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Tottenham Hotspur are now racing to sign a “sensational” striker who idolises Harry Kane, having recently conducted a scouting mission, according to a report.

Tottenham's striker search continues after Saints win

Tottenham returned to winning ways against Southampton yesterday afternoon, picking up a 3-1 victory, and Ange Postecoglou will be pleased with the fact striker Mathys Tel managed to get on the scoresheet for the first time in the Premier League.

Tel is expected to sign for Spurs on a permanent basis this summer, which could leave Postecoglou relatively well-stocked in the striker department, with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison also available.

However, given that there is doubt over Richarlison’s future, the Lilywhites may look to bring in another forward this summer, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

Development: Tottenham now making moves to sign "monster" striker for £0

Spurs are interested in signing a forward, who they are willing to offer a place in the starting XI.

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By
Dominic Lund

Apr 6, 2025

Lille’s Jonathan David could be an attractive option, given that the Canadian will be available on a free transfer, while Tottenham also hold an interest in Ipswich Town marksman Liam Delap.

There has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of Delap, with a report from The Boot Room revealing Spurs sent a scout to watch the striker in action against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.

The scout is likely to be impressed by what he saw, too, given that the Ipswich star scored his side’s only goal of the game, although they ultimately succumbed to a 2-1 defeat in the relegation six-pointer.

Liverpool and Newcastle United officials were also in attendance to watch the forward, so there will be no shortage of his interest this summer, at which point he could be available for a fee of £50m.

"Sensational" Delap could be ideal Harry Kane heir

Understandably, Tottenham have found it difficult to replace Harry Kane since his move to Bayern Munich, with Dominic Solanke struggling with injuries this season, meaning he has just seven Premier League goals to his name.

Delap, on the other hand, has scored 12 goals for the Tractor Boys, which is no mean feat, given that he is playing for a side almost certain to be relegated from the top flight.

It is still early days for the Ipswich striker, but Danny Murphy has suggested he could be capable of being Kane’s successor for England.

Not only that, but the 22-year-old has received high praise from members of the media, being lauded as “sensational” earlier in the campaign, and he has previously admitted he idolises Kane.

Delap is in line to succeed Kane at international level, and his performances for Ipswich indicate he could be a suitable replacement for the England captain at Tottenham.

Some of Australia’s players have made a statement in the IPL in the week the selectors are picking the provisional 15-man T20 World Cup squad

Alex Malcolm28-Apr-20242:32

Rapid Fire Review: Fraser-McGurk to open for Australia at the T20 World Cup?

Fraser-McGurk’s mindblowing form is hard to ignore

Jake Fraser-McGurk is causing the selectors a massive headache this week. He has become the first player in IPL history to post two 15-ball half-centuries. Even more impressively, he posted them a week apart, inside his first five IPL matches, and he destroyed the IPL’s best bowler Jasprit Bumrah on Saturday afternoon in Delhi in his jaw-dropping 27-ball 84. He is taking T20 powerplay batting to another level and Delhi Capitals have not missed David Warner at all while he has been recovering from a finger injury.Fraser-McGurk has not played a T20I yet, although he has played two ODIs. Australia had long settled their top three for the upcoming World Cup with Warner, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh set to reprise the ODI World Cup-winning combination. At the same time, the middle-order is also settled with Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David and Matthew Wade having worked well in combination over the last two years. Josh Inglis is the back-up wicketkeeper and arguably the most flexible back-up batter in Australia having made a T20I century in India late last year.Related

• Takeaways: Why Fraser-McGurk and Smith missed out on T20 World Cup selection

• Fraser-McGurk and Smith left out of Australia's T20 World Cup squad, Marsh to captain

• The good man Pattie and the scoundrel Cummins

• Jake Fraser-McGurk, the ideal T20 batter

• Starc ruled out of Punjab Kings match with finger injury

Australia will likely need a second spinner, a spare fast bowler, and a spare allrounder in their 15. That leaves no room for a spare specialist top-three batter. But Fraser-McGurk’s form is incredible. The thought of pairing him with Head at the top is salivating. Putting that combination together would mean either moving Warner down the order or dropping him from the XI or the 15 entirely, which is extremely unlikely given he is Australia’s most experienced and successful tournament player.The World Cup matches are also going to be played without an impact sub, which has emboldened players like Fraser-McGurk to play fearlessly with the insurance of an extended batting line-up behind him. Australia will also play exclusively on pitches in the Caribbean where the scoring rates are lower and spin has been far tougher to score against than pace. If the selectors are to find a spot for Fraser-McGurk in the 15, they will need to risk going without a spare wicketkeeper as they did in 2022 at home, or without a spare spinner in the 15 as they did at the 2023 ODI World Cup. But flying a replacement for one of those two needs, halfway around the world promptly in case of injury is not as simple as it was for the previous two tournaments.

Warner’s finger adds to the worry, Starc also injured

David Warner has bone bruising on his finger•BCCIWarner’s injury absence is set to extend for another week as the bone bruising on his finger has not subsided, which is a slight concern for Australia. What Fraser-McGurk is doing in his absence, plus recency bias, has led to some external noise about his place in Australia’s best XI for the World Cup. It is unlikely the same queries have been tabled internally by the Australian selectors given how much credit he has built over a 15-year career. There has been a tendency for critics to conflate the lean end to his Test career with his white-ball form for Australia, which has remained strong despite the age on his birth certificate. It had been a lean IPL by his standards prior to his injury but his form had not been alarming. Warner’s experience will be invaluable in the Caribbean if the pitches play the way they are expected to. But if Australia get some good pitches in the Caribbean and Warner is selected over Fraser-McGurk, he will need to re-find his fearless former self. No doubt, he will be spurred to prove that he is still one of Australia’s best T20 openers.Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc suffered a bizarre finger injury and missed Kolkata Knight Riders’ most recent match against Punjab Kings. It’s also not the first time he’s lacerated his bowling finger with his spikes. Starc’s form before the injury had been very up and down and the rest may well have come at a decent time in the middle of the tournament. KKR’s attack fared poorly in his absence as they failed to defend 261. KKR were confident he would return in one of their next two games. Australia’s selectors would love him to find some consistency ahead of the World Cup.

Green finds touch at the right time

Cameron Green exults after dismissing Pat Cummins•BCCICameron Green has found some form with bat and ball playing in an unfamiliar role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and it has come at the right time ahead of the World Cup squad being selected. He made 37 not out off 20 in a finishing role against Sunrisers Hyderabad, nailing his Test captain Pat Cummins for four boundaries in the death overs. He has also bowled well in two of his last three games picking up 2 for 35 against KKR and 2 for 12 against SRH including claiming Cummins, with his execution and unpredictability as a T20 bowler improving. Although he was clattered for 42 from just three overs in RCB’s win over Gujarat Titans on Sunday.Part of the complication of finding a place for Fraser-McGurk is Australia’s absolute need for a spare fast-bowling allrounder in the 15 due to the injury concerns over Marsh and Stoinis. Marsh is currently at home recovering from a hamstring injury that ended his IPL. He is expected to be fully fit for the tournament and is set to be captain. But his ability to bowl in every game is an unknown. Stoinis is in fine form with bat and ball. But he missed Australia’s last four T20Is during the summer with a back issue and missed three of the nine pool games in the ODI World Cup due to niggles after an injury-riddled lead-in. He was then squeezed out of the XI for the semi and the final. Green played a crucial role in one of those ODI World Cup pool games against England making 47 when he replaced Marsh who was absent for family reasons.

Sublime Stoinis sends a reminder of his quality

Injury worries aside, Stoinis sent a reminder of his ceiling as a T20 cricketer with a stunning unbeaten 124 to guide Lucknow Super Giants home against Chennai Super Kings. It was a masterclass in T20 batting having been promoted to No.3. He also showed that he can be more durable than he has been in the past by bowling four overs, including the 20th, before batting almost 20 and guiding his team home. He strangely only bowled one over in LSG’s next match against Rajasthan despite picking up the vital wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal and conceding just three runs after missing out with the bat. But a fit, versatile, in-form Stoinis heading to the World Cup bodes very well for Australia.

Judicious use of a short-short-full formula helped MP’s seamers dominate day one of their quarter-final

Daya Sagar and Rajan Raj06-Jun-2022Among the four Ranji Trophy quarter-finals that began on Monday, it was apparent that the Punjab-Madhya Pradesh clash would get the lowest billing. This was apparent also because there were a grand total of three journalists at this game. Even the spectators had gravitated towards the Karnataka-Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai-Uttarakhand matches happening on the adjacent grounds, with those in the vicinity of this match also seated along the boundary walls, with their attention turned to those games.The KSCA ground at Alur hosting this game is actually the lowest-lying of the three, and that meant overnight rain forced the latest start here, with the first ball bowled at 11:30 am. Despite the wet outfield, the pitch bore a barren, run-friendly look and it was no surprise Punjab captain Abhishek Sharma opted to bat.Madhya Pradesh were quick to read the conditions. With virtually no swing on offer, they drew their lengths back and only used fuller deliveries as a way to break the pattern of short or back-of-a-length deliveries.Shubman Gill, fresh off his IPL win with Gujarat Titans and looking to get some match practice ahead of the Birmingham Test, began imperiously with a straight drive and a wristy flick through fine leg. However, he failed to read both the line and length – perhaps more of the latter – of the first ball of the fifth over of the day, delivered by Puneet Datey. Gill shouldered arms to a delivery that dipped in sharply and took his off-stump. A dream ball and a dream wicket for someone playing his first first-class match in two years.Abhishek appeared to be carrying his IPL form into his innings of 47, studded with five fours and two massive sixes. Datey set up his wicket beautifully, through the 24th over of the innings. He softened him up with short balls, and slipped in a sharp bouncer off the penultimate ball. The last ball of the over was fuller and a touch wider, inviting the drive, and Rajat Patidar at first slip gleefully accepted the catch as it flew off the Punjab captain’s blade.The IPL star Patidar actually had an ordinary day in the field, fluffing two chances at slip. In fact, he dropped both Abhishek and Gurkeerat Singh Mann. The latter was dropped off the bowling of Kumar Kartikeya, himself an IPL star after his debut season with Mumbai Indians. The “left-arm everything” bowler was the unluckiest in his team, with two of the four catches dropped by his team on the day coming off his bowling alone.File photo – Shubman Gill was out early, bowled while shouldering arms to Puneet Datey•Tertius Pickard/Getty ImagesMuch like he did with Abhishek, Datey used the short-short-full formula to snare another experienced batter in Anmolpreet Singh. Having pinned him back with short and back-of-a-length balls, he lured him into an indiscreet drive with a change in length, only for mid-off to complete the catch. It was more the bowler’s victory than any major lapse from the batter, and for the third time in the day. Just like that, Datey had blown away the Punjab top order with all three wickets against his name.If the first session belonged to Datey, his new-ball partner Anubhav Agarwal took the honours over the next two. Agarwal had been a bit ill-disciplined in his first spell and been taken for runs by the Punjab batters, before being taken off after just three overs. However, as the ball got softer and the pitch eased up, he took advantage of the slightly two-paced nature that crept into the surface with the sun baking down. Mandeep Singh fell to a length ball, and Sanvir Singh edged to slip after a fighting 41. Agarwal also took the last wicket of the innings, Baltej Singh caught behind, to restrict Punjab to 219.Madhya Pradesh’s most experienced seamer, Gaurav Yadav, took just one wicket, but his contribution went beyond mere numbers. In the same over when Abhishek was dropped at slip, he had repeatedly beaten and found both edges of the bat of both Sharma and Anmolpreet with controlled swing bowling. Gaurav had to wait until the fag end of the day for his only reward, bowling Mayank Markande after he had put on a spirited 33-run stand for the seventh wicket with Sanvir and occupied the crease for 14 overs.Between innings, Gaurav suggested that the pitch was a flat one and there wasn’t much assistance for the bowlers, who needed to try different things to pick up wickets. Madhya Pradesh captain Aditya Shrivastava played a commendable role in this with his clever usage of the fast bowlers, giving them short spells to keep them fresh on a sticky June afternoon. His bowlers responded magnificently, mixing their lengths and bowling tight lines to give the Punjab batters nothing to work with. If Madhya Pradesh can go on to win a place in the semi-finals, much credit should go to their seam attack, who more than made up for the injury-enforced absence of the experienced Ishwar Pandey, and the IPL’s latest sensation Kuldeep Sen.

We use Smart Economy Rate to analyse bowlers’ performances depending the match situation they were bowling in

ESPNcricinfo stats team01-Apr-2020In the second article in a new series where we use Smart Stats to analyse various aspects of cricket, we look at the most economical bowler in T20 cricket since January 2019. Smart Stats is a part of Superstats, a new set of metrics by ESPNcricinfo to tell more enriching and insightful numbers-based stories. To know more about Superstats, click here.Traditional cricketing statistics sometimes do not reveal the actual impact of a bower. ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats takes into account the context of players’ performances and shows just how exceptional certain bowlers were when compared to others.ESPNcricinfo LtdLet us first look at the top five most economical bowlers in terms of conventional economy rates, taking a minimum of 15 innings for bowlers since January 2019. Ravindra Jadeja tops the charts with an economy rate of 6.35. Jasprit Bumrah is the lone fast bowler in the list, conceding 6.63 runs per over. Shoaib Malik is third-best conceding 6.72 runs per over and Imran Tahir and Australia’s Chris Green complete the top five.Although these are excellent numbers when seen in isolation, game context throws up a different narrative. Malik, Jadeja and Tahir have bowled 80%, 78% and 68% of their overs respectively between overs seven to 15 (the middle-overs phase), when the field is spread, the batsmen aren’t in overdrive, and boundaries are relatively tougher to score. Dive a little bit deeper and you will find that the situations the three bowlers have bowled a majority of their overs in have also not been as tough as some of the others.ALSO READ: Who is the MVP across all T20 leagues over the last 12 months?Smart Economy Rate (SER) brings out the true value of the bowlers. It takes into account not just the overs bowled and runs conceded but also the match situation, in terms of pressure on the bowler at the time, the overall match run rate, and the batsmen a bowler bowled to. Keeping a top-quality batsman quiet in a high-scoring match counts for much more than doing the same to a tailender in a low-scoring game.Sunil Narine’s SER was the best among bowlers who bowled at least 15 overs. His conventional economy rate during this period was 7.04. It was actually worth 5.19 on the Smart Economy scale. Bumrah is easily among the best in the business and he is the only bowler in both the lists. His SER is 5.21. Jofra Archer (SER 5.57), Sohail Tanvir (5.68) and Rashid Khan(5.84) make up the top five .Of the 72 overs that Narine bowled, 37% were in the Powerplay, in which he conceded just 4.37, and 20% were in the last five overs, where his conventional economy rate was 9.48. In 63% of the matches he played, he conceded under 7.5 runs per over. The two matches where he conceded 11 an over were games where the required run rate was more than 12 when he was bowling.ESPNcricinfo LtdAlthough Narine has been struggling with injuries recently, his ability to control the flow of runs is remarkable. Bumrah, Rashid and Tanvir had lower conventional economy rates than Narine, but the situations Narine has faced have been a marginally tougher. The high-scoring pitches at Eden Gardens and Port-of-Spain, where he has played a majority of his matches, have also played a role in this. Rashid is an exception, in terms of bowling more in the middle and still maintaining a good SER. Almost 65% of Rashid’s overs are in the middle but, unlike Jadeja or Malik, Rashid also bowls a fair number of his overs in the Powerplay and death, and bowls them well, conceding just 7.1 and 8.3 respectively.Among the seamers, Bumrah is easily the standout, and he is ranked second in both conventional and smart economy rates. He bowls just 21% of his overs in the middle phase, and is the captain’s go-to bowler almost every single time the team is under pressure. In 13 out of 16 instances he has conceded less than eight runs per over on the flat tracks in Mumbai. The three instances when he did concede over nine runs per over were all in high-scoring games, in which the overall match run rate was more than nine.Tanvir, who finished as the Purple Cap winner way back in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008, is still a force to reckon with. His uncanny action and his strong performances in the Powerplay and death make him a useful resource even today in T20 leagues across the world. He bowls only 9% of the overs in the middle, and usually bowls all the difficult overs. Green is in sixth place in the SER rankings and is another underrated bowler. He is a Powerplay specialist, bowling 50% of his overs in that phase. However, he still needs to be tested across other leagues, such as IPL, and in internationals, to stake his claim.

The Apertura 2025 final features the two teams that set the pace all season. Toluca topped the table with 37 points and rolled past FC Juárez and Monterrey, while Tigres finished just behind them on 36 before ousting Xolos and Cruz Azul. Now, Antonio Mohamed’s Diablos chase a bicampeonato and a 12th star, as Guido Pizarro’s Tigres look to claim their ninth league title.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What’s at stake?

  The first leg will be played Thursday at Estadio Universitario, the always-demanding home of Tigres. The return match follows Sunday at Estadio Nemesio Diez – one of Liga MX’s most intimidating venues and a true “Infierno” where Antonio Mohamed’s Toluca has been nearly untouchable. Both sides will face hostile conditions, but the title may ultimately hinge on who handles the heat in Toluca.

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• AFP
  

  History on the line

  A Toluca championship would secure the club’s 12th league crown, pulling the Red Devils level with Chivas as the second-most decorated team in Liga MX history. Tigres, meanwhile, are pushing for a ninth title – a milestone that would move them past Cruz Azul and further cement their status as a modern powerhouse.

  Two contenders with heavyweight ambitions now stand one series away from Apertura 2025 glory.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Key to Success

  Tigres – Key to Success
  Guido Pizarro’s side must contain Toluca’s attacking firepower and prove why they finished the Apertura 2025 as the league’s best defense, allowing only 16 goals. However, their road form remains a concern: they lost 3-0 to in the first leg of the quarterfinals and drew 1-1 at Cruz Azul in the semifinal opener. Tigres must be a significantly better visiting team if they want to lift the trophy on Sunday at Toluca’s fortress.

  Toluca – Key to Success
  Toluca enter the final as slight favorites. They have been the most consistent and well-balanced team in Liga MX throughout 2025. Their only major concern is the possible absence of their best player, Alexis Vega, who has yet to recover from an injury that has sidelined him for the entire Liguilla. His absence would be a significant blow, but Antonio Mohamed has managed the playoffs impressively without him. Even so, Vega’s potential return – whether in the first leg or the decisive match – could tilt the balance in Toluca’s favor.

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• AFP
  

  Players to Watch

  Player to Watch: Juan Brunetta
  The Argentine playmaker has been one of Tigres’ most decisive threats this postseason, scoring three goals – including two in the dramatic 5-0 comeback against Xolos and another in the clinching win over Cruz Azul. Alongside Ángel Correa, Brunetta is a true difference-maker capable of tilting the final on his own.

  Player to Watch: Paulinho
  The Portuguese striker captured his third straight Liga MX Golden Boot and has added two more goals in the playoffs. Toluca will lean heavily on his finishing in the final, as Paulinho’s form could be the factor that determines whether the Diablos claim another league title.

Manchester United came from behind to secure victory over Crystal Palace as Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount emerged as match-winners for Ruben Amorim's side in a 2-1 win on Sunday. Palace led in the first half through a Jean-Philippe Mateta penalty, but the Red Devils came out for the second period a different side, and Zirkzee fired home before Mount struck the winner from the edge of the box to complete the turnaround.

United could have taken an early lead within the first minute, as Dean Henderson made a double save at the feet of Casemiro from point-blank range following a long throw-in. The Brazilian would soon come close to scoring again, too, when he glanced a header wide from a Bruno Fernandes delivery.

That would be as close as United came in the first half, as Palace soon took a strange-hold on proceedings. A defensive mix-up involving Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro saw Mateta run through on goal, only to drag the ball wide, while Senne Lammens saved from Daichi Kamada and Yoro blocked well from Yeremy Pino. But the French defender's naive challenge on fellow countryman Mateta allowed the Eagles striker to give his side the lead from the penalty spot, though it took him two attempts due to a double touch.

With seconds of first-half stoppage time remaining, De Ligt slipped and was bailed out by a last-ditch Luke Shaw block with Eddie Nketiah bearing down on goal, and that would prove to be a turning point in the game.

The Red Devils came out for the second half with purpose and captain Fernandes would be at the centre of all of it, assisting goals for both Zirkzee and Mount from free-kicks. The two finishes were outstanding, as Zirkzee swivelled to fire home from the tightest of angles before Mount struck from the edge of the box to complete the turnaround.

Palace rallied late on, but United defended strongly to see out an outstanding away victory.

GOAL rates United's players from Selhurst Park…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Senne Lammens (6/10):

Beaten twice by Mateta from the spot but made a couple of important first-half saves to keep United in the game. 

Leny Yoro (5/10):

Made a brilliant block from Pino to deny a certain goal, but ruined his own good work with a clumsy challenge to concede the penalty just minutes later. Taken off by Amorim moments after the equaliser, and looked visibly distressed with his own performance on the bench.

Matthijs de Ligt (5/10):

Looked far from on his game, particularly during the first half. Mateta had the beating of him way too easily, while his errors presented chances to both the France striker and Nketiah. Defended more resolutely after the break.

Luke Shaw (7/10):

Made a great block from Nketiah, though he should not have had the chance. Defended strongly, and a yellow card was the only blot on his display.

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Amad Diallo (6/10):

Did not get forward as much as he would have liked, but the Ivorian continues to be a key cog in Amorim's side and works tirelessly despite his unfamiliarity with the wing-back role.

Casemiro (6/10):

Was afforded two big chances and should have got his name on the scoresheet with the game goalless. Struggled to prevent Palace dictating play in the first half but, like many team-mates, improved in the second. 

Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

United's goals were all about the finishes, but it was no surprise to see the captain laying on the opportunities. He impacted the outcome of the game and worked hard for his side at both ends of the pitch to see out the victory.

Diogo Dalot (7/10):

The Portuguese's long throw caused havoc within the first minute, and he did his primary job well of keeping Munoz quiet in a solid display.

AFPAttack

Bryan Mbeumo (6/10):

Was not the match-winner on this occasion but always looks a threat. Could have scored on a couple of occasions, only to be foiled by Henderson in goal.

Joshua Zirkzee (7/10):

Was quiet in the first half but his equalising goal was outstanding. Taking the ball on his chest, the Dutchman volleyed home from the angle to get his side back in the game.

Mason Mount (7/10):

Stepped up when it mattered in the game's defining moment. Profiting from Fernandes' quick free-kick, Mount fired the ball through a non-existent Palace wall and into the bottom corner of the net.

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Noussair Mazraoui (6/10):

Replaced Yoro and defended stoutly with the exception of a moment of madness, where he smashed the ball at Zirkzee and almost saw the ball bounce into the net.

Lisandro Martinez (N/A):

Came on in the final 10 minutes to return from a long ACL injury lay-off, and helped see out the victory.

Kobbie Mainoo (N/A):

The 20-year-old made a cameo in stoppage time as United secured the win.

Patrick Dorgu (N/A):

Came on alongside Mainoo.

Ruben Amorim (7/10):

His team were a different side after half-time and showed character to turn things around. His decision to start Zirkzee and Mount certainly paid off, as the pair made a rare start and were instrumental to victory.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are both part of the squad for the ODIs in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20258:14

Aakash Chopra: Didn’t see Gill’s appointment coming this soon

Shubman Gill has been appointed India’s new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma, and will lead the side in the three-match series in Australia starting on October 19.Rohit has been picked in the ODI squad as a batter and, along with Virat Kohli, is set to represent India again for the first time since the 2025 Champions Trophy in March.The selection panel, headed by former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar, met on Saturday in Ahmedabad, where India won the first Test of the series against West Indies by an innings and 140 runs. The reason behind the captaincy change was that the selectors wanted Gill to settle down well before the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. It is understood the decision was taken collectively by Agarkar in coordination with India head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.Related

Tough but fair: selectors have prioritised future over sentiment

Gill inherits the wealth of India's Rohit-Kohli era

“Obviously at some stage you got to start looking at where the next World Cup is,” Agarkar said at a press conference in Ahmedabad. “It’s [ODIs] also a format which is played the least now, so you don’t get that many games to actually give the next guy, or if there is going to be another guy, that much time to prepare himself or plan. We are two years away still, might look like a long time, but we don’t quite know how many one-day games we might play. Closer to the World Cup we might end up playing a little bit more than what we have, but the last one-day game we played was what, 8th or 9th March in Champions Trophy, and the next one we play is in October 19th, so it is a bit of a challenge with one-day cricket at the moment … It is very difficult to have three different captains for three formats, in terms of not just selectors but more importantly even for the coach, to plan with three different people is never easy.”Gill, 26, now holds formal leadership roles in all three formats as Test and ODI captain and vice-captain of the T20I team. “Hopefully not, he is still quite young,” Agarkar said when asked about the risk of Gill burning out given his workload. “We hope there is no burnout. It is true there is a lot of cricket coming thick and fast over the next few months in particular. We will try and manage it as best as we can, but you also want to, like I said, give the guy enough time to try and prepare going into that next World Cup, which is 24 months away, but may not be that many games, so we want to give him the best possible chance.”ESPNcricinfo LtdRohit, 38, was India’s full-time ODI captain from December 2021. Overall, he led India in 56 ODIs, winning 42, losing 12, with one tie and another no-result. He led India to the 2018 Asia Cup title as stand-in captain, and then to the 2023 Asia Cup title as full-time captain. Under his leadership, India made the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. His tenure culminated in India winning the Champions Trophy.Gill had also become India’s Test captain following Rohit’s retirement from the format in May ahead of India’s tour of England this summer. In his maiden series as Test captain, Gill led India to a 2-2 draw in England, and finished as the highest run-scorer with 754 runs at an average of 75.40.With Rohit and Kohli both retired from Tests and T20Is, the upcoming ODI series in Australia will be their first international appearance in more than seven months. After the three ODIs in Australia, their next opportunities to play for India are in the three-ODI home series against South Africa in November-December and against New Zealand in January.India play three ODIs in Australia on October 19, 23 and 25, followed by five T20Is from October 29 to November 8.

Half-centuries from Nathan McSweeney and Jack Edwards, and Manav Suthar’s five-wicket haul, headlined the opening day of the second four-dayer between India A and Australia A in Lucknow. Picked as the lone specialist spinner, Suthar took 5 for 93, reining Australia A’s middle order in, on a mixed-soil pitch.After Shreyas Iyer, who had led India A in the first four-dayer withdrew from the second, Dhruv Jurel took over as captain and shared the wicketkeeping load with N Jagadeesan. Both wicketkeepers are likely to be picked in India’s squad for the two-match Test series against West Indies starting October 2. Allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was playing his first competitive game since suffering a knee injury on the England tour, bowled eight overs and went wicketless on the first day.Incumbent Australia opener Sam Konstas, who scored a 122-ball century in the first four-dayer, played a more subdued innings in the second, scoring 49 off 91 balls before falling to Mohammed Siraj, who had been drafted into the team for this game along with KL Rahul, in the lead-up to the West Indies Test series. Siraj had Konstas nicking behind, with Jagadeesan taking the catch having just switched keeping duties with captain Jurel three overs ago.This was the second time in two matches during this series that Jurel and Jagadeesan had switched keeping duties in the middle of an innings, with the latter taking over the gloves from Jurel at the beginning of the second day’s play in the previous four-day game.Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas played out most of the first session•Tanuj Pandey/UPCA

Ollie Peake made 29 off 39 balls before Suthar breached his defences in the 45th over. When Suthar also dismissed Cooper Connolly, for a duck in his next over, Australia A were wobbling at 150 for 4. Their captain McSweeney, though, brought up his first half-century of the tour, in humid conditions, and moved to 74 before Punjab’s towering quick Gurnoor Brar, who has had a stint with the senior India team as a net bowler, had him caught by Ayush Badoni, who had replaced Iyer.”The pitch is playing quite nice,” McSweeney said after stumps on day one. “I think it has a little bit more pace in the wicket than last game, so you get great value for shots. The ball swung around a bit more than probably anticipated. But I thought the way Sammy [Sam Konstas] and I were able to play during that first session set up a decent day. Sammy’s playing beautifully, continuing on from last week. A pretty solid day at cricket.”Suthar was consistent with his lines and lengths. He had an economy rate of 3.32 while all of India’s frontline seamers went at over four an over.”I thought their left-arm spinner [Manav Suthar] bowled beautifully,” McSweeney said. “He bowled quite slow in the first session and the way he was able to be really consistent in the second, changing his pace, he got a few wickets. He was building pressure today. It’s a great template we can follow going into the next innings.”Josh Philippe and Edwards counterattacked, with both batters having strike rates of over 100. While Suthar cut Philippe’s innings short on 39 off 33, Edwards ran away to 88 off 78 balls, including 11 fours and a six. Todd Murphy, batting at No. 10, gave Edwards good company and ensured the innings did not slide to a premature end.Their ninth-wicket partnership ended on 55 when Brar removed Edwards in the 82nd over. Murphy and No.11 Henry Thornton survived the remaining 2.4 overs on the day and took Australia A to stumps.

Interest in Oscar Mingueza is accelerating ahead of the winter window, with Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham joining RB Leipzig and Marseille in monitoring the Celta Vigo defender. The former Barcelona full-back is out of contract in 2026, but Celta’s refusal of €14 million bids last summer and their inability to secure a renewal has created a market opening that rival clubs are now prepared to exploit.

• Premier League and European giants move for Mingueza

  Mingueza has quickly become one of La Liga’s most in-demand defenders, with Celta now facing the prospect of losing him far below their expectations, or even for free. The 26-year-old, whose rights are split 50-50 between Celta and Barcelona, has attracted interest from Newcastle, Villa and West Ham in the Premier League, as well as Leipzig and Marseille on the continent. All five clubs are preparing for movement once the January window opens, according to .

  The Sky Blues rejected offers between €12m (£10m/$13m) and €14m (£12m/$15m) last summer, hoping instead to secure a contract renewal. But talks have stalled since the autumn, and Mingueza’s role has become less prominent in recent weeks. With his contract expiring in June 2026, clubs sense an opportunity to strike early, or wait until the situation weakens further. Barca, who sold the defender in 2022 after his breakthrough under Ronald Koeman, remain attentive. The Catalans still own 50% of the player’s rights and stand to benefit from a future sale, but they are not expected to re-sign him as they already have Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia for the right-back position.

  Mingueza’s strong form in Galicia, where he has grown into one of Celta's most reliable performers across multiple positions has placed him firmly on the radar of clubs seeking athletic, technically secure full-backs. As interest intensifies, the situation now enters a stage where Celta’s reluctance to sell last year may prove costly.

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  Celta must act fast as transfer interest grows

  The growing list of suitors underlines the former La Masia graduate's rising market value. Premier League clubs view him as a rare profile: a defender comfortable at right-back, centre-back and even wide centre-back in back-three systems. The Magpies see him as essential depth for a squad competing in Europe, while the Lions regard him as a potential long-term fit for their aggressive, high-line structure. Leipzig’s interest reflects their recruitment model of targeting versatile, tactically adaptable players in their mid-20s. Marseille, meanwhile, are under pressure to rebuild with more athletic full-backs and have tracked Mingueza since the summer.

  For Celta, this moment highlights a strategic tension: rejecting mid-tier offers last year was intended to protect their asset’s value, but failing to extend his contract leaves them exposed. His €20m (£17m/$22m) release clause complicates negotiations, especially given that Barcelona would receive €10m (£8m/$11m) of any fee. 

  Rival clubs know Celta must choose soon between negotiating now or risking a depreciating asset heading into the final year of his deal. This dynamic also explains why several clubs are prepared to wait until June, when uncertainty peaks and leverage shifts decisively toward the buying side.

• Squad context, past reports and what the move would mean

  Mingueza’s development at Celta has been notable. After leaving the Catalan giants, where he initially excelled under Koeman before falling out of favour under Xavi, he found consistent minutes and confidence in Galicia. His ability to progress the ball, defend one-on-one and adapt to multiple systems has been highlighted by analysts and scouts across Europe.

  Newcastle’s need arises from repeated injuries across their defensive line, while Villa continue to build a squad capable of sustaining European competition deep into spring. West Ham, despite their struggles, remain interested but are seen as outsiders due to their position in the table and uncertainty around their long-term sporting plan.

  Celta’s push to renew the defender has stalled partly because his influence has dipped in recent months – a shift that has emboldened interested clubs. Internally, Barcelona are hoping for movement in January, as any transfer would provide them with an immediate financial injection.

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  January pressure builds as decision time nears

  With the transfer window approaching, the Sky Blues must decide whether to reopen renewal talks, entertain bids or hold firm until summer. The latter option is risky, as a failure to extend Mingueza’s contract would place them in a vulnerable negotiating position. Newcastle and Villa are expected to formalise interest in January, while Leipzig are monitoring the situation with long-term planning in mind. Barcelona will continue tracking developments, hoping that a winter move triggers their 50% cut.

  All eyes now turn to January, the point at which Celta must either commit to protecting their asset or accept that Europe’s elite are ready to move decisively for a player whose market momentum shows no sign of slowing.

Glasgow Rangers have held positive Ibrox talks with a leading Gers manager target to replace Russell Martin.

Managers who could replace Martin at Rangers

Sunday’s 1-1 Scottish Premiership draw with Falkirk proved to be the last straw for Martin at Rangers, who was dismissed that evening.

Gers chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe have since written an open letter to Ibrox supporters, telling fans that a ‘rigorous, thoughtful recruitment process is already underway’ to find a new manager, with the pair ‘treating it with the urgency it deserves’ and are ‘deeply involved’.

A number of targets have already been linked with a move to Glasgow, including former Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl who is “appreciated by senior figures” at Ibrox.

Another candidate currently out of work is Sean Dyche. The former Everton and Burnley boss has been without a job since leaving Goodison Park, and he is thought to be very keen on moving to Glasgow.

In Europe, there have also been more names mentioned to come in and replace Martin. Dutch head coach Mark van Bommel is another “interested” in replacing Martin, whereas Spanish manager Quique Setien is also on the Gers’ radar after leaving Beijing Guoan.

Martin upgrade who's "similar to Postecoglou" in running for Rangers job

The Ibrox hierarchy are on the hunt to find an upgrade on Russell Martin at Rangers.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 7, 2025

A ‘fan favourite’ and one of Rangers’ top targets, though, is former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard, and there has now been a positive development over a return to Glasgow for the former title winner.

Rangers hold positive talks with Steven Gerrard

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Rangers have now had ‘positive progress in talks with Gerrard’ over a reunion at Ibrox.

It was stated on Monday that discussions were set to continue and that negotiations are complex, however, the ball appears to be rolling in regards to a move back to Glasgow for the 45-year-old.

Gerrard, who plays an attacking 4-3-3 system, averaged 2.15 points per game during his 192 matches in charge of Rangers between 2018-2021, winning the Scottish Premiership in 2020.

His assistant from his time at Ibrox, Gary McAllister, was even asked about a return to Rangers with Gerrard on Monday, to which he said:

“We had a wonderful time there. We really enjoyed our time there. Steven did an amazing job to get that 55th title.

“He’s always going to be linked with Glasgow Rangers, he loved his time up there. You never know what can happen.”

Rangers look set to take their time when appointing their fourth manager of 2025 due to the current international break, but by the looks of things, a return to Ibrox for Gerrard is a real possibility.