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After finishing the series with an average of 151, Kohli said he wants to push his boundaries and see where he goes

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2025

Virat Kohli brought out his version of the no-look six•BCCI

Virat Kohli feels his “whole game is coming together nicely” and is batting at a level he hasn’t in the last two-three years. Kohli stayed unbeaten on 65 in the ODI series decider against South Africa, which India sealed by a comfortable nine wickets with more than 10 overs to spare in a chase of 271.Kohli’s half-century came after he struck back-to-back centuries in the first two ODIs to finish the series with a tally of 302 and a staggering average of 151. Kohli now has four straight 50-plus scores after he had bagged two consecutive ducks in the ODIs in Australia, which was his first series since the IPL finished in June.”Honestly, just playing the way I have in this series has been the most satisfying thing for me,” Kohli said at the presentation. “I don’t think I’ve played at this level for a good two-three years now and I feel really free in my mind and just the whole game is coming together nicely, [it’s] very exciting to build on. And something that I’ve always tried to do as a player, maintain my own standards that I’ve set for myself and play at the level that I can make an impact for the team. I know when I can bat like that out there in the middle, then it of course helps the team in a big way because I can bat long, I can bat according to the situation and just being confident makes me feel like any situation out there in the middle, I have what it takes to handle that situation and bring it in favour of the team.”Related

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Jaiswal, Rohit, Kohli lead India to 2-1 series win

Kohli took home the Player-of-the-Series award for a record 22nd time in international cricket, and 12th in ODIs. He also smashed a record 12 sixes in the three games, easily his personal best in any ODI series, including World Cups. His series strike rate of 117.05 was also his best in an ODI series since January 2023.”Well, you know, when I play freely then I know I can hit sixes,” he said. “So I just wanted to have some fun because I was batting well, just take a bit more risk, just push my own boundaries and see where I go. There’s always levels you can unlock and you just need to take a risk.”Kohli further said that since he has been around for more than 15 years in international cricket, he has gone through “many phases where you doubt your ability” because as a batter it comes down to making one mistake. It is, he said, “a whole journey of learning”.”You tend to go into a space where you feel like maybe I’m not good enough, the nerves take over and that’s the beauty of sport, especially a skill like batting where you have to keep overcoming that fear every ball that you play and eventually play long innings and get into a zone again where you can start playing confidently. It’s a whole journey of learning and getting to know yourself better and becoming better as a person along the whole way. I can surely vouch for the fact that being a batsman and realising so much about myself, what kind of negative thinking patterns I have, where I can get into a zone where I don’t feel confident or when I’m feeling like myself, what are those small little details, it just improves you as a person in general and your whole temperament becomes much better and balanced over so many years. So, yes, I’ve had many phases where I’ve doubted myself and I haven’t been shy to admit that.”

It would be fair to say that it has not been the ideal week for Danny Rohl and Rangers, with the new boss already in danger of falling into Russell Martin territory at Ibrox.

Having failed to beat ten-man Braga a week ago, the Gers have since slipped to two frustrating draws against Falkirk and Dundee United, the latter of which was only rescued following a last-gasp Nedim Bajrami spot-kick on Wednesday night.

At a time of initial chaos at Celtic following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, alongside a recent slump for Premiership leaders Hearts, the Light Blues have failed to capitalise, now finding themselves still nine points off the pace in fourth spot.

Of course, much of the blame will lie at the feet of the departed Kevin Thelwell and co, following a simply bizarre summer of recruitment, although Rohl himself should not be free of criticism amid his continued, head-scratching selection decisions.

Rangers' worst performers against Dundee United

After the highs of scoring his first Rangers goal against Livingston not too long ago, Emmanuel Fernandez was brought crashing back down to earth following arguably his worst display for the club to date in midweek, having been particularly at fault for the hosts’ opener.

The 24-year-old simply allowed goalscorer Zachary Sapsford to breeze past him down that left flank, while his overall woes were evident as he lost eight of his 18 total duels, as per Sofascore, alongside the hapless Nasser Djiga.

All eyes are on that struggling backline, although the attacking unit must also shoulder their share of the blame, with Bojan Miovski’s early Rangers woes continuing, having scored just once in the league following his arrival from Girona.

A former hero at Aberdeen – and at one stage lauded as the “best player” in the Premiership in his position – the 26-year-old has yet to fire in his new surroundings, with his inability to provide a physical focal point laid bare after losing eight duels himself against the Tangerines.

The man behind him, Danilo, was also notably ineffective, having failed to convert any of his five shots, while Djeidi Gassama was also lacking on the flanks, having lost the ball 20 times from just 56 touches.

A moment of magic from Jayden Meghoma, alongside Bajrami’s 98th-minute penalty, helped to spare most of those blushes somewhat, although heading into a hectic festive schedule, Rohl must surely ring the changes.

On the evidence again of Wednesday night, the aforementioned Djiga must well be one of them – and not just in the short-term.

The Rangers star who must not start again under Rohl

As the old saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Chalkboard

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

As harsh as it may be, we are approaching similar territory with regard to Djiga, with the on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers man again looking so underpar at Tannadice.

Calamity after calamity has been the theme of his Ibrox stint to date, memorably sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee, while going AWOL in the desperate defeat at Club Brugge in the early weeks of the season.

Too many errors to count, in truth, with the 23-year-old again somewhat culpable last night, having failed to engage with that man Sapsford, as the Dundee goalscorer surged into the area.

For the home side’s second of the night, Djiga was also again at the scene of the crime, tamely turning his back as Amar Fatah weaved his way through to score.

Quite why Rohl – albeit while limited with regard to alternatives – is persisting with the summer signing is to be debated, with the defender’s woes also seen in how he failed to register a single tackle or interception, nor provide a single key pass from his centre-back berth.

Perhaps a saving grace for Rohl might be the upcoming African Cup of Nations, with Djiga set to link up with Burkina Faso as early as 15 December, thus ruling him out of contention until the New Year.

Touches

70

Pass accuracy

92%

Key passes

0

Possession lost

7

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Ground duels won

2/3

Aerial duels won

1/4

Dribbled past

1

While it is yet to be made clear whether there is a break clause in the 6 foot 4 flop’s loan deal, perhaps January might then provide a perfect opportunity to send him back to Molineux, once he returns from international duty.

In an ideal world, that scenario would ensure that Wednesday’s draw represents the final time that Djiga lines up, or at least starts under the Rohl regime, with the German coach in desperate need of a different solution at centre-back.

His job might depend on it.

Worse than Miovski: Ibrox flop just played his worst game for Rangers

This Glasgow Rangers flop played his worst game for the club in the 2-1 defeat to Dundee United on Wednesday.

ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

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Com Luis Zubeldía nas tribunas do Antônio Accioly, o São Paulo venceu o Atlético-GO por 3 a 0, em duelo válido pela terceira rodada do Brasileirão. Calleri, Luciano, de pênalti, e Ferreirinha anotaram os gols da partida. O Dragão teve dois jogadores expulsos no segundo tempo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSão PauloZubeldía faz mistério e se esquiva sobre utilização de James no São PauloSão Paulo21/04/2024São PauloAtlético-GO x São Paulo: onde assistir, horário e escalações pelo BrasileirãoSão Paulo21/04/2024Palpites de HojePalpite: Atlético-GO x São Paulo – Campeonato Brasileiro – 21/4/2024Palpites de Hoje21/04/2024

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

Com o resultado, o Tricolor conquista seus primeiros pontos no Brasileirão e deixa a zona do rebaixamento. Já o Dragão segue zerado e ocupa o penúltimo lugar. Veja no vídeo abaixo a análise de Rafael Marson, repórter do Lance!, sobre o duelo entre São Paulo e Atlético-GO.

➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

O próximo compromisso do São Paulo será na quinta-feira (25), contra o Barcelona-EQU, pela fase de grupos da Libertadores. O jogo será a estreia de Zubeldía no comando do Tricolor. O Atlético-GO volta a campo no domingo (28), contra o Internacional.

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✅FICHA TÉCNICA
Atlético-GO 0 x 3 São Paulo
3ª rodada – Série A Brasileirão

Data e horário: domingo, 21 de abril de 2024, às 18h30 (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Antonio Accioly, em Goiânia (GO)
Onde assistir: Premiere
Árbitro: Bráulio da Silva Machado
Assistentes: Rodrigo Figueiredo Henrique Correa e Thiaggo Americano Labes.

GOLS: Calleri, Luciano e Ferreirinha

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

⚽ESCALAÇÕES

Atlético-GO: Ronaldo; Bruno Tubarão, Luiz Felipe, Pedro Henrique e Guilherme Romão; Rhaldney, Baralhas e Shaylon; Emiliano Rodríguez, Alejo Cruz e Luiz Fernando. Técnico: Jair Ventura.

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São Paulo: Rafael; Arboleda, Diego Costa e Alan Franco; Igor Vinícius, Pablo Maia, Alisson, Luciano e Welington; André Silva e Calleri. Técnico: Milton Cruz (interino).

Tudo sobre

Atlético GoianienseBrasileirãoSão Paulo

The center midfielder, who was a mainstay for the USMNT during the 2022 World Cup, is in danger of missing out on the 2026 tournament on home soil. Could a new manager at Atalanta change his fortunes?

On Aug. 26, Yunus Musah made it clear that he had big plans for the 2025-26 season at AC Milan.

"The nearest goals and achievement for me are winning trophies here at Milan," he told ESPN. "This season we have the possibility to win three trophies [Serie A, Coppa Italia, Italian Supercoppa]. I'd love to win all three of them. And also then go to the national team and win more trophies as well."

That all sounded good. There was confidence, gusto, the idea that Musah believed that all of those things were possible Milan and the USMNT. A week later, he was holding up an Atalanta shirt, grinning, after agreeing to a year-long loan to Milan's direct rivals. Just over two months after that, he is out of the U.S. squad after barely playing for his new club. 

It is impossible to speculate on the minutea here. But some things are true. The first is that Musah has played just under 300 minutes of football this season. He has also played for two different club managers and is about to play for a third after Atalanta sacked Ivan Juric on Monday. And, according to insights offered by U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino, it is playing time, not injury, that has seen him dropped from the U.S. squad. Piece it all together, and this looks like a footballer who made one of those rare, truly poor decisions in his career. His move may have come late, but the destination was also frightfully ill-judged, with Musah now stuck in a spot where he is unlikely to play more, and without a steady parent club to return to. 

• Getty Images
  

  Allegri didn't rate him

  The state of tension between Musah and Allegri was perhaps a bit overblown. But the eye test certainly didn't help. There were, in fact, two significant incidents in the game between Milan and Lecce that suggested that something was up. The first came in the second half, when the American was on the ground after being on the receiving end of a hefty challenge. Allegri didn't "kick" him, per se, but there was, to be sure, contact between the manager's foot and Musah's body. 

  Later in the game, Allegri berated him for trying to take a throw in quickly with his side leading 2-0 in stoppage time. Musah dropped the ball and looked away without even looking at his coach. It must be acknowledged here that managers and players are allowed to disagree. Allegri, too, isn't exactly the most fun guy. He is a strict disciplinarian who plays intense, testy football. He was famously denied a job in the Premier League when he outlined his playing style: "I don't have one." 

  Allegri also made it abundantly clear to Milan's hierarchy that he wanted a center midfielder who could offer a little more control in his side. The solution? Veteran Frenchman Adrien Rabiot, one of Allegri's favorites at Juventus, and a regular for Didier Deschamps in the French National Team. The reality was that Musah was always going to be a bit frozen out. 

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• AFP
  

  Decision to join Atalanta

  And so it proved. Things accelerated rapidly on Musah's move. There had been some scattered talk for a few weeks that his long term future might not lie with the , but the pace at which his loan move was tracked through was remarkable. All of the reporting all summer suggested that Musah was set to be an important player for Milan. But then, on Aug. 27 – less than a week before the transfer deadline – Serie A transfer guru Matteo Moretto reported that a move to Atalanta was gaining traction. The club was reportedly prepared to pay €25 million for his services. Eventually, the two sides agreed on a loan with a club option to buy. 

  But it was an odd call, all said. There were, admittedly, some things to like about playing for Atalanta. They needed a little midfield depth. They play attacking football. They are in the Champions League this season. There seemed to be plenty of minutes to go around, then. 

  Tactically, too, the fit was intriguing. Atalanta play a 3-4-2-1, with two disciplined, defensive center midfielders and proper runners on the wing. Musah, at his best, is an energetic, box-to-box No. 8. But he can also play on the right or left. He even admitted, after playing well in a 4-3-3 for the USMNT, that he could play on the wing if needed.

  "It's more of a position where you're supposed to be that guy that takes the risks, you're supposed to be that guy that takes on a man and creates [scoring] chances," Musah said. "So ultimately, when the coach tells you to play free, then it gives you even more of a chance to do those things."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Needing a position

  Musah's versatility, in a way, cannot be questioned. But it might have also held him back a bit. In Milan in the 2023-24 campaign, he played nine different positions. But 42 percent of his minutes came in central midfield, where he was genuinely excellent for spells. The rest? Well, there was some time spent out wide, a bit as a defensive midfielder, and even as a right winger. But the point was, largely, he was a center mid doing center mid things. 

  The year after, Milan changed managers, and thereby removed the role that Musah had excelled in. Under Paolo Fonseca, he operated mostly as a right attacking midfielder. The Portuguese did not set up in a system that offered his preferred position. And even if he finished the campaign with 1,600 minutes under his belt and 19 Serie A starts, Musah didn't quite offer a sense of specialization that he needed. 

  And Atalanta have, in a way, capitalized on that. Musah has perhaps a similar problem to Weston McKennie in that he can do a little bit of everything – but is caught in a system that doesn't truly excel in his greatest area. 

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• AFP
  

  A nightmare of a start to the season

  The result is a limited role. It was always, perhaps, going to be tough to crack the XI. In Ederson and veteran midfielder Mario Pasalic – a similar profile of player to Musah – they have two established center midfielders. Davide Zappacosta is a mainstay out wide. Raoul Bellanova has impressed on the other wing. Musah isn't a good fit in either of the No. 10 positions. 

  So, yes, the tactical fit is an awkward one. But what is perhaps even more surprising is just how few minutes he might get. Ederson is a star midfielder who plays nearly every minute. But Pasalic is aging. Zappacosta, too, could do with a rest here and there. Rotational minutes may not be ideal, but even they should still be attainable – especially for a player of Musah's potential. Instead, Musah has played just six times in Serie A, totaling 145 minutes. His one start came not for Atalanta, but Milan – where he played all 90 minutes against Lecce. He has only played five of Atalanta's last 10 games, despite being fit and available for all of them. 

  His performances, meanwhile, have been agreeable. It is admittedly hard to make much of an impact when minutes are sparse. But Musah assisted in the Champions League, and his efforts when on the pitch cannot be questioned. His dribbling and ball-carrying stats are as strong as ever, too.

Batter finishes grim tour with 55 runs in five innings, and no sense that he’s answered doubts about role

Matt Roller25-Oct-2024There were only 22 minutes between Ollie Pope walking out to bat and bad light bringing the second day in Rawalpindi to a premature close, yet it was hardly a surprise that he was already back in the England dressing-room. Pope has become an all-or-nothing player, and will return home next week with only 55 runs to show for his tour to Pakistan.This has been a chastening trip for Pope, who has been heavily backed by England’s management over the last two-and-a-half years but is not delivering the returns that such investment demands. Since falling second-ball to a superb catch at midwicket in the first Test (a match in which his team-mates racked up 823 runs between them), he has managed 29, 22, 3 and 1 and has looked out of his depth on two turning pitches.Pope played one of the great England innings in January, a hyperactive 196 which set up an improbable comeback win over India in Hyderabad, but it increasingly looks like an outlier. He has played 23 Test innings since, averaging 26.21 with more ducks (3) than hundreds (2); in Asia, he has batted 13 times and averaged 13.30, without reaching 40.He stared back at the pitch after this latest dismissal, edging Noman Ali to slip as the sun set behind the Sohail Tanvir Enclosure. The ball did turn and bounce to take the shoulder of his bat, but what else was Pope expecting on a dry pitch that Pakistan have openly tailored to suit their spinners? He jabbed at it with hard hands, away from his body: the outcome was predictable.This was Pope’s first dismissal to Noman after three in a row to Sajid Khan, the ebullient offspinner who has changed the complexion of this series. In Multan, Pope was beaten on the inside-edge by a ball that spun sharply, and then chipped back to the bowler via the inside-edge while looking to drive through mid-off; in the first innings here, he was pinned lbw on the sweep.It has taken England a long time to find a settled top seven and with series against India (home) and Australia (away) looming next year, they will rightly be reluctant to make a change unless they are confident that the alternative is better. The problem for Pope is that the route to that change has never been as clear as it is now.England are set to name their squad to tour New Zealand at the end of this Test and it is highly unlikely that Pope will be dropped. But Jamie Smith’s impending paternity leave means Jordan Cox will play at least one match on that tour, and potentially all three: if he succeeds with the bat and Pope fails, there will be a decision to make.Noman Ali removed Pope in the penultimate over of a terrible day for England•Getty ImagesPope was presented his 50th cap by Zak Crawley ahead of the first Test in Multan, who said his ability to “really seize the moment” had helped him become “one of the best players in the world”. It felt like a platitude rather than a genuine belief: Pope has played some exceptional innings, but the world’s best find a way to contribute in between those big scores.Crawley reached the same landmark in Rawalpindi and has also endured a quiet series, falling to Noman four times in a row since his 78 in the first Test. The biggest difference between the two is that Crawley has already proven himself against Australia and India. Pope averages 22.05 in 35 innings against them, including 11.16 on his previous Ashes tour.Six of Pope’s seven Test hundreds have come since Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took over as England’s coach, as he has clearly valued their backing. But more than half of his dismissals in that time (28 out of 51) have been for scores below 20: that is the record of a lower-middle-order strokemaker, not a reliable No. 3.There has been one England batter who looked the part in that role on this tour, but it was not Pope. Joe Root was forced up the order in the first Test after Ben Duckett’s dislocated thumb prompted a reshuffle and had to walk out in the second over after Pope’s duck, but exuded calm on the second evening and eventually piled on a career-best 262..Root has expressed a clear preference to bat at No. 4, dating back to his time as captain. Back then, England’s openers would rarely bat long enough to give him a breather after he had exhausted his mental energy in the field, and often left him exposed to the new ball. The situation is very different now he is back in the ranks, with Crawley and Duckett’s established partnership one of England’s biggest strengths.In any case, Pope’s regular failures at No. 3 mean that Root already comes in soon after the first wicket more often than not. Root and Harry Brook moving up one spot each would either allow Pope a stay of execution in a more suitable No. 5 role, or Cox to be eased in: promoting Root is an option that England must at least consider revisiting.Unless England can manufacture an implausible comeback in Rawalpindi, they will suffer only their second series defeat under McCullum and Stokes. The first, in India, prompted ruthless and decisive change, with Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson not seen since. If he survives until New Zealand as expected, then Pope can count himself lucky.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions and sit pretty at the top of the Premier League table, boasting a 100 per cent record in the Champions League to boot.

Mikel Arteta answers Arsenal critics

There is a sentiment going around that the Gunners have adopted a ‘boring style of play’, but as long as they get the job done, Mikel Arteta won’t be in the least bit bothered.

Besides, this ongoing narrative is in stark contrast to their imperious win over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League last Wednesday, and club legend Paul Merson was quick to note that nobody blows away Diego Simeone’s side like Arsenal did that night.

Four goals inside just 14 minutes cemented what was a statement three points for Arteta’s men, and summer signing Viktor Gyokeres silenced his own doubters with a quick-fire brace to end his barren run without scoring.

The result means Arsenal still haven’t lost a single game in all competitions since their narrow defeat at Anfield in late August, and even that was down to a sumptuous late free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai which David Raya could do nothing about.

The catalyst for Arsenal’s amazing run has undoubtedly been their rock-solid defence, which has leaked the fewest goals of any Premier League side, with just three scored past them in nine top flight games.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Much to pundit Jamie O’Hara’s detest, who said last week that Arsenal are “killing” the Premier League with their guerrilla tactics, the north Londoners have proved a constant menace through dead balls and long-throws — which have acted as a secret weapon that no opponent can match.

Gabriel already has four goal contributions as a direct result of corners and free-kicks, bagging a header against Atlético and setting up Gyokeres for his second, and teams barely have an answer to the Brazilian’s constant set piece threat.

It’s been a very promising start to 25/26, and their excellent Champions League run has now forced Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher into a U-turn.

Jamie Carragher admits he got one thing very wrong about Arsenal

Speaking live on CBS Sports last week, analysing Arsenal’s win over Atlético, Carragher admitted that Arsenal are now one of the favourites to win the competition — despite previously saying they’re not a Champions League team.

After a summer of lavish spending, where Andrea Berta splashed nearly £270 million on eight major signings, the pressure is on Arteta to end the club’s two-decade-long wait for a league title.

Arsenal’s water-tight defence has formed the backbone for what could well be a successful challenge after years of near-misses, with both Gabriel and Saliba privately promising to remain at the club for years to come last summer.

With David Raya, who’s won back-to-back Golden Glove awards, commanding his area and defenders who don’t give an inch, Arsenal are proving they can grind out results when it matters most.

That kind of steel is exactly what you need to win a marathon like the Premier League, where every point counts and slip-ups are severely punished, with Arteta’s looking like real favourites for the crown as things stand.

Jeh’s appearances for Australia A triggered an automatic upgrade to a state deal

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-2025

Zanden Jeh in action against Sri Lanka A•Cricket Australia

Left-arm spinner Zanden Jeh, who played for Australia A before having appeared at state level, and allrounder Hayden Kerr have earned Queensland contracts for the 2025-26 season.Jeh, 22, was a shock selection for the series against Sri Lanka A in the Top End having never made a domestic appearance. He earned his List A debut in the third one-day game before featuring in both four-day matches where he claimed four wickets.His appearances for Australia A triggered automatic elevation to a state contract meaning he will be on Queensland’s books for the upcoming season.Kerr, meanwhile, was dropped from the New South Wales list earlier this year and has been signed on a two-year deal to take the place of Ben McDermott who was released from his contract a year early having requested to return to Tasmania for personal reasons.Kerr, 29, a right-handed batter and left-arm seamer, has made nine first-class appearances and played 13 List A matches. He has been a regular for Sydney Sixers in the BBL although currently remains uncontracted ahead of next season.”We are very excited to have Zanden on our list after he narrowly missed out on a contract this season,” Joe Dawes, QC’s general manager of elite cricket, said. “He no doubt learnt a lot and performed really well in Darwin, and I know the coaches are excited at having him in and around the group fulltime.”With Liam Guthrie relocating to England, Hayden will reinforce our pace bowling depth and add his left-arm variety to the squad. He’s a talented all-round cricketer who has had a few injury setbacks in the past, so we’re excited to provide an environment for him to showcase his skill.”Queensland Men’s squadLachy Aitken (rookie), Tom Balkin (rookie), Xavier Bartlett (CA), Max Bryant, Hugo Burdon, Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Zanden Jeh, Hayden Kerr, Usman Khawaja (CA), Marnus Labuschagne (CA), Angus Lovell, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Jem Ryan (rookie), Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Jack Sinfield, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitch Swepson, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Whitney, Jack Wildermuth

Kane Williamson has been included in New Zealand’s squad for the first Test against West Indies in Christchurch and pace bowler Blair Tickner handed a recall for the first time since 2023 with Kyle Jamieson held back as he continues a carefully controlled return to red-ball cricketFellow seamers Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes, who took nine wickets on debut against Zimbabwe, are also part of the 14-player squad, but Jamieson wasn’t considered for the start of the series as a cautious approach is maintained in increasing his workloads after a back injury.Glenn Phillips, who played in the opening round of the Plunket Shield, also hasn’t been included as he works his way back to full match fitness after a groin injury. Daryl Mitchell has recovered from injury to take his place in the squad.Williamson, who is among the group of players to hold a casual contract, missed New Zealand’s most recent Test series in Zimbabwe earlier this year to play the Hundred. Having announced his T20I retirement, he played the first two ODIs against England before picking up a groin injury.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Kane’s ability on the field speaks for itself and it will be great to have his skills as well as his leadership back in the Test group,” head coach Rob Walter said. “He’s had a bit of time off to get himself ready for red-ball cricket, and I know he’s looking forward to playing for Northern Districts in the second round of the Plunket Shield in the lead-up to the first Test.”Tickner, meanwhile, played the most recent of his three Tests against Sri Lanka in early 2023. On his return to the ODI side against England he claimed eight wickets in two matches.”Both Jacob and Blair have been around a while and know what it takes to perform at the highest level,” Walter said. “They’ve impressed in their white-ball opportunities so far this summer and we back them to do so in the Test arena if called upon.”Zak couldn’t have performed much better in his first Test against Zimbabwe. That, along with his recent form across the white-ball tours, has rightfully earned him selection.”Matt Fisher (shin), Will O’Rourke (back) and Ben Sears (hamstring) were not considered for selection due to injury.The West Indies series marks New Zealand’s first matches of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle

New Zealand squad for 1st Test vs West Indies

Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Will Young

Jules Kounde was the unlikely hero for Barcelona on Tuesday in the Champions League. Eintracht Frankfurt silenced the Camp Nou by taking a shock lead in the first half through Ansgar Knauff. but were pegged back after the break. Marcus Rashford was the catalyst for the hosts, coming off the bench and teeing up Kounde to level matters minutes after the break, and the French full-back then sealed the 2-1 win with his second of the game from a Lamine Yamal cross.

Barcelona have made a habit of conceding first this season and did so again at Camp Nou midway through the first half. Nathaniel Brown clipped a superb ball over Barca’s backline to find Knauff running through on goal, and the winger managed to fend off Alejandro Balde and fire past Joan Garcia to hand Eintracht a shock lead.

Hansi Flick's side enjoyed plenty of possession after the goal, but struggled to create clear-cut chances, meaning it was no surprise to see the German coach tweak his side at the half-time break. The ineffective Fermin Lopez was replaced by Rashford as Flick sought more cutting edge and threat in attack.

The England international made an instant impact after being played through by Pedri down the left. Rashford could have gone for goal himself, but cut the ball back to Raphinha, who could only blaze wildly over the crossbar. Minutes later and Rashford's impact really was felt by the visitors, as the Manchester United loanee's deep cross from the left was headed home by Kounde to make it 1-1.

Kounde may have been an unlikely goal-scorer for Barcelona, but the France international was celebrating again just three minutes later. This time it was Yamal who swung in a cross from deep for Kounde to head Barcelona in front. The goals seemed to drain the belief out of Eintracht as Barca went on to dominate proceedings and secure the win that keeps alive their hopes of automatic qualification from the league phase.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Camp Nou…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Joan Garcia (7/10):

  Couldn't do too much about the goal but dealt confidently with everything else thrown at him.

  Jules Kounde (8/10):

  Still looks miles below his best form but popped up with two crucial headers to seal the win. He also becomes the first Barca player to score two headers in a Champions League match.

  Pau Cubarsi (7/10):

  Looks far happier with Martin alongside him. Put in a super challenge to deny Eintracht midway through the second half.

  Gerard Martin (6/10):

  Stretched out a leg but couldn’t block the pass to Knauff for the opening goal. Had a great effort in the first half which flew just over.

  Alejandro Balde (6/10):

  Chased back desperately with Knauff but could not prevent him opening the scoring.

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  Midfield

  Eric Garcia (6/10):

  Should have closed down Brown quicker for the opener, but otherwise put in another solid shift. Much better in the second half.

  Pedri (8/10):

  The classiest operator on the pitch by some distance and helped Barcelona take control of the game after half-time.

  Fermin Lopez (5/10):

  Looked lost on his return to the team. Struggled to connect with his team-mates and his usual goal threat was missing. No surprise to see him hooked at half-time.

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  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (7/10):

  Looked isolated in the first half and lost the ball in the build-up to Frankfurt's goal. He was better after the break and grabbed an assist for Kounde to make it 2-1, but picked up a booking which rules him out of Barca's next Champions League game.

  Robert Lewandowski (5/10):

  Scored an early goal which was ruled out for offside but otherwise offered very little. Taken off for Ferran just after the hour.

  Raphinha (6/10):

  Back in the starting XI but never really got going and was hooked early in the second half.

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  Subs & Manager

  Marcus Rashford (8/10):

  Made the difference off the bench at half-time. Was really lively throughout and bagged an assist for Kounde. Could have scored himself but saw an effort deflected over the bar.

  Ferran Torres (7/10):

  Added more energy and invention to the attack. 

  Frenkie de Jong (6/10):

  Came on to firm things up and help Barcelona see out an important win. Not afraid to attack the box.

  Andreas Christensen (N/A):

  Late sub for Yamal.

  Roony Bardghji (N/A):

  Another late sub.

  Hansi Flick (7/10):

  Made changes to his team and they simply didn't pay off as Barca struggled in the first half. Made the right decision to send on Rashford at half-time which helped spark the comeback.

The Pirates enjoyed a successful season on the mound this year—but they are reportedly following that season with a surprising move.

Pittsburgh is dismissing pitching coach Oscar Marin, according to a Tuesday afternoon report from Jon Heyman of the . Marin, 42, had served in that position since 2020.

The reported move comes after the Pirates pitched to an ERA of 3.76—the seventh-best in baseball and the team's lowest in a decade, since it won 98 games in 2015. Pittsburgh also allowed fewer than four runs per game for the first time since '15.

Marin is also the only pitching coach Pirates star Paul Skenes has known since his promotion to the major leagues in 2024. In two years, Skenes is 21-13 with an ERA of 1.96 and 386 strikeouts in 320 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh, which has weathered a reputation as one of North American professional sports' most poorly run teams for decades, has had four winning seasons in the last 30 years and none since 2018.