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It’s finally confirmed. Matheus Cunha has left Wolverhampton Wanderers to join Manchester United in a £62.5m deal.

The move was agreed last month, but the Brazilian has now officially departed, giving Vitor Pereira some funds to work with this summer.

Pereira will have to spend wisely to replace the former Atlético Madrid star, as he was capable of moments of genius for the club during his two-and-a-half-year stint in the Midlands.

Indeed, he perhaps single-handedly kept the club in the Premier League last season, especially after they suffered a dreadful start to the campaign.

Matheus Cunha's 2024/25 season in numbers

Last season, he finished with 23 goal contributions – 17 goals and six assists – across 36 matches for the club in all competitions.

It was his displays in the top flight, however, that earmarked him as a target for several clubs.

Matheus Cunha’s Wolves’ statistics

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

36

17

6

2023/24

36

14

8

2022/23

20

2

1

Via Transfermarkt

In the Premier League, he ranked first among the Wolves’ first-team squad for goals and assists (21), shots on target per match (1.3), big chances created (13) and key passes per game (1.8).

These statistics were mighty impressive, and it makes Pereira’s job of sourcing a replacement that much harder.

He has money to spend, that much is certain. But spending it on the right players will be the most important aspect.

Wolves search for a Matheus Cunha replacement

As reported by journalist Sebastien Denis earlier this week, writing for Foot Mercato, Wolves are reportedly targeting a swoop for FC St Gallen striker Willem Geubbels this summer.

Leeds United are also keen on securing his services following a prolific campaign in Switzerland.

A €10m (£8.5m) asking price is all that stands in Pereira’s way and given the financial rewards on offer for another season in the top flight, this fee won’t be any issue whatsoever.

Across 31 matches in the Swiss Super League for St. Gallen, Geubbels scored 14 goals and grabbed three assists.

Although typically deployed as a centre-forward, the youngster is also able to operate on either wing, and this flexibility will be a major bonus for the club.

This is evidenced by his performance across a range of metrics. Geubbels created seven big chances in the Swiss top flight, while also averaging 1.4 key passes and 2.5 total shots per game for St. Gallen.

Not quite at Cunha’s level, yet. But a move to Wolves could see him improve swiftly, especially with exposure to some of the best defenders in Europe.

Hailed as both “powerful” and “quick” by Kai Watson writing in the Rangers Journal in January 2024, Geubbels will offer plenty to the current Wolves squad.

Watson also stated that the youngster “plays the deeper role as part of a front two because of his creative ability.” And this could see him exuding the qualities that made Cunha such a hit at Molineux since joining in 2023.

Pereira must act quickly to snap up the young forward, especially as plenty of interested parties are keen.

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Manchester United have now held face-to-face talks over a deal for a “powerful” forward, according to The Athletic, with the deal for Matheus Cunha now edging towards completion.

Man Utd now closing in on signing Cunha

Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Man United are closing in on their first summer signing, as personal terms have almost been agreed to bring Cunha to Old Trafford, in what is expected to be a £62.5m deal.

The Brazilian is said to have “accepted the project” on offer at United, having been keen on joining for quite some time, and there is an expectation the forward will be brought to play in the number 10 role, which means Ruben Amorim is still tasked with bringing in a striker.

Amorim’s current striker options, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have fallen way short of expectations this season, netting just 17 goals between them, despite chalking up a combined 98 appearances in all competitions.

Player

Rasmus Hojlund

Joshua Zirkzee

Appearances

50

48

Goals

10

7

As such, it should be no surprise the Red Devils are now stepping up their pursuit of a new striker, and The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell has now revealed that chiefs have held face-fo-face talks with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap.

Delap has an active £30m release clause following Ipswich’s relegation from the Premier League, making him an attractive option for some top clubs, with Chelsea also expected to enter negotiations over a deal.

The low release clause means United will be able to sign the Ipswich forward regardless of the outcome of Wednesday’s crucial Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, which will decide whether Amorim’s side qualify for next season’s Champions League.

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4 ByBrett Worthington May 19, 2025 "Powerful" Delap could be perfect signing for United

It is a bonus that Man Utd will be able to sign the 22-year-old regardless of whether they are triumphant in the Europa League final, and there are some other signs that he could be an ideal addition to the squad.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has singled out the Englishman for high praise this season, saying: “He’s a pivotal player for [Ipswich], there’s no denying that. I think he’s had a very good season.

“He’s got big strengths, very strong, powerful runner. Certainly knows where the goal is. He’s always had a lot of potential.”

Not only that, but Amorim is clearly in need of a consistent goalscorer, given Hojlund and Zirkzee’s struggles, and the Ipswich star has a solid goal record in the Premier League, considering he has played in a poor team, netting 12 goals.

Delap could take his game to the next level by signing for a top club, and a fee of just £30m is a bargain for a striker of his quality.

Manchester United’s recent fortunes would suggest that a place in the Europa League final isn’t quite guaranteed, not just yet, although Ruben Amorim’s men certainly have one foot in the showpiece following a stunning first-leg triumph on Thursday night.

Up against an Athletic Bilbao side who had conceded just 12 goals at home all season in LaLiga and in European competition combined, the Red Devils romped to a brutal 3-0 win in San Mames, maintaining their unbeaten run in this year’s edition.

After a nervy opening – which saw Inaki Williams notably guide his effort over the crossbar – the visitors took control through Casemiro’s backpost header, before ever-reliable skipper, Bruno Fernandes, converted from the penalty spot following a last-ditch foul on Rasmus Hojlund.

With Dani Vivian dismissed for the action that led to the spot-kick to compound matters for the home side, United swiftly extended their advantage just minutes later, with that man Fernandes rounding off an intricate team move just before the break.

A fourth and potentially tie-clinching goal did not emerge after the interval, although Amorim can have few complaints on a night in which his experienced heads, in particular, kept their cool.

Casemiro and Fernandes rise above the rest

If the former Sporting CP boss is to have any reason for negativity following Thursday’s convincing win, the Portuguese tactician may be concerned at the shaky start which his side endured, with Victor Lindelof notably among those to have needlessly squandered possession in the early exchanges.

Key stats – Athletic Bilbao vs Man Utd
Stat	Highest ranking
Touches	Casemiro (109)
Accurate passes	Victor Lindelof (97)
Key passes	Bruno Fernandes (3)
Crosses	Bruno Fernandes (5/7)
Shots on target	Bruno Fernandes (3)
Successful dribbles	Ugarte & Sannadi (2)
Defensive actions	Casemiro (9)
Duels won	Casemiro (10)
Possession lost	Nico Williams (20)
Stats via Sofascore

The Swede did, thankfully, redeem himself soon after with a vital goal-line block, with Manuel Ugarte also enjoying his own in-game redemption, having shaken off a careless beginning to ultimately register two assists on the night, including a clever backheeled flick for Fernandes’ second.

Some initial nerves may have been understandable, although in the case of the captain and Casemiro, the experienced pairing proved to be “the difference again”, in the words of journalist Samuel Luckhurst, having been head and shoulders above the majority of their teammates.

For Fernandes, such a performance has simply become the norm, with the influential skipper now boasting 37 goals and assists this season in all competitions, including seven goals and four assists in the Europa League alone.

To see the 30-year-old pulling the strings is no surprise, although for his veteran teammate, this recent resurgence has been a welcome one, not least considering it appeared as if he was approaching the end of a storied career not too long ago.

Once looking like “he is playing in Soccer Aid” under Erik ten Hag last term, as per pundit Jamie Redknapp, Casemiro has been reborn in the Amorim regime, with the return to Spain seeing the former Real Madrid warrior win ten of his 12 attempted duels, alongside getting on the scoresheet.

A starter in every knockout stage game in the competition, this redemption arc continues for the 33-year-old – much like it does for Harry Maguire.

The Man Utd hero who's now undroppable again

The importance of Fernandes and Casemiro was evident as even at 3-0, Amorim opted not to rest the star duo despite making a raft of changes, with the two men simply pillars in this developing 3-4-3 system.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

In a similar manner, the fact that Maguire was withdrawn just after the hour mark was also a sign of his growing stature under the new regime, with Amorim unable to afford an injury setback to the 6 foot 4 Englishman.

The 32-year-old hasn’t been a stranger to periods on the sidelines this season, having actually only featured on 34 occasions, although at present he looks the real bedrock in a back three that repeatedly chops and changes with each passing game.

A player his manager previously described as “perfect” for this setup, following the extension of his contract by a further 12 months, Maguire looks at home in the centre of the defensive trio, having been largely untroubled against the Basque outfit.

There was one hairy moment just prior to his withdrawal, amid appeals from the home crowd for a red card following a ‘foul’ on Maroan Sannadi, although it was otherwise plain-sailing, with the former Leicester City man spraying passes with ease after racking up a 97% pass accuracy rate in total.

Much like last month and his stoppage time heroics to clinch victory over Lyon, it was actually his impact in the final third that was most memorable from Maguire’s outing, with the towering defender proving an unlikely menace down the right flank, before whipping in a cross that eventually found its way to Casemiro, via the head of Ugarte.

The sight of the big man twisting and turning truly was a joy to behold, with that marking another “glorious” moment – as per The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell – in the revival of a player who was memorably stripped of the captaincy by Ten Hag back in 2023.

There were even suggestions that a move to West Ham United was on the cards that summer, yet now the £190k-per-week powerhouse looks a key cog in the Amorim machine – with the aforementioned Luckhurst noting his ‘solid’ 8/10 performance on the night.

In an era of pursuing younger and younger signings, with the aim of looking to the long-term, the likes of Maguire, Casemiro and Fernandes are proving that experience and class are simply priceless.

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Will Celtic be crowned champions of Scotland again as soon as this weekend?

Following their 5-1 demolition of Kilmarnock, the Hoops are 15 points clear of fierce rivals Rangers with only five matches to go, and boasting a goal difference that is just the 42 superior.

So, even a draw against Dundee United on Saturday will secure a 13th Scottish Premiership title in just 14 seasons, rubber-stamping the title at Tannadice, just as they did in 2008 under Gordon Strachan as well as three years ago when Ange Postecoglou was in charge.

So now, as attention turns towards the summer plans, with a crucial Champions League play-off in August looming large, could Celtic save themselves a few quid in the transfer market by giving a young star, impressing out on loan, an opportunity?

Celtic's interest in Million Manhoef

As previously reported this month, Celtic are ‘eyeing’ a move for Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.

The 23-year-old Dutch U21 international joined the Potters from Vitesse Arnhem in January 2024 for a reported fee of £3m, scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in 51 appearances for the EFL Championship club to date.

His performances have earned rave reviews, including from Dean Jones, who told Give Me Sport that Manhoef is “the sort of player that will get fans off their seats”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him both “quality and versatile”.

As a result, journalist Graeme Bailey believes Manhoef is valued at £10m by Stoke, which would make him one of Celtic’s most-expensive signings of all-time, so could the Scottish champions save their money by reintegrating a youngster currently impressing out on loan on the other side of the world?

Celtic's forgotten sensation out on loan

Back in June 2023, Celtic signed a 21-year-old by the name of Marco Tilio from Melbourne City for a reported fee of £1.5m.

This was, at the time, a record outgoing transfer fee for an A-League player, with Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis believing Celtic had secured a great deal for such a talented player.

Well, so far, this has not transpired, with Tilio making just two appearances in hoops to date, making his debut during a one-minute cameo against Motherwell in November 2023, before seeing 27 minutes off the bench against Hibernian 11 days later.

Instead, he has been loaned back to Melbourne City, for whom he’s now made 102 appearances, really starting to rediscover his best form this season after a long spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury.

So far this year, the Australian international has scored four A-League goals, actually making him the Sky Blues’ joint-top scorer, with this season-by-season breakdown outlining his career so far.

Marco Tilio season-by-season statistics
Season	Appearances	Minutes	Goals	Assists
2024/25	14	1,002	4	3
2023/24	7	287	1	Zero
2022/23	29	2,092	10	6
2021/22	32	2,016	8	8
2020/21	22	1,139	2	5
2019/20	5	31	1	1
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table shows, Tilio has started to somewhat show the form that convinced Celtic to sign him in the first place.

He was a “prolific goalscorer” during his first spell at Melbourne City, as per one source, form he has begun to rediscover, with Liam Bryce of the Herald believing that he certainly has the talent to ‘flourish’ in Glasgow, while Emma Kemp of the Guardian outlines that Tilio is always capable of producing a ‘moment of magic’.

So, given Tilio’s undeniable talent, he should certainly be given an opportunity at Celtic, suggesting they don’t need to go into the market and spend big on a new winger.

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Ben Gray

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Celtic have had mixed success in the Scottish Premiership since the club returned to action after the final international break of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Hoops made a fast start to the last stretch of the season when they hammered Hearts 3-0 at Parkhead in their first game after the break, thanks to two goals from Daizen Maeda and one from Jota.

However, they followed that up by being beaten by bottom-of-the-league St. Johnstone away in the Premiership in their most recent match on Sunday.

It was a disappointing performance and result for the Hoops, who could have little complaints about the scoreline after they failed to produce the kind of quality supporters have become used to seeing from them in the final third.

The difference in Callum McGregor’s performance between the two matches illustrated the difference in Celtic’s play, and why the former Scotland international is so integral to Brendan Rodgers’ style of play.

Why Callum McGregor is integral for Celtic

In the 3-0 win over Hearts, the left-footed star completed a staggering 99% of his attempted passes – making 66 of 67 – and assisted Maeda for the opening goal with a through ball that split open the Jam Tarts defence.

The Scottish ace also won two of his three physical duels during the match, whilst also making two interceptions, and was not dribbled past a single time by an opposition player, which shows that he excelled in and out of possession.

This meant that McGregor was able to impact the game at both ends of the pitch, by effectively screening in front of the back four and using his quality on the ball to create the opening goal.

Against St. Johnstone, however, the captain played the full 90 minutes and did not create a single chance for his teammates despite having 79 touches of the ball and completing 94% of his passes.

Minutes

64

90

Key passes

2

0

Assists

1

0

Pass accuracy

99%

94%

Duels won

2/3

1/6

Interceptions

2

0

Dribbled past

0x

1x

As you can see in the table above, McGregor’s use of the ball and his actions defensively were nowhere up to the standards he set during the win over Hearts, as the Saints midfielders got the better of him far too easily in physical duels.

The difference in his performance correlating with the difference in results speaks to how integral he is to Celtic, because he is the heartbeat of the side and much of the team’s success depends on him playing to his level in the middle of the park.

McGregor, who has started 28 of his 29 appearances in the Premiership this season, provides a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield, controlling games for the Hoops, but allowed his level to drop against St. Johnstone and it contributed to the loss.

There is a former Celtic player, however, who has gone on to develop into being an even better player than the Hoops skipper in a deep-lying midfield role, as Ryan Christie has thrived since moving on from Parkhead.

How much Celtic sold Ryan Christie for

The Hoops reportedly sold the Scotland international to Bournemouth for a reported fee of £1.5m in the summer of 2021, having spent six years at Parkhead.

Christie made 151 appearances for the Premiership giants during his time in Glasgow, scoring 42 goals and providing 44 assists, before his move down south to the Championship – at the time.

During his time with the Hoops, the left-footed whiz predominantly played as either an attacking midfielder or as a winger as part of the midfield set-up, as he looked to impact games with goals and assists.

Christie was capable of the spectacular, as shown in the clip below, and even racked up an eye-catching tally of 21 goals and 16 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions during the 2019/20 campaign.

At that point, it seems unlikely that anyone would have predicted that Christie would go on to become an upgrade on McGregor in the number six position, as he was thriving as an attacker before his move to Bournemouth for £1.5m.

However, that is what has happened as the former St. Johnstone star has gone on to become an exceptional deep-lying midfield player in the Premier League at the Vitality.

Why Christie is now an upgrade on McGregor

Since signing for the Cherries, the bulk of the 30-year-old star’s appearances for the club have come as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder, which is a big change from purely playing as an attack-minded midfielder or winger for Celtic.

If you compare Christie’s performances against McGregor’s over the past 365 days, whilst both now play in similar positions in midfield – unlike their time together at Parkhead, then it appears as though the left-footed ace would be an upgrade on the Celtic captain.

As you can see in the chart above, the Bournemouth star offers significantly more out of possession whilst also providing his team with more from an offensive perspective, when it comes to creating chances and building play that leads to shots.

Similar conclusions can be drawn by comparing Christie’s form in the Premier League to that of McGregor’s in the Champions League in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown below.

These statistics, this season and over the past 365 days, suggest that the former Bhoys ace would currently be an upgrade on McGregor in midfield, by doing more to help out his defence whilst also providing more creativity with his passing from a deep-lying role.

The Scottish ace was hailed by former Cherries defender Joe Partington earlier this year, as the former Celtic man was lauded for his consistency in the middle of the park.

Partington said: “Ryan Christie’s consistency this season is incredible. His level is so so high – his ability to look exceptionally in control of what he’s doing. I hope its not underwhelming to say he’s outstandingly basic.”

He added: “His touch is always perfect, his pass is always the right weight at the right time at the right angle – he plays the pass to the right player in the right moment into the right space.”

Christie, who has started 27 of his 29 appearances in the Premier League, has consistency to go along with his quality on the pitch, and consistency has been an issue – albeit over just two games – for McGregor since the international break.

However, there is no guarantee that he would have developed in the way that he has if Celtic had kept him at Parkhead, as the midfielder may have stuck to his role as an attacker, rather than being moved further back into a number six position.

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Therefore, the Hoops may not see Christie as one that got away from them from that perspective, but he was still a quality player who was sold for a relatively small amount of money, which should be frustrating for the Scottish giants.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is on the verge of losing a star player this summer, and it is believed he’s already held talks over joining a big club.

Players likely to leave Arsenal this summer

Alongside the likes of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares, who are both expected to complete permanent moves away from Arsenal amid impressive loan spells at Sevilla and Lazio respectively (Pete O’Rourke), other Gunners players appear set for the exit door as well.

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Arsenal will need to find a buyer for Reiss Nelson, who’s endured a nightmare temporary stint at Fulham and has spent most of the Premier League campaign out with a hamstring injury.

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

The Hale End academy graduate, who’s been at London Colney for 17 years, doesn’t appear to have a long-term future under Arteta, and will most likely be up for grabs again when the summer window reopens.

Fabio Vieira, meanwhile, is enjoying a productive spell on loan at Porto this term, bagging five goals and four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions, but journalist Charles Watts has predicted that Arsenal are still likely to sell him permanently, especially considering the presence of rising star Ethan Nwaneri.

“I don’t think it is an absolute certainty that his Arsenal career is finished,” said Watts to CaughtOffside.

“But I would be surprised at this point if he comes back and makes the grade in north London. I still think the most likely option is that he moves on permanently come the end of the season.

“Arteta admitted that Vieira was allowed to leave so that Ethan Nwaneri could get more minutes this season and Nwaneri has already shown how good he can be. It just feels like an exit is inevitable and that Arsenal will have to take a fairly big financial hit on a player they spent £34 million on back in 2022.”

Arsenal are also ready to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko this summer, with the Ukranian falling down Arteta’s pecking order and Andrea Berta seemingly keen to trim his £150,000-per-week wages off the books.

Thomas Partey highly likely to leave Arsenal with Barcelona talks held

There is also the matter of Arsenal’s out-of-contract duo Jorginho and Thomas Partey.

As things stand, both men are set to leave on free deals past June 30th, and a debate has surrounded whether Berta should negotiate fresh terms with the latter following Partey’s impressive run of form lately.

The £200,000-per-week Ghanaian put in a brilliant performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week and scored against Brentford during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with the Bees last weekend.

The “sensational” former Atlético Madrid ace is rumoured to be eyeing an exit regardless, and now journalist Graeme Bailey is reporting that Partey is “highly” likely to leave Arsenal this summer.

“As it stands, Thomas Partey is highly unlikely to remain with Arsenal this summer,” wrote Bailey on X.

“Barcelona want Thomas Partey as their Joshua Kimmich alternative, and they have held talks.”

With discussions already taking place with Barca, Arteta faces a very real prospect of losing one of his most reliable players of recent times, and one who’s made 45 appearances in all competitions, including as a makeshift right-back.

India’s stand-in captain wants to keep it simple during a Test they must win to avoid losing the series to South Africa

Karthik Krishnaswamy21-Nov-20252:06

What will Rishabh Pant’s Test captaincy style be like?

Standing in as captain is never straightforward, and Rishabh Pant may have it trickier than most when he becomes India’s 38th Test captain on Saturday. He won’t just be leading a side without its regular captain and superstar No. 4. He’ll be leading an India team that’s 1-0 down in a two-Test series, which means they either win this Test match or lose the series.Roughly a year ago, India hadn’t lost or even drawn a home series in 12 years. Since then, they’ve lost one to New Zealand, 3-0, and could now lose this one to South Africa.Pant will be leading India at a home venue they may not feel entirely at home in. This is Guwahati’s first Test match, and conditions are a bit of an unknown, with the added twist of geographical considerations that will mean unusually early starts that may not fully mitigate the effect of early sunsets. So much could hinge on decisions made while still getting to grips with these conditions.Related

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There’s a lot, in short, for Pant to think about – or to avoid thinking about.”See, we feel at this top level, playing international cricket, you are going to be put under pressure like this, that you might be 1-0 down in the series,” Pant said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “But at the same time, as a team, we don’t want to dwell too much on the result every time we play cricket because we need to have a clear mindset that, regardless [of whether] we are one up or they are one up, we still have to give our 200% when we [get] on the field.”Taking that undue pressure is not required to play cricket, I feel. You’ve got to keep it simple. Just go out there and try to do your best, and eventually, the team who is going to play better cricket will win the match.”This was the broad, recurring theme of Pant’s first press conference as captain. Don’t put undue pressure on yourself. Focus on the controllables.Pant knows that even the controllables are only so controllable. He was asked, for instance, about his decision to start day three of the Kolkata Test with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in tandem rather than one of the two left-arm spinners and Jasprit Bumrah, and whether he might have chosen differently in hindsight.

“I feel, especially in red-ball cricket, because it goes [on for a] longer period of time, small tactical changes you can overcome because it gives you time in the game”Rishabh Pant ahead of leading India in the Guwahati Test

On that morning, India endured a frustrating wait for a wicket, with Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch putting on a match-turning partnership for the eighth wicket.”A lot of discussion happened as a team, and we felt going with a spinner was that thought process for us,” Pant said. “Yes, there is always a chance [you could have brought] a fast bowler in, that’s for sure; [that thought comes in] when someone gives you a wicket afterwards.”But that’s the challenge as a captain [which] you want to face each and every day. You are going to be questioned, but eventually you are going to do what you believe is right in that given frame of mind. And trust that that person who has the ball will do the job for the team.”As the Bavuma-Bosch stand stretched on, India’s fans may have harboured conflicting thoughts, because it was equally possible to think that Pant was keeping Axar on for too long, and that he was changing bowlers too frequently and not allowing them to settle. It’s one of the classic conundrums of Test-match captaincy: there’s a lot of time in the game, but it can get away from you in no time.”I feel, especially in red-ball cricket, because it goes [on for a] longer period of time, small tactical changes you can overcome because it gives you time in the game,” Pant said. “But at the same time, you have to keep your emotions in check and [not] let the game drift away from you for too long. You try to be as close as possible to the game during the pressure situation.”In Kolkata, Rishabh Pant looked uncertain when he faced Simon Harmer•AFP/Getty ImagesBy this, Pant probably meant stay in the game for as long as possible, and take decisions that give you the best chance of doing so. He often does this brilliantly when he bats. He takes calculated risks when the bowlers are dictating terms, putting pressure back on the bowling team by upsetting their plans and field placements. In good batting conditions, when he knows runs will come if he stays in, he often makes some of his most measured, risk-free starts.Either way, when Pant bats for any length of time against any bowler, you usually know he has a plan, whether it’s a conventional one or something only he could have conceived and backed himself to execute.In Kolkata, however, Pant, for once, looked uncertain when he faced the offspinner Simon Harmer, seemingly unsure of his ability either to attack or defend in those conditions. Across the two innings, in which he made 27 and 2, Pant faced 23 balls from Harmer, and played nine false shots.Before this match, Pant had played nine or more false shots against a spinner in six other Test matches. The false shots came over far longer periods in those six games; he scored at least one half-century in each of them.When Rishabh Pant bats for any length of time against any bowler, you usually know he has a plan•Getty ImagesYou can, of course, only read so much into numbers like this from a one-off Test on a pitch of extreme variability. Guwahati’s conditions, from all pre-match indications, should be far more reasonable to bat in. No bowler, if this is so, should look nearly as unplayable as Harmer did at Eden Gardens against India’s left-hand batters, and in particular Pant.But Harmer’s threat in Kolkata wasn’t all to do with the pitch. He bowled with exacting control of length while varying his speeds and trajectories effortlessly. He will continue to pose problems even in decent batting conditions. Pant probably knows this, and is probably already formulating his response.And this could well turn out to be a key contest in Guwahati. South Africa know all about Pant’s ability to change games quickly, having seen it even in Kolkata when he took Keshav Maharaj for 22 runs in just ten balls in the first innings. They will bowl as much of Harmer to Pant as they possibly can when he’s at the crease.How Pant handles those spells, and how well his batting partners help him in this task, could have far-reaching knock-on effects on the Guwahati Test. Effects that could go a far greater distance towards winning India the Test match than any captaincy call he makes.

Sutherland’s double-century also breaks a number of records

Sampath Bandarupalli16-Feb-2024210 Annabel Sutherland has the second-highest individual score for Australia in women’s Tests, behind Ellyse Perry’s unbeaten 213 against England in 2017. It is also the fourth-highest individual score in all women’s Tests.1 Sutherland became the first to score a double-century while batting at No.5 or lower in women’s Tests. The previous highest while batting at No.5 or lower was 161* by Emily Drumm against Australia in 1995, while the highest at No.6 was 150 by Marizanne Kapp against England in 2022.248 Balls Sutherland needed to complete her double-century, the fastest in women’s Tests. The previous quickest was off 305 balls by Karen Rolton against England in 2001, where she scored an unbeaten 209.Related

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22y 126d Sutherland’s age coming into the Test match. She is now the second youngest among the nine players to score a double-century in women’s Tests, behind Mithali Raj, who was 19 years and 254 days old at the start of the 2002 Test in Taunton.1 Number of players younger than Sutherland with home and away tons in women’s Tests. Drumm had centuries at home and away in the format before she turned 22. Sutherland’s maiden hundred came away from home at Trent Bridge last year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd575 for 9 Australia’s total in Perth is now the highest by any team in women’s Tests. The record for the highest women’s Test total was with Australia for their 525 all out against India in 1984 till they themselves bettered in 1998 with 569 for 6 against England, and now they’ve topped that again.499 Australia’s first-innings lead in Perth is the highest for any team in a women’s Test match. The previous highest was 459 for England, who made 503 for 5 in response to New Zealand’s 44 all out in the 1935 Christchurch Test.81 Boundaries hit by Australian batters against South Africa are the most in a women’s Test innings. Their 78 fours are the most in an innings, surpassing England’s 72 against South Africa in 2003, while their three sixes are the joint-most.99 Alyssa Healy’s score – she is only the fifth player dismissed on 99 in women’s Tests. Four of those five instances are by Australians.

A statistical review of the tournament and what made it unique

Sampath Bandarupalli31-May-2022Dominance of wrist spinners
The battle for the purple cap between Yuzvendra Chahal and Wanindu Hasaranga defined how wristspinners dominated through the tournament. Kuldeep Yadav was also in the race but finished fifth, while Rashid Khan found a place in the top ten wicket-takers.