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Eight talking points from India’s first Test squad of the post-Rohit, post-Kohli era

Sidharth Monga24-May-20251:19

Agarkar on Gill: ‘We’ve taken feedback from a lot of people’

This is a landmark selection for India. This is the first time since the tour of South Africa in 2013-14, India’s first series after Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement, that they embark on a big tour looking to create future superstars. There will naturally be plenty of questions. Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, answered them all. Well, most of them.Related

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Confident and assertive, Gill must now chart his own path

What will the top four look like?Everyone is eager to know how India’s batting will line up now that all four of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are out, but that is a decision the selectors will leave to the team management of captain Shubman Gill, coach Gautam Gambhir and vice-captain Rishabh Pant. It does seem likely that Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul will open with B Sai Sudharsan to follow at No. 3 and Gill to take Kohli’s No. 4 position.Why no Shami?Mohammed Shami played the Champions Trophy, and is playing the IPL, but his last Test was the WTC final in 2023. Since then he has played only one first-class match, in November 2024. He was just not fit for the strains of Test cricket.”We’ve sort of been trying to get him fit for the series, of course, but he’s had a little bit of a setback over the last week or so,” Agarkar said. “He’s got some MRIs done. I don’t think he was going to be able to play five Tests, and at the moment I don’t think his workload is where it needs to be. It is just the medical guys who’ve told us that he’s been ruled out of this series. We were hoping that he’s available for some part of the series at least, but if he’s not fit at the moment it’s very difficult to keep waiting.”India’s Test win at Perth came under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy•AFP/Getty ImagesWhy not Bumrah as captain?India’s only win of their 2024-25 tour of Australia, in Perth, came under Jasprit Bumrah, who also captained in Sydney when Rohit left himself out, but a stress reaction in his back meant he was unable to complete that Test, his fifth in a five-match series. That injury caused him to miss nearly five months of cricket.India don’t want to lose Bumrah the bowler when striving to get him to captain, which would mean he plays every Test. Plus the medical staff has advised the selectors that Bumrah is unlikely to be able to play all five Tests in England.”He is more important to us as a player,” Agarkar said. “We want him fit. There’s always that extra burden when you’re leading and managing 15-16 other people. There’s a lot that it takes out of you. We’d rather have him bowling as well as he does than putting that extra burden on him. He is aware of it. We’ve had a chat with him, and he’s okay with it. He knows where his body’s at at the moment, and he’d rather look after himself and be bowling-fit.”Why Arshdeep Singh?From the squad that went to Australia, Harshit Rana has been replaced by Arshdeep Singh. While Rana has the physical ingredients needed for a Test bowler, he showed on his debut tour that he didn’t have the control that he will perhaps acquire with a couple of full seasons of first-class cricket.Arshdeep has not played a lot of first-class cricket in recent months – only five matches across the 2024-25 domestic season, three in the Duleep Trophy and two in the Ranji Trophy – but he brings the experience of five County Championship matches for Kent in 2023. As a left-arm swing bowler, he also brings a point of difference to the squad.”He’s had a little bit of experience of county cricket as well,” Agarkar said. “Obviously plays every game that is available in domestic cricket. We’ve watched him, tall guy with the Dukes ball. There’s [left-arm] variety but there’s also body of work in red-ball cricket, and he’s been in decent form over the last couple of years. He’s just a quality bowler. We needed five seamers because Booms [Bumrah] is unlikely to play all five Test matches so we needed adequate cover. This provides us with a little bit of variety as well.”2:39

Agarkar: Karun’s experience was factor in selection

What has Sarfaraz done wrong?Sarfaraz Khan scored twin half-centuries in his debut Test, and stroked his way to 150 in Bengaluru as India fought a big deficit. He averages 37.10 after six Tests. He didn’t get to play in Australia at all, however, and that perhaps is a signal that the team management has sent to the selectors, who have now picked a more experienced middle-order batter in Karun Nair.”Sometimes we just have to make those decisions,” Agarkar said. “Sarfaraz did play the three Test matches [against New Zealand] in India. I know he got a hundred in the first Test, didn’t get runs [after that] and missed out in Australia. Sometimes those are decisions which the team management takes. Whether it’s fair on somebody or unfair on someone, those are the choices that you make in the best interest of the team.”At the moment, we felt Karun has put up heaps of runs over the last couple of seasons. He’s played a little bit of Test cricket early in his career, has played a bit of county cricket. We feel that he’s batting well enough. Also now with Virat not there, clearly lacking a little bit of experience in the batting. Jaiswal is touring [England] for the first time. I know Gill has played one Test match [there]. It’s only KL and Pant who have played a series there before. So we felt Nair’s experience could help. Sometimes it is going to be unfair on somebody else but eventually you’ve got to make choices.”How does Thakur fit in?When India went to Australia late last year, Shardul Thakur was making a comeback from a surgery and didn’t have the bowling workload under his belt to get selected. When fit, he can provide balance by being the fourth seamer who can bat at No. 8. Through the Australia tour, India struggled because none of their three allrounders – Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar – could be used as a wicket-taking bowler in those conditions.”Shardul is a bowling allrounder,” Agarkar said. “With the way sometimes the team is structured, you need that seam-bowling option who can bat a bit. Nitish Reddy showed what he can do with the bat [in Australia], but yeah, he’s a batting allrounder at this point. Hopefully his bowling keeps coming on as well.”B Sai Sudharsan scored a century against Australia A at Mackay in October 2024•Getty ImagesDid Sai Sudharsan get picked on IPL form?Sai Sudharsan does seem to have an underwhelming first-class record: 29 matches and average under 40. Having said that, he has excited almost everyone who knows batting. He has a hundred against the touring England Lions and one when playing away against Australia A. He has a county hundred as well, albeit on a flat Trent Bridge track.”Last year when England Lions came, he played the A tour,” Agarkar said. “I watched it. He got runs there as well so it’s not like he’s not got runs in red-ball cricket. We’ve not picked him because of IPL. We’ve known he’s a terrific red-ball player. He’s shown the right temperament and seems to have the game to succeed at the top level. Once he plays we’ll probably get to know a bit better, but seems to have the goods. I don’t think his IPL performances have made us pick him for Test cricket. We’ve been looking at him for a while, at least since I’ve been here, for a couple of years, but there’s never been any place in the team to pick [new] guys. Now that we’ve had this opportunity [he] certainly deserves it.”So what does the starting XI for Headingley on June 20 look like?It is too early to say because the team management also looks at how players are going in the nets, but we can take an educated guess.1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Karun Nair, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur/Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Prasidh Krishna, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj.The choice between Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav comes down to the conditions. If the pitch is not expected to help spin at all, it might be better to have a fourth seamer at No. 8. If there is spin expected, it is important to resist the temptation of playing a spinner just for his batting ability. If India do feel the need to play Washington Sundar or Nitish Reddy, it is ideal to do so at the expense of a batter.

Kagiso Rabada called the Rawalpindi win “one of the highlights” of his career

Firdose Moonda23-Oct-2025South Africa’s Test squad is leaving Pakistan with shared spoils and the satisfaction that they have turned the corner when it comes to playing in the subcontinent. The Rawalpindi Test win was their third in four matches in Asia, after they beat Bangladesh 2-0 a year ago, a series that has been described by several players as the turning point for their 2023-2025 WTC campaign.Before that series, South Africa had lost 10 out of 11 Tests in the subcontinent over a decade, across tours to India (2015 and 2019), Sri Lanka (2018) and Pakistan (2021). Now that they have ticked off a win against one of those opponents, it has given them the belief they have found a way to do it more regularly.”This victory is definitely one of the highlights in my career,” Kagiso Rabada, whose career-best 71 played a crucial role in the Pindi victory push, said at the post-match press conference. “Winning a Test match outside of Bangladesh in the subcontinent. I think that’s pretty awesome. It definitely gives the guys a lot of confidence. Also, it’s a pretty young team and a young team that wants to go out and do the dirty work.”Related

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Rabada operated almost as the solitary seamer across the two Tests, with Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen delivering 25 overs between them and the spinners doing the bulk of the work, and made his mark with his first Test half-century. His knock of 71 off 61 balls, which was part of a tenth-wicket stand of 98 with Senuran Muthusamy, came against the slow-scoring run of play and deflated Pakistan. It also earned Rabada a new bat, after a pact with David Bedingham.”We have a thing where if I score 30 runs, he’ll give me a bat because we are sponsored by the same batting company,” Rabada said. “He said he thought his money was safe after the way I batted in the first Test. So that was just one way to get one up on him.”Coming off a pair in Lahore, Rabada pulled off a series of powerful shots down the ground including a six off Shaheen Shah Afridi. No other batter played with such chutzpah though Rabada said it was always part of South Africa’s plan in tough conditions.”We wanted to be aggressive in the way that we played, because if you just sit around waiting for a bad ball, you’re probably going to get a good ball that gets you out,” he said. “It was important that the batting unit could establish the shots that they wanted to play to put the opposition under pressure and that they start putting fielders back and then you can start rotating the strike.”Kagiso Rabada bowled without much reward in Rawalpindi•Getty ImagesThat his bowling took a backseat despite excellent spells where he drew Abdullah Shafique’s edge, in particular, several times without success didn’t bother Rabada. “If you’re a fast bowler and nothing’s happening for you, it’s about keeping the game quiet or finding a wicket here and there and applying pressure by slowing the rate down. It’s about running and giving it your all,” he said. “You can still create pressure for the spinners, so they do their job much better. It doesn’t help if we are leaking everywhere and not necessarily bowling correctly. Not many rewards came my way, but I was more than happy to do the job that I did.”Rabada said the spin trio of Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy was “world-class”. “We came here with brilliant spinners and you saw the way that they performed. That was a really massive tick,” Rabada said. “And the batters as well. Rickleton stepped up. He came into this Test series under pressure. Stubbs came into this Test series under pressure, played a crucial knock. Tony (de Zorzi) came into this series under pressure.”Rickelton had scores of 16 and 6 in the WTC final and only one half-century across 11 white-ball internationals in August and September. Stubbs had only got into double figures once in nine innings before his first-innings 76, and de Zorzi had lost his Test spot to Rickelton and is trying to find his way back. He was the only batter in the series to score a century.South Africa ensured they still have not lost a series since the 2-0 defeat with a makeshift side in New Zealand last February and have won 10 of their last 12 Tests. “You have to be doing a lot of things right to get results like that,” Rabada said. And South Africa will feel that they did.

How will Sunderland respond to their Craven Cottage setback?

Unfortunately, for the Black Cats, their return to the Premier League after the international break was rather subdued, as Regis Le Bris’ men slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham.

They could put things instantly right, though, with a welcome return to home soil up next versus AFC Bournemouth, with the Wearside giants yet to lose at their beloved Stadium of Light so far this season in league action.

The games come thick and fast after this clash with the Cherries, too, with a Tyne-Wear Derby even on the menu as an early Christmas treat in mid-December.

Before you know it, the January transfer window will also reopen, as Sunderland already begin to be linked with some high-profile captures.

Sunderland looking to spend more big money

Le Bris will be hopeful that Wilson Isidor can break his four-game goalscoring duck when Andoni Iraola’s men come to town.

If he does continue to fire blanks, though, Sunderland could be prepared to splash the cash on a flashy, new striker recruit in January, as AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez begins to be tipped for a move to England, for around the £26m price range.

He, of course, isn’t the only Serie A talent on the Premier League newcomers’ agenda, however.

Indeed, the main rumour rumbling on, heading into the bumper window, is Matteo Guendouzi potentially returning to England with the Black Cats, with a £26m move also being reported on for the Frenchman to link back up with his ex-Lorient manager in Le Bris.

There is a slight spanner in the works, though, with Italian journalist Enrico de Lellis stating – via a relayed report from Sport Witness – that the Lazio star isn’t keen on joining the newly promoted side, even with an offer allegedly being on the table for his services.

De Lellis said: “Guendouzi has an offer from Sunderland, but the player doesn’t want to go there.”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Mackems could well have to battle it out with Antonio Conte’s Napoli for his signature, as per further words from de Lellis, but fighting it out with some elite clubs in the past hasn’t stopped the Black Cats from landing other statement signings, as Le Bris aims to land his next Le Fee in Guendouzi.

How Guendouzi can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Once allegedly on the radar of Arsenal, Le Fee would end up being a major coup of a loan signing for Le Bris and Co. during their promotion heroics last season.

Le Fee’s classy displays – which included this goal being expertly put away during the tense run-in – gave the Black Cats just that extra bit of pizazz to seal a dramatic return to the Premier League, as the French boss now hopes Guendouzi’s arrival can gift Sunderland another calm and controlled performer, like Fee, in their ongoing bid to punch above their weight in the top-flight.

Like his fellow compatriot, though, who struggled to get going at Lazio’s fierce rivals in AS Roma, Guendouzi hasn’t always had it his own way during his bumpy career.

He was discarded by Arsenal at the close of the 2021/22 season for his “petulance” often getting the better of him, as per the words of ex-Gunners defender Lee Dixon.

Thankfully, since his Emirates departure, Guendouzi has managed to turn into a goal-and-assist machine in Serie A with 16 goal contributions collected, with an expectation he will return to the Premier League and be capable of delivering on the big stage, much like Le Fee showed off when he converted a penalty against Brentford in late August.

Games played

10

Goals scored

2

Assists

1

Touches*

57.2

Accurate passes*

41.5 (89%)

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Total duels won*

3.0

He has also put his hot-headedness, which became his undoing in North London, to better use in Italy, with an energetic 4.3 ball recoveries averaged per Serie A clash this season, backing up claims that he is a “monster” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Amazingly, Guendouzi’s high ball recovery numbers put him on the same pedestal as another of Arsenal’s reinvigorated ex-roster in Granit Xhaka, who has 4.6 ball recoveries averaged next to his name. Le Bris will surely be champing at the bit at the prospect of both his ex-Lorient youngster and his standout captain battling it out together from the centre of the park, away from any Le Fee comparisons.

It could well be a deal that’s hard to pull off, but Sunderland’s ambition has previously been rewarded in Le Fee, who joined the ranks permanently in the summer for £19.3m.

For around £6m more, this feels like a transfer fight worth persisting with.

Isidor upgrade: Sunderland open talks to sign "unstoppable" £26m striker

Sunderland are reportedly keen on a move for a striker who could come in as an upgrade on Wilson Isidor.

ByDan Emery Nov 27, 2025

Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Samir Nasri believes Mason Greenwood shouldn't be "judged" on his past rape allegations. The Marseille forward had charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault dropped in February 2023, at which time he was still on the books at Manchester United.

Greenwood's past 'mistakes'

Nearly six months after charges against the forward were dropped, Greenwood admitted to "making mistakes" as Man Utd confirmed he would not be reintegrated into the squad following their own internal investigation into his conduct away from the pitch. 

He said in August 2023, shortly before joining Getafe on a season-long loan: "I want to start by saying I understand that people will judge me because of what they have seen and heard on social media, and I know people will think the worst. I was brought up to know that violence or abuse in any relationship is wrong, I did not do the things I was accused of, and in February I was cleared of all charges. However, I fully accept I made mistakes in my relationship, and I take my share of responsibility for the situations which led to the social media post. I am learning to understand my responsibilities to set a good example as a professional footballer, and I'm focused on the big responsibility of being a father, as well as a good partner. Today's decision has been part of a collaborative process between Manchester United, my family and me. The best decision for us all, is for me to continue my football career away from Old Trafford, where my presence will not be a distraction for the club. I thank the club for their support since I joined aged seven. There will always be a part of me which is United. I am enormously grateful to my family and all my loved ones for their support, and it is now for me to repay the trust those around me have shown. I intend to be a better footballer, but most importantly a good father, a better person, and to use my talents in a positive way on and off the pitch."

AdvertisementAFPGreenwood defended by Nasri

United sold Greenwood to Marseille outright in the summer of 2024, and he has since become a key player for the club, while also welcoming two children with his partner, Harriet Robson. The topic of the ex-United man has sprung up again in light of Marseille hosting Newcastle United, a game the French side won 2-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday. Before that, former Marseille star Nasri gave his thoughts on the public perception of Greenwood, who was forced to rebuild his career abroad after the lengthy legal case.

He said on Canal+: "If she (Harriet Robson) has forgiven him… who are we to judge? That's the point… If your wife has forgiven you, we can forgive you. If she hadn't forgiven him and he had been found guilty and had received that sentence in England, she would have said it was normal."

'What happens to him saddens me'

Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has also come to the aid of the 24-year-old. The Italian called the forward a "good person", who paid a "heavy price" for what happened.

"I never delve into the players' private lives. But what I can say is that he's a good person. He paid a heavy price for what happened. He arrived in the right environment and behaved well. He has a very reserved personality. It saddens me what happened to him because I know a very different person from the one portrayed in England," said the former Brighton head coach. 

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AFPWhat comes next for Greenwood?

After a prolific season at Marseille last term, Greenwood is continuing to impress this season for the French giants. He has scored 11 goals and added four assists in 17 appearances and will hope to add to that when Marseille, who are second in Ligue 1, host Toulouse on Saturday. The ex-Red Devils man was linked with some top European clubs earlier this year, and while a big-money move may happen one day, for now, he will be focusing on delivering for De Zerbi's side – who are just two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

The Boston Red Sox are expected to place pitcher Dustin May on the 15-day injured list with an undisclosed injury, and No. 6 prospect Connelly Early is being called up from Triple A Worcester to make his major league debut on Tuesday against the Athletics, according to a report from Foul Territory.

The 23-year-old Early was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth-round of the 2023 MLB amateur draft out of the University of Virginia, and has flown through the minor league system.

Early began the 2025 season in Double A Portland, going 7-2 with a 2.51 ERA. He earned a promotion to Triple A Worcester and has continued his stellar season, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.83 ERA in 28.2 innings pitched.

The Red Sox enter Tuesday with an 80-65 record and sit in third-place in a hotly contested American League East. Boston is three games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays.

Selectors name 14-man squad for three matches on September 17, 19 and 21

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Sep-2025Ben Calitz, the 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, is in line to make his senior Ireland debut against England later this month, but senior seamers Josh Little and Mark Adair are both absent from their 14-man squad for the three-match T20I series at Malahide.Calitz moved to Ireland in 2022, having been born in Vancouver, Canada, and has since represented Munster Reds and Northern Knights in the Inter-Provincial Series, before being selected for the Ireland Wolves tour of the UAE in April.He is the only uncapped player in the squad, captained by Paul Stirling, that includes three returning players in Gareth Delany, Curtis Campher and Craig Young, all of whom proved their fitness in the recent Emerald Challenge series.However, Little and Adair are notable absentees. Little, the left-arm quick, has been struggling with a side injury that he aggravated while playing for Middlesex in the One-Day Cup, and has played just one competitive fixture since July.Adair, meanwhile, underwent knee surgery in August, with a view to being fit for Ireland’s Test tour of Bangladesh in November. Fionn Hand, the seamer who featured in Ireland’s one-off Test against England at Lord’s in 2023, is also absent through injury.The squad will play three T20Is on September 17, 19 and 21, against an England team that will be led for the first time by Jacob Bethell, the 21-year-old who is fresh from scoring his maiden professional century in the third ODI against South Africa on Sunday. Although the matches form part of the build-up to the forthcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February, England’s squad will be lacking several senior players who are being rested ahead of the Ashes tour of Australia, which gets underway in November.Andrew White, Ireland’s national men’s selector, said: “While every match against England is a special occasion, this series takes on extra importance given we are less than six months out from the next T20 World Cup. These matches against England offer us an opportunity to test ourselves against one of the world’s best teams as we build-up to that tournament.”As it stands, we are set to play as many T20I matches in the next five months as we have already played in this cycle to date, but we’ll transition to Asian and Middle East venues to better prepare the squad for conditions they will likely face on the subcontinent.”While it’s unfortunate that Mark [Adair], Fionn [Hand] and Josh [Little] are not available, this series will give several other members of the bowling group the chance to step up and challenge for World Cup spots.”While we have excellent cover at the top of the order, it is the middle order batting where we are looking to increase our depth. As part of this focus, we welcome Ben Calitz into the squad – who gives us a left-handed batting option, as well as wicketkeeping cover – and Jordan Neill returns as cover for Mark Adair, as he did in the West Indies ODI series earlier this summer before injury cut his debut short.”The series will be the first in which Ireland has hosted England in T20Is, and the Sunday fixture is already sold out. The two teams have only met twice before in the format; a wash-out during the 2010 World T20 in the Caribbean, and a five-run victory for Ireland at Melbourne during the 2022 T20 World Cup. Coincidentally, England went on to lift the trophy on both occasions.Ireland squad: Paul Stirling (capt), Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Barry McCarthy, Jordan Neill, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young

Manchester United manager Marc Skinner delivered a surprisingly defiant assessment after his side suffered a heavy derby defeat at the Etihad. He insisted that Manchester City were “not that far ahead” despite a humbling 3-0 scoreline that leaves United’s title hopes hanging by a thread. United were outplayed from the first whistle to the last as they registered zero shots on target and struggled to generate any attacking threat. The shocking performance comes just three days after their historic 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Women’s Champions League at Old Trafford.

City dominate early before cracking United open

City's aggressive pressing and dominance in central areas immediately forced United onto the back foot. Yet, for the opening half-hour, their superiority lacked an end product, with United managing to survive the early storm. But the resistance fractured shortly after the midpoint of the first half. Lauren Hemp’s pinpoint delivery found Khadija Shaw, whose cushioned header across goal allowed Rebecca Knaak to nod home from close range. The match swung decisively before the interval. United believed a foul had been missed in the build-up to City’s second goal, but Amy Fearn again dismissed their protests. Kerstin Casparij’s driven cross picked out Shaw, who stabbed past Mary Earps to double City’s advantage. Any remaining hope was extinguished minutes later when United gifted possession in a dangerous area. Hemp pounced with ruthless efficiency, sweeping a curling finish into the top corner to put City 3-0 ahead and effectively end the contest before half-time.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDefiant Skinner offers surprising verdict

Despite the gulf in the scoreline and the lack of genuine openings, Skinner delivered a surprising verdict afterwards. 

"It's a strange feeling to have lost the game 3-0 and still feel the opponent wasn't that far ahead of you", he said. 

United entered the derby with obvious fatigue after a gruelling week that included their first-ever Champions League match at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, City, who are free from European commitments, benefitted from a less demanding schedule. But Skinner refused to use that as justification.

"We won't use it as an excuse," he said after the game. "We had an advantage on City last year when they were doing the same. It's nothing against City, they did what they had to do today. For us, we've designed the squad, but it needs to be impacted by the winter window, to be clear."

Skinner wants reinforcements

However, the United manager made clear that his squad, which is stretched by injuries and the pressure of a busier calendar, urgently needs reinforcements.

"It needs to support these players that are giving absolutely everything," he said. "It wasn't a lack of commitment, the players gave as much as they could, but in moments we switched off. That can be fatigue. Our standards is that we can't accept that, we have to fix it going into Wolfsburg [in the Champions League on Wednesday].

"We've got to fight. We've got a bit more recovery time. We've had to walk through training this week, it's these factors we're getting used to now being in the Champions League. I'm not moaning about that, we have to take the challenge on. That's why in the winter window we have to supply some support for the players."

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Getty Images SportUnited’s attack under the microscope after toothless derby display

Perhaps the clearest indictment of United’s performance was their lack of threat in the final third. Skinner wants reinforcements in the attacking department, where depth has been stretched to breaking point.

"If I look at the way we attacked today, I felt we were a bit passive, I'm going to make sure we look at that as an area to support the fantastic work our players are already doing," he said.

However, he made it clear that the management remains adamant to improve the women's team and added: "The club care about the women's team, I'll be clear on that. Us identifying the right talent and bringing them in in the right moment is key. We're working hard behind the scenes to do so. I have no doubt the club care. What we need to do is bring the right people in."

The win moves City four points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League. United, meanwhile, remain in third, now seven points adrift of City and three behind Chelsea. For a team hoping to mount a genuine title challenge, the derby defeat represents a reality check. It is a reminder of the work still required to bridge the divide between themselves and England’s elite.

Despite the doubts, Pakistan’s renovations are on track, albeit the clock is ticking loudly

Danyal Rasool24-Jan-2025The joke in Lahore – or it would be, if it wasn’t so often true – is that everybody seems to be in a hurry, and yet nothing is ever on time. It is perhaps only fitting that, just a few months ago, there was a nagging worry this would also apply to the city’s most iconic sporting colosseum, the Gaddafi Stadium.While the Champions Trophy was awarded to Pakistan three years ago, the upgrades required to Pakistan’s venues – most notably in Lahore – only started in earnest in August. At the time, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced that a massive infrastructure project would see the whole structure knocked down and rebuilt almost from scratch, after admitting that none of Pakistan’s stadia were up to international standards and promising to change that.At the same time, the PCB recognised that scepticism in Pakistan concerning whether this could be done on time was high. They have issued a dozen updates since, insisting that the project is on track to finish on time, and that 250 workers labour “day and night” to meet the deadline.Related

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PCB shifts tri-series with New Zealand and South Africa to Lahore and Karachi

PCB confident Lahore and Karachi stadiums will be ready before Champions Trophy

They have more than once quashed speculation that construction delays could see the tournament moved to the UAE. A fortnight ago, the board felt confident enough that work at each venue was on track to announce that a tri-series before the Champions Trophy – originally scheduled for Multan – would take place in Lahore and Karachi, instead.The area around the Gaddafi Stadium was never an oasis of calm but, just two weeks out from the start of that tri-series, it is a hive of frenzied activity. Diggers fill in the dirt in the gap between the front rows in the stands and the boundary fences. Power tools and welding kits lie scattered about, while managers assure there is little concern about the tight deadline they must stick to.Two things become immediately clear; there is indeed much to do, but also that it is being done at breakneck speed. The balcony in front of the players’ pavilion – part of a new hospitality enclosure for players and officials – offers perfect views in line with the pitch, though it has some way to go before it’s ready. There’s a 4x2m rectangular hole sectioned off in the middle, while the staircase they will descend to take to the field is in its embryonic stages.The Imran Khan enclosure at Gaddafi Stadium is being renovated•Danyal RasoolA rectangular mortar structure a quarter full of wet cement nestles in the corner which, when completed, will be used for players’ ice baths. This is the side of the ground where much of the refurbishment is happening; many of the hospitality and corporate enclosures have been rebuilt from scratch.The walk back down the stairs to the ground floor is made slightly nervy by the current absence of safety rails on either side, but here is where the work is most concentrated; hammering, nailing, welding, excavating, beaming, all happening in such fury it is hard not to feel that one’s own presence is a hindrance. It is here, underneath the Imran Khan enclosure, that bricks and cement lie scattered about on the sludgy ground, with the floor tiles yet to be laid.Make your way from underneath those long columns, out of the tunnel and into the open expanse of the stadium itself, and the bigger picture – in more ways than one – hits you. Most of the standing structure has been erected, and more than half the seats are laid out. More are being added as you watch, like an ever-expanding sea of forest green and white. Two new giant replay screens in the ground are also being added; one is complete, with the other more than halfway there.There used to be no view to speak of from the foot of the enclosures because large steel fences had been erected in the past. While they kept spectators physically away from the playing field, they also had the effect of visually locking them out from seeing the actual cricket they happened to be there for.Seats have now been laid in more than half the stands at the Gaddafi Stadium•Danyal RasoolNow, this is where the action will feel closest. The steel cages are gone, and they’re not coming back. Instead, a dry moat will keep the playing area protected from any unwanted fan incursions, without making any compromises to the viewing experience. It is an experience that more people will be able to partake in; the venue capacity has been increased to 35,000. Crucially, much of the increase in capacity has occurred closer to the ground, which would have been impossible in the past when the fences ruled that area out as a seating option.The lost context of the bigger picture at the expense of deadline anxiety is a bit of a shame. The PCB remain confident that, despite the Champions Trophy 2025 bearing down on them, everything is on track. The ICC too say progress is on track. But this grand old theatre was due an upgrade anyway regardless of whether seven teams came here to play some 50-over games this spring or not.The last renovation on this scale occurred in 1996, which also happened to be the last time Pakistan played host to an ICC event. On that occasion, Lahore was the venue for Sri Lanka’s victory over Australia in the World Cup final. It was then that the modern Gaddafi – in all its neo-Mughal grandeur – was built.The result of this upgrade will be a superior matchday experience, long after those three weeks have come and gone. Until now, the notion that a venue has an obligation to provide a spectator anything more than entry upon the production of a ticket had been something of an alien concept. Obliged to raise their standards for an ICC event, a PCB official told ESPNcricinfo they intended to keep those standards just as high in future events, even when the ICC’s hand wasn’t steering them in that direction.Through a warren of mud tracks, tunnels and corridors is where the car park used to be. It is now a makeshift camp office, set up in a repurposed shipping container where the head of infrastructure for the stadium is seated. We were due for a chat, but it seems there may have been a miscommunication. He is busy, and it will have to wait for a later date. After all, he has work to do, and not much time to do it in.

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been put on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of Major League Baseball's sports betting investigation, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Clase joins fellow relief pitcher Luis Ortiz on leave. They're both tied to the same investigation.

The Guardians addressed the issue in a statement on Monday.

"The Guardians have been notified by Major League Baseball that as part of their sports betting investigation Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave per an agreement with the Players Association. We have been informed that no additional players or Club personnel are expected to be impacted. The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time, and will respect the league's confidential investigative process as we continue to fully cooperate."

Clase has recorded a 5–3 record with a 3.23 ERA in 48 games this season, with 24 saves.

Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate has revealed that he gets calls from compatriot Kylian Mbappe every two hours to sign for Real Madrid. The French defender is into the final year of his contract and from January he will be able to hold pre-contract talks with clubs abroad. The Reds, on the other hand, are determined to offer him a new deal to avoid another situation like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Konate's future remains uncertain

Konate has established himself as a key figure in Liverpool’s starting lineup ever since his move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in 2021. The 26-year-old has formed a strong partnership with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Reds’ defence and has made 147 appearances for the Premier League giants across all competitions and scored six goals.

However, speculation remains rife regarding Konate’s future ahead of the January transfer window. The centre-back is into the final year of his current contract and it is up in the air as to whether he will ink fresh terms at Anfield. 

reported last week that German giants Bayern Munich are tentatively weighing up a move to rival La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid by making a bid for Konate, who is eligible to hold pre-contract talks with clubs outside of England from January 1. Los Blancos, on the other hand, have been long-time admirers of the defender.

AdvertisementAFPAgent Mbappe at work for Madrid

Konate recently revealed that he gets constant phone calls from his France team-mate and captain Mbappe, as the Madrid star is determined to convince the defender to join him at the Spanish capital next summer. Speaking to , Konate said Mbappe "calls me every two hours to sign for Real Madrid."

Los Blancos are in no hurry when it comes to Konate, as Liverpool have only a few weeks to convince the player and make him sign a new deal before he starts to negotiate new offers. Madrid would want Konate to reject a new contract and then join them in the summer for free, quite similar to the way they landed Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool told they won't miss Konate

Reds legend and pundit Jamie Carragher recently claimed that while he would love to see Konate stay at Anfield, if he leaves for Madrid next summer, the Merseyside club won't miss the centre-back much. He told the : "I’d like him [Konate] to stay but if he doesn’t stay, Liverpool will sign someone else. Liverpool won’t fall apart if Konate leaves. He's not Virgil van Dijk. He's a good centre-back who you hope will sign, but if he doesn’t want to sign, Liverpool will be absolutely fine. He's a very good centre-back, he's a title winner at Liverpool, he's played in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. He's obviously a quality centre-back. It's not poor management [if he goes for free]. You can't physically make somebody sign a contract. Then it's your decision, do you keep him to the length of his contract or do you sell him?"

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Getty ImagesKonate's mixed form amid Liverpool's slump

Konate has appeared in 16 matches for the Reds across all competitions this term. Despite featuring regularly under Arne Slot, Carragher believes there is still scope for the Frenchman to improve as he added: "It's still only a couple of games. He hasn't had a great start to the season and he needs to show a bit more consistency. 

"He was fantastic against Real Madrid and he needs to keep that going over the next few months, it can't just be two games on the bounce. There are no secrets [to picking up your form]. It’s about working harder and you become more professional. It’s on your mind constantly that you want to get back into good form and every you think tiny detail will make a difference, whether that’s what you eat, what time you go to sleep, it’s just becoming an ultra-professional on and off the pitch."