Manchester United’s midfield department has so often been littered with quality, but it’s clear that Ruben Amorim is yet to stumble across his best partnership at the heart of the side.

The 40-year-old has been constantly shuffling his pack, often utilising various different players together, with Bruno Fernandes now seemingly his starting number eight.

He’s started every Premier League game in 2025/26 to date, but has often had to adapt to different combinations with other first-team members in recent times.

Casemiro has been the most consistent player to partner the Portuguese international, with the pair helping the club maintain a five-game unbeaten run for the first time in Amorim’s tenure.

However, with the Brazilian now aged 33 and set to leave in the summer, it’s crucial the hierarchy line up numerous targets to strengthen such an area in January and beyond.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new midfielder

Ahead of the upcoming January window, a whole host of young and talented midfielders have been linked with a big-money move to join Amorim’s United side.

Adam Wharton has been a star who has constantly been on the Red Devils’ radar over the last couple of months, with the Crystal Palace star just one option being considered.

It’s unclear how much a deal for his services would cost this winter, but it’s safe to say it wouldn’t be a surprise if the hierarchy made a beeline for his signature in the coming months.

However, he’s not the only player they’re targeting, with INEOS reportedly now said to be eyeing up a move for the signature of Atalanta midfielder Ederson.

A report from one source claims that the Red Devils is the most likely destination for the Brazilian star, with the hierarchy at the club expected to commence talks with the player and the two clubs.

It also states that such a deal could reach around €50m (£43.7m) this winter, with personal terms not expected to be an issue given his previous agreement with Amorim’s side.

Why United’s latest target would be a huge upgrade on Gomes

As part of the club’s hunt for a new central midfielder this winter, numerous players have appeared on their radar – with Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes just one option being considered.

Over the last couple of days, it’s been reported that the 24-year-old would be extremely keen on a move to Old Trafford in the coming months, with his current side sitting bottom of the Premier League.

As a result, a £44m price tag has been mooted for the midfielder’s signature in recent times, which could be a potential bargain for a proven English top-flight talent.

However, given the nature of the hunt for a new deep-lying option, the supporters will no doubt be hoping for a more high-profile and top-level addition to bolster the ranks.

Whilst many fans may crave a deal for a player of Wharton’s calibre, a winter deal may be somewhat unrealistic, with the Eagles potentially demanding up to £100m for his signature.

As a result, a deal for Ederson certainly could be on the cards for Amorim’s men, with the Brazilian certainly a better option than Gomes in the upcoming window.

When comparing their stats from the ongoing campaign, the Atalanta star has dominated in numerous key areas, showcasing why he would be the better addition at present.

Ederson, who’s been dubbed “out of this world” by former England boss Fabio Capello, has completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of his efforts per 90 going into the final third.

Such numbers highlight the Brazilian’s ball-playing ability, which could allow him to dictate the play for United for a deep-lying position – allowing Bruno to take up a more advanced role as a result.

Games played

8

12

Minutes played

588

925

Progressive carries

1.4

1.2

Progressive passes

7.5

5.6

Pass accuracy

90%

84%

Passes into final third

6.6

4.1

% of tackles won

53%

51%

Interceptions made

1.6

1.1

Take-on success

50%

47%

Out of possession, the Atalanta star has been just as dominant over Gomes, as seen by his higher tackle success rate and more interceptions completed per 90.

The aforementioned tallies could certainly provide Amorim with the ball-winning option he’s been craving, at a bargain, too given his current asking price.

All-round, Ederson is a more complete option for the Red Devils, with his higher take-on success and progressive carries per 90 tally reaffirming his incredible ability to transition the play.

£43.7m for a player of the 26-year-old’s quality in the current market is an excellent price, with the hierarchy needing to work tirelessly to complete a deal for his signature.

There’s no denying Gomes would be an impressive addition too, but when a player of Ederson’s quality is currently available, it’s a no-brainer as to who the club should pursue in the coming weeks.

Shades of McTominay: Man Utd star is now their "most underrated player"

Manchester United now have a player who has certainly gone under the radar over the last couple of months.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

يستأنف ريال مدريد مشواره في الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم، بعد التعادل أمام جيرونا بهدف لمثله على ملعب مونتيليفي.

وكان جيرونا قد أفتتح التسجيل عن طريق عز الدين أوناحي في الدقيقة 45 في الوقت بدل الضائع من أحداث الشوط الأول.

وتعادل ريال مدريد عن طريق كيليان مبابي في الدقيقة 67 من أحداث الشوط الثاني، بعد ركلة جزاء حصل عليها فينيسوس جونيور بعد عرقلة البرازيلي.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | مبابي يسجل هدف تعادل ريال مدريد أمام جيرونا

بهذه النتيجة، يصبح ريال مدريد برصيد 33 نقطة في المركز الثاني في الدوري الإسباني، أما جيرونا فأصبح برصيد 12 نقطة في المركز الثامن عشر. موعد مباراة ريال مدريد القادمة بعد التعادل أمام جيرونا في الدوري الاسباني

يلتقي ريال مدريد مع أتلتيك بلباو، على ملعب “سان ماميس”، يوم الأربعاء المقبل 3 ديسمبر، في الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الاسباني، في الساعة الثامنة بتوقيت مصر.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles was playing for the team's Triple-A affiliates in Tacoma during a rehab assignment over the weekend, when he was hit by a pitch that ran up and inside on him.

Robles was irate, and in retaliation he launched his bat in the direction of the pitcher's mound and had to be held back by teammates and the home plate umpire as he attempted to escalate the situation further. Robles then threw some snacks from the dugout onto the field before making his way to the locker room.

As a result of his bonkers outburst, MLB issued a 10-game suspension to the veteran outfielder on Tuesday. Robles is expected to appeal the suspension. The suspension will be served in MLB, so he'll be docked 10 games once he's eligible to return from IL.

Robles has since issued an apology for his actions.

There's some history behind his irate response, however. The pitcher on the mound was Joey Estes, and he'd already plunked Robles with a pitch earlier in the series. In fact, Robles was hit twice in his first game of the rehab appearance, though only once by Estes. He was then hit again in the first plate appearance of the very next game. Finally, in the third game of the series, Robles was once again hit by Estes, though it was ruled a swing because his bat came around. He lined out in that at-bat, and then came to the plate again in the third inning. For the fifth time in three games––and the third time by Estes in that span––Robles was hit by a pitch from Estes.

All of that, is what sparked his incredibly frustrated and aggressive response to being hit, again, by Estes.

Robles has just been trying to work his way back to Seattle after missing most of the season with an injury. Finally on his rehab assignment after being out since April, the last thing he wants is to suffer an injury at the plate. It's not hard to see why he was so enraged, though his response was certainly still extreme.

MatériaMais Notícias

Anderson Barros, diretor de futebol do Palmeiras, telefonou nesta segunda-feira (22) para Bruno Spindel, diretor de futebol do Flamengo, pedindo desculpas pela cusparada sofrida por Tite durante o empate entre as equipes no Allianz Parque, pela terceira rodada do Brasileirão. A informação é da ESPN.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

Durante entrevista coletiva, Tite cobrou mais respeito no futebol após ser alvo de uma cusparada por um torcedor do Palmeiras. O treinador do Flamengo alegou que precisou limpar a cabeça em razão durante a partida.

– Deixa eu fazer uma observação. A minha atividade como técnico, eu sei que ela é bastante exposta, e eu tenho que aguentar todas as ofensas que vão de fora possíveis. E não é da torcida do Palmeiras. Elas são de algumas pessoas que talvez não tenham a condição de saber que tem um monte de criançada que dá para educar. As ofensas são do jogo, mas cusparada é muito feio, cara. Eu ter que limpar minha cabeça e minha roupa é feio, cara – afirmou Tite.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Flamengo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Rubro-Negro

O Palmeiras está analisando imagens das câmeras de segurança do Allianz Parque para identificar o torcedor que realizou a cusparada. Caso ele seja associado ao Avanti, será banido do programa de sócio-torcedor.

A diretoria alviverde afirmou ao Flamengo que só tomou conhecimento da cusparada após a partida, e caso fosse notificado antes, trabalharia para levar o torcedor ao Jecrim (Juizado Especial Criminal) do Allianz Parque.

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➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

O Palmeiras entende que o episódio envolvendo Tite e o Flamengo é “inaceitável” e “incompatível com os valores da atual gestão”.

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FlamengoPalmeirasTite

There are fewer than two months left in the 2025 MLB regular season, and the playoff races in the American and National Leagues are really starting to heat up. 

In the American League, five teams are within five games of the final wild card spot, while the No. 4 team – the Texas Rangers – is just a half-game out of the third spot. A lot could change in the next few months, especially with teams like the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays selling at the deadline, but there likely will be a team – or two – that misses the playoffs that was expected to make it in.

In the National League, the top wild card teams (New York, Chicago and San Diego) seem pretty set in stone, but the Cincinnati Reds (three games back) are still within striking distance with plenty of games to go.

Here’s a look at the playoff odds for every team in the hunt, and a few storylines to watch when considering bets for these playoff markets. 

American League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersToronto Blue Jays: -2500Detroit Tigers: -5000Houston Astros: -1000

Toronto (19 games over .500), Detroit (17 games over .500), and Houston (14 games over .500) all appear to be locks to make the playoffs in the 2025 season.

Detroit has a seven-game cushion in the AL Central – the largest of these three division winners – which is why oddsmakers have it priced at -5000 to reach the playoffs for the second straight season.

It would be relatively surprising to see any of these teams fall out of the race, especially since they’d slot in pretty high in the wild card standings if a team were to overtake them in the division. 

Wild Card RaceBoston Red Sox: -450Seattle Mariners: -360New York Yankees: -330Texas Rangers: +115Cleveland Guardians: +320Kansas City Royals: +650Tampa Bay Rays: +950Minnesota Twins: +1800Los Angeles Angels: +2500Baltimore Orioles: +5000

The AL wild card race is going to be extremely fun to watch down the stretch of the season.

Entering Wednesday’s action, the Texas Rangers could overtake the New York Yankees, who are just a half-game ahead of them in the standings. New York has played under .500 ball over the last few months, and despite some trade deadline moves, it is fading fast in this market.

Oddsmakers project the Yankees to be the team that is currently holding a spot to be the closest one to drop out (-330 to make the postseason). 

While Cleveland, Minnesota, and others are long shots to make the playoffs, Texas is a team to watch since it has been elite at home (36-20) and still has 25 games at Globe Life Field left in the 2025 season. 

National League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersPhiladelphia Phillies: -3000Los Angeles Dodgers: -20000Milwaukee Brewers: -10000

All three of these division leaders appear to be locked into a playoff spot, as the implied probability for Philadelphia (the team with the worst odds) to make the playoffs is 96.77 percent.

There’s a chance that all three of these teams could lose their spot atop the division (Milwaukee has the largest lead at four games), but they’d all just fall into a wild card spot, barring a crazy run from the Reds or another fringe wild card team. 

Wild Card RaceChicago Cubs: -1400New York Mets: -650San Diego Padres: -575Cincinnati Reds: +250San Francisco Giants: +600St. Louis Cardinals: +1100Arizona Diamondbacks: +2500Miami Marlins: +3000Atlanta Braves: +5000

There is a lot less intrigue in the National League, as the Reds – who made some big moves at the deadline to acquire Ke’Bryan Hayes, Zack Littell, and others – are the only team that seems to have a chance to supplant New York, Chicago, or San Diego.

However, there is a lot of time left for a team like the Giants or Cardinals (both hovering around .500) to get hot and make some inroads in this race.

For now, Cincinnati is the only team at plus money that I’d consider in the NL playoff market. 

Sunderland returned to Premier League action after the international break with a whimper, instead of a bang.

Indeed, Regis Le Bris’ men lost 1-0 away at Fulham, which doesn’t seem like the demoralising result on first glance. But, on another day, Marco Silva’s hosts could have run away with the clash as resounding winners, having notched up a colossal 23 shots, to the Black Cats’ meagre five.

Le Bris will hope his side can return to winning ways in the top-flight when AFC Bournemouth come to Wearside next, before December kicks into gear, which sees huge contests such as the Tyne-Wear Derby arrive on the jam-packed calendar.

Before you know it, the January transfer window will also reopen to give Sunderland an apt opportunity to improve their ranks, ahead of a tough second part of the season, with some high-profile names already being linked to the Stadium of Light.

Transfer latest at Sunderland

Sunderland were very busy in the summer before jumping up to the big time in the Premier League, with a whopping £162m forked out on the likes of Granit Xhaka and Robin Roefs.

Therefore, it isn’t the wildest shout to suggest they could break the bank again if a tempting move comes their way in January, with recent reports from Spain suggesting that the Black Cats could boost their forward line with the acquisition of Real Madrid hotshot Gonzalo Garcia.

The biggest rumour of them all comes in the form of Matteo Guendouzi, the former Arsenal midfielder who worked under Le Bris at Lorient.

Keith Downie reported last week that the Mackems boss has not ruled out a move for the Frenchman as they potentially go about bringing another former ex-Gunner to the Stadium of Light.

He isn’t the only Lazio midfielder catching the eye, with concrete rumours emerging involving the Premier League newcomers being in the hunt for Lazio outcast Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

As per reports from Italy, Sunderland are named as one suitor taking a look at the ex-Sheffield Wednesday midfielder this January, with the centre of the park a clear priority position to improve.

Sunderland will hope, even if a move for Guendouzi isn’t forthcoming, that they can still clinch a deal for Dele-Bashiru to leave Serie A behind, as Le Bris potentially works his magic on another diamond in the rough, much like he did with Wilson Isidor.

How Dele-Bashiru can be Le Bris' next Isidor

Isidor hasn’t had the smoothest career up to this point, even if he is now four Premier League goals down in Sunderland red and white.

Unfortunately, the 25-year-old attacker has had to bounce back from a lot of adversity already, so early into his playing days, with the Rennes-born striker never going on to score a senior goal for AS Monaco, before many loan moves to the likes of Lokomotiv Moscow came to fruition.

Thankfully, the nomadic marksman has now found a home that suits him in Wearside, after such a well-travelled career, with Dele-Bashiru’s career path looking very similar.

Like Isidor, the “special” midfielder as he’s been labelled in Nigeria, is well-travelled, having already played in countries such as Turkey and Italy, after failing to make the grade at Manchester City at youth level.

Much like Isidor, though, he has shone in the EFL previously – which is where the 6-foot-1 striker bagged 13 goals to seal Sunderland’s promotion out of the Championship – with seven goal contributions coming his way on the books of the Owls in League One, as a rising youngster in South Yorkshire.

The nine-time Nigeria international has also shone in spurts for Lazio, even if only four appearances have come his way this season, with five goals and three assists from 33 appearances perhaps standing him in good stead to acclimatise to the Premier League effortlessly, as Isidor has managed.

Away from possessing a similar eye for a goal and assist like his Rennes-born counterpart, Dele-Bashiru would also be a useful buy when you consider his versatility across his up-and-down career to date, with his Lazio teammate in Boulaye Dia even hailing him as a talent who “can do everything”, whether that be from a central role, down the flanks, or even as an unorthodox defender.

Dele-Bashiru’s career by position

Position

Games

Goals + Assists

CM

99

14 + 9

AM

41

7 + 6

RW

7

1 + 0

LW

7

2 + 1

RM

2

0

DM

2

0

RB

2

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Valued at around the £4.7m mark, which is the amount he officially joined Lazio for, this is a deal that would be really worth exploring, with Dele-Bashiru lining up across seven different positions during his bumpy career to date.

Isidor only cost around the £5m price range, as well, and in January, another Isidor-style deal could soon be wrapped up.

Related Sunderland chief in contact with 14-cap midfielder who Cesc Fabregas "loves"

The Black Cats could land another transfer coup in 2026.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025

Shai Hope’s fifty rescued WI from 43 for 3, while Roston Chase starred with an all-round show

Tristan Lavalette05-Nov-2025

Quick Matthew Forde provided a spark in his return from injury before West Indies overcame a late whirlwind from skipper Mitchell Santner to defeat New Zealand in the T20I series-opener. West Indies did eventually clinch the lowest total successfully defended at Eden Park in a T20I, but they were made to work hard after Santner clubbed 55 not out from 28 balls to almost power New Zealand to an incredible victory.Romario Shepherd, however, held his nerve with the ball in the final over to ensure West Indies drew first blood in the five-match series. Roston Chase produced a fine display of spin bowling on a small ground, picking up 3 for 26 to go with the hand he played in West Indies’ two biggest partnerships earlier in the day. He was named Player of the Match.Having been restricted in good batting conditions less than a week after clean-sweeping a T20I series in Bangladesh, West Indies appeared set for a tough start to a tour that comprises all three formats. But Forde was menacing in his return from a shoulder injury as West Indies tore through a meek New Zealand batting effort. It was a disappointing start for New Zealand in their first match since the retirement of Kane Williamson from T20I cricket.It was a major turnaround after West Indies’ batting order had earlier struggled on a surface with much more bounce than in Bangladesh. Captain Shai Hope overcame a slow start in the powerplay to top score with 53 off 39 balls to lead West Indies’ recovery from 43 for 3.This series is seen as important preparation for the short-handed teams as they build towards a T20 World Cup that is just three months away. Meanwhile, there was an old-school feel to the game with DRS not in place due to technical issues.Matthew Forde got 1 for 9 off his first three overs•Getty Images

Forde sparks WI in comeback gameForde hadn’t played any competitive cricket since July, but showed no signs of rust in a brilliant opening burst. He bowled beautifully with the new ball, especially from around the wicket to trouble Devon Conway with deadly swing.Forde was finally rewarded when he clean-bowled Conway with an inswinger that hit top of off stump. He continued to be all over New Zealand’s top order, finishing with 1 for 9 off his first three overs – marked by 14 dot balls – in the powerplay. But his performance was soured slightly after conceding 23 runs to a rampaging Santner in the 18th over.Santner’s near miraculous heistAfter a horrific collapse of 7 for 37 from 70 for 2 in the tenth over, New Zealand appeared set for a crushing defeat at 107 for 9 in the 17th. But Santner turned the chase on its head by smashing seven boundaries and a six in a nine-ball flurry as the sparse crowd started to find its voice.With New Zealand needing 20 runs off the final over, Santner could not score off the first two deliveries bowled by Shepherd – although the second ball should have been called a wide due to height – before clubbing a six to give New Zealand hope. But it ultimately proved too tough a task despite a record tenth-wicket partnership for New Zealand in T20Is.Shai Hope rebuilt with a half-century after three early wickets•AFP/Getty Images

Hope fires after slow startHaving come off tours of Bangladesh and India, West Indies had the tough task of quickly acclimatising to the different conditions in New Zealand. Their top order made a rough start, struggling to handle the extra bounce as Brandon King, Alick Athanaze and Ackeem Auguste holed out after miscues.Hope had to steady the innings, and he entered the match after solid performances across formats in south Asia. But he was sluggish to begin with, unable to find timing much to his frustration on a true surface. Hope scored only 11 off 17 balls in the powerplay, with West Indies making just 32 runs off the first six overs. He finally decided to go for broke against Jimmy Neesham in the seventh over as the run rate finally lifted over six an over.It got him going, with Hope starting to clatter the smaller boundaries and bringing up his half-century in style by clubbing Zakary Foulkes for six over long-off. But Hope was clean bowled on the next delivery, undone by Foulkes’ variation as he missed an attempted swipe over the leg side.West Indies’ innings never truly got rolling, but it did receive a lift from Rovman Powell, who smashed a couple of huge sixes after being dropped twice in the outfield by Michael Bracewell.Jacob Duffy struck in the first over•AFP/Getty Images

Duffy shines in NZ’s disciplined attackNew Zealand are assembling a deep and talented pace pack, with competition for spots hotting up as the T20 World Cup looms. With Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke and Lockie Ferguson on the sidelines, New Zealand didn’t miss a beat, with Jacob Duffy the standout of an attack that kept a powerful West Indies batting order in check.Duffy was outstanding in the powerplay, removing King in the first over to start an opening burst that yielded figures of 1 for 10 off three overs. He later bowled Chase with a superb yorker after coming back at the death.Duffy showcased his variety, bowling a mixture of length and full deliveries to concede just one boundary in four overs. Kyle Jamieson bowled well in his return from a side strain, while Foulkes had a mixed bag but did claim two wickets.

Their young Indian batting core needs support from the bowlers and middle order

Alagappan Muthu20-May-20253:08

Chopra: Suryavanshi has already shown maturity

There is a feeling that Rajasthan Royals (RR) have been terrible chasers in IPL 2025. Until the very last game of their season, they were able to run down a target only once in eight attempts. And that needed a 14-year-old to perform a miracle.On that basis, there is a temptation to say that RR kept betting against themselves this season. They won the toss seven times and chose to bat second each time. There are much more private ways to explore masochism. Sanju Samson admitted to second thoughts at the toss in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) game.”To be very honest, we were thinking, should we set a score and try and defend because that’s what was not happening,” he said on the broadcast. “And then I felt like there’s no hiding in this game. Let’s go out and face it and prove that we can still chase down a score.”Related

• Chopra on Suryavanshi: 'There is some amount of maturity already'

• Madhwal leads bowlers' show as RR end the season by beating CSK

• Remaining IPL 2025 league games to have extra 120 minutes

• IPL playoffs to be in New Chandigarh and Ahmedabad

A franchise that made it to the final in 2022 and fell just one step short of that in 2024 isn’t in the business of making mistakes. Least of all the same one over and over. Over this three-year period, RR had a win-loss ratio of 1.63 as a chasing unit, the second-best of all the teams in the IPL.They could have improved on that this year. Three of those seven defeats were looking a lot like wins. Two of them saw inspired performances from their young Indian batting core that had totals in excess of 200 well within their grasp. One run. Two runs. Ten. Eleven. A Super Over. So slim were the margins. Most royals are defined by excess. These guys were left forever reaching for parity. Reverse-swing played a big part in their undoing. No other team suffered as badly as RR did to the old ball’s whims.Mitchell Starc. Josh Hazlewood. Avesh Khan. Andre Russell. These were the impediments they ran into and couldn’t overcome. When those bowlers were able to execute their plans to as close to perfection as possible, all RR’s batters could do was hold on. Shimron Hetmyer found himself in the thick of this unforgiving cycle. He finished with a strike rate of 158.53, the seventh-lowest among 46 batters who were a frequent presence in the death overs (minimum 30 runs scored). RR set aside INR 11 crore to retain him. He had earned that payday. Between 2022 and 2024, his strike rate in the death overs was 200.2:16

Bangar: Jurel has skills and temperament to be a prime finisher

RR made another big call ahead of the auction. Samson had become a regular member of the India T20I side now. He was opening the batting and was having considerable success. With that in mind, perhaps, they let go of Jos Buttler. He is the quality of player who could have helped problem-solve many of the situations they found themselves in. He hit a hundred against KKR in 2024 that gets better with every viewing. He had Nos. 9 and 10 for company. RR were 46 runs away. There were only 19 balls left. Buttler scored every single run to bring victory.Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag make up a solid batting group but they all play high-risk cricket. Asking them to do anything else will diminish their match-winning ability. RR could get the best out of them if they could bolster their middle order. Bringing in someone who can stay calm and reassess the situation when it starts to turn the wrong way. Their arrival becomes all the more essential because Vaibhav Suryavanshi has added to their top-order riches. The promising Indian batting talent RR have could do even more damage – which is startling to say when Jaiswal and Suryavanshi put on an opening stand of 76 where 74 runs came in boundaries – if they had a safety net.There are options on the market. Sikandar Raza has done it before, although only briefly in the IPL. RR have previously tried and been burned by David Miller, Rovman Powell and Daryl Mitchell. But this time they don’t have to do much heavy lifting. There’s maybe a chance it clicks. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that most of them offer a second skill.

“We need to sit back after the season, I think after a couple of weeks, we need to do a proper review and understand where we went wrong. Definitely we could have done much better”Sanju Samson

Rahul Dravid finally won a senior World Cup going in on all-round talent. India’s championship-winning side had four of them and the one that he fought for – Axar Patel – surprised South Africa with the bat. Only just back in charge of RR, Dravid kept putting out sides that seemed to lack in batting depth; they have had Wanindu Hasaranga bat as high as No. 5 and 6 even in this Impact Player era. They backed Sandeep Sharma over Jofra Archer for the Super Over against DC. Their fast bowlers ended the season with the highest combined average (42.95) and the second-highest economy rate (10.60). RR were knocked out of the playoffs race on May 1. At that point, they had only managed three powerplays where they picked up more than one wicket. They were constantly falling behind in games because of their bowling attack. It highlights the value of someone else that they let go. Trent Boult.Franchises only get to keep six players whenever a mega auction comes along. Invariably, some of these hard calls come back to bite you. It’s the nature of the IPL. It’s how the tournament avoids monopoly. The onus then shifts to how well a team can paper over newly-formed cracks. RR need a dependable opening bowler and possibly a bankable Indian spinner so that they can stop conceding 200-plus totals. They gave up seven of those this season, equalling the IPL record set last year by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).0:47

Chopra: Madhwal has looked the part since his inclusion

CSK were trending towards that mark on Tuesday too. At the end of the 17th over, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster had them getting to 205. Akash Madhwal and Tushar Deshpande dragged it back, showing that success in a chase isn’t all about the runs scored but the runs saved as well. It gave them the cushion to absorb the early loss of their top run-scorer and a mini collapse. There was a karmic kindness in Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel being the batters securing victory in a blaze of fours and sixes. That was the partnership that kept crumbling earlier in the season.Samson knows some introspection needs to be done. But he was happy for the happy ending. Nearly everybody on the field wanted a picture with Suryavanshi. And this was a game with MS Dhoni in it.”The game is changing, the way people are coming on, the way people are looking at powerplay, the batsmen, the quality of bowling, the quality of teams,” Samson said. “I don’t think there is much difference in the quality of line-up of the teams. The combinations are almost similar.”But I think the margin of error between winning and losing is so less that it’s very hard to find out why did we have a bad season actually. So I think, to be very honest, we need to sit back after the season, I think after a couple of weeks, we need to do a proper review and understand where we went wrong. Definitely we could have done much better. There are some mistakes we have done. We have to accept it and move on with it and come back with a better positive mindset next season.”

India’s last five wickets added just 31 runs, after a similar collapse in the first innings, to keep England in the hunt

Matt Roller23-Jun-2025

Josh Tongue took three wickets in one over•Getty Images

Josh Tongue was nonplussed by Ben Stokes’ “rabbit pie” celebration, but his demolition of India’s lower order has kept England’s hopes alive at Headingley. Tongue took 4 for 7 to wrap up the first innings and then struck three times in four balls on day four, living up to his nickname of “the mop”, given to him by his Nottinghamshire team-mate Ben Duckett after repeatedly cleaning up tailenders at county level.Tongue admitted before the third day’s play that he had been unaware why Stokes had celebrated his first-innings dismissal of Prasidh Krishna by mimicking eating until he saw a tweet by Stuart Broad which explained he was “eating rabbit pie”. He has twice knocked over India’s tail in Leeds to emerge with match figures of 7 for 158.England have repeatedly struggled to finish teams off under Stokes’ captaincy: since he took over three years ago, only Pakistan have a worse record when bowling for the last three wickets. In the reverse series 18 months ago, India’s lower order regularly frustrated England, with three eighth-wicket partnerships between 75 and 80.Related

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But Tongue’s pace, height and beyond-perpendicular action have proved a lethal combination in Leeds, with India twice collapsing from positions of strength. He found himself on a hat-trick on Monday evening after Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj were caught behind the wicket, and while Jasprit Bumrah kept his first ball out, he chopped his second onto middle stump.India’s Nos. 8-11 have managed just nine runs between them in the match, despite the selection of Thakur as a bowling allrounder. Thakur was the first of Tongue’s three victims in the second innings after nicking off to Stokes in the first, and has so far played a bit-part role in the match after bowling six wicketless overs for 38.”We felt like if we got to their lower order quickly, we could get through them,” Tongue said. “I don’t mind bowling at the tail: you’ve got a good opportunity to take wickets. All I tried to do was to hit the pitch hard. I felt like I got more out of the pitch when I did that; I thought when I went that tad fuller, it was nicer for the batters to get on the front foot and drive me.”

Tongue missed the whole of the 2024 summer through injury, and said that he was proud to have returned to Test cricket after a long period on the sidelines. England have long admired his ability to bowl at speeds approaching 90mph/145kph on a consistent basis, and to nip the ball in off the seam, and his success against the tail has relied on those qualities.He also joked that he would adopt Duckett’s nickname for him. “I’ve done it twice now, so I might have to start calling myself that [the mop],” Tongue said. “When they were batting, it flattened out, and it was quite hard work in the wind. We stuck to our task, trying to hit the pitch as hard as we could to get something out of it, and thankfully, we got the wickets.”KL Rahul, whose dismissal for 137 was the first wicket of a collapse of 6 for 33, said that India “wanted at least 40 or 50 runs more” than they managed. “I don’t look at it as the lower order being from a different squad: they’re still from our squad, they’re still trying their best,” he said. “Everyone’s putting in a lot of work in the nets, and sometimes it doesn’t happen.1:32

Draw off the table? – Tongue and Rahul on day five possibilties

“Before the series, the chat as a group was how could we get 350 and 400 runs every time we go out to bat? The positive is that we’ve been able to do that… Yes, there’s learnings, and a few of the batters, if they can come good, that 350 can become 450 and 500, and that’s ideally what a batting group would want. But we’ll take the runs that we’ve got in this innings.”The total lack of contribution from India’s tail was further laid bare by England’s partnerships of 49 (Harry Brook and Chris Woakes) and 55 (Woakes and Brydon Carse) for the seventh and eighth wickets in their first innings, both at better than a run a ball. Where England’s last five wickets added 189, India’s have managed to put on 24 and 31.Ollie Pope said on Sunday evening that England’s lower-order runs had struck a psychological blow. “[A lead of] 40 or 50, just from a mindset, might have given them a little bit more confidence, knowing that they’ve got that headstart almost; playing the game from an even playing field is quite important.”But more significantly, they ensured that the fourth-innings target did not grow out of control: instead, after Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley saw off the final half hour, England require 350 in 90 overs on the final day at a venue when four of the last six Tests have seen successful fourth-innings chases of 250 or more.

NZ have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia, but captain Devine believes this stat doesn’t matter in a World Cup

Vishal Dikshit30-Sep-20253:02

Devine: ‘The wicket looks incredibly flat’

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine started her media assignments for the 2025 World Cup just like how she wants her side to play their opening game against Australia on Wednesday: with a hiss and a roar.She waltzed into the press conference room donning a White Ferns jumper in the freezing air-conditioned room. She had brought some warmth with her, it would seem. Except when she started to face some hard-hitting questions.”You haven’t beaten Australia in eight years,” she was coldly reminded straightaway of their record against the reigning champions. New Zealand have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia.Related

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“Thanks for that stat,” she retorted before quashing away such historical records. “I think it’s a great opportunity. Those stats are there and we’re aware of them, but at World Cups, it doesn’t matter. I think records and previous results go out the window for us. It’s a really exciting opportunity to take on the reigning one-day champions first up. We love any opportunity that we get to play against Australia. It’s sort of like our big sister. We’re really excited about that. And come game day, both teams start on zero. So, again, really excited for the opportunity.”Another journalist then asked something that stumped her again. “How does it feel to come out of retirement to lead your country again?” (She hadn’t, she is retire from ODIs after this World Cup).As if Devine knew that was coming, she shot back saying, “I haven’t retired. I haven’t retired,” she repeated to sear it into his memory. “Are you saying I need to retire? Is that what you’re saying? That’s okay. It’s okay.”Devine meant it all in jest though and normalcy soon resumed even when she was asked about the weaknesses in New Zealand’s middle order, which she didn’t quite agree with.Sophie Devine wants New Zealand to play ‘strong and aggressive’ at the World Cup•AFP/Getty Images”…The middle order has been going considerably well,” she said. “Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze both scoring hundreds [in the warm-ups]. I know you’re probably talking about official one-day matches, but for us, we’ve built really nicely. We haven’t played a lot of cricket, especially one-day format, over the last six-nine months, but it’s certainly something that we’re aware of. We know that in this competition, especially on some of the wickets that we’re going to face over here in India, that run-scoring is going to be incredibly important. It’s up to everyone.”We can’t just rely on the top four, we need the middle order. There’s going to be crucial runs scored by the lower order as well at some stage during this tournament. I think if you look to the India-Australia series just before this, 400 nearly wasn’t enough. I think it’s really exciting. As batters, we certainly know that we want to take ownership and responsibility of being the ones that do the bulk of the work. We’re really excited to be able to play on wickets like this, which I think are really conducive for scoring runs.”New Zealand have the most unenviable task in this World Cup: starting their campaign against seven-time champions Australia. But even a win over them would not count for more than two points because each team plays seven league games and will need a consistent run of victories to make the semi-finals in the eight-team tournament.”I don’t think we can necessarily focus on one game,” she said about the clash on Wednesday. “I think for us, every match is going to be incredibly important. Absolutely, we want to start this tournament with a real hiss and a roar and make sure that we come out really strong and aggressive. And the fact that it’s Australia that we play first, I think for us, what we keep going back to is making sure that we play our style of cricket. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against.2:02

McGrath on playing NZ: ‘We know each other’s game really well’

“Absolutely, everyone wants to win their first game, but there’s still a lot of cricket. It’s over a month of cricket to be played. For us, our focus is on making sure that we can execute to our skills for long periods of time. Absolutely. We want to beat these Aussies first up and get some points on the board, but it’s probably more important for us on how we play that game.”If New Zealand look at their trans-Tasman rivals as their “big sister,” their opponents also look at it as a not-so-intense rivalry.”We’ve got a really nice rivalry with New Zealand. We call it the friendly rivalry,” Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said. “We’ve played each other a lot over the last 12 months and sort of know each other’s game really well through franchise cricket as well. And we just finished our prep meeting and think we match up really nicely. So we go ahead into this clash really, really confident and really excited.”McGrath agreed with Devine in saying that such records of a 15-0 streak in ODIs between the two teams became “irrelevant” in World Cups where the pressure is different and every game becomes “crucial.”But there’s no denying that the team that ends up winning by the end of Wednesday night will have its job of making it to the last four much easier.