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Bumrah is set to return after being rested in Edgbaston, while Archer will play his first Test in more than four years

Andrew Miller09-Jul-20251:39

Manjrekar: India should not get carried away with Edgbaston win

Big picture: India have the momentum after Edgbaston triumphAt Headingley, India lost the unlosable Test. At Edgbaston, they made spectacular amends, in circumstances that belied even their most optimistic pre-series hopes.If there had been a quiet belief before the tour that Shubman Gill was too good to keep averaging below 30 in overseas Tests, then the captain’s match haul of 430 runs – second only to Graham Gooch in a famous forerunner of this latest Lord’s contest 35 years ago – was an insatiable response to his team’s hour of need.And if India’s team selection – with their focus on batting depth in the lower-middle order – had implied a willingness to settle for a draw while their star strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah preserved his strength for the back end of the campaign, then no one told Akash Deep that he was intended as a conservative pick.Related

Bumrah in high spirits as he prepares for Lord's return

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Akash Deep’s superb ten-wicket haul dripped with a new-ball threat of which Bumrah himself would have been proud, most particularly his candidate for ball of the series to Joe Root in the second innings (and no, it was not a back-foot no-ball – MCC has clarified the ruling).With Mohammed Siraj stepping up as he has often done in Bumrah’s absence (his average in 15 Tests without Bumrah is almost eight points lower than when he plays second fiddle), India’s seamers harnessed an especially truculent Dukes ball and made sure that barely an over went to waste while it was at its shiniest and newest. England’s startling tally of six ducks in the first innings confirmed the extent to which England were caught cold by fast bowling of the highest class.Not that England will be unduly rattled by the extent of this setback. It’s easy to mock their determination to take on any given run-chase, particularly when two of their last four fourth innings have resulted in defeats by 423 runs against New Zealand in Hamilton in December, and now by 336 runs at Edgbaston.But six 250-plus chases in the Bazball era, with India on the receiving end of each of their two highest in history, confirms the extent of England’s divorce from precedent. Where once there might have been shame at such a monumental thumping in a Test match, now there’s merely a shrug, and a determination to do the same again next time, only better.4:11

Harmison draws parallels between Archer and Mo Salah

Whether India allow England to improve on that showing, however, is a different matter. Gill’s relentless run-making at Edgbaston reflected his determination not to be drawn into playing his opponents’ game – as had arguably been the case when he holed out for 147 to trigger the dramatic collapse that allowed England back into that first Test. In the second, fatigue eventually got the better of him on 269 but, until that point, he had been in control of 93% of his shots across 386 balls, a remarkable figure that confirmed his refusal to give any suckers an even break.Perhaps the return of Jofra Archer will give Gill the hurry-up that was so lacking at Edgbaston. The mind’s eye is sure to drift back to Archer’s stunning debut on this ground six years ago, when he felled Steven Smith in the midst of a witheringly quick spell in the 2019 Ashes.The reality, however, might be subtly different. At the age of 30 and with a litany of injuries now hopefully behind him, Archer would be within his rights to pitch himself as a different type of bowler for this second coming: a scalpel rather than the sledgehammer that Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue set out to be, with varying degrees of success, across the first two matches.Either way, it promises to be the grandest of events. Last month, the most illustrious stage in the game proved utterly pivotal to the success of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Now, Lord’s plays host to the modern game’s actual overlords, at the most perfect juncture of a compelling five-Test series. Neither team seems minded to take a backward step, but to judge by the battles that have gone before, someone will have been forced to blink by the time these five days are done.Form guideEngland LWWLW
India WLLLDIn the spotlight: Jofra Archer and Jasprit BumrahThere’s no denying the buzz of anticipation that Jofra Archer’s return to Test cricket has created. There aren’t many more box-office cricketers in England’s ranks, especially given his exploits here at Lord’s in 2019. To say a fair bit of water has flowed under the bridge since then is a gross understatement, but despite his well-documented elbow and back issues, Archer has now been injury-free for the best part of two years.That said, his robustness hasn’t been tested to the fullest extent in white-ball cricket. He bowled just 18 overs on his comeback for Sussex last month, on an admittedly placid deck at Chester-le-Street, but that was sufficient for England to fast-track him back into the big time.1:41

Who makes way for Bumrah?

When it comes to box-office, even Archer has to cede status to the undisputed grandee of contemporary seam bowling. Every ball that Jasprit Bumrah bowled in the first Test at Headingley felt like a wicket about to happen – and so it proved in the first innings, when he struck in each of his first three spells, and would surely have powered India into an indomitable position had it not been for his costly overstep with Harry Brook on 0.Even when his threat was negated in England’s second innings, it first required an outbreak of rare deference from Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett to set the course for their 371-run chase. He’ll be rested and raring to go at Lord’s, with a place on that dressing-room honours board very much in his sights.Team news: Will India persist with Nair at No. 3?True to form, England confirmed their XI well before the match, with Archer returning to the fray. He is the only change from the team that lost at Edgbaston, with Tongue – the series-leading wicket-taker with 11 at 33.63 – making way after his heavy workload in the first two Tests.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Shoaib BashirBumrah’s absence did not derail India’s ambitions at Edgbaston – far from it – but his return after a fortnight’s rest could turbo-charge their bid to move 2-1 up, in a series in which they’ve been on top for at least seven days out of ten. He is expected to slot back in in place of Prasidh Krishna, whose economy rate took a battering in the first two games.With Akash Deep and Siraj sharing 17 wickets at Edgbaston, that seam unit suddenly looks potent in the extreme. Which is all the more reason why India will likely resist the temptation to include the wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav. Washington Sundar was the safer option and justified his pick with a key 42 from No. 8 in the first innings.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Akash Deep, 11 Mohammed Siraj2:22

Harmison: England don’t want a traditional England pitch

Pitch and conditions: Look up, not downLord’s, as the cliché goes, is a “look up, not down” venue, where the overhead conditions play a bigger role in the pitch’s behaviour than the surface itself. This notion was borne out at the WTC final last month, when the sun broke through for the final day and a bit, and a pitch on which both sides had struggled became a road.That precedent is unlikely to discourage England from their preferred “we’ll have a chase” mentality, for all that Stokes insists his team are not webbed to the notion. A clear and dry forecast will be a factor, and so too a surface that still had a covering of live grass on the eve of the match and might offer some assistance on the first morning.Stats and trivia: Root nears 3000 Archer is set to play his 14th Test, and his first since the tour of India in February 2021, 1595 days ago. In that period, he has missed 53 Tests across 18 series, home and away.Gill has a current series tally of 585 runs at 146.25, with three hundreds and a best of 269. Among the many records he could challenge in the remaining three Tests, Gill needs just 18 more to pass Rahul Dravid’s haul of 602 in 2002, the most by an India batter in England. Joe Root needs 45 runs to become the first batter to score 3000 against India in Test cricket. Chris Woakes has taken 32 wickets at 12.90 in seven Tests at Lord’s, including three five-wicket hauls. He has also scored 340 runs at 42.50, including his only Test century … against India in 2018. India have won just three of their previous 19 Tests at Lord’s (against England’s 12 wins). However, two of those have come in their last three visits, in 2014 and in 2021, when Siraj claimed eight wickets in the match after KL Rahul’s match-defining hundred.Quotes”It’s great for English fans, but also for Jof. It’s been a long time coming for him. He can be pretty proud of himself that he’s managed to get himself back here after two pretty big injury scares.”
“Everything. How accurate he is, the way his mind works. It is just amazing. It is more difficult for a wicketkeeper than for a batsman.”
Rishabh Pant is in awe of Bumrah, as he prepares to return for the Lord’s Test

Rangers are continuing their search for a new manager at Ibrox, with an “amazing” 36-year-old now impressing club chiefs as an interesting option.

Rangers snubbed by manager target after Ibrox talks

The Gers sacked Russell Martin last weekend, following a hugely unconvincing spell in charge, and it’s now a case of nailing his successor.

Steven Gerrard has stood out as a leading option to come in, having guided Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title back in 2020/21, but a new update claims that the Liverpool legend has decided not to take the job, looking elsewhere instead.

The Gers will now have to turn their attention elsewhere, and with both Martin and Philippe Clement struggling during their respective tenures, it is vital that the club avoid a third disappointing reign in a row.

Supporters are likely to be split over whether they want another young manager like Martin, or a more proven figure in the mold of Sean Dyche, but a boss who falls into the former category has now been linked with the job.

"Amazing" manager impresses Rangers bosses

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Rangers have been left impressed after talks with Danny Rohl, who is looking for a new job after leaving Sheffield Wednesday earlier this year.

Rohl stands out as an exciting option for Rangers, considering he is still only 36 years of age and impressed at Wednesday, pulling off a hugely laudable escape act in the Championship in 2023/24, often deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation.

It is added elsewhere that in discussions, Rohl has made it clear in talks he is ready to take the job and is already considering various ex-Rangers players who could be part of his backroom staff should he be appointed.

The German’s ability wasn’t lost on Owls legend Chris Waddle, who heaped praise on the job he was doing during his time at Hillsborough.

“I like this style of his tactics he got with the players he had, I think it was very limited, he didn’t really have a budget. You know, it was a lot of free transfers, there was a lot of players who played in League One with that team. I thought he got them organised, he got them together. The players obviously rolled their sleeves up and gave it 110%, and he got his reward. You know, at one stage, we were talking about getting in the playoffs, which was amazing.”

Significant Rangers manager update shared out of Ibrox after positive talks

It emerged on Saturday evening.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 12, 2025

Rohl’s teams try to play good football, but in a less risky manner to Martin, and if they do miss out on Gerrard, as appears to be the case now, the young German feels like an exciting option to bring in.

Last weekend, Arsenal were accused of not taking the handbrake off. Gabriel Martinelli was the hero as he rescued the Gunners a late 1-1 draw with Manchester City.

But, despite a positive result, the performance was not encouraging. Mikel Arteta’s men set up with a midfield three of Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice, something that meant the tactical make-up of the team was rather one-dimensional.

Against Newcastle United, however, the handbrake was well and truly off and they got what they deserved at St James’ Park, winning 2-1 in last-gasp fashion.

It was a story of three headers. Nick Woltemade, the Toon’s giant new striker, scored the opener but late strikes from Merino and Gabriel Magalhaes ensured that the north Londoners left a famously tough ground with all three points.

That victory means that Arteta’s side move within two points of Liverpool who lost to Crystal Palace in late fashion 24 hours earlier.

Arteta's tactical tweaks make the difference

Last weekend, the Gunners dominated the ball, boasting over 60% of possession, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances against a resolute Man City backline.

Truth be told, chance creation has been one of the key issues for Arteta’s men but the team selection a week on certainly helped them in their quest to score more goals.

While it may have taken 84 minutes until Merino headed home having been introduced as a substitute, it was remarkable that Arsenal hadn’t scored before then.

Whatever you think of Viktor Gyokeres’ penalty decision, the visitors at St James’ could and perhaps should have scored three or four.

Eberechi Eze was denied superbly well, not once but twice, by Nick Pope in the first half who made excellent saves to his right and left-hand sides. Pope was again alert to keep a close-range header from Jurrien Timber at bay in the second half too.

Eze scored in midweek but this was perhaps his most telling performance in an Arsenal shirt since signing from Crystal Palace.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With Martin Odegaard on the bench having only just returned from injury and Ethan Nwaneri omitted from the matchday squad, the Englishman featured in midfield and made a fantastic contribution.

Eze could have scored a couple and he did only generate one key pass but the pockets of space he was getting into and his willingness to shoot were a huge positive for Arteta. The fact he was playing close to Gyokeres also made a big difference.

Whether or not the summer arrival continues to play ahead of Odegaard remains to be seen but in the last two games, he’s certainly staked a claim to do so.

Regardless of Arteta’s most dynamic midfield selection on Sunday, it was still set plays that came to Arsenal’s rescue.

Rice’s inswinging ball from a short corner on the left found Merino who flicked a deft header beyond Pope.

The winning goal certainly wasn’t deft. Gabriel, who was weak and embarrassing for Woltemade’s opener, throwing himself to the floor, certainly didn’t shy away this time.

The Brazilian lept high among a sea of bodies in the 96th minute to meet Odegaard’s corner and head home in dramatic fashion, sparking wild celebrations among the Arsenal players.

What a moment this was for the Gunners but if we’re being brutal in our assessments of proceedings, they do need to make improvements.

That begins with one of their players of the season so far.

Arsenal's Player of the Season could be dropped

This has been a very difficult start to the new campaign for the Londoners who have been to Old Trafford, Anfield, St James’ Park and played Manchester City in their opening six league matches of the campaign.

The performances have been strong but they have not been without their issues. Gyokeres continues to float in and out of games, while Leandro Trossard hasn’t done a lot to convince while starting as a left winger in the last two matches.

In defence, however, it could be time for a change, most notably at left-back. Considering his injury history, Riccardo Calafiori has done well to play six league matches on the bounce.

In fairness, he’s had a really strong opening few weeks of the season, scoring against Manchester United on the opening weekend and registering two assists in the 5-0 win over Leeds United.

So good has the Italian been that one Gunners content creator has even described him as “Arsenal’s Player of the Season so far”. Fair words, really.

Yet, against Newcastle, Calafiori perhaps dropped his worst performance of the season to date, struggling at the back and failing to offer much going forward.

It said a lot that Arteta chose to bring him off at 70 minutes, instead preferring Myles Lewis-Skelly, a player who is certainly more composed in possession. That’s a change that could well be beneficial against West Ham United next week when Arteta’s side will be expected to create plenty of chances.

Lewis-Skelly coming into the team would certainly help with that. The clip below demonstrates his ability to carve open a team with his brilliant vision and passing.

While Cafafiori often resembles something of a raging bull in the final third, he’s not quite as precise. That precision would have been ideal against Newcastle on Sunday.

Minutes played

70

Touches

43

Accurate passes

22/27 (81%)

Key passes

1

Shots

2

Accurate crosses

1

Long balls completed

0/3

Duels won

0/2

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Fouls

1

Indeed, Calafiori only managed one key pass and had two shots off target. From a defensive point of view, he failed to win a single duel and only made one tackle.

While it wasn’t a dreadful display from the Italy international, it showed his limitations in particular game states. Lewis-Skelly, on the other hand, is particularly strong in the duel.

Last term, the teenager was only dribbled past once in the Premier League, the best record of any player to have made at least 15 starts. He also won six duels per 90 minutes, the most of any player in the league.

As a result, there’s certainly a case to be made for Calafiori to be benched for the visit of the Hammers next week.

MatériaMais Notícias

Os finalistas da Copa do Brasil, principal competição mata-mata do calendário nacional, foram conhecidos nesta quarta-feira (16). São Paulo e Flamengo se enfrentarão na decisão da competição, que deve ocorrer nos dias 17 (ida) e 24 (volta) de setembro.

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Para tanto, o Tricolor do Morumbi superou o Timão pelo placar de 2 a 0, revertendo o resultado negativo do jogo de ida (2 a 1 para o Corinthians). Já o Rubro-Negro poderia perder por até um gol de diferença que ainda chegaria à final, mas acabou superando o Imortal novamente pelo placar de 1 a 0.

+ Assista aos jogos do seu clube do coração com aquela gelada! Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00

Abaixo, o Lance! separou uma lista com as equipes que mais fizeram finais de Copa do Brasil e quantos títulos conquistaram. Confira:

!MUITA GRANA!

A edição de 2023 tem valores recordes na história da Copa do Brasil. Os clubes que avançarem à decisão irão desembolsar, no mínimo, R$ 30 milhões, referente ao vice-campeonato. O campeão irá receber R$ 70 milhões.

With Nuno Espirito Santo being dismissed by Nottingham Forest just three games into the new campaign, Football FanCast have now taken a look at some of the harshest sackings in Premier League history.

5 Nuno Espirito Santo

Nuno’s future at The City Ground has looked uncertain for quite some time, with the 51-year-old choosing to publicly reveal that his relationship with Evangelos Marinakis has deteriorated since last season, which left the owner “baffled”.

Initially, it appeared as though the Portuguese coach was set to keep hold of his job in spite of the comments, but a 3-0 home defeat against West Ham United in his final match at The City Ground may well have sealed his fate.

The sacking seems incredibly harsh, given that Nuno was the man to lead Forest back to Europe for the first time in 30 years, making major strides last season by finishing in seventh place, after taking over a team that only narrowly avoided relegation the season prior.

However, the writing may well have been on the wall for the former Tricky Trees boss as soon as he spoke out about his relationship with Marinakis, and he has now lost his job, with the owner believed to be keen on Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner as a replacement.

Games

73

Wins

32

Draws

15

Losses

26

Points per match

1.48

4 Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea have a history of being a ‘sacking club’, which stems from the Roman Abramovich era, with the former owner known for being particularly cut-throat, although it was not the Russian who dismissed Thomas Tuchel.

BlueCo made the decision to part ways with Tuchel after a 1-0 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, much to the German’s disappointment, saying: “I am devastated that my time at Chelsea has come to an end.

“This is a club where I felt at home, both professionally and personally. Thank you so much to all the staff, the players and the supporters for making me feel very welcome from the start.”

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The sacking felt incredibly harsh at the time, given that the 52-year-old had led the Blues to Champions League glory, while also winning the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, and the decision didn’t pan out how BlueCo would’ve been hoping.

Graham Potter lasted less than seven months in charge after replacing Tuchel in the dugout, with Chelsea going on to finish 12th in the Premier League table.

Games

100

Wins

60

Draws

24

Losses

16

Points per match

2.08

3 Ruud Gullit

Chelsea is a running theme on this list, with Ruud Gullit being dismissed back in February 1998, despite the west Londoners sitting second in the Premier League table at the time, having also been triumphant in the 1996 FA Cup final.

A variety of reasons have been given for Gullit’s dismissal, including the Dutchman’s alleged high wage demands, but he has since been revealed that he was at odds with the club’s hierarchy due to other issues.

Gullit said: “Later on I found out that there was a lot of money going around because all of a sudden the best players wanted to come to Chelsea and they were offering a lot of players that I didn’t want…I was a little bit in the way.

“You had people around you who took care of you and and then all of the sudden they backstabbed you. And that’s a horrible feeling.

“The worst thing of all was also my mum had breast cancer. So I had to go to Amsterdam all the time in order to support her. And then they said, ‘Yeah, but he’s never here because he’s always in Amsterdam’.”

After being sacked by Ken Bates, the now 63-year-old went on to manage Newcastle United, reaching the 1999 FA Cup final, while his replacement, Gianluca Vialli, won five trophies during his spell as Chelsea boss.

Games

83

Wins

41

Draws

18

Losses

24

Points per match

1.73

2 Carlo Ancelotti

Continuing the Chelsea theme is legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked by Abramovich in May 2011 after a second-place finish was deemed below the required standard by the former owner.

That is despite the fact Ancelotti enjoyed a great deal of success in his first season as manager, winning the Premier League title, alongside the FA Cup and Community Shield during the 2009-10 season.

In fairness, Abramovich’s model of regularly sacking managers certainly worked for the Blues over the years, but the Italian’s replacement, Andre Villas Boas, didn’t last long, being dismissed after just nine months in charge.

Eventually, things worked out for Chelsea, with Roberto Di Matteo leading them to a shock triumph in the 2012 Champions League final, but the decision to part ways with Ancelotti still remains baffling, having averaged over two points per match.

Games

109

Wins

67

Draws

20

Losses

22

Points per match

2.03

1 Claudio Ranieri

It will be difficult for anyone to ever top Leicester City’s achievement from the 2015-16 season, with the Foxes defying all the odds to win the Premier League title, having gone into the campaign as 5000/1 outsiders.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s side surpassed all expectations, winning the top division for the first time in the club’s at-the-time 132-year history, with the likes of Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez cementing themselves as club legends.

Just nine months after one of the biggest upsets in football history, however, Ranieri was dismissed from his post, with the club statement reading: “His status as the most successful Leicester City manager of all time is without question,”

“However, domestic results in the current campaign have placed the club’s Premier League status under threat.”

Former Manchester United manager José Mourinho famously paid tribute to Ranieri in a subsequent press conference, wearing a ‘CR’ initialed polo shirt in a show of solidarity.

In fairness, things worked out in the long run, with Brendan Rodgers leading Leicester to FA Cup glory in 2021, but the decision remains hugely controversial, given the role Ranieri played in defying all the odds in the 2015-16 campaign.

Games

81

Wins

36

Draws

22

Losses

23

Points per match

1.59

“In T20, my sequencing of balls – as in how I construct an over – is totally different compared to the 50-over format,” he says

Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Mar-20251:42

Kumble: Varun has been exceptional over the last year

“Sir, basically the ball goes inside, outside and goes straight. So, you can keep it that way but there are minute changes that you can do with that also.”Right at the end of a press conference, a journalist understandably asks Varun Chakravarthy how many variations he has. The man ain’t having it. You can go left, you can go right, you can go straight is the reply of a person that doesn’t really want you to get to your destination.From a mystery spinner, you can understand the secrecy. In fact, it’s kind of a boss move.Related

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Varun, by his own reckoning, did not consider cricket a serious professional endeavour until he was 26. “Before that, my dreams were all being an architect and making movies. So, I’ve had different career paths.”And yet here the guy is, at 33, taking 5 for 42 in the second ODI he has ever played, making a very serious case for his inclusion in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy, which is also likely to be played on a used surface that is likely to favour him. Varun is an IPL graduate, having played only a single first-class match.He is as hyper-modern as cricket gets – a guy who thinks about a sport that billions obsess over as merely a “career path”. But his excellence in this field is also down to his logic in breaking it down and understanding what he brings to the game.He explained how he figured out how to bowl in 50-over cricket, having initially come from the T20 world.”In T20, my sequencing of balls – as in how I construct an over – is totally different compared to the 50-over format,” Varun said. “And that I was able to figure out when I played the last two years in Vijay Hazare Trophy [India’s main domestic one-day tournament]. And it really helped me to understand when I can bowl my incoming delivery or outgoing delivery or the straighter one or the top spin – whatever it is. But that gave me a sense of awareness of when to bowl what. It is completely different from what I do in the T20.”Varun Chakravarthy has offered himself as another spin option•Associated PressIn this match against New Zealand, Varun said he didn’t feel a ton of pressure, because of the presence of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.But there is also the pressure not to reveal what he has in store for teams about to face him in the rest of the tournament. Or even for teams that will face him in the IPL to follow. Varun is not giving out trade secrets to any of these fellows, even if they happen to be in his own team.In the very earliest stages of the Champions Trophy, India captain Rohit Sharma said this about Varun: “He doesn’t bowl too many variations to us in the nets. He bowls just one type of delivery. Maybe, he doesn’t want to show his variations to us, even. But that is a good thing. He has got certain weapons which he wants to just put out there when it actually matters. I am more than happy if he wants to do that.”But he has got something different which is why he is here with us. He has been impressive in the last eight to nine months. That is why we wanted to bring him here and see what he has and what he can do for India on the big stage.”What he has done for India on the big stage is suggest he should have more ODI appearances, particularly on used pitches. The surface for the semi-final against Australia will likely be on the same pitch they had played Pakistan on.Varun, who didn’t play in India’s first two Champions Trophy matches, has now made himself very difficult to drop.

A day before the BBL started, Mitch Owen said he wasn’t sure where he’d be batting – or at all – for Hobart Hurricanes this season.After a record-breaking knock to win the competition for his home-town side, Owen, also the top run-scorer for the league, can start to lift his sights higher. The 23-year-old is set to earn life-changing amounts of money in franchise cricket, potentially starting with a replacement deal at the Indian Premier League.Related

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• 'It's super special, it's a childhood dream' – Owen on Hurricanes' 'surreal' night

Owen’s manager confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he is available as a replacement player for the IPL, having registered for the auction longlist late last year before failing to make the shortlist. The Pakistan Super League, which virtually runs concurrently with the IPL in April and May, could be another option for him.Owen’s mighty knock of 108 off just 42 balls – the equal-fastest ton in competition history off 39 deliveries – had the sellout crowd chanting his name and won Hobart their first BBL title.”I feel a bit awkward in these situations. I don’t really know how to take it,” Owen said of the adoration. “It’s super special… the most special thing is hearing everyone in the crowd enjoying it. And I’m so grateful, I’m so proud that we could bring this trophy to Tassie.”Owen had played just six matches in the previous two seasons for Hurricanes, for a total of 42 runs. Previously a middle-order hitter, Owen said a decision that he would be batting in the top order came “probably one day, to be honest” out from their tournament opener.Ricky Ponting, Hurricanes’ head of strategy, said he was “amongst that” decision. Declining to elaborate on his role in that move, the Test great happily talked up Owen’s future, saying discussion of him representing Australia in next year’s World Cup was “inevitable”.Mitchell Owen made the equal fastest century in BBL history off 39 balls•Getty Images

“There’s not many players in the world that can do that,” he told AAP of Owen’s heroics in the final. “He’s done it pretty consistently through the tournament… some of his 30s and 40s that he’s got have actually won and set up games for the Hurricanes. And then he ended up getting a hundred in 30-odd balls and the game’s over.”Hurricanes team-mate and 2021 T20 World Cup winner Matthew Wade agreed Owen “would be there or thereabouts” when it came to squad selection for the 2026 tournament.”He can be anything… no stage really worries him too much. It was phenomenal,” Wade told AAP.Owen said he “absolutely” wanted to work towards the squad for the India-Sri Lanka-hosted tournament, which begins in February 2026.However, David Warner suggested such talk was premature. The losing Thunder captain said the Australian team didn’t need a shake-up.”No, no. You’ve got the guys that are there at the moment,” he said. “You can earn your stripes… we can’t be just picking blokes and chopping and changing when the guys that are there have won World Cups.”It will be difficult top order to break into, with Travis Head, Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk and T20 captain Mitch Marsh having claims on those spots.Steven Smith, left out of last year’s underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign, also has to be considered after starring for the Sydney Sixers in the past two seasons when he has played as an opener in between international duties.But Warner was certainly happy to credit Owen with a “phenomenal knock” that meant his side came up short after posting 97 without loss after 10 overs.”We got beat by one player tonight, plain and simple,” he said.0815 GMT – This story was updated to reflect Owen’s availability as an IPL replacement player.

New Barcelona signing Marcus Rashford once called a Real Madrid icon the best he’s ever played against ahead of Nou Camp legend Lionel Messi.

Marcus Rashford signs for Barcelona from Man Utd

The forward has officially competed a season-long loan move to the Nou Camp from Manchester United, with Barca also having the option to buy Rashford in 2026 for an initial £26m next summer.

Rashford becomes the first Englishman to sign for Barcelona since Gary Lineker, who did so back in 1986. Taking the number 14 shirt number with the Catalan giants, Rashford has been quick to praise current Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, calling the Ballon d’or contender “one of the leading players in the world”.

“He is a very special talent, and for me, I feel definitely last season, he is one of the leading players in the world, if not the best. Everyone wants to play with the best, and there is a lot of talent in this squad. I am happy and eager to play with them on the pitch. Maybe I can help them, and for sure, they can help me. It is going to be exciting.”

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Rashford will also come up against England teammates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham in the El Clasico in 2025/26, with Barca looking to retain their La Liga title under Hansi Flick.

Games

426

Goals

138

Assists

77

Red cards

2

Trophies

6

Rashford calls Cristiano Ronaldo best he’s played against

Back in 2017 when talking to ESPN, relayed by Football 365, Rashford was asked for the best player he has played with or against.

Still just two years into his professional career, the attacker said Cristiano Ronaldo was the best he had came up against during his time at the Bernabeu. However, he also name-checked former Red Devils teammate Wayne Rooney, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and Brazilian star Neymar.

Former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Brazil striker Ronaldo also got a mention from Rashford, highlighting his World Cup displays.

“Brazilian Ronaldo has had the biggest World Cup performances, I’d say. And his were among the most enjoyable to watch. There were a lot of top players who performed in the World Cup and went to another level.”

The 2024/25 season was a huge success for Leeds United, winning the Championship with 100 points and returning to the Premier League. It could have been easy for them to slip up again, especially after a summer in which they lost one of their most important players, Crysencio Summerville.

Following the disappointment of losing the playoff final, the Dutchman made the move to Premier League side West Ham United for £25m plus add-ons. It didn’t have much bearing on Leeds’ fortunes last season, but he was still a big loss.

There is always a desire to have players in the squad as talented as Summerville. And the Whites could be making a move for someone just like him this summer.

Leeds’ new winger target

Whilst Leeds certainly reinvested the money they got for Summerville last season, they never really brought in a direct replacement on a permanent deal. Well, that could all change this summer, if recent reports are to be believed.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, Daniel Farke’s side are said to ‘have spoken to’ the representatives of Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao over a possible move. Smyth reports that Leeds ‘presented the project to his camp this week’ in a bid to try and sign him.

There will be competition for the 25-year-old winger, however, with French outfit Marseille also eyeing up a move.

As for the price to sign Paixao, journalist Santi Aouna reported last month that Feyenoord could demand as much as £34m for his signature.

Why Paixao would be a good signing

Should the Whites agree a deal to sign Paixao this summer, he will join the club off the back of a fantastic season for Feyenoord. As football scout Antonio Mango says, he is a “major threat” going forward, which will certainly increase the potency of Leeds in the final third.

Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson has noted that the in-demand talent has “similarities to Rodrygo”, referencing Paixao’s Real Madrid-based compatriot – a player who has scored 68 goals in 270 games for Los Blancos. That likeness also stems from Paixao’s “insane” ball-striking quality.

Unlike Rodrygo, Feyenoord man is yet to make his debut for the national team, but had a superb campaign for the Dutch giants last season. As the numbers on Sofascore highlight, he scored an impressive 18 goals and grabbed 14 assists in 47 games across all competitions.

With 26 of those goal involvements coming in the Eredivisie, Paixao also shone on the European stage, in the Champions League. The forward, who excels on the left-hand side, also bagged six goals and assists in Europe’s most prestigious club competition, including this stunning strike against Sparta Prague.

Should the Whites bring Paixao to Elland Road this summer, he would no doubt love to replicate the impact Summerville had at the end of his career for the club. The Dutchman also joined from Feyenoord as a youngster, and exploded in his final season as a Leeds player in 2023/24, before his big move to the London Stadium.

That season, in which Leeds lost the playoff final to Southampton, he won the Championship player of the year. The 22-year-old notched up a phenomenal 21 goals and ten assists in 49 games in all competitions, as per Sofascore.

Indeed, strikes from the Dutchman like this one against Norwich City were spectacular, and similar in many ways to Paixao’s in the Champions League last term, notably the power on the shot and angle from which it came.

To further see if the Brazilian can become the second coming of Summerville, we can compare their stats on FBref, using Paixao’s from this season and the former Leeds winger’s numbers from his final campaign at Elland Road.

They certainly stack up well against each other, with the 25-year-old Feyenoord star averaging 0.82 goal involvements and 0.53 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes. In comparison, the West Ham attacker averaged 0.72 goal involvements and 0.46 goal-creating actions each game for Leeds back in 2023/24.

Goals and assists

0.82

0.72

Key passes

2.19

2.88

Goal-creating actions

0.53

0.46

Progressive carries

4.33

5.04

Ball recoveries

3.35

3.78

Those stats suggest that, in fact, with the impact he could have in the final third, Paixao could well become the second coming of Summerville. He certainly has the goal and assist numbers behind him from this season.

For £34m, this looks like a good deal for Leeds. Farke’s side would be gaining a dangerous attacker who can have a real impact on their final third output, and finally be the Summerville replacement they were crying out for.

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Sunderland had been outside of the Premier League for some time, but the Black Cats are now back and ready to leave their mark on one of world football’s most entertaining and exciting divisions.

Indeed, before achieving promotion in stunning fashion against Sheffield United at Wembley back in late May, Sunderland had been missing from the top-flight picture for a mammoth eight campaigns, with a miserable four-season stay in League One even coming their way, which further hammered home how the mighty had fallen.

Now, Wearside is back on the footballing map courtesy of Regis Le Bris being the heroic manager to finally break their promotion hoodoo, with plenty of near-misses over the last few years piling on the pain, before the sweet ecstasy of promotion could be fully lapped up.

However, the task at the Frenchman’s door now – alongside the other powers that be at the Stadium of Light – is to build a squad of players that’s worthy of staying put in the Premier League, to make all that hard graft worthwhile.

Already, the big bucks are being splashed to try and gift the Black Cats the best fighting chance at survival and beyond, with a lavish £50m forked out to snap up both Enzo Le Fee permanently, on top of Habib Diarra further bulking up the midfield spots for a club-record £30m.

Noah Sadiki has also cost Le Bris and Co. a sizeable £17.75m, while confirmation for the signing of Club Brugge’s Chemsedine Talbi also appears to be imminent, after a £20m agreement was struck.

More signings will be clearly required, and with that in mind, here is what Sunderland’s dream squad could look like if everything goes smoothly the rest of the summer.

The goalkeepers

Brand new number one at the Stadium of Light

Kicking off Sunderland’s dream squad is the goalkeeper position, and there could well be a new number one on Wearside this coming season.

Whilst Anthony Patterson was able to tally up 14 clean sheets in league action on the way to the Black Cats triumphantly reaching the big time, he could soon be demoted to a number two spot in the side, particularly if Sunderland do end up signing Djorde Petrovic.

It’s been widely reported that the Black Cats might be able to win the reserve Chelsea ‘keeper for around the £21.5m mark this summer, with that perhaps signifying a steal down the line, considering the agile Serbian is just fresh off a ten-clean-sheet season in between the sticks for Strasbourg.

Patterson would no doubt offer a safe pair of gloves as backup, but with Petrovic also flexing 31 games in the Premier League in the past – with seven clean sheets heading his way at Stamford Bridge – he might well be what Le Bris now desires as a first-team option.

Alongside the Englishman and the £21.5m buy, Le Bris would also have Simon Moore as an emergency option, with the 35-year-old keeping three clean sheets across his minimal Sunderland game-time to date.

Full list of goalkeepers: Djorde Petrovic, Anthony Patterson, Simon Moore

The defenders

Four new signings join Petrovic

Petrovic is unlikely to be the only first-team altering addition to Sunderland’s defence, as four more potential new signings join this bumper Black Cats squad.

However, irrespective of all this activity, Trai Hume should remain out in front as Sunderland’s main right-back – even as the challenge of the Premier League has the potential to eat players whole – with the Northern Irishman a blistering performer for Le Bris’ men last season when notching up nine goal contributions.

Daniel Ballard should also fancy his chances at being a starter in the heart of defence just based on this last-gasp header alone, but he did also win an imperious 4.6 duels on average per second-tier clash last season when fit.

This is where it gets interesting as Charlie Cresswell and Deja Caleta-Car are added into the mix in the centre-back areas to challenge both the aforementioned Ballard and Luke O’Nien.

Cresswell would cost around the £18m ballpark to obtain, which doesn’t feel like too steep of amount to splash on a top-flight-distinguished defender, considering the England U21 international is just fresh off collecting nine clean sheets in Ligue 1 action for Toulouse.

Alongside the ex-Leeds United centre-back, his £8.5m-rated Croatian counterpart would also provide some more tough competition to the likes of O’Nien – who isn’t getting any younger at 30 years of age – having shown off his top division qualities too with Lyon when averaging a 91% pass accuracy per league game last season.

The left-back spot should also be claimed by Black Cats regular Dennis Cirkin, who is the full package with 11 clean sheets and five goal contributions tallied up last campaign, but he would be pushed by two fresh faces in the form of Reinildo and Ishe Samuels-Smith.

Reinildo has 25 Champions League games under his belt and would be arriving on a free transfer, whilst Samuels-Smith would be joining on loan from Chelsea as a diamond tipped for big things, and he will be eager to kick on at a club renowned for polishing young gems.

Full list of right backs: Trai Hume, Timothee Pembele, Niall Huggins

Full list of centre backs: Daniel Ballard, Charlie Cresswell, Luke O’Nien, Duje Caleta-Car

Full list of left backs: Dennis Cirkin, Reinildo, Ishe Samuels-Smith

The midfielders

£43m star breaks Diarra's record fee

All the glitz and glamour of Sunderland’s busy window so far has centred on the midfield department, but Dan Neil will still fancy his chances at a concrete first-team spot in the Premier League.

After all, the homegrown Black Cats midfielder will be working his socks off if any basement battle arrives on Wearside, knowing how passionate the Stadium of Light masses can be, with two goals and three assists also under his belt on the way to promotion being sealed.

He will be joined potentially by a midfielder that cost even more than Diarra’s whopping £30m, with it being speculated that ex-Arsenal warrior Matteo Guendouzi could soon join the ranks for a colossal £43m to beef up the Black Cats centrally.

Guendouzi was an ever-present member of Lazio’s midfield last season, and for good reason, with one goal and three assists coming his way in the demanding Serie A. Whilst his price tag does seem steep, he also has 57 Premier League games already on his side with the Gunners.

Joining him in the middle of the park is Habib Diarra, who will be keen to be another gem unearthed from Ligue 1 by Le Bris, after creating a hefty nine big chances in the French top-flight across his 24/25 season, on top of his standout output of four goals and five assists.

He is likely to take up a central spot alongside either Neil or the expensive Guendouzi, whilst Noah Sadiki will offer up his services to Sunderland as a versatile figure – away from solely being a midfield spark – having even lined up as a full-back on occasion last campaign for Union Saint-Gillois.

Full list of midfielders: Dan Neil, Matteo Guendouzi, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki

The forwards

“Living legend” adds competition for Wilson Isidor

Last, but by no means least, we have arrived at the integral forward positions in Sunderland’s dream squad, with the Black Cats wanting to expose plenty of porous Premier League defences on the way to clinching survival.

Patrick Roberts might not be a spring chicken anymore on Wearside, but he has the ability on his day to cause defences distress, with a glowing collection of nine goals and 18 assists across his 145-game back catalogue.

Eliezer Mayenda’s flexible presence in Le Bris’ camp could be put to good use here in offering the Black Cats another body down their right flank, with five of his Sunderland career appearances coming here.

That said, the Frenchman will likely find himself behind 20-year-old Talbi, with the young winger registering 12 goals and assists last season for Brugge.

In the number ten spot, Chris Rigg’s moment to shine in the Premier League is finally here. Crazily, despite being only 18 years of age, Rigg is a household fixture of Sunderland’s starting lineups, with seven strikes next to his name from 72 clashes and counting. Adil Aouchiche could offer competition here, but this feels like Rigg’s position to master now.

As for the left flank, Sunderland already look extremely strong, with both Enzo Le Fee and Romaine Mundle at Le Bris’ disposal.

Le Fee delivered the goods last season when it mattered with two assists registered in the crunch playoff semi-final contests, whilst ex-Tottenham Hotspur sensation Mundle showed real glimpses of quality in the second tier, too, even as injuries took their toll, as seen in him collecting five goals from just 25 league outings.

Isidor’s numbers (24/25) vs Mikautadze’s (24/25)
Stat	Isidor	Mikautadze
Games played	52	47
Goals scored	13	17
Assists	2	9
Big chances missed (in the league)	20	11
Big chances created (in the league)	9	9
Stats by Sofascore

Sunderland’s firepower will be enhanced for sure in the striker slot, however, with Lyon star Georges Mikautadze now reportedly on their ever-growing summer shopping list. Valued at £21m, he could bring the Black Cats’ spending to almost £112m on these seven additional signings, even without factoring in the confirmed deals for Diarra and Sadiki, alongside Talbi’s impending arrival.

It’s clear to see why he’s the desired centre-forward target when assessing his far heftier goal tally across the 24/25 campaign when weighed up next to 13-goal hero Wilson Isidor, and with football talent scout Jacek Kulig even going as far as to label him a “living legend”, he could be a real fan’s favourite at the Stadium of Light to come.

Full list of left-wingers: Enzo Le Fee, Romaine Mundle

Full list of right-wingers: Chemsedine Talbi, Patrick Roberts, Eliezer Mayenda

Full list of number tens: Chris Rigg, Adil Aouchiche

Full list of strikers: Wilson Isidor, Georges Mikautadze

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