Will India go with spin-heavy, seam-heavy or find a middle ground?

Karthik Krishnaswamy30-Sep-20252:05

Chopra: A chance for Rahul to ‘right the wrongs’

Barring last-minute injury or illness, this is almost certainly how India will line up in the first Test against West Indies: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, X, Y, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.Who X and Y are will mostly come down to conditions. Two days before the Test match, the Ahmedabad pitch wore a healthy cover of grass; while some of it may be shaved off by day one, this is still likely to be a surface with some help for the quicks, which would be a significant departure from the sharp turners that have by and large defined India’s home Tests over the last four years or so.This makes India’s selection tricky, because recent history may have to go out of the window. To make things more complicated, the presence of four allrounders in their squad – of whom Jadeja, Washington and Axar Patel bowl spin and Nitish Kumar Reddy seam – allows them to choose from a mindboggling number of combinations, most of which make cricketing sense in one way or another.Related

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Kuldeep, Axar or neither?The luxury of having a plethora of spin-bowling allrounders has allowed India to play three spinners almost by default in their home Tests. A surface tilted towards seam could prompt a shift to two spinners, who are likely to be Jadeja and Washington, who can both bat in the top seven and turn their stock ball in opposite directions.This would mean India playing neither Kuldeep Yadav nor Axar.If India do go with three spinners, Kuldeep is likely to get the nod, given the variety he adds to the attack with his left-arm wristspin – Axar and Jadeja both bowl left-arm orthodox – and the fact that he needs less help from the surface to be able to test both edges of the bat consistently. He showed this in Dharamsala last year, picking up a day-one five-for against England when India’s fingerspinners found little assistance from the surface, after their seamers had beaten the bat frequently but lucklessly with the new ball.With India already likely to bat solidly down to No. 8, Kuldeep’s wicket-taking ability should outweigh any extra runs Axar may score.Axar, though, cannot be discounted for two reasons. One, Ahmedabad is his hometown, and the scene of three of his five Test-match five-fors (though they came on square turners in his debut series against England in 2021). Two, he has shown even in white-ball cricket that he is becoming a more rounded bowler, delivering with more overspin and pace variation than he used to in the past.Prasidh, Reddy, or both?Bumrah – unless India rest him, which they aren’t likely to in seam-friendly conditions – and Siraj are almost certain to play. Depending on how much grass remains at toss time, there’s a chance that India’s attack includes a third frontline quick in Prasidh Krishna.On Tuesday, Prasidh beat the bat consistently at the nets while getting through a solid bowling workload alongside Siraj and Reddy – Bumrah, Axar and Kuldeep, who have only just landed in India after the Asia Cup, did not bowl in the nets, though Gill, who also played that tournament, batted with the rest of the top order.Prasidh enjoys bowling at the Narendra Modi Stadium, particularly when India and his IPL franchise Gujarat Titans play on its red-soil pitches, which provide plenty of bounce. The pitch for the Test match is a red-soil strip. While Prasidh is yet to play a home Test, and has only played one first-class match at Motera, his white-ball record at the venue makes him a tempting option.He has nine wickets in three ODIs here – all against West Indies, for what it’s worth – at an average of 7.55, and more T20 wickets here (20 at an economy of 7.89) than anywhere else.The other seam option is the Reddy. The flexibility that Jadeja and Washington offer allows India to use Reddy in two ways. As X, his role would lean more towards batting, with either Prasidh or a third spinner taking the Y slot. As Y, he would be expected to shoulder the third seamer’s workload, with India picking a specialist batter in Devdutt Padikkal – or a fourth allrounder in Axar, which you cannot rule out in a team coached by Gautam Gambhir – as X.

West Ham United’s unbeaten run was brought to a halt by Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Now, the good news is that the Premier League champions were miles better than the Hammers, but the bad news is that they are still level on points with 18th-placed Leeds United.

Worse than that, though, at least in the immediate, is the fact that Nuno Espírito Santo is now going to be without Lucas Paqueta for the Hammers’ trip to Manchester United on Thursday night following his sending-off for dissent.

The Brazilian’s absence is undeniably a big problem, but Nuno might have a surprise solution in the shape of a particularly exciting prospect.

The latest West Ham team news

With every game now becoming increasingly crucial for West Ham and Nuno this season, it’s equally important that players are available.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Fortunately, there are only two first-team players out injured at the moment who will miss Thursday’s game, alongside Paqueta.

Unfortunately, while nobody was expecting Ollie Scarles to be declared fit given his surgery, there was hope, at least among the fanbase, that Crysencio Summerville would be fit enough to play.

However, speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Nuno revealed that “there are still some issues” with the knock that the Dutchman picked up in the game against Bournemouth.

He then added that, while the club “are still assessing” the issue, they believe “Thursday is probably going to be too soon.”

It’s a real blow for the East Londoners, as while the former Leeds United star hasn’t quite delivered in terms of output, he is still one of their most dangerous and electric attackers.

Moreover, with him out and Paqueta out, that left-hand side looks a lot weaker, that is, unless Nuno makes a bold decision and unleashes one of the academy’s most exciting products there.

The academy star who could replace Paqueta

West Ham have a proud history of developing and promoting their best academy gems, and the latest youngster who could join the likes of Declan Rice and Freddie Potts, while also stepping in for Paqueta, is George Earthy.

The 21-year-old first joined the club at the under-6 level and has since worked his way up through the age groups, impressing the right people at every step.

For example, in 60 appearances for the u18s, totalling 4804 minutes, he scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 111.72 minutes.

Appearances

60

55

Minutes

4804′

3703′

Goals

25

19

Assists

18

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.71

0.61

Minutes per Goal Involvement

111.72′

108.91′

And if that’s still not enough, he has scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists in 55 appearances, totalling 3703 minutes, for the U21S, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.61 games, or every 108.91 minutes.

Last but certainly not least, the “priceless” youngster, as dubbed by coach Steve Potts, also has four first-team appearances under his belt, in which he’s scored one goal.

In other words, the boyhood Hammer is a huge attacking threat, whether scoring goals or assisting.

Now, some might argue that he lacks enough senior experience to be thrown in the deep end by Nuno on Thursday, but they would be mistaken.

Last season saw the Havering-born gem go on loan to Championship side Bristol City, where he not only made 40 appearances but was named the club’s young player of the year.

Finally, while it is undoubtedly true that the youngster is primarily an attacking midfielder, he has spent time out wide, and it’s not uncommon for managers to stick academy products where they are needed in the team.

Moreover, Paqueta is banned for just one game, and Earthy has more than enough talent and mental fortitude to do a job in a newish position for such a brief spell.

Ultimately, losing the Brazilian for Thursday’s game is far from ideal, but if Nuno is bold enough to start him there, Earthy might just be the solution he needs.

Bowen repeat: West Ham plot move to sign "the best FK taker in the world"

West Ham United could replicate the signing of Jarrod Bowen with a move for the brilliant talent.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2025

Despite flat-track preferences, this was a victory that displayed skill and nous

Cameron Ponsonby20-Oct-2025When the going’s good, this England team is great.The common critique of Harry Brook’s team, and Jos Buttler’s before him, is that they are flat-track bullies. The best in the world when the odds are in their favour but one-dimensional when they are not.The opening T20I at Christchurch hinted towards that. They slipped to 81 for 5 on a wicket that was lively, only to be bailed out by Sam Curran and New Zealand’s lasagne hands. A total of 153 may look under par, but at the lowest scoring ground in the country, where the average run rate is 7.8 (aka, a final score of 156), it was a step in the right direction for a team aiming to add brains to their brawn.Cut to 48 hours later and, while the match was on the same wicket, it was a different pitch. Less live grass plus two days of sun had both captains scratching their heads at what to do. Mitchell Santner said bowl, but wasn’t sure.”We’ll see if there’s anything there,” Santner said at the toss. “And if there’s not it might be more of a challenge.”It was more of a challenge.England’s 236 for 4 blitzed the previous highest score at Hagley Oval by over 30 runs. In the history of international T20 cricket at the venue there had only ever been four scores above 170. All things considered, this was an anomalous performance. And a close-to-perfect one at that.”The boundaries are way back,” Curran said after the first match. “A couple of balls you smack and it goes nowhere.”But while England did pack their biceps, striking ten sixes, they also packed their running shoes, scampering 16 twos across the innings. Brook and Phil Salt’s partnership cruised along in fifth gear but took different forms. The boundary may be big, but that means the outfield is too.”He’s very good at playing the field,” Santner explained after the match. “Both him and Salt were very smart using the wind and were able to run hard and hit the pockets on the big side. I think they had 20-something twos (16) and when it’s tough to find dots, when you go two, then four, you’re leaking.”Despite unfurling his ramp once more, Brook’s strengths came down the ground•AFP/Getty ImagesBrook had spoken about this innings before he played it. Ahead of the series he explained his “disappointment” at his white-ball returns. For all the glamour of his roly-poly ramp shots in the Hundred, they weren’t where he believed his strengths lied. He wanted to stand there. And hit straight.”That’s one goal for me this series,” he said, one day out from the first match. “Just to try and play on instinct as much as possible.”All five of Brook’s sixes came from the City End, where the leg-side was to the shorter boundary and had the wind in assistance. Two landed in the stands, one dropped onto the roof, and two went over it.Related

• Finisher Banton is back where he started as career comes full-circle

• Curran comes in from the cold with several points to prove

• Salt, Brook fireworks set up crushing England win

• Rain ruins Christchurch opener after Curran claws England to 153

• Brook parks Ashes chat to train focus on New Zealand

Salt had been on 39 off 21 when Brook arrived at the crease. But when it became clear Brook was the man of the moment his strike-rate slowed as he focused on getting his captain back on strike. From his next 35 balls he made just 46 runs but England continued to motor.Salt is on four T20I centuries. Only Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma have five, a stat of which Salt is aware, but one he put to one side.”The difference between me going on and getting that score or not was getting Brooky on strike,” he said afterwards. “And, 100 times over, I’d like to be at the other end watching that again.”That’s batting, isn’t it? You have to take the ego out of it.”This was as complete a performance as England could have hoped for. A coach’s dream, in which all parties played their role. Two batters batted big, and those that didn’t, did so quickly. All of Jacob Bethell (24), Tom Banton (29*) and Sam Curran (8*) struck at above 200.”It’s warming to be able to say ‘lads, you go do your thing’,” was Brook’s conclusion at the close.Rashid and Dawson benefitted from England’s willingness to attack their catches in the deep•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesEngland’s perfect day extended to ball in hand as well. Brydon Carse took two up top, before the spin duo of Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid killed the game in the middle. Dawson bowled four through the middle, counterintuitively bowling to New Zealand’s left-hand-heavy middle order to the shorter side, but keeping his line wide. Until Santner got a hold of him in his final over, it worked. After 3.4 overs his figures were 2 for 18. Somehow, his final two legal deliveries conceded 20 runs. We’ll brush over that bit.”Dawson bowling to the short side,” Santner said afterwards. “I thought that was very smart, keeping it off the batsman.”Even Rashid’s four-fer, all of which were caught in the deep, came with thought attached, as those on the large square boundaries were instructed to settle five or ten metres in from the rope.”That’s something we spoke about,” Brook said of his fielders roaming around. “There’s a lot of balls plinked into the outfield and if our fielders were on the rope they’re probably not carrying. So that’s another positive move about taking wickets.”So much of T20 cricket comes down to volatility. One player executing on the day and wrenching the match in one direction or the other. England’s joy this evening will be their success at the bits that are repeatable. Plans were made. And plans were executed.”That’s part of being a team,” Salt concluded. “You have to take the ego out of it. Everything is team first and team orientated. And long may that continue.”

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 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.

West Ham United’s unbeaten run was brought to a halt by Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Now, the good news is that the Premier League champions were miles better than the Hammers, but the bad news is that they are still level on points with 18th-placed Leeds United.

Worse than that, though, at least in the immediate, is the fact that Nuno Espírito Santo is now going to be without Lucas Paqueta for the Hammers’ trip to Manchester United on Thursday night following his sending-off for dissent.

The Brazilian’s absence is undeniably a big problem, but Nuno might have a surprise solution in the shape of a particularly exciting prospect.

The latest West Ham team news

With every game now becoming increasingly crucial for West Ham and Nuno this season, it’s equally important that players are available.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

Fortunately, there are only two first-team players out injured at the moment who will miss Thursday’s game, alongside Paqueta.

Unfortunately, while nobody was expecting Ollie Scarles to be declared fit given his surgery, there was hope, at least among the fanbase, that Crysencio Summerville would be fit enough to play.

However, speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Nuno revealed that “there are still some issues” with the knock that the Dutchman picked up in the game against Bournemouth.

He then added that, while the club “are still assessing” the issue, they believe “Thursday is probably going to be too soon.”

It’s a real blow for the East Londoners, as while the former Leeds United star hasn’t quite delivered in terms of output, he is still one of their most dangerous and electric attackers.

Moreover, with him out and Paqueta out, that left-hand side looks a lot weaker, that is, unless Nuno makes a bold decision and unleashes one of the academy’s most exciting products there.

The academy star who could replace Paqueta

West Ham have a proud history of developing and promoting their best academy gems, and the latest youngster who could join the likes of Declan Rice and Freddie Potts, while also stepping in for Paqueta, is George Earthy.

The 21-year-old first joined the club at the under-6 level and has since worked his way up through the age groups, impressing the right people at every step.

For example, in 60 appearances for the u18s, totalling 4804 minutes, he scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 111.72 minutes.

Earthy’s Junior Record

Team

U18s

U21s

Appearances

60

55

Minutes

4804′

3703′

Goals

25

19

Assists

18

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.71

0.61

Minutes per Goal Involvement

111.72′

108.91′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

And if that’s still not enough, he has scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists in 55 appearances, totalling 3703 minutes, for the U21S, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.61 games, or every 108.91 minutes.

Last but certainly not least, the “priceless” youngster, as dubbed by coach Steve Potts, also has four first-team appearances under his belt, in which he’s scored one goal.

In other words, the boyhood Hammer is a huge attacking threat, whether scoring goals or assisting.

Now, some might argue that he lacks enough senior experience to be thrown in the deep end by Nuno on Thursday, but they would be mistaken.

Last season saw the Havering-born gem go on loan to Championship side Bristol City, where he not only made 40 appearances but was named the club’s young player of the year.

Finally, while it is undoubtedly true that the youngster is primarily an attacking midfielder, he has spent time out wide, and it’s not uncommon for managers to stick academy products where they are needed in the team.

Moreover, Paqueta is banned for just one game, and Earthy has more than enough talent and mental fortitude to do a job in a newish position for such a brief spell.

Ultimately, losing the Brazilian for Thursday’s game is far from ideal, but if Nuno is bold enough to start him there, Earthy might just be the solution he needs.

Related Bowen repeat: West Ham plot move to sign "the best FK taker in the world"

West Ham United could replicate the signing of Jarrod Bowen with a move for the brilliant talent.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2025

Jude Bellingham’s relationship with England boss Thomas Tuchel has been compared to the one that Roy Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson once experienced at Old Trafford. Wes Brown witnessed that at close quarters and has, during an exclusive interview with GOAL, been discussing Bellingham’s role in the Three Lions squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup group stage draw.

• Character questions: Will Bellingham make England's World Cup squad?

  Tickets to that event next summer were booked while Bellingham was watching on from afar. Despite recovering from shoulder surgery and returning to action at Real Madrid, the 22-year-old midfielder was left out of Tuchel’s plans in October.

  He returned in November, as a faultless passage through qualification was completed, before more questions were asked of his character and temperament after a 2-0 victory over Albania – in which Bellingham made his first international start since June 7.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Keane & Ferguson: Bellingham vs Tuchel likened to Man Utd legends

  Tuchel has made it clear that he will not be selecting anybody that threatens to rock the boat and disturb group harmony, with a happy camp required in the United States, Canada and Mexico. That has led some to suggest that Bellingham may be overlooked, despite his obvious talent.

  Asked for his take on that debate, former United and England defender Brown – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “First of all, when it comes to a player and a manager, there needs to be respect. You look over the course of my Man United career, with Keano and the gaffer – they weren’t the best of mates, but there is an understanding that they are both here to win and both can play a big part in that.

  “You still need respect between the manager and the player. We all know how good Jude is and he’s a big part of the squad and a big player in the team – who the manager knows that he needs, by the way. He does need him in the team. At the same time, it comes down to making sure that the respect levels are right. Maybe that’s what it is. I’m sure it will be fine. At the same time, they have to come to an understanding. At any normal football club, if two people are not getting on then you find a way to work it out and fix it.”

• Too good: Bellingham expected to get England call

  Another former England international, Danny Murphy, told GOAL recently when asked if there are any concerns regarding Bellingham and his place in England’s plans: “I find the narrative around his character and any problems a little bit strange because when I have watched England – I have watched them a lot at tournaments and watched him closely, he is, by far, the best character on the football pitch when England play, in terms of producing big moments, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck, leaving everything out there.

  “If you could have 11 Jude Bellinghams, you would win most tournaments. The element of not talking to the press or not doing interviews or the odd swear word or rant or a little bit of what some people would call arrogance, that is what creates the player on the pitch. They are just rumours because a lot of the feedback from the players – Jordan Henderson recently said how much he likes him and how great a character he is – I think some of it has been exaggerated.

  “From a footballing perspective, we have a much better chance of winning the World Cup if he is in the team. I don’t mean just in the squad, I mean in the team. He is a phenomenal talent. We should be – as pundits, fans, press – building him up, applauding him and being thankful that we have got him, not trying to pull him down because he is the best one we have got. He is the game-changer in our side. He is the one that can make things happen. He’s just a phenomenal player.”

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• Getty
  

  World Cup draw: Date England will discover group stage opponents

  The expectation is that Bellingham, who has 46 senior caps to his name, will be handed a place on the plane heading over the Atlantic next summer. For now, he – and the rest of the England hopefuls – are waiting to discover who they will face in the World Cup group stage. All will be revealed when the draw is held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on December 5.

Tottenham Hotspur improved their chances of securing automatic qualification from the Champions League table after a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague.

Thomas Frank’s men produced a dominant display in North London last night, as seen by the incredible stats behind the three-goal triumph over their Czech opponents.

The Lilywhites registered a total of 10 shots on target during the victory, subsequently achieving an xG of 2.56 and having five big chances fall their way in front of goal.

Frank’s side also registered over 50 passes than the visitors, whilst notching nearly double the amount of touches in the opposition box – reaffirming the dominance during the win.

The result was an excellent team performance, one that was certainly needed after the last European outing against PSG, with two players massively shining in the win.

How Simons & Kudus downed Slavia Prague

After scoring against Brentford in the Premier League at the weekend, Xavi Simons was rewarded with another start for Spurs – something which he took full advantage of.

The Dutchman featured for 90 minutes in the triumph, impressing throughout and managing to get on the scoresheet for the second successive match.

His underlying stats further highlighted his superb showing, with the 22-year-old completing six passes into the final third, whilst being fouled three times – the most of any player on the pitch.

He wasn’t alone in starring in North London against Jindrich Trpisovsky’s men, with Mohammed Kudus having yet another night to remember for the Lilywhites.

The Ghanaian international started for the fourth successive match and managed to net his second goal for the club, after tucking home a penalty in the 50th minute.

Like Simons, he also produced some magnificent figures, subsequently completing two successful dribbles, whilst registering six touches in the opposition box – offering a constant threat to the visitors.

Spurs star is becoming a future £100m talent

Spurs have a plethora of young talents on their hands who can certainly make a huge impact on their chances of success between now and the near future.

Simons is no doubt a player who can thrive for many years to come in North London, especially if he can adapt to the demands of the Premier League after his big-money transfer.

Kudus is another player who has the quality to be a leading talent for the Lilywhites, with his tally of eight combined goals and assists in 21 matches evidence of the levels he’s capable of producing.

Frank has already assembled a young and promising squad, especially after forking out a reported £100m for the aforementioned duo during his first window.

However, numerous other youngsters were already on the books before the Dane’s arrival, with Archie Gray one player who has had to patiently wait for his chance to shine for the Lilywhites.

The 19-year-old joined in a £40m deal back in the summer of 2024, but has often had to bide his time under Frank, with the Englishman finally getting the run he deserves in the first-team.

He’s now started the last two games in a row, just like Simons, with the teenager now deserving of an extended run as a regular starter to help aid his development.

Gray’s showing against Slavia Prague was yet another example of the talent he possesses, but it’s safe to say he’s only going to get better as he progresses in his career.

He featured for 59 minutes against the Czech opposition, but managed to produce numerous incredible figures which should keep him in the side at the weekend.

Minutes played

59

Touches

34

Passes completed

92%

Tackles won

2

Long ball accuracy

100%

Recoveries made

2

Duels won

75%

Interceptions made

1

The youngster completed 92% of the passes he attempted, whilst posting a 100% long ball accuracy rate – showcasing his incredible ability with the ball at his feet.

He also won two tackles, made two recoveries and came out on top in 75% of the duels he entered, even managing to dominate without the ball despite his tender age.

Gray’s 34 touch display wasn’t one that will set the world alight, but it’s one that should certainly keep his starting position at the base of Frank’s side in the months ahead.

He’s previously been labelled a “future £100m” star by Ben Mattinson, which is certainly a bold statement, but one that can come true if he continues on his current trajectory.

Simons and Kudus will no doubt get the majority of their credit after their respective goals, but Gray is also deserving of massive credit for his recent form – especially after barely featuring in the early months of the season.

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Tim Ward also scored a fluent hundred as the visitors piled up their second highest Sheffield Shield total

AAP24-Nov-2025Nikhil Chaudhary became the first Indian to hit a Sheffield Shield hundred this century, helping put Tasmania in a position of utter dominance against New South Wales.Chaudhary blazed his way to 163 for Tasmania before they declared at 623 for 8 late on day three and with a lead of 232 at Sydney’s Cricket Central.Sam Konstas and Ryan Hicks then survived a tricky five overs as the Blues went to stumps at nine without loss and needing to fight to hang on for a draw.After Caleb Jewell hit 102 for Tasmania on Sunday, Tim Ward and Chaudhary both reached triple figures on Monday in the team’s second-highest Shield score.Ward was dominant through the offside against his native state for his first red-ball century of the Shield summer, but it was Chaudhary who made history.Born in Delhi and having represented Punjab in one-day cricket, Chaudhary moved to Australia in 2020. He became stuck in the country through the Covid-19 pandemic, and has since become a permanent resident while still being an Indian citizen.The spin-bowling allrounder was spotted in Queensland club cricket by Tasmania’s assistant coach James Hopes, who recommended him to Hobart for the BBL two summers ago.Chaudhary then moved to Tasmania at the start of last summer, and got his chance in the one-day cup this season. He took a five-wicket haul on Shield debut against Queensland last month, before having his way with the bat on Monday.The 29-year-old hit five sixes in his 184-ball knock, going after Tanveer Sangha late in the day.Four times Chaudhary slog-swept Sangha over the rope in the final hour of play, bringing up his 150 when he put the legspinner on the grandstand roof.A handful of Indian players have previously featured in the Shield, with former Test allrounder Rusi Surti hitting a century and taking a hat-trick for Queensland in the 1970s.Aside from Chaudhary, Ward was the other Tasmanian to impress on Monday with 119.He was dominant through the offside, regularly cover driving, and brought up his ton when he hit Sangha to the boundary.Bradley Hope also threw away the chance to join Chaudhary, Ward and Jewell as centurions, when he cut a Sangha lop hop to point.Tasmania entered the round last on the ladder, one of four teams with one win, two losses and a draw to start the season.

Manchester City are now reportedly willing to launch a stunning £100m+ move to sign a young talent who’s been compared to Lamine Yamal.

Guardiola: Man City "had everything" in Sunderland win

Say it quietly, but we might just have a Premier League title race on our hands. After Arsenal slipped up against Aston Villa, courtesy of a dramatic Emi Buendia winner, Man City took full advantage. The Citizens shoved Sunderland aside in vintage fashion as goals from Josko Gvardiol, Phil Foden and a Ruben Dias stunner sealed all three points.

Arsenal’s lead at the top has now been cut to just two points and Pep Guardiola couldn’t hide his delight at full-time, telling reporters: “It had everything. It was one of our best performances of the season, against a great team, considering what they have done so far.

“Definitely [pleased to get a clean sheet], as they don’t concede much. One action from Ruben [Dias] when he lost the ball and they had a chance, but the rest of the match we were composed. We created a lot.”

The Spaniard, a title veteran, also assured reporters that there’s still a long way to go before the season concludes, saying: “Many things are going to happen still. It’s down to the way we play, not how many points behind we are. It’s the way you perform. The players are not stupid, consistency doesn’t come from one result.

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“In the last 9 to 10 games, we have been good. We have suffered a lot but we have to learn from it so it doesn’t happen again. When you score five goals against Fulham, you are doing good things.”

Back in their groove on the pitch, City are now reportedly willing to send shockwaves away from the action with a stunning bid to sign Chelsea’s Estevao Willian.

Man City willing to launch Estevao offer

According to reports in Spain, Man City are now willing to launch an offer to sign Estevao worth as much as €120m (£105m). The Brazilian has enjoyed a sensational rise since arriving at Stamford Bridge and is now recognised as one of the best young players in the world.

The 18-year-old recently stole the spotlight from Yamal when he scored an excellent solo goal against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge and that only added credit to Gus Poyet’s comparison between the two.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has also been full of praise for the teenager, dubbing him “special” earlier this season. Everything is pointing towards a generational star that Man City should be desperate to sign.

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