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.
Hoping to spark their transfer window into life to follow up on Thierno Barry’s pending arrival, Everton have reportedly entered the race to sign a Championship star.
Who Everton are targeting after Barry
With Barry reportedly on his way to complete a move worth around £30m from Villarreal, it won’t be long until Everton are able to shift their focus towards further incomings. Just who those targets are is the big question. As things stand, names such as James McAtee and Takefusa Kubo remain the most interesting and the Toffees could yet push on to land two more attacking reinforcements.
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McAtee particularly stands out. The Manchester City graduate desperately needs to leave the Etihad in search of consistent game time and entering a new era with Everton at The Hill Dickinson Stadium would hand him exactly that.
Whilst he was forced to play a frustrating role last season, McAtee still impressed whenever given the opportunity to thrive under Pep Guardiola. So much so that the Spaniard had nothing but positives to say about the 22-year-old after he scored a hat-trick against Salford City in the FA Cup.
Even after that praise, however, McAtee’s future looks destined to come away from the Citizens. Of course, the last time that City sold a young player like McAtee, Chelsea gained an incredible player in Cole Palmer, who is now one of the best that the Premier League has to offer.
Whether Everton can repeat Chelsea’s genius for McAtee remains to be seen, but midfield reinforcements seem to be the Toffees’ priority with or without the Man City gem this summer.
Everton join Hayden Hackney race
According to Sky Sports, Everton have now joined the race to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough this summer after making initial enquiries over his availability.
Joining a hectic race to sign the £25m midfielder, the Toffees may finally hand Hackney a well-earned path to the Premier League and land an impressive replacement for the departed Abdoulaye Doucoure in the process.
Minutes
3,792
2,564
Progressive Passes
440
38
Tackles Won
56
28
Ball Recoveries
281
150
To say that Hackney is ready for the Premier League would be an understatement. Even as Boro failed to secure a spot in the playoffs last season, he dominated the Championship in the middle of the park both in and out of possession and recently helped England U21s to a European Championship triumph.
It’s no surprise that former manager Michael Carrick was so full of praise for his star man, telling reporters after Hackney won the Young Player of the Year award in 2024: “I’m not taking any credit for Hayden Hackney winning the Young Player of the Year award.
“He’s a talented lad and more importantly he is so down to earth and humble. He’s willing to listen and he’s a very fast learner, so anything you tell him he takes on board straight away.”
The news everyone feared at Burnley, but ultimately expected, has now been officially confirmed, with CJ Egan-Riley taking up an opportunity at Ligue 1 giants Marseille after turning down a new Turf Moor deal.
This will be a sizeable hole to fill on the end of Scott Parker’s men, considering Egan-Riley is just fresh off a glittering Championship promotion season that saw him collect a mammoth 26 clean sheets.
CJ Egan-Riley for Burnley.
But, the Clarets have been here before and bounced back well, with both Ben Mee and James Tarkowski exiting the club once upon a time garnering this same level of dismay.
Therefore, Burnley will be hopeful they can plug Egan-Riley’s gap very soon by landing an adequate replacement.
Burnley keen to re-sign £20m defender
As per a new report from football journalist Alan Nixon, Burnley are keen to bring Taylor Harwood-Bellis back to Lancashire after his current employers, Southampton, crashed out of the Premier League last season.
It’s stated that the 23-year-old is eager to stick it out in the top-flight over heading down to the Championship with the Saints, meaning a second spell at Burnley could soon be on the cards.
Former Burnley loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Nixon does reveal that West Ham United are also keeping tabs on the former Manchester City youth starlet, but a deal would only take place if a sale was made, owing to Harwood-Bellis’ reported price tag of £20m.
Therefore, the newly promoted outfit could soon race to the front of the queue to land Harwood-Bellis back on a permanent basis, with the 6-foot-2 defender a very suitable replacement for the now departed Egan-Riley.
Why Harwood-Bellis is even better than Egan-Riley
Whilst the 22-year-old is just fresh off an unbelievable campaign in the heart of the Clarets’ defence, the former Burnley number six has only collected one Premier League appearance across his career to date, meaning he might well struggle with the demands of a top-five league.
On the contrary, Harwood-Bellis is well versed with the challenges of the daunting Premier League now, with the Stockport-born colossus even winning himself a senior England call-up last season when battling away valiantly for basement side Southampton.
Harwood-Bellis vs Egan-Riley (24/25)
Stat (* = per game)
Harwood-Bellis
Egan-Riley
Games played
34
41
Goals scored
1
1
Assists
0
1
Touches*
74.1
80.8
Accurate passes*
55.1 (88%)
59.7 (86%)
Big chances created
3
2
Ball recoveries*
3.6
4.5
Clearances*
4.1
4.7
Total duels won*
3.2
4.2
Stats by Sofascore
It’s clear from the table above that Harwood-Bellis is very similar in approach to Egan-Riley, with the defensive pairing both comfortable performers with the ball at their feet, as much as they are also adept at getting stuck in when necessary.
Whilst it is obviously impressive to pick up the numbers Egan-Riley managed at the top-end of the Championship, Parker will view his new target as an upgrade for what he can offer in the league above, with Harwood-Bellis actually averaging more accurate passes per match stuck in a relegation battle than his Marseille counterpart managed in a promotion race.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis West Ham target
He was even labelled as “incredible” last season by former boss Pep Guardiola for the progress he had made away from the Etihad, with a Three Lions call-up further proof that he belongs in the big time.
On the flip side, away from his standout showings last season, Egan-Riley has only ever been exposed to a top division fully on loan with Hibernian, with just that one paltry Premier League appearance next to his name. Harwood-Bellis, despite only being one year older, boasts a hefty 34 and counting, away from his 113 outings in the taxing Championship.
Further hailed as a “warrior” by journalist Josh Bunting when shining bright previously at Turf Moor, the composed, yet dominant defender could well be an even better figure for Burnley to have at the back than Egan-Riley, especially as they transition back to the daunting reality of Premier League life.
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As exit rumours continue to surround Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa have reportedly opened talks to sign one of Monchi’s top targets who could be an instant upgrade on the Argentine shot-stopper.
Atletico Madrid & Man Utd targeting Martinez
Aston Villa have been stuck between a rock and a hard place this summer with that rock being PSR rules. Whilst in an ideal world they keep hold of Martinez this summer and continue to enjoy the World Cup winner’s talents, his sale would go a long way towards easing their PSR concerns.
The goalkeeper isn’t exactly short on interest, either. Manchester United and Atletico Madrid are both reportedly chasing Martinez’s signature this summer as Aston Villa continue to deliberate over a potential sale.
Of course, the worst-case scenario for Villa this summer would be Martinez joining a direct rival in Manchester United, but they may have little choice in the matter amid reports that he would now prefer a switch to Old Trafford if he is to depart.
It creates a tough choice for Villa once again. Either sell a 32-year-old player who has become a leader under Unai Emery or cash in for the sake of their off-pitch troubles and welcome a fresh option. Aston Villa must pick their poison this summer and hope that the remedy is an unexpected upgrade between the sticks.
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To that end, it seems as though those in the Midlands are at least preparing for the worst case and have reportedly opened talks to sign what would be an excellent replacement for Martinez.
Aston Villa open talks to sign Chevalier
As reported by TeamTalk, Aston Villa have now opened talks to sign Lucas Chevalier from LOSC Lille this summer and are converging on a deal for the Frenchman’s signature. With a formal offer now the next step in any negotiation too, Monchi has reportedly already mooted a £40m bid to the Ligue 1 club in pursuit of their goalkeeper.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Lucas Chevalier
Emiliano Martinez
Starts
34
37
Clean Sheets
11
8
Saves per 90
2.68
2.70
Save Percentage
74.4%
69%
At 23 years old, Chevalier enjoyed an impressive campaign as part of a Lille side that defeated Real Madrid in the Champions League table phase and reached the last 16 of Europe’s elite competition.
If the Villans have the option to solve their PSR problems by selling Martinez and signing Chevalier to replace him then it is a move they should prioritise this summer. The Lille star is too good to miss out on if they’re on the hunt for a new No.1.
Lille'sLucasChevalierreacts
Described as “excellent” by scout Jacek Kulig, Villa would be signing one of the best young goalkeepers around if they managed to lure Chevalier to the Midlands this summer.
When looking over their 2024/25 campaign in detail, Newcastle United will very much jot it down as an overwhelming success.
After all, the Magpies would end up lifting some much-needed silverware in the EFL Cup final to end a major trophy drought, whilst Eddie Howe’s Toon would also just about qualify for the Champions League once again when finishing inside the top five spots in the Premier League.
But, that doesn’t stop there being a slight bad taste in the mouth concerning Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat to Everton on the final day, with a number of players showing to Howe they might well struggle competing in Europe’s elite competition again.
Newcastle's key underperformers vs Everton
Thankfully, Aston Villa also lost on their travels to Manchester United, meaning the Magpies luckily secured that final coveted fifth position by one slender point.
Still, Howe won’t just completely disregard the defeat, with certain individuals having a poor day at the office to end their respective seasons on a whimper.
Anthony Gordon would only see out one half of football for the Magpies, and for good reason, with nothing working out for the ex-Toffees man whatsoever down the left flank when failing to register a single on-target shot at Jordan Pickford’s goal.
Moreover, Alexander Isak looked tired and lethargic as Newcastle’s main man up top, seen in his lack of drive and energy when completing zero successful dribbles, alongside further fluffing his lines when three efforts went astray.
Jake O'Brien
Jacob Murphy also looked wasteful on the ball when giving up possession a hefty 13 times, but there was one poor display that will have irked Howe the most and made him now contemplate whether this figure will be able to cut in when Champions League nights return to Tyneside.
The 5/10 star not good enough for the Champions League
Newcastle fans will obviously be over the moon that their team clinched Champions League football, irrespective of this final-day slip-up.
But, the Magpies masses won’t feel too confident moving forward that Harvey Barnes can do the business on some grand stages in Europe next season, based on his lacklustre performance against David Moyes’ well-drilled visitors.
The former Leicester City man can boast an impressive tally of nine strikes and four assists across 40 overall games, but he did struggle to get going against the Toffees, with May in general seeing a worrying dip in form.
Much like Gordon down the opposing left wing, Barnes would also fail to register a single on-target shot to try and catch the formidable Pickford cold, alongside also displaying signs of Murphy’s rashness on the ball when completing zero accurate crosses or long balls.
Barnes’ poor performances all across May
Stat
Brighton
Chelsea
Arsenal
Everton
Minutes played
90
90
76
88
Final result
1-1 D
2-0 W
1-0 L
1-0 L
Goals scored
0
0
0
0
Assists
0
0
0
0
Touches
38
51
23
34
Accurate passes
17/21 (81%)
21/29 (72%)
13/14 (93%)
15/21 (71%)
Key passes
2
2
0
1
Accurate crosses
0/4
1/3
0/1
0/2
Accurate long balls
0
1/2
1/1
0/2
Shots
3
4
3
1
Successful dribbles
1/2
2/5
0
0/1
Total duels won
3/10
3/11
1/4
1/3
Stats by Sofascore
Looking at the table above, it’s even more clear that it’s been a rocky month for Barnes in general, as seen in the 27-year-old frustratingly ending the campaign with no goals or assists next to his name in May.
Consequently, the 5 foot 9 attacker nearly cost his team dear in their pursuit of Champions League action, with only 33 touches coming his way against Everton – actually a worse record overall than Toon goalkeeper Pope, who managed 38.
As a result, he would receive a dour 5/10 post-match rating from Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder, who stated simply that Barnes ‘didn’t deliver his best form’ against the Toffees.
Newcastle just can’t have these out-of-sorts performances popping up if they stand a chance at progressing far in the tricky competition, meaning Barnes could be warming the substitutes bench next season when fiercely contested mid-week ties are back on the Toon calendar.
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Even after they were crowned Premier League champions on Sunday, Liverpool look destined to lose one particular star this summer with his agent already reportedly working on an exit.
Slot credits Klopp after Liverpool title win
Not even the most optimistic Liverpool fan could have predicted a debut title for Arne Slot. The Dutchman had an impossible act to follow in the great Jurgen Klopp, but waltzed in without welcoming any significant arrivals before completing a task only five other Premier League managers have achieved in history. Slot, like Klopp, has now become an instant part of Anfield history.
For the first time this season Slot was no longer the stern, focused tactician at Anfield when the final whistle sounded on Sunday. Instead, like his Liverpool squad, he was seen donning the champions shirt and swaying along to You’ll Never Walk Alone in front of the Kop.
The Liverpool boss took time to express the joy of becoming a Premier League champion whilst also handing credit to Klopp, telling reporters: “I am 99.9% sure that if I pick up my phone there will be a message from Jurgen.
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“So many moments in the season the two of us have had contact. I think he showed last season what a wonderful human being he is by introducing me. But what mattered most is the team he left behind that was able to win the trophy. The work Jurgen and Pep [Lijnders] did – the culture, work-rate, quality – was outstanding.”
That Premier League crown is unlikely to stand in the way of a busy summer, however, with one forward seemingly destined to head for the exit door.
Darwin Nunez set to leave Liverpool
According to reports in Spain, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has handpicked Darwin Nunez to sign this summer and the Uruguayan’s agent is already working on a Liverpool exit. The forward’s third season at the club looks set to be his last as Slot gets ruthless and Liverpool look to move on after winning the Premier League title.
Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts
It has been his third season that Nunez has arguably looked the most out of place in Liverpool’s squad, which has moved on from Klopp’s heavy-metal approach towards a more controlled style under Slot.
2022/23
42
15
4
2023/24
54
18
15
2024/25
43
7
7
This season’s numbers highlight how Nunez has struggled under Slot compared to the improvements he was making under Klopp and it’s become clearer than ever that he must move on to find his best form.
Once described as “outstanding” by his Klopp, Nunez looks destined to depart Anfield as a case of what might have been rather than the player they believed they had signed in 2022. Whether that means that Atletico Madrid beckons for the £140,000-a-week forward remains to be seen, however.
As they look to deal their Premier League rivals a major blow and land a key reinforcement in the process, Aston Villa are now reportedly prepared to complete Unai Emery’s transfer request to hijack a major star from Tottenham.
Aston Villa ready to grant Emery's wish
Having dragged them from the depths of relegation battles all the way to a Champions League quarter-final and a place in the last four of the FA Cup, to say that Emery is well-placed to make his own transfer requests at Villa Park would be an understatement. Together with sporting director Monchi, the Spaniard has earned the backing of those in the Midlands.
To Villa’s credit too, they’re often just as ambitious as their manager in the transfer market – welcoming both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan during the January window. And that ambition is only likely to increase if they qualify for the Champions League for a second-consecutive season – perhaps resulting in moves for the likes of Dusan Vlahovic.
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The Villans are reportedly leading the race to sign the out-of-favour Juventus striker and could land a deal for as little as £33m this summer. It’s not just the Serbian forward on their radar, however.
According to Football Transfers, Aston Villa are now preparing to grant Emery’s request and sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. The Argentina defender is reportedly ready to move on from North London and will cost as much as £55m, with Villa ‘willing to offer Romero a five-year contract’.
A World Cup-winner and Champions League-level defender, Emery’s interest in Romero should come as little surprise. It represents how far Spurs have fallen at the same time as Villa’s rise that the two clubs have almost swapped in positions both on and off the pitch. It wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that, in 2025, a move to Villa Park is bigger than heading to Spurs.
"Strong" Romero would be impressive coup
Luring one of the most influential players at one of the so-called top six clubs to the Midlands would not only validate Villa’s place in the battle for European places, it would also send a damning statement of intent. Emery already knows all about Romero’s quality and whilst there may be some concerns over his recent injury history, there’s no doubt that he would instantly hand Aston Villa a defensive leader.
Ollie Watkins also knows all about the defender’s quality. As Spurs thrashed Aston Villa 4-1 earlier this season, the England international was limited to just three touches in the opposition box and lost as many as nine duels. Romero, meanwhile, made four interceptions and won four out of seven ground duels whilst maintaining a pass accuracy of 95%.
If that was his Aston Villa audition, then the Argentine passed with flying colours. It’s those types of performances that have seen Romero praised by the likes of teammate Micky van de Ven, who told reporters last season: “Amazing player, unbelievable player. Defensively so strong, with the ball so strong, keeps talking, for me an amazing player.”
Simon Harmer’s 17 wickets during South Africa’s recent tour of India were the latest in a line of crucial contributions by visiting spinners
Omkar Mankame27-Nov-2025
Simon Harmer
Harmer outbowled India’s spinners by a distance on a tour that redeemed him after his difficult 2015 visit, which had pushed him into a seven-year Test exile. No bowler has taken more wickets at a better average in a Test series in India than his 17 scalps at 8.94. On a raging turner in Kolkata, he sliced through the middle order to prevent India from chasing 124. In Guwahati, he extracted sharp turn and bounce to secure his first five-for in India.
Mitchell Santner
In his only Test of the series, Santner engineered one of the most stunning results in modern Test cricket – winning a Test series in India. Brought in after New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in Bengaluru, the left-arm spinner claimed 13 wickets, including his maiden Test five-for, in the historic triumph. His method relied on subtle changes of pace, often dipping below 87kph to extract greater grip and purchase than India’s own spinners.Related
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Ajaz Patel
With Santner absent, Ajaz Patel – having an ordinary series thus far – rediscovered his 2021 magic to seal a 3-0 whitewash in the city of his birth. After lunch on day two, he found his rhythm, bowling a teasing length that forced India’s batters forward without letting them reach the ball adequately. In the second innings, he led New Zealand’s defence of 147 with figures of 6 for 57, including the crucial dismissal of Rishabh Pant, who had threatened to take the game away.
Tom Hartley
Hartley’s Test career began in chaos – two sixes in his first over and bruising figures of 2 for 131 off 25 overs in the first innings. However, he used his high release point to prodigious effect in the second innings: he constantly unsettled seasoned Indian batters and collected 7 for 62, rounding off England’s remarkable comeback win after conceding a 190-run lead.Tom Hartley’s selection was vindicated when he delivered a seven-for against India’s experienced line-up•BCCI
Steve O’Keefe
India hadn’t lost a home Test since 2012, but a three-day defeat in Pune ended that streak. O’Keefe’s twin hauls of 6 for 35 skittled India for 105 and 107, their lowest totals in a home Test defeat. In the first innings, three of his wickets came via outside edges, and one through a stumping. In the second, five of his six dismissals came from attacking the stumps, resulting in bowled or lbws. Australia won by 333 runs.
Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann
After a nine-wicket loss in Ahmedabad, England brought Panesar back in the XI. He responded with a memorable ten-wicket haul in Mumbai, including the twin scalps of Sachin Tendulkar. Panesar and Swann combined for 37 wickets at 25.70, outbowling R Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha, who took 34 at 39.82. Backed by a strong batting effort, the spinners were crucial to England securing their first series win in India in 28 years.
Nicky Boje
Playing just his second Test, the left-arm spinner delivered a match-shaping all-round performance to seal South Africa’s maiden Test series win in India. Sent in as a nightwatcher, he frustrated India with a gritty 85. His confidence carried into the bowling innings, where he removed India’s top three and added two more lower-order wickets to complete a decisive five-for.
Saqlain Mushtaq
At the peak of his powers, Saqlain dominated this unforgettable two-Test series. In Chennai, he won the decisive battle against Sachin Tendulkar, as India fell 12 runs short. In Delhi, he took his second ten-wicket match haul in the running, though Kumble’s iconic 10 for 74 overshadowed it. Across four successive five-fors, Saqlain’s doosra repeatedly deceived the likes of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly – some of the finest batters against spin.
After scoring a hundred for India A in South Africa, he’s gearing up to impress against England Lions and in the Ranji Trophy
Deivarayan Muthu11-Jan-2024He was tipped to be the next big batter from Tamil Nadu, even before B Sai Sudharsan emerged on the scene. After scoring hundreds for a giggle in age-group cricket, he made a serene half-century on Ranji Trophy debut against Delhi in Chennai in 2019. But then Covid-19 hit and put his career on pause.Four years on, Pradosh Ranjan Paul’s career is in fast-forward. After his first full Ranji Trophy season in 2022-23, where he was Tamil Nadu’s highest run-getter with 631 runs in nine innings at an average just under 55, he broke into the India A sides in first-class and List A cricket. On India A debut in Potchefstroom, the 23-year-old scored 163 off 209 balls against a South Africa A attack that included Dolphins swing bowler Eathan Bosch and Lions allrounder Evan Jones.Paul had a skittish start with Siya Plaatjie hitting the outside edge near shoulder of the bat, but he responded with crisp back-foot punches and drives. He is particularly strong at driving and flicking on the front foot, but on a bouncy Senwes Park pitch, he adapted to the conditions and scored on the back foot. Even during the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, which preceded India A’s tour of South Africa, Paul had trained with the red ball to fine-tune his back-foot game.Related
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“I knew that there would be lots of bounce on the South Africa wickets compared to Indian pitches,” Paul told ESPNcricinfo. “I was prepared and understood that there would be scoring options on the back foot – and not much on the front foot.”I actually feel preparing with the red ball also helps my white-ball game. It was more or less the mindset shift for playing in South Africa. It’s about choosing what shots you want to play and what not to play.”The left-handed Paul lined up Bryce Parson’s left-arm fingerspin, jumping out of his crease and sweeping him flat and hard over the leg side. Paul’s century gave India A the first-innings advantage after South Africa A had scored 319. During the tour, Paul also realised his dream of taking a picture with his idol Virat Kohli, who was with the senior team in South Africa.”From my childhood, he [Kohli] has been my inspiration and I was lucky enough to talk to him and get some ideas from him,” Paul said. “It was the first time I clicked a picture with him. I’ve always dreamt about it. I’ve had opportunities during NCA camps in Bangalore, but in my mind, I was always adamant that the first time I click a picture with him will be when I become his team-mate. So, it was emotional when I clicked that picture and spent time with him.”
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The hundred in Potchefstroom, where there was both lateral movement and bounce for the quicks, has put Paul in a good space going into India A’s home series against England Lions – and the Ranji Trophy – in more familiar conditions.”To think that I’ve scored runs in some other country and conditions which I’m not used to, it gives me confidence,” Paul says. “Definitely at the back of my mind, I will carry a lot of confidence from that 150 in South Africa, but then every match is like a new match. In every match, you face new challenges, and I’m not going to live in the past, but yes I will take confidence from that and just look forward to the upcoming games.”The confidence is a departure from his nervous approach during the early half of the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy season. After Paul didn’t get a chance to bat against Hyderabad, he played a loose shot and fell for a duck in a tense chase against Andhra in Coimbatore. After Tamil Nadu suffered a heart-breaking eight-run defeat, he felt like he would never play for the state again.”The Andhra game was a difficult one. I felt that was an eye-opener for me,” Paul said.” I choked in the crunch situation there; if I had a partnership with Washington [Sundar] we would have sealed the game, but I played a poor shot and I got out. Because of that shot, I played the next game as my last Ranji Trophy game. I felt like I was out of the team.”In the next game, though, Paul made a first-innings hundred in Delhi and followed up with a second-innings 169 in Mumbai. His knock helped Tamil Nadu avoid an innings defeat and salvage a point at the Brabourne Stadium.”Yeah, it came in a difficult situation, but it was my first game in Mumbai through all age-group cricket and Ranji Trophy,” Paul said. “The vibe at the Brabourne Stadium was great and I was taking it in. I wasn’t focusing too much on the game – tactically I was focusing yes – but it was a great experience to bat there. So, I didn’t think too much about the pressure and just wanted to enjoy playing at the CCI (Cricket Club of India).”
“To think that I’ve scored runs in some other country and conditions which I’m not used to, it gives me confidence.”Paul on his India A tour of South Africa
It was this passion that drove Paul into professional cricket. After his family moved from Odisha to Tiruppur, a textile-manufacturing town in Tamil Nadu, he enrolled at an academy run by V Ramesh Kumar, who is now a curator at Chepauk. Ramesh has been Paul’s mentor since.”My dad got transferred here to Tiruppur in 2012 and then I started my professional career here,” Paul said. “My dad was a cricketer and he represented his university in Odisha. Being a sportsman, he understood me and gave me confidence since I started my professional career at 12. Even those days, I didn’t regularly go to school and I used to train the whole day. He gave me the freedom to pursue my career and I’m always grateful to my parents for that.”Ramesh sir has always looked after me and my cricket from those days. When I was new here [in TN], he was the one who guided me and my family at Tiruppur School of Cricket. After Covid, my TNPL and first-division cricket didn’t go too well. Ramesh sir helped me get past it and he has always dreamt about me playing for the country at the highest level.”Paul averages 70.21 after 12 first-class games, and has played just four List A games so far, but insists he isn’t a one-trick pony. During TNPL 2023, he played some inventive shots and his name was also called out during the accelerated round of the IPL 2024 auction, though he went unsold.”Before Covid, I was honestly a better white-ball player than red-ball player,” Paul said. “In age categories, I’ve got runs and I’ve just got a few games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. It’s about time and getting more experience. I heard talks behind me that: ‘Oh! he’s only a red-ball player’ but I’ve got runs in age categories. However, one place where I am yet to prove myself is the TNPL, so I feel it’s just a matter of time. It’s a chance to learn my flaws in the T20 format. Last season, I had a good start with Chepauk [Super Gillies], but I couldn’t finish it well.”Your shots have to evolve. Cricket keeps evolving and I just can’t be in my comfort zone because bowlers are also coming up with new ideas. You have to break those plans and ideas. For example, in the past people used to question you when you played the reverse-sweep or switch-hit. Now, I feel it’s much needed and you see a lot of players playing it in red-ball cricket as well.”Paul is now a calming influence in the Tamil Nadu batting line-up. In the opening round of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, he got starts in both innings against Gujarat, but couldn’t press on. He has another chance to impress the selectors when he comes up against the England Lions in Ahmedabad.
They dismantled Pakistan with pace, persistence, a hint of movement, and more than a hint of pent-up frustration
Alex Malcolm23-Mar-2022Finally. After 13 days of backbreaking toil in this series. After 13 days of waiting for the pitches to do something. After 13 days of hoping the chosen ball would reverse. After 13 days of relentless but slow run-scoring. After 13 days of watching hard-earned nicks hit the turf.Finally, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc said enough is enough and took matters into their own hands. They huffed and they puffed and they blew away Pakistan’s batting line-up with sheer pace, persistence, a hint of movement, and more than a hint of pent-up frustration to put Australia in command.Cummins became just the fourth Australian quick in history to take a five-wicket haul in Pakistan. Starc became just the third quick in the series to bag four wickets or more in an innings. Pakistan lost eight wickets for 54 runs in 30 overs to hand Australia a critical 134-run lead with two days to go.It was a Herculean effort from Australia’s two fast men.At one stage in the afternoon, it looked like an impossible task. Lahore’s surface was offering precious little. Azhar Ali and Babar Azam’s bats looked as broad as ever after Abdullah Shafique had again batted for what felt like days. There were very few signs of the prodigious reverse-swing that Naseem Shah had extracted the previous day.Australia had frivolously burnt three reviews, two in pure hope and exasperation that they might not hit another pad for days despite neither looking close to out.Steven Smith had dropped three catches, one each of Shafique, Azhar and Babar. None were easy, though, all incredibly difficult given how close to the batter he has stood at times, but all told he has missed six chances in a series where chances have been few and far between.
At one stage midway through the 13th day of the series, all five of Australia’s bowlers were striking at more than 100 for the tour and Starc’s wicket tally of three was level with direct-hit run-outs for the series
Nathan Lyon bowled 30 overs unchanged for little reward. He did claim Shafique thanks to Australia’s only successful review, scratching the outside edge of his broad bat with one that went straight on. He could have had Babar too, who drove hard out of the footmarks and edged fine of the wrong-footed Smith at slip. Mitchell Swepson too produced a chance off Azhar – which Smith was unable to grasp – but was unable to extract much else as the surface offered less spin than the one in Karachi.At one stage midway through the 13th day of the series, all five of Australia’s bowlers were striking at more than 100 for the tour and Starc’s wicket tally of three was level with direct-hit run-outs for the series.Australia needed a lion in Lahore and they found one in their captain. Out of nowhere, in a short burst at Azhar, Cummins induced a false stroke. A well-struck drive that was not kept down. Cummins fell to his left in his follow-through, reached to his right, and plucked a stunning catch. He threw it in the air as he rolled to the ground and finished on his knees roaring with delight.”That’s why he’s No. 1 in the world,” Starc would say of Cummins after the day’s play. “He started it for us.”Australia had an opening.Cummins threw Starc the ball post-tea with Fawad Alam far from settled and Starc rammed his way through with sheer will.This wasn’t the spectacular high-velocity reverse-swing that he showed in the first innings in Karachi. Instead, it was a showcase of his fitness and willpower. Starc can be maligned for his sometimes wild radar and his lean spells as he had experienced on this tour as well. But one thing he is given very little credit for is his ability to sustain 140kph speeds across a backbreaking series. His pace has never dropped during this arduous tour. And it didn’t on the 13th day. He finally got the reward when he delivered the perfect length and line to Alam with a hint of reverse-swing back to crash through a gaping gate between bat and pad and smash into off stump.Pat Cummins held a stunning return catch to remove Azhar Ali•AFPStarc smelt blood in the water. He trumped that delivery to Alam with an even better one to remove Mohammad Rizwan. From around the wicket, he again hit the perfect length, angling towards off stump and tailing away a touch to beat the outside edge and crash into the top of off.”It’s having a really calm approach,” Starc said. “Patty’s been fantastic in his captaincy. There have been times where they’ve built partnerships and played really nicely. It’s about staying calm and not letting that scoreboard get out of control and take our chances and moments when they come.”Pakistan’s tail was now exposed and Cummins sensed the moment. He brought himself back on in tandem with Starc and in 20 deliveries they took 5 for 4.Cummins and Starc ratted the stumps twice more and thundered into the front pads of Nauman Ali and Babar. Starc pinning Pakistan’s captain on 67 was proof that no one could stop Australia’s steam train from running down the track. Not even DRS could overturn this one as it was just clipping the outside of leg stump.Only one of the nine wickets the duo took required a fielder’s assistance, with Smith taking a nice low catch of Hasan Ali at first slip having moved back to a conventional position behind Alex Carey.”Once we get a sniff we want to try and ram that home,” Starc said. “So to work in a fantastic partnership for those few overs is what we’re about.”For the second Test running, Australia have done the hard yards to set up the game in their favour and they can thank Cummins and Starc for it. Now they need to finish the job.