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Sunderland’s defenders really did lead by example all across the Black Cats’ dramatic playoff fixtures.

Without Daniel Ballard, Regis Le Bris’ men might well have crashed out of the lottery of the Championship playoffs at the semi-final stages, but, thankfully, the Northern Ireland international connected with Enzo Le Fee’s corner kick delivery expertly to seal Sunderland’s place at Wembley after beating Coventry City.

At Wembley itself, the defenders had to dig deep once more, with Chris Mepham stepping up to the mark in Luke O’Nien’s injury absence by winning four duels and registering 12 clearances to keep Sheffield United largely at bay.

But, with Mepham now gone, Sunderland could look to add some fresh centre-backs for the testing mission of the Premier League to come, with O’Nien one figure who might well have to drop into the reserves despite being a loyal Wearside servant.

O'Nien's heroics at Sunderland

This is the cutthroat nature of the beast after all, with those who are deemed dependable in the Championship perhaps not cut out for the gruelling step-up to the Premier League.

O’Nien has only ever tasted EFL football all across his drawn-out career to date, with the ex-Wycombe Wanderers defender’s no-nonsense approach making him a firm fan favourite at the Stadium of Light from day one.

Indeed, as Sunderland shot up the leagues from League One obscurity to the brink of top-flight football, so did the quality of O’Nien’s performances, with the Black Cats veteran now up to 314 appearances for the Wearside giants, on top of collecting 23 goals and 16 assists along the way.

However, the versatile Sunderland mainstay – who can also play in central midfield – isn’t without his limitations, with a stacked list of 52 yellow cards when donning a Black Cat jersey a major concern, especially if a skilful player in the division above brings out this hot-headedness in him.

Moreover, his complete lack of experience in the top-flight could also come back to bite Le Bris and Co. Therefore, if a move is soon to be on the table for a Premier League-ready centre-back to join the ever-growing camp, it’s a move that must be pursued.

The "outstanding" PL star who is a big O'Nien upgrade

That isn’t to say O’Nien won’t still play a part in Sunderland attempting to keep their heads above water, with his captain-like bravery a real asset to have around the building.

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But, the Premier League can eat promoted teams whole when it comes to leaky defensive displays creeping in, as seen in previous playoff winners Southampton shipping a league-high total of 86 strikes last season, leading to them finishing rock bottom of the pile.

This is where Liverpool colossus Joe Gomez could come to the rescue, with a recent report by the Guardian speculating that the newly promoted side are locked in an intense race to sign the Reds defender, alongside Newcastle, Aston Villa, Burnley, Leeds United, and various others.

The wide array of names here taking a look at the 28-year-old might well make it a tall order for Sunderland to win his coveted services, but if they were to land the ex-England international’s in-demand signature, they won’t feel as nervous as they do right now about their defensive options jumping into the elite league.

Gomez’s overall PL numbers

Games played

149

Goals conceded

106

Tackles

211

Tackles won

72%

Recoveries

720

Duels won

590

Aerial battles won

253

Passes per match

53.79

Wins

99

Clean sheets

47

Stats from the Premier League

Just one quick glance at Gomez’s “outstanding” top-flight numbers – as he was once labelled by Reds teammate Virgil van Dijk – is enough to know why Sunderland would be immediately put at ease.

Notably, the London-born centre-back has only conceded 106 top-flight goals across his 149 appearances to date.

Much like O’Nien, too, the Liverpool number two can slot into multiple different positions on a pitch if needed, with Gomez potentially offering Le Bris cover in the left-back and right-back positions, alongside also being capable as a defensive midfielder.

With two Premier League titles glistening next to his name as well, snapping up Gomez would definitely show Sunderland mean business when stepping up a division, rather than settling for what they already possess.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Jun 18, 2025

It’s already been a successful season for Chelsea, but they’re far from done just yet.

Enzo Maresca guided his team to fourth place in the Premier League table, the Blues’ best finish for three seasons, thereby securing a return to the Champions League.

Then, last Wednesday, Chelsea picked up silverware too, fighting back from a goal down to defeat Real Betis 4-1 in the Conference League Final; Enzo Fernández, Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Moisés Caicedo all on target during a 25 minute second half spree in Wrocław.

Nevertheless, the Blues’ campaign is far from over, set to take on Los Angeles FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in their Club World Cup opener on 16 June, before then facing Flamengo and Espérance Sportive de Tunis in Philadelphia.

Ahead of that fixture in Atalanta in just under a fortnight, will Chelsea supporters have a new forward to get excited about?

Chelsea looking to bolster their forward line

The Blues have already been active in the summer window, notably reportedly wrapping up a deal to bring Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap to Stamford Bridge.

So, what’s the next order of business? Well, it could be another Englishman.

Indeed, according to a report by Mike McGrath and Sam Dean of the Telegraph, Chelsea ‘are in talks’ to sign Jamie Gittens for £50m, adding that they are hopeful of getting the deal done before the Club World Cup deadline of 10th June.

Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian notes that the Blues view it as a ‘priority’ to sign a ‘right-footed winger capable of playing on the left flank’, having previously assessed Nico Williams and Alejandro Garnacho, but Gittens is now their number one target.

Born in Reading, the 20-year-old winger actually spent time in Chelsea’s academy, also representing his hometown club and Manchester City at youth level, before moving to Germany in 2020.

Now though, could he be returning home in time to represent the Blues stateside at the revamped Club World Cup?

Why Jamie Gittens could be Chelsea's next Cole Palmer

Since making his Borussia Dortmund debut against Wolfsburg in April 2022, Gittens has accumulated 106 appearances for die Schwarzgelben, scoring 17 goals and registering 14 assists, thereby earning rave reviews.

Alex Barker of the Athletic describes him as “absolutely rapid” and an “excellent” dribbler, while Saul Morris of Football Talent Scout believes his ‘potential is extremely high’, labelling him England’s ‘next diamond’.

Meantime, Alexandra Hunt of Total Football Analysis praised his ‘impressive performances’ for an inconsistent Dortmund team, while Lebohang Mwamuka from Breaking the Lines asserts that Gittens’ ‘future is very bright’, highlighting how his ‘impressive ball-striking’ ability as well as the fact he is a ‘high-volume dribbler’ regularly leaves ‘defenders flummoxed’.

Chelsea, of course, do already boast plenty of wide-attacking options, namely Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho.

Although, the latter’s future at Stamford Bridge is currently in doubt, with Greg Barringer-Grimes of BBC Sport reporting that the Blues are considering paying a £5m penalty fee to not sign Sancho, rather than making his loan from Manchester United permanent for £25m.

Nevertheless, should Gittens arrive, fans would hope that he will have a similar impact to that of Cole Palmer.

Before we even look at their influence on play in the final third, similarities begin to emerge. Not only are they two of the most exciting young English talents in the game but Gittens, like Palmer, also spent time in the Manchester City academy.

So, let’s compare the duo to assess if that is feasible.

Appearances

46

48

Minutes

3,691

2,791

Goals

15

12

Assists

12

5

Big chances missed

19

4

Big chances created

33

9

Goals – xG

-3.5

+6.7

Shot on target %

36.2%

40.3%

Attempted take-ons

124

232

Take-on success %

44.4%

44.8%

Shot-creating actions

218

104

Pass completion %

78%

77.3%

Touches per 90

50

41

As the table highlights, while Palmer’s raw statistics are more impressive, namely goals, assists, big chances created and shot-creating actions, the numbers do still reflect favourably on Gittens.

Gittens’ goal – xG is vastly superior to that of Palmer, while the Dortmund youngster ranks exceedingly highly when it comes to take-ons.

In fact, across Europe’s top five leagues, Gittens ranked seventh for attempted take-ons (171) this season, while the highest-placed Chelsea player via this metric is Palmer, ranked 49th with 113 take-ons, all according to FBref.com.

Thus, it is clear that Gittens is a high-quality, even higher potential player, and his outstanding dribbling ability would add something to Chelsea’s forward line, suggesting he could have a similar impact on arrival to that of Palmer.

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ByDan Emery Jun 1, 2025

Everton will play at Goodison Park for the final time next week, hosting relegated Southampton in the penultimate game of the season.

When summer comes along, David Moyes will be deep in preparations for the upcoming campaign, which will see Everton step into Bramley Moore and push for a place higher up the Premier League table. This will be the fourth successive campaign that the Toffees will finish in the bottom half, and the fifth in six terms.

Moyes is a shrewd and critical manager and he won’t shy away from making sweeping changes this summer. One of which may be allowing Dominic Calvert-Lewin to leave at the end of his contract.

Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin must leave Everton

Calvert-Lewin has been playing his football on Merseyside for nearly nine years, joining Everton from Sheffield United for a £1.5m fee in 2016.

At his best, the England international is a powerful and purposeful forward, adept in the air and a real focal point for his teammates to target.

However, injuries have become commonplace in Calvert-Lewin’s career over the past several years, and given his profligacy when available this season, it seems risky to renew his deal.

Especially given Beto has outperformed him since Moyes’ winter appointment.

Prem 24/25 – Calvert-Lewin vs Beto

Stats (* per game)

DCL

Beto

Matches (starts)

23 (19)

27 (12)

Goals

3

7

Assists

1

0

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.8)

1.5 (0.7)

Big chances missed

13

9

Pass completion

64%

57%

Key passes*

0.3

0.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.6

Duels won*

5.5

4.7

Stats via Sofascore

Beto’s recent form, which includes six goals from 11 Premier League starts, could see him start the new campaign as Moyes’ number one at number nine.

However, the £100k-per-week Calvert-Lewin must go, for the Merseysiders have a rising star who could take his place.

Everton must unleash their new Lukaku

Everton need a striker for the ages, one in a similar vein to Romelu Lukaku, who scored 87 goals and provided 27 assists across 166 appearances before signing for Manchester United in a deal initially worth £75m.

The Belgian’s power and confidence were at their highest peak during his time at Goodison Park, all concentrated into something pointed.

Youssef Chermiti could be the perfect heir. The Portuguese youth international is very much in the maiden stage of his career, and while he hasn’t made the mark on Merseyside that he would have hoped for, there’s plenty of time for that to change.

Described as a “superb prospect” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Chermiti has the power and pace to put the fitness troubles of recent years behind him and start showcasing the talent that is clearly within his grasp.

Everton did pay £15m to take him from Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, after all. Framed at 6 foot 4, Chermiti has had to bide his time this season but he’s starting to win Moyes over, it seems, having featured four times off the bench since March.

The 20-year-old’s strength and athleticism even suggest that he could be Everton’s next version of Lukaku, with some remarking that there is an element of an “early Lukaku” to him after returning from injury with far more bulk and brawn about him.

Though all 24 of Chermiti’s senior appearances for Everton have returned little in the way of substance, he’s yet to score or assist, there’s no question he’s making the physical improvements that could marry into his technical game and shape him into Everton’s next Lukaku.

With Calvert-Lewin heading out the door, this could be a shrewd way for Everton to keep things ticking at the striking position, especially if Beto’s form continues into the new campaign.

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb May 8, 2025

After Arsenal’s very underwhelming 1-1 draw with Brentford, it’s now all eyes on the Bernabéu for Gooners everywhere.

Last Tuesday, the north Londoners smashed Real Madrid 3-0 in North London, Declan Rice scoring two sublime free-kicks before Mikel Merino lashed home a third; this was their 515th match at the Emirates, and most would agree this was the stadium’s best night.

So now, Mikel Arteta’s team will travel to the Spanish capital seeking to avoid a vintage Real Madrid remontada, but would they stand a better chance if they didn’t have Jakub Kiwior in the backline?

Jakub Kiwior's record deputising for Gabriel

Back on 1 April, during a 2-1 home win over Fulham, Gabriel suffered a serious hamstring tear that required surgery and means he will not feature again this season.

This was a major blow because Gabriel is arguably deserving of Arsenal’s player of the season, having been immense in both boxes throughout the campaign.

So, in the Brazilian’s absence, Kiwior continues to deputise, which fans were concerned about because during the Polish defender’s previous Premier League start, coming at Craven Cottage all the way back on 8 December, his ‘lethargy or lack of awareness’ proved to be a costly error, allowing Raúl Jiménez to open the scoring.

Wins

13

Draws

6

Defeats

0

Goals conceded

13

Clean sheets

9

Nevertheless, Kiwior was actually pretty solid against Real Madrid, with Arteta hailing his performance as “phenomenal”.

That said, did the Gunners let a future upgrade leave in January?

Ex-Arsenal centre-back impressing at Premier League rivals

Back in January, Ayden Heaven departed Arsenal to join Manchester United, for a reported compensation fee of £1.5m.

Heaven joined Arsenal from West Ham as a 14-year-old, his senior debut coming against Preston North End in the EFL Cup, having played a prominent role during the pre-season tour of the United States.

However, frustrated by his lack of first-team opportunities, Heaven decided not to sign a professional contract, instead moving to Manchester United earlier this year.

Well, in the short term, this move paid off, making four appearances before actually suffering a serious foot injury against Leicester, although Rúben Amorim confirmed the injury ‘is not as bad as initially feared’, adding ‘he will play again this season’.

So, let’s have a look at Heaven’s career in numbers so far.

Arsenal

1

Arsenal U21s

26

Arsenal U19s

10

Arsenal U18s

11

Manchester United

4

Man United U21s

1

His early performances for Man United earned rave reviews.

Andy Mitten of United We Stand believes he was Man United’s “best player” at the King Power prior to his injury, proving he’s more than up to the task at Premier League level.

In the meantime, manager Amorim believes he has got “a very good player” on his hands, adding that he is “really comfortable with the ball” and impressively “aggressive” defensively.

James McNicholas and Laurie Whitwell of the Athletic reported that Arsenal did not want to lose the young defender, but were forced into a sale, so would the Gunners actually be better off in the immediate term had they held onto Heaven?

Well, it would certainly give them more defensive options. Kiwior and William Saliba were forced to start yet again on Saturday, and who knows, the teenager may have been poised to feature in the remaining weeks of the season had he stuck around.

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ByMatt Dawson Apr 13, 2025

After a campaign that never really took off, they have some reflecting to do: on batting-order tactics, on individual decision-making, and on whether the time is right for a change in leadership

Shashank Kishore15-Oct-20242:19

Muzumdar: ‘Couldn’t have asked for more from players’

Watching another game nervously with your fate reliant on its result is probably among the least enviable things in sport. Which is why, bags packed, several India players chose not to invest three-plus hours of their emotional energy into the New Zealand-Pakistan game, instead only glancing at the score from time to time.Their hopes rose when New Zealand were kept to 110, but they came crashing down when Pakistan tumbled to 56 all out. It’s the first time since 2016 that India haven’t made the semi-finals of a Women’s T20 World Cup. Their packed bags were ready to head straight to check-in as Harmanpreet Kaur’s team will head to their respective cities, before reconvening in Ahmedabad next week for three ODIs against New Zealand.Between now and then, they’ll have time to reflect on a campaign that never really took off. And that’s perhaps why this will sting more than the one in 2023, when they were contenders through much of the tournament before being stopped in the semi-final by eventual champions Australia.Related

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When they do stop to reflect, here are some of the things they will have to consider.The batting-order muddleIt’s great to have flexibility and India tried out six different players at No. 3 since Amol Muzumdar took over as head coach in December last year. But when these experiments didn’t yield the desired results, the team management backed the experienced Harmanpreet Kaur to be the impact batter there.In T20s since the start of 2022, Harmanpreet has been striking at 94.07 across 84 innings. The plan here was to free her up to play the role of an aggressor, allowing Jemimah Rodrigues, originally a No. 3, to be a spin enforcer in the middle.Jemimah Rodrigues: No. 3 or not No. 3?•ICC/Getty ImagesBut one loss to New Zealand led to a reshuffle with Rodrigues coming out at No. 3 against Pakistan, a game where the openers failed to hit a single boundary in the powerplay when the need of the hour was quick runs to improve their net run rate if it came down to that.Rodrigues herself had spoken of how batting in a new position had got her to approach batting differently. Yet, in a decisive game against Australia, with spinners Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham and Ash Gardner applying the brakes on India’s scoring rate, they missed Rodrigues in the middle, because she was sent in at No. 3 again, above Harmanpreet. The revolving door at No. 3 may have not been the only reason for their exit, but it certainly forced India to deviate from the template they had wanted to set.Mandhana, Ghosh off-colourIt also didn’t help that Smriti Mandhana had a forgettable tournament. Barring the half-century against Sri Lanka, she managed just 12, 7 and 6. Mandhana’s powerplay salvo has over the years allowed India’s middle order some cushion. It did so in 2023; not this time though, and it hurt the team. Muddled batting plans down the order didn’t help either, like the decision to send in Deepti Sharma ahead of S Sajana against Pakistan when India were looking to close out the chase quickly.Smriti Mandhana has a forgettable World Cup to reflect on•ICC/Getty ImagesDeepti was unbeaten on 7 off eight balls and by the time Sajana, playing primarily as a finisher, came in to hit her first (and only) ball of the tournament to the boundary to bring up the winning runs, India had eaten up 18.5 overs in a modest chase.Batting-order tactics aside, India also let themselves down with their individual, in-the-moment decision-making. Like Richa Ghosh, India’s biggest six-hitter, chancing a non-existent single to extra cover when big hits, and not quick singles, was the need of the hour.Or Harmanpreet’s decision to take a single with India needing 14 to win off six balls against Australia. It was clear, beyond doubt, that Harmanpreet was India’s last hope. India went on to lose two wickets in two balls. Even when there was still a chance, however unlikely, with India needing 13 off 3, Harmanpreet opted to take another single, leaving No. 9 Shreyanka Patil to hit two sixes.Why camps over A-tour exposure in Australia?Patil is a competent batter in domestic cricket but has hardly had opportunities to showcase her credentials at the top level. Okay, she was injured in the run-up to the tournament and needed the National Cricket Academy’s attention, but in simply focusing on skills and fitness camps did India deny themselves a valuable opportunity of sending some of the others, like Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy, on the India A tour to Australia?All through the South Africa and Bangladesh series, India’s lower order was hardly tested on the batting front. Even when they went 3-0 up in Bangladesh, they stuck to the tried-and-tested. At the time, this might have seemed fair because they were preparing for a World Cup that was expected to be in those same conditions. But hardly any batting time for a lower order for months leading into the World Cup didn’t help.

While India’s T20 World Cup preparation – exclusive fitness, fielding and skill camps across six weeks – may have seemed comprehensive on the face of it, they may have missed a trick by not scheduling a single fielding or training session under lights

Which is perhaps why exposure in a multi-format series against a quality opponent, which featured the likes of Tahlia McGrath, who played an important role in India’s defeat on Sunday, could have provided them exposure and experience that no skill or fitness camp would have compensated for.Also, while India’s preparation – exclusive fitness, fielding and skill camps across six weeks – may have seemed comprehensive on the face of it, they may have missed a trick by not scheduling a single fielding or training session under lights. While three dropped catches against Australia in a crunch game may not have directly contributed to their defeat, it all added up in the end.So, what next?Inevitably, the end of every World Cup cycle will prompt questions of a transition. Harmanpreet has been captain for seven years now, and has been a key driver for change amid a revolving door of coaches (Tushar Arothe to Ramesh Powar to WV Raman to Ramesh Powar to Hrishikesh Kanitkar to Amol Muzumdar) since she took over in 2017.Is it time for Harmanpreet Kaur to pass the captaincy baton on?•ICC via Getty ImagesMandhana has been the captain-in-waiting, much like Rohit Sharma until he replaced Virat Kohli, co-incidentally after a group-stage exit at a T20 World Cup in the UAE – in 2021. Mandhana has risen to be a top batter who commands the respect of the players and has built an impressive body of work.Earlier this year, she masterminded Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden WPL win. At 28, with over a decade’s experience, it may not necessarily be a bad idea for the team to go to her, for an influx of new ideas from a player who has come of age under Harmanpreet and can build on her good work.That could possibly unshackle Harmanpreet the batter as well, adding possibly yet another chapter to her illustrious career, especially with a 50-over World Cup to look forward to at home next year.

A look at the records broken during Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s maiden ODI century and his partnership with Mahmudullah

Sampath Bandarupalli07-Dec-20222 Number of players to score an ODI hundred while batting at No. 8 or lower, including Mehidy Hasan Miraz in Mirpur. Simi Singh was the first player with the feat, who also scored an unbeaten 100 against South Africa in 2021 while batting at No.8.202 Runs added by Bangladesh after the fall of the sixth wicket. Only four teams have added more runs for the final four wickets in an ODI. The highest is 213 by Australia against New Zealand in 2017. The previous highest for Bangladesh was 174 against Afghanistan earlier this year in Chattogram.148 Partnership between Mehidy and Mahmudullah for the seventh wicket. It is the joint third highest by any pair for the seventh or a lower wicket in ODIs. The highest is 177 between Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid against New Zealand in 2015, while Mehidy shared an unbeaten 174 with Afif Hossain against Afghanistan earlier this year.The 148-run stand between Mehidy and Mahmudullah is now the highest for Bangladesh for any wicket against India. The previous highest was 133 between Anamul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim, for the third wicket in Fatullah in 2014. The unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 138 between Justin Kemp and Andrew Hall in 2006 in Cape Town was the previous highest against India in ODIs for the seventh or lower wicket.14.08 Run rate of the partnership between Mehidy and Nasum Ahmed, the second-fastest 50-plus stand for Bangladesh in ODIs. Their only stand to have come at a quicker rate is the 54-run one between Mushfiqur and Tamim Iqbal, it came off 3.2 overs at 16.2 against West Indies in 2018.298 Runs scored by Mehidy while batting at No. 8 this year. These are the most ODI runs by a batter in a calendar year while batting at No.8 or lower since Heath Streak’s 429 runs in 2001. Overall, he is sixth on that list.

Australia will never have a better chance to trial Will Pucovski, and the absence of Virat Kohli after the first Test makes room for a talented Indian batsman to step up

Ian Chappell22-Nov-2020This summer’s chaotic, pandemic-plagued Australian cricket schedule may just benefit India in their quest to repeat last tour’s series victory.India’s enforced period of lockdown – with training allowed – will provide the team more time to acclimatise in Australian conditions than the rushed pre-Test schedule that touring teams normally experience.The extra training period during lockdown gives the bowlers ample opportunity to work out what length is applicable in Australia, and for the batsmen to become accustomed to the unusually steep bounce. A lot of touring batsmen have trouble in scoring sufficient runs off the back foot in Australia. It is not enough to just survive against short-pitched bowling in Australia, you also have to be able to score off those deliveries. Until a batsman proves he can make runs regularly against that style of attack, he will continue to be peppered with short stuff.ALSO READ: Three young cricketers I’d like to watch in the 2020-21 Australia v India seriesBeing on the receiving end of a concerted short-pitched attack can rattle a player and cause his footwork to become uncertain. On the other hand, if he adequately copes with the onslaught, the bowlers then have to resort to a more full-length mode of attack and this can lead to greater scoring opportunities.This battle of wills was best summed up by former England fast bowler John Snow who enjoyed a very successful tour of Australia in 1970-71. When asked to explain the bouncer, Snow replied, “It’s a short and emphatic examination paper that you put to the batsman.”Mind you, if the Indian selectors have done their job properly, the batsmen currently enduring the Sydney lockdown training will become re-acquainted with the requirements needed on bouncy pitches rather than being confused by the experience.Speaking of confusion, I was flummoxed by the Australian coach’s summation of the choice between incumbent Joe Burns and rising star Will Pucovski for the job of David Warner’s opening partner. Justin Langer said, “When guys have done a really good job for us – like in this case that Joe [Burns] and Davey [Warner] did for us last summer – those sorts of partnerships are really important, so we should never underestimate that.”In response I’d say that equally, you shouldn’t overestimate the value of the partnership. Burns’ contributions last summer equated to an aggregate of 256 runs at an average of 32 with two half-centuries. That is the performance of a below-average Test player.ALSO READ: Justin Langer hints that Joe Burns will retain opening spot ahead of Will PucovskiIf no one else is vying for the position then Burns retains his place. However, Pucovski has been banging on the door for a while now – something Langer craves. Pucovski has taken a sledgehammer to the entryway by making six centuries at Shield level, three of them doubles; two of those double-hundreds came this season. He has well and truly proved he is good enough at that level, so it’s time to see if he can succeed in the Test arena.If the selectors are worried about his mental health, which has been a problem so far in his short career, then now is the right time to see if he has overcome those issues in the pressure cooker of international competition. He’ll never have a better chance to prove himself, with his confidence at an all-time high after back-to-back double-centuries.If Pucovski is chosen and succeeds, he’ll form with Marnus Labuschagne, and perhaps Cameron Green, the backbone of Australia’s batting when Warner and Steve Smith move on. Travis Head would be another candidate if he produces the right form to retain his place.India also face a selection dilemma when skipper Virat Kohli departs for home for the birth of his first child following the opening Test. This creates both a big hole in the Indian batting order and an opportunity for one of their talented young players to make a name for himself.What was already shaping up as an exciting tussle now has the added stimulus of crucial selection decisions. The result could well come down to who is the bravest set of selectors.

Vote for the best individual Border-Gavaskar Trophy performance by an Indian in Australia since 2000

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2024Update: This poll has ended. Rishabh Pant’s performance goes into the final. Check the other polls here.ESPNcricinfo LtdRishabh Pant helped India achieve the unimaginable at the Gabba•Patrick Hamilton/AFP/Getty Images

Rishabh Pant – 89* in Brisbane, 2021

India won by three wickets, and the series 2-1All the things that didn’t make sense on this tour – India all out for 36, their three jillion injuries, the hassle of cricket in quarantine – found meaning when Rishabh Pant began to play the innings of a lifetime. He was 23 and he helped obliterate a record that had stood for way longer than he’d been alive. Australia’s undefeated streak in Brisbane was 32 years old when it was finally laid to rest. “This is one of the biggest things in my life right now,” Pant said after a performance that proved just how dangerous a batter he could be when he adopts even the smallest bit of restraint.Chasing 328 at the Gabba – 324 on the final day – India still needed 161 runs with about 43 overs to go when Pant walked in at No. 5. He got going, and kept going, even as wickets fell and the overs ticked by. Eventually, with only minutes left on the clock, he lashed Josh Hazlewood down the ground to accomplish one of the greatest series wins in Test history.Round of 16: Pant’s 89* beat Ajit Agarkar’s 6-41.Quarter-final: Pant’s 89* beat VVS Laxman’s 167.By Alagappan MuthuWatch the highlights of these performances on the Star Sports network at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm IST, from November 2 onwards.

Virat Kohli – 115 & 141 in Adelaide, 2014

India lost by 48 runsIn a career full of milestones, Virat Kohli has a very special place in his heart for these two hundreds. He’s made that plain on every subsequent trip to Adelaide. The runs that he made, the way he made them, getting hit on the head by a Mitchell Johnson bouncer early and brushing off the Australians who came up to him to ask him if he was okay just so he wouldn’t have to break out of that bubble he needs to be in to score those big runs, and the path that he put his team on, saying they will not be going for the draw – all played a big role in helping him decide what kind of cricketer and captain he wanted to be.His 114 in the first innings on captaincy debut kept India in the game after conceding 517, and his 141 in the second gave India hope that as long as Kohli was batting, there was a chance of pulling off an outrageous chase of 364. That performance made Kohli the first visiting batter since 1961 to score two centuries in a Test in Australia, and no once has done it since.By Alagappan MuthuRound of 16: Kohli’s 115 and 141 beat Sourav Ganguly’s 144.Quarter-final: Kohli’s 115 and 141 beat Kohli’s 123.

The Boston Red Sox unveiled their new City Connect uniforms on Friday afternoon, inspired by Fenway Park's 37-foot-2-inch left field wall—more commonly known as the Green Monster.

Here's a look at the new set, donned by—from left to right—Brayan Bello, Garrett Crochet, and Jarren Duran:

The Red Sox revealed the uniforms in a video on X (formerly Twitter), to the tune of Kermit the Frog's "It's Not Easy Being Green" song from . Check it out:

The new digs are incredibly detailed, with the numbers on the back featuring a notch like the ones hung from the wall. Additionally, they include a yellow digit on the front to represent the Monster's live scoring as well as Pesky's pole, a wordmark identical to the one on the wall, and three green lights and four red lights—an homage to the illuminated ones that represent an in-game full-count with two outs.

Perhaps these Green Monster-inspired uniforms are the root reason as to why Boston began wearing a Wally-themed hat in the dugout after hitting home runs at Fenway Park this season.

The Red Sox, sitting at 22-23 through their first 45 games, will debut their new uniforms on Friday night when they take on the Atlanta Braves. Crochet will take the bump against old friend Chris Sale, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

New South Wales batter Nic Maddinson underwent surgery and nine weeks of chemotherapy over the winter after discovering a tumour in March

Alex Malcolm17-Oct-2025

New South Wales batter Nic Maddinson has revealed that he has been in a battle with testicular cancer after finding a lump earlier this year.Maddinson, 33, has played three Tests and six T20Is for Australia, but had been absent from the New South Wales set-up in the early part of the season. He revealed he had been diagnosed in April and has only just resumed full training after undergoing surgery and nine weeks of chemotherapy.The left-hand batter played his last match for New South Wales in early March but was dropped for the final Sheffield Shield match of the 2024-25 season. Having felt rundown with what he thought was a virus, he mentioned to New South Wales doctor John Orchard in his post-season review that he had felt a lump.Scans revealed a tumour and he had surgery immediately to remove it. But further tests seven weeks later showed the cancer had spread.”Once I found out I had to have chemo, that was pretty hard to deal with,” Maddinson told the . “It had spread to parts of my abdominal lymph nodes and lung. That was a bit where it was pretty daunting.”Maddinson’s wife Bianca was also pregnant with their second child when he began chemotherapy and had to quit her job as a dentist to look after their toddler son while Maddinson underwent treatment.”By the second or third week, I lost all my hair. I was feeling pretty average,” Maddinson said. “I was taking types of steroids to manage side effects, but they would keep me up at night. I’d be at the hospital from about 11am to 4pm. Then a sleep. Then I’d force myself to have dinner. I’d sleep until about 1am, but sometimes I’d then be awake until 6am. I found that difficult. I was super drained and felt like I had to sleep 24/7.”I felt guilty. I couldn’t do anything around the house.”Maddinson told very few of his team-mates, with his close friend Adam Zampa being one exception.He completed his chemotherapy on July 14. Ten days later, he had his first hit in the nets. He had to wait another two months before he was cleared to resume full training.”Eight weeks after my last chemo round, I got good news. The treatment had worked,” Maddinson said. “My recent tests were all good, and I can go about getting back into cricket, which I love.”He is continuing to build up his fitness but is likely to be available to play Sydney premier cricket and possibly second XI for New South Wales in the coming weeks with an eye to possibly returning to the Shield team in November.”I would still love to play Test cricket again, but I’m more realistic,” Maddinson said. “The older you get, the less likely it is to happen.”I had a really good opportunity last year and I just didn’t really grab it. I’m just really excited to try and play cricket again. I was dropped at the end of last year, so I’m not expecting to be straight back in the side.”The most important thing would be to say I am available. That would be a nice day.”Nic Maddinson has played three Tests for Australia•Getty Images

Following the birth of his second son Wilder, he is grateful to be healthy again and has urged others to get checked it they feel something abnormal.”When I found out I needed chemo, it hit me hard because I almost didn’t go,” Maddinson said. “I thought it would go away. To know that I caught it probably as early as I could have, and it still spread into other parts of my body, that was scary.”I just think it’s so important if you have anything you’re worried about, get it checked out.”It feels silly to not tell my story. If one person reads it and gets checked, I’ll be happy. I grew up in the country and a lot of people fob it off. It’s a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. Get the stuff checked out, it can make all the difference.”