubles pair needed more than a title. They needed proof that their fitness, game and confidence were coming together at the right time.

They got all three.

Just days before heading to Japan to defend the men’s doubles gold they won in Hangzhou in 2023, Satwik and Chirag ended another long wait by winning the China Masters for the first time. The Super 750 title was also their second of the season after their Singapore Open triumph. More importantly, it came after a tournament in which they repeatedly had to test their bodies and their ability to stay patient under pressure.

For Satwik and Chirag, the China Masters was less about breaking a jinx and more about proving to themselves that their bodies, game and confidence were coming together at the right time.

The World Championships had left the pair frustrated. After returning to competition following almost three months away from the game, they did not have enough court time before being thrown into a demanding quarter-final against the world No. 3 Chinese pair of Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.

They lost that match, but the tournament had also given them something more valuable – confidence that they could still compete at the highest level even when they were not physically at their best.

“Even without our A weapons, we kind of played at a high level. So that was a very good point for us,” Satwik said in a virtual media interaction on Monday. “I think even though I wasn’t able to smash 100%, still, we are playing quarter-finals and [against] the top players. I think that gave us a lot of confidence.”

The difference in Shenzhen was the preparation.

The pair had another week of training after the World Championships, allowing them to enter the China Masters better prepared for the demands of a Super 750 tournament.

“And I think we got another week of practice going towards the China Masters,” Chirag explained. “And I think that really helped us to do well at the China Masters.”

That extra preparation showed in positive results.

They played five matches in Shenzhen, four of which went to three games. Instead of struggling as the tournament progressed, they felt physically stronger by the end. That was more important than the title itself.

The pair had already established a frustrating relationship with the China Masters. They had reached the final twice before but had never crossed the final hurdle.

But this time, they finally did it, fighting back in the final to beat China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu 11-21, 21-13, 21-17.

Satwik, however, was not looking at the tournament through the disappointment of the two previous defeats.

He said: “We haven’t been thinking about the fact that we lost the two times. We are happy that we played two finals there.”

There was something about Shenzhen that had consistently worked for them, particularly when they were trying to find their rhythm after injury.

“Shenzhen has given us a lot of confidence,” said Satwik. “We came back from injury. We are playing like we want that confidence.”

However, this time, the biggest concern throughout the week was not their opponents. It was their own bodies.Reflecting on his shoulder injury, Satwik said: “Yeah, like pretty much fine. Nothing so serious.”

For him, the China Masters was also an opportunity to test whether his body could take the kind of workload that awaits them in Japan.

“Because Asian Games, you have to play almost 10 days,” explained Satwik. “You will play team events, then individuals. So I think it was a good test for us.”

The injuries are still part of the equation

The China Masters triumph did not mean every physical concern had disappeared.

Chirag was seen wearing a belt around his lower back during the tournament. It has become part of his routine since the injury he suffered at the All England Championships in 2025.

“Yes, I have been wearing one for almost a year and a half now, post the injury at All England last year,” hesaid. “So I think if I get a period of one month, I think probably in December is when I can actually have a good one month of practice leading up to a tournament… until then, I am not too confident as yet to play without a belt.”

Satwik, on the other hand, has had to manage a shoulder issue that kept him away from the circuit earlier in the season.

The China Masters therefore became more than another tournament. It became a physical examination.

More than five hours of badminton across the tournament offered a demanding question.

They answered with a Super 750 title, and that matters because the Asian Games will ask even more of them.

In Hangzhou, Satwik and Chirag were chasing their first historic Asian Games gold. This time, they will enter Japan as defending champions and also as a pair their opponents will be preparing specifically to beat.

However, the pressure is not something they believe will change the way they approach the tournament.

“This is going to be our third Asian Games,” said Chirag. “But I think pressure is always there. For each and every tournament that you play, that’s how you are able to cope with it and handle it.”

Their focus will remain on the process rather than the expectations surrounding them.

“We just want to go out there and have as much fun as we normally do on a badminton court,” Chirag said.

Their attacking style is one of their biggest weapons, but their defensive improvements have become increasingly important.

For them, the World Championships had reinforced the value of patience, especially when their attacking game is not at its sharpest.

“I think one of the major things that we incorporated from the World Championship is to be patient while we are attacking and to trust our defence,” Chirag said.

That approach proved valuable in Shenzhen, where they repeatedly had to fight through difficult moments rather than trying to end rallies too quickly.

Their tactics also depend on the opposition.

Against pairs who do not possess the same level of attacking power, they can extend rallies and wait for the right opportunity. Against strong hitters, they are prepared to challenge them at the front of the court.

The game not only depends on Satwik’s power but also on Chirag’s ability to create the openings that allow his partner to finish.

“Chirag makes my job pretty much easier,” said Satwik. “He creates so much chances for me to finish.”

That statement captures the essence of their partnership.

Satwik’s power is the obvious weapon. But Chirag’s work at the front, his ability to create opportunities and his defensive contribution are what allow the pair to create chances.

The China Masters victory has therefore arrived at an important moment.

The title ended a long wait in Shenzhen. It gave them their second Super 750 title of the season.

But most importantly, it showed them that their bodies could take the demands of a long tournament again.

There is little time to celebrate.

The pair returned to India on Monday morning and will have around 10 days before travelling to Japan. After a recovery day, they planned to return to training and use the final stretch to address the areas that still need improvement.

They will revisit the shortcomings from the World Championships, continue working on their fitness and sharpen their tactical game against different types of opponents.

After the China Masters breakthrough, the defending Asian Games champions will enter Japan with greater confidence and greater attention. But Satwik and Chirag’s equation remains simple – stay healthy, trust their game, take one match at a time and enjoy being on court.

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