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He may be the unglamorous option, but Hampshire spinner comes with a compelling first-class track record

Matt Roller22-Jul-20253:29

What can England expect from Liam Dawson?

What do the following players have in common: Moeen Ali, Mason Crane, Jack Leach, Dom Bess, Adil Rashid, Matt Parkinson, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir? The answer is that between Liam Dawson’s third Test cap (eight years ago) and his fourth (against India on Wednesday), England have picked all 11 as spinners ahead of him.Dawson’s recall, aged 35, is so ordinary as to be extraordinary. England have spent the last three years talking about attributes and upsides while trying to fashion Test-match spin bowlers out of T20 allrounders and the rawest of rookies. Now, they have settled for pragmatism, with the recall of a seasoned professional who has become the County Championship’s most valuable player.Dawson has long been a solid performer for Hampshire but has reached new heights in his mid-30s. He has scored seven centuries and taken ten five-fors in the last two-and-a-half Championship seasons, averaging 47.59 with the bat and 25.63 with the ball: “He’s been a huge player for us,” Adi Birrell, Hampshire’s coach, told ESPNcricinfo. “He’s actually got better and better, too.”Related

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His comeback is a fillip for county cricket, as was his decision to prioritise playing for Hampshire ahead of the Pakistan Super League in the spring. “It goes to show that if you consistently perform, the door will open at some stage,” Birrell said. “It shows that there is still the option of being [picked as] a county stalwart. It is great that England have selected him.”It is even more remarkable given his apparent breakdown in relations with England’s management. Dawson was frustrated – understandably so – by England’s miscommunication in 2023: “Luke Wright basically told me I was going to go to the World Cup, and to get a little bit fitter,” he explained to the podcast. “And I received a call the next day to say that I wasn’t going.”He was then overlooked for the Test tour to India, which enabled him to play in the SA20 instead. Dawson had been a regular in international squads for years but rarely played, including during their triumphant 2019 World Cup campaign; once the novelty had worn off, it made little sense for a player who has never held a central contract to sacrifice significant franchise deals just to pick up a tour fee as England’s 12th man.Dawson admitted last year that Test cricket was “completely off the radar” for him, and said that he was at peace with the likely end of his international career. “It’s not something that I want to be doing, running drinks, at my age.” Now, he is not only back in the Test team, but likely to play a significant role at next year’s T20 World Cup. In that sense, his recall is a win for player power.1:14

Brook: ‘Dawson is always willing to fight for the team’

Dawson’s comeback for June’s T20I series against West Indies has proven to be a soft launch for his Test comeback: he took 4 for 20 on his return, and left a positive impression on Brendon McCullum and Harry Brook, his coach and captain. “He’s a wily, old fox,” Brook said this week. “He’s willing to always fight for the team, he’s very competitive, and it’s good to have him here.”It was instructive that Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain, picked out that same attribute as one of his strengths. “I’ve known Daws for a long time. I know the cricketer he is, but what does go under the radar is his competitiveness,” he said on Tuesday, as well as citing the relevance of Dawson’s white-ball return under McCullum. “He showed he can come back in and get to work straightaway.”Birrell believes that Dawson has become a more complete bowler since Graeme Welch’s appointment as Hampshire’s bowling coach, challenging both edges of the bat. “They’ve worked very well together,” he said. “He used to undercut it, but now he’s getting better at overspin… He bowls an off-stump line: one slides, one turns, so he’s got all dismissals available to him.”1:38

Harmison: Dawson might help with Stokes workload

A 5ft 8in left-arm bowler, Dawson could hardly be more different in profile to the 6ft 4in offspinner he is replacing in Bashir. Brook believes Dawson should have some footholes to work with outside the left-hand batters’ off stump, but Ravindra Jadeja’s returns for the series – 3 for 331 across 99 overs – should prompt a level of caution as to how much can be expected from him.He also comes into this Test on the back of six T20 Blast games for Hampshire, and bowls very differently between formats. “In T20, I try to drag my length back by two, three or four feet and bowl short,” he told the podcast last year. “It’s probably the biggest thing I struggle with in my career, chopping and changing formats, especially going from white ball to red ball.”But his defensive skills may yet come in useful if India look to take him on – as Rishabh Pant surely will – and his batting should ensure that he adds value across disciplines. He made a half-century on Test debut in Chennai back in 2016, and has centuries for Hampshire in every position from opener to No. 7; in fact, his first-class average (35.29) compares favourably to that of Zak Crawley (31.90).As such, he is the ultimate plug-and-play pick, a selection based not on philosophy but practicality. Dawson has already jumped ahead of two England-contracted spinners in Leach and Rehan to be selected in Manchester. Now, he has the chance to show that he is not just a fill-in for Bashir, but a compelling alternative to him.

The Bengal and India A batter, who recently missed out on being picked for the national side again, is looking to accentuate the positive

Interview by Shashank Kishore06-Jul-2023Abhimanyu Easwaran has been on the fringes of the Indian team for three seasons now. His India A numbers are mighty impressive: an average of 47.27 across 34 innings as an opener, with six centuries and a best of 233.Barring one season, the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy, where he made just 258 runs in 17 innings, Easwaran has also been a prolific run-getter for Bengal. Yet, when the India squad was announced for the West Indies tour, which marks the beginning of the new WTC cycle for the team, Easwaran found Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad had leapfrogged him.Easwaran has taken the latest setback in his stride as he gets ready for the new domestic season. In Bengaluru, having finished playing for East Zone in the season-opening Duleep Trophy, he spoke at length about channelling his disappointments, how preparation matters, dealing with perceptions of being a one-format batter, and his fitness work, among other things.Related

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It must be disappointing to miss selection for the West Indies series. How do you channel it?
It’s all about that dream I had as a kid. Whenever things don’t go my way, I just think about why I started playing the game. Because I enjoy it and want to play for the country. Small things like not getting runs in a game won’t change the work I’ve put in for the past 15 years. Or if I don’t get picked in a squad, it won’t affect my passion or the hard work I’m going to put in going forward. The dream will always be to play for the country and win games. That drives me. No matter what happens, I ensure I wake up every day and do what I should to improve as a cricketer.How big is preparation for you?
Preparation is the key. I feel if I’m well prepared, I go into a game confidently. I try and ensure that I prepare according to conditions. Before the Duleep Trophy, I arrived in Bangalore early and trained at Just Cricket Academy for ten days on similar wickets to the one I was to play on here. I feel if I’ve prepared according to the conditions, it gives me the best chance to perform in any tournament.How have you gone about putting your preparatory process in place?
I’ve been working with Apurva Desai [currently batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy] for ten years now. His input has been massive in trying to help me adapt to different venues and conditions.Easwaran made a hundred in the first innings of the first unofficial Test against South Africa A in Bloemfontein in November 2021, against an attack that included Marco Jansen, Beuran Hendricks and Lutho Sipamla•Cricket South AfricaIf we’re playing at Eden Gardens, what are the kind of plans I should go with? What are the options I can give myself as a batter? We work on game plans, tactics, different shots and technical tweaks. We discuss the kind of preparation needed for every tour. Prior to the India A tour to South Africa in 2021, I trained on Astroturf because the ball zips through there. I trained with synthetic balls, just to get the hands high, because I would be facing extra bounce. We discuss everything in cricket. If I go into the ground, I want to be the best-prepared player. I may not be the best player in terms of runs in the match, but can I be the best-prepared? I always ask myself this.When you were coming up the ranks, did you always want to be a “pure Test-match type batter”?
No, that’s just a perception. I wanted to play all formats.There’s also a perception that you need IPL runs to go with domestic performances.
I’ve always wanted to be an all-format batter. I played T20s pretty late for Bengal, but I’ve constantly worked on that side of the game. In the off season I worked on a few shots, which hopefully will come off well this season.It’s not that I just love one format. Yes, Test cricket will always be special but it’s also the most challenging. But in terms of my game, I am constantly working on my T20 game. I wish to play IPL soon – it’s another dream, to play in the biggest league.You had a chance to trial with Delhi Capitals mid-season. How was it like?
I wasn’t expecting it, honestly. If you don’t get picked at the auction, you don’t think there’s a chance. Their fast bowler, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, got injured. You’d think they’d replace him with another fast bowler. But since their batting wasn’t going too well, they probably felt like strengthening that department. It was good to be part of the set-up, even if it was just for a few days. Just to see how people go about things – like, how David Warner prepares. They weren’t winning a lot of games at that point, but you could see guys wanted to put their hands up and win games.Within touching distance: Easwaran with India coach Rahul Dravid at a net session during the Bangladesh tour•AFP via Getty ImagesDid you get a chance to interact with Ricky Ponting, the Capitals head coach?
I didn’t get a lot of time to talk to him because he was busy with the entire group. But he was behind the nets, watching us bat, and would appreciate a good shot. He watched me and Priyam Garg [who was also called up] closely. I didn’t get really get a chance to speak about my batting or my game, but in the huddle, he welcomed us. It was nice.Does it bother you that you don’t get picked in the IPL?
I won’t say it bothers me. I still have a fair chance to be picked. It’s not like this is the last year I’m going to play. I’m just 27, I have enough time. If I get runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Deodhar or Vijay Hazare Trophy, that gives me a good chance. Again, it comes back to preparation and going into the game giving myself the best chance. That’s what I am focusing on.You’ve spent nearly a decade as a first-class cricketer. Is there a phase you look back fondly?
Yes, there have been a few but the one that stands out is from the 2019-20 season. I was made Bengal captain that year for the first time. I’d scored 861 runs in six matches [11 innings] the previous year. I then got a double-hundred for India A, I got a hundred in the Duleep Trophy final. So I was on a high, but I couldn’t buy a run the next season. I made 258 runs in ten games, but we were in the final. On the one hand, here’s my team doing well and making the final, on the other, I wasn’t able to contribute. Not being able to win the title was more disappointing, but to come back from that and get runs, bat the way I do, was special. That phase was challenging.When you’ve been so near yet so far for three years, it must hurt from within. Does it?
It sure does. But given the population we have, there are very few people who are this close to being picked for the Indian team. So I’m taking it in a positive way, that I’ve got to a place not many can. That gives me confidence. If I can keep putting in the work I’ve done, I’m still pretty close, I could get picked soon.There have been a few times when you came close to getting the India cap. When do you think you came closest?
I got twin hundreds for India A in Bangladesh last December, just prior to the Tests. I did well on the India A tour of South Africa in 2021.Easwaran with Priyank Panchal, whom he opened with and who captained Easwaran’s side, India Red, in the 2019 Duleep Trophy final•Saurabh Somani/ESPNcricinfoBut I think I was closest probably in 2021 in England. I was the reserve opener, and we had a tour game prior to the first Test. Not playing in that tour game because I was a close contact of one of the support staff who had Covid meant I had to quarantine for ten days. I lost that chance in that practice game before the first Test. Mayank Agarwal was concussed before that first Test. Maybe had I played and got runs, I would have earned the cap. All that time spent instead quarantining and isolating even though I didn’t have Covid was really tough.You spoke of on-field preparation. What about off-field preparation?
It’s as important as what you do on the field. You can’t eat what you like and say, “I’ll make up for it.” There’s a balance to maintain. Around 2015-16, I discovered I wasn’t feeling too well after breaks. There was a pattern where I used to get out soon after lunch or tea breaks. I found I wasn’t so switched on, even though I’d be batting on 50 or 70. I had a chat with a friend who told me about a genetic medical test. That told me I was gluten-intolerant. From that day to now, I have only had gluten probably twice or thrice a year. That’s after a tournament finishes and I have a break for more than a week, because I can afford that – I won’t be training the next day. That involves , soya. I gave up soft drinks ten years ago. I felt the dream is bigger than this. If I don’t have Coke, it doesn’t matter.How has fitness transformed your outlook to cricket?
During Covid, I felt there was something I needed to work on, because the seasons were getting longer. I was playing all formats and also for India A, so I didn’t have breaks. Usually during the off season, you get a couple of months off, but I wasn’t getting that because of India A commitments. I realised the need to get stronger.I had a lot of things in mind: Do I have the fitness to last an entire Ranji season, if we reach the final? Do I have the fitness to push beyond a double-century? Can I be fresh on day five of a match? That was the time I started working on fitness with Soham Desai [current India trainer]. Since then, I’ve been able to feel that change. Last year also, after fielding for around 155 overs against New Zealand A, I was batting probably the best I had in the last three years. My feet were moving well, so well that I was enjoying it a lot, and I wasn’t feeling too tired. I could feel the difference and that made me enjoy what I was doing.You may have not played a Test, but you probably have some fond memories of travelling with the team?
Without a doubt. It’s an honour to wear that jersey. I still remember when I received the team kit before that England tour in 2021, I just didn’t want to take it off all day. I cherish the chats I’ve had with Virat Kohli on preparation and Cheteshwar Pujara on single-mindedness. Being a part of the Test squad that won at Lord’s was a special memory. There was so much passion, so much fire. Shami, Siraj, Bumrah with their tails up… bundling them out inside 60 overs, it was amazing. I think those are situations you train and play for. It was great to be part of a side that won in England. You want to win overseas, at home, everywhere. It’s something every cricketer dreams of. Hopefully I’ll have that chance soon.

Six years after his ODI hundred on debut for Hong Kong in the UAE, Chapman is back to the same country but to represent New Zealand

Deivarayan Muthu09-Oct-2021Mark Chapman was still an engineering student when he marked his ODI debut for Hong Kong with a match-winning hundred against UAE in Dubai in 2015. Nearly six years later, he is back in Dubai for his first World Cup with New Zealand. Along the way, he has completed his mechanical engineering degree and put it to good use, founding ESCU sports that manufactures cricket equipment.This will be Chapman’s third T20 World Cup overall, having turned out for Hong Kong in 2014 in Bangladesh and then in 2016 in India. Chapman was born in Hong Kong to a mother from mainland China and father from New Zealand.”Yeah, it has been quite the journey to be honest,” Chapman said during a virtual media interaction. “Having been born in Hong Kong and represented them, having been to Dubai for a couple of world events with the Hong Kong team it’s been quite a journey. To be honest, I haven’t thought too much about it. It’s been really exciting to be with this New Zealand group in the last couple of years and it’s my first world event with the New Zealand team and it’s been something that I’ve been looking forward to a long time and just really stoked to be here and join the guys.”Related

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Chapman is fairly familiar with the UAE venues – he has played 25 matches across formats in the country, scoring 559 runs – but he is focusing more on adapting to the conditions that have changed since his last visit in 2018. Most recently the pitches have been relaid in Sharjah, where New Zealand are set to play two of their five league games.”First and foremost the experiences will probably help me just with the general surroundings and knowing the venues, knowing the grounds and adjusting to the heat,” Chapman said. “And as we’ve seen in the IPL, the pitches can vary from 120 scores to 230 I believe was scored last night. This is very much what you assess about what you face on any given day and just adjusting to that.”Mark Chapman backs himself to do the job with his left-arm fingerspin too•Getty ImagesIn 2018, Chapman travelled with the New Zealand A team as well as the senior team for six T20s against the Pakistanis in the UAE and he hopes to draw confidence from those experiences. Shane Bond, who was then the coach of the New Zealand A team, will also be part of the senior team’s backroom at the forthcoming World Cup.”Anytime you get to play and get experiences and again some of the players that you’re going to face, it is valuable experience and I remember Shane Bond was the New Zealand A coach and he’s coming back into that camp too. It will all feel a little bit familiar and [I’m] really looking forward to the challenge, particularly the first game with Pakistan. It should be a good game.Chapman also said that robust New Zealand domestic and A team structure has prepared him to cope with the demands of international cricket.”Back then [at Hong Kong] I was still a student and playing cricket as amateur,” he said. “Having graduated from university and moving into New Zealand’s domestic system, I was able to dedicate all my time to cricket. Things off the field really sort of started to ramp up with strength and conditioning, mental skills and all that sort of stuff that we probably didn’t get much of in the Associate world. So, I think being in New Zealand domestic and the international environment has taken my game to another level. The intensity of international cricket is something that’s quite different from Associate international cricket too.”Having previously been part of the Associate set-up, where usually every game has a lot at stake, Chapman is used to the pressure that a knockout game brings. New Zealand might face similar pressure in the T20 World Cup and Chapman is ready to embrace it.Mark Chapman has a T20 strike rate of 133•AFP”[In] Associate cricket, every game there seems to be something on it – whether it’s funding or qualification for World Championships, World Cups,” Chapman said. “Playing for New Zealand there is a lot of bilateral cricket which doesn’t have as much context to it and I think that’s where the World Test Championship was born from. So to come into a tournament environment where there’s significant meaning in every game and context in every game is exciting. It puts more pressure on the line and hopefully we can get a few wins and qualify.”Around the time of his CPL stint with St Lucia franchise in 2018, Chapman had sustained a shoulder niggle which eventually turned into a serious injury, prompting surgery. The troublesome shoulder has limited Chapman’s left-arm fingerspin in the past, but he now backs himself to do the job with the ball, too, if New Zealand need his secondary skill in the UAE.”Injuries are part and parcel of sporting careers and I think it’s fair to say I’ve had my fair share and a shoulder reconstruction is probably up there in the scheme of things… I’m not going to lie, that was a pretty tough journey, but I’m pretty happy with where things are with my shoulder now and obviously I’ve been working a lot of my bowling behind the scenes. So, we’ve seen that spin could play a role in these sort of conditions. I’ve just got to prepare as best as I can and if I’m called upon [to bowl], I’ve got to be ready.”Having finished his IPL duties with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kane Williamson has now moved into the hotel room next to Chapman’s. In a few weeks, Chapman could potentially be batting alongside the New Zealand captain at the World Cup where it all started for him six years ago.

The Brewers take away the ball on the ground and at the wall, so in the sixth inning, Freddie Freeman lined a four-seamer to the only place they couldn’t get to it: the stands. 

The home run gave the Dodgers a lead they would hold to win Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, 2–1. It gave them cushion as their bullpen faltered in the ninth inning. It gave the Brewers the kind of fits they are used to when it comes to that player. “Freddie Freeman has been a Brewer killer for a while,” lamented Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy. “So hopefully he’ll oversleep tomorrow or something.”

It also rendered moot one of the wildest plays in recorded memory: With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth, Max Muncy drove a would-be grand slam 404 feet to center, where center fielder Sal Frelick leapt for—and bobbled—then caught—the ball. He fired it to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who relayed home. On the base paths, the runners broke into chaos, darting forward as if for a double, then back as if for a sacrifice fly. Teoscar Hernández barreled home from third just as the throw reached the plate. Amid the chaos, catcher William Contreras raced to third. For a moment, it seemed no one was quite sure what was happening. After a three-minute replay review, the word came down from New York: It was the first 8–6–2U double play in postseason history. 

(If Frelick had caught it clean, that would have been the second out and it would have been a tag play at the plate for the third, which Hernández beat, so it would have been bases loaded, two out. But because the ball hit the wall before Frelick got hold of it, the ball was live and it was a force play at home for the second out, and then a force play at third for the third.)

The 97-win Brewers, best in the sport, have spent much of the run-up to this series casting themselves as scrappy underdogs who win games with grit and the power of friendship. They keep the competition off balance, playing tight defense and running the bases aggressively; no other team forced its opponents to make more errors this season. Their $108 million payroll this season ranked No. 24 in the sport and is less than a third of what the Dodgers spent on players: $329 million. 

“I’m sure that most Dodgers players can’t name eight guys on our roster,” Murphy said before Game 1, having already discarded his last bit: calling his players the Average Joes and then complaining that people were calling them average Joes. The Dodgers rolled their eyes at this routine—“We know the act,” said Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts—but there is something to be said for paying superstars to play like superstars. Freeman, the first baseman (who is making $162 million over six years), and shortstop Mookie Betts ($365 million, 12 years) provided the offense; lefty Blake Snell (whom the Dodgers signed this offseason for $182 million over five years) offered just about everything else. 

He threw eight sparkling, one-hit, no-walk innings, striking out 10. He did not throw a fastball in the seventh. He allowed a total of two balls to the outfield, none after the second inning. He picked off the only hitter who reached base against him. 

In his 10 years in Milwaukee, Murphy said, “I think it’s the most dominant performance against us.”

The Brewers’ collection of “misfit toys,” as Murphy insists on calling them, nearly matched him: Opener Aaron Ashby, a fourth-round draft pick chosen for this task essentially because he is left-handed and therefore has a chance to shut down two-way star Shohei Ohtani, walked Ohtani but otherwise survived the first inning. In came Quinn Priester, who did not make the Red Sox’ rotation out of spring training and whom the Brewers acquired for two minor leaguers and a draft pick; he got through the next four. Chad Patrick, who came to Milwaukee in a trade with the A’s for utilityman Abraham Toro, allowed that Freeman home run. Jared Koenig, who was released by the Padres in 2023, got five outs. Closer Trevor Megill, who was waived in ’21 and then traded for a player to be named later and cash to the Brewers in ’23, got three more. 

Only Abner Uribe, who signed as an 18-year-old out of his native Dominican Republic for $85,000 in ’18, made more than one mistake. He walked Muncy to open the ninth, then allowed a single to Kiké Hernández. After a sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third, he intentionally walked Ohtani, then very unintentionally walked Betts to bring in a crucial insurance run. 

This became relevant only minutes later, when the Dodgers’ only weakness—their bullpen—struck. Roki Sasaki, the flamethrowing starter who flamed out in the majors and spent much of the season rediscovering himself in the minors before being converted to postseason closer, struggled with his command, walking the first hitter he saw, then allowing a ground-rule double and a sacrifice fly to bring the game back within a run. After another walk, Roberts summoned erstwhile closer Blake Treinen, who walked the bases loaded before getting away with a fastball a foot above the zone for a whiff. 

“It’s not going to come easy,” said Roberts. “This is going to be a grind. It’s going to be tough.”

The Average Joes can still win this series. They just have a smaller margin for error. And unfortunately for them, the next Joe Millionaire awaits: the guy who starts Game 2 for the Dodgers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, is the highest-paid pitcher of all time. 

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu faces a severe defensive crisis ahead of the pivotal Champions League showdown against Liverpool, as key summer signing Manuel Akanji missed the final training session on Monday, leaving the Nerazzurri dangerously exposed against Arne Slot’s prolific attack.

Chivu rocked by latest fitness concern

The atmosphere at the Inter training centre was noticeably tense on Monday morning as the team conducted their final preparations ahead of the monumental Champions League showdown against Liverpool. What should have been a routine session of tactical fine-tuning turned into a source of major anxiety for head coach Chivu, as key defender Akanji was absent from the group.

The Swiss centre-back, who arrived on loan from Manchester City on deadline day and has since established himself as a pillar of the Nerazzurri backline, did not participate in the final training session before the midweek match. Reports emerging from Appiano Gentile suggest that the defender is suffering from flu-like symptoms, a concern that has cast a shadow over his availability for the upcoming European fixture. For a manager still finding his feet at the elite level like Chivu, losing his most dynamic defender on the eve of facing the English champions poses a huge concern. The club medical staff are reportedly working around the clock, but with the game less than 48 hours away, the odds of the 30-year-old starting are drifting swiftly from possible to unlikely.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportInter stretched thin for Liverpool clash

Akanji's potential absence exposes the fragility of an Inter squad that underwent significant surgery in the summer. When the club sanctioned the loan of Benjamin Pavard to Marseille and brought in the Swiss international as his temporary replacement, the logic was sound: swap one elite defender for another. However, that decision relies heavily on the fitness of the new arrival, and with Akanji now sidelined, the depth chart looks alarmingly thin.

Chivu is now forced to shuffle a pack that is already light on options. The veteran Stefan de Vrij is the natural replacement in the centre of the back three, but the Dutchman lacks the recovery pace that makes Akanji so effective in a high line. Alternatively, the manager could turn to the towering Yann Aurel Bisseck, a player of immense promise but one who arguably lacks the experience for a high-stakes duel against Premier League opposition. The defensive unit, anchored by Alessandro Bastoni, relies on chemistry and fluid movement; removing a key cog like the former Borussia Dortmund man disrupts the entire mechanism. 

Akanji absence could be fatal for Inter

Facing Liverpool is a daunting task at the best of times, but doing so without your quickest centre-back is flirting with disaster. Under Arne Slot, the Reds evolved into a ruthless transition machine, and their attack is specifically designed to exploit gaps in opposition backlines. However, they are set to take to the field without Mohamed Salah amid the breakdown in his relationship with Slot and the Reds' ongoing struggles this season.

Akanji’s greatest asset is his ability to cover wide channels and manage one-on-one situations, traits that are essential when facing the pace of striker Alexander Isak or the creative wizardry of Florian Wirtz. Without him, Inter risk being exposed to rapid counter-attacks, particularly if they try to impose their possession game. De Vrij or Francesco Acerbi offer positional intelligence, but if they are isolated against the speed of the Liverpool forwards, the result could be catastrophic. The English giants are struggling this season with just one win from their last six matches, but they still have the firepower to punish even the smallest error, having beaten Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt in the competition before their shock 4-1 defeat at home to PSV last time out.

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AFPWhat comes next?

The dilemma facing the Inter boss is classic risk-versus-reward. He could hand a start to Bisseck or De Vrij in the biggest game of the campaign so far, but will be concerned about the structure of his backline for such a big game. A pragmatic approach might see Inter sit deeper to protect their slower defenders, inviting pressure from a Liverpool side that loves to dominate the ball. The final decision will likely be made on the morning of the match, after one last fitness test. Until then, the Nerazzurri camp remains in a state of suspended animation, waiting to see if their defensive leader can pull off a miracle recovery. If not, it will be up to the remaining soldiers to form a shield wall capable of repelling the English invaders.

Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Inglis are two big returns for either team as No.1 and No.2 face off with the T20 World Cup edging closer

Alex Malcolm28-Oct-2025Big picture – Bumrah returnsWhile ODI series had relatively little meaning other than both teams taking some early steps on the road to the 2027 World Cup, the five-match T20I series beginning in Canberra on Wednesday night is of far greater significance for the near term.The No. 1 and 2 teams in the world face off in the final throws of their preparations for February’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The conditions will bear no relevance, but the chance for each side to test themselves and their game style against each other so close to a World Cup will be highly beneficial to both teams.India are unequivocally the No.1 team in the world. The reigning World Cup winners stormed to the Asia Cup title without being defeated and they were only run close once by Sri Lanka in the Super Fours and to an extent by Pakistan in the final. They have lost just three matches since winning the World Cup in 2024 and have arguably become an even stronger and more dynamic group with an influx of young IPL talent under Suryakumar Yadav.Related

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Jasprit Bumrah returns after being rested for the ODI series and will likely enjoy the early season conditions in Australia given his exploits with the red and pink balls down under last summer. One challenge facing India will be how to best balance the XI in Australian conditions, something they struggled with in the ODIs, having won the Asia with a spin-heavy team in spin-friendly conditions.Meanwhile, Australia have turned over a new leaf since their disappointing exit from the 2024 World Cup at the hands of India. Back-to-back mediocre showings in the 2022 and 2024 editions force a rethink from Australia’s hierarchy about their approach. The results have been spectacular since going to an all-out power-hitting method of playing under Mitchell Marsh. They have lost just two of their last 20 T20Is on the back of some electric batting led by Marsh, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitchell Owen and Glenn Maxwell. They are without Green against India as he prepares for the Ashes but Marcus Stoinis and Matt Short fill the breach.”There has been a shift,” coach Andrew McDonald said on Monday in Canberra.”We’re 11 games in now from the initial conversation. When we set out on this journey, we’d failed in a couple of World Cups previously, so we wanted to shift and stretch the boundaries on what we thought we could do.”So yeah, we have been more aggressive, we’ve played people in different positions. Tim David has batted a little bit higher than previously.”Our admission was that we haven’t been successful in a couple of campaigns. We’ve got to change things up. We’ve got to stretch ourselves.”Is it the style that can win a World Cup? We believe so. Will we have to pivot and nuance it slightly, depending on whether we’re in Colombo or Delhi or Kolkata? There’s no doubt about that.”In the short term they get to test their new style against the best team on the planet.”You’re playing against India, so it’s a really good test on whether this style will hold up,” McDonald said. “They’re the number-one ranked team in the world, I think we’re number two. We’re excited to test ourselves against the best.Form guide
Australia WWWLW
India WWWWWSuryakumar Yadav’s form has been a worry•AFP/Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Matthew Kuhnemann and Suryakumar YadavIn any Australian white-ball team, Adam Zampa is the first name written on the team sheet and the rest are selected from there. For the first time since the 2023 tour of India, where Australia picked a second XI post their ODI World Cup triumph, Zampa won’t be in an Australian T20I XI having played every game in the past two years. He will miss the entire series for paternity reasons. It presents a great opportunity for Matthew Kuhnemann, who has played just one of Australia’s last 16 T20Is despite being in every squad. Australia want the option of playing two spinners in the same XI in the World Cup, particularly in Sri Lanka. Kuhnemann can lock himself into the final 15 with a good series against some of the best spin-hitters in the world that will put him under severe pressure.Suryakumar Yadav’s fall from being the No.1 ranked T20I batter in the world in the first half of 2024 to struggling for runs in 2025 has been startling. He has not scored a half-century in his last 14 innings and has averaged 10.50 and struck at just 100.80 in that time. How or why is somewhat of a mystery given he had an outstanding IPL earlier this year as the second leading runscorer across the tournament with five half-centuries at a strike rate of 167.91. It seems incomprehensible that he wouldn’t be a key pillar in India’s top four heading into the World Cup but he would love some runs against Australia to ease any pressure he might be feeling.Team news: Inglis back, Short out, India to add pace optionsMatthew Short’s hopes of bedding down his spot in the T20I side have taken another blow after he had surgery on the cut he sustained on his finger in the second ODI in Adelaide. He will remain with the squad but will be unavailable until the wound heals. Inglis missed the entire T20I tour of New Zealand and the ODI series against India with a calf strain that has taken some time to get right. He has been ramping up the intensity of his running since rejoining the squad in Sydney and looks set to return to the line-up. He will likely return at No.3 where he has had great success. How Australia structure their middle order remains to be seen as Glenn Maxwell does not return until game three. They are thin for options with backup keeper Josh Philippe set to play as a batter in Canberra while Ben McDermott has been called into the squad as extra cover. Australia do not have Ben Dwarshuis for the opening three T20Is due to a calf issue.Australia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Tim David, 5 Josh Philippe, 6 Mitch Owen, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Sean Abbott/Xavier Bartlett, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Matt Kuhnemann, 11 Josh HazlewoodIndia had a spin-heavy line-up in their last T20I outing in the Asia Cup final but will likely add some pace to their attack for the five matches in Australia. Arshdeep Singh is almost certain to return alongside Jasprit Bumrah but Harshit Rana may also come into the mix after his career-best ODI performance in Sydney on Saturday. If those two are added, then Shivam Dube could miss out. Nitish Kumar Reddy is fit again after missing the final ODI with a left quad issue and could be an allround seam-bowling option if needed.India (possible): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Shivam Dube/Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Varun Chakravarthy, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Jasprit BumrahPitch and conditionsIt is expected to be cool in Canberra on Wednesday with a medium chance of showers during the day but the evening is expected to be clear and a full game is expected. Manuka Oval has tended to be a lower scoring ground in men’s T20I and BBL cricket with spin playing a role and the boundaries being large.Stats and triviaThere have been five men’s T20Is in Canberra, with the most recent in 2022, with the record split 2-2 between defending and chasing teamsIndia won their only T20I in Canberra against Australia in 2020, defending 161Suryakumar’s streak of 14 T20Is without a half-century is the longest of his career Australia have not beaten India in a T20I series in Australia since 2008Quotes”The opportunity to play in front of sold out crowds in pretty much all three one-day games, and what’s looking like the next five T20 games, it’s fantastic. I think building into the World Cup, where there’s going to be big crowds and perceived pressure, it can only be beneficial for us.”
“I have had good few sessions back home, good two to three sessions here, so I am in a good space. I think that is really important. Runs… it will come eventually but I think working hard towards the team goal, it’s more important what team wants from you in different situations and I take it one game at a time. If it starts, then I think it will be a good thing.”

Arne Slot has intimated multiple times this season his belief that Liverpool are conceding a disproportionate number of goals while failing to finish their chances off up top.

To a degree, this is true. Expected Goals Against (xGA) tell of the Anfield side’s struggles at the back, having conceded 20 times in the Premier League this season despite only conceding an xGA total of 15.5.

But that is only one dimension of a many-angled crisis for the Merseysiders, who have been sapped of strength and style and confidence after dispatching their rivals to storm to the Premier League title last season.

Liverpool are also joint-fifth for big chances created this season (35), while Chelsea are first with 39 created. Not exactly a world away, and when you consider that no team have had more possession than Liverpool this term (61.5%), you’d perhaps argue that Slot has all the ingredients to get his squad playing to his tune.

Football works in weird ways, though, and Liverpool have been shambolic. Something needs to give, and while defence and attack both share issues, it is a tough, physical presence in midfield that the Reds are lacking this season.

Liverpool need to sign a holding midfielder

Last season, Slot bounced back from the frustration of being rejected by Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi by converting Ryan Gravenberch into a robust, deep-lying midfielder. It paid dividends, with Liverpool lifting the Premier League title for the second time in five years.

Liverpool are such a far cry from the robust level of last year it almost beggars belief, with Gravenberch lacking the physicality and strength to give the Anfield side what they need to turn things around.

With Alexis Mac Allister also struggling, it could be that a robust new presence in the middle could turn the tide at Anfield, and sources from overseas suggest that that is what sporting director Richard Highes is focusing on right now.

Well, according to reports in Spain, Liverpool have made a staggering British record bid for Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, worth something in the region of €150m (equating to £132m).

Dissent is rife at the Santiago Bernabeu, with suggestions of breakdowns in the relationship between head coach Xabi Alonso and star players such as Vinicius Junior.

Liverpool are looking to capitalise, adding Uruguay international Valverde to their ranks and reinforcing their midfield with a combative presence and a leader of men.

What Valverde would offer Liverpool

Valverde, 27, has been at Real Madrid for the lion’s share of his senior career, having joined the Spaniard from Penarol in his homeland way back in 2015.

A dynamic and multi-functional player, Valverde has chalked up 339 senior appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 32 goals and supplying 35 assists. He was once described as a “monster in the making” with “world-class potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it’s fair to say Valverde has lived up to the hype on that account.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for switches (rekindling something of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing range, perhaps).

The data-led platform reveal Arsenal’s Declan Rice to be among his most statistically comparable players, to give a flavour of his style (though Liverpool fans are already well-acquainted with Valverde’s talent).

Moreover, Valverde’s steely defensive qualities could be the perfect way to reinforce Liverpool’s midfield while maintaining a kind of broadness of style that Slot is known to covet from his engine room workers.

Federico Valverde – Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals + Assists

Central midfield

282

19 + 27

Right-back

56

2 + 8

Right wing

33

11 + 4

Defensive midfield

15

1 + 0

Attacking midfield

14

1 + 0

Left-back

7

0 + 0

Centre-back

1

0 + 0

Data via Transfermarkt

Given Valverde’s Real Madrid connection and his steeliness in the centre of the field – he has won 58% of his duels and averaged 1.7 tackles per game in La Liga, as per Sofascore – the South American could even be Liverpool’s next version of Fabinho, who cut his teeth in the Spanish capital before finding his footing in France with Monaco.

Fabinho, Jurgen Klopp’s all-inspiring midfield anchor for so many years, was also more than capable as a right-back, emphasising the athleticism and tactical intelligence that he shares with Valverde.

The Brazilian differed from Gravenberch in that he was more resilient in his play, less technically gifted, but more suited to a natural role in the six berth.

Valverde could be the perfect addition in this regard, still getting forward when the need arises but bringing a more focused defensive skillset from which Slot’s tactics could bloom once again.

You could argue that Liverpool have missed Fabinho’s presence ever since he left for Saudi Arabia in 2023. With the pendulum swinging within English football once again, and low blocks and more direct play back in fashion, Valverde could be a significant upgrade and a worthwhile addition in spite of the exorbitant cost.

Joe Cole waxed lyrical after one glittering Champions League performance, remarking that Valverde “is every bit as good as Jude Bellingham”.

Quite the praise, that. But Liverpool don’t need Bellingham. They need someone even grittier and more grounded. Fabinho-esque. They need Valverde.

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O diretor executivo de futebol do Coritiba, José Domingos Chávare Júnior, morreu na manhã deste domingo (18), aos 57 anos, de infarto agudo do miocárdio. O falecimento foi informado pelo próprio clube.

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Segundo a nota, Júnior Chávare, como era conhecido, relatou fortes dores no peito e respiração ofegante no seu apartamento em Curitiba. Ele chegou a ser levado para o Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças e passou por procedimentos médicos, mas não resistiu.

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Chávare Junior nasceu em Americana, no interior do estado de São Paulo, e estava no Coritiba desde o final de outubro de 2023. Antes, ele era diretor executivo da Ferroviária de Araraquara e também teve passagens por clubes como São Paulo, Grêmio, Atlético-MG e Bahia.

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CoritibaFutebol Nacional

Have we been given a glimpse into the real Liverpool? The win over Real Madrid in the Champions League this week certainly felt like a throwback to last season.

Arne Slot reverted to type. The midfield was comprised of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, that triumvirate whose connection and coherence proved so crucial to last year’s triumphant Premier League campaign.

Things have changed on the red half of Merseyside this season. Sweeping summer changes have reshaped the framework, and a by-product of this has been tactical imbalances and a lack of the fluency and sharpness that propelled the Reds into the ascendancy last year.

One of the issues predates this early-season slump by a long stretch. Six defeats from seven matches in all competitions before the recent upswing is inexcusable, and each corner of the system has been culpable, but there’s undoubtedly been something missing on the left flank, with Luis Diaz now playing elsewhere.

Liverpool miss the Colombian, but not as much as Sadio Mane before him.

Why Liverpool are still missing Sadio Mane

Liverpool are not so much missing Mane directly as his profile. Last season, Diaz scored 17 goals and supplied eight goals as he flitted between the left flank and a central striking berth. The Colombian was sold to Bayern Munich in August, like Mane before him, and now his presence is missed.

Diaz did a strong job in replacing Mane, but the Senegalese sensation will go down in history as one of the most dangerous wingers to have graced the Premier League, with his former international coach Aliou Cisse even describing him as “one of the best” in the world back in 2018.

Devastatingly dynamic and with an unending appetite for goals, Mane thrived across his years under Klopp’s wing, joining from Southampton for £34m in 2016 and forging one of Europe’s most iconic strike forces, alongside Bobby Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

Now, Liverpool have neither player in their mix. Cody Gakpo has most regularly played on the left wing for Liverpool this year, and while the Dutchman is a talented and multi-faceted player, he is not on the same level as Mane in his prime, and neither does he operate with the same electric movement as Diaz.

However, Slot may actually have found his own version of Mane in another Liverpool star, a player who is showing signs of real quality in a red shirt.

Liverpool's new version of Sadio Mane

Liverpool underwent a series of changes in the summer transfer market, and though the Alexander Isak saga dominated the final weeks of the window, much was made of Liverpool’s record-breaking £116m move for Florian Wirtz.

Hailed as a “statistical unicorn” and a “final third freak” by analyst Sam McGuire before first donning the famous Liverpool jersey, Wirtz has not yet proved this is true on English soil, but he’s a work in progress, adapting to a new land, and we have started to see the first shoots of success in recent games.

Real Madrid marked the finest display of his Anfield career so far, and what a game to announce yourself in. Handed an 8/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo, Wirtz was praised for his tireless work ethic and creativity. In the first half, the German created five chances for the hosts, as many as the entire Los Blancos team.

But, whereas Mane impressed across his start to life at Liverpool, posting 13 goals and seven assists across 29 matches in 2016/17, Wirtz is still yet to break his duck after 15 fixtures.

But this man’s underlying quality is indisputable. He is a world-class talent. And, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 5% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive passes and shot-creating actions, as well as the top 11% for chances created per 90.

Understandably, many think the 22-year-old should have offered more so far. In some ways, they are right. But Liverpool have been a curious case this season, and the frosty tactical conditions have made it difficult for such a player to dovetail in and fire on all cylinders from the get-go.

Attacking midfield

174

51 (58)

Right winger

12

4 (5)

Centre-forward

11

4 (4)

Left winger

11

2 (3)

Central midfield

5

0 (3)

He might not be the same sort of clinical and direct player as Mane, but Wirtz proved on the left flank against Real Madrid that he can play a leading role in a Liverpool team questing for all the biggest prizes.

With Szoboszlai in such jaw-dropping form and Liverpool looking altogether more polished and effective with last season’s blueprint implemented in the engine room, there’s a case to be made that Wirtz could play in Mane’s old role with regularity.

He surely has the robustness and wide-ranging arsenal to fulfil his duties in that area with confidence and clarity. This is one of the most talented footballers in the world, after all.

Now, we must wait for the £195k-per-week talent to find the consistency in his performances that will lead to a country-wide recognition of his quality in a similar fashion to Mane before him. This will take time, of course, but with the Reds starting to look like a well-oiled unit once again now that issues have been ironed out, Wirtz could go from strength to strength.

Sometimes, patience is needed from football fans. Wirtz will come good. So good, in fact, that he might leave a legacy at Anfield that is on a level with Mane, that superstar winger who achieved so much in red.

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تقدم فريق برشلونة بهدف أول في مباراته أمام سيلتا فيجو، ضمن مواجهات بطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا” موسم 2025-2026، لكن صاحب الأرض أدرك التعادل سريعًا.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على سيلتا فيجو، في إطار مباريات الجولة الثانية عشر للدوري الإسباني للموسم الجاري.

وتحصل برشلونة على ضربة جزاء، احتسبها حكم المباراة بعد العودة لتقنية الفار، بمراجعة تسديدة فيرمين لوبيز بحثًا عن لمسة يد محتملة.

طالع تشكيل برشلونة أمام سيلتا فيجو في الدوري الإسباني.. تغيير دفاعي وهجومي

وتوجه البولندي روبرت ليفاندوفسكي لتسديد ضربة الجزاء ونجح في تسجيلها ليتقدم برشلونة بهدف أول في الدقيقة العاشرة من عمر المباراة. هدف ليفاندوفسكي في مباراة برشلونة وسيلتا فيجو

وبعد دقيقة واحدة نجح سيلتا فيجو في إدراك التعادل بهدف أمام برشلونة، سجله سيرجيو كاريرا في الدقيقة 11. هدف تعادل سيلتا فيجو أمام برشلونة

سيرجيو كاريرا يسجّل هدف التعادل لصالح سيلتا فيغو في شباك برشلونة ⚽️#الدوري_الإسباني #سيلتا_فيغو #برشلونة pic.twitter.com/VpBAbXTtHx — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) November 9, 2025

ويسعى برشلونة لاستغلال تعثر ريال مدريد والذي تعادل سلبيًا اليوم أمام رايو فاليكانو، من أجل تقليص الفارق مع متصدر الترتيب.