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Fast bowler missed much of the season after knee surgery but could be in contention for Australia role

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2025

Olly Stone has signed for Middlesex on loan in a last-ditch attempt to force his way into England’s plans for the Ashes.Stone, whose England central contract expires at the end of the season, has taken 17 wickets at 23.52 in his five Tests and was part of their squad for tours to Pakistan and New Zealand last winter. But his career has been plagued by injuries, and knee surgery in April ruled him out of the home Test summer.He has played six matches since completing his rehabilitation, four for Nottinghamshire in the Blast and two for London Spirit in the Hundred, and has now agreed a short-term loan move to Middlesex for the next two rounds of County Championship fixtures. He is set to make his debut for the county against Derbyshire at Lord’s on Monday.Stone is an outside bet for England’s Ashes squad, though could compete for a spot as a back-up fast bowler after Jamie Overton’s surprise decision to put his red-ball career on pause. Matthew Potts has been stood down from the upcoming T20I series in Ireland so that he can push his case for selection, while Sonny Baker’s chances dipped after an expensive ODI debut.”This is a great opportunity for Olly to get some competitive overs under his belt with the red ball for the first time since the back end of last summer,” Peter Moores, Notts’ coach, said. “A fit and firing Olly Stone is an asset for any side, and we’re sure he’ll be well served by this short spell at Middlesex.Related

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Olly Stone ruled out for 14 weeks after undergoing knee surgery

“We’re fortunate to have a number of seam bowlers to choose from for our next couple of games, and we want to make sure Olly has the best possible chance to get some miles back in the legs after some impressive spells in white-ball cricket so far this summer.”Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s director of cricket, said: “As we reach the end of the season, the rigours of the season inevitably take their toll on the fast-bowling unit, so to be able to bring someone in of Olly’s proven international quality to freshen things up ahead of the County Championship run-in is a huge bonus for us.”He will add not only quality, but vast amounts of experience too at the highest level, which the younger players in our group can really benefit from as we look to finish the season strong. We are really looking forward to welcoming Olly to the club and are excited to see what he will bring over the next fortnight.”

Why the squad for the Perth Test is an opportunity missed

Greg Chappell09-Nov-20253:09

Australia’s Ashes squad: No Konstas, Labuschagne to open?

“A ship is safe in harbour, but that is not what ships are for.” This timeless wisdom speaks to a core dilemma of human endeavour: the choice between safety and potential reward. A ship anchored indefinitely in a quiet port avoids the tempest, but it sacrifices its purpose – slowly decaying into irrelevance.Cricket is fundamentally a game of risk-management. To make runs, a batter must risk playing shots; to take wickets, a bowler must risk getting hit for four. How you manage that risk decides your fate and the team’s on the field.The Australian selectors have taken a safety-first approach to the selection of the squad for the first Test of the Ashes in Perth. The make-up of the squad is not unexpected but I was hoping that they would be bolder and choose a team that would risk surprising the opposition and throw down the gauntlet for one of the most anticipated Ashes contests for many years.Related

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I do have some sympathy for the selectors as this is not entirely a problem of their making. The traditional supply line of youngsters has been interrupted by professional cricket, meaning that players stay in the domestic system longer, playing for the states, who prioritise winning domestic competitions over producing Australian players.So here we are in Australian cricket. The oldest international team fielded in 90-plus years will take the field in a fortnight. Thirty-five may be the new 30, but I believe that unless a handful of under 25s are going to be debuting in the next six to 12 months, we are going to have a painful regeneration problem when Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon leave.Domestic competitions don’t produce Test-ready players; they only identify those with the skills to make it at the top level, so CA must prioritise giving the next generation as much international cricket at the Australia A level as possible to bridge the gap.Now to the series ahead. Perth Stadium is a venue unlike any other in Test cricket. It will be fast and will bounce more than anything that the England players usually play on. This Test will have a big bearing on the outcome of the series, so the team that performs well here will take a big psychological advantage to Brisbane. The first two Tests – at Perth’s pace cauldron and Brisbane’s pink-ball furnace under lights – could decide the urn. Now was a time to be bold.Despite selecting a specialist opener, Jake Weatherald, in the squad, I believe the intention is to send Marnus Labuschagne out to open with Khawaja. This will allow Cameron Green and Beau Webster to play, giving the best balance of batting and bowling in the squad – especially as Green has hardly bowled a ball in anger since his recent back surgery.

Being risk-averse is not being risk-free. By anchoring in the harbour of familiarity, Australia’s selectors may have invited the very storm they sought to avoid

Opening with Labuschagne is extremely risky. He should bat at three, as that is his specialist spot, where he has delivered prolifically. The fact that he is being considered as an opener suggests that the selectors do not have a specialist they trust, and that one or both of Green and Webster are well short of the bowling loads required to get through a Test match.Ian Chappell and Ricky Ponting were exceptional No. 3 batters for Australia in their time. That doesn’t mean that they would have been as successful had they been press-ganged into opening. They were often batting early in the innings but the mindset to walk out to open the innings is subtly different.Marnus has reinvented himself this summer with a return to the intent that he showed early in his Test career. For the past few seasons he has looked like someone who was batting to not get out. This risk-averse attitude to batting actually increases the risk of getting out. In this state of mind, the feet do not move and the runs dry up. Even if one succeeds in not getting out, one doesn’t make many runs because the number of deliveries that you can attack becomes limited. It would be a shame to risk short-circuiting his return to Test cricket by batting him out of position.Mitch Marsh is the choice I would have preferred. It would have been a left-field choice, but this is a venue where he has an advantage over all other candidates. He grew up in Perth so the bounce would not worry him; he is one of the best players of pace in the country, and he could have bowled some meaningful overs to support the frontline quicks.If they do go with Labuschagne at the top of the order that will mean Green will be forced to bat at No. 3 again. It is a position for which he is not suited, so all of a sudden, the Australian batting order is dangerously unbalanced.Usman Khawaja will be in the hot seat against the pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer•Getty ImagesIn time, I expect Green to slot into the No. 4 position he is eminently more suited for. The other reason that I would not send him in early is that, if fit, he will be expected to bowl important overs, so he will need time to prepare to bat rather than put the pads straight on.England have put nearly all their eggs in the pace basket, bringing a septet of fast bowlers with whom to challenge what they believe to be a fragile batting line-up. They have prioritised the fitness of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for this series, so I expect them both to play in Perth and in Brisbane, and then they will rotate the rest of the pace squad through the remaining Tests.If Archer and Wood are both fit for purpose, England could surprise the Australians on a surface that will favour pace. Very few people enjoy batting against real pace. We would all rather bat against medium-pacers and spinners, but at this level, it has to be done. Normally it is one or two really quick bowlers in the line-up and then the pace drops off. Very few teams in history have three or four in the ranks who get it through at over 140kph. That will get your attention and it will require reflexes and concentration of the highest order. The ageing Australian line-up might be put under the pump if the England attack clicks.Khawaja is the oldest opener to play a Test for Australia since Lindsay Hassett did it in his final Test at The Oval, in 1953. Hassett scored 53 in the first innings of a Test that England won by eight wickets. England had Fred Trueman, who was a genuine quick, in their attack, but Alec Bedser and Trevor Bailey were medium-fast at best. Ussie turns 39 during the series, so he will be tested by a procession of fast bowlers. His potential partner is a 31-year-old debutant or a makeshift opener also in his 30s. England will take a huge advantage if they can make early inroads in the Australia batting regularly in the series.The selectors have boxed themselves into a corner. Over the past year or so they have shied away from bold calls, leaving themselves no real option now but the conservative line. They were risk-averse in picking the team. They missed an opportunity to lay down the gauntlet at one of the world’s unique venues. And they are actually taking a huge risk by playing batters out of position.Being risk-averse is not being risk-free. By anchoring in the harbour of familiarity, Australia’s selectors may have invited the very storm they sought to avoid. Perth demanded courage. The Ashes demand it. A ship is safe in harbour, but that is not what ships are for.

India added 327 runs for the loss of just three wickets on the third day against West Indies in Ahmedabad

Alagappan Muthu03-Oct-20252:08

Chopra: Jadeja’s game against fast bowling ‘has improved leaps and bounds’

India’s batting riches put them in consummate control of the first Test of their home season, with KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel scoring important centuries. It was Rahul’s first at home since 2016 and it was Jurel’s first one ever. They now have a lead of 286, which is large enough to potentially shrink this down from a five-day game.Ravindra Jadeja had an equal part to play on a day where India made 327 runs for just three wickets. There was a point when the pitch started crumbling and West Indies’ spinners were able to get the ball to turn sharply out of the rough. India collectively decided to attack them, hoping to throw them off the lengths where they could access the worn out parts of the pitch. Jadeja did this the best. His idea was to charge at the bowler, and every time he did, he was looking to hit a boundary. Seven of the 11 he ended up with were the result of this ruthless approach, including a six that helped him breeze through the nervous nineties.Jomel Warrican, Roston Chase and Khary Pierre, in helpful conditions, were left nursing combined figures of 4 for 283 from 82 overs. Jadeja, meanwhile, helped India reprise a feature of their England tour earlier this year, becoming the third centurion of the innings. The last time that happened at home was 2018, during West Indies’ last visit to the country. Jadeja connected that trio to this trio.Related

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West Indies could have helped themselves had they begun their day’s work with a bit more hope. Instead the captain Chase welcomed the two overnight batters with a sparsely populated slip cordon. The focus, it seemed, was run-saving instead of wicket-taking. Jayden Seales, who has a lovely outswinger, snagged Rahul’s edge in the very first over of play but regulation first slip was missing. He had been pushed wide and so this ball just skipped to the boundary.Rahul survived on 57 and went on to score 100. He celebrated it by raising his bat in one hand and sticking two fingers of the other in his mouth, a little tribute for his new-born daughter.1:41

Chopra: WI should’ve taken the new ball earlier

The next man to three-figures was Jurel. It is clear from the way he bats that he is set up to be consistent. He has good judgment of what to play and what to leave. He’s comfortable in attack and defence. Some of his back foot shots against pace were chef’s kiss, so that, along with the way he played out the second new ball, suggests he should be able to adapt to overseas conditions. Jurel has a high floor. Rishabh Pant beats him with a high ceiling. Maybe India might find a way for both players to be part of the XI; trust Jurel to be a specialist batter. His century celebration was a tribute to his father, who was with the Indian army.West Indies had set themselves up for damage control but in doing so really early, they let India dictate terms. Seales bowled manfully, his pace up around the 140kph mark even at the back end of a very hot day that forced him off the field for a little bit for what looked like cramps.Warrican was good too, slowing the ball down and inviting India to attack him if they could. It was strange that he only bowled two overs before lunch, but did make up for that by bowling 12 back-to-back after the break and picked up Rahul’s wicket. Jadeja negated the effect he could have on the game. He made 86 runs against spin, including 41 off 15 when he chose to come down the track.Shubman Gill’s efforts were cut short on 50 in the middle of that tricky period where India decided to attack spin. He brought out a reverse sweep against Chase and got caught at slip.The second day in Ahmedabad meandered to a close with Pierre enjoying a high that he had chased all his life. Having been part of the domestic system from the age-group level, after making his first-class debut 10 years ago, he finally took a Test wicket at the age of 34 and his smile lit up the place.

Over time, we have seen some iconic central defenders come and go, with Italy especially having the knack of producing some of the greatest centre-backs football has ever witnessed.

From Paolo Maldini to Franco Baresi, Gli Azzurri have had some of the best, but who ranks at the top as the premier centre-back?

The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 20, 2025

Here is a look at 20 of the greatest central defenders in footballing history, factoring in their longevity, consistency at the highest level, while also highlighting team and personal accolades.

20

Fernando Hierro

Starting the countdown is Fernando Hierro, who made more than 600 appearances for Real Madrid during a 14-year stint at the Bernabeu.

Even capable of playing in a defensive midfield role if required, Hierro had unbelievable ability on the ball for a centre-back, something which helped him play in the Premier League at the age of 39. The Spaniard won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with Madrid.

19

Giorgio Chiellini

One of numerous Italians on the list is Giorgio Chiellini, who retired in 2023 at the age of 39 after a glittering 23-year career.

A no-nonsense defender with his aggressive, physical, and tenacious approach, Chiellini proved that an old-fashioned defender can still star in the modern game.

He spent 18 years with Juventus, winning nine Serie A titles and the European Championships with Italy.

18

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva is one of those defenders who got better with age, starring in Italy, France and England with AC Milan, PSG and Chelsea.

A Champions League winner, Silva was an exceptional reader of the game and made defending at the highest level look incredible easy, while also having brilliant passing vision.

Nicknamed the ‘monster’ due to his imposing playing style, Silva possesses much more quality than just his physical ability.

17

Rio Ferdinand

Compared to Pele by a youth coach at just 11 years of age, Rio Ferdinand transformed into one of England’s best ever centre-backs across a 19-year career.

Quick and agile in his prime, Ferdinand was an extremely composed centre-back and great reader of the game.

Inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, he won six top flight titles with Man Utd, while also captaining Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to Champions League glory in 2008.

16

Jaap Stam

Another iconic Red Devils centre-back was Jaap Stam, however, his stay at Man Utd was much shorter and his exit was a decision Ferguson regretted the most in his career.

A powerful defender in the air and quick across the grass, Stam was named as the Dutch Player of the Year in 1997 and also won the Champions League at Old Trafford.

15

Ronald Koeman

Continuing the Netherlands theme takes us to Ronald Koeman, who is the greatest goalscoring central defender the game has seen.

Incredibly, Koeman scored more than 250 goals during his career, impressing with his long-range shooting, free kick ability and reliability as a penalty taker.

A European Cup winner with PSV and Barcelona, Koeman, who sometimes played in midfield, was even the Champions League top scorer in 1994, and his defensive attributes were also world-class.

14

​​​Lilian Thuram

​​​Lilian Thuram saved his only two France goals for the biggest stage, a World Cup semi final win over Croatia in 1998.

Known as an incredibly athletic defender in his prime, Thuram, who can also be considered one of football’s greatest ever right-backs, also starred centrally during a 17-year career which saw him star for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona.

Thuram won the World Cup and Euros and was named France’s Player of the Year in 1997.

13

Marcel Desailly

Nicknamed The Rock, Marcel Desailly starred for France across 11 years, helping his country win the World Cup in 1998 and then the Euros in 2000 alongside Thuram.

He was named in the team of the tournaments for both of those triumphs, and at club level, Desailly starred for Nantes, AC Milan and Chelsea.

A versatile centre-back who led by example, Desailly improved any side he went into and arguably went under the radar during his career.

12

Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the best centre-back in world football since his move to Liverpool in 2018, Virgil van Dijk has helped transform the Reds into winners again.

Van Dijk has it all and makes defending look incredibly easy at the highest level. Physical presence, speed, ability on the ball, world-class attackers have struggled to get past the Dutchman on a regular basis.

One of the most expensive centre-backs in history, Van Dijk has been worth every penny of the £75m Liverpool spent.

11

Carles Puyol

A Barcelona and Spain legend, Carles Puyol won everything for club and country and was a part of the most dominant sides the game has ever seen.

Under Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp, Puyol captained Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League glory, while with Spain, he won the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup.

He was named UEFA’s Defender of the Year in 2006 and in the World XI Team of the 21st Century.

Venkatesh Prasad reiterates his commitment to bringing big-ticket cricket back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru

Shashank Kishore08-Dec-2025Venkatesh Prasad, the former India seamer, has been elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Sujith Somasunder, who played two ODIs in 1996 and was until recently head of education at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, is the vice-president.Prasad, who received unanimous backing from former colleagues Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath among others, defeated his rival KN Shanth Kumar by a 749-558 margin. Flanked by his team members, Prasad reiterated his commitment to work with the state government to restore “Chinnaswamy’s lost glory”.”First and foremost, this is a victory for the sport of cricket,” Prasad said. “Secondly, this is a victory for all the members who wanted a change, all the people who wanted international cricket to come back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.”Related

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The venue hasn’t hosted a big-ticket game since a stampede outside the premises claimed 11 lives during a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory party on June 4. Since then, the KSCA has been a no-go for cricket in Bengaluru, with the BCCI preferring to host the Duleep Trophy and ‘A’ series between India and South Africa at the Centre of Excellence.The M Chinnaswamy Stadium was scheduled to host five women’s ODI World Cup games, including the final. But they had to be moved out after the previous KSCA dispensation, which was operating without a treasurer and secretary, who had resigned on moral grounds after the stampede, failed to obtain the necessary clearances from the state government.KSCA subsequently ran into trouble with the state’s electricity suppliers over fire-safety compliances, which led to power supply to the venue being cut-off. Power has since been restored after a fire-safety audit that said KSCA was in compliance with regulations.Prasad has now instructed his team to study the other possible changes they can implement by studying the findings of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, appointed by the Karnataka government in the aftermath of the stampede.DK Shivakumar casts his vote at the KSCA elections•PTI In its report in July, the commission had stated that the stadium’s “design and structure” were inherently “unsuitable and unsafe” for mass gatherings. It warned that continuing to hold high-attendance events at the venue would pose “unacceptable risks to public safety, urban mobility, and emergency preparedness”.On Sunday, Karnataka’s deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, a KSCA life-member and among the early voters, vowed to bring the IPL back to the Chinnaswamy.”I’m a cricket lover,” he said. We will ensure that the accident in Karnataka does not happen again and hold cricket events at Chinnaswamy Stadium in a manner that upholds the honour of Bengaluru. We will not shift the IPL elsewhere and will continue to hold it here at Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka, which we will retain.”Prasad joins a small group of former India players currently in cricket administration. Recently, Mithun Mahnas, the former Delhi captain and a cricket administrator in Jammu & Kashmir, was elected BCCI president, while Sourav Ganguly, Prasad’s former India colleague and captain, was unanimously elected as president of Cricket Association of Bengal. Saurabh Tiwary and Shahbaz Nadeem, who also had brief India careers along with a strong body of work in domestic cricket, have entered cricket administration in Jharkhand in positions of authority.

Mohammed Shami refuted any doubts about his fitness on the eve of Bengal’s first game of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, saying he wouldn’t be playing four-day cricket if he wasn’t feeling right.Shami last played for India during the 2025 Champions Trophy in March. The team has since gone on a Test tour of England, won the Asia Cup T20Is and swept West Indies 2-0 to kick off the new home season. It was in response to India excluding him from their next assignment – a white-ball tour of Australia starting later this month – that Shami said, “if I can play four-dayers [Ranji Trophy], I can also play 50-overs cricket.””Selection is not in my hands. If there is a fitness issue, I shouldn’t be here playing for Bengal,” the fast bowler was quoted as saying by PTI on Tuesday. “I think I do not need to speak on this and create a controversy. If I can play four-dayers [Ranji Trophy], I can also play 50-overs cricket.”Shami, who recently turned 35, has played only nine international games since recovering from ankle and knee injuries.”About giving an update, it’s not my responsibility to give an update or ask for an update,” he said. “It’s not my job to give updates on my fitness. My job is to go to the NCA [Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, formerly National Cricket Academy], prepare and play matches. That’s their matter who gives them updates or not. It’s not my responsibility.”India’s chief of selectors Ajit Agarkar explained Shami’s absence from Test cricket (his last outing was in June 2023) by saying he hadn’t played a lot of first-class matches in the last two-three years. “So, as a performer, we know what he can do. But, he will need to play something,” Agarkar said.Shami was a regular member of the Indian team, with 197 matches across formats since making his debut in 2013. He played a starring role during their run to the ODI World Cup final two years ago and remains hopeful of representing the country again. His recent performances include bowling 30 overs in nine matches in IPL 2025 and then turning up for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy this August.”Keep fighting, keep playing games. If you perform well, it will benefit you as well,” Shami said. “Selection is not in my hands. I can only prepare and play matches. I’ve no objection… If you don’t select me, then I will come here and play for Bengal. I’ve no issue with it.”I also don’t want to play in pain or make the [Indian] team suffer. I wanted to come back after the operation and make a strong comeback. I am trying to do the same. I am ready to go whenever they [selectors] want me to go.”Shami added he still values domestic cricket highly. “In the old days, Ranji Trophy was a big level for anyone. But today, we have a platform, and you think it’s an ‘insult’ to go back to play junior cricket like Ranji Trophy. I don’t think so. You should play four-day cricket.”

Shreyas Iyer didn’t get a century on his Punjab Kings captaincy debut, but he’s put his money where his mouth is, with his eyes on the prize

Ekanth26-Mar-20252:12

‘Probably Shreyas Iyer’s best IPL innings’

The value of every run in cricket is the same, until it isn’t. After a point, it is less hard-earned currency and more arithmetic operation. Framing the equation is the only luxury the batter gets. It’s one Shreyas Iyer was afforded on 97, on debut as Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain, with his team on 220 with an over to go: 97 + 3 = 100. Straightforward.But Iyer wasn’t in the mood for all that. Instead, he left it to Shashank Singh – his batting partner who was the team’s designated finisher – and sent what we can think of as a message for everyone in the team: “Shashank, don’t be like ‘ (I’m close to a hundred), just play your shots and finish it well’.” As it turned out, the equation that was set in motion was 220 + 23 = 243.The run economy was in dire straits on an Ahmedabad flatty. But those 23 runs that came from Shashank off Gujarat Titans’ (GT) Mohammed Siraj in the final over were telling in this IPL 2025 match. PBKS won by 11 runs, yes, but – back to the math – they had 27 to defend in the final over of the chase.Related

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“Getting those extra 40 runs, especially after 200, because we had set [that as] a benchmark, that on this wicket, where the ball is also stopping a bit and turning, helping the spinners, that was our mindset,” Iyer, the Player of the Match, said on the broadcast afterwards. “But with the dew coming in, we knew that the scenario would be changing. Thankfully, we were able to execute and the way he [Shashank] performed was simply brilliant.”The relativity in the value of runs is often a curse for teams batting first. It’s not until the end of the game that they can tell if they made enough or too few (even if it’s one run).Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have meddled with that order by attacking throughout the innings. However, that is somewhat contingent on batting conditions and the Impact Player rule. When it all clicks, wickets are incidental. For PBKS, it became that when Iyer went out to bat in the fourth over and nailed a “confidence-boosting” on-drive off Kagiso Rabada, followed by a flicked six in a 14-run over.Shreyas Iyer took his risks, and they came off•Getty ImagesYet, Rabada was brought back for another over in the powerplay – wickets might be incidental at times, but early wickets are substantial. So, from a bowling team’s point of view, there’s good reason to exhaust three of the four overs of the strike bowler early rather than save them for later, when they might encounter set batters.Rabada’s first ball of that sixth over was a jaffa – in the channel, rising from a length – that Iyer nearly nicked off. He was beaten again, on the flick, by a 146kph full delivery next ball, and survived what turned out to be a bad review for lbw. Call it a dodgy bet but if one of those two had led to Iyer’s wicket, then keeping Rabada on would have been as good a captaincy decision as a batter sacrificing strike in the last over.Such variability is why No. 3s anchor the innings, if they can see off good bowlers and play themselves in, they have the chance to bat long and hold an innings together. But when Iyer got back on strike for the last ball of the over, the earlier events didn’t matter. Short third was in, deep point was back, and the shortish ball was glided through the gap.Iyer had wanted to mark the No. 3 spot for the season, and PBKS want to establish themselves as a force in a way they have struggled to previously. So why an anchor when you can zoom away like a speedboat?Shashank Singh and Shreyas Iyer walk off after adding 81 in just 28 balls•IPLSome of the risks that Iyer took didn’t come with insurance. That flicked six off Rabada in the powerplay went over deep square-leg, the only outfielder on the leg-side boundary. He was nearly caught on the same boundary in the 17th over, but Rabada stepped on the boundary cushion with ball in hand.However, it was in the takedown of R Sai Kishore, who had 2 for 3 after two overs, that Iyer’s bravado was on full display. PBKS had slipped to 108 for 4 in 12 overs after a 73-run powerplay, and there was need for consolidation but also the risk of stagnation. So Iyer made room first ball and went inside-out over long-off, and the heave two balls later was off the bottom of the bat, yet the ball sailed over long-on.Iyer struck 35 off 12 short and short-of-length deliveries, his strike rate was above 180 against every bowler by the end of it, and he was – as Ravi Shastri said on air – “batting like a three-million-dollar man”. It’s too early to say if PBKS have hit the jackpot with the INR 26.75 crore auction purchase, but their captain looks willing to put his money where his mouth is, with his eyes on the prize from day one.

Burger walked off the field in the first innings after bowling 6.1 overs and de Zorzi pulled up in the dying moments of the chase to retire hurt for 17

Firdose Moonda03-Dec-2025

South Africa left-arm seamer Nandre Burger has suffered a hamstring injury that curtailed his participation in the second ODI against India in Raipur and could impact the rest of his season.South Africa suffered another injury scare when Tony de Zorzi pulled up towards the end of their chase and retired hurt for 17 after the 45th over.”It didn’t look too good, to be honest – Nandre not being able to finish his overs and Tony also walking off,” captain Temba Bavuma said at the presentation. “If need be, we do have other guys waiting in the wings come Saturday.”Related

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Burger had started his seventh over when he lost his run-up twice and appeared to struggle to land on his right leg. He held onto his right knee before walking off the field. Aiden Markram delivered the next five balls to complete the over.ESPNcricinfo understands that Burger was assessed and is still experiencing discomfort in his right hamstring. He will continue to be monitored by South Africa’s medical staff. In the immediate term, it affected South Africa in this match, where Markram bowled 5.5 overs in total, and will impact team selection for the third ODI on Saturday. Burger is not part of the T20I squad, where Anrich Nortje will make his return, and he may be called on earlier if South Africa feel they need extra pace. They are already without Kagiso Rabada, who has a rib niggle, and Gerald Coetzee, who was not picked for this tour.Later in the match, South Africa suffered a second injury blow when de Zorzi pulled up as he completed a second run. De Zorzi was on 17 off 11 balls when Corbin Bosch called him through and though he reached the non-striker’s end safely, de Zorzi hobbled the last third of the way. He received treatment on field and decided to continue. But after Bosch hit the next ball for four and de Zorzi had to hop on one leg, he left the field, with South Africa 27 away from victory after 45 overs. De Zorzi walked off unaided, but very gingerly, suggesting the injury is serious. He has an SA20 deal with Durban’s Super Giants.Burger has a long history of injuries, including a lower-back stress fracture which kept him out of the game from October 2024 until September this year. He missed last year’s SA20 but was re-signed by the same team, Joburg Super Kings for this year’s edition for R6.3 million, and they will be sweating on his availability. The tournament begins on Boxing Day, in just over three weeks’ time.

Twenty-four hours after battling through a Test match in England, Zimbabwean lands decisive blow in Pakistan

Danyal Rasool25-May-2025On Saturday evening, Sikandar Raza lunged at one from Shoaib Bashir in Trent Bridge and got out. While the rest of his team-mates reflected on the result following an innings defeat in their one-off Test against England, Raza’s journey – quite literally – had only just begun.In less than 24 hours, his PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars would play the league final in Lahore. Raza’s commitment to Qalandars this year has not been in question; a week earlier, he flew in from England to help secure their place in the knockouts, before flying back the following day to rejoin his national side for Zimbabwe’s first Test in England in over two decades.Now that the Test was over, Qalandars began to work on a surreal plan.He jumped into a friend’s car and was driven to Birmingham, the nearest airport, for the speediest flight to Lahore. With no business-class seats available, he was happy to fly economy to Dubai. A six-hour layover and another change of airport later, he jumped on a flight in Abu Dhabi bound for Lahore; he was still on his way from the airport when Shaheen Afridi announced at the toss that Raza was part of the starting XI.

“I was so mentally and physically drained. All I was saying to myself was ‘just watch the ball’. I was blank out there. I wasn’t predicting or thinking where the ball’s going to be and what I’m going to do. All I said was wherever the ball is hit the best shot”Sikandar Raza

“I am here to do a job, and god forbid, if we happened to lose the game then at least in my heart I knew I was with my brothers,” Raza said following the game, having hit the winning runs in a tense finish. “I know the team truly wanted me here, given the efforts the owners and the captains went through over the last 24-36 hours to get me here. If I tell you, it’s unbelievable.”Bowled 25 overs [in the Test] the day before yesterday, batted for 20 overs yesterday. Had dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, drove to Abu Dhabi for lunch, took a flight and had dinner in Pakistan. I guess this is the life of a professional cricketer and I’m truly humbled and blessed to have that life.”Two balls into his spell, Raza took the crucial wicket of Rilee Rossouw, but it wouldn’t be until three hours later that it became clear why Qalandars had moved heaven and earth to have him in their side. At no point all game did Qalandars look as out of the game as at the moment Raza came out to bat. Mohammad Amir was bowling a characteristically clutch death-over which had two balls left to run; he had just sent Bhanuka Rajapaksa packing. Qalandars needed 57 off 20, and Amir had another over to go after that one.Amir dropped the first one short, and Raza got low, smearing it to the midwicket boundary. Beginner’s luck, maybe? Amir went around the wicket to angle a short ball into his body, but Raza’s connection was even cleaner this time, and it flew all the way over that boundary for six more.Related

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“I tried to take the emotions out,” he said. “I think all the journey and the Test match helped me because I was so mentally and physically drained. All I was saying to myself was ‘just watch the ball’. I was blank out there. I wasn’t predicting or thinking where the ball’s going to be and what I’m going to do. All I said was wherever the ball is hit the best shot.”He wouldn’t get much of the strike for the next couple of overs, but Kusal Perera was doing a superb job at the other end. Even so, in the decisive final over, Gladiators had marginally inched ahead once more, and with Raza facing, his side needed a further eight off three.Faheem Ashraf attempted a wide yorker, and didn’t miss the mark by much. But he was bowling to a man who had spent the previous day somehow doing what needed to be done. So Raza found a way to get underneath it, generating phenomenal power at the end of his range to scythe it to, and over, cover point for six. Faheem missed the yorker next delivery and by now, destiny appeared to have laid out the red carpet for Raza. He whipped it to the midwicket boundary, smoke from the ensuing fireworks engulfing the Gaddafi Stadium as the Qalandars’ squad poured in and hoisted the Zimbabwean on their shoulders.”This is what it’s all about,” Raza said. “We played three knockout games. Which team’s going to be more prepared than us? We had a final we won off the last ball two years ago. If I had to pick one, [it’d be this one] just because of the story of how we got here. There was so much drama going on in this game, and to get a victory like this is unbelievable. I’ve got no words at the moment.”His actions, you would think, have spoken loud enough for him not to need any.

One Chelsea star has been critiqued for his performance in their game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Robert Sanchez having more touches than him at Stamford Bridge.

In what was Chelsea’s final Premier League game ahead of the November international break, the Blues played host to a Wolves side who, after 10 games, were still without a win in the top flight.

Enzo Maresca’s side struggled to do much with the chances they generated in the first half against Wolves, frustrating the home support at Stamford Bridge. Soon after the half-time break, however, the Blues broke the deadlock.

Malo Gusto opened the scoring with what was his first-ever senior goal just minutes into the second half. This lead was doubled just after the hour mark when Joao Pedro smashed a deflected Estevao cross beyond Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

The game was put beyond any doubt when, with less than 20 minutes to go, Pedro Neto scored against his former club. The win moved Chelsea to second in the table. However, one Blues player was slammed for his performance against the relegation-threatened side.

Delap failed to make mark against Wolves

Signed in the summer from Ipswich Town, Liam Delap has endured a tough start to life at Chelsea. An injury saw him sidelined for weeks to open the 2025/26 campaign, missing almost two months. Upon his return, against Wolves in the Carabao Cup, Delap was sent off for accumulating two yellow cards after coming off the bench.

Delap, who reportedly signed a contract worth £100,000 per week, made his first start for Chelsea since returning from injury against the Old Gold, but failed to make an impact. Simon Johnson, who works for The Athletic, was critical of what the striker produced, noting that he did not appear at match fitness and said he was “struggling”.

As per SofaScore, within 64 minutes of football, Delap had just one shot on target. He was dispossessed on three occasions and by having just 15 touches in the game, had less time on the ball than Sanchez.

Delap is still a young player, one coming back from a relatively long set-back no less. His performance against Wolves, though, can simply not be the level that he consistently operates at going forward.

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