Stoinis backs private investment in BBL, keeps focus firm on playing 2026 T20 WC
This year, owners of IPL franchises Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals bought investment stakes in The Hundred teams' Oval Invincibles, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers and Southern Brave. Recently, Cricket Australia said it is open to the introduction of private ownership of teams in the BBL leagues and is currently studying recommendations sent in by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
"Thinking about the IPL owners and what they've done with the IPL, you want people that have got a track record of building something that's very good. If they do that, it's great for them, but it's also great for English cricket or for Australian cricket… It's a pretty clear path to me as to where most of cricket's going," Stoinis was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on Thursday.
Stoinis is currently playing for Trent Rockets in The Hundred. The all-rounder has retired from ODIs but remains available for T20I selection. His absence from Australia's squad for the ongoing series against South Africa stems from talks he initiated earlier this year with Australia coach Andrew McDonald and chief selector George Bailey.
"The nature of it is that you can't select yourself in an Australian jersey, but you can sign a contract to come and play in the Hundred. When this opportunity came up, I spoke to Cricket Australia, I spoke to Ron (McDonald) and we made a plan around that, really… When you're planning it in advance, that makes it easier," he added.
With Bailey confirming last week that Stoinis will be 'firmly in the mix' for the T20 World Cup, Stoinis stated, "We are very lucky. We do it very well in Australia. The relationships that I've got with both Ron and Bails means you just have those conversations pretty openly."
Stoinis signed off by admitting it felt 'weird' watching Australia play in the T20Is from afar but insisted he is content with his choices. "You share a few messages after the games and have a laugh... They say playing for your country should be the best time of your life, and for me it has been. But I don't feel like it's done yet."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
5 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Why are thousands of small and marginal farmers in Maharashtra rejoicing about India-U.K. FTA?
In Nilwande village, 50 kilometres away from Nashik city, 35 years old Chhaya Thete wakes up early morning to send her two children to a private English medium school around an hour away from her village. Tiffins packed, meals cooked, she then heads to her farm to see if the stems in her vineyard have changed colour. Due to the unseasonal rain this time, she is worried that there will be diseases on the leaves and that the yield might reduce. But there is one thing she looks up to this year – the increased income on her export quality grapes. She is kicked about the India – UK Free Trade Agreement, whereby Indian grapes will now enter UK duty-free. For this woman farmer with a marginal land holding of close to two acres, it promises better income, better standard of living and some disposable income. The district of Nashik is called the grape capital of India. In 2023-24, India exported over 3 Lakh metric tonnes of grapes, valued at over $400 million. Maharashtra is the its biggest producer. UK has consistently been one of our top importers. And most of the grapes grown in the fertile land of Nashik make their way to the European market. With the India-UK Free Trade Agreement, Indian grapes will now become more competitive in the European market and will stand a better chance in front of competitors like South Africa, Chile, which have to exporting to UK without any tarriff. Our grapes were levied a tarriff of eight per cent earlier. But for the small and marginal farmers, a majority in India, the better chance of exploiting this opportunity comes with the power of collective farming. Over the last decade or so, Chhaya, along with her husband Dnyaneshwar Thete, has repaid a bank loan, bought more land for grape cultivation, and has built a small bungalow on the land where a modest house with thatched roof stood once. She cultivates some new and exclusive varieties of grapes like Ara. And Chhaya Thete is not alone. In the neighbouring village, 49 years old Vijay Wadje and his young son are equally excited. They have been cultivating some of the exclusive grape varieties for export for a while now. And the experience of sending it for export has been different from the experience of selling the produce in the domestic market. 'I have been doing grape farming for 25 years now. Earlier, I used to cultivate Sonaka variety. I did it for almost 10 years, and sold the produce in the domestic market. But not only did I get poor rate, the income was also not fixed. We had to pack the grapes ourselves and take them to the trader, who would hardly ever pay on time. But then, over a decade ago, I saw people around me cultivate Thompson variety. I saw them prosper. So I decided to try my hand at it. And since then, there has been no looking back. Today, I cultivate Thompson, Ara varieties. The produce goes to the company. We get timely payment as per the quality of the produce. There is strict testing and quality control. The higher the quality of my grapes, the better the price,' said Vijay Wadje. He owns 2.5 acres of land. Each acre gives him 100 quintals of grape. Each kilogram earns him anywhere between Rs 60 to Rs 100, depending on the quality. His son, 23 years old Rahul Wadje, who has completed Physics, joined his father in agriculture three years ago while doing a part time agriculture diploma. He is one of the few youngsters who want to continue farming. Others are moving away from the family farms, looking for private or government jobs. 'I want to continue farming. But that is not sufficient. I want to simultaneously start an agriculture-allied business, like providing hardware or mulching paper, for agriculture,' he said with excitement in his voice and a twinkle in his eyes. He has been consciously carrying out experiments in the farm to improve the quality, and is acutely aware of the strict quality control measures farmers have to take for making the produce which passes the stringent export norms. 'We test our soil five times a year. We also test our vineyard regularly. The petiole testing is crucial. The European market is very strict. They test the taste, colour, variation. They want each berry to be the same size, to have the same taste and colour. They don't want chemicals in their grapes. We follow all the international norms. Our grapes are the best quality for eating. Even we eat them right from the vineyard. If we buy grapes from the market, we need to wash them thoroughly. But that is not the consideration for the export quality grapes we grow The secret behind their changed fortune is collective farming. They are all a part of the 14,000 farmers associated with a Farmer Producer Company – Sahyadri Farms. In a country where over 90 per cent farmers are small and marginal farmers, the collective has given them the bargaining power and the strength to generate volumes to stand in the competitive international market. 'Do or die' situation 'We are in a do-or-die situation when it comes to being competitive in the international market. The only solution for a country where most of the farmers have less than one hectare land holding is collective farming. Without that collective approach, we can't create your own ecosystem. We can't make it profitable. That ecosystem should be competitive at a global level. Then only there is real prosperity,' said Vilas Shinde, chairperson and managing director of Sahyadri farms. The company is one of the leading FPCs in India and the country's largest grape exporter with 17 per cent market share. It grows more than 30 new varieties including 19 exclusive patented varieties. In 2025, it Sahyadri has recorded sale of over Rs 1900 Crore. Over 14,000 farmers are associated with Sahyadri for grape production. The company said that the FTA will lead to at least 15 per cent better returns for the farmers. 'For grapes, India will have great advantages. Volume will increase due to fair competition. Along with grapes, there will be bigger opportunities for other horticulture commodities pomegranate, mango, citrus fruits. It will lead to end-to-end ecosystem, improving standard for customer requirement. This will lead to greater learning which will help farmers not just in the UK, but in other markets like Japan, USA. It will help in domestic market as well. The demand for premium fruits is increasing. Food safety related standards will force the farmer community give better quality,' he said. Every year, Sahyadri exports 22,000 metric tonnes of grapes. 30 per cent of it goes to the UK market.
Deccan Herald
34 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
United Spirits Q1 profit drops 14%
Its subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), which owns the RCB team for IPL and WPL, posted a 16% growth in revenue at Rs 478 crore compared to Rs 413 crore in the year-ago period.
Hindustan Times
34 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Wales wing Rees-Zammit returns to rugby with Bristol after NFL dream ends
Bristol have signed Louis Rees-Zammit following his return to rugby union after the Wales wing gave up on his 18-month long bid to break into the NFL. HT Image English Premiership side Bristol said Thursday that Rees-Zammit was joining with "immediate effect" ahead of the new league season. No further details about his contract were disclosed. The 24-year-old dramatically left rugby union in January 2024 to pursue a career in American football and was on the training squads of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, but did not play in a regular-season game. Earlier this month Rees-Zammit, who made his name in rugby union with Gloucester, a fierce local rival of Bristol, said he was returning to the 15-a-side code. He spent last season with Jacksonville Jaguars, having been cut by the Chiefs the previous campaign, but failed to make an NFL appearance for either franchise as a wide receiver after originally switching sports by joining the NFL's International Player Pathway Program in 2024. By then he had already scored 14 tries in 32 Tests for Wales and been selected for the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. Bristol, who reached the Premiership semi-finals last season before losing to eventual champions Bath, are one of the most attacking teams in English rugby's top flight. Their 95 tries was the joint-highest in the division during the 2024/25 campaign and Rees-Zammit said their approach made them an "obvious choice". "The style of rugby the team play -- all about entertaining the fans and growing the game -- perfectly aligns to how I want to play and how I express myself on and off the field," Rees-Zammit said in a Bristol statement. "I want to get fans out of their seats, create exciting moments and help people fall in love with the game. I'm excited to return to rugby at a club that demands those values." Bristol's opening match of the new Premiership season is against Leicester on September 28. Rees-Zammit made his Gloucester debut soon after turning 18 and went on to score 42 tries in 77 matches for the Cherry and Whites during a six-year stint at Kingsholm. His first Wales cap came in 2020 aged 19, with his speed and finishing ability making him a rising star of the sport. Bears boss Pat Lam has no doubt Rees-Zammit, who will join the squad on Saturday, is an ideal fit, saying: "He has the drive and ambition to be one of the best back-three players in the world, and his goals align perfectly with our ambitions as a club. "At just 24 years old, we know the athlete and competitor he is. The way we play and the way he wants to play fit seamlessly together, and we're looking forward to working with him." Wales' new coach, Steve Tandy, has already said Rees-Zammit could be in contention for a Test recall as soon as the November internationals. jdg/nf
