India are grappling with a minor personnel crisis, meaning they will need to rely to some extent on fringe players. Cummins and Co will be looking to exploit that

Alagappan Muthu21-Nov-20241:54

Malcolm: BGT a chance for Cummins and Co to cement legacy

Big PictureYou run into fast bowlers everywhere in Perth. One of them was walking down Plain Street, which is a five-minute walk from the WACA, with a bag of groceries. Mitchell Starc will be a little less chill once the clock hits 10.20am on Friday.This Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been on simmer for a fair while. Rohit Sharma faced questions about it at the start of the India home season in September and the wrap-up press conference in November was in large part about easing the pain of a home series whitewash by trying “to do something special” in Australia. Pat Cummins has had a similar experience.Related

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For their legacy, Australia can't let this series slip away

Some of the best Test cricket in recent times has happened when these two teams meet, so it’s their own fault that everywhere they go they get asked questions about it. A day out from the first Test, most of them appear to have been answered. Australia have their new opening batter, Nathan McSweeney having made a late push for the job. India have KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana primed and ready should they be needed. All that’s left is for the experience to take over.On Thursday evening, in front of an empty Perth stadium, the morning-of-day-one-drills were taking place. Regular people were pretending to be India and Australia captains to check how it’d look on screen. It was easy to be transported to the moment when all that will actually happen, and its just one sleep away. One sleep away until Jasprit Bumrah charges in. One sleep away until Steven Smith is back at No. 4. One sleep away until Virat Kohli brings the crowd to their feet. One sleep away until Rishabh Pant is broadcast all around the world via the stump mics.Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins: two fast bowlers will be leading their team’s charge for first blood in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy•AFP/Getty ImagesThe cricket, fun as it will be, is likely to come with a fair bit of flavour added in from the outside. There’s already been a little bit of needle. Ricky Ponting’s quotes being taken out of context got Gautam Gambhir fired up. India’s efforts early on to train in private caused a stir. Josh Hazlewood did a fly by when he said he was happy not to see Cheteshwar Pujara in the Indian team. Every kind of fan will be satisfied with what the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will offer and the first ball is just one sleep away.Form guideAustralia: WWLWW (last five matches, most recent first)
India: LLLWWIn the spotlightIt’s been over eight months since Australia have played Test cricket and it seems Mitchell Starc has spent some of that getting into the best shape of his life. He’s 34 now. He shouldn’t be looking like a six-foot-tall brick wall. Nor should he be bowling at speeds that turns the red ball into a red blur. There has been an admission that in a five-Test series, no matter how fit they are, the big three Australian quicks might need to be managed extra carefully but right now, with the series starting at Perth stadium, where Starc averages 19, then moving to Adelaide for a pink-ball Test, in which Starc averages 18.72, they could very well set themselves up to take their time off with the series already in the bag.KL Rahul just can’t seem to get off this ride. Grew up as an opening batter but had to make his debut in the middle order. Then got that spot up top but started losing his stumps a little too often for someone to stay in that position. A shift back into the middle order, especially in white-ball cricket, seemed to indicate that’s where his future lies. An 86 against England at No. 4 in January 2024 furthered that notion, but since then he’s gone off the boil to the point that he lost his place in the side. Now he’ll be opening the batting in conditions that will not be in his favour against one of the world’s best bowling attacks.Team newsAustralia are as settled as can be, having put their trust in McSweeney, whose ability to stay calm and unflustered has earned him the nickname “Buddha”.Australia(probable): 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Nathan McSweeney, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh HazlewoodIndia are of course without their full-time captain and grappling with a minor personnel crisis, meaning they will go into Perth relying on several fringe players. Padikkal (24), Jurel (23), Reddy (21) and Rana (22) are all in line for a spot in the XI. It is possible there will only be room for one spin bowler and R Ashwin might just make the cut ahead of Ravindra Jadeja.All this said, the last time India had a personnel crisis in Australia, remember what happened?India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant, 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna 10 Mohammed Siraj/Akash Deep, 11 Jasprit BumrahThe Optus Stadium witnessed some unseasonal rain in the lead-up to the first Test of the Australian summer•Getty ImagesPitch and conditionsAlthough some unseasonal rainfall two days ago denied the Perth stadium groundstaff from getting the pitch up to where they want it to be, there has since been a lot of sunshine, hardening the surface up and getting it to where it should offer excellent pace, bounce and carry. Head curator Issac McDonald and his staff have been working towards creating a “happy medium between bat and ball”.Stats and trivia Seven of Rahul’s eight Test centuries have come away from home but his batting average in these matches being 31 highlights how he can often be boom or bust. Nathan Lyon has more wickets at this venue (27) at a better average (18.00) with more five-wicket hauls (2) than any of his fast-bowling colleagues Bumrah’s bowling average in Australia is 21.25, which is only a shade better than Jadeja’s 21.78. One will make the XI. The other might not. Quotes”This is the toughest challenge. So I give this message to everyone: if you come and perform in this country then your cricket level will go up, and then your level will keep increasing. So we as a team are focusing to put ourselves in tough challenges so that we become better and take our cricket up.”
“It’s weird, you know, it’s basically been the same side for the last two or three years. So the week lead-in’s very normal, it’s all very relaxed. Everyone knows how they need to prepare. So it’s pretty seamless, you know, all the meetings, training, all those kind of things. We’ve done it heaps before with the same people. So, yeah, it’s just about kind of reaffirming what we do really well.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras viveu uma intensa maratona de jogos em abril, disputando nove partidas em menos de 30 dias, o que significa que o Verdão foi a campo praticamente de três em três dias. A equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira jogou por quatro competições diferentes neste mês: Campeonato Paulista, Libertadores, Copa do Brasil e Campeonato Brasileiro. Apesar da longa sequência de jogos, o Alviverde fechou o mês com saldo bastante positivo.

> ‘Rei dos clássicos’, Veiga alcança artilharia do Palmeiras em Dérbis no século

Campeão estadual, classificado para as oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, conseguindo se recuperar após a estreia com derrota na Libertadores e invicto nas três primeiras rodadas do Brasileirão, o Palmeiras perdeu apenas duas partidas em abril. Além disso, ao longo do mês, Abel teve que lidar com desfalques de peso, como Piquerez, Rony e Raphael Veiga, titulares incontestáveis da equipe.

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O Alviverde teve 100% de aproveitamento atuando em casa, com cinco vitórias em cinco jogos. Vale lembrar que o jogo diante do Cerro Porteño-PAR, no dia 20 de abril, pela fase de grupos da Libertadores, foi disputado no Morumbi, já que o Allianz Parque recebeu um festival de rock e não estava disponível para a realização da partida.

O papel dos jovens do plantel palmeirense também foi muito importante para os resultados positivos. Com a maratona de jogos e o alto número de desfalques, o treinador português rodou o elenco e deu mais oportunidades às Crias da Academia, que foram fundamentais para o êxito do Verdão diante o calendário apertado.

> Abel Ferreira elogia jogadores do Palmeiras: ‘Enquanto eles mostrarem essa vontade, dificilmente deixarei o clube’

Após a vitória por 2 a 1 contra o Corinthians, no Allianz Parque, pela terceira rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Palmeiras se prepara para o seu próximo compromisso: a Libertadores. O Verdão enfrenta o Barcelona-EQU, na próxima quarta-feira (3), em Guayaquil, às 21h30, pela fase de grupos da competição continental.

Confira todos os jogos do Palmeiras no mês de abril:

Água Santa 2 x 1 Palmeiras – Final do Paulistão (ida) – 2/4/2023
Bolívar 3 x 1 Palmeiras – Fase de grupos da Libertadores – 5/4/2023
Palmeiras 4 x 0 Água Santa – Final do Paulistão (volta) – 9/4/2023
Palmeiras 4 x 2 Tombense – Terceira fase da Copa do Brasil (ida) – 12/4/2023
Palmeiras 2 x 1 Cuiabá – Primeira rodada do Brasileirão – 15/4/2023
Palmeiras 2 x 1 Cerro Porteño – Fase de grupos da Libertadores – 20/4/2023
Vasco 2 x 2 Palmeiras – Segunda rodada do Brasileirão – 23/4/2023
Tombense 1 x 1 Palmeiras – Terceira fase da Copa do Brasil (volta) – 26/4/2023
Palmeiras 2 x 1 Corinthians – Terceira rodada do Brasileirão – 29/4/2023

Despite the fact that their campaign is officially up and running, Rangers are still seeking reinforcements and have reportedly turned their attention towards a set-piece specialist.

Rangers aiming to follow up on Plzen rout

After drawing their opening game of the Scottish Premiership against Motherwell, Rangers felt the full brunt of Russell Martin’s reaction. Since then, however, a much-changed side have thrashed Viktoria Plzen to help hand the Gers a major advantage in their Champions League qualifying tie against the Czech Republic side.

Even after bouncing back from their draw against Motherwell, though, Rangers will know that they must get back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership against Dundee later this evening.

However, they will be forced to secure victory without summer arrivals Thelo Aasgaard, Mikey Moore, and star man Hamza Igamane after Martin revealed to reporters ahead of the game: “Moore just not there, a lot of protocols need to go through for under-18s.

“Hamza missed two weeks with visa issues, and picked up a small injury in first game, so we are building him back up to avoid any injuries. He is a great lad and just needs to get fully fit.”

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Alas, even without those three, Rangers should have more than enough firepower to find a way past Dundee this evening. Oliver Antman, on his Scottish Premiership debut, will particularly be one to watch after an impressive display in midweek.

Meanwhile, there could still be more movement in the transfer window even as Martin’s side get their campaign up and running. Away from the action on the pitch, the 49ers have reportedly been chasing a deal to sign Nobel Mendy to sure up their backline and could yet follow that up by welcoming a set-piece specialist back to Scotland.

Rangers racing to sign Jordan Holsgrove

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers are now racing to sign Jordan Holsgrove from Portuguese side Estoril this summer. The set-piece specialist reportedly has a low buy-out clause, which should allow the Gers to land a bargain deal if they fend off any competition from Hibs and Hearts this month.

It’s been a chaotic few years for Holsgrove, who started at Reading before featuring in Spain for Celta Vigo, Greece for Olympiakos and, most recently, in Portugal for Estoril. Now, at 25 years old, the Scot could be on his way back to his home country if Rangers make their move this month.

Dubbed a “must have” signing by analyst John Walker, Rangers could land one of their most impressive bargains yet for a player who is only just entering his peak years.

A set-piece specialist, as per O’Rourke, the midfielder could even provide Martin’s side with a new threat entirely by swapping Portugal for Ibrox this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur’s summer has been anything but quiet.

After a rollercoaster 2023/24 season that saw them lift the Europa League trophy while only narrowly avoiding relegation with a 17th-place league finish, the club’s leadership took the controversial decision to part ways with Ange Postecoglou.

In his place, Brentford’s Thomas Frank has been handed the reins, charged with overseeing a rebuild that balances European competition with the demands of the Premier League.

Key players have come and gone in recent months. Club legend Son Heung-min brought the curtain down on a decade of service, heading to LAFC, while West Ham’s Mohamed Kudus arrived in North London for £60m to inject fresh attacking quality.

More recently, Spurs have moved closer to finalising a big-money deal for Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, set to beat rivals Arsenal to his signature.

The 27-year-old England international is seen as a natural creative replacement after James Maddison was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.

But Frank and the Spurs hierarchy know that one player alone cannot transform their attacking play.

Spurs eyeing La Liga star

Eze’s flair and invention will be vital, but Spurs remain determined to add further options before the window closes.

With Manchester City’s Savinho also linked, the North London club are actively scouring the market for players who can offer versatility, directness, and a final-third threat.

Among the names discussed internally, one winger in particular has emerged as a serious target.

According to reports from Spain, Tottenham are considering a move for Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo, with claims suggesting they are weighing up a €70m (£60m) bid to secure his signature.

The Japan international has become one of La Liga’s standout wide players in recent years, described by journalist Kiyan Sobhani as an “offensive menace.”

Transfer Focus

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

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Still only 24 years old, Kubo is tied down to Sociedad until 2029, but tensions between player and club have grown.

He has voiced frustration with president Jokin Aperribay’s management, publicly criticising the lack of squad investment and the absence of reinforcements needed to challenge for Champions League qualification.

His concerns were sharpened after Sociedad slumped to 11th last season, watching bitter Basque rivals Athletic Club celebrate a top-four finish. Despite this, manager Sergio Francisco has insisted that Kubo remains central to his plans.

Nevertheless, the winger is reportedly open to leaving and views the Premier League as the ideal next step in his career.

Interest from other Premier League sides – including West Ham and Everton – has been noted, but Spurs’ financial power and Champions League football give them an edge.

How Kubo and Eze could transform Spurs

Should Spurs complete the double swoop of Eze and Kubo, they would boast two of the most dynamic attacking midfielders in the league – players who thrive on creativity, dribbling, and unlocking defences.

Both possess the rare ability to make something out of nothing, and their numbers suggest they could be highly complementary in Frank’s system. Looking at their best seasons at club level, the data is telling.

Kubo – La Liga Stats 2024/25

Matches

36

Goals

5

Chances Created

45

Touches in opposition Box

129

Take-ons

75

Source: FBref

Kubo averaged 4.32 progressive carries per 90 in 2022/23, compared to Eze’s 2.40 last season.

This demonstrates Kubo’s tendency to drive the ball forward aggressively from wide areas, while Eze excels in advancing possession through passing.

He averaged 3.37 progressive passes per 90, significantly higher than Kubo’s 2.99.

Together, they could provide balance: one primarily advancing with the ball at his feet, the other through vision and distribution.

Passing efficiency is similar, with Kubo completing 71% and Eze 74.2%, while both ranked highly in terms of creating danger.

Eze’s 4.69 shot-creating actions per 90 underline his playmaking pedigree, while Kubo produced a healthy 3.55.

In terms of dribbling, both are capable: Eze attempted 2.33 successful take-ons per 90, slightly above Kubo’s 1.81, but the Japan international had more overall carries (31.0 vs. 29.2) and more touches in the attacking third (27.2 vs. 20.7).

In other words, while Eze is more of a central orchestrator who combines creativity with goal threat – as shown by his 14 goals and 11 assists last season – Kubo offers relentless forward momentum from the wings, stretching defences and providing service into the box.

Between them, they could supply a constant stream of chances to Richarlison and Solanke, while also chipping in with goals themselves.

Comparisons have already been made between Eze and a young Dele Alli – a player once valued at £90m for his blend of skill, vision, and goalscoring instincts.

The financial outlay would be significant, but with Champions League football secured and the club eager to back Frank, there is a clear sense of ambition.

In a summer that began with disappointment over Postecoglou’s dismissal, Spurs are now building momentum.

If they can land both Eze and Kubo, Tottenham’s supporters may soon find themselves watching one of the most exciting attacking duos in Europe – a partnership capable of reviving the magic that once made the Lilywhites a feared force in the final third.

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Arsenal are beginning to turn a Liverpool target’s head as we enter the final few weeks of this summer transfer window, with Mikel Arteta’s side making an approach for the player amid their long-winded pursuit of Eberechi Eze.

Arsenal can hand Arteta his own Isak-level signing in £100m Eze alternative

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Sporting director Andrea Berta has already made quite the impression in his first summer operating as Edu’s replacement, spending north of £200 million on the signings of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and star striker Viktor Gyokeres.

The Gunners are seemingly determined to end the club’s two-decade-long wait for another Premier League title, and despite their need to offload surplus squad members right now, Arsenal could still sign Eze before the window closes.

They view the England international as a more potent playmaker in terms of goals, and who could complement club captain Martin Odegaard in a central role (Sky Sports).

Eze is Arsenal’s top target from now until the transfer deadline on September 1, and they’re expected to make a formal bid for the Palace star after holding extensive talks with his representatives.

The 27-year-old has also spoken directly to both Arteta and Berta about joining Arsenal, according to Ben Jacobs for talkSPORT, with some initial talks taking place with Palace as the north Londoners aim to get his signing done for around £55 million.

However, Eze may not be there only signing in the next few weeks, with Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet believed to be a target as well.

The promising Ligue 1 sensation only signed a new deal until 2029 in May, but some reports suggest Jacquet is increasingly tempted by the prospect of a move to Arsenal, with Fabrizio Romano also reporting that an approach has been made.

Jeremy Jacquet debating future with camp as Arsenal and Liverpool eye moves

According to journalist Graeme Bailey for TBR Football, Jacquet is holding talks with representatives over his future amid this contact from Arsenal, while it is also believed that Premier League champions Liverpool have registered an interest.

While Rennes insist that he’s not for sale, the 20-year-old is still speaking to his camp about what could be next for him, so Jacquet’s head may be turning amid this attention from England.

There is a feeling among the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool that he could still be attainable despite Rennes’ stance, with the idea of a ‘buy-to-loan’ type move, similar to how Arteta’s side got William Saliba from Saint-Etienne, not ruled out.

Even in that scenario, Rennes would keep Jacquet in France for at least another season, but Arteta would have to wait before fully integrating him into the squad.

His price tag is rumoured to be around £25 million, which could be a savvy investment for the future considering his already-glowing reputation across the channel.

Jacquet has been dubbed the “technical leader of his generation” by his former development coach at Rennes, Pierre-Emmanuel Bordeau, and football writer Phil Costa believes he’s “one of the best defensive prospects in France” in a similar mould to Ben White.

Chelsea chiefs could have a unique opportunity to open the door for Enzo Maresca to sign a marquee forward, and for-sale striker Nicolas Jackson holds the key.

The Senegalese was once a key member of Maresca’s first team not so long ago, with pundit Joe Cole even branding him one of the club’s “most important” players in May.

However, the arrival of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro has seemingly pushed Jackson down the pecking order.

BlueCo, by orders of UEFA, also need to trim the squad through player sales before sealing any more incomings, with Chelsea in talks to sign both Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho next.

As a result, Jackson is now up for sale at Chelsea, and the 24-year-old appears ready to quit Stamford Bridge to become a star elsewhere.

The former Villarreal star bagged 13 goals and six assists last season, including a strike in the Conference League final against Real Betis, but he has scored just one Premier League goal since the turn of 2025.

A change of scenery could be exactly what Jackson needs to really go to that next level, with both Newcastle United and Aston Villa heavily linked right now.

Villa’s interest comes amid Chelsea’s serious admiration of their star winger, Morgan Rogers, who’s rumoured to command a lofty £100 million price tag after a stellar 24/25 in the Midlands.

Nicolas Jackson could open door for Chelsea to sign Morgan Rogers

Journalist Graeme Bailey, in an interview with the Chelsea Chronicle, now suggests that the Blues could secure first option on a future deal for Rogers by making it easier for Unai Emery to sign Jackson.

Bailey claims that Chelsea are “desperate” to sign the 23-year-old who lit up Villa Park last season, and Jackson could hold the key, even if it may not be in this particular window.

The former Middlesbrough sensation was a pivotal member of Emery’s Champions League quarter-final-reaching side, bagging an incredible 14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions, including a hat-trick against Celtic and a strike against eventual winners PSG.

He also single-handedly dismantled Man City with a goal and assist during Villa’s 2-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s men late last year.

Rogers’ versatility as a playmaker and wide attacker could be yet another reason why Chelsea are so keen, but Villa won’t make it easy for any suitor.

Do Celtic lack attacking firepower?

So far, Brendan Rodgers’ side have started the Premiership campaign with two wins out of two, albeit they’ve been made to work hard for these victories, requiring a late Luke McCowan strike to overcome St Mirren 1-0, before a 2-0 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Only once since 2012 have the Hoops scored three goals or fewer across their opening two league fixtures, doing so in 2018, albeit they did then demolish Falkirk 4-1 in the League Cup on Friday night.

Nevertheless, ahead of Wednesday night’s season-defining Champions League play-off against Kairat at Parkhead, supporters are concerned that Rodgers’ squad lacks the top-end talent to compete at European level.

With that in mind, could the Scottish champions sign a “world-class” striker, available on a free, that Rodgers knows rather well?

Celtic's need for attacking reinforcements

Since Rodgers returned to Celtic two summers ago, nine players have scored ten or more goals for the club, of whom four are no longer there, namely Kyōgo Furuhashi (31 goals), Nicolas Kühn (24), Matt O’Riley (19) and Luis Palma (10).

Adam Idah is on that list with 29 goals, second only to Daizen Maeda in the current squad, but the Republic of Ireland international is yet to get off the mark this season, with his compatriot Johnny Kenny given the nod on Friday night.

Following a fruitful loan spell, Idah’s move to Glasgow was made permanent for a humongous fee of £9.5m, but he has largely flattered to deceive since, so could Celtic target an upgrade during the remaining weeks of the transfer window?

Well, according to a report by the Scottish Sun, Rodgers ‘would love’ Celtic to sign free agent Jamie Vardy this summer.

They claim that the 38-year-old has ‘his heart set’ on a move to Parkhead, adding that the England international is a ‘model professional’ who ‘believes he can play week in week out’ at the highest level for another two years at least.

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

So, will the Vardy party relocate from the East Midlands to Glasgow’s East End?

What Jamie Vardy would bring to Celtic

Earlier this year, Vardy waved goodbye to Leicester City after 13 years with the Foxes, during which time he won a Premier League title and the FA Cup.

He marked his final appearance for the club with a goal against Southampton, thereby bowing out with 200 goals in exactly 500 appearances, very satisfying for fans of symmetry.

Overall, Vardy netted nine times in the Premier League last season, a more than respectable feat for a generally woeful Leicester team, this representing 36% of their total goals.

However, as documented below, it is Vardy’s exploits during the Foxes’ promotion-winning campaign from the EFL Championship the year before that provide the biggest cause for optimism.

Goals

18

5th

Goals inside the box

18

3rd

Shots

53

51st

Shots on target %

50.9%

9th

Goals-per-shot

0.26

5th

Average shot distance

11.4 yards

1st*

Big chances missed

16

7th

Offsides

17

19th

Average Sofascore rating

7.02

14th**

*minimum 44 shots. **among strikers only.

As the table outlines, in the Championship, Vardy was prolific; the fact all 18 of his goals were scored inside the penalty area underlines his penalty-box poacher style of play, as does the fact his average shot distance was just 11.4 yards, so round about the penalty spot.

Also, impressively, these goals were scored from only 53 total shots, squandering a mere 16 Opta-defined big chances, emphasising that he still possesses that clinical edge.

Worth also noting that, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the seventh-best league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership is down in 27th, further suggesting Vardy would score goals for a dominant team in Scotland.

When the pair were together at Leicester, following a Premier League win over Arsenal in October 2020, Rodgers labelled Vardy a “world-class striker”, while then-Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy described him as a “living legend” prior to his Foxes farewell.

So, would he represent an upgrade on Idah?

Well, the Irishman did score 20 goals across all competitions last season, but his highest-ever total in an EFL Championship campaign was six, exponentially fewer than Vardy.

So far this season, starting both Premiership fixtures against St Mirren and Aberdeen, Idah has had five shots but missed three big chances, yet to find the back of the net and failing to make much impact, which has to be a concern with tougher tests to come.

Thus, it is clear that Vardy would score goals at Premiership level, and in Europe too, so signing the Englishman appears to be a no-brainer.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Depois da vitória do Athletico-PR diante do Botafogo por 1 a 0 na Arena da Baixada, Tiquinho Soares concedeu uma entrevista na beira do gramado. O atacante fez uma análise da partida e afirmou que os jogadores alvinegros seguem focados em fazer uma grande temporada.

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– Faltou o gol. Do mesmo jeito que eles não conseguiram fazer gol lá (Nilton Santos), nós não conseguimos aqui. Acertaram um chute e foram felizes. Acho que foi um jogo parelho. Parabéns ao Athletico pelos três pontos e seguimos lutando – declarou Tiquinho para TNT Sports.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Defesas de Perri e luta de Tiquinho Soares rendem aos jogadores as melhores notas em derrota do Botafogo

– Tivemos algumas oportunidades e não conseguimos fazer. No primeiro tempo eu tive uma oportunidade e o goleiro deles fez uma grande defesa. Só que o jogador do Athletico conseguiu fazer. Nosso grupo está bem focado e está de parabéns também. É agradecer ao torcedor que compareceu e seguimos juntos – completou

O Glorioso entra em campo na próxima terça-feira, diante da LDU, às 23h, em Quito, pela Sul-Americana. O time de Luís Castro busca uma vitória fora de casa para se manter na liderança do Grupo A.

Tahmid said switching between formats quickly is something the pair worked on

Mohammad Isam28-Dec-2024On the night before the Boxing Day Test, Sam Konstas told his batting coach Tahmid Islam that he would only play the scoop against Jasprit Bumrah after he reached 150. But, after a number of early plays and misses against the champion fast bowler on debut at the MCG, Konstas brought forward his plans for the scoop. It hardly surprised Tahmid, Konstas’ 29-year-old batting coach.Tahmid said as much in a conversation with Bangladeshi journalists on Saturday, a chat arranged by Prime Bank Cricket Club, Tahmid’s team in a short stint in the Dhaka Premier League several years ago. The news of Tahmid being Konstas’ batting coach has made headlines in Bangladesh.Tahmid, speaking via Zoom, said Konstas’ instincts took over on Test debut. “We were having dinner the night before when he told me that the plan was to only scoop once he got to 150,” Tahmid said. “It wasn’t really part of the plan [to play the shot so early]. But he is someone that plays on instinct. He plays with a lot of freedom. He doesn’t really think of the consequences of what people are going to say if he gets it wrong. I think it is his biggest skill and asset. Whereas loads of players think about the consequences like ‘what if I fail doing it’ or ‘what if I get out playing it’ or ‘the media and coaching staff will have a go at me’.”Related

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“Sam is quite assured in his game. After playing and missing six times in his first ten or 12 balls, he thought that the best way to put pressure on Bumrah was to try to put him off his length. He threw a different challenge at Bumrah, which was really good for Sam. It really shell-shocked India. They weren’t expecting a 19-year-old to come out and play with that sort of freedom.”Tahmid, who works with Elevate Cricket Coaching, said that he was hardly surprised by Konstas’ choice of shots against a bowler of Bumrah’s class.”It isn’t a surprise. The reason Australia picked him was to throw India a different challenge. Sam took on the Indian bowling attack, minus Bumrah, during his century for the Prime Minister’s XI against India about three weeks ago. He played with a lot of freedom. He played the reverse-scoop. He ran down the wicket to play back over the bowler’s head.”Sam is someone who will play some shots and put people off their lengths, as opposed to the traditional approach. It was a bit of a gamble. It paid off for Australia. Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith were talking about how Sam’s innings gave them the opportunity to go out and express themselves as well. It was the freedom which they probably lacked in the first three games.”Debutant Sam Konstas obliges fans at the MCG•Getty ImagesTahmid, who first took up coaching when he was playing in the Yorkshire Premier League in 2013, said that he first met Konstas when he was 14 years old, at Cranbrook School where Konstas was on a cricket scholarship. “Five years ago, I took up coaching at Cranbrook in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. That’s where Sam got a scholarship to go to school. That’s where we initially met. He was 14 years old. We had this really good connection from the first couple of sessions that we did in school.”Tahmid narrated the story of how he formulated a plan for his cricketing future with Konstas’ father. “I was having dinner with his dad one night. We had some Greek food, which is their heritage. I put together a bit of a programme for him to try to target for the next phase of his life, which was to play Under-16s cricket in the New South Wales (NSW) system. It was where it all started for him. It was about his technical, mental and tactical game.”As the journey evolved, we were lucky enough to have Shane Watson involved in the mindset side of things. I worked quite closely with Shane over the last few years. I worked with him in Major League Cricket (MLC) with the San Francisco Unicorns.”

“He is someone that plays on instinct. He plays with a lot of freedom. He doesn’t really think of the consequences of what people are going to say if he gets it wrong.”

Konstas added power to his game in the last 18 months when, alongside Tahmid, he worked on his white-ball skills. “He was always a technically sound player growing up. He had the fundamentals of the game. He wasn’t a very powerful player though,” Tahmid said. “He didn’t score very quickly growing up, so he focused a lot on his white-ball cricket in the last 18 months.”He made his BBL debut two weeks ago. The focus was to make him a better T20 player. He was contracted last year but didn’t play any games. That’s where his white-ball game really started to develop and come along.”Tahmid said that his friendship with England batter Harry Brook helped him mould Konstas’ cricket. “Someone that we use [as a reference] is Harry Brook, with whom I was lucky enough to play in Sydney. He is the No. 1 [currently No. 2] Test batter in the world. He is a fantastic all-format player, with whom I am really good friends. I get a lot of information from him, which I relay on to Sam, on how to transition between formats.Sam Konstas debuted in the BBL earlier this month, and a baggy green followed quickly•Getty Images”It can be quite challenging but nowadays, you have to switch between formats. Sam plays Big Bash five or six days before the Boxing Day Test. If you don’t have the ability to switch between formats, you will get left behind.”Of course Konstas also didn’t just come out with the scoops, reverse-hits and ramps overnight. He has worked hard at these shots in the nets. But, Tahmid said, to execute the same shots in a high-profile match at a packed MCG takes a lot of confidence, which remains a defining feature of Konstas. “He has been doing reverse-ramps for five or six years in the nets. It doesn’t happen by mistake. They need a lot of preparation to go out and execute in a game. And when you have clarity from your captain and organisation, it helps you to go out and express yourself. You don’t have the fear of getting dropped.”I think he was always a confident person. He always wanted to be the best player in the field. He used to tell me after training, ‘what celebrations do you want from me when I get a century tomorrow?’ That’s what he told me before the Boxing Day Test too.”

Thursday’s fixture against Cricket Without Borders is their first as a team, what will that team look like in future?

Valkerie Baynes and Firdose Moonda29-Jan-20252:03

Mel Jones: This group of Afghanistan women are trying to rebuild their lives

For Afghanistan’s women cricketers, their first competitive match since escaping oppression in their home country represents a significant step in their sporting journey – although the path ahead may not be the one they envisaged before.Thursday’s T20 against Cricket Without Borders at Junction Oval falls on the same day as the start of the day-night Women’s Ashes Test at the nearby MCG and is a platform for them to not only play the game – something which is now banned under Afghanistan’s Taliban government – but to remind the world that they exist.So what are the ways forward?Playing as Afghanistan WomenAgainst Cricket Without Borders, the players will compete as the Afghanistan Women’s XI as opposed to Afghanistan Women and wear a kit specifically designed for the match as opposed to a national team uniform.Mel Jones, the commentator who was instrumental in helping the formerly contracted Afghanistan Women’s team players escape their country after the Taliban took over in 2021, says that until the ICC recognises them as a national team, those differences are likely to remain.The Afghanistan Cricket Board and ICC say they cannot do so as it would contravene the country’s laws. This is why Afghanistan have been allowed to retain ICC membership, despite not currently fulfilling the requirement to commit to developing women’s cricket.Firooza Amiri and Nahida Sapan pose in their playing shirts ahead of the Afghanistan Women’s XI match•Getty Images

The ICC are a member-led organisation, bound by the vote of its member boards and, if the boards who support recognising an Afghanistan Women’s team are in the minority, the governing body can argue its hands are tied.”Anything to do with these players as a team would be their own individual team,” Jones told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. “They won’t play underneath the ACB or the Afghanistan flag as a side.”But what we’re trying to navigate at the moment is how can we allow them the opportunity of still feeling part of their country while not saying that they’re the Afghanistan Women’s cricket team because my understanding is that that will never be the case.”That is really, really tough for them as a group to try and understand. I still don’t think most of them have got their heads around that at the moment, and that just adds to the trauma. I think, hopefully, that they themselves know that they were the contracted players, the contracted Afghanistan women’s players at the fall of Afghanistan, and they get an opportunity to once again play, for the first time really, as that group.”Related

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Jones acknowledged the complexities of the sport’s governance, but highlighted the need for discussion. She credited Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s outgoing CEO, for meeting the players on several occasions and listening to their concerns.”The ability to sit down and listen has made such a difference to this group, and that’s probably the one piece that I would say we’ve been really bad at over the last four years, is that people turn their back on that conversation,” Jones said.”I would hope that if we learn anything from this, if something like this happens again, that we just don’t turn our back on people and hope that silence will make it go away because it just doesn’t.”Refugee teamIn July 2024, 17 players, contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in 2020 before the Taliban takeover asked the ICC to assist them in setting up a refugee team based in Australia and administered by the East Asian Cricket office based at Cricket Australia. There has been no formal response to that request.In the meantime, one sticking point to fielding a refugee team is that, unlike the Olympic refugee team, which comprises individual athletes from various countries, this team is from only one nation. Any refugee team would have to be open to players in exile from other countries, unless this team is recognised purely as the Afghanistan Refugee team.Even then, the fact that some of the exiled Afghan players reside in the UK and Canada poses logistical challenges for bringing the team together, particularly without the funding to do so.