Mitchell Santner, never more than three wickets in an innings or six in a match, bowled New Zealand to a historic win in Pune with match figures of 13 for 157, the third-best by any visiting bowler in India. He bowled 29 overs on the trot for six wickets in the second innings to go with his unbroken spell of 19.3 overs in the first innings for 7 for 53 to give New Zealand their first series win in India and India their first home series defeat since 2012.Despite a sore side, Santner missed just one over from his end since he started bowling in the first innings. He was instrumental in intercepting India’s audacious bid for a chase of 359, which was fuelled by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 77 off 65 that took India to 96 for 1 at better than a run a ball. Santner had little support from the other end as Ajaz Patel’s ordinary series continued and Glenn Phillips mixed easy deliveries with good ones.Santner kept beating the batters in the air with his dip and changes in pace and angle, and registered his first ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket in the process. It was an absolutely necessary intervention because India were on an almighty roll after triggering a 5 for 24 collapse with the ball and then a sensational start to the chase by Jaiswal. Things became so desperate that New Zealand burnt two reviews on Jaiswal.In the morning, needing a perfect session to prevent the door from being slammed in their face, India started with the experienced duo of Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin instead of the form bowler Washington Sundar, who had taken 11 of the 15 New Zealand wickets up to that point.It didn’t start well for India. The first ball from Ashwin produced an edge that Rohit Sharma didn’t go for. Tom Blundell and Phillips added a quick 33 to the overnight score. That Jadeja turned the ball big at a pace in the mid-90s was only a promising sign for New Zealand. Even full balls were difficult to hit out as Santner and Ajaz discovered with catches in the deep.Yashasvi Jaiswal pulled the second ball of the innings for six on his way to a 65-ball 77•AFP/Getty Images

Before that, though, India needed a breakthrough, which arrived with a natural variation that went past Blundell’s inside edge. That it was Jadeja’s first wicket of the match emphasised where India lost the match: a rare outbowling of two of their greatest match-winners, who had brought them 18 consecutive series wins at home.It was no surprise that India came out swinging with the bat after they had been pinned to the crease in the first innings. Jaiswal drove at a wide length ball first up, but the edge fell just short of gully. It didn’t stop him from flicking the second ball for a six, the first of his three, which took him level on the record for most sixes in a calendar year. He employed both the sweep and the charge at the spinners to mess with the bowlers’ lengths. The margin for error was almost non-existent as he hit out at Tim Southee, Ajaz and Phillips. His extra-cover drive for a six off Phillips on this pitch was a jaw-dropping shot.It is not often that New Zealand spinners bowl them to a Test win on their own. Here Santner was being asked to do it on own having never taken more than three wickets in a Test innings before this Test. He was the only one who maintained some control during the Jaiswal onslaught.Santner got the better of Rohit first as he got the ball to dip on him and the extra bounce got the bat-pad dismissal. Shubman Gill, who had got stuck on the crease with Jaiswal in the first innings, came out attacking, and the two added 62 in under ten overs to leave New Zealand nervous.It’s not that the pitch had eased out. The intent of the batters left the bowlers under intense pressure, and every small error was being punished. In essence, though, all the spinners had to do was draw consistent forward-defensive prods from the batters without getting driven. The moment Santner started doing that, he started creating chances. Then he bowled flatter while still being full, pushing Gill back and taking the edge with the turn for the first of two sharp catches for Daryl Mitchell at slip.Rishabh Pant, attempting a non-existent single, was run out as India’s collapse gathered steam•BCCI

The next one was Jaiswal, a classic turning-pitch dismissal. The first part of it was to find a spot that Jaiswal could neither go back to nor drive from. Then the first ball turned big to beat his inside edge, and the next one went straight on to take the edge for Mitchell. Not a mean wicket to bring up your first ten-wicket haul.Rishabh Pant then paid the price for not saying no. Virat Kohli played one behind square and started running. The ball had gone to Santner’s left. Pant had every right to send Kohli back, but he ran through. Not even a dive was enough to get him in.It was like Santner didn’t have a side strain to nurse. Between overs, he would keep stretching, but swooped in on balls in his vicinity and you couldn’t take the ball away from him. He made Kohli play back to a fullish ball, which trapped him lbw. Sarfaraz Khan fell to a slow teasing ball that turned and hit off stump.Phillips finally got on the board when Will Young pulled off a stunning catch at short leg to send back India’s hero of the match, Washington. Ashwin and Jadeja looked the most comfortable batting pair as they added 39 for the eighth wicket, teasing India with the question of what if they hadn’t lost so many wickets by the time the older softer ball stopped behaving wildly.It was Santner who broke the partnership by luring Ashwin into a drive and taking the edge to Mitchell. The wait for the final wickets was frustrating but it came through outfield catches off Ajaz, who ended up protecting his record for the best match figures for a visiting bowler in India.

Chelsea are seriously weighing up the prospect of player exchanges, to both trim their bloated squad and reinforce Enzo Maresca’s own options.

£90m star very open to joining Chelsea with Nicolas Jackson swap possible

The Senegalese faces an uncertain future.

3

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 17, 2025

Fresh off their impressive Club World Cup campaign in the USA, where they won six of their seven matches en route to a statement 3-0 win over PSG in the final, BlueCo continue their attempts to reshape the side ahead of a vital Premier League season.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

Chelsea are under some pressure from UEFA to sell players after being fined for breaching FFP rules recently (Kaveh Solhekol), but Maresca is believed to personally want more attacking options as well (Simon Phillips).

As a solution to Chelsea’s need for player sales, and their desire to bring in more signings after a trio of deals for Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro, it is reported that ‘unofficial swap deals’ are being pondered at Stamford Bridge.

“The Blues are still weighing up a number of new targets in attack and other areas,” wrote journalist Simon Phillips on Substack this week.

“Unofficial swap deals are something Chelsea and other clubs have done a lot of lately to help balance the books of both clubs and keep within PSR rules. They make sense really and help both clubs and help deals get done. They aren’t swap deals as such, more like favour for a favour separate deals.

“Chelsea are still weighing up some opportunities for this. And although my top source is still hearing nothing at all on Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea, something that has been backed up by Fabrizio Romano this week who says there has been no bid or even talks between Chelsea and United for Garnacho as of now, our source does also say that the only way it would happen is part of a ‘swap’ deal.”

Interestingly, Phillips also reported in the aforementioned Substack update that a player who could leave Cobham, in exchange for someone like Garnacho, is versatile attacker Christopher Nkunku.

The Frenchman still faces an uncertain future, despite impressing at the CWC, and has been told that he’ll only have a squad role next season.

Meanwhile, Joao Felix is widely expected to leave and has held talks over a return to boyhood club Benfica (Standard Sport).

Chelsea offer João Félix and Christopher Nkunku in exchange for Rodrygo

Now, as per Spanish news website Real Madrid Confidential, Chelsea are continuing to express an interest in £207,000-per-week Los Blancos forward Rodrygo.

Reports earlier this week claimed that Maresca’s side were plotting to use Nicolas Jackson in a potential swap for the Brazil international, and now RMC claim that Chelsea have proposed Nkunku and Felix in exchange for Rodrygo.

The 24-year-old is yet to make a final decision about leaving Real this summer, after scarcely being used by new manager Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup, but it appears west London is emerging as a serious potential landing spot amid links to Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City.

Rodrygo bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, with England midfielder Jude Bellingham calling him the most “underrated” player in their squad.

حقق مانشستر سيتي فوزاً مستحقاَ ضد بيرنلي، بخماسية لهدف واحد، خلال اللقاء الذي جمع الفريقين على ملعب الاتحاد في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وارتفع رصيد مانشستر سيتي للنقطة العاشرة في المركز السادس، بينما تجمد رصيد بيرنلي عند النقطة الرابعة في المركز السابع عشر.

وافتتح مانشستر سيتي التسجيل عن طريق ماكسيم إستيفي بنيران صديقة في الدقيقة الثانية عشر، بعد تسديدة من فيل فودين.

وتعادل جيدون أنتونا للفريق الضيف في الدقيقة 36 من عمر الشوط الأول، بعد تلقي كرة من زميله هارتمان ليسدد في شباك دوناروما.

اقرأ أيضاً.. ماتيوس نونيز يسجل هدف مانشستر سيتي الثاني أمام بيرنلي.. والثالث من النيران الصديقة

وفي الدقيقة 61 أحرز ماتيوس نونيز الهدف الثاني لمانشستر سيتي بصناعة من النرويجي هالاند، وفي الدقيقة 65 عزز مانشستر سيتي بالهدف الثالث بالخطأ أيضاً من جانب نفس اللاعب ماكسيم إستيفي.

وأحرز إيرلينج هالاند هدفين لمانشستر سيتي متتاليين في الوقت بدل الضائع في الدقيقتين 91 و93 من زمن الشوط الثاني، ليصل للهدف الثامن خلال أول 6 مباريات من البريميرليج.

ودخل جوارديولا لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: دوناروما، نونيز، دياز، جفارديول، أوريلي، جونزاليس، سافينيو، ريندرز، فودين، دوكو، هالاند.

Former Liverpool star Andy Carroll has posted a loved-up snap amid speculation he has split with girlfriend Lou Teasdale for a second time.

• Carroll responds to talk about his private life
• Shares loved-up photo on social media
• Back in UK with Dagenham and Redbridge

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Carroll's love life has been making headlines recently amid talk that he and Teasdale had parted ways after being unable to reconcile their differences on a make-or-break holiday. Yet it seems the speculation may be wide of the mark, as Carroll has posted a picture of the couple on social media in response to the rumours about their relationship.

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• WHAT CARROLL POSTED

  Carroll posted a touching image of the couple posing together.

  Andy Carroll Instagram

• THE GOSSIP

  Carroll also posted a series of pictures that showed the couple enjoying life on holiday with the message "lucky man." Yet he's not been so lucky on the pitch since moving back to England and joining Dagenham and Redbridge. Carroll suffered a thrashing on his first appearance for his new club and met the same fate last time out when he made his competitive debut in a 5-2 defeat to Worthing in the National League South.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CARROLL?

  The striker will be back on the pitch on Saturday when Dagenham and Redbridge take on Bedford Town in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of welcoming former Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha back to London after a round of quick-fire talks on Thursday.

Paratici holds talks with £207k-a-week star's camp about joining Tottenham

The Spurs advisor has reached out to his representatives.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 31, 2025

Spurs first made contact with Palhinha’s camp, which was first reported a while ago, but it didn’t take long at all for the north Londoners to finalise club-to-club talks with Bayern Munich given their excellent business relationship.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg shared that the Lilywhites entered concrete talks with Bayern sporting director, Max Eberl, less than a day ago, and it then took just a matter of hours for Thomas Frank’s side to reach a full agreement for Palhinha.

Before supporters could blink, Bayern and Tottenham shook hands on an initial loan deal including an option to buy for around £26 million next summer – which may be seen as excellent business by chairman Daniel Levy.

It comes just one year after the Bundesliga champions signed Palhinha from Fulham for £47 million, with Spurs striking a potential permanent deal for just over half that price if they decide to pay the £26 million required next year.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Palhinha’s £26m clause is also strictly optional, not mandatory – meaning the 30-year-old goes to N17 on a sort of ‘one season trial’ basis. Levy also gave the green-light for Tottenham to cover the midfielder’s full salary, which is reported to be around £166,000-per-week.

This shrewd swoop has brought an end to Tottenham’s search for a new number six, and it likely means that Yves Bissouma could be sold as Frank needs to make room in his squad.

“His total of 152 tackles was more than any other player by a distance and was the standout trait of the Fulham enforcer,” said Sky Sports’ Peter Smith on what Palhinha will bring to Spurs.

“There were 13 yellows in that 2023/24 season, too, underlining the bite he brings to midfield battles. And that would be a welcome addition to Spurs’ play.

“Neither Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr nor Rodrigo Bentancur are as ruthless at winning the ball back as Palhinha, who also ranked among the top 10 for interceptions during his previous Premier League campaign.”

With Palhinha due for a Tottenham medical shortly, his arrival won’t be the end of Spurs’ transfer ambitions, and they’re still actively pursuing more attackers.

Tottenham talks "underway" to hijack Juventus deal for Randal Kolo Muani

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani is back on their radar.

Reports last month claimed that Spurs were offered the France international by intermediaries this window, and it’s believed the £43 million-rated Kolo Muani was once “very close” to joining in January.

Juventus’ negotiations to re-sign him after a successful loan spell are still dragging on, and Aouna reports that Tottenham talks are “underway” for Kolo Muani, as they bid to hijack the Old Lady’s deal.

The versatile forward bagged 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions during his best-ever season for Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022/2023, with Kolo Muani also enjoying a real resurgence of form at Juve during the second half of 24/25.

His time at PSG hasn’t lived up to expectations, nor has it justified his £76.4 million transfer fee, but the Premier League could now be beckoning for him.

Tottenham Hotspur kicked off the Thomas Frank era in the Premier League with a terrific 3-0 win over Burnley in front of their own supporters on Saturday.

It was an almost-perfect start to the manager’s tenure in North London, thanks to two goals from Richarlison and a neat finish from Brennan Johnson.

The former Brentford boss will be particularly pleased with the impact that new signing Mohammed Kudus made out wide, as the winger set up two of the three goals with brilliant play on the wing.

It was Richarlison who produced the standout moment in the match, however, as the Brazil international wonderfully found the back of the net with an overhead kick finish to put himself in contention for goal of the season on matchday one.

Despite the 3-0 win, Frank will know that there is plenty more work to be done to improve the team, particularly when it comes to creativity in the middle of the park.

James Maddison (seven) was the only central midfielder in the squad who managed more than two assists in the Premier League last season, which speaks to the lack of creativity in that area of the pitch.

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Buy Premium NowBuy Premium Now Expand Collapse Why Spurs need more creativity in their team

The Lilywhites need to bring in a new star who can provide a creative spark from a central midfield position to take the team to the next level offensively, particularly in the big games against the best teams.

In the 2024/25 campaign, Ange Postecoglou’s central midfield options simply did not create enough from midfield. Maddison, as aforementioned, was the only player who could be relied upon to create chances, and he played in attacking positions as well as in the middle of the park.

24/25 Premier League

xA

Assists

James Maddison

5.91

7

Rodrigo Bentancur

1.00

0

Lucas Bergvall

0.82

1

Pape Matar Sarr

0.79

2

Yves Bissouma

0.63

0

Archie Gray

0.20

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, and Yves Bissouma offered very little when it came to creating quality opportunities for their teammates in the Premier League.

This is why the Europa League champions should be in the market to find their next Christian Eriksen before the end of the transfer window, as the Danish magician was a creative wizard during his time at the club.

The Denmark international delivered 88 assists in 305 appearances in all competitions for Spurs, per Transfermarkt, and hit double figures for assists in five seasons.

Eriksen often played as a central or attacking midfielder for Tottenham and consistently provided quality at the top end of the pitch with his inventive passing to create chances for his teammates on a regular basis.

Spurs now need to find their next version of the former Manchester United maestro, and the club are reportedly moving closer to signing a similar type of midfield talent.

Spurs closing in on Premier League midfielder

According to Miguel Delaney, Tottenham Hotspur are close to agreeing a deal to sign Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze to bolster their squad.

The reporter claims that the Lilywhites are looking at a fee of around £55m, plus further add-ons, to convince the Eagles to part ways with the midfield star, but there is no agreement in place yet.

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

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It had been claimed by The Telegraph that the England international was set to be absent from the Palace squad for their clash with Chelsea on Sunday, but the playmaker showcased his professionalism by blocking out the noise to play for his current club.

Journalist Jack Rosser noted that talks are ‘advancing’ with Spurs over a deal to sign Eze, backing up Delaney’s claim of a move being close, but added that the midfielder wanted to play for the Eagles rather than watch on from the sidelines against the Blues.

It is now down to Tottenham to clear the final hurdle to finalise an agreement with Oliver Glasner’s side to bring the 27-year-old over to North London before the end of the window.

Why Spurs need Eberechi Eze

Eze was once described as a “magician” in midfield by pundit Micah Richards. A magician in midfield is now exactly what Spurs need to bolster their team, which is why they need to seal a deal for the Palace star.

The England international is a versatile star, who can play in central midfield, attacking midfield, or as a winger, and is a proven performer in the Premier League who could come in to hit the ground running for Frank.

Eze has hit double figures for goals in each of the last three seasons in all competitions for Palace, per Sofascore, including 14 in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he can make a significant impact as a goalscorer.

It is his creativity, though, that could make him Frank’s own version of Eriksen, after a haul of 12 assists and 17 ‘big chances’ created for the FA Cup winners last season.

24/25 PL

per 90

Rank vs CAMs & wingers

xAG

0.22

Top 31%

Assists

0.28

Top 21%

Through balls

0.38

Top 25%

Key passes

2.02

Top 18%

Shot-creating actions

4.69

Top 11%

Successful take-ons

2.33

Top 10%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Eze ranked highly among his positional peers in the Premier League when it came to creating chances for his teammates.

These statistics, along with his ‘big chances’ created and assist tally, show that the 27-year-old star is the kind of creative midfielder that Spurs are currently lacking, particularly with Maddison out for a significant period of time with an ACL injury.

He has proven that he can create chances at an impressive rate from the middle of the park in the Premier League, whilst also carrying a big threat as a goalscorer, which suggests that the quality is there for him to be Frank’s own version of Eriksen.

At the age of 27, Eze is also in the prime years of his career and Tottenham could be signing him at the perfect time, as he has found consistency in his play in the final third, as shown by his terrific output last term.

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Related Worth more than Kudus & Eze: Spurs have struck gold on "incredible" talent

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Posts 3 ByEthan Lamb Aug 17, 2025

Retiring a shirt number in football is relatively rare compared to other sports, but there have been instances where multiple clubs have dedicated specific numbers to players who have represented them in the past.

Liverpool have become the latest side to do just that, following the extremely sad news of Diogo Jota’s passing. The Portuguese forward wore the number 20 shirt at Anfield and will be the last to do so for the Reds after those at Anfield honoured him by retiring the jersey.

Other clubs have immortalised their former players by hanging up shirt numbers.

10 Jude Bellingham Birmingham City – shirt number 22

Birmingham City knew they had a talent on their hands when they decided to retire Jude Bellingham’s number 22 shirt when he left St Andrew’s in 2020.

Now known as one of the best midfielders in the world for Real Madrid, Bellingham was just 17 years of age when he swapped Birmingham for Borussia Dortmund.

Some saw it as an interesting decision by the Blues, but as time goes on, you can see why they decided to do just that.

9 Bobby Moore West Ham – shirt number 6

The only Englishman to lift the World Cup, Bobby Moore is a Three Lions legend and at club level, is immortalised by West Ham.

The centre-back made more than 600 appearances for the Hammers over a 16-year period, helping the Irons win the FA Cup and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

Moore was only 51 years of age when he passed away in 1993, and 15 years later, West Ham decided to retire his number 6 shirt in honour of their greatest ever defender.

8 Dylan Tombides West Ham – shirt number 38

Alongside retiring the number 6 shirt for Moore, West Ham also took the decision to hang up the number 38 shirt in memory of Dylan Tombides.

The Australian forward progressed through the Hammers’ academy and made one senior appearance for the Irons in 2012 after overcoming testicular cancer a few months before. However, tragically, Tombides’ cancer returned and metastasised to his liver, with the youngster passing away in April 2014.

7 Marc-Vivien Foe Manchester City – shirt number 23

During the 2002/03 season, Marc-Vivien Foe impressed on loan at Manchester City from Lyon and was subsequently selected to play for Cameroon in the Confederations Cup.

The midfielder helped his nation to the semi-finals but collapsed against Colombia in the second half and was rushed to hospital. Foe would pass away shortly after reaching hospital, with an autopsy showing a heart-related issue for his death.

City, who were managed by Kevin Keegan at the time, quickly acted and announced they would retire Foe’s number 23 shirt in his memory.

6 Matija Sarkic Millwall – shirt number 20

In the summer of 2024 at the age of just 26, Millwall goalkeeper Matija Sarkic suddenly passed away from heart failure.

A Montenegro international, Sarkic made the permanent move to The Den in 2023 from Wolves after loan spells at Shrewsbury Town, Birmingham City and Stoke City.

He made a big impact in a short space of time with Millwall, who retired his number 20 and also introduced the “Matija Sarkic Award” for the season’s best save.

5 Joe Thompson Rochdale – shirt number 15

Joe Thompson has rightly been recognised as a Rochdale legend, after making more than 200 appearances for the club across three spells.

The midfielder scored an iconic goal in 2018 which meant Dale avoided relegation from League One and retired a year later. Thompson was diagnosed with cancer for a third time in 2024 and died a year later at the age of just 36.

Rochdale were quick to retire their number 15 shirt in honour of their former star, calling him “an incredible person who had a positive impact on everyone”.

4 Billy Kee Accrington Stanley – shirt number 29

Billy Kee represented numerous Football League clubs during his career, but it was with Accrington Stanley where he is best known after scoring 83 goals in more than 200 appearances.

However, at the beginning of 2020 at the age of 30, Kee decided to retire from football after seeking treatment for depression, anxiety and bulimia.

Accrington Stanley and Kee agreed to terminate his contract, with the club dedicating the number 29 to their former forward.

3 Ray Jones QPR – shirt number 31

Queens Park Rangers retired their number 31 shirt in 2007 following the passing of highly-rated teenager Ray Jones, who died in a car crash.

Jones, who was just 18, had already made more than 30 Championship appearances for the R’s and had a promising career ahead of him before the tragic incident.

2 Jack Lester Chesterfield – shirt number 14

Jack Lester was scoring as frequently as Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres in his first season as a Chesterfield player, and he has rightly gone down as a club legend after six free-scoring years with the club.

The forward helped the Spireites win League Two and the Football League Trophy during his time at the SMH Group Stadium, resulting in the club retiring the number 14 shirt in 2013 in his honour. Lester couldn’t stay away, though, and returned as manager four years later.

1 Diogo Jota Liverpool – shirt number 20

Most recently, Diogo Jota’s passing in the summer of 2025 stunned the footballing world. Just a week after getting married, Jota and his brother Andre Silva were involved in a fatal car crash during the off-season.

The Portugal forward helped the Reds win the Premier League title just months before his death, with the Reds dedicating the number 20 shirt to Jota forever.

“It’s really tough,” Cummins says about losing Josh Hazlewood for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches

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Australia have insisted that Travis Head will be fit to take his place in the Boxing Day Test against India after he experienced some discomfort with a tight quad on the final day in Brisbane.Head appeared slightly restricted towards the backend of his second innings and did not take the field for India’s brief chase before rain halted the match for the final time. There was initial speculation that it was a groin problem, but that was emphatically denied by a Cricket Australia spokesperson”Trav, he’ll be fine, it’s a bit of a tight quad, he’ll be fine for Melbourne,” captain Pat Cummins said after the match.Related

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Rain has final say as Australia, India draw at the Gabba

'My last day' – Ashwin announces retirement from international cricket

At the post-match presentation, Head said, “It’s been a big couple of weeks. But I’ll be fine.”Australia had already lost one key player during the Gabba Test, with Josh Hazlewood picking up a calf strain during warm-ups on the third day. Cummins confirmed Hazlewood would miss the remainder of the series. Scott Boland is expected to return at the MCG.Hazlewood’s latest injury came in his comeback match from the side strain that kept him out of the second Test in Adelaide and means, after a setback-free run from mid-2023 where he played ten consecutive Tests, he will miss more matches than he plays this season.”It’s really tough,” Cummins said. “It’s been the story, outside of last summer, of the last few summers. The extra layer to that [is] he’s probably one of the most disciplined, professional sportspeople you could meet [with] the way he trains and prepares. When he’s at home he’s in the gym every second day or every day, doing whatever it takes to try and minimise injuries. Think that’s an extra kind of blow, knowing how much he’s put into his body in the last few years to try and play as many Tests as he can.”It’s one of those [injuries] you can’t really predict, but we value him. Unfortunately, he’ll miss this series. I don’t know exactly when he’ll be right to go again but even in the little snippets we’ve seen this series it shows how much we rate him and how much of an impact he can have.”Travis Head hit his second century of the series in Brisbane, but ended the Test with “a tight quad”•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesHowever, Head, Australia’s most in-form batter, would have been an even bigger hole to fill so his positive prognosis is vital for the home side. He has made back-to-back destructive centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane, the first setting up victory and the second putting Australia in a dominant position.Cummins confirmed that there had been consideration to opening with Head on the final day after Australia had secured a lead of 185, following a defiant last-wicket stand between Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep which removed the option of the follow on.However, ultimately the decision was to stick with openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney in what became a strange second innings, where Mitchell Marsh was promoted to No. 4, in which they were 33 for 5 in 11 overs making it a little unclear what the objective was until Cummins flayed 22 off ten deliveries.”[We were] always trying to set up the game,” Cummins said. “[A] day-five wicket, it always felt like there were plenty of wickets on offer so just trying to get a bit of a total then try and then have enough overs to take those ten wickets. The number in your head always keeps changing as the weather does.”With Hazlewood limited to just six overs in the first innings, a significant bowling load fell on the shoulders of Cummins and Mitchell Starc, who sent down 46 of the 78.5 overs India faced in their first innings. Cummins acknowledged it had been tough work on the fourth day but that the regular rain breaks had meant they had not felt overburdened.Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc took on most of Australia’s bowling load in Josh Hazlewood’s absence•AFP/Getty Images”We are feeling really good,” Cummins said of himself and Starc. “It was hot yesterday but we’d had about seven days off bowling after Adelaide so we were fresh, ready to go, and if anything the rain breaks helped us get little breaks yesterday.”Marsh, who effectively became Australia’s third seamer, only sent down two overs (having bowled just four in Adelaide) but Cummins said he would have been used more extensively if a fuller run chase had played out. Before the match, Marsh had reiterated he was able to bowl as much as the captain needed him following doubts over his fitness after Perth where he had pulled up sore following 17 overs in the opening Test.”We went in thinking we’d need a lot more from Mitchy Marsh but felt like we got enough breaks so he wasn’t needed as much,” Cummins said. “Also [had] a bit of an eye to the second innings so when we had a fresh new ball, it would have landed on Mitchy a lot to try and take those ten wickets. I suspect we’ll call on Mitch and some stage in the next couple of Tests to get us a breakthrough or two.”Australia’s selectors will meet over the next 24 hours and the squad is due to come back together in Melbourne on Monday ahead of the Boxing Day Test.

Morgan Gibbs-White has been a player hugely linked with Tottenham Hotspur throughout this summer window, with Thomas Frank desperately wanting to land the Nottingham Forest star.

The 25-year-old, who registered 15 combined goals and assists in the Premier League last season, looked set to move to North London at one stage – but a deal fell through at the 11th hour.

Despite triggering the £60m release clause in his deal at the City Ground, it quickly emerged that the Reds were unhappy with the move, claiming the Lilywhites had made an illegal approach for his services.

Owner Evangelos Marinakis threatened legal action against Daniel Levy, which saw a deal evaporate, leading to the player signing a new three-year deal in the East Midlands.

Undoubtedly, missing out on the Englishman’s signature will be a bitter blow to the boss and the fans, but other targets have since been drawn up in an attempt to improve the current issue.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new talent this summer

Jack Grealish is a player who has been on Spurs’ radar over recent days, with talks even being held with Manchester City to land the 29-year-old on a temporary basis.

However, they could be set to miss out on the former Aston Villa star, with Everton seemingly taking the lead in the race for his signature before the September 1st deadline.

They haven’t had to look far for other targets, turning their attention towards Grealish’s teammate James McAtee, according to TBR Football’s latest update.

They claim that the Lilywhites have already held talks with Pep Guardiola’s side over a move for the 22-year-old, who’s said to be valued at £40m this summer.

However, it also states they aren’t alone in their hunt for the attacking midfielder, with Nottingham Forest also keen on adding the youngster to their ranks in the coming weeks.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be their answer to Gibbs-White

Current boss Frank has previously stated his admiration for Gibbs-White, which could make missing out on his signature a disappointment ahead of the new season.

However, it should be taken as a positive, with the hierarchy evidently wanting to back the new manager in his quest for success during his first year in charge.

Such funds could easily go towards other additions, desperately needing reinforcements in such an area after James Maddison suffered an ACL injury in the pre-season clash against Newcastle United.

It’s vital that the club get the right option to help push Frank’s side towards an upwards trajectory, needing to evaluate all the players currently on their radar.

However, McAtee should be a star at the top of the list, with the youngster already highlighting the talent he possesses despite his limited action and his tender age.

When comparing his stats to those of Gibbs-White, he’s managed to match or better him in numerous key areas from the 2024/25 campaign, potentially being the Lilywhites’ own version of the Forest talisman.

McAtee, who’s been labelled “exceptional” by boss Guardiola, posted a higher shot on target accuracy rate, along with a better goal and assist rate per 90, arguably being a more effective option in front of goal.

Games played

15

34

Goals & assists

3

15

Shot on target accuracy

35%

34%

Goals & assists per 90

0.77

0.22

Pass accuracy

80%

78%

Carries into final third

1.7

1.6

Crosses completed

2.1

1.4

Touches in opposition box

5.4

2.9

He also achieved a better pass completion rate, whilst making more carries into the final third, which could make him a bigger threat to the opposition with the ball at his feet – bolstering the quality Frank has at his disposal in attacking areas.

The City star’s dominance is further reflected in his higher tally of crosses completed per 90, and average touches in the opposition box – able to provide the goods for others, whilst getting on the end of players who set him up in front of goal.

£40m may appear to be a hefty sum for a player with just 15 league appearances last season, but he’s already showcased he’s better than Gibbs-White in various key areas.

If he can continue on the current track he’s on, he will develop into a much bigger star than the Forest number ten, with missing out on his signature potentially a blessing in disguise.

Frank's own Mbappe: Spurs to make huge £52m bid for "world-class" talent

Tottenham Hotspur have made their move to land a new elite-level forward for Thomas Frank.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 7, 2025

Rasooli’s maiden international half-century took Afghanistan to what was a match-winning 153

Abhimanyu Bose13-Dec-2024

Darwish Rasooli celebrates his maiden half-century•AFP/Getty Images

Darwish Rasooli’s maiden international half-century propelled Afghanistan to 153 for 6 before their bowlers delivered to help Afghanistan comfortably win the second T20I against Zimbabwe and draw level in the series with one to play.Zimbabwe won a last-ball thriller to post their first T20I victory over Afghanistan on Wednesday, but the visitors ensured there was no drama this time around, routing the home side by 50 runs with 14 balls to spare.Rasooli found support from Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib to prop up Afghanistan. Naveen-ul-Haq and Rashid Khan then picked up three wickets each, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman dealt a crucial double-blow in the middle overs.Afghanistan stutter in the powerplay againAfghanistan’s top order failed to fire for the second game in a row; they lost three wickets in the space of nine balls to finish the powerplay on 41 for 3 – a minor improvement on their 34 for 4 in the first T20I.Rahmanullah Gurbaz got going with a boundary punched through square in the first over, while Sediqullah Atal hit Blessing Muzarabani for two fours through the off side in the second.But Trevor Gwandu made an instant impact, striking with his first ball, Gurbaz spooning a catch to mid-off. Two balls later Zubaid Akbari was run out trying to pinch a single to backward point that was never there.Trevor Gwandu struck with his first ball of the match•AFP/Getty Images

Atal tried to keep Afghanistan’s momentum going, pulling Muzarabani in front of square for his third boundary off the seamer, but Muzarabani had the last laugh as he had Atal caught at cover point next ball.Afghanistan could have lost a fourth wicket in the powerplay thanks to another mix-up, but Azmatullah Omarzai survived. Rasooli got going with a pickup shot behind square off Gwandu, and then lofted Wellington Masakadza over extra cover in the first over without fielding restrictions.Burl pegs Afghanistan back with a double-strikeOmarzai, who took some time to settle, pulled a Sikandar Raza half-tracker over midwicket for the first six of the match in the tenth over.He followed that up with another six down the ground in the next over but holed out trying to hit Ryan Burl in the same areas. Brian Bennett took an excellent catch running across to his left from long-on, catching it high and throwing it up before taking one step outside the boundary rope and coming back in to complete the catch.In his next over, Burl dropped one short and Nabi miscued a pull to deep midwicket’s left and Wessly Madhevere held on to a screamer at full stretch. Now Afghanistan had half their side back in the hut.Naib fined for breaching ICC code of conduct

Gulbadin Naib has been fined 15% of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second T20I. He breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.”

Rasooli gives Afghanistan late surgeRasooli slapped Gwandu over mid-off in the next over before going downtown again when Burl almost pulled off yet another fantastic parried-grab on the boundary, but replays showed he had made contact with the ground outside the boundary rope at the wrong moment.Naib then edged a four off Raza, as Afghanistan collected 22 runs from the two overs after Nabi’s wicket.The best was yet to come. In the penultimate over, Rasooli hit Ngarava for three fours on the trot, bringing up his maiden T20I fifty in the process. That was 17 for the over, and Afghanistan were in sight of 150. Gwandu got him in the final over and conceded just the six runs though, to keep Zimbabwe’s target down to 154.Omarzai, Naveen deal early blowsZimbabwe started to build momentum from the second over of their chase, with both openers hitting Mujeeb for a four each before Bennett dispatched Naveen over deep midwicket for six.But soon enough Naveen spotted Tadiwanashe Marumani coming down the track and pulled his length back and the batter ended up slashing it to deep backward point.Omarzai struck with another short ball, having Dion Myers caught at deep backward square.Brian Bennett could not carry on after getting a good start•AFP/Getty Images

Mujeeb derails Zimbabwe’s chaseMujeeb came back in the attack immediately after the powerplay and had Madhevere hitting a drive straight to short cover.In his next over, he bamboozled Bennett as he got one to turn past his outside edge and just clip the off bail.Rashid then joined in the fun when he trapped Burl in front trying to sweep and at 57 for 5, Zimbabwe were on the ropes.Naveen, Rashid close the game outTashinga Musekiwa, who hit the winning runs off the final ball of the first T20I, took Mujeeb on in his final over, driving him through extra cover and launching him over long-on off consecutive deliveries.But Musekiwa’s counterattack was short-lived; Naveen rushed him with pace in the next over and he miscued a simple catch to cover.Rashid then struck twice in an over and the game was all but done.Naveen had Raza caught at deep midwicket in the 17th, and Fareed Malik finished things off castling Muzarabani next over.