Tag Futebol

With Liverpool approaching their return to competitive action under unprecedented circumstances, Arne Slot will take pride in what his side has managed to do in the transfer window up until this point.

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, among others, will add considerable strength on top of a squad that managed to claim Premier League glory in his debut campaign.

Nevertheless, there is more to come at Anfield, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the dream target for Liverpool, even if they are more likely to turn their attention towards Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike due to financial demands relating to the former.

Speaking of Ekitike, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the France Under-21 international wants to come to England in light of interest from the Reds, albeit there are also clubs around Europe and in Saudi Arabia circling.

He stated: “There is movement on Hugo Ekitike, with interest from Saudi, but the priority of the player remains England. And with Newcastle interested in Hugo Ekitike, there is still interest also from more clubs. Because clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea have been calling for the player for weeks, since June, for example, being informed on the situation of Hugo Ekitike.”

Hughes lining up Liverpool move for £34m Guehi alternative who's Konate 2.0

Liverpool’s search for a new centre-back continues, amid uncertainty over Ibrahima Konate’s future

By
Robbie Walls

Jul 13, 2025

Moving away from the search for attacking prowess, Liverpool could also move for Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, solidifying the thought that they could look to strengthen the engine room.

Recent developments could point them in that direction, but not in the way supporters would expect, given previous events this window.

Liverpool could be offered Arda Guler in exchange for Alexis Mac Allister

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool could be offered Real Madrid star Arda Guler as the La Liga giants look to sign Alexis Mac Allister, and it is claimed the Argentina international may be tempted by the prospect of working with former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso.

However, the 26-year-old hasn’t shown any major signs of wanting to change clubs and is said to be ‘happy’ in England, though Los Blancos may throw Turkish sensation Guler into the mix to try and bring down the cost of any potential deal with the Reds valuing their star at £86m.

Alexis Mac Allister in 2024/25 – all competitions
Appearances	49
Goals	7
Assists	6
Arda Guler in 2024/25 – all competitions
Appearances	49
Goals	6
Assists	11

Intriguingly, Guler, who has previously been labelled “tremendous” by Carlo Ancelotti, has outperformed £150,000 per week earner Mac Allister in the field of goal contributions, certifying that he would be able to replicate his creative influence at Anfield.

However, the latter is someone who Arne Slot believes holds a unique standing in the football world, so it is hard to envisage the Dutchman entertaining any notion of a sale under any circumstances.

Rain in Rawalpindi may impact the Test as well with the visitors leading 1-0

Danyal Rasool29-Aug-2024Big picture: Pakistan in perilPakistan cricket, right now, isn’t exactly going through a golden era, but few expected the bloody nose Bangladesh gave them last week.For much of that Test match, Pakistan’s chief frustration appeared to be they would end up with a draw, a draw would inhibit their efforts, which captain Shan Masood bullishly talked up in the build-up, at having a real crack at reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Five days later, Pakistan would lose, and to add insult to injury, have half-a-dozen points docked for slow over rates, placing them ever so close to the bottom of the table. A home series defeat to Bangladesh would bring its own ignominy, which has little to do with whether they’re in the race to prove themselves the best Test side in the world. Bangladesh had, until last week, won just six away Tests in a quarter century of being Full Members, two against an enfeebled West Indies in 2009, and another two against Zimbabwe.Related

Bangladesh's chance to build on Rawalpindi miracle

The champion cricketer is back – whither Shakib the Bangladesh hero?

Are Shan Masood's days numbered?

Nahid's rise gives Bangladesh a happy selection headache

Shaheen Afridi left out of second Test against Bangladesh

Masood suddenly finds himself in a battle for the captaincy so soon after assuming it, having lost each of the four Tests he’s been in charge. While flashes of quality against Australia over the winter meant the overall result could potentially be overlooked in favour of a long-term plan, such forgiveness will not come if Pakistan drop a home series against Bangladesh. With a busy time ahead that includes the sterner challenges of England and South Africa, ensuring they avoid handing this Test trophy over next week remains the bare minimum for this red-ball side to retain credibility with its supporters.Bangladesh played the Rawalpindi Test at their own pace and won•Associated PressThat task is complicated by the weather in Rawalpindi once more. Rain forced the cancellation of practice sessions on the eve of the game, with more forecast for the first day. It has led Pakistan to hesitate before officially confirming a spinner for the Test, naming a 12-man squad with Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza both in contention. Masood pointed out Pakistan were the more proactive side last week, and with Bangladesh only needing a draw, his side will have to find a way to repeat that while also ensuring they get a better result.And what, really, can you say about the position Bangladesh have created for themselves? Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side outplayed as well as outthought the hosts, doing the basics right. Like making sure they had spinners in case they came in handy on the final day, which they did. Or not leaving runs out by declaring early owing to ultimately unrealised concerns it might rain, which it did not. They let Pakistan’s wobbles do the rest, and the ten-wicket win was as clinical as it was merited.There are more important things going on back home, but the uncomplicated joy of last week was as welcome as it was unexpected. This, remember, is not a vintage Bangladesh side, and did not come in saddled with high expectations. They came in last week, saw an opponent making unforced errors and didn’t interrupt them. They didn’t get sucked into playing fashionably aggressive cricket, or bullied into doing anything they didn’t want to do. They had no qualms about batting at under three runs an over for large parts of the first innings, and when Pakistan turned to declaration bowling, they simply didn’t decare.It secured Bangladesh arguably their greatest Test win, but they will know they need to hold off on wild celebrations for now. With one Test on the horizon and no clear signs Pakistan will be able to produce the pitch they want, all Bangladesh may need to do is pick up where they left off in the first Test. Pakistan must make all the moves, and as Bangladesh demonstrated, they are not going to be displaced too easily.Babar Azam’s recent form has been a big concern for Pakistan•Associated PressForm guidePakistan: LLLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first) Bangladesh: WLLLWIn the spotlight: Babar Azam and Mushfiqur RahimBabar Azam’s slump aligning perfectly with the team’s nosediving Test form has been aggravating. Pakistan are used to dry patches and players out of form, but it isn’t quite obvious why this generation’s best batter is now struggling to achieve the big scores that came so easily to him. There isn’t a particular type of bowling or kind of shot that’s ailing him nor does he have other responsibilities now that he has been relieved of the armband. Babar fell to two basic unforced errors in the first Test, a squeeze down leg side and a drive without footwork doing for him. Home runs on flat surfaces against Bangladesh seemed like a no-brainer, and he now has one more Test to try and fix that.Mushfiqur Rahim played the role of the senior pro to a tee in the first Test. He used his strong defensive technique to good effect over the course of three partnerships that allowed the batters at the other end to operate with more freedom. Shadman Islam only opened up his repertoire in a 52-run stand with Mushfiqur, while Litton Das finally showed some form, after Mushfiqur allowed him to bat his way. Mehidy Hasan Miraz continued to shine with his batting mentor, playing out 178 balls in his innings. Mushfiqur continuing this role is bad news for Pakistan.Team news: Taskin in, Nahid out?Shaheen Afridi has been omitted from the squad for the second Test, with Abrar and Hamza part of the 12-member squad Pakistan have announced.Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Abrar Ahmed/Mir Hamza, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Mohammad Ali, 11 Khurram ShahzadMushfiqur Rahim tunes up for the second Test against Pakistan•PCBFast bowler Taskin Ahmed is back fit, and should replace Nahid Rana. Having secured one of their greatest Test wins, Bangladesh are unlikely to make further changes.Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Taskin AhmedPitch and conditions: Rain on the radarPakistan have made no secret of their desire for a pace-friendly wicket, though achieving it proved difficult in the first Test. There will be more than a tinge of grass on this new pitch, but monsoon rain lashed the city in the days since the end of the first Test. More rain is forecast during the game.Stats and trivia: Babar’s slump Mushfiqur, who was named Player of the Match in the first Test, is the only Bangladesh player to have taken part in all seven of his nation’s away Test wins Since the start of 2023, Babar averages 21.15 in 13 Test innings with a highest score of 41Quotes”We’re loathe to make a decision [on who to play] purely on over rates. Our over rates were poor in the first Test and unacceptable. We need to be better and get through our overs quicker. Our opposition like to call for gloves and drinks at very regular intervals so we need to be mindful of that but we can’t control that. What we can control is our energy levels and making sure we’re getting through our overs as quickly as possible.”

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has now dropped a hugely promising Sunderland transfer update, following the permanent signing of Enzo Le Fee.

Le Fee joins Black Cats in permanent deal

It has been a positive start to the Black Cats’ summer, as they immediately plan for life back in the Premier League after their memorable promotion from the Championship last month. Sunderland have made a big statement by signing Le Fee on a permanent basis, following his loan spell at the Stadium of Light in 2024/25, snapping him up for a club-record fee of around £20m.

The Frenchman played his part in Regis Le Bris’ side’s promotion, registering three assists in 14 Championship starts, and he has spoken of his happiness at extending his stay on Wearside.

Sunderland could surpass Le Fee signing in summer spree

Writing on X on Thursday, Downie claimed that Sunderland could again break their transfer record this summer, overtaking the amount paid for Le Fee as they splash out on as many as five new arrivals.

This will be music to the ears of Black Cats fans, with the club showing real signs of ambition before the 2025/26 season gets underway.

In the past two years, all three promoted Championship sides have gone straight back down from the Premier League, so Le Bris’ job is to put a stop to that, aided by signing some top-quality players.

Sunderland’s 10 most expensive signings	Signed from	Cost
1. Enzo Le Fee	Roma	£20m
2. Didier Ndong	Lorient	£16.9m
3. Asamoah Gyan	Rennes	£13.5m
4. Steven Fletcher	Wolves	£12.8m
5. Adam Johnson	Man City	£10.7m
6. Jack Rodwell	Man City	£10.5m
7. Darren Bent	Tottenham	£9.9m
8. Wahbi Khazri	Bordeaux	£9.9m
9. Jeremain Lens	Dynamo Kyiv	£9.6m
10. Tore Andre Flo	Rangers	£9.3m

If Sunderland are able to break their transfer record twice in the same summer, it could only bode well in that respect, and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has further hinted at a busy summer taking place.

England legend said Sunderland star was the best he'd seen and as good as Owen and Figo

The Black Cats would love to have him back in their current squad…

By
Ben Goodwin

Jun 4, 2025

Sunderland also must try and convince Jobe Bellingham to stay put, making it the perfect summer, but that may be wishful thinking at this point, with a move to Borussia Dortmund seemingly on the cards.

With Junior Firpo currently set to leave as a free agent later this month, Leeds United have reportedly joined the race to sign a Bundesliga standout who’s worth just £8m this summer.

Junior Firpo set to depart Leeds

After four years at Elland Road, Firpo has just 24 days remaining as a Leeds player unless anything dramatic happens between now and the end of the month. With his contract expiring, the Whites have missed their chance to cash in and will now watch on as one of their most experienced players departs as a free agent. With or without the chance to cash in, however, Leeds must find a replacement this summer.

Daniel Farke is one of many who are well aware of Firpo’s importance in Yorkshire, having told reporters when asked about the defender’s contract situation at the start of last season: “If I’m honest I haven’t thought about this scenario so far because it was such a difficult summer for other things.

“You know how much I rate Junior [Firpo] and Sam [Byram] and how important they are for us. Junior played a really good game against Burnley, after long travel, improved defensive skill and turning into a leader. Great will to improve further.”

49ers lining up summer swoop to sign "resilient" relegated star for Leeds

He could get an instant return to the Premier League.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 6, 2025

Set to lose one of his leaders nonetheless, Farke must ensure that his replacement, whoever that is, steps up in Firpo’s place. Those at Elland Road cannot afford to get things wrong this summer with the Premier League looming.

None of the last six promoted clubs have survived their first season in the Premier League, but Leeds will be desperate to end that trend. The 49ers look likely to back them in pursuit of that too, given recent links to the likes of Gustavo Hamer and now a talented Bundesliga star who would replace Firpo.

Leeds racing to sign Anthony Caci

According to Foot Mercato, Leeds are now racing Borussia Dortmund to sign Anthony Caci from Mainz 05 this summer. The full-back, who can play on both sides of the defence or even in midfield, has been a standout in the Bundesliga across the last eight months and has more than played his part in Mainz’s shock sixth place finish.

Valued at just €10m (£8m) by Mainz, Leeds would be landing a bargain deal by beating Dortmund to Caci’s signature this summer. There’s even a strong argument that the Whites would be landing an upgrade on Firpo and not just a replacement.

Minutes

2,684

2,616

Assists

7

10

Tackles Won

40

34

Ball Recoveries

131

114

Whilst keeping up with Firpo on the creativity front, Caci outperformed the Leeds man in a number of key areas. Having proven himself in Germany’s top flight, the Frenchman has more than earned the opportunity to do the same in England’s top division.

At just £8m, Caci would undoubtedly be a bargain buy and one that the 49ers should do everything to seal should Firpo depart this summer.

Everton now face a transfer battle with Bayer Leverkusen to sign an “impressive” £30 million+ defender, according to a recent report.

Everton are stepping up transfer plans for David Moyes

Given the Blues cannot be relegated from the Premier League, David Moyes and co are now slowly turning their attentions to the summer transfer window and next season, as Everton move into their new stadium.

Scout who told Everton to sign Isak says £30k-a-week target "happy" to join

This would cause a stir this summer.

By
Henry Jackson

Apr 23, 2025

Moyes is keen for his side to strengthen their forward line during the summer and has identified Evan Ferguson as a top target. The Republic of Ireland international is currently on loan at West Ham from Brighton after falling down the pecking order with the Seagulls. Ferguson’s long-term future with Brighton is up in the air, and Moyes is looking to take advantage of this by luring him to Everton, where he thinks he can improve his game.

As well as looking at the top end of the pitch, Everton are also looking to improve their defensive options this summer. Jarrad Branthwaite’s future remains a hot topic of debate, and while the Toffees would like him to stay, they already have their eyes on potential replacements. Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah has been linked with a shock move to Everton, and former scout Bryan King now believes the defender would be “happy” to join the blue side of Liverpool.

Everton looking to beat Leverkusen and sign £30m+ star

Quansah is not the only defender on the Premier League side’s radar, as according to Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton are looking to sign David Hancko from Dutch side Feyenoord.

The report states that the Toffees are interested in signing the 27-year-old, as they would like to build their defence around him. However, Everton are not alone in their pursuit, as Juventus reportedly already have an agreement over personal terms with the player. While Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen are also keen on striking a deal for the experienced centre-back.

Everton hope they have an advantage in the race, as they and Leverkusen are willing to offer a straight cash deal for Hancko, who Feyenoord are looking to get around €40 million for, which is roughly £34 million. Hancko is predominantly a centre-back but can also play at left-back if needed, which is ideal for Moyes, as he looks for versatility in his defence.

David Hancko’s 24/25 Eredivisie stats
Apps	27
Minutes played	2,430
Goals	3
Assists	1
Tackles won	23
Interceptions	22

The Toffees do already have plenty of options in their backline, but Michael Keane is on course to depart when his contract expires this summer.

James Tarkowski is not getting any younger, and as mentioned, Branthwaite continues to be linked with a move away, so a new centre-back could be very much needed this summer for Moyes, and if he wants Everton to get back into contention for Europe, then a rebuild of his backline may be what is needed, with Hancko, who has been dubbed “impressive” by Ben Mattinson, at the heart of it.

Well, that probably wasn’t the return from the international break that Tottenham Hotspur fans had been hoping for.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travelled to West London to try and get one over Chelsea in the Premier League last night, but instead of coming out swinging as they have so often, and sometimes to their own detriment, this season, they were utterly dismal.

Granted, it looked like Pape Matar Sarr had equalised in the second half, but he fouled Moises Caicedo in the buildup, and it was chalked off, much to the chagrin of the increasingly under-pressure Australian, who made his feelings clear after the game.

There were incredibly disappointing performances across the pitch for the visitors, but there was one player who might as well have stayed in the dressing room and, as such, has to be dropped ahead of the weekend’s game against Southampton.

Spurs' poor performers

Before getting to the player in question, it’s only fair we go over some of the other starters who let the fans down last night, as, unfortunately, there were quite a few, including Cristian Romero.

The fiery World Cup winner can sometimes be exactly the sort of player you want in an intense derby, but instead of marshalling the backline and making life difficult for the Blues’ attack, he seemed off the pace, overly emotional, and was running back towards goal more often than he should have been and picked up a 5/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold.

However, there is an argument that the Argentine’s defensive partner, Micky van de Ven, had an even worse game at Stamford Bridge.

The former Wolfsburg gem was ironically starting his first league game since the reverse fixture against the Pensioners in December, and whether it was rustiness or something else, he looked even more lost than Romero.

For example, it was his clearance that came off Jackson early in the first half and almost opened the scoring, and then in the second half he was pulled out of position by the striker for Enzo Fernández’s goal and was fully deserving of the 5/10 rating he received from Gold.

At the other end of the pitch, it was another night to forget for the club’s record signing, Dominic Solanke.

The former Bournemouth star did make the right runs at times but simply wasn’t a factor for the vast majority of the game, and while he has to rely on the service of his teammates to an extent, the best strikers in the world will often make their own chances.

However, while the Basingstoke-born poacher was certainly ineffective, another starter was even worse and must be dropped.

The Spurs star who has to be dropped

In reality, you could make a serious argument about any of the aforementioned players being dropped for the weekend, but when it comes down to it, James Maddison put in the most frustratingly dismal display for Spurs last night.

Chalkboard

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

The former Leicester City star, who is a part of the club’s leadership group, started in a midfield three with 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur, so while they can certainly help out with attacks, the onus to get the midfield ticking was on him.

Unfortunately, he did not achieve this in the slightest, and instead of pulling the strings and taking advantage of a Chelsea side who had won just four of their ten league games since the turn of the year, he practically disappeared from the encounter.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by Gold, who also awarded the Englishman a 5/10 on the night, writing that even when he did try to make something happen, ‘nothing came off for him.’

Unsurprisingly, his lacklustre showing is reflected in his statistics.

Minutes

81′

Expected Goals

0.05

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.06

Assists

0

Touches

41

Key Passes

1

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Shots on Target

0

Duels (Won)

5 (0)

Dribbles

0

Lost Possession

4

Offsides

2

In 81 minutes of inaction, the 28-year-old amassed a paltry combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.11, failed to score or assist a goal, took 41 touches but played just a single key pass, failed in 100% of his crosses, failed to take a shot on target, didn’t attempt a single dribble, lost the ball four times, lost 100% of his duels and was offside twice.

Ultimately, it was a dreadful performance from the entire Spurs team, but Maddison was particularly disappointing and, therefore, must be dropped from the starting lineup.

Walker repeat: Spurs in real danger of losing incredible £67m "monster"

The brilliant defender would be a massive loss for Spurs.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 2, 2025

Tension was mounting for the co-hosts before an Andre Russell six ignited their push to the winning line

Shashank Kishore02-Jun-20241:11

‘We’ve talked about it for years’ – Bishop on WI and dot-ball percentage

The euphoria of an IPL triumph achieved exactly a week to the day, on a heady Chennai night, may have suddenly felt foggy as Andre Russell walked into bat with West Indies needing 40 off 24. Papua New Guinea had pushed the hosts into a corner and were daring to dream of an upset on a tricky Providence surface. Even someone of Russell’s vintage was unlikely to have it easy to be able to strike from get go.Until then, PNG had refused to be intimidated by the plethora of ball-strikers, each capable of hitting bigger than the other. They may have even had West Indies possibly question their own choices at a point, like the decision to sacrifice power-hitting depth for all-round squad balance as they fielded Roston Chase and Rutherford over Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer.Related

• Powell: Winning the World Cup will give 'massive boost' financially for West Indies

• Chase seals West Indies' jittery victory against spirited PNG

The match, although not sold to capacity, still had a considerable number of home fans clenching their fists as Russell took strike against John Kariko, who had bowled his three overs until then with immaculate control and guile. Phil Simmons, West Indies’ former T20 World Cup winning coach now with PNG as consultant, was furiously chewing gum. There was tension.What chance did a 20-year-old rookie who’d played all his career up until then against the likes of Philippines, Vanuatu, Malaysia and Nepal have against The Dre Russ? Maybe not even an inkling, but Kariko was showing no nerves. He kept landing them on a length. Some straightened, others just went through with the arm. Five balls into his penultimate over, he’d conceded just three runs and West Indies now needed 37 off 19.Just as you wondered if Russell was going the MS Dhoni way of taking it till the end, he got a gift. For the first time in his spell, Kariko erred by bowling a half-tracker. Russell needed no second invitation as he rocked back and muscled the pull to clear deep midwicket. Nervous smiles gave way to an energetic pump of the fists in the West Indies dug out.That release shot had opened the floodgates. At the other end, Chase had killed them softly it with some of the most aesthetically pleasing strokes, not one of them played in anger or in desperation. By the time the 18th over finished, Chase had all but sealed the match by hitting Assad Vala, the PNG captain, for two fours and a six to bring the equation down to a comfortable 13 off 12. West Indies needed only six more balls to get there.Roston Chase assessed conditions perfectly•ICC via Getty ImagesChase may have ended the game in a blaze, but hardly got out of second gear until push came to shove. This wasn’t because he wasn’t capable of hitting the big shots, but it was the need of the hour. Nicholas Pooran fell trying to hit out as did Brandon King. Rutherford struggled for fluency too. All along, Chase milked the runs, batting with a sense of calm that suggested he’d sussed out conditions superbly.”I had to take it home for the team, and I did it,” Chase said after being named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 27-ball 42. “I just thought that the wicket was one that was a bit difficult to start on in terms of playing your strokes and being aggressive. So, I thought it was one that you just had to get in and give yourself a bit of time to get adjusted to the pace of the wicket and once you get in you would get away the ball after a while.”A part of Chase’s batting blueprint may have been formed when he was out bowling. Chase bowled his four overs for 26, during which he used the crease nicely to vary his lines and hit lengths to extract bounce from his tall frame. On two-paced surfaces, this mantra, married to a wicket-to-wicket line, has the potential to be a superb cocktail. While there were no inherent rewards for these efforts in the form of wickets, Chase kept PNG in check for most parts. It was only a late flourish from Kiplin Doriga that helped them finish on 136.”That was very good,” Rovman Powell, the West Indies captain said of Chase’s spell. “Started from a bowling effort, I think he bowled pretty well. And coming at the end, when we were under pressure coming there with composure, and to come out with a winning innings was great for us.”Andre Russell got away a vital boundary as the asking rate was climbing•Associated PressChase’s performances will also be that much more gratifying for himself and West Indies because for a long time he’s battled the perception of being a long-format player. But in 2020, when he was signed as a replacement player by St Lucia Kings in the CPL, something changed. In the following season, he was named MVP and made it to the T20 World Cup squad in 2021 in UAE.Even as most of his team-mates were over at the IPL, Chase went on a West Indies A tour to Nepal, where they played on spin-friendly surfaces in the middle of a heatwave. He topped those performances with two reassuring performances at home against South Africa prior to the T20 World Cup.”I’m full of confidence, even before this knock,” Chase said. “I mean, I had a good series against South Africa. Then I was on the A-team tour in Nepal and had a good series there and then I’ve been putting in a lot of work back home, obviously in the camp before the South Africa series. For me, it’s just to go there express myself when I get the chance and put everything that I put into practice into the game and entertain.”A lot of hard work, sweat, tears [has gone into it], just putting in the hard work. And obviously, believing. I think that’s the main reason. I mean, you can do all the hard work and have everyone rooting for you, but if you don’t have that self-belief, you’re not going to achieve. So, I just think that it’s for me to back any hard work that I did and also believing in my ability that when I get out there that I was showing my [skill].”

Spinner Sai Kishore and batter Sai Sudharsan are both with Gujarat TItans now, with a chance to play against Dhoni and Co

Deivarayan Muthu14-May-2022R Sai Kishore and B Sai Sudharsan, two Chennai boys and former Super Kings, will run into their one-time team this Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium.Sai Kishore used to be a net bowler with CSK and was part of one of their title-winning squads but didn’t get a game over three seasons despite his sustained brilliance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 competition, during that time. As for Sai Sudharsan, he was part of Junior Super Kings, the CSK youth team that is part of their grassroots programme. In this, he followed in the footsteps of his seniors in the Tamil Nadu side, Washington Sundar and M Shahrukh Khan.In 2018, Sai Sudharsan was in the Junior Super Kings group that toured Yorkshire to face Pro Coach Yorkshire Academy, HDS Academy from Brisbane, and California Cricket Academy in 20-over and 50-over tournaments. His all-round effort in the final – a half-century followed by a double strike with his legspin – led his side to the 50-over title on that tour, and they also won the 20-over tournament.Related

• 'Having my mother and brother in attendance made it more special' – Sudharsan after maiden List-A ton

• The uncapped ones: Shahrukh Khan, Umran Malik and more

• Who is Sai Sudharsan, and what's his back-story?

The side’s mentor on that trip was Ambati Rayudu, who, after playing a significant hand in Chennai Super Kings’ IPL win in 2018 was recalled into India’s squad for an ODI tour to England but then cut from the side after he failed a mandatory fitness test. The CSK management wanted to keep him engaged, which resulted in the mentor gig on the juniors’ tour.A chubby Sai Sudharsan worked with Rayudu and S Sharath, the former Tamil Nadu batter, on the tour, his first outside of India. Now 20 and much fitter, he is with Gujarat Titans in his first IPL stint. Rayudu is still in the yellow corner, featuring in his fifth IPL season for CSK. Titans have already qualified for the playoffs but they will be looking to seal their top-two spot and keep the already ousted Super Kings down.Sai Sudharsan, who was the breakout star of the 2021 Tamil Nadu Premier League, had a fairly smooth initiation into the IPL when he hooked Kagiso Rabada for four during his 35 on debut, against Punjab Kings. He then made a stronger impression when he hit an unbeaten 65 in the return fixture against Kings while wickets tumbled around him.Sai Sudharsan’s mother Usha Bharadwaj, a former volleyball player for Tamil Nadu and currently a strength-and-conditioning coach, attributes his success to his improved fitness.Sai Sudharsan during his 65 not out against Punjab Kings•PTI “Mentally, I groom him, and physically he has started training with me over the last two years and he has started to believe in my training,” she says. “S&C training I take care of, his father works with him on agility training – speed, quick movement and running between the wickets. Compared to before, he now runs quicker between the wickets and it’s because of his father.” Sai Sudharsan’s father, Bharadwaj, is also a former athlete, who represented India at the South Asian Games.”A lot of young kids have this mindset, ‘I just want to get my turn to bat,'” Usha says. “Sai was similar during his early years and then he changed himself. He watched a lot of videos of Virat Kohli. Kohli said that his fitness gives him a lot of confidence. After that, he started training seriously with me. During the pandemic, he worked hard on his fitness, and during these two years, he used to chew my ear off, asking, ‘Why do we train like this? Why don’t we train that way? What benefit does it bring?’ He used to ask a lot of questions.”When asked about the prospect of Sai Sudharsan going up against Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, she says: “It is not a strange coincidence for us because there are so many Chennai boys spread across various IPL teams. That’s how the IPL is. We’re proud to see so many of his Tamil Nadu team-mates do well across teams.”

****

With the pitches slowing down and starting to turn, it is the other Sai, Kishore, the left-arm spinner, who is more likely to find a spot in Titans’ XI that will face Super Kings.One of India’s best domestic T20 fingerspinners, on his IPL debut he combined with Rashid Khan, one of the best T20 spinners in the world, taking 2 for 7 to Rashid’s 4 for 24, to trample Lucknow Super Giants. That win made Titans the first franchise to make the playoffs. Sai Kishore’s first wicket – Ayush Badoni stumped for 8 off 11 balls – was a testimony to his game awareness, which he says he improved during his stint with CSK.A bit like a left-arm version of Washington, he bowls quick and into the pitch without offering width. After Deepak Hooda and Badoni got only three runs off Sai Kishore’s first four balls, the bowler knew Badoni would give him the charge next ball. So he tossed it up liberally, shortened his length and found dip to create enough room between the bat and the pitch of the ball, after which the turn took it past the bat and into the gloves of Wriddhiman Saha, who did the rest.”In the last two years my game has gone up, having been part of CSK, though I didn’t get a game,” Sai Kishore said during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. “I would have learned, but it would have taken more time had I not been at CSK. I’m more confident in my game and my game-reading skills have improved.”The Junior CSK side during their tour of Yorkshire in 2018. Sai Sudharsan is seated to the left of Ambati Rayudu (second from right, middle row); S Sharath is to Rayudu’s right•Chennai Super KingsHe celebrated that first IPL wicket with a cathartic roar, for he had waited long enough for the moment. His first taste of the league came through a net-bowling role at Super Kings in 2019. When MS Dhoni smashed him all over Chepauk on the third day of that camp, it was a reality check; Sai Kishore came home wondering whether he belonged at that level. He then tightened up at the camp, tempting the franchise into snapping him up for his base price of Rs 20 lakh (about US$27,400) at the 2020 auction.Though he only warmed the bench for two seasons, he made the most of the net sessions in the UAE and India, working with Mitchell Santner and sizing himself up against Super Kings’ power-hitters. “To be an international cricketer with such a record and be this humble…” Sai Kishore said of Santner. “As fingerspinners we are all on the same page – more or less. [The discussions are] about subtle aspects like the speed on the ball, angle of release, playing with the field. We discussed more about analysing and reading the game. Those chats with Mitch have been helpful to me”Sai Kishore even used a trick from the Dhoni playbook in trapping Vivek Raj in the TNPL 2021 qualifier upon returning from a stint as a reserve bowler for India in Sri Lanka. He stationed a straight long-on for the big-hitting Vivek at Chepauk and had him caught there after floating one up.He also upgraded his batting, often fronting up as Tamil Nadu’s pinch-anchor in white-ball cricket, akin to R Ashwin’s current role at Rajasthan Royals, to go with his spin. He became such an attractive T20 package that as many as six franchises bid for him at the auction earlier this year, with Titans ultimately forking out Rs 3 crore ($400,000) for him. However, with the tracks in both Mumbai and Pune offering some juice for the seamers in the early exchanges and mid-season, Titans couldn’t quite fit Sai Kishore into their XI.Speaking to Star Sports, the host broadcaster, after his IPL debut, Sai Kishore said he had been working harder on his fielding during his time on the Titans bench to make sure he was ready when he got the chance as a substitute. Now, no longer a substitute or reserve bowler, he is ready for the CSK challenge.

And who opens with Saeed Anwar? Our panelists discuss in the latest episode of Dream Team

Sreshth Shah03-Aug-202041:19

We pick a post-1990 Pakistan Test XI

In this episode of , Osman Samiuddin, Danyal Rasool and Ahmer Naqvi put their heads together to find Pakistan’s greatest Test XI since 1990. Watch to find out if your favourites make the cut.6:21

Shoaib Akhtar or Waqar Younis?

Nothing shouts “1990s Pakistan” like the image of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis delivering toe crushers in tandem. If their pace and wiles aren’t enough, throw in Shoaib Akhtar with his menacing speed, and the wristy magic of Mohammad Asif. Spare a thought also for Mohammad Zahid, whose brief career was good enough to earn praise from even Brian Lara. Plenty of contenders, but only three make it. Decisions, decisions.5:34

Fingerspinner or wristspinner?

Saqlain Mushtaq was at one point in this era the second-best spinner in the world. In the mid-90s, Mushtaq Ahmed was outstanding in England, New Zealand and Australia. Saeed Ajmal was a late bloomer, making his Test debut at 32, but swiftly rising to become one of the best offspinners of his generation. Danish Kaneria was great at his peak. And Yasir Shah has alternated between sensational and downright ordinary. Plenty of arguments to make for all five. Who do the pick as their chosen one?9:03

Does Babar Azam make it in the middle order?

Younis Khan provided Pakistan their batting backbone in the 2000s. Mohammad Yousuf once scored 1788 Test runs in a calendar year. Inzamam-ul-Haq’s claims cannot be ignored. Misbah-ul-Haq surprised you whenever you weren’t expecting it. Ijaz Ahmed and Azhar Ali are what people call underrated. Asad Shafiq has Sobers-like numbers at No. 6. And of course, there’s Babar Azam, who’s on his way to greatness. Which four from this lot make the team?More Dream Teams

Angelo Mathews has never been the kind who seeks out drama, but it seemed to follow him around at many points in his career

Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Jun-2025Life isn’t perfect. Sri Lanka cricketers’ careers are even less so. Angelo Mathews knows this better than most.Long cricketing lives, the likes of which Mathews has had, rarely pass without incident. But in Sri Lanka, they are further enlivened by fights with the board, fights with coaching staff, galling accusations from ex-players, invites from sleazy politicians, the meddling incompetence of sports ministers, summary sackings from one group of selectors, and summary reappointments when the selectors themselves get sacked. If you’ve gained a little weight, Sri Lanka fans also do irreverence so casually that they will call you fat right to your face.Mathews has never been the kind who seeks out drama. In fact, he feels like an exceptionally uncomplicated player of 119 Tests and captain of 34. He seethes personally, of course – we all do. But usually, he was the guy who was getting sucked into the gravity well of Sri Lankan cricket controversy against his will. The vibe tended to be “why do I have to deal with this?”Related

Angelo Mathews: 'I lost a lot of hair during my captaincy'

Mathews' best – Rain man in Galle, Hero at Headingley

How Angie and SL took over the world in 2014

Test stats: reliable away from home, unfortunate in the 90s

Sri Lanka salvage draw in Mathews' farewell Test

And yet, occasionally, there were fires that burned through the ice. The most memorable occasion was one that made the context of his farewell Test a little spicy. We are not going to re-litigate the incident today, but the summary is that in a 2023 World Cup match, Mathews became the first international cricketer in history to be timed out, in what he felt were unacceptable circumstances. In response he poured no little scorn on the Bangladesh team, calling their behaviour “disgraceful” and accusing them of stooping low. It was, by his standards, ludicrously incendiary.But time heals, people mature, and life forces you to move on. Though there had been a little fallout over that timed-out incident in last year’s Sri Lanka tour of Bangladesh, Mathews already seemed to have got over it.Angelo Mathews and Mushfiqur Rahim had a little bit of banter going•AFP/Getty ImagesAnd in this match, the Bangladesh players could not have been sweeter to him, or more gracious. They didn’t quite form two separate guards of honour – one per innings – as Misbah-ul-Haq’s Pakistan (miss those guys) did for Mahela Jayawardene. But they spent many moments of the past five days patting him on the back, shaking his hand, smiling in his direction, speaking glowingly about his achievements, smiling some more.The vibes peaked on day five, while Mathews was playing his final Test innings, batting for a draw. Off the 43rd ball he faced, Bangladesh raised a big lbw appeal, and while they were reviewing the not-out decision, Mushfiqur Rahim came over to Mathews, and had a long, playful conversation, which ended with Mathews stroking Mushfiqur’s beard. After play, Mathews revealed what had been said.”Mushfiq kept chirping, and he wanted me to go for big shots,” Mathews said. “I said, ‘no, Mushfiq, I’ve played with you since Under-19s and I know you very well – and this is not the time for me to go for big shots; obviously, we want to draw this game’.”The subtext to Mushfiqur’s suggestions was that Mathews should be throwing his bat a little bit as this was his final innings. He should be having fun. In the first innings, Mathews had got down into a one-handed sweep that went all the way for six, which felt like a vintage Mathews moment – the kind of shot he would have nailed ten years ago. But here, Sri Lanka’s chances of victory were so remote after the first two wickets fell, the dressing room had wanted caution, and Mathews – maybe the last Sri Lanka cricketer to retire with more than 100 Tests to his name – spent his final afternoon in the format defending.Angelo Mathews meets and greets fans after his final Test•AFP/Getty ImagesIt was fitting in its own way. Where other batters, particularly the younger ones, had developed their attacking games first, Mathews’ aggression always seemed to stem from having a solid defensive technique. His playing of the bouncer was a case in point. Although he was one of the most natural pullers and hookers of the ball in Sri Lanka’s Test history (behind only Aravinda de Silva, perhaps), Mathews was equally good at ducking, weaving, dead-batting steepling bounce, swivel-pulling away for singles, and fending rib-crushers into space.In fact, one of the great low-key cricket (as opposed to Big Three cricket) battles of the past 15 years was Mathews vs Neil Wagner. That short ball was basically the reason for Wagner’s cricketing existence, particularly when New Zealand were hunting for second-innings wickets on pitches that had lost their juice. Mathews was that rare South Asian batter who enjoyed facing short-pitched bowling. One time, in a Dunedin Test in 2015, Wagner out-thunk him – peppering him with nasty short ones before slipping a full one in at the stumps, which Mathews, incredibly, tried to pad away. He got bowled instead. Three years later, Wagner spent all day trying to break through Mathews’ defence on a Wellington track that offered good bounce, but couldn’t, as Mathews and Kusal Mendis defied them in a 109.1-over unbeaten partnership.On his final day of Test cricket, Mathews did not have much short, fast bowling to defuse but did need to see out some spin. Of the potential 222 balls Sri Lanka had to face, Mathews soaked up 45 – about 20%. No one is about to pretend these are great numbers. But life isn’t perfect, Sri Lankan careers even less so, and Mathews knows this.Still, there were the fans who thronged the banks and stuck around to high-five him when he came around after the presentation, the former greats who have paid him public tribute, plus the long (cobra) kite that went up over Galle fort’s ramparts bearing Mathews’ name and jersey number. A Lankan cricketing life is not without its own delights. For a man as averse to drama as Mathews has been, he has lived out an especially storied one.