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Former Australia opener says it’s a “good strategy” to have “outliers” in the squad that can keep the other players “honest”

Sruthi Ravindranath21-Aug-20231:29

Moody: Tilak’s selection is down to his temperament

Matthew Hayden believes Tilak Varma’s inclusion in India’s squad for the men’s Asia Cup is a “good strategy” as it would put pressure on Suryakumar Yadav and keep the rest of the frontline batters in the side “honest”.”We’ve seen the class of Tilak Varma. I think it’s a good strategy in terms of not just this World Cup but even potentially getting into the next World Cup as well,” Hayden said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards ceremony in Mumbai. “The great thing about India is it’s got a really solid one-two-three combination. Similar to Australia actually, when you look at their last four or five months, they’ve had a really good and strong – what we like to call – the engine room. And then they’ve got some good problems to solve through the middle order.”And if they can fill spots with talented young players like Tilak Varma, put pressure on someone like Suryakumar Yadav, I think that’s a good strategy. Keep everyone honest in the side and performing. So not a bad move. I think it’s a great side.”Related

Rahul, Shreyas and Tilak make it to India's Asia Cup squad

Ganguly feels Kohli, Iyer and Rahul can all bat at No. 4 if required

Rohit wants India to be flexible, in mind and batting order

Tilak, who hasn’t played an ODI yet, was included on the back of his promising performances during the T20I series in the Caribbean. Hayden said the emergence of such young talents is one of the positives to come out of injuries to various senior players in the Indian side. Jasprit Bumrah, India’s No. 1 bowler, has just returned from a 11-month hiatus and has been named in the 17-member squad. Ditto with KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who have missed the last few months because of injuries too.”In the landscape of modern cricket now, you’re going to get injuries,” Hayden said. “We’ve seen that with Jasprit Bumrah and we’ve seen the emergence of players in and around him that have had an opportunity because he hasn’t been playing. They look at their bench strength as much as they look at their playing make-up because ultimately you’re going to be challenged.”When I look back at the World Cup campaigns that I was a part of, I remember [Shane] Warne was out with a drug-related incident [in 2003] and then [Brad] Hogg comes into the side and has an unbelievable series in South Africa. So as much as we’d love to see superstars feature in World Cups, the outliers tend to be those players that might win you a World Cup. It might be Ishan Kishan, for example. He might have an unbelievable World Cup and blast everyone away. The selectors don’t write their names down first, but they have something special and they can deliver it on a World Cup stage.”There are some key questions for India heading into the 50-over World Cup at home this year: who will be their No. 4? What will their middle order look like? While captain Rohit Sharma said he wanted to keep the batting order flexible, Hayden said the Asia Cup would give India a chance to fine-tune their plans and possibly find answers they need.”The Asia Cup is kind of where you’re going to see a lot more answers to those questions,” Hayden said. “Playing in their home conditions, in the build-up to the World Cup – the World Cup’s on our doorstep – that’s about as good as you get from the subcontinent teams, playing in Sri Lanka, in Pakistan, ahead of an enormous campaign here in India. There’s no question that you’re going to have bench players playing in this World Cup. Your outliers are as important as your key players. And it’s in your favour.”But we all know how much everyone loves cricket here as well. To be at home, there’s an enormous pressure that will come with that. But I think that you’ve got good lead up time and good preparation.”

Curran and Holden hit fifties each but it went in vain as Capitals recovered from 31 for 3 to chase down 190

Abhimanyu Bose09-Feb-2025Rovman Powell made the most of a second life gifted to him by Azam Khan to power Dubai Capitals to their maiden ILT20 title as they beat Desert Vipers in the thrilling final.Capitals conceded 189, when they were in a position restrict Vipers to a lower total and were then 31 for 3 after five overs in the chase. That could have been 46 for 4, but a wicketkeeping error from Azam was punished in full by Powell, who hammered 63 off 38, to help Capitals pull off a four-wicket win. Shai Hope and Sikandar Raza also played key roles in the stiff chase as Capitals registered their fourth win against Vipers in the season.Half-centuries from Max Holden and Sam Curran took Vipers to a competitive total, with Azam also chipping in with an impactful cameo of 27 off 13. But it wasn’t enough in the end.

Powell’s second life the turning point

Capitals were in trouble early in their chase of 190, with David Warner chopping on off David Payne and Mohammad Amir removing Gulbadin Naib and Sam Billings, who was also dropped off Amir three balls before his dismissal.Vipers almost had another one when Nathan Sowter had Powell stumped down the leg side, but the third umpire caught Azam bringing his gloves beside the stumps before collecting the ball and it was declared a no-ball.That proved to be the turning point in the game as Powell, who was on 2 off 6 at the time, switched gears to wrestle momentum away from Vipers. He hit Sowter for a six before crashing 15 off the 16 runs Curran conceded off the next over, with two fours and a six.Hope picked up the pace as well, hitting Sowter for a six as the next two overs fetched Capitals 21 runs.Even as Curran accounted for Hope, Powell kept going, while Dasun Shanaka joined in with an impactful cameo of 21 off 10.

Raza applies finishing touches

With 38 still needed off 19 deliveries, the job was far from done but Raza ensured Capitals went over the line.Raza and Powell picked up a boundary each off the 18th over, before Sowter finally had his man when Powell was caught at backward point.However, Raza hit three fours off four balls in the next over to leave Capitals with just nine needed off the final over.Raza finished the game in style, hitting Khuzaima Tanveer for a six and four off the first two balls of the last over to seal a win without any more drama.Sam Curran blitzed 62 off 33•ILT20

McCoy gives Capitals the perfect start

Capitals got off to a great start after winning the toss as Obed McCoy removed the dangerous Alex Hales with his first ball. Hales chipped him to midwicket, where Haider Ali took a good catch diving forward.Capitals could have had Gurbaz back in the hut in the next over, but Scott Kuggeleijn dropped him at deep point off Farhan Khan.Holden, who cracked two boundaries off McCoy in the first five balls he faced, injected Vipers with the early momentum, racing to 22 off 13 when Gurbaz miscued McCoy to mid-off in the fifth over.

Holden holds Vipers together

Holden continued to attack, picking three boundaries off Kuggeleijn to take Vipers to 53 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. He brought up a 32-ball half-century in the eighth over with a boundary driven back over Raza’s head. Another attempted straight drive off the next ball almost saw him hole out, but Powell dropped him running to his right from long-on.Dan Lawrence then holed out at deep cover off Haider, having contributed just 10 runs to a 41-run stand for the third wicket.Capitals slowed things down and it only got better for them when Holden holed off to long-on off Raza.

Curran, Azam finish strong for Vipers

But Curran and Azam then hammed 67 off 29 balls for the fifth wicket to take Vipers to a strong total. Azam made an instant impact, clipping his first ball fine down the leg side for a boundary before clearing long-off in the same over.McCoy returned to bowl the 18th over and Curran welcomed him with boundaries on either side of point off the first two balls and then nudged him past fine leg for another boundary two balls later.Kuggeleijn, who had been expensive on the night, bowled the penultimate over and Curran greeted him with a 117-metre six over midwicket. Curran brought up a 28-ball fifty next ball before picking up another boundary off a top edge.Kuggeleijn also dropped Azam off the last ball of the over to finish with figures of 0 for 40 from three overs.Azam hit another boundary to punish that mistake, but in the end, his innings won’t be what he will likely remember about this final.

The pitch in Multan is expected to play like it did in the first Test. But can West Indies prepare and execute better this time around?

Danyal Rasool24-Jan-2025

Big Picture

It is not difficult to know what’s coming this Test match. It is an easy one to analyse, a straightforward one to predict. West Indies will have prepared studiously for the challenge Pakistan will pose, and Pakistan, themselves, have made no secret they will double down on the nature of the surfaces they prepare. The wicket might begin to break up when the two captains head out for the toss. Whoever wins will bat first, and spin bowling will feature right from the outset.But forewarned is not necessarily forearmed. The challenge Pakistan pose with these surfaces that crackle in the winter heat is much easier to understand than to do anything about. The outcome of the game hinges on West Indies’ execution; any mistakes they made in terms of understanding what kind of pitch this was will have been ironed out.Kraigg Brathwaite threw the gauntlet down to his team at the end of the first Test, while encouraging them with the reminder they were ahead in the game at a few key stages, and there was significant room for improvement to offer them belief.Related

• Aaqib Javed says Pakistan's spinning pitches are here to stay

West Indies’ own spinners showed they could go toe to toe with Pakistan’s, and Jomel Warrican registered better figures than any of his Pakistani counterparts. In Kemar Roach, they possess the best fast bowler on either side, on the few occasions that one will be required. They even worked out how to make the sweep and reverse-sweep productive, if not necessarily risk-free. And they found runs with the lower order, an inveterate Achilles’ heel of Pakistan’s bowling, no matter the conditions.Aaqib Javed made an impassioned defence of the pitches Pakistan have begun preparing at home, but he knows he has not won everyone over yet. Concerns about what it means for the country’s Test batting and fast bowling linger, and the only thing – the main thing, in his view – his style has got going for it is simple; it wins Pakistan Test matches. Pakistan are aware they must continue getting these wins, because the moment results turn, that spring-loaded criticism is waiting to be unleashed.

Form guide

Pakistan: WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)West Indies: LLWLD

In the spotlight – Shan Masood and Alick Athanaze

Pakistan cricket brings with it short attention spans, and Shan Masood knows he will not have much of it for the next nine months. He has now been now been captain for just under the full WTC cycle, and this is Pakistan’s last Test in a disappointing year and a half of Test cricket. Reports about his position as Test captain being vulnerable have surfaced more than once, and with a new cycle beginning at the end of the year, Pakistan will likely reevaluate at some point. However, this game represents a chance to finish off strongly, and continue making his case. With the bat, there are possible signs of a patch of form with a hundred and a fifty in his last three innings, and while he has not been viewed as the reason for an upturn in Test results, victory here will mean he finishes the cycle off with four wins in his last six TestsAlick Athanaze compiled a fine fourth-innings half-century on a tough Multan surface•AFP/Getty Images

Alick Athanaze came into this series with runs against Bangladesh, and appears to have enjoyed batting in Pakistan more than most of his team-mates He scored 99 and 58* in the three-day game before the series in Islamabad, and was responsible for nearly half of his side’s runs in the fourth innings in Multan, becoming the only visiting batter to score a half-century. Praise for the Dominican’s technique has come from exalted quarters, with Brian Lara and Ian Bishop among his admirers, and if the visitors top six are to rise to the challenge their captain laid out for them, Athanaze is expected to have a significant role.

Team news

Pakistan have not yet named an XI, with Aqib Javed saying they would take a final look at the surface.Pakistan (likely XI): 1 Shan Masood (capt) 2 Muhammad Hurraira 3 Babar Azam 4 Kamran Ghulam 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 7 Salman Agha 8 Noman Ali 9 Sajid Khan 10 Abrar Ahmed 11 Khurram ShahzadWest Indies, too, have yet to name a starting line-up. Jayden Seales misses out with a slightly niggle in his leg. Kemar Roach is available again alongside Amir Jangoo.West Indies: 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt) 2 Mikyle Louis 3 Keacy Carty 4 Alick Athanaze 5 Kavem Hodge 6 Justin Greaves 7 Tevin Imlach/Amir Jangoo (wk) 8 Gudakesh Motie 9 Kevin Sinclair 10 Jomel Warrican 11 Kemar Roach

Pitch and conditions

The pitch has been prepared in the same way as the one for the first Test was. Weather conditions have not changed in the week since, and it remains cold and dry. Any deviation from what happened in the first Test would be a surprise.

Stats and trivia

• None of the last 62 wickets Pakistan have taken in home Tests have come from a fast bowler
• Pakistan have not won back-to-back Test series since February 2021

Quotes“Of course we were right to prepare a spin pitch against West Indies. Their batters are not as proficient against spin when compared to fast bowling.”
“I’ve played on surfaces that spun from day one, but this was the first time I’ve seen such cracks on a pitch on day one.”

Manchester United’s work within the transfer window has left a lot to be desired over recent years, with huge money spent on players not up to the level of the Premier League.

Former Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag spent upwards of £600m during his time in charge of the club, but his additions clearly haven’t worked given the club’s 15th place league standing last season.

Ruben Amorim has had to work with such signings, only having the January window to make the additions he desires to help transform the current situation at Old Trafford.

He’s already added Matheus Cunha to his ranks, splashing £62.5m on the Brazilian’s signature, but further talents are expected to arrive at the club in the coming weeks.

Numerous areas of the pitch are set to be improved for their quest in the 2025/26 campaign, with multiple names mentioned over transfers to the Theatre of Dreams.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Striker Viktor Gyokeres has been a player firmly on the club’s radar and understandably so given his stint under Amorim during their time together in Portugal at Sporting CP.

The Swede scored 54 times in his 52 appearances, making him one of the most in-demand players this window, but it appears as though he’s set for a move to join rivals Arsenal.

However, another player has emerged on their radar in recent days, with Botafogo goalkeeper John Victor now a key target, according to GOAL Brazil.

Their report claims that Victor already has an offer on the table from the Red Devils, who are prepared to trigger the 29-year-old’s release clause this summer, which currently stands at just $8m (£5.8m).

It also states that the player himself would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this window, with the hierarchy seeing the shot-stopper as a possible number one ahead of 2025/26.

Why United’s latest target would be a better signing than Gyokeres

Given Gyokeres’ goalscoring record for the Portuguese outfit, there’s no denying that the Swede would be an excellent option in the final third for Amorim’s side.

However, given the £70m price tag that has been mooted, along with his lack of experience in England’s top-flight, it could prove to be a huge risk for the club in 2025/26.

Other current options in the Premier League appear to be available this summer, with work already being done to land the signature of Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins during the off-season.

There’s no denying that a new talisman is needed during this window, but Gyokeres shouldn’t be the one they turn to, allowing another side to take the chance with a move for his services.

The same can’t be said for potential addition Victor, with his buy-out clause potentially being a bargain for the club if they can complete a deal for his signature.

The Brazilian could prove to be a bargain, filling the void that’s been vacated by current number one Andre Onana after he suffered a hamstring injury that could rule him out of the start of the new campaign.

However, even upon the Cameroonian’s return to first-team action, he may struggle to regain his place in the side should Victor make the move to the Theatre of Dreams.

The Botafogo star, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, massively outperformed Onana last campaign, highlighting the talent he possesses in between the sticks.

He’s conceded fewer goals per 90, whilst claiming more crosses, offering a needed presence and a player who can command his 18-yard box, which could bolster the defensive unit.

Games played

11

34

Clean sheet percentage

55%

26%

Save percentage

81%

68%

Goals conceded

0.6

1.3

Pass accuracy

81%

72%

Crosses claimed

0.8

0.6

Saves made

2.7

2.5

Onana has been prone to mistakes during his time at the club, something which the potential new addition could prevent, as he made more saves during his spell in Serie A last campaign.

Amorim will desperately want a new striker to lead his attacking department into 2025/26, but ultimately it may have to wait given the recent news around the goalkeeping department.

Such an area is arguably one of the most important on the pitch, with the club simply not being able to enter the new season without adequate options at the manager’s disposal – subsequently making Victor a crucial addition during the off-season.

Biggest deal since Ronaldo: Wilcox plotting Man Utd move for £70m striker

Manchester United could be about to make a huge move in the transfer market this week.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jul 13, 2025

“The biggest problem is the batters who are taking a start but are not going to play a long innings,” the head coach said

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Feb-2025Australia’s batters were at home on Sri Lanka tracks in ways Sri Lanka’s batters weren’t. This was one of the take-aways from a Test that Australia dominated, according to head coach Sanath Jayasuriya.Sri Lanka’s batters also largely fell playing attacking strokes.”There was a serious problem with shot selections, as well as with handling situations,” Jayasuriya said. “I don’t think certain players have handled situations well. They’re experienced players, and they have to be more mature.Related

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“These players have played a lot of cricket and should know how to play. I’ve talked to them about this. But we’ve got to talk to them in detail about this now. Also, we cannot blame the wicket. Because we saw how the wicket behaved. This was a very good wicket. For a long time, we haven’t seen such a good wicket in Galle, on the third and fourth days.”The problem, Jayasuriya said, is batters not converting their starts into big scores. In Australia’s first innings of the first Test in Galle, six batters faced 50 balls or more. In Sri Lanka’s first innings, only Dinesh Chandimal faced more than 50 balls.”The biggest problem is the batters who are taking a start but are not going to play a long innings,” Jayasuriya said. “This is something I always mutter. We saw [Usman] Khawaja, [Steven] Smith and [Josh] Inglis, all three of them took a good start and they converted them to big hundreds. This conversion must be there. We’re not consistent in that. Our players should know that these are our conditions and we must make use of these conditions. There were lots of opportunities but we didn’t make use of them.”Australia’s spinners did tend to bowl faster than Sri Lanka’s, but at the time, Sri Lanka’s spinners had felt their slower pace was better suited to this surface.”They were bowling a little faster than us, but we were thinking that our pace was the best. That’s what we’ve been doing. The wicket was on the slower side and we were trying to bowl a little faster, but we ended up bowling as we usually do here.”After the third or fourth day, we saw the normal Galle wicket. What the Australia spinners did was bowl a little faster than us. That’s normally what they’re doing.”We’re used to bowling at a slower pace, but it didn’t work in this match. We need to discuss all that also.”

The allrounder has made the call as Australia’s limited-overs squad was due to head to Sri Lanka

Andrew McGlashan06-Feb-2025

Marcus Stoinis was part of the side that won the 2023 ODI World Cup•Associated Press

Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis has announced his immediate retirement from ODI cricket, ruling himself out of the upcoming Champions Trophy.Stoinis, 35, will now focus on T20 cricket and remains available for Australia in that format. He scored 1495 runs in 71 ODIs at an average of 26.69 with a best of 146 not out against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017, and also took 48 wickets at 43.12 apiece.Related

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“Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve had in the green and gold,” Stoinis said. “Representing my country at the highest level is something I’ll always cherish.”This wasn’t an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right time for me to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career. I’ve got a fantastic relationship with Ron [Andrew McDonald] and I’ve hugely appreciated his support. I’ll be cheering the boys on in Pakistan.”Stoinis was part of the 2023 ODI World Cup squad and played an important role with the ball against Pakistan, when Australia began their fightback from a poor start to the tournament and ended it as champions.”Stoin has been such a pivotal part of our ODI setup for the past decade,” McDonald said. “Not only has he been an invaluable player but also an incredible person to have in the group. He is a natural leader, an exceptionally popular player and a great person. He should be congratulated on his ODI career and all of his achievements.”However, he played only one more ODI after that World Cup, against Pakistan earlier this season, and did not receive a Cricket Australia contact last year, but was earmarked to play a role at the Champions Trophy in the absence of the injured Cameron Green.”I wasn’t involved in those discussions, but from our perspective, Stoinis was trying to map out how one-day cricket was going for him,” assistant coach Daniel Vettori said after the opening day of the second Test in Galle. “[The] 2027 World Cup is a long way away. From my perspective, it’s been great the way he’s been able to lead with the ball at times. I think back to that 2023 World Cup and those two breakthroughs against Pakistan, and his style of bowling and the aggressiveness. If the big three weren’t able to get a breakthrough or Zamps, then Stoins was turned to a lot on the bowling front, and he brought a real energy and attitude.”Stoinis recently played three matches for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, where he suffered an injury in his second outing, on the back of the BBL with Melbourne Stars.Australia will need to make numerous changes to their Champions Trophy squad, which they are due to confirm after the second Test against Sri Lanka. Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out with a back injury while captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood will also miss the tournament.

Leeds United aren’t messing about getting their business done early during the chaotic summer transfer window.

Already, Daniel Farke’s Whites are two signings down with plenty more activity expected at Elland Road, with Lukas Nmecha starting proceedings when joining from Wolfsburg, before Leeds dipped their toes in once more to land Jaka Bijol for a bumper £15m.

Of course, there will be the worry of exits still to come – as faces such as Junior Firpo slowly edge away from their West Yorkshire home – but the general feeling in the air at the newly promoted side will be one of optimism, especially as Leeds are usually notoriously slow out of the traps to seal signings.

Nikola Krstovic could be the next notable pick-up through the door, but the Whites might be able to land an even better signing than the potent Montenegrin if they succeed with this other pursuit.

Leeds join the race for £9m star

As per a new report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds are now in the race to snap up promising Borussia Mönchengladbach left-back Lukas Ullrich this summer.

Bailey states that the Bundesliga giants are looking to tie the Germany U21 international down to a new deal. However, significant interest from the Premier League – away from just Leeds being keen – could potentially jeopardise those talks.

Indeed, it’s stated that Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Everton, Brighton, and Nottingham Forest are all also chasing the £9m-rated defender, as per Football Transfers, meaning Leeds will have their work cut out to advance to the front of the queue for Ullrich’s services.

Still, Leeds might well deem it more of a necessary and worthwhile venture chasing after the Berlin-born starlet than continuing to pursue Krstovic, with the newly promoted side desperately short on numbers down the left.

Why Ullrich could be a better signing than Krstovic

Leeds already possess the likes of Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford in attack, even if the Lecce striker didn’t move on to England, with the Dutchman just fresh off a 19-goal season in the Championship.

Moreover, Bamford – away from his recurring injury problems – is also a Premier League-experienced head that could still offer Farke a worthwhile option if needed, as seen in his respectable 24-goal tally at the intimidating level.

Therefore, it would be safe to assume that the Whites are well-stocked in this department for the time being, with it also being a risk to splash around the £30m mark on Krstovic, considering Georginio Rutter is their most expensive capture ever at just £5.5m more.

Whereas, for £7m, Leeds would be able to win a star in Ullrich, who should only get better with time, and a purchase that is needed far more urgently than another centre-forward joining the building. After all, if you remove Firpo from Leeds’ ever-changing squad, only an ageing Sam Byram is available in the left-back spot.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

52

Accurate passes

20/28 (71%)

Successful dribbles

1/1

Clearances

4

Tackles

6

Total duels won

7/10

The in-demand 21-year-old has already shown he can do it on the big occasion for club and country too, as seen in his one goal and two assists last season as an attack-oriented full-back for Gladbach, on top of his recent heroics for his nation at the U21 Euros when his early assist got Germany up and running against the youthful Three Lions.

On the night, the “high intensity” defender – as described by Germany U19 manager Guido Streichsbier – showed he can tussle with the likes of Harvey Elliott and Ethan Nwaneri and come out on top, meaning he might well be ready for the challenge of the Premier League to follow.

He isn’t quite at Firpo’s level just yet, considering the ex-Barcelona defender picked up a hefty ten assists last campaign.

But, having been noted as making “huge strides” already by manager Gerardo Seoane, the Premier League might well just be the next big step he has to adjust to, with Farke also known to get the maximum out of up-and-coming youngsters under his wing.

He'd be unstoppable with Tanaka: Leeds make offer to sign "complete" star

Leeds are looking to sign a new midfielder this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 26, 2025

His comments come at a time when there are still doubts over his availability for IPL 2025

Sruthi Ravindranath27-Oct-20249:15

Will CSK retain Dhoni as uncapped player? What about Jadeja and Dube?

MS Dhoni has said he wants to enjoy “whatever last few years of cricket” he can play. While there are still doubts over his availability for IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan said last week he was hopeful that Dhoni will be part of the upcoming season.”I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I’m able to play,” Dhoni said at a promotional event in Goa. “Like how during our childhood we used to go out and play at 4[pm], just enjoying the game. But when you play professional sport it becomes difficult to enjoy the game just like a game. So what I want to do is, there are emotions and commitments, but I want to enjoy the game for the next few years.”October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their list of retained players to the IPL ahead of the mega auction, and this year Dhoni is eligible to be retained by CSK as an uncapped player. That was made possible after the IPL brought back a rule that had been scrapped in 2021, according to which a player can be considered as uncapped if they have been retired from international cricket for five years.Related

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CSK waiting on go-ahead from Dhoni before retention deadline

Dhoni had batted lower down the order throughout IPL 2024, coming out to face only a handful of deliveries. While workload management owing to his knee surgery was one of the reasons for the move, Dhoni also revealed that it was to give game-time to India players who were then in the fray for the T20 World Cup.”My thinking was simple, if others are doing their job well why do I need to come up the order,” Dhoni said. “If you’re talking about last year (season) specifically, the T20 World Cup squad was going to be announced soon. So we have to give people who are fighting for a spot a chance. In our team (CSK) we had a few, [Ravindra] Jadeja was there, Shivam Dube was there so you give them an opportunity to prove themselves to get into the Indian team. There was nothing in it for me, no selection and other things. So I’m good behind [playing down the order] and my team was happy with what I was doing.”Dhoni: ‘Love how teams are playing Tests now’Dhoni admitted he’s a fan of Bazball. He said he “loves” how Test cricket has become more result-oriented when asked if he was a fan of this high-risk, no-fear brand of cricket.”You can give cricket any term that you want to, what we have seen is cricket has evolved,” Dhoni said. “The way people are playing cricket is very different. There was a time when in ODIs something was considered a safe score, now that score is not safe in T20s too.Will Dhoni return for another season?•AFP/Getty Images

“You give something a term, it becomes much more interesting because you start talking about it, you start relating to it but at the end of the day what is it? It’s a way to play cricket. Some people want to play aggressive cricket, some people want to play authentic cricket. A lot of that depends on the kind of team you have got – whether they can change the way they play that cricket. What is important is to realise the strength of your team and according to the strength of the team you decide which is the way you want to play cricket but it takes time. It doesn’t happen that overnight you say, ‘let’s start playing like this tomorrow’. You need to give time to individuals because they have played maybe 10-12-15 years of cricket and they have a certain way of playing cricket, so you need to give them that time to change.”Dhoni said there were a few “difficult” days back when he was playing Tests especially when he knew the match was heading towards a draw.”For me, the most difficult time during a Test match was the fifth day of a match which is the last day when you knew that 100% it is going to be a draw,” he said. “I would still need to keep for nearly 2.5 sessions and that was the most tiring part. You see there is no result happening, you are just going through the motions. Yes, bowlers would like to take wickets, batters will try to score runs, [but] there is no result in the game. You think let’s finish this and go, why do I have to be here. So I love the fact there’s change in the way teams are playing Test cricket.”Imagine telling someone who doesn’t know much cricket we play over five days and we start at 9.30 and 4.30 is the scheduled end of play, we play till 5[pm] sometimes, and after five days we don’t get a result. That’s not nice for the game. So I love how there’s more results in today’s world. Even if we are playing only four days of cricket and one day gets washed out, still you get a result – that’s the beauty of Test cricket and that’s how it should stay – you want to get a result after five days and you shouldn’t have a draw.”

“At times, we felt the way Nabi was playing was irritating” – Mohammed Shami

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Southampton22-Jun-2019KL Rahul is on one knee. The bat is turned in his gloves. His reverse sweep is in motion. But the ball he is awaiting is hanging in mid-air. Like a painting in a gallery. When eventually it arrives, Rahul is so off balance, he can only send it floating to short third man, those extra split seconds of flight having drawn the power from his shot. It is not a remarkable ball. There are no eye-catching revs. No drift. Barely an iota of turn.But the bowler, Mohammad Nabi, is not trying to be remarkable. He is not trying to dazzle you. Man is here to hustle.Sixteen overs later, another less-than-special delivery, another swindle. On a sticky pitch on which other batsmen are dragging the weight of their own labours around, Kohli is gliding, transcendental. Nabi has bowled 18 deliveries at Kohli, and never appeared threatening. But looking like getting him out is not the thing; the thing is to get. With his 19th ball, this humdrum bowler floats a slightly wide ball at perhaps the most extraordinary batting being on the planet right now. He invites the cut. A little overspin. A half-bat width of extra bounce. Another catch at third man. A hustle.Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of Nabi’s performanceAlmost no bowler in the world appears to be doing so little, and yet leaves an imprint so indelible. Without Nabi’s outstanding returns through the middle overs – nine overs in which he did not conced a single boundary, and only one two – India’s innings might have entered those higher gears – the kind which, so often, there is no shifting them down from. Beyond the two vital wickets, his economy rate of 3.66 was the best for Afghanistan.Bat in hand, Nabi is almost more nondescript. His cut shot looks like it was mass produced in Japan – a sturdy, working, repeatable thing. His drives are prefabricated, cement and stone. There is a little grace to his pull, but he never admires the shot. His weight has moved forward the moment the ball has left bat, pressing forward in search of another run. When Afghanistan were hounding India down though those tense, late stages, it was always Nabi calling his partner through, turning those ones into twos. It was always Nabi who was hustling hardest. Nabi, who kept coming at India, refusing to go away.”At times, we felt the way Nabi was playing was irritating,” Mohammed Shami, who ended the match with a hat-trick, said. “But we were also conscious of the fact that we did not want to show the opposition that we were irritated. We were very clear that if we get his wicket, then the match is ours. He alone was a batsman who could build his innings and score. You have to remain aggressive in those situations.”Mohammad Nabi goes after Mohammed Shami•Getty ImagesNabi’s four off Shami at the start of the 45th over re-energised a chase that seemed to have acquired a limp. His six over midwicket in the 47th over made death-overs master Jasprit Bumrah seem human, if only briefly, before the bowler started nailing his yorkers again.With 16 needed off the last over, and a specialist wicketkeeper for company, the match seemed beyond Afghanistan, but a mighty four down the ground off Shami raised the final hackles of hope, before they were lowered again, with Nabi’s holing out to long on – the wicket that precipitated the hat-trick.It was no surprise, though, that it was Nabi that very nearly delivered a famous victory, and turned Afghanistan’s campaign around. Rashid Khan is an otherworldly talent. Mujeeb Ur Rahman has his sleight of hand. But when the team is in a destructive spiral, going from loss to embarrassing loss, it took Nabi and his hustle to bring Afghanistan roaring back.

Ruben Amorim has been told how many signings Manchester United still need to avoid Old Trafford becoming the "Theatre of Nightmares" again in 2025-26.

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• United having quiet summer
• Cunha the only major new signing
• Concerns raised over Old Trafford atmosphere

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Amorim was tipped to completely overhaul the United squad after their dismal 15th finish in the Premier League last season, but it has been an eerily quiet summer at Old Trafford so far. Former Atletico Madrid and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha has been the only major new signing through the door, while United have also confirmed the arrival of 18-year-old full-back Diego Leon from Paraguayan outfit Cerro Porteno.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United are also chasing Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo, but the two clubs have yet to reach an agreement on a final fee, and with the Red Devils' pre-season campaign set to start on July 19, supporters are growing impatient with the lack of concrete movement in the transfer market, especially after seeing rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal all make significant early changes to their squads. Two-time Premier League winner Paul Parker is also concerned, and has warned United's part-owners, INEOS, that the negative atmosphere around Old Trafford will only worsen if there continues to be no urgency in the recruitment department.

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  WHAT PARKER SAID

  When asked how many more signings United need to challenge for a place in Europe next season, former United defender Parker told GOAL – in association with : "For Man Utd to just compete against anyone and not let themselves down, they need at least four more signings. They can't carry on where they are at this moment in time because they'll start next season and it will still be negative in the dressing room and with the fans. It became the Theatre of Nightmares towards the end of last season."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  According to , United are also having trouble raising extra funds for new signings through player sales. Amorim wanted the "unhappy" quartet of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony sold before the start of pre-season, but United have yet to find any potential suitors willing to match the players' wage demands. As it stands, Amorim is still working with a squad largely assembled by his predecessor, Erik ten Hag, and it remains to be seen if he is given the resources to rebuild the team in his image.