Bavuma: Win sweeter because we have been on the other side

Bavuma, part of the series defeats in 2015 and 2019, hails South Africa after their 2-0 sweep of India

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-20256:06

Karim: ‘Harmer’s variations upset India batters’

Temba Bavuma hailed South Africa’s “incredible achievement” as they completed a 2-0 clean sweep over India, winning their first series in the country in 25 years. Bavuma, who was part of the squad when South Africa lost 3-0 in India in 2019 – and 3-0 in 2015 – said the victory tasted even “sweeter” as he knows the feeling of being “on the other side of the result.””It’s not every day that you get to think that you can come to India and walk away with a 2-0 series win,” Bavuma said after South Africa trounced India in Guwahati by 408 runs, their second-highest margin of victory ever by runs. “I think what makes it sweeter as well for some of us within the group is the fact that we’ve been on the other side of the result.South Africa, the reigning World Test Champions, have been on an incredible run in Test cricket in the last year and a bit. Since August 2024, they have lost only one out of 15 Tests, with Bavuma winning all of his 12 Tests as captain. According to Bavuma, the positive change in mindset and “guys wanting to be the men for the team” have been the biggest reasons behind South Africa’s recent success.Related

  • 'Just dream a bit' – How South Africa turned hope into history

  • Jansen reaches great heights and carries South Africa with him

  • SA coach Shukri Conrad: 'Wanted them to really grovel'

  • Harmer flips Test cricket in India upside down

“There’s a big shift in our mindset in terms of what we want to do when we’re out there on the field of play,” Bavuma said. “We want to play what is in front of us and adapt accordingly. Guys go out there quite clear on their roles and what they’re trying to do. There’s a strong sense in each other that anyone on their day can do it for the team. As a captain, sometimes it’s very hard to take the ball out of the bowler’s hands. Everyone wants to continue bowling and you see it with the batting as well.”We don’t have the guys who go on and score big 150s and all, but we’ll have four or five different guys going on to score 60s and 70s. I can go on forever about the team, but I feel like the team is in a good space.”

‘Struggled to take the ball out of Harmer and Maharaj’s hands’

Bavuma also heaped praise on his two premier spinners, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, particularly pointing out the competitiveness between the two, which in turn has boded well for the team. That South Africa won the Test series with Kagiso Rabada out due to injury impressed Bavuma even more.”Simon, as a spinner, as a player, he’s got the wealth of experience,” Bavuma said. “He complements Keshav quite well. A little bit on the taller side, a bit more guile with the ball. What I appreciate is the competitiveness between the two. They are the two guys that I have struggled to take the ball out of their hands.Simon Harmer and Aiden Markram celebrate Rishabh Pant’s wicket•Associated Press

“Simon was the man for us in this series. We’re so used to Kesh being that guy. We’re in a good space from a bowling point of view. A guy like Simon, Kesh as well on his days, them stepping up, having lost a guy like KG [Rabada] who was a big player for us, again speaks about the need for the guys to want to do it for the team.”For Harmer, this was a sweet comeback after ten years. Having toured India back in 2015, with limited returns, he finished the two-match series with 17 wickets in four innings at an incredible average of 8.94 and said he will now go back with “a lot more fond memories”.”It’s been a long road,” Harmer said after winning the Player-of-the-Series award. “Ten years later, back here, completely different feelings. I’m going to leave with a lot more fond memories than I did the last time but I think as a whole, as a team, for us to leave here 2-0, that was always the goal. And for us to get over the line against a very good Indian team, I think it was a hell of an effort.”Despite an incredible series, Harmer is not guaranteed a place in the starting XI, with Maharaj being South Africa’s preferred spinner, particularly at home.”Keshav’s record speaks for itself. He’s an incredible bowler and he deserves to be the number one spinner,” he said. “I’m very happy playing the supporting role and if the opportunity presents itself for me to play, I try and take it with both hands. At the end of the day, I just need to make sure that I’m getting better, keep trying to evolve, keep trying to get better.”

Sell him before Salah & Konate: FSG must bin Liverpool’s “major issue”

This is getting serious now. Liverpool’s abject run of form under Arne Slot’s management this season has been a massive concern, but one which all of a Reds persuasion have been steadfast in their belief that the blip will be overcome.

Mohamed Salah’s flaming comments at the weekend have threatened to split the Slot machine wide open, with terms such as civil war and crisis being bandied about like never before.

What sparked this latest drama in a season weighed further and further down by setbacks? Well, Liverpool blew a two-goal lead at Elland Road in the Premier League, and Salah did not get even a flash of the action.

Liverpool's implosion at Elland Road

Liverpool just can’t pull all the strings together at the moment, having blown their two-goal advantage over Leeds United to draw 3-3. Dominik Szoboszlai thought he’d salvaged a draw late, but the hosts struck deep into stoppage time to condemn the Reds to their latest in a long litany of disappointments.

The frustrating part is Liverpool were comfortable and well worth their lead until spineless, error-riddled habits crept in after the break.

It was Konate’s lunging challenge, clumsy, needless, which started the Leeds fightback, and this underlines the point that Liverpool keep putting themselves through the wringer, incapable of playing to their strengths and retaining balance and composure throughout 90 minutes.

Konate is only months away from the end of his Liverpool contract, and while FSG continue to keep a door open regarding the France star’s renewal, Spanish sources suggest they could be open to cashing in for £15m this summer.

It would possibly be unwise to sell Konate right now, given the dearth of depth across Slot’s backline. Salah, too, is a player FSG wish to keep, but there is another struggler who flattered to deceive at Leeds and should be sold first.

FSG must get rid of Liverpool's "major issue"

Two things can be true: Salah has been well out of sorts this season, and he cannot convincingly tout the undroppable status he has carried through his glittering Liverpool career on his current form; Salah has every right to feel aggrieved, with players like Cody Gakpo reprising their starting berths in spite of dire performances.

It is Gakpo who is becoming a “major issue” for the Anfield side, and in more ways than one, as has been observed by analyst Raj Chohan.

Though the Dutchman has been a moderately efficient force on the left flank this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists in the Premier League, it’s clear that he is limited in his approach, and that the Reds could do with a more dynamic left winger to replace Luis Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich in August.

Gakpo, 26, has been at Liverpool for three years, scoring 46 goals and providing 21 assists across 149 appearances. He is versatile and has played his role throughout his time on Merseyside, but the Netherlands man has been exposed as lacking dimensions as Liverpool’s main man on the left wing.

There’s no doubt that Gakpo is a naturally prolific player, but if anything, this underscores the significance of the concerns surrounding his name: thee is a lack of expansiveness about his skillset, and he is averaging just 0.4 shots on target per Premier League match this season, ranking among the bottom 4% of league forwards for percentage of shots on target per 90, as per FBref.

Most G+A under Arne Slot (Liverpool)

Player

G + A

Total

Mohamed Salah

39 + 26

65

Cody Gakpo

23 + 11

34

Dominik Szoboszlai

12 + 14

26

Luis Diaz

17 + 8

25

Alexis Mac Allister

8 + 8

16

Data via Transfermarkt

Someone like Antoine Semenyo, perhaps, who is ostensibly gearing up for an exit from Bournemouth in January, with Liverpool right at the top of the shopping list.

Liverpool may need a central defender, but there is a reason Slot suggested during a presser last month that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are looking further up the pitch as a priority position to smooth out the many wrinkles in the tactical fabric.

Though it would be foolish to start thinking about selling Gakpo in January, and an upgrade on the left is desperately needed, and bringing someone like Semenyo in would solve a ‘major issue’ and help launch Slot’s squad back into the ascendancy.

Salah and Konate’s respective futures are in doubt, but it might be that getting rid of Gakpo is the move Hughes needs to make first.

Salah upgrade: Liverpool prepare British record bid to sign £131m magician

Mohamed Salah may leave Liverpool in January after an extraordinary outburst at Elland Road.

By
Angus Sinclair

4 days ago

Stats – Tazmin Brits fastest to seven hundreds in women's ODIs

Her 159-run partnership with Sune Luus against NZ is the highest for SA for any wicket in Women’s World Cups

Namooh Shah06-Oct-2025

Tazmin Brits got to seven ODI hundreds in 41 innings•ICC/Getty Images

232 – The target chased down by South Africa on Monday is the highest by any team against New Zealand in the women’s World Cup, going past their own record – 229 in Hamilton in 2022.101 – The runs scored by Tazmin Brits, which makes her the third South Africa batter to score a hundred in the women’s World Cup. Linda Olivier in 2000 and Marizanne Kapp in 2013 are the other two.5 – Hundreds by Brits in 2025, the most by any player in a calendar year in women’s ODIs. She went past Smriti Mandhana, who scored four hundreds in 2024 and also has four so far in 2025.Brits has also scored four hundreds in her last five ODI innings.1 – Brits took 41 innings to score seven ODI hundreds. That is the fewest by a batter in women’s ODIs, bettering the record of Meg Lanning, who took 44 innings to get there.Brits took 87 balls to complete her seventh ODI hundred, which is the fastest by her, and the fourth-fastest by a South Africa batter in women’s ODIs.2 – Brits now has 749 runs in ODIs in 2025, the second-most for a South Africa batter in a calendar year. She is only behind Laura Wolvaardt, who scored 882 runs in 2022.159 – The partnership between Brits and Sune Luus for the second wicket, is the highest for South Africa for any wicket in women’s World Cups. They went past a long-standing record of 128* between Dane van Niekerk and Kapp in 2013.It is also South Africa’s third-highest partnership for the second wicket in women’s ODIs (where ball-by-ball data is available).1 – Lea Tahuhu dismissed Brits to take her 30th wicket in ODI World Cups and with that became the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand in the tournament. Tahuhu went past Catherine Campbell, who has 29 wickets.350 – Suzie Bates became the first woman to play 350 international matches across formats. Harmanpreet Kaur is next on the list with 342 international caps.

Premier League club owner accused of running secret £600m betting syndicate fronted by Nigel Farage's aide

Tony Bloom, who is the majority owner and chairman of Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, has been accused of running a 'secret £600 million ($800m) betting syndicate', with some of the accounts used alleged to belong to a former chief of staff of Reform UK MP Nigel Farage.

  • Farage aide fronted Bloom’s betting syndicate, court hears

    A high court document has alleged that George Cottrell, a close associate of Reform leader Farage, was in charge of a major gambling syndicate that was "given control" of his betting accounts. It is also alleged Cottrell acted as a "stalking horse", as report, for a syndicate involving Bloom, according to the public documents filed at the high court. A 19-page file is part of an active dispute between Bloom and Ryan Dudfield, a former associate whose lawyers argue is owed gambling profits in the estimate region of £189m ($250m). The collective is known as Starlizard Betting Syndicate and is said to make around £600m each year in winnings, with bets being placed on the accounts of "footballers, sportsmen and businessmen", the documents claim.

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    'Cottrell lost large sums of money'

    "Cottrell was not a particularly successful gambler, and frequently lost large sums of money," it is further added, and "Mr Cottrell had given control of his betting accounts to Mr Bloom and the Syndicate so that it was not necessary for bets to be sent to Mr Cottrell for him to place". While the syndicates total winnings are unknown, Dudfield has claimed he could be owed as much as $17.5m, as a profits-share deal apparently entitles him to 7% of its winnings.

    "The claimant was told…that the syndicate’s use of Mr Cottrell’s betting accounts had ceased," the documents allege. "In fact Mr McAleavy and Mr Cottrell both knew that the Syndicate was continuing to make use of Mr Cottrell’s betting accounts and they both knew that very significant profits had/could be made as a result of the bets that had been placed and were to be placed."

  • Who is Brighton owner Tony Bloom?

    Brighton chairman Bloom is one of the world's most successful gamblers, having built a large amount of his fortune through poker and other related activities in the industry. A longtime Seagulls fan, Bloom became the club's chairman in 2009 and soon secured a 75% shareholding stake of the club, investing £93m to aid the development of the AMEX Stadium. He has helped the south coast club rise from an average League One team to Premier League regulars, with the Albion impressing around Europe with their vastly successful scouting system. Brighton have made considerable profits after signing and selling the likes of Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, Yves Bissouma, Joao Pedro, Marc Cucurella and Ben White. His side enjoyed a positive first season under Fabian Hurzeler last term, finishing eighth and only four points off the European qualification places, and could go as high as third in the Premier League table on Wednesday night if they manage to beat Aston Villa.

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    What comes next?

    Lawyers who are acting on behalf of Cottrell and Bloom have been approached for comment, while Bloom is yet to file a defence against the claim. As for Brighton's on-field matters, they will soon head into a hectic festive schedule packed with fixtures. After their clash with Villa, they take on West Ham United, Liverpool, Sunderland, Arsenal and West Ham again before 2026 rolls in. 

Dodgers Are About to Test Shohei Ohtani’s Seemingly Limitless Boundaries

TORONTO — He was one of the first ones dressed and out of the clubhouse. Outfitted in a loose-fitting pinstriped grey suit with a cream-colored silk T-shirt, Shohei Ohtani flung a soft black bag over his shoulder and wore a black baseball cap backward to complete the Paris runway look that fairly screamed . His jacket billowed behind him appropriately like a cape. He was out the door of the Dodgers’ clubhouse on Halloween night to prepare for yet another date with history, of which he has more already than David McCullough.

How much more effort can the Dodgers ask of him? How much more greatness can we demand from him? How much more history can one man write?

If there are boundaries to the wonder of Ohtani, we have not discovered them. But the greatest test of those limits likely will come in Game 7 of the 121st World Series Sunday night against the Blue Jays.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts wasn’t ready to announce specifics about his Game 7 pitching plan, but Ohtani, he said, “is certainly going to be a part” of it. Because the only way to assure Ohtani’s bat remains in the lineup is to use him as a starting pitcher, not a reliever, he could very well be Roberts’s Game 7 starting pitcher.

On three days of rest. After throwing 93 pitches in Game 4 just 17 hours after reaching base nine times and fighting through body cramps in an 18-inning marathon. After 65 innings pitched coming off a second elbow surgery while throwing more 100 mph pitches than every pitcher with at least 15 starts except Hunter Greene and Tarik Skubal. After taking 801 plate appearances, fifth most ever. After hitting 63 home runs and stealing 20 bases, the first 60-20 player in an extended season. After scoring 158 runs. Against 41-year-old Max Scherzer, who will be the oldest of the 90 pitchers to ever start a World Series Game 7 and who will have started more double-elimination games (six) than any pitcher in history.

If that doesn’t get your blood pumping, get thee to a cardiologist

“I mean, it doesn’t make sense,” said Dodgers lefthander Justin Wrobleski, who provided one of three scoreless but scary innings of relief by the Los Angeles bullpen to save a 3–1 win for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and set the stage for the greatest Game 7 matchup since Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling went at it in 2001. (Yes, even better than Scherzer vs. Zack Greinke in 2019).

Wrobleski is a guy who survived Tommy John surgery, a broken nose, getting cut from the first of three college teams, a season wiped out by COVID-19 and 28 days without pitching entering the World Series only to get meaningful outs with his team facing elimination. What doesn’t make sense even to a pitching survivor like himself, he said, is that a pitcher could be taking the ball for Game 7 after playing for 6 ½ hours Monday, throwing into the seventh inning Tuesday, going 0-for-4 Wednesday and scoring the winning run Friday after the Blue Jays didn’t have their ace, Kevin Gausman, dare pitch to him.

“Nothing makes sense with that guy,” Wrobleski said. “He's a … I'm not sure if he’s a robot or an alien or, or which one he is, but we will find out eventually. But no, it's crazy! He’s a special, special player. Special, special dude. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if he takes the ball tomorrow.

“I wouldn’t be surprised about whatever he does any time, whatever it is.”

After six innings of that Game 4 start, on a hot night after the most exhausting night of baserunning the World Series has ever seen, Ohtani, who almost never gets lengthy breaks the way most pitchers do because he must prepare for his next at-bat, was approached by pitching coach Mark Prior.

“Got one more inning?” Prior asked.

“I’ve got three,” Ohtani said with dead seriousness.

Says Roberts, when asked about his concerns handing the ball to Ohtani, “Zero. I mean, not zero, but it’s just watching him. He’s like, ‘Whenever I pitch, if I just pitch and I’m feeling good, I can keep going.’” I run a hypothetical past Roberts.“You know Shohei better than anyone,” I say to him.

“I do. I do.”

“If he’s got the ball in his hands, Game 7, to start …”

“He’s going to go.”

“…the confidence level is 100 percent?”

“One hundred percent.  I’m going to watch the game and I’m not going to … there's no pitch counts. Just watching how it looks.”

The Dodgers planned for this eventuality. The rest of the world just assumed Tyler Glasnow was starting Game 7. But Roberts texted Glasnow after Game 4.

“You’re not going to pitch tomorrow [Game 5] but be ready for Game 6.”

The Game 7 starter normally would be in the dugout for Game 6. Glasnow watched Game 6 with his spikes on from the bullpen, where he would be needed to play a huge part in one of the wilder endings to a World Series game.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is on the verge of winning back-to-back championships. / Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

The Dodgers made three third-inning runs stand up, barely. With two outs and a runner on second base in the third, Toronto manager John Schneider ordered Gausman to intentionally walk Ohtani, even though Ohtani was 0-for-8 with four strikeouts since his exhausting Game 3. Will Smith followed with an RBI double.

Gausman pitched too carefully to Freddie Freeman and walked him, perhaps knowing the ice-cold Mookie Betts (3-for-24) was up next. The Blue Jays throughout the series had blown away Betts with fastballs in the zone, a pitch diet he normally devours. He hit .339 on the season against in-zone heaters with an average launch angle of 17°. But in the World Series, Betts kept dipping underneath those pitches, getting his head and torso too far in front of his feet and falling across the plate on his follow-through after a boatload of pop-ups and routine flyballs. He was hitting .100 against Toronto’s in-zone fastballs with an absurdly high 41° launch angle.

With the count 1-and-1, Gausman threw a high fastball. Betts swung under it.

The next pitch was another high fastball. Betts swung under that one, too, fouling it back.

Now, Gausman had an almost unhittable splitter in Game 6. It is his favorite pitch to put hitters away. But the Blue Jays saw no reason not to keep pumping fastballs in the zone at Betts.

Gausman threw a third straight heater. Betts this time kept his swing plane flatter and drove the ball on a line through the left side for a two-strike, two-out, two-run dagger of a single. Launch angle: 6°.

“They were just reading the game,” said Dodgers hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc. “In that spot they probably felt like they had done enough damage throughout the game with the split, and they thought they could get one by him.

“It was just a really good swing. He’s incredibly talented and he is in a good spot. He can do just about anything up there.”

The Dodgers in the ninth would need Glasnow and two high IQ baseball plays from Kiké Hernández to make the runs stand. With one on against Roki Sasaki, Addison Barger smashed a long fly ball to center. Improbably, the ball lodged between the ground and the padding of the wall. As center fielder Justin Dean raced after it, he turned and looked over his left shoulder. He saw and heard Hernández, the hustling left fielder, throwing his arms up and declaring “Dead ball!” Dean took his cue and immediately did likewise, thus rendering the play immediately dead, stopping the runners at second and third.

Roberts summoned Glasnow. Incredibly, the game was over three pitches later. Ernie Clement popped out on the first pitch. With Andrés Giménez batting, coach Dino Ebel, who positions the Dodgers outfielders, got the attention of Hernández and rubbed his hands up and down his chest, the signal to play shallow. The Dodgers all series have played Giménez shallow to the opposite field.

Two pitches later, Giménez drove a pitch to left field that initially looked like a run-scoring single. But Hernández’s shallow positioning made it easy for him to get there on the catch. An overeager Barger drifted too far, thinking the ball would not be caught and was doubled up on a quick throw from Hernández. 

It was a historically bad mistake. Barger needed to check the outfielders’ depth before the pitch and understand that even if that ball should have bounced in front of Hernández, he would not have scored. Eagerness and youth cost him. George Springer, one of the greatest sluggers in World Series history, would have been the next batter.

Having thrown only three pitches—though very high-leverage at that—Glasnow could well come back to start Game 7. But this is where the Ohtani Rules, which MLB designed specifically to accommodate his two-way uniqueness, hamstring Roberts and his pitching plans.

If Ohtani starts on the mound and DHs, per usual, he can remain in the game as the DH once removed from pitching. But if he starts as DH and enters the game as a relief pitcher, the Dodgers would lose the DH once Ohtani is removed as a pitcher.

There’s one more complication to using Ohtani in relief. According to Michael Hill, vice president of on-field operations for MLB: Upon the first mound visit to Ohtani as a reliever he must be moved to another position, such as outfield, to keep him in the game, in which case the new pitcher would take the batting spot of the fielder Ohtani replaced.

The Dodgers do not want to be without Ohtani’s bat in any circumstance. The only way to assure that is the case and to use him as a pitcher is to start him on the mound.

It’s been nine years since anyone started World Series Game 7 on three days of rest. That start did not go well for Corey Kluber of Cleveland against the Cubs (six innings, four runs, no strikeouts). The last pitcher to start and win on short rest was Chris Carpenter of St. Louis back in 2011, light years ago when it comes to how the workload for pitchers has changed.

Starting pitchers on three days of rest in the postseason since 2020 are 4–12. Ohtani has started once on three days of rest in MLB: April 21, 2023. But that was coming off a rain-shortened start of just two innings and 30 pitches. He last made a relief appearance in 2023 in the World Baseball Classic final, famously striking out then Angels teammate Mike Trout.

Ohtani is the single greatest engine to the growth of the game over the past few years. He, along with Yamamoto and Sasaki, and the Blue Jays, who are Canada’s team, have made this the most truly series ever.

Why not have the series and the season come down to one game: Ohtani, on short rest, against Scherzer, the 41-year-old legend. The best player in history in his prime against the most prolific ultimate game pitcher in his twilight.

Before Roberts huddled with his staff, the front office and eventually Ohtani himself, to nail down when Ohtani will pitch in Game 7, he said, “Right now, there’s no wrong answer.”

He is right about that assumption. It’s amazing when you stop and think about it. After taking 801 at-bats and playing in 174 games, 17 of them as a two-way player with a twice-repaired elbow, Ohtani is likely to be pitching the final game of the season on short rest after a start, something no Dodger has done this year. There is no wrong answer—not when the answer is Ohtani.

Wadhera-Dhir relay catch: out or not out?

A quick explainer for the controversy in the Asia Cup Rising Stars game and the new law for boundary catching

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2025There was controversy and confusion during Pakistan A’s win over India A in the Asia Cup Rising Stars on November 16, when a relay catch between India A fielders Nehal Wadhera and Naman Dhir was given not out by the third umpire.Pakistan A opener Maaz Sadaqat took on India A spinner Suyash Sharma at the start of the 10th over of the chase, looking to clear the cow corner boundary. Wadhera ran to his right from deep midwicket and caught the ball, but, before momentum took him over the boundary rope, lobbed it towards Dhir, who was running back from long-on.The third umpire deemed the catch not legal, because of the interpretation of the new ICC rules about fielders making contact with the ball after jumping from outside the boundary.The new rule, which has been in effect since June this year, states that if a fielder jumps from beyond the rope and makes contact with the ball, he then has to first land back within the field of play for it to be out.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the case of the Wadhera-Dhir catch, Wadhera clearly caught the ball and released it while still within the field of play. Even though his foot was in the air over the rope, it was still considered within the field of play according to the rules, as he had not grounded his foot beyond the rope.He tossed the ball to Dhir and then stepped over the boundary rope and outside the field of play. It should not have mattered that he landed outside the rope as he was not in contact with the ball after going beyond the rope. It also should not have mattered that he was outside the rope when Dhir took the catch. So even by the new rules, the catch should have been given out.ESPNcricinfo checked with two experienced international umpires and both confirmed the decision taken was a misinterpretation of the laws by the third umpire to rule this not out.So Wadhera and Dhir were unlucky to have their catch disallowed. Subsequently, the umpires also incorrectly ruled it a dot ball, and not a six.Sadaqat, who was batting on 56 at the time, finished unbeaten on 79 as Pakistan A chased the target of 137 in the 13.2 overs.

Tottenham handed pitiful Solanke injury update with new timeline shared

Tottenham have been handed a pitiful Dominic Solanke injury update as a new potential timeline emerges for his return to action.

Dominic Solanke's injury woes as Spurs left short up front

Solanke’s second season at Tottenham has descended into a frustrating saga of persistent ankle problems that have restricted the club-record signing to just three substitute appearances spanning a meagre 49 minutes.

The Englishman has not featured since a 12-minute cameo against Man City in August, with a recurring ankle issue that initially disrupted pre-season now transforming into an agonizing absence exceeding four months.

What Thomas Frank initially described as a small ankle issue requiring ‘minor surgery’ in late September has mysteriously evolved into one of the Premier League’s most perplexing injury situations.

Solanke underwent what was deemed a straightforward procedure in October, sparking optimism that his return was fairly imminent.

However, over two months later, the England international appears no closer to rejoining Frank’s depleted squad despite sporadic updates suggesting he was “weeks away” or “making progress” in training.

Thomas Frank confirms injured Tottenham star won't be back for a "long time"

The timeline is unclear.

By
Emilio Galantini

3 days ago

The striker’s prolonged absence triggered UEFA regulations permitting Tottenham to temporarily replace him in their Champions League squad with summer signing Mathys Tel, who was originally left out of their 22-man league phase list.

Frank admitted that he would have selected Tel had he anticipated Solanke’s extended rehab, but supporters are increasingly demanding more clarity in regard to the striker’s actual condition.

Questions revolve around why a supposedly minor procedure has morphed into such a protracted recovery.

The forward himself refused to establish a definitive return timeline during a recent interview, acknowledging his frustration whilst expressing eagerness to work under Frank.

Solanke’s unavailability has placed enormous pressure on PSG loanee Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison, who spent most of last term out injured himself, while Tel and youngsters come as inexperienced alternatives.

This has led to suggestions that Spurs could sign a new centre-forward in January, with Frank stating last week that Solanke “is not close to rejoining the squad”.

That said, he did downplay fears that the striker would be out long-term in his post-match press conference on Tuesday when responding to questions about why they replaced him with Mathys Tel in their Champions League squad.

Asked if Solanke has suffered a setback, Frank insisted: “No, it was just an opportunity to get Tel in, which is nice to have that opportunity. And we can change back if we want to do that.”

Tottenham handeda pitiful Dominic Solanke injury update

Despite those words from Frank, reliable Lilywhites insider Paul O’Keefe has suggested that the 28-year-old could be out until as far down the line as February, with Spurs handed a pretty grim estimation on his potential return.

This means that Solanke could be in line to miss crucial games against the likes of Liverpool, Sunderland, Aston Villa, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Man City and potentially Man United — depending on how far into February it is.

The England international finished 24/25 as Spurs’ second-top scorer with 16 goals across 45 appearances in all competitions, trailing only Brennan Johnson.

Nine of those came in the Premier League, including a brace at home to Aston Villa and a strike away to Man United at Old Trafford.

Crucially, Solanke delivered pivotal moments during Tottenham’s Europa League triumph — including a nerveless penalty in the quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt and the opening goal in their semi-final victory over Bodo/Glimt.

His energy, physical presence and ability to lead the line are a sore miss for Frank, with a reliable focal point conspicuously absent this campaign.

The Lilywhites need him back for crucial fixtures both domestically and in Europe past the new year, with Kolo Muani and Richarlison tasked to undertake huge responsibility as things stand, unless Spurs decide to enter the market.

'No-one can be underestimated' – Thomas Tuchel insists England's 2026 World Cup draw is 'tough' & claims group stage is 'always the most difficult'

Thomas Tuchel believes England's 2026 World Cup draw is "tough" and claimed that the group stage is "always the most difficult". The German coach, who will lead the Three Lions into a major tournament for the first time next summer, stressed that Group L – featuring Croatia, Ghana and Panama – provides no margin for complacency.

  • England learn their WC group stage opponents

    England discovered their opponents during the draw ceremony in Washington D.C. on Friday, fronted by Rio Ferdinand and featuring sporting icons Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal and Wayne Gretzky. What emerged for Tuchel is a trio of opponents carrying very different histories and styles, but each demanding full respect. England’s first assignment will be a rematch with Croatia, the very nation that shattered their World Cup dreams in 2018 in that agonising semi-final defeat in Moscow. Luka Modric and Co. will form the most formidable obstacle in the group, but Tuchel stressed that his focus must go wider than the headline fixture.

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    What did Tuchel make of the WC draw?

    Tuchel wants to emerge as group toppers but warned his troops that it will not be an easy task. "We have Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups, and we have Panama," he explained. "I don’t know much about Panama, but we will know everything about them when the tournament starts. For me personally, even in the Champions League, you have to focus on the group – the group is always the most difficult, and we want to escape, and we want to win the group. It’s a tough one."

    "No one should be underestimated," continued Tuchel. "Of course, Croatia is the standout name [and] the highest-ranked team from Pot 2 that we got into our group. It’s a difficult opener against Croatia. We take it from here."

    While Ghana may not carry the global star power of Croatia, Tuchel made clear that the country's football heritage cannot be taken for granted. "Ghana is always full of talent and can always surprise, and has a big history in World Cup football," he said. "Also, Panama will try to make the most of the underdog role. No one can be underestimated – everyone deserves the fullest respect, and we will show that."

  • Group stage is 'always difficult'

    Tuchel repeatedly returned to a theme that has defined his career in European competition, insisting the group stage can often be the most mentally demanding part of any tournament.

    "For me, I’ve only experienced group football in Champions League formats," said Tuchel. "The way to approach it was always to give the biggest respect and to put all the focus into winning the group. It always seems difficult, like our group now but we’re confident."

    England will begin the World Cup later than many others, after they were drawn in Group L, and Tuchel believes that provides both an advantage and a challenge.

    "We know now our opponents, we know that we will start late in the tournament which gives us a bit of time," he said. "I know that if you start late in the tournament, the schedule becomes more condensed. The focus will be totally on the group. It’s always a challenge with four ambitious teams together to come out on top. This is where all the energy will go."

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    England’s projected KO Route: Senegal, Mexico and Spain loom large

    If England top Group L, their route through the early knockout rounds is already taking shape. A meeting with Senegal, likely to qualify in third place from Group I, could await in the round of 32. Survival at that stage would set up a daunting round-of-16 showdown against co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City, a high-altitude cauldron that has historically challenged visiting teams. Should England navigate those obstacles, a potential meeting with Brazil in the quarter-final would be a blockbuster fixture. Then they might face Lionel Messi's Argentina in a Dallas semi-final, whereas in the final, they would probably lock horns against Spain, if La Roja make it to the World Cup final.

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MLB Fans Were Split After Aaron Judge Was Named AL MVP Over Cal Raleigh

Unlike in the National League, where Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted as the league MVP, the result of the American League MVP award was always going to be more heavily disputed. There were two very worthy finalists in Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, both of whom enjoyed fantastic seasons.

In the end, Judge won. It’s hard to argue that he wasn’t deserving, even if there’s a laundry list of reasons Raleigh was deserving. The decision from the Baseball Writers Association of America to select Judge was a narrow one. The Yankees outfielder took home 17 of the 30 first-place votes, with Raleigh claiming the other 13. Neither player received a single vote below second place. Judge had 13 second-place votes, and Raleigh had 17. Judge won by 20 points, 355–335, in what was an incredibly close race.

Judge’s second straight AL MVP win led to plenty of discussion on social media among MLB fans. There were mixed feelings about the result, with some supportive of the decision to name Judge MVP, due to his prolific hitting numbers, while others were upset, feeling that Raleigh was robbed after a historic season.

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