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One of England’s most combative cricketers reaches a milestone that reflects the pride he brought to his cricket

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Mar-2024It will be 150 days between Jonny Bairstow’s 100th ODI cap and his 100th in Tests this Thursday for the final match of England’s tour of India. Both will have come in Dharamsala, which feels particularly apt.This, after all, is a vibrant town teeming with lost souls desperate to find themselves. There is an unavoidable spirituality to the place, whether you believe in such things or not. Its roads wind awkwardly towards the summit of the Himalayas, featuring constant flirtations with obstacles – bleating or otherwise – and cliff edges that either stymy your progress or put you off altogether. All punctuated by flashes of jaw-dropping wonder.For Bairstow, 100 ODIs were a recognition of brilliance. The 100 Tests, however, are a measure of spirit. He will join 16 other Englishman to have reached that mark, including Ben Stokes who got there last month. With all due respect to them, few, if any, have wanted it more. And only when you start to unpack that assertion do you really get a sense of the “who” and “why” of Bairstow, and “what” he has meant to English cricket.This, after all, was the kid given first dibs on the Test scene among his long-standing peers – six months before Joe Root, 18 before Stokes. Root was to be the reliable runscorer, Stokes the explosive character. Bairstow was deemed to be both.The debut series against West Indies at the start of the 2012 summer came and went. But it was his fourth cap, at Lord’s against South Africa, that got people dreaming of what this furious 21-year-old could become. A brutal 95 gave England a slim first-innings lead against the most complete attack of the modern era. A 54 in the second threatened an unlikely chase. All while one of the best English Test teams in generations was in the early stages of collapsing in on itself.The numbers show that Bairstow’s early promise did not come to fruition. Of the English Test batters in the 100-cap bracket, his average of 36.42 is the lowest. Even if he does mark the occasion with a 13th century – who could rule that out? – that figure too will be lowest among the select few, with Ian Botham just in front on 14.Bairstow has made a series of starts on the India tour, but has yet to push on•Getty ImagesAt the same time, Bairstow has found himself at the vanguard of the English game in two very different eras, like a havoc-wreaking time traveller. In 2016, he set calendar year records for the most runs by any wicketkeeper of any nationality (1,470) and affected more dismissals (70) than the lot of them. Six years later in 2022, his four centuries and 681 runs in a single summer launched a thrilling cult.Had Bairstow not been English, with such a volume of Test cricket available to him, he might not have had a chance to reach this landmark. Through reasons pertaining to form, role and injury, he has missed 51 Tests since debuting almost 12 years ago. By contrast, Kane Williamson, who debuted in November 2010, will only reach his century in the second Test against Australia next week, having missed just 11.There have been a few “what if” moments along the way. A tough period averaging 27.98 against the red ball between 2017 and 2019 coincided with a three-year run in which he cemented his status as a generational white-ball opener, with nine ODI hundreds among 2,403 runs scored at a strike rate of 108.24. The scales of technique balanced too far one way, in particular his propensity to open up his stance for those powerplay launches through the covers, but Bairstow is a world champion for it.The severe leg break at the end of the 2022 summer that required nine pins and a wire going through his ankle cost him six Tests, nine months and perhaps a shot at legendary status. As for the wicketkeeping conundrum – how long have you got?The battle for the gloves has been a constant sticking point, and Bairstow has worn each snub personally. Most chastening was at the start of the 2018 season, when national selector Ed Smith made the understandable decision to shoehorn Jos Buttler into the side. Soon enough, Buttler was keeping.Jonny Bairstow’s century in Sri Lanka in 2018 was a classic of its genre•Getty ImagesThe jostling with Ben Foakes has been a different dynamic. Foakes is one of the best glovemen England have ever been able to call on, but with enough lacking in his batting to allow Bairstow to seize his role last summer upon his return from injury. Chances were missed, the Ashes were drawn, and there are many who reasonably equate the two together. It is also true that England’s indecision means none of the three have done themselves justice.The link between Bairstow’s desire to keep wicket and his late father is unavoidable. David Bairstow also performed the role for Yorkshire and England, and the similarities between the two are particularly striking. From the eyes, Jonny carrying forward David’s nickname, “Bluey”, to their approach to the game. Cricket writer David Hopps described Bairstow senior’s batting as “chest-juttingly confrontational, as if forever driven forth by an imagined slight, from a selector or a southerner, a team-mate or a journalist”. He may as well have been talking about Jonny.Of course, not all of Jonny’s slights have been imagined, and few have perfected the “F*** you!” knock with such vendetta-ridden precision. Right down to staring down entire press boxes, leaving those within them grateful of the thick glass, but unsure if he might proceed to hack away at the foundations with his bat.That rage, fleeting as it is, stems from a long-held belief that people do not rate his talents, which could not be further from the truth. But the idea that he is fuelled by proving people wrong, even his team-mates’ occasional comments that winding him up before sending him out onto the field gets the best out of him, is a tad reductive. He is a player unwittingly defined by broad extrapolations.The tragedy of David’s suicide – Jonny, aged eight, returned home to find him with his mother, Janet, and sister, Becky – is often linked to an emotional yet bloody-minded career. But it has been one cultivated by love, thanks to an incredibly tightknit family, held together by Janet.Her strength through it all, especially two battles with breast cancer – the first at the time of David’s passing – has made Jonny the man he is. Thursday’s celebrations will be alongside those loved ones, which now include his partner Megan and their first child, along with a throng of close friends. No doubt when the cap presentation takes place, there will be a look to the heavens, as there was nine years ago in Cape Town after that maiden Test century, towards the one who cannot be there. Even thousands of miles away from home, home will be right there with him.It would be foolish not to entertain the sentimentality of all this. Appreciating the emotion of Bairstow has always been the quickest route to knowing the person. He craves reassurance, a vulnerability McCullum saw first-hand early in his tenure when, a week after striking 136 off 92 deliveries against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Bairstow asked his coach how he should approach the next innings. McCullum scoffed at the mere idea of doing anything differently, ordering him to sit next to him and go through his Sudoku book to keep out of his own head.The Headingley crowd erupts as Bairstow ignites Bazball in the summer of 2022•Associated PressSuch comfort-giving has not been a one-way street. The first of Bairstow’s 12 Test hundreds came in the midst of a 399-run stand with Stokes, who finished on a career-best 258 from 198 balls and still credits his partner’s role in allowing him to go wilder than he ever thought possible. It’s not for nothing that Stokes acknowledges the touchpaper for his 2019 epic at Headingley was lit in the 86-run stand with Bairstow that had the hero of that piece as second-fiddle. Would Bazball even be a thing without Bairstow?Even as someone who wears disappointment so personally, Bairstow remains acutely aware of the things that count. Team-mates closest to him note how perceptive he is to their moods, particularly when they are not quite themselves and in need of a pick-up.When Bairstow had a scheduling conflict with a close friend’s wedding in Chepstow and Mark Wood’s in Northumberland, he saw no conflict at all. After the first celebration, Bairstow left south-east Wales at 1am, driving through the night to the north-east of England, arriving at 6:30am, getting an hour’s sleep before freshening up and donning a new suit for his team-mate’s big day.He is generous, too, whether hosting barbecues on the eve of Headingley internationals stocked with all the meat, booze and cigars you could want, or gifting souvenirs to fans, whether gloves, bats or simply time. On many occasions on this tour of India, he has broken security protocol and indulged local fans and hotel staff with selfies.Related

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None of this changes the fact we are in the endgame of Bairstow as a Test cricketer. This is a number’s game in a high-performance industry, and at the back-end of a challenging series, this England team may need to move on to reach the next level.Even so, Bairstow joins an exclusive club having given so much to so many. He has been responsible for the kind of days England fans will hold dear forever. He has even contributed with absurdities ranging from bumping heads with Cameron Bancroft – one of the more hilariously overblown Ashes stoushes – to carrying off a Just Stop Oil protestor at Lord’s under one arm. All while treating Test cricket and his career with a heart that resonates the world over.Jonny Bairstow is, and always will be, a protagonist of English cricket at a time when it was thrilling and still trying to work out what it wanted to be. And when he has finished, when those who grew with him have grown old too, there may be some sadness that the memories Bairstow elicited were locked in those moments.His part in that journey will, ultimately, be his legacy. You cannot argue against the numbers but, geez, you just had to be there. To experience the best of him, and how he stirred souls simply by doing something he loved.Fundamentally, is that not what life, let alone cricket, is all about?

We assess the Division One contenders in our County Championship preview

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2022EssexLast season: 1st in Division Two
Head coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer, Mark Steketee (April-May)
Ins: Matt Critchley (Derbyshire), Adam Rossington (Northamptonshire, loan)
Outs: Ryan ten Doeschate, Varun Chopra (both retired), Matt Quinn (Kent)The most-successful red-ball side in the country over the last five years, Essex nevertheless experienced a disappointing 2021. Attempting to defend both their County Championship title (won in 2019) and the Bob Willis Trophy, Tom Westley’s team could only place fourth in a tightly congested Group One – they only lost twice but those defeats, crucially, came against the top two, Nottinghamshire and eventual champions Warwickshire. Condemned to Division Two in the latter part of the campaign, there was little solace to be taken from securing the “title” with a two-day hammering of Northants in the final round. “It’s not something we are actually going to celebrate,” said Dan Lawrence, bluntly.The core of the squad remains, and they will be looking to make amends. Alastair Cook has signed on for another two years of run-harvesting (his 2021 was unusually subdued, with only 165 in the penultimate game bringing his average above 30), but there will be a big hole to fill following the retirement of Ryan ten Doeschate. The return of Simon Harmer to South Africa’s Test set-up will limit his availability, too, and Anthony McGrath has hinted at a change to the balance of the side: Matt Critchley, the legspinning allrounder signed from Derbyshire, is expected to have a key role in supporting a four-man seam attack, with Jamie Porter and Sam Cook once again setting the standard and Mark Steketee, the leading wicket-taker in the 2021-22 Sheffield Shield, potentially a shrewd early-season recruit.One to watch: The departure of ten Doeschate, after nearly two decades in Essex’s engine room, will likely mean opportunities for homegrown batters, including Michael Pepper, Feroze Khushi and Josh Rymell, who turned 21 this month. Rymell debuted in last season’s Royal London Cup and was soon opening alongside Cook, scoring his maiden hundred in the quarter-final victory over Yorkshire and finishing the campaign with an average of 55.16.Diversity action: Essex have long championed community outreach work in east London, and the club runs numerous engagement initiatives, around faith, ethnicity, disability and gender – examples include tape-ball cricket in Leyton, Super 1s and table cricket, an Afghan refugee programme, and events around Diwali and Ramadan. A faith and reflection room has been installed at Chelmsford, with dedicated family and non-alcohol areas at the ground. Also ongoing is an independent investigation into historic claims of racism at the club, conducted by Katherine Newton QC. Alan GardnerBet365: 7/2Dan Lawrence and Tom Westley will be key to Essex fortunes•Getty ImagesHampshireLast season: 4th in Division One
Director of cricket: Giles White
First-team manager: Adi Birrell
Captain: James Vince
Overseas: Mohammad Abbas, Kyle Abbott
Ins: Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Ben Brown (Sussex), Ross Whiteley (Worcestershire, white-ball contract)
Outs: Sam Northeast (Glamorgan), Ajeet Dale (Gloucestershire), Tom Scriven (Leicestershire), Brad Taylor, Ryan Stevenson (both retired), Tom Alsop (Sussex, loan), Lewis McManus (Northants, loan)Hampshire finished fourth in Division One last year but were a wicket away from their first title since 1973. Lancashire’s nerve-wracking run chase at Aigburth in late September ended in a one-wicket defeat; victory would have seen Hampshire pip Warwickshire to the pennant by half a point. They have strengthened over the winter with the addition of Ben Brown, who will keep wicket and bat in the middle order, while Mohammad Abbas will resume his new-ball partnership with Kyle Abbott.Giles White and Adi Birrell are confident enough about the depth of their squad that Tom Alsop (Sussex) and Lewis McManus (Northants) have been allowed to leave on loan and there are a handful of young players coming through – notably Tom Prest, the England Under-19s captain, and the tall seamer Scott Currie – who are likely to come into first-team contention. As the season wears on, the spin combination of Liam Dawson and Mason Crane will come to the fore.One to watch: Nick Gubbins arrived from Middlesex halfway through last season and, at 28, it is time for him to deliver on his obvious potential; his development has not been helped by playing home games on green seamers at Lord’s but his game should be better-suited to the flatter pitches at the Ageas Bowl. Alongside James Vince, Ben Brown and Liam Dawson, he will be part of one of the strongest middle orders in the country.Related

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Diversity action: Rod Bransgrove described allegations at a DCMS select committee that he had told fellow county chairmen that he knew understood racism because he was a white man in his 60s as “absolute nonsense”. The club launched an Inner City State School Partnership over the winter and appointed a non-executive communities adviser to its board last month. Matt RollerBet365: 7/1GloucestershireLast season: 2nd in Division Two
Head coach: Dale Benkenstein
Captain: Graeme van Buuren
Overseas: Marcus Harris, Naseem Shah, Zafar Gohar
Ins: Ajeet Dale (Hampshire), Paul van Meekeren (Durham)
Outs: George Hankins, Harry Hankins (both released)No team in the country won as many Championship games as Gloucestershire last summer but three defeats in four games at the end of the conference stage saw them miss out on the top division. This season, they have the chance to prove their mettle in Division One, belatedly taking their place in the top flight for the first time since 2005 after two years in which the format was affected by Covid.They do so with a new coach in Dale Benkenstein and a new captain, with Graeme van Buuren taking the reins after he was granted British citizenship at the end of last year following a season in limbo. They have recruited well, bringing in Marcus Harris after his success with Leicestershire last summer, while Chris Dent and James Bracey will expect to contribute with the bat after stepping back from the captaincy and overcoming a disappointing first taste of international cricket respectively. Ryan Higgins and David Payne will lead the attack again and hope to prove they can be as effective against the country’s best batters.One to watch: Naseem Shah is among the most exciting young fast bowlers in the global game, as evidenced by his reverse-swing masterclass against Australia in Lahore last month. This is his first taste of county cricket – he is due to be available for the first half of the season though selection for Pakistan’s ODI series against West Indies might cut his time short – and while he struggled against England two summers ago, his pace will make him a handful at county level.Diversity action: Ebony Rainford-Brent’s African-Caribbean Engagement programme launched in Bristol last year and several England players have been involved in coaching sessions over the winter. The club invited Afghan refugees to play at the County Ground in late 2021. David “Syd” Lawrence was offered an “unreserved apology” after recounting abuse he suffered while playing for the club in the 1980s. MRBet365: 16/1Darren Stevens: still on the run from Father Time•Getty ImagesKentLast season: 1st in Division Three
Director of cricket: Paul Downton
Head coach: Matt Walker
Captain: Sam Billings
Overseas: George Linde, Jackson Bird (April-May), Matt Henry (July-Sept)
Ins: Matt Quinn (Essex), Ben Compton (Nottinghamshire)
Outs: While being able to call themselves “Division Three champions” – as things stand a unique accolade in the history of the Championship – might not quite rank alongside their Vitality Blast success, there were reasons for Kent to feel encouraged by their red-ball form come the end of the summer. That said, having held their own on their return to Division One in 2019 and finished second to eventual champions Essex in the Bob Willis Trophy South Group a year later, it was undoubtedly a disappointment to find themselves scrapping it out in the bottom tier once the conference system had played out in the first half of 2021.Three defeats in their opening four games – to Yorkshire, Lancashire and Glamorgan – meant they were in trouble from the outset, and in July they were forced to summon an entire replacement squad for the home fixture against Sussex after a Covid-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, they shored things up to go unbeaten through the rest of the summer, winning four games out of four in Division Three to pip Middlesex to top spot on the final day. Despite a disjointed campaign, there was plenty of talent to pick from, including encouraging displays from youngsters such as Nathan Gilchrist and Tawanda Muyeye, and the sempiternal brilliance of Darren Stevens, who finished as leading wicket-taker and third-highest run-scorer. His three hundreds included a whirlwind 190 off 149 balls against Glamorgan, and the ink was dry on another one-year contract extension by late June.One to watch: Born in Zimbabwe but arriving in the UK as a teenage asylum seeker, Muyeye was being talked about in exalted terms even before he signed for Kent at the beginning of last summer. Muyeye was named Schoolboy Cricket of the Year in 2020 for his run-scoring feats at Eastbourne College, and gave an indication of his talents with a composed 89 as Kent chased 372 in the fourth innings against Middlesex to seal top spot in the final round.Diversity action: Kent are one of a number of clubs to have benefited from increased central funding from the ECB for Rainford-Brent’s ACE programme, which is to be rolled out in the county’s Greenwich and Lewisham catchment areas. AGBet365: 14/1Tom Hartley celebrates a wicket with his Lancashire team-mates•Getty ImagesLancashireLast season: 2nd in Division One
Director of Cricket: Mark Chilton
Coach: Glen Chapple
Captain: Dane Vilas
Overseas players: Dane Vilas (South Africa), Hasan Ali (Pakistan, until May 22)
Ins: Phil Salt (Sussex)
Outs: Taylor Cornall (Worcestershire), Alex Davies (Warwickshire)
The last time James Anderson bowled in a county fixture, at Old Trafford in July last summer, he ripped out his career-best figures of 7 for 19 against Kent… and he didn’t even have a burning desire for vengeance that day. Anderson’s axing by England, and his clear determination to prove the folly of that decision, could be the impetus that Lancashire need to go one step beyond their spirited title bid last summer, and land their first title since 2011. Certainly his early-season alliance with Pakistan’s Hasan Ali, and with Saqib Mahmood eager to cement his own status after the tour of the Caribbean, promises one of the most potent pace attacks on the circuit.On the batting front, there may be a similar urge to impress from the highly rated Josh Bohannon – a gritty batter whose consistent excellence over the past few seasons had put him in the frame for a Test call-up in the Caribbean. A similarly solid run of scores in April and May could yet propel him into the mix before New Zealand arrive. Phil Salt is another one to watch – nominally a white-ball signing after moving north from Sussex, he’s expressed a desire to give the red-ball game a good go.One to watch: It may not feel like the ideal weather for his art right now, but in 2021, Matt Parkinson set about demonstrating that April need not be the cruellest month for legspinners with a startling “ball of the century” clone to Adam Rossington, in his first Championship appearance since 2019. “Sack it, I’m going to try and rip it,” was his plan after a frustrating winter in England’s bio-bubbles in Sri Lanka and India… you suspect he might be feeling a similar desire to let off steam after his nearly-man status in the Caribbean.Diversity action: Manchester is one of the target cities for the expanded ACE programme. In terms of meeting the ECB’s targets for 30% female representation at boardroom level, Lancashire are closer than most counties, but still have work to do. Six of the 16 attendees at their board meetings are women, but only two of eight are full members. Andrew MillerBet365: 9/2NorthamptonshireLast season: 4th in Division Two
Coach: John Sadler
Captain: Ricardo Vasconcelos
Overseas: Will Young, Matt Kelly (April-May)
Ins: Lewis McManus (Hampshire, loan)
Outs: Adam Rossington (Essex, loan), Richard Levi (released)Northants will finally get to enjoy the fruits of their 2019 promotion, though the perennial juggling around playing resources at Wantage Road means new head coach, John Sadler, faces a significant challenge in attempting to keep them up (they have been relegated straight away on three previous campaigns in Division One). Sadler, who took over from the long-serving David Ripley at the end of last season, has already stirred things up by deciding to change the captaincy – a decision that caused a rift with Adam Rossington, the man who led them up three summers ago, and prompted a move to Essex on loan three days before the start of the season.Ripley’s Northants always had something of 1990s Wimbledon about them, and the “Crazy Gang” nearly managed a significant upset in last year’s conference system; in the end, a heartbreaking one-run defeat to Yorkshire at Headingley at the start of May was the difference between them ousting the White Rose and claiming one of the top two spots in Group Three. But being skittled for 81 and 45 at Chelmsford in the final game of the season – the shortest four-day Championship contest on record – was a rude reminder of their position in the pecking order. Squad depth could be a problem but Ricardo Vasconcelos, the new red-ball captain, is a prolific run-scorer at the top of the order and Ben Sanderson (287 first-class wickets at 20.89) is one of the nibbliest county seamers around.One to watch: Dynamic allrounder, England Under-19 talent, son of a local legend? James Sales ticks all three boxes but “Mini Jumble” – after his father, David – will be looking to make a name for himself this summer. Has already made his first-class and List A debuts, and was part of the England team that reached the ICC U19 World Cup final in February.Diversity action: Northants have launched the Luton Steelbacks Cricket Academy, a joint partnership with The Shared Learning Trust and run by Ripley, in an attempt to better tap into secondary schools; a similar scheme is being run in Peterborough. Free cricket sessions are also offered to those on free school meals. The club has made EDI a priority for its welfare group and also established a whistleblowing and complaints procedure. AGBet365: 20/1Can Tom Abell’s Somerset catch a break?•Getty ImagesSomersetLast season: 6th in Division One
Director of cricket: Andy Hurry
Head coach: Jason Kerr
Captain: Tom Abell
Overseas: Marchant de Lange, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle
Ins:
Outs: Eddie Byrom (Glamorgan)After topping a strong initial conference last season despite an eight-point deduction, Somerset were given a reality check in the final weeks of the summer. They lost four games in a row – two by an innings, another by ten wickets – to finish bottom of Division One as it became apparent that their young batters were still a work in progress. The return of Matthew Renshaw – who will arrive in time for their second game against Essex on April 14 – should strengthen their top order but Tom Lammonby, George Bartlett and Tom Banton will be expected to step up after lean summers last year. Banton suffering a broken finger in pre-season training won’t help his cause.Craig Overton and Jack Leach are both rested for the first round after England’s tour to the Caribbean but should be available for much of the season, while Peter Siddle will be expected to lead the attack in their absence. Tom Abell, who turned 28 last month, is already in his sixth season as captain and a strong start to the season will see him mentioned as an England contender.One to watch: Lammonby caught England’s eye with three consecutive hundreds in the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 but his form fell off a cliff last summer and he ended the season averaging 19.60 in the Championship despite a shot-a-ball century against Lancashire. Now 21, he spent the winter playing club cricket in Sydney and had a brief taste of franchise cricket but needs early-season runs to get his red-ball career back on track.Diversity action: One of two counties, along with Durham, with no non-white players or coaching staff, reflecting both the demographics of the region and the club’s reliance on its private-school production line. Reprimanded Jack Brooks over the winter, following revelation of historic racist tweets and involvement in nicknaming Cheteshwar Pujara “Steve” while at Yorkshire. MRBet365: 13/2Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, takes his place at the pre-season photocall•Getty Images for Surrey CCCSurreyLast season: 5th in Division Two
Director of Cricket: Alec Stewart
Coach:Gareth Batty
Captain:Rory Burns
Overseas players: Kemar Roach, Hashim Amla
Ins: Chris Jordan (Sussex), Cameron Steel (Durham), Dan Worrall (Gloucestershire)
Outs: Mark Stoneman (Middlesex), Jade Dernbach, Liam Plunkett (both released), Gareth Batty, Rikki Clarke (both retired)There was talk of “dynasties” when Surrey romped to the Championship in 2018 – a feature of their record tally of 19 titles has been their tendency to win big for seasons on end whenever they get on top. But that triumph remains an outlier for coming up to 20 seasons now, and after a deeply unimpressive mid-ranking finish in 2021, an end to the drought doesn’t feel entirely imminent.A glut of old stagers have cleared their lockers in the off-season. Liam Plunkett has upped sticks to the USA, Jade Dernbach has moved across the river to take up a coaching role at Middlesex, and Rikki Clarke is now putting schoolboys through their paces as head of cricket at King Edward’s, Witley. Gareth Batty, meanwhile, has moved upstairs, straight off the pitch and into Vikram Solanki’s hot seat as head coach, after the lure of the IPL became too strong.For the start of the season at least, there will be plenty of players with some urgent points to prove – none more so than the Ashes casualties, Rory Burns and Ollie Pope, and to a lesser degree, Ben Foakes, whose long-awaited recall as England wicketkeeper in the Caribbean didn’t quite turn into the coronation that had been envisaged. Sam Curran, returning from a stress fracture and missing the IPL as a consequence, has a rare chance to major on his red-ball batting. Hashim Amla and Kemar Roach offer quality and experience in abundance as the overseas pros.One to watch: Amid the furore of Anderson’s and Broad’s sackings, Burns was the forgotten fall-guy of the Ashes disaster. The indignity of his first-ball duck at Brisbane was a hard one to endure, and there was a sense that his quirky technique had deserted him by the back-end of a miserable tour, on which mutterings about his attitude also lingered. But no England opener since Alastair Cook has looked a longer-term bet than Burns. If his game is back on track, then it’s not too late for the same to happen with his England career.Diversity action: The ACE programme was pioneered at Surrey by Rainford-Brent, and last week it went nationwide with overdue funding from the ECB. The Surrey Cricket Foundation continues to push opportunities for young and disadvantaged people in South London, with almost 11,000 children benefitting from a range of junior programmes in 2021. AMBet365: 8/1WarwickshireLast season: Champions
Director of Sport: Paul Farbrace
First team coach: Mark Robinson
Captain: Will Rhodes
Overseas: Nathan McAndrew
Ins: Alex Davies (Lancs)
Outs: Ed Pollock (Worcestershire), Alex Thomson (Derbyshire), Tim Bresnan (retired)Sensible, safety-conscious cricket, with consistency and a strong team ethic at its core, was the basis of Warwickshire’s surprising Championship success in 2021. They were hardly the most flamboyant side, and their matches could be a grind, but they displayed many of the qualities that have been sorely lacking by England at Test level. They do not strike you as a flash in the pan. Once again, Warwickshire will take some bowling out twice. Dom Sibley’s front-on stance was ultimately found out at Test level, but if England reject his limited, obdurate ways, Warwickshire could reap the benefit at the top of the order, although if Rob Yates repeats last season’s success at No. 3 (Alex Davies, signed from Lancashire is expected to open as well as rival Michael Burgess for the keeper’s gloves) England might give him the once-over instead. Jonathan Trott, now installed as an assistant coach, will observe their willingness to bat time with delight.Warwickshire took some time before announcing an overseas signing and they have settled on Nathan McAndrew, a South Australian medium-paced allrounder who neatly fills the gap left by Tim Bresnan’s retirement. McAndrew, much less experienced, has shown an ability to take top-order wickets and Paul Farbrace, Warwickshire’s director of sport, believes that he will revel in English conditions. Warwickshire’s pace attack owes much to the ability of the former Gloucestershire pair, Craig Miles and Liam Norwell, to kick on their careers at Edgbaston. They took 86 wickets between them and, even with the addition of McAndrew, Warwickshire could do with some contributions at some point over the summer from England’s Chris Woakes or the talented young quick Henry Brookes if he can put injury problems behind him.One to watch: England reached the final of the U19s Men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998 before losing to India and, in allrounder Jacob Bethell, they possessed one of the most eye-catching players of the tournament. Bethell’s 88 off 42 deliveries in England’s quarter-final win against South Africa had plaudits pouring in. In Birmingham, this came as no surprise. An impact in one-day cricket is more likely, but signs are good.Diversity action: Where to start? A multifaith charter, open trials, an Edgbaston for Everyone strategy, prayer rooms, alcohol-free zones, diverse food outlets, the second year of the Ramadan Midnight Cricket League and a GLOW Festival for girls as part of the South Asian Core Cities programme: Warwickshire’s commitment to diversity sets the standard. David HoppsWarwickshire also won last year’s Bob Willis Trophy at Lord’s•Alex Davidson/Getty ImagesBet365: 6/1YorkshireLast season: 5th in Division One
MD of cricket: Darren Gough
Head coach: Ottis Gibson
Captain: Steve Patterson
Overseas: Haris Rauf
Ins:
Outs: Matt Pillans (released)The ebullient figure of Darren Gough has never been more needed by Yorkshire as he fulfils an interim role as MD of cricket in the wake of Azeem Rafiq’s racism allegations. Gough has trodden an intelligent line by underlining that diversity problems are not exclusive to Yorkshire, but that the uproar has served county cricket well by drawing attention to widespread issues in the game. Work is also proceeding to ensure a talented dressing room will find a cutting edge on the field rather than in dressing room verbals. Much day-to-day responsibility rests, though, with the head coach Ottis Gibson and he will be anxious that his skipper, Steve Patterson, 38 now and sedate of pace, has a contented season; Dom Bess has been appointed captain over 50 overs and appears to be the likeliest successor. In a season when the support staff will be under particular scrutiny, initially at least, Kabir Ali and Alastair Maiden also come in as bowling and batting coaches.Yorkshire’s greatest concern will be top-order runs, especially with Gary Ballance (who had committed to a diversity education programme) absent again because of mental health issues. Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s return is also uncertain because of lingering concussion. Dawid Malan’s availability helps, Joe Root might pop in by the end of April and a long-batting order will be essential. Ben Coad is eight short of reaching 200 first-class wickets with one of the best averages of modern times, and the departure of Duanne Olivier, so destructive at Test level but who operated several rungs below in the daily grind of the Championship, is not about to displease many Yorkshire supporters.One to watch: George Hill, slight of build and not particularly powerful of stroke, does sell his wicket dearly and, in view of England’s recent travails, there is much to admire in such an attribute. A bit of early-season obduracy will not go amiss. He bowls useful medium pace, too.Diversity action: Yorkshire are interviewing complainants who told a whistleblowing hotline that they faced racial discrimination in their dealings with the club. The enquiry is being led by Mohinderpal Sethi QC, of London law firm Littleton Chambers, the chair of the Employment Law Bar Association and a specialist in discrimination cases. DHBet365: 7/1

It’s been a season with challenges, but the Karnataka side have reached the Ranji knockouts as strong favourites nonetheless

Shashank Kishore in Jammu19-Feb-2020One of the byproducts of dominating the domestic circuit is often not having the best players available for you at important times because they’re either with India or India A. For Karnataka, having the cream of their batting away – KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Manish Pandey – at different times during this Ranji Trophy season opened up windows of opportunity for the others.What has worked for Karnataka is that they have had the likes of R Samarth and Karun Nair overcoming slumps to stand up when the “big stars” have been away. These are characteristics of champion teams, finding ways tide over the absences of key players. And now with Manish Pandey back in the line-up, Karnataka’s batting, which seemed shaky until not long ago, receives a massive lift.”It’s a big boost,” Nair, the captain, said ahead of the quarter-finals. “He has so many thoughts and ideas, just the way he is, he is a very positive person. It’s really nice to have him back.” Pandey’s injection gives some leeway to a middle order still regaining its lost touch.Samarth, for example, was left out of the side after scores of 11, 4 and 0 in his first two games, which came on the back of a poor season last year. His T20 and one-day performances too had been poor. From being an India A regular, Samarth found himself unable to even get a berth in the state side. Fortunately for him, the Indian team put through a request to rest Mayank Agarwal for the clash against Mumbai, ahead of India A’s departure to New Zealand.Samarth, who had left the camp, rejoined the team in Mumbai and turned his season around with a match-winning 86. That win gave Karnataka momentum. And since that 86, he’s racked up scores of 34, 63, 74, 108 in four of his eight knocks, some of which Nair described as “tough runs that help the team.”The century against Madhya Pradesh came on a green top in Shimoga, one that pleased Samarth like no other. “I would rate that innings very highly,” Samarth aid. “The wicket was doing a lot and I had to grind my teeth off. On such wickets, it was important to keep your mind fresh and be present in that moment. It was important to not focus on the previous ball.”Nair himself went through a lean run after a promising start to the domestic season that included a century and a 92 in the season-opening Duleep Trophy. Often, he’d get pretty 20s and then get out. Until it got to a point when external noises about his batting began to irk a normally shy and poker-faced Nair.K Gowtham played a fine hand with the bat•PTI Prior to the final league game against Baroda, he’d made 220 runs in nine innings. On the third morning, with Karnataka looking to set up a first-innings advantage, Nair had a chat with Rahul Dravid before play began. The former India captain spoke to him about his shuffle and trigger movement. And while one chat is unlikely to have changed much technically, in the mind, Nair appeared calmer and responded with two solid outings in a match-winning cause. The form has returned now, as has his confidence.Then there’s young Devdutt Padikkal, the top run-getter in the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophies. He started the season well and has six half-centuries, but hasn’t been able to convert his starts into three figures.As for Shreyas Gopal, he hasn’t quite been the utility player that he was in past seasons. Previously, he had often been the batting crisis man if the top order failed. This season, he’s neither managed runs nor the wickets he usually picks up by a handful. And while question marks have been raised over his place, the selectors have backed him despite having just 224 runs in 12 innings, along with eight wickets in seven matches. This is another chance to vindicate that call.If despite all this, Karnataka, who don’t have a single batsman with 600-plus runs or a bowler with 35-plus wickets going into the knockouts, it’s because the runs and wickets have been distributed.Abhimanyu Mithun has shouldered a bulk of the responsibility, picking 27 wickets while Ronit More has 20 scalps. In earlier seasons, the pace duo of R Vinay Kumar and Mithun have had a solid support cast. This season, Karnataka have struggled to nail down a third pace option consistently. Left-arm seamer Prateek Jain has been steady without being spectacular, while V Koushik has not quite built on a promising start.But that was with Prasidh Krishna absent through injury. Prasidh returned for the match against Baroda, and brought in added incisiveness with his pace. Prasidh is tall, hits the deck hard, and is the only bowler capable of bowling in excess of 140 clicks in this line-up.Yet for all their struggles at different times, Karnataka have found ways to get past the line. Somehow, all their form issues have ironed themselves out as the season has stretched. And now, Karnataka need one final push to make for an unprecedented domestic treble after bossing their way to the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy championship wins.

Tuesday night's clash between the Giants and Rockies got off to a fiery start, as benches cleared and punches were thrown in the first inning after Rafael Devers hit a two-run home run.

Among the players involved, three were ejected from the game: Willy Adames and Matt Chapman from the Giants and Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland.

On Wednesday, MLB issued some discipline to the players involved. Chapman was fined and suspended for one game, though he was the only receive a suspension from the league. The other players, including Freeland, Devers and Adames, were only fined.

Chapman's role in the brawl was a bit more sigificant than others, as he was seen pushing Freeland when the benches had cleared. Despite that, Chapman intends to appeal the suspension, so he'll be available to play Wednesday night.

The amount each player was fined has not yet been reported.

The incident occurred in the top of the first inning, before a single out had even been recorded in Tuesday's game. The divisional rivals play again Wednesday night, with first pitch slated for 8:40 p.m. ET.

Carlos Correa began his MLB career with the Houston Astros, winning AL Rookie of the Year after being called up early during the 2015 season. He went on to capture a World Series with the club two years later, and made two of his three All-Star teams with the Astros.

Correa signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Twins in free agency in 2022, but as the Twins look to sell ahead of Thursday's MLB trade deadline, Correa could be on the move. Correa has a no-trade clause in his deal, but would waive it to head back to Houston, 's Bob Nightengale reports.

The Astros are also targeting a pair of bats at third base—St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado and Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Eugenio Suárez—according to Nightengale, but Correa would give Houston a very familiar, friendly face to bolster the lineup for the playoff push. Suarez would represent a much different offensive threat than Correa, who has seven home runs and 31 RBIs on the season, with below-average OPS+ of 93, though Correa would be a solid addition for Houston's defense.

To make a move happen, Minnesota will likely have to eat a big chunk of Correa's contract, Nightengale reports. He is on the third year of a six-year, $200 million contract, which includes potential vesting options for the 2029 to '32 seasons if Correa hits certain benchmarks including silver slugger, LCS and World Series MVP awards and top five regular season MVP finishes. Those convert to club options if they do not vest.

The Astros are currently 61–47 and four games up on the Seattle Mariners in the AL West, but with the possibility of third baseman Isaac Paredes being out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, it appears that Houston is ready to push its chips in to the center of the table to make a run at a third World Series championship since 2017.

Newcastle United will be hoping for a smoother January transfer window than the one they experienced in the summer. Eddie Howe’s side were embroiled in several sagas, including Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool, which was the talk of the entire transfer window.

They did make some pretty big signings, too. Malick Thiaw joined the club from AC Milan and has gone on to become a key player for Howe’s side.

They also managed to replace Isak with Nick Woltemade, who has impressed in the four months he has been at St. James’ Park, following his club-record £69m switch.

It seems as though the Magpies are lining up some more moves with the next window around the corner.

Newcastle’s latest transfer target

The Magpies are already linked with a couple of midfield targets. Former academy star Elliot Anderson is one man on their shopping list, as is ex-Manchester United and Napoli man Scott McTominay.

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However, according to a recent report from The Athletic, there is another midfielder on their list of targets.

That man is Stuttgart star Bilal El Khannouss, and the report explains he is a player whom the higher-ups at St. James’ Park have already held ‘internal conversations’ about in recent weeks.

This would not necessarily be an easy deal for the North Eastern giants to complete.

The Moroccan star only joined the Bundesliga side on loan this summer from Leicester City. However, he has a buy option in the deal, which may add complications.

As for a price, El Khannouss’ buy clause is worth £21m, so the Magpies may well have to pay a similar fee.

Why El Khannouss would be a good signing

Adding a player with the attacking quality of El Khannouss to their squad would certainly enhance the final third quality that Howe has at his disposal.

As football scout Antonio Mango said, the 21-year-old is a “magician” on the ball.

Indeed, he has shone for German outfit Stuttgart this season. In just 16 appearances across all competitions for the club, he’s managed to score five times and assist four, operating as a number ten.

In the top flight of Germany, the attacker has five goals and assists in ten games.

Let’s not forget that the former Leicester star shone for the Foxes in the Premier League last season. In a tough campaign for the club in which they got relegated, he grabbed five top-flight goal involvements, including this sublime strike against Tottenham Hotspur.

The attacking midfielder’s stats from the Bundesliga season so far show the sort of quality he can add to Newcastle’s attack.

For example, he’s averaging 6.52 progressive passes and 2.81 key passes per 90 minutes, which both rank him in the top 5% of attackers.

El Khannouss – 25/26 Bundesliga

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile

Key passes

2.81

95th

Passes into final third

4.5

95th

Passes into penalty box

1.8

85th

Progressive passes

6.52

95th

Shot-creating actions

4.5

85th

Stats from FBref

This signing certainly has shades of the addition of Woltemade this summer.

As El Khannouss is doing now, the German striker shone in what proved to be his solitary season at Stuttgart and impressed with 18 goals and three assists in just 36 appearances for the Bundesliga side.

Since moving to the North East of England, Woltemade has continued that good form.

He already has seven goals to his name in that famous Black and White shirt, with his most recent effort being this exquisite chip against Everton last weekend.

It is easy to see how the potential move for El Khannouss has shades of the Woltemade deal. It seems like the Moroccan star will also spend just one season at the club, and Newcastle could well be his destination.

That is certainly one parallel, but the form which both players have, or did, showcase in the Bundesliga is another interesting dynamic.

Newcastle bought Woltemade based on his sensational 2024/25 campaign, and it feels as though that was some of the logic behind signing the Morocco international too.

If they do only have to pay £21m, that is an extraordinarily cheap fee for a player who could instantly improve their attacking quality.

Related Outscoring Woltemade: Newcastle preparing move for one of the PL's best strikers

He’s been in excellent form.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 3, 2025

Catching a home run ball is one of those light-hearted dreams even the most casual baseball fan can have at the ballpark.

It’s an occurrence that is rare enough to be special, but common enough to actually happen to you. Solid daydreaming material.

But on Wednesday, one Rays fan took the dream to a new level, catching back-to-back home run balls at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Making the accomplishment a bit more surreal is the fact that the players that hit those home runs share the same last name—Josh and Brandon Lowe.

The Rays’ two Lowes are not related, but they both sure can swing the bat. As for our heroic fan, he’s easy to track in the outfield stands in his red hat.

Eagle-eyed fans quickly realized the feat that the fan had accomplished.

While detractors might argue the dingers occurred in a Mickey Mouse park—the second Lowe to homer looked frustrated out of the box, believing he had flied out—that fan is still leaving with two souvenirs and one of the better Two Truths and a Lie facts that you could hope to have.

The Rays would go on to defeat the Astros 8–4.

The international break has provided Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank with a two-week break to prepare for the North London derby clash with Arsenal next weekend in the Premier League.

Spurs were held to a 2-2 draw with Manchester United last time out in the top-flight, thanks to a last-gasp Matthijs de Ligt goal, and they have only won one of their last four matches in all competitions.

This means that the Lilywhites will need to improve their performance if they want to come away with a result against their bitter rivals, and the Premier League’s current leaders.

Whilst the international break has provided the coaching staff with more time to prepare for the match, it has also thrown up a potentially disruptive injury to one of Frank’s key players.

Pape Matar Sarr had to go off in the second half of Senegal’s clash with Brazil, ironically, at The Emirates with an injury, and it remains to be seen how serious a blow that is.

The latest Spurs injury news ahead of the North London derby

It is fair to say that the Lilywhites have had their fair share of injury issues in the 2025/26 campaign, as they currently have 11 players who are either out or about to return from injury, not including Sarr.

James Maddison is the one player who will certainly not be returning to action any time soon, as the England international suffered an ACL injury in pre-season that will keep him out until next year.

Player

Injury

Expected return

James Maddison

Cruciate ligament tear

01/06/2026

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee injury

28/11/2025

Radu Dragusin

Cruciate ligament tear

21/11/2025

Kota Takai

Foot injury

21/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Knee injury

21/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle injury

21/11/2025

Ben Davies

Hamstring injury

21/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf injury

21/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Head injury

21/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Unknown

21/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Head injury

21/11/2025

Via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Tottenham have a host of players who Transfermarkt suggests could return for the North London derby, but that is their prediction and has yet to be confirmed by Frank or the club.

It has been reported, for example, that Randal Kolo Muani could be out for up to eight weeks with his jaw injury, which means that it would be surprising to see him return next weekend.

Senegal boss Pape Thiaw claimed that the injury was not a “big deal”, suggesting that there will be no long-term lay-off, but Spurs must prepare for the possibility that they will not have Sarr available, or at least ready to start, against the Gunners.

The Senegal international has started six of his ten appearances in the Premier League so far this season, per Sofascore, and his absence would leave a hole to fill in the middle of the park.

Lucas Bergvall would have been in contention to take Sarr’s place in midfield after returning to the Sweden squad for the international break, but he was excused from international duty after suffering a setback in his return from a concussion.

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This suggests that the 19-year-old central midfielder will either be unavailable for selection or lacking in match fitness, having not played since the clash with Chelsea on the first day of the month.

With this in mind, Spurs could ease the blow dealt by this potential injury to Sarr by unleashing experienced campaigner Rodrigo Bentancur alongside Joao Palhinha against Arsenal.

Why Spurs must unleash Rodrigo Bentancur against Arsenal

Playing the Uruguay international alongside the summer signing from Bayern Munich may not be the most popular suggestion, as there have been complaints from some supporters that it is a bit of a negative pairing.

Bentancur ranks within the bottom 38% of midfielders in the top five leagues and European competitions for progressive passes per 90 (4.13) over the past 365 days, whilst Palhinha ranks in the bottom 7% with 2.92 progressive passes per 90, per FBref.

This suggests that the perception that this midfield pairing lacks progression in possession is a fair one, but it is defensive quality that Spurs will need against Arsenal, who are top of the Premier League and have scored 20 goals in 11 matches.

Therefore, playing the £75k-per-week star next to Palhinha could be the way to go next weekend, particularly if Sarr and Bergvall are not 100% ready to start after their respective issues.

The former Juventus midfielder, described as a “mentality monster” by one analyst, came off the bench against Manchester United last time out, but started eight of his first nine appearances in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which shows how much Frank has relied on him.

Top 5 leagues & European competitions in the last 365 days

Stats

Bentancur (per 90)

Rank vs CMs

Tackles

2.14

Top 43%

Interceptions

1.83

Top 2%

Tackles + interceptions

3.97

Top 14%

Blocks

1.52

Top 16%

Passes blocked

1.02

Top 27%

Clearances

2.64

Top 8%

Aerial duels won

1.92

Top 10%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Bentancur ranks very highly among his positional peers in a host of key defensive metrics in the top five leagues in Europe and European competitions over the past year.

These statistics illustrate the defensive quality that he can provide in front of the back four alongside Palhinha, which is further evidenced by the club’s return of seven clean sheets in the 16 games that they have been on the pitch at the same time this season, per FBref.

This suggests that Spurs may have their best chance of keeping Arsenal at bay by playing Bentancur and Palhinha at the base of the midfield to protect Cristian Romero and Micky van De Ven next weekend.

Whilst they may not provide the youthful energy that Bergvall and Sarr bring to the team, the experienced midfield pairing could be a solid option to go with if the aforementioned duo are not available or fit enough to start.

Related Frank must sell £55k-per-week Spurs flop who was looking "like Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur must now look to offload one player who has failed to deliver in North London.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 16, 2025

Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski was delighted to see his team reduce the deficit with table toppers Real Madrid after powering the Catalans to an emphatic 4-2 victory against Celta Vigo, while their rivals dropped points against Rayo Vallecano. The Poland international believes the international break will help Barca regain their lost form as they look to regain control of the league title race.

• Barca back on track!

  After sharing the spoils with Club Brugge in the Champions League mid-week, Barcelona are back on track with a sensational win over Celta Vigo. Lewandowski, who warmed the bench in the last two games after his recovery, got a place in the starting lineup against Celta and helped the Catalans thwart the home team with a brilliant hat-trick. In the 10th minute, he netted his first goal from the spot, though it was cancelled out a minute later by Sergio Carreira's equaliser for Celta. In the 37th minute, Barca earned their second of the evening through the Polish ace's prowess, only to concede an equaliser six minutes later. The first half ended 3-2 with Lamine Yamal's late goal and Barca went on to limit Celta's attacking force before the 37-year-old netted his third of the game in the 73rd minute. 

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  Lewandowski happy with reducing deficit

  Courtesy of the win, and Madrid's 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu, Barca are now just three points behind their Clasico rivals. Winner of the matchball in the Celta game, Lewandowski cited the same to the media. He said: "Yes, we're very happy to win a game here 2-4. It's always difficult for us to play in Vigo, but the most important thing is that we won and we're now two points [sic] behind Real Madrid. In the second half we had the game more under control. In the first half I think Celta scored some very easy goals. At half-time, we talked about what we can improve, how we could play better. The fourth goal was very important in allowing us to play with more patience and composure.

  Barca will now have 12 days to prepare for their next game, as the international break brings a cooling period for Flick's squad. The Polish lynchpin believes this break will allow the team to resume action with renewed energy. He claimed: "After this game we can analyse what we can improve, both defensively and offensively. Now we have two weeks to disconnect from the team, but I hope that when we return we can play much better."

• Flick happy to have Lewandowski back

  The former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund star's treble takes him to seven goals from just nine La Liga games so far this season. It was the veteran's fourth start of the campaign, having been seen his role under coach Hansi Flick reduced. Lewandowski's contract at the Catalan club will expire at the end of the season and it is not clear if he will be offered a contract extension. Recent reports stated that his agent has held talks with AC Milan over a possible free transfer, with the Rossoneri interested in uniting him with former Clasico rival Luka Modric.

  Flick recently heaped praise on him following his return from injury, telling reporters: "I don't know what's in his DNA, but he recovers in three weeks from injuries that should last five…  When Lewandowski and [Dani] Olmo returned, training was different. The level rose considerably, as did that of the younger players. We need these players to reach our full potential. And that takes time. It's not just about winning, but about understanding the situation and managing it."

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  Tough challenges for Barca after international break

  After the international break, Barca will take on Athletic Club in La Liga, followed by a visit to London to face Enzo Maresca's Chelsea in the Champions League. It is going to be a vital continental clash with the teams level on seven points after four games. They will round off the month with a La Liga clash against Alaves before kicking off December with a home game against Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid.

Midfielder Marc Bernal is reportedly weighing up whether to seek a move away from Barcelona in January as he looks to earn more playing time this season. The 18-year-old has made just four appearances for the Spanish giants following his return from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which saw him miss the majority of the 2024-25 campaign.

• Bernal back after over a year out injured

  After emerging through Barcelona’s youth system at the start of last season, Bernal’s campaign was cruelly cut short after he sustained the serious knee injury in his side’s 2-1 La Liga victory over Rayo Vallecano in August 2024.

  However, after 382 days on the sidelines, Barcelona declared Bernal was fit once again on 13 September. And the Berga-born prodigy then made the perfect return as he recorded an assist in the Blaugrana’s 6-0 league victory over Valencia a day later, with Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski all scoring braces at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.

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  Report claims midfielder is considering January loan move

  Keen to ensure he is not rushed back too soon, Bernal has subsequently made just three more appearances for Barcelona this season – against Real Oviedo in the league and both Paris Saint-Germain and Olympiacos in the Champions League.

  And in a new report from Spanish publication Bernal is reportedly considering all his options ahead of the January transfer window opening in less than two months’ time. The report claims that while Hansi Flick’s side are not planning on allowing Bernal to leave, the youngster is believed to be considering a loan move in his bid to earn more minutes.

• Bernal left out of Spain's Under-21s squad

  Bernal has also been left out of Spain’s Under-21 squad ahead of the upcoming international break, with head coach David Gordo citing a lack of playing time for his exclusion.

  “Marc is one of our own, but he’s not in a comfortable situation right now,” said Gordo. “He’s getting very little playing time. And we’ve brought the squad we think will best help us get six crucial points for our league position.”

  Spain U21s are preparing to take on San Marino and Romania in their next two European Championship qualifiers on Friday, 14 November and Tuesday, 18 November respectively. Gordo’s side are currently unbeaten in qualifying, having won their opening three games in Group A.

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  Barca co-star Yamal returns to Spain squad

  One Barcelona player who will represent his country during the international break is Lamine Yamal, who has been called up for Spain’s double-header against Georgia and Turkey. The winger was left out of La Roja’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria in October after Barcelona said his pubalgia injury had resurfaced.

  However, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente had no qualms about recalling Yamal, saying: "I think the answer is obvious. I watched his last game [against Club Brugge], and I believe he’s in perfect condition. 

  “His coach [Flick] said he was ready to play. He's getting back to being the player he always has been, and we celebrate that. He will stay with us as long as we consider it appropriate.

  "Watching the game the other day, Lamine is fit to play. We have two very important games and we need to field our best players. We have two hugely important matches to qualify for the World Cup, the stakes are massive and we want the best players with us.”