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Pujara’s philosophy is to spend more time in the middle to create more chances of scoring runs

Sidharth Monga09-Jan-20212:11

Chopra: Pujara’s back leg movement a ‘flaw’ causing dismissals against Cummins

“I don’t think it was the right approach, I think he needed to be a bit more proactive with his scoring rate because I felt it was putting too much pressure on his batting partners.”That was Ricky Ponting’s assessment, posted on Twitter in response to a question posed to him about Cheteshwar Pujara’s approach in India’s first innings of the Sydney Test. Pujara had scored his slowest half-century, facing 176 balls, but despite facing only five overs fewer than Australia, India ended 94 runs behind. There was a run-out and a played-on dismissal while Pujara was at the wicket, which were indirectly linked to his rate of scoring.This is not opportunistic criticism in hindsight. The questioning of Pujara’s approach began well before his, or Ajinkya Rahane’s or Hanuma Vihari’s, dismissal. The import of it is that if you bat with that approach, you put others around you under pressure and, thus, don’t leave yourself and your team an option but to score a big one yourself. And on difficult pitches against good attacks, you are bound to get a good ball before you score a hundred going at that pace.There is merit to this criticism, but “approach” can soon start to give way to “intent” and it can begin to sound like the batsman is not even thinking of runs. In reality, the approach is not decided by a batsman based on which side of the bed he wakes up. It is a reaction to the quality of the bowling, the nature of the pitch, the match situation, the strength of his own batting line-up, and, perhaps most importantly, his own ability.It isn’t as though Pujara doesn’t know the pitfalls of not scoring at a certain rate. This is a method – let’s not call it approach because it leads to the awful word intent, which suggests the player doesn’t intend to do what is best for the team – that has worked the best for Pujara and India. This was the method that worked on the last tour of Australia when he won India the series by facing more balls than any visiting batsman in a series in Australia in which he played four Tests or fewer. This was the method that worked in Johannesburg where he took 50 balls to get off the mark. This is a method that works for him at home.This method relies on the philosophy that the more time you spend at the wicket, the better your reactions get and the less accurate and intense the bowling gets. Pujara has shown more than enough times that he can make up for these starts once he has bowlers where he wants them. And it is not always accurate that if he gets out for 20 off 80, he has done his side no favours. The last Test was a good example of Shubman Gill and Pujara tiring Pat Cummins out, forcing him to bowl an eight-over spell in the morning session. The centurion Rahane was well into his 20s, having faced 70-plus balls when he first faced a proper spell from Cummins. It is not always apparent, and it is not always extremely significant, but it has some benefit for those who follow him.Of course, Pujara can show more “intent” and try to play quicker, but his judgement tells him that involves an undue amount of risk. He was up against stronger, quicker, taller and more accurate fast bowlers than Australia’s batsmen were on a pitch that called for accurate banging of the ball into the pitch. The bounce available meant Nathan Lyon was in the game too.There was no release available for Pujara unlike for Australia’s batsmen who had Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja – his four wickets perhaps flatter his effort – and even R Ashwin, who was now getting hit off the back foot into the off side. All told, Pujara faced 20 full balls and duly scored 14 runs off them. It was the good balls that he didn’t go after.Look at how Rahane got out: that late-cut over the cordon would perhaps work on another pitch, but the uneven bounce meant he played on. Look at how Rishabh Pant got hurt: trying to pull. Pujara knew this wasn’t a pitch for the horizontal-bat shots.Cheteshwar Pujara drops his hands and sways out of the way of a snorter•Getty ImagesThe combination of the pitch and the quality of the Australian bowling meant that the slight closing of the face or opening of it for even those singles was deemed to be too risky by the batsmen in the middle. Pujara has faced more than 31,000 balls in first-class cricket in varied conditions and match situations, close to 13,000 of them in Tests. Perhaps it is wise to trust his judgement of what is risky.Of course, you can try to play the shots regardless, and they can come off on your day, but elite batsmen don’t like to take that much risk. Not leaving things to chance is what makes them elite. Especially when they are playing just five pure batsmen.The risk involved here is of another nature. Pujara concentrated hard for 176 balls, helped take India to 195 for 4, but then an injured Rishabh Pant and he fell on the same score and the tail stood no chance of getting India close to Australia’s score. The ball Pujara got was, according to him, the ball of the series, a ball that he said would have got him had he been batting even on 100 or 200. While Pujara can take solace in that he made Australia throw the best punch they possibly could, Cummins, the bowler of the monster ball that kicked off just short of a length, rubbed it in that Pujara’s scoring rate helped him and the other bowlers.”At one stage he had been out there for 200 balls or 150 balls and I looked up there thinking they are still 200 away from our first-innings total,” Cummins said after the day’s play. “So if things go that way and we can keep bowling well, you’re not overly bothered. He is someone you know you are going have to bowl a lot at. I think we got our head around that this series, for him to score runs we are going to make it as hard as possible. Whether he bats 200 or 300 balls, just try and bowl good ball after good ball, and challenge both sides of his bat.”Related

• R Ashwin on Pujara: 'Mirugam will never lose an argument; his game is an extension of that'

• Cheteshwar Pujara: 'My passion became my profession'

• What's wrong with Pujara? The answer might lie in his feet

• Cheteshwar Pujara: 'The most important thing is to score runs. How you score hardly matters'

• Cheteshwar Pujara: 'You can punch me as long as you can. Then I'll punch back'

In what can be a bit of a mind game lies an admission too. That Pujara makes you bowl at your best for longer periods of time than other batsmen. Against the same attack, it worked on the last tour. It came close to working on this tour too. At least it gave Pujara a chance.On this pitch, against this bowling, to force the pace and drive on the up, while not taking an undue amount of risk, you have to be as good as Virat Kohli at that kind of batting. Pujara probably knows he isn’t. That is not his skill. His skill is to absorb the blows before taking down tired bowlers. Since about late 2018, even Kohli has started buying into the Pujara philosophy. The best innings of this series in terms of method, Kohli’s 74 in Adelaide, took 180 balls. For the first 80 balls of that innings, he went at a strike rate under 30. It was exactly like a Pujara innings, except that Kohli’s higher skill at shot-making meant he opened up sooner than Pujara could have.There is another, more nuanced criticism of Pujara’s batting, something he probably needs to work harder on. You don’t see too many driveable balls when he is at the wicket because he gets stuck on the crease. So what might be a half-volley for other batsmen is a length ball that Pujara is forced to show respect to. It gives the bowlers a wider margin of error, which means they feel no pressure and thus make less errors.There is merit to that but Pujara will turn around and tell you that this is what allows him to keep out balls that take other batsmen’s edges. Instead of pushing at the ball, he either lets them seam past his edge or play them late and under his eye if they are straight. That by facing more balls the way he does, he actually makes some unplayable balls look negotiable. That by facing more balls, he gives himself a better chance at scoring runs.With bowlers getting fitter and stronger, with bowling attacks now carrying fewer weak links, it is true that Pujara’s method will become less and less prevalent with the future batsmen. This is why probably India made a reasonable call when they dropped him for lack of intent in the past, but Pujara came back and showed with his immense powers of concentration that his method can work. That the criticism of method is not necessarily on the mark. That he shouldn’t be praised for the same method in 2018-19 and be criticised for it in 2020-21.The biggest problem with the criticism perhaps is that Pujara’s method was not a significant difference between the two sides. Or any batsman’s method for that matter. Australia’s bowling in the absence of Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami is far superior to India’s. It is high credit to the visitors that they pulled off the Melbourne miracle but the longer a series goes in Australia, an attack with stronger, quicker, more accurate fast bowlers will prevail over one whose seam attack has a combined experience of 17 Tests, one of them a debutant who has shown the tendency to not be accurate. That is exactly what has happened in Sydney so far.

Batsman expects the side to make up for the absence of Ravi Bopara, last season’s hero

Matt Roller26-Aug-2020It’s easy to glamourise the life of a T20 freelancer, jumping from team to team in idyllic locations and picking up a hefty paycheque – some of the time, at least. But for five months, the short-form economy ground to a halt: the PSL was called off on the day of the semi-finals, and until the CPL started last week, players who rely on leagues have been struggling.But things are slowly beginning to fall back in place. Nobody has represented as many T20 teams (11) as Cameron Delport since the start of 2018, and after he raced back to South Africa just in time to beat border closures following the PSL, he is back in Chelmsford ready to help Essex defend their Vitality Blast title.”I was back home after the PSL got called off on semi-final day,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “South Africa was on quite a strict lockdown, so I was just trying to keep myself busy. It gave me a bit of an opportunity to work on my fitness and shed some kilos: I managed to lose about 12kg, mainly from running up and down a 400m driveway.”Delport was based in Natal, living on the same estate as Hampshire seamer and his “running partner” Kyle Abbott. He found himself running charity half-marathons to keep in shape, but once the ECB had confirmed that the Blast would take place from the end of August, it was all hands on deck to get him back to the UK.”I’m lucky that my ancestral visa [which allows him to play as a local player] has a few more years on it, so unlike some other guys I would be able to get back,” he said. “But looking for flights was a real mission – I had a fair few people trying to help me find one. Airlines would put out an itinerary, and then cancel it at the last minute.”Delport ran a half-marathon for CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation during lockdown, and lost 12kg•Cameron DelportHe eventually made it back, with a lightning-fast turnaround time for his connecting flight in Doha, and after spending two weeks quarantining at a school friend’s house in London, hopped up to his flat in Chelmsford with his partner. Since then, he has been training at the County Ground and playing for Buckhurst Hill CC: “I’ve got a few runs [221 runs in four innings] but I must admit I’ve found it tricky on club wickets.”ALSO READ: Essex ride their luck to make off with T20 spoilsNow, attention turns to the Blast. Essex won their maiden title last year, going on a five-game winning streak after starting the tournament with two wins from their first ten. They are without the star of that triumph this year after Ravi Bopara’s departure to Sussex: he scored 219 runs for once out in their final five games, vindicating captain Simon Harmer’s decision to use him as a finisher.”We had to win our game against Hampshire, which ended up as a tie,” Delport recalled. “We beat Kent at home, and the Glamorgan result had to go our way. I remember the guy on the intercom saying we’d qualified, and there was this massive roar where nobody knew what had been going on. In the quarter, Lancs were banking on a pitch to suit their spinners, but we were clicking so well – there wasn’t a team that could have beaten us. It was a cold night up at Durham, but the toss went our way which was crucial and Ravi and Tendo [Ryan ten Doeschate] finished it for us.”We had a good win against Derbyshire first up on Finals Day – it suited us playing the second game to get the feeling of the day. We knew Worcestershire were champions and had a few world-class players, but things went our way and the rest is history.”Essex lift the Vitality Blast trophy•Getty ImagesEssex were one of several sides in 2019 to win a T20 league after starting poorly, alongside Melbourne Renegades and Barbados Tridents. In all three cases, there were early defeats while teams worked out their best combinations, followed by winning streaks at the back end as teams got onto a roll.”When you play so many group games, you want to play your best cricket towards the end, and then peak during the knockouts,” said Delport. “In most T20 leagues, guys only have a few days to get together, and there’s no guarantee the squad will mix well. You don’t want to panic too early: you want to play your best cricket towards the back end.”ALSO READ: I needed to prove Bopara wrong – HarmerDelport was Essex’s top-scorer last year with 409 runs at a strike rate of 167.62, and in Bopara’s absence, there will be an additional burden on him this year. He insists he is not feeling any added responsibility, and is confident that the squad will cope without last season’s key man.”There were tough decisions last year, but it was about Essex winning, not individuals,” he said. “Harmy is a flipping great leader, and he’s a very strong character. The boys really backed him last year. Ravi eventually did buy into it, and you saw the dividends on Finals Day.”It gives another youngster an opportunity this year. We’ve got great depth with a lot of local boys, and there will be a few guys who are given the chance to showcase their skills: Ravi is a world-class player, but someone else gets a go to fill his role.”

After scoring just 127, Zimbabwe had a chance with Afghanistan at 45 for 4, but they let the advantage slip

Himanshu Agrawal14-Dec-2024

[File photo] Azmatullah Omarzai top-scored for Afghanistan in the chase•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Afghanistan were down at 45 for 4 after seven overs in their pursuit of 128 to beat Zimbabwe in the third T20I, and with that, win the series. That could have been the point at which the game went Zimbabwe’s way. But Faraz Akram then bowled an 11-ball over with five wides to give Afghanistan the breathing space they needed, and the fifth-wicket pair of Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib eased into the repair job.Later, Akram’s bowling colleagues worked hard enough to dismiss Omarzai, Naib and Rashid Khan, and leave Afghanistan needing seven runs in the final over to win the game. But the first ball of the 20th, bowled again by Akram, went for four, and Mohammad Nabi wrapped the chase up with three balls remaining.A sloppy Zimbabwe eventually ended up giving away 17 extras, and have now lost all six of their bilateral T20I series against Afghanistan.[File photo] Brian Bennett has been Zimbabwe’s best batter of late•AFP/Getty Images

Bennett continues to scoreAfter contributing in the T20Is against Pakistan prior to this series, Brian Bennett ended as the highest run-getter across the two sides against Afghanistan with 107 runs. He slapped and sliced Naveen-ul-Haq for fours in the third over, as Zimbabwe went on to put up 31 in four overs despite losing Tadiwanashe Marumani early after being asked to bat.Bennett was the third to fall when he swung Omarzai to Naveen at deep midwicket, having hit four boundaries in his 24-ball 31. Zimbabwe were 57 for 3 one ball into the ninth over, and the slowdown had begun.Rashid runs through lower-middle orderFrom being 78 for 3 in the 11th over, Zimbabwe found themselves at 106 for 9 after 17. Rashid bagged four of those six wickets.But the slide had started with Sikandar Raza running out of luck. After a leading edge went over point and a top edge fell short of fine leg in the 11th over, Raza holed out to long leg off Mujeeb Ur Rahman.Mujeeb then had Wessly Madhevere caught for 21, after which Rashid weaved his magic. He trapped Akram in front, had Tashinga Musekiwa pulling to midwicket, saw Richard Ngarava chip to cover off a googly, and pinned Blessingh Muzarabani in front. The last three of those wickets all fell in the 17th over, as Rashid finished with 4 for 27. Although Wellington Masakadza scored 17 not out and added 21 with Trevor Gwandu for the last wicket, Zimbabwe’s 127 was below par.[File photo] Rashid Khan picked up four wickets, including three in one over•Getty Images

Bowlers give Zimbabwe a chanceNgarava and Muzarabani got some extra bounce with the new ball, leaving Afghanistan at 9 for 2 three overs into the chase. Muzarabani struck first, when he had Sediqullah Atal tickling behind to Marumani. Ngarava then had Zubaid Akbari slashing behind to Marumani, as the ball kicked up from outside off.Rahmanullah Gurbaz then cut and clipped Muzarabani for fours in the fourth over, and he and Darwish Rasooli picked 11 runs off the fifth. But Muzarabani, bowling his third over in a row, found Rasooli’s leading edge, as the ball looped up to point.Raza then brought Gwandu into the attack, and some luck went Zimbabwe’s way immediately. A short ball skidded through without bouncing, and got Gurbaz out lbw. Afghanistan were 44 for 4, but Zimbabwe couldn’t capitalise.Omarzai, Naib and Nabi take Afghanistan homeThe over in which Akram bowled five wides went for ten runs, and Afghanistan hardly looked in trouble after that. Omarzai cut and pulled for boundaries during his stand with Naib, as they otherwise ticked along steadily – they added 48 for the fifth wicket, with the required rate below six runs an over.That is when Raza turned one into Naib, and had him lbw for a run-a-ball 22. Omarzai and new batter Nabi kept going mostly with ones and twos – although Nabi drove Ngarava for four on one occasion – but Raza got a simple return catch from Omarzai, who scored 34 from 37 balls.Afghanistan were left needing another 12 runs from nine balls as things got tight, but Nabi dabbed Gwandu for four behind point to settle the nerves. When he got the boundary to start the final over, bowled by Akram, victory was all but sealed.

The opener has worked out a method to make his starts count, and it seems to be working at Test level too

Varun Shetty in Indore15-Nov-20194:07

Agarwal: When I was let off, I had to make them pay

In a recent chat with ESPNcricinfo, Mayank Agarwal said that, at some point a couple of years ago, he had grown tired of getting 20s and 30s. To get better at converting starts, he worked with his coach to break innings down into phases – the start, for instance, or the period once he’s settled – and developed patterns for each of them. The transformation into a game suited for huge runs stemmed from that simplistic-sounding solution. But perhaps not even he could have imagined he could, once again, come close to batting as dominantly in Tests as he had during the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season, in which he famously made 1000 runs in a month.After just his fifth Test innings at home, Agarwal has three hundreds, two of them double-hundreds, and 583 runs at 116.60. After three fifties overseas without going past the 70s, he’s made centuries each time he’s reached 50 in this home season. The hardwired ability to convert starts has resurfaced.”I think it goes down for me at least, to understanding that there have been times where I’ve not got runs,” Agarwal said at his press conference at the end of the second day’s play in Indore. “So I must respect the game, that I am batting well. When I am doing that I need to make sure that I make it big and put the team in the driver’s seat or put it in such a position that we cannot lose from there.”So I think that becomes key. Knowing that you are batting well, and you’ve got your hundred, you’ve got to make sure – it’s on you to take the team ahead.”Since the start of October, Mayank Agarwal has made 847 runs across formats at an average of 121.00•ESPNcricinfo LtdAcross formats, Agarwal has made 847 runs in nine innings since the start of October, at an average of 121.00, and through that period he’s looked like he’s done exactly as he wants in the middle. His 243 in Indore was scored with a control percentage of 96 – he was in control of 317 balls out of the 330 he faced. At the very least, that indicates an excellent grasp of shot selection.But Agarwal had a moment on the second day that could have left him bitter. In his short career in Tests, he has twice been trapped in an awkward, much-too-upright position while trying to sweep offspinners. On both occasions, he’s been given out lbw. On both occasions, tracking suggested that the ball would have spun past leg stump.On Friday, he reviewed and had the decision overturned. But not before a visible expression of shock, brought on by the memory of the previous dismissal, in Antigua, where he had failed to review.”Initially when I got hit on the pad, I thought I wasn’t out,” he said. “But then when I was given out, I had a quick flashback because I got out the same way to Roston Chase in West Indies. So I said I can’t make that mistake again. I was glad that it was missing. At some point I thought, maybe it might just be umpire’s call and I was doomed.”Doomed seems an apt depiction of what Agarwal thought had happened. When the decision did go in his favour, he knelt down, took a moment to compose himself, got back up, and looked gratefully at the skies before having a long chat with partner Ajinkya Rahane. He was on 82 at the time. In total, he played only five sweeps of any kind in his innings, including the slog-sweep that eventually dismissed him. Even that, he later said, had been an error.Five sweeps in a 330-ball innings in the subcontinent paints a picture of restraint, which is one of the defining factors of Agarwal’s transformation, and possibly one of the reasons he’s been able to take the run-scoring habit from domestic cricket to Test cricket with relative ease.Mayank Agarwal lifts the ball for a six•BCCIIt also tells us Agarwal is a damn good player of spin. Offspinners feature often in the list of bowlers who have dismissed him so far, but until he’s looking to create a boundary opportunity against them – Nathan Lyon at the MCG, Chase, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz today – he is usually dominating them. It’s almost a principle of Agarwal’s batting.After surviving the lbw against Mehidy, he reverted to a more solid approach, with the full face offered, reliant on quick wrists to get him his runs. The next time he looked to manufacture a boundary opportunity off Mehidy, he was in full control, guiding a length ball past slip. Against the left-arm spin of Taijul Islam, he produced one of the shots of the day, getting down to the pitch of the ball and lifting it over extra-cover. It was part of a demonstration of flawless batting every time he stepped down the wicket – 44 runs off nine balls, including the six that brought up his double century. Around those nine balls, it was all finesse.In a nutshell, that has been Agarwal’s career as a Test player so far. Against pace, his technique can sometimes get him in a tangle when he looks to pull. So you barely see the shot; even against Bangladesh’s seamers. And yet, three of his best shots of the day were pulls, all against Ebadot Hussain, and all in front of square.Agarwal’s batting at the moment is a dilution of all that he likes to do with restraint that he built through, in his words, creating monotony by doing laps of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. It has brought him a mountain of runs at domestic level, and the volume certainly hasn’t changed so far after he’s made the step up.

Having already sealed the series, India will be hoping to give the likes of Rinku, Samson and Parag more time in the middle

Abhimanyu Bose29-Jul-2024Big picture: Sri Lanka’s middle-order worries In the first T20I, Sri Lanka lost nine wickets for 30 runs. In the second, they lost seven for 32. This has been the theme for the hosts so far in Charith Asalanka’s first series as Sri Lanka’s full-time T20I captain. Asalanka himself managed just scores of 0 and 14 in the two games.The top three have fired in both matches, with Sri Lanka getting to scores of 140 and 80 at the fall of the second wicket. Pathum Nissanka is the leading run-scorer in the series. Kusal Perera has a half-century, while Kusal Mendis made 45 in the first match. But beyond them, it has been a bleak showing, with Kamindu Mendis’ 26 in the second T20I the highest score from the middle and lower orders.Sri Lanka will need to find a way out of their middle-order muddle and deliver on the platform being set by their top order.India would want some of their batters like Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh and Riyan Parag to get some more time in the middle, and having sealed the series with comprehensive performances, don’t have too much else they need to address.Related

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Form guideSri Lanka LLWLL (Last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
India WWWWWIn the spotlight – Pathum Nissanka and Rishabh PantPathum Nissanka is the only batter to have gone past 100 runs in the series, and is striking at 154.16. He has been in sensational form in 2024, having scored 753 runs at a strike rate of 154.93 – well above his career strike rate of 123.90. He shone in the Lanka Premier League as well, and was the highest-scoring opener in the competition. With their wobbly middle order, the onus is on him now more than ever to keep producing big performances with the bat.After a life-threatening accident, Rishabh Pant made his return to competitive cricket in IPL 2024, and following a successful campaign, he was picked for the 2024 T20 World Cup. He made 42 off 31 in a low-scoring win over Pakistan, but failed to convert his starts after that, even as India went on to lift the title. In the first game of this series, Pant made 49 off 33, but he had a scratchy start and was dropped on 11. With Sanju Samson behind him in the pecking order, there is pressure on Pant to prove his credentials in the shortest format for India.Team newsSri Lanka are likely to play a similar XI to the one that turned out in the second game. However, one of Avishka Fernando or Dinesh Chandimal could come in for the misfiring Dasun Shanaka, who has three ducks in his last three T20Is. They brought in Ramesh Mendis for Dilshan Madushanka, with Asalanka claiming spin would get more help on a used surface, but in a rain curtailed game, Ramesh was not used at all. However, even though this match will be played on a fresh pitch, Sri Lanka are likely to continue with Ramesh, as he adds batting depth as well.Sri Lanka (probable XI): 1. Pathum Nissanka, 2. Kusal Mendis (wk), 3. Kusal Perera, 4. Kamindu Mendis, 5. Charith Asalanka (capt), 6. Dinesh Chandimal/Avishka Fernando, 7. Wanindu Hasaranga, 8. Ramesh Mendis, 9. Maheesh Theekshana, 10. Matheesha Pathirana, 11. Asitha FernandoHaving played two matches in two days, India may rest one of the fast bowlers, with Khaleel Ahmed waiting in the wings. Washington Sundar could get a game as well, if India continue with the trend of trying to give a match to every squad member on a tour if possible, which was prevalent in Rahul Dravid’s tenure. Shivam Dube also could come in, but with Hardik Pandya not a part of the ODI squad, India may just stick with him so as to not chop and change too much. There is also no news on Shubman Gill, who missed the second game with a neck spasm. With Gill also set to play in the ODIs, India could persist with Samson, who was out first ball in the second T20I.India (probable XI): 1. Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2. Sanju Samson, 3. Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4. Rishabh Pant (wk), 5. Riyan Parag/Washington Sundar, 6. Hardik Pandya, 7. Rinku Singh, 8. Axar Patel, 9. Ravi Bishnoi, 10. Mohammed Siraj, 11. Arshdeep Singh/Khaleel AhmedRishabh Pant will be looking to make more of his opportunities in the shortest format•Associated PressPitch and conditionsAfter two matches on the same pitch, this game will be played on a fresh surface in Pallekele. In the first two matches, batting conditions were the best earlier on and got tougher as the match progressed, bringing spinners into play and encouraging changes of pace from the quicks. The new pitch is not expected to play too differently.Stats and trivia Matheesha Pathirana has dismissed Suryakumar Yadav in all three T20 innings he has bowled to him. Sri Lanka could be encouraged to introduce Pathirana to the attack earlier than usual to try and target India’s skipper. Unlike in ODIs, where Sri Lanka are Mohammed Siraj’s favourite opposition, the fast bowler has struggled against them in T20Is. He averages 39 against them in the format, as opposed to 7.68 in ODIs, and has just three wickets in four matches. His lone wicket in this series was of Pathirana, and he would look to improve his numbers on Tuesday. Wanindu Hasaranga’s 15 wickets against India are the most he has taken against any opposition. In this series, he has dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal twice, and he would be a bowler the Indians will be wary of.Quotes”The obvious thing to say is that we don’t have enough power, but that’s not true. If you look at our stats this year, we’re neck-and-neck with other teams for six-hitting. If you hit it out of the stadium or just clear the boundary, it’s still a six. More than skills, I think handling situations and sticking around in tough situations have been the problems. ”

Wednesday night proved that this season could, in fact, get worse for Arsenal fans.

While the Gunners were just about coming to terms with another season without a trophy, they had to watch bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur win the Europa League and, in turn, book their place in the Champions League next year.

So, to ensure it’s the red side celebrating silverware next season, Andrea Berta and Co need to make sure they bring in some incredibly talented players who can make a real difference in the summer.

Fortunately, that looks like it may well happen, as recent reports have linked the club with one of the most exciting internationals on the continent, someone who could be the perfect upgrade on the underperforming Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal looking at Odegaard replacement

Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other exciting players touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Rafael Leao and Bryan Mbeumo.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former might have a release clause worth an astounding £145m, but he’s been in fine form this season, racking up a tally of 12 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances for AC Milan.

Mbeumo, on the other hand, appears far more attainable at around £60m, which could prove to be something of a bargain for a winger who has scored 19 goals and provided nine assists in 41 games for Brentford this season.

However, if a player is going to come in and replace Odegaard, they need to be comfortable in the middle of the park and blessed with immense skill, which is where Xavi Simons comes in.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of several clubs interested in signing the RB Leipzig star.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Liverpool and Manchester United are also keen on the Dutch international, who could be sold for around £60m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer, but given Simons’ immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be an ideal Odegaard upgrade.

How Simons compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to clear up is that while Simons can play in a number of positions – which is another reason Arsenal should sign him – attacking midfield is his second most played role, and with some of the other wingers linked to the club in recent weeks, we wouldn’t be surprised if that was where Arteta and Co would want to play him.

Therefore, his biggest competitor for game time would be Odegaard, so who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when it comes to pure output, it’s the mercurial Dutchman who comes out way ahead.

In just 33 appearances this season, the 22-year-old has really showcased why he’s “one of the best 10s in the world” in the words of one analyst on social media, having scored 11 goals and provided eight assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games.

In contrast, the Norwegian ace has scored just five goals and provided 12 assists in 44 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.58 games.

The one-sided nature of the comparison only continues when we go back and take a look at their output from last season, when the Gunners captain was actually in form and won the team’s Player of the Year Award.

For example, he managed a respectable haul of 11 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.08 games.

Appearances

43

48

Goals

10

11

Assists

15

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.47

Appearances

33

44

Goals

11

5

Assists

8

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

0.38

However, the former PSV gem did even better and ended the campaign with a superb tally of ten goals and 15 assists in 43 appearances, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games.

Ultimately, while Odegaard remains an incredibly talented footballer, he’s been seriously underwhelming this season, and even when he was nearer his best last year, Simons outperformed him.

Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign the Leipzig star before someone else beats them to it.

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Chelsea have been handed a boost in their pursuit of a new striker, as a key target of theirs would apparently love to join them regardless of whether they achieve Champions League football for next season.

Chelsea seal huge Man United win in race for Champions League place

Marc Cucurella’s strike twenty minutes from full-time sealed a precious three points for Enzo Maresca on Friday night, with the Spaniard scoring Chelsea’s only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Man United.

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The victory at Stamford Bridge puts Chelsea in a very good position heading into their final Premier League game of the season against Nottingham Forest, and even if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side beat West Ham on Sunday, Maresca knows that a win at the City Ground would guarantee Champions League football next season.

“Very important. At this stage of the season it’s important to win games,” said Maresca about Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Man United.

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Chelsea

66

5. Aston Villa

66

6. Man City

65

7. Nottingham Forest

62

“We also pay attention in the way we win the game. I think tonight we struggled on the ball because we didn’t expect them to be so aggressive man-to-man. I used to watch five, six, seven games of the other team. I’ve never seen them so aggressive man-to-man. So they surprised us a little by that.

“I think between the first half and the second half we created enough chances to deserve to win the game.

“It’s very important for sure, but the reason why I was so happy at the end is because United beat City away, drew with City at home, drew with Liverpool, drew with Arsenal. So they know how to play against a big team. So I expected, drew with us away, so I expected a very tough game.

“The reason why I was happy was especially because we beat a team that against Arsenal, Liverpool, City, it was difficult to beat them.”

The importance of a top five finish cannot be understated, especially when it comes to the club’s transfer plans, and Maresca has already confirmed their European status will have a direct effect on their summer recruitment.

Victor Osimhen keen to join Chelsea regardless of Champions League football

That being said, there is one target who’d be eager to make the move to west London anyway – Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen.

The £172,000-per-week marksman, currently on loan at Galatasaray, was a top target for Chelsea last summer before his temporary switch to the Turkish Süper Lig giants, but a move ultimately failed to materialise.

As per journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea remain in the race for him this year, and it is believed that Osimhen would still love to join the Blues, even if they don’t end up qualifying for Europe’s most prestigious competition.

“Chelsea are ‘still there’ for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen,” said Phillips. “The player has always been keen to join Chelsea regardless of Champions League football, and he is still keen now. The deal was worked on hard last summer, and the belief from our insiders is that his wage demands would not be as astronomical as the media are portraying.

“Chelsea can easily go back into the deal and our sources believe that it wouldn’t even be that difficult to come to an agreement.”

The 26-year-old would still be expensive, though, and Chelsea would still have to break their wage structure to seal a deal, Phillips later explained.

Even so, Osimhen’s goalscoring form over the last few seasons heavily suggests he’d upgrade Maresca’s striker options.

da pinnacle： Have you ever seen an end to the season like this? For Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side, it was more stressful than they ever hoped for.

da heads bet： After being sent out of the Champions League by PSG, they have been left to bemoan a run of awful results in the Premier League, putting their hopes of qualifying for a place at Europe’s top table next season in danger.

The 4-0 win over Ipswich Town aside, the Gunners have not picked up all three points in the top-flight since the very first day of April when they defeated Fulham.

So, their 1-0 win over Newcastle United, their top four rivals on Sunday, was rather timely. While Arteta’s side haven’t sewn up second place just yet, they have confirmed their participation in next season’s Champions League.

Behind them, there’s an almighty battle taking shape to finish inside the top five. Thankfully, Arsenal can go to Southampton next weekend with nothing riding on it.

The battle for a top five spot

Team

Games

Wins

Draws

Defeats

points

2. Arsenal

37

19

14

4

71

3. Newcastle

37

20

6

11

66

4. Chelsea

37

19

9

9

66

5. Aston Villa

37

19

9

9

66

6. Man City

36

19

8

9

65

7. Nottingham Forest

37

19

8

10

65

So, who stood out in the new red home strip on Sunday?

How Arsenal beat Newcastle United at the Emirates

When Alexander Isak, William Saliba’s nemesis, was not named on the Newcastle teamsheet due to injury, Arsenal knew they were in for an easier ride.

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Yet, during the first half, they had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping them in the game.

This certainly wasn’t a straightforward win, particularly for those at the back who worked tirelessly to preserve the club’s clean sheet.

While Raya’s passing was rather errant inside the opening half, he made up for it with a string of superb saves, the two most notable of which saw him the Spaniard sprawl down low to his left to deny Harvey Barnes and then again to his left to keep out Dan Burn’s header from a corner.

Handed the Player of the Match award by Sky Sports after the game, Raya certainly proved why he’s one of the division’s best stoppers.

That being said, it wasn’t Raya who had the most decisive of says. That was Declan Rice who with a swish effort from outside the box, gave Arsenal the win.

It was a peach of a goal from a man who is only going from strength to strength in the final third. He is the Granit Xhaka replacement everyone at the Emirates hoped they’d find.

Raya and Rice were certainly the best players in Arsenal red and will play a crucial part in rebuilding next season. That said, there are some who won’t be around to see the stadium again as a home player.

The players who featured in their last home game for Arsenal

The raucous reception that Kieran Tierney was given as a late second-half substitute was joyous. The Scot has had an injury-hit time in north London and this was sadly the last we will get to see of him as an Arsenal player at home.

The left-back’s contract is expiring at the conclusion of the campaign and it’s widely expected that he’ll head back to Celtic, the side who sold him for £25m.

Also likely playing their last home game was Jorginho. Another of Arsenal’s out-of-contract stars, it looks as though he’ll be going off to end his playing days in Brazil.

Jorginho’s fellow midfielder in Thomas Partey would also be fortunate to be back at the Emirates next season.

The £45m signing from Atletico Madrid has had his days in the famous red and white but Arsenal need fresh blood, and that was certainly evident against Newcastle.

Partey’s day certainly wasn’t disastrous, but it was a shoddy display nonetheless, with the Standard handing him a 5/10 match rating, writing that he was ‘one of Arsenal’s sloppiest players during a poor first half and he was caught in possession a few times’. Meanwhile, one content creator and podcaster, Le Grove, even suggested it looked like the midfielder “was already on the beach.”

His numbers certainly weren’t the finest either, chiefly losing four of his five battles in the air.

Partey vs Newcastle

Minutes played

90

Touches

61

Accurate passes

40/49 (82%)

Key passes

1

Long balls completed

4/8

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

0

Dribbles

0

Ground duels won

4/7

Aerial duels won

1/5

Possession lost

11x

Tackles

3

Interceptions

0

Stats via Sofascore.

The 31-year-old is usually a monster in the duel but his lack of pace and athleticism in the transitional phases of the game is becoming a concern.

He’s quick to get the ball out of his feat but he lacks the drive to get forward and then doesn’t have the speed required to track back if Arsenal get done in the press. He’s the polar opposite to Rice in that regard.

As a result, with Partey’s contract due to expire in a few months, now is surely the time to sever ties with a player who isn’t going to get any better.

There is a reason the club plans to sign Martin Zubimendi this summer. Let him be Rice’s partner next season, please Mikel.

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The former Australia allrounder leaves his role as an assistant coach with Sydney Sixers

AAP14-Jun-2024

From player to coach: Cameron White is back at Melbourne Renegades•Getty Images

Former Australia white-ball captain Cameron White has been identified as the man to coach the Melbourne Renegades back into contention in the BBL.White has signed a three-year deal to replace David Saker, who moved on in May after a disappointing seventh-place finish in his third season at the helm.The 40-year-old White is taking on his first head-coaching job but has worked under Sydney Sixers boss Greg Shipperd for the past two years and was previously an assistant at the Adelaide Strikers.Related

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He inherits a Renegades roster that includes white-ball run-machine Jake Fraser-McGurk, superstar spinners Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon and prized recruit Josh Brown.”I’ve got so many great memories here as a player and achieving success, so to be back in Renegades colours several years later is a thrill,” White said. “The idea of working with this playing group – some really exciting players there, both young and experienced – is really exciting. I’m really looking forward to ripping in and starting my journey as coach.”Renegades came out with pick two in the BBL overseas draft order announced on Thursday.As a player, White represented Australia 142 times across all three formats.  He was best known for his contributions as a middle-order batter in the white-ball sides.While his Test career was limited to four appearances on a 2008 tour of India, White captained the T20I side six times and the ODI side once, in 2011.He was also a member of the Australia side that beat New Zealand in the final to win the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. Domestically, White played during the Renegades’ only BBL championship in 2019.Victoria’s longest-serving Sheffield Shield captain, White amassed more than 7000 first-class runs between his debut as a teenager in the 2000-2001 summer and his final match in 2019.

Last night’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain was a game to forget for Arsenal fans.

While Mikel Arteta’s side are still just about in the tie, they were incredibly disappointing against the French Champions, and failed to show any of the grit and determination that saw them get past Real Madrid earlier this month.

There were lacklustre performances across the pitch from the hosts, but arguably the most underwhelming starter was Martin Odegaard, who picked up a 4/10 match rating from the Independent’s Jamie Braidwood and amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of just 0.08, which is unacceptable from the team’s supposed chief creator.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports that have linked the club to one of the most exciting players in Europe, someone who could be a massive Odegaard upgrade.

Arsenal could sign £30m Odegaard upgrade

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other midfield talents linked with a move to Arsenal ahead of the summer transfer window, such as Oihan Sancet.

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The Athletic Bilbao ace was touted for a move to the Emirates earlier this month, and it’s not hard to understand why he’d interest the club, as in just 32 appearances this season, he’s scored 17 goals and provided three assists.

In what would be a summer-defining move, the Gunners have also been linked with Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz this month.

The German international has already racked up a sensational haul of 15 goals and 13 assists in just 42 games for the reigning champions of Germany, although, with a reported price tag of at least £111m, this feels like more of a pipe dream than a realistic transfer, unlike stories around Rayan Cherki.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the French phenom, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and more.

While the level of competition is far from ideal, the good news is that this wouldn’t be a particularly expensive transfer to get done, with the report claiming that Lyon value their star at up to €35m, which is about £30m.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line, but given Cherki’s immense ability and potential, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he could be the perfect Odegaard upgrade.

How Cherki compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to say is that while Cherki has primarily played off the right this season, his most played position across his whole career is attacking midfield, and with Bukayo Saka currently Arsenal’s best player, the Frenchman would almost certainly join the club to play in the middle of the park.

Therefore, his primary competitor for game time would be Odegaard, but how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes to their pure output, it’s hardly fair to call it a competition, as the Lyon gem comes out miles ahead.

For example, in just 41 appearances, totalling 2894 minutes, the 21-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.32 games or every 93.35 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ captain has scored five goals and provided ten assists in 40 appearances, totalling 3072 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.66 games, or every 204.8 minutes.

Things don’t get any better for the Norwegian international when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers either.

For example, in practically every metric, the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, comes out on top.

Delving into the other stats, Cherki also comes out on top in metrics such as progressive carries, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90 minutes.

Progressive Passes

9.31

10.2

Progressive Carries

4.17

3.48

Key Passes

3.33

2.47

Shot-Creating Actions

6.23

4.95

Goal-Creating Actions

0.93

0.57

Ball Recoveries

3.92

3.79

Finally, the Lyon-born dynamo is ambipedal, meaning he can use both feet, so he’d be able to effect play across the entire frontline from the attacking midfield role, which in turn could see Gabriel Martinelli get better service out on the left.

Ultimately, Cherki is younger, has better underlying numbers, is an output machine and has the added benefit of being able to use both feet, so if Arsenal have the opportunity to sign him this summer, they should, as he’d be an incredible Odegaard upgrade.

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