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Tottenham Hotspur’s frontline has been impressive throughout the 2024/25 campaign, managing to catch the eye despite the club finishing in a lowly 17th position in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites netted 64 goals in their 38 outings, with only six other sides in the division scoring more, four of which managed to secure Champions League qualification.

Brennan Johnson finished the season as their top scorer in the league with his tally of 11 goals, adding to his excellent collection, which saw him net the winner in the Europa League final.

He was the only player to register double figures in the league, but numerous players across the squad managed to register key goals, which contributed to their excellent tally.

However, new boss Thomas Frank has immediately wanted to target reinforcements in such an area, evidently wanting strength and depth in his quest for success.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new attackers this summer

After his successful stint at Brentford, the Dane has already targeted a move for striker Yoane Wissa, with the Congolese star a man in demand this window.

He’s not the only Bees star on their radar, with Bryan Mbeumo another player who’s been strongly linked with the Lilywhites, but it appears they’ve missed out on his signature, with a move to Manchester United now edging closer.

Another name has been mentioned in recent days as a result, with Canadian international Jonathan David firmly on their radar, according to Get Football News Italy.

They report that Frank’s side have made contact with his representatives over a move to North London with his contract at Lille set to expire at the end of the month.

It also states that the 25-year-old has now halted talks with Italian sides Napoli and Juventus to explore a deal to the Premier League, after scoring 25 times in 49 appearances this season.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s own Kane

Harry Kane is a player who has cemented himself in Spurs’ history forever, catapulting himself into the hearts of the fanbase given his spell in the first team over a 10-year period.

The 31-year-old rose through the youth ranks before registering 280 goals for the club, a tally which has made him the highest goalscorer in the club’s history.

However, his goals weren’t enough to catapult the Lilywhites to any form of tangible success, subsequently seeing the forward leave for Bayern Munich in an £82m deal back in 2023.

Since his departure, the club have spent big on Dominic Solanke, dropping a club-record £65m fee to secure his signature, but he’s struggled to maintain elite levels of performance over the course of his first campaign – scoring just nine goals in the process.

The club have greatly lacked that clinical presence in forward areas, something which David could provide in North London should the club land him in the coming weeks.

When comparing his stats to those of fan-favourite Kane, he’s managed to outperform him in numerous key areas this campaign – with FBref labelling him as a similar player to the England international.

David, who’s been labelled “one of the best strikers in the world” by Tony Marinaro, has achieved a better shot on target rate than Kane this season, highlighting his clinical nature within the final third.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted and registered a higher tally of key passes per 90, offering Frank’s side an all-round option that can provide alongside scoring.

The Canadian has further demonstrated his all-round talents, registering a higher take-on completion rate, whilst posting more progressive carries per 90 – having the skillset to create his own opportunities, rather than be dependent on his teammates.

Given that the forward is available on a free transfer this summer, it would be a no-brainer for Spurs to strongly pursue a move to avoid missing out on his signature in the coming weeks.

If he can get anywhere near close to the levels produced by the departed forward in North London, it would be a superb signing, with his talents undoubtedly handing the manager the attacking quality he desires.

Frank's answer to Bale: Spurs make huge bid to sign "sensational" £70m star

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making huge strides in a deal for one attacking star.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 24, 2025

The allrounder called Suryakumar’s leadership skills “amazing” for thinking out of the box

Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Jul-20241:44

Washington lauds Suryakumar’s ‘amazing leadership skills’

Sri Lanka needed nine to win off the last two overs in the third T20I. India still had the bowling of Mohammed Siraj to call on (Siraj had conceded just 11 off his first three overs). They also had one over from Khaleel Ahmed, who could have bowled the 20th.But with Kusal Perera still at the crease, captain Suryakumar Yadav went to the offspin of Rinku Singh, which had never before been seen in a T20 international. It worked out brilliantly – Perera first top-edging a cross-batted shot so badly, Rinku himself could get under it. Later in the over, Ramesh Mendis also holed out, to deep midwicket.Having watched Rinku concede only three runs and claim two wickets in a pressure over, Suryakumar made the decision to bowl his own offspin in the final over, taking two further wickets himself, and conceding only five to win the match.Related

Washington, Suryakumar, Rinku bowl India to Super Over win

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After the match, Washington Sundar, the frontline offspin bowler in the team described this spell of captaincy as “amazing”. The pitch was taking big turn, and Sri Lanka were struggling hugely against the slow bowlers. Suryakumar gambled on two rank part-timers.”It was amazing from Surya and his leadership skills,” Washington said. “I think he felt given the situation if he bowled more spinners we’d have a good chance to win the game. Given the wicket and the situation, he took one or two options, and it did wonders for us.”There were only 12 balls to go and Kusal Perera was batting. Rinku got him out and Surya himself came on in the last over and almost won the game for us. We all know he has a big heart when he goes out there to bat, but he also has a big heart in leadership as well.”Washington himself then played a key role, bowling a Super Over in which he conceded just two runs, but took two wickets. In regular play he had taken 2 for 23.”Honestly, I had no idea I was going to bowl. It was after the batsmen walked out that Surya turned behind and said: ‘Washy, you’re on.’ I was very happy, to be honest. When the captain wants you to bowl especially in tough situations, in a Super Over. I thought it was a great opportunity for me to step up and win games for my country. Thank God it went well.”Although India didn’t seem capable of defending 137 for the vast majority of the chase, Suryakumar never lost hope, Washington said. Sri Lanka, at one stage, needed 28 runs off 28 balls, with nine wickets in hand. India would then set in motion a huge collapse.”Surya kept teling us that one or two wickets, and the game would definitely change,” Washington said. “In these kinds of wickets, in low-scoring games, even run-a-ball could be a lot of pressure on the batsmen because there’s something for the bowlers in the wicket.”He said one or two wickets in the middle overs would get us in the game, and that’s exactly what happened. I hope the audience enjoyed it because you will only see such games every now and then. To be a part of this game feels great.”

The start of Glasgow Rangers’ season is now fast approaching with the Gers’ first pre-season fixture taking place a week on Saturday, with the start of European qualifying coming up as soon as 22 July.

That’s all before the new Rangers manager, Russell Martin, will commence his Scottish Premiership campaign on Saturday 2 August.

Ahead of that busy fixture list, the Light Blues have been busy off the field overhauling their squad, so could they secure a “phenomenal” new signing in the process?

Rangers' busy transfer activity

On Wednesday, Max Aarons put pen to paper, joining Rangers on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.

He is the club’s second signing of the summer, after Lyall Cameron, but many more are forecast in the coming days and weeks.

Indeed, according to a report by EFL analysis, new manager Martin is targeting a move to bring in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who he signed for Southampton just 12 months ago, for a reported fee of £25m.

Bailey adds that, due to the fact he is earning £120,000-per-week, the Saints are willing to sanction a loan ‘with an option to buy’ for Ramsdale this summer; Wolves and Leeds United also ‘interested’,

A fee could prove prohibitive for Rangers, given that their record-signing of the post-liquidation era is the £7.5m spent on Ryan Kent in 2019.

Nevertheless, with Southampton looking to offload, thereby open to a loan move, could the England international end up in Glasgow?

Why Aaron Ramsdale would be a game-changing signing for Rangers

Max Aarons has arrived at Rangers to much excitement, and rightly so.

The 24-year-old did just endure a pretty miserable campaign, barely featuring for Bournemouth, thereby spending the second half of the season on loan at Valencia, albeit he then made only five appearances for los Murciélagos, totalling a miserly 208 minutes.

Nevertheless, the youngster is still a player of great potential, almost joining Tottenham for £15m as a teenager, with Tom Quartly of Breaking the Lines asserting that he offers ‘fluidity in both attacking and defensive phases’ from full-back.

Aarons’ arrival does bring into question the future of Rangers’ two existing right-backs, namely captain and long-serving stalwart James Tavernier, as well as the promising Dujon Sterling, as this was not an area of obvious need.

The same, however, cannot be said about goalkeeper, with the potential arrival of Ramsdale addressing a pressing issue.

After arriving two years ago, for so long, Jack Butland was Rangers’ undisputed number one, starting 102 of his first 111 matches at the club, before being dropped by interim manager Barry Ferguson, following a sequence of high-profile errors, hence why deputy Liam Kelly got the nod for the Europa League quarter-final tie against Athletic Club.

Even though the Scotland international shot-stopper dramatically saved Álex Berenguer’s late penalty in the first leg at Ibrox, the table below emphasises that neither Kelly nor Butland are perhaps what Martin is looking for.

Goals against per 90

1.11

3rd

1

2nd

Save %

65.5%

17th

67.9%

11th

Clean sheet %

37.5%

5th

40%

4th

So, would Ramsdale be a major upgrade?

Well, former Arsenal goalkeeper asserted that Ramsdale’s performances for the Gunners as “phenomenal”, while manager Mikel Arteta described him as “exceptional”, following a man of the match performance during a 2-2 draw at Anfield two seasons ago.

So, let’s take a deeper look at his statistics in the Premier League.

Saves

120 (2nd)

94 (10th)

Save %

67.6% (15th)

70.6% (11th)

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

-0.08 (17th)

-0.05 (12th)

% of crosses stopped

5.5% (16th)

5.8% (16th)

Short passes attempted

1,026 (9th)

956 (8th)

The table includes last season, when Ramsdale was plying his trade for a historically terrible Southampton team, hence why only Mark Flekken made more saves than he did, as well as his final campaign as Arsenal’s number one, this 2022/23.

While the England international’s statistics don’t all leap off the page, it is clear that he is certainly a Premier League-level goalkeeper and a very good one at that, one that should not be playing for the team at the bottom of the division, that’s for sure.

His passing numbers are also impressive, which would very much fit into Martin’s style that prioritises control through possession.

Thus, if Rangers are able to lure him north of the border, this would be a massive coup, especially considering the trials and tribulations endured by Butland and Kelly last season.

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ByBen Gray Jun 26, 2025

After securing promotion from the Championship at the end of the season, Leeds United will need to make shrewd additions if they are to build on their success.

Daniel Farke has led the side back to the Premier League, but the hard work starts now for the German, given the nature of the task he’s faced with in 2025/26.

The last six teams promoted to England’s top-flight have all suffered an immediate relegation back to the second tier, with the Whites looking to avoid suffering the same fate.

However, despite registering a total of 100 points in this campaign, investment is needed from the hierarchy if they are to be competitive and maintain their Premier League status.

The manager will also need to move some players on from Elland Road, with multiple already touted with transfers away from Yorkshire over the coming months.

The latest on players who could leave Leeds this summer

Left-back Junior Firpo is one player who looks set to leave Leeds this summer, with his contract now just having over a month left until he becomes a free agent.

He’s since been touted with a whole host of moves away from Yorkshire, with Spanish outfit Real Betis strongly linked with a move to resign the 28-year-old ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Striker Mateo Joseph had huge expectations going into this season, but it’s safe to say that the Spaniard has struggled massively, scoring just three goals in his 39 league outings.

Like Firpo, he too has been touted with a summer switch back to LaLiga, with Betis also keen on a deal to sign the Spanish U21 international in the coming months.

However, despite the interest in the aforementioned pair, one other player needs to be sold from the club during the off-season, handing Farke the funds to make changes to his squad.

The player who Farke needs to sell this summer

After a two-year absence from the top-flight, Leeds will return to such a division ahead of 2025/26, looking to match the performance levels they set for themselves in 2020/21.

Under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa, the Whites secured a ninth-placed finish, taking the division by storm with his infamous ‘Bielsa Ball’ system which required high-intensity running.

Only numerous players from that squad currently remain at Elland Road, with striker Patrick Bamford one of those stars – scoring 17 times and earning an England call-up as a result.

Winger Jack Harrison is another talent who was part of such a squad, but he’s massively disappointed in recent years, being sent on loan to Everton for the last couple of seasons.

During his time at Elland Road, he caught the eye with his pace and eye for a goal, leading to former Whites star David Norris labelling him “exciting to watch”.

He’s notched a combined total of 207 appearances for the club over various spells, registering 34 goals in such time – but he shouldn’t be given the chance to add to such tallies in 2025/26.

After relegation back in 2022/23, he would leave and join the Toffees on two separate loan stints, but it was announced earlier this week that they would not be making his deal permanent this summer.

As a result, he will return to Yorkshire, but Farke should sell him and raise funds for new additions, allowing him to try and resurrect his career elsewhere in the coming months.

His figures at Goodison Park compared to his latest season in Yorkshire highlight his demise over the last few years, desperately needing to cut ties and allow him to move onto pastures new.

The 28-year-old still has three years left on his current deal at Elland Road, but it remains unclear how much they will demand to sell him during the off-season.

However, given such a dip in performance, it’s clear that he’s not at the level required if the side are to survive the drop next campaign, allowing the manager to make his own stamp on the squad.

Leeds now keen on signing "brilliant" Liverpool-born player with 3 England caps

The Whites are now interested in signing a Premier League player, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer.

3

By
Dominic Lund

May 27, 2025

A £50 million-rated Crystal Palace star has now told club chiefs that he is ready to leave this summer amid interest from Manchester United and others, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace chasing midfield reinforcements

Whether Palace win the FA Cup and therefore secure Europa League football or not, it looks as though the South Londoners are going to be very busy in the summer transfer window.

New target: Crystal Palace interested in signing "fantastic" £9m "monster"

The Eagles have set their sights on a midfielder, who is set to be available for a bargain fee this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

May 1, 2025

A couple of weeks ago, Palace announced that midfielder Will Hughes agreed a new contract until 2027, but it is still clear Oliver Glasner and co. have their eyes on adding to their options in the middle of the park. Highly-rated Sunderland pair Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham have been linked with moves to Selhurst Park, but they are not the only options under consideration.

Palace are now interested in signing Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City, as the midfielder can leave the Foxes for just £9 million, given that he has a relegation clause.

However, they are not alone in the race, as Everton and Fulham from the Premier League are also interested in a deal. Palace are also in the running to sign midfielder Rayan Cherki from French side Lyon. However, the Premier League side are considered ‘dark horses’ in the race, given that there are many other teams from England also looking to snap up the exciting attacker.

£50m Crystal Palace star tells chiefs he wants out

Signing players like Ndidi and Cherki may become a top priority for the Eagles, given the fact they could be about to lose a key player. According to TBR Football, Eberechi Eze has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave the club this summer amid interest from Premier League teams.

TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey has now reported that Eze feels it is the right time for him to leave Palace. This news comes amid significant interest from teams in the Premier League – Manchester United are hopeful of signing Eze, while Spurs consider signing Eze as a replacement for Son Heung-min and Liverpool are considered the frontrunners to secure a deal.

Bailey said on Eze’s situation: “Much will depend on Palace’s demands around his release clause; very few are needed to be paid in one lump sum, and I don’t believe that Palace will do that to Eze either. Tottenham love the player; we know that – but they are not alone – Manchester City like him a lot. I am told that Pep Guardiola is an admirer.

“City are looking at bolstering their attacking midfield ranks, but Florian Wirtz is ahead of him in that regard, and I believe so are Lucas Paqueta, Charles De Ketelaere and Francisco Trincão, but I would not dismiss it totally. Newcastle and Aston Villa also admire him, and if he does go – it will be a team playing in Europe.

“Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are all fully aware of him and are fans of his talents, but I don’t believe he is a priority for them as it stands. Eze, for his part, feels the time is right to move and has expressed this to Palace.”

Eze, who has been dubbed “frightening” by teammate Joel Ward, would cost teams a minimum of £50 million this summer.

Ahead of what could be another busy summer at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have now reportedly held direct talks with one European club chief over signing a £42m defender.

Chelsea making summer transfer plans

As ever, the Blues will be ones to watch this summer. Even as their Champions League qualification remains unconfirmed, those at Stamford Bridge are likely to be in a position to splash the cash in an attempt to finally put a side together capable of taking Chelsea back into the Premier League title picture.

With the summer transfer window fast-approaching too, the rumours have already been coming thick and fast. Names such as Ollie Watkins and Dean Huijsen have particularly been mentioned among the headlines in recent weeks and there’s no denying that both would hand Enzo Maresca key upgrades at opposite ends of his strongest side.

Watkins would be a particularly interesting arrival thanks to his place at Aston Villa – a direct rival for Champions League qualification. A proven goalscorer in the Premier League, the England international could finally be the answer to the Blues’ striker problems if he decides to swap the Midlands for the London club this summer.

In pursuit of a rival star, to say that Champions League qualification would go a long way towards luring such players to Stamford Bridge would be a major understatement – especially if it means that Aston Villa miss out on a place.

Whilst it’s easy for the Blues to get ahead of themselves, however, Maresca chose to remain fairly grounded when quizzed on the frantic top five battle – telling reporters: “The mood is good and I’ve said for a few weeks now that it’s a matter of how we manage emotions until the end [of the season],’ the Blues head coach explained.

Talks now set to intensify as Chelsea prepare £17m bid to sign "pacy" gem

They’ve set their sights on another young talent.

ByTom Cunningham May 3, 2025

“When we win games, we are happy and when we don’t win, we’re not happy. But it’ll be a race until the end and we need to manage the emotions. In this moment, the main thing is to watch ourselves and be focused on ourselves. This is the main point. For sure, there are more clubs involved [in the top-five race] but for us, it’s important to stay focused on ourselves.”

Chelsea step up move to sign Hato

Away from the action on the pitch, meanwhile, BlueCo have reportedly been busy. According to Dutch journalist Mike Verweij on De Telegraaf’s Kick Off podcast, Chelsea have now held direct talks with Ajax chief Alex Kroes over signing Jorrel Hato this summer.

The teenage full-back has enjoyed an impressive campaign in the Netherlands and BlueCo are now reportedly set to step up their chase for his signature in a deal worth £42m this summer. Adding competition for Marc Cucurella in the process, Hato would go a long way towards handing Maresca a complete squad.

Praised for an “excellent” season by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Hato looks likely to be one to watch as Chelsea push to welcome yet another young talent this summer.

“You can’t let it chew you up’ – Shams Mulani has done it for Mumbai year after year and will continue to, whether or not higher honours come his way

Shashank Kishore22-Nov-2025There’s a growing perception in Indian cricket that Ranji Trophy success alone isn’t enough to break into the Test team. IPL performances are seen as proof of temperament under pressure. But what does a player do when the IPL call doesn’t come?Ask Shams Mulani, who has neither been an IPL regular nor made the India A cut, seemingly due to intense competition, with all of Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar and R Sai Kishore performing exceedingly well.Mulani’s record, though, is mighty impressive. Since 2022, no bowler in the country has taken more Ranji Trophy wickets than him: 198 at 21.92, with 16 five-fors and three ten-fors. The next best, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, has 157.In this period, Mulani has also been a regular performer in white-ball cricket – most notably in a key role in Mumbai’s maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) Trophy triumph in 2022-23, where he picked up 16 wickets in ten matches. Yet, despite this unmatched consistency, the IPL door has never really opened for Mulani, who has played all of two matches for Mumbai Indians.Related

• Auqib Nabi, Prithvi Shaw light up the Ranji Trophy

“You’re providing a service, bringing a skillset, and if there’s no demand, you just keep plugging away,” Mulani tells ESPNcricinfo. “The IPL is a great stage, but if you’re not playing there, you can’t let it chew you up. It’s easy to obsess over what you don’t have. I prefer to take pride in being a Mumbai cricketer, where nothing comes easy and you learn to enjoy the struggle.”It’s this mindset Mulani will carry into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy next week, joining hundreds of hopefuls vying for visibility ahead of the auction.

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Mulani wasn’t supposed to get this far. He barely made age-group sides and spent nearly two seasons on the fringes before debuting for Mumbai in all three formats in 2018. “When you don’t expect something and it happens, the happiness is different,” he says. “But playing for Mumbai comes with pressure. That pressure drives me.”Along the way, he has also learned to live with the noise and the scrutiny that invariably follows. “One bad game, even one bad session, and people are talking about you by evening. I’ve heard people say, ‘he’s done’ or ‘he doesn’t have it anymore’ [like in the knockouts phase of 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when he was dropped]. I try to stay calm and stick to my routine. Five-for or failure, nothing changes that.”That routine includes never skipping training. “Big players come with a purpose. They do things like clockwork. I’ve adopted that mindset. First optional session or second, I’m there. I hate missing it even if it’s optional.”Mulani has come through the first leg of the 2025-26 Ranji season with the same relentless sense of purpose. After five games, he is third on the wicket-takers’ list and central to Mumbai’s rise to the top of Elite Group C.

“As I look ahead, winning matches for Mumbai is what I train for. Anything else – any other team, any other setting – will just be a by-product”Shams Mulani

He revels in being Mumbai’s crisis man, and the season opener in Srinagar offered a reminder. After Mumbai’s top order was blown away by Auqib Nabi – 70 for 5 – in the second innings, Mulani’s gritty 41 dragged them to 181 and set Jammu & Kashmir a target of 243. He then produced a career-best 7 for 46 to secure a tense 35-run win, just when a second straight loss to J&K loomed. Amid the euphoria of that dramatic win, his first-innings 91, which set up the game, almost seemed like a footnote.”The main thing for me is getting a feel of the game,” he says. “Once I get that, I start visualising wickets. In Srinagar, the pitch was helping fast bowlers, so I didn’t get much in the first innings. But on the evening of day three, I told my room-mate Akash Anand, ‘I feel like tomorrow I’m going to change the game’. He wasn’t convinced. But I just had that feeling.”Two weeks ago in the fourth round, against Himachal Pradesh, he rescued Mumbai from 73 for 4 with a vital 69 and returned on the final day to take five wickets and finish the job. This ability to wheel away tirelessly is the result of years of work. “I played Ranji for years as a very different bowler,” he explains. “My mentality was simple: don’t give runs, control the game.”

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Everything changed when he began working with Amol Muzumdar in mid-2021 when Muzumdar was appointed Mumbai coach. “He really challenged me. He said containment alone wouldn’t take me to the next level. We debated a lot. He had his ideas, I had mine, and we found a middle ground. That shift helped massively.”Mulani ended the 2021-22 season with 45 wickets in six matches as Mumbai reached the final. “My mindset changed, and that happened because Amol backed me completely. Even now, Omkar Salvi [head coach] and Dhawal Kulkarni [bowling coach] keep pushing me.”And what changed technically?”I’ve always bowled left-arm around the wicket, running in straight. But most left-armers cut across the crease or go more side-on for angles,” Mulani says. “Before the season, Amol wanted me to try that. I was sceptical. I’d bowled the same way for years. But he told me, ‘don’t worry, I back you’.”They had an agreement: start spells with the new angle, return to his natural method later if it didn’t work.Shams Mulani is someone Mumbai trust to bail them out of tricky situations, even with the bat•PTI “It took a month to convince me. But once it settled, it felt really good. The ball came out faster, with more nip and bite. Being slightly more side-on helps create the angle and makes the ball carry off the pitch. The balance – not fully side-on, not fully straight – has made a big difference.”Another big shift has been fitness.”That’s played a huge role,” he says. “I’ve trained for five years with Vishal Chitarkar. He knows my body inside out. How fatigue affects me, how I should recover. We worked a lot on endurance, especially on the muscles that tire late in the day.”But training only takes you so far. In 95% humidity, in blazing heat, it’s willpower. You can give up and say you’re tired, but then you remind yourself the team needs you. Last year in the [Ranji Trophy] semi-final, I bowled 44 overs in the second innings. After 25, it was pure willpower. That ability to keep going has developed over time.”Over these years, Mulani has also fought to change perceptions. Early on, he was boxed in as a white-ball bowler. Now, his red-ball success has seen him being typecast at the other extreme. The younger Mulani might have been bothered; the 28-year-old version is not.”As I look ahead, winning matches for Mumbai is what I train for,” he says. “Anything else – any other team, any other setting – will just be a by-product.”If bigger doors open, Mulani will walk in. If they don’t, he’ll keep knocking on them the way he knows: one grinding spell, one hard run, one Mumbai win at a time.

Fielding on winning the toss, as captains did repeatedly at the end of the Sheffield Shield recently, almost never makes for a good strategy

Ian Chappell07-Apr-2024It’s becoming a trend – certainly in Australia – for the captain winning the toss to send the opposition in to bat.It happened on every occasion in the last seven Sheffield Shield matches of the season, including the final. Then, in a rather worrying imitation, it occurred all six times in the Sydney first grade finals. As talented English actress Emma Thompson shrewdly observed in a recent movie, “There are a lot of sheep out there dressed in human clothing.”The idea of regularly winning the toss and inserting the opposition in important matches often lacks common sense and makes one wonder whose decision it is. Is it the captain alone deciding to bowl first or is he being ill-advised by the backroom hierarchy? Or is it a trend that has developed from T20 cricket, where it’s helpful to know the target?Related

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The decision was exceedingly confusing in the case of the Sydney first-grade finals, where the team that finishes higher on the minor-round table advanced if there was no result in the match. On most occasions this meant the team that advanced in the case of a no-result batted well into the second day to ensure the opposition was shut out of the game.Surely if a lower-placed team bats first on winning the toss and plays well, they can at least determine when to declare. After all, they are the team who to take all ten wickets to win and advance. It’s better to be in a position to declare your first innings to try and win, rather than the match eventually being abandoned because the advantaged team bats well into the second day.Fielding first after winning the toss also suggests a lack of faith in the openers. It should be an accepted fact in cricket that openers are selected because they have the qualities to see you through a tough new-ball period.The definition of insanity is when the same decision is repeatedly taken but a different result is expected each time. That means many captains in Australian cricket have attained the required criteria.Scoreboard pressure, where wickets can be taken because a satisfactory first-innings total has been posted, is a reality.

When South Australia captain David Hookes sent the opposition in on a renowned good batting pitch at Adelaide Oval once, Darren Lehmann grabbed Hookes by the collar and screamed, “I drove to the ground today fresh and prepared to bat”

There are exceptions to every rule but especially in a knockout match it is usually best to post a decent total in the hope of winning the game. Short versions of the game like T20 are an altogether different proposition.A good example of batting first comes from the career of Darren Lehmann, before he went on to represent Australia. When South Australia captain David Hookes sent the opposition in on a renowned good batting pitch at Adelaide Oval once, Lehmann grabbed the skipper by the collar and screamed, “I drove to the ground today fresh and prepared to bat.”The operative word in Lehmann’s sensible lament was “fresh”. Why would you want to field while you are fresh and then bat when weary after having spent hours in the field chasing leather?The old quote by Vic Richardson, my grandfather, is often invoked: “If you win the toss, then nine times you bat first, and on the tenth occasion you ponder the decision but still bat.” It’s worth remembering that grandfather Richardson was a former Australia captain who led in an era of uncovered pitches.It doesn’t make sense in that case to not bat first if you win the toss in dry conditions.However, in the case of covered pitches too, there is still plenty to recommend batting first. In that case a team bats while the players are fresh and can claim a substantial advantage if they post a decent total. Then if they bowl well, that advantage is enhanced.Whatever decision is taken at the toss, you need to play well but there are many reasons why batting first is best. After all, there is only one decision a captain who wins the toss has to make: how do we best go about winning the game?

The 19-year-old batter’s early coaches talk about the dedication and maturity he brings to his game

Shashank Kishore06-May-2022At 19, Tilak Varma is truly part of the IPL generation.He was five years old when the tournament began, and his love for it grew when his home team, Deccan Chargers, won the title a year later in 2009. For the son of an electrician father and homemaker mother, Varma’s Rs 1.7 crore (US$226,000 approx) contract with Mumbai Indians is the stuff of dreams.Varma wants to build a comfortable house for him family, but his first coach, Salam Bayash only reaffirms one thing to him these days: “Keep learning, don’t stop improving and don’t take anything for granted.”Varma’s journey mirrors the struggle of a typical lower-middle class household in India, but with a dream payoff. His father, Nagaraju, couldn’t afford to send him to a private academy for cricket coaching, and if Bayash – who Nagaraju describes as his son’s godfather – hadn’t insisted on taking care of his fees and equipment needs, Varma may have been lost to the game, like many others in similar circumstances.Related

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Sitting pillion behind Bayash on a scooter, Varma would travel about 80km to and from his home in Chandrayan Gutta, in the Old City in Hyderabad, to the suburb of Lingampally six days a week for coaching.Bayash had been running his cricket academy for a few years when he first came across Varma. What impressed him about the boy, he says, was “the punch in his batting”.”When kids play with the tennis ball, they generally tend to slog, heave, play cross-batted shots. This boy was playing authentic shots. Clean shots.”I asked him if he was being coached. He said, ‘No sir, we have financial constraints.’ His maturity to understand his family’s difficulties was striking for me. That convinced me to speak to his parents. Today, they are so happy with the decision to send him [for coaching].”Varma’s flair and temperament have come in for special praise from former batting greats like Sunil Gavaskar and Matthew Hayden. Against Rajasthan Royals, he reverse swept an in-form R Ashwin for six and then got out trying to sweep him off the next ball.Mumbai Indians scouts happened to watch him multiple times at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy last November, and were impressed with how Varma played alongside his captain Tanmay Agarwal, scoring a 32-ball 37 in Hyderabad’s successful chase of 171 against Delhi.Salam Bayash with a 14-year-old Varma•Salam BayashIn the quarter-final, against Gujarat, Varma smashed five fours and two sixes in a 50-ball 75 to set up a 30-run win. Mumbai decided then to keep an eye on Varma’s performances, and were one of four franchises to call him for trials ahead of the auction.”Before the auction, scouts always like to know something about a player from coaches,” says Milap Mewada, Hyderabad’s head coach.”They [Mumbai’s scouts] asked me about Tilak. I told them he was a very good kid with a mature head on his shoulders, someone who can be adept at hitting big sixes, convincing sixes.”At the same time, he can knuckle down and play a solid game also if the situation demands. He can put the ball into the second tier effortlessly. The moment he hits the ball, you know if it’ll clear the ropes or not. There are no half-measures.”During the domestic white-ball season, Mewada and Varma worked on having different scoring options for the same kind of delivery, so he could build the ability to access different parts of the ground.”You must have seen him try and ramp bouncers instead of pulling or hooking,” Mewada says. “Or trying to use the angle and pace to pick gaps behind the wicket to wide yorkers as against trying to swing across the line. Those are things we did during the white-ball season.”Another thing I spoke to him about, based on where his game is at currently, was that it would be best for him to bat at four instead of at the top. He bought into the idea. He didn’t know then that he’d be picked by Mumbai or that he’ll be batting at five for them. But in a way, it has all worked out well.”Varma worked with his Hyderabad coach on playing ramp shot to bouncers during the last domestic season•BCCIBayash remembers Varma’s dedication towards improving his skills. A friend of the coach at the Hyderabad Cricket Association had arranged for Varma to be on ball-boy duties in 2014.”Next day, he came and told me, ‘I want to bat like Suresh Raina. upper shot khelna hai [I want to play the upper shot like Raina].'”He kept practising that inside-out shot over cover,” Bayash remembers. “His father told me how the next day he was up at 4am and shadow-practising that Raina shot. If he sets his eye on something, he’ll ensure he ticks that off and then goes to the next thing.”He’s still a teen but Varma is already a key member of Hyderabad’s set-up across formats. An early initiation into the IPL with the five-time champions only brings with it the promise of bigger things.Bayash and Mewada, who have been in touch with Varma during the IPL, are united in the advice they offer: keep enjoying the game without feeling the pressure of having to live up to expectations now you have got some recognition.It’s what his Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma seems to have told Varma too.”Rohit bhai keeps telling me: ‘Don’t take pressure in any situation,'” Varma said in an interview with the Mumbai Indians website. “‘Keep enjoying and playing the way you do. You’re a youngster, this is the time to enjoy. If you lose that, it [these days] won’t come back.'”He [Rohit] always backs me in everything, whether it’s fielding, bowling, or batting, now and in the future too,” Varma says.Bayash with Varma after the latter was picked in the India squad for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup•Salam Bayash”Mumbai are in a downward phase right now, we’re playing well but falling short due to a few errors. Even in this situation, he keeps telling me not to lose that enjoyment factor, and it feels nice when he tells me that. It’s always on my mind and it’s working well for me.”Those around Varma describe him as a “happy kid” who enjoys spending time with friends when not on the field.”When he’s at the ground, he is always thinking of ways to contribute,” Bayash says.Mewada says Varma’s lively persona has infused positivity and cheer into the Hyderabad team environment. “He’s very soft-spoken off the field and very serious when he’s batting. And sometimes while fielding also, he’ll be so intense about batting that you have to tell him to take it easy,” Mewada says. “But as a person, he’s polite, grounded, coachable. Has a great attitude to learn.”He’ll keep joking, mingles well with seniors and juniors – they’re all fond of him. The seniors will mimic him, and he’ll take [the teasing] sportingly. He’s basically a friend of all.”Two players in the team are like that always: Tilak and Mohammed Siraj. Jolly fellows, very grounded. If he [Varma] stays like this, he’s going to do wonderful things.”

Also: what is the highest second-innings score by someone who made a duck in the first innings of a Test?

Steven Lynch21-Apr-2020I noticed that the West Indian Raphick Jumadeen scored a Test half-century, but made only 84 runs in his career. What’s the lowest amount for someone who made a Test fifty? And I’m guessing the lowest for century-makers is Andy Ganteaume? asked CS Manish from the United States

The Trinidadian left-arm spinner Raphick Jumadeen scored 84 runs in his 12 Tests. Apart from his 56 against India in Kanpur in 1979, he reached double figures only once in 13 other innings. He might claim to have been cut off just as he was hitting form as that turned out to be his last Test appearance!However, quite a few players who managed a Test half-century ended up with fewer runs than Jumadeen – he sits joint 32nd overall, although no one higher than him had even half as many innings. The fewest runs of all is 51, by the New Zealander Herb McGirr in his only Test innings, which came in his second and last match, against England in Auckland in 1930.But you’re right about Andy Ganteaume, another Trinidadian, who made 112 in his only Test innings, against England in Port-of-Spain in 1948: the next-lowest aggregate by someone with a Test hundred to his name is 144, by the old Lancashire opener Winston Place, and current Australian squad member Kurtis Patterson, who may yet add to his tally.How many people have taken four wickets in five balls in a one-day international? asked Sairaj Prasanna from India

I believe there have been only three instances of this in ODIs. Saqlain Mushtaq took four wickets in five balls for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in Peshawar in November 1996, then in February 2019 Adil Rashid claimed four in five for England against West Indies in St George’s, Grenada – they came from the last five balls of Rashid’s ten-over stint, and he had 1 for 85 before the wickets started tumbling. Chaminda Vaas came close – he took four wickets in the very first over against Bangladesh in Pietermaritzburg in the 2003 World Cup, but punctuated by a four and a wide, so in six balls in all. In the women’s game, Dane van Niekerk of South Africa took four in five against West Indies in Basseterre, St Kitts, in January 2013.This excludes the one case of a bowler taking four wickets in successive balls in an ODI – by Lasith Malinga, for Sri Lanka against South Africa in Providence, Guyana, during the 2007 World Cup.What is the highest second-innings score by someone who made a duck in the first innings of a Test? asked Rory Smith from England

There’s only one case in Tests of a batsman following a duck with a double-century in the second innings: the South African Dudley Nourse recovered from a blob against Australia in Johannesburg in 1935 by scoring 231 in the second innings. The duck came on Christmas Eve but, after a festive rest day, Nourse scored his first 98 runs on Boxing Day, and helped his side secure their only draw of a series the Australians won 4-0, with the 44-year-old legspinner Clarrie Grimmett taking 44 wickets at 14.59 in what turned out to be his last series.There are six instances of a player making a double-century in the first innings of a Test and a duck in the second. The biggest score among them came when Shoaib Malik made 245 and 0 for Pakistan against England in Abu Dhabi in 2015.Steve O’Keefe took 6 for 35 in both innings of the Pune Test in 2017, the best repeated analysis in all Tests•AFPWhat is the most wickets taken by a bowler in a Test against India? I remember Malcolm Marshall taking 11 at Port-of-Spain… asked Allan Alexander from the United States

Malcolm Marshall’s 11 for 89, which set up a thumping victory in Trinidad in 1989, actually comes in at 14 on this particular list. On top, with 13 wickets in the Golden Jubilee Test in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1980, is England’s Ian Botham, who also scored a century in between taking 6 for 58 and 7 for 48.In second place, one of nine bowlers to take 12 wickets in a Test against India, is the recently retired Australian slow left-armer Steve O’Keefe, who claimed twin 6 for 35s (the best repeated analysis in all Tests) in Pune in 2016-17. In all, there have been 42 instances of a bowler taking ten or more wickets in a Test against India.After the mention in last week’s column about some 12-a-side matches which had first-class status, I was wondering what the record 11th-wicket partnership was? asked Richard and Jackie Pratt from England

I had thought the answer here would be from some very ancient match in the mid-1800s, but actually the best 11th-wicket stand came (slightly) more recently than that. There have been nine partnerships of 50 or more for the 11th wicket, the highest being 89 by the Nawab of Pataudi senior and slow left-armer Phiroze Palia, for India against the Rest of India in Lahore (then part of India) in 1932.The match was part of a series of trial games before India’s tour of England, which would include their inaugural Test match, at Lord’s in June 1932. Palia played in that game, but Pataudi did not. Some suggested it was because he was not appointed captain, while others thought he was hoping to be selected for England instead – and he did indeed make his Test debut for them before the year was out, scoring a century in Sydney in the first match of the Bodyline tour.And there’s a postscript to last week’s question about teams winning a Test after being 200 behind on first innings, from Jon Garrett from England

“In the Oval Test of 2006, Pakistan had a first-innings lead of 331, but England won when Pakistan (in)famously forfeited the match.” And others have pointed out that, technically speaking, England overturned a first-innings deficit of 248 to win the equally infamous Centurion Test against South Africa in 1999-2000.Use our
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