Varun Chakravarthy also made the cut as India picked three spinners for their Asia Cup opener
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-20252:34
Bangar: Samson deserves a slot in the top three
India won their first toss in 16 attempts across formats, and chose to bowl first in their Asia Cup opener against UAE. Suryakumar Yadav, the India captain, felt there was a chance of dew later in the match on a humid evening in Dubai.Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain, said he would have preferred to bowl first too, and expected a bit of early help for the seamers.India sprang a few surprises with their selection. They retained Sanju Samson as wicketkeeper, despite the return of Shubman Gill to the top of the order displacing him into a middle-order role more familiar to Jitesh Sharma. They also picked both their wristspinners in Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.This left the issue of whether they would prioritise depth in their batting or their seam attack. They went with the former, picking the allrounder Shivam Dube rather than a second frontline quick in Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana. Jasprit Bumrah starts as the only specialist quick, with Hardik Pandya expected to partner him with the new ball.Related
Gill and Abhishek begin new chapter in old bromance
UAE made one change to the XI that played their last match, the four-wicket loss to Afghanistan in the recent home tri-series, bringing in the offspin-bowling allrounder Dhruv Parashar for the legspinner Muhammad FarooqIndia: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit BumrahUAE: 1 Muhammad Zohaib, 2 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 3 Asif Khan, 4 Alishan Sharafu, 5 Rahul Chopra (wk), 6 Dhruv Parashar, 7 Harshit Kaushik, 8 Haider Ali, 9 Muhammad Rohid, 10 Junaid Siddique, 11 Simranjeet Singh
Wolves and their search for a new manager took a dramatic twist on Saturday with news of Rob Edwards standing down from the dugout for Middlesbrough’s clash against Birmingham, but he hasn’t been the only tactician on the Old Gold’s shortlist.
Their disastrous season has plunged from bad to worse, with the club now desperately scrambling to appoint Edwards after Vitor Pereira was sacked on November 2.
Wolves’ winless start has left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, and they remain the only side without a victory in England’s top four divisions, having taken just two points from their opening 10 top flight games.
History is firmly against them – no club has ever survived with two or fewer points at this stage of a Premier League season — a stat which seriously threatens to condemn Wolves to relegation after eight straight years in the top tier.
Wolves results in the Premier League so far
Wolves 0-4 Man City
Bournemouth 1-0 Wolves
Wolves 2-3 Everton
Newcastle 1-0 Wolves
Wolves 1-3 Leeds United
Tottenham 1-1 Wolves
Wolves 1-1 Brighton
Sunderland 2-0 Wolves
Wolves 2-3 Burnley
Fulham 3-0 Wolves
Wolves have also become only the third side in Premier League history to concede 20 or more goals in their opening 10 games of two consecutive seasons, shipping 27 last season and 22 this campaign.
After Pereira’s dismissal, and following their week-long managerial search, Fosun have now turned their attention to Edwards.
The 42-year-old was once part of the club’s coaching staff, working with the U18s in 2014 before being promoted to a first-team coaching role in 2015. Since then, Edwards guided Luton Town to Premier League promotion in 2023, and made a fine start to life at Boro this season.
However, he could now be on the move just months after signing a three-year contract.
The situation reached breaking point today when Edwards was stood down from taking charge of Boro’s home game against Birmingham amid continued interest from Wolves. Edwards also didn’t take Boro training on Friday, and his pre-match press conference was cancelled, after Boro rejected Wolves’ approach seeking permission to hold talks on Thursday (Sky Sports).
Now, it is believed that Edwards is “looking likely to join Wolves” as he eyes a return to the top flight.
Boro released a statement today too, confirming that they’ve now granted Edwards permission to speak to Wolves.
All of this comes after Wolves initially explored bringing back former manager Gary O’Neil, but he withdrew from the race citing a timing issue.
Major twist on Gary O'Neil's future after advanced talks to re-join Wolves
Now, as per TEAMtalk, there’s been a “major twist” on O’Neil’s own future after his “advanced talks” to re-join Wolves.
According to their information, following a “dramatic U-turn” over returning to Molineux, with O’Neil once believed to be closing in on an agreement, it is now believed that Southampton is his most likely destination.
The Saints have made an approach to O’Neil, and talks are expected to intensify in the coming days as all parties seek to reach a swift deal.
Taking this into account, it is a wonder why O’Neil ruled himself out of the Wolves job but could now take up a position with the struggling Championship side.
O’Neil was appointed Wolves head coach in August 2023 and led the club to a 14th-placed finish and the FA Cup quarter-finals in his first season. More impressively, despite inheriting a squad in turmoil just days before the season began following Julen Lopetegui’s abrupt exit, and with minimal transfer backing, he steered the side to a respectable finish and earned plaudits for steadying the ship.
His first season included victories over Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with Wolves reaching eighth at their peak that campaign.
O’Neil apparently remains “highly respected” in Premier League circles too (Miguel Delaney), but after his rejection, Edwards appears to be closing in on the role.
Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur haven’t been afraid to splash the cash in their attempts to catapult themselves closer towards Premier League glory.
However, they’ve found out first hand that spending big money doesn’t equal immediate success, with numerous players unable to have the desired impact in North London.
In the summer of 2019, the Lilywhites hierarchy forked out a then club-record £62m for the signature of French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele – but it would be a deal that proved to be a disaster.
He racked up 91 appearances during his five-year spell in England, but he was massively questioned over his lack of fitness and constant attitude problems under various managers.
As a result, the club let him leave for nothing last summer, subsequently joining Nice on a free transfer and departing as one of the club’s worst signings in history.
However, one other huge addition will be hoping he doesn’t endure the same fate after his own transfer to join Thomas Frank’s side during the recent transfer window.
Mohammed Kudus' immediate impact at Spurs
In one of his first moves as Spurs manager, Frank decided to fork out a reported £55m for the signature of winger Mohammed Kudus from London rivals West Ham United.
The Ghanaian featured for the Hammers over a two-year period before moving across the capital, with real hope he could provide a new dimension to the Lilywhites’ attack.
He may have only featured in nine games to date, but the 25-year-old has already made an immediate impact in North London throughout 2024/25.
The attacker has registered four assists to date – the most of any player in the squad – highlighting his ability to create endless opportunities for those around him.
However, he also recently netted his first goal for the club in the last outing against Leeds United, with such a strike securing all three points for Frank’s men.
It may only be early days in his career with Spurs, but Kudus has already demonstrated his quality and is arguably making himself one of the first names on the teamsheet.
However, despite his impressive form in North London, he’s now valued lower than one player who joined the club for a fee lower than his in recent times.
The Spurs star who’s valued more than Kudus
Spurs’ Europa League triumph last campaign is evidence that their work in the transfer market has been hugely effective, despite also wasting huge amounts of money on players not at the level required.
Bargain additions such as Lucas Bergvall had huge parts to play in their recent European triumph, with the Swedish international exceeding everyone’s expectations throughout 2024/25.
He only joined last summer for a reported £8.5m from homeland club Djurgarden, with very few supporters expecting the 19-year-old to have an immediate impact in the first-team.
However, the injury crisis allowed the youngster to stake his claim for a regular starting role, racking up 45 appearances across all competitions in his debut year.
His talents catapulted the club to the Europa League title, which has seen them qualify for the Champions League – allowing them to attract world-class talents to Frank’s side.
As a result, the hierarchy completed the £52m signing of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in the closing stages of the summer window – finally ending their hunt for a new number ten.
The Dutchman arrived with huge expectations after his form in the Bundesliga last campaign, subsequently ending the year with 17 combined goals and assists in just 25 outings.
However, his time in England is yet to take off, only registering one assist in his first seven outings – but he will certainly need time to settle, given he’s just 22 years of age.
It’s not stopped Simons from receiving heaps of praise from numerous high-profile names, with one analyst even labelling the youngster as a “phenomenal” talent.
Games played
7
Minutes played
420
Assists
1
Shots taken
1.4
Pass accuracy
88%
Successful passes
30
Chances created
1.8
Dribble success
55%
Dribbles completed
1.8
Fouls won
1.4
He’s also seen his market value soar in recent months after his transfer, with CIES Football Observatory now valuing the sensation at a staggering £97.3m.
Such a figure is nearly two times higher than the fee paid for Kudus this window, further highlighting how highly rated the Dutchman is despite his early struggles in the Premier League.
Whilst Kudus has hit the ground running, he does have prior experience in England’s top-flight, with Simons likely to have the same impact in the near future once he’s settled.
However, there’s no denying the Lilywhites have a potential world beater on their hands, with the prospect of the aforementioned starring together for years to come a hugely exciting one for the fanbase.
The "Irish Isak" is heading to Spurs and he could become their new Kane
Tottenham have continued their trend of signing elite youth prospects to underlay the first team.
Paul Merson slammed a Chelsea star after the bitterly disappointing 2-1 defeat against Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.
Blues suffer setback against newly-promoted Sunderland
Sunderland have surpassed expectations so far this season, but the Blues would’ve been expecting to take all three points against a newly-promoted side, and the 2-1 defeat is a setback, especially after winning their previous four games on the bounce in all competitions.
Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring for Enzo Maresca’s side after just four minutes, with the winger netting his first goal since arriving at Stamford Bridge, but Wilson Isidor’s equaliser and a stoppage-time winner from Chemsdine Talbi turned the game on its head.
A number of the home side’s players struggled, with Marc Guiu failing to make any impact on the match, and there have since been calls for Maresca to drop the striker, who touched the ball just ten times prior to being withdrawn on the 75-minute mark.
Guiu was given the nod at centre-forward, in order to accommodate Joao Pedro in an attacking midfield role, despite the Brazilian starting almost exclusively at striker so far this season.
Maresca would’ve been hoping the position change would allow the 24-year-old to rediscover his top form, but it wasn’t to be, with Merson left very unimpressed by his performance.
Speaking on Sky Sports (via Metro), the former Arsenal man said: “They need Delap back badly, they need a focal point.
“Guiu played up front and I think he touched the ball nine, ten times. You can’t do that in a team that are supposed to be dominating the ball.
“Chelsea ran out of ideas. They had winger after winger but half of them don’t go past anyone. Joao Pedro looked lost as a number ten. They struggled and were pretty poor.”
Injury may have impacted Pedro's performance
The Blues have been forced to deal with a number of injury issues in the early stages of the campaign, and Maresca revealed the former Brighton & Hove Albion man is one of many players not at full fitness.
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The Italian said: “Joao is not training every day because he is managing an injury problem. Moi is the same, Enzo is the same,
“We have four or five players that have some problems and cannot work every day. They try to make the effort and play the game. Joao struggled a little bit today but all of the players did today, so it’s not just Joao.”
That said, there will rightfully be concerns about the display, with the forward losing possession nine times and failing to get a single shot away throughout the match.
Pedro’s performance levels have been going downhill for some time now, having failed to register a Premier League goal or assist since September, and Maresca will be hoping the £125k-a-week forward can turn the corner soon.
تسعى إدارة نادي ريال مدريد لخطوة هامة تجاه المدير الفني تشابي ألونسو، ولاعب الفريق فينيسيوس جونيور، بعد أحداث الكلاسيكو أمام برشلونة.
وقاد تشابي فريقه ريال مدريد للفوز على برشلونة بهدفين لهدف، في أول كلاسيكو له كمدير فني للنادي الملكي، في إطار مباريات الجولة العاشرة لبطولة الدوري الإسباني.
وانفعل فينيسيوس غاضبًا على مدربه تشابي، حين قرر استبداله قبل 20 دقيقة من نهاية المباراة، لتزداد العلاقة توترًا بين الطرفين.
وبحسب ما ذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية في تقرير لها اليوم، فإن إدارة ريال مدريد وضعت إعادة بناء العلاقة بين ألونسو وفينيسيوس ضمن أولوياتها بعد التوتر الذي نشأ خلال الكلاسيكو.
ولم يُخفِ فينيسيوس استياءه من استبداله، بل توجه مباشرةً إلى غرفة الملابس قائلاً “سأغادر”، قبل أن يعود في النهاية إلى مقاعد البدلاء.
اقرأ أيضًا | برشلونة يفرض قرارًا على لامين يامال بعد أزمة الكلاسيكو أمام ريال مدريد
ومنذ ذلك الحين، أشارت التقارير إلى أن الأمور ليست على ما يرام بين فينيسيوس وتشابي، مما قد يؤدي إلى رحيل اللاعب البرازيلي البالغ من العمر 25 عامًا خلال انتقالات يناير، إذا استمر الخلاف بين الطرفين.
ويرى كبار المسؤولين في ريال مدريد، أن علاقة فينيسيوس وتشابي يجب أن تكون على ما يرام، وهو ما يخدم مستقبل الفريق.
وسيلتقي تشابي وفينيسيوس غدًا في تدريبات ريال مدريد، للمرة الأولى عقب أزمة الكلاسيكو، وذلك بعد فترة الراحة التي منحها المدرب للاعبين عقب الفوز على برشلونة، وتأمل إدارة النادي في مصالحة الطرفين بلقاء الغد.
Tottenham Hotspur could now emerge as serious contenders for the signature of an “unstoppable” £100m star following the departure of long-serving chairman Daniel Levy.
Levy's Tottenham era comes to an abrupt end
Levy’s 25-year tenure as Tottenham chairman came to an abrupt end earlier this week, with the 63-year-old choosing to step down, although there have been suggestions the decision came from above.
The businessman has been subjected to widespread criticism during his time as chairman, having overseen just two major honours in 25 years, while also making some very questionable managerial appointments.
Tottenham now planning aggressive talks to sign "intense" Man Utd target
They’re not giving up.
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Peter Charrington has since been named as the new non-executive chairman, and said: “This is a new era of leadership for the club, on and off the pitch.
I do recognise there has been a lot of change in recent months as we put in place new foundations for the future. We are now fully focused on stability and empowering our talented people across the Club, led by Vinai and his executive team.”
With Levy gone, there will be hope that Spurs can now finally achieve their potential as a club, but in order to make that dream a reality, new additions will be needed to the squad, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham could now re-emerge as serious contenders for Rogers’ signature following Levy’s departure, with the Aston Villa star still greatly admired by the north Londoners.
England'sEberechiEzecelebrates scoring their third goal with England's Morgan Rogers
With Levy gone, the Lilywhites may now choose to be more ambitious in the transfer market, which means they could compete for Rogers’ signature, although a deal will be on the expensive side, with it previously being reported Villa are looking to receive £100m.
"Unstoppable" Rogers would be statement signing for Spurs
It would be a real statement of intent if Tottenham were able to win the race for the Villa star’s signature, given that he is also in Chelsea’s sights, while the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal have previously been named as potential suitors.
It is no surprise the 23-year-old is attracting so much interest, given the level of some of his performances for Aston Villa, regularly providing goals and assists right the way through the 2024-25 campaign.
Competition
Appearances
Goal contributions
Premier League
37
19
Champions League
12
7
FA Cup
5
4
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher also singled out the Englishman for high praise last season, describing him as “unstoppable” after impressing in a 3-2 victory over Everton in September.
With Levy gone, it is exciting news that Tottenham are set to be a little more ambitious in the transfer market, and Rogers is exactly the type of signing who could turn them into real contenders for major trophies.
A difficult night in the Champions League for Liverpool was compounded by a tongue-in-cheek social media post from Galatasaray, using the Reds' famous anthem You'll Never Walk Alone against them. Arne Slot's side lost 1-0 on the evening, making it back-to-back defeats following the 2-1 reversal at Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend.
AFPSlot shot down in Istanbul
Galatasaray defeated Liverpool 1-0 courtesy of a Victor Osimhen penalty in the 16th minute after Dominik Szoboszlai fouled Baris Yilmaz. Liverpool boss Slot made several changes to his starting line-up, dropping Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak to the bench, and struggled to break down Galatasaray's well-organised defence. Despite dominating possession, Liverpool failed to convert their chances with Gala goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir making crucial saves, including from Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz efforts. Liverpool's frustrations were compounded by injuries to goalkeeper Alisson and striker Hugo Ekitike, forcing them to be substituted in the second half. A late penalty awarded to Liverpool for a foul on Ibrahima Konate was overturned by VAR, confirming the home side's victory.
AdvertisementGala take swipe at Reds
After the match, a Gala post on their official English X account said: "You'll never walk alone, but sometimes you walk out without points."
Slot disappointed by referee performance
Slot pointed the finger firmly at referee Clement Turpin for his side's defeat, suggesting the two major decisions in the match were incorrect. Slot said: "I haven’t seen it back but there was no contact with the feet. The last few weeks I am talking quite a lot about how we are a very fair team and maybe their player was really smart, he felt something and made it feel as if it is an unbelievable hit. The referee thought he could not overturn it, though he did in the last minute when we got one. For me, it was a different loss to the one we had against Palace because there was a lot more to like, especially in the first half. In the second half it became harder and harder for us to create because first of all they were fighting with all they had and you have to give credit to them, and secondly the ball was hardly in play in the second half."
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Getty Images SportMassive fixtures coming for Reds
It’s not quite a wobble for Arne Slot and Liverpool just yet, but questions will be asked if performances don’t improve. The club invested heavily in the summer after landing the Premier League title and face a crucial period in the coming weeks, starting with a trip to Chelsea this weekend. There’s the small matter of Manchester United at Anfield after the upcoming international break, with Liverpool's next Champions League outing against Eintracht Frankfurt pencilled in for October 22. The Reds will host Brentford in the league three days later before attention turns to a round of 16 Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has overseen a massive overhaul of his playing squad since his arrival, spending plenty of money in the transfer market to turn his side into regular challengers for silverware.
The Gunners splashed the cash in 2025 on the likes of Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres, but who is the club’s most expensive signing of all time?
Here, we’ve taken a look at Arsenal’s most expensive signings in their history, with the help of Transfermarkt and news reports, alongside a detailed look at the top 10.
Rank
Player
Year
Signed from
Fee
Declan Rice
2023
West Ham
Nicolas Pepe
2019
Lille
Eberechi Eze
2025
Crystal Palace
Kai Havertz
2023
Chelsea
Viktor Gyokeres
2025
Sporting CP
Martin Zubimendi
2025
Real Sociedad
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
2018
Borussia Dortmund
Noni Madueke
2025
Chelsea
Ben White
2022
Brighton
Alexandre Lacazette
2017
Lyon
Thomas Partey
2020
Atletico Madrid
Gabriel Jesus
2022
Man City
Mesut Ozil
2013
Real Madrid
Riccardo Calafiori
2024
Bologna
Jurrien Timber
2023
Ajax
Shkodran Mustafi
2016
Valencia
Granit Xhaka
2016
Borussia Monchengladbach
Alexis Sanchez
2014
Barcelona
Fabio Vieira
2022
FC Porto
Mikel Merino
2024
Real Sociedad
Here’s a detailed look at Arsenal’s 10 most expensive signings:
10 Alexandre Lacazette £46.5m from Lyon, 2017
French forward Alexandre Lacazette joined Arsenal in 2017 from Lyon after spending his entire career with the Ligue 1 side.
He went on to have five years at the Emirates, making more than 200 appearances and scoring 71 times, winning the FA Cup. Lacazette left Arsenal on a free transfer, returning to Lyon where he will go down as a club icon.
9 Ben White £50m from Brighton, 2021
After starring out on loan with Leeds United in the Championship and making an impact in the Premier League with Brighton, Arsenal won the race to sign Ben White in 2021.
The versatile defender has been a regular for Arsenal since then and has been transformed into a right-back under Arteta, with his contract with the Gunners running until 2028.
8 Noni Madueke £52m from Chelsea, 2025
Noni Madueke was one of Arsenal’s first summer signings of 2025, swapping Stamford Bridge for the Emirates in a deal worth a total of £52m.
The Gunners would go on to spend a lot more ahead of the 2025/26 season, with Madueke penning a five-year contract.
7 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang £56m from Borussia Dortmund, 2018
In 2018, Arsenal spent big to add more firepower to their attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining from Borussia Dortmund. In total, Aubameyang would go on to score 92 goals in 163 appearances, scoring the winner in the 2020 FA Cup final.
Aubameyang and Lacazette struck up a good relationship in north London, but like his former strike partner, he left Arsenal in 2022 before returning to England for a short stint with Chelsea.
6 Martin Zubimendi £60m from Real Sociedad, 2025
Central midfielder Martin Zubimendi almost signed for Liverpool in 2024, however, six months later, Arsenal were putting plans in place to sign the Spaniard ahead of those at Anfield.
A transfer was put in place in January 2025 and Zubimendi moved to north London six months later.
5 Viktor Gyokeres £63m from Sporting CP
Signing a new striker was Arsenal’s biggest priority in 2025, and Viktor Gyokeres was the centre-forward tasked with leading the Gunners’ line.
After scoring for fun with Sporting CP, Arsenal spent a total of £63m to win the race for the Sweden international, who only wanted the Gunners.
4 Kai Havertz £65m from Chelsea, 2023
Chelsea recouped the majority of the transfer fee they paid Bayer Leverkusen for Kai Havertz when selling him to Arsenal in 2023, with the German attacker penning a five-year deal at the Emirates.
The versatile forward has been deployed in numerous positions by Arteta so far and looks to be a valuable signing going forward.
3 Eberechi Eze £67.5m from Crystal Palace, 2025
Eberechi Eze’s move to Arsenal in 2025 was one of the most dramatic, with the attacking midfielder so close to joining rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Before he signed for Spurs on the dotted line, boyhood Gunner Eze phoned Arteta, which led to Arsenal hijacking a transfer and sealing a deal with Crystal Palace worth a total of £67.5m.
2 Nicolas Pepe £72m from Lille, 2019
A big-money signing that ultimately didn’t work out was Nicolas Pepe. Arsenal splashed the cash on the Ivorian back in 2019 after starring in France for Lille.
However, Pepe never really got to grips with life in England and, after making 112 appearances for the club, scoring 27 times, left in 2023 on a free transfer despite having 12 months remaining on his contract at the time.
1 Declan Rice £105m from West Ham, 2023
Declan Rice
Comfortably Arsenal’s record signing, Declan Rice was also wanted by Manchester City during the summer of 2023, but it was the Gunners who won the race after laying plenty of groundwork months prior.
The England international is under contract until 2028, so he looks set to be an important member of Arteta’s side for years to come.
Abhishek’s crisp shots and high-intent game in Mumbai left England without any answer and set up India’s colossal victory
S Sudarshanan03-Feb-20253:15
Manjrekar: Abhishek has grown into a very confident batter
Abhishek Sharma credited Suryakumar Yadav for his scintillating century in the fifth T20I against England, one that helped India register a 150-run win and take the series 4-1. Abhishek scored a 37-ball century, the second-fastest in men’s T20Is for India.”I was in a zone where I was going to react to the ball. I didn’t even know my score,” Abhishek said after the match. “I just asked Surya [Suryakumar] ‘ what do you think?’. He said ‘since a wicket has fallen you can take your time, take a couple of balls.’ That really helped me, because of him only I would say the hundred happened and my highest score happened. At that time, I didn’t realise I was going to hit the fastest hundred [second-fastest for India].”Abhishek got off to a swift start and crossed fifty in just 17 balls. He was on 94 off 32 balls after nine overs and had the Indian record for the fastest T20I century – off 35 balls by Rohit Sharma – in sights. He finished with a 54-ball 135, the highest individual score for India in men’s T20Is.”It never crossed my mind that I should play till the end,” he said. “I react to the ball based on the team situation. Luckily today, when I was in the 80s or 90s, Surya came in and said you’ve played well so far, worked hard, so you can take two-three balls. When the captain is [batting] with you and tells you something, I felt I should bat carefully. When Hardik [Pandya] came in, he said, ‘since wickets are falling you have to play according to the situation and bat till the end since you are hitting the ball well’. Then Axar came in… these three are senior players and have played well for India, so no better players to listen to in that situation.”Related
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Given India do not play a T20I any time soon, it was a timely knock from Abhishek, who could jostle for spots in the team once Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill return. But he insisted none of that played on his mind.”I had met Jassu [Jaiswal] and Shubman yesterday [at the BCCI awards]. There has never been a competition among us – we are playing together since Under-16. There was just one dream – to play for India. The three of us are playing now, so there is no better feeling.”4:07
Abhishek: ‘If I have the ability, I should nourish it’
Abhishek has been one of the flag-bearers of India’s high-intent batting template. Since the start of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2023-24, he has scored 1893 runs in T20 cricket. Only five batters across the world have more runs than that, none of them at a faster rate than Abhishek’s 199.47. He was the Player of the Tournament in that SMAT which his domestic team, Punjab, won. His fast starts even helped runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024. How did the transformation happen?”I worked hard [to bat in a certain way] ahead of that season and when I saw the results, I thought I should back myself and express myself,” Abhishek said. “I practiced a lot of match scenarios in open nets. Brian Lara had told me one thing – just play your shots but make sure that you don’t get out. So that is what I had in my mind. That helped me and I felt I could hit shots off the first or second ball as well.”When you are young, you don’t explore much, but I did that and realised I could play with more intent and help the team. When you do well, you get the support of your team. So I thought that when it is my day, I have to play this way – whether for Punjab or my franchise. Obviously when it comes to India, it’s a special and a big moment. I felt if I have the ability, I should nourish it. There are ups and downs, but you need to be clear about playing this way.”Abhishek also stressed on the role former India allrounder Yuvraj Singh has played in his game.”Yuvi was always there for me and put all these things in my mind and believed in me. When Yuvraj Singh tells you that you are going to play for the country and win games, you also try to believe in yourself and give your best. I talk to him after every game, he is the one I listen to. He knows me better than me.When your captain and coach tell you that you have to play like this and we are backing you, we’ll be there for you always, that is the biggest motivation for a young player in the team. In South Africa I remember Hardik and Surya telling me, you are100% going to make some runs, just believe in yourself’. In this series Gauti [head coach Gautam Gambhir] came back and I feel grateful that they believe in me, that’s not normal and is the biggest motivation for any player.”
West Ham United have now submitted a major enquiry over a deal for a “magic” midfielder, who is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.
West Ham set sights on midfielder amid Alvarez uncertainty
There is now an expectation that Edson Alvarez will exit the London Stadium this summer, having fallen down the pecking order, and Ajax are thought to be considering a loan move for their former midfielder.
The Mexican was benched for Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Sunderland, but starters Guido Rodriguez and James Ward-Prowse didn’t exactly fare well at the Stadium of Light, both being withdrawn after the 70-minute mark with the Hammers 2-0 down.
Consequently, Graham Potter may be eager to get at least one new central midfielder through the door prior to the transfer deadline, and the Irons have now joined the race for Bayer Leverkusen’s Aleix Garcia.
Bayer Leverkusen'sAleixGarciacelebrates scoring their fourth goal with Nathan Tella
However, the five-time Spain international is not the only option on the shortlist, with Potter’s side now joining the race for a versatile midfielder, who is able to play in a multitude of positions.
That is according to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), which states West Ham have now submitted a major enquiry over a deal for RB Leipzig’s Eljif Elmas, who has regularly featured in attacking midfield and on both wings throughout his career.
Elmas has predominantly been utilised in a central midfield role, however, and the maestro was particularly impressive during a stint with reigning Serie A champions Napoli, who are also in the race for his signature.
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Despite only arriving at Leipzig for a fee of €24m (£21m) in 2024, the 25-year-old wants to leave the German club this summer, and he would be keen on a move to the Premier League or a return to the Serie A.
"Magic" Elmas could be exciting addition for West Ham
While the North Macedonia international’s move to Leipzig hasn’t worked out, with the Bundesliga side open to sanctioning a departure this summer, there are plenty of signs he could be a solid addition to Potter’s midfield.
The former Napoli man was a key player for the Italian club during their Scudetto-winning 2022-23 campaign, picking up six goals and three assists in 36 outings, with his side going on to lift the title.
Robert Earnshaw has also praised the Leipzig ace for his performances at international level in the past, saying: “He has this magic in him. He has the ability to create something out of nothing. Great movement, intelligent, he understands spacing and time and he can finish.”
Elmas’ attacking prowess, coupled with his versatility, could make him an exciting addition to West Ham’s squad, although the fact the North Macedonian struggled to adapt to life in the Bundesliga will be a concern.