Vietnam's recent rise has been impressive, but they'll need a miracle to make it through the group stages
Vietnam are one of eight teams making their Women's World Cup debut in Australia and New Zealand this summer. Making it to the grandest stage of them all, though, would have seen fancical when they played their first ever game in 1997.
However, steady improvement over the past decade means they will be mixing it with some of the best players on the planet in Group E. The United States, the Netherlands and Portugal are their opponents – three extremely tough tests on paper.
Vietnam will therefore need a minor miracle to make it through to the knockout stages, but the fact that they have made it here at all is a source of enormous pride back home. Their journey begins with a daunting match against reigning champions, the U.S., where they'll be hoping to avoid a heavy defeat in front of a global television audience.
Getty
How they got here
The 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup was used to determine World Cup qualification in Asia. The tournament was hosted by India and each squad was subjected to strict coronavirus rules. The hosts themselves even had to withdraw from the competition after a spate of Covid-19 cases decimated their playing ranks.
Vietnam were placed in Pot Three for the draw and ended up in a strong group alongside 2011 World Cup winners Japan, South Korea and Myanmar. As expected, they found it tough. Japan and South Korea each helped themselves to 3-0 victories over Vietnam, with their game against Myanmar ending 2-2.
Despite earning just one point, they squeezed through to the knockout stages as the second-best third-placed team, due to Iran losing each of their group games. Vietnam met eventual winners China in the quarter-finals, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat.
However, salvation came in the form of another safety net. As a result of the World Cup being expanded to 32 teams, an additional automatic place was available via a round-robin play-off contested between each of the fallen quarter-finalists – minus Australia, who qualified automatically as hosts.
Vietnam began with a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over fierce rivals Thailand and a second win over Taiwan meant they topped the group and progressed to their maiden World Cup. Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy was the hero in the second, decisive game, dedicating her winner to her late father, who passed away in 2016.
Advertisement
Getty Images
A rising power in Asian football
Although they remain well behind China, Japan, South Korea and Australia, Vietnam have emerged as the leading footballing power in Southeast Asia in recent years.
They have won the women's football tournament in each of the past four SEA Games, most recently defeating Myanmar 2-0 in the 2023 final in Cambodia. Vietnam also won the 2019 AFF Women's Championship, shocking hosts and bitter foes Thailand in the final.
The fact that they have made it to the World Cup, and their long-time rivals have not, makes their maiden tournament appearance all the sweeter. The next step in their development will be looking to challenge the AFC's big four, though this is easier said than done due to the vast resource gap.
Full squad
Position
Player
Club
Goalkeeper
Tran Thi Kim Thanh
Ho Chi Minh City
Goalkeeper
Khong Thi Hang
Than KSVN
Goalkeeper
Dao Thi Kieu Oanh
Hanoi
Defender
Chuong Thi Kieu
Ho Chi Minh City
Defender
Tran Thi Thu Thao
Ho Chi Minh City
Defender
Tran Thi Thu
Ho Chi Minh City
Defender
Luong Thi Thu Thuong
Than KSVN
Defender
Le Thi Diem My
Thank KSVN
Defender
Tran Thi Hai Linh
Hanoi
Defender
Hoang Thi Loan
Hanoi
Defender
Nguyen Thi My Anh
Thai Nguyen T&T
Defender
Tran Thi Thuy Nga
Than KSVN
Midfielder
Duong Thi Van
Than KSVN
Midfielder
Tran Thi Thuy Trang
Ho Chi Minh City
Midfielder
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy
Ho Chi Minh City
Midfielder
Thai Thi Thao
Hanoi
Midfielder
Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha
Hanoi
Midfielder
Ngan Thi Van Su
Hanoi
Midfielder
Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung
Phong Phu Ha Nam
Forward
Huynh Nhu
Lank Vilaverdense
Forward
Pham Hai Yen
Hanoi
Forward
Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang
Than KSVN
Forward
Vu Thi Hoa
Ho Chi Minh City
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images
The MVP
This wasn't a hard choice. Huynh Nhu is Vietnamese football's first superstar. Not only is she her country's all-time leading scorer with 67 goals in just 103 caps, Nhu is also the only player in the squad who plies her trade overseas.
In August 2022, she was snapped up by Portuguese side Lank FC Vilaverdense. Located in Braga, the team are reported to be increasing her salary to around $3,200 per month next season following an impressive maiden campaign in Europe.
The move is a source of enormous national pride back home, with coach Mia Duc Chung telling FIFA.com: "It is a great honour when a European country signs a South-east Asian player, a Vietnamese one. It’s a big achievement for Huynh Nhu and I think it's an honour for our country. She is a good example for our female players to follow and it will help Vietnam women's football to be well known and respected."
The five-time Vietnam Golden Ball winner is a set-piece wizard and chipped in with some vital goals in qualifying. If they are going to make the net bulge this summer, she is the most likely player to do it.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is preparing to bolster the ranks this summer with European qualification on the cards, and Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram has been earmarked.
What's the latest on Marcus Thuram to Newcastle?
According to The Telegraph, Frenchman Thuram is among the names the Magpies recruitment department are considering when assessing the optimum strategy to take across the forthcoming months.
With the 27-year-old's contract in Germany set for expiry in a matter of months, there have been a whole host of outfits vying for his name, with the Toon joined in their intrigue by the likes of Aston Villa, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid.
The ten-cap France international has been of interest to technical director Dan Ashworth for some time now, with 90min's Graeme Bailey stating that Newcastle were "very keen" on a move before the winter transfer window.
Who could Thuram replace at Newcastle?
Thuram was beset with injury woes for much of last campaign, plundering only three goals from 23 matches as his travails were compounded by an inability to harness the requisite fitness for success.
This year, the 25-year-old has enjoyed far more fruitful fortunes, scoring 16 goals and providing six assists from 30 matches across the German Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal, with journalist Raj Chohan hailing him as "clinical" for his frontal feats.
After blitzing into life in the early phase of the campaign, scoring ten goals from 15 league clashes before the season paused for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Thuram has discernibly slowed the pace as the season has continued, though this is somewhat to be expected given the din of the speculation surrounding his future and the knowledge that his time at BORUSSIA-PARK draws to a close.
Described as a "goalscoring monster" for his offensive prowess by sports writer Robin Bairner, the £54k-per-week menace also ranks among the top 9% of forwards across Europe's big five leagues for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, which illustrates his knack at pushing the ball up-field and driving at defenders to bypass opposition lines.
Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram in action.
If Howe and Ashworth succeed in swiping him up on a free, he could even be the heir to Callum Wilson's role in the Toon team, with the 31-year-old striker's contract up at the end of next season.
Wilson has scored 15 goals from just 27 matches this season, including only 18 starts, and ranks among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe for rate of goals per 90, though he doesn't rank very highly across the majority of non-goalscoring metrics, illustrating his poaching demeanour on the pitch.
Thuram boasts youth and energy where Wilson does not, and could be a "world-class" – as once heralded by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schäfer – acquisition for St. James's Park, especially considering that qualifying for Europe comes with a startling increase in match action.
With the winds changing on Tyneside, Howe must act with conviction to sign a worthy successor to embody the ascension that shows little sign of slowing down.
If England succeed against Sri Lanka and Pakistan this summer they will complete a set that few would have contemplated possible two years ago
Melinda Farrell at Headingley18-May-2016Turn back a year, to the two-Test series against New Zealand, with low expectations of a team rising from the fiasco that was the World Cup, and few would have foreseen the bright summer that captured the public’s imagination and reinvigorated a young and exciting England side.Turn back another, and the knives were sharpening for whoever was left standing after an Ashes pasting that left the team in tatters and ended several careers.It seems astonishing, therefore, that England are just two series wins away from holding all nine bilateral Test series trophies. If they succeed against Sri Lanka and Pakistan this summer they will complete a set that few would have contemplated possible two years ago.”I think it would be a great achievement,” Alastair Cook, England’s captain, said. “People have spoken about it over the last couple of weeks and I don’t think there’s any harm in that if it inspires us to do it. But actually achieving that will be hard work. We know that and it’s not going to be given to us against two good sides.”In a testament to his durability, Cook has weathered the turmoil, led each new round of new eras and now stands on the cusp of becoming the first English player to reach 10,000 Test runs.That he will reach the milestone as England captain is, he acknowledges, down to his stubbornness and determination never to quit. It will be fitting, too, if he passes the mark against Sri Lanka at Headingley; it was during England’s loss in the corresponding Test two years ago – as Angelo Matthews and Rangana Herath frustrated England’s bowlers with a match-winning partnership – that Cook reached his nadir as captain and was on the verge of quitting, in his own words “close enough that you wouldn’t want to get any closer”.Cook on…
Reaching 10,000 Test runs: “It would mean a lot and hopefully I can get there sooner rather than later so we can talk about something else. It’s a big milestone in terms of the people who have done it previously so it would be great to try and score these 36 runs. I’ve just got to put that to bed and try and do what I’ve done in the previous 10 years, which is concentrate on that ball coming down and nothing else. If it’s your day, go big and get a big score.” James Vince’s debut: “I haven’t seen him play for a couple of years but I did see him play a few years ago when I was standing at first slip for Essex and he’s one of those players who had a lot of time and he timed the ball really well. They are two things that made him stand out then and over the years I think he’s matured a lot and to watching him go about his business mentally he looks ready for Test cricket. Talking to people, the way he’s operated in the T20 and ODI squad, Trevor [Bayliss] and Paul [Farbrace] rate him very highly and he’s the kind of character you need.”
“I just thought about that what had gone on since January 30 that year to what had gone on there really. It was a tough three or four months off the field as much as on the field,” he said.”I’ve never really quit on anything. I probably had about two percent left in me saying if you walk out now you still have a bit more to offer that side really. So I suppose me being stubborn, probably, and not quitting… I don’t really want to be known as a quitter.”It was certainly a tough day, the fourth night was tougher than the fifth,” Cook said of England’s Headingley defeat, which was confirmed from the penultimate ball of the Test. “I was very proud of the way we battled on the fifth day but the damage had already been done. It’s an amazing game of fine margins, that series. Minus the last ball [that] didn’t quite carry [at Lord’s] and then Angelo Mathews nicked a ball which didn’t quite carry and then he went on to get a brilliant 160, which won them the game.”It was a game of fine margins and Sri Lanka came out on top and thoroughly deserved it. It was a real tough moment for me as a captain, there’s no doubt about that, but I’m glad I hung in there for what’s happened since.”While Cook leads a far more settled side into this series, questions surround those batting alongside him in the top order, despite a successful tour of South Africa. But while he admits the consistency has been missing from the top three, Cook is keen for Alex Hales and Nick Compton to tune out the dissenters and embrace their own, contrasting styles of play.”Until someone really grabs that opportunity and nails it then there’s always going to be questions asked,” Cook said. “Alex is the man in possession at the moment and the way he played, certainly the one-day series against South Africa, five scores above 50 – the way he played, certainly watching back home, showed everyone he’s not just a T20 specialist. He played proper cricket. He wasn’t just whacking the ball. I thought he played some excellent shots and he looked really controlled. He can certainly play at this level.”As always with these things you want to get a big score to try and prove that to people and do it consistently. That’s his challenge and it’s the same for Nick as well. He got a really good 80 at Durban and that was only four games ago and that helped set up in tricky conditions a score that we were able to push on and win. The guy’s a fighter and he’s just got to relax and play.”Cook can no doubt relate to Compton’s situation – that of being a more traditional top-order batsman who excels in blunting the new ball and accumulating, rather than accelerating, in a world where aggressive batting has become far more fashionable.But many of Cook’s 9,964 Test runs to date have come via nudges and nurdles, and many more will likely follow in the same manner. As he leads his side out for the first session of England’s summer campaign, the man who was 98% sure he would hand in his notice is now sure of his place.”It’s probably taken me three years to feel comfortable in the job and hopefully I can carry on for a bit. While I’m still enjoying it and while the guys are still responding I’m staying there.”
Farhad Moshiri backed former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti with significant amounts of cash as the Italian was charged with taking the Toffees to the next level.
The start of the 2020/21 campaign saw the former AC Milan manager sign the likes of James Rodriguez, Ben Godfrey, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan in the hopes of challenging for the European spots and despite a wonderful start, winning their first seven straight matches in all competitions, they eventually fizzled out and finished tenth.
What Everton fans would give for a finish like that now, but Ancelotti left for Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 and although some of his signings clicked, Allan failed to replicate the form he showed at Napoli under the Italian.
How much did Allan cost Everton?
The Brazilian midfielder signed for a fee of £25m and having enjoyed success in Serie A, reuniting with Ancelotti looked like it could bear fruit in the Premier League.
It quickly became apparent that the move wouldn’t become a success, as he struggled to cope with the demands of English football and across his 57 appearances for the club, he failed to score a single goal while registering just three assists, a far cry from the 28 goal contributions he managed at Napoli.
Allan-Everton
Journalist Dave Downie even described the midfielder as an “imposter” last season as he couldn’t perform half as well away from home as he did at Goodison Park.
That summary was rather apt throughout his time on Merseyside, bemoaned for one game in particular where he staggeringly made just two passes in 73 minutes of a clash with Liverpool. To make matters worse, both of those came from kick-off.
Much was expected of him following his arrival, especially with the big fee attached and the fact he was approaching 30, many felt it was a move that would produce immediate results.
He left at the start of the season to join Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi having failed to make a single appearance under Frank Lampard in the opening weeks of the campaign.
The 32-year-old earned a staggering £70k-per-week across his 107-week stint at the club and combining that with his transfer fee, Allan ransacked Everton for a grand total of £32.5m, a ridiculous sum of money.
Transfers such as this one have ultimately dragged the club down a few notches, and it’s no wonder they are battling relegation. Under Sean Dyche, the Merseyside outfit may have a decent chance of building a team without splashing the cash.
The Daily Mail journalist Sami Mokbel says that Arsenal are ‘in talks’ over a new contract for Reiss Nelson.
The Lowdown: Emirates hero
Nelson was a hero at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon as he scored a last-minute winner to ensure that Arsenal beat AFC Bournemouth 3-2 and take another vital three points in the Premier League.
The result kept the Gunners five points clear at the top of the table, after Manchester City had beaten Newcastle United 2-0 at home in the lunchtime kick-off.
The Latest: Contract talks
Taking to Twitter, Mokbel says that the Gunners are ‘in talks’ with Nelson over a new deal, and there is ‘positivity from all sides’ that it can be agreed:
“Arsenal in talks with Saturday’s hero Reiss Nelson over new contract. Positivity from all sides that a deal can be agreed. Nelson’s current deal is expiring, but Arsenal believe he is keen to stay.”
The Verdict: Deserved
A new contract for Nelson is fully deserved after the impact that team made off of the bench on Saturday.
Not only did he score, but he also provided an assist, making it five goal contributions in just three Premier League appearances so far this season (Transfermarkt).
Nelson has shown that he can make an impression when called upon, and given the injuries in Arsenal’s frontline at the moment, with Leandro Trossard joining Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah on the sidelines, the Englishman could prove to be a key player in this next set of fixtures for the North Londoners.
Constantly under scrutiny and perceived as a weak link in South Africa’s batting line up, Alviro Petersen made his fourth Test century proving his is a steady face among a fashionable order
Firdose Moonda at Headingley02-Aug-2012How different it would have been if Alviro Petersen’s edge off the third ball of the morning had gone to either third slip or gully and not the space in between them. He would have been out for second successive duck in the series and the gorgeous cover drive he played five overs later would never have made its appearance.How different it would have been if there had been a third slip when Petersen next edged in the 11th over. A catchable chance went to the boundary instead of to hand.And how different it would have been had Alastair Cook held on at second slip two balls later, or had Graeme Swann not been dropped and could have taken his usual position. Then Petersen would have been out for 29 and would likely have been criticised for attacking too early instead of being watchful.But none of those things happened.Instead, Petersen went on to record his fourth Test century in 15 matches and proved, once again, that pressure is his best trigger. That he was under pressure at all can only be gleaned from perception, not fact.Having not announced himself on the tour of England, Petersen was written up as being the weak link. He totalled 42 runs in four innings since the squad’s arrival on July 6, less than any of the other batsmen including Jacques Rudolph and JP Duminy, who did not get the opportunity to bat in the first Test. His duck in that Test throbbed in its neon obviousness that he had failed to cash in against conditions and an attack that others had feasted on.The reality is that Petersen had scored a hundred in the Test before the tour of England and was in no danger of losing his place. He was also not facing the chop when he scored his 156 in Wellington in March, having registered a century three matches before against Sri Lanka in Cape Town in January.Why Petersen always comes under scrutiny could have more to do with the people he bats with than who he is on his own. Four of South Africa’s top five are ranked in top ten Test batsmen by the ICC. Guess who is not?Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers have all scored runs in enough places for their positions not to come into question. They are the spine of South Africa’s line-up and it is easy to forget that for that spine to function properly, it needs all its vertebrae.Over the last few years, many different batsmen have been asked to slot in alongside the bigger names. Neil McKenzie did to acclaim for a while, Boeta Dippenaar never really fused with Smith the way he should have and although Ashwell Prince could do it, he simply did not want to play in that position. Unlike Matthew Hayden, Smith has never found his Justin Langer. The closest he came to that was Herschelle Gibbs and since the maverick opener’s retirement, no-one has really been able to call themselves his replacement.
Petersen has showed that the ocean floor is a lot lower than England thought and South Africa’s depth is multi-layered.
Batting with the ghost of opening batsmen of the past may have placed a subconscious burden on Petersen, especially when he was dropped after nine Tests having not done much wrong. Jacques Rudolph’s prolific form at Yorkshire and then the Titans forced his way back into the international game and the only way to include him in the starting XI at the time was to do away with Petersen. Ironic then, that Petersen has taken a big step to cementing his own position at the same ground which revitalised Rudolph’s career.What Petersen also showed is that the ocean floor is a lot lower than England may have thought and South Africa’s depth is multi-layered. He outbatted Graeme Smith to reach his first fifty in 78 balls. Despite the chances he gave and the number of times he played and missed, Petersen’s confidence did not appear to dip. He dug in and no matter how many times the ball beat his bat, he did not shy away.When England bowled the wrong line on his legs, he took advantage on his favoured on-side. When the short ball came, he pulled, twice to bring up his fifty and again to raise the hundred. In between that, he ground it out, particularly after lunch when England found an extra gear. Run scoring became almost as rare as England wickets, especially as Petersen eked over the 80s and into the 90s but his temperament remained solid.”He paced his innings so well,” AB de Villiers, who was with him when the century came up, said. “I found it really difficult out there for my 40-odd and he supported me. The way he played was inspiring.”If De Villiers found it difficult to face 107 balls, Petersen’s struggle can only have been magnified. He spent 266 balls at the crease in an all-day effort that was about batting ugly to usher the team through, not batting beautifully for personal glory. Convincing shots were not in abundance as he contended with old-fashioned line and length but hard fought ones were. Even right at the end of the day, Petersen did not look entirely control but until the last two wickets fell, he made sure South Africa were.
Anticipatory buzz: The Anil Kumble circle outside the ground was the beehive of most of the buzz. It became tough to navigate through the area at noon and by 5pm, Queens Road was partly blocked. It was obvious the numbers would match any one-dayer though it
was also evident that there wasn’t going to be too much of a partisan element to the cheering.Twelve years ago few Bangaloreans would have even imagined a day which could rival the excitement that surrounded the India-Pakistan World Cup clash but the response here was threatening to approach it. Not many had their faces painted, fewer carried the tri-colour. Signs
showing fours and sixes, though, were generously distributed.Entry time: It’s usually not too much of a hassle entering the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The queues are well set out and very few security men rough you up. Mobile phones aren’t a problem and the frisking is usually nothing more than a quick run-through. What all this means is
that the smart ones can sneak their cigarettes in.Exit time: A no-contest meant people gradually trickled out of the stadium, reducing traffic hassles. Less than half the crowd was left at the end of the match and it meant a far smoother flow of people. There was parking available right next to the stadium at Cubbon Park and the road connecting the two was turned in to a pedestrian one for the night. A few corporates had arranged buses for their employees but there was no arrangement by the organisers as such (something they could probably think of with 11pm finishes.)What the fans got: Vijay Mallya might have been gutted with the show his side put up but the alcohol sales would have brought a big smile. The sale of liquor – mostly around the corporate boxes – was something regular cricket fans were not used to and the scenes there appeared out of an American sports movie.It was difficult to get water but the beer flowed at a McCullum-esque rate in the more expensive stands. The security personnel around these stands had it good and were often seen stationed right next to the liquor booths with glasses in hand. Priced reasonably, it was set out in stalls, along with wine and vodka, behind the stands, though it required some to walk some distance before they could get back to their seats. The best part was the clear signboards at every corner. A hot day ensured plenty of sales and also had the spectators heading to the restrooms. Though they seemed to have been set up in haste, the restrooms were occasionally inadequate but largely useable. The women’s sections were relatively cleaner and had large mirrors placed in them as well. A scuffle broke out in one of the stands and more of those could see the alcohol sales being more closely monitored.The higher-priced tickets had food included in their charge and spectators were able to enjoy a good quality buffet-style dinner. The caterers started serving food – which included three types of rice, roti, vegetable and chicken curries and kebabs – during the first innings, which somewhat lessened the rush at the break, and most spectators returned to their seats to cheer for their side while shovelling into their stomachs.Atmosphere: Bangaloreans used to the slew of rock concerts
would have hoped for a better sound system but the intensity levels
matched the big nights at Palace Grounds, where the bands play.
Bollywood numbers blared out frequently but the crowd really got going
with a few Kannada songs that played later in the day (interestingly
coinciding with the home team’s dismal show). The quality of fireworks
– dazzling the audience for more than five minutes – matched the ones
that light up the Sydney skyline on New Year’s day and the lighting
sat well with the grand scale of the event.Crowd support: European football teams talk of the distinct
edge they get in home games (with the crowd acting as the extra
player) but it will take a while for these teams to develop such a
following. Only once, when Sunil Joshi came on to bowl, did the crowd
actually egg him along fervently on a night when the home side weren’t
really distinguishable from the visitors.
McCullum’s sixes were applauded (much more than they would have been
if New Zealand were playing India) and Sourav Ganguly received big
cheers after his wickets. So cosmopolitan is Bangalore’s crowd that
visiting teams are bound to find pockets of support every time and
nothing symbolised it more than a group of fans who took their shirts
off and swirled it above their heads the moment Ganguly was on strike.No dull moment: Unlike in a Test match, though, the spectators
had plenty of chance to get involved. Every good move by the Bangalore
side was followed by the Redskin girls twirling their hips (and
pom-poms). It took a while for them to realise when to cheer (the
spontaneity came only towards the end) and it was hilarious to see
them jiving to Kannada numbers. The crowd, though, swung with them all
night. The girls cheering the Kolkata side had much more work on the
night (McCullum ensured that with 13 sixes and 10 fours) and
some even got the fans to synchronise with their movements.Score? What score? Somebody needs to ferret out the digital
scoreboard that’s usually installed at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The
manual scoreboard was hardly visible and the giant screen stopped
working mid-way through the second innings. This was hardly a match
when the scores needed to be closely monitored but come a nail-biter
and the crowd may just be a bit confused.
You normally don’t associate words like “confused” and “unsure” with Rahul Dravid but there are times during this early stage of the England tour when they have seemed apt. Amid all the excitement over the bowlers and the angst over the batting heavyweights, Dravid’s situation should not be ignored. It is one that prompts more empathy than criticism.He endured two failures with the bat at Lord’s and, excluding Bangladesh, he has now gone four Tests without a contribution (in South Africa last year, he didn’t once go past 50). He’s leading a side that includes a few rookies and has to do without the services of a coach. It comes as no surprise that he has stuttered through press conferences – before the game he said Harbhajan when he meant Kumble; after the game he said, “England’s confidence will surely be 0-0.”Most of India’s important victories in the last five years, at venues as diverse as Adelaide, Rawalpindi and Kingston, have been Dravid-inspired. Under normal circumstances you wouldn’t want your best batsman to be straddled with the captaincy, but Dravid remains the best available option and there’s no point debating the issue. He needs to lead, he needs to score, he needs to win matches. It may be too much to ask but he also needs to win tosses.If the bowlers need to iron out a few creases, they have Venkatesh Prasad to approach. There’s Robin Singh to talk to if anyone has an issue with fielding. But who does Dravid turn to?He is someone who thinks a lot about his batting, visualises his shots the previous day, and ponders hard over the construction of an innings. “I do my best to be in a relaxed state of mind because that’s when I play at my best,” he told in December 2003, when he was still a long way away from the captaincy. “I try to slow things down a couple of days before the game. I have long lunches, do things in an unhurried way. The morning of the match I always get up a couple of hours before we have to get to the ground, so that I have plenty of time to get ready. I take my time to have a bath, wear my clothes, eat breakfast. I never rush things, and that sort of sets up my mood for the rest of day.”
India have relied so much on Dravid over the last five years that a minor blip in his form causes a rise in the mercury levels
It’s tough to imagine the Dravid of today having enough time to go through all these routines in a relaxed manner. He needs to think of team composition, plan net sessions, sort out his team-mates’ struggles, and do his best to keep morale high. Captaincy can be hard work in such circumstances. Ravi Shastri, who led in only one Test but made a name for himself as a shrewd tactician, thought Dravid was over-attacking on the first morning by setting a 7-2 field for the England openers. India’s bowlers were taking time to come to terms with the Lord’s slope, as well as the occasion, but Dravid refused to relent. It was no doubt the bowlers’ fault for being off line, but England raced away with the momentum too easily. Again Dravid was probably guilty of letting the game drift on the fourth afternoon, but stopping Kevin Pietersen when he’s in that mood isn’t easy.India have relied so much on Dravid over the last five years that a minor blip in his form causes a rise in the mercury levels. England experienced the downside of appointing a talisman like Andrew Flintoff as captain; are India entering similar territory?The last time he left England, Dravid had successfully made the step up from a good batsman to a great one. If he can get back his groove and help India win this series, he might transform himself from being an uncertain leader to an assured one.
Mason Greenwood’s team-mates at Manchester United are reportedly prepared to welcome him back to Old Trafford following a productive loan in Spain.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Last played for Red Devils in January 2022
Currently spending time in Spain
Permanent transfer has been speculated on
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 22-year-old forward has not played for the Red Devils since January 2022, following his arrest on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour. Those charges were dropped in February 2023.
Advertisement
Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Greenwood was loaned out to Getafe a few months later, and the one-cap England international has impressed in La Liga. He is said to have attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, with a big-money transfer in the summer of 2024 being touted.
DID YOU KNOW?
United, though, have Greenwood tied to a contract through to 2025 and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, following his acquisition of a 25 per cent stake at Old Trafford, has not ruled out a return to Manchester. It is now being suggested that first-team players would be willing to work with Greenwood again.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty
WHAT THE SUN SAID ABOUT GREENWOOD
claims to have been told by a source that: “His team-mates would not be against him returning to Old Trafford. They know all about the background and understand how controversial it would be to have him back. Their decision is a footballing one, pure and simple. United have struggled to score goals this season and they need a player like Mason. They’re watching him score and create goals for Getafe every week.”
Virat Kohli’s team will face an incredibly tough path to the playoffs if they drop points against CSK
The Preview by Alagappan Muthu04-May-2018Form guide (most recent match first)
CSK: lost to KKR by six wickets, beat Daredevils by 13 runs, lost to Mumbai by 8 wickets RCB: beat Mumbai by 14 runs, lost to KKR by six wickets, lost to CSK by five wickets
Big PictureRoyal Challengers Bangalore could probably afford one more loss. But only if they get very lucky with other results going their way.They came away from the IPL auction like a tourist with a detailed itinerary: allrounders, check; big-hitters, check; KKR’s bowling attack that knocked them over for 49, double check. But one month in, all they have is a bag full of knock-off merchandise. Five defeats in eight matches with a squad that Virat Kohli thought was the most balanced is, essentially, like being stuck with t-shirts that say Wrong instead of , right?But some innocent bystanders have given them a helpful tip, at least with respect to their next adventure. It is hard to compete with Chennai Super Kings’ batting line-up. So make fools of their bowlers.Target scores well above par if batting first. Forget about the run-rate and safeguard wickets for the death if chasing. Basically, RCB have to figure out a way to beat a monstrous batting team with virtually the tournament on the line.It seems karma wants them to learn how everyone that faces RCB feels.In the newsAB de Villiers has been declared fit after viral fever ruled him out of RCB’s previous two games. Quinton de Kock, however, has flown back to South Africa for a wedding.Previous meetingA high-scoring affair when RCB posted 205 and CSK chased it down in a blaze of sixes in Bengaluru. De Villiers made a rip-roaring 68.Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Ambati Rayudu, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Harbhajan Singh, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Imran Tahir, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 KM AsifDe Kock’s absence may see Parthiv Patel getting his first game of the season.Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Manan Vohra/Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Brendon McCullum 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Mandeep Singh, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Mohammed SirajStrategy puntImran Tahir has taken 15 wickets in Pune, the most among anyone in the CSK squad, and he has taken out AB de Villiers two times in three IPL innings. This head-to-head can be quite compelling for the viewer as well because the batsman also strikes at 185.7 against the legspinner.Stats that matter RCB have four wins in five games in Pune, and de Villiers was Man of the Match in three of those games. He has made 211 runs at a strike-rate of 177. Viral fever, begone. CSK have rarely had a phenomenal bowling line-up. But they mask that problem with their spinners and Dhoni’s ability to use them. In each of their eight years, their economy rate had always hovered around 7 and strike rate around 25. In 2018, those numbers have risen to 8.49 and 34.50. Before Tim Southee was brought in to the XI, RCB were conceding a six every six deliveries in the death. Now, that figure is a far more respectable 18.3. Dhoni has scored 329 runs at a strike-rate of 169.6. That’s his best tally after nine matches in any season of IPL.Fantasy pickAmbati Rayudu. He’s the highest scorer of the IPL this season with six scores of 30-plus in nine innings. He’s also been hitting at a strike-rate of 153 with 56 hits to and over the boundary.Quotes”The last four days have been a blur I have been suffering from severe viral flu, one of the most debilitating illnesses I have ever experienced. Aside from one visit to the hospital, I have barely left my hotel room. Sleep has been almost impossible, and the migraine headaches have been extreme.”