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He has transformed himself and his multi-faceted team to prioritise winning above all else

Alagappan Muthu03-Oct-20242:35

Manjrekar: ‘This is the legacy Rohit Sharma will leave as captain’

A century is a sacred thing. Everybody understands its significance, its pull. When Sachin Tendulkar was touring the world with 99 of them in his pocket, all anyone wanted to talk about was that next one, which would’ve been fine except he was trying not to think about it. It became awkward every time he went down to breakfast and they were giving him his tea with a side of knowing looks.The hundred is the most recognisable feature of our sport, to the extent that others have found reason to tap into it to generate that sweet, sweet engagement. Premier League champions Manchester City marked the occasion of their star striker, Erling Haaland, scoring 100 goals by putting a picture of him in full cricket gear on their socials.India just finished a Test match that flew in the face of all that. In Kanpur, Yashasvi Jaiswal not only had the chance to bring up three figures but do so quicker than anybody else from his country. He could’ve walked it in singles. Bangladesh had spread the field all the way out. Instead, he saw a little gap at third and went for the ramp shot. Now, there weren’t a lot of reasons for him to be in such a hurry. The one he had, though, was extremely compelling.Related

• Rohit hopes 'exceptional' series against Bangladesh doesn't go 'unnoticed'

• Rohit: 'We were ready to get bowled out for a low score to force a result'

• Stats – India extend dominance at home, at breakneck speed

• Rohit Sharma and the sixes that woke up a dead game

“When we gathered inside [the dressing room] for a small huddle, Rohit Sharma mentioned that we are going to go hammer and tongs and try and make, you know, 400 runs, probably, in 50 overs,” R Ashwin said after India found a way to win a five-day game in half that time. It involved a lot of risk. It wasn’t going to happen without a collective buy-in, especially from the batters, particularly the out-of-form ones.KL Rahul came into this series with an average of 34.08. He has only one century at home, a casualty of overarching plans to make the most of spin-friendly conditions. He might have liked to bed in at Green Park. The pitch wasn’t doing very much and time at the crease is a magical thing. It can erase all the doubt that had ever been cast on you, not from the outside, but also on the inside. It just settles you.Under a less adventurous captain, with a less willing group of men, facing a better quality of opposition and no pressure of World Test Championship points, India would’ve got in a bit of batting practice and left with a draw.”Rohit walked out and just tonked the first ball for a six,” Ashwin said. “So when you walk the talk, I think obviously the dressing room doesn’t have any other choice but to follow that same pattern. We had 50 runs out of three overs. There was no looking back after that.”Rahul made 68 off 43. He had two boundaries within the first ten balls and he was charging and reverse sweeping by the 15th.India have had many captains that have transformed the way they play. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi yanked them out of defeatism. Kapil Dev won them their first world title. MS Dhoni ended the wait for another one. Sourav Ganguly made being bad look sexy. Rahul Dravid broke the ODI chasing curse. Anil Kumble stood up right against wrong. Virat Kohli triggered a fast-bowling revolution. Rohit might just be outdoing them all because he is cutting right into one of the core values of Indian cricket.1:14

‘India exhibited a kind of dominance we’ve never seen before’

Batting means scoring big. You’re almost excused if you get out for a duck but if you get a start and then throw it away, you’re less than nothing. Rohit actually comes from the one place in India where this is basically gospel. He is Mumbai , which means come rain or shine, famine or plague, if you have a bat in hand, you have a responsibility not to get out. You are obliged to score those grand, daddy hundreds that utterly break the oppositions and make them question why they ever woke up that morning. His three double-tons in 50-over cricket are a tribute to this method and its far-reaching consequences. His next best score caused a bit of a flutter too.Rohit made 171 in Perth during a series where India faced questions about whether they cared more for milestones than victories, because their batters kept slowing down and it did have an impact on the final scoreline. Back then, the team was heavily reliant on its top order and so they had to play with a great deal of caution. It is only with time and effort and investment and experience that they now have a batting line-up with threats all the way down.In 2023, Rohit wanted to maximise that, weaponise that. So a man who used to set up to bat the full 50 overs went into a home World Cup and showed a very different side of himself. He kept hitting from ball one because he thought that was the best way for India to win. By then, he’d found strong influences that backed his beliefs.

“In the past, I know of players who have got a fifty in a game like that, they might have just walked out 52 not out. He chose to go for the gallery shot. It is just in his head to see the ball and hit it”R Ashwin on Yashasvi Jaiswal

“When Rahul Dravid was here,” Ashwin said, “he used to mention you will not remember the runs and the wickets that you take but you will definitely remember the memories that you create.”That’s so old school, right? Especially in 2024 where athletes have discovered they aren’t just people, they’re brands. There is incentive to putting themselves first; to safeguarding their success and minimising their risks. The power of a simple individual – let alone those with global acclaim – is sky high right now. It isn’t ludicrous for them to want to cash in, or at the very least have questions when their captain says things like “we’re gonna score 400 in 50 overs”. No one did in Kanpur. Even though the same social-media phenomenon that makes them walking bags of money opens them up to incredible rebuke whenever they fail. And this had potential for failure.Green Park is by no means a template. India will not be scoring at nine runs an over when they go to Australia. But even so, for Rohit to convince his men to follow him like that, in merely the hope of a result, and for them to do it, is no small thing. It’s been a hallmark of his captaincy, across formats. He helped Kohli reassess the price he puts on his wicket in T20s. He protected Jaiswal, genuinely worried he might jinx the opener during his coming-of-age performances against England. In that same series, when Sarfaraz Khan finally broke into the national team, Rohit spent an entire training session looking after him. He has been rewiring his own generation and encouraging the next one to put the win above all else.1:56

T20 champs for a reason? India break batting records in Kanpur

In Kanpur, it meant playing fast-forward cricket, the kind that didn’t just put pressure on the opposition, it caught them completely by surprise. Bangladesh admitted to needing a couple of overs to realise what was happening on that fourth afternoon when India, having batted for less than three hours, had enough on the board for a first-innings lead. Then they came out with similar intent to chase a target of 95, Jaiswal helping himself to another better-than-a-run-a-ball fifty.”It’s just the way he plays,” Ashwin said. “In the past, I know of players who have got a fifty in a game like that, they might have just walked out 52 not out. He chose to go for the gallery shot. It is just in his head to see the ball and hit it.”It’s probably the next generation of players and they are going to be like that. It’s us that need to be able to adapt to their style and be able to facilitate them with the best environment for them to be nurtured for them to prosper.”There are much sterner challenges ahead – the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starts in November and then there’s the Champions Trophy in February and, very likely, the WTC final in July. Each of them will require India to dig deep in various ways. They may come up short. It can happen. But they won’t die wondering. If there’s a chance – even the slightest, most outlandish one – they’ll grab it and they’ll run with it. Rohit won’t let them settle for anything less.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy got off to the worst possible start with a 2-1 defeat to Hearts at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership in his first match in charge.

The Hoops head coach was thrown in at the deep end, after Martin O’Neill’s interim tenure, and failed to oversee a positive result in his debut in the dugout.

A late goal from Kieran Tierney in stoppage time was too little too late for the hosts, who created three ‘big chances’ in the match (Sofascore), as the Jam Tarts held out for all three points.

Nancy will have learned a lot about his squad in his 3-4-2-1 shape, which was immediately implemented, and one thing that he should have learned is that Daizen Maeda should not play as the striker.

Why Daizen Maeda should not play up front

The Japan international was selected to lead the line for the Scottish giants with Hyun-jun Yang and Sebastian Tounekti as the wing-backs, with Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren as the two attacking midfielders.

Maeda missed two ‘big chances’ early on in the game, per Sofascore, scuffing both efforts in presentable situations, and then struggled with the physicality of the match.

Per Sofascore, the Japanese attacker lost all five of his ground duels and three of his four duels in the air, which shows that it was too easy for the Hearts defenders to get the better of him more often than not.

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However, to his credit, it was his challenged header at the end of the game that created Kieran Tierney’s goal, so some good did come from his physical output.

His overall struggles physically, though, are why the new Celtic boss should use Kelechi Iheanacho or Johnny Kenny, natural number nines, in that position moving forward, with Maeda in one of the roles behind the striker to take some of the physical burden off him.

Maeda was not the only poor performer on the day for the Scottish giants, though, as Arne Engels is the first player who should be ruthlessly dropped from the starting XI by Nancy.

Why Nancy must drop Engels for Celtic

The new Celtic boss must drop the Belgium international from the starting line-up because he was even worse than Maeda in the defeat to Hearts on Sunday.

Like the Japanese striker in the first half, Engels was guilty of missing a huge opportunity in front of goal in the game, as he could only guide his close-range header straight at Alexander Schwolow.

The £11m signing from Augsburg was also incredibly sloppy with his use of the ball throughout the game. Per Sofascore, the central midfielder lost possession a staggering 23 times, whilst Maeda only gave the ball away seven times in total.

Engels was criticised for his “wayward” passes by Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton during the live coverage of the first half, after a couple of sloppy balls forward that went straight back to the away side.

As you can see in the table above, Engels had 55 more touches and gave the ball away 16 more times than Maeda across the 90 minutes, yet created fewer chances for the team than the Japan international.

These statistics illustrate just how sloppy the Belgian flop was in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants, and why he should be the first player who is ruthlessly dropped from the team by the manager.

Their respective performances tie into how Nancy could drop him because Maeda moving back into one of the attacking midfield positions would allow Reo Hatate to drop deeper into midfield, with Iheanacho or Kenny essentially replacing Engels in the line-up.

The former Bundesliga talent should not be completely written off under Nancy already, of course, but this period of matches is about the new manager learning about his squad, which means that he needs to look at other players and see who is best suited to his style of play.

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Engels was not good enough against Hearts on Sunday, unfortunately, but he will get more chances to prove himself to the French tactician in the future.

The new tournament will see 90 women’s players from Full Members and Associates and has applied to get sanctioned by the ICC

Firdose Moonda01-Dec-2025A restructured FairBreak has promised to create “the Wimbledon of cricket” in partnership with Saudi Arabia, which will see 90 women’s players from both Full Member and Associate teams compete at an elite level in a multi-team T20 event. The tournament, which has its roots in the FairBreak Invitational, has, through Saudi Cricket, applied for ICC sanction and will run for five years starting in 2026.”It’s an event played in one city, one stadium, with one hotel where everybody stays and it’s over in two weeks,” Ramasamy Venkatesh, FairBreak’s MD, told ESPNcricinfo. “It means that every day at breakfast, women across different countries and teams will be mixing, chatting, and forming relationships. Then you get players contacting their heroes like Shabnim Ismail and Katherine Sciver-Brunt and asking them questions as they continue playing. That kind of relationship-building and feedback is invaluable.”FairBreak, which was founded in 2013 by former Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar and her manager Shaun Martyn, seeks to champion the cause of gender equality in cricket and democratise the space for women across the playing spectrum. After several invitational fixtures, it launched its first tournament in 2022, which included six teams.Related

• Saudi Cricket, FairBreak announce new Women's World T20 Challenge

• ICC launches Emerging Nations Trophy for women

• Women's World Cup 2029 to have ten teams

What makes it distinct from other franchise competitions is that there is no auction and squads are decided by a panel of between four and six selectors. Each squad composition is the same, with half the players coming from Full Members and the other half from Associates. Players are paid across four salary bands ranging from US$20,000 for category A to US$5,000 for category D (category B players earn US$15,000 and C players US$10,000). These signature features will remain in place for the upcoming event.All six teams will be owned by FairBreak, with the option to partner with a corporate sponsor for brand rights. Previous sponsors included the Barmy Army, and FairBreak intends to procure others, especially as that could impact players’ remuneration.”Our interest is always to increase the compensation to the women to make it more remunerative for them because we want the girls to be paid equally as men. That’s our long-term vision,” Venkatesh said. “If we get enough sponsorships to support an increase in pay, the first thing we’ll do this time is to increase the pay for the women.”The event has previously featured players from 35 countries, but none from India as the previous editions clashed with domestic tournaments in India. With FairBreak eyeing a September-October window that will fall after the Women’s Hundred and before the WBBL – both events that Indian players participate in – it is hoped there will be no obstacles to Indian players taking part this time. While only retired Indian men’s players can get NOCs to play in overseas leagues, active Indian women’s players have been involved in T20 leagues around the world, and FairBreak and Cricket Saudi are hopeful of achieving the same for this tournament.Chiefly, FairBreak’s focus is on casting the net as wide as possible to involve as many ICC members as they can. That will include Saudi Arabia, where there is a significant expat sporting community and women mostly play tape-ball cricket. “Right now, Full Member nations are getting a good amount of cricket, especially India, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia,” Venkatesh said. “Our aim is to make sure Associate nations can also take the step up to the higher levels. Today, women’s cricket is the fastest growing segment of cricket.”Shizuka Miyaji of Japan also played in the FairBreak tournament•FairBreak Global

Recognition of this growth is growing after the ICC launched an Emerging Nations Trophy for women last month and confirmed the expansion of the Women’s ODI World Cup. FairBreak, while not part of the ICC, works in the same area of development and aims to continue to partner with member countries to raise the profile of the women’s game, especially as their organisation has come through a period of uncertainty to find stability.After their inaugural event in 2022 in the UAE, FairBreak held a second tournament in 2023 in Hong Kong and appeared to be growing. They were due to hold a third event in 2023 in the USA which was initially pushed back to 2024 and then postponed indefinitely. Venkatesh explained that the logistical challenges of hosting the 2024 event with the Women’s T20 World Cup in October that year and several other tours prompted the organisation’s decision to hold off as they also faced internal changes.In 2026 too, the new FairBreak tournament will face the challenge of a calendar clash with the women’s Asia Cup, which is also scheduled for mid-September to early October as of now, along with bilateral tours such as England touring Ireland for six white-ball matches in September and West Indies hosting Zimbabwe for eight white-ball matches mid-September onwards.Martyn stepped down in January 2024 and Venkatesh, who is also the founder of a multi-national healthcare group Gencor and an ICC Development Panel umpire, was confirmed the MD in September this year. By that time, talks on another tournament were in full swing and FairBreak had identified the Middle East as a potential region for an event. They began negotiations in the first quarter of 2025 and believe they have signed a deal that will ensure their “sustainability” into the future.

Indore was a giant party waiting to take off on Diwali eve. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur had put together a century stand. Deepti Sharma knocked off a measured half-century after picking up four wickets with the ball.When India needed 57 off 57 balls, with seven wickets in hand, their attempt to scale down their highest-successful chase in women’s ODIs was well on track. But big-match nerves took centre stage, like it often has in the recent past. They collapsed sensationally, and fell short by four runs. England joined Australia and South Africa in the semi-finals.Related

• Knight and Smith stay cool in the heat of the battle

• India's cracks threaten to bring down their whole World Cup

• Road to the semis: Five teams in contention for one spot

• 'The emotions took over' – Mandhana takes blame for Sunday heartbreak

India have now lost their third straight game, their campaign threatening to derail swiftly as they next face New Zealand in a crucial clash on Thursday.England’s win was set up by Heather Knight, whose 109 helped overcome a wobble when England were tested by India’s slower bowlers. Her century stand with Nat Sciver-Brunt gave them the platform for a lift-off towards the end. But a late collapse meant they managed 289 when 320 was within their reach.For much of India’s chase, it seemed as if that collapse would come back to haunt England. Haunt it did, but to India, who have lots to ponder – not least the composition of their line-up, after they took a bold call of playing with a batter short – Jemimah Rodrigues dropped in favour of Renuka Singh.3:45

Mandhana: ‘Emotions took over, I needed to be more patient’

India were rocked early, losing Pratika Rawal for 6 in the third over. Harleen Deol started slowly, and managed just 4 off 26 balls outside of her five boundaries as the asking rate crept up. Having spent time at the crease, like she had in each of her four previous knocks in the tournament, she threw it away – lbw playing back to Charlie Dean’s indrifter.Mandhana was far from fluent, but Harmanpreet’s arrival took some pressure off her. The Indian captain was off the mark with a sumptuous flick off Sciver-Brunt, and looked seemingly keen on not allowing Sophie Ecclestone to settle by opening up the off side and repeatedly lofting her inside-out.Harmanpreet’s enterprise helped Mandhana, who had faced just 18 balls in the first 12 overs of India’s chase, settle in. Mandhana was watchful, but every now and then, there were flashes of brilliance – like when she picked off two boundaries behind square off Ecclestone.3:32

Knight: ‘Managed to steal the win at the back-end’

Once she got those two fours, Mandhana switched gears to raise her half-century off 60 balls, barely acknowledging the applause. On 43 at that point, Harmanpreet also turned up the tempo and moved to 70 before she glided Sciver-Brunt to short third, England breathing a sigh of relief at breaking a 125-run stand.Deepti and Mandhana then knocked the ball into the gaps, seemingly intent on taking the chase deep. Deepti’s sensible approach also took pressure off Mandhana, forcing Sciver-Brunt to bring back Linsey Smith for another spell a tad earlier than she might have otherwise. This proved to be a masterstroke as she had Mandhana hole out to long-off on 88. Even so, at 234 for 4 in 41.2 overs, this was India’s game to lose.However, nerves took over. Richa Ghosh drilled one straight to cover, Deepti miscued a slog, reminiscent of the shot she played in that 2017 final, and suddenly Sneh Rana and Amanjot Kaur were left with too much to do. Smith conceded just four in a clutch 48th over, leaving India needing 23 off 12. Then with 14 needed, she came back to finish off India, ensuring none of her first four deliveries went to the boundary.3:15

Review: How did India lose this one?

As well as the spinners bowled, it would be hard to look beyond Knight’s century that gave England a chance in the first place. If her unbeaten 79 in Guwahati helped England overcome Bangladesh’s spin strangle, Sunday’s innings was a masterclass in sweeps and reverse sweeps.After Amy Jones did the early running to construct a measured half-century, it was Knight who injected momentum through the middle overs, putting on 113 with Sciver-Brunt. Having begun sedately, she only shifted gears after the pair raised the fifty of their partnership.While the sweep was Knight’s calling card – no spinner was spared – to say her knock was only about that stroke wouldn’t do justice to her running between the wickets, a mark of the work she’s had to put in to improve her fitness following a career-threatening injury. She also displayed her brute bottom-handed power in shovelling Kranti Gaud for six, the only one of the innings, in the 38th over.Knight was reprieved twice in her nineties, but she soon brought up her century off 86 deliveries before her dismissal led to a meltdown with England managing just 36 off the last five overs. This would’ve cost them on most nights, but Sunday was their night. Thanks to their spinners, England remain unbeaten in the tournament.

Struggling Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has been told that Arsenal is the perfect place for him to get his career back on track. Mainoo established himself as a regular starter at Old Trafford under former Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, but he has fallen out of favour since the arrival of Ruben Amorim, and serious questions are being asked of his future.

• AFP
  

  Mainoo linked with January transfer

  After clocking only 138 minutes on the pitch in the Premier League this season under Amorim, Mainoo has been strongly linked with a move away from United in the January transfer window. A loan exit has been mooted for Mainoo, which would provide him with an opportunity to impress Thomas Tuchel before the German coach picks his final England squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America. 

  Several clubs have been linked with a move for the English midfielder, including Serie A champions Napoli and West Ham, however, no concrete offer has been made yet. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mainoo told to join Arsenal

  Former Arsenal star Stefan Schwarz has advised Mainoo to join Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta deemed to be the ideal manager to bring the best out of him. Schwarz told : "Arsenal have the best conditions for young players. And they have a manager in Mikel Arteta that is not afraid to give responsibility to them and give them opportunities when he feels they are ready. It's just about preparing them in the best way and that's what Arsenal have done very well the last couple of years."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Rice is a good leader'

  One more aspect from the Arsenal transfer that could benefit Mainoo is playing alongside England team-mate Declan Rice in the Gunners' midfield. Rice is a natural leader and his experience and guidance could help Mainoo improve his form.

  Lavishing praise on Rice, Schwarz added: "Declan Rice is a very good player. I like him a lot. He's a good leader. He can play in different positions, he's versatile and so solid. You know what you get from him every week. His delivery is unbelievable, and he has a great work rate and ethic. He is one of the leaders at Arsenal. He rarely gets injured, and he's a good character. He looks out for and takes care of his team-mates. He is also very good when talking to the media, which is very important and is an understated skill. He’s so important to Arsenal. If he was to get injured it would be a huge setback, they could cope in the short term thanks to the size of the squad but losing him for a couple of games wouldn't be a problem."

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  Why isn't Mainoo getting enough game time?

  United boss Amorim explained earlier this month why he has not been providing Mainoo with more game time, telling reporters: "We need to go to Europe because of everything. Our club needs to be in Europe, it’s hard to have a very, very good squad. Imagine for me to have Mainoo with that (many) minutes that he’s playing, he needs more games for me to make a rotation because, with one game (a week), it’s really hard. I have to take one of the guys that is playing to put another. When you have more games, you can divide, you can manage the group in a different way. We are trying to use the time that we have to train to be a better team, we need to be prepared in the future to have European games. But the target doesn’t change. We have to go to Europe. To be in the top four is really hard for our moment, but we never know, we just need to focus on winning the next one."

  Mainoo will hope to feature when United take on Everton in the Premier League this weekend.

Change to visa rules mean Australian seamer will be available for first half of red-ball season

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2025

Nottinghamshire have confirmed the return of Australia A seamer Fergus O’Neill for the first half of both the 2026 and 2027 seasons.O’Neill claimed 21 wickets at 17.90 in four matches at the start of the 2025 summer, helping set Nottinghamshire on their path to winning the County Championship. He had been expected to make a return and the club have now announced that he has signed a two-year deal.While O’Neill was only eligible for a short-term visa last season, limiting him to a four-week stint, changes to the UK’s visa rules to cover appearances in first-class cricket mean he will be available for the first block of Championship games from April through to June.It was O’Neill who purchased the “MOM” blazer that became a feature of Notts’ title win, and he will now be back to help with the defence.”I’m keen to come back and make sure our momentum keeps rolling,” O’Neill said. “Trent Bridge is a great place filled with great people, where I’ve had success.”With all the success I had, and we had as a team, it was a simple decision for me to sign on for not just one, but another two years. Success is what I play for, so for as long as I’m a part of Nottinghamshire, I’ll be putting my best foot forward for us to win another Championship title.”O’Neill has twice been picked for Australia A, including on their recent tour of India, and has started the Sheffield Shield season in good form, with 15 wickets at 21.80. He could come into contention for the Ashes, although is currently behind the likes of Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser among back-up quicks.”Every now and then, you seem to sign a player who fits into the team perfectly, and Fergus was that man last year,” Nottinghamshire’s head coach, Peter Moores, said. “His impact on the field was clear for everyone to see, though it was his impact off it that also made a real difference.”His energy and excitement to play were infectious, as was belief in his own ability. That belied spread into everyone else in the team and was a real catalyst at the start of our season.”His ability to move the ball laterally and control line and length were perfect for English conditions, and it’s great news that the change in regulations will allow him to take on a fuller role next season.”We can’t wait to get him back to continue the promising start he has shown to his Notts career and to positively influence the defence of the title.”Notts have also secured the services of South Africa Test wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne for 2026. Verreynne, who has enjoyed productive spells at Notts in each of the past two seasons and hit the runs that secured the title, is expected to be available for a full summer of County Championship due to South Africa’s limited international commitments.

There are a number of permutations Australia’s selectors are mulling over as a decision on the first Test squad looms

Andrew McGlashan22-Oct-2025There’s a one-day series going on against India, but the main topic of conversation in Australian cricket is what the selectors will do with the squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth. Decision day is looming with one more round of Sheffield Shield to be played and while a few things are becoming clearer the big calls are still to be made.The fitness of Pat Cummins looms large over everything. But on the assumption he misses at least the first Test, which is all-but certain, and Scott Boland slots into the attack, the major talking points around the final XI will remain the top order. Here we run through three potential scenarios that George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and head coach Andrew McDonald will be pondering. There is also a chance that the squad announcement won’t clarify everything, with the final calls not taken until the eve of the first Test.Option 1: One in, one outIf the only spot vacant is an opener, then Marnus Labuschagne’s irresistible claims for a recall will see him go in at the top alongside Usman Khawaja as he did in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s. That was a last-ditch move from the selectors, basically honouring Labuschagne’s role in getting them to the final, and he was dropped the Test after. He will be in much better form heading into the Perth Test should the role come his way again.”He can open…he can bat three. He’s versatile,” Steven Smith said. “We’ll see where it all stands when the team gets picked. I mean, it’s not too different to batting three, to be honest. He could be in first ball. So, it’s essentially the same thing.”This team also means Beau Webster’s bowling is retained which would take the pressure of Cameron Green to send down too many overs as he continues to work his way back with the ball even if his withdrawal from the India ODIs was described as a conservative decision. It keeps Green at No. 3 where he finished the West Indies series with scores of 52, 46 and 42 in tough batting conditions.Webster has missed the first two rounds of the Sheffield Shield after rolling his ankle but will feature against Victoria in Melbourne and last week Bailey confirmed he would be part of the Test squad.Could Jake Weatherald make his Test debut?•Getty ImagesOption 2: Marnus at No. 3, Webster unluckyWhile it’s often said there is very little difference between opening and No. 3, Labuschagne’s position is No. 3. If there was a decision made that he has to return in that slot, then an opener is still needed. That creates a few scenarios.Sam Konstas has been unconvincing in two Shield rounds, but a big score against Queensland, at a Test venue in the Gabba, would be an interesting twist. Uncapped Jake Weatherald has played arguably the most significant innings so far among the contenders with 94 off 99 balls in a low-scoring contest against Western Australia. Matt Renshaw started the season with a century for Queensland and has since earned an ODI recall. Would runs against India in the next two games be of any significance? And then there’s Mitch Marsh…This balance of top order would see Green move back down to No. 6 and require the selectors to have complete confidence in him being able to operate close to, if not completely, unrestricted as a bowler so that he can ease the burden on the three frontline quicks. If that was the case, Webster would very unfortunately be sidelined.Steven Smith averages 67.07 at No.3 but hasn’t batted there since 2017•Getty ImagesOption 3: Positional shiftsThis XI is the same as option one but with a subtle shift in the order. Smith returns to No. 3 and Green drops one spot to No. 4, where he made 174 against New Zealand early last year before his back injury. It’s an outcome endorsed by a number of pundits, including Mark Waugh, who believe that it is Green’s natural position.”I think he can bat anywhere,” Smith said of Green. “As he showed in the West Indies, I thought he batted really nicely at three. You know, he’s got a really good technique, good temperament. The beauty with our line-up, I think everyone can sort of slot in at different spots and be versatile.”Smith, meanwhile, has averaged 67.07 from 29 innings at No. 3 but, while on Tuesday he said he wasn’t “too fussed” about batting orders, he may be reluctant to shift again after the opening experiment.What would you do? Have your sayWhat could changeWhichever batting line-up Australia settle on for Perth, there’s a very good chance it’s not the one which finishes the series in Sydney. If Khawaja struggles early on it will raise questions about whether Australia need to bite the bullet and find opener. And what happens if Labuschagne is picked to open and starts poorly in the first two Tests? There are also, probably unfairly given his early success, still a few questions asked about whether Webster’s technique will stand-up long term in Test cricket. Josh Inglis is a versatile batter who the selectors value highly and he would come into the mix should anyone struggle or be injured.

Former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard signed off as an FC Seoul player in style as he scored in his last-ever game for the South Korean club before bidding an emotional farewell after two 'fantastic' years. Lingard had confirmed that the AFC Champions League meeting with Melbourne City would mark his final appearance for the side he joined in February 2024.

Lingard ends FC Seoul stint with a goal

Lingard has finally bid farewell to the club after two successful years. In his final game for Seoul in their AFC Champions League league stage clash against Melbourne City, the former United attacker scored from Choi Jun's cross in the 31st minute. Takeshi Kanamori, though, equalised for the visitors in the 74th minute as the Australian side snatched a point.

After the match, Lingard took to social media say his final goodbye to FC Seoul and their supporters, as he wrote: "Farewell @fcseoul it’s been an honour to represent this club. You will always have a place in my heart."

AdvertisementWatch the clipLingard announced his departure last week

Last week, Lingard confirmed his exit through a heartfelt message on social media as he wrote: "After positive discussions with FC Seoul, we have mutually agreed that I will be leaving the club at the end of the 2025 season, with my final game on December 10th. This wasn’t an easy decision. My time in South Korea has been unbelievable — the football, the atmosphere, and the passion around this club have been top-class. The love, support and the appreciation you have shown towards me for these last 2 years has been truly amazing. Playing football here has been an unforgettable experience and one I will always value. I want to thank FC Seoul, my teammates, the staff, and everyone associated at the club for trusting me and welcoming me from day one. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to play for such a massive club."

The former England international's departure concludes a tenure that brought no trophies but did lift FC Seoul back into competitive relevance. During his debut season, he played a pivotal role in steering the club to a fourth-place finish in the K League, their best finish since 2019, while the most recent campaign ended with the team in sixth. Across 66 matches, Lingard recorded 18 goals and 10 assists.

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What comes next for Lingard?

For now, Lingard wants to spend Christmas with his family and enjoy the holiday period before taking the next step in his career. After his farewell game, the 32-year-old told reporters: "It's been a fantastic two years. I want to say 'thank you' to everyone once again. I need a break after a long season. I will spend Christmas with my family. The next chapter, who knows, really."

The spinner also credited Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav for his international comeback

Abhimanyu Bose07-Oct-2025

Varun Chakravarthy, the top-ranked T20I bowler in the world, says India head coach Gautam Gambhir has fostered a “Spartan mentality” in the team, leaving “no option of losing”. He also credited Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav for his international comeback, after spending nearly three years out of the team.”Definitely one thing which I can say about [Gambhir] is he brings a Spartan mentality to the team where there is no option of losing. You just have to bring your best and give everything on the ground and later on, whatever happens, happens,” Varun said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai on Tuesday.”When he is around, there is no mediocrity – you can’t be mediocre in the field, that’s what I feel.”Related

Varun Chakravarthy takes top spot in men's T20I bowling rankings

Varun made his India debut in July 2021, but after enduring a tough campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup, he was dropped and only played for India again in October 2024.Since then, Varun has been a regular fixture in India’s T20I XI and has also made his ODI debut and played a key role in helping the team win the Champions Trophy earlier this year.”When I made my comeback again, Surya and GG [Gambhir], they spoke to me and they told me that we are looking at you as one of the wicket-takers. And they have backed me throughout. For that, I have to give them the credit.”When he is around, there is no mediocrity,” Varun says of Gautam Gambhir•Getty Images

“I was out of the team for more than three years, but I did have a consecutive good IPL. For them to recognise that and bring me into the team was great for me.”Varun, who has been left out of India’s ODI squad for the Australia tour, spoke about the things Gambhir wants him to work on to enhance his chances in one-day cricket.”Basically, the conversations were around bowling longer spells. Because in T20, you maximum bowl two overs back-to-back. But in ODIs, you have to bowl five to six overs back-to-back, which I did work on and I was able to do it in the Champions Trophy.”And he wants me to bat a little more up the order in domestic circuit and improve on my batting.”Varun was also full of praise for fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who finished as the leading wicket-taker at the Asia Cup.”Kuldeep is definitely one of the most experienced bowlers right now in the pool of players that we have and he has done amazingly well,” Varun said. “I bowl at the speeds of 95kph and he bowls around 85kph, so we kind of complement each other. He has more revs and more turn, I have more speed and bounce, so till now it’s been working well for us. Hopefully, we can do the same thing in the World Cup also.”

Sciver-Brunt scored century in a game where India’s batting collapsed in the absence of senior players

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2025Without Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Pratika Rawal, India’s batting order crumbled against England at Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence ground in a warm-up fixture ahead of the ODI World Cup. Chasing 341, India were all out for 187, with Arundhati Reddy not coming out to bat due to a leg injury she sustained while bowling.Wicketkeeper Uma Chetry, who was included in the squad in place of the injured Yastika Bhatia, made a promising 45, while captain Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with 66 off 68 balls. Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, and Sneh Rana combined to make just 43 runs in the middle order.Related

• Reddy suffers blow to knee during warm-up match against England

Sent in to bat, England, propelled by captain Nat Sciver-Brunt’s brisk 120 and Emma Lamb’s 84, piled up 340. India’s pace spearhead Renuka Singh struck in her first over to remove Tammy Beaumont, and the hosts had both Amy Jones and Heather Knight back before the halfway stage. However, Sciver-Brunt and Lamb’s 173-run stand put England in front, despite Kranti Goud’s three-wicket haul later in the innings.Shafali Verma notched up 70 off 49•Getty Images

Shafali Verma, left out of India’s World Cup squad, scored a blistering 49-ball 70 in India A’s four-wicket win over New Zealand in a rain-affected fixture.After New Zealand posted 273 for 9 on the back of Izzy Gaze’s unbeaten 101 at No. 7, multiple rain interruptions left India chasing a revised target of 225 in 40 overs. Shafali’s brisk knock – which included 11 fours and a six – gave the innings early momentum. Captain Minnu Mani remained unbeaten on 39, while wicketkeeper Madiwala Mamatha contributed a crucial 56 not out off 60 balls at No. 8.Earlier, Sayali Satghare, the reserve seamer for India at the World Cup, picked up three wickets. India A had New Zealand reeling at 146 for 7, but Gaze’s counterattacking century helped the Sophie-Devine-led side post a competitive total.In Colombo, both the Pakistan-Sri Lanka game and South Africa’s match against Bangladesh were washed out. Sri Lanka were 33 for 1 in 7.3 overs when play came to an end, while in the other contest, South Africa had reached 45 for 3 in nine overs before rain intervened. Bangladesh’s young pacer Marufa Akter dismissed both Laura Wolvaardt and Annerie Dercksen, while Nahida Akter bowled Marizanne Kapp – a dream start for Bangladesh.