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Virat Kohli has said he won’t engage with Steven Smith’s suggestion that Australia are “one or two sessions” away from retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy

Melinda Farrell in Bengaluru03-Mar-20170:50

I know about Australia’s mind games – Kohli

Steven Smith turned the heat on India on the eve of the second Test in Bengaluru, declaring Australia are just “one or two sessions” away from retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy, while Virat Kohli dismissed Smith’s words as “mind games.”After starting the series as underdogs and given little chance of drawing, let alone winning a match, Australia would take an unassailable lead in the four-Test series if they win at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a ground where Australia has an encouraging record of two wins, two draws and just one loss.”I think they will feel under a little bit of pressure,” Smith said. “Obviously, going into this series, all I heard was 4-0 to them. So they’re one down and need to come back. We’re one win away from [retaining] the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Things can happen pretty quickly here.”So we might be one or two sessions away from getting that back. I’m sure they’ll feel under a bit of pressure.”But Kohli was quick to brush off the suggestion that India would be feeling under pressure when he learned of Smith’s comments.”Me? As a team? Does it look like [we’re under pressure]?” Kohli said, smilingly. “I’m pretty relaxed. I’m happy. I’m smiling. It’s fine, those are his views and [he can say] whatever he wants to say. I think it’s time we focus on our skills more than what Australia is saying or preparing like. I know these minds games in these press conferences are something they’re very good at.”We’re still going to play the cricket that we’ve played for the last two years and see where the series ends after the fourth game.”Kohli also refused to be drawn on the importance of stopping Smith, whose gritty knock at Pune defied the conditions and was his third century from his past seven Test innings, instead pointing to the fact that India gave Smith several lives during his second innings.”The whole team has to play well against Australia to win a Test match, that’s something we’ve identified,” said Kohli. “We’re not focusing on one player at all.”If we don’t hold onto our chances it doesn’t matter, at the end of the day, how many runs we score. We’re not focusing on one player only. The whole ten wickets have to be taken twice to win a Test match. The comments and headlines don’t matter. They never have, and we won’t base our cricket on it.”

The wicketkeeper, who is set to equal Brad Hogg’s Australian record for the most Tests missed between appearances, is eager to use this chance to rewrite the story of his career

Brydon Coverdale in Brisbane20-Nov-2017Tim Paine can’t take a hint. In fact, he can’t take repeated hints over the course of several years.Three summers ago, when Paine was 29, Tasmania looked to the future by choosing the Western Australian import Tom Triffitt as wicketkeeper instead of Paine. Last season, it was the teenage Jake Doran – another import – who took the gloves. And this year, Matthew Wade returned from a decade with Victoria and settled in behind the stumps himself.So where does that leave Paine? In a plot-twist worthy of , it leaves him about to keep wicket for Australia in an Ashes series, seven years after he last wore the baggy green. As head-scratching selections go, this is one of the scratchiest, for Paine has been gloveman in just three Shield games in the past two years and has not scored a first-class hundred since 2006. But there are mitigating circumstances.”It was widely recognised last year in Tasmania that I was the best wicketkeeper in Tasmania,” Paine said in Brisbane on Monday, “it was just that at the time Tasmania had a fair share of battles in Shield cricket and decided to go in a new direction that was clearly a younger direction, so that was just how it panned out.”And the lack of big runs? One contributing factor was the smashed finger that he suffered while batting against Dirk Nannes in an exhibition match in 2010. Rod Marsh was Iron Gloves, but surely no Australian wicketkeeper has had as much metal to contend with as Tim Paine, who now has a plate and seven or eight pins as permanent features of his right hand, repairing the index finger that caused him such trouble after the Nannes blow.”Behind the stumps I was pretty good straight away, it didn’t worry me too much. It hurt a little bit but it didn’t take too much away from me,” Paine said. “But with batting, it really did affect me and you only have to look at my numbers in those few years when I came back. I was battling mentally, I was out there thinking I was going to get hit and if I did get hit I’d never play again. It certainly rattled me a lot.”It was not until he opened up with Tasmania’s sports psychologist, Emma Harris, that Paine was able to move past his batting troubles. And now, a couple of years down the track, he has also found an ally in the new Tasmania batting coach Jeff Vaughan, who has helped Paine rework his batting grip to better suit his pins and plate.”The opportunity has come at a really good time for me,” Paine said. “The past five or six months I’ve really started to bat well again and I’ll go into this Test with some confidence. I played pretty well last week [against England in a tour game], I’ve played Test cricket before so I know what to expect. And I’ve had some success in the few Tests I have played, so I’ll take some confidence from that.”Australia have played 78 Tests since Paine last wore the baggy green, meaning that on Thursday he will equal the Australian record for the most Tests missed between appearances: Brad Hogg also sat out of 78 Tests from his 1996 debut until he returned to the side in 2003.And while Paine admits he was surprised by his recall, he is keen to grab his chance. He turns 33 next month, and if he performs strongly during this Ashes campaign, he could feasibly have several years ahead of him as a Test keeper. Finally, it is a chance for Paine to live up to the high expectations that were placed on him seven years ago.”I’m not here for five minutes, I’m here to make the most of this opportunity,” he said. “To be honest, I’m sick of talking about being the person who hurt his finger and what could have been six or seven years ago. That’s the way I’m looking at this opportunity.”Hopefully I can be sitting in a room like this in two years or three years and we’re talking about the back end of my Test career, not ‘Geez, he could have been a good player back in 2009’. That’s something that’s really exciting for me, is to be able to re-write my story a bit and it’s something I’m really keen to do.”

Shamsa Hashmi, former general manager of the Pakistan women side, criticised the former captain’s tactics, and said that she had been trying to control Mir’s ‘manoeuvring and hegemony by counselling’

Umar Farooq05-Oct-2017Sana Mir, recently axed from captaincy, has found herself back in the spotlight as the former women’s general manger Shamsa Hashmi said that she had been trying to control Mir’s ‘manoeuvring and hegemony by counselling’. She criticised Mir’s captaincy over the years, saying she had been discouraging players, and had taken shocking on-field decisions. Mir will be replaced by Bismah Maroof as captain, a decision that is part of the PCB’s revamp of its women’s cricket set-up following the team’s poor performance at the World Cup in June. Shamsa was herself dismissed as general manager.”I never spoke earlier in public about what Sana had been saying, because I was part of the PCB, and I do like to follow the organisation’s obligations,” Shamsa told reporters in a rare media appearance at her home. “I heard she didn’t want to work with the management of the women’s wings, but still she had been working with us for the last two-and-a-half years. Now I don’t know what suddenly went wrong. There may be a lot of factors behind it but she never conveyed those to me, except one. She wanted to have her former fellow players appointed to the selection committee, and one of them she wanted to have as women’s team trainer. I didn’t want to be a part of it, and I told her that I would have to think about it. So if that was the problem, then I can’t do anything about it.”Mir, the team manager, and a couple of senior players had been singled out for blame for Pakistan’s winless World Cup campaign. In a damning report, coach Sabih Azhar accused Mir of adopting a “negative approach” and of being completely self-obsessed. He also complained that Ayesha Ashar – who has been sacked from the managerial post and made interim general manager women wings – paid most of her attention to some senior players and was “cold” towards the younger players.”If we recall our World Cup performance this year, it wasn’t bad at all,” Shamsa said. “But the way players are being used, with rapid batting order changes and unorthodox changes in bowling – these are the things that let us down. I want to recall the England match in which Heather Knight and (Natalie) Sciver scored hundreds, and most of their runs were on the leg, but the field wasn’t adjusted accordingly.”Against South Africa, for example, we lost by [a small margin]. We actually lost the game by conceding 16 runs in the second-last over. Scoring 16 runs in last two overs while chasing is always difficult and I believe that over should have been given to your best bowler which the captain didn’t do. Against Sri Lanka, we lost only because we didn’t take the Powerplay and that was the responsibility of the captain in the middle. So these are the critical things to notice.”Mir, 31, had, before the World Cup, hinted at retiring from the game. The PCB top brass then came up with the suggestion of giving Mir a graceful exit, but later decided to retain her for a few series and assess her individual performance. Mir had also stepped down as captain of the T20 side after 2016 Women’s World T20. “I do respect Sana as a player and since she is captain, I wanted to give her a graceful exit,” Shamsa said. “But as far as her manipulation and hegemony is concerned, I told her we should abide only by merit.”

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo is causing controversy in Japan after the governor of Nagasaki skipped a meeting back in July to watch him live.

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Al-Nassr & Ronaldo played PSG in July in Osaka, JapanNagasaki Governor attended using government fundsControversy rising over situation, calls for resignationWHAT HAPPENED?

reports that Ronaldo's friendly with Al-Nassr against PSG in July saw the Nagasaki Governor, Kengo Oishi, attend the match using government money. The match was played in Osaka, 732.1 Kilometers from the Island off the coast of Japan by road. Oishi claims he purchased the ticket with his own money, but travel accommodation and travel funds came out of the governments pocket. To make matters worse, the governor skipped an official meeting to attend the match.

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The report adds that Oishi claims the purpose of the event was to speak with Ronaldo's party about potentially playing a role in a future publicity event, while "some officials" claim no deal existed with the Portuguese forward. Demands for the resignation of Oishi are now rolling in, while many of his supporters also claim that the publicity would have benefitted the city, meaning the governor was acting in good faith.

DID YOU KNOW?

The two sides played to a 0-0 draw in the friendly in Osaka, with Neymar then playing for PSG in the match before his Saudi Arabian switch to Al-Hilal.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO AND NASSR

The Saudi Arabian side are back in action on December 22 against Al-Ettifaq, before a crucial Pro League match against Al-Ittihad on the 26th. For Ronaldo, now is a chance for some downtime until his next match, with an 11-day break before he takes the pitch again.

USMNT star Ricardo Pepi started for the PSV second team Monday, leaving many to question if he has been demoted despite his starring role a week ago.

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Pepi demotion questions raisedUSMNT striker starts for second teamScored UCL winner one week agoGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The USMNT star has been sent down to the second team for their match against NAC Breda. It comes five days after Pepi netted the winner in the UEFA Champions League against Sevilla in stoppage-time – sending them through to the knockout round.

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USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter will hope it's a request from Pepi to get more minutes and not an actual demotion. It would be a baffling move from PSV if true, because the USMNT striker is not only in good form, but has mentioned he is content with his current role in the team. Regardless, it's a move that sees him get starting minutes and a potential confidence booster as well.

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Pepi grew up in the FC Dallas academy system in MLS. This summer, he joined PSV for €10m, and has linked up with USMNT stars Sergino Dest and Malik Tillman there as well.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PEPI AND PSV?

PSV Jong (the Dutch club's second team) will finish out their game against NAC Breda before the first-team returns to action on Thursday against SC Heerenveen. Pepi and the USMNT, however, will not return to action until January with a friendly against Slovenia on the 20th.

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has called on Sir Jim Ratcliffe to 'aggressively' invest in the women's team after acquiring a stake in the club.

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United struggling in the WSL Skinner wants Ratcliffe to invest in team Red Devils next in action against BrightonGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Skinner's side are currently 10 points adrift of Women's Super League leaders Chelsea and were also dumped out of the Champions League at the first hurdle earlier this season. The Red Devils' stuttering form had led to some fans calling for the manager to be sacked – with supporters loudly voicing their grievances at recent games. However, speaking after United's much-needed 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, Skinner suggested that the club needed a change of approach at the top level if they are ever to properly challenge the WSL's elite clubs.

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Asked whether he wanted United to strengthen the squad before the January transfer window closes, Skinner said: "It’s key, if we’re being very clear, I think it’s clear that we need quality in depth. If we’re going to chase down Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, we’ve got to continue to invest to the levels that they are.

"I think the players are doing an exceptional job. I’ve got players who are tired and have had three-game weeks and the depth in that backline needs to improve. We need to try to get more experienced players in to support the quality of our team – I’m happy with the quality of them – but they just need additions. I can’t hit that home hard enough, can I?

"We still have a lot of highly talented young players, I know we’ve got talented players, but we need to continue to support around that, to have players of high experience, Champions League winners, Champions League experience, league winners, cup winners, we need to add that into them to give them a platform over many years at Manchester United to be successful."

Getty ImagesWHAT SKINNER SAID ABOUT CHELSEA

Skinner went on to point at Chelsea's world-record acquisition of Colombian World Cup star Mayra Ramirez as evidence of the gulf that exists between the two clubs.

"It’s interesting when I see Chelsea have an injury to a player and they can just go ‘bang’ and sign another forward. We have to continue to support our team to kind of be aggressive and win things," he added.

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United were handed a double blow in the summer when both Alessia Russo and Ona Batlle departed on free transfers after the club failed to tie the pair down to new contracts. The hits are likely to keep on coming too, with Lionesses star Mary Earps also out of contract at the end of the season.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the Celtic board have backed Brendan Rodgers throughout the summer transfer window so far.

Who have Celtic signed?

The Hoops have made five new additions to the first-team squad; including Marco Tilio, Odin Thiago Holm, Hyun-jun Yang, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Maik Nawrocki.

These moves may have been funded by the sale of Portuguese dynamo Jota. He moved to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in a reported £25m deal last month.

There could be more signings on the way for the Scottish giants, though, after it was confirmed that Carl Starfelt has left the club to join Spanish outfit Celta Vigo on a permanent basis.

It was recently reported that the Bhoys have made an offer within the region of £2.9m for Elfsborg central defender Gustaf Lagerbielke, who could be a replacement for his compatriot.

How good is Gustaf Lagerbielke?

The 23-year-old titan's form in his home country over the last 18 months suggests that he has the potential to be an excellent defender for Rodgers and could be a dream partner for Nawrocki at the back.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is at least two years older than both of them and has been linked with Premier League interest this year, which could make Lagerbielke and Nawrocki the long-term central defensive pairing for the Hoops moving forward.

The £2.9m-rated centre-back, whose passing was hailed as "impressive" by journalist Ryan McGinlay, is a strong enforcer who is able to dominate opposition forwards and produce consistently brilliant performances at the back.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 across 15 Allsvenskan appearances in 2023 and caught the eye with 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and a duel success rate of 62%.

In 2022, the 6 foot 3 titan averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 over 20 league outings and he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match, whilst the talented gem also came out on top in 64% of his individual battles.

Meanwhile, no current Celtic defender managed a score higher than 7.20 or produced more than 2.1 tackles and interceptions per clash in the Scottish Premiership last term.

These statistics suggest that Lagerbielke has the potential to be an outstanding performer at the back for Rodgers if he is able to translate his form from Sweden over to Scotland this season due to his ability to deliver a high standard of performance week-in-week-out.

He could, therefore, be a dream partner for Nawrocki as the Polish battler would have an excellent centre-back to play alongside, after his own impressive debut for the Hoops.

The 22-year-old ace recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.20 in the 4-2 win over Ross County on the opening day of the season last weekend. As per Sofascore, the former Legia Warsaw star won 100% (2/2) of his ground duels and made three tackles and interceptions combined, whilst the towering colossus also completed 93% of his attempted passes – including ten of his 11 long passes.

Nawrocki, who won 61% of his aerial duels in the Polish top-flight last term, was able to hit the ground running with an excellent performance at the back, on and off the ball, and he could form an exceptional partnership with Lagerbielke if they are able to bring the Swedish brute to Parkhead.

Lionel Messi didn't show "respect" for Paris Saint-Germain after his departure, according to club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

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Messi left PSG last summerCritical of club since departureAl-Khelaifi suggests disrespect from Miami starWHAT HAPPENED?

The World Cup-winning Argentine parted ways with the Ligue 1 club last summer, calling time on a spell which saw him record an impressive 67 goal contributions in 75 matches. Despite a stellar individual effort, PSG again flattered to deceive on the continental stage, and Messi has since come out with some less-than-positive words about his life in the French capital.

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Club president Al-Khelaifi has now responded to such criticism, telling on Tuesday: "We talk when we are there, not when we are gone. I have great respect for him [Messi] but if someone wants to talk badly about Paris Saint-Germain after [his departure], it’s not good. That's not respect […] He's not a bad guy, but I don't like that. It's not just for him, but for everyone."

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Messi secured a blockbuster move to MLS side Inter Miami after his time in Paris came to a close, and made an immediate impact stateside. The 36-year-old helped the Herons win the 2023 Leagues Cup – the first trophy in their history. Fast forward six months and Messi's former strike partner Kylian Mbappe could also be leaving the Parc des Princes, although Al-Khelaifi revealed the pair had an unspecified "gentlemen's agreement".

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

The Argentina captain is enjoying some well-earned rest as MLS breaks for the offseason. He faces a meeting with eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo in a friendly in Riyadh on February 1.

Bukayo Saka gifted his shirt to a young fan who bizarrely happened to shared his name after Arsenal's win over Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.

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Saka gifts shirt to young fan of same nameWinger's strike decisive in road winGunners gear up for Liverpool showdownWHAT HAPPENED?

The winger put Arsenal into a 2-0 lead in front of a jubilant away support at the City Ground but the Gunners were made to sweat late on, holding off a rally from the home side before they were finally able to celebrate three points in front of their fans.

Among those celebrating was a child with a sign saying 'My name is Saka', which proved eye-catching enough to persuade the England star to hand over his jersey.

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Both Sakas will be delighted that Arsenal managed to take three points from a ground that has proven to be a miserable place to visit in recent seasons. A then-Championship Forest bundled Mikel Arteta's side out of he FA Cup two years ago and then officially ended the Gunners' title dreams when the two sides met on Premier League terms in May 2023.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Arsenal fans and players will be watching on eagerly tonight, willing title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City to drop points. Then they'll have a chance to take matters in to their own hands on Sunday when Jurgen Klopp's farewell tour reaches the Emirates

A board release said Aravinda de Silva stepped down due to “personal commitments that would hinder his availability and time investment in the Committee further”

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-May-2017Aravinda de Silva has decided to resign from the SLC cricket committee, of which he was chairman, 13 months after he took on the role. A board release said de Silva will step down on June 30 due to “personal commitments that would hinder his availability and time investment in the Committee further”.”It is understandable that [de Silva] needs to prioritise his personal commitments,” board president Thilanga Sumathipala said. “He has supported the strategic vision of this administration and been vastly instrumental in many of the developments we have made.”We intend to continue to engage Aravinda’s expertise in our key cricketing activities on a consultancy basis,” Sumathipala added.During his time in the committee, de Silva had been among the more influential SLC figures, overseeing, in particular, a re-order of SLC’s coaching structure. However, his clout is also understood to have waned in recent months, with SLC having appointed other officials to advise the national team. De Silva had also twice served as chief selector – most recently in an interim stint last year, when his selection panel picked the squad for the World T20.