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After being recalled to Australia’s Test squad, batter Matt Renshaw has been left musing on how the last six months has been “a weird time”, but also the best of times, for him.Renshaw is not in the playing XI, but has been named in the 13-man squad as the spare batter for the first Test against the West Indies, starting in Adelaide on January 17, edging out fellow red-ball openers Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft who were also in the mix.Related

• Bancroft has no concerns over relationships with Australia's bowlers

• Smith to open, Green to bat No.4, Renshaw added to squad

• No ghosts of 2018: overlooking Bancroft 'purely a cricketing decision'

When David Warner announced in the middle of last year that he would retire from Test cricket after the recently concluded Pakistan series, the race was on to find his successor, with Steven Smith now confirmed as opener after being elevated from No. 4.But the 27-year-old Renshaw is just happy to be back in the Test environment, after learning a lot about himself since last being part of the squad during the Test series in India last year.”It is really nice and a lot of hard work has gone into that. It has been a weird six months since Davey said what he said but I have just tried to enjoy my cricket,” Renshaw explained. “That is the big one for me. As much as all this stuff has been looming over my head, I play my best when I am having fun.”Obviously, people come and go. That’s the way cricket is but I’ve just tried to enjoy my cricket…whether that is for Australia A, Prime Minister’s XI, Queensland and in county cricket as well.”Matt Renshaw had a brief return to the Test side last year•Getty Images

Renshaw has scored 1566 first-class runs at an average of 52.20, with seven centuries, since July 1, 2022. They are impressive figures and reveal his consistency.His selection is a message from selectors that he is the next cab off the rank if he can stay on his upward trajectory. The opening position that could have been his has been taken by Smith, rather than a regular red-ball opener.Smith volunteered to move up from No. 4 but Renshaw is not kicking stones. It is a move he understands.”He averages 60 in Test cricket. He is the best player in the world. It gets Cam [Green] in the team as well and we all know what Cam is capable of,” he said. “Selectors talked about the top six batters in the country and there is no doubt those six guys are. It is just about me trying to learn from them while I am in the squad.”We have got amazing players in the team but I’ve had a little nibble at Test cricket already. I know what it is like to score a hundred, and how that feels. I jut want to try and get that enjoyment and be myself around the Test team.”Renshaw was just 20 when he scored 184, his sole Test century, against Pakistan in Sydney.”I feel a completely different player. I look back at that and I think I was very naïve with cricket,” he said. “I came in wet behind the ears and hadn’t really had much experience with what the game can do. I’ve learned from that…tried to get better with that and tried to improve myself as a cricketer.”That’s all-round with my game knowledge and probably some technical aspects. I look back at my technique then and it probably wasn’t that pretty. It is still probably not that pretty, but I feel like I have ironed out a few things I needed to.”

The opener has arrived home from India after injury but will return for the ODIs

AAP23-Feb-20232:35

Chopra: Head is potentially Australia’s long-term Test opener

David Warner is not feeling the pressure and has vowed to play international cricket until 2024 even if the selectors end his prolific Test career.He arrived back in Sydney on Thursday after his tour of India was cut short due to a fractured elbow. Warner also suffered a concussion during the second Test defeat in Delhi and was subbed out of the match before play on day two.Related

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But the 36-year-old believes he is the right man to open the batting on this year’s Ashes tour despite scoring just one Test century during the last three years.”I’ve always said I’m playing to 2024; if the selectors feel that I’m not worthy of my spot, then so be it, and I can push on to the white-ball stuff,” Warner told reporters at Sydney Airport. “I’ve got the next 12 months, a lot of cricket’s ahead for the team and if I can keep scoring runs and putting my best foot forward for the team and I can help my spot, it’d be great for the team.”It’s easy pickings [for critics] when you’re 36 going on 37. I’ve seen it before with the ex-players as well. So for me if I’m taking pressure off the rest of the other guys, and no one’s worrying about the rest of the team, I’m happy to do that.”David Warner has left the India tour early•Associated PressWhen asked if Warner was still in Australia’s plans for the five-Test tour of England in June, Australia selector Tony Dodemaide declined to commit to the aggressive left-hander.”We’re worried about what we can get out of these remaining two Tests [in India], obviously that’s a clear focus for us at the moment,” Dodemaide said on Wednesday.”We’ll address the Ashes planning [at a later time], but we are committed to picking the best fit and available players for Test series, particularly something as big as the Ashes.”That’s not a question that we’ve addressed so far. We are very keen, as everyone I’m sure at home would be, for us to get something out of this remaining series.”Warner has been joined by fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and bowling allrounder Ashton Agar in exiting the troubled tour, with Australia trailing 0-2 and their hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy already over.

Douglas Luiz is on the verge of joining Nottingham Forest to return to the Premier League and end his nightmare at Serie A giants Juventus.

• Luiz close to Forest transfer
• Struggled to make mark at Juventus
• Previously starred for Aston Villa

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Luiz is close to joining Forest on loan from Juventus, with an obligation for the Premier League side to sign the Brazil international permanently based on the number of games he plays also included in the deal. report there will also be a €30m (£25.9m/$34.9m) purchase option included in case Forest still want to pursue the transfer even if Luiz doesn't reach a certain tally of matches.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Luiz was a big presence in Aston Villa's midfield as the Birmingham side improved vastly under manager Unai Emery. He left for Juventus last year in a deal which helped the Villans avoid any punishments relating to Profit and Sustainability Rules but the move has been a poor one, with the 27-year-old failing to establish himself in Turin, starting only six games combined across Serie A and the Champions League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  He is now set to join a Forest squad which has been bolstered by other recent arrivals. Alongside earlier signings Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha and Dan Ndoye, Nuno Espirito Santo has also seen Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee and Arnaud Kalimuendo arrive at the City Ground. Juventus, meanwhile, already have the likes of Manuel Locatelli, Khephren Thuram-Ulien, Weston McKennie and Teun Koopmeiners available in central midfield.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Forest will hope to finalise the last details of the deal so they can officially announce Luiz's arrival. After a slow start, it has turned into an excellent window for Forest, having managed to keep Morgan Gibbs-White amid interest from Tottenham and the squad now strengthened ahead of their Europa League adventure.

The World Cup victory of Harmanpreet Kaur’s team, built on decades of effort, will hopefully spark an unstoppable transformation

Sruthi Ravindranath08-Nov-20253:28

What will India’s World Cup win do for the women’s game?

As India lifted their first World Cup trophy under a shower of golden confetti a week ago, cheered on by nearly 40,000 at the packed DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the magnitude of their achievement began to reverberate across a country that had never before celebrated its women cricketers quite like this.It is too soon to assess the impact of what happened last Sunday but the early signs are significant. The 2025 Women’s World Cup final was streamed by 185 million viewers in India, and watched on TV by 92 million, equalling the corresponding viewership of India’s victory in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final. If a fraction of that number is inspired to action, the impact could be enormous.In Chennai, 85-year old Vijaya Subramanian, a cricket lover since she was 11, was in tears at midnight on November 3. “I have witnessed all sporting glories in my lifetime and I want to say this is just the beginning for women’s cricket in India. My advice to all young parents would be not to differentiate between boys and girls. Times have changed, today’s women stand shoulder to shoulder with men in the field. Having won the World Cup, times will get better, isn’t it?”In Bengaluru, five-year old Akshara picked up a plastic bat the next morning, mimicking Jemimah Rodrigues’ sweeps, and her cousin Swara replayed clips of diving catches on loop. Akshara’s mother, Shweta, called up a few academies the same day, only to be told to wait until her daughter turned seven.Related

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BCCI to give India women INR 51 crore cash prize

A World Cup win years in the making

In Mumbai, Vishal Yadav’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing. As the head of operations at Female Cricket Academy, he’s received more than 200 calls in the days following the final from parents eager to enrol their daughters in coaching. “We even had a couple of husbands calling on behalf of their wives who wanted to learn cricket,” he says. He had to explain to them that the academy focuses on age-group coaching. “We started in 2017 after the interest from that World Cup, but this is unprecedented.”Sunil Soni, a coach who has trained Mumbai Indians’ Humaira Kazi, tells a similar story. He’s been fielding calls from all age groups and is already planning an exclusive women’s coaching batch.In Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, the win set off street celebrations. Videos emerged of impromptu screenings in the middle of the road, of people bursting into cheers and setting off fireworks as India won the title.Vijaya Subramanian, 85, watches the Women’s World Cup final at her residence in Chennai•Karthik SubramanianFor decades, women’s cricket in India had existed in the shadows, but something fundamental shifted in the nation’s sporting consciousness as Harmanpreet Kaur and her team paraded the World Cup through a sea of cheering fans. From Bollywood stars, business leaders, former players and administrators to the person on the street, the sentiment was unmistakable: cricket no longer felt like a man’s game; the women had come into their own.The path to that night in Navi Mumbai was never easy. The players have grown up battling prejudice, were told to focus on their studies, mocked for their ambition, and reminded of the many obstacles in their paths. India is a country where countless girls drop out of sport at the onset of menstruation because of the social stigma, and where men, according to former India cricketer Shubhangi Kulkarni, once upon a time turned up to watch women play just to see if they wore skirts or pants.Harmanpreet learned to play cricket with a hockey stick, alongside boys. Shafali Verma cut her hair short so she could train unnoticed in Rohtak. That they had to do these things was celebrated, rather than viewed for what those experiences were – a reflection of a widespread lack of opportunity for women.Their victories were measured against men’s milestones, their failures magnified. There were questions about their physical strength and, staggeringly, their commitment. In the early stages of this World Cup, after three straight losses to South Africa, Australia and England, the criticism turned ugly. Social media was rife with comments suggesting that players “belong in the kitchen”, that equal pay with their male counterparts (the women, in fact, get equal match fees and not equivalent central contracts) was unjustified. Rather than questions over their tactics or execution of plans, the players faced scrutiny steeped in misogyny. When they faltered, even some in the media were quick to ask, “How can they lose despite being given everything?” For women cricketers, setbacks are often viewed as proof of indulgence, as though they must constantly justify the resources invested in them.During the semi-final against Australia, a spectator posted a video on Instagram showing men at the stadium mocking Rodrigues for “being too thin”. The videos of her that eventually went viral were of her iconic innings, which knocked out the defending champions in a record-breaking chase, but what if the result had been different?Among those in the stands watching India win the final against South Africa was Sudha Shah, the former India player and head coach of the team that lost the 2005 final to Australia. Being there with her former team-mates Diana Edulji and Kulkarni, who were part of the team in the 1980s and 90s, left her emotional. Shah hoped the victory would help change mindsets across the country.”I got a call from my friend’s son and he was like, ‘Aunty, I thought girls couldn’t play, but after watching this, I know I’m wrong. This World Cup has changed my perspective. I was so impressed with the way they were diving and fielding and taking the catches, and their hitting.’ And I was like, wow, that’s what you want to hear.”For ages, cricket in India has had a certain masculine gatekeeping. Stadiums, commentary boxes, and living rooms during games were spaces where women were often made to feel like guests rather than participants, expected to justify their presence with their knowledge of the game. There is anecdotal evidence that this World Cup felt different.”For the first time, there was no ‘we’ve been watching this forever, who are you to come in and claim to follow this’ energy,” Kirti, a 31-year-old techie from Bengaluru, says. “In fact, watching men spout facts about the women’s team was a positive, happy feeling as opposed to being made to feel unworthy of watching the sport.”India captain Harmanpreet Kaur celebrates the World Cup win with Trupti Bhattacharya, Shubhangi Kulkarni and Sudha Shah•Sudha ShahWomen’s cricket has always existed on the fringes of the nation’s imagination – acknowledged, but rarely celebrated at scale. That’s why this win and its aftermath seem to portend deeper change, even in the perception that women’s cricket is a less-interesting cousin of the thing.For girls living outside the big cities, the World Cup victory tells them their dreams don’t have to shrink to fit their surroundings. Deepti Sharma bowled to her brother in the lanes of Agra. Renuka Singh honed her swing in Dharamsala. Kranti Gaud, from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, grew up facing financial struggle and social resistance in a village that did not allow girls to play sport. Now, neighbours and relatives are flocking to her parents’ home, feeding them sweets, celebrating their daughter’s success.This could challenge generations-deep chauvinism that positioned cricket as male territory or urban privilege. When parents in villages see players like Gaud and Renuka being celebrated on national television, it reframes possibilities.This Women’s World Cup also revealed aspects of professional sport that are rarely on display in the men’s game. Rodrigues speaking openly about her anxiety, unafraid to express her vulnerability. The Indian players consoling the South Africans with long hugs after the final. Harmanpreet admitting she often cries in the dressing room. In a sport and society where toughness is often equated with silence and stoicism, such moments help normalise mental-health struggles, compassion, and emotional maturity.Bias, however, doesn’t vanish overnight no matter how bright the fireworks or how viral the social-media posts. The time for transformation in women’s cricket is finally here; the question is how this momentum will be harnessed for growth.”Winning is great, but then to remain on top is even more tough,” Sudha Shah says. “BCCI have been having camps and they’ve got a lot of facilities. They should just continue doing it. There should be a lot more India A tours – I think we should start getting the second-string team prepared and continue this momentum.”Improvement at the top-level of women’s cricket in India is perhaps more straightforward to sustain. The greater effort is needed at the grassroots, to keep the fire that has just been lit burning when the spotlight fades. They are not just “queens” or “India’s daughters” when they win. They are professionals all year round, and role models for a generation that will hopefully not have to fight the battles for visibility and validation that Harmanpreet and her team-mates, and those who came before them, did.

In the absence of Nortje, Coetzee has bossed the middle overs in this WC and has offered SA batting depth at No.8

Deivarayan Muthu31-Oct-20231:36

What does Coetzee bring to South Africa’s bowling line-up?

He has a scary aura about him. He tirelessly hurls the ball in at speeds north of 145kph. He often gets it to skid even faster off the pitch and has batters contorting into awkward positions. He has demons dancing in his eyes and veins popping out of his forehead when he celebrates. Dale Steyn used to do that, remember? His headband only adds to that aura.At 23, Gerald Coetzee is the highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers in the middle overs, in his first-ever World Cup. This is also his first senior tour of India, but he has exceeded expectations, bagging ten wickets in five matches between overs 11 and 40. The next best during this phase has only eight wickets, despite having played one match more than Coetzee. Overall, only Adam Zampa (13) and Mitchell Santner (11) have more wickets than Coetzee during this phase.Coetzee might not have played had Anrich Nortje or Sisanda Magala been fit and available for selection. During this World Cup, South Africa have also had to deal with niggles to Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. But Coetzee has seized his chance and announced himself with breakout performances. His middle-over scalps include Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Mohammad Rizwan.Related

• Two outstanding teams, one grand spectacle in store in Pune

• Coach Simons hoping Rabada and Coetzee get into the heads of opposition

• The one (final) upgrade that can take South Africa's bowling from good to exceptional

• Flying under the radar or not, South Africa seem to have figured themselves out

The takedown of Rizwan – and the softening up of Pakistan captain Babar Azam – in Chennai highlighted the potent point of difference that Coetzee brings to South Africa’s attack, regardless of conditions. After having Rizwan hopping, Coetzee got one to take off like a rocket from a short of a length and had him top-edging it behind. He gave Rizwan no time to hook or sway his upper body out of the way. In the same over, Coetzee banged a bouncer into Babar’s armpit and rendered him powerless.In the middle overs, only Mark Wood, Lockie Ferguson, Haris Rauf, and Paul van Meekeren have bowled more short or short-of-a-good length deliveries than Coetzee in this World Cup, according to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, but they have lacked Coetzee’s ability to strike repeatedly. He does tend to be expensive – no other fast bowler has given more runs via boundaries than him in this World Cup – but Coetzee hasn’t veered away from his attacking approach.Former South Africa allrounder Albie Morkel, who has worked with Coetzee at Jo’burg Super Kings in the SA20 and Texas Super Kings in the MLC, is particularly impressed with that approach to fast bowling.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”If you look at Gerald, the intensity he bowls with, it’s very high,” Morkel tells ESPNcricinfo. “He obviously trains hard like most bowlers but the intensity he brings to the attack in those periods…he’s trying to take wickets and he bowls a lot of short balls. He’s trying to intimidate the batsmen and it seems to be working. If you have that wicket-taking mindset like him – even if he goes for runs, he still sticks to his guns and tries to take wickets. I think that’s making him successful.”A lot of other bowlers…if you go for runs early in your over or early in your spell, you tend to sort of take your foot off the gas and rather protect the runs and not have that mindset of taking wickets. So, I think he’s got that ability to look past runs and maybe that’s his job in the team – he’s there to take wickets, even if he leaks [runs]. But I think he will also get better as his career develops. He can hit those good areas more consistently and still have that attacking mindset.”Morkel recalls a SA20 game at the Wanderers in February, when Coetzee offered up two sixes off his first two balls to Paarl Royals’ Buttler but then bounced back to have the batter’s leg stump cartwheeling third ball. The bash-through-the-line Wanderers pitch and its smaller boundaries can fluster most bowlers. But Coetzee isn’t most bowlers. That’s why he was one of JSK’s direct signings ahead of the inaugural SA20 auction.”We got rained out that game, but I think Jos hit him for a six and a six,” Morkel recounts. “And then Gerald bowled him. That’s the point I’m trying to make. Many bowlers – I can probably speak for myself as well – when a batsman tries to take you down, your mindset plays the biggest role. If you can still be aggressive and try to get the guy out, that’s a much better space to be in rather than to just try and defend the over.”When batters play like that, they will give opportunities. But if you bowl easier balls on a fuller length – that’s what the batters want…but Gerald isn’t that type of a guy. He’d rather try and get you out. Bowling in India in the World Cup has so far been tough – the wickets are great, there have been high scores, and the fields are generally smaller than what you get in Australia or whatever, so as a bowler, if you take your foot off the gas, it can be a long day for you. Gerald seems to have that knack of keeping on coming at you, which is a great skill and attribute to have.”What’s not to like about Gerald Coetzee•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile being aggressive is Coetzee’s default response to batters, he has also been working on his defensive skills in order to become a more versatile bowler. For instance in the MLC, he was open to bowling from around the wicket and knocked Aaron Finch over with a slower dipper from that angle.”That’s an area where improvement is needed – the variations,” Morkel says. “He has that nice slower ball – the cutter that he rolls across the ball – which actually dips quite nicely and that’s how he got Finch out in that game. I think if he can perfect that – I’m not being too critical – but sometimes the ball ends up as a full-toss, which is then an easy hit for the batter.”If you can perfect that ball with a good bouncer, those are good weapons to have. That’s something we’ve worked on and that’s something he wants to do. To bowl in the death to top batters these days, it’s not easy. So, as a bowler, you have to want to do that job. He’s one of those guys who will grow into that role pretty nicely and he will become a full package then. Bowling pace at the death with variations – there’re not many guys who can do that.”Coetzee is also capable of doing some damage with the bat lower down the order. In a List A match against Sri Lanka A in Pallekele earlier this year, he had top-scored for South Africa A with 77 off 89 balls after having come in at 42 for 7 against an attack that included Dilshan Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage and Lakshan Sandakan. Morkel feels that Coetzee has enough potential to become a bowling allrounder in the future.”Batting is something Gerald works very hard on,” Morkel says. “I believe that he can become a proper No. 8 and win games with power-hitting but also play the ball around the park. I’ve worked a little bit with him on the batting with JSK and also at the MLC. There’re still technical things he needs to get a hold of, but from a talent point of view, I believe he can be a proper package.”That version of Coetzee will be even more scary.

Filled with gore, intrigue and major plot twists, no way is it going to underwhelm like a certain other epic fantasy show

Alan Gardner15-Feb-2022Come on, let’s admit it. We were all looking forward to the bloody end-of-season finale. Sure, they have become a little formulaic – but an England Ashes tour down under wouldn’t be an England Ashes tour down under without rows, recriminations and a round of sackings to finish off the narrative.What we hadn’t bargained for was the ECB attempting to ramp up their ailing franchise by bringing in previous showrunner Andrew “Director’s Cut” Strauss, who not only wrote out a number of minor characters – Ashley Giles, Chris Silverwood, Dom Bess – but then went for the jugular, -style, by killing off two much-loved protagonists with barely a line of dialogue for preamble.Strauss doubtless had his successful reboot of the much derided white-ball set-up in mind, though it remains to be seen whether audiences will react in the same way to his signature move. And he has left himself room to script a return for both James Anderson and Stuart Broad should things not go to plan – if the critics continue to weigh in, say, or Joe Root discovers that going to the West Indies without England’s two all-time leading wicket-takers wasn’t such a smart move after all.Clearly an overhaul was needed after the much hyped but sadly one-sided battle scene, filmed on location in Australia, in which Root’s men were unceremoniously mauled by a Dothraki horde (led by Pat Cummins in a loin cloth and some heavy eye make-up). With England’s Test ratings falling, and uncertainty about whether Root could cling to power, Strauss acted quickly by commissioning a dollop of off-field drama to distract from the underlying structural failings.Related

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Root remains on the Any-Old-Iron Throne for now, while Tom Harrison continues to lurk in the shadows – despite displaying all the popular touch of Cersei Lannister. Plot development for Strauss’ next instalment is a closely guarded secret, but rumours have suggested a number of potential twists, from Broad being brought back from the dead by the mystical ministrations of the Red-Ball Witch to a climactic assault on Lord’s by the Night King (played by the guy who runs the Hundred’s Twitter account) and his unholy following (women, children, people who refuse to wear ties).Winter isn’t so much coming for the ECB as already set in, and the fight to unite the Seven Kingdoms/18 first-class counties could drag on for several more seasons – or at least till Kevin Pietersen arrives on the back of a giant dragon to raze the lot.Anyway, here’s hoping that Strauss is given a big CGI budget and a free hand. After all, to borrow another saying from TV land, English cricket jumped the shark a long time ago.

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If you love someone, set them free. Alternatively, if you love someone, make them engage in regular 360-degree evaluations, dig into grievances about their man-management skills, look at the victorious Ashes and T20 World Cup campaigns they’ve slaved over and say, “Thanks, champ! How would you like a six-month contract extension?” Justin Langer’s entanglement with the Australia men’s team always had a star-crossed aspect to it. After resigning, he apologised if he had come across as “too intense”; Langer was, in the words of old Bill Shakespeare, “one that loved not wisely, but too well”. As for the players’ side, Cummins put it succinctly: “I don’t think he should be surprised.” At least now Langer, who had spent months away from home, will be able to return to the bosom of the people who really matter – his former baggy-green team-mates, who know the meaning of true mateship ever after.

****

For some traditionalists, the annual sight of IPL owners paddling themselves silly in a banqueting hall while indiscriminately splashing the cash is pretty much the confirmation of end times (well, they’ll be right one day). But never mind the ostentatious affront to decency that is the IPL auction – the Light Roller has discovered something far worse.Last week Ben Stokes tweeted: “Just jumped on the NFT bandwagon.” A few days later, having changed his profile picture to that of small, pixellated monkey wearing a cap, he added: “Can’t believe that @ASAC_NFT have made me a Honorary Ape,crazy man thanks to all the team.” If all that makes no sense whatsoever, then give yourself a pat on the back. NFTs – or Non-Fungible Tokens – are the new celebrity grift, you see; and while footballers have been attempting to coin it for a while, it seems cricket too is to be subjected to the blockchain babble of digital pseudo-art. Do not expect it to end well.

Chelsea dropped points for the second game in a row, suffering a disappointing 3-1 defeat away to Leeds United at Elland Road. The Blues put in a lacklustre performance in a tough environment, and never really managed to get into the game.

It was a poor start for Enzo Maresca’s side, who went 1-0 down inside the first six minutes after a fast start from the Whites. It was slack defending from a corner, with Jaka Bijol making a darting run from the edge of the penalty box and heading home at the near post.

The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. It was yet more questionable defending from the West Londoners, who let Ao Tanaka have acres of space just outside the area. The Japanese international unleashed a vicious shot which nestled into the back of the net.

Chelsea did pull a goal back, with just 50 minutes on the clock. Pedro Neto managed to shake off his marker and pull to the back post, firing home Jamie Gittens’ cross.

It was all in vain, though, after a defensive error with 18 minutes to go meant Leeds scored a third and sealed the win.

It was a disappointing night for Chelsea, with some particularly worrying performances across the board.

Chelsea’s worst performers vs. Leeds

There were some notable bad showings from a few of Maresca’s men against Leeds. One of those came from Tosin Adarabioyo. It was his error which led to Leeds’ third goal and all but secured the three points for the West Yorkshire side.

The former Fulham man received the ball inside the penalty area and took a heavy touch before playing a five-yard pass back to Robert Sanchez.

It was a frustrating lack of awareness from the Chelsea number four, who put his goalkeeper under pressure from the Leeds press.

Another member of the Chelsea side who struggled was centre-forward Liam Delap. It was a night where the Blues’ number nine seemed isolated. Aside from a snapshot in the second half, which he fired over the crossbar, he did little to trouble the Leeds defence.

One person who was critical of Delap’s performance at Elland Road was Goal journalist Tom Ritchie. He gave the English striker a 4/10 for his efforts, and described him as a ‘bystander’ during the first half.

Those two Chelsea stars were not the only players to struggle on Wednesday night, though.

Maresca could boldly bench £180k-per-week Chelsea star

It was a night to forget for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine, who captained the Blues at Elland Road, struggled to get any sort of control in midfield.

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Perhaps that coincided with the fact that his usual partner in the centre of the park, Moises Caicedo, was suspended.

Chelsea’s number eight was arguably at fault for Tanaka’s goal. He was dispossessed in midfield, facing his own goal, with the ball breaking loose, a situation Leeds capitalised on.

This weighed into the 3/10 rating he got from Ritchie, who said he ‘looked rattled at times’. Indeed, Fernandez’s stats from the game show how much of a tough night it was.

Normally, so good on the ball, the £180k-per-week asset only had a pass accuracy of 77% in the Whites’ half, losing the ball 21 times. He also failed to complete a dribble or a tackle.

Fernandez stats vs Leeds

Stat

Number

Touches

106

Opposition half pass accuracy

77%

Number of times ball lost

21

Unsuccessful touches

5

Ground duels won

1/4

Tackles

0

Dribbles

0

Stats from Sofascore

After a showing like that, it will be interesting to see if Maresca keeps Fernandez in the starting lineup for their next game against Bournemouth this Saturday. He certainly struggled without Caicedo next to him, and Reece James inverting from right-back.

There are options at his disposal, too. Cole Palmer is now back from injury and played 30 minutes at Elland Road on Wednesday. Whether or not he can play from the start remains to be seen, but he could slot into the side.

Alternatively, James could be brought back into the starting XI and operate in midfield, as he has done this season to a good degree of success.

Fernandez’s performance at Elland Road was disappointing, and it would not be a surprise if he dropped out of the side, especially with options at Maresca’s disposal.

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Aston Villa could make a move for an “excellent” striker in 2026, amid Ollie Watkins’ struggles to make an impact.

Villa lay down marker with victory over Arsenal

Villa secured their seventh win on the spin in all competitions on Saturday, courtesy of a 2-1 victory against Premier League leaders Arsenal, which came in dramatic fashion, with Emiliano Buendia firing home a late winner to send Villa Park into raptures.

Unai Emery was delighted with the result, despite also making it clear his side must keep their feet on the ground, saying: “Today we must be happy, the supporters, Aston Villa fans and ourselves because we did the job we needed.

“Of course, we got three points and we are, in the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world, more or less, now feeling strong and feeling comfortable.

“But this is a race for 38 matches and we are on 15.”

It is difficult not to get too carried away, with the Villans now just three points behind Arsenal, but Watkins may need to get back to his best if Emery’s side are going to make a serious push for the Premier League title.

The Englishman has scored just three goals in 15 league outings, and Aston Villa are now lining up a move for a new striker in 2026, with a report from Tuttosport (via FC Inter News) revealing they could launch an attack to sign Bologna’s Santiago Castro next summer.

Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the centre-forward, and a deal could be on the expensive side, with the Italian club potentially set to demand €40m – €50m (£35m – £44m) for his services.

Ideally, Bologna would like to keep hold of the 21-year-old, and they are planning to offer him a bumper new contract in the coming weeks, in order to ward off the interest from elsewhere.

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Donyell Malen has proven himself as a solid option at striker this season, scoring seven goals in all competitions, but Villa may still have room to bring in another centre-forward, given that the Dutchman regularly features out wide.

Castro has proven he could be a viable target with some of his displays this season too, having scored five goals in all competitions, two more than Watkins, while he also showcased his ability to create chances last term, leading to high praise from scout Jacek Kulig.

The Argentinian hasn’t been prolific since moving to Bologna, chipping in with 16 goals and 10 assists in 71 outings, but he is still very young, having only turned 21 in September, and Villa should continue to monitor his performances between now and next summer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly prioritising a deal to sign Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas, who is now available at a cut-price ahead of the January transfer window.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for those in the Midlands. After sacking Vitor Pereira, Wolves went on the hunt for a new manager and landed on Rob Edwards, who controversially left Middlesbrough to take the vacant position. He’s since claimed that no other job would have lured him away from Riverside and he now has the chance to keep his dream club afloat in the Premier League.

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Speaking to reporters after arriving, Edwards said: “It feels amazing to be back. I’m really proud. I’m genuinely proud and I’ve told all the staff and players that. I won’t lie about it, it has been an aim of mine since I first got the under-18’s job here 11 years ago. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do.

“But this was something that I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time, and I didn’t know if this job would ever come up again for me. The opportunity might never, ever come up for me to be the head coach of this club. I didn’t want to look back in 10, 15, 20 years, and think I turned down a chance to manage Wolves in the Premier League.

“I didn’t want to regret that, so here I am. I know the size and the scale of the task, but I’m really enthused by it, I’m excited by it, and this week has been really enjoyable. But now the games start, so let’s see.”

He will be well aware that the task on his hands is far from easy, but Wolves are seemingly willing to back their new manager when the January transfer window arrives – starting with a new shot-stopper.

Wolves prioritising Christos Mandas move

As reported by Ben Jacobs for GiveMeSport, Wolves are now prioritising a move for Mandas in January as they search for a new goalkeeper. The shot-stopper is open to a move away from the Serie A club after going from the No.1 under Maurizio Sarri to without a league appearance all season under Marcos Baroni.

Unlike in the summer, Wolves also have the chance to land a bargain deal. When those in the Midlands previously set their sights on Mandas, they were quoted a £22m fee. Now, as Lazio look to climb out of their financial struggles, he’s set to be available for a maximum of £12m when January arrives.

Described as “reactive” by his agent, Diego Tavano, Mandas arguably needs Wolves just as much as they need him. The one-time Manchester City target would provide Edwards with an instant upgrade on Jose Sa, who is 32 years old and struggling for consistency.

At 24, there’s also every chance that Mandas rediscovers his best form by leaving Lazio. The Italians sit mid-table in Serie A and the goalkeeper still hasn’t been able to win back his starting place.

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For Kuldeep Yadav, rhythm is everything. It’s what aids his drift, helps develop a loop to deceive batters in the air, and gives him confidence to sequence his deliveries better.However, he says, rhythm only comes with time in the middle, something he didn’t have a lot of through the course of an entire Test series in England, because the team opted for batting depth.”In England, obviously, looking at the conditions and the combination of the team, I didn’t get a place in the XI,” he said ahead of India’s final group match against Oman in Abu Dhabi in the Asia Cup. “But it was a very good time for me to work on myself, to improve my fitness and to give more volume to bowling, because it is very important.”Instead of sitting and sulking, Kuldeep developed his own pattern to training, and analysed his game, and picked out certain markers for when his time would come.Related

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“As a player, you learn a lot when you don’t play,” he said. “When the team reacts to certain situations, you can judge from the outside. You have a lot of ideas when you are in this situation, as to how to react and how you can bowl. I got a lot of ideas from there.”The communication [when he didn’t play] from Gauti [head coach Gautam Gambhir] was very clear. He was very straightforward. When you don’t play, it is very easy to blame someone. To take it constructively and improve is tough. There are two ways and players choose according to themselves.”But it is very important that you keep working hard. The game is such that you have good and bad days. If you are not playing, you have time to improve on your own and become a better player when you get the chance.”Kuldeep Yadav did not get to play in England•Getty Images

Kuldeep’s opportunity came soon after, in the form of a Duleep Trophy game in August. The scorecard will show no wickets next to his name, but for Kuldeep, those 32 overs meant so much more.”It was very important for me to bowl there,” he said. “Bowling in nets and bowling in a match are very different. Obviously, you want to play after a long time. You want to perform well. But I didn’t have that much in my mind. I focused on my strength and tried to bowl in good areas.”Now, he feels that sense of rhythm has returned fully at the Asia Cup, where he has picked up seven wickets in two games, against UAE and Pakistan, across 37 deliveries.”Actually, my rhythm is set now,” he said. “I don’t have a problem with that. I think it is important to use small angles for bowlers. As a wristspinner, I always think about my release point, my finish, whether the body is transferring [weight forward] or not.”When you don’t play, these things run in your mind. But obviously, with the help of video analysis, you get an idea of how you are bowling. I think my rhythm is good now. In the beginning, when I changed [in 2022, he worked on a straighter run-up and went through the crease faster], it took time. But now I am used to it.”The rhythm and confidence tie in nicely to his spin chemistry with Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel in India’s T20I set-up, with all three having different roles.”Everyone knows their job and my job is to take wickets in the middle overs,” Kuldeep said. “Axar, obviously, we have seen him bowling in the powerplay and he did the controlling job for us. Between me, Varun and Axar, we are very experienced in the T20 format and understand our roles very well.”Giving a lot of inputs really helped me, or anyone who is bowling in the middle. Whether it is Axar or Varun or me, whoever bowls first assesses the conditions and then suggests something. So it’s a good combination and we are very happy with that.”Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav ran through Pakistan’s middle order•AFP/Getty Images

While Kuldeep’s rhythm has given him a fresh verve on the field, he also consciously tries to find a balance off the field, something he believes helps him find a release, especially when he is not playing. That balance has come through football.”If you follow other sports, you get to know how it feels when a team is performing really well,” he said. “You see the bench strength of their team. They have some unbeatable bench strength and when you focus on them, they are not getting enough time -15 minutes, 20 minutes – but they are so good, they can start in any game.”You see other teams, especially the big ones, and how they play against smaller teams – the communication, the decision-making, how quickly it all happens. You hardly have enough time to react.”Obviously, I play cricket on the field, that’s my job. After that, I enjoy football. There are so many games, you just watch and enjoy. In any sport, you admire how they play, especially in team games. The communication, the connection between players, how they lift each other – that’s the most important thing.”