A ausência dos três pontos não é a única coisa ruim que o Santos leva do duelo contra o Atlético-MG, pelo Brasileirão. Após realização de exames, o meio-campista Luan Dias, que fez sua estreia pelo Peixe neste último domingo (23), teve detectadauma lesão muscular moderada na posterior da coxa esquerda.
+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!
Com isso, o jogador se junta a outros jogadores na lista de lesionados do Peixe. São eles:Lucas Braga (fortalecimento no púbis), João Lucas (edema muscular), Zabala (lesão no ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho esquerdo), Felipe Jonatan (ruptura total do ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho esquerdo) e Lucas Barbosa (lesão ligamentar do tornozelo esquerdo)
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Desses listados, o mais próximo de um retorno é Lucas Braga, que já participou de atividades com outros jogadores nos treinamentos. Além do ponta, João Lucas está em transição física e deve retornar para os exercícios com o resto dos atletas do Santos em um futuro breve.
Ainda tratando a lesão sofrida contra o Grêmio, Lucas Barbosa faz seu tratamento junto da fisioterapia do clube e ainda deve desfalcar o Alvinegro Praiano por algumas semanas. Felipe Jonatan e Leonardo Zabala devem perder o resto da temporada do Santos para poder tratar o LCA do joelho esquerdo.
O tempo de recuperação de Luan Dias não foi divulgado, mas esse tipo de lesão pode levar de quatro até seis semanas para a recuperação total.
While it wasn’t a disaster, it’s hard to deny that last season was a disappointment for Arsenal.
Instead of finally getting over the line and winning the Premier League at the third time of asking, Mikel Arteta’s side had to make do with another second-place finish.
However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom, as the North Londoners made it to the Champions League semi-finals for just the third time in their history, and when fit, Bukayo Saka was once again one of the best players in the country.
Saka’s 24/25
Appearances
37
Starts
30
Minutes
2619′
Goals
12
Assists
14
Goal Involvements per Match
0.70
Minutes per Goal Involvement
100.73
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Even though he missed almost four months of action, the Hale Ender managed to amass a sensational tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.
Yet, to reach yet another level next year, the 23-year-old may need some more assistance, which is why fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to a world-class winger who’d be a dream teammate for Saka.
Arsenal's winger search
With the need for attacking reinforcements undeniable, it’s not been much of a surprise to see that, alongside the strikers, Arsenal have been linked with a host of dangerous wingers this summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
One of the names that has been heavily linked with the Gunners has been Chelsea ace Noni Madueke.
The Englishman was good enough for the Blues last season, racking up a tally of 16 goal involvements in 41 games, but with a price tag of up to £50m, it’s easy to understand why some fans would be hesitant.
Moreover, it’s hard to see the former PSV Eindhoven ace being a dream winger addition for Saka, which isn’t the case when it comes to Rodrygo.
According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal remain very interested in the Real Madrid star.
The report has revealed that even though fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Chelsea are also keen on the Brazilian international, the Gunners are in ‘a favourable position’ to secure his services, and have expressed a willingness to meet the financial demands of Los Blancos to make it happen.
According to stories from earlier this summer, the fee needed to bring the winger to North London is likely to be around £78m.
That’s certainly a lot of money to spend on one player, but Rodrygo would be worth it, and Saka’s dream winger signing.
Why Rodrygo would be a dream signing for Saka
As things stand, Saka is the only world-class attacker at Arsenal, and the fact that he was the club’s most productive player despite missing over three months of action last season only reinforces this point.
So, the first reason Rodrygo would be the Hale Ender’s dream winger signing is that the Brazilian’s output would help alleviate some of the immense pressure on him.
For example, since the start of the 23/24 campaign, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has scored 32 goals and provided 20 assists in 106 appearances, totalling 7229 minutes.
Rodrygo stats
That works out to a goal involvement every 2.03 games, or every 139.01 minutes, which is impressive enough in isolation, but is made all the more so when you take into account the fact he was played out of his preferred left-wing position for most of that period.
Moreover, the former Santos gem has shown himself to be capable of scoring massive goals in season-defining games – think back to the game against Manchester City – and so he’d be able to help the Gunners’ number seven realise his ambitions of winning major honours.
However, it’s not all down to what he can do on the pitch alongside the Ealing-born monster.
The second reason he’d be a dream addition for the 23-year-old is that, thanks to his versatility, he’d be able to fill in on the right when needed and, in turn, allow the Englishman to rest when needed.
This could help the talismanic international avoid fatigue-related injuries and prolong his career at the highest level.
Ultimately, from his output and big game experience to the ability to play off the right when needed, Rodrygo would be the dream winger signing for Saka.
Therefore, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should do everything possible to bring him to the Emirates this summer.
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The series win in the West Indies has left the team with a chance of making the final at Lord’s next year
Firdose Moonda18-Aug-2024
Shukri Conrad: Keshav Maharaj is ‘an absolute workhorse, an absolute professional, and he just keeps going’•AFP/Getty Images
South Africa’s search for the “nice pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” in this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is on after they kept themselves in the hunt for a place in the title bout with a series win over West Indies.Red-ball coach Shukri Conrad described the incentive of reaching the 2025 WTC final at Lord’s as being at the back of the team’s mind even as they continue to transition.”We’ve got a big couple of months ahead of us to grow as a Test team. At the end of that, if we do very well and we win enough games, we can end up in the World Test Championship final,” Conrad said from Guyana, after South Africa’s 40-run win in the second Test. “But that’s not the only goal of the team. It’s also to grow as a team.”Related
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Only three of South Africa’s squad – Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj – have played more than 50 Tests and the squad is laced with inexperience. In the West Indies, this reflected most obviously in their batting. South Africa lost 4 for 29 in the first innings of the first Test to fall short of a total of 400, and 5 for 22 in the second innings of the second Test to set West Indies a potentially gettable target of 263. Conrad acknowledged the “batting department remains a little bit of an Achilles heel for us,” but believes time in the middle could help solve that.”With young and inexperienced batters, you almost factor in that every now and again you’re going to have a few aberrations with the bat. But the vital signs are there that we can go and become a really good test unit,” he said. “The skillsets are there. It’s really just experience we need. With experience, you’ll find fewer soft dismissals and less of the falling over when bowlers bowl well and we’ll be able to put up more of a fight with the bat.”Wiaan Mulder has made a case to be South Africa’s first-choice red-ball allrounder•AFP/Getty Images
There were glimpses of that potential from Tony de Zorzi, who scored 78 and 45 in the first Test, Tristan Stubbs, who made his first Test fifty in Trinidad, and the 85-run sixth wicket stand between Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder in Guyana, which revived South Africa from 139 for 5 in the third innings. Mulder’s contribution of 34 played a part in his being named Player of the Match in Guyana, where he also took six wickets, and, with Marco Jansen rested from the tour, made a case to be considered for the premier allrounder role in red-ball cricket.Mulder has only played three Tests in the last two years and has not been able to hold down a regular spot but Conrad indicated he could now be in line for a more consistent run. “Wiaan has obviously been in and around the Test side without getting a regular spot, and his performances sometimes haven’t warranted him getting a really good run. But at some stage, you give someone a run and you back them and you see where you come out,” Conrad said. “We always knew that Wiaan’s got the ability, and it’s great to see that he’s added a few yards [of pace] with the ball. He’d also be the first one to tell you that he’s slightly disappointed that he didn’t go on and convert the start he got in the second innings and make that a big one but that’s part of the process.”Ultimately, South Africa’s conundrum throughout the series was team combination and they did not seem to get it quite right in either match. In Trinidad, they included a seventh specialist batter and appeared a spinner short; in Guyana, they left that batter out for a second spinner on a seamer-friendly pitch. Conrad said both teams were “caught off guard” by conditions in Guyana and South Africa fared slightly better because of the quality of their attack.Despite Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales taking five-fors, South Africa had the edge through Rabada and Player of the Series Maharaj, who claimed 13 wickets in the two matches. In the process, Maharaj became South Africa’s most successful spinner in terms of wickets and his presence has added much-needed gravitas to their squad. “Kesh is an absolute workhorse, an absolute professional, and he just keeps going, And I’m thrilled that he nailed that record. It’s richly deserved,” Conrad said. “He’s great in the change room. He’s a great sounding board for players and coaches, a really good team guy and someone that you can easily dub Mr. Reliable. When you’re transitioning, you need someone like that in your team.”Maharaj is expected to continue playing an important role through the rest of this WTC cycle. South Africa have just six matches left – two in Bangladesh (scheduled for October) and two each at home against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the 2024-25 summer. Every game carries an enormous weight of expectation but Conrad is happy for the challenge. “We know that if we win every Test match that there is that possibility (of getting to the final). And we’re really thrilled that there might be something for us at the end of this,” he said. “There’s World Cups in every other format and no reason why Test cricket shouldn’t have something like this.”
Trent Rockets began their Hundred campaign in fine style, defeating Northern Superchargers by 20 runs at Headingley thanks to a superb performance from their spin arsenal.Chasing 124 on a dry surface, last year’s runners-up could only manage 103 all out in 97 balls, Australian legspinner Alana King starring with 2 for 17 including a beauty that Shane Warne would have been proud of to clean bowl Bess Heath.Lucy Higham top scored with 26 for the Superchargers, as King – in combination with fellow spinners Kirstie Gordon and Ash Gardner – turned the screw, Aussie seamer Heather Graham also impressing with 3 for 13.
Earlier, Grace Scrivens was fast out of the blocks for the Rockets, showing her class with six boundaries in her 32 from 22 balls before picking out Linsey Smith to give Annabel Sutherland the breakthrough.Bryony Smith made 23 from 21 before becoming Sutherland’s second victim and Smith dismissed Gardner and Graham with consecutive deliveries to reduce the Rockets to 87 for 4.Nat Sciver-Brunt made an unbeaten 36 from 34 in a fine all-round display, later picking up two wickets, but was kept in check by an impressive performance in the field from the Superchargers, with Sutherland trapping Katie George lbw to finish with 3 for 14 and restrict the visitors to 123 for 5.They came up short with the bat, though, as the Rockets registered a commanding win.”It was nice to have a bit of turn and grip in the wicket,” King said. “We saw that the wicket did a lot in the first innings so we just had to keep our processes really simple. I love to have a pitch with a little bit of turn and I was happy to play my part.”It felt really nice out of the hand,” she said of the delivery which bowled Heath. “It’s a leg-spinner’s dream, so I’ll take that first pill. I’ve loved having Ash [Gardner] and HG [Graham] join the Rockets this year. We played three Aussies today and we loved getting the win.”
Liverpool are looking to close their negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen for the transfer of Florian Wirtz, but sporting director Richard Hughes still needs to dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
Still, this is a bank-breaking transfer we’re talking about, one which could seal Liverpool’s place among Europe’s elite for many years to come. After all, former Werkself striker Patrick Helmes has claimed Wirtz is “probably the best midfielder in the world” after his exploits in his homeland over the past few years.
Is £113m (or maybe even a bit more), perhaps a little steep? Maybe it is, but that shouldn’t detract from Liverpool hitting the jackpot with such an influential signing, especially since the wide defensive flanks have already been addressed.
Florian Wirtz
Liverpool haven’t yet completed a deal for Milos Kerkez, but the Bournemouth left-back is expected to leave the Vitality Stadium and move to Merseyside in the coming weeks, more i’s and t’s with that one.
Kerkez will prove an upgrade on Andy Robertson, 31, but he won’t reunite with Dean Huijsen, who was pursued by Liverpool but ultimately signed for Real Madrid after they activated his £50m release clause.
Still, Liverpool need a centre-back.
Why Liverpool need a centre-back
In May 2021, Liverpool signed Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig for £36m, sealing a much-needed central defensive recruit. Liverpool have not signed another centre-half since.
This is, in large part, because skipper Virgil van Dijk has been such an indomitable force over the years, one of the chief architects behind Jurgen Klopp’s ascent to greatness in the Anfield hot seat.
Van Dijk
Van Dijk and Konate should make the chief partnership once again next season, but a player such as Huijsen could have been the perfect understudy to develop his craft over the coming years and become a superstar under Arne Slot’s wing.
Given that Van Dijk turns 34 next month and has just two more seasons at the club, it would be prudent to find and foster a new rising talent now, especially since the £50m-rated Jarell Quansah has been mooted for a summer sale.
Jarell Quansah for Liverpool
And though Huijsen’s out of reach, Liverpool have entered a race for a young defender who might be even better than the Spain international.
Liverpool enter race for new CB
As per Portuguese outlet A Bola – as translated by Sport Witness – Liverpool have joined the race for Ousmane Diomande, with Sporting Lisbon warming to the idea of cashing in on the defender.
Sporting CP's Ousmane Diomande in action with Lille'sJonathanDavid
Portuguese sources believe an official approach could come from one of the 21-year-old’s suitors in the coming days, with Liverpool joined by Crystal Palace and Manchester United in having the most concrete interest, ahead of Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
Sporting would let their young star leave if their €60m (£50m) price tag is met, meaning Liverpool may have the financial advantage over the Eagles, especially since they were already willing to fork out such a sum for Huijsen.
Why Liverpool want Ousmane Diomande
Diomande is still young, but he’s already built up a wealth of experience in Portugal, featuring 101 times for the Portuguese club after leaving Danish side Midtjylland in January 2023.
Sporting Lisbon's Ousmane Diomande
Having been singled out for his “incredibly complete” skill set by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Diomande is the real deal, all right, and might actually prove an even better signing for Liverpool than Huijsen would have been.
So slick and stylish on the ball, he’s the archetypal defender, to be sure, but also a powerful and steely defensive force.
League Stats 24/25 – Dean Huijsen vs Ousmane Diomande
Stats (* per game)
Huijsen
Diomande
Matches (starts)
32 (26)
31 (29)
Goals
3
1
Assists
2
0
Touches*
63.9
77.1
Pass completion
84%
94%
Key passes*
0.5
0.3
Ball recoveries*
3.3
4.5
Tackles + interceptions*
2.7
2.2
Clearances*
6.1
2.6
Ground duels (won)*
3.6 (56%)
4.3 (60%)
Data via Sofascore
Though advocates of Huijsen’s journey would point toward Diomande playing in a division of lower overall quality, it’s clear he’s a naturally crisper central defender, still retaining a degree of creativity and proving more accurate in his combative ventures, especially in the duel.
He demonstrated he can throw down with the best of them on the biggest stage too. As per FBref, Diomande ranked among the top 15% of centre-backs in the Champions League last season for pass completion and for successful take-ons per 90.
Such performances actually led the data-driven site to draw Arsenal’s William Saliba as his most comparable player, and given analyst Ben Mattinson has cottoned on to the likeness, hailing the Ivorian as “a hybrid between Gabriel [Magalhaes] and Saliba”, the importance of Liverpool putting together an official offer is only underscored.
He’s been performing at a high level for several years now, and consistently at that. With distinguishable physicality, speed and technical skill, the 6 foot 3 star has what it takes to become a superstar in the coming years, having been a regular feature in Sporting’s senior squad as they’ve clinched back-to-back Liga Portugal titles and indeed caught the eye while doing it.
With Arsenal’s central defensive pairing one of the finest on the continent, instrumental in conceding the fewest goals across the past two Premier League campaigns, Liverpool could strike gold in bagging themselves a player carrying similar properties.
Diomande could perhaps offer more from an attacking standpoint, but when you’re picking at offensive flaws when trying to identify the chinks in a young centre-backs game, it’s clear that he’s doing something right.
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Leeds United have a huge summer ahead of them if they are to secure Premier League survival next season after claiming promotion from the Championship this time around.
Daniel Farke’s side claimed the league title on goal difference on the final day after Manor Solomon’s late effort against Plymouth Argyle on the final day secured all three points.
The Whites finished top of the pile alongside Burnley, with both clubs ending the year on 100 points, highlighting the strength of the sides at the top of the division.
Such an achievement is just the beginning for the German, desperately needing to halt the current trend of sides suffering an immediate return to the second tier after promotion.
If he is to manage such a feat over the next year at Elland Road, he desperately needs to be backed in the market to hand him the best possible chance of success in Yorkshire.
An update on Leeds’ pursuit of new additions this summer
After securing promotion, it would be a surprise to no one to see Leeds linked with numerous players to help bolster the first team squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Ipswich Town winger Omari Hutchinson has been one name touted with a switch to join the Whites after the Tractor Boys suffered relegation from the Premier League in recent weeks.
Ipswich Town'sOmariHutchinsonreacts
However, he’s not alone on their shortlist, with Leicester City talisman Jamie Vardy the latest player linked with a switch to link up with Farke’s side, according to Football Insider.
The report claims that the Whites are plotting a move for the 38-year-old after announcing he would be departing the King Power at the end of the current season – subsequently making him a free agent.
It also states that his experience and record in England’s top-flight have made him a key target for the club as they look to once again establish themselves in the top-flight after a two-year absence.
Why Leeds’ summer target could be Farke’s own Beckford
Centre-forward Jermaine Beckford arrived at Elland Road from non-league outfit Wealdstone in 2006 after impressing enough to earn himself a switch to a then-Championship club.
He would have to bide his time in Yorkshire, even being sent on two loan spells, before making a huge impact in the first-team squad, cementing his place as the side’s main talisman.
Beckford went on to score 85 goals and provided 11 assists in 141 appearances in all competitions across three seasons – before getting his own Premier League move to Everton back in 2010.
However, he gave the supporters numerous moments to remember, none more so than the winning goal in the FA Cup clash with rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.
They could land their next version of the forward with a summer move for Vardy, with the pair possessing a similar playstyle given their desire to run in behind and cause defenders an issue.
The duo are also similar in the fact that they both came through the non-league ladder before making an impact at their respective clubs – with Leeds desperately needing to take a gamble on the experienced frontman.
Vardy, who’s been labelled “sensational” by former boss Brendan Rodgers, has still managed to impress this campaign despite the Foxes suffering relegation, posting numerous impressive figures in key areas.
Jamie Vardy’s stats for Leicester in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
33
Goals & assists
11
Shots taken
1.8
Pass accuracy
71%
Dribbles completed
47%
Aerials won
1.7
Aerial success rate
49%
Stats via FotMob
He’s registered eight goals and three assists in his 33 appearances, ending the season as their top scorer, still having the skillset to impress within the final third should he move to Yorkshire.
The former Fleetwood Town ace has also won 1.7 aerial duels won per 90, having the ability to offer Farke an experienced and all-round option at the top end of Farke’s side.
If they are to buck the current trend, new additions are desperately needed this summer, with funds needing to be spent to help the manager in his quest.
Vardy may not be everyone’s first choice when it comes to signings this summer, but he could prove to be an excellent squad option, offering depth and quality in their pursuit of making themselves an established top-flight outfit.
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Graham Potter will be looking forward to the 2025/26 season, where he will be able to put his own spin on this West Ham United squad. However, Julen Lopetegui took charge in the summer, having his say on quite a big spend ahead of the current Premier League season.
The Hammers spent €144.40m (£123.7m) in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, bringing eight new players to the club on a permanent basis, whilst also making two loan signings. This comes after significant spending in the 2023/24 season too, with an outlay of €144.56m (£124m).
Maximilian Kilman
£40.7m
Crysencio Summerville
£25.1m
Niclas Füllkrug
£23.1m
Luis Guilherme
£19.7m
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
£15m
Guido Rodriguez
£0
Wes Foderingham
£0
Mohamadou Kante
?
The reason West Ham were able to spend important funds for two years straight was much down to their record sale, Declan Rice, joining Arsenal in the 2023/24 summer window for a fee of around £105m.
Declan Rice going from strength to strength
Rice made his breakthrough at West Ham, signing his first senior contract with the club in 2015, receiving his first senior call-up in 2017 and making his Premier League debut from the bench in the 2016/17 season against Burnley during a 2-1 win.
The England international made 245 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 15 goals, providing 13 assists and totalling 20,580 minutes played. Rice went on to become the club captain, leading his side to UEFA Conference League glory in the 2022/23 season, securing his legend status at the club.
But the 26-year-old has taken it to another level in recent weeks, being awarded back-to-back man of the match awards against Real Madrid in the Champions League, scoring two unbelievable free-kicks and helping Arsenal to secure their spot in the semi-final of the competition.
West Ham fans will be dreaming of the next wonderkid to come through at the club, having seen the success that Rice enjoyed with them. Whilst he isn’t through their own academy, they could well have their next wonderkid already on the books.
West Ham's next wonderkid
West Ham made a significant investment during the 2024/25 summer window, spending £25.5m on a 18-year-old Brazilian from Palmeiras, with Luis Guilherme becoming Lopetegui’s first signing at the club.
However, the youngster has struggled for involvement in England this year, being given minimal chances to prove himself.
Goals + Assists
0.00
0.44
0.00
xG
0.11
0.20
0.07
xAG
0.19
0.50
0.07
Progressive Carries
5.47
6.00
2.14
Progressive Passes
4.53
4.00
2.14
Shots Total
2.11
2.22
1.43
Key Passes
1.88
5.00
2.14
Passes into Pen Area
2.34
2.00
2.14
Successful Take-Ons
3.44
3.50
2.86
When comparing Guilherme’s underlying metrics from his breakthrough season at Palmeiras, just 16-years-old, with his second season in Brazil and his first season at West Ham so far, you can see his numbers have slightly regressed, which could be attributed to fewer minutes and a tougher league.
Marcos Watts from Transfermarkt stated Guilherme would become a “top player” if he continued to develop along the same path. Whilst this seems to have stunted slightly at West Ham this season, only managing 118 minutes in his 11 appearances so far, the talent is still clearly there.
Luis Guilherme for West Ham.
West Ham have some extremely talented wide players and attacking midfielders currently ahead of the “electric” Brazilian – as described by analyst Ben Mattinson – in the pecking order, but if he continues to work hard, there is no reason Guilherme can’t break through and start earning his minutes, going on to reach his true potential at the club.
It may not be long before he proves himself to be the Hammers’ next young sensation after Rice.
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Australia had a real chance of enforcing the follow-on – their best chance of winning the Test – when Jadeja fell, but India’s last-wicket pair spoilt their plans
Andrew McGlashan17-Dec-20240:59
What does saving the follow-on mean to India?
For a period late on the fourth day at the Gabba, a Test match that has endured endless stoppages for rain came to life as one of the curiosities of the sport was on full show – a team miles behind in the contest, yet being cheered as though they were winning. A game within a game.When Ravindra Jadeja hooked Pat Cummins to deep square-leg, where he was brilliantly caught by Mitchell Marsh, India still needed 33 to avoid the follow-on as Akash Deep (Test average 6.42) walked out to join Jasprit Bumrah (Test average of 6.97).”At that stage, I was thinking more about going and padding up and trying to go back to bat, probably,” KL Rahul said after play, with no disrespect meant to his two team-mates at the crease.Related
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Rahul and Jadeja fight to help India avoid follow-on
For Australia, the follow-on was their most realistic route to victory given the amount of time lost already and more rain forecast on the final day.”There was a desperation to get that final wicket and we thought we had a really good chance when Jadeja was dismissed,” assistant coach Daniel Vettori said.Bumrah hooked Cummins for six to take a useful chunk out of the runs needed, the day after he had referenced his batting ability when it was put to him that he may not be the ideal person to discuss the problems of India’s top order.”It’s an interesting that you are questioning my batting ability,” he said with a smile after the third day’s play. “You should use Google and see who’s got the most number of runs in a Test over.”That was, of course, referring to his 35-run over against Stuart Broad at Edgbaston in 2022, but he wasn’t going to try and save the follow-on in that fashion. Against relatively deep-set fields, he and Akash Deep chipped away at the runs required as the India supporters among a small crowd got increasingly excited, with forward defensives and back-foot blocks cheered among the precious runs.3:03
KL Rahul on the Akash Deep-Bumrah show: ‘I was thinking about padding up’
Occasionally, though, they went for their shots with Akash Deep scything a boundary down to deep third off Mitchell Starc and he also punched a brace of twos to get India closer. But with five needed to save the follow-on he nearly dragged on to his stumps as he looked to flay Starc away. A message came from the dressing room.”[You] don’t have to try and do it with a boundary,” Rahul revealed was the instruction. “You can still knock it around, get those singles, they’d spread the field. So the singles were there to be taken. So [it was] just to stay a bit more patient, because we saw just before the message went out, Akash tried to, I don’t know where he tried to hit it, but he tried to hit a boundary. So [it was] just a message to calm it down and see if they can get five or six singles and [avoid] the follow-on.”Vettori acknowledged that India’s last two batters were belying their career records, but it came as no surprise.”Don’t think we assume that anyone is going to live up to their average,” Vettori said. “Think you look at those averages and you think there’s not much there, but Bumrah has proven that he’s been able to put on partnerships, proven that he can attack and he can defend, and Akash Deep is better than a No. 11.”Akash Deep – and India’s tail – were put through a stern test, and passed with flying colours•Associated PressWith four needed, Akash Deep did it with a boundary, although it was more luck than a case of him ignoring advice as he jabbed at a short-of-a-length delivery from Starc, which flew over a leaping Nathan McSweeney at gully.A roar went up from the India supporters as though they had won the game. In the dressing room, Virat Kohli shared high-fives and captain Rohit Sharma had a huge smile on his face.”It’s always nice to see your bowlers going out there scoring some runs,” Rahul said. “They really put in the work in the nets. And when it mattered today, I’m happy that they could really play some shots, and very exciting shots. And it was a great contest at the end. The last half-an-hour when they batted, not just the runs that they got, just the heart that they showed to keep away the bouncers. There’s a lot of pace and bounce in the wicket.”To cap things off for India, Akash Deep, now freed of a little pressure, deposited Cummins over long-on for a huge six two balls before bad light ended play for the final time in the day. Normally, trailing by 193 runs is little cause for celebration, and Australia have been by far the better side, but you just never know how important those few overs could prove.
Time and again, he has finished games from improbable situations that required him to go hell for leather from the outset
Shashank Kishore13-May-20231:34
Bishop on Pooran’s ‘perfect’ role at LSG
Last year, Sunrisers Hyderabad broke the bank to acquire Nicholas Pooran’s services to finish games like these. From improbable situations that require you to just go hell for leather from the outset, when all other options have been exhausted.Pooran returned a mixed bag – 306 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 144, but it wasn’t enough to be retained. Sure, in an auction, teams sometimes look to buy back players they’ve possibly exhausted a lot of their budget on, and Pooran’s tag of INR 10.75 crore was a significant chunk.But there was an element of disbelief when Sunrisers didn’t put in a single bid, even as four others went aggressively in the auction ahead of IPL 2023. When the paddle came down, he’d been signed for an even bigger sum – INR 16 crore.Related
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It was no surprise then that Tom Moody, the former Sunrisers coach who was at the auction table when they signed him for IPL 2022, was among the first to voice out his disbelief soon after Pooran’s unbeaten 13-ball 44 helped Lucknow Super Giants to a win that seemed distant when they needed 80 off 36 on Saturday afternoon.An overhaul had meant Moody and Pooran were both out. In a sense, with the season on the line, this was perhaps an opportunity for Pooran to send out a quiet message. He walked in with Super Giants needing 56 off 27. Marcus Stoinis had briefly struggled against spin, before hitting Abhishek Sharma’s part-time left-arm everything for two back-to-back sixes. In trying for a third, Stoinis fell.SRH seemed to have the game in the bag, till Nicholas Pooran walked out•AFP/Getty ImagesPooran walked out to join Prerak Mankad, playing in only his third IPL game. His promotion up the order hadn’t yielded the kind of results Super Giants would’ve liked. There was a sense that Mankad had been stuck. It wasn’t quite the Rahul Tewatia-like struggle from that famous game in 2020, but a struggle, nonetheless.Pooran saw the ball in his arc, and went 6, 6, 6. Abhishek started the over thinking the match-up was set to test two right-handers against the longer boundary on the leg side, but ended it, much against his luck, against a marauding left-hander to the short leg-side boundary.If you were to apply brevity to Pooran’s carnage, here’s what happened: full, slot-ball: walloped over deep midwicket. Full on off, muscled down the ground. Full on stumps, swung over wide long-on. Truth be told, the hits were monstrous and so clean that boundary sizes wouldn’t have mattered.ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster pegged Super Giants’ win percentage at 30.02 when Stoinis fell but skyrocketed to 85.26 after those three sixes that brought the equation down to 38 off 24. Between overs 13 and 16, Super Giants had made 70 off 24. It capped off a stunning turnaround.”T20 is a batsman’s game. I believe they’re called part-timers for a reason, when they come on, you have to target them,” Pooran told the broadcasters about his flying start. “T20 [batting] is about risks. No risk, no reward. When a match-up is in your favour, you have to make it count. It got my innings going, thank you to the Sunrisers for that.”Momentum was firmly on Super Giants’ side. It helped Mankad shred all that pressure he seemed to have brought upon himself after an excellent start at No. 3, so much so that he barely even celebrated his maiden IPL half-century.Abhishek Sharma’s 16th over•ESPNcricinfo LtdHe was on 7 off 7 at the end of five overs but broke the shackles when he peppered the off-side boundary by holding his shape and hitting through the line against the left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi. Then when Quinton de Kock fell, he found it hard to get going even as Stoinis found his way in. Until turned it around.”It was an important game. I wasn’t happy because I couldn’t connect balls I should’ve connected, but in the end, I was happy with the result,” Mankad said. “I was trying to hit the spinners but couldn’t connect before the 10th over, I knew Mayank would get me out, I have played against him in domestic matches, I wanted to counter him and see what best I could do.”Pooran stayed right till the end to see the game through, but spoke later, albeit in a lighter vein on how he’d like to spend more time at the crease. Only twice this season, he has faced more than 20 balls in an innings; he averages 14 balls per innings to be precise.The team’s decision to hold him back in the previous game in a chase of 228 had raised a few eyebrows, and his entry point here may have well been debated long and hard had they got close and lost. But Pooran hardly left anything to chance; his impact on the game was all but defined by those three sixes that swung momentum wildly in their favour.”Definitely in T20 cricket, I’d like to bat for a longer time,” he said with a laugh. “I know how to bat in different situations having played a lot of white-ball cricket. My role is to come in and bat in the last four-five overs and try to have an impact. For the last month or so, I’ve just been preparing to put myself in good positions. I know I will face a lot of yorkers and slower deliveries, I’ve just been working on executing my skills against whatever they put against me.”
Afghanistan legspinner unfazed at Trent Bridge’s runs, or burden of being first draft pick
Andrew Miller23-Jul-2021Rashid Khan, the No. 1 pick at the original Hundred draft in 2019, says that his faith in his own ability will allow him to overcome Trent Bridge’s recent reputation as a bowler’s graveyard, as he prepares to lead Trent Rockets’ attack in their opening fixture against Southern Brave on Saturday.Khan, who was recently confirmed as Afghanistan’s captain for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, warmed up for his Hundred stint with two Vitality Blast outings for Sussex last week – alongside a potential opponent on Saturday, Jofra Archer – having emerged from ten days in quarantine following his arrival from Lahore Qalanders’ PSL campaign.And on Saturday, he will take on a Southern Brave batting line-up featuring a number of in-form batters including James Vince, who followed his maiden ODI century against Pakistan with two match-winning innings in a single day for Hampshire in their Blast double-header last week, and New Zealand’s Devon Conway, who has followed up remarkable start to his international career with a strong run of form in the Blast as Somerset’s anchor (the Brave are missing Quinton de Kock for the opening games due to South Africa’s series in Ireland).Rashid, however, is unfazed by his status as the tournament’s most in-demand signing, nor by a Trent Bridge pitch that served up a total of 433 runs in Pakistan’s thrilling victory in last week’s first T20I, and where, in the past five years, England have twice broken the record for the highest innings in ODI history – most recently their total of 481 for 6 against Australia in 2018.Rashid Khan poses in his Trent Rockets uniform•Trent Rockets”As a spinner, if you have those things in your mind, that the wicket is flat, the boundary short, I think it doesn’t help you,” Khan said. “What helps is that you bring your own skills and your own experience to the game, rather than to think about those things, which is not in our control.”As a bowler, you cannot get 75-80-metre boundaries at every ground. But still, if you bowl a bad ball, even if it’s a 100-metre boundary, they are going to hit you for six, you’re going to concede runs. So it will be a definitely a challenge. I will need consistency in how I bowl, and that will be tested. But as long as I have that positive mindset for the game, I can deliver.”Whatever it is, as long as I’m hitting the right area, and backing up my skills and my talent, I think I can deliver for the team. Your best delivery is your best delivery for any batsman around the world. That’s why it has written on the wicket [on the TV analysis], ‘good length’. As long as you’re hitting that area, that gives you the maximum right result.”In a T20 career that has now spanned 267 matches, Khan’s career economy rate of 6.28 is a testament to the impact of his misleadingly simple methods – a bustling stump-to-stump approach, brisk pace through the air, and a natural command of line and length, all backed up by a wicked googly that is scarcely distinguishable from his legbreak.And with all teams having to get to grips with the possibilities and pitfalls of the Hundred’s new playing conditions, in particular the opportunity for a bowler to deliver two consecutive sets of five balls (and potentially 20 out of 25 all told) Rashid recognises that his ability to becalm the batters in his sights makes him one of those players for whom the alterations could have been tailor-made.”I’m super excited about bowling ten balls in a row,” he said. “It kind of gives you an opportunity to take ten wickets straight away, and three hat-tricks. That’s an advantage we have, but you can also be hit for ten sixes as well, or give 50 runs away in just ten balls.”It mostly depends on the conditions, and the situation of the game as well, but if a batsman is struggling against any bowler then, definitely, the opposition captain will want to have those ten balls by that bowler to keep the pressure on.Related
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“In this format, I think the more you look to put the pressure on the batsman, that’s the time they give you the wicket, rather than trying to attack to get his wicket. As long as you’re putting the pressure on by bowling the dot balls, that gives you the wickets as well.”Above all, however, Khan is looking forward to playing his cricket in front of packed crowds once again, after a year of behind-closed-doors fixtures due to Covid-19. And, having witnessed the success of the IPL’s tamasha, the off-field glamour and excitement that has accompanied the on-field action, he is excited about the glitz surrounding the Hundred, and its potential to hook in a new audience in English cricket.”If you want to have a successful competition, then definitely, it’s 60-70% the fans that make it successful,” he said. “If you look at the last one-and-a-half years, we don’t have fans in the stadium, it doesn’t look the same game. The fans make it more bright and entertaining, and if they give their love to this form of the game as well, it will be on top of the world. As players, we can only give 100% in the centre, and bring our skills into the game.”To me, it looks like a massive competition, for everyone around the world, not only here in England,” he added. “It will definitely take lots of attention and motivate lots of youngsters as well, and that’s the main reason behind this game, to motivate the youngsters and to bring their mindset for this game.”Khan, of course, is no stranger to such role-model status, having risen to become Afghanistan’s most famous sportsman since making his international debut in 2015. And having taken that burden of expectation in his stride, he’s comfortable with his prominent status going into the Hundred.”It was a huge, proud moment for me and for my country, to be someone from Afghanistan and to be the first pick in this competition,” he said. “I’m so lucky, and I think what I have done in the last five-and-a-half years made it possible.”I’m looking forward to prove that. I just need to keep it simple for myself, bring my skills into the game, enjoy the game, keep smiling and keep doing well for the team.”