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He is “loving it every day” after returning from injury because he “wanted to play all three formats”

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2024

“I enjoyed batting out there and just got a little bit emotional”•BCCI

At the start of 2023, we, including Rishabh Pant, wondered if he would be on a cricket field again, leave alone be the same flamboyant Pant the world fell in love with. A road accident on the way to surprising his mother in Uttarakhand left his car in flames; most would take coming out alive of it as a blessing let alone compete in elite sport again. Less than two years later, he has beaten every recovery timeline given to him, and even though he missed the home ODI World Cup, he is a T20I world champion, and more importantly now back as a Test jack in the box.On his comeback Test, Pant equalled MS Dhoni on most centuries as an India wicketkeeper, and then confirmed what observers have long believed: even though he entered our consciousness as a T20 player, Test cricket is where he is most at home.”Definitely, it was emotional because coming back I wanted to score in each and every match, which I couldn’t do [in the first innings, where he was part of a recovery but made a mental error],” Pant told the broadcasters after India’s 280-run win against Bangladesh in Chennai. “But coming back to Test cricket, where I belong most is great. I enjoyed batting out there and just got a little bit emotional. But at end of the day, just being on the field gives me more pleasure than doing anything else.”Related

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Pant equalled Dhoni in terms of centuries at Dhoni’s quasi home ground. Pant said he, too, loves the vibes there. “A lot special because I love playing in Chennai, first of all,” Pant said. “And secondly, after injury, I think I wanted to play all three formats and this was my first Test match after coming back. Just loving it every day.”Pant might not have made a big score in the first innings (39), but he walked in ahead of KL Rahul at 34 for 3 and added 62 with his friend Shubman Gill. “I try to read the situation in my own way,” Pant said. “And when you’re 30 for 3, I think you need to switch a partnership. And that’s what exactly me and Gill did out there. Especially, I feel like when you are chatting with someone who you have a great relationship outside the field, it really helps.”Captain Rohit Sharma was full of praise for Pant’s comeback. “He has been through some really tough times, and the way he has managed himself through those tough times was superb to watch,” Rohit said. “He came back in the IPL then followed by the World Cup, a very successful World Cup, and then obviously this is the format he loves the most.”For us it was never about what is he going to do with the bat. We always knew what he had with the bat and with the gloves as well. It was just about getting him back in the game and giving him that game time. Credit to him as well. He went on to play the Duleep Trophy and got ready for this Test match and had an impact straightaway in the game.”

Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for another proven winger to complement Thomas Frank’s current squad, following Timo Werner’s return to parent club RB Leipzig and reports that Son Heung-min may have played his last competitive game for Spurs.

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Despite a fairly promising first six months in north London, Werner ultimately proved to be a flop after chairman Daniel Levy decided to extend his loan spell by a further season, with former boss Ange Postecoglou publicly criticising the German for lacklustre displays.

“He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” said Postecoglou after Spurs’ draw with Rangers in the Europa League.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds [playing], it’s not acceptable to me and I said that to Timo. He’s a senior German international.

“The moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.”

With the ex-Chelsea forward ending his brief Spurs stay, Frank could be left even more short in the wide area if Son does leave N17 after 10 years.

Saudi sides are expressing a keen interest in the South Korean star, and the Lilywhites may well decide that now is the right time to cash-in on him, taking into account his age and the fact he’s about to enter the final 12 months of his deal.

Spurs did seal a permanent deal for Mathys Tel, who put pen to paper on a £30 million move from Bayern Munich, but the club cannot afford to leave their new manager short of attacking options given their status as a Champions League club next term.

They’ve been linked with a host of big-name forwards in the last week, including Man City’s Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Frank’s former star at Brentford, Bryan Mbeumo.

All of these players are likely to command a marquee price tag, alongside fellow reported target Mohammed Kudus.

The West Ham winger has an £85 million release clause in his contract, which becomes active in July, but Graham Potter’s side could sell for around £65 million.

Tottenham initiate talks to sign West Ham star Mohammed Kudus

That is according to GOAL, who also report that Tottenham have “initiated” talks with West Ham over signing Kudus.

Frank’s side have apparently told the Hammers that they’re keen on striking a deal for the Ghanaian, but both clubs haven’t dealt with eachother when it comes to transfers since Scott Parker’s move to Spurs in 2011.

Both clubs most commonly refuse to do business, and for this reason, it is believed that West Ham would much rather Kudus join Chelsea instead, who are also keen on the African winger.

There is also some negotiating left to do, as Daniel Levy only wants to pay £50 million for Kudus as things stand, so they’re some way short of West Ham’s current asking price.

Only Man City’s Jeremy Doku completed more successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League than Kudus last season, highlighting his devastating dribbling ability, with the former Ajax star also attempting more shots at goal than Dominic Solanke on average (WhoScored).

He would be a truly excellent addition, but Levy will still need to invest significantly here.

One of the top priorities for Celtic in the summer transfer window might be finding a winger to replace Jota until the Portuguese star returns from his long-term injury.

The Hoops swooped to sign the exciting forward from Rennes during the January window, re-signing him 18 months on from his move to Al Ittihad, and he made a fast start to life back in Glasgow.

Jota racked up four goals and two assists in 11 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, despite starting just seven of those matches, after returning to the club at the start of the year.

Unfortunately, though, he suffered a knee injury against Dundee United that is now set to keep him out of action for the start of next season, and possibly into next year.

It was stated at the start of May that Jota had suffered a cruciate ligament injury that is going to see him sit on the sidelines for between six and nine months.

Celtic may look to go out and sign another winger before the end of the summer transfer window because Brendan Rodgers could be without the forward’s talents for half of next term.

Why Jota's injury is a big blow for Celtic

As aforementioned, Jota made a fast start to his second spell at Parkhead and showed that he can still make a big impact at the top end of the pitch at Premiership level, 18 months on from his first exit from Glasgow.

The 26-year-old whiz did not play a competitive match under Rodgers during his first spell, as he left in the same summer that the manager returned, but the attacker quashed any concerns that the style would not suit him as well as Ange Postecoglou’s did.

Goals

0.63

Top 6%

xG

0.48

Top 8%

Assists

0.32

Top 17%

xA

0.37

Top 8%

Chances created

1.89

Top 25%

As you can see in the table above, Jota immediately became one of the top attacking wide players in the Premiership after his return to Parkhead, ranking highly among his positional peers in a host of key metrics as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

That form would not have come as a big surprise to many in Glasgow, though, as the winger had produced 21 goals and 21 assists in his two seasons in the Scottish top-flight under Postecoglou’s management in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

Jota, as shown in the highlights above, found the back of the net 15 times in all competitions for the Scottish giants in his second season under the Australian boss, which led to his move to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023.

His form across his two spells at Celtic so far illustrates why it is such a blow to lose the forward to a long-term injury heading into the 2025/26 campaign, because Rodgers’ side will not benefit from the goals and assists that he can provide for several months.

This is why the club may look at their options in the summer transfer window to potentially bring in a new player to compete for a spot out wide, to ensure that the manager is not left short at the top end of the pitch before Jota returns.

However, Celtic could save themselves millions by unearthing a surprise replacement for the Portuguese wizard in the form of Marco Tilio, who has been out on loan in his home country this season.

Why Marco Tilio could be a surprise Jota replacement

The 23-year-old winger signed for the Hoops from Melbourne City in the summer of 2023, but arrived at Parkhead with an injury that meant that he started his career at the club on the back foot.

Tilio only made two appearances in the Premiership as a substitute after coming back from his injury, before being sent out on loan to Melbourne for the second half of the season.

The left-footed star did not fare much better in that initial loan spell back in Australia, though, as he missed a further 13 matches through injury, and managed just one goal in four league appearances.

Tilio then re-joined Melbourne City on loan for the 2024/25 campaign and was absent for 12 games during the first half of the season with a hamstring injury, which left the forward in a difficult situation after 18 months of constant injury problems.

However, the Hoops loanee, who was once described as a “phenomenal” talent by A-League striker Bruce Djite, has not suffered a single injury since returning to action in January, and has caught the eye with his impressive performances.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once compared Tilio to Manchester City superstar Phil Foden, describing them as “similar” players, and the left-footed playmaker is finally starting to live up to that hype with his form in the A-League for Melbourne City during the 2024/25 campaign.

Whilst he may not be on the same level, quality-wise, as the Premier League star, the Celtic loanee is similar in the sense that he is also a left-footed and diminutive playmaker who can play on either flank or centrally in the attack.

Appearances

19

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.7

Assists

5

Dribbles completed per game

1.2

As you can see in the table above, Tilio was on fire in Australia in the second half of this season with an eye-catching haul of 14 goals and ‘big chances created’ combined in just 19 appearances.

These statistics show that the potential is there for him to provide quality in front of goal on a regular basis when fit and available to play, whilst playing on the left or the right flank, like Jota.

Interestingly, he also won possession back in the final third 1.4 times per game in the final third, which suggests that he would be brilliant for the way that Rodgers wants his team to counter press and win possession back off the opposition in their defensive third.

Daizen Maeda, for example, only won the ball back in the final third 0.4 times per game in the Premiership this term, which speaks to the kind of pressing quality that Tilio could offer.

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Overall, Celtic could save themselves millions by utilising the Australia international as a short-term replacement for Jota until he returns from injury, as he would not cost a penny to bring into the squad and his form out on loan suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting option for the Hoops moving forward.

Aston Villa have received a boost in their pursuit of a summer target, with it being revealed he is now planning to ignore Barcelona in favour of a move to the Premier League, according to a report.

Villa file complaint after referee blunder

With Newcastle United suffering a surprise 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, a point against Manchester United would’ve been enough for Villa to secure Champions League qualification for the second season on the spin, but they ultimately fell to a 2-0 loss.

Morgan Rogers thought he had opened the scoring for the Villans, but referee Thomas Bramall blew the whistle for an alleged foul on Altay Bayindir, with VAR unable to intervene as play was stopped before the ball hit the net.

As such, an official complaint has been made to the PGMOL, but Unai Emery’s side will ultimately have to settle for Europa League football next season, rather than the much more prestigious and lucrative Champions League.

Villa’s omission from Europe’s elite competition could also impact the business they are able to do this summer, but a new update has suggested they could still be well-positioned to sign a goalkeeper.

According to a report from Spain, Espanyol’s Joan Garcia is on Aston Villa’s radar for a summer transfer swoop, and the 24-year-old is now planning to turn down a move to Barcelona, amid concerns he would not be the first-choice option.

As such, a move to the Premier League is believed to appeal to Garcia, with Villa, Newcastle United and Arsenal all waiting in the wings, and Espanyol are aware it will be difficult to keep hold of the goalkeeper if they receive a big offer from England.

A deal could be relatively cheap, however, with the rumoured asking price of £25m believed to be appealing to all the interested parties.

Garcia could be "elite" Martinez heir

Unfortunately, it appears as though Emiliano Martinez’s time at Villa Park could be over, with the Argentine appearing to say a tearful farewell after his side’s final home game of the campaign.

As such, Emery will be tasked with bringing in a replacement this summer, and the Espanyol shot-stopper could be a fantastic option, having been lauded as “elite” by scout Ben Mattinson during the 2024-25 campaign.

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Not only that, but the 24-year-old ranks in the 86th percentile for his save percentage, and the 91st percentile for his crosses stopped percentage per 90 over the past year, so it is promising news that he could reject Barcelona in favour of a Premier League move.

Manchester City have made a breakthrough in their pursuit of a “sensational” star, as he has now agreed to move to the Etihad Stadium this summer, according to a report.

Man City's summer transfer plans

Man City took a huge step towards Champions League qualification on Tuesday night, with Matheus Nunes’ late goal securing a 2-1 victory against Aston Villa, moving his side up to third in the Premier League with just four games left to play.

Should City achieve a top-five finish, they should be in a strong position to attract some top players this summer, and Pep Guardiola is keen to reinforce his squad in a number of areas, given that his side have fallen way short of their usual standards this season.

With Kevin De Bruyne set to leave at the end of the campaign, a new attacking midfielder will be required, and the Blues are now the favourites to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, in a deal that could amount to a stunning £129m.

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There have also been suggestions that Guardiola could look to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, with Ederson in line to be replaced, and potential targets include Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens and FC Porto’s Diogo Costa.

There has now been a new update on Manchester City’s pursuit of Costa, with reports from France revealing the goalkeeper has now agreed to move to the Etihad Stadium this summer following initial talks.

Talks are ongoing, with agent Jorge Mendes set to be crucial to negotiations, but the 25-year-old has given the green light to sign for City in the summer transfer window, in what will come as welcome news to Guardiola.

A deal will not be cheap, however, as the Blues will have to fork out the full release clause of €75m (£64m) to secure a deal for the Porto shot-stopper.

Costa could be "sensational" signing for City

Ederson has been a fantastic servant to City, but with the Brazilian set to turn 32 in August, it is time City started thinking about replacements, and the Portugal international could be a fantastic addition to the squad.

It is important for any goalkeeper in a Guardiola system to be comfortable in possession of the ball, and the Switzerland-born goalkeeper appears to fit the bill in that regard, ranking in the 92nd percentile for touches per 90 over the past year.

Not only that, but the Portuguese shot-stopper has been lauded for his “cat-like reflexes” by journalist Zach Lowy, having made some impressive saves during his time with his boyhood club.

Having also been hailed as “absolutely sensational” by journalist Karan Tejwani, there is every indication that Costa could be a success at the Etihad Stadium, so it is exciting news that he has now agreed to join City this summer..

Manchester City could be a force to be reckoned with in the transfer market and have made their first step to landing a priority target this summer, according to reports.

Man City look to enjoy successful summer window

The Premier League title may have headed to Anfield this season in a transitional year for the Citizens, but you get the impression they will be quick out of the blocks once the window opens for business.

Pep Guardiola acted decisively to bring in Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah in January, and no stone will be left unturned as Manchester City aim to position themselves among the elite.

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With some statement arrivals on the agenda, the Blues are said to be keen on a move for Paris Saint-Germain star Desire Doue, even if they will have to stump up £85 million or over to have a chance of landing his services.

Barcelona winger Raphinha is another high calibre target at the Etihad Stadium and he is believed to be among their priority options to strengthen out wide due to his excellent form for club and country.

Even if the Citizens were to miss out on Champions League football, they still hold an appeal that very few would be able to match with Guardiola’s long-term project likely to yield further silverware.

Nevertheless, Manchester City remain at a vantage point from which they will be confident they can finish the job before a summer when changes could be made to fuel the fire for success. Now, they have taken a step forward in their pursuit of another key target as their ruthless approach to recruitment begins to take its course.

Man City submit £34m+ offer for Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa

According to reports, Manchester City have submitted an initial £34.1 million offer for Porto stopper Diogo Costa and look set to improve on their opening bid, which was rejected, sooner rather than later.

The Portugal international’s contract includes a £64 million release clause, but he may be allowed to leave for a fee in the region of £51.1 million if appropriate interest arises for his services.

Labelled “incredible” by countryman Diogo Dalot, Costa has kept 18 clean sheets in 44 appearances across all competitions this season as Porto look to seal continental qualification.

Diogo Costa’s key statistics in 2024/25 – Liga Portugal

Saves

51

Save percentage rate

66.2%

Goals conceded

26

Acted as sweeper

18

High claim

17

Errors led to goal

0

Ederson is expected to leave Manchester City for Saudi Arabia, so it is intriguing to see that they have now upped the ante in pursuing a long-term replacement for the Brazil international.

Looking ahead, it seems plausible that progress could be made in their move for Costa and it will be intriguing to see if he does end up becoming the man between the sticks at the Etihad Stadium.

As The Friedkin Group look to send shockwaves throughout the Premier League in their first summer in charge at Everton, the Toffees have reportedly joined the race to sign a young English talent.

Everton transformed under David Moyes

As if those at Goodison Park have gone back in time to the days of Leon Osman and Steven Pienaar, Everton have been a side transformed under David Moyes, who is thriving in his second stint in charge. The experienced manager returned with the club battling relegation once again but, since his arrival, has turned Everton into a side performing at the level needed to qualify for European football if they continue into next term.

After arguably his most impressive victory back in charge of the Toffees yet – a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest – Moyes told reporters: “I have got to say it was a great goal but thoroughly deserved. It certainly merited a win and I thought we played very well, when you come to a team sitting third in the Premier League and the semi-final of the FA Cup. I think if anyone was going to score, it was us.

“I have had a lot of games and sometimes football can go that way for you. I am getting a brilliant response from the supporters and the players but I am also calm enough to know it could change. Today we have put on a good show and I am proud of how the players are performing. We are trying to make small steps every week.”

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Those in Merseyside will be hoping that their recent run is only the sign of things to come before they potentially launch one of the most unexpected moves of the summer transfer window.

Everton join race to sign Jarell Quansah

According to Caught Offside, Everton have now emerged as shock contenders to sign Jarell Quansah from Merseyside rivals Liverpool this summer. The young defender has endured a tough season under Arne Slot having done plenty to impress Jurgen Klopp in the last campaign. Now, he could be heading for the exit door.

It’s not just Everton interested in his signature either. Joining the Toffees, Newcastle United’s interest has been well-documented and now Brentford, Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen have also reportedly joined the race. Amid such interest, Everton would be landing a major coup by signing the £30k-a-week defender, especialy considering the reputation of the German duo for transforming British talents abroad.

An England international, the 22-year-old earned plenty of praise from Klopp last season, who told reporters after handing the defender his debut: “I have to say he did really well. He was good.

“In possession as well he was calm. It was like we had just met in the car park before the game with the organisation in the first-half. But he played really well. In such a disorganised team like we were in the first half, he was the one who looked alright. It was a statement and he is really happy at the moment.”

The slowest T20 World Cup but with the most sixes, an unbeaten champion, and much more

Sampath Bandarupalli30-Jun-20247.09 – Overall run rate, which was the lowest at a men’s T20 World Cup. The previous lowest was 7.43 in the 2021 edition, played in the UAE.517 – Sixes hit in the tournament, making it the first T20 World Cup with 500-plus sixes. The previous highest was 405 in 2021.The balls-per-six ratio was 21.35, the best ever. Also, the ratio between fours and sixes hit at this World Cup was 1.86, the lowest across all the editions.Related

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1 – India became the first team to win the men’s T20 World Cup without losing a game. India won all eight matches they played, with one – the group-stage game against Canada – abandoned without a toss.2 – Editions of the men’s T20 World Cup without an individual century: 2009 and 2024. The highest score in 2009 was an unbeaten 96 by Tillakaratne Dilshan in the semi-final game against West Indies, while Nicholas Pooran’s 98 versus Afghanistan was the highest in 2024.19 – Four-plus wicket hauls in 2024. That’s the highest at a men’s T20 World Cup, going past 14 in 2021.4.17 – Jasprit Bumrah’s economy rate at this World Cup, the best for anyone who has bowled 100-plus balls in a single edition of the men’s T20 World Cup. The most Bumrah conceded in the eight matches he played was 29 runs against Australia.3 – Difference between wickets taken and boundaries conceded by Bumrah at this World Cup. He took 15 wickets in the 29.4 overs he bowled, but only 12 boundaries, including two sixes, were scored off him.1 – Bumrah became the first to win the Player-of-the-Tournament award at a T20 World Cup – for men or for women – without scoring a run. Bumrah bagged a golden duck against Pakistan, the only time he had to bat in this tournament.Two players have done the same in ODI World Cups: Glenn McGrath in 2007, where he did not bat even once in 11 matches, and Mitchell Starc in 2015, when he faced three balls across three innings and did not score a run.14 – Number of dismissals for Rishabh Pant as a wicketkeeper. He took 13 catches and effected one stumping. No wicketkeeper (or player, for that matter) other than Pant has had even ten dismissals in a men’s T20 World Cup.ESPNcricinfo Ltd17 – Wickets for Arshdeep Singh and Fazalhaq Farooqi in this World Cup, the best ever. Both of them topped Wanindu Hasaranga’s mark of 16 in 2021.5 – Instances of teams winning despite scoring 120 or less in a full 20-over first innings at this World Cup.That had happened only once in the men’s T20 World Cup before 2024 – by Sri Lanka, who won after being bowled out for 119 against New Zealand in 2014.1 – Rohit Sharma is the first to win the men’s T20 World Cup both as a player (in 2007) and as a captain (in 2024). Daren Sammy won the title twice as a captain – in 2012 and 2016, while seven other West Indies players were part of those two wins under him: Marlon Samuels, Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Andre Russell and Denesh Ramdin.109.52 – Percentage increase in maiden overs at this World Cup and the previous highest. A total of 44 maiden overs were bowled in the 52 completed matches at this World Cup, while the previous highest was 21 across 27 games in 2012.The 44 maiden overs in the 2024 edition account for 28.95% of the total maidens bowled in men’s T20 World Cups.25 – Difference between balls taken for the two individual fifties in the final – Virat Kohli took 48 balls and Heinrich Klaasen took 23 balls. Klaasen’s 23-ball fifty is the fastest in an ICC tournament final, while Kohli’s 48-ball fifty was the slowest of his T20 career.5-3 – Afghanistan’s win-loss record at this World Cup. They bowled out their opponents in all five matches they won, the joint-highest for a team at a men’s T20 World Cup alongside Australia in 2010.Afghanistan were themselves bowled out in all three matches they lost, the joint-highest for a team at a men’s T20 World Cup.Hardik Pandya and Rahul Dravid lead the celebrations after India’s second T20 World Cup win•Getty Images0 – Sixes hit in the match between New Zealand and Uganda. It was only the third men’s T20 World Cup match (discounting shortened T20 games) where no sixes were hit. South Africa vs Zimbabwe in Hambantota in 2012 and Netherlands vs Pakistan in Perth in 2022 were the others.4 – Papua New Guinea and Oman were the only teams in this edition without a point to their names. The four matches they played were the most without a win in an edition of the men’s T20 World Cup. PNG lost all four matches. As did Oman, but they took their first game against Namibia went into a Super Over.171 – Runs scored by Pant in this World Cup are the second-highest in an edition without a half-century. Anamul Haque scored 184 runs for Bangladesh in 2014 with a highest of 44*. Pant’s highest score was 42 against Pakistan.Tristan Stubbs scored 165 runs with a best of 33, the fifth-highest in a T20 World Cup without a fifty.96 – Balls Mohammad Amir bowled in this World Cup, the most without conceding a six. Amir is now the first bowler to not concede a six in two different editions of the men’s T20 World Cup (minimum of ten overs).He bowled 139 balls without being hit for a six in 2010, the second-highest by a bowler in an edition behind Umar Gul’s 147 balls in 2009.2 – Fours hit by Kohli in his first seven matches in this tournament, till the final. He went past that tally in the first over of the final itself, when he hit Marco Jansen for three fours.

As Ben Stokes brought the curtain down on his one-day career, the overwhelming feeling was sadness

Vithushan Ehantharajah20-Jul-20221:59

Ehantharajah – Stokes’ ODI retirement a seismic turn of events

Five tortuous overs, creaking red-faced around a sweltering Chester-le-Street outfield, five forgettable runs and a humbling 62-run defeat to South Africa. A reminder for Ben Stokes, in his final ODI, that cricket does not owe you a thing.Not that Stokes has ever approached the game in that way. Perhaps the closest was here, actually, for number 105, styled as a farewell after his impromptu retirement from the one-day format on Monday. It was a decision clearly made on a whim, which doesn’t make it any less thought out. He was already rested for the T20Is against India that followed the four Tests against New Zealand and India, and was going to sit out the three T20Is against South Africa (and the Hundred) ahead of the Test matches in August.Perhaps if the schedule was skewed a different way, Stokes might not have come to the realisation ODIs were the one to bin. Ultimately, though it was the volume rather than the order of the 12 limited-overs matches spread across 24 days. His statement carried a dagger for the powers that be and the crammed fixture list they have concocted, a point he insisted remained as the ECB were checking and double-checking as they do all released utterances from their players. He reiterated the sentiment to Sky Sports and BBC ahead of play on Tuesday. As ever with Stokes, the power of his words are carried in the fact he can say them, as much as what he said.Related

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• Stokes urges cricket chiefs to stop treating players like 'cars'

From now on, these are no longer Stokes’ problems. Nor is it his job in the immediate future to work out just how England turn around what has been a dire nine days in the 50-over format, with three pretty comprehensive defeats out of four. This 62-run defeat to put them 1-0 down against South Africa was all the more dispiriting given they were never quite in it, aside from when Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow reprised their century-addled partnership to bring us back to those glory days of 2019. That proved to be the only throwback tribute this Tuesday.The one the Durham faithful truly wanted didn’t come, especially given this was only Stokes’ fourth international appearance out of 222 at his home ground. The situation set before him was a familiar one, requiring the kind of rescue act that has him regarded as the fourth emergency service. Roy and Bairstow’s demise within six overs of one another gave Stokes a chance to bat one last time in coloured clothing with good mate Joe Root, and 209 to get of the 334 target and 26 overs to do it in.He could only manage 5, trapped in front attempting the same reverse sweep that brought about his downfall at Lord’s against India. Then it was leg-spinning force Yuzvendra Chahal, here it was bit-part offspinner Aiden Markram. This would usually be the place for some extrapolation about his headspace had he not told us already.Arguably the most dispiriting parts were in the field. He was as valiant as ever, rushing at the ball to such an extent that he was chewing turf two deliveries from the end of South Africa’s innings after throwing himself head first at a shot down the ground that eventually went for four. His five overs were expensive (0 for 44), though featured the odd delivery – such as the one that struck Janneman Malan – that belied a surface slowly baking in the 37-degree heat.A dejected Ben Stokes walks back after his final ODI innings•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile others took time off the field, he remained on throughout, at times limping after his overs or after a particularly full-blooded dive. Again, we know his body can only take so much, but it was hard to shake the strangeness of seeing Stokes like this. These flashes of vulnerability that would come and go in an instant, as if he were Superman puffing occasionally of a Kryptonite vape.Of course, it is dangerous to refer to any athlete in terms that put him above the physical and emotional toil of a regular person. And certainly after his mental health break last year, Stokes is now more au fait with his internal rhythms than ever before. But it was in ODIs that, really, the legend of what we know of Ben Stokes came to be.Broadly, it is the format where he has the best record: an average just under 40 with the bat (strike-rate of 95), 74 dismissals and 49 catches, with a few worldies dotted about in there.His omission from the 2015 World Cup squad drew criticism, even if justified given he averaged just 16.25 across 14 innings in 2014. The crux of the derision, however, was not based on form but what his non-selection said about a cautious attitude. That a pugnacious 23-year-old with a high ceiling and lust for the grander stages was not to be trusted.In hindsight, Stokes might be regarded as a totemic figure in the revolution that followed. In the 71 ODIs played between his readmission in 2015 to the end of the 2019 World Cup, he averaged 50, scoring 2400 of his overall 2924 runs, along with three hundreds. There were also 50 wickets.The Lord’s final and an 84 not out to take England home from the brink of defeat was the true legacy maker, capturing the country’s imagination as it played out in front of a free-to-air crowd. But the tournament as a whole – 465 runs at 66.42, seven dismissals and an economy rate of 4.83 – confirmed the arrival of a global talisman who had that rare, oxymoron trait of delivering rarely seen brilliance on demand.Even that remarkable stanza in his career had an ODI-adjacent origin story. After all, it was following a 50-over win against West Indies back in 2017 that he embarked on that ill-fated night out in Bristol that cost him the best part of a year in his career and a whole heap of goodwill. Both of which he made up for in 2019.”Probably, as with every England cricket fan, there’s a bit of sadness that Ben is no longer available in this form of the game,” captain Jos Buttler said after the match. “He’s been an ambassador for us as a team. You know you get 100 percent from him, he’s been a real leader in this team, to take it [to] where it is now from where it was. Guys who play like Ben are once in a generation players. It’s a good challenge for us to work out our best way forward as a team without him.”Buttler’s sadness will no doubt also come from losing a general and a totem for excellence out in the middle and in training. You wonder if he ever thought he would have to do without him when taking the job in the first place. Not that it would govern his decision to take on the limited-overs role, but he’ll now be the first England captain for a while who will have to move forward without Stokes to call upon.The real sadness to all this is Stokes has never been one to leave his team in the lurch, but has seemingly been forced to. And England look decidedly mundane, desperate for more X-factor cricketers like Ben Stokes. Not fewer.

He has the form and the record, and he’ll need to lead the attack with Rabada and Shamsi both absent

Deivarayan Muthu13-Mar-2020In his first press-conference on his return to India, South Africa captain Quinton de Kock was asked if the inexperience in the line-up on this tour was a “weak link”. De Kock countered that question, replying that they still have the likes of Faf du Plessis and David Miller, who have vast experience in these conditions, having been regulars in the IPL. On the bowling front, however, South Africa are without Kagiso Rabada, who is still recovering from injury, and Tabraiz Shamsi, who is on paternity leave.In the absence of their No.1 quick and No.1 spinner, South Africa will look to Lungi Ngidi to step up once again. The 23-year old had led the attack admirably against Australia at home, his 6 for 58 in Bloemfontein wrapping up the series for the hosts. During the process, Ngidi became the fastest South African to 50 ODI wickets, getting there in his 26th match.Ngidi is just over three years old in international cricket, and has had his fair share of injuries during this period, but has already grown into a well-rounded white-ball bowler. He’s adept at bowling in the Powerplay as well as at the death, something that was on bright display during the home summer. In the second ODI against Australia, Ngidi hit hard lengths in the early exchanges and later returned at the death to snip off the tail with his variations.South Africa’s dominance, though, did not seem as likely when David Warner was in charge. He had used the extra pace and bounce of Anrich Nortje to his advantage, cracking the tearaway for 25 off a mere 12 balls. Where Nortje offered width, Ngidi immediately cut that off and took down Warner with his third ball. Ngidi hit a length that was neither cuttable nor pullable, on off stump, and although Warner had made some room of his own by backing away, he could only spoon a catch to cover.Then, after the Powerplay, Ngidi got rid of both Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschange by steadily building up pressure. By the time Ngidi had returned for the 34th over, Australia had recovered to 181 for 4, but Ngidi rocked them with another triple-strike. His offcutters gripped in the tiring Bloemfontein surface and proved too good for Australia’s lower order.Lungi Ngidi dismisses Moeen Ali•Getty ImagesThese variations and the scrambled seam had also scrambled the minds of England’s batsmen in the T20I series opener at Buffalo Park, helping Ngidi defend seven off the final over. Overall, in the death overs in T20s, Ngidi has picked up 27 wickets at an economy rate of 8.01.He has done the job at the death in the ODIs as well, giving up just 203 runs off 194 balls while claiming 19 wickets at an economy rate of 6.27.India’s lower-middle order has been strengthened by the return of Hardik Pandya, but South Africa can count on Ngidi and his good friend Andile Phehlukwayo, who also has some canny variations in his repertoire, to deal with India.It’s also worth noting that Ngidi has a decent ODI record against India: eight wickets in four games at an economy rate of 6.18. However, he has just played a solitary international in India – the Ranchi Test last year, where he not only went wicketless in 20 overs but also leaked over four runs an over.So, the question is can Ngidi be as effective in India as he is on the juicier tracks in South Africa? Ngidi can draw confidence from IPL 2018, where he emerged as an unlikely hero for Chennai Super Kings, especially at the death. He even fronted up to the Powerplay, and in the end his smart economy rate of 3.77 was by far the best among 42 bowlers who had bowled at least 25 overs in the tournament.Ngidi wasn’t selected for the first seven games that the Super Kings played in IPL 2018, but then the franchise had their home games shifted to Pune and they adapted on the fly, understanding the value on his pace – and sometimes the lack of it. Against Kings XI Punjab on a spicy Pune pitch, Ngidi repaid Super Kings’ faith and bagged a career-best 4 for 10 to knock them out of contention.Ngidi then missed the following IPL season and suffered multiple injuries that year, but he’s now back to his best. In South Africa’s last ODI series in India, Rabada denied MS Dhoni at the death and closed out the match skilfully. There’s no Rabada on this tour, and there’s no Dhoni either for India, but Ngidi has it in him to lead South Africa’s attack and extend their resurgence.