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Sam Curran will be England’s third seamer, with Dawid Malan to bat in the middle order while India will confirm their XI on Wednesday

Preview by Andrew Miller31-Jul-2018Big PictureSeven years ago, at the start of another Indian Test tour of England, another notable Test landmark was reached. It will be England’s 1000th Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday; at Lord’s in the first Test of the 2011 series, it was the 2000th Test all told.Such landmarks can be trite, but every now and then they can have a galvanising effect too. That 2011 Test proved to be an epic, life-affirming affair, lit up by queues all down the Wellington Road on the final morning, as fans piled in for the chance to witness a grandstand finish, and maybe even (or not, as it transpired) a 100th hundred for the inimitable Sachin Tendulkar.The ECB, and Edgbaston, can but pray that this week’s Test will be amplified by its additional layer of history. Ticket sales for the much of the series have been sluggish, undermined no doubt by an England team that may include three players – Alastair Cook, James Anderson and Stuart Broad – who have contributed to more than a tenth of that English Test history, but which is currently performing at a similar fraction of its potential.In theory, everything this summer ought to have been building towards this climax. The logic of the India itinerary certainly implied that the Tests would be the biggest deal – with the T20Is and ODIs loaded into the top half of the tour before clearing the calendar for a full five-Test showdown. And yet, India chose to reduce their solitary warm-up at Chelmsford from four days to three, while England’s non-white-ball players have been hampered by a lack of Championship cricket in which to fine-tune their own preparations.In particular, the new-ball veterans, Anderson and Broad, are about to be asked to go from 0 to 100 in double-quick time. Having both played a solitary county fixture in the whole of July, they are now embarking on an itinerary of five Tests in six weeks, an ask that even an arch-combatant such as Broad has admitted he may struggle to complete without factoring in rest and rotation.It’s a state of affairs that will surely alarm the ECB, who have been banking on the windfalls from this bumper summer to replenish their coffers, and who must be wondering, if not India, then who can keep the crowds coming through the turnstiles for Test cricket?That’s not to say, however, that the status of the series has been diminished before it has begun. The era of the Big Three was consigned to the ICC’s official history books some time ago, but the sentiments that drove that agenda continue to hold sway in on-field engagements. England v India has taken its time to catch up with India v Australia as one of Test cricket’s blue riband battles, and it hasn’t yet produced the sort of see-sawing contest that would lift it alongside the Ashes in the public’s affections. But in terms of spice and animosity, there’s history aplenty between these teams, and scope in the coming weeks for so many additional plotlines.Virat Kohli himself gave short shrift to the notion that his team are favourites, but either way this is looking like India’s best-drilled squad for a tour of England since 2007, when Rahul Dravid’s team emerged as 1-0 victors in a three-Test series, having shed their previous reticence in a gripping tussle under Sourav Ganguly five years earlier.The more recent trips in 2011 and 2014 showed promise in the early exchanges, not least at Lord’s four years ago when Ishant Sharma pushed Cook to the brink of resignation by sealing a remarkable win. But by the end of both series, the captain MS Dhoni had the air of a man who no longer needed the hassle as India’s shortcomings against the moving ball pushed him into reverse.One thing you can be pretty sure of in 2018 – there will be no retreat under Kohli, a man on a mission to cement his own place as one of the sport’s all-time great cricketers. He has no material need to push himself any more than he already does, but like Tendulkar and Dravid before him, he recognises that Test cricket, even in its habitual state of flux, remains the format by which you book your place in the pantheon. If he can inspire a few of England’s own flatlining stars to match his resolve, we could yet be in for the classic that the format so desperately needs.Graphic: Adil Rashid will play his first Test for England since December 2016•ESPNcricinfo LtdForm guideEngland WLDLL
India WWLLDIn the spotlightJames Anderson v Virat Kohli is England v India in microcosm. Two giants of the game, drawn together once more to add another chapter to a storied rivalry. It would be grossly simplistic to say that the winner of this duel will decide the fate of this Test, and ultimately the series, but no two men are more fundamental to the fortunes of their teams.Kohli’s performance in England in 2014 – 134 runs in five Tests – remains a stain on his otherwise spotless world-class record, but his desire for retribution could not be more plain. Had it not been for an injury sustained at the IPL, he would have warmed up for this tour with a county stint with Surrey, but he’s had ample sighters in the course of India’s month-long build-up, including the limited-overs series, and no Indian captain since Ganguly has been more expressive in his desire for victory. His massive haul of 655 runs 109.16 on home soil paved the way for India’s 4-0 win in their last encounter with England in 2016-17.Anderson turned 36 on Monday, and while age is but a number, it’s still a pretty large one for a fast bowler who has been around the block for his 540 wickets over the course of a 15-year career. The economy of his run-up, allied to the magic in his wrist, means that there are no questions about his enduring quality – in many respects he is better now than ever before – but the challenge of five Tests in six weeks will require careful management, especially given his recent history of shoulder trouble. Anderson defied injury to rush himself back for the latter stages of that 2016-17 tour – to no great avail, he claimed four wickets at 53.5 in the last three Tests. But that willingness to put himself back in the frame showed how fiercely his fires still burn, as did his rather churlish end-of-series comments about Kohli’s record in England. The subtext was clear, but whether he’ll find his usual prodigious swing in the midst of England’s heatwave is another matter.Team newsAdil Rashid’s recall to the Test squad spawned a chapter of Yorkshire in-fighting not seen since Geoff Boycott was in his pomp – and Boycott himself hasn’t been shy on the subject either – but he will now be making his first Test appearance since December 2016. A grassy deck and a slight easing in the Saharan heat of this most atypical of English summers dissuaded England from fielding two spinners at Edgbaston for the first time since 1993, although Moeen Ali might have been considered ahead of Dawid Malan as a batsman. After playing his part in the series leveller against Pakistan, Sam Curran’s left-arm line complements the veteran pairing of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.England 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Dawid Malan, 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jos Buttler, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Sam Curran, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.Kuldeep Yadav’s potential inclusion persuaded England to recruit a trio of club left-armers to replicate his unusual angles in the nets this week. But with R Ashwin a shoo-in, Ravi Jadeja’s established qualities are the likelier second-spin option if India decide to stick to their strengths rather than lean on the extra seamer in Mohammad Shami. Shikhar Dhawan’s place at the top of the order is under pressure following his pair at Essex last week. KL Rahul is itching for an opening, and might well open alongside Murali Vijay.India 1 Shikhar Dhawan/KL Rahul, 2 Murali Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 R Ashwin, 8 Hardik Pandya, 9 Ravindra Jadeja/Mohammed Shami, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsIt has taken some diligent input from the Edgbaston groundstaff – and several million litres of water – to keep their wicket from turning to a dustbowl in the midst of an improbable English heatwave. And they have succeeded against the odds, but presumably in keeping with their brief from the ECB, in producing a wicket that looks markedly similar to those from the 2015 Ashes and 2016 Pakistan series. And seamers dominated in both of those games.Stats and Trivia After playing each of his first ten Tests overseas, Rashid is set to make his home Test debut, and play for the first time as a solitary spinner. Jos Buttler has been promoted to England’s vice-captain after just two matches of his Test comeback. He takes over from James Anderson, who in turn stepped up after Ben Stokes missed the Ashes. India’s last visit to Edgbaston was one that they’d rather forget. Alastair Cook’s highest Test score of 294 was more than the visitors made in either innings, as they slumped to defeat by an innings and 242 runs.Quotes”Looking at the surface, we’ve decided we only want to go with one spinner, and that’s going to be Adil. With the amount of right-handers in what we think is going to be India’s team, he gives us a very attacking option.” Joe Root explains the thinking as Rashid’s Test recall is confirmed.“You need professionalism more than feeling like an underdog or starting as a favourite. That is something we want to do as a team: we want to be consistent and professional.” Virat Kohli is focussed only on on-field matters

Al-Hilal star Michael has revealed Neymar’s hilarious response to head coach Jorge Jesus offering to teach him how to take penalties.

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South American moved to Saudi in 2023Currently nursing serious knee injuryHead coach is popular among playersWHAT HAPPENED?

Brazilian superstar Neymar has endured a tough time since leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Saudi Arabia, with a serious knee ligament injury keeping him sidelined at present. The 32-year-old forward is, however, always happy to have a laugh and a joke away from the field.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MICHAEL SAID ABOUT NEYMAR

He left club colleagues in stitches after seeing veteran boss Jesus try to offer advice on the art of penalty taking. Michael has told of that interaction between his fellow countryman and a Portuguese tactician: “Sometimes Jorge Jesus comes out of his box, and he's very funny. Nobody can say anything to him because he's so funny. There are times when he jokes and we say: 'He's not the same person who was complaining to us'. Once, the manager said to Neymar: 'I'm going to teach you how to take penalties'. Neymar had taken a penalty before, I think in a Brazilian team game, and he [Jesus] said he was going to teach him. Neymar took the penalty and said: 'Do you want to teach the priest how to say mass? I'll only miss a penalty when I want', it was all in fun. Whoever was there laughed a lot, he's very funny, but he always wants to help. You know that grandfather or father who, in his head, understands that he needs to help you with your life and the future? It’s Jorge Jesus!”

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Former Sporting and Flamengo boss Jesus returned to Al-Hilal for a second spell in July 2023. Michael added on working with a proven winner: “The 'old man' is wonderful! As a coach, we know what he's like. As a human being, he is incredible. He always wants to win and gives us that motivation to always want and fight to win. On the other hand, he is also like a father, a friend, a brother. He knows how to share this relationship. There are moments when it's Jorge with the experience of life and everything. Afterwards, he also knows how to reconcile with the coach Jorge Jesus who has to help the players, help the team to win, to work. I was happy to have worked with him a while ago [at Flamengo, in 2020], but God was so good to me that he gave me the opportunity to work with him again, learn more and evolve a lot.”

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Al-Hilal sit at the top of the Saudi Pro League table, 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr after going unbeaten through 24 fixtures in the 2023-24 campaign. It remains to be seen when Neymar, who signed a two-year contract upon his arrival in the Middle East, will be cleared to play again.

Manchester United's squad depth has already been tested this season, with a number of injuries far from helping their attempts to get back to their best form under Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman will be incredibly frustrated by his side's start to the Premier League season, as well as the fact that he still doesn't have a full squad to choose from with the pressure mounting.

What the current campaign has proven so far is United's need for January reinforcements, whether that's just for adding depth to their squad, or ensuring that Ten Hag's starting side is strong enough to finish inside the top four. That said, reports suggest that the Red Devils are looking to sign one particular La Liga forward.

Latest Man Utd transfer news

United welcomed the likes of Mason Mount, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Hojlund during the summer transfer window, in an attempt to build a squad ready to close the gap on treble winners Manchester City. Seven games into the season, however, and that gap looks even bigger than last year, with Ten Hag's side enduring a run to forget, which has already featured four defeats.

When the January transfer swings open, those at Old Trafford look set to seek further additions in the hope of turning things around. According to reports in Spain, which provided a Man Utd transfer update on Umar Sadiq, the Red Devils, and by extension owners the Glazers, are looking to sign the Real Sociedad forward in the winter transfer window. The Nigerian shares an agent with United centre-back Raphael Varane, potentially making any deal easier to complete.

Given that the Red Devils only just welcomed Hojlund to bolster their forward options, Sadiq could come in as a backup option, especially if Anthony Martial sees out the end of his contract, before possibly leaving on a free next summer.

Who is Umar Sadiq?

Manchester United's reported interest in Sadiq is an interesting one, to say the least. The Sociedad man, hailed as a "revelation" in Spain by journalist Josh Bunting, missed the majority of last season through injury, and hasn't exactly got off to a flying start in the current campaign, failing to score once in eight games in all competitions.

Sadiq did show glimpses of his talent in the small part that he did play last season, though, scoring three times in six appearances in all competitions, perhaps proving why United are reportedly interested in making their move. Currently 26 years old, too, the forward could be entering his prime, and therefore, in theory, could be on the verge of his best form.

Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has certainly been impressed by Sadiq in the past, seemingly praising the Nigerian when he played for Partizan Belgrade, saying, via the official Manchester United Twitter: "I've watched many of their games. They're a team with some pace, a big strong striker and some talent in there, with two or three very exciting players."

With that said, when the January transfer window swings open, it will be interesting to see whether United decide to pursue Sadiq's signature, or if the forward remains a Sociedad and La Liga player for the near future.

Leeds United dropped down to the Championship earlier this year after three seasons in the Premier League and are now tasked with bouncing back at the first attempt.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in to lead the charge, having won two league titles at this level with Norwich, and was backed with a number of signings during the summer transfer window.

The Whites brought in the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, and Sam Byram, among others, to bolster their squad and splashed the cash to improve their attack with the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea.

Appearances

11

Goals

Five

Chances created

Six

Pass accuracy

78%

Leeds reportedly paid more than £10m to sign the Dutch marksman from their Championship rivals and he has had a strong start to the campaign, as shown in the table above.

He has scored three more league goals than any of his teammates and his form comes off the back of an impressive return of 19 goals in 43 second division outings for the Swans during the 2022/23 season.

However, the window could have gone differently if the club had brought in one of the targets they reportedly had earlier in the summer – Sory Kaba.

Were Leeds interested in Sory Kaba?

Football League World reported that the Whites had been sending scouts to watch the FC Midtjylland number nine in action for Cardiff City on loan during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Telegraph's Mike McGrath claimed that fellow Championship side Watford were also keen on the centre-forward, who was available for a fee of £2m.

He eventually signed for Las Palmas in a deal that AS reported to be more than €2m (£1.7m), which suggests that the £2m price tag touted by McGrath was an accurate one.

Kaba attracted interest after a fairly prolific spell with Cardiff on loan last term as the towering striker produced eight goals and one assist in 17 Championship games for the Welsh outfit.

However, he only completed 54% of his attempted passes and made 0.6 key passes per game, with two 'big chances' created in total, as the Midtjylland loanee struggled to offer much in general play away from his goals.

His form for Cardiff came after a frustrating first half of the campaign with his parent club. Kaba scored four goals and provided five assists in 27 matches in all competitions, which included two goals in 16 league games in the Danish top-flight.

How many goals has Kaba scored for Las Palmas?

It has turned out that Leeds dodged a bullet with the 28-year-old flop as he has failed to score a single goal in seven league matches for the Spanish side this season and is now even worse than Georginio Rutter in front of goal.

His general play has been an issue for the attacker with Las Palmas this season as the goals have dried up, with zero for the club so far, and he has only made 0.6 key passes per outing and created zero 'big chances', as per Sofascore.

This shows that the experienced forward, who had scored 27 goals in 110 games in all competitions for Midtjylland, has offered very little in the way of creativity or build-up play for his team.

He has also struggled in front of goal with three 'big chances' missed and zero league goals from an xG of 1.13, which shows that the attacker has been wasteful with the opportunities that have fallen his way.

His poor form has earned him a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.50 and this is the 23rd-highest score within their squad, whilst it would also place him 23rd in the Leeds side.

How many goals has Rutter scored this season?

Rutter, on the other hand, has scored two goals in ten Championship games for Leeds as part of an attacking pairing with the aforementioned Piroe, who was signed from Swansea.

The French dynamo had failed to score in 11 Premier League matches for the club last season but has stepped up to offer a significant threat at the top end of the pitch in the second tier.

His goalscoring record is not prolific, yet, but his creativity has been outstanding from a number nine position. Rutter has created a whopping ten 'big chances' and made 2.6 key passes per game for his teammates this term, along with a pass completion rate of 69%.

The 21-year-old ace has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.18, which is the seventh-highest score within the squad, and this shows that he has stepped up to be a fantastic option for Farke.

Rutter's all-round play is far better than Kaba's in terms of the reliability in possession that he provides alongside his exceptional ability to split open the opposition's defence on a regular basis.

Should Leeds have signed Kaba?

Kaba's statistics for Cardiff last term and Las Palmas this season do not suggest that he would have been able to make the level of impact that the former Hoffenheim man has made on the pitch for Farke's side.

The Guinea international had a rich vein of scoring form with the Welsh team at Championship level but did not show enough in possession alongside his goals and those issues have resurfaced, without the goals to make up for it, in Spain.

Rutter may not be a prolific scorer, as shown by his two goals in ten league matches so far, but he is able to make up for his struggles in that area with his fantastic play on the ball in the build-up.

The 21-year-old maestro is an outstanding talent when it comes to creating chances on a regular basis and he has caught the eye alongside Piroe with a string of terrific displays for Leeds in the Championship.

Therefore, Farke and the club dodged a bullet by avoiding a deal to sign Kaba for £2m during the summer transfer window as his statistics suggest that it would have been a big blunder.

He is not a better option than Piroe or Rutter for one of the two central attacking positions in the manager's 4-2-3-1 system and fans should, therefore, be thankful that Leeds did not bring him in on a permanent basis.

Leeds United's attempts to secure an automatic promotion place in the Championship this season have left a little bit to be desired so far.

The Whites are seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second place and four points behind Southampton in third, whilst they are a staggering 17 points off Leicester City in first.

Daniel Farke's side have only won two of their last six league matches and failed to score more than one goal in all four of the games they failed to win.

This suggests that the Yorkshire-based outfit have lacked a cutting edge at times and it has cost them in the race to secure a top two position in the division.

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They lost three games by one goal in that run and would have been in second place had they managed to turn those defeats into wins with two more goals in each match.

Latest Leeds transfer news

The Whites appear to have acknowledged their need for additional firepower as Fabrizio Romano has named them as one of the clubs in the race to secure the signing of Fabio Carvalho this month.

Leeds are said to be pushing to sign the talented attacking midfielder on loan until the end of the season, but they are not the only team in the running.

Fellow Championship high-flyers Southampton and Hull City are also trying to win the race to land his signature in January as they look to bolster their respective attacks.

However, Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers are also keen on the Liverpool starlet and this could make it a difficult deal for any of the second tier sides to complete.

Leeds could attempt to persuade Carvalho that a move to Elland Road is his best option to play regular football, which may not be available to him at a top-flight team.

Farke's reputation with young talent, particularly at Championship level, could also play a key role as the German tactician was pivotal in the development of James Maddison and Emiliano Buendia during his time at Norwich City.

Both of those players, albeit Buendia is currently out injured, have gone on to become impressive Premier League performers after shining in the second division as attacking midfielders or wide attackers for the now-Leeds boss at Carrow Road.

Leeds pushing to sign "special player" with contact made

Daniel Farke is keen to take him to Elland Road…

BySean Markus Clifford Jan 7, 2024

If Leeds and Farke can convince Carvalho to make the switch to Yorkshire then they could land a similar attacking talent to those two Championship superstars, whilst also landing the German boss' own version of Pablo Hernandez.

Marcelo Bielsa had the mercurial Spanish wizard at his disposal to carve open opposition defences on a regular basis in the club's last promotion to the top-flight and the Liverpool youngster has the potential to be a similar creative force from an attacking midfield or wide position

Pablo Hernandez's Championship form under Bielsa

The impressive magician played two seasons in the Championship for the Argentine head coach and caught the eye with his terrific contributions at the top end of the pitch.

Hernandez played 39 matches and started 37 during the 2018/19 campaign, which was Bielsa's first at Elland Road, and racked up 12 goals and 12 assists.

He also created 16 'big chances' for his teammates and this shows that the exciting whiz was a consistent creator who could open up opposition defences for his teammates.

The magical Spaniard followed that up with nine goals, nine assists, and 13 'big chances' created in 36 Championship appearances during the 2019/20 campaign, which ended in promotion to the Premier League.

He ranked within the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for xAG (Expected Assisted Goals) with 0.32 per 90, along with being in the top 1% for shot-creating actions (6.67) per 90.

Appearances

16

Goals

Zero

Assists

Two

Big chances created

One

Sofascore rating

6.75

As you can see in the table above, Hernandez was not able to translate his immense Championship form over to the Premier League the following year, as he entered the final throes of his playing career.

However, there is no doubt that the now-38-year-old was a sensational operator in the second tier with his ability to score goals and create chances from a number ten or wide position for the Whites, and Carvalho could follow in his footsteps at Elland Road.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Carvalho

The 21-year-old dynamo has struggled at the top level since Liverpool decided to sign him from Fulham in the summer of 2022 after his second tier exploits.

Carvalho made 13 appearances for the Reds in the Premier League throughout the 2022/23 campaign and contributed with two goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created.

His inability to make the step up led to Jurgen Klopp making the decision to send him out on loan during the first half of the current term.

He spent time on loan with RB Leipzig in Germany but was not able to provide a single goal, assist, or 'big chance' created in nine Bundesliga matches.

However, his form for Fulham in the Championship, prior to his move to Anfield, suggests that the quality is there for him to be Farke's own version of Pablo Hernandez during the second half of this season.

Carvalho was instrumental in the Cottagers' promotion to the top-flight during the 2021/22 campaign as the young ace showcased his attacking capabilities.

The £41k-per-week ace, who was hailed as a "real gem" by talent scout Jacek Kulig that term, racked up ten goals and eight assists in 36 league outings for Fulham.

Chris Willock

1

Harry Wilson

2

Morgan Gibbs-White

3

Callum Robinson

4

Bobby Reid

5

This means that, like Hernandez did in the 2019/20 promotion campaign, Carvalho produced 18 direct goal contributions in those 36 matches – one every other game on average.

The former Fulham star also created 13 'big chances' for his teammates and ranked within the top 4% of attacking midfielders and forwards within the division for xAG (0.31) per 90.

These statistics suggest that the Reds youngster is a player who has the ability, having proven it at Championship level, to be a Hernandez-esque figure for Farke as both a scorer and a creator of goals from midfield, which is why Leeds must push hard to win the race for his signature.

A group of Roma fans have been arrested after causing unrest on a flight to London ahead of their Europa League tie against Brighton on Thursday.

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Roma fans arrested after flightSuspects accused of disruptionSet to face Brighton in Europa LeagueWHAT HAPPENED?

Five or six Giallorossi supporters were met by police when they landed in England after causing disruptions on the flight from the Italian capital, reports. Police cars were ready on the landing strip at Stansted airport to detain the suspects.

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The arrest of the Roma fans is just the latest controversy surrounding the tie. Two Brighton fans were stabbed in Rome ahead of the first leg of the Europa League last-16 tie, while the Italian fans threw bottles, lighters and coins at the away support during the game.

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Roma ran out 4-0 winners in the first leg of the European tie last week, with Paulo Dybala, Romelu Lukaku, Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante all getting on the scoresheet to give Daniele De Rossi's team a significant advantage.

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Roberto De Zerbi's team will aim to get back into the Europa League tie as best they can when they host the Serie A side on Thursday. The Seagulls will then have two weeks off ahead of the international break.

The Committee of Administrators has ruled that the BCCI can press criminal charges against players found to be indulging in age fraud

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2018The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has ruled that players submitting false and tampered-with birth certificates as part of the age-verification processes for BCCI tournaments will now be banned for two years and could also face criminal action from the BCCI.At a meeting in Delhi in May, the CoA deliberated on the existing penalties for such an offence and decided that with a due mechanism to identify such fraud, the ban period should be doubled from the existing one-year period. Age-fudging is a prominent feature in India’s domestic system, particularly in age-group cricket, where parents and even coaches encourage the practice despite the risks of being found out. The loss of two years of top-level cricket, along with the danger of legal charges, the CoA hopes, will serve as a deterrent to any such attempts by players.Under the Indian legal system, it is a criminal offence to provide false birth certificates. The BCCI has now decided to adopt the same penalty wherever applicable. “Players who are found [after a proper enquiry] to have submitted false/tampered birth certificates will be banned from all BCCI tournaments for two seasons,” the CoA said as per the minutes of the May 18 meeting. “BCCI may also initiate criminal action against the concerned player and/or any other person responsible for submitting false/tampered birth certificates.”The decision comes almost three years after the current coach of the India Under-19s and A teams, Rahul Dravid, had called for a regulation at the state and academy levels to stop the “scourge of overage players” in his MAK Pataudi lecture, adding that age-fudging was just as bad as fixing.”The truth is that the player who has faked his age might make it at the junior level not necessarily because he is better or more talented, but because he is stronger and bigger. We all know how much of a difference a couple of years can make at that age. That incident will have another ripple effect: an honest player, deprived of his place by an overage player, is disillusioned. We run the risk of losing him forever,” Dravid had said during the lecture.At the time, bone-density tests were the only measure of determining a player’s age. A centralised database of birth certificates, Dravid had said, would be the way to tackle the issue.

England were not as dominant as they were expected to be, but were still far too strong for a West Indies team struggling for batting consistency

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan12-Jun-2012Ever since England came back to win the Lord’s Test in the 2000 series against West Indies, they have completely dominated the head-to-head contests. Between the Lord’s win and the final Test of this series, England had won 13 out of 15 home Tests against West Indies. Only persistent rain in Edgbaston and dogged resistance from West Indies’ lower order prevented a whitewash.West Indies briefly raised hopes of a surprise win at Lord’s and managed to stay competitive but were simply overwhelmed by England’s all-round strength. With Chris Gayle missing at the top of the order, the inexperienced opening batsmen were unable to fight it out in bowler-friendly conditions. England, not quite at their dominant best as they had been in recent home series, were still a far more potent bowling unit than West Indies, who struggled with injuries. On the batting front, England were far from impressive but were boosted by the timely return to form of Andrew Strauss, who scored consecutive centuries at Lord’s and Trent Bridge.West Indies were bowled out in each of the innings they batted (five innings) and averaged 30.98. In contrast, England averaged a much higher 43.58 while losing just 31 wickets. However, England’s batting performance was well below their exploits in recent home series. Only twice since 2009 have England averaged lower (against Australia and Pakistan) in a home series. In contrast, England had averaged 61.12 in their previous home series against West Indies. Both West Indies and England had nine fifty-plus scores with West Indian batsmen scoring more centuries (three). England, however, were by far the better bowling team with Stuart Broad picking up the only five-wicket haul of the series.

Overall stats of England and West Indies in the series

TeamRunsWickets lostRuns per wicket100/505WI/10WMEngland13513143.582/71/1West Indies15495030.983/60/0The England-West Indies contests over the last decade in England have been a mismatch. With a below-par bowling attack and a vulnerable batting line-up, West Indies have hardly threatened. In the first Test at Lord’s, disciplined batting in their second innings and an inspired burst by Kemar Roach created an opening but the lack of firepower in the attack meant that West Indies were unable to capitalise. An all too familiar collapse in the second innings at Trent Bridge ended West Indies’ chances of levelling the series. On more than one occasion in their last two series (against India and Australia), West Indies had lost the grip after collapsing for sub-200 scores. Although the series result (2-0) was never in doubt given the gulf in quality, West Indies competed far better than they did on previous visits.In 2000, when they lost 3-1 (first series loss in England for 31 years), West Indies had an excellent bowling average of 22.55 but a poor batting average of 21.67. Their average difference (difference between batting and bowling averages) in that series was -0.88. Following the retirements of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, the bowling quality took a major hit in the subsequent series. In the next three series, the average difference values were -18.99, -20.47 and -38.77. In comparison, their corresponding figure in this series is a much improved -12.60. The wickets difference (difference between the wickets picked up per match and wickets lost per match) is the best for West Indies in the 2000 series (-1.60). In the 2012 series, the corresponding figure is much poorer (-6.33). In both 2004 and 2007, the wickets difference values were better than the number in the 2012 series. West Indies’ worst performance on this front came in the 2009 series when they lost 40 wickets but managed to pick up just 24 (wickets difference of -12).

West Indies in the last five series in England

YearMatchesWins/LossesBat avgBowl avgAvg diffWickets/match (bat)Wickets/match (bowl)Wickets diff200051/321.6722.55-0.8817.4015.80-1.60200440/429.1148.10-18.9919.5014.25-5.25200740/328.6049.07-20.4717.0013.25-3.75200920/222.3561.12-38.7720.008.00-12.00201230/230.9843.58-12.6016.6610.33-6.33With the openers badly out of form, the top-order (1-4) of West Indies wore a very unsettled look and managed an average of just 15.65. On the other hand, England’s top order did much better averaging close to 50. Not only were Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in form, Strauss also got back among the runs and ended the series as England’s top run-getter. West Indies were able to stay afloat in the first two Tests purely because of their battling middle order. After being recalled to the team, Marlon Samuels batted brilliantly and topped the run-scoring charts. He scored a century and three fifties in five innings and averaged 96.50. His series aggregate of 386 runs is the fourth-highest by a West Indian batsman in a series in England since 2000.Shivnarine Chanderpaul came away without a century but still managed over 200 runs at an average of 78.33. West Indies’ middle order (5-7) averaged 65 with two centuries and five fifties while England’s middle order managed an average of 38.50 with three half-centuries. Denesh Ramdin and Tino Best were involved in a 143-run stand for the last wicket in the third Test with Best scoring a record 95. Darren Sammy’s century at Trent Bridge and Best’s heroics pushed up the lower order (8-11) average for West Indies to 21.50, which was higher than that of England (17.50).

Batting stats for both teams in the series by batting position

Batting positionTeamRunsAverageSR100/501-4England83849.2955.242/45-7England30838.5056.930/38-11England10517.5048.830/01-4West Indies31315.6538.590/05-7West Indies78065.0047.072/58-11West Indies38721.5059.081/1Since 2008, only New Zealand have a lower average than West Indies for the opening wicket. In the recent home series against Australia, the West Indies openers struggled and had five single-figure partnerships in six innings. They did better in England but an average of 22.40 meant that the middle order was almost always under pressure. England’s openers managed only one fifty stand but were more consistent than their West Indian counterparts (average 38.60).For both the second and third wickets, West Indies failed to aggregate 100 partnership runs. England, on the other hand, scored over 200 runs for both the partnership wickets and averaged 71.25 and 55.50 respectively. The in-form Samuels and Chanderpaul ensured that West Indies’ middle order did not cave in meekly. West Indies averaged much higher than England for the fifth wicket and shared a century and two fifty stands. The visitors’ seventh-wicket partnership was also more prolific with the highest stand coming in the second Test at Trent Bridge, where Sammy and Samuels added 204 in the first innings.

Partnership stats for both teams in the series

Partnership wicketEngland (Runs, Average)England (100/50 stands)West Indies (Runs, Avg)West Indies (100/50 stands)1193, 38.600/1112, 22.400/02285, 71.251/186, 17.200/03222, 55.501/196, 19.200/14220, 55.001/0107, 21.400/05195, 48.751/0340, 68.001/2666, 33.000/0112, 22.400/1730, 15.000/0364, 72.801/0Broad continued his superb run of form picking up 14 wickets in the series including 11 in the first Test at Lord’s. In the first two Tests, Broad and James Anderson reaffirmed their status as one of the best opening-ball pairs. Broad troubled Adrian Barath dismissing him twice while conceding just 32 runs. Anderson, meanwhile, made life extremely difficult for Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards dismissing them both twice while conceding only seven and ten runs respectively. Graeme Swann got Chanderpaul twice in four innings and improved his record against the left-hander to five dismissals in ten innings.However, Swann had no such luck against Samuels. Samuels scored 131 runs 131 runs off 191 balls from Swann (run-rate of 4.11) without being dismissed even once. Roach bowled some quick spells and tasted success against Strauss (two dismissals at average of 27.00) and Jonny Bairstow (two dismissals at average of 12.00). Tim Bresnan’s place in the squad was questioned before the start of the series but he ended the series as England’s second-highest wicket-taker (12 wickets) with a best match haul of 8 for 141 at Trent Bridge.

Bowler v batsman in the series

BowlerBatsmanRunsDismissalsAverageBalls per dismissalStuart BroadAdrian Barath32216.0025.50James AndersonKirk Edwards723.509.00James AndersonKieran Powell1025.0016.00Graeme SwannShivnarine Chanderpaul36218.0048.50Kemar RoachJonny Bairstow1326.5012.00Kemar RoachAndrew Strauss54227.0065.00Graeme SwannMarlon Samuels1310–

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca looks set for a busy summer indeed. He may be close to leading the Blues to their first trophy since 2021, but the Italian is already thinking ahead to next season.

There has been no shortage of big-name players being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in recent weeks.

Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo is one trending target, with reports coming from Spain that the club would love to sign the Brazilian.

Hugo Ekitiké has emerged as another potential option to bolster Maresca’s frontline this summer. Journalist Simon Phillips claimed that Chelsea had been scouting the Frenchman ahead of the summer transfer window following his excellent campaign for Eintracht Frankfurt.

While the need for attacking players is obviously key for Maresca, especially if the club secures Champions League qualification for 2025/26, bringing in another centre-back or two is equally important.

Across all competitions this season, the club have conceded 57 goals, including 43 in the Premier League.

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11

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They will face tougher competition in Europe certainly, heightening the need for a defender capable of stepping up to the plate.

It looked as though they were frontrunners to sign Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, but that plan was scuppered recently…

Chelsea have missed out on Dean Huijsen

Following an excellent season for the Cherries, Huijsen certainly attracted attention from elsewhere, and it appeared as though he would be leaving the south coast sooner rather than later.

According to the Mail, Chelsea were targeting a swoop for the Spanish defender, with the report claiming fellow admirers Liverpool, believed that the Blues were leading the chase.

Recent developments, however, now mean that the youngster won’t be making the move to London this summer.

Real Madrid activated the £50m release clause in his contract in order to secure his services at the end of the season.

This is a big blow for Maresca, as capturing Huijsen, especially with clubs such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Liverpool showing interest, would have signalled a statement of intent.

Now, the Italian will have to turn to other defensive targets ahead of the transfer window opening on June 1. By that time, the Blues will know which European competition they will be playing in next season.

Could this allow the club to sign more high-profile players?

Chelsea keen to open talks with teenage defender

Maresa could turn to Premier League defenders Marc Guehi and Jarrad Branthwaite as potential alternatives this summer, according to Sky Sports.

It is likely both Crystal Palace and Everton will attempt to put Chelsea off by placing huge price tags on their prized assets. If so, the Blues could well turn to the continent for another centre-back.

According to TEAMtalk, with Huijsen now unavailable, Chelsea are reportedly keen on opening talks with Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.

The 19-year-old is a sought-after player, with the likes of AC Milan, Liverpool and Arsenal all showing interest in prising him away from the Netherlands.

Ajax have set an asking price in the region of €45m-€50m (£38m-£42m), meaning if the Blues were to sign him, he would be cheaper than Huijsen.

The report claims that talks are set to begin soon between the Premier League side and Hato. If so, Maresca will be looking to get this deal over the line as quickly as possible.

Why Chelsea must sign Jorrel Hato

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig is used to waxing lyrical about young talent, but his praise for Hato back in 2023 proves just how highly-rated he really was.

“17 years of age. De Toekomst’s Finest. One of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe.” Said Kulig and the youngster has gone from strength to strength since.

Player

Year joined

Hakim Ziyech

2020

Daishwan Redan

2017

Juan Familia-Castillo

2016

Per Weihrauch

2006

Moubarak Boussoufa

2002

Jesper Gronkjaer

2001

Mario Melchiot

1999

Despite only turning 19 in March, the Ajax sensation has already racked up 111 competitive appearances for the club, registering 13 goal contributions in that time.

Although the club collapsed over the final few games, allowing PSV Eindhoven to steal the Eredivisie title away from them, Hato enjoyed a wonderful campaign.

His 90% pass accuracy in the top flight was third-best in the squad, behind only Youri Baas and Josip Sutalo, while he ranked first for tackles (1.9), fifth for interceptions (0.7) and third for clearances (2) per game for Ajax.

He also won 4.1 total duels per game – a success rate of 52% – while recovering 4.2 balls per game in the Eredivisie this term.

These performances led Kulig to hail him for his “immense quality” and for having an “excellent season” for the Dutch club.

Huijsen may be on his way to Madrid, but is there a case for Hato to perhaps turn out to be the better long-term prospect for Chelsea?

Why Jorrel Hato can be a better signing than Dean Huijsen

While Huijsen is a superb centre-back, Hato offers positional flexibility which could see him thrive under Maresca.

Not only is he an excellent ball-playing centre-back, but Hato is also just as comfortable at full-back, particularly on the left side of the defence.

Domestically this season, the Dutch youngster has registered eight goal contributions for Ajax, along with recording 0.45 goal-creating actions, winning 36 tackles, making 33 carries into the final third and taking 413 touches in the final third.

Compare these statistics to Huijsen, however, and it is clear who could fit into Maresca’s style better.

The Spaniard has recorded four goal contributions for the Cherries this term, while he also recorded 0.12 goal-creating actions, wins 26 tackles, made 29 carries into the final third and has taken only 137 touches in the opposition’s final third in the top flight.

Hato’s ball-playing ability in advancing out of his own half could give Chelsea a new dimension next season.

Huijsen may have been flavour of the month for a while, but for a cheaper transfer fee, Maresca could sign a defender who has the potential to be even better.

Tosin upgrade: Chelsea eyeing £25m Huijsen alternative as priority target

Chelsea are eyeing up a Dean Huijsen alternative who could be even better than Tosin Adarabioyo.

ByDan Emery May 18, 2025

Stats highlights from the third ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan

S Rajesh03-Aug-2009In his 17 previous ODI innings Mahela Jayawardene had scored one half-century, four ducks, and averaged 15.11•AFP The 202-run partnership between Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga is the third-highest for the first wicket for Sri Lanka in ODIs, and their highest at home. Their highest overall is 286, against England at Leeds in 2006. Of the five 200-plus opening stands for Sri Lanka, Tharanga has been involved in three. It’s also Sri Lanka’s first double-century opening stand without the presence of Sanath Jayasuriya. Jayawardene’s glorious 123 ended a barren run in ODIs: in his 17 previous ODI innings he had an average of 15.11, with one half-century and four ducks. This was also only his second ODI innings as an opener. In his previous effort – against Zimbabwe in Harare in November 2008 – he had failed to get off the mark. Dambulla has traditionally been a difficult venue for batting, but in this game both Pakistan and Sri Lanka scored totals that hadn’t been scored at this ground. In 28 previous ODIs in Dambulla, the highest score had been 282, by Sri Lanka against India in 2004. India chased it bravely, but fell short by 12 runs. Those were the two highest ODI totals here before today. The win also ended a poor run for Sri Lanka in ODI series at home – they had lost their last three, against England and twice against India. (Click here for Sri Lanka’s results in home ODI series.) The pitch was so good for batting that even Muttiah Muralitharan leaked plenty of runs – in ten overs he conceded 64, which is the second-highest number of runs he has conceded in a home ODI. The highest is 66, against India earlier this year. In terms of economy rates, this comes in at third place among his most expensive spells at home. Click here for the full list. It was also a bad game for Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s most consistent spinner. He leaked 7.50 runs per over, his most expensive spell in almost two years. Against India in Kanpur in November 2007, he had conceded 57 in seven, a rate of 8.14 per over. Since then, in 30 ODIs before this one, only twice did he concede more than six runs per over.