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DC have retained Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs and Abishek Porel

Nagraj Gollapudi31-Oct-2024Rishabh Pant will be among the high-profile names at the 2025 IPL mega auction after not being retained by Delhi Capitals (DC). ESPNcricinfo has learned that talks between DC’s ownership group and Pant failed after stretching over the past few months and Wednesday. The franchise, though, has retained four players: the spin pair of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, South Africa batter Tristan Stubbs and uncapped Indian wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel.DC will have two RTM card options at the auction, and, it is understood that they will attempt to buy back Pant, who joined the franchise in 2016 and became their key player, including taking over captaincy in 2022. In case DC can’t buy him back in the auction, they will have to pick a new captain. With three capped and one uncapped retentions, DC’s purse will be depleted by at least INR 47 crore (18+14+11+ 4) and they will have INR 73 crore to build their squad at the auction.Axar had been with DC since 2019, his second franchise after Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kuldeep since 2022 (after five seasons with KKR) and Porel since 2023. Pant, Kuldeep, Axar and Porel had all been retained by DC before the last auction where the franchise had bought Stubbs for his base price of INR 50 lakh (approx. US$ 60,000 at the time).The turnaround of events concerning Pant’s future at DC have been dramatic. Months leading into the retention deadline (expires Thursday at 5pm IST) it was expected Pant would be DC’s’ top retention. However, it is learnt that not everybody in the leadership group wanted him to continue as the franchise’s captain.Both DC’s co-owners, GMR Group’s Kiran Grandhi and JSW Sports’ Parth Jindal, had in-person meetings with Pant. It is learned that Pant had his ideas and suggestions of how to go forward. Eventually, though, both the player and the ownership group couldn’t reach an agreement.In 2021, Pant became the fifth-youngest captain in the IPL when he initially took charge in interim capacity at DC before the franchise retained him in the leadership position which lasted until 2024 season.Pant led DC in 44 matches from 2021 to 2024 (barring 2023 after his car crash) of which they won 24 and lost 19. As captain, Pant scored 1205 runs while averaging 35.44 – almost identical to his overall IPL average of 35.31 – at a strike rate of 143.96, only slightly worse than his IPL strike rate of 148.93.

The tournament will feature teams from five different countries with a prize money of US$1 million

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2024A new five-team T20 tournament called the Global Super League is set to launch in Guyana and will be played from November 26 to December 7. The league will feature teams from five different countries and is sanctioned by Cricket West Indies (CWI) and “fully supported” by the government of Guyana, a “key stakeholder” in the competition, which has a prize money of US$1 million.This is slated to be South America’s first standalone cricket event and will feature Guyana Amazon Warriors from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and four other “established” T20 teams from around the world. ESPNcricinfo has learnt Hampshire, the three-time champions of England’s T20 Blast, are among the invited teams.There will be a total of 11 matches in the Global Super League T20 with each team playing four matches in the group stage. The top two teams will then progress to the final. All the matches will be played at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence. A media release also said that the event is set to take place annually featuring different teams from around the world being invited to take part each season.”The passion for cricket in Guyana rivals that of fans anywhere, and we look forward to celebrating our love of the game and our rich and vibrant country with both those visiting in person and watching from around the world,” Clive Lloyd, the Global Super League chairman was quote via a release.Amazon Warriors, the 2023 CPL winners, are the home team from Guyana. They have also been runners-up six times: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2024.”The Global Super League has the full support of the Government of Guyana as we build a world class sports tourism product,” Mohammed Irfaan Ali, president of the co-operative Republic of Guyana said. “Cricket is part of our cultural history, it is that unifying force, part of our heritage and an integral part of our strategic objective in economic diversification with a strong emphasis on tourism.”The Global Super League will clash with the Abu Dhabi T10, slated to be held from November 21 to December 2, and with Bangladesh’s tour of the Caribbean although that will start with the Tests from November 22 to December 4, followed by three ODIs from December 8 to 12 and three T20Is from December 16 to 20.

It feels as if things are finally starting to fall into place at Arsenal.

For example, Sporting Director Andrea Bertas has been able to secure new long-term contracts for Gabriel Magalhães and Myles Lewis-Skelly, but that’s not all.

He has also seemingly secured the services of Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga while also pursuing several exciting striker targets.

The forward who seems to be most heavily linked with a move to the club is Benjamin Sesko, and if recent reports are to be believed, Arsenal could be moving to sign someone who’d be a dream teammate for the Slovenian star.

Arsenal target Premier League superstar

Signing a new striker was always going to be an objective heading into this summer, as while Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are talented and useful players, neither has ever been, nor is likely to become, prolific.

The list of centre-forwards supposedly targeted by the club includes the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Ollie Watkins and Alexander Isak, but the goalscorer who has arguably been linked most with the club, and therefore feels like the most realistic to end up in North London, is Sesko.

The RB Leipzig star was a target for the Gunners as far back as last summer, and while the German outfit is still holding out for a sizable fee, recent reports suggest that the 22-year-old could make his way to the Emirates for around £70m this summer.

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It would be an exciting addition to Arteta’s squad and one made all the better by the capture of another target: Eberechi Eze.

Yes, according to a recent report from insider Hand of Arsenal, Arteta was involved in direct talks with the Crystal Palace star’s camp on Saturday.

Talks have not been held directly with the South London side, and although there’s no mention of a fee, it has been widely reported that the Englishman has a release clause worth around £68m in his current contract.

It wouldn’t be a cheap deal to get over the line, but given Eze’s ability and track record, it’s one worth pushing the boat out for, especially as he could be incredible alongside Sesko.

Why Eze would be a dream for Sekso

The first reason Sesko would love to play alongside Eze at Arsenal is incredibly straightforward: his output.

The Crystal Palace star has long been an effective player for the South London side, but in recent seasons, he’s really stepped it up when it comes to goals and assists, with this season being a particular high point for him.

For example, in just 43 appearances, totalling 3303 minutes, the “dangerous” playmaker, as dubbed by Oliver Glasner, was able to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes, which for someone in a midtable side, is unreal.

Eze’s 24/25
Appearances	43
Minutes	3303′
Goals	14
Assists	11
Goal Involvements per Match	0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement	132.12′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Just imagine what the Leipzig gem could do with a player as effective as the Englishman playing behind him or off to his left; he’d surely see his own goal and assist tallies soar.

Moreover, he’s not just stat padding against the weakest teams or in meaningless games, as the 26-year-old opened the scoring in the semi-final of the FA Cup this season and then scored the winning goal in the final, demonstrating exactly why teammate Tyrick Mitchell thinks he’s “one of the best players in the Premier League”.

The second reason that the Slovenian would love the former QPR gem is that he’s not afraid to do the dirty work when needed.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 5% of attacking midfielders or wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for passes blocked and in the top 11% for ball recoveries per 90, which could free up the former RB Salzburg star to focus all his attention on scoring goals.

Finally, the fact that the Greenwhich-born dynamo can play as a ten or off the left of a front three should help him get more minutes with the Leipzig star and, in turn, build up more chemistry and a better understanding with him.

Ultimately, while it would be a lot of money, Arsenal should do all they can to sign both Sesko and Eze this summer, as together, they could help Arteta and Co finally get over the line next season.

Better move than Norgaard: Arsenal agree personal terms to sign £17m phenom

The exciting prospect could develop into something special at Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 30, 2025

The investigators looking into allegations of racist behaviour in Scottish cricket have denied they “exonerated” anyone after referrals that have so far led to a series of “learnings” but no disciplinary action against alleged perpetrators.Two legal firms, Harper Macleod LLP and Bishop Lloyd Jackson Solicitors, and the race inclusion charity Sporting Equals have been investigating over 50 referrals – individual complaints of alleged racist behaviour – over the last year, stemming from the independent review in July 2022 that found Cricket Scotland to be institutionally racist.On Friday, the team issued its first public statement. Although no individuals were mentioned, it was in response to John Blain’s statement earlier in the week, in which the former Yorkshire and Scotland fast bowler said he had been cleared of allegations of racist behaviour earlier this year. Blain called for a “full and transparent inquiry” into those running cricket in the country.Related

• Cricket Scotland under renewed fire after alleged racism cover-up

• Cricket Scotland board resigns before publication of 'devastating' racism report

• Cricket Scotland revealed to be institutionally racist in damning independent report

• Former Cricket Scotland chair attacks 'fatally flawed' racism report

• John Blain calls for Cricket Scotland inquiry after being cleared of racist behaviour

Blain said the investigation’s findings “fully exonerate me” and also made public a letter from Cricket Scotland’s interim CEO Pete Fitzboydon from January, informing him that the allegations against him were “unfounded” but requesting that he kept that information confidential to allow time for the complainers to be informed of the outcomes. Cricket Scotland’s subsequent “delay and prevarication” in going public, Blain said, forced him to release his statement, five months after receiving the letter.In its response, however, the investigating team insisted that its role had not been to “make findings of fact, nor to pronounce guilt, nor to exonerate or pronounce as innocent any person against whom allegations had been made”. As a consequence, it was stated that they had neither “exonerated” any individual in any of their reports, nor reported “in any way to the Board of Cricket Scotland to suggest that an individual was “exonerated” or equivalent”.Instead, the investigating team insisted its role was to identify “learning lessons”, of which, it said, there have been over 250 across 51 referrals so far. Cricket Scotland has been making some of these learnings public on its website, as and when batches of referrals have concluded over the last year.The investigators, having engaged with over 170 people and witnesses so far, acknowledged the difficulties in looking into these complaints, some of which were from nearly two decades ago. The nature of allegations of discrimination – “having to consider competing accounts” – made it “universally a complex task”.That no disciplinary proceedings had taken place so far, the investigators said, did not diminish the allegations but only served to illustrate the difficulties involved in such investigations; including issues of a lack of governance and processes; the historic nature of some breaches; incidents that were outside Cricket Scotland’s jurisdiction; and some cases in which disciplinary action had already been taken.Any action stemming from the referrals, the investigators made clear, was for Cricket Scotland to take.John Blain, during his playing days in at the 2007 World Cup•Getty Images

The 2022 “Changing the Boundaries” report, which led to the Cricket Scotland board resigning en masse, has come under criticism from, among others, Tony Brian, a former board chairman. Brian has repeatedly raised concerns about how the review was conducted and its findings, calling it “fatally flawed” and demanding a government inquiry into how it was put together. Brian was chair from 2015 to 2022, a period during which some of the allegations made by former players Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh – whose testimonies led to the review – took place.But the investigation team unequivocally backed the report, saying that its own investigations “echoed” findings in “Changing the Boundaries”.”Evidence of poor governance, poor and/or absent policies and procedures to handle complaints of racism, inappropriate and/or a lack of support for whistleblowers and/or complainers, and failings in the delivery of appropriate diversity, equity and inclusion policies were all evident to the Investigation Team. These factors all unquestionably contributed to the subsequent number and breadth of complaints made, where race was spoken to as a factor in the allegations made.”The investigators urged the game’s stakeholders to acknowledge the recommendations the report had made, as well as its own recommended learnings, and to acknowledge that the game had been exclusionary for too many people who faced “unacceptable behaviours” and had no recourse to complain about it.The resurfacing of tensions around the investigations comes as the national men’s team prepares to take on Australia in St Lucia in the T20 World Cup with progression to the Super Eight stage in their own hands. Anything other than a defeat on Sunday evening will see Scotland through, even if England succeed in beating Namibia on Saturday.But the fact that the investigators felt compelled to issue a public statement will only add more pressure on Cricket Scotland, who were also criticised last week by Haq and Sheikh for their role in the events that led to Blain’s statement. It will also increase scrutiny over its January communication to Blain who was told by Fitzboydon: “As advised, these allegations have not been founded, and there is not any case to answer, and so this matter is now considered closed.”In response to Blain’s earlier statement, the board had said it would “continue to respect that independent process [of investigations], with the welfare of all involved as a priority, in order that we can reach a conclusion that enables our sport to move forward with unity.”Further comment, the board said, would come at the end of the investigative process.

Over the years, Liverpool have signed numerous players who have had a huge impact on their squad, ultimately helping them claim Premier League glory this campaign.

Virgil van Dijk is undoubtedly the biggest example, costing £75m from Southampton back in January 2018 and being a spare head in their backline ever since.

The Dutchman, who’s now the club’s captain, has played every minute of the league season in 2024/25, helping the side keep 14 clean sheets in the process – the most of any side in the division.

Players like Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister have also been influential in their success, nailing their place down in various positions across the field.

However, this summer presents a fresh opportunity for Slot to add new blood to his squad, with numerous players already emerging on their shortlist ahead of the window.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new signings this summer

Martin Zubimendi is a player who’s been on Liverpool’s radar constantly over the last few years, even having an offer accepted for him last summer.

The Spaniard turned down a switch to Anfield before reemerging on their shortlist ahead of the summer, but he appears to be heading to Arsenal in a £50m move after Fabrizio Romano’s latest report.

However, the same can’t be said for right-back Jeremie Frimpong, with the Dutchman appearing to be edging ever closer to completing a switch to Anfield ahead of the summer.

It’s been confirmed that the 24-year-old is keen on a move to the club after the Reds held talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for the full-back, who has a £29.5m release clause in his current deal.

However, despite the moves for the aforementioned duo, one current first-team player is already worth as much as the pair combined, highlighting the great work done by the hierarchy in recent times.

The Liverpool star who’s worth as much as Zubimendi & Frimpong

Slot’s ability to win the league title in his first season in charge is nothing short of remarkable, undoubtedly getting the best out of the players who are already at the club after his appointment.

Such success could lead to an exciting prospect for supporters when he’s able to spend money this summer and make his own stamp on the squad on Merseyside.

The likes of Frimpong could add further quality to the first team squad, helping his compatriot achieve the unthinkable and retain their title in 2025/26.

However, the Leverkusen star could also link up well with current midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who’s managed to hugely impress throughout this season, after getting the chance to thrive under Slot’s guidance.

After joining for £34m from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, the 22-year-old only made 12 league starts in his first season – unable to cement his place in the starting eleven.

However, his importance to the squad has been immeasurable this time around, starting all but one meeting and being a crucial cog in the midfield for his compatriot.

His underlying stats are just as impressive, completing 90% of the passes he’s attempted, allowing him to notch a tally of four assists in the Premier League this campaign.

Games played

35

Assists

4

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles won

52%

Interceptions made

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.1

Aerials won

65%

Gravenberch has also starred without the ball, winning 52% of the tackles he’s entered, whilst making 1.7 interceptions per 90 – often being the player to break down the opposition’s threat going forward.

As a result, he’s now valued at a staggering £80m by FootballTransfers, a mammoth increase after his big-money transfer to Merseyside less than two years ago.

His subsequent value is the same as Zubimendi and Frimpong’s respective transfer fees of £50m and £30m, highlighting the progression he’s made throughout this season.

If the club are to mount a charge to maintain their title glory next season, investment will be crucial, handing the manager the funds he needs to make adequate changes.

However, the form of Gravenberch will also be imperative, with his performance levels certainly aiding their pursuit if he can replicate the success he’s enjoyed in Slot’s debut campaign.

A dream Huijsen alternative: Liverpool open talks to sign £67m defender

Liverpool could be about to forget about Dean Huijsen with a move for another defensive star.

ByEthan Lamb May 14, 2025

Manchester City have submitted a £55m offer for a “wonderful” midfielder, who has been identified as the heir to Kevin De Bruyne, according to a report.

Man City eyeing replacement for De Bruyne

De Bruyne is set to leave Man City at the end of the season, but rival Premier League clubs clearly seem to believe the Belgian has a lot left to give, with a number of sides recently expressing an interest.

Arsenal are now holding discussions over a shock deal for the 33-year-old, alongside Aston Villa, with club chiefs willing to back Unai Emery if he decides he wants to snap the City midfielder up on a free transfer this summer.

As such, Pep Guardiola will need to bring in a suitable heir, and although it will be a tall order to find any player capable of replicating what De Bruyne has done in a City shirt, a number of targets have now been identified.

Related Man City set to fend off Liverpool hijack and win race for £73k-a-week star

They have been working on a deal since January.

Posts ByHenry Jackson May 3, 2025

River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono is one player of interest, although, given his age, the 17-year-old Argentine may not be ready to go straight into the side, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz may be more of a ready-made replacement.

Man City are also looking at options from within the Premier League, and according to a report from Spain they have now submitted a €65m (£55m) offer for Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison.

Guardiola is known to be a huge fan of Maddison, and City have now made a concrete approach for his services, with the Englishman viewed as the ideal successor to De Bruyne in attacking midfield.

The 28-year-old is deemed to fit into Guardiola’s style of play perfectly, given his creativity and ability to connect with the attack, while his ability from set-pieces is also outlined as a major strength.

"Wonderful" Maddison impressing at Spurs

It has been an extremely disappointing season for Spurs in the Premier League, but the attacking midfielder has been one of their stand-out players, picking up 12 goals and 11 assists in 45 matches in all competitions.

As such, the former Leicester City man ranks highly across a range of key attacking metrics over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.39 (93rd percentile)

Progressive passes

8.14 (98th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

4.82 (85th percentile)

The England international has also been singled out for high praise by BBC Five Live’s Ben Haines in the past.

Maddison is clearly a quality player, but the Tottenham star is set to turn 29 in November, meaning he is unlikely to be a long-term heir to De Bruyne, and his attacking numbers suggest he is not at the same level as the City legend, so there should be some reservations about the move.

Chelsea are said to be “very serious” about signing a “big star” alternative to Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap this summer, with Enzo Maresca’s side holding every intention of bringing in a top-class number nine.

Chelsea set sights on striker signing this summer

The west Londoners are widely expected to sign a new centre-forward, and many targets are on BlueCo’s agenda already.

"Underrated" £163k-per-week star has "set his sights" on joining Chelsea

The player is determined to seal a Stamford Bridge switch.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 6, 2025

Nicolas Jackson still hasn’t scored a Premier League goal since the turn of the year, leading to concerns over the Senegalese’s suitability to lead the line going forward, even if this is partly due to injury.

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 10th

Christopher Nkunku, despite scoring 14 goals in all competitions this season, has also only bagged two league goals since the start of December – so the Frenchman isn’t exactly a prolific stand-in for Jackson when utilised as a striker.

Maresca has even resorted to using Pedro Neto in a makeshift striker role a lot of the time in recent weeks, highlighting Chelsea’s glaring need for a prolific new option.

Reports suggest that Delap is a top target for Chelsea heading into the first summer window, which is open from June 1st to June 10th and allows them to sign a striker before their Club World Cup campaign.

It’s also been revealed that Delap’s contract includes a £40 million release clause tied with Ipswich being relegated, but this has alerted a host of Chelsea’s top-flight rivals, who are all on the lookout for a fresh striking option as well.

Competition for the Englishman’s signature could be fierce this summer, but Delap isn’t the only man in Chelsea’s thinking.

Galatasaray loanee and Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen is very keen to join Chelsea, according to recent claims from media sources, and his deal will also include a release clause worth up to £69 million.

Another striker up for grabs, and firmly on Chelsea’s radar, is RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

Chelsea "very serious" about signing Benjamin Sesko this summer

The Slovenia international rejected a proposal to join Chelsea last summer, as per Fabrizio Romano, but it is reportedly far more likely that he will leave the Bundesliga side this year.

According to journalist Simon Phillips, Sesko is a “very serious” option for Chelsea, after hearing news from his sources over the weekend.

This follows another incredible campaign in Germany, where he’s racked up 19 goals in all competitions and bettered his 23/24 tally already, and the 21-year-old’s current release clause is set at £62 million (Sky Sports).

Despite his growing status, Slovenia national team director Miran Pavlin says Sesko has remained humble, which could be an encouraging factor of his personality as Maresca’s side scour for the right man to lead their line.

“He’s very modest, coming from a small town and knows how to deal with all the things,” said Pavlin.

“He became a big star since a young age, but has stayed a normal guy and I’m sure he’ll stay like that in the future, too.”

Pant and Rahul took India’s tally of centuries to five in the Headingley Test

Sampath Bandarupalli23-Jun-20252 – Wicketkeepers with centuries in both innings of a Test match. Rishabh Pant became the second in the club when he scored 118 against England on the fourth day of the Headingley Test after scoring 134 in the first innings. Andy Flower was the first – he scored 141 and 199* for Zimbabwe against South Africa in Harare in 2001.Pant became the first India batter to score hundreds in both innings of a Test in England. He is only the ninth visiting batter to do so and the first since Steven Smith in 2019.5 – Hundreds for India in the Headingley Test – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Pant in the first innings, and KL Rahul and Pant in the second. It’s the first time India have had five centuries in a Test.It’s happened five times previously, with only Australia having scored five hundreds in an away Test – in Jamaica in 1955.ESPNcricinfo Ltd252 – Runs scored by Pant at Headingley, the most by an India wicketkeeper in a Test, surpassing Budhi Kunderan’s 230 against England in Chennai in 1964. Pant’s tally of 252 is also the fourth-highest for a wicketkeeper in a Test; the three performances ahead of Pant are all by Flower.8 – Pant’s Test hundreds. Only Adam Gilchrist (17) and Flower (12) have more Test centuries while playing as a wicketkeeper. England’s Les Ames also has eight.3 – Hundreds for Rahul in England – the most by an India opener in Tests in England. He’s ahead of Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid, who made two each.4 – Test hundreds for Pant in England, the most for a wicketkeeper, alongside Alec Stewart and Matt Prior. His four Test centuries in England are also the most for a visiting wicketkeeper in a country.9 – Sixes by Pant at Headingley, the joint-most by any batter in a Test in England. Andrew Flintoff and Ben Stokes also hit nine against Australia in Birmingham in 2005 and at Lord’s in 2023, respectively.

The multi-format South Africa tour will keep India busy at the turn of the year, and there will be extra focus on the T20I series with a World Cup months away

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Nov-2023The India squads for the South Africa tour are set to be picked on November 30 in Delhi. In all, the tour will include three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests. While the primary focus will be on winning in South Africa, the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar will also look to address some of the broader selections for the T20 World Cup, which will start in June, immediately after the 2024 IPL.With India playing only six T20Is between the current home series and the T20 World Cup, ESPNcricinfo looks at some of the tough and significant questions the selectors are likely to deliberate on.Who leads at T20 WC – Rohit or Pandya?Since India lost the 2022 World Cup semi-final against England last November, Rohit Sharma has not played T20Is. In his absence, Hardik Pandya presented himself as an eligible successor to Rohit in the shortest format.However, two things happened at the ODI World Cup to force a rethink on who is best to lead India at the T20 World Cup. First, Hardik hurt his left ankle in the first half of the World Cup while trying to intercept the ball in his follow-through. A ligament tear was not detected but eventually Hardik was ruled out for two months in early November, which means he will miss the South Africa tour.The second factor was Rohit’s explosive starts at the World Cup alongside his aggressive captaincy, which led a ruthless India to 10 straight wins until Australia beat them in the final.If Rohit is able to display similar explosive intent in T20Is, it has the potential to once again set India up for big scores. Plus, Rohit’s T20 leadership acumen has never been in doubt. While Hardik earned his leadership badge by winning the IPL in 2022 with Gujarat Titans, who also made the final last season, he has never led an Indian team that has included the senior quartet of Rohit, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah. It doesn’t mean he is not capable, but the question would be who is the best captain – to provide clarity of roles as well as take tough calls under pressure.Does Kohli find a place in T20Is?Like Rohit, Kohli hasn’t played T20Is since the 2022 World Cup. However, he was the fourth-highest run-getter in the 2023 IPL, during which he scored successive centuries that took him past Chris Gayle’s tally of most tons in the tournament’s history. “A lot of people feel my T20 cricket is declining, but I don’t feel like that at all,” Kohli had said then. “I feel I am playing my best T20 cricket again.”Despite strident criticism, Kohli, who has been the Player of the Tournament at two T20 World Cups to go with the recent ODI World Cup award, has been adamant about sticking to the anchor-style batting: starting conservatively, pushing the ball into gaps in the middle overs before the explosive finish. It is an approach adopted in the past by Rohit and Rahul, with whom he formed India’s top order at the past two editions of the T20 World Cup.Among the top Indian openers in all T20 cricket, only Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit have struck at more than 130 per 100 balls in the powerplay since October 2021. It is worth mentioning here that Shubman Gill displayed much improved intent during this year’s IPL, and went at above 150 in the powerplay. In this same period, Kohli’s first 10-ball strike rate is 113.33 while Jitesh Sharma (165.54), Jaiswal (150.12) and Suryakumar Yadav (145.50) have shown more early intent.The question then for the selectors is: does Kohli fit in as the No. 3? One way for that to happen is if both openers go aggressive before Kohli adapts based on the situation. The alternative is to consider a new batter with a faster pick-up.It could not be confirmed whether Kohli will sit out the white-ball leg of the South Africa series, but even if he does, the selectors need to make their decision quickly. It would be risky to defer the decision to closer to the World Cup. If the selectors and the team management decide to move on, they ought to inform Kohli and also identify the batter they feel can replace him at No. 3.Who should be the two wicketkeeper-batters?Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and Jitesh have performed or been part of the T20 squads in the past couple of years to perform that role. While Rahul played a winning hand in India reaching the ODI World Cup final recently, in T20s he has struggled with slower starts, which has stunted his team’s momentum. Also, the bigger challenge with Rahul is that he has played mainly as an opener – both for India and in the IPL – for the past several years. At the last T20 World Cup, too, it was Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik who kept wicket.Since November 2019, Rahul has not batted in the middle order in any T20 game. As a middle-order batter Rahul’s numbers read: 1223 runs in 50 innings at an average of 32.18 with a strike rate of 127.66 with two centuries. As an opener, since October 2021, Rahul has made 1802 runs in 49 innings at 41.90 with a strike rate of 132.59.While his experience and keeping skills are in no doubt, can Rahul fit in to the middle order when there are more power hitters available?If Pant was fit, he would be a favourite to make the 15. However, the BCCI has not yet given an updated timeline on Pant’s return. Even if Pant were to play in the IPL, his keeping and batting form are not guaranteed. Kishan and Jitesh, who are currently playing the T20I series against Australia, are other viable options. Kishan, though, is a top-order batter while Jitesh is a finisher, a role he has performed well for Punjab Kings. Samson, who last featured on the Ireland tour, is again a top-order batter.Who are the options for bowling allrounders (outside of Hardik)?Rahul Dravid and Rohit have both stressed on the importance of having batting depth balanced by bowling depth. That was one reason Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel were part of the original 15 for the World Cup. Both will again be part of the set of bowling allrounders the selectors will look at along with Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Chahar.While Jadeja and Axar are primarily middle-overs specialists, Chahar and Washington can make an impact in the powerplay. Both of them can also play useful batting cameos. While Washington can bat anywhere, Chahar has the capability to bat No. 8 or 9, which means Indian tail won’t be that long.Who will be Bumrah’s partners?Jasprit Bumrah and Pandya will be automatic first picks. Both can deliver in all three phases in an innings. However, the squad will need two other fast bowlers. The contenders are Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan and Chahar, who was added for the final three T20Is of the ongoing Australia series.

It seems that whatever malaise had slowed Warner down, he’s over it

Jarrod Kimber12-Nov-2021David Warner was the most dominant batter in the IPL for years. And then he played a few bad games, and the team he had captained for an IPL victory not too long ago dropped him mid-year and sacked him from his leadership job.When I said he was dominant, he had an average of 52 with a strike rate of 145 from 2014 until 2020. And half a bad year where he made runs, but far more slowly than anyone would have liked, was enough for Sunrisers Hyderabad to let him go. In the eight innings he played in IPL 2021, he was run-out twice. And they moved on from the most incredible batter they – or maybe anyone in the IPL – have ever had.Related

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It was not the first time Warner had struggled. In 2018, when he was banned from the Australian team, he went on to play in Canada for the Global T20 league’s Winnipeg Hawks. He averaged 13.6 with a strike rate of 114.7. He then turned up for the CPL with St Lucia Stars and made nine, 11 and seven in his first three games. Even as he started to make some more runs for the Stars, people began to wonder if this was some kind of irreversible decline in form.Was Warner’s effectiveness tied to being an Australian player? Had his mojo been sucked out with the sandpapergate scandal? These were the weird thoughts that seemed to float around.Obviously not, as he then went straight back to the IPL and made 692 runs at a strike rate of 143.86 in 2019.

While he is no longer the kid with the double-sided bat slogging 90mph-plus into the crowd, he’s been the Warner that Sunrisers had in this tournament. Not the one they dropped this year, but the one who dominated the IPL over six seasons

The Sunrisers’ over-reaction might have had less to do with six bad games from Warner and more to do with their own poor roster construction. But it was a big decision to make on the back of such a small sample size. However, people took a few bad games and assumed that Warner was in an irreparable decline. At 35, hell, once you pass 32, people start looking for signs that you are done.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

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And there are plenty of signs that Warner isn’t the same batter he once was, as he’s clearly just not. He made his mark by flat-batting Dale Steyn into the MCG crowd when he was 22 games into a professional career and hadn’t yet played a first-class match. In that game, he had a strike rate of 206, clearing the massive boundary six times.In all, he has hit that many maximums or more ten times, but only once since 2012.5:44

Jayawardene: ‘Warner’s contribution was crucial’

It is also really the period where he went from being a hitter to a batter. Or, more importantly, a Test player. Since being that kind of a batter, Warner has changed from a T20 hitting machine to a hard-running match-up guy who knows how to make very consistent runs. His body has changed too, and there is a reason he doesn’t bowl legspin – or even medium pace – anymore as his shoulder will not allow it.None of this means he can’t hit sixes anymore, he still takes down a lot of spin, and if Warner can time the ball well, he will score them off quickly. But he isn’t the beast who dumped Vinay Kumar a bunch of rows back in a Test at the WACA.And that is why it is strange that people saw the IPL form and the slow start to this tournament against South Africa and assumed Warner was past it. Most of what Warner does now is just smart cricket. He knows how to make runs in T20s. Like any batter, Warner will go through a bad patch because T20s can be like that. If Warner wasn’t the most consistent scorer in the modern T20 format, then KL Rahul was, and he went through a similar run not that long ago.And it seems that whatever malaise had slowed Warner down, he’s over it. This is already Warner’s best-ever T20 World Cup, and it’s not a tournament that he generally does that well in. In fact, part of Australia’s problems can probably be traced back to the fact that they have Warner and Aaron Finch at the top. But despite them being big-name T20 stars, they haven’t even always opened for Australia at this global tournament together.So far, Finch has not really fired this time, but Warner has. He made 65 from 42 against Sri Lanka, had two failures against England and Bangladesh, but then bounced back by scoring 89* against West Indies from 56 balls. His Sri Lanka knock probably helped the team win the game, the West Indies one did too, but they were half on the plane while bowling in that innings.This innings against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semi-final was something else. This was a knockout match against an incredible bowling line-up that goes deep. Warner survived Shaheen Shah Afridi early on and took on his good match-up against legspin with Shadab Khan. And when Mohammad Hafeez bowled a double bouncer, he was so quick to work out that it was a no-ball and get to it so he could swing it over the ropes. That was again proof of how smart he is.This innings helped set up Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis at the end. And had he just reviewed his caught behind, he might well have been able to navigate Australia through their collapse much easier.Warner has changed. While he is the fourth leading run-scorer at this tournament, with a strike rate just under 150, he has only hit seven sixes. But while he is no longer the kid with the double-sided bat slogging 90mph-plus into the crowd, he’s been the Warner that the Sunrisers had in this tournament.Not the one they dropped this year, but the one who dominated the IPL over six seasons.