Celtic may now have to share the wages of a “great defender” in a potential summer loan deal, according to a new Hoops transfer update.
Rodgers eyeing new attackers at Celtic
The start of the new Scottish Premiership season is edging closer all the time, with the Hoops getting their campaign underway with a home clash against St. Mirren on August 3rd.
There is still time for Celtic to get some important transfer business over the line, though, and Brendan Rodgers is eyeing two new attacking signings this summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
“It would be a gamble, bringing such a young player to a new league if Celtic were to pursue his signature. Ambrosino is a young player, who’s obviously got big potential as well. He’s a player that Celtic could develop and give minutes to, but I think Brendan Rodgers will also be looking to bring in a big-name striker signing as well. I fully expect, from what my sources are telling me for Celtic to sign two strikers, a big name and a younger one they can develop.”
Napoli youngster Guiseppe Ambrosino has been linked with a loan move to Celtic, standing out as one option, and it will be interesting to see who comes in between now and the end of the transfer window.
New update on Celtic signing £75k-p/w defender
According to Football Insider, Celtic may only be able to sign Man Utd’s Tyrell Malacia if United “subsidise” his wages, as they look to strike a deal for the left-back.
It is claimed that a loan move to Parkhead is the “most likely outcome”, which “would be the only way a deal could be struck between the two clubs” this summer, with Malacia picking up £75,000-a-week at Old Trafford.
Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia.
It doesn’t feel as though it will be easy for Celtic to get a deal for Malacia over the line in the coming weeks, but he could be such a strong addition if they managed to.
Granted, Kieran Tierney has already returned to the club after his stint at Arsenal, but competition for places can never be a bad thing, and Malacia has been hailed by Rio Ferdinand in the past.
“Malacia today was tremendous, outstanding. He reminds me of Patrice Evra in many ways. He’s athletic, he looks like a pound-for-pound strong kid. There aren’t many left-backs in European or world football in the last four or five years who have gone out of a game and kept Mohamed Salah quiet.”
He's even better than Miller: Celtic circling to sign "tenacious" £9m star
Celtic are reportedly eyeing up a move for a star who is even better than Lennon Miller.
ByDan Emery Jul 14, 2025
It may be that the move to Celtic doesn’t happen, which would be no disaster after the signing of Tierney, but 47 appearances for United and nine caps for the Netherlands is no mean feat.
يسعى نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، إلى التألق في مباراة الغد المرتقبة ضد خصمه إيفرتون، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26.
ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة ليفربول وإيفرتون، في الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي لهذا الموسم.
ويدخل ليفربول تلك المباراة وهو يتصدر جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 12 نقطة، العلامة الكاملة، بعدما حقق الفوز في كافة مبارياته الأربعة السابقة.
من جهة أخرى، سجل محمد صلاح هدفين في النسخة الحالية من الدوري الإنجليزي، بواقع هدف ضد بورنموث في الجولة الأولى، وآخر في الرابعة أمام بيرنلي من ضربة جزاء في الوقت القاتل.
اقرأ أيضًا.. غموض بشأن مصير مباراة ليفربول وإيفرتون في الدوري الإنجليزي
وحسبما ذكر موقع ليفربول، فإن محمد صلاح سجل 8 أهداف في مرمى إيفرتون لصالح الريدز في الدوري الإنجليزي، ويتفوق عليه فقط ستيفن جيرارد برصيد 9 أهداف.
كما يحتاج محمد صلاح إلى تسجيل هدفين للوصول إلى 250 هدفًا مع ليفربول في جميع المسابقات، حيث سجل 248 هدفًا وصنع 115 هدفًا في 407 مباراة في مختلف البطولات.
Since taking charge of Arsenal in December 2019, Mikel Arteta has got a lot of things right.
He’s turned a side that couldn’t buy a win against the Premier League’s top sides into one who rarely loses to them.
On top of that, he’s dragged them from mid-table mediocrity to perennial title challengers and a force in the Champions League.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetalooks dejected after the match
Finally, he’s also overseen an improvement in how the club operates in the transfer market, and welcomed in several brilliant signings, like Declan Rice, Gabriel Mahalese, David Raya and Martin Odegaard.
The latter is now the club’s captain, and if reports are to be believed, they might be about to sign someone who could be the next Odegaard.
Arsenal's transfer window so far
It would be fair to say that this summer started rather slowly for Arsenal, but things have most certainly sped up in the last few weeks or so.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Kepa Arrizabalaga’s £5m move from Chelsea was the first to be officially announced by the club, which was then followed by Martin Zubimendi’s long-awaited £60m move from Real Sociedad.
Not long after that, Christian Norhgaard was unveiled following his £15m move from Brentford, and perhaps most controversial of all, Noni Madueke appears to be the next announcement in line.
The Blues ace appears to be joining the Gunners for a fee of around £52m, and it would be fair to say it’s not a move that has been met with universal enthusiasm.
Fortunately, Andrea Berta and Co seem to still be hard at work, and now reports indicate they could land someone who’d be welcomed by all with open arms: Rodrygo.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal remain very much interested in the Real Madrid star.
The report claims that Los Blancos are open to letting the Brazilian leave this summer and that the Gunners are currently in pole position to secure his services.
However, it’ll cost a pretty penny to do so, as the European giants are after a fee in the region of €100m, which is about £87m.
It will be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but Rodrygo would be more than worth it, especially as he could be Odegaard 2.0.
Why Rodrygo would be Odegaard 2.0
So, the first thing to say is, yes, for the most part, Rodrygo and Odegaard play in different positions and in different ways, but that isn’t necessarily what this comparison is about.
Instead, the move itself, the background and potential impact are what make the Brazilian a potential repeat of the Norwegian.
For example, they’ll both be making their way to Arsenal from Real Madrid, and at similar ages.
Moreover, just as the Gunners’ captain wasn’t getting a look in prior to his move, the former Santos gem has been essentially frozen out by the Spanish giants’ first team.
For example, across the five games Los Blancos played at the Club World Cup, the 24-year-old didn’t start a single one, and played just 92 minutes.
Finally, despite the lack of game time he’s been getting of late, the dynamic winger is still an incredible talent and someone who could have as much of an impact as Odegaard has had at the Emirates.
After all, since the start of the 23/24 campaign, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has scored 31 goals and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.
Rodrygo’s recent record
Season
23/24
24/25
Appearances
51
54
Minutes
3707′
3452′
Goals
17
14
Assists
9
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.50
0.46
Minutes per Goal Involvement
142.57′
138.08′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That works out to a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes, which is made all the more impressive when you take into account the fact that he was played out of his preferred left-wing position for most of that period.
Finally, on top of everything else, there are also some statistical similarities between the pair, with FBref ranking the Gunners’ number eight as the most similar midfielder to the Real ace in Europe’s top five leagues across the last 365 days.
Ultimately, Arsenal are in need of more attacking talent this summer, and they are going to be hard-pressed to find a more exciting option than Rodrygo.
Therefore, they should be doing all they can to sign him, as he could end up being as effective, or more effective, for them than Odegaard.
Eze's dream forward: Arsenal plot move for "world-class" £50m goal machine
As Everton’s summer transfer business begins to heat up, The Friedkin Group are reportedly expected to launch a £9m move to sign one particular midfield star.
Everton set to sign Thierno Barry
The first signing of the Hill Dickinson era is on his way, according to Fabrizio Romano. Replacing the departing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Thierno Barry is set to commence Everton’s summer business in style and hand David Moyes a striker who has certainly left many impressed whilst at Villarreal.
After scoring 19 goals in all competitions, Barry is ready to take the Premier League by storm and solve a striker problem that has been ongoing at Everton since Calvert-Lewin’s injury struggles began.
As one striker arrives, however, another has bid an emotional farewell. Taking to social media to confirm the news that he is leaving Everton after deciding against signing a new deal, Calvert-Lewin said: “After nine remarkable years I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision – together with my family – to begin a new chapter in my career.
“This isn’t something I chose lightly. Everton has been my home since I was 19 years old. It’s the place that saw potential in me, challenged me to grow and shaped me both as a footballer and as a man.
Moyes knows him well: Everton considering move to sign £7m ace after Barry
The Toffees are set to complete the signing of Thierno Barry.
ByTom Cunningham Jul 3, 2025
“I want to express my gratitude to all the managers and coaches I’ve worked with over the years and to my team-mates who have become life-long friends.”
The Toffees acted swiftly to replace the experienced striker and that could become quite the trend this summer amid reports that Friedkin are now expected to launch their move to sign the perfect Abdoulaye Doucoure heir.
Friedkin expected to launch Wilfred Ndidi move
According to former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers scout Mick Brown, Friedkin are expected to launch a £9m move to sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer, triggering his release clause for Everton in the process.
The former scout told Football Insider: “Everton are considering signing Wilfred Ndidi. It’s a move I expect he will be open to as well, the chance to get straight back into the Premier League after getting relegated with Leicester. They’ve been keen on him for a while and he’s a very solid player.
“Everton have had scouts watching his performances and he’s been one of Leicester’s better players. It might prove difficult to get over the line because there are a lot of clubs who have been made aware of that release clause he’s got.
“But I expect them to make an attempt to bring him in ahead of these clubs. Either way, it looks like he’s definitely leaving Leicester.”
A Premier League veteran who is still more than capable in the top-flight, Ndidi represents the type of midfielder who would instantly replace the departed Doucoure at Everton.
With a deal for Florian Wirtz all but wrapped up, the question remains as to just where the exciting German will line up in Arne Slot’s Liverpool side, amid his mega-money arrival from Bayer Leverkusen.
The 22-year-old’s time in the Bundesliga – which yielded 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 games for Leverkusen in all competitions – saw him operate in a number ten berth, or off the left flank, thus handing Slot something to think about heading into next season.
An educated guess would suggest that the youngster is being brought in with the view of replacing Dominik Szoboszlai in a central role, with the workmanlike Hungarian only registering eight goals and nine assists across all fronts last term.
Should that prove to be the case, there is still a headache to be solved on the left flank, not least with both Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo having been linked with exits in recent weeks.
Whether or not the Premier League-winning duo do depart, there is still a need to acquire a nailed-on first-choice in that wide berth – something which could happen if recent speculation is to be believed.
Liverpool targeting move for a new winger
While signing a new centre-forward also remains a priority for Slot and co, it would appear that there is also a focus on strengthening on the flanks, with long-term target Anthony Gordon still seemingly on the agenda.
Further reports have also claimed that Liverpool could be in the mix for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, amid the Brazilian’s uncertain future at the Bernabeu, albeit with it yet to be seen what role the Brazilian will have under new boss, Alonso.
More recently, meanwhile, it has been reported that the Reds are plotting a move for Paris Saint-Germain sensation, Bradley Barcola, with the Premier League champions said to be ready to rival Bayern Munich for the Frenchman’s signature.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The belief is that Liverpool could continue to spend big even after Wirtz’s arrival, with it likely set to require an offer of over £100m to prise Barcola from the Parc des Princes, after just two seasons in Paris.
For a player who cost £38m amid his move from Lyon in the summer of 2023, the Ligue 1 side would be making a sizeable profit on the 22-year-old if that asking price is met.
Paris St Germain's BradleyBarcolareacts
The question now is, would Barcola really be worth £100m?
Why Barcola would be a good signing for Liverpool
After a quiet year or so on the transfer front, with Federico Chiesa the only senior arrival last summer, the Merseysiders have sprung into life this time around, with the marquee move for Wirtz showcasing that they aren’t afraid to splash the cash.
Florian Wirtz
Like Wirtz, Barcola would be a long-term addition who can also make an immediate impact, such is his quality at such a young age, having been hailed as “one of the most exciting talents in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig.
Yes, he may have been somewhat overshadowed by Champions League final hero, Desire Doue, of late, although the ex-Lyon starlet is a devastating asset in his own right, as evident by his moment of magic in that Munich showpiece.
Picking the ball up just inside the Inter Milan half, the wing wizard delightfully surged his way into the opposition penalty area, before producing an exquisite drag back that left the goal gaping.
Sadly for those of a PSG persuasion, they were denied what would have been “one of THE great Champions League goals” – as per TNT’s Darren Fletcher – as Barcola hit the side netting, albeit with the build-up alone illustrating just what a talent he is.
That was no flash in the pan either, with the £100m man having been in stunning form throughout 2024/25, after registering 40 goals and assists in 58 games in all competitions, including seven in the Champions League.
For comparison, the aforementioned Gakpo recorded ‘just’ 25 goals and assists during Liverpool’s title-winning season, with only four of those having come in Europe’s premier competition.
Non-penalty goals
0.47
0.47
Assists
0.39
0.20
Shot-creating actions
4.24
3.83
Pass completion
81.9%
75.1%
Progressive passes
3.33
2.66
Progressive carries
5.45
3.13
Successful take-ons
1.74
1.45
Touches in opposition box
8.95
5.35
Progressive passes received
15.17
12.77
As evidenced above too, when comparing the duo across the last 365 days, it is Barcola who comes out on top across a string of metrics, namely assists, progressive carries and touches in the attacking penalty area – further outlining why he could enhance Slot’s forward line.
To further rubberstamp the point, Barcola already has 54 goals and assists to his name in just 97 games for his current side, while Gakpo is only just ahead on 58 goal involvements, despite playing 128 times for the Reds.
Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch with the Premier League title.
The Dutchman has, of course, proven a hit at Anfield amid his role in Slot’s debut season heroics, but if the club are keen to kick on again and cement their domestic dominance, then a figure like Barcola may be just what is needed.
A bigger mistake than Diaz: Liverpool now in talks to sell £50m star
Liverpool should think twice about parting ways with this talented first-teamer.
Chelsea were one of the clubs that were reportedly interested in a deal to sign Spain international Dean Huijsen from Premier League rivals Bournemouth in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Blues have missed out on a swoop for the central defender, though, as Real Madrid have officially signed him from the Cherries for £50m, which was the value of his release clause.
Not all is lost for the Premier League giants, however, as they are reportedly eyeing up a swoop for an alternative to the soon-to-be Real Madrid star.
Chelsea eyeing deal for Dean Huijsen alternative
According to a report from Spain, Huijsen was the main target for Chelsea in the centre-back position, but they are now lining up a swoop for Lazio titan Mario Gila.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The outlet claims that the former Real Madrid academy graduate is emerging as the priority target for the Blues after they missed out on the Bournemouth star to the Spanish giants.
It reveals that Lazio are set to demand a fee of £25m for the 24-year-old central defender, which is said to not be an issue for Chelsea from a financial perspective.
With all of this in mind, the club must now act on their ‘priority’ target by swooping to sign the Spaniard from the Serie A outfit for a fee of £25m, because he could come in as a big upgrade on Tosin Adarabioyo this summer.
Why Chelsea should sign Mario Gila
Signed from Fulham on a free transfer last summer, the English defender has started 14 of his 21 appearances in the Premier League, but Chelsea could sign an even better centre-back by landing Gila.
The Lazio star has averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions and 4.9 duels won per game in the Serie A this season, whilst Tosin has only averaged 1.3 tackles and interceptions and 3.2 duels won per match in the Premier League this term.
Chelsea's TosinAdarabioyocelebrates after the match
These statistics suggest that Gila could come in as a defensive upgrade on the current Chelsea centre-back due to his ability to win more tackles, interceptions, and duels per game to cut out opposition attacks.
The Blues, however, are a ball-dominant team that also need centre-backs who are good enough on the ball to build attacks for Enzo Maresca, which the Lazio colossus certainly is.
Pass accuracy
91%
91%
Progressive passes
2.66
4.70
Progressive carries
0.34
1.46
Successful take-ons
0.27
0.20
Shot-creating actions
0.96
1.16
As you can see in the table above, Gila is more progressive, as a passer and a carrier, from a central defensive position than Tosin is, with far more progressive passes and carries per 90 over the last 365 days.
Therefore, the £25m-rated defender could come in as a big upgrade on the former Fulham man because he could offer more to the team as an out-and-out defender and as a progressive option in possession.
Chelsea can bin Nkunku by signing "fantastic" £100m Premier League striker
With Christopher Nkunku set to leave Chelsea this summer, they should target a “fantastic” Premier League striker to replace the wantaway Frenchman.
ByBen Gray May 18, 2025
This is why the Blues should swoop to sign him as an alternative to Huijsen, as the 24-year-old star could improve Maresca’s side with his qualities on and off the ball.
Brendan Rodgers returned to Celtic to manage the club for a second time in the summer of 2023 when Ange Postecoglou decided to ditch Parkhead for the Premier League.
The Northern Irish head coach, who had left the Hoops to join Leicester City in 2019, enjoyed a fantastic first season back in Glasgow, winning the Scottish Premiership and the SFA Cup.
Celtic, despite already enjoying a successful campaign, backed Rodgers in the summer transfer window by signing the likes of Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, and Luke McCowan, as well as signing Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah on permanent deals.
That backing looks to have paid off because the Hoops are a SFA Cup final win over Aberdeen from winning the domestic treble, which would be an improvement on the 2023/24 campaign.
Celtic could, therefore, back Rodgers once again in the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster the squad even further, potentially with a view to going further in the Champions League.
One player who has been linked with a potential move to Parkhead ahead of the 2025/26 campaign is Lennon Miller, who is currently starring in the Premiership.
How much Lennon Miller could cost Celtic
Back in March, The Scottish Sun reported that Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise are working on a deal to sign the Motherwell star for a fee of £5m.
They are Brighton & Hove Albion’s sister club and the report claimed that the Premier League side view him as a long-term prospect and would want him to play European football with USG before making a move to the AMEX in the future.
The Scottish Sun added that both Celtic and Udinese had offers turned down by Motherwell for the Scotland international in the January transfer window.
Football Insider have since reported that the Hoops remain interested in a deal for Miller and are set to pursue him in the summer transfer window, which suggests that they could challenge USG for the £5m-rated star.
The Scottish star, dubbed Motherwell’s ‘Star Boy’ by the league’s official X account, has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Premiership for his club at such a young age this season.
Miller, who only turns 19 in August, has showcased his quality in and out of possession in the middle of the park throughout the 2025/26 campaign, as a midfielder who can break up play as well as provide quality at the top end of the pitch.
Appearances
29
Goals
2
Big chances created
11
Assists
7
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.1
Ball recoveries per game
6.5
Duel success rate
52%
As you can see in the table above, the Motherwell star has been an excellent creator for Motherwell, with 11 ‘big chances’ created in 29 matches, whilst also being able to consistently break up opposition attacks with tackles, interceptions, and recoveries.
These statistics, for a player who is only 18, explain why he could be well worth the reported £5m transfer fee for Celtic, or any of the other clubs interested in signing him.
The Hoops, though, already have a central midfield player who is worth even more than the £5m that it would take to sign Miller, because the club have hit the jackpot with club captain Callum McGregor.
How much Callum McGregor is worth
The former Scotland international came up through the youth ranks at Parkhead before emerging as a first-team star for the club after a loan spell with Notts County in England.
McGregor first came into the senior set-up in the 2014/15 campaign, after that loan down south, and has gone on to rack up a staggering 514 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Callum McGregor
The left-footed star, who has won ten Premiership titles with the Scottish giants, is now the Celtic captain and an integral part of Rodgers’ team in the present day, at the age of 31.
McGregor was valued at just £127k by Transfermarkt at the time of his emergence in the first-team at Parkhead, and that value has soared significantly in the past 11 years, as shown in the table below.
May 2014
£127k
November 2015
£848k
August 2018
£1.7m
August 2019
£4.2m
July 2020
£5m
May 2021
£5.9m
December 2022
£6.7m
December 2023
£7.6m
December 2024
£6.3m
March 2025
£5.5m
The Scottish star’s value skyrocketed throughout his early career at Parkhead and peaked at £7.6m in 2023, but it has gone down slightly in the last couple of years.
That is not because of his performances, though, as he has naturally declined in value with age. There is not much sale value in a player who turns 32 this summer, which may be why his value has dropped down to £5.5m.
Callum McGregor
Despite his value having dropped in the last couple of years, McGregor is still worth £500k more than Lennon Miller, who is reportedly valued at £5m, which shows that Celtic have hit the jackpot with their captain.
They have struck gold with the central midfielder because he did not cost them a penny to sign, given that he came up through the academy, and has developed into an incredibly valuable asset and key player on the pitch.
In the 2024/25 campaign, McGregor has made 50 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops and is on course to lead the team to a treble, if they beat Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final.
The experienced star has also scored ten goals, including the one above, in those 50 matches, which shows that he has provided a big threat at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position.
Earlier this year, his Rodgers lauded his quality, saying: “He is such a unique player, the tempo setter for the team. He’s tactically so good, he really is a coach on the pitch.
“He sees all the pictures we want and he knows when to release himself to shoot or create goals. A wonderful player who is the glue for this team.”
This shows that McGregor remains an important player for the manager, given how often he has played this season, whilst also being more valuable than a midfielder the club are reportedly looking to sign this summer.
Fewer minutes than Nawrocki: Celtic must axe flop who's "not good enough"
Celtic must finally part ways with this player who has played fewer minutes than Maik Nawrocki.
ByDan Emery May 9, 2025
Celtic have, therefore, hit the jackpot with the Scottish metronome, who is on course to spend his entire career at Parkhead, and they may hope that they can develop more players like him through the academy system in the years to come.
By the end of his 54-ball 135, records and England were left shattered, and there were smiles on the faces of every spectator at the ground
S Sudarshanan03-Feb-20254:07
Abhishek: ‘If I have the ability, I should nourish it’
You couldn’t hear yourself think if you were at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday evening. The raucous cheers slowly turned into rapturous applause. The and the whistles were drowned out. Everybody was on their feet. Those selling refreshments in the stands had paused. The security personnel had also let their guards down. “Aaa-bheee-shake! Aaa-bheee-shake!” went the chants. In proper rhythm.There were smiles everywhere. Not least on the face of Gautam Gambhir, who is usually reserved. He was up on his feet with a wide grin, not for the first time either. The reason: Abhishek Sharma. He had put on an exhibition – a 54-ball 135 that was as awe-inspiring as it was breathtaking – to shatter records and England. He acknowledged the noise as he walked back. He stopped in his path, turned, and raised the bat and helmet, and continued walking towards his team-mates. The show had finally ended after 93 minutes.The signs of his intent were visible early. Mark Wood, who had replaced Saqib Mahmood in England’s XI, bowled a short ball at 150.1kph that Abhishek pulled over midwicket for a couple. All-out attack has worked for him in the past, and he was not going to back down on this occasion. Even if it meant taking that extra risk. Like he did against Jofra Archer in the third over. He skipped down while making room to a length delivery angled in at 142.3kph and thrashed it over extra cover. He ended that over with back-to-back sixes – a 146.1kph short ball slashed over backward point and a 147.2kph rocket bashed over the covers.Related
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Abhishek shatters records and England in Mumbai
It was carnage. Abhishek played proper cricketing strokes – the drive, the lofted drive, the flick, the cut. All of it seemingly effortless. Most of them gorgeous. All of them effective.Abhishek has done it so often in recent times – like for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2024 or for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He hit a 28-ball century in December last year. Yet it felt new; you could not take your eyes away. “This is like you are at the airport and the planes are flying above you,” Harsha Bhogle said on air as Abhishek hit sixes at will – a record 13 of them.Two of them came when he skipped down to Adil Rashid on successive balls and tonked him straight over the sight screen at the media end. Abhishek himself liked those. “I don’t remember half of them. But I think [I liked] the way I used the pace of the bowlers over covers or even against Adil Rashid; I liked how they felt while hitting,” he said at the press conference.What helped Abhishek was that the England bowlers missed their lines and lengths often. Bowling full at the Wankhede comes with peril. Yet, England bowled ten balls in Abhishek’s slot that cost them 30. Short-of-good lengths are generally a safer option, but he stayed leg side of those and dispatched them in the arc between backward point and long-off. England could not attack him on the body, and he did not need the pull much. Even against seriously fast bowling, with Wood regularly breaching the 150kph mark, despite bowling with a heavily strapped left leg.
“Looking back at the last IPL, him and Travis Head were the same [at] the top of the order for Sunrisers, and he has brought that into India”Jos Buttler
Abhishek was severe on Jamie Overton, greeting him with two successive sixes and taking 15 off his first four balls and 20 off six. His 100th run came with one of his least brutal strokes – a tap in front of cover point. Helmet off, a big leap, arms in the air, he blew a flying kiss towards the President’s Box, where his mother and sister were seated – “When you play such an innings in front of your parents and family, it makes you feel proud and happy; you are able to share such moments with them, so I feel very blessed” – before refocusing. He was on 99 off 36 balls by the tenth over but found the strike hard to get as he scored nine off nine in the next six overs. Then he sped up again to score 27 off eight, including 12 off Brydon Carse, England’s best bowler on the night, in a 17-run over.”Some of the cricketing shots were incredible,” Gambhir later told Star Sports. “Just the bat swing… I haven’t seen a better T20 innings, and against an attack like this where you’ve got Jofra Archer and Mark Wood bowling at 150kph consistently. You might see a lot of T20 hundreds in the IPL, but the quality of attack in front of them [in this series] and a young boy taking them on from ball one is probably the best I have seen.”By the time Abhishek fell, India were well past 200. There was a sense that it was past England’s reach, even if the track had more runs on it and dew was expected to set in. As if on cue, England collapsed in a heap, with Phil Salt scoring 55 off the 97 they made. Abhishek struck twice in the single over he bowled to take down Carse and Overton. A complete game for Abhishek, who scored 38 more than all of England could.3:15
Manjrekar: Abhishek has grown into a very confident batter
“Credit to Abhishek Sharma, I thought that’s as clean a ball-striking as I’ve seen,” England captain Jos Buttler said. “I thought he played fantastically well. We always sit down and think what more we could have done or how we could have stopped him. It can be difficult sometimes when a player gets on a roll and they play as well as he did. Looking back at the last IPL, him and Travis Head were the same [at] the top of the order for Sunrisers, and he has brought that into India. He played a brilliant innings and yes, sometimes you want to credit the opposition.”Most of the capacity crowd stayed back till the last ball. Some of them even wanted to hear the Player of the Match speak. And some others queued up in the narrow lane outside the Wankhede to get another glimpse of their hero of the night. Some, who had watched Shane Watson’s 117 not out and Sanath Jayasuriya’s 114 not out at the venue, felt Abhishek’s knock was the more destructive.On a cool, windy Mumbai evening, the idea of what a 37-ball hundred is all about had changed for everyone.
Boland is very worthy of every opportunity he gets, and feels ideally suited for the green-tinged pitch at The Oval
Andrew McGlashan06-Jun-2023Scott Boland’s place in Australia’s attack for the World Test Championship final against India is nothing less than he deserves. But it was very close to not happening.The selectors have, understandably, taken a cautious approach with Josh Hazlewood. Had he been just a little more ready, or if a five-match Ashes did not follow this Test, it’s highly likely he would have been in the XI.And, with a Test record that reads 222 wickets at 25.83, he would have been worthy of his spot.Related
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However, Boland is currently very worthy of every opportunity he gets. With a green tinge to The Oval pitch, Boland feels like a bowler ideally suited to the conditions. Along with Pat Cummins, he caused Australia’s batters some uneasy moments in the nets on Monday.”In Australia, you can get passages of play where the Kookaburra doesn’t do much and the wicket is quite flat,” Cummins said. “In the past here in England, because the ball does talk a little more, I’ve seen players get too caught up in trying to take wickets every ball because you’ve suddenly got the ball swinging and seaming. Think someone like Scotty, it’s just a really simple gameplan: you hit your good areas and you stay there all day and hopefully the ball will do the work for you. He’s had a few bowls over here now and has looked good, but he looks good whenever he bowls.”This Test will be Boland’s first game of first-class cricket in England (he has only played two first-class games outside Australia), and the first time he has bowled with the Dukes ball. For a bowler of his skillset that is a somewhat surprising statistic. He did not feature in the Australia A side which toured in 2019 despite 48 wickets at 19.66 the preceding season.His only previous experience in the UK was with the Aboriginal side which toured in 2018. Boland, who is becoming a hugely significant figure in Australian cricket, is one of just two indigenous male Test cricketers alongside Jason Gillespie.
“Scotty is consistent, bowls good lines and lengths, bangs away there all day, and keeps you under pressure, every delivery, and he’s going to do the same with the Dukes. But this time, he’s going to get a little bit more assistance”Peter Siddle on Scott Boland
A number of counties enquired about his services for a pre-Ashes stint this season, but Boland declined, instead wanting to bowl the majority of his deliveries for Victoria and Australia.Peter Siddle, who played in the 2019 Ashes and will once again be a domestic team-mate of Boland’s next season having returned to Victoria, believes he has all the attributes to be handful.”All I said to him was, ‘you don’t have to change too much’,” Siddle told ESPNcricinfo. “I think his bowling and style is very much already suited to bowling with the Dukes. And I think the other big factor, like I’ve said to the boys for years coming over here before Ashes series, is don’t get too carried away with the swing.”Scotty is consistent, bowls good lines and lengths, bangs away there all day, and keeps you under pressure, every delivery, and he’s going to do the same with the Dukes. But this time, he’s going to get a little bit more assistance. I’m excited to see him do his thing. Firstly, the Test final, but I think he’ll have a big part of the play throughout this Ashes series. Because he’s going to be very well suited to these conditions. And I think he’s going to do well.”He expects Boland to make extensive use of the wobble-seam delivery, which Siddle learnt from his time in county cricket and picking the brains of Stuart Broad.Getty Images”We’ve spoken a lot about it,” Siddle said. “Scotty’s been doing that with the Kookaburra for a couple of years now. So now he’ll use that a lot throughout this series. It definitely works wonders over here. Especially when you’re trying to seam the ball. You’ll see that used a lot.”Boland’s last Test outing, in Nagpur, was the first wicketless match of his career and saw his average balloon to 13.42 – for a while during his first two home summers, which began with that magical debut at the MCG against England, it was a bit of a game-within-a-game to see how long he could keep it below 10.Australia are in a fortunate position when Boland is not yet a first pick in the XI when everyone is fit. It makes you wonder when he might be elevated into that position.When Hazlewood returned from injury against South Africa in Sydney earlier this year, he was asked whether the established order of Australia’s fast bowlers would mean he slotted back in. And so it transpired with him playing as one of just two quicks. He justified it, too, with five wickets in the match.5:05
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Cummins said that Boland was “very close” to pushing himself into Australia’s first three on merit but added that there wasn’t a pecking order among the senior quicks.”I think we’re big on kind of everyone bowls slightly differently,” he said. “Even Scott is a seam bowler on a good length but he just offers something slightly different to, say, Joshy Hazlewood, and obviously Starcy [Mitchell Starc] being a left-hander is bit different. So I don’t think there’s ever a pecking order. You think about kind of the three guys that you want to go out and play.”The fact that Boland, right now, is Australia’s fourth quick could well be a key element in deciding the Ashes. Both sides are going to need their bowling depth and England’s is already being tested. Cummins wants to be able to field a side where all his quicks can bowl as much as needed without thoughts of what comes next.”That’s the luxury of having bench strength,” he said. “Hoff [Hazlewood] was really close to being available for this one so he’ll be available for the first [Ashes] Test. Nes [Michael Neser], you see how well he’s been doing in county cricket. Sean Abbott’s here, so I’m sure we’ll be calling on a lot of resources. And you don’t want to finish off a Test match with something in the tank knowing that you’ve got other guys fresh that you could bring in a few days later.”
And does Flavian Aponso still hold the record for being the oldest batsman to score a fifty in a World Cup?
Steven Lynch16-Feb-2021I played in the 1996 World Cup for the Holland team, and scored a fifty against Pakistan. I was 43 at the time, and was told it was a World Cup record – is that still the case?asked Flavian Aponso from England
It’s always great to receive a question from the horse’s mouth, as it were – so I’m pleased to be able to confirm that Flavian Aponso remains the oldest batsman to make a half-century in the World Cup: he was aged 43 years 121 days when he scored 58 for Netherlands against Pakistan in Lahore in March 1996. The only other 40-year-old to reach 50 in a World Cup innings was Misbah-ul-Haq of Pakistan, but he was still around two months short of his 41st birthday when he made four half-centuries in the 2015 World Cup.Aponso was close to selection for Sri Lanka before he joined a disapproved tour of South Africa. He says: “After completing 25 years in the Netherlands as a professional cricketer and coach, I moved to the UK in 2005 and got involved with three clubs in Harrow for cricket coaching for juniors. I conduct some private coaching sessions as well – it’s a nice way for this 68-plus ‘old man’ to stay involved in cricket. All my siblings are in Sri Lanka, and I usually visit them for Christmas.”Which is rarer: stumped in both innings of a Test, run out in both, or caught and bowled in both?asked Bob Metcalfe from England
There have been 25 instances of a batsman being run out in both innings of a Test, by 23 players – it happened to the Australian pair of Ian Healy and Mark Taylor twice. The most recent double victim was Cheteshwar Pujara, for India against South Africa in Centurion in 2017-18.Some 23 different batsmen have been out stumped in both innings (none of them twice). The most recent cases both happened in 2019-20: by Rohit Sharma for India against South Africa in Visakhapatnam in October 2019 (he did make 176 and 127, which probably made up for it), and Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in Harare three months later.But only 21 batsmen have been caught and bowled in both innings – the most recent was Ross Taylor, for New Zealand against England in Hamilton in 2007-08, the third of his 105 Tests to date. He gave a return catch to Kevin Pietersen in the first innings and Monty Panesar in the second: only four batsmen – John Trumble (on debut in 1884-85), Everton Weekes (for 162 and 101 in 1948-49), Keith Miller (in 1950-51) and Richie Benaud (in 1960-61) – have been caught and bowled by the same man in both innings.Which England players have the most runs and wickets in Tests at Lord’s without appearing on the honours boards there?asked Thim Ponnappa from the United States
The man with the most Test runs at Lord’s without the aid of a century – which would have meant his name would be enshrined on the honours board in the dressing room – is the former England captain Michael Atherton. He amassed 852 runs in 15 Tests at Lord’s, but his highest score was 99, agonisingly run out against Australia in 1993. Next comes Graham Thorpe, who made 711 runs in 13 Lord’s Tests, with a highest score of 89.The leading overseas player is Sunil Gavaskar, with 340 runs in five Tests at Lord’s, with a highest of 59 – although Gavaskar’s name does appear on the honours board, as he scored 188 for the World XI in the MCC Bicentenary match at Lord’s in 1987, which MCC treat like a Test.For the bowlers, Matthew Hoggard took 37 wickets in 11 Tests at Lord’s without the five-for that would have got him on the honours board (his best return was 4 for 27). The 1950s left-arm spinner Johnny Wardle claimed 23, and Australia’s Shane Warne 19, in four appearances, without a five-for.R Ashwin’s wicket of Rory Burns in England’s second innings was the first time in more than 130 years that a spinner had struck with the first ball of a Test innings•BCCII noticed Jofra Archer has got out in every Test innings he has batted in so far, despite usually coming in at No. 9 or 10. Which tailender has had the most innings without a not-out?asked Chris Harper from England
As I write, England’s Jofra Archer has had 18 innings in Tests and been dismissed in every one of them. As this table shows, he’s well down the overall list, which is headed by Sri Lanka’s Kaushal Silva, who was out in every one of his 74 Test innings, 12 more than Pakistan’s Salman Butt. Quite where Archer stands in relation to other tailenders depends how you classify them: the West Indian fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who I think fits the bill, has so far been out in all his 24 Test innings. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Guy de Alwis was dismissed in all his 19 Test innings, despite never going in above No. 8.Ravichandran Ashwin took a wicket with the first ball of England’s second innings in the first Test. When was the last time a spinner struck with the first ball of a Test innings?asked Jatin Moghal from India
R Ashwin dismissed Rory Burns with the first ball of England’s second innings in the first Test in Chennai. It was the first such instance in a Test for more than 130 years, since slow left-armer Bobby Peel nabbed Alec Bannerman with the first ball of Australia’s follow-on at Old Trafford in 1888.At first sight it would appear as if South Africa’s Bert Vogler did the same against England, trapping Tom Hayward lbw with the first ball of the match at The Oval in 1907. Vogler was usually a legspinner, but the match report in The Times the following day says “Vogler started with a few fast overs”. Some things never change: the newspaper added that “Hayward appeared to be dissatisfied with the decision.”Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions