Category Uncategorized

Avishka Fernando’s 96 took Sri Lanka to 248, paving the way for their first bilateral ODI series win against India in 27 years

Madushka Balasuriya07-Aug-20245:39

India’s batting (except Rohit’s) against spin a sign of concern

Avishka Fernando struck 96 – the highest individual score this series – and Dunith Wellalage picked up a five-for as Sri Lanka secured a first ODI bilateral series win against India in 27 years, with a dominant 110-run win in the third and final ODI in Colombo.For India, it was a culmination of their travails against spin over the past week, losing nine wickets to spinners for the third game straight – the 27 in total their most over a three-match series.Related

Is this for real? Sri Lanka's rare glory leaves India shaken

Rohit: India 'need to seriously look at' their batting against spin

Asalanka: Top-order contributions a sign of us maturing

Stats – SL's spinners end India's 27-year streak

Wellalage was chief destroyer this time out with figures of 5 for 27, but at various times across the series it’s been Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, or even Charith Asalanka. But at no point – aside from during Rohit Sharma’s now expected top-order romps – have India looked like they would be able to consistently contend.But this time, even Rohit’s impact was relegated to a mere cameo – 35 off 20 – as Wellalage had him caught behind trying to sweep before he could make any significant dents into Sri Lanka’s total.Aside from him, only Virat Kohli, Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar – 20, 15, 30 – got into double digits, and of those only Washington’s innings had sought to put any sort of pressure back on the Lankan bowlers.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

India’s struggles placed an even higher premium on Avishka’s 96 off 102 earlier in the day, which had set Sri Lanka up so well that not even a collapse that saw them lose 28 runs for five wickets could derail their innings to any significant end.Over the course of his innings, he was part of Sri Lanka’s most profitable partnerships – 89 and 82 for the first and second wickets respectively – but his innings was not a case of Sri Lanka playing spin considerably better than the opposition, rather finding a way to maximise the opportunities afforded by the seamers.In this case, while Shivam Dube went for just nine runs off his four overs, Mohammed Siraj was struck for his joint worst figures in ODIs – 78 for 1 off nine. And of that 78, Avishka was responsible for 36 of them, at a strike rate of 200.This though was more Siraj erring in his lines and lengths, than anything Avishka himself might have done to put him off. But on tricky surfaces such as those dished up at Khettarama, these are the margins that must be capitalised on.Anything short was invariably put away, while Siraj was also guilty of bowling too straight to him; of the 36 runs he conceded to Avishka, 32 were square or behind square on the onside.Sri Lanka interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya and captain Charith Asalanka had a first bilateral ODI series win against India in 27 years to celebrate•Associated Press

But while Siraj was having a mare, Parag was having a debut to remember. He grabbed the key wicket of Avishka, getting a leg break to slide on into his front pad, before getting another to grip, straighten and skid to trap Charith Asalanka on the crease.His best delivery though was reserved for danger man Wellalage, who was done in by one that dipped and turned, pitching middle and spinning past the outside edge to knock back off stump.His economy rate of six an over meanwhile was impacted by some late strikes, but the rest of the spinners – Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington – proved miserly as ever, picking up a wicket apiece and none going for more than Axar’s 4.10 per over.Parag and his spin cohorts however had to be patient for their rewards, as Sri Lanka strung together two strong stands at the top of the order. Alongside Avishka, Pathum Nissanka (45) and Kusal Mendis (59) made important contributions, but like in the first two games, Sri Lanka’s middle order succumbed swiftly and suddenly.From 171 for 1 they spluttered to 199 for 6. From midway through the 36th over when they lost Avishka, up until midway through the 48th – 72 deliveries to be precise – not a single boundary was scored, scrounging just 49 runs in the period. And from targeting a score in the region of 280, they were now struggling to reach 250.Fortunately for them, Mendis – one of Sri Lanka’s better players of spin – was around at the death, and he was able to strike some powerful blows to help push the total towards 240. A score that seemed competitive but perhaps underwhelming considering the start provided by Avishka and co., but one that proved plenty in the end.

Manchester City are now set to table a huge contract offer, in an attempt to lure a “world-class” transfer target to the Etihad Stadium this summer, according to a report.

Man City pursuing new midfielders despite Rodri return

Man City never really managed to recover from Rodri suffering an ACL injury against Arsenal back in September, with Pep Guardiola enduring a rare trophyless campaign after the FA Cup final defeat, and the manager believes his side would have competed if the Spaniard had been available.

The City boss said: “I don’t have any doubts with Rodri there, and Phil there, and everybody there, the central defenders there, we would have competed; in the Champions League we would have been better.”

Guardiola will no doubt be hoping that Rodri’s return is a major boost for his side, but the manager remains tasked with bringing in at least one new midfielder this summer, given that Kevin De Bruyne’s time at the Etihad Stadium is set to come to an end.

Fabrizio Romano: Man City hold first talks to sign "incredible" £50m+ star

The Blues have made an enquiry over a defender, and discussions over a deal are expected to continue.

ByDominic Lund May 27, 2025

It will be difficult to find any player capable of providing goals and assists as regularly as the Belgian legend, but there has now been a new update which suggests Man City are stepping up their pursuit of a new midfielder.

According to a report from GiveMeSport, Man City are determined to lure AC Milan star Tijjani Reijnders to the Etihad Stadium this summer, and they are planning to offer him a huge salary increase in order to get a deal over the line.

Having cooled their interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, who could be Liverpool-bound, the Blues are eager to land Reijnders, and they are willing to spend a large amount of their summer transfer budget on the midfielder and offer him around £130,000-a-week.

AC Milan are eager to hold out for a fee of £50m, however, so the 26-year-old is unlikely to come cheap, but Guardiola’s side want a deal to be wrapped up before the Club World Cup.

Reijnders could be "world-class" addition for Man City

Scout Ben Mattinson believes the maestro is able to play at a “world-class” level, and he certainly put in performances of that standard during the 2024/25 campaign, despite Milan’s struggles.

The Dutchman predominantly featured in central midfield, while also often dropping to a deeper role, but that did not stop him from regularly providing goals and assists across all competitions.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Serie A

37

10

5

Champions League

10

3

0

Italian Cup

5

2

0

Whoever replaces De Bruyne will have very big shoes to fill, given everything the attacking midfielder achieved at the Etihad Stadium, but Reijnders’ recent exploits on the front foot suggest he could also go on to achieve big things with Manchester City.

After lots of speculation hinted at the possibility, Ryan Mason is now officially the brand-new West Bromwich Albion manager ahead of the 2025/26 campaign kicking off in the Championship.

It’s a bold next step for Mason, considering he has only ever taken the reins at Spurs on an interim basis, but his work behind the scenes has been praised in North London, meaning he could be the breath of fresh air needed at the Hawthorns to kickstart a promotion push.

The 33-year-old could well rely on these Spurs connections when looking to make some impactful summer signings, with one or two young faces at the Premier League titans already being linked to make the switch to reunite with Mason.

Mason could use Spurs connections

The Baggies had frequently utilised the loan market when the likes of Carlos Corberan and Tony Mowbray stood in the dug-out.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, raw gems such as Will Lankshear (0 goals in 11 games) and Lewis Dobbin (0 goals in 18 games) failed to ever get going at the Hawthorns, away from the more experienced Adam Armstrong who was also a disappointing capture, having netted three times in 16 matches.

Therefore, Mason will hope – if he’s given permission to raid his ex-side for some up-and-coming starlets – that these deals go swimmingly instead and aren’t categorised as similar failures, with Spurs attacking hotshot Jamie Donley one notable name previously linked with a move to the West Midlands.

This could go down as a big success story when you consider Donley is just fresh off collecting 18 goal contributions for Leyton Orient on loan, but Mason’s dream first Baggies signing could centre on one of the 20-year-old’s teammates.

Amazingly, if all went to plan, Mason might well win himself the club’s new Tom Fellows, with West Brom’s attacking personnel undoubtedly boosted by potential activity in the market.

Mason could sign the next Fellows

Whilst West Brom would depressingly let a playoff spot slip out of their grasp last campaign, Fellows still managed to be a bright spark for his boyhood club throughout the bumpy season.

By the close of the season, the dynamic 22-year-old had four goals and 14 assists next to his name in Championship action, with one Spurs youngster in the form of Mikey Moore wanting to follow in Fellows’ footsteps if he were to don Baggies blue and white shortly.

The time does feel right for Moore to spread his wings and gain an EFL education, with the 17-year-old now off the mark in the senior side when scoring the strike above in the Europa League earlier this year.

But, away from impressing here and there under Ange Postecoglou, the teenager needs regular minutes to fully strut his stuff with an appropriate platform surely coming his way now under Mason.

Reports do suggest that Mason has Moore on his early West Brom shopping list, and whilst the 17-year-old has lined up as a centre-forward and attacking midfielder during his fledgling Spurs career to date, he could well come into the Baggies step-up and terrorise defenders down the flanks much like Fellows.

After all, 18 of his Spurs appearances and counting have come down the left channel, with West Brom needing more numbers on the left too, owing to Mikey Johnston being the only recognised figure in Mason’s camp capable of wreaking havoc on this wing.

LW

18

4

6

AM

8

6

4

CF

7

11

4

RW

6

1

0

He can even slot in down Fellows’ trusty right-hand side if needed, but based on the numbers, Moore comes into his own as a creative force – much like the assist-heavy 22-year-old – when featuring on the left.

That is perhaps his best position with James Maddison having previously described him as “fearless” and a bit like Neymar in that role.

It will be intriguing to see if the North London prodigy can acclimatise well to the instant pressures of the Championship. If he can, Mason will have pulled off a dream first buy in the Hawthorns hot-seat.

West Brom targeting "fantastic" EFL ace who could be Mason's first signing

The Baggies are set to hold talks with Ryan Mason.

ByTom Cunningham May 29, 2025

In a season full of disappointments for Arsenal, perhaps the most underwhelming player in the squad has been Martin Odegaard.

It was around this time last year that the Norwegian maestro was awarded his second Player of the Year award in as many years, but this season, we don’t think he’s even cracked the top ten.

So far, the captain has amassed a lacklustre haul of just five goals and 11 assists in 43 first-team appearances, a significant step-down from the 11 goals and 12 assists he racked up in 48 games last year.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as recent reports suggest the club may now be looking to sign an international superstar who could get Odegaard back to his very best.

Arsenal transfer news

The good news is that, in recent weeks, Arsenal have been linked to a host of talented attackers who could help move the team forward next season, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Morgan Rogers.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

The former could be available for as little as £63m, and while that is a lot of money, it would still be a bargain for a striker who has scored 52 goals and provided 13 assists in 50 appearances this season.

Likewise, while the supposed £100m price tag for Rogers is certainly eye-watering, there is no denying that, with 14 goals and 14 assists to his name in 52 games this year, Aston Villa are justified in asking for that much.

However, there is now another game-changing international linked with the Gunners who could help revive Odegaard: Rodrygo.

Yes, according to reports from Spain, Arsenal have now entered the race for the Real Madrid star’s signature this summer.

Interestingly, while the report claims no official negotiations have begun, it does reveal that the Gunners have already made contact and held ‘preliminary’ talks to understand the player’s situation.

The good news is that the winger supposedly wants to experience a new challenge, but the bad news is that he may cost up to €100m, which is about £85m.

It would be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Rodrygo’s immense ability, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could help revive Odegaard.

How Rodrygo would revive Odegaard

So then, to get straight to the point, just how would Rodrygo help Odegaard get back to his best?

Well, while there are a few reasons, they all ultimately stem back to one thing: his output.

For example, in just 52 appearances last season, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, managed to score 18 goals and provide nine assists in just 52 appearances, totalling 3777 minutes, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.92 games, or every 139.88 minutes.

Then, even though this season has been a rough one for Los Blancos, the £202k-per-week dynamo has managed to remain an effective outlet.

For example, in 50 appearances, totalling 3290 minutes, the “spectacular” international, as dubbed by manager Carlo Ancelotti, has scored 13 goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.17 games, or every 143.04 minutes.

Rodrygo vs Martinelli vs Trossard

Players

Rodrygo

Martinelli

Trossard

Appearances

50

49

54

Minutes

3290′

3403′

3340′

Goals

13

10

10

Assists

10

6

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.32

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

143.04′

212.68′

175.78′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, Arteta’s current options on the left wing have been far less effective, with Leandro Trossard producing 19 goal involvements in 54 games, totalling 3340 minutes, and Gabriel Martinelli managing 16 goal involvements in 49 appearances, totalling 3403 minutes.

In other words, the former is averaging a goal involvement every 2.84 games, or every 175.78 minutes, while the Brazilian is averaging one every 3.06 games, or every 212.68 minutes.

Now, just imagine how many more assists or even goals Odegaard would be able to rack up with a far more effective winger on the left instead of having to rely on Bukayo Saka for most of the scoring and creating in the final third.

Moreover, on top of finishing his chances more often, the Real star would force opposition defenders to focus more of their energy on locking down the left flank as well, in turn opening up more space for the Norwegian to operate in.

Ultimately, from his output to the effect his presence would have on opposition teams, it’s clear that Rodrygo could help Odegaard get back to something like his best next season, and therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him up this summer.

Related Their new Declan Rice: Arsenal enter race to sign "generational" £80m star

Arsenal could sign their new Declan Rice this summer.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 14, 2025

Two teams that have been labelled as “chokers” will try to leave their baggage behind when they step on to the field in Bridgetown

Sidharth Monga28-Jun-20242:10

How do South Africa tackle Kuldeep and Bumrah?

The fast bowlers went partying that night. They booked a band already. They ordered champagne too. They were 122 for 2 at stumps, chasing 201 in their first Test since readmission. Ten debutants led by Kepler Wessels, who had played previously for Australia. Tired and exhausted at the fag end of a long time away from home. About to beat the mighty West Indies in a Test, right here in Barbados.The next morning, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh unleashed West Indies’ fury on a pitch that was as unpredictable as the hurricane season. Some balls flew by the shoulder, some scooted along the ground. South Africa lost their last eight wickets for 25, beaten comfortably by 51 runs. They didn’t know what to do with the band.In their first six months back in international cricket, this was South Africa’s second heartbreak. Who knew back then that heartbreaks would be defining South African cricket even 32 years later?Kensington Oval has a habit of breaking hearts. Five years later, India went into day four needing just 118 with all their wickets in hand for their first win at this legendary ground. Ambrose, Ian Bishop and Franklyn Rose bowled them out for 81.While the two finalists, the best teams of the T20 World Cup 2024, are coming back to Kensington Oval full of hope and excitement, the dominant narrative will be of heartbreak. A vast majority of cricket followers have decided these two teams – actually teams representing these two countries – are “chokers”. South Africa because they have wilted at the first sign of “knockout pressure”, failing to win nine of the 11 such matches they have played so far. This is their first final ever at a World Cup. India have been the most consistent limited-overs side since about 2014, but they have no world titles: two finals and four semi-finals in seven World Cups. This is their third final in eight.3:46

Dravid: South Africa will move on from their history like we will from Ahmedabad

Leave alone not appreciating the consistency and judging the teams on the basis of one match a year – credit for getting there forgotten soon after the defeat – these teams are not homogenous units. This South Africa have nothing to do with the team that was not properly aware of Duckworth-Lewis sheets more than 20 years ago. Most of them were not even born in 1992 but we do imagine what the dressing room would have felt like with champagne on ice but the opposition on fire. Rahul Dravid, India’s coach who says he has made a clean break from his life as a player anyway, is the only link with the 1997 team, but we think 81 all out when we think Barbados.A lot of this narrative is post facto anyway. In the 1999 ODI World Cup semi-final, for example, did South Africa choke or was it Australia choking having made an improbable comeback from the dead and now dropping catch after catch and bowling right in the slot for Lance Klusener?Australia have not got out of the group stages of four of the last five T20 World Cups, but they are somehow considered a better T20 side than both these finalists because they have a title during this period. It is cruel to judge and define teams based on this one match especially in an extremely volatile format that turns on small events.Then again, that’s how it is. It is a fact of life the participants appreciate more than anyone else. For they must live with it. They must play it like any other game but know that it is not seen as that. They must not admit the role luck can play. Yet compulsively they must follow same routines. On the eve of the final, India’s coaching staff and captain Rohit Sharma came to check the pitch. Before they left, they made sure they got the same dressing room as they did when they won the Super Eight match here.When South Africa came for their training, coach Rob Walter inspected the pitch and then walked slowly and deliberately to each square boundary, as if measuring which side is longer although that information can be taken easily from the groundstaff.3:20

Markram: ‘Feel like we can win from any position’

They bring out the cliché in press conferences, but they are just trying to control the uncontrollable, of which there is plenty in our sport. Even more so in this format. These are two of the best teams in the tournament because they have the best squads for these conditions, they have prepared well, they have read the conditions better than others and they have turned up with better tactics. These are expert players who go through rigorous training and fitness regimens to get here, but come the final they also add the lime and chilli on top.Sometimes it is all about not getting too worked up and following the same processes. You might want to assiduously follow the same routines to make sure of that. Then again you are always watching out for the opposition springing a surprise. That generally happens when a team has nothing to lose; these two have plenty.Rohit has seen extreme frustration: narrowly missed out on being part of India’s last ODI World Cup-winning squad, and part of near-misses in the knockout matches in all three formats. This could well be his last shot. For Dravid, who endured another heartbreak in the West Indies in the 2007 World Cup and never won one, this definitely is the last shot for now. His twin masterpieces on a brutish Jamaica track in 2006 won’t be remembered. His inability to win a World Cup will.South Africa have a country to soothe after the torture of the “big match” over the last three decades. Their former players wanted some reflected healing. They don’t want this to become the new hurdle. With a provision for reserve day and the weather looking dodgy after that, the losing side will have plenty of time to brood over things before they leave.Nobody has booked a party yacht yet, but nobody has booked their return flights either. They are all thinking about the final right now while trying not to think too much about it and exhausting themselves, if that makes sense. Or as much as it can in sport.

They’re inexperienced, they’ve had some drama, but Pooran believes the team understands itself better now

Alex Malcolm04-Oct-2022Shimron Hetmyer made headlines for missing his flight to Australia. But spare a thought for those who made it.

While part of West Indies’ T20 World Cup squad arrived in Australia on Saturday, those that played in the CPL final made the exhausting 35-hour journey from Guyana to the Gold Coast, via New York, Dubai and Brisbane to arrive at the team hotel late on Monday night ahead of their first match of the tour on Wednesday.All 14 members of the squad, with Shamarh Brooks still to arrive, fronted up to their first training session in Australia as a group on Tuesday afternoon. West Indies could be forgiven if they sleepwalk their way through the two T20Is against Australia.”It’s definitely tough,” West Indies Nicholas Pooran said in pre-match press conference. “We’ve been playing a lot of cricket for the year.”It’s difficult. It’s a challenge. But we are professionals. At the same time our main focus is obviously the World Cup qualifiers first. We have an opportunity to play against Australia, [but] we need to be smart as well. Our number one priority is obviously getting ready for our qualifiers. In saying that we will use these games here … obviously we want to win but we need to be smart as well. We need our players fresh and ready for when that qualifiers start.”Related

Finch batting at No. 4 leaves Australia with more questions than answers

Hetmyer dropped from West Indies World Cup squad over missed flight

Yannic Cariah, who played his last T20 in 2016, makes West Indies' T20 World Cup squad for 2022

Such travel can often leave an individual dazed and confused when they wake up in a strange hotel room, needing a moment to clarify where they are and how they got there.West Indies find themselves in a strange hotel room right now. The two-time T20 World Cup champions, once giants of the format, now find themselves ranked seventh in the world and facing a qualifying fight against Scotland, Zimbabwe and Ireland just to make it the Super 12 section of the tournament later this month.These are unfamiliar surrounds for a team whose current squad features just five players who were part of the previous T20 World Cup. The legendary figures of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo have left the international stage while Andre Russell and now Hetmyer are personae non gratae. That is 2217 games of T20 experience missing, albeit from a side responsible for the current qualification predicament they face. That number does not include Sunil Narine’s 435 games of experience that mysteriously remain missing from international cricket. Fabian Allen and Hayden Walsh have also been overlooked.Picked in their place is a man who has played just four domestic T20s, and none since 2016. Yannic Cariah, a 30-year-old legspinner from Trinidad, made his ODI in August but heads to the World Cup having not even been contracted to play in the CPL.There is some tournament-winning experience in Johnson Charles and Evin Lewis. Pooran and Jason Holder bring vast global experience while Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell and Alzarri Joseph arrive carrying outstanding form from the CPL.Courtesy the BBL, players like Jason Holder have plenty of Australia experience•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaBut the squad is not the fearsome force it was not so long ago. From the outside looking in, it is hard to fathom where West Indies find themselves. But Pooran believes the team is acutely aware of their surroundings and what needs to be done.”It’s a new generation for us,” Pooran said. “Some of them this is their first World Cup as well. We spoke about obviously being here for the first time. We are not coming here as the defending champions anymore. We obviously had a bad World Cup last year. We’re starting from the bottom. We have to obviously take the harder road first, which is the qualifiers and our number one priority at the moment.”But [it is about] roles and responsibility and accountability. We sat down and spoke to players about which parts of the game you are responsible for. Starting with it in practice, we want to have the right mindset. I think once we can perform our roles to the best of our ability, then everything else is going to take care of itself. And we’re not talking about winning or losing but we’re just talking about having a chance in a cricket game and that’s all that matters.”Making West Indies’ challenge even harder is the combined inexperience in Australian conditions. West Indies have not played an international match in Australia since the Sydney Test in January 2016, with Holder the only squad member to have played in that game. Their last ODI in Australia was during the 2015 World Cup and they have only ever played three T20Is in Australia, the last of which was in 2013. Charles is the only squad member to have played in that game. Aaron Finch and Josh Hazlewood, the latter who made his T20I debut, are the only remaining Australian players from that match at the Gabba, which the West Indies won comfortably.There is some BBL experience in the ranks, with Holder and Pooran having played at Metricon Stadium before for Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars respectively in one of the greatest-ever BBL matches in 2020.”I absolutely love my experience in the Big Bash with Melbourne,” Pooran said.” I think that’s one of my best T20 innings so I’ll always remember that.”But experience is not what this West Indies team wants to lean on against Australia on Wednesday and in the upcoming World Cup.”We understand that we don’t have as much experience in the room,” Pooran said. “But we have been playing cricket together for the entire year so we do understand each other a little better now.”But the culture is just all about love. Being a family. Actually looking out for each other and being in this together. This entire year we have been through our ups and downs. We’ve been all over the world. We’ve been losing cricket games. We have been winning games and we have been performing as a group.”We have stuck together and we’re here today and obviously we’re here to fight again.”

What’s he done differently on this tour of Australia? The answer may surprise you

Sidharth Monga05-Jan-20211:03

Hussey: Australian batsmen aren’t used to facing Ashwin’s style of offspin, Aus vs Ind, 2020, 2nd Test

That’s Ravi Shastri after India’s last tour of Australia. During that tour, Ashwin, India’s preferred spinner when playing only one of them, sent India on their way to a win in Adelaide but injured himself when doing so. It was his second curtailed Test tour in a row, on both occasions after an impressive start with the ball. By the time the last Test came around in Sydney, India’s two spinners were Jadeja and Kuldeep. The latter took a five-for, something Ashwin can’t claim to have done outside Asia or the West Indies.India’s coach might have had his reasons for saying what he did – he might have been motivating a young spinner, possibly egging on a veteran by threatening him, or perhaps seeing a new trend in world cricket – but one thing was clear: the sentence “there is a time for everyone” was aimed at someone who should end up as India’s second-most-successful spinner, someone who has more Man-of-the-Series awards in Tests than any Indian and is behind only five other all-time greats in all Test cricket.This was also the summation of the equivocality around such a decorated career. “Overseas” no longer included Sri Lanka or the West Indies. Ashwin had to do well in the harshest conditions for spinners in order to be recognised among the greats. He would be compared unfavourably to Nathan Lyon. “Why can’t Ashwin go side-on and generate the bounce Lyon does?” Moeen Ali too. “Why can’t Ashwin stand there and aim at the rough?”For a large part of his career, Ashwin didn’t have what Lyon or Moeen had: pressure from other bowlers. These same spinners became significantly less effective when they came to India and were expected to bear bigger workloads and were denied feeding off tight, high-pressure spells just bowled by their quicks.When Ashwin got those high-quality quicks to partner with, starting with the Test tour of South Africa in early 2018, he began to become a factor. He was himself a much more experienced cricketer by now. In Centurion he dragged India back with four first-innings wickets but in the second innings he bowled with both his index and middle finger split and took just the one wicket. Later in the year he began the England tour in great rhythm but in Southampton he was outbowled by Moeen. He played that Test at less than 100% fitness but it showed the team valued him highly enough to risk that injury. A great start in Adelaide later in the year was followed by an injury that ruled him out of the rest of the Australia tour.No bowler in the series has taken more wickets, bowled more overs, or conceded fewer runs per over than Ashwin•Getty ImagesSince the start of 2018 and before the start of this Australia tour, among spinners who have taken at least 10 wickets put together in England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, Ashwin held the best average and the best economy rate. Now the new question was if he had enough endurance in his body to bowl the long spells required in less helpful conditions, where the pitches do less for you and you have to put more of your body into it. Before the start of this Australia tour, 27% of the 40096 respondents on an ESPNcricinfo poll felt Ashwin should not start in Adelaide. There was some logic to it but that had to do with the conditions in day-night Tests and not Ashwin’s ability.Never mind the lead-up to the series. At the halfway mark Ashwin is responsible for two of Steven Smith’s three dismissals, exposing both his edges, in only 23 balls, and two of Marnus Labuschagne’s four dismissals. These are the two biggest wickets for India in this series. No bowler in the series has taken more wickets, bowled more overs, or conceded fewer runs per over than Ashwin. Last checked, Lyon was not asked to learn from Ashwin.It is often tempting to find out something different a cricketer might have done to succeed in a particular series. Usually the answer is not much. His allies have been the same: drift, dip, subtle changes in seam position, changes of pace, and use of the crease. His mode of operation has been simple: a tight leg-side field to the right-handers, often 6-3, and keep turning it into middle and leg. Bowl the flatter parallel-seam ball in between to give it every chance of not turning and threatening the outside edge. That’s all you have to work with when you turn the ball one way and into the batsman: the lbw is rare, and it needs a turning pitch or expansive batting to bowl elite batsmen out. Against left-hand batsmen, Ashwin has lost none of his potency, averaging 14.33 and conceding 1.54 runs an over. He is now the most successful bowler in Test cricket against left-hand batsmen.This is the classic job of a spinner on pitches that are not turning: provide control at one end so that fast bowlers can attack from the other, take the wickets that come your way as a bonus, but capitalise ruthlessly if there is an opportunity presented. If there is a discernible difference, it is perhaps that he seems to have bowled more like Ashwin than like Lyon or Moeen. In Southampton, for example, he kept aiming for the rough but couldn’t manage the efficiency of Moeen while doing so. In that moment, it was the thing to do, but in hindsight might he have been better off bowling the way he usually does?Ashwin has dismissed Steven Smith twice in 23 balls so far in this series•Getty ImagesAshwin is not falling into the trap of bowling wide outside off like Lyon just because that is the classic definition of aggressive offspin bowling. He knows he is a different bowler and has different tools at his disposal. He is a master of those tools. It appears he has changed his pace more often. Not the range per se, but going up and down in the same over, not letting the batsmen get into to any sort of rhythm. He has conceded just 14 boundaries in 85.1 overs, only three on the leg side in 344 balls bowled to right-hand batsmen. The planning has been immaculate, the execution just as good.In the absence of Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, it was imperative India got Ashwin at his best. The wickets of Smith, Tim Paine and Matthew Wade on day one after losing the toss in Melbourne set India on their way to one of their greatest Test wins. There wasn’t a five-for yet nor a match award but you would expect Ashwin to cherish this among his most special efforts: outside Asia and the West Indies, missing two key bowlers, losing the toss, not the first Test of the series, every box was ticked.Ashwin’s wife, Prithi, confirmed as much. “I have seen/ spoken to Ashwin after every Test he has played and after a lot of wins,” she tweeted after Melbourne. “But I have never seen him this happy, satisfied and light (can I say?) with a smile in his eyes in almost 10 years.”There is a time for everyone, and Ashwin’s wasn’t over two years ago.

تعرض ريال مدريد لضربة مبكرة أمام سيلتا فيجو، خلال اللقاء الذي يجري حاليًا بين الفريقين ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

ويقام اللقاء بين الفريقين على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة عشر.

وشهدت الدقيقة 21 سقوط المدافع البرازيلي إيدر ميليتاو، والذي لم يستطع أن يكمل المباراة، ليغادر الملعب ويدخل بدلاً منه أنطونيو روديجر.

ومن المقرر أن يقوم المدافع البرازيلي بإجراء فحوصات طبية غداً لتحديد حجم إصابته، وقد أشارت عدة تقارير إسبانية أن اللاعب يعاني من مشكلة عضلية في أوتار الركبة لساقه اليسرى.

اقرأ أيضاً.. “لم نستطع رؤية الكرة”.. مارسيلو يكشف عن أصعب كلاسيكو في مسيرته

ودخل تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد، لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: كورتوا، ميليتاو، كاريراس، جارسيا، أسينسيو، تشواميني، جولر، فالفيردي، مبابي، بيلينجهام، فينيسيوس.

جدير بالذكر أن ريال مدريد أصبح يبتعد عن برشلونة بفارق 4 نقاط، بعد فوز البلوجرانا مساء أمس ضد ريال بيتيس بخماسية لثلاث أهداف على ملعب لاكارتوخا.

Newcastle United supporters are frustrated at the moment, and justifiably so.

Only last weekend, Eddie Howe’s side put in a herculean performance, a display of great resilience and strength, to see off Manchester City in the Premier League.

But that was at St. James’ Park, and the Magpies’ issues on the road deepened against Marseille in the Champions League, going ahead through the in-form Harvey Barnes but succumbing to defeat after two second-half strikes from Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

11

Games

8

8

Wins

1

0

Draws

3

3

Losses

4

16

Goals scored

8

8

Goals conceded

10

2.18

PPG

0.75

As Barnes goes from strength to strength, with three goals from his past two Premier League matches too, Anthony Gordon’s struggles on Tyneside have been accentuated.

The England international is among the most talented players in Howe’s squad, but he’s not been at the races this season.

Anthony Gordon's form for Newcastle

Gordon took some time to get going at Newcastle after joining from Everton for £45m in January 2023, but he thrived across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 11 goals and ten assists in the Premier League.

Last season was a testing one for the 24-year-old on an individual level, though, and he’s sunk deeper into his struggles this season, yet to score or assist in the Premier League.

Though Gordon is impressing in front of goal on the continent, he’s been out of sorts as a whole this season, with Newcastle blogger Thomas Hammond saying “a summer sale is looking more and more favourable” given clubs like Liverpool have been interested in the £100m-rated winger in the past.

Matches (starts)

7 (7)

5 (5)

Goals

0

4

Assists

0

1

Touches*

35.4

39.2

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.7)

2.2 (1.0)

Accurate passes*

14.7 (80%)

16.4 (77%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.4

Dribbles*

1.4

1.4

Ball recoveries*

2.6

3.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

1.4

Duels (won)*

4.7 (49%)

4.0 (41%)

There’s a tenacity and will to win embedded in Gordon’s footballing brain, but this has led to some questionable decision-making, with the £150k-per-week talent sent off three times across 120 appearances as a Magpie.

And with Barnes getting better and better, it could be that PIF look to cash in on their profitable asset going forward. After all, if he continues to struggle, his market value will only depreciate.

Against Marseille, Howe opted to field Gordon as his central striker. This is nothing new, but the versatile forward toiled away. Considering the different variables, there might be cause for Gordon to be sold, especially when considering another Newcastle star’s form this season.

The Newcastle star who could end Gordon's stay

Since arriving on Tyneside at the end of August, Nick Woltemade has been a revelation for Newcastle.

The 23-year-old completed a club-record move from Stuttgart to St. James’ Park after establishing himself as one of German football’s most exciting up-and-coming strikers, and while Howe’s side have problems, six goals from his first 16 games for the club suggest the jackpot has been struck.

The 6 foot 6 star is far more than just a goalscorer, of course, and his ability to drop deep and influence across different areas of the pitch suggests that Woltemade could play alongside Yoane Wissa when the DR Congo star returns to fitness.

And he’s thriving for Germany too. Woltemade is nailing down his claim for the number nine spot ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America, having posted four goals from his past three matches for his nation.

Hailed as a “world-class talent” by content creator Adam Pearson, Woltemade cannot be expected to haul all this weight by himself each week. He needs players like Gordon to step up.

But with Barnes establishing himself as United’s clear-cut left winger and Wissa soon to enter the equation as he nears the end of the recovery from a knee injury that has kept him out since signing for the club from Brentford last year, there’s a sense that Gordon may find regular minutes from the outset hard to come by down the line.

Woltemade is not a winger, of course, but he does bring many dynamic qualities to the table that emphasise his protean attacking ability. As per data-led site FBref, the German ranks among the top 9% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90.

His knack at finding space to shoot and then doing so clinically is the staple of his skillset, but Woltemade is also a menace in that he has different creative and athletic attributes that help him transcend his striking role.

Could we see a scenario in which Woltemade plays alongside Wissa, flanked by Barnes and Anthony Elanga? It might be the case, and with Newcastle eager to strengthen across the park next summer – notably with a deal for academy product Elliot Anderson in the pipeline – there’s a case to be made that Gordon’s days on Tyneside could be numbered.

He has, of course, proven himself at Newcastle before, but time is running out for Gordon to reestablish himself as one of Howe’s talismanic forwards, and while Barnes appears the most direct threat to his place in the starting line-up, Woltemade’s continual growth adds another chapter to the story.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

Daniel Farke’s future at Elland Road has come into question after Leeds United slipped into the relegation zone following a run of four straight defeats in the Premier League.

The Guardian now reports that the German head coach is expected, by senior figures inside the club, to lose his job if they lose to Chelsea and Liverpool in their matches this week.

It has been reported elsewhere that former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O’Neil is in the frame to replace Farke, having been out of a job since he was sacked by the Old Gold last season.

Why Leeds should avoid Gary O'Neil

At face value, the English tactician would seem to be a shrewd appointment for the West Yorkshire outfit, given that he kept Bournemouth and Wolves in the Premier League in his first seasons with both clubs.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

However, the underlying numbers behind those two campaigns and his second season with Wolves suggest that that may have had more to do with the quality of the players at his disposal, rather than outstanding coaching.

Points

39 (15th)

46 (14th)

xPTS

34 (20th)

41 (17th)

xG

39.6 (18th)

47.6 (17th)

xGA

65.9 (18th)

68.9 (15th)

As you can see in the table above, both of his teams picked up more points than their performances deserved, as both Wolves and Bournemouth delivered relegation-battling numbers.

Those dismal performance numbers finally caught up with O’Neil in his second season with the Old Gold, as he lost 11 of the first 16 matches before being sacked, per Transfermarkt.

This is why Leeds should avoid a move for the ex-Wolves boss, because his Premier League career so far does not suggest that he would be the man to improve their performances, and that is why they should pursue Carlos Corberan instead.

Why Leeds should hire Carlos Corberan

If the Spanish head coach, who is a reported target for the club, is available and willing to come to Elland Road, the Whites should sack Farke and ignore O’Neil to bring him back to Thorp Arch.

Corberan, who was described as a “student of Marcelo Bielsa” by scout Ben Mattinson, worked for Leeds at U21 level and as a first-team coach for Bielsa before he made his first step into senior management with Huddersfield Town.

After play-off finishes in the Championship with Huddersfield and West Brom, the Spanish tactician was appointed by Valencia last season, and only lost five of his 21 LaLiga games in charge of the club, per Transfermarkt, to earn a 12th-placed finish.

Whilst O’Neil’s Premier League teams largely benefitted from an overperformance against their performance data, Corberan has been unfortunate with Valencia in LaLiga this term.

Per FotMob, the Spanish side are 15th in the league on 14 points from 14 games. However, they rank 12th in the division for xPTs (17) and have underperformed their xG, of 14.8, and conceded more than their xGA of 20.8.

Matches managed

62

35

Wins

9

12

Draws

10

12

Losses

43

11

Points

37

48

Points per game

0.60

1.37

This shows that Corberan’s coaching has been better than Valencia’s results suggest, as his players have not made the most of the situations that the system and tactics have created for them, whilst the opposite was true of O’Neil’s time with Wolves and Bournemouth.

The 42-year-old tactician has shown that he can manage in one of the top leagues in Europe, having previously shown his class in the Championship, and that should also appeal to Leeds if they are looking for a replacement for Farke in the coming days.

Farke, as shown in the earlier table, has a dismal Premier League record in his career, which is why appointing a manager like Corberan, who has been a safe pair of hands for Valencia and has a pre-existing relationship with the club, could be a great move.

Leeds star who was a "massive signing" is becoming the new Kristensen

This Leeds United star who has been a huge signing for the club is their biggest Premier League liability since Rasmus Kristensen.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

The likes of Corberan and O’Neil will now surely be watching on from afar with keen interest as Leeds take on Chelsea and Liverpool this week in the Premier League.