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Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea shared a touching birthday message to his wife Edurne Garcia amid speculation about his own future.

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De Gea shares touching birthday message to wifeGoalkeeper still a free agent after United exitInjury-hit Newcastle linked with SpaniardGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Spaniard posted his message to his long-term partner, the singer and actress Edurne. The pair married this summer on the Balearic island of Menorca, just days after his United contract expired, which ended a 12-year spell at Old Trafford.

AdvertisementWHAT DE GEA SAID

"Happy birthday Mommy! We love you so much!" posted De Gea on Instagram alongside a picture of the couple in fancy dress.

WHAT EDURNE SAID

Edurne had a humorous take to the day, posting a video of herself blowing the candles on a cake which magically revealed he true age, much to her mock dismay.

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Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

De Gea remains by far the biggest name free agent there is out there at the moment. At the age of 33 and having played 76 consecutive Premier League games before his departure from United there is no doubt that the former Spain number one is capable of playing several more seasons at the highest level.

But with financial fair play (FFP) limitations forcing several top teams into awkward situations it may take a smart piece of accountancy or a significant drop in De Gea's United wages to see him back on a field soon. With their strong financial backing and the long-term injury to Nick Pope, Newcastle United appear to be the most likely landing spot for the Spaniard.

All three of Luis Enrique's starting forward line found the net as his team found breathing room in the title race

Luis Enrique has probably been waiting ages for this moment. The Parisians, and their expensive, reworked attacking line, haven't quite pieced a performance together going forward. But on Friday, they did just that — and reaped the rewards. Ousmane Dembele got his first goal in PSG colors, while Kylian Mbappe and Goncalo Ramos also found the scoresheet, as the Parisians saw off title rivals Monaco, 5-2, in a thrilling encounter.

PSG had the most obvious chance of the early goings, but Mbappe's curled effort was turned around the post by Philipp Kohn. Monaco had a clear look of their own shortly after when Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped a header over the bar. Those early events gave way to a chaotic contest.

Ramos was first, latching onto a blunder from Kohn to finish into an empty net. Donnarumma followed with a mistake of his own, giving the ball away to Takumi Minamino, before failing to deny his saveable shot — handing Monaco a well-deserved equaliser. And then, the inevitable Mbappe goal came. This time, it was from the penalty spot, a clumsy challenge giving the captain a chance from 12 yards — which he comfortably dispatched.

PSG only needed two minutes to kill the game. After struggling for the opening part of the second half, a duo of quick breaks sealed the win. Dembele started it, darting down the wing and producing a sublime first touch before burying his first goal in a PSG shirt. And Vitinha sealed it, unleashing a fine curled strike that left Kohn rooted to the ground as it curled into the far corner.

Folarin Balogun bagged a lovely second for the visitors, but a late fifth from Randal Kolo Muani quelled any chances of a Monaco comeback.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

Made a handful of excellent saves, but also gave a goal away — which is kind of his thing these days

Achraf Hakimi (6/10):

Dangerous on the right side of the pitch, but was caught lacking defensively at times.

Milan Skriniar (6/10):

A real mixed bag. Was poor on Balogun's goal, and could have offered more on the Monaco first. But he also won some important headers, and handled Balogun well.

Lucas Hernandez 5/10):

Not his best game. Solid in possession, but Minamino gave him a headache throughout.

Nordi Mukiele (6/10):

Another solid showing on his weaker left side. Good to see the Frenchman getting minutes after enduring an injury-interrupted first campaign in the capital.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Manuel Ugarte (7/10):

Impressive at the base of midfield. Clearly loves a tackle, and is always improving in his distribution. Looks like a top signing.

Fabian Ruiz (6/10):

Tidy without being inspirational in central midfield. Looks like he will be given more minutes with Warren Zaire-Emery out.

Vitinha (7/10):

Scored a wonderful fourth to cap off a solid performance. He's found his best under the new manager.

GettyAttack

Ousmane Dembele (7/10):

Excellent in transition, dangerous on the ball. Wasteful until he battered one into the net to give his side a 3-1 lead. Do that more, and he will be among Europe's best.

Goncalo Ramos (6/10):

Grabbed a goal, showing good striker's instinct to pounce on a mistake. He needs to do it more.

Kylian Mbappe (7/10):

A constant threat. Was never going to miss from the penalty spot. Some slick interchanges created problems, and he was as direct as ever.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Bradley Barcola (6/10):

A lively cameo from a player who perhaps deserves more minutes.

Randal Kolo Muani (6/10):

A bit sluggish off the bench, until he scored a late goal.

Carlos Soler (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Luis Enrique (8/10):

A few injuries limited his selection options, but he still fielded a strong side. His 4-3-3 worked well for the most part, and his side found a real attacking groove. A big win.

The Gunners centre-back has taken her game to the next level over the past few months, and with others out injured, she should get her chance to start

There was plenty for Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall to be happy about following his side's emphatic 3-1 victory over Manchester United in front of a Women's Super League-record Emirates Stadium crowd on Saturday. Following a shock defeat to West Ham, as well as an FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, the Swede has been under pressure recently, and the welcome win moved the Gunners back to within three points of leaders Chelsea with eight games to play.

Cloe Lacasse seriously impressed on a rare start, Beth Mead was unplayable at times and Lia Walti ran things in the middle of the park. But at full-time, Eidevall made sure to give his makeshift back four – disrupted by Leah Williamson and Amanda Ilestedt being absent – special credit for the victory, singling one player out in particular.

"We had to rejig and you could see Laia Codina, for example, she has been training really well so she was ready to play. But it is still a new back four to play together. But in that unit we have to acknowledge a player like Lotte Wubben-Moy. We have to acknowledge the level she is playing at this season and seeing how she develops," he said.

"A performance like she has today is incredible. I think it is something the whole club should be very proud of because she is Arsenal through and through. She is coming from our academy, our community and to see her excel the way she does at Emirates Stadium, it is fantastic. I am really, really happy for her and the club to see that."

Getty ImagesStepping up last season

Her manager's glowing appraisal after Saturday's huge result has been echoed by most onlookers throughout the current campaign. Almost every Arsenal fan would agree that Wubben-Moy is firmly in the conversation for the Gunners' Player of the Season award, while a spot in the WSL Team of the Year also seems likely if she continues on her current trajectory.

Wubben-Moy's emergence as a key player has not come out of the blue, though. Following Leah Williamson's devastating ACL injury last season, and with other starting centre-back Rafaelle missing a decent chunk of the 2022-23 campaign too, she stepped up when it mattered, playing near enough every minute of her side's congested run-in.

Forming an unorthodox partnership with Steph Catley at the heart of the defence, she chipped in with a string of vital contributions; none more so than in her side's Champions League semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg, where she provided the pinpoint cross for Jen Beattie's headed equaliser that sent the game to extra-time.

Heartbreakingly, it would be Wubben-Moy's tired error in that additional period that would eventually gift the German side their place in the final, but she did not let this setback affect her performances for the remainder of the season, scoring in Arsenal's victory over Everton a few weeks later, a result that went a long way to sealing their spot in the Champions League for the following campaign.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesReaching new heights

New heights have been reached since then, though, with few defenders enjoying better WSL seasons so far. And it was telling that when Williamson did return to the WSL starting line-up in February against West Ham, it was World Cup star Ilestedt that dropped to the bench, not Wubben-Moy, suggesting that the Englishwoman has risen to the very top of the defensive pecking order.

Delving into the statistics, it's not hard to see why. Earlier in her career, there were concerns that Wubben-Moy was not as effective in possession as some of her club and international colleagues. But this campaign, no outfield player has completed more long balls or racked up more progressive passing distance than her in the WSL.

She is also carrying the ball effectively; just five WSL players (Anna Patten, Maya Le Tissier, Laia Alexandri, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter) have racked up more progressive distance than Wubben-Moy's 1766 yards this season. And of those players, just Greenwood has registered fewer minutes than the Arsenal star.

Wubben-Moy has always excelled at bread-and-butter defending too, and this has continued recently. Bunny Shaw, Sam Kerr and Rachel Daly are among the top-class centre-forwards that she has kept scoreless this season, and she is yet to make an error that's led to an opponent having a shot this term. Meanwhile, only Liverpool's towering forward Sophie Roman Haug has won more aerial duels.

Getty ImagesStruggling for international recognition

But amid this excellent run of form, Wubben-Moy has found international recognition under Sarina Wiegman hard to come by this season. She made her Lionesses debut back in 2021, coming on as a substitute during an emphatic friendly victory over Northern Ireland, eventually earning a maiden start in her side's infamous 20-0 thrashing of Latvia in November that same year.

Since then, she's been a near ever-present in England squads, only pulling out of a few camps due to injury. Despite this, her playing time has been frightfully limited. In fact, since that Latvia game, she's only managed a single start, a 45-minute outing in a friendly against Belgium in June 2022.

Thus, while she has a Euro 2022 winners' medal, and was a part of the Lionesses' impressive run to the 2023 World Cup final and Finalissima triumph, it all came as a spectator. That will surely change in the upcoming fixtures against Austria and Italy, though.

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Getty ImagesTiming is everything

In the past, it's been easier for Wiegman to ignore Wubben-Moy. During the Euros, Williamson and Millie Bright were always going to be impossible to displace at the heart of defence. And at the World Cup, Greenwood and Carter each emerged as deserved starters as the England boss flipped between a back-three and back-four.

But in this camp, Bright and Williamson are unavailable due to injury, and it's hard to argue that Carter and Esme Morgan – who has taken a lot of Wubben-Moy's potential minutes in recent times – are in anything like the same form as her at club level. The same can also be said of United pair Le Tissier and Millie Turner.

With all of that in mind, and with two low-stakes games for Wiegman to experiment in coming up, it is surely time for Wubben-Moy to seize her opportunity.

The board has not begun planning the event yet, but it has taken the preliminary step of blocking out a three-week slot in August and September 2019

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-Dec-2017Sri Lanka Cricket hopes to revive the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) – or a similar showpiece T20 tournament – by the end of 2019.The board has not begun planning the event yet, but according to the latest version of the FTP, it has taken the preliminary step of blocking out a three-week slot in August and September 2019. This will give SLC the option of hosting such a tournament, should an array of other factors – a broadcast deal included – come together.”We have talked about having a tournament like SLPL, but there is nothing concrete yet,” an SLC official said. “It’s something we are looking at because in addition to giving our players a lot of exposure in T20, it can also help our finances. But we are just speculating at the moment.”The challenges that hosting a profit-making T20 tournament entail will not be lost on the board. The SLPL concept has already failed under a previous administration, which held a poorly-received tournament in 2012. That tournament was also beset by fixing rumours – Lasith Malinga having reported a suspicious approach at the time.The following year’s iteration of the SLPL was cancelled weeks before it was due to be played, and no similar tournament has been organised since.Among the particular difficulties SLC may face if it schedules a T20 tournament in August and September 2019 is attracting foreign talent. Not only are England and Australia set to be playing each other during that time, the Caribbean Premier League is also scheduled for those months.

After the Qalandars suffered their sixth defeat in six matches this season, McCullum suggested that a leadership change might be the best way forward

Umar Farooq09-Mar-2018Brendon McCullum, the Lahore Qalandars captain, has question the execution of his bowlers, and has offered to “offload” his captaincy in a bid to change the fortunes of the side, which has lost all six of its games this season. Effectively, Thursday night’s six-wicket defeat to Islamabad United was Lahore’s eighth straight loss going back to the end of last season. One of the most popular sides in the PSL is set to finish last for the third consecutive season.Lahore have played six different starting XIs this season, with their changes having no effect on their results. The biggest chance they have had was against Islamabad, when they had 163 – their biggest total so far – to defend but ended up losing with 14 balls to spare. With four games remaining Lahore aren’t mathematically out of contention for a spot in the playoffs but their chances are bleak.”Ultimately as captain you’re responsible for the performances. I feel like I’ve done the same things that I do in any team that I’ve led, but unfortunately that hasn’t resonated,” McCullum said. “So that’s the question we’ve got to ask tonight as well – whether it’s better offloading it to someone else and seeing if we can get better results. Doesn’t matter if you’re saying the right things, but if they’re not hitting home or the instructions aren’t being followed, then you’re always going to be pushing it uphill.”Lahore’s batting pattern has been similar throughout, with the openers making solid starts, the middle order collapsing, and the bowlers looking flat. They dropped Umar Akmal, one of their platinum picks, after five successive failures, allowing Anton Devcich to make his PSL debut. He smacked 62 off 42 balls to set up a fighting total. But Islamabad chased it down easily with the help of a 41-ball 77 from Luke Ronchi and Shadab Khan’s 32 off 24. When asked if Lahore’s total was 20 runs short, McCullum shot down the idea, ruing his bowlers’ performance instead.”No, not really. We bowled very poorly,” he said. “I thought it was a very, very good batting performance, set up by Anton Devcich in his first game, and [he] showed how hungry, competitive people are able to prosper. What we did after that, I was really disappointed with, to be honest. It’s not what we’re about and I don’t mind losing, but you expect to be hard to beat. We’ve got some questions to ask tonight and that’s all the way through.”He was particularly unimpressed with the lines they bowled to Ronchi, which he said had deviated from the tactics they had discussed before the match.”You can sit in bowling meetings all you want. You spend an hour today talking about bowling away from Luke Ronchi and then you proceed to run in and bowl at him every single ball, so there’s a disconnect there,” he said. “I don’t know what that is. It’s very hard on the support staff to prepare a team if guys aren’t prepared to listen, but if that’s the case, then we’re going to have to keep making changes, because there are young, enthusiastic guys in our team, which may be an opportunity, especially now since we’re out of the competition.”

West Ham United are one of several clubs who have expressed an interest in one of Leeds United’s most promising talents…

What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?

According to The Athletic, Irons boss David Moyes is keeping a 'speculative eye' on Cody Drameh, amid the uncertainty of his contract situation at Elland Road.

Crystal Palace and Brentford are also keeping tabs on the youngster's situation in west Yorkshire.

However, Southampton could arguably be the leading contender for his signature, as boss Russell Martin is described as one of his “biggest admirers” and previously tried to sign him when he was coaching at Swansea City.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Drameh’s current deal expires next summer and there is no offer of an extension on the table.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke is yet to properly utilise the 21-year-old gem, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered in training a few weeks ago.

Nevertheless, the article underlines that Drameh has been told he is in the club’s plans this season, but he is waiting to see if that chance materialises, knowing if the game time doesn’t arrive, he has a vast array of potential suitors.

Would Cody Drameh be a good signing for West Ham?

The Yorkshire giants signed the £2.5k-per-week man from Fulham in 2020 and would’ve hoped by now he would have progressed as a first-team regular.

However, the defender’s senior development has largely taken place at other clubs, where he has looked to be a consistent and solid asset.

His first loan spell occurred at Cardiff City in the second half of the 2021/22 season.

During this time, he made 22 Championship appearances and averaged the most tackles per game (3.8) and dribbles per game (1.1) in the squad, and won 56% of his ground duels – despite only spending five months at the Welsh outfit, Drameh was named the club’s Young Player of the Season and the Player of the Season.

Bluebirds manager Steve Morrison appreciated the 5 foot 9 dynamo's contribution, lauding him as “excellent.”

Ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, you would have expected to result in a notable first-team breakthrough at Leeds, but he only managed three outings in all competitions and was sent out on another second-tier loan to Luton Town.

In 19 games for the Hatters, he averaged the second-highest number of tackles per game (3.3) and interceptions per game (1.2), as well as the most dribbles per game (1.1), as the club secured promotion to the Premier League.

Despite two exceptional loan spells, Drameh’s future is still murky and complicated, and if moved to the London Stadium, he could form a glowing partnership with Konstantinos Mavropanos.

The former Arsenal defender recently joined the Hammers from Stuttgart for £19m. In three seasons with the German club, he has become established as one of the Bundesliga’s most talented and coveted centre-backs.

The 25-year-old ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, successful take-ons per 90, interceptions per 90, and aerials won per 90.

Therefore, the prospect of these defensively solid and technically astute players appearing together in the West Ham backline is an exciting thought for Moyes.

Jurgen Klopp admits that news of Mohamed Salah picking up an injury on AFCON duty came as an unwelcome “shock” to those back at Liverpool.

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Reds forward away on international dutyLimped out of latest appearanceSet to undergo further medical testsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Egyptian forward is currently away with his country chasing down continental glory at the Africa Cup of Nations. He lasted less than 45 minutes in his latest outing at that event, with the 31-year-old winger limping off in a 2-2 draw with Ghana.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT KLOPP SAID ABOUT SALAH

Egypt boss Rui Vitoria says the problem is not “dangerous”, but Salah is due to undergo medical tests. Klopp has told reporters of learning that a talismanic part of his plans at Anfeld is nursing a knock: “We don't know anything about Mo. I spoke last night with him and (asked) how it is with his injuries. With these injuries they need further assessment, that's what they are doing now and we will know more. In that moment (it happened), it was a shock. I couldn't see it was like he was hit by something high intense and then go down. You can have these hamstring injuries in different ways, be he still felt it. We all know how rarely Mo goes off or needs to go off so it is definitely something, so we will see. There will be ultrasound and MRI and then we will see what Egypt plan. But it's too early.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Salah has missed Liverpool’s last two games, and could be absent for five in total. The Reds will not have any of their walking wounded back for a Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Sunday – despite seeing Trent Alexander-Arnold put his knee injury to the test during a visit to the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show in Milan – with Klopp adding: “Obviously he can walk on the catwalk! He is not ready but all are going in the right direction and getting closer. Some of them might be part of team training next week. I don't expect anybody back before then. If nobody else is out before, after Bournemouth and maybe for Fulham, we will see how the boys do but they are all close. Trent is close, Dom (Szoboszlai) is close, Robbo (Andy Robertson) is close. All are going in the right direction.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Alexander-Arnold could be back for the second leg of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final showdown with Fulham next Wednesday, but the Reds will have to cope without Salah for some time yet as they look to remain in contention for major silverware on four fronts in 2024.

Potential Liverpool addition Khephren Thuram can help the Reds improve immediately whilst also being a strong option for the future, presenter Terry Flewers has claimed.

What's the latest on Thuram and Liverpool?

A recent report from David Lynch has suggested that Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal for the Frenchman, to follow Alexis Mac Allister as midfield signings this summer.

The 22-year-old attracted strong transfer interest following a standout season for Nice in which he made 48 appearances across all competitions, providing ten goals and assists from central midfield.

Liverpool are searching for midfielders following the departures of Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and could recruit Thuram in their bid to return to the top four next season.

Speaking on The Football Terrace, Flewers raved about the midfielder, claiming that he has the quality to improve Liverpool now and the potential to become a star in the future.

"In terms of Thuram, from my point of view, I think this guy is quality, I think this guy has such an upside," he stated.

"He has such a good ceiling, wonderful athleticism, ability for days, and he's a player that has the potential to improve Liverpool in the short term.

"He has the ceiling and the potential to become a star in this Liverpool side for years to come."

What will Thuram bring to Liverpool?

Thuram has typically played as a central midfielder, and his standout ability is his strength on the ball. He ranks very highly amongst European midfielders for ball carries and take-ons, as per FBref, highlighting his ability to retain possession and drive forward.

Alongside Mac Allister, Thuram can bring technical security and physicality to a midfield which lacked both last season.

Fabinho and Jordan Henderson both drew criticism as their ages started to show, and Thuram's youthful dynamism should provide a sharp contrast to both Liverpool stars.

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will sign any other midfielders alongside Thuram and Mac Allister, but they will go into next season with a better roster of central options, and if Thuram settles well, he can become a mainstay in the Liverpool side for years to come.

His Nice teammate, former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey, referred to Thuram as "very dangerous" and praised his dribbling ability, and he could be the perfect addition to Jurgen Klopp's side as Liverpool aim to recover from their slump and return to challenging at the top of the table.

Celtic are on the lookout for a new first-team manager after Ange Postecoglou opted to depart Parkhead in favour of a switch to the Premier League.

The 57-year-old's exit was confirmed earlier this week, and this has left majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and chairman Peter Lawwell, alongside the rest of the board, in need of finding a replacement.

The Hoops are coming off the back of winning a domestic treble, thanks to their success in the Scottish Premiership, League Cup and FA Cup, and could use their platform as a team that is able to win trophies on a regular basis to lure an excellent manager to the club.

One manager who has recently been linked with the vacant post is Italian coach Francesco Farioli, who could be a superb appointment by the Scottish giants.

Who is Francesco Farioli?

The 34-year-old boss is out of work after deciding to leave Turkish side Alanyaspor at the end of the 2022/23 campaign after finishing fifth and tenth in the Super Lig and the tinkerer could be Desmond's own version of Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi at Parkhead.

Prior to joining the Seagulls, the Italian had finished eighth or lower in five of his last six league seasons as a coach – winning the title with Shakhtar Donetsk in the other.

He then led the Premier League side to a sixth-placed finish and secured European football in his first campaign in England, whilst playing exciting progressive football.

Farioli, who was hailed as a "talented coach" by journalist Fabrizio Romano, is known in Italy as the 'young De Zerbi' after working with the Brighton boss for three seasons at Benevento and Sassuolo.

He soaked up knowledge from the now-Premier League chief and used his experience with him in the Serie A to form his own coaching career, with both managers deploying a high-pressing 4-2-3-1 system that encourages brave play on the ball from technically gifted attacking players.

Speaking about his style of play, Farioli once said: "I think it's important to build a team of players with passion for what they do. They must enjoy the ball, approach the game in a brave and proactive way."

The Italian is yet to win his first trophy in management at the incredibly young age of 34, but he is a coach with potential who could go on a journey with Celtic and build something special in a similar way to how De Zerbi has transformed Brighton into a European side.

It would not be a safe or easy appointment for Desmond to make but it could be one that is a gamble worth making if he can instil an exciting brand of football and become a success at Parkhead in the years to come.

Karun Nair has been part of India’s Test dressing room before, but a debut seems ever closer with his inclusion as one of only six batsmen in the squad to take on England; he says he is prepared to bat anywhere when his turn comes

Shashank Kishore02-Nov-2016In July, six people drowned and a few others were reported missing when a boat with more than a hundred people on board capsized in a river in Kerala. Karun Nair was on that boat, taking part in a temple festival with his family as thanksgiving for making his India debut. Nair was one of the survivors – he had to swim some distance before being rescued by a group of locals.The incident came in the middle of a mixed few months in Nair’s life. He had just played for India for the first time, during their ODI tour of Zimbabwe, his selection a reward for his consistency both in first-class cricket – he averaged more than 50 after three seasons – and the IPL. He hadn’t really grabbed the chance, scoring only 46 in two innings while opening the batting in fairly low-pressure chases. The lack of form continued through India A’s tour of Australia, but he was back in form at the start of the 2016-17 domestic season, when he was also handed the captaincy of the Karnataka side for the first time.Now, he is part of India’s Test squad for the first two Tests against England. He has been part of the squad before, but this time he is one of only six specialist batsmen included.”I was disappointed with the way my ODI debut series panned out. I don’t think I lived up to the standards I set myself,” Nair tells ESPNcricinfo. “Probably I didn’t grab my chances. But after the tour I decided to put that behind me and look forward to the new season. I didn’t want to sit and keep hoping, but I knew my chances will come sooner than later if I keep scoring runs.”Rohit Sharma’s quadriceps injury means, Nair – who has scores of 74, 54*, 53 and 145 in his first four innings of the new Ranji Trophy season – could get his Test cap in Rajkot on November 9 if India play six specialist batsmen. With Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane entrenched at Nos. 3, 4 and 5, Nair could be in line for the No. 6 slot.”I’m not too fussy about batting positions, honestly,” Nair says. “I’ve been playing up the order in the IPL, so in white-ball cricket, I’ve enjoyed batting up the order. I started off as an opener for my state side in my junior-cricket days and then settled at No. 4. In Zimbabwe, I was asked if I would be ready to open. As a debutant, you can’t have preferences, and it was a challenge I readily accepted.”Having been on the fringes of the Test team, you do think of all this while sitting outside, but eventually it’s about being confident in your abilities and trusting the technique that has got you to this level.”It hasn’t always been the case. A few years ago, Nair was full of self-doubt, which stemmed not from an inability to score runs but an inability to convert starts. Till he was 19, he hadn’t scored a century at any age-group level.”I had a mental block while growing up, but that also made me learn you don’t throw away starts,” Nair says. “Not being able to convert starts made me tougher. I became more attacking. I used to make 60s and 70s and get out. When I started to attack and bat more freely, I realised the 30-40 runs came quite easily. That change in mindset made a big difference. Now, I tend to play to the situation even though I believe I’m an attacking batsman.”The vote of confidence about Nair’s technique came from the India A coach Rahul Dravid, whom he sought out ahead of the home series against South Africa A in September 2015.”Once I got the confidence from him, all my self-doubts vanished,” Nair says. “I was batting within myself initially. I asked him about the areas I needed to work on. It felt reassuring to hear him tell me there was nothing wrong.”Someone like him saying that was of real value, so I’ve never had any batting conversations with him since. He has been very supportive, backed me in pressure situations and given me the opportunity to express myself. At that stage, he had more confidence in me than I did. That sort of gives you a boost from within.”There were signs of Nair having erased that self-doubt when he made a match-saving fourth-innings century in the first unofficial Test. That earned him a maiden call-up to India’s squad, for the third Test in Sri Lanka.Dravid, who has worked closely with Nair while coaching or mentoring India A, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils, picks out his hunger and attitude as qualities that have helped him transition to the next level.”Karun is still a work in progress, but obviously his skills and temperament have got him to this stage,” Dravid says. “He picks lengths early; his instincts as a batsman are solid now.”So where did he see Nair evolve into the batsman he is today?”I think the role change at Delhi Daredevils brought out the best in him,” Dravid says. “At Rajasthan Royals, he was batting behind the main guys like Shane Watson, Steven Smith and Ajinkya Rahane. At Delhi, we gave youngsters responsibility to drive the innings, and let seniors lower down the order handle the slightly challenging situations. He showed his ability to adapt there.”Having been part of the Test squad on two occasions without getting a look-in, Nair says the experience was an eye-opener in terms of what he needed to do to remain in those environs, and he soaked in the feeling of being in the dressing room and chatting with Kohli and the support staff.”It was a great feeling being around legends and future legends,” Nair says. “It felt amazing when they spoke of your domestic performances. That gave me a sense of belonging. Being a part of the dressing room for the first time, I still can’t describe. The Test cap is special and I’ve seen the seniors treasure it. When my chance comes, I’ll be ready.”