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Tottenham Hotspur are poised to wave goodbye to a key player this summer, and it would be a blow to manager Thomas Frank as the Dane gears up for his first full campaign in charge.

Paratici holds talks with £207k-a-week star's camp about joining Tottenham

The Spurs advisor has reached out to his representatives.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 31, 2025

Spurs are in the Far East right now on a pre-season tour of Asia, before returning to Europe for a clash against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Frank is getting a good look at his new squad, who’ve just taken on Arsenal in the first ever north London derby played overseas, but off the field, chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange are planning to reinforce the squad with new signings.

Specifically, Tottenham are working on an alternative to Morgan Gibbs-White after missing out on the Englishman in truly bizarre fashion.

Spurs were ready to trigger Gibbs-White’s £60m release clause and even booked a medical for the playmaker nearly three weeks ago (BBC), but Evangelos Marinakis blocked the transfer, threatened legal action and tied him down with a new £150,000-per-week deal.

A new number 10 is imperative, amid reports that Tottenham are not completely averse to selling James Maddison after a stop-start season (Ben Jacobs).

Spurs have also been linked with an ambitious move for Real Madrid star Rodrygo this week, as club legend Son Heung-min edges ever closer to ending his 10-year stay in north London.

The South Korea star has etched his name into Lilywhites folklore with 173 goals and 101 assists, not to mention a once-devastating partnership with Harry Kane, since his £22 million move from Bayer Leverkusen a decade ago.

However, with just one year remaining on his contract as a 33-year-old, his memorable spell could be drawing to a close, and Los Angeles FC are offering him a route out to the MLS.

GiveMeSport reported earlier this week that Son is close to agreeing personal terms with LAFC, and now CaughtOffside have provided another update.

Son rejects "lucrative" Saudi offer as talks advance with LAFC

According to their information, Son rejected a “lucrative” offer from Saudi Arabia to leave Tottenham earlier this summer.

LAFC are also now in advanced negotiations over the “sensational” signing of Son, on both the club and player side this time, but the move won’t be completed until after their pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul for commercial reasons.

Talks have apparently accelerated in the last few days whilst entering a “critical” phase, so if all goes to plan, these next few days could be Son’s last in London.

This also comes despite Frank publicly suggesting the winger could stay.

“I think first and foremost, Son’s legacy here is remarkable. He’s been a fantastic player for Tottenham, he is a fantastic player for Tottenham,” Frank said about Son in a recent press conference.

“I see a player that can play a very good role here next season. He’s come in [for pre-season], very good mindset, trained very hard, pushed the players. So I’m excited about it.”

With 10 Tests to be played in 15 weeks, India have “laid out some plans” to manage the workload of fast bowlers

Alagappan Muthu17-Sep-20241:56

Are turning pitches a good idea for India against Bangladesh?

India are coming off a break of more than a month without any cricket – “We are starting after a long time actually”, the captain Rohit Sharma said – but they are also aware of the strain that their schedule over the next few months can place on their players, particularly their fast bowlers.India begin the first of 10 Tests in 15 weeks against Bangladesh on Thursday, and they already have plans in place to protect the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who might be needed to take on heavy workloads when they travel to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November through to January.”We have laid out some plans on how we are going to manage these bowlers,” Rohit said. “But again, it all depends on the workload that has been carried by them in these games. So yeah, we will monitor that. I think we have done that pretty well. Even when we played against England [at home, earlier this year], we managed to get Bumrah one Test match off. We managed to give Siraj one Test match off.Related

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“So it all depends on how the body feels at that particular time, what the [strength and conditioning] is, and what the physios feel about them, when is the right time to give them a break from the game, and then take the call.”India wrap up the two-Test series against Bangladesh on October 1 and have a couple of weeks off from red-ball cricket before they face New Zealand over three games that take them into early November. Then they will leave for Australia where they will play five Tests in eight weeks.”You want your best players to play all the games, but that’s not possible because there is so much cricket that happens,” Rohit said. “It is not only Test cricket, there is T20 cricket happening [against Bangladesh and South Africa] in the middle of the Test series as well. So you [have] got to understand everything, and then see what is best for the team and then manage your bowlers around it.”There has also been an effort made to expand the fast-bowling pool, with left-armer Yash Dayal joining the team for the Bangladesh series. There are several others pushing their case to make the national team with performances in domestic cricket. Harshit Rana, Navdeep Saini, Vidwath Kaverappa, Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj were all involved in the season-opening Duleep Trophy earlier this month, and Rohit was pleased with what he saw from those matches.”We have got a lot of bowlers who are there for us,” he said. “We saw some exciting prospects in the Duleep Trophy as well. I am not too worried about the kind of bowlers that are waiting in the wings for us.”On head coach Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma said: “We have a good understanding”•PTI

Gautam Gambhir takes charge of the Test team for the first time since being appointed the new India head coach. He and his assistant Abhishek Nayar were with the limited-overs team in Sri Lanka in August, and they have been overseeing a training camp in Chennai, leading up to the Bangladesh series.”The staff is new, but I know both Gautam Gambhir and Abhishek Nayar,” Rohit said. “I have played quite a bit of cricket against [bowling coach] Morne Morkel; we’ve played some tough cricket against each other. I’ve also played, maybe a couple of games, against [assistant coach] Ryan [ten Doeschate], but the two of us haven’t spoken as much before. From what I experienced with him in Sri Lanka, I think he has a sensible and [an] understanding personality, given the way he quickly started to understand things about the team.”As for Gambhir and Nayar, like I said, I know them well. Sri Lanka was the first series [with them in charge], and now they are going to play their second series with the team. Everyone has their own style. Rahul [Dravid] , Vikram Rathour, [and] Paras Mhambrey – they had a different way of running the team, [while] these guys will have a different style.”So it’s important for you to adjust. So far, there have been no problems or issues as a player. Like I said, if there is understanding between both [coaches and players], that’s the most important thing. And we have a good understanding.”India arrived in Chennai a full week before the start of the first Test against Bangladesh•PTI

India are not seeing their home series as preparation for the challenges they will be facing abroad.”Look, at the end of the day, you are playing for your country,” Rohit said. “So there is no dress rehearsal kind of stuff happening here. Every game that we play is important, and every game becomes important because of what is at stake. [In the] World Test Championship, still the table is quite wide open, and you want to win every game. So it doesn’t matter where we play in two months’ time. We want to win here. We want to win this Test match.”That’s why they arrived in Chennai a full week before the start of the game, to have the best preparation possible.”We assembled here on the 12th, and we’ve had a good time spending hours on the field, [and] getting everything together. So yeah, it is tough. But see, now people are so experienced, they managed themselves pretty well. And guys who have not played a lot of Test cricket, obviously went on to play the Duleep Trophy, which was good.”So in terms of preparation, [and] in terms of readiness, I feel we are quite ready for this game and what lies ahead of us. So it was a good little prep that we had before this Test match. It was important to utilise that time, and I thought we utilised this little camp that we had in Chennai pretty well.”

Arsenal are now preparing an opening bid for a £52m “monster” who has “given the green light” for a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.

Gunners looking to bolster attacking options

There have been calls for Mikel Arteta to sign a striker for quite some time, with the manager being forced to use Mikel Merino in a makeshift role during the latter stages of the 2024-25 campaign, and the north Londers are now closing in on a statement signing.

Indeed, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the Gunners are making progress in their pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres, with the Sweden international eager to leave Sporting CP and various reports suggesting personal terms are agreed.

Not only was Arteta left short on options at striker last season, but the manager also didn’t have much depth out wide, with 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri deputising for Bukayo Saka, while Raheem Sterling failed to make his mark at the Emirates Stadium.

As such, the Spaniard is also looking to bring in a new winger this summer, and Plettenberg has now taken to X to reveal that an opening offer for Chelsea’s Noni Madueke is currently “being prepared” and the Gunners have a “full agreement with Madueke until 2030”.

The Sky Sports reporter believes Madueke’s price tag will be around the €60m (£52m) mark, with the deal “on”, although it may have to wait until after the Club World Cup, with the forward fully focussed on his side’s upcoming semi-final against Fluminense.

Talks open: Arsenal submit offer to sign "standout" 17 y/o after Zubimendi

The midfielder is the Gunners’ second summer signing.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 7, 2025

Having “given the green light for the move” across the capital, however, it is clear the Chelsea ace would be keen on a move to Arsenal when the tournament comes to a close.

"Monster" Madueke could be savvy signing for Arsenal

With Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka on the books, it seems unlikely the 23-year-old would be a regular starter, but the Gunners are in need of additional depth in attack if they are to compete on all fronts next season.

As such, the England international could be a savvy signing, off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, during which he picked up 11 goals and five assists across all competitions.

Personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst also described the former PSV Eindhoven man as a “mentality monster”, indicating that he has the personality to be a success at the Emirates Stadium and help Arteta’s side compete for major honours.

That said, a price tag of £52m seems a little on the high side, given that Madueke is yet to prove himself at the very highest level, and Arsenal should attempt to negotiate a deal for a lower fee.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is set to bring a new style of play to Ibrox when his team takes to the field for the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

The former Scotland international plays a ball-dominant style that will see the Gers look to dominate possession and break teams down next term.

In order to build a squad that is suited to the way that the former Southampton manager wants to play, though, there will be players who have to move on in order to make way for new recruits.

One player who looks set to be on his way out of Ibrox is centre-back Robin Propper, as it was recently reported in his home country that he has agreed a deal to return to FC Twente on a three-year contract.

The Rangers Review also recently claimed that the Dutch giant is ‘expected’ to leave the club, amid interest in Leicester City central defender Conor Coady, who could come in as his replacement.

Why selling Robin Propper is a good move by Rangers

This proposed move back to FC Twente is a good move by Rangers and a good move for the defender because he did not settle in well at Ibrox on the pitch.

Propper did not do enough in his performances to show that he was ready for the physicality of the Scottish Premiership, which was a clear problem early on in his career in Glasgow.

In December 2024, the centre-back lost 100% (2/2) of his duels and was substituted at half-time against St. Johnstone, which led to him being criticised by former Gers midfielder Derek Ferguson.

The BBC Sportsound pundit said: “Propper is struggling. He’s been pretty vocal over the last couple of weeks that he’s finding it tough in our league. He’s been asked the question early on. It’s quite worrying when you see him struggling as bad as that. Look at the body language – he’s looking for a way out already.”

24/25 Europa League

Robin Propper

Appearances

10

Clean sheets

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.8

Dribbled past

4x

Ground duel success rate

45%

Aerial duel success rate

44%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old centre-back also struggled with the physicality of European football in the Europa League, as he lost the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air.

These statistics and the criticism of his play in the Premiership illustrate exactly why the decision to allow him to move back to the Netherlands is a good one for all parties involved.

Propper may not be the only first-team player to move on from Ibrox before the Martin era officially gets underway on the pitch, though, as another dud is attracting interest from elsewhere.

Five teams eyeing deal for Rangers forward

According to the Daily Record, a number of teams are showing an interest in Rangers winger Ross McCausland during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that FC Cincinnati, Plymouth Argyle, Cardiff City, Basel, and OH Leuven are all eyeing up a potential swoop for the Northern Ireland international.

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

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It states that they are all keeping tabs on his situation at Ibrox heading into the summer, which shows that there is plenty of interest from clubs across the globe and in the UK.

The Daily Record adds that McCausland is keen to remain at Rangers and would like to be a part of Martin’s project, but that the Scottish head coach could be willing to listen to offers for the academy graduate.

It reveals that the former Norwich City centre-back is still assessing the squad and that no final decisions have been made either, which means that the attacker’s future is still up in the air.

However, Rangers must take advantage of the level of interest in McCauland, with five teams eyeing him up, and cash in on him this summer.

Why selling McCausland is as important as Propper

As aforementioned, it is a good call to sell Propper because he did not deliver on the pitch and the Light Blues need more strength and quality in that area of the park to be successful under Martin next season.

Since making the breakthrough as a first-team regular under Philippe Clement in 2023, McCausland has failed to prove that he is good enough to be a key player for the Scottish giants moving forward.

The 21-year-old attacker has shown some promise at times, including scoring his first goal for the club in the Europa League in the clip above, but has not delivered consistently enough in the final third.

To date, McCausland has scored three goals and provided six assists in 44 appearances in the Premiership, and racked up seven goals and seven assists in 66 games in all competitions for the first-team.

24/25 Premiership

Ross McCausland

Appearances

13

Starts

4

Goals

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.6

Assists

1

Red cards

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Northern Irish dud ended the 2024/25 campaign without a single goal to show for his efforts in the league, whilst he had as many red cards as goal contributions.

McCausland was once described as an “explosive” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, but he has failed to kick on since exploding onto the first-team scene at Ibrox. The winger has gone from an exciting young talent to just another one of the players, like Propper, who needs to be replaced.

Put simply, the Gers academy graduate does not offer enough in front of goal to be a key attacking figure for Martin moving forward, as shown by his lack of end product in the Premiership in particular, which is why it is as important to sell him as it is to sell Propper.

This could provide the new Rangers manager with a chance to replace him with another winger in the summer transfer window, with the hope that any new recruit could come in to offer more goals and assists to win vital points for the team moving forward.

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It is now down to Kevin Thelwell and Martin, though, to field offers and work with the interested parties to find the best solution for all parties involved.

Tottenham Hotspur could be on the verge of losing a “world-class” player this summer, with the man in question said to have verbally agreed personal terms on a move elsewhere as he green-lights a north London exit.

Tottenham face Bodo/Glimt in season-defining Europa League semi-final

On Thursday, Ange Postecoglou faces the most important match of his Lilywhites career to date.

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Spurs take on Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt on enemy turf for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, with 90 minutes separating Tottenham from a first European final since their Champions League defeat to Liverpool in 2019.

If they get the job done and ease past Bodo/Glimt, taking full advantage of their 3-1 lead from the first leg, then Tottenham have a major chance to make history, and Postecoglou has a chance to fulfill his pledge of always winning silverware during his second season in charge.

Tottenham’s final Premier League fixtures	Date
Crystal Palace (home)	May 10th
Aston Villa (away)	May 18th
Brighton (home)	May 25th

Tottenham have endured a tepid Premier League campaign, tasting a dismal 19 top flight defeats across 24/25, but Europe gives them a golden opportunity to take something memorable away from what has been a very disappointing season.

The north Londoners will need every key man to stand up and be counted, even against a side which boasts far less in terms of quality on paper.

Postecoglou completely rotated the back four in their last game against West Ham, perhaps to give star defenders like Cristian Romero a rest ahead of their crunch encounter on Thursday.

According to recent reports, these next few games could even be the Argentine’s last in a Spurs jersey, with Atletico Madrid expressing a serious interest in signing Romero this summer.

The World Cup-winning defender, like much of the squad, was unavailable for large portions of the campaign through injury, and therefore unable to replicate the kind of heroics which saw him form a stellar partnership with Micky van de Ven last season.

Romero has since come back into the fold with van de Ven after working his way back to full fitness, but it is believed by some that the former Atalanta star is keen to embark on a new chapter next season.

Cristian Romero agrees personal terms with Atlético Madrid

Now, as per journalist Ruben Aria on his Twitch channel, a seismic development has come to light on the £165,000-per-week defender and his potential switch to Atletico.

According to Aria, Romero has verbally agreed personal terms with Atletico on a five-year contract, with the option of a sixth. As the centre-back gives his green-light, Spurs and Atletico are still yet to come to a club-to-club agreement, so there remains plenty of work to do.

However, this step comes as a “significant” bit of progress in regard to Romero and his potential La Liga switch, but there is a major gap in valuation between Tottenham and Diego Simeone’s side.

Indeed, it is believed Spurs want around £50 million to sell, while Atletico are only willing to offer around £34 million. While there have been no formal talks between both sides, that is expected to change “in the coming days”, with Postecoglou or any new manager facing the looming threat of losing a truly excellent defender on his day.

“For me Romero is world class,” said van de Ven about Romero.

“He’s a leader, he always gives 100%, on the ball and off the ball he’s a top class player and I can promise you this guy is not scared of anyone.”

In partnership with TalkSPORTBET, Football FanCast had a quick chat with former Rangers star and manager Ally McCoist to catch up on everything Rangers, from his favourite teammates to new manager candidates. Catch the full interview and transcript below.

"Ferguson and McCall were my two most underrated teammates"

Asked if any of his former Ibrox teammates went under the radar surrounded by stars like Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne, McCoist heaped praise on two former Scotland midfielders: “Probably two underrated ones would be Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson. Stuart was a brilliant midfielder, as was Ian.

“The first thing that struck you about Stuart was his energy and his willingness to run about and work hard, and I think in many ways that masked his ability in some people’s opinions, because he was a far better football player perhaps than the way he played.

“What caught your eye when he played was his work rate and his closing down, getting the ball back, but far cleverer with the ball and a better player than a lot of people imagined.

“And Ian Ferguson was the exact same. Those two guys could’ve played in any team at any level. Fergie came from St. Mirren as a younger man and Graeme (Souness) and Walter (Smith) turned him into a very mature, level-headed midfield player who was aggressive and he had one of the hardest shots out of any player I played with.

“The one thing about Fergie that helped was that he was a Rangers boy growing up so he absolutely loved every minute of putting on that blue jersey.”

"I'd have loved to have played with and managed Nicolas Raskin"

Looking at today’s Rangers squad, the legendary striker had no hesitation when asked which current Gers stars he’d have liked to have lined up alongside: “(Nicolas) Raskin, I’ve gotta say his attitude to play and his desire and the way he works. Obviously, he just got into his international side and came off the bench and played for Belgium. I just think he’s one of those boys that has a steady improvement in him.

“I think he’s actually a player I would have liked to have played and managed at the same time. (Vaclav) Cerny’s another one. I enjoy watching Cerny, that left foot of his. He can come inside, go outside. Cerny’s one I wouldn’t mind playing with as well.”

"I was the only person the new owners could talk to"

With 49ers Enterprises now closing in on a deal to take over at Ibrox, McCoist recalled his experience with a changing of the guard, as the Gers entered administration during his time in the dugout: “It’s a funny one, because you’re not really involved in it as such. The position I was in I was sitting down and getting interviewed by one or two potential buyers but that’s all you can do. You don’t have an influence on it at all. All you’re trying to do is effectively sell the football club to people.

“Nowadays it’s completely different because there’s other people to do that. The guys coming in from San Francisco will be doing their due diligence and their background work and they won’t really be asking anybody in the football management side of things.

“It was different when I was there because there was nobody. There was no board of directors, there was no chairman, no chief executive. I was effectively the only person at the club that you could talk to, so thankfully that’s not the case now and the potential buyers will be going through their due diligence and with a bit of luck it can get done and dusted in the foreseeable future.”

"Big changes are needed at Rangers"

It goes without saying that the big task on the new owners’ hands now will be to bridge the gap to Celtic, which McCoist believes starts with hiring a sporting director: “They’re going to have to do it prudently. The first thing they have to do is clearly appoint somebody that they’re going to trust with potential finances. I would rather see them take their time if I’m to be brutally honest. I’d rather see hopefully new owners come in with a business plan, because it’s not gonna be an overnight fix. There’s no chance.

“The disappointing thing for me has been the dramatic decline since they were a penalty kick away from winning the Europa League. It’s just went south very very quickly for whatever reasons. But I don’t think it’s gonna be an overnight fix.

McCoist: One change new Rangers owners must make amid £25m war-chest claim

The Rangers legend has delivered his verdict.

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“A little bit like they’ve done at Leeds. They’ve not come in and went crazy at Leeds – it looks as though hopefully they will get promotion back to the top flight. But they’ve (49ers) not come in and made sweeping changes.

“Although changes are needed at Rangers, and some big ones, I don’t see them making them all at once. I see them coming in, taking their time, having a business plan, appointing someone and moving the club forward gradually.

“I think that’s a far better idea than just going out and spending money willy-nilly on four or five players. I think there has to be a business plan, you’ve gotta build and take it from there – a steady improvement all of the time.”

"Sean Dyche would be an interesting one"

If a new sporting director is objective number one, then finding a new permanent manager isn’t far behind, and the former Gers boss named some eye-catching options: “Kevin Muscat, who played at Rangers, and won the league in Australia and Japan, was spoken about before Philippe Clement. I would imagine he will come back into the craze as well and get spoken about.

“I mentioned Russell Martin at Southampton, he will be desperate to get back into football and management. Also, there’s other guys. Sean Dyche would be an interesting one for me. His teams have always been very very competitive but particularly his Everton side, it’s always a struggle and a fight. I’d like to see him in a team that are expected to win every week. I think he would enjoy that as much as anything, I really do.

Everton (2023-2025)

83

1.23

Burnley (2012-2022)

425

1.34

Watford (2011-2012)

49

1.37

“So, it’s a well-sought after job and there will be no shortage of people going for it. Mourinho was obviously there recently and he is somebody who certainly a lot of Rangers fans would take to and appreciate but I just think the most important thing is they’ve gotta get it right.”

Last year, Sam Curran became the most expensive player in IPL history. Who will be the most in-demand this time around?

Nagraj Gollapudi and Deivarayan Muthu17-Dec-20237:05

Will we see an INR 20 crore buy at the 2024 IPL auction?

Mitchell StarcMultiple World Cup-winner. Able to bowl attacking spells in the most challenging phases in an innings – the powerplay and death. Ability to impart conventional swing and reverse swing at high speeds, along with cunning changes of pace. And, finally, a handy batter in the lower order. Starc’s pedigree is well known – that’s why he has previously been a contender for the most expensive buy, especially at mini auctions, even if he has opted out to manage his workload at times. Now, Starc, on the verge of turning 34, is on the final bend in his international career and wants to return to the IPL after an eight-year hiatus. He would like to utilise the tournament as preparation for the T20 World Cup in June. With several teams keen to have a strike bowler in their first XIs, it will be no surprise if a fierce paddle war breaks out to snap up Starc.Rachin RavindraRavindra might not have even been in New Zealand’s ODI World Cup squad had Michael Bracewell been fit. The 24-year-old batting allrounder wasn’t supposed to start the World Cup for New Zealand, but when Will Young was given a break in the warm-up against Pakistan, he seized his chance as an opener and went on to become the breakout star of the World Cup. He stood up to quicks such as Starc, Haris Rauf and Mark Wood, but it is his game against spin that could pique the interest of the IPL franchises. Since his Under-19 days, Ravindra has been particularly strong off the back foot and has quickly adapted to the Indian conditions by visiting the country every summer with Wellington’s Hutt Hawks club. Ravindra can also bowl quickish left-arm fingerspin and bat down the order, as he showed during his 48-ball 61 from No. 7 against England in the Lord’s ODI in September.Rachin Ravindra was the breakout star of the ODI World Cup•Associated PressShardul ThakurIndian seam-bowling allrounders are limited in supply, which increases their demand at the auction. It’s no different this time, with Thakur being the most high-profile player with such a skillset. Thakur has the tendency to leak runs, but at the same time he brings the wicket-taking ability with his variations, including the slower bouncer and wobble-seam delivery. He can also tonk sixes down the order with his big backlift and power. In IPL 2023, he cracked 68 off 29 balls – the joint second-highest individual score while batting at No. 7 or lower in the league. More recently, he hit 76 off 98 balls for India A from No. 7 in a four-day game in Potchefstroom.Pat CumminsCummins is a contender for the Player of 2023. He led Australia to the World Test Championship title in June, followed it up by retaining the Ashes in England, and then silenced a dominant Indian team, and a full house in Ahmedabad, with a brilliant spell in the World Cup final in November. Cummins is no stranger to the IPL, having earned one of the record bids in the 2020 auction when Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for INR 15.5 crore (USD 2.28 million approx.). He was released and bought back by the franchise two seasons later for nearly a million dollars (INR 7.25 crore). A bowling allrounder, Cummins creates impact in the first two phases with the ball and can play handy cameos with the bat like a record 14-ball 50 against Mumbai Indians. It will stick in their mind, as multi-skilled players are always high on the franchise’s wish-list. Mumbai also look out for leadership skills, both on the field and in the change room, something Cummins has in droves too.Will Royal Challengers Bangalore go for Gerald Coetzee?•AFP/Getty ImagesGerald CoetzeeTall and well-built, with a Rambo-style black headband and a bounding run-up, Coetzee probably gets into batters’ heads even before delivering a ball. At the ODI World Cup, the 23-year-old finished as the fifth-leading wicket-taker despite playing only eight matches. Out of his 20 wickets, 15 came in the middle overs, the second-most in that phase. Bowling consistently at 140-plus kph, Coetzee showed control and movement to rattle batters. Remember the legcutter to Jos Buttler or the around-the-stumps yorker to Josh Inglis? Coetzee also has a good slower ball, which he delivers with his fast whippy action to catch the batter by surprise. In T20s, Coetzee has been an attacking bowler picking up wickets in all three phases with economy rates hovering between seven and nine. Coetzee’s talent has already been recognised by the Chennai Super Kings coaching staff who recruited him to play for their teams in the SA20 and Major League Cricket. Both those teams are led by former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who performs the same role at Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. Both Super Kings and Royal Challengers need an overseas fast bowler, so don’t be surprised if either or both bid for the South African.Harshal PatelIn 2023, there was a predictability to Harshal Patel, the bowler. A death-overs specialist, he leaked runs at an economy of 11.50 with batters easily taking advantage of his slower deliveries. He had been picked by Royal Challengers at the 2022 mega auction for INR 10.75 crore (USD 1.43 million approx.). He commanded that high price having won the Player-of-the-Tournament award in the 2021 season, when he was the highest wicket-taker. Now he’ll be looking for a new home and a return to old form. Bowling successfully under pressure in the second half of the innings remains Harshal’s calling card: since IPL 2020, he has got 37 wickets at death (overs 17-20) – the joint-highest with Mohammed Shami. While his economy in this phase is over ten, Harshal has the experience, a variety of slower balls and knowledge of Indian conditions – all factors that will come into play when he is engaging with an attacking batter in the final stanza of a T20 innings. Death-overs specialists, especially of the Indian fast-bowling variety, are not that common, so Harshal will fancy a good bid once again.Harshal Patel leaked runs last season•BCCIWanindu HasarangaReleased by Royal Challengers, Wanindu Hasaranga is one of the most attractive packages up for grabs at the auction. He has a fizzing wrong ‘un in his repertoire, can launch sixes down the order, and is an excellent fielder. He was hands down the MVP of Lanka Premier League 2023, topping the runs and wickets charts in the tournament. But he hasn’t played any competitive cricket since then and is currently working his way back from a hamstring tear. At the IPL 2022 auction, he had Royal Challengers locked in a fierce bidding war with Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. This time, he is the only proper spin-bowling allrounder in the first set of allrounders. With no established Indian or foreign wristspinner (besides Tabraiz Shamsi) in the mix, Hasaranga could be a big draw once more.Shahrukh KhanShahrukh had a tepid white-ball domestic season for Tamil Nadu, which is probably why Kings released him to free up INR 9 crore. But Indian domestic finishers are at a premium once again, and specialists like Shahrukh who can go hard from the get-go are rare. Shahrukh is a bit like West Indies’ Rovman Powell: he is particularly strong against pace, but is vulnerable to wristspin. He has been working on his big-hitting against spin, and his own offspin. In the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2023, which he won with Lyca Kovai Kings, Shahrukh was the highest wicket-taker with 17 strikes in nine games at an economy rate of 6.66.

All the key numbers from the 2022 Under-19 World Cup in the West Indies

Sampath Bandarupalli06-Feb-2022India extend their dominance
A four-wicket win against England handed India their fifth Under-19 World Cup title. Previously, they had won in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018. In all, they have made it to finals in eight of the 14 editions of the tournament, including each of the last four occasions. Four of India’s five titles came while staying unbeaten through the tournament – 2000, 2008, 2018 and 2022. Only three other title-winning teams have finished unbeaten – Australia in 2002, South Africa in 2014 and Bangladesh in 2020.