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Captain’s inspirational leadership dredges an impossible win from Rawalpindi road

Vithushan Ehantharajah05-Dec-2022Usually, there’s nothing more anti-climatic than a DRS review to end a Test match. The ecstasy of the moment is at its purest the first time that finger goes up. Raw. Undistilled. Real. When it’s sent to the umpire upstairs, though the anxiety returns, the wait for confirmation or disavowal is, well, just that – waiting. Even if it comes back as the former, the emotions have already been spent, the octaves of those first cheers never quite reached again. It’s why you only really get one go at a surprise party.But as England stood in the middle of the Rawalpindi Stadium waiting for one of the two screens to tell them their fate, it felt right they spent time huddled close together, waiting. Ollie Pope rested his head on Jack Leach’s shoulder, perhaps thinking back to the catch he left when Pakistan were nine-down that could have avoided this tension. James Anderson momentarily leant on Ollie Robinson after the pair of them had stretched themselves to the limit, combining for eight wickets on an unresponsive surface. Ben Stokes, head weary from endless permutations, knee aching from an 11-over-straight spell, moved away from the nucleus of the group without really leaving to get a better view of the big screen to the west of the ground. It meant that, when it was confirmed Leach’s delivery was predicted to hit leg stump were it not for Naseem Shah’s front pad, all were close enough to leap straight into each other’s arms, to embrace the most remarkable Test win in England’s history.There, in a manufactured nutshell, was one of the key tenets that this team, and thus this 74-run victory, has been built on. A remarkably robust camaraderie, in the image of a captain whose selfless streak goes to the heart of everything that is good about his game, and even mitigates some of the bad – not least his eyecatchingly bad shot to get out for a duck in the fourth-day declaration charge.You could say the theme of this week has been togetherness, given the manner in which a virus ran through the camp in the lead-up to this match. The aftermath, in terms of recovery and what they have been able to put together over the last five days of play, speaks of the more tangible elements to it. Having begun to feel ill on Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, the group rallied as best they could, checking in on one another, doing their best to lift the spirits of those confined to their rooms. It was late on Wednesday that Stokes, having recovered enough from his own ailment, paid a visit to fellow bug sufferer Leach in his room. Part of the check-up was to push him to play, even if he was not 100 percent.On Monday evening, Leach thanked Stokes for inspiring him out of his sick bed. Now the historical shot of England’s third win in Pakistan in 25 attempts, in their first match in the country for 17 years, is of the left-arm spinner leading the successful appeal after getting the new ball to grip – somehow – and trap Shah lbw. It was his sole wicket of the innings. “Like… that’s the greatest win I think I’ve ever been involved in,” Leach beamed. “And obviously Headingley was amazing.”James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Ben Stokes bask in England’s win•Matthew Lewis/Getty ImagesThe team were as one when they awoke on Thursday, unsure if the Test would be delayed by 24 hours if they could not scrape together an XI. Messages went around to see how everyone was holding up. As it happened, the only player to miss out from the team named on Tuesday was Ben Foakes. Having failed a last-minute fitness test before the toss, Will Jacks stepped in as his replacement, and was handed his cap by his Surrey team-mate Pope, who in turn assumed the gloves.The Surrey trio shared words with each other: encouragement for Jacks to play the way that got him this far, and positive reinforcement for Pope, who last kept wicket in a red-ball game in the Hamilton Test against New Zealand way back in November 2019. The off-colour Foakes would go on to take the field on day five, running on with drinks, helmets and towels, and even finding time to congratulate Pope on a stunning leg-side take to remove Zahid Mahmood.Speaking on the local TV network, Pope admitted he had felt a little nervous about filling in for one of the best glovemen in the country while also fulfilling the No.3 duties, a job done best with a singular focus. Instead, he contributed 108 to a first-innings total of 657 before getting down to 252 overs’ of grind behind the stumps. His catch off Abdullah Shafique would hand Jacks his maiden Test wicket, and he’d chip in with two more as the off-spinner conjured six for 161 to bowl Pakistan out and establish an invaluable lead of 78.At stumps on day one, the players got around each other once again. By then, England were 506 for four thanks to four centurions – Pope, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Harry Brook – but amid the deserved praise from head Brendon McCullum was an appreciation from all four that the hard work was only just beginning. As well as they played, on their way to England’s highest score in Asia and becoming the first team to strike at better than a run-a-ball in both innings of a Test match, no one was resting on their laurels.Even as relatively junior members of the squad – through age and/or experience – all four relayed their views of the pitch, forming the approach for the opening session of day two in which 151 more runs were scored in 26 overs. After England’s second innings, those who spent the most time out there – Crawley and Brook again, along with Joe Root – fed back to the dressing-room that the pitch was suddenly not as amenable as before. Which was remarkably perceptive given that England scored 218 inside 28.5 overs of the middle session on day four, before Stokes’ declaration at tea. But the idea was formed to concoct situations for Pakistan to play big shots. An enticing chase was a good start.England celebrate the moment of victory as Jack Leach seals the first Test•Matthew Lewis/Getty ImagesIt’s worth sticking on that moment a little bit, because it was at this juncture that opinions diverged. In the lead-up to this Test, heck, way back when this whole Magic Roundabout of a fever dream began in May, front-facing members of the touring party have espoused the mantra of disregarding a loss if it comes through pushing for victory. This however, seemed a little too far-fetched. The lead was 342 and, even allowing for the surface, England had the match in their hands. And seemingly drunk on the Kool Aid, maybe even with a jumped-up sense of self, they decided to break off half and hand it over to Pakistan.While those on the periphery doubted, even ridiculed a declaration made seemingly out of hubris, Stokes powered on, clear-headed about what he wanted to achieve and exactly how he was going to do it. And the best part of the plan was the collaboration that led England to victory.The younger members maintained enthusiasm, unwilling to consider the prospect of investing so much into a match and coming out empty-handed, and also railing against the idea that some of their ilk don’t have the concentration or hunger for this format. “A few times I said ‘just enjoy the flatness’,” said Stokes. “Enjoy the challenge of trying to create something out of nowhere.”Even as Pakistan looked to be making headway in the chase on the final day, notably when Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel ransacked the spin of Leach, Jacks and Root for 72 inside 16 overs, then when Azhar Ali and Agha Salman were well-set after tea, needing 86 with five wickets in hand, energy levels were up.While Stokes racked his brains for new fields, others offers suggestions, at times even taking it upon themselves to stagger themselves differently – such as when four men were stationed spitting distance from one another on the off-side at point, cover-point, cover and extra cover, or during the final throes, when both edges of the bat were being challenged. Catchers had to be arranged accordingly, but each player took responsibility for where they needed to be. This was all their burden to share, not solely the captain’s. “There were a lot of things that went our way today that paid off, because of the suggestions that were coming in from the guys that were out there,” Stokes said, sharing the credit.Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook (clockwise from top left) all made hundreds in a ringing endorsement of England’s fast-paced approach•Getty ImagesIndeed, to look at how England approached the last innings is to realise how devoid it was of pretension, from the man in charge to those he was leading. No one was too good to do something they weren’t comfortable with.Harry Brook, England’s new crown prince, had no qualms about getting on his knees with 240 match runs in his pockets. Keaton Jennings, who might have considered himself unlucky to miss this match, fielded under the helmet for long periods as a sub for Liam Livingstone, who sustained a knee injury on day two and will return home on Tuesday morning. Jennings was one of a number who did stints close to the bat, with and without protection.Most notably, beyond the exuberance of those wet behind the years, was how those hardwired with preconceptions of Test cricket – even weathered by them – responded. Stokes revealed it was Root who came up with the short-ball ploy for the start of the second innings. A once reluctant, unimaginative captain seemingly responding to the challenge of thinking creatively and feeling emboldened to suggest something he would never have instigated in his five years. And yet thanks to him, England arrived into day five needing only eight wickets rather than 10, with the crown jewel Babar Azam, a centurion in the first innings, snuffed out for just fourRelated

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• Hussain: 'I do not think I've seen a better week of captaincy'

• Ben Stokes hails 'greatest away Test win' as England stick together in adversity

• James Anderson: 'One of the best wins I've been involved in, if not the best'

• Stokes' England seal win for the ages in Rawalpindi's dying light

Then there’s James Anderson. In the lead-up to this Test, when reflecting on his 2005 tour of Pakistan, Anderson admitted he would love to still have some of the miles-per-hour he had back then as a 23-year-old, but ceded the skills accrued over all those years more than make up for it. To see him forgo the new ball, coming on first-change to initially bowl a couple of overs of bouncers, then set about controlling the run-rate, then attacking with reverse swing to finish with 4 for 36 from 24 overs – half of them maidens – spoke to those gifts. And to see him operate with leg slips and a catching midwicket, instead of a packed cordon, speaks to a 40-year-old with a renewed sense of purpose. Without his partnership with Robinson, whose 4 for 50 earned him the Player of the Match award, a remarkable win would not have come to pass.”Jimmy Anderson said to me there at the end-of-match presentation that he was getting quite emotional about this win,” Stokes revealed. “The guy has played nearly 180 Test matches, has experienced everything, the highs and lows of Test cricket. To hear him say that about this particular Test match, I think that really makes you realise how special an achievement this week has been, wearing this England shirt.”Having won ODI and T20 World Cups, and achieved 2019’s miracle at Headingley, Stokes rated this success as one of the best. It is unquestionably the best embodiment of him as a captain. Not just for his bravery, nor the tactical calls that paid dividends, such as keeping the reversing old ball in play until midway through the 95th over to quieten the scoring, then replacing it that so Leach could use the prouder seam to turn it off the deck and win the match. But for the way he inspired everyone to rally together from start to finish.”At the moment it feels like everyone is doing what they need to do for the bloke that’s stood next to them,” he beamed at his press conference, almost like a proud father.”As a captain it’s amazing to see the amount of enthusiasm and the heart that everyone shows. I don’t think I’ve seen a team who want to put their bodies on the line [as much] for the other 10 players. It’s a special group of players.”With eight minutes to go in the match, England beat the pitch, the setting sun and Pakistan to go 1-0 up in the series. And they achieved it through skill, pluck and the kind of team performance that will bind them together for a lifetime.

Some players are getting key match practice as franchises keep keen eye on form

Varun Shetty20-Aug-2020Eighteen IPL players have already taken the field in Trinidad in the first two days of the CPL, which is good news for the IPL franchises. They have had little flexibility in terms of getting their players ready for a high-intensity tournament like the IPL because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and will probably rate match practice higher than under a month’s worth of nets. Here’s a look at the IPL players and franchises who might most benefit from the CPL.Who are the key players getting games in CPL?If you are Chennai Super Kings, you’re already thrilled because Mitchell Santner has got runs and bowled a tight spell, Dwayne Bravo has sealed a nervy chase with the bat and Imran Tahir is in the wickets. In fact, there are few players who have shown up so far who wouldn’t be first-choice overseas picks for their IPL teams. Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders), Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians), Andre Russell (KKR), Nicholas Pooran (Kings XI Punjab) and Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) are all core players for their respective teams.Even players like Oshane Thomas (Rajasthan Royals), Keemo Paul (Delhi Capitals), Mohammad Nabi (Sunrisers), Shimron Hetmyer (Capitals) and Mujeeb ur Rahman (Kings XI), who may not normally play all games in a season, could end up playing crucial roles in the beginning of the IPL. This could be the result of teams building strategies around the various isolation norms for players who will arrive later than others. All of them will have game time during the CPL.Which franchises will be affected most?The roadblocks for player preparation is primarily around two issues right now: first, the South African players may only arrive in the UAE in September, at least a week after most franchises get there. Second, the England-Australia series is scheduled to end only three days before the IPL begins, so players coming from there will not be immediately available in the IPL because of the quarantine protocols in place.The teams that will be most affected by these are the Royal Challengers Bangalore (AB de Villiers, Chris Morris, Dale Steyn, Josh Philippe, Aaron Finch, Kane Richardson and maybe Moeen Ali), the Royals (Steven Smith, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes), Sunrisers (David Warner, Jonny Bairstow and Mitchell Marsh) and the Super Kings (Faf du Plessis and Lungi Ngidi). The Royal Challengers and the Royals will have the biggest problems in terms of core structure, and between them they only have one representative in the CPL – Thomas (Royals).On the other hand, there are IPL teams benefitting from their players participating in the CPL: the Super Kings have three key names getting games in Trinidad and the Sunrisers also have Rashid and Nabi playing the CPL, and would have had Fabian Allen too if he hadn’t missed a flight to miss the tournament. Alongside the Kolkata Knight Riders, who will probably have Narine and Russell match-fit before the IPL, these two teams will probably benefit the most. Kings XI will also be encouraged with bowlers Mujeeb and Sheldon Cottrell getting game time.An IPL for overseas spinners?Eight IPL-tied spinners have played in the CPL so far. Given that matches are going to be restricted to two venues in Trinidad, the pitches and conditions could soon favour the spinners as the tournament progresses. It is too early to say that the IPL might go the same way but historically, pitches in the UAE too have assisted slow bowling. Bowlers like Nabi, Sandeep Lamichhane (Capitals) and Chris Green (KKR) could well make cases for themselves to be picked regularly through the upcoming IPL, either alongside or in place of Indian bowlers who have not played since March.

Kusal Perera, with just four appearances, gets a mention

Danyal Rasool27-May-2025

Sahibzada Farhan (Islamabad United)

449 runs, 37.41 average, 152.20 strike rate, one hundred, three fifties
Coming off a prolific domestic season, Sahibzada Farhan carried his form into the PSL. A scintillating 52-ball 106 in the second game forewarned of his ascent into one of the league’s elite openers, and he continued that hot streak right through the competition. Three further half-centuries made him the highest run-scorer of the tournament, and gave United devastating power up top.

Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars)

439 runs, 33.76 average, 152.96 strike rate, four fifties
Injuries, age, discontent, talk of retirement plagued his arrival into the tournament. Vintage Fakhar Zaman came out the other end. Second-highest run-getter in the tournament, his fire-starting was absolutely essential to Qalandars’ triumph (and a reminder to Pakistan of his evergreen value).Related

• Mohammad Naeem, and the curious case of PSL's emerging player rule

• Kusal Perera, Sikandar Raza star in record chase to take Qalandars to PSL title

• From Nottingham to Lahore: How Sikandar Raza travelled the world for Qalandars' PSL glory

• There's a value to making Shaheen Afridi feel loved and the PSL has shown that

Kusal Perera (wk) (Lahore Qalandars)

170 runs, 56.66 average, 173.46 strike rate, two fifties
That he makes this list after playing just four games is testament to the outsized impact Kusal Perera had on Qalandars’ title charge. Drafted in as a replacement when the league resumed after a brief suspension, the Sri Lankan played four must-win matches, contributing valuable high-impact runs in each of them. It culminated in a 35-ball 61 in the second qualifier, followed by an unbeaten 31-ball 62 in the final, where he was awarded the Player of the Match as Qalandars lifted the trophy.

Hasan Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators)

399 runs, 57.00 average, 162.19 strike rate, one hundred, three fifties
Hasan Nawaz was boom or bust in his debut international series against New Zealand, one century complemented by just one run in the other four innings. He found frightening consistency in the second half of the PSL with Gladiators, though, smashing 313 runs in his final five games for just two dismissals. It included an unbeaten 45-ball 100 against United, a last-ball six to ace a chase against Multan Sultans, and a 43-ball 76 in the final.Shadab Khan made an impact with bat and ball•PCB

Shadab Khan (Islamabad United)

173 runs, 24.71 batting average, 155.85 strike rate, 14 wickets, 16.57 bowling average, 7.9 econ
It was an unspectacular, low-profile but high-performance season for the United captain. Shadab Khan will be disappointed with his team tailing off after an electric start but happy that he seems to be returning to more solid form with the ball.

Sikandar Raza (Lahore Qalandars)

254 runs, 42.33 batting average, 169.33 strike rate, 10 wickets, 17.2 bowling average, 7.75 econ
Another one of Qalandars’ MVPs, Sikandar Raza’s commitment to the campaign was illustrated best by his journey to the final. But he made an all-round impact through the season, in important wins against United, in games against Sultans and, of course, most memorably in the final.

Jason Holder (Islamabad United)

15 wickets, economy rate 9.36, two four-wicket hauls, 69 runs, batting average 34.50, strike rate 164.28
Perhaps things would have been different for United if Jason Holder had been available for the playoffs, because he was unstoppable for the first two-thirds of the tournament. His ability to take wickets, particularly through the middle and later stages of an innings, proved handy for the defending champions time and again, and he was far and away the leading wicket-taker until the league was suspended.Faheem Ashraf was a late pick in the draft, but showed his worth for Quetta Gladiators•PCB

Faheem Ashraf (Quetta Gladiators)

17 wickets, economy rate 11.19, one four-wicket haul, one five-wicket haul, 163 runs, strike rate 155.23
Faheem Ashraf’s star appeared to be fading before this tournament, but his late pick at the draft by Gladiators proved a masterstroke. While extremely expensive, his effect on the side was measured in moments, and his knack of taking wickets in clumps put him close to the top of the wickets charts; only Shaheen Shah Afridi took more. Towards the tail-end of the tournament, he’d found his hitting range too, a couple of blistering cameos helping propel Gladiators to the final, where another high-impact knock took them to within touching distance of glory.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt, Lahore Qalandars)

19 wickets, 16.42 average, 7.76 econ
Clutch much? Ten of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 19 season-topping wickets came in the last four games, including breathtaking opening spells back-to-back in the second qualifier and then the final. A third PSL triumph as captain and one knockout retort to the critics and sceptics.

Abrar Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators)

17 wickets, 19.23 average, 7.34 econ
The league’s best spinner by some distance and one of only two specialist spinners in the top ten wicket-takers. This was arguably the most assured version of Abrar Ahmed we’ve seen. Difficult to get away, never easily read, always a wicket-taking threat.

Luke Wood (Peshawar Zalmi)

11 wickets, average 18.90, economy rate 7.13
In a phenomenally high-scoring season, Zalmi’s Luke Wood found a way to keep batters on a leash. In all phases of the innings, his canny variations backed up by a truly quick stock delivery, made him devilishly hard to put away. No bowler in the league was more economical, and he often had little support from the other end. In a must-win game against Karachi Kings, Zalmi conceded 237; Wood’s figures read 4-0-19-2.

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees on Friday night in a 2024 World Series rematch, 8-5. They did so with a shorthanded roster, too, taking down the pinstripes without the talents of star Mookie Betts, who was held out of the game with a toe injury. Shortly before first pitch it was revealed Betts had stubbed his toe against a piece of furniture at his house and ESPN reported X-rays revealed he had fractured the toe.

After the game Betts confirmed the fracture and shared how, exactly, this happened.

Per Dylan Hernández of the Los Angeles Times, Betts hurt his toe during a nighttime trip to the bathroom. In the darkness he banged his toe against the wall. He also noted it's a pain tolerance injury and expects to be back soon.

Remarkably this makes for the second bathroom-related injury of the Dodgers' season. Earlier this year reigning World Series MVP Freddie Freeman missed time because he slipped while getting into the shower and hurt his ankle.

While unfortunate the mishap didn't affect Freeman too much. The slugger was held out of nine games and went on a tear upon his return in early April that has yet to subside; he's batting .368 for the year with 37 RBI in 46 games. Los Angeles hopes Betts will be similarly unbothered by his own incident.

The Dodgers will take on the Yankees again on Saturday, but it seems like Betts won't be back on the field until next week.

Ten years from now, it might be the image you recall most vividly from last week’s Ahmedabad Test: Nitish Kumar Reddy airborne at full stretch, having flung himself to his left at square leg to turn a well-hit pull from Tagenarine Chanderpaul into India’s first wicket in the second innings.You might, however, struggle to recall anything else Reddy did in the Test, because he didn’t get to contribute much to India’s innings victory. He bowled four overs in West Indies’ first innings, didn’t bowl in their second, and didn’t get to bat as India declared first thing in the morning on day three, on their overnight total of 448 for 5, despite there being so much time left in the game.It’s the kind of thing that can happen to a player in such a dominant victory, particularly a player whose skillset can seem surplus to requirements in certain conditions. India want to maximise Reddy’s potential as a seam-bowling allrounder and are hoping to turn him into a player whose presence gives them depth and balance with both bat and ball in overseas conditions. But to help him grow into that player, they recognise he needs game time in red-ball cricket between those tours, which means playing him whenever possible even in home Tests.Related

• The art of Jadeja: subtle genius hiding in plain sight

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• India look for clean sweep in cool Delhi as West Indies continue search for solutions

• A batting-friendly pitch likely for second India-West Indies Test

• Can Rahul close gap between his stats and his ceiling?

“I’d say we’re unlikely to change the combination,” India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said two days out from the second Test in Delhi. “One of the sort of medium-term objectives is to develop a seam-bowling allrounder for India, because it’s very important when we go away on tours that we have that position covered.”We didn’t get a very good look at Nitish last week, so I think it’s a very good opportunity to give Nitish another go and not alter the balance of the team.”In his eight Tests so far, Reddy has shown evidence of his high ceiling in Test cricket, particularly with the bat. He top-scored in low India totals with 41, 42 and 42 in three of his first four Test innings, during the 2024-25 tour of Australia, and followed up with a maiden Test hundred at the MCG. His bowling isn’t yet at that level, but he took key top-order wickets both in Australia and during the 2025 tour of England.”We think he’s a fantastic seam-bowling allrounder, a batter who bowls seam,” ten Doeschate said. “I think the biggest limitation to what his ceiling could be is going to be his body. He is not the first allrounder we’ve seen in this country whom that applies to; to be perfectly honest, Hardik [Pandya]’s in the same sort of character of player where we don’t doubt their skills at all but for their bodies to hold up to Test cricket is a different matter.”Nitish, I think he showed everyone in Australia how good he is as a batter; I think the challenge for him is going to be to make sure that he gets game time in between away series. In a series like this, when you look at the combination, it’s more important to look ahead and see how we can fit him in to make sure that he does get game time and time to develop his bowling. We really like him, we think he’s a quality allrounder.”4:20

Ten Doeschate: India unlikely to change combination due to a medium-term objective

As true as that might be, India have three spin-bowling allrounders in their squad against West Indies, and two of them – Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar – played in Ahmedabad and batted ahead of Reddy, with Jadeja scoring an unbeaten century to extend his 2025 purple patch.”The sort of lucky thing for us is Washy and Jaddu and even Axar [Patel] are pretty much the same sort of players,” ten Doeschate said when asked whether batting behind Jadeja and Washington could potentially hold back Reddy’s development. “We feel they can bat anywhere from five all the way through to eight, and on the most recent evidence of Washy getting important runs in the UK, [and] obviously Jaddu’s form in the last six months has been immense, and unfortunately that means when Nitish does come back into the team right after his injury, he fits in right at the back of that list, and hence the reason why he batted at eight.”The only drawback, or the only sort of downer from last week in that first Test was the fact that Nitish didn’t get to compete in any of the departments, but I think it’s also a strong message to the guys who are fighting for that spot that you need to be versatile, you need to be able to bat anywhere from five all the way through to eight, and we feel that’s a good way to develop players, that they can perform in different scenarios and different positions.”If we’re all disappointed that they’re not batting six or seven that means Indian cricket’s in a good space, and long may that continue.

On Sai Sudharsan: ‘We know he’s good enough’

Another player who had a quiet game in Ahmedabad was B Sai Sudharsan. Unlike Reddy, he got the chance to show what he could do, batting at No. 3, but he was the only member of the top six to be dismissed for a single-digit score. On 7, he was lbw attempting an ambitious pull off the offspinner Roston Chase when the ball may not have been short enough for the shot.It continued a frustrating start to Sai Sudharsan’s Test career. In England, he showed why India rate him highly enough to have given him a debut as a No. 3 despite coming to Test cricket with a sub-40 first-class average: he played the ball late, showed excellent judgment outside off stump, and looked unhurried and in control at most times. But he also fell in unusual ways multiple times after getting a start, including more than once to balls angling down the leg side. Now, after that low score at Ahmedabad, Sai Sudharsan averages 21.00 with just one half-century in seven innings.0:49

Chopra: ‘Sai Sudharsan needs runs or the pressure will mount’

“I think he is under no illusion and he can’t hide away from the fact that you do fight for a spot in this environment, where you saw Karun Nair get four Test matches in England [before getting dropped for the West Indies series]. There are a lot of good players fighting up the hill to whoever has possession of that spot,” ten Doeschate said. “So Sai just needs to focus on believing in himself. We’ve obviously got a lot of belief in him to give him that No. 3 spot. He is playing pretty nicely, probably a tactical mistake the other day, which he’ll be aware of – playing back to a ball so early in an innings.”We know he’s good enough; and now he has to find a way of scoring runs and showing the rest of the country and the rest of the team that he’s good enough to hold that spot. But certainly no panic or no worry – particularly in a winning team you can absorb that in a series like this, where he knows he’s going to get four knocks.”The rhythms of the Test calendar, ten Doeschate felt, is another challenge for players like Sai Sudharsan who are still finding their feet in the format. “It’s probably a little bit early to be worried or panic-stricken. Doesn’t help that you have five Test matches in the UK and then you wait six weeks to play the next Test match, and the same thing will happen now after this Test next week – we don’t have another Test match for the next three and a half weeks. There’s no string of fixtures to get your rhythm and to get yourself going, but again that’s the nature of Test cricket in this era, and he has to find a way to do it.”

On Jurel: ‘We were trying to squeeze him into our plans even in Australia and England’

In Ahmedabad, Dhruv Jurel – playing as wicketkeeper in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant – batted at No. 5, scored his maiden Test hundred, and left a lot of viewers theorising that he could potentially remain in the XI as a specialist batter even after Pant returns.”I’d imagine it does [put pressure on Sai Sudharsan],” ten Doeschate said. “I think Dhruv showed last week just what a good player he is. We’ve known that all along, how well [he could] fit into the middle order, and in addition to that, there are other good players who are fighting for a top-three or top-four spot – obviously Shubman [Gill]’s got four nailed down.2:02

Chopra: Jurel making a strong case for No. 6 spot

“Sai’s aware of that, and look, I don’t think you pursue a career of playing cricket in India if you don’t expect that sort of competition and people clawing at you, the media clawing at you, that’s part and parcel of it, and we know Sai is tough enough to deal with that.”Jurel had already enjoyed an impressive debut series in Test cricket, against England last year, when ten Doeschate joined the coaching staff under new head coach Gautam Gambhir. He has since played one Test in Australia, one in England after Pant suffered his injury, and then in Ahmedabad. He has also been part of the T20I squad as back-up wicketkeeper, and has now been picked in the ODI squad that will tour Australia later this month.”We’re really happy with the way he is tracking,” ten Doeschate said of Jurel. “He’s someone, even in England, even a little bit in Australia, we were trying to squeeze him into the plans because we know how good he is, and obviously, with Rishabh now being injured, it’s worked out quite nicely to get Dhruv some game time.”[In terms of] his development, what we saw at the back end of last year, leading into this year, we were really hoping he would kick on in the IPL, and he maybe didn’t have quite the IPL he would have hoped for and we would have hoped for, but to come into the team now like he has and to score a proper hundred like that, hopefully it gives him a bit of runway, and if you look at it in a positive way, it’s good that he is putting pressure on other players in the top order as well.”

Fifties from Bens Compton and Dawkins provide platform before home side stumble

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay08-Sep-2025

Mitchell Stanley claimed a maiden first-class five-for•Getty Images

Lancashire bowled Kent out for 293 on day one of their Rothesay County Championship match at Canterbury, before reaching 19 for 0 at stumps, to trail by 274.Ben Compton hit 77 and Ben Dawkins 60 but Kent lurched from 217 for 2 to 274 for 5, before the next four wickets fell for four runs. Mitch Stanley took 5 for 80 and Tom Hartley 3 for 68, although the bowling was marred by 37 extras, including 26 no-balls.Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings then survived eight overs to reach stumps on 3 and 10 respectively.James Anderson travelled with Lancashire but was left out of the starting XI, while Kent handed a first-class debut to Mo Rizvi and Michael Cohen made his first red-ball appearance for the hosts.Stanley struck in the sixth over to get Jaydn Denly caught behind for 8, but it was an otherwise joyless morning for Lancashire, with Kent reaching 122 for 1 at lunch.Dawkins crunched Stanley through point to bring up his maiden first-class fifty and Compton then eased to the same milestone with two off the same bowler.When Stanley then appealed for caught behind against Dawkins, for a delivery that seemed to flick his shirt, it was turned down, to a chorus of catcalls from the Nackington Road Grumblers, although Dawkins soon perished when he flicked Stanley to Michael Jones at midwicket, ending a stand of 136.Tawanda Muyeye, out for a golden duck in the Vitality Blast quarter-final between these two sides on Saturday, cracked Tom Hartley back over his head for six and even Compton charged down the wicket on a couple of occasions but their partnership was interrupted when they collided with such force while attempting a second run that Muyeye’s helmet flew off.Compton stayed down in the middle, while Muyeye staggered to his feet before collapsing after making his ground. The ball was ruled dead in accordance with the ECB’s concussion guidelines and both batters needed treatment. After an 11-minute delay both were able to continue.Muyeye was then hit on the upper arm and dropped by Matty Hurst off Stanley when he was on 29, but any doubts about how well he was seeing it were banished when he dumped Hartley for six over midwicket.He then produced an outstanding upper cut to hit Stanley for six over point, only to play on to Hartley in the next over, bowled for 48.From here on, everything went south for the hosts. Stanley had Compton caught behind and Hartley bowled Ekansh Singh for 4, leaving Kent on 248 for 5 at tea.Harry Finch and Joey Evison seemed to have stabilised things until three wickets fell in seven deliveries. Finch was unlucky to be given caught behind to Wells and Rizvi lasted just two balls before he chopped on to the same bowler. Hartley then had Evison caught at first slip for 22.Stanley finished Kent off, bowling Matt Quinn for 1 with the new ball and getting Matt Parkinson caught behind for 12.The closest Kent came to a wicket was when Corey Flintoff, on as sub for Muyeye, missed a difficult chance to catch Wells off Evison in the final over.

Dewald Brevis scored South Africa’s highest individual T20I score, their second-fastest T20I hundred off 41 balls and became the youngest South African to hit a century in this format as they put on their best score against Australia to square the series at 1-1 in Darwin with the decider to come in Cairns on Saturday.Brevis, who already holds the South African domestic record for the highest T20 score of 162, put on a mesmerising display in only his ninth T20I. He hit 12 fours and eight sixes for a total of 96 runs in boundaries and was excellent down the ground. More than half of his runs – 66 – were scored in the ‘V’, including six sixes and all but single-handedly built South Africa’s total. Brevis, who was dropped on 56, scored 91 of the 126 in a fourth-wicket partnership with Tristan Stubbs.Related

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• Maphaka: I always want to come out on top of the fight

Four of Australia’s five bowlers conceded at 11 runs an over or more with Ben Dwarshuis the exception. His four overs cost just 24 runs but it was not enough to keep South Africa to a reachable total, despite their strength in chasing.This was the first time in nine matches that Australia had lost batting second, ending a record run of nine wins in a row, and the first time they had lost to South Africa in seven meetings. They would have required the highest successful chase in Australia to avoid that.There were moments when Australia were threatening, most notably at 104 for 3 in the 10th over, but were always behind the required run-rate. Tim David’s half-century was the only individual score over 26. Teenage left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka, who was expensive, and allrounder Corbin Bosch were the most successful of the wicket-takers and finished with three apiece. South Africa’s 53-run win was their biggest margin of victory over Australia.

Brevis takes down Maxwell and then gets to a hundred

Brevis led South Africa’s recovery from 57 for 3 in the seventh over. He was on 12 off eight balls when Lhuan-dre Pretorius walked down the pitch and was stumped off Glenn Maxwell but had already sent the offspinner over long-on. Much more was to come. Brevis made his way to 44 off 24 balls by the time Maxwell was brought back on, in the 12th over. South Africa were 99 for 3, Brevis’ partnership with Stubbs had grown to 42 and he was dominating proceedings but then he really stepped it up.Stubbs gave him strike after the first ball and Brevis brought up his fifty when he swung Maxwell over long-on for his fifth six. He barely had time to raise his bat before he lined up a Maxwell full toss and smashed it over cow corner for six more. Maxwell pulled the length back for his next ball and Brevis tried to force it for another six but miscued. Substitute fielder Matt Kuhnemann, on the field for David, was a long way off the rope at long-on and couldn’t hold the catch above his head.Brevis still hadn’t had enough. He sent the next ball over long-on again for a third six in the over. In four balls, Brevis moved from 44 to 66 and Maxwell’s over cost 24 runs. In total, it took Brevis just 16 deliveries to go from fifty to a hundred. He brought it up off Dwarshuis, who he swivel-pulled for four in the 15th over, which also gave Brevis plenty of time to add to his tally.Kwena Maphaka celebrates after removing Cameron Green•Getty Images

Australia limit the damage

At 179 for 3 after 16 overs, South Africa were in sight of a score in excess of 220 but Australia dragged them back a touch. Stubbs was a minor partner in the fourth-wicket stand with Brevis and keen to get going. He reverse-swept Adam Zampa for his third four but then sliced him to backward point where Kuhnemann took a simple catch. In the next over, Rassie van der Dussen holed out off Dwarshuis, whose back-of-a-length deliveries made him the pick of the bowlers. In the over after that, Bosch was castled by a Josh Hazlewood full toss that he tried to send into the stands but dismantled his middle stump. South Africa lost three wickets for 14 runs in 13 balls and had to rely on a strong finish from Brevis in the last 10 balls. They added 21 runs to finish two short of 220.

South Africa’s improved catching display

Australia put down two chances, Pretorius on 1 and Brevis on 56, with the latter proving costly, but South Africa just about learnt from their mistakes in the first match, where they dropped four. Pretorius had the first opportunity when Travis Head could not clear deep midwicket off Aiden Markram and he judged the catch well on the rope.Two overs later, Cameron Green sent Maphaka for back to back fours and was looking for a hat-trick. He pulled Maphaka to midwicket, where Nqabayomzi Peter dived forward to pluck the ball off the ground although lost his grip as he started to celebrate. The catch was checked by the third umpire who determined it was taken cleanly and Peter was in control.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Stubbs is earning a reputation he will not like after he spilled a second chance in as many matches. He was at deep square leg when David toe-ended Lungi Ngidi to him but despite making good ground, could not hold on. David was on 18, and he was also dropped by Stubbs in the first match, on 56. However, Stubbs made up for it when he got under a Mitchell Marsh skier off Bosch and pouched it safely at long-on. Brevis took another impressive catch when he ran to his left at deep midwicket as Maxwell mistimed a slower ball and was dismissed for 16.

David delivers again, but Rabada halts him

David was injured when he landed heavily on his right shoulder as he unsuccessfully attempted to stop a Brevis drive from going for four and was unable to field for the latter part of South Africa’s innings. However, he had few problems swinging the bat. His first runs came unconvincingly when he gloved Maphaka to fine leg for four but he middled the next two balls and sent them both for boundaries.David brought up a third fifty-plus score in four innings and second successive one in the series headlined by his second six which went all the way out of the ground. It was against legspinner Peter, whose third ball David hit into the crowd, that David launched the ball over deep midwicket and over the stadium’s roof. David put Australia in a promising position on 104 for 3 in the 10th over but was caught at cover off Rabada in the moment that turned the game South Africa’s way.

Liverpool supporters are likely to be buoyed by some fresh remarks regarding the club’s January transfer business, as FSG line up a move for one of Europe’s brightest defensive talents.

Liverpool's centre-back issues under the spotlight

The Reds have looked flawed this season, with record signings Florian Wirtrz and Alexander Isak still bedding in and Mohamed Salah among those out of form, and they also look light on centre-back options.

Granted, Virgil van Dijk largely looks as good as ever, barring a recent dip, but he is 34 years of age and will need replacing eventually, while Ibrahima Konate has flattered to deceive and is injury-prone.

Joe Gomez is another player who is known for his fitness woes in his career, while highly-rated new signing Giovanni Leoni will cruelly miss the rest of the season after suffering ACL damage in the EFL Cup clash with Southampton.

Not only that, but Marc Guehi is now being linked with a move to Bayern Munich, and Liverpool’s failure to sign the Crystal Palace captain on deadline day is increasingly looking like a bitter blow.

The January window will give the Reds a chance to bolster their defensive options, with Bayern Munich’s Dayo Upamecano linked with a move recently, and now another Bundesliga player has been backed to come in.

Related Liverpool could sign another "phenomenal" England international with Guehi

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Posts ByHenry Jackson Oct 25, 2025 Liverpool "serious" about strengthening in January

Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness, who is well connected on Merseyside and now reports for Football Insider, claims Liverpool could look to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck in January, with “serious movement” expected in the market.

“He’s proven to be the best defender so far this season in the Bundesliga. He looks to be a real talent and he’s the right age at 25. Look, there is no doubt Liverpool are working overtime right now trying to fix this defence. They’ve got to push the boat out in January.

“It doesn’t look as though it’s going to be Schlotterbeck now, but he could still be one of the targets, certainly. I do expect to see some serious movement in January from Liverpool, and they’re going to be spending where they probably hadn’t planned to because there’s some some cracks appearing. They’re going to have to get that defence shored up.”

A new centre-back does feel like a pressing matter for Liverpool, given the aforementioned options there, both in terms of form and fitness.

It often feels like a matter of time before Konate misses a chunk of action, and should Van Dijk pick up an injury, it would have the potential to completely derail the Reds’ season.

Schlotterbeck vs. Guehi this season

Schlotterbeck

Guehi

Appearances

4

8

Starts

4

8

Minutes played

360

720

Clearances per game

5.5

4.9

Tackles per game

1.8

2.0

Aerial duel wins per game

1.8

2.9

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

1

Schlotterbeck stands out as an impressive option alongside Guehi, but it remains to be seen if Dortmund let him go, and the likes of Arne Slot and Richard Hughes have a big decision to make when it comes to whether to wail until the end of the season for the ideal signing or not.

Marcus Rashford has singled out one of his former Manchester United bosses for special praise, with the England international opening up on a more positive time for him at Old Trafford. Rashford rose from academy product to first-team star, marked by a sensational debut season and notably scored 30 goals in the 2022-23 campaign. But inconsistent performances and disciplinary issues led to his departure on loan, first to Aston Villa, then Barcelona.

Rashford's remarkable revival

Rashford has found a new lease on life at Barcelona since his year-long summer loan move from Old Trafford, becoming one of the most important players for the Spanish giants, especially in the Champions League, where he has already netted four goals and provided one assist in just three matches. He has also contributed effectively in La Liga, with one goal and five assists, demonstrating improved consistency and confidence. His prolific output translates to a goal involvement every 88 minutes for the Catalan giants, a statistic that reflects his pivotal role in attack. And while Rashford is in superb form for his loan club, he has spoken affectionately about one former United boss whom he loved playing for. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRashford revelled in life under Ole

Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who took over as United boss in December 2018, Rashford initially thrived, enjoying some of his most prolific and consistent form as United re-emerged as title contenders, and he felt a strong personal affinity for the Norwegian, defending him publicly when he was sacked in November 2021 and taking responsibility as a player for the manager's dismissal. However, their relationship was tested toward the end of Solskjaer's tenure, with the manager publicly urging the England international to "prioritise his football" amid growing charitable activities. This was reportedly met with disappointment from Rashford's camp.

'Very successful period for me personally'

Rashford told Norwegian outlet of his time working with Solskjaer: "Ole is a fantastic person. I loved playing under him. I can speak for many of the players at Manchester United when I say that we enjoyed playing for him. We played good football under Ole. It was a very successful period for me personally. He is a fantastic person, and I don’t have a bad word to say about him."

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Getty Images SportBright future with the Blaugrana

Rashford has spoken about how happy he is after leaving Manchester United and confirmed he would like to stay at Barca beyond the end of his current loan spell. 

In a recent interview with Barca's YouTube channel, Rashford revealed he’s loving life in Spain and sees his future with the Catalan giants. He said: "I’m really enjoying my time in Spain. The weather is the best part. It’s a very big change. I’m learning every day, I’m really enjoying it. I hope to be here for a long time. I get along really well with Roony (Bardghji), as well as Jules (Kounde) and Frenkie (De Jong). It’s a team where we all blend together. We’re united. The team is fantastic. I just have to be in the right position. I’ll keep trying to do this. We have to keep going like this to be our best. We have a lot more to do this season." 

He added: "I’m enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game so to play here is an honour. I just believe that things happen when they’re supposed to happen. It’s not the first time I spoke with Barcelona about potentially coming here, but for whatever reasons it didn’t happen in the past, and now is my opportunity to make it happen. I feel like there’s no time like the present now. 

"People forget this, but 23 years of my life was with Manchester United. So sometimes you just need a change. I think maybe this is the case with me and yeah, I’m enjoying everything. I don’t feel there is much change in me, I just feel it’s a new environment and culture and one I looked forward to coming here. It’s just about me adapting and fitting in as well as possible. I’m so hungry to keep improving."

And just like that, Arsenal have got their first win of their Champions League campaign.

The three points are ultimately what matter most, but it would be fair to say that Mikel Arteta’s side weren’t at their best against Athletic Bilbao this evening.

The North Londoners got their goals through Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, but up until the Brazilian slotted home in the 72nd minute, they underwhelmed.

Several players will have to up their game for the next match, but Arteta also has to make a few changes, notably no longer playing two specific stars together.

Arsenal's underwhelming stars

Now, it should be said that while we think several Arsenal starters didn’t put in strong performances today, none of them were terrible.

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After all, the Gunners were the better side and ultimately deserved all three points.

With that said, one of those who started the game that didn’t exactly light it up was Viktor Gyokeres.

There were moments in which the Swedish international showed his ability, be that by holding up the ball for his teammates or making a few well-timed runs, but that was pretty much it.

His job is to put the ball in the back of the net, and he ended up missing a few chances, including a header in the first half and then another in the second.

Minutes

65′

Expected Goals

0.47

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.01

Assists

0

Shots on Target

1

Shots off Target

3

Big Chances Missed

2

Touches

18

Accurate Passes

6/7 (86%)

Dribbles

0

Moreover, his statistics don’t make for pretty reading, as he made just six passes in 65 minutes, took three shots off target for his one that was on target, and officially missed two big chances.

The Stockholm-born monster wasn’t the only attacker to have a forgettable night, though.

Eberechi Eze also struggled to have much of an impact in Bilbao, coming off in the 71st minute with an expected assists figure of 0.11, just 19 completed passes and didn’t take a single shot.

However, while the two summer signings struggled to make an impact up top, there was a more significant problem elsewhere in the team, a problem stemming from a pairing Arteta must not start again.

The Arsenal duo who must not start again

While Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera once again showed Arteta why they can be an incredible pairing tonight, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino did the opposite.

Now the Englishman is an unquestionably world-class midfielder and has been one of the Gunners’ best players since joining the club in 2023.

Likewise, the Spaniard has proven his usefulness over the last year or so, but the manager needs to stop playing them in the midfield together, especially when Martin Zubimendi is at the base.

The reasons why are relatively straightforward: they don’t offer enough attacking threat, and at times can be exposed for lack of finesse.

For example, the pair produced a combined expected assist figure of 0.20 and a combined expected goals figure of just 0.05, which was all from the former Real Sociedad ace.

Minutes

96′

Expected Goals

0.05

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.04

Assists

0

Shots on Target

1

Big Chances Created

0

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Accurate Passes

21/28 (75%)

Dribbles

0

Possession Lost

12

Duels (Won)

13 (5)

Fouls

3

Although considering there was only one shot on target between them and one big chance created, those metrics are hardly surprising.

On top of lacking creativity and attacking thrust, the pairing was frustratingly loose with possession.

Minutes

96′

Expected Goals

0.00

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.20

Assists

0

Shots on Target

0

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (2)

Accurate Passes

47/58 (81%)

Possession Lost

13

Fouls

2

During their 96 minutes of action, they lost the ball a staggering 25 times, with the former West Ham United captain losing it 13 times and the La Roja star 12.

Unsurprisingly, given their middling performances, the pair received just a 5/10 match rating from the Sun’s Joshua Hall, which feels about right.

Ultimately, Arsenal were deserved winners tonight and can go into Wednesday’s game in good spirits, but a few changes still need to be made, and one of those is no longer playing Merino and Rice in the same midfield.

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