The pitch, predominantly packed with black soil, will have lower bounce compared to the first Test in Bengaluru

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Oct-2024A bald and slow turning pitch is in the making for the second India vs New Zealand Test, starting on Thursday in Pune. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the pitch, predominantly packed with black soil, will have lower bounce compared to the first Test in Bengaluru, and will be flatter and slower.Shaken by the Bengaluru setback, where India registered their lowest Test score at home – 46 all out in the first innings – Rohit Sharma’s team is under pressure to make it 2-1 in the three-match series to stay ahead in the race to make the World Test Championship final next June. The broad plan for the pitches in both Pune and Mumbai, where the final Test will be played from November 1, will be similar: more turn, thus allowing the Indian spinners to dominate.The one key difference between Pune and Mumbai, though, will be the bounce, due to the differences in the soil: black at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, and red at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.Related

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It was meant to be similar in Bengaluru too, but overcast conditions coupled with intermittent rains, leading into and on the first two days, made the pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium favourable for seamers, which New Zealand’s fast men used to their advantage once Rohit elected to bat.But like in Bengaluru, in Pune, too, India will look to field at least three spinners, though the combination could be altered keeping in mind the amount of spin that can be extracted from the slow surface. On Sunday, in a curious move, the Indian selectors decided to add Washington Sundar as the 16th member of the squad, although the original squad had Axar Patel as a fourth spinner along with R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, who played the first Test.This will only be the third Test played at Pune’s MCA stadium. The inaugural Test there was the first of the 2016-17 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which Australia had won by an emphatic 333-run margin, with the match getting over by tea on the third day, as left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe starred with 12 wickets. The surface was abrasive, and the top soil was loose, with multiple small cracks peeling off on the first day itself. The pitch was rated poor by ICC match referee Chris Broad, as spinners accounted for 31 of the 40 wickets to fall. The next Test at the venue was in 2019, when Virat Kohli hit a double-century in an innings victory over South Africa.The pitch against New Zealand is expected to be virtually devoid of grass. It is understood that while the seam movement is likely to be minimal outside of the first hour after the toss, the dry surface will support reverse swing. With the slowness of the surface and the lack of support for fast men, the toss once again becomes vital, with teams likely to want to bat first.

Jake Lehmann and Alex Carey made important second-innings runs to leave Victoria a tough chase

AAP03-Nov-2024

Offspinning allrounder Ben Manenti starred with bat and ball to leave South Australia well placed heading into the final day of the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria in Adelaide.Victoria’s openers got through six overs unscarred, requiring a further 337 runs for victory. South Australia were able to declare late in the day and set Victoria a challenging 346-run victory target thanks to some typically lusty hitting from Manenti.Related

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Three huge sixes highlighted Manenti’s 62 not out from 71 balls.Coming to the crease with the home side having lost 3 fpr 4 and looking wobbly at 176 for 6, Manenti top-scored for his side having also completed career-best bowling figures of 5 for 73 earlier in the day.Victoria resumed on day three at 195 for 7, with Manenti having picked up four top-order wickets. But it was Harry Conway who claimed the most important dismissal during the morning session in dismissing Sam Harper.The wicketkeeper revived Victoria’s innings on day two and, after resuming on 68, had reached 89 when trapped lbw by Conway. He earlier knocked over Peter Siddle and Manenti ended the innings by bowling Doug Warren to leave Victoria with a 75-run first innings deficit.South Australia’s turn at the crease began with Henry Hunt caught behind without scoring for a second successive second innings duck for the otherwise heavy-scoring opener.Conversely Jake Lehmann posted a well-compiled 60 having been dismissed for a duck in the first innings. There were runs also for in-form Alex Carey, with the Test gloveman now boasting a Shield average of 88 after three matches of the season.Veteran paceman Siddle was the best of the Victorian bowlers for the second time in the match with 4 for 63, while rookie spinner Warren returned 3 for 74.

A “quality” Liverpool player is now reportedly in talks with another club about a move there this summer, with the situation said to be “gaining momentum” currently.

The latest on Isak to Liverpool

The Reds’ pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the big talking point at the moment, as the Premier League champions look to get an incredible piece of transfer business over the line.

Liverpool have already seen a first bid of £110m rejected by the Magpies, and while a second offer is yet to be tabled, it may well happen once Newcastle have signed a replacement.

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko appears to be their priority target to lead the line instead of Isak, but the Slovenian now has to choose between them and Manchester United.

From a Liverpool perspective, they will clearly hope that Sesko opts to move to St James’ Park, in terms of aiding their efforts to bring in the Swede this summer. If that does happen, it will help pave the way for other Reds attackers to move on before the new season gets underway, and a key update has emerged regarding one such player.

Liverpool star in talks over Saudi Pro League move

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri on X, Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is in talks with Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal about a summer move, with an Andfield exit “gaining momentum”.

Assuming the Reds do end up signing Isak, or an alternative for that matter, this summer feels like the right time for Nunez to leave, even though Jurgen Klopp spoke positively about him in the past.

“He loves to play for this team together with these boys and has quality coming out of his ears, to be honest. Is he at his absolute peak in general? Not now for us. But can he develop? Yes. Is he a threat all the time? Yes.”

The £140,000-a-week Nunez is a popular figure among the fans, due to his character and work ethic, but the brutal reality is that his finishing is still erratic after three years at Liverpool, as is his all-round game.

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For that reason, a move to Al-Hilal would be ideal for the Reds, allowing them to cash in on the 26-year-old and hopefully sign a huge upgrade in Isak.

While every season is a big one, next season feels especially important for Tottenham Hotspur.

The club are finally back in the Champions League thanks to Ange Postecoglou delivering on his promise of winning something in his second year.

However, while he’ll enjoy the benefits of leading out a team in Europe’s biggest competition, new boss Thomas Frank will be under pressure to improve the club’s dire Premier League form that saw his predecessor get the sack.

Fortunately, Daniel Levy and the board are not hanging him out to dry this summer, having already spent £55m on Mohammed Kudus and working to bring Morgan Gibbs-White to N17 for his £60m release clause.

The Nottingham Forest star would be an excellent addition to the squad, but Spurs might be better off signing another attacking ace they’ve previously been linked with.

Why Spurs want Gibbs-White

While we think there might be a better option out there, it’s easy to see why Spurs want to sign Gibbs-White this summer.

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After all, not only does he have an abundance of experience in the Premier League, but he was also seriously effective for Forest last season.

For example, in 38 games across all competitions, totalling 3142 minutes, the 25-year-old ace scored seven goals and provided ten assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or one every 184.82 minutes, and under the tutelage of the attack-minded Frank, you’d expect those numbers to improve in North London next season.

Another reason the Lilywhites might be keen to land the midfielder is that he’s a homegrown star and has already won four caps for the Three Lions, which is always great for the marketability of a player and his own development.

Finally, at 25 years old, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers gem is neither past his peak nor someone who will need time to develop; instead, he’s a prime age player who can come in and make an instant impact.

Yet, for everything there is to like about Gibbs-White, there is another international we reckon Spurs should sign instead: Xavi Simons.

Why Spurs should sign Xavi Simons over Gibbs-White

While it appears the club’s attention is now on Gibbs-White, they have been linked with Simons several times this summer.

Moreover, with his reported price tag also being around £60m, switching their focus to him wouldn’t incur additional costs.

With that said, why should they opt for the Ducthman over the Forest ace?

Appearances

33

38

Minutes

2763′

3142′

Goals

11

7

Assists

8

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

0.44

Minutes per Goal Involvement

145.42′

184.82′

Well, the first argument comes down to their output from last season, as in his 33 games for RB Leipzig, totalling 2763 minutes, the Amsterdam-born ace, who one analyst has dubbed “one of the best 10s in the world,” scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

In other words, he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 minutes, which is far better than what the Englishman could manage.

Moreover, the former PSV Eindhoven gem has more experience at the very highest level of the game, making 13 Champions League appearances thus far and playing a major role for the Netherlands at the last Euros.

Another key advantage the 22-year-old has is that he’s more positionally versatile than the former Wolves star and is comfortable in the ten, off both wings and even up top.

Ultimately, both players would be brilliant additions to the side, but due to his significantly better output, experience beyond his years and the fact that he can comfortably play all over the pitch, we reckon Simons would be the better signing.

With all that said, Spurs would be clever to bring in both.

Gibbs-White will love him: Spurs huge admirers of £80m Premier League star

Tottenham Hotspur’s huge transfer window has shown no signs of slowing down in recent days.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 14, 2025

أعلن المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، التشكيل الأساسي لخوض مباراة اليوم ضد نظيره فريق ساوثهامبتون، في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول وساوثهامبتون في إطار منافسات دور الـ32 من كأس كاراباو، موسم 2025/26.

اقرأ أيضًا | 13 إحصائية مجنونة تثبت تعرض محمد صلاح للسرقة في الكرة الذهبية

ويدخل ليفربول تلك المباراة وهو يمتلك 6 انتصارات متتالية في مختلف المسابقات، من ضمنهم 5 في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويغيب النجم المصري محمد صلاح عن مباراة ليفربول اليوم من أجل إراحته، بقرار من المدرب آرني سلوت، حيث لجأ الأخير إلى إحداث تغييرات جذرية في التشكيل. تشكيل ليفربول أمام ساوثهامبتون في كأس كاراباو

حراسة المرمى: مامارداشفيلي.

خط الدفاع: فريمبونج، جو جوميز، جيوفاني ليوني، آندي روبرتسون.

خط الوسط: واتارو إندو، نيوني.

خط الوسط الهجومي: كورتيس جونز، فيديريكو كييزا، ألكسندر إيزاك.

خط الهجوم: ريو نجوموها.

البدلاء: فريدي وودمان، ميلوس كيركيز، برادلي، هوجو إيكتيكي، ويليامز، جوردون، موريسون، دانس.

Tottenham Hotspur are “contenders” to sign an “unbelievable” defender who’s now set to cost £50m, reporter Pete O’Rourke has revealed.

Spurs looking to bolster defensive options

Spurs completed the signing of West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus last week, with the Ghanaian arriving for a fee of £55m, while they also remain confident about sealing a deal for Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

That is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who said: “They want to proceed with the deal, they want to sign the player. Nottingham Forest are prepared to fight. So, let’s see what’s going to happen there.

“But, for sure, the Gibbs-White deal now has an issue to be solved between the two clubs. That’s going to be one to watch in the coming days and hours, with Tottenham still hopeful and confident to get the player.”

Should Spurs get a deal for Forest star over the line, they may turn their attentions to bolstering their backline, given that they had the fifth-worst defensive record in the Premier League last season.

Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke has now dropped an update on one of the centre-back’s Tottenham could target, Burnley’s Maxime Esteve saying: “Everton showed a lot of interest in him as well, now Tottenham are being mentioned as contenders for a signature if he leaves Burnley this summer.

“Spurs did try to sign him in the January window when he was doing so well; Burnley don’t want to lose Esteve, and they’ve put a £50million price tag on his head.

“I don’t think Spurs would go near that level to try and sign Esteve, but Burnley are in a really strong position to negotiate here. He’s under contract until 2029 and they can demand a substantial fee because of his contract – that price tag will probably scare off most clubs.”

"Unbelievable" Esteve could allay Spurs' defensive problems

At this stage, Burnley hold all the cards in the negotiations, but should the French defender push for a move this summer, there are clear signs that he could help allay Spurs’ defensive problems.

Remarkably, the Clarets shipped just 16 goals in the Championship en-route to promotion last season, and the Frenchman played every single game, during which time he managed to impress manager Scott Parker.

Tottenham make contact for "world-class" £47m maestro alongside Gibbs-White

Spurs have made an approach to sign another midfielder, having also come forward for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.

3

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 13, 2025

Parker said: “First and foremost he’s a great kid and an unbelievable professional. Just his general aura about him and his humility about the boy and his professionalism, just everything about him is a top, top boy and of course you see his quality as well.”

That said, £50m would be a huge fee to pay for a player yet to prove himself at Premier League level, and with Burnley in a strong negotiating position, it would not be a surprise if Tottenham decide to move on to other targets.

Ex-Germany defender Mats Hummels has sounded the alarm over football’s relentless calendar, warning that elite players risk being “worn down” by the strain. The ex-Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich star believes the workload has hit its “maximum,” raising concerns that big names could soon miss key matches due to fatigue and injuries.

• Hummels warns of danger from packed calendar

  Hummels has spoken out against the ever-increasing demands on top players, insisting that football’s fixture calendar is pushing athletes to their breaking point. The ex-Bayern and defender fears many stars could soon miss decisive games due to exhaustion and argued that players are being stretched beyond reasonable limits and that governing bodies need to address the issue urgently.

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• AFP
  

  What Hummels said about the 'maximum' workload

  Speaking ahead of the Champions League season in his new role as a pundit for Amazon, the 2014 World Cup winner said: "This continues to be an issue that needs to be addressed in football. You can't completely overburden the players. The workload is at its maximum. I’m always very worried that in the coming years, many, many top players will no longer be on the pitch in important games because they will eventually be worn down by the strain.”

  Despite his criticism, the 36-year-old also offered praise for UEFA’s revamped Champions League format, which now features a league phase. 

  “I think the new version is really cool. There are many more different games, and that’s what I like,” he said, admitting he has revised his initial scepticism about the changes.

• Player burnout debate intensifies

  Hummels’ remarks add weight to a growing chorus of voices warning about fixture congestion. From Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp to players like Toni Kroos and Kevin De Bruyne, many within the game have criticised the expanding schedule, with domestic leagues, UEFA competitions and FIFA tournaments all increasing their demands. Most recently, Kylian Mbappe warned that the quality of matches will suffer because of the strain on players. The introduction of a revamped Champions League, a new Club World Cup, and international tournaments every summer means rest periods are becoming virtually non-existent.

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• Getty
  

  What next for Hummels after retirement?

  The former German international officially hung up his boots this summer, marking the end of a decorated career that included spells at Bayern, Dortmund and Roma. He bid farewell to Dortmund fans in a friendly against Juventus, where he received a standing ovation and a guard of honour. In total, he made 508 appearances for Dortmund, another 118 for Bayern, and 20 for Roma, while collecting five Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokal cups, and six German Super Cups during his career. Now, he has transitioned into punditry with Prime Video, covering the Champions League.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has just overseen two pre-season friendlies in one day, but off the field, technical director Johan Lange is working to back his fellow Dane with more new signings.

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Spurs battled against both Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town today, with the senior squad split into multiple sides as Frank looked to hand as many minutes to his players as possible.

The Lilywhites are now set to travel to Asia for a pre-season tour of the Far East, where they face off against north London rivals Arsenal in Hong Kong before taking on Newcastle in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

Spurs have a final pre-season game against Bayern Munich in Germany before their highly-anticipated UEFA Super Cup clash against European champions PSG – a match that gifts Frank an opportunity to win silverware almost immediately after his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou.

A surprise win against the Ligue 1 heavyweights would be the perfect start to Frank’s tenure in charge, and he’d ideally have a few more summer recruits through the door before they battle Luis Enrique’s men at the Stadio Friuli.

Tottenham are still trying to sign Morgan Gibbs-White despite Nottingham Forest blocking his once-imminent move to N17 earlier this month.

Forest threatened both the north Londoners and Gibbs-White’s agent with legal action for what they deemed to be an ‘illegal approach’ for the playmaker (Sky Sports), but there remains an expectation that Frank could eventually welcome him to Hotspur Way (Fabrizio Romano).

Tottenham were set to welcome Gibbs-White and Mohammed Kudus in quick succession, with a medical scheduled over two weeks ago (BBC). However, Frank is now having to wait a lot longer for the 25-year-old’s arrival with the legalities involved.

According to reports, Spurs are targeting a new centre-back too and have shortlisted a variety of targets for the number six role, including Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha (Alasdair Gold).

This comes after they confirmed the signings of Kudus, Kota Takai, Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich earlier this window.

Mathys Tel shares conversation with Harry Kane about joining Tottenham

Speaking of Tel, the Frenchman has now lifted the lid on a conversation he had with Spurs legend Harry Kane about joining the club.

After initially backing out of a transfer to N17 in January, Tel ultimately U-turned and agreed a move to England on an initial loan deal, which included an option to buy for around £45 million.

Chairman Daniel Levy, following a mixed start for the 20-year-old, then negotiated a cut-price £30 million deal for Tel, who’s now signed for them indefinitely ahead of his first full season at the club.

Speaking to Sky Germany, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Tel says that Kane played a role in convincing him to sign for Spurs – with the club’s all-time top scorer offering a helping hand through emotional support.

“Yes, I spoke to him [Kane] beforehand,” Tel said.

“He told me, if you need anything, send me a text, give me a call. I spoke to him; he’s a top guy. (Now it’s a) new challenge, I’m ready for my team, the clubs and also the fans.”

The versatile attacker was tipped for a 40-goal season one day by ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, with supporters hoping the still-raw Tel can deliver on that glowing prediction.

Eyman Fatima, Anoosha Nasir, Sidra Nawaz and Shawaal Zulfiqar also miss out on contracts this season

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2024

Former captain Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz have been omitted from the PCB’s new batch of central contracts announced on Saturday. Sixteen players were announced in the new contracts, with Fatima Sana, who took over from Dar as captain, moving up to Category A.Dar was in Category A in last year’s contracts, while Riaz had been demoted to Category B, though their omissions are not entirely unexpected. As well as dwindling form, there are believed to have been concerns about their attitude within the team set-up that were discussed with PCB hierarchy.Eyman Fatima, Anoosha Nasir, Sidra Nawaz and Shawaal Zulfiqar also miss out on contracts this season, while Bismah Maroof’s retirement earlier this year means she no longer features. The board said, “these players will remain available for selection, as the PCB shifts its focus towards developing the next generation of cricketers in alignment with the ICC’s Women’s FTP (Future Tours Programme) for 2025-29.”Getty Images

Twenty players were awarded two-year contracts last year, with a significant pay bump, but with the proviso that performances would be reassessed after a year.Sana’s promotion is a reward for a series of outstanding all-round performances in the run-up to, and at the T20 World Cup in the UAE. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka at the tournament but lost their three other group games to India, Australia and eventual champions New Zealand.Muneeba Ali, the wicketkeeper-batter, has also been promoted to Category A, joining Sidra Amin who retains her position. Gull Feroza and Rameen Shamim return to the central-contracts list for the first time since 2018 and 2022-23 respectively, while Tasmia Rubab is included for the first time.The contracts have been pending approval for some time now, having run out at the end of July. Players, however, will be paid backdated amounts from then. The delay in the contracts is part of a general trend of upheaval and uncertainty in Pakistan women’s cricket where the PCB has struggled to get projects off the ground. Most notable among them is the long-promised women’s PSL, which Ramiz Raja first promised as chairman nearly three years ago but is yet to materialise. Tania Mallick, Head of Women’s Cricket since October 2021, told ESPNcricinfo earlier this year she expected a women’s PSL to happen within the next 12 months. Last month, however, she quit the role, with no signs of that tournament being introduced in the near future.”The 2024-25 central contracts reflect our forward-looking strategy as we prepare for the new ICC Women’s Future Tours Programme,” the PCB’s new Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed said. “By further investing in established players through significantly enhanced retainers and offering clear pathways to the emerging cricketer, we aim to strike a balance between nurturing future stars and sustaining competitiveness at the highest level.”Pakistan contracts list:
Category A: Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali and Sidra Amin
Category B: Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal
Category C: Diana Baig, Omaima Sohail
Category D: Ghulam Fatima, Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani

Benjamin Sesko had yet another night to forget in a Manchester United shirt during what was his first start for the Red Devils. The 20-time English champions lost 3-0 to their Manchester rivals, City, and their new striker has been ridiculed for being 'completely anonymous' at the Etihad as Ruben Amorim's side endured their second Premier League loss of the season.

Manchester United and Sesko's horrid night at the Etihad

Amorim's United endured what was always expected to be a tough night at the Etihad as the Red Devils fell to a brace from Erling Haaland and a solitary strike from Phil Foden. Sesko had a fairly quiet afternoon as he completed just eight passes and only won three of his nine total duels before he was hooked off for Casemiro in the 80th minute.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesFans ridicule Sesko's anonymous performance

@Shaun2051165 wrote on X: "Sesko has been completely anonymous…absolute waste of money."

@OneAimSports added: "The last time Sesko had a shot was at Leipzig."

@aliabbas00 continued: "Sesko will be among the flops of the season."

Manchester United fan @PDwiddy1 said: "I'm convinced that Sesko doesn't know how to play football. Might be worse signing than Antony. Goodnight forever. Amorim will not survive this, especially after next week's loss to Chelsea.

Chelsea fan @Case_CFC joked: "HAS SESKO TOUCHED THE BALL TODAY?"

@KanmiB added to the joke: "Can’t wait for Sesko to come on."

Sesko's difficult start at Manchester United

Despite making five appearances so far for Manchester United, Sesko is yet to register a goal for his new side. The Slovenian has been struggling to settle into Amorim's setup, with his teammates often criticised by fans for not playing direct football to utilise his abilities.

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Getty Images SportSesko's starting spot in danger against Chelsea?

Manchester United are up against world champions, Chelsea, up next, and Amorim will be scratching his head as to how to avoid yet another hammering, this time at Old Trafford. As such, Sesko's lack of adaptation to the system may mean that he will slip down to the bench next weekend.