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Top five opening pairs of IPL 2025 – Gill and Sudharsan in the lead

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Arya and Prabhsimran are among the pairs to have delivered strong starts for their teams this season


Omkar Mankame30-Apr-20255:32

Aaron: Sai Sudharsan ‘definitely’ in if there’s vacancy in India’s T20I side

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan (GT)

Last year, in Wriddhiman Saha’s absence, GT briefly tried out Sai Sudharsan to open with Gill, and it worked. The pair crossed fifty in all three innings they opened together. Building on that, GT have stuck with the same opening combination this season and it’s paid off.A standout feature of their campaign has been the ability of the openers to bat deep. Only once this season have both fallen inside the first ten overs. While the duo may not be ultra-aggressive in their approach, their consistency has been key to GT’s success in IPL 2025.Phil Salt and Virat Kohli have been consistent this season•Getty ImagesVirat Kohli and Phil Salt (RCB)
Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, RCB released their captain and opener Faf du Plessis and invested INR 11.5 crore in bagging Salt. The move paid immediate dividends. In the season opener, Salt and Kohli stitched together a 95-run stand off just 51 balls, taking the sting out of Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) 175-run target. While they’ve occasionally been separated early, the duo has consistently provided rapid starts, often putting RCB in commanding positions within the powerplay.Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, the uncapped PBKS wunderkinds•AFP/Getty Images

Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh (PBKS)

Two uncapped Indians walking out to open an IPL innings is usually the result of an emergency – injuries, loss of form, or last-minute reshuffles. But PBKS placed their trust in Prabhsimran, a retained player, and Arya, an IPL debutant, and they have been vindicated. Though their aggressive style has often led to brisk but brief partnerships, they did demonstrate impressive composure in a rain-affected clash against KKR. On a slow Eden Gardens wicket, the duo stitched a 120-run stand off 72 balls, pacing their innings smartly and choosing their moments to attack.Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram have been dominant up top•Associated Press

Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh (LSG)

LSG went into IPL 2025 with an overseas-heavy top order. Marsh, despite having limited experience as an IPL opener, was up and running as he scored more fifties in his first five outings this season than he did in his previous eight campaigns combined. Markram took a few matches to find his rhythm but has since added four fifties to his name. While their scoring rate has been modest, the duo has brought a measure of reliability to LSG’s top order.Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma haven’t found their golden touch from last season•AFP/Getty Images

Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

It was the ‘Travishek’ pair that transformed SRH’s fortunes in IPL 2024. They picked up from where they left off with a 45-run blitz in just 19 balls in their season opener this year. But over the next four games, oppositions have found early breakthroughs, dismissing one of them inside the first three overs. A glimpse of their last year’s form came against PBKS at home, where they put on a 171-run stand off just 75 balls during a chase of 246. Outside of such flashes, they’ve struggled to produce consistent partnerships this season.

Gill, Washington, Jadeja tons script India's great escape

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

England were kept on the field for 143 overs in the second innings as teams head to The Oval with India trailing 2-1

Matt Roller27-Jul-20252:09

Manjrekar: ‘Warriors’ keep sprouting for India when needed

An epic series will be decided at The Oval. England lead 2-1 after 20 tense days of Test cricket but were denied a decisive win by five sessions of doughty, determined batting in which India lost only two wickets. Not even Ben Stokes, battling cramp and a shoulder injury, could pull this one off, and was forced to settle for only the second draw of his captaincy tenure.India were 1 for 2 at lunch on the fourth day, frazzled after more than 150 overs in the field, and still trailing by over 300 runs. But Shubman Gill’s new-look side underlined their character with two mammoth, match-saving partnerships – Gill put on 188 with KL Rahul, and Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja put on an unbroken 203 – to ensure India escaped with a draw.Related

  • Drawn out, but never dull – India's Old Trafford escape rekindles the art of Test survival

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  • Weary England show their frustrations as Test ends on sour note

  • India's grit outlasts England's endurance to make 2-2 a possibility

They can no longer win the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, but will travel down to London on Monday battered, bruised and bullish. India’s batters not only saved this match, but ground England’s bowlers down: they spent 257.1 overs in the field in Manchester, including 143 in the second innings, and now face a three-day turnaround before Thursday’s fifth Test.The finale was farcical: Stokes offered a draw at the start of the last hour but Gill had no interest, instead allowing his two allrounders to complete their centuries. England were incensed, serving up some 35mph/56kmph lobs, but India’s players celebrated on the balcony as their batters filled their boots.”It’s going to happen in a flurry, lads,” Ben Duckett had promised his team-mates during the second session. In fact, it never happened at all. It was long established that no captain had ever won a Test match at Old Trafford after winning the toss and choosing to bowl; Stokes asked his team to defy history, but they could not.It was Gill who had walked in to face a hat-trick ball in the first over of India’s second innings shortly before lunch on the fourth day. When he walked back off just over 24 hours later, he had become only the third man to score four hundreds in a Test series as captain, going past 700 runs for the tour. Every time he has reached 20, he has gone on to score a century.1:19

Harmison: ‘A little bit farcical towards the end’

He was supported by two marathon efforts from his spin-bowling allrounders. Washington batted at No. 8 in the first innings but was promoted to No. 5 after Rishabh Pant’s injury, and made his maiden Test hundred, while Jadeja capped his stellar series with the bat. Much as it frustrated England, both players deserved centuries, and had earned the right to make them.Stokes’ bowling fitness was uncertain overnight: he did not bowl at all on the fourth day after a heavy workload in the series – and a five-wicket haul in the first innings – having retired hurt during his century. But he shared the old ball with Liam Dawson early in the day and threatened to break the game open, creating two early chances in an eight-over spell.He grimaced after every ball he bowled and repeatedly stretched out his right shoulder, but Stokes bowled with good pace and found variable bounce on a good length outside the right-handers’ off stump. He had Gill dropped early on, Ollie Pope failing to cling on to a stinger at short cover, but then trapped Rahul on the back pad to have him lbw for 90.It was a brilliant spell, one which exposed just how much England had missed his bowling on the fourth evening. Stokes was in pain, then inflicted some on his opposite number: he found some steep bounce to strike Gill on the helmet – via the glove – with a lifter which exploded from a good length.3:12

‘Would they have walked off?’ – Gambhir on Stokes’ draw offer

But Gill pressed on, steering Chris Woakes through the off side then yelping in celebration as he brought up his fourth century of the tour. His dismissal, edging Jofra Archer behind, represented an opening, not least when Jadeja edged his first ball to first slip. But Joe Root put the catch down, and England hardly created another chance all day.Dawson wheeled away for 47 overs in the second innings and bowled tightly, but rarely threatened the edge, and the seamers had nothing to work with: Archer exchanged tense words with his captain over a field change, Woakes bowled slower balls into the rough, Brydon Carse was hardly seen, and Stokes bowled only three overs after lunch.Jadeja and Washington had 89 and 80, respectively, when Stokes offered a draw, but Gill looked out steadfastly through the dressing-room window. It prompted Brook to bowl some filth, and both batters reached three figures off his bowling: Jadeja roared in celebration on reaching his by lofting a straight six, while Washington raised his arms as he sauntered back for two.It made for a strange end to a compelling Test match. Only 24 wickets fell across the five days, and the finish was an anti-climax. But the fraying tempers were the result of India’s resistance across five sessions of determined batting. It seemed unfathomable on Saturday afternoon, but they will head to The Oval believing that they can snatch a series draw.

Green finds runs ahead of Ashes series as contest bursts wide open

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The allrounder fell just short of a century but added eight more overs to his match tally

AAP13-Nov-2025Queensland 390 and 187 for 8 (Clayton 54, Renshaw 51, Rocchiccioli 4-41) lead Western Australia 322 for 7 dec (Green 94, Bancroft 76, Hardie 55*) by 255 runsHe fell in the nervous 90s, but Cameron Green gave his Ashes hopes an almighty boost with a determined knock during Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland at the WACA Ground.In reply to Queensland’s 390, WA started day three at a somewhat shaky 210 for 5 but with Green unbeaten on 49 and holding the key.Green drove spinner Mitch Swepson for four on the first ball on Thursday to bring up his half-century and looked set for a ton before being trapped leg before on 94 by Michael Neser just after lunch.Related

  • Green impresses with the ball as Australia's Ashes line-up takes shape

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  • Bancroft, Green keep WA afloat against Queensland

WA, who are bottom of the table, declared at 322 for 7 immediately following Green’s dismissal, with Aaron Hardie the other notable scorer of the day.Queensland went to stumps at 187 for 7 in their second innings, a lead of 255 and with everything to play for on Friday.Opener Matt Renshaw, who narrowly missed selection in Australia’s Ashes squad, made 51 off 73 balls while battling a knee complaint, and Jack Clayton scored 54.The in-form Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed for 11 when he was bowled by Brody Couch.WA spinner Corey Rocchiccioli was the chief destroyer, snaring 4 for 41, with all four of those wickets coming across two of his overs late in the day as Queensland crumpled from 183 for 4 to 184 for 8.The performances of both Green and Rocchiccioli gave WA a shot at victory on what shapes to be an intriguing final day.Green’s 172-ball innings featured eight fours and one six, but more importantly plenty of patience when the occasion called for it.The impressive knock came after he had returned the economical figures of 1 for 13 from eight overs in his most significant bowling stint since undergoing spinal surgery a year ago. He followed that up with none for 17 off eight overs in Queensland’s second innings mean he has hit the target met by selection chair George Bailey.Australian selectors are yet to reveal whether they will unleash both Green and Beau Webster in the first Ashes Test in Perth, starting on November 21.But if they only opt for just one allrounder, Green’s performances with both bat and ball are certain to see him earn the nod.WA’s start to the day wasn’t great with Green’s attempt to come back for a second run resulting in Rocchiccioli’s run out on the third over of the morning.His runs dried up when Queensland took the new ball a short time later, with the 26-year-old forced to work hard against the swinging ball. Green was on 63 when he survived a confident lbw appeal from Neser, and he was on 74 when Gurinder Sandhu’s lbw shout fell on deaf ears.Queensland’s pace attack tried their best to put the squeeze on, but Green managed to survive the tough period to push closer to his century. He was finally undone when Neser’s delivery cut back and struck him flush on the pads.

"PGMOL at it again" – Mark Goldbridge slams VAR during Arsenal vs Tottenham

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Arsenal defeated rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the North London Derby, and there was some controversy on display during a pulsating affair, with one particular matter piquing the interest of Mark Goldbridge.

The Gunners went into the clash knowing that a victory would put them six points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table, while Spurs had the opportunity to move into the top four.

On this occasion, Mikel Arteta was able to claim a valuable triumph against Thomas Frank’s side, beginning with a deflected Leandro Trossard strike before Eberechi Eze enhanced his reputation as a Gunners’ fan favourite with a brace at the Emirates Stadium, the second of which coming just after the interval.

Spurs rallied in the second half, and Richarlison’s long-range strike caught out David Raya in stunning fashion. However, the home side had already done more than enough to secure the victory beforehand, keeping their charge for the title well and truly on track.

Eze completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, earning derby folklore status after joining Arsenal despite interest from Tottenham during the summer window to complete a 4-1 rout.

Next time out, Arsenal face the small matter of taking on Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium, pitting two of Europe’s heavyweights against each other in the capital on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Tottenham face the unenviable task of going to Paris Saint-Germain, presenting a challenge of great might against the reigning Champions League holders.

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Thrills and spills underpinned another pulsating affair between both sides, though it wasn’t an evening that was short of controversy, which is usually the case with both sides fighting tooth and nail for local bragging rights.

With that in mind, Goldbridge took to social media to point out something he believes VAR missed during a dramatic affair at the home of the Gunners.

Mark Goldbridge takes aim at VAR during Arsenal vs Spurs

Taking to X, Goldbridge took issue with Eze’s first goal being allowed after two Arsenal players were in the line of Guglielmlo Vicario’s sight as he struck sweetly into the bottom corner.

In theory, Goldbridge has a point, given that Virgil Van Dijk saw a goal ruled out in similar circumstances during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat against Manchester City before the international break.

Nevertheless, there is an argument to be had as to whether either player is actually preventing Vicario from saving Eze’s strike, something that is likely to dominate headlines over the next few days after a momentous victory for the Gunners.

Either way, Arsenal appear to be in fine fettle and have taken command of their mission to claim a first Premier League title since 2004, which is becoming more likely with every passing week.

'The person that paved the way for me' – Lionel Messi pays moving tribute to Omar Souto as Argentine FA icon passes away aged 73

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Lionel Messi has lifted the lid on the impact that Omar Souto, the long-serving general manager of Argentina's national teams within the country's football association, had on his career. The 73-year-old passed away this week, sending Argentina's football community into mourning, with flags at the nation's two footballing hubs to fly at half mast in tribute.

Souto gave birth to Messi's Argentina career

Posting on Instagram to his 509 million followers, Messi shared his tribute to Souto with the world.

The Inter Miami megastar credits Souto with making his international career possible. Messi has clinched two Copa America titles and the World Cup in 196 appearances and counting since 2005, scoring a South American record 115 goals along the way.

Messi, who had been living and playing in Spain with Barcelona from the age of 13, first represented Argentina at Under-20 level in 2004, making his senior debut aged 18.

"You were always there, and you were the one who paved the way for the AFA to notice me," he posted in memory of Souto. "A tremendous human being, impossible to forget for all of us who had the privilege of playing for the National Team. Your mark will remain forever. We will never forget you, Omar. Rest in peace."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportArgentina in mourning

The news of Souto's passing had been shared publicly in a statement by his long-term employer.

"The Argentine Football Association reports with enormous sorrow and sadness the passing of Omar Souto, long-time Manager of National Teams," the body's announcement read.

"All the employees at the AFA headquarters bid farewell to 'Papua' with unparallelled affection and love. Thank you, Omar, for carrying the AFA flag high until your final days. For your unwavering commitment to the national teams and for leaving an unparallelled legacy at the Ezeiza training complex. 

"You will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew you and those who worked with you. We embrace your family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.

"The Argentine Football Association has declared three days of mourning, with flags at half-mast at its headquarters on Viamonte and in Ezeiza. A minute of silence will also be observed at all matches played that weekend."

Messi could have been poached by Spain

With Messi based at La Masia in Barcelona, leaving South America behind while still a child, Spanish football officials seemingly knew about his enormous talent before their equivalents in Argentina did. Growing up and attending school in Spain, it's plausible that he could have become eligible and eventually switched allegiance while waiting for Argentina to get in touch.

Souto and a colleague actually ended up being tipped off about the kid known as 'Leo' by the Spanish cohort at an Under-20 World Cup tournament in 2003, confused as to why Messi wasn't involved.

"In the Under-20 World Cup, we were always with Spain in the hotels, and a person from their technical staff approached us and said, 'How come you didn't bring the kid from Barcelona? He is much better than everyone here,'" Souto revealed to in 2021.

"In that team, we had [Fernando] Cavenaghi, [Javier] Mascherano, Maxi Lopez, and one day when we returned to Buenos Aires, [Hugo] Tocalli told me we had to get that player [Messi]. I thought his name was Leonardo because everyone called him Leo. I went to a call centre in Monte Grande and asked for a directory of the city of Rosario where all the Messis were listed.

"I called the grandmother who gave me the uncle's phone number, when I called him, he gave me the father's number, who when I called said, 'Finally, you are going to call him up. My son wants to play for the Argentine national team.'"

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AFPExtra World Cup motivation

Forget being the first men's team to retain the World Cup in more than half a century, doing it for 'Papua' is all the motivation that Messi and Argentina will need heading into the 2026 tournament.

Souto has left a lasting impression on every player that has been through the national team system for decades, and so every player named in Lionel Scaloni's final squad will have a personal reason to win it for him all over again.

Rangers can avoid Gilmour repeat by playing teen who's a "heck of a player"

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

The international break came at a good time for Glasgow Rangers boss Danny Rohl, as it has provided him with time to assess his first block of six matches in charge of the club.

Having arrived at Ibrox last month to replace Russell Martin, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach did not have a pre-season or any real time to assess the squad and what he wants to do moving forward.

The main focus has been on short-term results, which has resulted in three straight wins in the Scottish Premiership, most recently with a 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park.

This international break, however, will have provided Rohl and Kevin Thelwell time to sit down and map out the longer-term plan, so that the next steps can be taken to set foot on that path, in the next few weeks and in the January transfer window.

Part of that longer-term plan should include finding a way to create a better pathway from the academy to the first-team so that the Gers can develop homegrown stars, instead of constantly needing to splash money on new signings to bolster the squad.

Unfortunately, there have not been too many recent examples of stars who have broken through from the B team to the first-team to make a name for themselves at Ibrox.

The most valuable former Rangers academy players

Whether it is changes at academy or first-team level, the Light Blues should look to address the lack of quality academy graduates that have come from the youth set-up in recent years.

19-year-old starlet Findlay Curtis has shown promise this season, with a return of three goals in 11 appearances in all competitions, but he has not started any of his four outings in the Premiership, per Transfermarkt.

The Scottish youngster is currently valued at around £400k by Transfermarkt, which is understandable given his lack of starts at first-team level, and that means that he does not rank within the top ten most valuable former Gers academy stars at this moment in time.

Billy Gilmour

£18m

Nathan Patterson

£11m

Greg Taylor

£5m

Ross McCrorie

£2m

Lewis Morgan

£2m

David Bates

£1m

Robbie Ure

£1m

Ryan Hardie

£1m

Malcolm Ebiowei

£1m

Ross McCausland

£1m

As you can see in the table above, the most valuable former academy talent is Napoli central midfielder Billy Gilmour, who is who is worth as much as the next three highest combined.

Unfortunately, the Scotland international did not play a single game for the Light Blues at first-team level because he opted to sign for Chelsea at the age of 15, with a development fee of at least £500k paid to Rangers.

When asked why he decided to move on from Ibrox, Gilmour later said: “It was between Rangers and Chelsea. Most of my family are Rangers fans and I love the club. I’ll always be thankful for everything they did. But when Chelsea showed me my development plan, I couldn’t turn it down. Everything about the club was amazing and it’s where I wanted to be.”

Whilst the pull of a Premier League title winner and regular Champions League contender will always be big, the midfielder’s comments about a ‘development plan’ were interesting.

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Without knowing what goes on behind the scenes, it is hard to know whether or not the Gers are doing enough to convince young talent that they have a development plan that will turn them into a star at Ibrox.

One academy graduate who has seemingly not had a clear pathway to being a regular in the first-team is Bailey Rice, which is why Rohl must avoid him becoming a Gilmour repeat.

Why Danny Rohl should unleash Rangers teen Bailey Rice

The Gers youngster is not in the exact same situation as Gilmour, because he is four years older and has had experience in the first-team, but the club may run the risk of him wanting to move on if his lack of game time persists.

Thelwell, as shown in the graphic above, made it clear on Saturday that he wants the talented academy graduates at the club to be given chances at Ibrox, but that has not happened for Rice this season.

The 19-year-old star has played 45 minutes of football, against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup, for the Light Blues in the 2025/26 campaign, which means that he has not played a single minute in the Premiership.

In the summer transfer window, Rangers swooped to sign 30-year-old central midfielder Joe Rothwell from Bournemouth to bolster Russell Martin’s options in the defensive and central midfield positions.

That signing has played a part in blocking Rice’s pathway to playing minutes in the Premiership, and the experienced midfielder’s performances so far suggest that they may have been better off giving those chances to the youngster.

Appearances

8

Starts

5

Minutes

412

Goals

0

Assists

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

Dribbled past per game

0.4x

Ground duel success rate

46%

Aerial duel success rate

50%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has offered very little offensively or defensive in the middle of the park in his 412 minutes on the pitch in the league, losing the majority of his overall duels.

The English flop’s struggles suggest that the Gers would have been better off giving those 412 minutes to Rice to benefit his development and put him back on track to becoming a first-team regular, as Thelwell stated that he wants academy players to be given chances.

Rice made his first-team debut as a 16-year-old and was described as “a heck of a player” by former boss Michael Beale, as he made 14 first-team appearances in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns combined.

After a Europa League clash with Manchester United in January, Rio Ferdinand said that he liked Rice and hailed his composed play and “wonderful” passing in midfield, which shows that he impressed a former Premier League title winner and England international.

The teenage talent has only featured in seven Premiership games, starting once, in the subsequent 11 months, per Sofascore. This means that he has not had ample opportunity to nail down a place in the team.

Therefore, Rohl should avoid another Gilmour situation by finally handing Rice a chance to shine in the Premiership after the international break, to let him learn and develop, rather than continue to play Rothwell, who is at the opposite end of his career and has struggled this season.

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Kudus repeat: Paratici preparing Spurs move to sign £53m "game changer"

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur may have been knocked out of the League Cup by Newcastle United on Wednesday night, but they have had a strong start to life under Thomas Frank.

The Lilywhites are third in the Premier League after nine matches, with five wins and just two defeats, and their recruitment in the summer has played a significant role in that.

Spurs splashed out £55m to sign winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, and he has hit the ground running in North London.

The left-footed star has scored one goal and provided four assists in nine appearances in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has made a big impact in the final third.

Spurs eyeing repeat of Mohammed Kudus transfer

With the January transfer window on the horizon, the Europa League champions are reportedly keen on a star who could be Kudus 2.0 for the club.

Transfer Focus

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A report from Spain explains that Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a move to sign West Ham United and England forward Jarrod Bowen to add to their options at the top end of the pitch.

Fabio Paratici has identified the Hammers star as a player who can add fluidity to their squad, as he can play out wide as a winger or through the middle as a centre-forward.

It adds that Spurs are willing to make a move to sign the 28-year-old attacker in a deal that could be worth £53m, but it remains to be seen whether or not that would be enough for West Ham to sanction his departure.

Why Jarrod Bowen would be a Mohammed Kudus repeat

If the Lilywhites are able to convince the Hammers to sell Bowen to them in January, the English star would come in as a Kudus repeat, for several reasons.

The obvious similarity would be that the attacker would be another left-footed forward joining Spurs from West Ham for a fee of more than £50m.

However, the main reason why Bowen would be a Kudus repeat for Tottenham is because he is another Premier League-proven star who could come in to hit the ground running for Frank.

The former Hull City star, who was dubbed a “game changer” by reporter Roshane Thomas, scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in all competitions for the Hammers in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, and has started the current season in impressive form.

Jarrod Bowen (Premier League)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

34

9

xG

8.64

1.01

Goals

13

3

Big chances created

11

2

xA

6.47

1.17

Assists

8

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the £53m-rated attacker has outperformed his xG since the start of last season, showing that he is clinical and reliable in front of goal, unlike Dominic Solanke, who scored nine goals from 10.97 xG for Spurs last term.

To date, Bowen has scored 59 goals and assisted a further 44 in 209 appearances in the Premier League for West Ham, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has proven himself over a significant period of time.

These statistics show that he has the quality to deliver consistently at the top end of the pitch in the English top-flight, as he has provided a regular stream of goals and assists for the Hammers throughout his time at the London Stadium.

This suggests that he would be able to hit the ground running in North London as a signing who could slot straight into the team and make an impact in the final third, as he knows the division and has proven his quality.

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Therefore, signing Bowen in January would be a Kudus repeat for the Europa League champions because he is another ready-made Premier League star who could bolster Frank’s squad as an upgrade on Solanke as a finisher up front.

Varun Chakravarthy named Tamil Nadu captain for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

This will be his first captaincy stint at any level

Edited PTI copy13-Nov-2025India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been named Tamil Nadu captain for the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, beginning November 26. Narayan Jagadeesan will be the vice-captain.Varun played a handy role in India’s recent T20I series win in Australia, taking five wickets across three completed matches. This will be his first captaincy stint at any level. He replaced M Shahrukh Khan in the role and was appointed ahead of R Sai Kishore and Jagadeesan, both of whom have prior captaincy experience.India left-arm seamer T Natarajan is also part of the squad, as is his fellow left-arm seamer Gurjapneet Singh. Two more left-armers, Sai Kishore and M Siddharth, will lead the spin attack.Tamil Nadu are having a modest run in the ongoing Ranji Trophy and are placed sixth in their group after two losses and two draws in four games.In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, they are in Elite Group D alongside Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Tripura, Jharkhand and Saurashtra. They will open their campaign against Rajasthan in Ahmedabad.Tamil Nadu squadVarun Chakravarthy (capt), Narayan Jagadeesan (vice-capt, wk), Tushar Raheja (wk), VP Amit Sathvik, M Shahrukh Khan, Andre Siddarth, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Shivam Singh, R Sai Kishore, M Siddharth, T Natarajan, Gurjapneet Singh, A Esakkimuthu, R Sonu Yadav, R Silambarasan, S Rithik Easwaran (wk)

Worse than Savinho: Man City star is in danger of becoming another Grealish

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Manchester City fans arriving at the Etihad on Tuesday evening might well have been somewhat perplexed by the lineup that was announced.

Indeed, for the showdown with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, Pep Guardiola would ring the changes, with a mammoth ten alterations on display from the 2-1 defeat versus Newcastle United.

Nico Gonzalez was the only player remaining in the XI from that humbling loss.

The Spaniard’s widespread tinkering did not work the way he would have wanted, whatsoever, as City ended up crashing to a second successive defeat in all competitions, with Leverkusen taking advantage of the disjointed feel to the hosts to inflict a 2-0 loss.

While Leverkusen were ultimately clinical and deserving of all three points, several of Guardiola’s reserve personnel did let him down big time against the visitors from Germany, with Savinho – in particular – putting in another poor showing down the flanks.

Savinho's poor performance in numbers

The Brazilian would have been hopeful that he could change Guardiola’s mind about who his starting attacker should be down the left wing by putting in a high-octane performance against Leverkusen, with Jeremy Doku pushing Savinho to one side with ease as of late.

Instead, however, the below-par forward remains on just one paltry goal for the season, with social media account City Chief going as far as to bash his display against Kasper Hjulmand’s men as offering “no end product” again.

The numbers don’t lie in this regard, too, with Savinho coming off the pitch at the end of a frustrating 90 minutes with just one shot attempted at the Leverkusen goal.

Moreover, despite successfully completing four successful dribbles from nine attempts, as per Sofascore, all of the South American’s trickery and flair on the night ultimately went to waste, with just one accurate cross amassed.

On top of that, the hit-and-miss 21-year-old also gave away possession 24 times, with his decision-making labelled as “puzzling” by journalist Amos Murphy.

Guardiola has defended Savinho in recent weeks by calling him an “aggressive” threat in attack at his best, with this criticism rampant when you consider he has put away just four goals from 64 City appearances.

But, even the Spaniard deciding to wear rose-tinted glasses at times can’t defend that shoddy showing against the Bundesliga giants, with the £30m attacker going down the route of becoming the club’s next Jack Grealish, in being another flashy and inconsistent flop.

He isn’t the only struggling star up top where the Grealish comparison rings true, however, as another underperformer begins to worry if he, too, is a high-profile acquisition gone wrong.

The Man City star turning into the next Grealish

At least Savinho, even if his efforts were largely inaccurate and clumsy, got himself involved in the thick of the action, having accumulated a mighty 76 touches of the ball come the full-time whistle.

On the contrary, Omar Marmoush – with his own tally of 18 touches – faded in and out of the contest as an unmemorable focal point, with his £59m price tag now weighing him down, much like Grealish’s excessive £100m valuation would be his dismal undoing.

Yet, Grealish did show flashes of his excellence at City here and there before an Everton loan move came to fruition, with 17 goals and 23 assists to date helping the sky blue half of Manchester to three Premier League titles.

Marmoush hasn’t quite got that in the bank, but he does have a respectable nine goals next to his name from just 36 outings.

Still, football is a fast-paced and fickle game, and for the riches that were splashed out on his services, after amassing a jaw-dropping 50 goal contributions for Eintracht Frankfurt, just one goal this season won’t cut the mustard, with his goal-shy display on Tuesday night further reinforcing how reliant City are on Erling Haaland to get them out of trouble.

Minutes played

65

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

18

Shots

0

Accurate passes

7/9 (78%)

Possession lost

7x

Total duels won

2/5

From his minimal touches of the ball, despite lasting 65 minutes on the Etihad turf, Marmoush would fail to register a single effort on Mark Flekken’s busy net.

In stark contrast, the constantly dangerous Haaland would manage a colossal four shots, from just nine touches.

With only two duels won, too, it’s unlikely that Guardiola will be keen to utilise the Egyptian as his lone striker moving forward, as he now finds himself in danger of fading into the background, rather than being an impactful statement signing, like the former Aston Villa man.

Time will only tell if he can kick on this season to show he belongs, with injuries not helping him this campaign so far, either.

But, based on his Leverkusen showing alone, he will be pushed back to the bench, alongside Savinho, when Premier League action returns at the weekend.

Man City preparing £158m+ bid for star who wants to work under Guardiola

The Citizens are keen to make new signings and could now look to acquire one of Europe’s most prominent attackers.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 24, 2025

Archer to sit out opening ODI as England step up Ashes preparation

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Fast bowler’s workload to be managed in lead-up to Perth Test, in less than a month’s time

Cameron Ponsonby22-Oct-2025Jofra Archer will miss the opening ODI against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui, as England ramp up their fast-bowling preparations for the Ashes.Archer returned to Test cricket in spectacular style this summer, after spending over four years on the sidelines with injury. There is no suggestion that he is missing the opening ODI through injury, rather that England are continuing their strategy of micromanaging one of their star players’ programmes in an attempt to have him fit for as much of the Ashes as possible.Archer, who had already been rested from the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, will arrive in the country on Thursday alongside fellow quicks Mark Wood and Josh Tongue as England’s fast-bowling pack begin their conditioning before the Perth Test in just over four weeks’ time.England will face criticism from some quarters for only scheduling one warm-up fixture ahead of the Ashes, against the Lions in Perth the week before the first Test. However, they have been ultra-attentive to their fast bowlers’ preparations, with the entire Test fast-bowling group, Ben Stokes included, set to join up with the Lions from November 2 – a week in advance of the rest of the group.Of the seven fast bowlers in England’s Ashes squad, only Brydon Carse and Archer are playing any role in the white-ball series against New Zealand. However, Gus Atkinson has been with the squad for close to a week, working on his own individual preparations, with Wood and Tongue set to join him in their own training.”We’ve worked so hard to get to this point,” managing director Rob Key said in September about England’s fast-bowling group who – Wood’s final steps towards full fitness pending – are close to reporting a full bill of health. “It is the last little step. So we get this bit right and hopefully we have every option available to us going into that first Test in Perth.”Of England’s battery of fast bowlers, only Matthew Potts will not spend any time in New Zealand leading up to the England Lions camp, with Stokes expected to visit family in New Zealand before the group meets. Potts’ delayed arrival is due to him playing all three of Durham’s final matches in the County Championship in September.Related

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Archer’s absence from the opening ODI in Mount Maunganui means he will not return to the ground which is often associated with the start of his injury problems. In only his fifth Test match for England, Archer bowled 42 overs in an innings as New Zealand racked up 615 for nine. It was a figure that James Anderson only bettered once in his career when he bowled 44 overs against South Africa in 2008, while Stuart Broad only ever bowled a maximum of 36. Archer first reported elbow pain a little over a month later.During that same fixture in 2019, Archer was also subjected to racial abuse by a member of the crowd. The spectator in question was subsequently caught and banned from attending cricket for two years.

England decide against naming XI ahead of final T20

England broke from convention as they opted against publicly naming their XI a day out from the third and final T20I at Eden Park.In both Test and white-ball cricket, England have become accustomed to putting out their team early. However, with plenty of rain around in Auckland, there is doubt over the balance of the XI England will go with.Eden Park, an iconic stadium that is synonymous with All Blacks rugby, is an unusual ground for cricket with the straight boundaries particularly short. This is a factor that, combined with the damp conditions, may lead to England selecting an extra seamer rather than picking two specialist spinners in Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid.”It can sometimes be a bit mickey mouse at Eden Park,” Black Caps wicketkeeper Tim Seifert told the press in Auckland. “250 can be a par score. It’ll be interesting to see what the wicket plays like and we’ve just got to adapt to whatever we play on.”