Tag Futebol

Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said that Lasith Malinga’s contribution in “certain scenarios” could still be useful in the Champions Trophy even if he could not bowl ten full overs

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-May-2017

Early signs suggest Lasith Malinga will be fit enough to bowl ten overs per match by the time the Champions Trophy rolls around, according to Sri Lanka’s head coach Graham Ford, though he also hinted there was a possibility Malinga could play even if not quite fully fit.Effectively, the feeling in the Sri Lanka camp seems to be this: they need Malinga. They need him bad.Malinga’s returns in the 2017 IPL so far – a tournament he has historically dominated – have been mixed. He has claimed wickets in most matches, but has also been expensive at times, most notably against Kings XI Punjab, against whom he conceded 58 runs. But he does seem to be getting through his four overs comfortably, and both SLC and Sri Lanka’s coaching staff are adamant that his workload is gradually being increased at training.Fortuitously, Malinga’s coach at Mumbai Indians happens to be Mahela Jayawardene, who, having captained Malinga, will understand at what rate the bowler’s fitness will have to progress if he is to be ready for the Champions Trophy.Malinga has not played an ODI since November 2015, thanks to various leg injuries, but he had made a return to international T20s against Australia in February, following a year-long layoff.”I’m really hoping that he’s going to be 100% fit,” Ford said of Malinga. “Before he left for the IPL, some of the work that he was putting in gave me great confidence. I’m not at all looking at the possibility that he might be half-fit. All the reports I’ve had is that he’s going really well. I’ve spoken to Mahela a couple of times, and when Mumbai left him out for one game I quickly got hold of Mahela wondering if there was something wrong. He said there’s nothing wrong with him, but that the programme is so hectic that they have plans to win the competition and they need him to go the whole way through. Rest time is important. “”All the indications are that he’s going to be able to give us something special. What I saw of his attitude is that he’s missed international cricket and missed doing wonderful things for Sri Lankan cricket. As time runs out on his career, he’s very determined to make an impact on this Champions Trophy.”Sri Lanka have sorely missed Malinga’s bowling in their limited-overs cricket, having bombed at last year’s World T20 without him, and having been mostly miserable in ODIs in the past year. They had won a tri-series in Zimbabwe against two sides who did not qualify for the Champions Trophy, but were winless in ODIs on tours of England and South Africa. It is hoped Malinga’s return can help give the attack a little more menace.Malinga returned to international cricket during the T20I series against Australia in February•Associated Press

“I think he’s very determined to really make an impact,” Ford said. “Even if he’s not giving us the full ten overs, he is a class act in setting that tone up front and finishing the innings off. If we can have the privilege of using him in those scenarios, that’s going to stand us in good stead.”One of Sri Lanka’s recent shortcomings in the ODI format has been their death bowling, and Ford reflected that Sri Lanka have largely been weak in this area because they had not managed to groom a death bowler to take over from the waning seniors.”For a long, long time we relied on the genius of Malinga at the death, and we also had Nuwan Kulasekara, who was a really good partner,” Ford said. “Those two looked after the death on many an occasion. I’ve had the privilege of sitting in the dressing room knowing that even though the opposition might be ahead of the rate, we’ve got these two really good death bowlers to finish off. That was always a comforting feeling.”Unfortunately, no young guys really got the experience of doing that job. Suddenly we’ve got some young guys doing that job, and it’s not an easy job. Experience is important in being able to handle the pressure, and of course do a lot of hard work on your skills so that you can handle the pressure easier. I think maybe, in a way, because those guys knew they were never going to be asked to do it because we had the two experts doing it, they didn’t have to work very hard on those skills. It’s been a new experience for some of them. They’re getting a heck of a lot better. In modern-day cricket you probably need three or four that can execute those skills at the end.”Most of the Champions Trophy squad begin their training in Colombo over the next few days, before captain Angelo Mathew joins them on May 10 – when they head to a training camp in Pallekele. Malinga will be allowed to stay on at the IPL and work on his fitness remotely – SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala stating that him being involved in competitive matches was better for Malinga than joining the rest of the team at the camp.Sri Lanka have also hired fast Allan Donald as a fast bowling consultant for the Champions Trophy. Donald has arrived on the island and will begin his work with the team over the next few days.

The Premier League fixtures have been released, and Sheffield United will kick off their return to the top flight with a visit from Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane.

The two will meet for the first time in over two years and the occasion will mark the Blades' return to the Premier League after their promotion from the Championship last season.

To get you ready for the start of the new Premier League season, here is Football FanCast's official preview for the game, answering several key questions below.

When is the match and is it on UK TV?

The match will take place on Saturday, 12 August at 15:00pm BST, but due to the national Saturday 3pm blackout, it won't be televised on UK TV.

Every Premier League Opening Day fixture in full

Who is Sheffield United's key player?

As Paul Heckingbottom's side aim to avoid relegation this season, Iliman Ndiaye will undoubtedly play a massive role in their campaign. The 23-year-old attacker was a revelation for United last season, with his 27 goal contributions dwarfing anyone else in the side as they finished second and sealed their return to the Premier League.

With an average WhoScored rating of 7.23, only Oliver Norwood's 7.24 was better, but with the midfielder turning 33 in April, it's likely his impact in the side will only lessen going forward, whereas Ndiaye's should only get stronger.

Who is Crystal Palace's key player?

After Roy Hodgson returned to Selhurst Park towards the tail end of last season, Eberechi Eze came alive and started to display the level of talent that encouraged the Eagles to sign him in the first place.

The former Queens Park Rangers gem was in blistering form to end the campaign, scoring six goals and creating one assist in the 10 games after Hodgson replaced Patrick Viera in the dugout.

Although the former England manager likely won't be in charge of the club come the start of the season, don't expect Eze to drop off.

With the club talisman Wilfried Zaha looking likely to leave Palace this summer, they'll need someone to step up in his absence and the 24-year-old is more than ready to do so and his average WhoScored rating of 7.02, a number higher than everyone else in the squad only solidifies that.

How will Sheffield United line up?

One thing Sheffield United showed last season, is their ability to switch things up tactically and deploy a number of different formations to adapt against any opponent.

The one they used most predominantly, though, was the 3-5-2, so expect them to return to that particular shape as they return to the Premier League.

With legendary striker Billy Sharp leaving the club, and Ndiaye linked with a potential move away, the Blades' lineup could look very different to last year.

The club is reportedly interested in Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, but with AC Milan now also looking at the 20-year-old, it remains to be seen whether he'll join the club.

So, going off what we know here's how United will likely line up in the opening game of the season.

Predicted lineup (3-5-2): Foderingham; Egan, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson; Bogel, McAtee, Norwood, Berge, Lowe; McBurnie, Ndiaye

How will Crystal Palace line up?

With a new manager coming in, and whoever will take the hot seat still up in the air, it's hard to gauge how Palace will line up in the first game of the season.

Any manager wants to implement their own unique style when they arrive, but for argument's sake, let's imagine they'll rely on the formation Hodgson used so effectively towards the end of the season.

Following the 75-year-old's appointment, the Eagles went unbeaten in eight of their final 10 league games, and it was largely using a 4-3-3 formation. Without a new manager in charge, it's also difficult to predict the transfer business the club will make, but with the club recently linked to Arsenal man Folarin Balogun, you can still expect them to be active in the window.

Taking into account Zaha's likely departure, here's our predicted lineup for Palace on the first game of the season.

Predicted lineup (4-3-3) : Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp; Olise, Balogun, Edouard

How did the last five league meetings between the sides go?

The last five league meetings between the two sides have been fairly evenly split, with Palace coming out on top on three occasions, while United were victorious twice.

The two sides haven't drawn a game since 2009, so expect a fiery contest, with both teams giving it their all for maximum points.

May 2021: Sheffield United 0-2 Crystal Palace January 2021: Crystal Palace 2-0 Sheffield United February 2020: Crystal Palace 0-1 Sheffield United August 2019: Sheffield United 1-0 Crystal Palace February 2011: Crystal Palace 1-0 Sheffield United Who is going to win?

Sheffield United looked fantastic under Heckingbottom last season, and with Palace still unsure of who will be in charge of the club when the season kicks off, things may take an interesting turn.

Don't be too surprised with the Blades return to the Premier League with a bang and upset the apple cart a little, similar to their return in 2019.

On that note, United will mark their return to the top flight with a victory against a Palace side still trying to find their footing under whoever their new manager will be.

FFC predicts: Sheffield United win

أشاد المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب مصر، روي فيتوريا، بقائد الفراعنة، محمد صلاح، خاصة وأن هناك علاقة جيدة مع جناح ليفربول خلال فترة تواجده السابقة.

وعمل محمد صلاح وفيتوريا معًا تقريبًا لفترة تقترب من عامين، وعندما رحل البرتغالي في الشهر الماضي، غرد الفرعون المصري عبر حساباته الاجتماعية وودعه.

اقرأ أيضًا | مستشهدًا بـ لاعب الأهلي.. فيتوريا: نظام الاحتراف سبب مشاكل الكرة المصرية

وتحدث فيتوريا عن علاقته مع محمد صلاح في حواره عبر شبكة “Flash Score”، وقال: “سعيد لكون علاقتي مع لاعب بحجمه جيدة جدًا، كانت لدينا محادثات مثيرة للاهتمام عن المنتخب والكرة المصرية”.

وتابع: “محمد صلاح نجم داخل وخارج الملعب، يجيد اتخاذ القرارات في المباريات، متعطش لتسجيل الأهداف ولديه طموح كبير، مخلص للمنتخب ولزملائه، فهو يحب العمل الجماعي”.

واستمر: “البعض يفكر أن هؤلاء النجوم لا يفكرون إلا في نفسهم، لكن محمد صلاح على العكس تمامًا، كنا نتحدث كثيرًا ونتفق على أفضل القرارات الممكنة”.

وأضاف: “كان يترك بعض المعسكرات مبكرًا حتى نمنح البعض الآخر الفرصة في المشاركة، كذلك لأجل إعطاءه بعض الراحة فهو يشارك في 70 مباراة في الموسم الواحد، لقد أحببت العمل معه”.

وعن وجهته المقبلة المحتملة: “بعد رحيلي عن مصر، كانت هناك الكثير من العروض سواء من المنتخبات أو الأندية، لكني فضلت البقاء مع أسرتي في البرتغال لفترة”.

واستمر: “من السهل بالنسبة لي الآن بعد العمل في مصر، السعودية وروسيا أن أدرب في أي مكان في العالم، كذلك المدربون البرتغاليون لديهم اسم مميز في التدريب الآن”.

وأكمل: “لقد كنت في إنجلترا في أكثر من 3 مباريات، الأجواء مختلفة تمامًا عن البقية، بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي جذابة للغاية، لكن في بعض الأحيان لا تأتي الفرص في الوقت المناسب”.

وأتم: “جاءت لي بعض العروض من البرازيل، أتابع دوريها، المنافسة قوية هناك، لكنني لم أذهب إلى هناك رغم وجود المواهب لأن العروض لم تأت في الوقت المناسب، لكنني لست على عجلة من أمري، علي دراسة كل العروض واتخاذ أفضل القرارات، لأنني لست مهووسًا بالعودة إلى التدريب رغم حبي لكرة القدم”.

Manchester United could be set to make a move for Everton midfielder Amadou Onana as Erik ten Hag aims to add some strength in depth to his midfield area ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Amadou Onana to Manchester United?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Onana is on United’s recruitment list ahead of the summer window, though he isn’t one of their main targets.

Ten Hag will be looking to add another few players to his midfield before the start of next season, and it was previously reported that if Everton were relegated to the Championship, they would have let the Belgian go for a fee of around £50m.

He could cost substantially more now considering they retained their top-flight status, and this could be a key factor in any potential deal this summer.

Could Amadou Onana be a good signing for Manchester United?

Having spent just a single season in the Premier League, joining the Toffees last summer, the 21-year-old showcased his vast potential, averaging a rating of 6.92/10 across 33 appearances, ranking as the third-best midfielder in the squad, certainly justifying his £33m fee.

He was lauded for being “superb” in Everton’s win over Arsenal earlier this year by reporter Richard Buxton, and having registered three goal contributions, a move to a side like United could give him a chance to flourish even further, whilst also becoming an ideal Casemiro heir for Ten Hag.

The Brazilian still has a few years left in the tank yet following his move from Real Madrid last summer, however, the 31-year-old won’t be around forever and signing a player who could replace him just now could be a wise move from the Dutchman.

Having enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at Madrid, he arrived at Old Trafford with pressure on his shoulders and he duly delivered, ranking as their second-best player in the league last term (as per Sofascore) while winning the League Cup, United’s first trophy in six years.

His defensive ability at the heart of the midfield was key to United securing Champions League football, winning 6.4 total duels per game, while averaging 3.2 tackles and 2.1 clearances per match and across Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days, Casemiro ranks in the top 4% for tackles, blocks, clearances and aerials won per 90 (as per FBref), indicating he is one of the best on the continent in his position.

Onana on the other hand has shown glimpses of his vast talent, and across the same metrics, he ranks in the top 26% for all, with the midfielder particularly impressing in terms of aerials won, ranking in the top 7% across Europe’s big five leagues.

Add to the fact he made 2.2 tackles and 1.1 clearances per game last term – while also winning six total duels per game – he arguably has the potential to take over from the Brazilian in United's engine room, being able to protect the back four and have a positive influence on the team.

He may not be a priority for Ten Hag, however, if he becomes available for the right price, a move should be launched as soon as possible.

A round-up of the second day’s play in round one of Ranji Trophy Group A matches

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2016

Group AFast bowlers Krishnamoorthy Vignesh and Aswin Crist helped Tamil Nadu compete against Mumbai in Lahli. Vignesh finished with 5 for 41 on debut, while Crist returned figures of 3 for 51 as they made sure Tamil Nadu – who had been all out for 87 – conceded a first-innings lead of only 89 runs.Openers Washington Sundar and Abhinav Mukund then wiped out that deficit with a 107-run stand that shifted the momentum firmly in Tamil Nadu’s favour. However, Dhawal Kulkarni broke the partnership to open a passage of play in which six wickets fell for the addition of just 43 runs. Debutant left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil did most of the damage, taking 3 for 36. Tamil Nadu went to stumps with a lead of 64 and only four wickets in hand.Harpreet Singh raced to an unbeaten double-century to help Madhya Pradesh post 465 from an overnight total of 292 for 7. Seamers Ishwar Pandey and Gaurav Yadav then reduced Uttar Pradesh to 131 for 5 as Madhya Pradesh established a dominant position by stumps on day two in Hyderabad.In the morning, resuming on 112, Harpreet hit 104 of the 173 runs Madhya Pradesh added. He was well supported by Ankit Sharma, who scored 61 off 97 in an eighth-wicket stand that yielded 155 runs in 208 balls. Madhya Pradesh maintained a run-rate of almost 5 in the 36 overs they faced.With the ball, Pandey made the first breakthrough and Yadav made the next three, before the run-out of Piyush Chawla left Uttar Pradesh struggling at 96 for 5. Eklavya Dwivedi and Kuldeep Yadav saw them through to stumps without any further losses.Uday Kaul and Gurkeerat Singh scored unbeaten fifties in an unbroken 110-run fifth-wicket stand to rescue Punjab and take them to 154 for 4 against Railways in Delhi.This was after Siddarth Kaul dismissed Railways’ overnight batsman, Ashish Yadav (81) Shivakant Shukla (128), and then removed Anureet Singh to complete his five-wicket haul. Overall, Punjab took 5 for 74 in the day and bowled Railways out for 331.In their reply, Punjab were reduced to 44 for 4 by the Railways quicks, before Uday Kaul (59*) and Gurkeerat (66*) put up resistance.Baroda declared on 544 for 8, before Gujarat’s openers survived 15 overs to stumps on another batsman’s day in Jaipur.Resuming on 285 for 2, Baroda’s overnight batsmen Aditya Waghmode and Deepak Hooda added a further 57 runs before their 175-run third-wicket partnership was broken. By that stage, Hooda had got 118; Waghmode was dismissed shortly after for 142.Contributions of 47 from Hardik Pandya and 66 not out from Swapnil Singh took Baroda past 500. Gujarat’s openers, Samit Gohel and Priyank Kirit Panchal, closed out the day at 34 for 0.

There has been an update regarding Manchester United's interest in Atalanta sensation, Rasmus Hojlund…

What's the latest on Hojlund to Man United?

According to The Football Terrace's Terry Flewers, the Red Devils are believed to be in "talks" to sign the Denmark international this summer, with there a chance that both the 20-year-old and Harry Kane could be on their way to Old Trafford.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Manchester United have started concrete talks with Rasmus Højlund's team and are very keen to sign him this summer, thus the deal is on & active.

"Harry Kane is still the number 1 target and United could sign both."

This follows a previous report from the Manchester Evening News which revealed that the former Sturm Graz striker – who has been valued at around £60m by his current employers – has already held video calls with Erik ten Hag regarding a potential move to England.

Would Hojlund be a good signing for Man United?

While not a household name like the aforementioned Kane, Hojlund has certainly put himself on the map following an impressive debut campaign in Serie A, having scored ten goals and provided four assists in 34 games in all competitions for the Bergamo-based side.

Hailed as "scary quick" by journalist Sacha Pisani, the promising starlet – who also has five goals to his name in just four appearances for his country at senior level – has also caught the eye due to his apparent likeness to Manchester City's Norwegian machine, Erling Haaland, with Hojlund himself stating:

"I see parallels between myself and Erling Haaland. He is fast, left-footed, tall, has a good nose for goal and is a classy finisher. His mentality is also completely insane!"

As for as United are concerned, the hope will be that the one-time Copenhagen gem can emulate another Scandinavian striking machine in the form of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the latter man having also arrived in Manchester as something of an unknown quantity back in 1996.

While many will remember Solskjaer's mixed stint in charge of the club – which ended back in November 2021 after the one-time Cardiff City boss was relieved of his duties – the 'Baby-faced assassin' remains a cult hero due to his playing exploits, having memorably scored that winner in the Champions League final in 1999.

Having been signed from Norwegian side Molde for just £1.5m at the age of 23, the ruthless marksman ultimately proved a real bargain after scoring 126 goals in 366 games over the next 11 years under the watchful eye of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Much like Hojlund – who has been described as "clinical" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – Solskjaer was also truly lethal in front of goal in his pomp as his goal record illustrates, with the hope being that the Atalanta man can make a similar impact if he is to link up with Ten Hag this summer.

There is also a likeness between the pair as Solskjaer was seemingly signed by Ferguson after the legendary Scotsman missed out on top target Alan Shearer in that same summer, while Hojlund could represent a cheaper, younger alternative to leading option, Kane – who has been valued at around £100m.

Of course, as Flewers suggested, the Tottenham Hotspur talisman could still be signed in tandem with the Dane, although either way the signing of the 6 foot 1 speedster could well prove to be United's next Solskjaer.

قرر مجلس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم (Ifab)، الإعلان عن تطبيق استخدام البطاقات الزرقاء في مباريات كرة القدم.

وستكون تلك أول بطاقة جديدة تستخدم في كرة القدم منذ ظهور البطاقات الصفراء والحمراء في كأس العالم 1970.

وتوضح صحيفة “تليجراف” البريطانية، أن البطاقة الزرقاء ستشهد إخراج اللاعب من الملعب لمدة 10 دقائق إذا ارتكب خطأً ساخرًا أو أظهر معارضة تجاه حكم المباراة.

البروتوكول الجديد سيقصر البطاقة الزرقاء على الأخطاء التي تمنع الهجوم بالإضافة إلى الاعتراض.

وسيحصل اللاعب على بطاقة حمراء إذا تلقى بطاقتين زرقاء خلال المباراة أو مزيج من البطاقة الصفراء والزرقاء.

اقرأ أيضًا | رسميًا | يويفا يعلن اعتماد النظام الجديد لـ دوري أبطال أوروبا

وقد يطبق ذلك بشكل أولي على بعض المسابقات مثل كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي وكأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي للسيدات، حيث يفكر الاتحاد الإنجليزي في التطوع بمسابقات الموسم المقبل للاختبار.

لن تستخدم البطاقة الزرقاء في بطولة أمم أوروبا هذا الصيف أو دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم المقبل.

وقال رئيس الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، ألكسندر تشيفيرين، لصحيفة “تيليجراف” الشهر الماضي إنه يعارضها تمامًا، مضيفًا: “لم تعد كرة قدم بعد الآن”.

ومع ذلك، توضح الصحيفة أن الاتحاد الأوروبي قد يضطر إلى تطبيقها إذا أدت التجارب، كما هو متوقع، إلى إضافتها إلى قوانين كرة القدم.

ووافق مجلس “Ifab”، في نوفمبر الماضي على اختبار الإجراء على غرار لعبة الرجبي، كما وافق أيضًا على السماح فقط لقادة الفريق بالتحدث إلى حكم المباراة حول القرار.

Stuart Binny is looking at the tour of West Indies as an opportunity to prove himself as a utility player India could rely on, across different surfaces

Shashank Kishore in Bangalore02-Jul-20163:05

‘Our goal is to go to WI and win a Test series’- Binny

Stuart Binny is looking at the tour of West Indies as an opportunity to prove himself as a utility player India could rely on, across different surfaces. The allrounder, who at 32 is the second-oldest member in the squad of 17 for the four-Test series, hopes to thrive on a specific role given to him by Anil Kumble, his one-time Karnataka captain and current India coach.”I see it as exciting times for me. I was part of the South Africa series which happened here but again, playing in India was difficult for me. But on an overseas tour, I’m looking to play the role assigned to me,” Binny, who has played six Tests over two years, said. “I will look to bat at No. 7 or 8, it depends on whether we play with the extra bowler or not. It also depends on the wicket. I may play as the third seamer or if the wicket has grass, then I may play as the fourth.”Basically, my role is to take some of the pressure off our fast bowlers by keeping one end tight. That’s basically my job when I bowl. Obviously with the bat, it is pretty much simple. Obviously to bat with guys who are set and try and take the team to scores that we want to put on the board. Also, for me to bat with the lower order is going to be crucial.”Binny can be used as a new-ball bowler too, like he was during the second Test against South Africa in Bangalore. On that occasion, India played two specialist quicks in Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron. In Sri Lanka in August last year, Binny played a holding role to ease the burden on R Ashwin and the pace duo of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav at different stages.Questions over Binny’s effectiveness with the old ball have been raised time and again, and not without merit. But he isn’t sweating over that, and instead explained the need to stick to the methods that have brought him 183 wickets in the first-class and List A formats.”I have realised that the quicker I try to bowl, I tend to get less effective,” he explained. “When the ball is old, it is all about bowling areas and bowling one side of the wicket. I pretty much stick to my strength, which is bowling one side of the wicket, and bowl to a field that is only off side and stick to bowling there. I am not going to try to bowl quickly at that point of time. I think my main weapon is to swing the ball and if I can get that from the fourth stump getting away, then that’s my job.”One of the marked changes in Binny’s approach in recent times has been his fitness, something he was not known for in the past. He attributed much of the change to his inability to endure long spells on the field on sapping days. The Binny who trains at the nets these days is a leaner, sharper version of the one who made his first-class debut in 2003-04.”It was a choice that I had to make, especially if I wanted to play,” he said. “Being leaner and stronger helped my bowling. The reason I fit into teams is because I can bowl and not because of my batting. For me, bowling was crucial and I had to get fit for more opportunities and at a higher grade. It took me two years to get into the condition right now. You get IPL along the way and you do not get time to train because you travel. But that is no excuse. It is a lot of sacrifices but good ones.”I looked after my diet. That helped me 65-70%. It is about eating at the right time and five good meals. You need to balance and eat good protein. I did a lot of running in the first year. Now, Shankar Basu (Indian team’s trainer) has brought in power training in the last few months. That has helped a lot of guys to bowl well in the second, third spell. That is what training is about. All this has ensured I’m now able to be as effective in my second and third spells.”While Binny understands the team needs him to step up with the ball, his batting abilities have somewhat been understated. His tally of 194 runs in 10 Test innings doesn’t inspire much confidence, but there have been spikes in his graph. His half-century on Test debut that steered India to a draw from a tricky situation on the final day of the first Test against England two summers ago was one such effort. His 49 in the second innings of the final Test in Sri Lanka helped India extend their lead and eventually clinch a series win, their first in the country in 22 years.If it boils down to India playing five specialist bowlers, chances are Binny will be thrown into the deep end, a possibility he is ready for. “I have batted at No. 6 most of my career and the only thing I changed in international cricket was that I had fewer chances to score than when you play in a Ranji Trophy match,” he said. “You don’t really try to convert that. My approach is pretty much simple, I try and get myself in and then play the way I know to play.”I have never been asked to change my game, even when batting at No. 6. It’s also important that we score runs; just not hang around in Test cricket. I feel sometimes in Test cricket, it is a bit easier because they start to attack you a little more than the other formats. No. 6 is a crucial spot, it depends on the role. Sometimes I might have to play against the second new ball. That’s what I have been doing in the last week – to bat against the new ball.”Binny’s sense of comfort, when asked about his equation with Kumble, was evident. Equally evident was the confidence in his batting when he skipped down the pitch to loft Kumble’s gentle seam-ups over the makeshift sightscreen at the KSCA ‘B’ ground. “Anil has captained me in Ranji Trophy in fact” he said. “He pretty much knows my game inside out. What he has spoken about right now is not too much technical stuff.”I was 21 when I played my first Ranji Trophy match with Anil . He had just come back from a Test and he was tough. Thilak Naidu (the former Karnataka wicketkeeper) was all about jokes but Anil was about getting the job done. He is more relaxed now and we get more smiles now! He has been positive. He has told us to play aggressive cricket. For me, it works because he has seen me play and develop as a cricketer. You are never going to stop learning. I play Test cricket but that is not everything. He has pushed us to strive for higher things. Three days ago, it wasn’t about my Test hundred. He started making me believe that I can score a Test hundred.”

Tottenham Hotspur, in their blind pursuit of success, have made so many mistakes that it is often hard to keep up with them all. Many have come and gone, leaving little trace on the club, whilst some came crashing in alongside their huge fee, earning similarly little success as the former.

Daniel Levy has overseen one of the club's most barren periods in its 140-year history, and will forever have his name etched into the history books as such. However, the chairman remains in a position to turn it around and rewrite this woeful legacy.

This summer marks a crossroads for the 61-year-old, as his search for a new manager rumbles on. Once in place, he will then have to go about purging this squad and investing with some intelligence to bolster their ranks.

Having never really been the biggest spenders in the market, that might have to change if they are to give themselves a short-term boost that could garner European football.

Whilst they will have a treasure chest awaiting the new man, this could be further improved upon by sales from within the current squad. Although there are many that fans would love to see kicked out for a fee, perhaps the hierarchy could start by offloading those on the fringes, who seem unlikely to get a look-in. Bryan Gil stands out as the leading candidate for such a dismissal.

Why did Spurs sign Bryan Gil?

It was noted by The Athletic that the decision to unload £21.6m plus Erik Lamela to acquire the Spaniard, was born of the then-director of football Fabio Paratici's decision-making, as he had admired the youngster for some time. It was a strange swap deal, but an experiment many were keen to see play out.

An old-school left winger who remained rooted to his left flank, the 22-year-old would play just 31 times for the club, failing to score, before returning to his homeland on two separate loans.

It quickly became clear that the youngster was very lightweight, and thus perhaps not quite cut out for the English game. However, across 27 games in all competitions this season including those for Spurs and Sevilla, he has just one goal.

Whilst Gil has been silently underperforming since his move, Lucas Moura has more recently been in the headlines for his last two performances in a Lilywhites shirt.

The first of the two came at Goodison Park, where the Brazilian saw red after coming on as a substitute. Then, in Sunday's clash with Liverpool, the former Paris Saint-Germain wide man gifted possession back to the Reds who scored a late winner.

Despite this, and the £23m that was initially spent to sign the 30-year-old, at the very least Spurs have seen some return. Moura has featured 219 times for the club, scoring 38, assisting a further 27, and giving fans arguably the greatest night of their lives after that hat trick in Amsterdam.

Meanwhile, Gil seemed like he could have played for years without truly threatening the goal whilst in England. An expert on the club, John Wenham, even suggested that for the trickster to return to Spain would be "utterly pointless."

Pointless it would be, however, to keep in the capital. Indeed, it seems that this claim could be used to describe the on-loan attacker's entire career in north London, hence why they should seek to cash in whilst some interest might remain.

Everton now talking with MSP Sports Capital again after recent off-field issues, according to a key update from journalist Paul Brown.

What's happening off the field at Everton?

It's fair to say that this has been another season of struggle for Blues, having stayed in the Premier League by the skin of their teeth in 2021/22. Once again, they find themselves in a relegation scrap towards the bottom of the table, as Sean Dyche is tasked with steering them clear of the drop.

Away from the pitch, it has also been a turbulent time of things at Everton, with the Premier League recently releasing a statement claiming that the Blues have allegedly breached Profitability and Sustainability rules. The matter is now being passed over to an independent commission.

This has been a big blow when it comes to potential investment, as talks with MSP Sports Capital appear to have cooled since the news broke. Now, a more positive update has emerged, though.

Are new investors likely to arrive?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown said that the situation has changed again, with investors now once again interested in talking to Everton:

"Something has changed over the last week or so, yes. It had gone very quiet with MSP and talks had basically completely stopped for nearly a month. There had been no contact between the two parties. That was for a number of reasons.

"I don't believe it has anything to do with the Premier League investigation but there are other problems in the background too, with the clubs finances that I think were scaring off potential investors.

"But yes, it sounds now like MSP are talking to the club again and still willing to invest. Whether that deal will actually happen, we don't know yet, but it's certainly much more positive than it was about a week ago."

This is certainly encouraging news from an Everton perspective, at a time when so much of the club's future feels like it depends on these next six weeks or so.

The importance of the Blues' remaining fixtures cannot be underestimated, with relegation to the Championship likely to put off investors, not to mention act as a huge all-round financial hit. With the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is also being built, this would be a terrible time for Everton to suffer relegation from the Premier League for the first time.

Should they stay up, however, the future could look bright, with a shiny new home to look forward to in the near future, as well as more money likely coming in from investors, allowing the club to thrive.